Staff / Dagger PvE Build Guide
Last Updated:March 8, 2025|Changelog
Welcome to the Spellblade Staff / Dagger PvE Build Guide! This is the closest you get to playing a Mage Assassin in Throne and Liberty. The build leverages the strengths of both weapons for satisfying, single-target burst damage comparable to other weapon combinations.
At its full potential, Staff provides up to 200 extra Heavy Attack Chance and 150 extra Skill Damage Boost. Thanks to the Dagger Passives Assassin's Instincts, Destructive Fang, and Wrathful Edge, your Judgment Lightning and Thundercloud Bombing hits like a truck.
Due to the high cooldowns in this build, you need plenty of Cooldown Speed for this build to feel good. Without high Cooldown Speed, you have downtime where a DPS skill isn't up for use. Grouping with a Longbow user with Deadly Marker should alleviate this issue.
T2 End Game Staff / Dagger PvE Build
If you're interested in PvP, check out our Staff Dagger PvP Build Guide!
PvE Gear Progression
If you plan on PvPing in the future, just use the PvP gear shown in our Staff/Dagger PvP Build Guide for PvE. Unless you're going for record clears, you can use the PvP gear to clear all content.
Chaos Harbinger Set
- The 6-Pc Murderous Chaos set is chosen for the extra Critical Hit Chance at 2-Pc and Critical Hit Damage increase at 4-Pc.
- Alternatively, you can settle for 4-Pc Chaos Harbinger and go for the 2-Pc set below:
- 2-Pc Ancient King's Armor with the Ancient King's Armor: Solar Stone for the Active Skill.
- All pre-Talandre builds will be revamped once it releases.
- They will use T2 Blue gear instead.
- AGS GLOBAL LOOT TABLES HAVE CHANGED. BUILDS ARE PENDING TO BE CHANGED.
4-Pc Transcendent
2-Pc Imperial
Nebula Build (planned)
Archboss Build (planned)
Archived Builds
No Field Boss Staff / Dagger PvE Build
Field Boss Staff / Dagger PvE Build
Stats and Gearing Logic
- Both weapons are chosen for the Species Damage Boost stat for maximum PvE damage.
- This build is mainly for a full-range playstyle that never goes into Melee range. Stay at max range for the highest boost from the 4-Pc Wing Gale Set set effect.
- The main stat threshold you aim for is reaching over 80 Dexterity. This enables the Great Killer Dagger mastery.
- Both builds feature incredibly high Attack Speed.
- With 528 Boss Magic Heavy Attack from runes, you reach 1000+ Heavy Attack Chance for 50%+ proc rate.
- Accessories have the Max Mana trait to gain more Max Damage from Judge.
- Your Mana Regen is supplemented with Mana Spring.
Gear Alternatives
- Stone Cold Heart Cloak is also slotted if you ever are lucky enough or rich enough to acquire it.
Gear Sources
- Coming soon. Mouse over the items to see the item drop location.
No Field Boss Staff / Dagger PvE Build
Field Boss Staff / Dagger PvE Build
Stats and Gearing Logic
- Both weapons are chosen for the Species Damage Boost stat for maximum PvE damage.
- Instead of focusing on 4-Piece Wing Gale Set and damage from range, this build uses 2-Piece Imperial for a full Melee playstyle.
- Going 2-Pc Imperial Seeker Set for a set allows you to go for the 2-Pc Abyss Slayer Set for higher Max Damage.
- All stats are virtually the same as in the 4-Pc Wing Gale Set build except with slightly higher Cooldown Speed and Buff Duration.
- Accessories have the Max Mana trait to gain more Max Damage from Judge.
- Your Mana Regen is supplemented with Mana Spring.
Gear Alternatives
- Read the section in the 4-Pc Transcendent tab.
Gear Sources
- Coming soon. Mouse over the items to see the item drop location.
Toublek Staff / Dagger PvE Build
Aridus Staff / Dagger PvE Build
Skill Builds and Rotations
Ranged Only
Melee Only
Mobbing
- This is a laidback Ranged playstyle that never goes into Melee.
- You must be conscious of getting into the casting range of Fatal Stigma.
- Always have Inject Venom to stack Poison.
- On stationary bosses, ensure you don't move around too much to get the 100 Heavy Attack Chance from Asceticism.
- Hellfire Rain gets you to high Burn stacks to activate Flame Condensation.
- Use Redemptive Barrier if you need it for higher Dimensional Trial tiers.
- You can replace this with Icebound Tomb for utility in dungeons.
Global Cooldown Priority
- Inject Venom
- High Focus
- Hellfire Rain
- Focused Fire Bombs
- Judgment Lightning
- Fatal Stigma
- You use this skill build in Melee Range only.
- Time of Doom is taken to synergize with Fatal Stigma.
- Burning Explosion is taken just for the increased Burning duration and not for the skill usage.
- Lightning Infusion let's all your skills apply Thunderclouds stacks.
- Consume 20 stacks with Thunderclouds Bombing as much as possible.
- Always use Cleaving Moonlight for the additional Attack Speed buff.
- Don't spend your second charge until the Attack Speed buff is about to expire because using the skill again consumes the buff.
- If you proc Off-Hand Attack for Thunderclouds Bombing, Cooldown ▼ will activate twice. In this case, getting 20 Thundercloud stacks again as quickly as possible is important.
- Fireball Barrage and Mad Sword Dance will help with this.
- Running out of Mana is extremely easy, so you need Mana Spring or Inner Peace.
Global Cooldown Priority
- Lightning Infusion
- High Focus
- Hellfire Rain
- Focused Fire Bombs
- Cleaving Moonlight
- Thunderclouds Bombing
- Judgment Lightning
Hellfire Rain, Focused Fire Bombs, Judgment Lightning, and Thunderclouds Bombing are your hardest hitting skills.
Never use the 2nd use of Cleaving Moonlight to upkeep your Attack Speed buff.
- There's no explanation here. Just spam your skills as much as possible.
- If you have Queen Bellandir's Hivemind Staff, then spec into Burning Smokescreen.
Skill Prioritization
Active Skills
- Upgrade Fatal Stigma if you use the Ranged build.
- Upgrade Thundering Bomb and Cleaving Moonlight if you use the Melee build.
Passive Skills
- Upgrade Manaball Eruption if you use the Ranged build.
- Upgrade Murderous Energy if you use the Melee build.
Guardians
Guardians are special transformations that add offensive or defensive buffs or attacks to your character for 30 seconds. These are the recommended Guardians for this class.
- Shade Revenant Stheno is THE DPS Guardian in PvE. No other explanation is required.
- Lady Knight Kamarshea is a useful Guardian while you learn new dungeons. It helps in dangerous situations as an emergency button to survive mechanics that deal a significant amount of damage. Not many other situations arise where this is necessary.
Summary
- Both Staff and Dagger passives help make the Staff / Dagger weapon combination into a high burst PvE build.
- The build revolves around maintaining 10 Burning stacks for high damage output.
- The Staff / Dagger build has both high single-target damage and exceptional AoE. Dungeons and Dynamic Events are not a problem for this build.
Credits
Written by Yaen
Reviewed by Tenkiei and Nymphellas