🔥 TL;DR – Best ST Builds by Class

• Archer (Shortbow “Gale Burst”) – Safest S-tier ST with roll-cancel cycles and window abuse. Core idea: arrive on time, burst only on expose/heart.
• Battle Mage (“Tempo Detonate ST”) – Punish telegraphs with dash-through → instant 180 → detonate during boss vulnerability. Core idea: delay detonate until it’s guaranteed.
• Guardian (“Iron Vanguard ST-Assist”) – You manufacture exposure windows and shred boss uptime losses. Pure ST DPS variant exists, but group ST is higher when you play CC caller.

Golden rule: Windows > raw stats. Spend consumables and cooldowns only on expose/heart phases. Between windows you’re building resources, not padding.

🧠 Boss ST Fundamentals (Don’t Skip)

• Read the beat: Most bosses loop bait heavy → real heavy → recovery. Your goal is to burst during recovery or any stagger/expose.
• Two pools to manage:

1. Resources (stamina/mana, Whetstone, big CDs)
2. Positioning (behind/side, safe ground)

• Cooldown sync: Minor CDR that makes a skill re-appear exactly at the next window is worth more than +Power that lands off-window.
• Potion economy: If you’re drinking >2 pots per elite or boss phase, your engine (mobility/sustain/mastery nodes) isn’t finished yet.

🧩 Universal ST Setup (Works for All Classes)

• Talents first: Fleetfoot → Field Rations → Basic Mastery I → Class Path (Gale/Iron) → Quick Study → Basic Mastery II.
• Stats:
• Archer: Stamina ➜ Crit ➜ Power ➜ Haste (only once dash cadence is clean).
• Battle Mage: Mana Regen ➜ Power ➜ Crit ➜ Dash CDR.
• Guardian: Health ➜ Block ➜ Power ➜ Crit Resist (PvP cross-over).
• Empower order: Weapon → Chest → one Accessory (your two best stats).
• Consumables: Whetstone only on expose/heart; keep 5–8 Health, 2–3 Stamina, 2–3 Mana (Mage).
• Keybinds: Put Dodge/Roll somewhere you can spam precisely. Shave post-processing for clearer telegraphs.

🏹 Archer ST – “Gale Burst Shortbow” (PvE S-Tier)

Identity: fastest to set, easiest to keep alive, brutal when disciplined.

Talent order (after the universal six):

Gale unlock → Dash CDR → Crit baseline → Burst-window amplifier → Stamina economy → Crit Damage (only when chance is comfy).

Rotation (two speeds):

• Micro loop (between windows): roll → L → L → (hold) → reposition.
• Window loop (expose/heart): pre-Whetstone → Mark → L → L → Burst → roll cancel → step out.

Opener (safe): Pre-buffs → roll in → L L → wait for expose → full Burst. If the tank calls “heavy next,” delay half a beat to align.

Why it farms: Shortbow lets you insert damage in tiny slices. You never over-commit; you’re always ready for the next real window.

Common mistakes & fixes

• Greed on non-windows: Leads to pot spam and missed cycles. Fix: hold burst, only commit on exposes.
• Starving stamina: Talent Stamina economy earlier; use Chest Empowerment.
• Bad Whetstone timing: Core/heart only—never on trash or fake windows.

Gear notes: Anything with Stamina + Crit early, then layer Crit Damage once chance is stable. Don’t skip Weapon Empowerment week 1.

🪄 Battle Mage ST – “Tempo Detonate” (PvP S-, PvE A+/S with practice)

Identity: You punish greed. If you detonate early, you trade into armor; if you wait a breath, you delete HP bars.

Talent order (after the universal six):

Gale unlock → Mana sustain → Dash CDR → Detonate timing amp → Power → Crit → one Defensive flex for progression.

Rotation skeleton:

• Between windows: dash feints, line set-ups, mana stabilize.
• Window: dash through the boss → instant 180 aim → Detonate exactly as recovery starts.

Opener (safe): Pre-stack → wait for tank’s call or obvious heavy → dash line → Detonate → drift out. If your dash returns too early/late, you need more/less CDR.

Why it works: You’re converting boss recovery frames into guaranteed hits. Dash CDR ensures you have it every window.

