Build:Team - Voltaic Spear Farm

A PUG-friendly way to farm Voltaic Spears in HM. Uses a Perma Tank to pull groups to a wall, which disappears after the key groups are killed, allowing easy access to the chest for golds and a chance of getting a Voltaic Spear. It is also possible to do this with heroes.

Base Bars

 * / Perma Runner


 * / Frozen Soil / Edge of Extinction


 * / 55HP BiP

5x Damage Dealers
''NOTE: These are just a few suggested builds. For better results, it is recommended that mostly Mesmer builds are taken to deal the most damage''

Mesmer
 * /AnyMesmer Echo Spiker


 * / Keystone Mesmer

Necromancer
 * / Necro Icy Spiker

Elementalist
 * / Elemental Attunement Spiker

Ritualist
 * / Explosive EVAS

Perma Runner
[build prof=A/E sha=12+3+1 air=12][Glyph of Swiftness][Shadow Form][Shroud of Distress][Dwarven Stability][Dark Escape][Mental Block]["I Am Unstoppable!"][Optional][/build]

Optionals:

Equipment

 * All Blessed Insignias, Rune of Superior Vigor, 3 Runes of Vitae.
 * +20 Energy, 20% enchanting staff (for running)
 * +5 Energy, Zealous, 20% enchanting daggers (to maintain energy at wall and to attack Thommis to prevent him from running away)

Usage

 * Run to Slaver's Exile from Umbral Grotto.
 * When you enter, run around to the left and enter Justiciar Thommis' level.
 * Consume Alcohol. A cupcake will also help but is not required.
 * Cast all of your enchantments leaving [[Shadow Form@16] as one of the last.
 * Run through the first group of dwarves to your left.
 * After you get past them, step behind the wall so that the rangers cannot interrupt you and cast [[Glyph of Swiftness@12] or [[Deadly Paradox@3] (depending on which variant you took), and recast [[Shadow Form@16] when recharged.
 * You can also avoid interrupts from arrows by taking 2 steps to either side to dodge the arrows before casting Shadow Form.
 * Keep running hugging the wall to your left.
 * Once you start to gain aggro of the second group, cast [[I am Unstoppable!@10] or else you will get crippled.
 * Once you get through the door, cast [[Glyph of Swiftness@12] or [[Deadly Paradox@3] and recast [[Shadow Form@16] as you did before. The rangers should not be able to interrupt you through the wall.
 * Run forward and try to grab all of the aggro around Justiciar Thommis' and head towards the wall where your heroes are (you just made a big circle).
 * It helps to walk sideways in order to keep their aggro.
 * Go to the corner →See Videos and recast all of your enchantments to survive.
 * If you see Thommis run to the wall instead of you, attack him with zealous daggers to prevent him from running away. Body block him into the wall if possible.
 * By this time, your teammates or heroes should be spiking the ball.
 * Once everything is dead and the wall is opened, recast your enchantments and pull all of the enemies away from the chest so your teammates can grab the loot. Once everyone gets the chest, run in for yourself.

Frozen Soil / Edge of Extinction
[build prof=Rt/R Rest=12+1+3 Spawn=3+1 BeastMastery=9 WildernessSurvival=9][Optional][Optional][Optional][Ebon Battle Standard of Wisdom][Rupture Soul][Edge of Extinction][Frozen Soil][Flesh of My Flesh][/build]

Optionals:

Equipment

 * 40/40 sets for casting.
 * High energy staff.

Usage

 * Maintain Edge of Extinction and Frozen Soil during battle. Keep them out of casting range of the enemies.
 * As soon as the Perma Tank gets to the wall, run up and cast some restoration spells on them until they get a hold of their enchantments. Run back as soon as they are good.
 * Stay out of range of the enemies and use your optional skills to keep the team alive.
 * If a teammate dies, use [[Rupture Soul@3] to remove [[Frozen Soil@9] so they can be resurrected. Cast [[Frozen Soil@3] as soon as possible so the enemies do not resurrect.
 * Frozen Soil can be safely removed after all Demolishers, Pounders, Marksmen, Warders (which carry Resurrection Signet) and Dreamers (which use Resurrection Chant) are dead.

55HP BiP
[build prof=N/P blood=9+3+1 command=12 soul=9+3][Blood is Power][Well of Blood][Optional][Optional]["Never Give Up!"]["Never Surrender!"]["Make Haste!"][Resurrection Signet][/build] Optionals:
 * - Decrease Command to 10 and increase Death Magic to 8.
 * - Replace [[Resurrection Signet@10]

Equipment

 * Any normal armor set.
 * All Radiant Insignias, Superior Runes on each armor piece and the -50 HP Grim Cesta in order to have a total of 55hp.
 * High energy staff with +20% enchantments.

