Build:Team - 7 Hero Dual Ritualist Melee Support

This build is in the testing phase. Please join the discussion and rate this build if you have experience with this or closely related builds. This build has been designed for the following use: PvE general PvE team PvE hero

7 Hero team composition to support a melee player suitable for general HM content. Intended for players without access to Mercenary Heroes or Zei Ri. Blood is Power fuels the mesmer midline while a Soul Twisting ritualist provides party-wide protection. A second ritualist instead of a third mesmer (due to hero limitations) provides more powerful melee support capabilities.

Team Composition

/
/
/
/		or	/
/
/
/		or	/

Hero Builds

ESurge (2)

Mesmer / Ritualist 12 + 1 + 3 Domination Magic 11 + 2 Fast Casting 6 + 1 Inspiration Magic 2 Restoration Magic You activate Spells and Signets 46% faster. (No effect for non-Mesmer skills with a cast time less than 2 seconds.) In PvE, the recharge time of your Mesmer Spells is reduced by 39%. Energy Surge CoreMesmer. Domination Magic 16Energy SurgeElite SpellTarget foe loses 11 Energy. For each point of Energy lost, that foe and all nearby foes take 9 damage.51.115 Cry of Frustration CoreMesmer. Domination Magic 16Cry of FrustrationSpellIf target foe is using a skill, that foe and all foes in the area are interrupted and suffer 79 damage.100.115 Mistrust NightfallMesmer. Domination Magic 16MistrustHex SpellFor 6 seconds, the next spell that target foe casts on one of your allies fails and deals 106 damage to that foe and all nearby foes.101.112 Unnatural Signet FactionsMesmer. Domination Magic 16Unnatural SignetSignetTarget foe takes 79 damage. If that foe is under the effects of a hex or enchantment, foes adjacent to your target take 53 damage.0.610 Shatter Hex CoreMesmer. Domination Magic 16Shatter HexSpellRemove a Hex from target ally. If a Hex is removed, foes near that ally take 126 damage.100.510 Optional CoreNo Profession. UnlinkedOptionalOptionalOptional. Power Drain CoreMesmer. Inspiration Magic 7Power DrainSpellIf target foe is casting a Spell or Chant, that Skill is interrupted and you gain 15 Energy.50.120 Flesh of My Flesh FactionsRitualist. Restoration Magic 2Flesh of My FleshSpellLose half your Health. Resurrect target party member with your current Health and 7% Energy.52.2   Template code

Variable Skill Slot

• Spiritual PainNightfallMesmer. Domination Magic 16Spiritual PainSpellTarget foe takes 79 damage. All hostile summoned creatures in the area of that foe take 132 damage.517 on one mesmer
• Drain EnchantmentCoreMesmer. Inspiration Magic 7Drain EnchantmentSpellRemove an Enchantment from target foe. If an Enchantment is removed, you gain 12 Energy and 77 Health.5220 on the other

Equipment

• Rune of Superior Vigor
• Rune of Attunement
• 5 Prodigy's Insignias
• 40/40 Domination Magic

