User:Kelvin Greyheart/Sandbox

Currently I am not having any fun here.

The 200 monk SS team is a variation on the traditional 55/SS team that uses shield of absorption to maintain limitless aggro potential, while at the same time allowing the SS to have more flexibility due to the lack of a need for illusion magic, which is instead carried by the monk.

Build Concept
While there are different tactics for different situations (explained below, in the tactics section), the general outline of how this team works is very similar to most other 55/SS teams:
 * The 200 monk attracts all aggro of the enemies. This includes the important step of taking melee attackers to spell casters and/or ranged attacker whenever possible to allow Spiteful Spirit to kill as many foes simultaneously as possible. Solid lining up of ranged attackers and then solid piling of melee attackers on them are the keys to making this team build effective and successful.
 * The SS necromancer's job is to carefully administer Spiteful Spirit on foes so that as many foes as possible drop at the same time. If the 200 monk does a solid job piling up foes, then Spiteful Spirit placed on two of them can take out the entire group in a matter of seconds.
 * The 200 monk's primary responsibility is to survive. He/she must be accustomed to playing the role of an invincible monk.
 * The SS necromancer is in charge of killing, and must utilize his skills in the way that takes out the most dangerous foes first.
 * In case of aggro breaks the 200 monk needs to cast protective spells on the SS necromancer who then needs to either flee or gather the enemies together again.

The 200 monk
[build prof=Monk/Mesmer Protection=10+1+3 DivineFavor=11+3 Illusion=9 Inspiration=4][Shield of Absorption][protective spirit][Sympathetic Visage][Ancestors Visage][Spell Breaker][Mantra of Resolve][Blessed Aura][Balthazars Spirit][/build]

Equipment

 * Armor
 * Armor does not need to be max.
 * Full Radiant Insignias are highly recommended.
 * The 200 monk also needs 3-4 superior runes to bring his/her health down to 150-250 hp. The other runes may be runes of attunement. (Note: Traditional 55 equipment will work, but this build is able to survive moderate degeneration by recasting balthazar's spirit as needed.  Health values under 100 run the risk of degenerating to death.)
 * Weapons
 * Since this build does not need 55 hp, a -50 hp grim cesta is not required.
 * A staff with a 20% enchanting bonus is required.
 * The weapon should have a protection, or divine favor requirement, (to kill dying nightmares) as well as a high energy bonus.
 * Kepehet's Refuge is perfect for this with +15 energy, and 20% enchantment bonus.

Usage

 * The 200 monk starts by casting and then maintaining Blessed Aura, and Balthazar's Spirit. You may accept the quest Clear the Chamber, or you may clear the area of Bladed Aatxe first.  Clearing the area first takes more time but can be safer, especially if you are still learning how to combat dying nightmares.
 * Before a fight begins use protective spirit. Recast protective spirit as needed while in combat.
 * Use Shield of Absorption before the first enemy hits you and reactivate it as soon as it is recharged. Do not let it expire before recasting it.
 * Use spell breaker to prevent dying nightmares from stripping your enchantments, and also use it when pulling coldfire nights so that they do not snare you, allowing you to move freely when acquiring aggro.
 * Alternate Sympathetic Visage and Ancestor's Visage while melee foes are attacking to allow near continuous energy and adrenaline drain, preventing foes from using spells, and attack skills.
 * Use mantra of resolve against any foe with interrupts. These foes include Grasping Darkness, Bladed Aatxe, and Coldfire Nights using Maelstrom.
 * If suffering from degeneration, be it burning, bleeding or something else, use your divine favor to heal you. Spamming protective spirit is useful, and SOA will also heal you.  However this may not be enough, in which case repeatedly use Balthazzar's spirit to heal yourself.  This uses up a lot of energy, so it is only practical if you have many foes attacking you at once.  However it will let you survive Terrorweb Dryders if you have enough foes attacking.
 * The 200 monk's job is to aggro as many foes as possible. In areas where dying nightmares may pop up, aggro everything possible until Spell breaker has nearly expired.  Make sure to kill any dying nightmares as they pop up with your staff.  In areas without dying nightmares, aggro as much as possible until things begin to break aggro.  In both cases, try to line up all the ranged foes in a small area then run adjacent to them so that as the melee foes are attacking you, SV and AV will quickly drain all energy from them, allowing the SS necromancer to safely use his/her skills on them.  If possible try to position yourself between the foes and the SS to reduce the chance that some foes will break aggro and head for the SS.
 * Warning: Sympathetic Visage, and Ancestor's Visage cause many numbers to appear on your screen.  The number grows exponentially as more mobs are pulled.  Users with lower end systems may find their game client overloading and crashing their computer.  Try lowering the graphics settings, and be especially careful of how much you pull if you have this problem.  Try testing out the 200 monk in an area where you do not need to pay entrance fees if you are at all unsure of the capabilities of your computer.
 * Between fights ping your energy if you are low so the SS knows to use blood ritual on you. Alternatively you may communicate on ventrillo or teamspeak.
 * This build is energy intensive, and with only enough room for Balthazar's Spirit, you may run into energy problems when tanking 3 or fewer foes.

