User:Erasculio/Ritualist

Ritualist
The most beautiful profession in the game, and one of my favourite characters. Ritualists were one of the professions that suffered the most due to Arena Net's design decisions, beginning with their idea of adding the Factions professions at a low power level in order to buff them later. The result was very mixed: although offensively ritualists were relatively weak, defensively they were extremely powerful (far more than Arena Net expected, it seems) thanks to a combination of Shelter, Ritual Lord and other defensive spirits. Parties would often ask specifically for that build, while refusing ritualists using other skills as they were seen inferior to what other professions could do.

Meanwhile, the design of Factions was rather uninviting to ritualists. A profession suited to base defense and the slow construction of turrets was somewhat out of place in most Factions missions, with the timed limit and the constant need to move unmovable spirits. At the time only Draw Spirit was available as a mobility tool, and it was a clumsy one at best.

It's no surprise, then, that when the expected nerf to the defensive spirits came, ritualists were seen as hopelessly underpowered. While that perception wasn't exactly true (the offensive spirits were already powerful enough), Arena Net decided to compensate the problem by making a massive buff to the damage dealing skills. Those were among the updates with the highest number of skill changes in Guild Wars (really, no kidding) and very good examples of why, regardless of how slow Arena Net is to make balance changes, updating a lot of skills at the same time is not a good idea. Trying to change the role of a profession after it has been created ought to be incredibly hard, and the focus on direct damage made ritualists undesirable in PvE (in which elementalists already had better direct damage spells, and were already seen as the direct damage specialists) and ironically overpowered in PvP, with the birth of Ritspike. It would take Arena Net longer than an year to somewhat fix the disruption caused by ritualists in PvP, and even today the profession is still very balanced in that game mode.

Now, with the split between PvE and PvP skills, followed with a significant buff to spirit-related skills, ritualists have become valued characters in PvE due to their offensive spirits. They have been given good mobility tools with Summon Spirits, and the reduced casting time of almost all binding rituals made movement a smaller problem. Shelter and similar skills are still rarely used, and Ritual Lord is also very rarely seen, but other elite skills have been buffed (to the point of being overpowered, in fact) in order to make ritualists a profession actually sought when making a group. Other niche builds exist, such as the Minion Bombing build (using Spawning Power skills to animate and detonate necromantic minions; it's best used by heroes, given how annoying it is) and the Spirit's Strength build (ritualists in melee, yay!; it is extremely fun, though), even if they aren't seen often.

It's funny to compare where ritualists are today with my original build for the profession, using Animate Flesh Golem while walking through the Echovald Forest xD. Despite some lingering problems, such as the lack of a proper spirit interface, ritualists are one of my favourite profession thanks to one thing: they are by far the most beautiful profession in the game. With armors extremely decorated showing a hint of belly-dancers, they have also been given very fluid and exagerated animations. A ritualist using a bow won't just shoot; she will twist her body around and actually use the bow without facing the direction she's shooting at. Skill animations and attack animations for almost all weapons are so well done that the main reason I use the Spirit Strength build with daggers is to watch the attack and spell casting animations while holding those weapons. While I believe it would be better for Guild Wars 2 if the game does not have ritualists (too same issues with the profession to make it truly balanced), I hope they keep this art style for some characters in the incoming game.