BSurge Command

Elementalist / Paragon 12 + 1 + 3 Air Magic 9 + 1 Energy Storage 9 Command Your maximum Energy is raised by 30. Blinding Surge NightfallElementalist. Air Magic 16Blinding SurgeElite SpellTarget foe is struck for 53 lightning damage. That foe and all adjacent foes are Blinded for 8 seconds. This spell has 25% armor penetration. If this spell strikes an attacking foe, all adjacent foes are also struck and this spell deals 50% more damage.10¾6 Chain Lightning PropheciesElementalist. Air Magic 16Chain LightningSpellTarget foe and up to two other foes near your target are struck for 90 lightning damage. This spell has 25% armor penetration.51026 Lightning Strike CoreElementalist. Air Magic 16Lightning StrikeHex SpellStrike target foe for 53 lightning damage. This spell has 25% armor penetration. If you are Overcast, that foe is hexed with Lightning Strike for 3 seconds. When this hex ends, that foe is struck again for 53 lightning damage.515 Shock Arrow FactionsElementalist. Air Magic 16Shock ArrowSpellSend out a shocking arrow that flies swiftly toward target foe, striking for 53 lightning damage. If Shock Arrow strikes a foe suffering from Cracked Armor, you gain 5 Energy plus 1 Energy for every 2 ranks of Energy Storage. Shock Arrow has 25% armor penetration.518 Shell Shock EotNElementalist. Air Magic 16Shell ShockSpellTarget foe takes 31 lightning damage and has Cracked Armor for 21 seconds. This Spell has 25% armor penetration. If you are Overcast, this spell strikes adjacent foes.518 Air Attunement CoreElementalist. Air Magic 16Air AttunementEnchantment SpellFor 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.10130 "Stand Your Ground!" NightfallParagon. Command 9"Stand Your Ground!"ShoutFor 14 seconds, all party members within earshot receive +24 armor when not moving.1020 "Fall Back!" NightfallParagon. Command 9"Fall Back!"ShoutFor 8 seconds, all allies within earshot gain 11 Health per second while moving and move 33% faster. "Fall Back!" ends on an ally affected by this Shout when that ally successfully hits with an attack.1020   Template code

Variant

• GustFactionsElementalist. Air Magic 16GustElite Enchantment SpellFor 11 seconds, both you and target ally move 33% faster. When you cast this spell, all foes near you and your target take 74 cold damage. Foes struck by Gust while attacking or moving are knocked down.10¾10 over Blinding SurgeNightfallElementalist. Air Magic 16Blinding SurgeElite SpellTarget foe is struck for 53 lightning damage. That foe and all adjacent foes are Blinded for 8 seconds. This spell has 25% armor penetration. If this spell strikes an attacking foe, all adjacent foes are also struck and this spell deals 50% more damage.10¾6

Equipment

• Rune of Superior Vigor
• Two runes of Vitae
• 5 Blessed Insignias
• 40/40 Air Magic

Variable Hero

Minion masters provide more direct damage through a minion army, and are thus preferred for general gameplay:

Position 4 Variant: Minion Master

Necromancer / Paragon 12 + 1 + 3 Death Magic 9 + 1 Soul Reaping 9 Command Gain 10 Energy whenever a non-Spirit creature near you dies, up to 3 times every 15 seconds. Discord FactionsNecromancer. Death Magic 18DiscordElite SpellIf target foe is suffering from a Condition and under the effects of a Hex or an Enchantment, that foe suffers 126 damage.512 Putrid Bile EotNNecromancer. Death Magic 18Putrid BileHex SpellFor 23 seconds, target foe suffers -3 Health degeneration. If that foe dies while under the effects of this Hex, all nearby foes take 97 damage.10112 Signet of Lost Souls NightfallNecromancer. Soul Reaping 12Signet of Lost SoulsSignetIf target foe is below 50% Health, you gain 82 Health and 8 Energy.¼8 Animate Bone Fiend CoreNecromancer. Death Magic 18Animate Bone FiendSpellExploit nearest corpse to animate a level 20 Bone Fiend. Bone Fiends can attack at range.2535 Blood of the Master CoreNecromancer. Death Magic 18Blood of the MasterSpellAll of your undead allies are healed for 133 Health. You sacrifice an additional 2% maximum Health per minion healed in this way.5%512 Masochism EotNNecromancer. Soul Reaping 12MasochismEnchantment SpellFor 34 seconds, you have +2 to your Death Magic and Soul Reaping attributes and sacrifice 3% of your maximum Health when you cast a spell.5120 "Find Their Weakness!" NightfallParagon. Command 9"Find Their Weakness!"ShoutFor 14 seconds, the next time target ally attacks, that ally deals +32 damage and inflicts a Deep Wound for 14 seconds.1015 "Fall Back!" NightfallParagon. Command 9"Fall Back!"ShoutFor 8 seconds, all allies within earshot gain 11 Health per second while moving and move 33% faster. "Fall Back!" ends on an ally affected by this Shout when that ally successfully hits with an attack.1020   Template code Equipment Bloodstained insignia on head, gloves, or boots 4 Minion Master's Insignias on rest Rune of Superior Vigor 2 Runes of Attunement 40/40 Death Magic

