Build:R/A Ravenheart Gloom Runner

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 running

A build used to run the Ravenheart Gloom area in the Domain of Anguish in HM solo or with support heroes.

Build

Ranger / Assassin 12 + 1 + 3 Expertise 12 Shadow Arts The energy cost of attack skills, rituals, touch skills and all Ranger skills is reduced by 64%. Shadow Form FactionsAssassin. Shadow Arts 12Shadow FormElite Enchantment SpellFor 18 seconds, you cannot be the target of enemy Spells, and you gain 5 damage reduction for each Assassin enchantment on you. You cannot deal more than 21 damage with a single skill or attack.5130 Optional CoreNo Profession. UnlinkedOptionalOptionalOptional. Optional CoreNo Profession. UnlinkedOptionalOptionalOptional. "I Am Unstoppable!" EotNNo Profession. Norn rank "I Am Unstoppable!"ShoutFor 16..20 seconds, you have +24 armor and cannot be knocked down or Crippled. PvE only.530 Shroud of Distress FactionsAssassin. Shadow Arts 12Shroud of DistressEnchantment SpellFor 54 seconds, if you are below 50% Health, you have 7 health regeneration and a 75% chance to block attacks.10145 Dwarven Stability EotNNo Profession. Deldrimor rank Dwarven StabilityEnchantment SpellFor 24..30 seconds, your Stances last 55..100% longer. If you activated this Skill while drunk, you cannot be knocked down. PvE only.5¼30 Whirling Defense CoreRanger. Expertise 16Whirling DefenseStanceFor 21 seconds, you have 75% chance to block attacks. Whenever you block a projectile in this way, adjacent foes take 11 damage.460 Optional CoreNo Profession. UnlinkedOptionalOptionalOptional.   Template code

OptionalCoreNo Profession. UnlinkedOptionalOptionalOptional. Option 1:

• Heart of ShadowFactionsAssassin. Shadow Arts 16Heart of ShadowSpellYou are healed for 158, and you Shadow Step to a nearby location directly away from your target.5¼15 to gain health when Hp is critically low. Also enable you to get free if you are stuck or to jump through obstacles.
• Way of PerfectionFactionsAssassin. Shadow Arts 3Way of PerfectionEnchantment SpellFor 60 seconds, whenever you successfully land a critical hit, you gain 16 Health.5¼30 to reduce damage

Option 2:

• Mental BlockEotNNo Profession. Asura rank Mental BlockEnchantment SpellFor 5..11 seconds you have a 50% chance to block attacks. This Enchantment is reapplied every time an enemy strikes you.
  PvE only.10115 lower chances to be interrupted. Increase whirling defense damage by extension.
• Way of the MasterEotNAssassin. Critical Strikes Way of the MasterEnchantment SpellFor 60 seconds, while holding a non-dagger weapon, you have an additional 3..27..35% chance to land a critical hit.5¼30 to reduce damage

Option 3:

• Shadow of HasteFactionsAssassin. Shadow Arts 16Shadow of HasteStanceFor 42 seconds you move 15% faster than normal. When Shadow of Haste ends, you shadow step to your original location.545 will speed up the mission if you intend to complete it. It is optional if you just intend to farm everything.
• RecallFactionsAssassin. UnlinkedRecallEnchantment SpellWhile you maintain Recall, nothing happens. When Recall ends, you Shadow Step to the ally you targeted when you activated this skill and all of your skills are disabled for 10 seconds.-115110
• WinnowingCoreRanger. Wilderness Survival 7WinnowingNature RitualCreate a level 5 Spirit with 100 Health and 32 armor. Non-Spirit creatures within range take 4 additional damage whenever they take physical damage. This Spirit dies after 86 seconds.5560 will boost base damage. Will also bypass damage reduction from Armor of Sanctity and kill earth tormentors faster. Rangers among the army of darkness have this so you can use theirs.
• Edge of ExtinctionPropheciesRanger. Beast Mastery 7Edge of ExtinctionNature RitualCreate a level 5 Spirit with 100 Health and 32 armor. If a non-Spirit creature within range dies, Edge of Extinction deals 31 damage to all creatures of the same type that are below 90% Health and within range of the Spirit. This Spirit dies after 86 seconds.5560 will help on the final spawn and will prevent lefthovers
• Antidote SignetCoreRanger. UnlinkedAntidote SignetSignetCleanse yourself of Poison, Disease, and Blindness, and one additional condition.14 Could lower conditions degen or get rid of all. If you are condition free you could ignore armor of sanctity effect (all the foes are spamming conditions though; it might not last long).
• Any of the options mentioned above

Support Heroes

This is optional but you can bring heroes along in case you don't want to use consets. Quickening zephyr will allow you to maintain shadow form without the need for consets. The hero will require micromanagement on serpent's quickness + quickening zephyr and on positioning. You can make them capture the rift by themselves (carefull not to flag them too close to the tendril).