Armor

 * Elite Canthan Headwrap (Survivor, Superior Communing)
 * Elite Canthan Raiment (Mystic, Minor Channeling Magic)
 * Elite Canthan Leggings (Survivor, Major Vigor)
 * Elite Canthan Bangles (Survivor, Minor Spawning Power)
 * Elite Canthan Shoes (Survivor, Minor Restoration Magic)
 * Shing Jea Headwrap (Radiant, Superior Restoration Magic)
 * Canthan Raiment (Mystic, Minor Channeling Magic)
 * Canthan Leggings (Survivor, Major Vigor)
 * Canthan Bangles (Survivor, Minor Spawning Power)
 * Seitung Shoes (Survivor, Minor Restoration Magic)
 * Elite Luxon Headwrap (Survivor, Superior Channeling Magic)
 * Elite Luxon Raiment (Mystic, Minor Communing)
 * Elite Luxon Leggings (Survivor, Major Vigor)
 * Elite Luxon Bangles (Survivor, Minor Spawning Power)
 * Seitung Shoes (Survivor, Minor Restoration Magic)
 * Elite Kurzick Headwrap (Survivor, Spawning Power)
 * Elite Kurzick Raiment (Mystic, Minor Communing)
 * Elite Kurzick Leggings (Survivor, Major Vigor)
 * Elite Kurzick Bangles (Survivor, Channeling Magic)
 * Elite Kurzick Shoes (Survivor, Minor Restoration Magic)

Weapons

 * Insightful Togo's Staff
 * Channeling Magic 9
 * Energy +5
 * Hale and Hearty (5)
 * Insightful Communing Staff of Fortitude
 * Communing 9
 * Energy +5
 * Halves casting time of Communing (20%)
 * Health +27
 * Insightful Platinum Staff of Fortitude
 * Spawning Power 9
 * Energy +5
 * Hale and Hearty (5)
 * Health +30
 * Alem's Remedy
 * Kaolin Wand
 * Plagueborn Focus
 * Poisonous Dragon Fangs of Dagger Mastery

Other

 * Tengu Mask
 * Dragon Mask
 * Miniature Kuunavang

Things to get

 * Elite Exotic armor (for HoM): 400 Bolts of Cloth, 40 Bolts of Silk, 75k
 * Mods
 * 2 Health +30 (staff)

Builds
Note: those suck. I'm not aiming at the most efficient build possible, but rather at something I have fun playing with. And while it's not fun to have ten party wipes, I'm not against playing with a "bad" build if I enjoy it.

Channeling Magic
Spiritual Agony  Template code: OACjEOiMJTlT+gdiXTVTKT0gXMA 

The required Signet of Spirits build. I have seen players using multiple variations of this build, but this is how I like to play it. With enough damage dealing spirits in the Channeling line, I favor using this with zero points in Communing, relying on Spawning Power, good placement and the occasional healing to keep the spirits alive. Spirit Boon Strike and Summon Spirits are very useful in keeping Agony alive, a spirit that I simply enjoy using.

Destruction's Depth  Template code: OACjEOiMJTOOeTYOdT0gVOVMXMA 

All the way back, a variation of this was one of my favourite builds. Now it's underpowered, but I still enjoy playing with it once in a while. The main feature is casting Destruction, running to the enemies, using Summon Spirit (used to be Draw Spirit back then) and then Rupture Soul. Heavily flawed (as offensive ashes are, given how a ritualist running to melee isn't exactly safe), but still fun.

Glaive Channels  Template code: OACjEOiMJPOOidy8yVOZmG7LGA 

With so many Channeling skills focused on direct damage, I wanted to have at least one build around that principle. While not the most effective, this works once in a while. I'm not fond of relying on ashes; the energy loss they inflict is annoying, and keeping Empowerment around isn't really worth it.

Restoration Magic
Spirit's Embrace  Template code: OACiEykMJOxJStV9MMRD6MlcBA 

I don't enjoy playing as a Monk, but with an entire attribute line devoted to healing and protection, I wanted to have at least one semi-useable build in Restoration. This was the result: something which takes zero skill to use and is just a matter of spirit spamming, but it's actually useful in places with lots of degen. This and a Protection Prayers hero is enough for party defense in common PvP (yes, "Lol PvE" indeed, I guess : P).

Spawning Power
Spiritual Sword  Template code: OAGkQxhioRuUOpfBgRgRGIymy2FD 

Ritualists are hardly resilient enough to survive in melee, and the Spirit Strength builds don't leave much room for survivability. They are extremely fun, though, and this one I enjoy using once in a while. Club of a Thousand Bears add a small amount of utility to what is otherwise a purely damage focused build; relying on adrenaline skills frees energy to power Weapon of Aggression, a skill that was probably created to be used with Spirit's Strength.

