Rapier / Ice Gauntlet Beginner PvP Build
This build does a great job of controlling the battlefield. The Ice Gauntlet’s snare and immobilization capabilities make it excellent for stopping melee opponents in their tracks, and trapping them in high damage combos. Pair this with the high mobility and damage from the Rapier and this build has an incredibly deadly trap combo. This build is excellent for any PvP situation, from solo 1vX to group gameplay.
You can easily purchase all the gear for this build from your Faction Vendor in each town. You can also modify the attributes of your gear easily with items from the same vendor, and you can even purchase powerful potions here!
Check out a video guide with gameplay for this build!
Since both our weapons scale from Intelligence, aiming to get 100 is ideal. After that, you can choose to invest in some Constitution or continue to stack damage in Intelligence.
Attribute Bonuses Granted:
Intelligence 50: +10% damage to light and heavy magic attacks. +10% harvest speed.
Equipment
With this gear loadout you should be in the Light Armor class which gives you access to a dodge roll. The roll is a very important part of your mobility and survivability; however, you can play this build in heavier armor weights, due to its trap-oriented gameplay. There is also no shield used in this build, as it does not provide us enough meaningful stats to justify its heavy weight. Our gear attributes are focused on stacking more Intelligence, with a secondary focus on Constitution.
Ideally, you want to enchant your armor with as many early game gems as you can find. Reducing incoming physical and magical damage are excellent early options. The Rapier is enchanted with an Empowered gem (sapphire). I find this is the best damage enchant option for an Intelligence build, but another elemental enchant can work well too. I did not have a good gem for the Ice Gauntlet during the beta, however, I would have liked to use a Cruel enchant, as it increases our damage against opponents effected by our roots and snares.
The gear and the items used to modify it can be purchased from your Faction Vendor!
As always, you want to try to use the best food and potions that you have available! You can buy some more powerful healing potions from the Faction Vendor.
Active Skills
Rapier
Riposte - 4/4 Upgrades
Riposte is an excellent counter attack skill. It is great for stunning an aggressive melee opponent so you can either break distance or counter attack. Lots of players like to spam attack when they are close to you so it is very easy to get a good riposte stun off, especially if you’re outnumbered.
Evade - 5/5 Upgrades
Evade is arguably the Rapier’s best skill. It not only allows you to have a brief moment of invulnerability, but makes you more mobile, can be used to attack, and can cancel any ability or action! This is a very unique effect and gives the Rapier a high skill ceiling for PvP combat.
Fleche - 4/4 Upgrades
This is not only an amazing gap closer for attacking and getting away, but it is also a quick way to get behind an opponent and hit them with a really strong backstab. This combos especially well if you can trap someone in your ice shower immobilize, as they won’t be able to avoid the combo!
Ice Gauntlet
Ice Shower - 4/4 Upgrades
This is an amazing skill that allows you to make a large line of ice, immobilizing and snaring anyone who walks through it. This is a great defensive skill, as it can stop large numbers of players from pursuing you. Its offensive potential however, is amazing with the Rapier. You can trap people in the ice shower, then gap-close behind them with fleche and backstab away, all while your opponent is stuck in place!
Ice Storm - 4/4 Upgrades
A powerful AOE ranged attack that lasts for a few seconds, damaging and snaring anyone caught in it. This skill is great for not only controlling the battlefield, but can deal a ton of damage when used in combination with ice shower.
Entombed - 3/3 Upgrades
Entombed is one of the best defensive skills in the game. You not only can protect yourself from a ton of damage, but you also quickly regenerate your manna. This allows you to stall and reset a fight quite easily and can also be used to stall for cooldowns! Entombed is also a fantastic defensive option when you get stuck in place by a skill like the great axe’s maelstrom.
