The Swordmaster Guide (Part 4)

What are some different ways to spec a swordmaster?

One of the best things about this game is that there is no one great spec. Everyone’s spec needs to be different if you plan to get the most out of RvR – unlike other games, you are not a hammer and every problem is not a nail.

Having said that of course, there are some generally cookie-cutter ways to play a swordmaster. First off, you can spec for DPS as mentioned in the tip above. However, there are various ways to do this… Do you want to be a pure DPS class with no regard for how fast you die? Do you want to be burst damage or sustained damage? Do you want to be single target or AoE oriented? The Swordmaster can fill all these roles… and that’s just if you want to DPS.

Swordmasters are also able to tank, even better than they can DPS. But again the question arises – what type of tank do you want to be? Do you want to be a mitigation tank? An avoidance tank? Do you want to use a greatsword or a sword and shield? Do you want to build yourself to absorb maximum damage, or would you like to be able to do decent damage at the same time? Do you want to tank single target encounters or multi-target encounters?

As you can see, there is no one way to play a Swordmaster, every encounter has a chance to require a different setup than the one you’ve chosen for maximum efficiency. That isn’t to say you won’t be able to do it, just that if you were speced differently it’d probably be easier.

I was asked to give a list of templates for swordmasters, however this game is designed to have you switch tactics between encounters, so there really is no static set of tactics you’ll be using all the time. Additionally, if you're anything like me you'll be respecing a lot - and not always to a template. Finally, I'm not here to tell you how to play. I'm here to tell you what the Swordmaster is capable of. Plenty of other people will try to tell you what buttons to push and what works best under ideal circumstances that never happen in real gameplay.


What are some common tactic setups?

As I mentioned elsewhere, tactics are meant to be switched around depending on the situation. So what are some common situations one might run across?


AoEing:

When AoEing mobs, you typically have up Nature’s Blade and use Gusting Wind (or Phoenix's Wing) and Wrath of Hoeth. Because you’re being hit by a large number of mobs (I normally pull 10-20 at a time) it’s a good idea to make sure you have Rugged equipped and Bolstering Enchantments. If you’re trying to hold agro on all the mobs, then Menace is a good idea to have as well. For any remaining slots, use Centuries of Training or Potent Enchantments to help bring the mobs down a little faster; or alternatively Blessing of Heaven for the extra healing to make sure you stay alive.

Recommended tactics for AoEing: Rugged, Menace, Bolstering Enchantments, Centuries of Training, Potent enchantments, Blessing of Heaven


Single Target DPSing:

If you’re trying to kill single targets, you want to dish out as much damage as possible while maintaining as little risk. This can be accomplished by making sure that Heaven’s Blade is in use and Taunt is kept up on your target. You also want to mix around the following tactics: Focused Offence, Centuries of Training, Balanced Accuracy, Deep Incision, Potent Enchantments, and Ensorcelled Agony.

The exact tactics to use depends on the length of the fight and your gear. In terms of maximum damage per second, Centuries of Training does more than Deep Incision or Potent Enchantments, but there’s no guarantee that it will be up as often. With Deep Incision you have absolute control on when it gets applied, and with Potent Enchantments you can have a higher probability of application by also slotting Volatile enchantments. However, Potent Enchantments is currently ticking every 3 seconds, which leaves open the possibility that it can be reapplied before a single tick goes off and hence you lose the damage.

Additionally, you’re mastery path has a very large impact over what skills will be available to you. If you don’t go down Khain, then Ensorcelled Blow with Ensorcelled Agony slotted is the best opening attack you can have; and one possible tactic setup for Hoeth spec might be: Potent Enchantments, Focused Offense, Ensorcelled Agony, Centuries of Training.


Tanking:

Tanking is all about holding agro and not dying. As a Swordmaster, you can tank one mob, or if you prefer, all the mobs. Tactic selection for this goal is more straight-forward than other roles. If you’re not speced into Vaul, you want to at least have Rugged and Menace. If you plan to be taking damage from elemental sources, it might be wise to think about using Bend the Winds since we have no other way to buff this stat by ourselves. Isha’s Protection is also nice since it makes healing a lot easier. Additionally, Bolstering Enchantments and Blessing of Heaven from the Hoeth line can really increase our survivabiltiy when combined with Phantom's Blade.

If, however, you have chosen to spec into Vaul, the tactics that you can use become much more interesting. Rugged is still a must, but the addition of Perfect Defenses and Vaul’s Buffer bring a lot to the table. If you find yourself being crit a lot, Lingering Intimidation might be worth looking into.

Typically, when I go Vaul without Hoeth to tank, I slot: Rugged, Perfect Defenses, Vaul’s Buffer, and Menace. If I'm Hoeth spec, then I'll use Rugged, Bolstering Enchantments, Blessing of Heaven, and Vaul's Buffer - but I'm still toying with the idea of dropping Rugged for Perfect Defenses.



There are of course many other combinations than the ones I listed here, and I doubt I could cover every single situation in which they might be used. As the game advances so will the strategies that are used to slot tactics.


Is tanking with a greatweapon viable?


Yes.

There has been much debate on this topic, and while it is true that a shield does increase you're survivability, especially if you're Vaul, it does not mean that tanking with a two hander is silly, stupid, or impossible.

Every fight I've done, I've tanked with a two hander and a sword and board. Both work. With the ability of Phantom's Blade to give you an absorption shield, and Bolstering Enchantments and Blessing of Heaven to heal you, it's even more viable now than it was in beta. Tanking with a shield will always be better, but it is not a requirement or even a recommendation. But I would offer a piece of advise... shields are your friend when you have 10+ mobs on you.
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