WildStar Esper DPS Build Guide

Overview

First and foremost there are a great deal of variables to approaching a DPS Esper build and there is a need unlike other classes to change your skills much more frequently depending on the situation. The two builds I’ve linked below cover playing a ranged Esper or a melee variant. It’s entirely your choice as to which you’ll prefer but both are very capable of dealing massive damage. The ranged build is the highest (unquestionably due to Telekentic Strike) but the melee build is much more flexible and mobile in a Open World PvP, Arena and Battleground setting. As far as variables are concerned and because there are a lot, I’ll cover those at the very end.

​Full Interactive Esper DPS Build (Ranged)

Full Interactive Esper DPS Build (Melee)

Skills

Ranged

Melee

• Telekinetic Strike

Telekentic Strike is your ranged builder. It’s a stationary attack that fires several blades in a straight line. Being unable to move while using it will leave some people frustrated and others in love. Personally I prefer to stay mobile but there’s no denying that because TS is a stationary builder its damage is massive. If it was to be made mobile its damage would have to be reduced significantly and in most PvE environments you can get away with moving very little. As far as PvP is concerned however, it’s relatively easy to kill an Esper relying on Telekinetic Strike which is why in PvP situations it’s better to use the melee builder.

• Psychic Frenzy

Psychic Frenzy as just mentioned is the melee builder and it allows you to summon 3 swords that you can attack with. You can dispense with each sword independently but the skill will only ever generate 1 Psi Point. Besides looking awesome, the mobility and damage of Psychic Frenzy make it an excellent skill to use in PvP where you need to move at all times. It can feel a little “spammy” to constantly have to swing 3 swords, but it’s well worth it.

• Mind Burst

Mind Burst fires a giant telekinetic bird in a straight line at your foes. It’s capable of dealing enormous damage when you’ve generated 5 Psi Points and is much stronger burst alternative to Telekinetic Storm. The only downside to Mind Burst is the fact it can be hard to aim due to its thin telegraph and if you miss you don’t get your Psi Points back. If you’re good at aiming, Mind Burst really is incredibly powerful.

• Concentrated Blade

   

I see a lot of people avoiding this skill but in a PvE and PvP it can be incredibly useful. It’s basically a fire and forget skill that deals very little damage but allows you to generate Psi Points relatively quickly. When coupled with Bolster it prevents you having to constantly rely on your builder to reach 5 Psi Points.

• Haunt

Haunt used to deal amazing damage but since it turned into a mobile skill it deals a fair bit less. Fortunately it’s still a good skill because it’s damage is reasonable, it’s mobile and its pushback although small is enough of a nuisance.

• Spectral Swarm

Spectral Swarm used to be an amazing skill but its gone through a few changes in recent patches and now deals significantly less damage. It also isn’t capable of dazing opponets and it rarely triggers our AMPs. However, it still deals good damage and generates a Psi Point. The biggest downside to them is the fact that in PvP other players are able to kill them and build up personal resources.

• Bolster

Bolster is pretty lacklustre but it works so well alongside Concentrated Blade because it generates 2 Psi Points. It’s a heal over time, can be cast off the global cooldown, it’s instant and generally in a PvE and PvP environment keeps your health and Psi Points topped up.

• Crush

Crush is the first interrupt skill you get as an Esper and it’s a pretty good one. It’s capable of knocking down multiple enemies but annoyingly it’ll primarily target the nearest to you. Fortunately it doesn’t require targeting.

• Restraint

Restraint is without question of the the Espers best utility skills. It’s an instant cast 3 second root with a massive range make it pretty awesome for leveling. As far as PvP is concerned it also works exceptionally well because players have to use their Crowd Control break skills or receive a cleans to remove it.

