Build:E/A Assassin's Promise Elementalist

The PvXwiki community finds this to be a good build. Through the PvX vetting system, it has reached an overall Rating in the range from 3.75 to < 4.75 and thus qualifies for the lower category of working builds: Good. This build has been designed for the following use: PvE general

Use Assassin's Promise for energy management and the hard hitting single-target abilities of Air Magic or the AoE shutdown of Earth Magic. Works equally well in Hero/Hench teams and full human teams.

Attributes and Skills

Elementalist / Assassin 12 Deadly Arts 3 + 1 Energy Storage Ebon Vanguard Assassin Support EotN No Profession. Ebon Vanguard rank Ebon Vanguard Assassin Support Spell Summon a level 14..20 Ebon Vanguard Assassin that has Iron Palm, Fox Fangs and Nine Tail Strike. This summoned Assassin Shadow Steps to target foe. If that foe is a Charr, the Assassin lives for 24..30 seconds. If target foe is not a Charr, the Assassin lives for 12..15 seconds. 30 1 10 "You Move Like a Dwarf!" EotN No Profession. Norn rank "You Move Like a Dwarf!" Shout Target foe is knocked down and takes 44..80 damage. When that foe gets up, it is Crippled for 8..15 seconds. 10 10 Assassin's Promise Factions Assassin. Deadly Arts 12 Assassin's Promise Elite Hex Spell For 13 seconds, if target foe dies, you gain 17 Energy and all your skills are recharged. 45 ¾ 5 "Finish Him!" EotN No Profession. Norn rank "Finish Him!" Shout If target foe has less than 50% Health, that foe takes 44..80 damage and suffers from Cracked Armor and a Deep Wound for 12..20 seconds. 15 10 Optional Core No Profession. Unlinked Optional Optional Optional. Optional Core No Profession. Unlinked Optional Optional Optional. Glyph of Lesser Energy Core Elementalist. Energy Storage 4 Glyph of Lesser Energy Glyph For the next 15 seconds, your next 2 Spells cost 12 less Energy to cast. 30 1 5 Optional Core No Profession. Unlinked Optional Optional Optional. Template code

• Air Magic (12+1+3):

• Lightning Orb
  Core

  Elementalist. Air Magic 16

  Lightning Orb

  Spell

  Send out a lightning Orb that strikes target foe for 106 lightning damage if it hits. This spell has 25% armor penetration.

  

  5

  2

  15
   Single-target damage spell with Cracked Armour.
• Chain Lightning
  Prophecies

  Elementalist. Air Magic 16

  Chain Lightning

  Spell

  Target foe and up to two other foes near your target are struck for 90 lightning damage. This spell has 25% armor penetration.

  

  6

  2

  10
   Multi-targeting damage spell.
• Air Attunement
  Core

  Elementalist. Air Magic 16

  Air Attunement

  Enchantment Spell

  For 62 seconds, you are attuned to Air. You gain 1 Energy plus 30% of the base Energy cost of the Skill whenever you use Air Magic.

  

  30

  1

  10

• Earth Magic (12+1+3):

• Eruption
  Prophecies

  Elementalist. Earth Magic 16

  Eruption

  Spell

  Cause an Eruption at target foe's location. Each second for 5 seconds, foes near this location are struck for 42 earth damage and are Blinded for 10 seconds.

  

  30

  2

  25
    - AoE Blind/damage.
• Churning Earth
  Factions

  Elementalist. Earth Magic 16

  Churning Earth

  Spell

  Create Churning Earth at target foe's location. For the next 5 seconds, Churning Earth strikes foes near that location for 42 earth damage each second. Any foe moving faster than normal when struck by Churning Earth is knocked down.

  

  30

  2

  15
   knocks down moving foes(all foes in Hard Mode).
• Obsidian Flame
  Core

  Elementalist. Earth Magic 16

  Obsidian Flame

  Spell

  Deal 118 damage to target foe. This Spell ignores armor.

  

  5

  1.5

  5
    - 1.5s cast spike, similar to Lightning Orb.
• Earth Attunement
  Core

  Elementalist. Earth Magic 16

  Earth Attunement

  Enchantment Spell

  For 62 seconds, you are attuned to Earth. You gain 1 Energy plus 30% of the base Energy cost of the Skill each time you use Earth Magic.

