Champion Class Traits

So this guide currently has two set ups. Firstly a generic DPS one (no clear emphasis between AOE and Single Target) which is useful for raid skirmish runs, or runs where there is mixed boss/trash, or indeed if you are just a little unsure and want to get the best utility out of your set up. It is quite nice to use this a bench mark set up, to see which traits you want to drop in and out. There is a lot that can be done, by traiting deeper Yellow, or Red, but this one covers most bases without faffing to retrait too much.

I have coded the traits below, corresponding to their trait lines in-game; Martial Champion (tanking), Berserker (Single target/crit), and The Deadly Storm (AOE). In addition they are broken into two groups: *Must Have* and *Custom Additions*. As with all these guides, *must have* is MY opinion, not true for everyone as we all have thing we cannot stand. If you have some differing opinions, please leave a comment, as it will enable us, and other users of the site, to see the variety of choice.

General DPS set up

Trait Short List

• Flurry of Blows
• Deadly Strikes
• Vicious Strikes
  
• Controlled Fury
  
• Stalwart Blade
  
• Ardent Rage
  
• Eye of the Storm

• Raging Blade
• Controlled Burn
  
• Ferocious Strikes

*Must Have*

Flurry of Blows (Perpetually active in Fervour stances, and +10 seconds duration in others)

Deadly Strikes (+25% crit multiplier for strike skills)

Vicious Strikes (+[Level x 16] Strike Skills Critical Rating)

Controlled Fury (+30 seconds duration)

Stalwart Blade (+1 fervour pip for blade wall skill)

*Custom additions*

Ardent Rage (+5 instead of +3 fervour from Battle Frenzy)

Eye of the Storm (blades storm and red cost 1 less fervour pip)

maybe:

Deep Strikes (On a Critical Hit, the following skills will now apply a bleed: Brutal, Ferocious, Merciful, Relentless, Feral and Savage Strike)

if I want to emphasise single target damage more, or alternatively if I want to AOE more and take advantage of the 4 set bonus for the Deadly Storm line:

Improved Rend (reduces armour rating as well as bleeds)

Battle Acumen (Battle Acutity costs 1 less pip)

 

Tanking Set up

Trait Short List

• Tight Grip
• Call of the Wild
• Vigour of Champions
• Aggressive Exchange
• Reprisal
• Stalwart Blade
• Ardent Rage

• Raging Blade
• Invincible
• Ferocious Strikes

Must Have’s

Tight Grip (-50% Hedge cooldown and +5 second duration)

Call of the Wild (Increased threat generated and each strike reduces sudden defence cool down by 5 seconds)

Vigour of Champions (Basically doubles the power return from second wind) for champs this go from 40+ power every 2 seconds for 10 seconds (10 second cool down) to 80+ power every 2 seconds for 10 seconds (10 second cool down)

Reprisal (Increased threat from exchange of blows (damage reflect) and this skills is permanently active when in in Glory stance)

Stalwart Blade (blade wall generates a fervour pip)

Tight grip enables you to have hedge permanently up; which is your equivalent armour and crit defence buff to using a heavy shield, and also removes disarms and gives you +1500 wound resist; essential for your survivability.

Call of the wild, not only adds more threat to your bread and butter attack, enabling you to get and keep aggro, but each time you hit it reduces the cool down of sudden defence which is your morale shield bubble. My champs bubble is just short of 3700 morale currently (lasting for 15 seconds or until destroyed) and with a maxed minor weapon legacy this can be reduced to a 1 minute cooldown. I guarantee you will hit wild attack at least 4 times in that minute (probably more) which means that the cooldown is now going to be 40 seconds on a very useful skill… whats not to like?

The last three address to problems with Glory tanking compared to Fervour and Ardour stance. Glory stance has less in combat power regeneration, and less fervour ‘pip’ generation than the other two stances, and naturally the skills still cost the same to execute, and fervour is still needed for most your main attacks, and your bubbles. I think on that basis these are fairly self-explanatory. Even if you have a Lore Master along, the power is necessary, as the LM could be better served doing other things, including feeding power to other individuals, when our power can be infinitely sustained with this trait, and we will pretyt much have to use second wind anyway, as Glory eats power and a LM couldn;t keep up easily with our consumption anyway, besides, LM’s are so damn rare these days!

Custom Additons

by default I would add these two to the above traits (looking to get 5 blue for the capstone trait), and 2 yellow.

Aggressive Exchange (Increased threat for blade wall)

Ardent Rage (Battle Frenzy fills give you +5 instead of +3 fervour)

There are situations where I would also swap one of these out. Reprisal is a *must have* for 99% situations as the fervour generation damage reflect, and aggro generation is fantastic, occasionally there are fights where some mobs must not be hit, as such damage reflect is a bad idea (think 16th hall final boss fight, or GS HM Igash fight with the devoted) then Reprisal will be removed, but otherwise this has to be in your build.

If I do want to add braced against defeat, then 99% of the time I would loose aggressive exchange, though I would consider Ardent Rage too, though the instance fervour means you can open on a big attack or instantly pop a full bubble shield, so probably more likely to go for the former, and pop in Braced against defeat. The reason this very usefull skill (which solo I love to carry), doesn’t tend to make it to a tanking build is that as a tank you are pretty guaranteed some heals, though in some cases where, for example you know your group is good at keeping low aggro, or you may be more off tanking and do not want to overly stress the healer, I may swap Aggressive exchange for it.

Braced against Defeat (bracing attack restores more morale)

Legendary Skills

For tanking I think these three are most use:

Raging Blade (Threat Generating AOE attack Sching Sching)… in fact if you EVER take it off, you probably shouldnt be playing a champ!

Invincible (Martial Champion Capstone- increases mitigation bonus by double of adamant skill)

Ferocious Strikes (A decent Single Target attack, with added threat)

I hope that has been some use, it’s not everyone’s ideal set up, but its seems to work well for us, and is a good starting off point for working out your own preferences.

thanks for reading!

Adam