Forum Link Code:[url=]Team - Spirit Bonder-Smiter[/url]
This build is based on a Spirit Bonder Monk (Mo/Me) and a
Smiting/Support character (Mo/Any or Any/Monk), and can be used to
farm practically anything in PvE. Good examples are: Underworld,
Fissure of Woe and other common 55hp/Spirit Bonder farm locations.
In this build, the Spirit Bond monk is used as a tank (just like in
55hp) and the Supporter serves as a buffer and damage dealer. The
Supporter also carries Rebirth with them to allow resurrection from
range without aggroing enemies.
When a chance exists that the enchantments on the monk may be
removed (mostly by mesmers and necromancers) the Spell Breaker
version is used. When there are no enchantment removers, the Shield
of Judgment version can be used to increase the amount of
damage.
Spirit Bonder
Equipment
- The lowest possible armor. The usual source for this are
probably the armor crafters in Ascalon City or the Shing Jea
Monastery. Your starting armor or a special event headpiece may
be better, if you have access to them.
- NOTE: Consider just not wearing certain pieces of armor, such
as your chest armor. You can wear three runes on your headpiece,
feet, arms and legs (extra energy regeneration and attribute points
and they still do enough damage), protecting yourself as little as
possible.
- A cheap, yet good combination of arms would be the Totem Axe and Wenslauss'
Chalice. These increase enchantment length by 20%, give +45 to
your health and a total of +17 energy.
Usage
- Cast Essence
Bond and Blessed Aura on yourself, lowering your energy
regeneration to +2 and wait until the Supporter has finished
buffing you with Life Attunement, Retribution, Balthazar's
Spirit and Holy
Wrath.
- Wait until your energy is full and use Blessed Signet to
speed up the process.
- In situations where there are no enemy mesmers, the approach is
to put Protective Spirit and Spirit Bond on and
aggro the targeted group. You can take unlimited melee attackers as
long as enough of them deal high enough damage to trigger Spirit Bond. If the
damage dealt by the type of enemy is too low, be sure to have a
damage increasing skill activated at all times. (If targeted
enemies deal elemental damage, use Physical
Resistance, if physical damage, use Elemental
Resistance, when both, consider taking a general damage
increasing skill such as: Frenzy and Healing Signet). But! Be absolutely sure not
to cast Spirit
Bond before the stance, otherwise the damage increase will come
into effect after the Spirit Bond, and hence do nothing useful at
all.
- The Energy gained from Essence Bond and Balthazar's
Spirit should be more than enough for all situations; use Blessed
Signet to fill in if needed.
- Use Spell
Breaker to prevent most enchantment removal skills, or prevent
initial spells while you approach any groups containing enemies
known for enchantment removal. This is highly recommended while
farming UW due to the Dying Nightmares that can pop-up from the
ground. Having to activate Spell Breaker after noticing a Dying Nightmare
will require good reflexes.
- Make sure that, while in combat, Protective
Spirit and Spirit Bond are on at ALL TIMES!
- You can use Sympathetic Visage at any time (if you’re
sure you won’t run out of energy) to deplete the energy and
adrenaline of melee attackers. This can be very helpful when, for
example, encountering Smite Crawler, Bladed Aatxe and Grasping
Darkness. The energy depletion will prevent Smite Crawlers from
casting hex removals and healing skills, and the adrenaline loss
will prevent interrupts from the Aaxtes and Graspings.
Counters
- Anything that can take away a Spirit Bonder's enchantments will
quickly eliminate them. Spell Breaker or a similar spell will help
against this.
- Life stealing, large amounts of health degeneration and Healing
Reduction effects can cause problems in terms of the Spirit
Bonder's ability to survive.
- Interrupts can
also be hard to handle so be careful what to cast when. Spamming of
Protective Spirit and Spirit Bond can keep you alive.
- Dazed will kill you
unless your supporter can remove this quickly.
Variants
Support Smiter
Equipment
- +1 Smiting Headpiece
- Any weapons/offhands with +1 Smiting Prayers (20%) and/or
HCT/HSR 20%/20% Smiting Prayers.
Usage
- First, cast Life Attunement, Retribution, Balthazar's
Spirit and Holy
Wrath on the Spirit Bonder.
- When the Spirit Bonder has engaged foes, it is important not to
aggro the enemies yourself, but stay at the edge of the aggro
circle and cast Bane Signet and Signet of
Judgment.
- If your enchantments on the Spirit Bonder are removed, recast
Balthazar's Spirit first, and Holy Wrath last.
- If you do get attacked… RUN!
- If the Spirit Bonder dies, back off to make sure you don't
aggro any enemies. Then resurrect the Spirit Bonder with Rebirth (It's recommended to
call your resurrection to ensure your partner knows that they have
to escape too and give them time to rebuff.)
Variants
- Since you have no energy due to Holy Wrath, signets (or skills base on
adrenaline/used before combat) are the only skills useable for the
optional slot. These are:
- Warrior:
- Rush – because of the
damage from Retribution and Holy Wrath you are able to gain adrenaline (useful
when the Spirit Bonder is dead and you need to escape)
- Monk:
- Necromancer:
- Barbed
Signet - to deal some damage and heal yourself if
necessary
- Mesmer:
- Assassin:
- Ritualist:
- Death Pact Signet - for resurrecting the
Spirit Bonder with full energy and health, NOTE this can
practically be used one time, because you also die the next time
the Spirit Bonder dies.
- Paragon: When Nightfall is released:
Notes
- Retribution
and Holy Wrath
deal 99% of the damage received back to the source with a maximum
of 74 damage.
If you add Shield of Judgment with this you will get:
74 damage per hit (Holy Wrath + Retribution) + 44 damage per hit (Shield of
Judgment). This means that enemies will get around 120 damage
each hit they make, and this is without the smiting signets the
Supporter uses so expect higher damage!
Monk / Mesmer 