Common mistakes & fixes

• Mana starved: Take Mana sustain early + Chest Empowerment.
• Early detonate: Count to one after the heavy, then pop.
• Skipping dash nodes: Your lines are the build—don’t be the turret variant in ST.

Gear notes: Power + Crit when engine is stable; keep a spare piece with Dash CDR if a boss’s cadence demands it.

🛡️ Guardian ST – “Iron Vanguard (Window Caller)” (PvE S in group value)

Identity: You don’t just do damage—you create other people’s damage. Exposes on demand = highest team ST.

Talent order (after the universal six):

Path of Iron → Perfect-Block leniency → Stagger/Expose amp → Block efficiency → Threat glue → (optional) Minor Power.

Job description:

1. Call the beat (“heavy next”, “expose in 3”).
2. Perfect Block the second heavy, not the first bait.
3. Bash/Knock → step wide → let DPS detonate → re-center.

Solo ST variant (parse chaser): You can pivot into Aggro Bruiser nodes and pick Minor Power earlier, but your group loses more than you gain in progression. Use it for speed farms only.

Common mistakes & fixes

• Damage first: Team DPS falls off a cliff. Keep control first.
• No calls: Even text pings turn pugs into premades.
• Blocking the bait: Most bosses fake; punish the real heavy.

Gear notes: Health/Block early; once exposure uptime is reliable, sprinkle Power. Weapon → Chest Empowerments still come first.

🧰 Fight-By-Fight Tech (Patterns You’ll Reuse)

• Ring slams / donut AoEs: Archer rolls into the safe, not out; Mage dashes through the boss so your 180 is instant; Guardian anchors boss away from hazards before the real heavy.
• Heart/core phases: Pre-pot if needed; Whetstone → full burst. Save one mobility charge to leave immediately.
• Short adds during ST: Guardian tags and parks them; Archer/Mage do not break ST cycle unless add will cancel your window later.
• Long vulnerability cycles: Slightly over-invest in CDR so you hit every cycle, not every other.

👥 Duo & Trio Synergy (How to Make ST Free)

• Guardian + Archer (best 2-stack): Guardian calls; Archer times roll-in burst. Archer can drop one defensive talent because Guardian removes risk.
• Guardian + Mage: Perfect for detonate learners—stagger extends your safe punish time.
• Archer + Mage (no tank): Highest ceiling, highest grief. Agree on who commits first; the other delays half a beat to avoid overlap.

Potion rotation rule: If someone must drink, the other kites briefly—never both at once.

📋 Pre-Pull Checklist (15 Seconds to Profit)

• Party plan: “Heavy next, first expose is mine,” “Save Whetstone for core,” “Mage delays detonate by one.”
• Buffs: Food, flask, Whetstone ready (but unused).
• Graphics: Telegraphed fights? Drop bloom/post-FX.
• Camera: Zoom just enough to read feet and boss shoulders.

🛠️ Troubleshooting – Why Your ST “Feels Low”

• “I top trash but lose boss.” You’re off-window. Fix: add Quick Study, ensure Dash CDR aligns, stop spending Whetstone off-window.
• “I’m always chugging.” You skipped Chest Empowerment or Field Rations. Take one defensive node.
• “We miss exposures.” Tank isn’t calling, or you’re blocking the bait. Call “heavy next → expose in 3.”
• “My parse swings wildly.” Your build relies on windows you’re missing. Tighten movement first, then add Crit Damage.

❓ FAQ

Is Archer overtuned in ST?

Not really—encounters reward short windows and movement. If design changes, tiers will shift.

Can Guardian beat DPS in ST?

With a parse build, sometimes. But in progression, creating windows yields more total team damage.

Mage feels feast-or-famine—normal?

Yes. When you delay detonate and align dashes with recovery frames, it turns into feast-and-more-feast.

💙 Need hands-on help?

Want a done-for-you boss build, custom CDR breakpoints, or coaching on window timing? Tap BoostRoom—we’ll map your exact talents, gear, and opener for the fights you’re pushing.

Learn more: As soon as a reliable Fellowship wiki goes live, we’ll add the best up-to-date wiki link here for node math and boss timers.