However, in areas devoid of corpses, or if one prefers to play without minions, a Thunderclap elementalist can be run instead:

Position 4 Variant: Thunderclap

Elementalist / Paragon 12 + 1 + 3 Air Magic 9 + 1 Energy Storage 9 Command Your maximum Energy is raised by 30. Thunderclap PropheciesElementalist. Air Magic 16ThunderclapElite SpellCreate a massive shockwave at target foe's location. Deals 53 lightning damage to target and all adjacent foes. Struck foes are interrupted and suffer from Cracked Armor and Weakness for 21 seconds. This spell has 25% armor penetration.1018 Chain Lightning PropheciesElementalist. Air Magic 16Chain LightningSpellTarget foe and up to two other foes near your target are struck for 90 lightning damage. This spell has 25% armor penetration.51026 Lightning Strike CoreElementalist. Air Magic 16Lightning StrikeHex SpellStrike target foe for 53 lightning damage. This spell has 25% armor penetration. If you are Overcast, that foe is hexed with Lightning Strike for 3 seconds. When this hex ends, that foe is struck again for 53 lightning damage.515 Shock Arrow FactionsElementalist. Air Magic 16Shock ArrowSpellSend out a shocking arrow that flies swiftly toward target foe, striking for 53 lightning damage. If Shock Arrow strikes a foe suffering from Cracked Armor, you gain 5 Energy plus 1 Energy for every 2 ranks of Energy Storage. Shock Arrow has 25% armor penetration.518 Arc Lightning FactionsElementalist. Air Magic 16Arc LightningSpellTarget foe is struck for 42 lightning damage. If you are Overcast, two foes near your target are struck for 90 lightning damage. Damage from Arc Lightning has 25% armor penetration.51.58 Air Attunement CoreElementalist. Air Magic 16Air AttunementEnchantment SpellFor 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.10130 "Find Their Weakness!" NightfallParagon. Command 9"Find Their Weakness!"ShoutFor 14 seconds, the next time target ally attacks, that ally deals +32 damage and inflicts a Deep Wound for 14 seconds.1015 "Fall Back!" NightfallParagon. Command 9"Fall Back!"ShoutFor 8 seconds, all allies within earshot gain 11 Health per second while moving and move 33% faster. "Fall Back!" ends on an ally affected by this Shout when that ally successfully hits with an attack.1020   Template code Equipment Rune of Superior Vigor Two runes of Vitae 5 Blessed Insignias 40/40 Air Magic

Soul Twisting Prot

Ritualist / Monk 12 + 1 + 3 Communing 10 + 3 Spawning Power 8 Smiting Prayers Creatures you create have 52% more Health, and weapon spells you cast last 52% longer. Soul Twisting FactionsRitualist. Spawning Power 13Soul TwistingElite SkillFor 40 seconds, your Binding Rituals cost 15 less Energy (minimum 10) and recharge instantly. Soul Twisting ends after 3 Binding Rituals.515 Shelter FactionsRitualist. Communing 16ShelterBinding RitualCreate a level 13 Spirit with 260 (+135) Health and 79 armor. Non-Spirit allies within its range cannot lose more than 10% maximum Health from a single attack. When this Spirit prevents damage, it loses 43 Health. This Spirit lasts 62 seconds.25145 Union FactionsRitualist. Communing 16UnionBinding RitualCreate a level 13 Spirit with 260 (+135) Health and 79 armor. Whenever a non-Spirit ally in its range takes damage or life steal, it is reduced by 15 and the Spirit takes 15 damage. This Spirit dies after 62 seconds.15¾45 Displacement FactionsRitualist. Communing 16DisplacementBinding RitualCreate a level 15 Spirit with 300 (+156) Health and 91 armor. All non-Spirit allies within its range have a 75% chance to block incoming attacks. Every time an attack is blocked in this way, this Spirit takes 60 damage. This Spirit dies after 62 seconds.15¾45 Armor of Unfeeling FactionsRitualist. Communing 16Armor of UnfeelingSkillFor 37 seconds, your spirits within earshot take 50% less damage and are immune to critical attacks.5120 Boon of Creation FactionsRitualist. Spawning Power 13Boon of CreationEnchantment SpellFor 54 seconds, whenever you create a creature, you gain 44 Health and 5 Energy.10245 Smite Hex CoreMonk. Smiting Prayers 8Smite HexSpellRemove a Hex from target ally. If a Hex is removed, foes in the area suffer 50 holy damage.5112 Strength of Honor CoreMonk. Smiting Prayers 8Strength of HonorEnchantment SpellWhile you maintain this Enchantment, target ally deals 16 more damage in melee.-110215   Template code

