No dodge ability though so that is an instant no. Arcane warrior really needs a dodge for when he is getting overwhelmed.
It's not just for dodge. Most of the melee mooks just block your spirit blade whenever they feel like it and FC allows you to circumvent that.
My third promote i decided to try this build. (my previous 2 were with mindblast and one random which i totally messed up.)
I love this build tbh! but i'm kinda confused about what pasives to get and which ones not? If I understand it right Barrier does not work well with armor boosts? So all the armor passives like Spell Sword, Force of Will I can skip?
How about Peaceful Aura? I'm hesitating on this one since in some games I'm the tank.. (which works perfect with this build)
Phasing worth taking? 5% dodge chance? Really need this? U hardly ever lose any shield
I also took Stormbringer for that extra "PEW"
Static Charge works with PotA & Spirit Blade combo? Since there is never really a casting moment (exept PotA but that u can throw instant) so not really needed?
Still got 1 level to go till I hit 20. Suggestions?
My third promote i decided to try this build. (my previous 2 were with mindblast and one random which i totally messed up.)
I love this build tbh! but i'm kinda confused about what pasives to get and which ones not? If I understand it right Barrier does not work well with armor boosts? So all the armor passives like Spell Sword, Force of Will I can skip?
How about Peaceful Aura? I'm hesitating on this one since in some games I'm the tank.. (which works perfect with this build)
Phasing worth taking? 5% dodge chance? Really need this? U hardly ever lose any shield
I also took Stormbringer for that extra "PEW"
Static Charge works with PotA & Spirit Blade combo? Since there is never really a casting moment (exept PotA but that u can throw instant) so not really needed?
Still got 1 level to go till I hit 20. Suggestions?
My third promote i decided to try this build. (my previous 2 were with mindblast and one random which i totally messed up.)
I love this build tbh! but i'm kinda confused about what pasives to get and which ones not? If I understand it right Barrier does not work well with armor boosts? So all the armor passives like Spell Sword, Force of Will I can skip?
How about Peaceful Aura? I'm hesitating on this one since in some games I'm the tank.. (which works perfect with this build)
Phasing worth taking? 5% dodge chance? Really need this? U hardly ever lose any shield
I also took Stormbringer for that extra "PEW"
Static Charge works with PotA & Spirit Blade combo? Since there is never really a casting moment (exept PotA but that u can throw instant) so not really needed?
Still got 1 level to go till I hit 20. Suggestions?
I would skip both spell sword and force of will. You get a really tiny return on those for your skill point.
I wouldn't pick peaceful aura, it's just pointless. You will kill most stuff while they are disabled, and you have your barriers for a reason.
Phasing - again, not. AW has more than enough defenses in the form of barrier. Anything else is just wasted skill points. If you want defenses pick something that ups your damage out put - stuff will die faster so they will deal less damage. You also will get more barriers.
Stormbringer is a really low dps choice. You deal a few hundred damage every 15s. Get something more reliable damage or mana regen or something.
When you cast PotA you won't have barriers most likely - getting hit in that situation is not advisable. So Static Charge can only proc via CL or SF. When you are casting those most things are too busy rolling on the floor. I wouldn't pick that. Get more damage or mana regen.
Im not sure that armor buffs are useless on him. To me, armour buffs apply to your armor rating rather than your guard like others are theorising.
It's not a theory, and dead easy to doublecheck it. Barriers don't get your armor bonus, they take full damage everytime. Picking something that boosts your armor will help when and only when your barriers are depleted. Basically they are worthless on an AW.
I would skip both spell sword and force of will. You get a really tiny return on those for your skill point.
I wouldn't pick peaceful aura, it's just pointless. You will kill most stuff while they are disabled, and you have your barriers for a reason.
Phasing - again, not. AW has more than enough defenses in the form of barrier. Anything else is just wasted skill points. If you want defenses pick something that ups your damage out put - stuff will die faster so they will deal less damage. You also will get more barriers.
Stormbringer is a really low dps choice. You deal a few hundred damage every 15s. Get something more reliable damage or mana regen or something.
When you cast PotA you won't have barriers most likely - getting hit in that situation is not advisable. So Static Charge can only proc via CL or SF. When you are casting those most things are too busy rolling on the floor. I wouldn't pick that. Get more damage or mana regen.
It's not a theory, and dead easy to doublecheck it. Barriers don't get your armor bonus, they take full damage everytime. Picking something that boosts your armor will help when and only when your barriers are depleted. Basically they are worthless on an AW.