Spiritual Blades <div class="NavHead" style="background:"> Template code: OAej0xgDJPCQ/3Br7NPR2K7LGA <div class="NavContent" style="border:1px solid ;background:">

My favourite Spirit's Strength build, and a display of art. I don't know why Arena Net used so much of their time for something so small, but the ritualist animations with daggers are incredibly beautiful; the casting animations stand out as among some of the best ritualist animations. Since this build consumes a lot of energy, I use it with Vital Weapon instead of Weapon of Aggression. The dagger attacks used are those which benefit from enchantments, since this build relies on Spirit's Strength anyway. Sight Beyond Sight is mostly a cover enchantment, but its effect happens to be useful in this build.

Damage calculation
All attributes at 15 unless stated otherwise.

Signet of Spirits:
 * 3x 32 damage at each 2 seconds.
 * 3x 32 damage x 15 at each 30 seconds.
 * 1440 damage in 30 seconds.

Bloodsong:
 * 25 damage at each 2 seconds.
 * 25 damage x 15 at each 30 seconds.
 * 375 damage in 30 seconds.

Vampirism (rank 8):
 * 18 damage at each 2 seconds.
 * 18 damage x 15 at each 30 seconds.
 * 270 damage in 30 seconds.

Agony:
 * 10 damage at each second.
 * 10 damage x 30 at each 30 seconds.
 * 300 damage in 30 seconds.

Painful Bond:
 * 20 damage x5 at each 2 seconds.
 * 20 damage x5 x 15 at each 30 seconds.
 * 1500 damage in 30 seconds.

Total:
 * 3885 damage in 30 seconds.
 * 3 open skill slots.
 * 40 energy cost.

Signet of Ghostly Might:
 * One attack each 2 seconds to one attack each 1.34 seconds.
 * Plus 10 additional damage.

Pain:
 * 40 damage at each 1.34 seconds.
 * 40 damage x 22 at each 30 seconds.
 * 880 damage in 30 seconds.

Anguish (SoGM acts before damage is doubled):
 * 60 damage at each 1.34 seconds.
 * 60 damage x 22 at each 30 seconds.
 * 1320 damage in 30 seconds.

Shadowsong:
 * 30 damage at each 1.34 seconds.
 * 30 damage x 22 at each 30 seconds.
 * 660 damage in 30 seconds.

Vampirism (rank 8, no benefit from SoGM):
 * 18 damage at each 1.34 seconds.
 * 18 damage x 22 at each 30 seconds.
 * 396 damage in 30 seconds.

Painful Bond (Channeling 9):
 * 15 damage x4 at each 1.34 seconds.
 * 15 damage x4 x 22 at each 30 seconds.
 * 1320 damage in 30 seconds.

Total:
 * 4576 damage in 30 seconds.
 * 2 open skill slots.
 * 60 energy cost.

So...OMG, Signet of Ghostly Might is better than Signet of Spirits!!!1111!!!1111shiftoneoneone!11!! Both the above are unrealistic (spirits don't attack as soon as they are summoned, they take a while to change targets, they usually don't attack the same target so Painful Bond isn't that effective, Anguish often doesn't attack a hexed target, Agony has AoE, Shadowsong blinds), true. The energy cost of the second build is prohibitive, and it has one less open skill slot.

However...In a team build with two ritualists, one using the first build and the other with the second build sans Painful Bond, both builds would become more or less equivalent. The second one would theorically do more damage, thanks to a higher damage from Painful Bond, and its energy cost and skill number would be reduced.

In reality, with so many spirits and only one source of Painful Bond, most of the time the spirits wouldn't hit an enemy under the hex. Still, a team with two or more ritualists using spirits could actually be useful.