Equipment

• Rune of Superior Vigor
• 2 Runes of Vitae
• 5 Blessed Insignias
• +60 HP staff

BiP Resto

Necromancer / Ritualist 12 Restoration Magic 10 + 1 + 2 Blood Magic 8 + 2 Soul Reaping Gain 10 Energy whenever a non-Spirit creature near you dies, up to 3 times every 15 seconds. Blood is Power CoreNecromancer. Blood Magic 13Blood is PowerElite Enchantment SpellFor 10 seconds, target other ally gains +6 Energy regeneration.33%1¼ Blood Bond FactionsNecromancer. Blood Magic 13Blood BondHex SpellFor 11 seconds, target foe and all adjacent foes are hexed with Blood Bond. Whenever an ally hits one of them with an attack, that ally gains 18 Health. If one of these foes dies while hexed, all allies adjacent to that foe are healed for 89 Health.518 Signet of Lost Souls NightfallNecromancer. Soul Reaping 10Signet of Lost SoulsSignetIf target foe is below 50% Health, you gain 70 Health and 7 Energy.¼8 Spirit Transfer FactionsRitualist. Restoration Magic 12Spirit TransferSpellThe Spirit nearest you loses 41 Health. Target ally is healed for 5 for each point of Health lost.10¼5 Mend Body and Soul FactionsRitualist. Restoration Magic 12Mend Body and SoulSpellTarget ally is healed for 96 Health. That ally loses one Condition for each spirit within earshot.5¾3 Spirit Light FactionsRitualist. Restoration Magic 12Spirit LightSpellTarget ally is healed for 156. If any Spirits are within earshot, you don't sacrifice Health.17%514 Protective Was Kaolai FactionsRitualist. Restoration Magic 12Protective Was KaolaiItem SpellHold Kaolai's ashes for up to 51 seconds. While you hold his ashes, you gain 10 armor. When you drop his ashes, all party members are healed for 70 Health10125 Life FactionsRitualist. Restoration Magic 12LifeBinding RitualCreate a level 11 Spirit with 220 Health and 68 armor. When this Spirit dies, all non-Spirit allies within its range are healed for 6 Health for each second this Spirit was alive. This Spirit dies after 20 seconds.10¾20   Template code

Equipment

• Rune of Superior Vigor
• Rune of Attunement
• 5 Tormentor's Insignias
• 40/20/20 Restoration Magic staff