Well if I take away Spell Sword and the other armor passive then I have 2 free... what should I aim for since I have all mana regenerating stuff and the ones exploting the weakness debuffs 
So not sure what to fancy then
I would skip both spell sword and force of will. You get a really tiny return on those for your skill point.
I wouldn't pick peaceful aura, it's just pointless. You will kill most stuff while they are disabled, and you have your barriers for a reason.
Phasing - again, not. AW has more than enough defenses in the form of barrier. Anything else is just wasted skill points. If you want defenses pick something that ups your damage out put - stuff will die faster so they will deal less damage. You also will get more barriers.
Which is exactly why I'm going for Conductive Current this time by skipping Force of Will and Phasing. Only one more level to go before I can test it.
Also how useful is defending blade,,,, can't say that I am actively using it or maybe it works passively?
Well if I take away Spell Sword and the other armor passive then I have 2 free... what should I aim for since I have all mana regenerating stuff and the ones exploting the weakness debuffs
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Also how useful is defending blade,,,, can't say that I am actively using it or maybe it works passively?
Defending blade lets you hit arrows and whatnot back. So it doesn't work passively, you have to hit the projectile back.
I usually have the following:
Mentalism:
0-Spirit Blade
1-Combat Clarity
2-Fade Shield
3-Guardian Spirit
4-Gathering Storm
5-Composed
6-Mind Over Matter
7-Strength of the Spirits
Elemental:
0-Chain Lightning
1-Rejuvenating Barrier
3-Fade Cloak (U)
4-Disturbance of Spirit
5-Smothering Veil
6-Twisting Veil
7-Encircling Veil
8-Restorative Veil
10-Pull of the Abyss (U)
That's 17 points spent.
For the last 2 points I'm still undecided which suits me better:
- Upgrade Chain Lightning and get Defending Blade
- Get upgraded Stonefist.
I still don't know what is more damage. I can manage without Defending Blade (still worths more than Stormbringer though since archers actually do 300-500 damage which strip your barriers real quick) and the damage on Stonefist is indeed nice. Nightmares on the other hand are juicy - but I can count on one hand how many times I do the whole combo by myself only.
Thanks for the build... quite similar to what I had in mind....
One more question though... how's static charge? Not useful?
One more question though... how's static charge? Not useful?
Never tried it. But most likely it would work only with SF/CL cast (FC/SB is instant, PotA - you don't have barriers so you hide), do you cast those much while under attack?
FYI, armor only affects your health/guard so it can be used as a buffer if you have a way to gain health back, it just has no effect on barrier. According to testing, going from 48 to 67 armor decreased the damage taken by 19 so armor provides a straight damage reduction. Only enemies that have armor penetration can deal close to their normal damage per hit. Unfortunately, we don't know which enemies have armor penetration or how difficulty affects their stats. For an RPG, Bioware is surprisingly secretive about the stats that matter.
For an RPG, Bioware is surprisingly secretive about the stats that matter.
Want to know the reason we were given by Bioware to justify the lack of stats and clear descriptions for ME3? (I'd bet it's the same for DA MP)
It's easier and cost less to translate...
And it's not the only place they decided to save money:
Thanks for the build... quite similar to what I had in mind....
One more question though... how's static charge? Not useful?
Never tried it. But most likely it would work only with SF/CL cast (FC/SB is instant, PotA - you don't have barriers so you hide), do you cast those much while under attack?
I'm curious if SB proc SC in theory it should since you are technically casting
imo
Chain Lightning, Fade Step, Fade Cloak, Spirit Blade is better.
Pull, Fade Step, Fade Cloak, Spirit blade is better.
Fade Cloak is super important for it's damage, Fade Step for its utility, both offer invulnerability so this meshes well with the idea of staying alive. Basically what I've found is that for me the degree to which I can stay alive and tank through hordes of mobs is greater with previously mentioned builds than what OP is suggesting. Pull is very nice, Pull Sleep combo is even better but honestly, those are optional, staying alive through as much punishment as possible is not.
I'm curious if SB proc SC in theory it should since you are technically casting
I would be quite suprised. SB cast is instant (mobs can take damage as soon as you push the button if they are next to you on your right), the effect of the spell takes some time. If however it does work throughout the whole duration, it's an interesting choice.
Chain Lightning, Fade Step, Fade Cloak, Spirit Blade is better.
Pull, Fade Step, Fade Cloak, Spirit blade is better.
In your first build you switch out PotA. Which means you get a terrible drop in actual damage output since you have to blow mobs up one by one instead of killing them all in one group. Your clear times will suffer and most importantly as your damage output drops so does your survivalibility. Of course you need fade step to stay alive if you barely do enough damage to upkeep your barrier while 5 other mobs are pelting you. With PotA this problem is simply non-existant.
