Curse

Railin · May 09, 2007, 04:30 PM // 16:30

I got inspiration for this build from skillsbas8's topic.

Anyway, yes. A Ritualist with a hammer. This build works amazingly in the Arenas and I've been running it in both RA and TA. It's very vragile without a healer, especially since you're almost always first target in RA. Even though, with a healer you can basically kill every caster off in bare seconds.

Profession: Rt/W

Attributes:
*Channeling Magic:16 (12+3+1)
*Hammer Mastery: 12

[skill]Spirit Rift[/skill][skill]Backbreaker[/skill][skill]Crushing Blow[/skill][skill]Ancestors' Rage[/skill][skill]Nightmare Weapon[/skill][skill]Flurry[/skill][skill]"For Great Justice!"[/skill][skill]Resurrection Signet[/skill]

Usage:
It can be a bit confusing and weird to use this build in the beginning, but once you get used to how this works you can turn it into a real amazing build capable of doing high damage aoe spikes while never losing eye of your target.

The first few seconds are the longest, you have to build up 10 adrenaline before you can start your first spike. This can be done very quickly. Go up to the nearest melee that sticks on you or find someone that isn't your intended spike target to build up some adrenaline. Once that's done, go stand fairly close to your target and use Nightmare Weapon. Once it's up, use Spirit Rift, and immediately after knock him down with Backbreaker so he can't run away. Apply a deep wound with Crushing Blow and use Ancestor's Rage to finish it off. If he's not dead yet, you will be able to use another auto attack to steal health one more time.

Before judging the build, feel free to try it out. ^^

ArKaiN · May 09, 2007, 07:00 PM // 19:00

Rangers are eating me alive, I assume because of low armor+no shield.
Also apparently people run from the little orb of Rift if they aren't noobs (which, granted, doesn't happen that often in RA). My main beef with this is survivability, since it can't counter degen or heal itself in any way, and requires you to run after the target without cripple or anything of the sort.

I also question the use of flurry over tiger stance, since you're using a high damage weapon.

moko · May 09, 2007, 07:17 PM // 19:17

erm, why the hell are you adding Nightmare Weapon? doesn't it basically kill damage for the sake of turning it into lifesteal?

why don't you add Brutal Weapon or the good old Warmongers?

tho, running Flurry isn't bad with Nightmare..hmmz.

definately kick the sup rune, you will want all the health you can get heh.

but overall, it lacks a speedboost also..possibly kicking for great justice, it really hurts on the adren gain but a speedboost would help a lot.

Oso Minar · May 09, 2007, 08:08 PM // 20:08

[skill]Grasping was Kuurong[/skill]
Cast SR first, drop the ashes, Crushing Blow, Ancestor's Rage. That way at least you can use armor that gives a bonus when holding an item.

Otherwise, you're gonna get stomped into oblivion waiting for 10a to build up without any form of self-preservation. As soon as people finish Monk-stomping, they'll often come straight for the Ritualist. It's interesting, but I don't see it working.

You'd almost be better off running the UW solo build...at least that uses Glad's Defense so you don't get destroyed.

Railin · May 10, 2007, 06:35 AM // 06:35

Backbreaker is meant to STOP people from running away from the little Spirit Rift orb, which works if you dont cast it when standing ages away. Also I chose Flurry (after stupidly using Frenzy on my first try) because it's a constant IAS and you don't need high damage on your warrior skills that much since 1) you use Nightmare Weapon anyway and 2) most of the damage comes from your ritualist spells, the hammer is just for increasing your spike that much by disabling them for 4 seconds and giving them deep wound.

I took Nightmare weapon because most of the damage comes from the spells, not the hammer. You could use a major or minor rune if you want it, I tried that too, you'll just do less damage, but I guess it's still an okay spike. Also, I used Rush first instead of FGJ, it's a variant, depends on what you like. I liked Rush personally, it's still worth using. 8 seconds at 0 strenght for 0 energy.

@Oso, I only use [skill]Backbreaker[/skill] for the 4 second knockdown. And the fact you can use it more than once every 30 seconds for 0 energy. As with any spike buid, you don't have to monk stomp and you can help the monk by killing whoever's killing him so if played right your monk should be able to stay alive long enough for you to kill a few people.

I agree survivability on this build is really low, I've been experimenting with different things but I'm still trying to work out a good self heal/defense that doesn't take Backbreaker's elite spot and doesn't need a whole lot of points to use effectively.

Also, after the first 10~20 seconds positioning doesn't really matter anymore in the Arenas, since everyone runs around like crazy. If you have another melee like a warrior, just let him walk in first, hit a few random people for adrenaline and that's it. From my experience, as a ritualist most people run after you immediately anyway so it doesn't make that big of a difference, other than you running after them now. :P [skill]Weapon of Warding[/skill] at 4+ could be a nice replacement for FGJ though.

Thanks for the feedback though.

Oso Minar · May 10, 2007, 09:38 AM // 09:38

I will agree in that it's a really neat-looking combination. I like that knockdown+Spirit Rift+Ancestor's Rage combination. Slick stuff, there. It's just the survivability of the build makes it so dangerous to me, it kills me!

It works great with a two-man combination of a Warrior (or thumper) and a Ritualist, though. With that, you get a surviving pummeller and a backline caster. It's just a bummer that you can't have all the cookies on the same plate, though.

ArKaiN · May 10, 2007, 05:33 PM // 17:33

Quote:

Originally Posted by Railin

...[skill]Weapon of Warding[/skill] at 4+ could be a nice replacement for FGJ though.

How on earth are you gonna get 12 into restauration?

geraar · May 10, 2007, 05:48 PM // 17:48

Quote:

Originally Posted by ArKaiN

How on earth are you gonna get 12 into restauration?

i guess he means 4+ into rest which gives you +3regen (from 4 on)

Railin · May 10, 2007, 06:03 PM // 18:03

Quote:

Originally Posted by geraar

i guess he means 4+ into rest which gives you +3regen (from 4 on)

Yeah, I meant 4+ in Restoration Magic. I tried it a while ago and it's decent, but not something you'd want to use all the time. 10 energy can be pretty heavy.