  

  30

  1

  10

• Fire Magic (12+1+3):

• Rodgort's Invocation
  Prophecies

  Elementalist. Fire Magic 16

  Rodgort's Invocation

  Spell

  Target foe and all nearby foes are struck for 127 fire damage and set on fire for 3 seconds.

  

  8

  2

  25
   - AoE damage
• Fireball
  Core

  Elementalist. Fire Magic 16

  Fireball

  Spell

  Send out a ball of fire that strikes target foe and all adjacent foes for 119 fire damage.

  

  7

  1.5

  10
   - AoE damage
• Fire Attunement
  Core

  Elementalist. Fire Magic 16

  Fire Attunement

  Enchantment Spell

  For 62 seconds, you are attuned to Fire. You gain 1 Energy plus 30% of the base Energy cost of the Skill each time you use Fire Magic.

  

  30

  1

  10

Other Options

• Glyph of Sacrifice
  Prophecies

  Elementalist. Unlinked

  Glyph of Sacrifice

  Glyph

  For 15 seconds, your next Spell may be cast instantly, but it takes an additional 30 seconds to recharge. Ends prematurely if you use a non-spell skill.

  

  15

  1

  5
   plus Meteor Shower
  Prophecies

  Elementalist. Fire Magic 3

  Meteor Shower

  Spell

  Create a Meteor Shower at target foe's location. For 9 seconds, foes adjacent to that location are struck for 28 fire damage and knocked down every 3 seconds.

  

  60

  5

  25
   for KDs to take down groups easier. Watch out for exhaustion when spamming this.
• Ebon Battle Standard of Honor
  EotN

  No Profession. Ebon Vanguard rank 10

  Ebon Battle Standard of Honor

  Ward Spell

  You plant an Ebon Battle Standard of Honor at your current location. For 14..20 seconds, non-Spirit allies in this area strike for +8..15 damage and an additional +7..10 vs. Charr.

  

  20

  1

  10
   over "YMLaD!" or "Finish Him!" When using Earth or Fire spells to increase AoE damage considerably.
• Energy Blast
  EotN

  Elementalist. Energy Storage 13

  Energy Blast

  Spell

  Target foe takes 2 damage for each point of Energy you have (maximum 130 damage).

  

  20

  1.5

  10
   with high Energy Storage.

Equipment

• Either Radiant or Survivor Insignias.
• Vitae or Attunement runes, with the best vigor rune affordable.
• New users might find energy to be more beneficial than hp. However, with experience, the energy is no longer an issue.
• Half Skill Recharge is unnecessary on mods, however half-cast time is desirable.

• Ideal would be an Adept (air or earth) Staff of Fortitude with Aptitude Not Attitude inscription.

Usage

• Maintain Air/Earth Attunement when possible.
• Use Glyph of Lesser Energy as often as necessary.
• Use Assassin's Promise on called target when health begins to drop.
• Remember that shouts can be used during the cast of other spells, and use them accordingly.
• Due to the nature of the Earth variant, cast AP only when the foe has dropped past 50% health, lower or when you see their death in 6 seconds being imminent (i.e. no enemy healers left).

• For the earth variant, use Churning Earth before Eruption to help prevent scatter.

• A very common and effective opening sequence would be to target the healer in the group and the following sequence.

• Glyph of Lesser Energy
• Ebon Vanguard Assassin Support
• Lightning Orb or Churning Earth and use YMLAD during the cast
• The target should be under half health, so Assassin's Promise, "Finish Him!", and Chain Lightning or Eruption. The target is likely dead.
• All skills are recharged through AP, so reuse the glyph if needed, and repeat the damage.

Counters

• Hex Removal of AP.
• Failure to kill AP marked targets.
• Vocal Minority prevents shouts. Consider other PvE-only skills in areas where this may be a problem.

See Also

• Build:N/A Mark of Pain Nuker
• Build:Rt/A Assassin's Promise Spiker
• Build:Team - 3 Hero Discordway
• Build:Team - 7 Hero Discordway