The community gave this build a rating, making it second-tier: Good
Focused on: Strike damage
Designed for: Open World and Open World General
Expansions required: Visions of Eternity builds Secrets of the Obscure builds Janthir Wilds builds
Difficulty: Normal
This build was last updated on March 15, 2026 and is up to date for the June 2, 2026 patch.
Quickness support power troubadour build for open world. Troubadours can provide and to themselves and nearby allies. Much like virtuoso, troubadours do not use clones nor shatters, replacing them for notes and instruments. As a downside, you no longer have clones that could distract and ocasionally tank enemies for you, and your instruments are melee range.
幻术师 (Mesmer)[&DQcBHQoaSRsjDyMPUx1THWYdZh1lAWsdbR1tHQAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAADLwBaAAkBAA==]
Budget consumables are acceptable for use in open world.
生日爆破枪 / 
令人愉快的生日蛋糕大餐
薄荷怪异莓棒
锐磨颅骨 (and variants)Usage of Spear requires Janthir Wilds. Usage of Dagger requires Secrets of the Obscure. Other weapon options you can consider are:
We default to 
幻光纹章, an offensive heal that resets your Phantasm skills for much higher burst damage. As a downside, you lack a heal on demand, as the Signet becomes part of your damage rotation. Other alternatives are:
幻光盛宴 - trades damage and note generation for more healing and condition cleanse. Generally not worth it.We suggest:
魂守传说 for boons and note generation. Don't replace it.
噬心传说 for damage and note generation. Can be replaced if really needed.
闪光传送 as a generic stun break and mobility skill. Can be easily replaced.
Other skills can be considered:
苦痛咒语 - more damage.
勇帅传说 - stunbreak and stability.
坚定咒语 - condition cleanse.
传送入口 - situationally useful.We default to 
尊后传说 as it activates all instruments, activating 
交响共鸣 and . In specific situations, another skill can be considered:
Variants
Ascended gear is not required.
If you are gearing this character from zero, start with exotic quality gear. Search the trading post for "Zhed" armor, "Uzoku" dagger, "Bonetti" sword, "Impaler" spear, and "Ebonblade" greatsword. Upgrade to ascended gear as you progress. See also: Guide to Gear a Character.
As a troubadour, clones are replaced by notes, so you no longer have those NPCs that would ocasionally tank an attack for you. In exchange, you can expend your notes to cast Instruments, which replace your Shatters. Unlike Shatters, Instruments have a cast time, so be careful with that, although F4 does provide its Distortion instantly.
After using an Instrument skill, a phantasmal Instrument continues to play on the background, providing you with passive bonuses due to . These Instruments playing in the background buff the damage of , and all your attributes due to . As a power build, you are going to focus on F1, , for its damage and its damage increasing buff.
Always cast off cooldown with three notes. Spend extra notes on for damage and crowd control. Remember crowd control triggers and .
Cast off cooldown for boons and notes. You should always cast it with the Lute playing, and 0 or 1 notes, as it generates 2 notes when cast while the Lute is playing.
Cast and one after the other. This generates 1 note. Be careful with spending notes on the Flute if the Lute is coming off cooldown.
Cast off cooldown for boons and damage. It also generates 1 note every second for five seconds.
Due to , casting a phantasm provides 1 note. When the phantasm expires, it provides another 1 note as normal.
On dagger/sword you want to spam all your skills except which should be saved for blocking.
If using sword instead of dagger, deals no damage and should only be used if you're missing a third note before playing an instrument.
On spear, try to always hit your target with the outer edge of to deal more damage, if you hit with both the outer and inner halves it will count as an outer edge hit, so it's easy to always deal empowered damage. Hitting with gives you Clarity, which empowers your next spear skill. You want to always cast empowered by Clarity. should be saved for an extra dodge or to cleanse conditions.
If using greatsword instead of spear, use all skills except which should be saved for defiance bars.
You provide quickness with and due the trait . Remember that increases your concentration for more boon duration, but in open world it's not realistic to have four instruments playing all the time, so you might considering using more boon duration such as by consuming .
You provide with , and Fury and with .
