Curse

br0thergr1m · Nov 25, 2007, 08:19 PM // 20:19

Ok, first off, I havent capped any elites just yet, im just getting off newb island. Other than the elites I have access to all the skills. The only problem I find with the derv class is finding a decent balance between defense and offense. Currently I think the build im using is heavily defense...which is ok, but I'd rather slide to more of an offensive char. I think new gamers that take up the derv class tend to slam their bar full of offensive skills and dont last too long. So my question is...for now what could I add or tweak to make this build better? I last a long time...but i'd like to balance it out. I'm at work so im trying to recall this from memory.

Conviction
Zealous Renewal
Mystic Sweep
Vital Boon
Faithful Intervention
Mystic Regeneration
Signet Pious
Rez

What would you guys recommend taking instead? I'm just looking at a good balance across attributes and off/def. Thanks

~ Dan ~ · Nov 25, 2007, 11:28 PM // 23:28

Hmm do you want a new build (with elite) or improvements on that one?

Conviction
Zealous Renewal out for victorious sweep
Mystic Sweep
Vital Boon out for mystic vigor
Faithful Intervention out for heart of fury
Mystic Regeneration
Signet Pious out for wild blow / mending touch / utility skill of your choice
Rez

When you get an elite swap out conviction for it and you have a fairly balanced build.

Vulkanyaz · Nov 26, 2007, 12:19 AM // 00:19

Voctorious Sweep + Mystic Vigor + Mystic Regen = plenty of defense btw, so don't load up on a fully defensive bar like - http://www.guildwarsguru.com/forum/s...php?t=10221517 - for example >.<

Stormlord Alex · Nov 26, 2007, 12:53 AM // 00:53

Quote:

Originally Posted by br0thergr1m

I think new gamers that take up the derv class tend to slam their bar full of offensive skills and dont last too long.

Quite the opposite, imo.
New Dervishes tend to pack their bar full of defensive shit like Faithful Intervention and Avatar of Balthazar, then can't kill a thing - the same problem bad Warriors (Mending, Dolyak Sig, Glad's Defense) and Assassins (Flashing Blades, Vigorous Spirit) tend towards - the 'tank' mentality is wrong and found in all melee classes.

Indeed, quite the opposite is most effective for 99% of the game... The most common Dervish builds I run for PvE don't carry a single defensive skill. Smart play, heroes with good builds, and an AI team is the best way forward; wasting half your bar on something the monk should be doing isn't.

[skill]avatar of lyssa[/skill]
[skill]mystic sweep[/skill]
[skill]eremite's attack[/skill]
[skill]protector's strike[/skill]
[skill]wild blow[/skill] / [skill]distracting blow[/skill]
Aura of Holy Might
Eternal Aura
--Open-- A res (rarely nowadays); "Finish Him!", Pain Inverter, "Save Yourselves!", etc. PvE skillz r gud

skydrake · Nov 26, 2007, 07:59 AM // 07:59

Try my build, IMO it's quite balanced (critics welcome)

Scythe Mastery: 12 + 1 + 3
Mysticism: 10 + 1
Earth Prayer: 8 + 1

[skill]Victorious Sweep[/skill][skill]Lyssa's Assault[/skill][skill]Chilling Victory[/skill][skill]Reaper's Sweep[/skill][skill]Heart of Fury[/skill][skill]Mystic Regeneration[/skill][skill]Faithful Intervention[/skill][skill]Resurrection Signet[/skill]

I also played around with VOS build for tanking.

Scythe Mastery: 12 + 1 + 3
Mysticism: 9 + 1
Earth Prayer: 9 + 1

[skill]Vow of Strength[/skill][skill]Conviction[/skill][skill]Mystic Regeneration[/skill][skill]Heart of Fury[/skill][skill]Mirage Cloak[/skill][skill]Faithful Intervention[/skill]Optional (most of the times I bring Lightbringer's Gaze)[skill]Resurrection Signet[/skill]

Aura of Holy Might is great if you have it. Heart of Fury can be subtituted with Heket's Rampage or Flail.