SS Nuker
[build prof=Necromancer/Mesmer Curses=12+3+1 Blood=12+1 SoulReaping=3+1][Arcane Echo][Spiteful Spirit][Reckless haste][Defile Enchantments][Desecrate Enchantments][Blood Ritual][Awaken the blood][Sunspear rebirth Signet][/build]

Variants
Resurrection Signet may be taken in place of Sunspear Rebirth Signet if it is unavailable.

Equipment

 * Armor
 * Armor should be max
 * Full Radiant Insignias are preferred.
 * The necromancer should have a superior curses rune, a minor blood rune, and a minor soul reaping rune.
 * A vigor rune is highly recommended, as is an attunement rune.
 * Equipment
 * A 20/20 weapon set, Ideally, Villnar's Glove and the Wayward Wand of Curses from the Adept of Bone. A curses Wailing Wand is also very useful, it can be obtained from Telamon or Gertrud. This significantly reduces the average recharge time of Spiteful Spirit.
 * The Stonereaper also works relatively well with this character.

Usage

 * The SS necromancer stays out of combat at all times when not casting spells, and does not get any closer than spell range to foes even when casting.
 * Between fights the 55 may ping his/her energy bar if he/she wants a blood ritual. Use blood ritual initially while the 55 is casting maintained enchantments.
 * The 200 can take out dying nightmares by itself, but if any spawn relatively close to you you can attack them or use Desecrate/defile enchantments to kill them quickly, taking pressure off the 55.
 * Use Awaken the Blood as the 200 monk is finishing pulling the foes together.
 * Wait for the 200 to gather the enemies. Once the 200 has stopped moving and has the enemies gathered into a nice group use arcane echo and then cast SS, choose another Target, cast SS again, and then cast reckless haste.  Energy permitting cast Defile and/or Desecrate enchantments.  Then back off and wait for your skills to recharge.  Depending on the number of foes pulled you may be doing as much as 1000 damage a second.  If there are foes still standing, recast Reckless Haste once it recharges, and Recast SS if needed.
 * Generally you will wish to cast SS on bladed Aatxe because they typically last longer than Grasping Darkness.
 * When the 200 monk pulls a group containing both smites and Coldfire Nights, use one copy of SS on a Smite Crawler, and use the other on a Coldfire Night. Do not use Defile or Desecrate enchantments until the smites are almost dead.  This is because while smites attack faster, Coldfires have more health due to their higher level.  Casting both copies on the smites means the most damage, but also means that the Coldfires will Survive, and there will be no melee to drain their energy.  Once the smites are almost dead use Desecrate and Defile enchantments on the Coldfires to finish them off.