User:ZStepmother/Guide: Gearing on a budget

Fully equiping your heroes isn't cheap.

= General priority system=
 * 1) Any equipment that's vital for the stability of the team. The equipment can't be substituted with anything else.
 * 2) Attribute runes generally provide the cheapest boost of power.
 * 3) Special insignias (example: Bloodstained)
 * 4) Weapons
 * 5) Vigor runes
 * 6) Insignia's and Runes of Vitae/Attunement

= Meta teams = The core of the current meta teams consists of an ST rit, a BiP necro healer, and 3 mesmers. ... 7 Hero BiP Melee Support, 7 Hero Triple Energy Surge, 7 Hero Mercenary Mesmerway

Vital

Any equipment that's vital for the stability of the team. The equipment can't be substituted with anything else.


 * 1) Attribute runes for the ST rit, to reach the critical breakpoint of 3 charges on Soul Twisting, aswell as boosting the amount of hits the spirits can take

Biggest power boost 

Attribute runes generally provide the cheapest boost of power. They can be swapped for cheaper versions of that rune. This might require you to make minor changes to the attribute setup of the build, to hit certain breakpoints.


 * Mesmers


 * 1) Mesmer attribute runes, specifically the Domination Magic and Fast Casting runes.


 * Necromancers
 * Runes of Blood/Death Magic
 * Rune of Soul Reaping

 Nice to have  Insignia's, and runes of Vitae and Attunement

= Equipment cost/benefit = Equipment priority, orderered by cost/benefit. I consider the current price of the mesmer runes an anomaly, currently I treat them as cheap power boost. If the prices stay the same for a long time, 40/40 dom moves up in rank.
 * Superior Rune of Spawning Power
 * Need to hit at least 12 Spawning Power, so Soul Twisting has 3 charges
 * Superior Rune of Communing
 * Higher Communing means spirits can take more hits, resulting in better protection
 * Superior Rune of Domination Magic x3
 * Can be replaced with Minor/Major Dom, resulting in lower damage
 * Major Rune of Fast Casting x3
 * Can be replaced with Minor Fast Casting, or Superior when not taking Superior Domination Magic. Adjust attributes (increase/decrease Inspi) so you hit either 10 FC, or 13 FC.
 * Superior Rune of Death Magic
 * Can be replaced with Minor/Major Death, resulting in lower damage
 * Superior Rune of Blood Magic
 * Can be replaced with Minor/Major Blood. Adjust attributes so you reach 13 Blood Magic
 * Bloodstained Insignia
 * 40/40 Domination Magic x3
 * 40/40 Death Magic
 * Minor Rune of Inspiration Magic x3
 * Major Rune of Soul Reaping x3
 * 60 HP Staff (without/with random inscription)
 * Vigor runes (Major is a good balance between cost / benefit)
 * Mesmer (Prodigy's) Insignias
 * Necromancer (Tormentor's) Insignias
 * ST (Blessed) Insignias
 * Runes of Vitae / Attunement
 * 40/40 Restoration Magic
 * ST Staff inscription