Usage

 * Upon leaving Umbral Grotto, use [["Make Haste!"@12] and [[Blood is Power@13] on the perma tank.
 * As the tank is running to Slaver's Exile, and with your normal armor set on, pick any another team member and continuously cast [[Blood is Power@13] until you die (this is known as saccing).
 * The Ritualist will resurrect you.
 * Continue to sac until you have -60 death penalty.
 * Switch over to your other armor set with the Grim Cesta, and you will have exactly 1HP.
 * With 1HP, you can continuously cast BiP with no penalty.
 * Once inside Slavers, run to the bridge with the perma tank. Cast [[Blood is Power@13] on the perma tank while they are casting their enchantments.
 * Once the perma tank starts to run away, use [["Make Haste!"@12] and [["Never Surrender!"@12]. Then head back to the others.
 * Once the perma tank has pulled around, continually cast BiP on all allies.
 * Be sure to stay out of caster range of the enemies. One hit will kill you.  Only target allies (except for the tank) and use [[Blood is Power@13].
 * If an ally dies, quickly use [[Well of Blood@13] to use up the corpse. Otherwise, enemy minions will be summoned on your side of the wall.

Damage Dealers
These are just a few suggested builds for each caster profession to use in VSF. Builds are grouped together by profession.

Mesmer Echo Spiker
[build prof=Me/Any Domination_Magic=12+1+3 Illusion_Magic=8+1 Fast=10+1][Arcane Echo][Optional][Arcane Mimicry][Wandering Eye][Cry of Pain][Optional][Optional][Arcane Conundrum][/build] First Option Slot: Optionals:
 * - Drop Domination Magic from 12+1+3 to 8+1, and increase Illusion Magic from 8+1 to 12+1+3.
 * - Drop Domination Magic from 12+1+3 to 8+1, and increase Illusion Magic from 8+1 to 12+1+3.
 * - Drop Domination Magic from 12+1+3 to 8+1, and increase Illusion Magic from 8+1 to 12+1+3.

Equipment

 * 40/40 Domination set (if Domination Magic is your main attribute).
 * 40/40 Illusion set (if Illusion Magic is your main attribute).
 * Full Radiant Insignias.

Usage

 * Use [[Arcane Echo] and your Elite Skill.
 * Use [[Arcane Mimicry] to copy another Spiker's Elite Skill.
 * Cast [[Arcane Conundrum@9] to slow the casting times of the enemy's spells.
 * Use the interrupt skills to deal extra damage and stop them from healing.

Keystone Mesmer
[build prof=Me/N fas=12+1+3 ins=12][Symbolic Celerity][Keystone Signet][Unnatural Signet@16][Signet of Clumsiness@16][Signet of Sorrow@16][Optional][Optional][Mantra of Inscriptions][/build] Optionals:
 * Any Signet

Equipment

 * High health set.

Usage

 * Maintain [[Mantra of Inscriptions@12] and [[Symbolic Celerity@16].
 * Use your signets.

Necro Icy Spiker
[build prof=N/Me sou=12+1+3 Death_magic=10+1 cur=8+1][Arcane Echo][Icy Veins][Putrid Bile][Deathly Swarm][Chilblains][Optional][Optional][Masochism][/build] Optionals:

Equipment

 * 40/40 Soul Reaping or Death Magic set.
 * High energy armor.

Usage

 * Maintain [[Masochism@16].
 * Use [[Arcane Echo] and [[Icy Veins@16].
 * Use [[Putrid Bile@11] and [[Deathly Swarm@11] to deal more damage especially when the target(s) die.
 * Use [[Chilblains@9] as needed to rip 2 enchantments off of a group of targets.

Elemental Attunement Spiker
[build prof=E/Me fir=12+1+3 ene=12+1 Air_Magic=3][Arcane Echo][Rodgort's Invocation][Teinai's Wind][Optional][Optional][Optional][Elemental Attunement][Fire Attunement][/build] Optionals:

Equipment

 * 40/40 Fire Magic set
 * High energy armor

Usage

 * Maintain [[Elemental Attunement@13] and [[Fire Attunement@16].
 * Use [[Arcane Echo] and [[Rodgort's Invocation@16]. While the foes are burning, use [[Teinai's Wind@3] to interrupt their actions.
 * Cast other optional skills to deal more damage.

Explosive EVAS
[build prof=Rt/Me spawning=12+1+3][Ghostly Haste][Boon of Creation][Explosive Growth][Optional][Optional][Echo][Arcane Echo][Ebon Vanguard Assassin Support][/build]

Optionals:

Equipment

 * All Radiant insignias, 1 Superior Vigor and 2 Runes of Attunement.
 * High energy staff.

Usage

 * Maintain [[Ghostly Haste@16], [[Boon of Creation@16], and [[Explosive Growth@16].
 * Use [[Arcane Echo] - > [[Echo] -> [[Ebon Vanguard Assassin Support@10] - > [[Echo] -> [[Ebon Vanguard Assassin Support@10] - > [[Ebon Vanguard Assassin Support@10]
 * On skill recharge, recast as many [[Ebon Vanguard Assassin Support@10] as you can.
 * Use any Optional skills to finish them off.

Counters

 * Perma Tank fails to make it to the spiking location.
 * Minions spawn on the spiker's side of the wall.
 * Team fails to cause enough damage.
 * Ritualist and BiP come into the casting range of the enemies.