Tiers

There’s a couple of variances to spending your tier points between the ranged and melee builds but it’s primarily just swapping out your Tier 8 point investment in your builder. For range, you simply tier up to 8 in Telekentic Strike and the same for the melee version except you tier up Psychic Frenzy. The purpose of heading up to Tier 8 is to maximise your builders damage output but to also obtain the Tier 8 bonus which allows you to build Psi Points quicker. When it comes to your remaining points, placing them into Mind Burst allows for more damage, and an Empower buff (increases critical hit chance by 15%). Lastly, taking Spectral Swarm to Tier 4 provides a little bit of unmitigated lifesteal when they deal damage.

Ranged

Melee

AMPs

Due to  the ranged and melee specialisations of both builds seeking maximum damage output, there’s no difference in the AMP investment for either build. It’s all about maximising your damage output, primarily through Empower buffs.

Assault

• Assault Power III - Increases Assault Power by 7.5% of your current maximum (total)
• Strikethrough I - Increases Strikethrough chance by 1% (total)
• Reckful - Landing a 5 Point Finisher grants Empower. Increases critical hit severity by 18% for 5s.
• The Power! - Landing a critical hit grants Empower. Increases your Moxie by 16% for 3s.
• Follow Through - Landing an Assault Finisher grants Empower. Assault Power is increased by 10.5% for 5s.
• True Sight - While above 3 Psi Points gain an Empower. Increases Strike Through chance by 8%
• Superiority - While at 100% Health gain an Empower. Increases Moxie by 25% of your current maximum.
• Spectral Swarm - Unlocks the Spectral Swarm skill.
• Figment - While above 70% health, damaging a foe has a 20% chance to manifest a summon that deals 27% magic damage per second for 10s.

Hybrid A/S

• Critical Hit III - Increases Critical Hit Chance by 6% (total)
• Critical Hit Severity III - Increases Critical Hit Severity by 12% (total)
• Tactician - Dashing grants an Empower and Bastion. Empower: Magic Damage increased by 4% and Bastion: Outgoing heals increased by 4%
• Refund: Whenever a Finisher is Deflect, gain 3 Psi Points.
• BINGO: Landing a critical hit with a Builder has a 20% chance to generate 2 Psi Points.

Utility

• Cooldowns III - Increases cooldown reduction by 15% (total)

Rotation

Depending on the situation, in a standard PvE and PvP environment you will want to undertake the following:

• Haunt (+1 Psi Point)
• x2 Telekinetic Strike/Psychic Frenzy (+2 Psi Points)
• x2 Bolster (+Psi Points)
• x2 Concentrated Blade (Delayed Psi Point gains due to Concentrated Blades build time)
• Mind Burst (5 Psi Point finisher)

As you’ll note, you’ve actually accrued 5 Psi Points by the time you use Bolster however, the purpose of casting Concentrated Blades quickly, followed by a Mind Burst is the fact that the Concentrated Blades take several seconds to charge. By the time your Mind Burst has been cast, your blades should have hit and you should be standing on 2 Psi Points as a minimum. However, it should be said that the BINGO AMP for the Esper makes determining a rotation a little tricky. Considering you’ll have a chance to generate 2 Psi Points every time you critically hit, there’s every possibility that you could reach your first or second Telekinetic Strike and have 5 Psi Points. You’ll need to play out the rotation based on your Psi Point acquisition at the time.

Variables

There are quite a lot of variables with the Esper depending on whether you’re in a raid setting or general PvE/PvP. Where raids are concerned, I’d recommend you take out Restraint and Haunt and replace them with Incapacitate and Projected Spirit. The former subdues 5 foes and prevents ability usage for 4 seconds while the latter is a leap that heals allies you pass through and gets you out of trouble quickly. In a PvP setting, it might also be worth dropping Concentrated Blade and instead using Fade Out. You’ll need the Crowd Control Break which works wonderfully well with Projected Spirit. You’ll generate less Psi Points but you’ll be much harder to kill. Both varied builds are below.

Alternative Esper DPS Build (Ranged/Raiding)*

Alternative Esper DPS Build (Melee/PvP)*

*remember to change Telekinetic Strike for Psychic Frenzy and visa versa depending on your preference.