SoS

Position 7 Variant: SoS Resto

Ritualist / Any 12 + 1 + 3 Channeling Magic 12 + 1 Restoration Magic 3 + 1 Spawning Power Creatures you create have 16% more Health, and weapon spells you cast last 16% longer. Signet of Spirits FactionsRitualist. Channeling Magic 16Signet of SpiritsElite SignetCreate three level 13 spirits. These spirits deal 21 damage with attacks. These spirits die after 60 seconds.130 Bloodsong FactionsRitualist. Channeling Magic 16BloodsongBinding RitualCreate a level 13 Spirit with 260 (+42) Health and 79 armor who dies after 158 seconds. Attacks by that Spirit steal up to 26 Health.5¾30 Splinter Weapon FactionsRitualist. Channeling Magic 16Splinter WeaponWeapon SpellFor 20 (+3.2) seconds, target ally has a Splinter Weapon. Target ally's next 5 attacks deal 53 damage to up to 3 adjacent foes.515 Ancestors' Rage FactionsRitualist. Channeling Magic 16Ancestors' RageSkillFor 1 second, nothing happens. When this skill ends, all foes adjacent to target ally are struck for 117 lightning damage.5¼10 Mend Body and Soul FactionsRitualist. Restoration Magic 13Mend Body and SoulSpellTarget ally is healed for 102 Health. That ally loses one Condition for each spirit within earshot.5¾3 Spirit Light FactionsRitualist. Restoration Magic 13Spirit LightSpellTarget ally is healed for 164. If any Spirits are within earshot, you don't sacrifice Health.17%514 Protective Was Kaolai FactionsRitualist. Restoration Magic 13Protective Was KaolaiItem SpellHold Kaolai's ashes for up to 54 seconds. While you hold his ashes, you gain 10 armor. When you drop his ashes, all party members are healed for 75 Health10125 Essence Strike FactionsRitualist. Channeling Magic 16Essence StrikeSpellTarget foe is struck for 63 lightning damage. If any Spirits are within earshot, you gain 10 Energy.518   Template code Equipment Rune of Superior Vigor Rune of Attunement 5 Shaman's Insignias Adept "Aptitude not Attitude" Restoration Magic staff of Channeling Magic

Position 7 Variant: SoS Prot

Ritualist / Monk 12 + 1 + 3 Channeling Magic 12 Protection Prayers 3 + 1 Spawning Power Creatures you create have 16% more Health, and weapon spells you cast last 16% longer. Signet of Spirits FactionsRitualist. Channeling Magic 16Signet of SpiritsElite SignetCreate three level 13 spirits. These spirits deal 21 damage with attacks. These spirits die after 60 seconds.130 Bloodsong FactionsRitualist. Channeling Magic 16BloodsongBinding RitualCreate a level 13 Spirit with 260 (+42) Health and 79 armor who dies after 158 seconds. Attacks by that Spirit steal up to 26 Health.5¾30 Splinter Weapon FactionsRitualist. Channeling Magic 16Splinter WeaponWeapon SpellFor 20 (+3.2) seconds, target ally has a Splinter Weapon. Target ally's next 5 attacks deal 53 damage to up to 3 adjacent foes.515 Ancestors' Rage FactionsRitualist. Channeling Magic 16Ancestors' RageSkillFor 1 second, nothing happens. When this skill ends, all foes adjacent to target ally are struck for 117 lightning damage.5¼10 Spirit Bond FactionsMonk. Protection Prayers 12Spirit BondEnchantment SpellFor 8 seconds, whenever target ally takes more than 50 damage from the next 10 attacks or Spells, that ally is healed for 78 Health.10¼2 Shield of Absorption NightfallMonk. Protection Prayers 12Shield of AbsorptionEnchantment SpellFor 6 seconds, damage received by target ally is reduced by 5 each time that ally is hit while under the effects of this Enchantment.5110 Shielding Hands CoreMonk. Protection Prayers 12Shielding HandsEnchantment SpellFor 8 seconds, damage and life steal received by target ally is reduced by 15. When Shielding Hands ends, that ally is healed for 41 Health.5¼15 Spirit Siphon FactionsRitualist. Channeling Magic 16Spirit SiphonSpellTarget Spirit loses all Energy. You gain 52% of that Energy.5¼3   Template code Equipment Rune of Superior Vigor Rune of Attunement 5 Shaman's Insignias Adept "Aptitude not Attitude" channeling magic staff Use a staff wrapping of mastery for a chance to hit a break point for Splinter WeaponFactionsRitualist. Channeling Magic 17Splinter WeaponWeapon SpellFor 20 seconds, target ally has a Splinter Weapon. Target ally's next 6 attacks deal 56 damage to up to 3 adjacent foes.515 , improving the team's offense Use a staff wrapping of enchanting for increased durations of the defensive enchantments, improving the team's defense

The decision to run two Restoration Magic healers versus one Resto and one Prot is up to player preference. Restoration magic provides more direct and party healing, and is thus favorable in areas with heavy degeneration or area of effect damage. Protection prayers is preferred in scenarios in which the player is expected to tank a large share of the damage, such as with aggressive playstyles or when frequently employing tactics such as cornerblocking.