R/Mo - Quickening Zephyr

Variant: R/A Ravenheart Gloom Runner Optional Ranger Hero

Ranger / Monk 7 + 1 Expertise 8 + 2 Beast Mastery 12 + 1 + 3 Wilderness Survival The energy cost of attack skills, rituals, touch skills and all Ranger skills is reduced by 32%. Serpent's Quickness PropheciesRanger. Wilderness Survival 16Serpent's QuicknessStanceFor 31 seconds, recharge times for your skills are reduced by 33%. Serpent's Quickness ends if your Health drops below 50%.345 Quickening Zephyr CoreRanger. Wilderness Survival 16Quickening ZephyrNature RitualCreate a level 11 Spirit with 220 Health and 68 armor. For non-Spirit creatures within its range, all skills recharge twice as fast and cost 30% more of the base Energy to cast. This Spirit dies after 47 seconds.17560 Winnowing CoreRanger. Wilderness Survival 16WinnowingNature RitualCreate a level 11 Spirit with 220 Health and 68 armor. Non-Spirit creatures within range take 4 additional damage whenever they take physical damage. This Spirit dies after 158 seconds.3560 Edge of Extinction PropheciesRanger. Beast Mastery 10Edge of ExtinctionNature RitualCreate a level 7 Spirit with 140 Health and 44 armor. If a non-Spirit creature within range dies, Edge of Extinction deals 38 damage to all creatures of the same type that are below 90% Health and within range of the Spirit. This Spirit dies after 110 seconds.3560 Balthazar's Spirit PropheciesMonk. Smiting Prayers Balthazar's SpiritEnchantment SpellWhile you maintain this Enchantment, target ally gains adrenaline and Energy after taking damage. (The amount of adrenaline gained increases depending on your rank in Smiting Prayers.)-1102 Martyr CoreMonk. UnlinkedMartyrElite SpellTransfer all Conditions and their remaining durations from your allies to you.5110 Essence Bond PropheciesMonk. UnlinkedEssence BondEnchantment SpellWhile you maintain this Enchantment, whenever target ally takes physical or elemental damage, you gain 1 Energy.-1102 Rebirth CoreMonk. Protection Prayers RebirthSpellResurrect target party member. Target party member is returned to life with 25% Health and zero Energy, and is teleported to your current location. All of target's skills are disabled for 10..4..3 seconds. This Spell consumes all of your remaining Energy.105   Template code

Variant: R/A Ravenheart Gloom Runner Optional Monk Hero

Monk / Necromancer 8 + 1 Divine Favor 8 Healing Prayers 12 + 1 + 3 Protection Prayers 6 Blood Magic Your allies are healed for 29 Health whenever you cast Monk spells on them. Life Barrier PropheciesMonk. Protection Prayers 16Life BarrierElite Enchantment SpellWhile you maintain this Enchantment, damage dealt to target other ally is reduced by 52%. If your Health is below 50% when that ally takes damage, Life Barrier ends. Target ally gets healed for 29 Health.-11525 Life Bond CoreMonk. Protection Prayers 16Life BondEnchantment SpellWhile you maintain this Enchantment, whenever target other ally takes damage from an attack, half the damage is redirected to you. The damage you receive this way is reduced by 32. Target ally gets healed for 29 Health.-1102 Mending CoreMonk. Healing Prayers 8MendingEnchantment SpellWhile you maintain this Enchantment, target ally gains +3 Health regeneration. Target ally gets healed for 29 Health.-1102 Purifying Veil EotNMonk. Protection Prayers 16Purifying VeilEnchantment SpellWhile you maintain this Enchantment, Conditions expire 53% faster on target ally. When this Enchantment ends, one Condition is removed from that ally. Target ally gets healed for 29 Health.-1516 Blessed Signet CoreMonk. Divine Favor 9Blessed SignetSignetFor each Enchantment you are maintaining, you gain 3 Energy. You cannot gain more than 16 energy in this way.210 Optional CoreNo Profession. UnlinkedOptionalOptionalOptional. Rebirth CoreMonk. Protection Prayers 16RebirthSpellResurrect target party member. Target party member is returned to life with 25% Health and zero Energy, and is teleported to your current location. All of target's skills are disabled for 3 seconds. This Spell consumes all of your remaining Energy.105 Blood Ritual PropheciesNecromancer. Blood Magic 6Blood RitualEnchantment SpellFor 10 seconds, target touched ally gains +3 Energy regeneration. Blood Ritual cannot be used on the caster.17%522   Template code Optional Mending TouchNightfallMonk. Protection Prayers 15Mending TouchSpellTouched ally loses two Conditions and is healed for 60 Health for each Condition removed in this way.5¾6 Mend AilmentCoreMonk. Protection Prayers 15Mend AilmentSpellRemove one Condition from target ally. For each remaining Condition, that ally is healed for 70 Health.5¾5 flag the hero far enough so he does not use those on you Notes With life Barrier + Life Bond, your HP would rarely drop under 50% which can be problematic for blocking ratio. Either drop Life Bond or take Mental Block

