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3 Archon (Buffer/Debuffer)

What is an Archon? A 51 point Archon is arguably the best buffer/debuffer in the game, thus making it essential for almost any raid and very useful in certain groups. It is nowhere near the best single target or AoE DPS spec (although the damage output is not bad), but it does debuff the target and significantly buff all the other players in your group/raid. While it looks intimidating at first, it is very easy to get used to once you know what you are doing. This guide is meant to get you to that point. Too Long Didn't Read (TLDR Version) Use the following build: http://rift.zam.com/en/stc.html?t=0zzvs ... qkrz.x.G0V Archon (51) Dominator (10) Warlock (5) or http://rift.zam.com/en/stc.html?t=0zzsI ... qkrz.G0V.x Archon (51) Dominator (10) Pyro (5) This is a raid or group buffer/debuffer spec.

For every fight, make sure you have your all 5 of your 5 minute buffs up, then your single target rotation is this: Crumbling Resistance (once every 5 minutes) > Ashen Defense (once every 5 minutes) > Lingering Dust (once every 5 minutes) > Spam Macro Until 60+ Charge > Rock Slide (once every 5 minutes) > Spam Macro using Power Drain every time you are close to 100 Charge > Repeat every 5 minutes This looks very difficult, but after you get all your initial 5 minute buffs up you are literally just spamming the same macro over and over, using Power Drain when you approach 100 charge. Spam Macro: #show Surging Flare suppressmacrofailures cast Surging Flare cast Volcanic Bomb cast Earthen Barrage cast Waning Power cast Leeching Flames cast Pillaging Stone

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For AoE fights your rotation is this: Lava Field > Earthen Barrage > Spam Macro until Lava Field and Earthen Barrage are back up Archon Build Links http://rift.zam.com/en/stc.html?t=0zzvs ... qkrz.x.G0V Archon (51) Dominator (10) Warlock (5) or http://rift.zam.com/en/stc.html?t=0zzsI ... qkrz.G0V.x Archon (51) Dominator (10) Pyro (5) 51 points in Archon is required, but the remaining 15 points can be spent according to personal preference. The two links are the best DPS builds you can have with a 51 point Archon soul. I personally prefer the first one, with 5 points in warlock to increase my charge generation.

Buffs You have 5 buffs that you need to always have up. Their duration is 5 minutes, so be mindful of these. They are: Burning Purpose Vitality of Stone Arcane Aegis Tempered Armor Shared Vigor

Single Target Fight Rotation This rotation looks very difficult, but once you get your 5 minute debuffs up, you have about 4 minutes and 40 seconds of spamming your Macro and using Power drain and Flaring Power to use up your charge. The rotation is as follows:

Crumbling Resistance (once every 5 minutes) > Ashen Defense (once every 5 minutes) > Lingering Dust (once every 5 minutes) > Spam Macro Until 60+ Charge > Rock Slide (once every 5 minutes) > Spam Macro using Power Drain every time you are close to 100 Charge > Repeat every 5 minutes Spam Macro: #show Surging Flare

Biz: Post subject: 1.3 Archon (Buffer/Debuffer)

suppressmacrofailures cast Surging Flare cast Volcanic Bomb cast Earthen Barrage cast Waning Power cast Leeching Flames cast Pillaging Stone Charge Usage Every time you are close to 100 charge (other than the first time in a fight when you are using Rock Slide), you will be using Power Drain to increase your DPS. Here is what it does: Reduces the enemy's damage by 10%, and increases the Mage's damage by 10%. Consumes Charge while active. Charge cannot be gained while active. Does not trigger a global cooldown. On a 2 minute cooldown, you have Flaring Power which also consumes charge. Use this when the raid needs extra damage. Here is what it does: Increase the Attack Power and Spell Power of all raid and party members by 15% for up to 20 seconds. Consumes Charge while active. Affected allies become Battle Weary and cannot benefit from Call to Arms or Flaring Power again for 5 minutes.

AoE Rotation For AoE fights your rotation is this: Lava Field > Earthen Barrage > Spam Macro until Lava Field and Earthen Barrage are back up

Cleansing In Deny, you have a spell on 10 second cooldown that removes all Poisons, Diseases, and Curses on an ally. You also have 2 spells that remove curse effects: Cleansing Flame Unleashes swirling flames around the Mage, removing 1 Curse effect from up to 10 group and raid members within the targeted area.

Biz: Post subject: 1.3 Archon (Buffer/Debuffer)

Purification Searing flames cleanse the ally, removing up to 2 Curse effects.

I use the following macro which removes any Poisons, Diseases, or Curses on whichever target I have my cursor on in the raid frame on the first press, then it removes 2 curse effects every time I press it afterwards: #show Deny suppressmacrofailures stopcasting cast @mouseover Deny cast @mouseover Purification I use Cleansing Flame when multiple curse effects need to be removed at the same time.

Other Notable Abilities I usually place Charged Shield on the tank, but be careful as you can possibly pull initial aggro from it if the tank does nothing to pick up something that is hitting them. Charged Shield Creates a shield of energy around an ally for 1 hour, causing 27 Air damage to attackers damaging the ally. This counts as an Armor buff. Only 1 Armor may be active at a time. Will not affect allies with an existing Armor buff. Reflective Command is a great ability that can reflect a big damage spell on yourself or an ally. This can be huge if it works. Here is what it does: The next hostile spell cast targeting the ally within 10 seconds will be reflected back against the attacker. Flowing Sand Drains the movement speed from the enemy, reducing their movement speed by 50% and increasing the movement speed of the Mage by 25% for 15 seconds. Memory Wipe Causes a group or raid member to appear less threatening, reducing their threat with all enemies within 25 meters of them by 20%.

Mana Because of Leeching Flames in your spam macro, you will almost always be full mana. If

Biz: Post subject: 1.3 Archon (Buffer/Debuffer)

for some reason you do need mana, you have these two abilites: Mental Flare Returns 30% of the Mage's maximum mana over 10 seconds. Mana Wrench Channels deadly energy into the enemy, inflicting 83 Death damage to the enemy over 6 seconds and draining mana equal to 4% of the enemy's maximum mana, capped at 4% of the Mage's maximum mana, or 5 energy from them each second. Returns 4% of the Mage's maximum mana every second for 6 seconds.

Sources Bluedots End Game Mage PvE Guide http://bluedots.org/2011/04/30/end-game-mage-pve-guide/ Telrec's Archon Guide http://unstablerift.com/?q=node/373