In your second build - what do you use fade step for? You miss the ability to setup nightmare combos, additional damage from shocked or the raw damage output of SF. How do you use Fade Step in these situations?
I would be quite suprised. SB cast is instant (mobs can take damage as soon as you push the button if they are next to you on your right), the effect of the spell takes some time. If however it does work throughout the whole duration, it's an interesting choice.
In your first build you switch out PotA. Which means you get a terrible drop in actual damage output since you have to blow mobs up one by one instead of killing them all in one group. Your clear times will suffer and most importantly as your damage output drops so does your survivalibility. Of course you need fade step to stay alive if you barely do enough damage to upkeep your barrier while 5 other mobs are pelting you. With PotA this problem is simply non-existant.
In your second build - what do you use fade step for? You miss the ability to setup nightmare combos, additional damage from shocked or the raw damage output of SF. How do you use Fade Step in these situations?
I've tested it quite a bit, I simply find Fade Step vital for staying alive in between small packs (which is where the AW has trouble). I find Fade Cloak vital for bossfights and the like, besides that it's a huge chunk of dps. I didn't factor in clear speed but basically the situations where PotA is good are the situations I have little trouble with whereas if I want to keep fighting small packs I find a huge benefit in having Fade Cloak and Fade Step. I really do hate not having PotA but that lack of utility is the price I pay for being more flexible.
I need to try more Fade Step, Chain Lightning, PotA, Spirit Blade.
I think we can agree we simply need access to a fifth skill 
After testing every possible configuration again my second build (PotA, Fade Step, Fade Cloak, Spirit Blade) is my most preferred. Fade Step is so freaking useful. The mobility helps a lot, you get more time out of your PotA as well. The nightmare combo's aren't that big of a deal when whatever gets stuck there most likely dies in seconds anyway. All I can say is give it a try (takes a while to get used to Fade Step). Bit dumb of me to call it better when it just comes down to preference.
I agree fade step is great, I do like the idea of CL but the utility of fade step is too great to pass up.
I agree fade step is great, I do like the idea of CL but the utility of fade step is too great to pass up.
What other skills do you take?
Basically the same build except instead of Chain Lightning I use Fade Step, you lose the ranged damage you get from CL but gain a gap closer and gap opener from dangerous situation such as closing in on ranged mobs, dodging AOE like the demon commander(if FC is on CD), and you can make a bee line to downed teammates. I'm not sure if the upgraded FS is worth the point but I'm still playing around with it.
I'll give it a try after next promotion, you are that adamant about it being great.
I've tried the Fade Cloak, Chain Lightning, PotA and Spirit Blade build. But I had a problem with Fade Cloak when I had to use PotA from distance in a threatening level PUG operation. In this case, I can't rely on other mages covering me with barrier, and it's very hard for me to position myself and reach the pulled group of mobs timely to kill them all with Fade Cloak, Spirit Blade and CL. Of course I can use CL from distance while PotA in effect. But I usually can't kill them all before PotA is gone by using only CL and basic attacks without other players' good coordination. If a few range-attack enemies survived the PotA round, then I'm in fatal danger. I replaced Fade Cloak with Fade Step in my current build. I find it's much more flexible and survivable in most cases. In the situation mentioned above, Fade Step can not only fly me to the distant PotA spot safely, but also nicely chill/freeze/slow/crash mobs centered and weakened by PotA. And then Spirit Blade and CL can easily finish off the leftovers. Although Fade Step is not as good as Fade Cloak against bosses directly, it does nicely chill and damage them while PotA weakening them. I prefer Fade Step over Fade Cloak in my build, and figured it out I have to survive long enough to even have the chance to meet the big bosses.
Defending blade lets you hit arrows and whatnot back. So it doesn't work passively, you have to hit the projectile back.
Is it really useful in the thick of the action? I can see its worth when you are facing these last archers and you can really focus on things flying at you, but in most situations you will have your hands full enough to actively block incoming ranged attacks?
Is it really useful in the thick of the action? I can see its worth when you are facing these last archers and you can really focus on things flying at you, but in most situations you will have your hands full enough to actively block incoming ranged attacks?
My experiences with AW are very little but I would imagine a situation on 5/5 where you are whacking the melee mooks around you while archers shoot you from afar, so you are already swinging your blade, it just hits both flesh and arrows.
Then again your hits on enemies generate barrier so I'm not sure if that alone lets you eat the arrows instead of hitting them back.
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