Equipment

• shield +10 vs demons
• one handed weapon +20% enchants, +5 energy
• Blessed insignias

Usage

• Vital consumables : conset, candy corn, golden egg, lunar fortunes
• Suggested consumables : candy apple, war supplies, drake kabob, Bowl of Skalefin Soup, Slice of Pumpkin Pie
• Not advised : cupcake, any rock candy (speed boost will make it harder to handle foes)
• You need 12+3 in shadow arts in order to maintain SF but since foes will inflict weakness, you need 12+1+3
• Activate the Lightbringer title (each rank will reduce damage input and increase damage output).
• Talk to Whispers Informant to get the lightbringer bounty
• Before recasting SF you could lure the interrupts with passive spells like mental block if you have enough energy. You can also play hide and seek in order to recast SF safely.
• Apart from the main mission, there are a lot of side groups to farm. Army of darkness patrols on the west side. Groups fighting NPC on the center...

Notes

• When under 50% Hp, tormented foes will duplicate themselves with call to the torment and keep doing so unless their Hp increase again. This is exploitable depending on your tactics. You can increase your powerstrike by multiplying them. The advantage of this process is to build your own army with foes that can't interrupt you; Then you can kill all the rangers and paragons instead of using them.
  • Any clone will not be bound to a specific place. It will follow you as far as you go. You might want to duplicate mesmers, eles or necros. The rest is melee or has interrupts and you don't want that.
  • If you complete gloom, you could keep going in foundry with an army of clones to farm Titan gemstones. It is also possible to complete foundry and city in the process but this is advanced tactics and out of scope.

Gains from the farm :

• 2100 lightbringer points from quests + 8*(number of foes you kill). 2500 gold.
• Tormented gemstones (2 from chest and average 4 from drops)
• Gold weapons, Green unique weapons, gold coins
• Regarding blocking probability:
  • Whirling DefenseCoreRanger. Expertise Whirling DefenseStanceFor 8..18..21 seconds, you have 75% chance to block attacks. Whenever you block a projectile in this way, adjacent foes take 5..10..11 damage.1060 + Mental BlockEotNNo Profession. Asura rank Mental BlockEnchantment SpellFor 5..11 seconds you have a 50% chance to block attacks. This Enchantment is reapplied every time an enemy strikes you.
    PvE only.10115 = 88% to block
  • Whirling DefenseCoreRanger. Expertise Whirling DefenseStanceFor 8..18..21 seconds, you have 75% chance to block attacks. Whenever you block a projectile in this way, adjacent foes take 5..10..11 damage.1060 + Shroud of DistressFactionsAssassin. Shadow Arts Shroud of DistressEnchantment SpellFor 30..54..62 seconds, if you are below 50% Health, you have 3..7..8 health regeneration and a 75% chance to block attacks.10145 = 94% to block.
  • Whirling DefenseCoreRanger. Expertise Whirling DefenseStanceFor 8..18..21 seconds, you have 75% chance to block attacks. Whenever you block a projectile in this way, adjacent foes take 5..10..11 damage.1060 + Shroud of DistressFactionsAssassin. Shadow Arts Shroud of DistressEnchantment SpellFor 30..54..62 seconds, if you are below 50% Health, you have 3..7..8 health regeneration and a 75% chance to block attacks.10145 + Mental BlockEotNNo Profession. Asura rank Mental BlockEnchantment SpellFor 5..11 seconds you have a 50% chance to block attacks. This Enchantment is reapplied every time an enemy strikes you.
    PvE only.10115 = 97% to block.

Counters

• Interrupts on Shadow form or Shroud of distress if bad timing. Sanity Tormentor (paragon) and Spirit Tormentor (ranger) both have interrupts.
• In case you are very unlucky, you could suffer from daze if Sanity Tormentors manage to build up enough adrenaline and align the shot. In that case, there are only 2 options : hide or run away using a speed boost.
• If you forget to maintain blocking skills, Earth Tormentors (dervish) could build up adrenaline and remove your enchantments.