Sirius-NZ · Nov 26, 2007, 09:25 AM // 09:25

The build I'm using most at the moment:
[skill]Victorious Sweep[/skill][skill]Radiant Scythe[/skill][skill]Zealous Sweep[/skill][skill]Great Dwarf Armor[/skill][skill]Heart of Fury[/skill][skill]Avatar of Lyssa[/skill][skill]Eternal Aura[/skill][skill]Sunspear Rebirth Signet[/skill]

Doesn't have AoHM, which I have thought about working in to it, but running that many enchantments is a bit of an issue with the Radiant Scythe attack, even using Avatar of Lyssa... I do have a build that uses Glyph of Lesser Energy to keep energy up high though.

Not surprisingly, with that above build I run 12 Scythe Mastery + 12 Mysticism - doesn't use any other attributes thanks to GDA. It's just a pity that only three of eight skills seem to actually register...

~ Dan ~ · Nov 26, 2007, 11:47 AM // 11:47

Quote:

Originally Posted by Sirius-NZ

The build I'm using most at the moment:
[skill]Victorious Sweep[/skill][skill]Radiant Scythe[/skill][skill]Zealous Sweep[/skill][skill]Great Dwarf Armor[/skill][skill]Heart of Fury[/skill][skill]Avatar of Lyssa[/skill][skill]Eternal Aura[/skill][skill]Sunspear Rebirth Signet[/skill]

Doesn't have AoHM, which I have thought about working in to it, but running that many enchantments is a bit of an issue with the Radiant Scythe attack, even using Avatar of Lyssa... I do have a build that uses Glyph of Lesser Energy to keep energy up high though.

Not surprisingly, with that above build I run 12 Scythe Mastery + 12 Mysticism - doesn't use any other attributes thanks to GDA. It's just a pity that only three of eight skills seem to actually register...

Needs more timed attack skills.

[skill]Avatar Of Lyssa[/skill] + [skill]Mystic Sweep[/skill] + [skill]Eremite's Attack[/skill] + [skill]Protector's Strike[/skill] = win.

Sirius-NZ · Nov 26, 2007, 11:56 AM // 11:56

I thought about that, but to a large extent that's what HoF is for... and the skills I have do much more damage.

If you can't rely on HoF being around much though (shatter enchantment!) those ones would be a good pick. Not sure about the strength attribute skill though... OTOH it does recycle/activate fast.

(edit addition) Replacing HoF with AoHM would be an interesting exercise with those, actually.

Vulkanyaz · Nov 26, 2007, 01:01 PM // 13:01

[skill]distracting blow[/skill] = win for timed attack :P

Sirius-NZ · Nov 27, 2007, 01:12 AM // 01:12

Yeah... warrior has several attacks that synergise nicely with a Dervish. That one being one (Dervish lacking any interrupts is annoying); Wild Blow being another (has a downside for a warrior; for a dervish, uh, well...).

P.S. Just occurred to me to mention another amusing build I've tried; doesn't work well with hench monks though because they often have condition removal.
[skill]Signet of Midnight[/skill][skill]Sand Shards[/skill][skill]Heart of Fury[/skill]

Use imagination for the rest, although things like Armor of Sanctity and Mystic Regeneration may be well worth considering.

Coloneh · Nov 27, 2007, 04:10 AM // 04:10

sig of midnight and sand shards sucks. people stopped using it 2 weeks after nightfall came out. the DPS is terrible.

Sirius-NZ · Nov 27, 2007, 09:22 AM // 09:22

DPS is pretty good when you're trying to take on huge numbers of low-level mobs at once, e.g. farming undead in Kryta or something... but for 95% of situations I'd agree, the DPS is actually pretty measly compared to a real build.

It is at least funny, though.