Chronomancer - DPS Chrono

The community gave this build a rating, making it second-tier: Good

Focused on: Boon removal and Strike damage

Designed for: WvW Zerg

Expansions required:

Difficulty:

Hard

This build was last updated on October 15, 2026 and is up to date for the September 29, 2026 patch.

Overview

A high spike damage power build that uses Time Bomb to combo with other skills for burst damage. Brings significant utility via Shattered Concentration and other boon removal as well as Gravity Well for CC.

Skill Bar

Greatsword

Spear

Utility

Variants

Weapons

• Sword/Focus

Utilities

• Swap off Mantra of Concentration if you feel like you can survive without a stunbreak
• Well of Calamity - Damage
• Signet of Illusions - Damage and boon strip
• Null Field - Boon strip
• Take the general mesmer utilities only if no support mesmers in the squad can cover them
  • Veil
  • Illusion of Life

Template Code

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Equipment

Head
Marauder

Shoulders
Marauder

Chest
Marauder

Hands
Marauder

Legs
Marauder

Feet
Marauder

Backpiece
Marauder

Accessory
Marauder

Accessory
Marauder

Amulet
Marauder

Ring
Marauder

Ring
Marauder

Greatsword
Marauder

Sigil

Sigil

Spear
Marauder

Sigil

Sigil

Rune
x6

Infusion
x18

Relic

Equipment Variants

Sigils

• Sigil of Superior Sigil of Force

Usage

Quick Guide

• Chronomancer is a spike based boon strip DPS
• Start fights on Greatsword for ranged engage

Greatsword Burst Combo

1. Well of Senility/Well of Calamity
2. Phantasmal Berserker
3. Mind Stab
4. Mirror Blade
5. Psychic Force

• Use Spear any time you can get into melee for higher damage

Spear Burst Combo

1. Well of Senility/Well of Calamity
2. Time Sink
3. Mind the Gap
4. Split Second
5. Mental Collapse
6. Rewinder
7. Mind the Gap
8. Split Second

• Use Continuum Split for big spikes when available

Continuum Split Burst Combo

1. Mirror Blade
2. Phantasmal Berserker
3. Mind Stab
4. Weapon Swap
5. Gravity Well (optional)
6. Continuum Split (cast at the end of previous skill)
7. Well of Senility/Well of Calamity (use one before Continuum Split if not including Gravity Well)
8. Time Sink
9. Mind the Gap
10. Split Second
11. Mental Collapse
12. Rewinder
13. Mind the Gap
14. Split Second
15. Continuum Split should end now. Repeat from #5

• Hit as many enemies as possible with Shatters to proc Shattered Concentration

Surviving

• This build has moderate passive defense
• This build has low mobility skill access
• This build has high active defenses

Defensive Skill List

• Mantra of Concentration - Stunbreak
• Distortion - Invulnerability
• Imaginary Inversion - Invulnerability
• Phantasmal Lancer - Movement

Overall Priorities

High

• Burst Damage

Moderate

• Damage
• CC

Low

• Boon Application

Detailed Explanations

Burst Damage

• There are two ways to burst depending on if you're in Greatsword or Spear

Greatsword Burst Combo

1. Well of Senility/Well of Calamity
2. Phantasmal Berserker
3. Mind Stab
4. Mirror Blade
5. Psychic Force

Spear Burst Combo

1. Well of Senility/Well of Calamity
2. Time Sink
3. Mind the Gap
4. Split Second
5. Mental Collapse
6. Rewinder
7. Mind the Gap
8. Split Second

• Your Shatter skills are instant cast and should be used during the cast times of other abilities
• Prioritize Spear while in melee and Greatsword at range
  • Include Shatter skills with your Greatsword combo if you're in melee range and Weapon Swap is on cooldown
• You'll often want to extend a combo by moving from the end of one into Weapon Swap then proceeding from step 2 of the weapon set you didn't use
• You can use Continuum Split to double up on burst. Try to use Greatsword to set up clones to extend the duration
  • You can start casting a skill and press Continuum Split at the very end of the cast to include it in the reset without using up time casting it

Continuum Split Burst Combo

1. Mirror Blade
2. Phantasmal Berserker
3. Mind Stab
4. Weapon Swap
5. Gravity Well (optional)
6. Continuum Split (cast at the end of previous skill)
7. Well of Senility/Well of Calamity (use one before Continuum Split if not including Gravity Well)
8. Time Sink
9. Mind the Gap
10. Split Second
11. Mental Collapse
12. Rewinder
13. Mind the Gap
14. Split Second
15. Continuum Split should end now. Repeat from #5

Damage

• Spear has higher damage potential, but you should start in Greatsword due to its range until you get a chance to melee
• When using Spatial Surge targeting enemies in the middle or back of the enemy group will increase your damage due to the Piercing effect of the skill
• Use Mind Stab immediately after casting Phantasmal Berserker or Mirror Blade to make Mind Stab land at the same time as the damage from the other skill to increase your burst
• Signet of the Ether should be considered a DPS cooldown more than a heal, use it to reset Phantasmal Berserker
• Use Mind the Gap before Mental Collapse to reset the cooldown
  • Keep in mind the outer ring of Mind the Gap deals 20% extra damage
  • Use the Clarity buff applied by Mind the Gap on Mental Collapse to reset the cooldown of Mind the Gap
• You can drop target before casting Mental Collapse to place the AoE on your character and avoid moving into a bad position
• Use Well of Senility/Well of Calamity when:
  • Your group calls a spike such as Wells - (Well of Corruption)
  • On top of enemy downs (while alive enemies are on top of them)
  • Enemy groups move defensively while your group is pushing
  • Immediately before your own spikes
• When using ground AoEs like Well of Senility/Well of Calamity, try to place them so that one edge is on the enemy group and the other edge is in the direction they are moving to

CC

List of CC Skills

• Gravity Well - Pull
• Well of Senility - Daze
• Time Sink - Daze
• Illusionary Wave - Knockback
• Mental Collapse - Stun

• Use Gravity Well as your group spikes
• Try to save your Gravity Well skill for the commanders call to spike or use wells
  • If you aren't using voice communication, use it at the same time as Necromancers in your group use their wells or at the start of your own spikes
  • When using ground AoEs like Gravity Well, try to place them so that one edge is on the enemy group and the other edge is in the direction they are moving to
• Other than Gravity Well don't go out of your way to use your other skills that have CC for CC, they are better used for their other effects

Boon Application

• Use Mantra of Concentration to cover Stability when there is downtime on a push
  • Make sure to recharge Mantra of Concentration as soon as possible if you expend the charges