Usage

• Hero AI mode:
  • Set backline heroes to guard
  • Set midline heroes to fight
• Micro the Soul Twisting Prot to maintain Strength of HonorCoreMonk. Smiting Prayers 8Strength of HonorEnchantment SpellWhile you maintain this Enchantment, target ally deals 16 more damage in melee.-110215 on you.

1. Invite the hero to your party.
2. Click on the number next to the hero in the party window. This opens the hero control panel.
3. Hold down left shift and left click once on strength of honour. A red crossed circle shows that it is disabled.
4. Target yourself (standard hotkey: F) and left click once on strength of honour. The hero will now cast the enchantment on you and maintain it.
5. Repeat step 4 if the enchantment gets removed in combat.

• Advanced users can set a custom hotkey for Action: Order Hero # to use Skill # in the controls options to force heroes to use certain skills. If playing a melee frequently it is recommended to make such hotkeys for both strength of honour and Splinter WeaponFactionsRitualist. Channeling Magic 16Splinter WeaponWeapon SpellFor 20 seconds, target ally has a Splinter Weapon. Target ally's next 5 attacks deal 53 damage to up to 3 adjacent foes.515.

• Before starting a particularly difficult fight, you can force the communing prot to use ShelterFactionsRitualist. Communing 16ShelterBinding RitualCreate a level 13 Spirit with 260 Health and 79 armor. Non-Spirit allies within its range cannot lose more than 10% maximum Health from a single attack. When this Spirit prevents damage, it loses 43 Health. This Spirit lasts 62 seconds.25145↦UnionFactionsRitualist. Communing 16UnionBinding RitualCreate a level 13 Spirit with 260 Health and 79 armor. Whenever a non-Spirit ally in its range takes damage or life steal, it is reduced by 15 and the Spirit takes 15 damage. This Spirit dies after 62 seconds.15¾45→DisplacementFactionsRitualist. Communing 16DisplacementBinding RitualCreate a level 15 Spirit with 300 Health and 91 armor. All non-Spirit allies within its range have a 75% chance to block incoming attacks. Every time an attack is blocked in this way, this Spirit takes 60 damage. This Spirit dies after 62 seconds.15¾45⇥Armor of UnfeelingFactionsRitualist. Communing 16Armor of UnfeelingSkillFor 37 seconds, your spirits within earshot take 50% less damage and are immune to critical attacks.5120 so your team is fully protected right away.
  • If you're afraid of area damage, you can also flag the heroes apart. It is recommended to place them in a single line, so heroes won't push forward to get into casting range of foes and thus ball with the heroes in front of them again.
  • Natively only the first three heroes can be commanded individually. For the remaining four heroes you need to set up custom hotkeys in the controls option for Action: Command Hero #.

Notes

• If a mission or quest requires a specific hero, replace the BSurge Command with the mandatory hero.
• 40/40 weapon sets can be crafted by Gertrud in Vasburg Armory or Telamon in Leviathan Pits.
• As an alternative mesmer equipment setup, run a Rune of Superior Fast Casting (changing Fast Casting to 10+3 and Inspiration Magic to 8+1).
  • To compensate for the health loss, run an Adept domination magic staff of fortitude with "Aptitude not Attitude" and a Rune of Vitae.
  • This provides two additional points in Inspiration Magic and a chance to halve the recharge time of inspiration magic spells, at the cost of -4 maximum energy and a reduced chance to halve the recharge time of Domination Magic spells.

Exemplary Video

Test run of Vloxen Excavations

See also

• 7 Hero Offensive Mesmerway -- triple mesmer variation of this composition
• 7 Hero Dual Mesmer Discord -- alternative dual ritualist melee comp
• 7 Hero Mercenary Mesmerway -- variant for players with access to mercenary heroes