Infusions

Infusions are stance-like buffs that activate procs and can be “conducted” via the Conduit ability to provide more powerful or useful effects. Infusion procs activate frequently to inflict damage, while having a less frequent chance to apply an additional effect.

Arcane Infusion

• Infuse your weapons with arcane power, granting you a chance to deal Magic Damage to your target and a slight chance to reduce their Magic Resistance.

• While this infusion is active, the Mana cost of your Arcane Spear ability is reduced.

• Conduct this infusion to deal Magic Damage to your target.

Electric Infusion

• Infuse your weapons with electricity, granting you a chance to deal Electricity Damage to your target and a slight chance to stun them.

• While this infusion is active, the Mana cost of your Discharge ability is reduced.

• Conduct this infusion to arc electricity through your target, damaging them and stunning nearby opponents.

Telekinetic Infusion

• Infuse your weapons with telekinetic force, granting you a chance to deal Physical Damage to your target and a slight chance to siphon their kinetic energy. Kinetic Siphon decreases your target’s Movement Speed and Agility, while increasing yours.

• While this infusion is active, the Mana cost of your Kinetic Ward ability is reduced.

• Conduct this infusion to push your target back and freeze them in place.

Conduit

• Conduct your infusion, channeling it into a unique ability.

• Activating this ability places your current infusion on a cooldown, and all other infusions on a brief one.

Conduit offers you some burst/utility at the cost of a cooldown, making infusion management an important strategic decision.

Offensive Abilities

Infused Slash

• Slash your target with an infused blade, dealing Weapon Damage plus additional damage based on your current infusion.

This is your standard attack.

Arcane Spear

• Hurl a spear of arcane energy at your target, dealing Magic Damage.

• While Arcane Infusion is active, the Mana cost of this ability is reduced.

This is a ranged ability that’s useful for pulling, but can also serve as a staple attack when Arcane Infusion makes it more economical.

Discharge

• Unleash an electric burst at your target, dealing Electricity Damage.

• While Electric Infusion is active, the Mana cost of this ability is reduced.

This is a short range damage spell.

Maelstrom

• Project magical energy, increasing your Attack Speed and granting you a chance to activate any of your infusion effects.

This is a high level offensive cooldown.

Defensive Abilities

Kinetic Ward

• Raise a ward of kinetic energy, increasing your Armor Class and absorbing incoming damage.

• This ability’s defensive properties scale with your Intelligence stat.

• While Telekinetic Infusion is active, the Mana cost of this ability is reduced.

This was formerly Unstable Barrier. The offensive bonus has been removed, making it a purely defensive option.

Deflection

• Take a deflective stance, greatly increasing your Parry chance.

• While Deflection is active, each parried attack will trigger your current infusion effect.

This is a defensive cooldown that also offers some potential burst damage.

Damage Fields

Implosion

• Create a crushing vacuum around your target, reducing their Dodge, Block, and Parry chance.

• After a brief delay, the vacuum implodes, dealing damage to your target and those around it.

Static Field

• Place a static field at your feet, periodically dealing Electricity Damage to targets within the affected area.

Mobility

Phase Strike

• Instantly teleport behind your target, dealing Weapon Damage and activating your current infusion effect.

This is a gap closer.

Seclusion

• Seclude your target, immobilizing them, reducing your Threat against them, and teleporting yourself a short distance away.

This is a melee-range ability.

Aura/Buffs

Aura of the Arcane

• Envelop your group in an arcane aura, increasing their Intelligence and Spell Damage dealt.

How Does It Play?

With this new toolkit, Spellblades can make important decisions during combat, or even before it, if a pull doesn’t go to plan.

For example, they could Phase Strike ahead to an incoming enemy and push it back by conducting their Telekinetic Infusion. Or they could use Seclusion to lock the mob down before it gets to the group, while teleporting back to safety. Maybe before heading back to the group, they drop a Static Field on the foe while it’s locked in place.

When fighting alone, Spellblades will likely want to soften up their opponent with a few Arcane Spears before committing to a melee fight. But do they lock them down with one of their kinetic-based roots first, or do they start the fight in melee with Telekinetic Infusion and hope for some Kinetic Siphon procs to do a little kiting? Maybe they hope their Kinetic Ward can mitigate the damage and get right to business.

In steady group play, Spellblades still rely on procs for a significant portion of their damage while making regular use of Infused Slash. But to deal optimal damage, they’ll need to weave in Arcane Spear, Discharge, or conduct Arcane Infusion.

There’s a few more abilities in the initial kit rollout, so hopefully some fun surprises remain for those who choose this path.

How would YOU play the Spellblade? Let us know!