Preparing for 3-3 DoA teach runs
Join the DoA teaching Discord if you haven't already. You'll need to prepare a mesmer with all the equipment, get checked by a teacher, and then you can start doing some runs!
Make sure to read all the skills on yout skill bar when starting a new role. Try to understand how to use the skills, e.g. if the skill needs hexes or enchantments on the target to work best.
Contents
Empathy
/ Empathy | |||||||
FC: 12+3, Dom:12+1+3
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Empathy is the most basic role, so get ready for that one first. No DoA experience is required, but you should understand the concept of getting into cast range of your target before activating your skills.
Get the build and all of this equipment:
Armor
Standard armor set | High health armor set |
---|---|
Required This armor set is required, and will be your standard armor in DoA: • 5x Radiant Insignia • +1 Domination Magic headpiece • Rune of Superior Vigor • Rune of Superior Domination Magic • Rune of Superior Fast Casting • 2x Rune of Attunement |
Recommended A high health armor set is not required, but is very useful to have, and can save your life in an emergency: • 5x Survivor Insignia • +1 Domination Magic headpiece • Rune of Superior Vigor • 4x Rune of Vitae |
Weapons
These weapons are required:
40/40 Domination Magic wand and focus | +30e/-2 Domination Magic high energy set | Any max shield with +10 armor vs demons |
---|---|---|
Required Can be crafted in Vasburg Armory/Leviathan Pits This will be your standard weapon set. |
Required Can be crafted in Maatu Keep Switch to this when you need more energy; switch back to the 40/40 when you're not using skills. |
Required You can ask us for a free one - we have plenty Together with a main-hand weapon (can be your standard wand), this will be your defensive set. |
Recommended
An energy-hiding weapon is optional, but recommended. It can be any main-hand weapon, but must have -5 energy ("Brawn over Brains" inscription). Combine it with your shield, and use this set to hide energy while spiking the Darknesses.
Pcons
Required
At the start of every run, you need at least 20 each of:
- Birthday Cupcakes
- Candy Apples
- Candy Corn
- Scrolls of Resurrection
- Personal Death Penalty removal items (Pumpkin Cookies are ideal - do not use items that affect the whole party)
- Throwaway summoning stones (you don't need as many as 20, and any type of summon will do)
When you can afford it, buy a full stack of each item.
Recommended
These pcons are not strictly required, but will improve your performance significantly, and the cost is negligible compared to the profit from DoA:
- Golden Eggs
- Lunar Fortunes
- Slices of Pumpkin Pie
- War Supplies
- Powerstones of Courage or Seals of the Dragon Empire
Titles
Required
- Rank 5 Norn (Slayer of Wurms) or higher - for "You Move Like a Dwarf!"
- There is no minimum Lightbringer requirement, but make sure you picked up the Lightbringer effect in Chantry of Secrets.
Backfire
/ Backfire | |||||||
FC: 12+3, Dom:12+1+3
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Backfire is also a beginner role, but you'll need all the same equipment as Empathy. Required: You also need to be able to quickly and consistently get into the veil glitch spot - practice this in your own time.
TK
/ TK | |||||||
FC: 12+3, Dom:12+1+3
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Once you've got some experience on Empathy and Backfire (at least enough to max your Lightbringer title and get familiar with the 3-3 DoA tactics), it's time to learn TK. The role is a little bit more challenging, but not much extra preparation is needed:
Required
- Longbow/flatbow - any one will do; the mods are not important.
- Ghastly Summoning Stones - as TK, it's your job to use one in the second room of Foundry.
- Rank 5 Asura (Not Too Annoying) or higher - needed to maximise your Pain Inverter.
VoR
/ VoR | |||||||
FC: 12+3, Dom:12+1+3
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After learning the other mesmer roles and developing a good understanding of DoA tactics, you can start doing VoR. The build is not difficult to use, but you will be responsible for the highest share of the damage, and it's your job to call spikes, so you should be able to speak clearly on voicechat. The only additional requirements are:
Required
- Tengu Support Flares - for the last spawn at Gloom cave
- Rank 5 Vanguard (Shadow Agent) or higher - for Ebon Escape
UA
/ UA | |||||||
DF: 12+3, BM:11, Prot:6+2
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You can also start learning as a monk, but it's definitely better to do some runs as mesmer first. As a support player, you have to focus on multiple tasks at once and react appropriately if something goes wrong - this can be tricky if you don't already know the tactics.
Get the build and all of this equipment:
Armor
This armor set is required, and will be your standard armor in DoA: | A high health armor set is not required, but is very useful to have, and can save your life in an emergency: |
---|---|
• 5x Radiant Insignia • +1 Divine Favor headpiece • Rune of Superior Vigor • Rune of Superior Divine Favor • Rune of Major Protection Prayers • 2x Rune of Attunement |
• 5x Survivor Insignia • +1 Divine Favor headpiece • Rune of Superior Vigor • 4x Rune of Vitae |
Weapons
Martial enchanting weapon with +5 Energy ("I have the power!" inscription) | Insightful Staff of Enchanting with +5 Energy while enchanted ("Have Faith" inscription) | Insightful Staff of Enchanting with +15 Energy ("Seize the Day" inscription) |
---|---|---|
Any max shield with +10 armor vs demons (you can ask us for a free shield - we have plenty) | This isn't strictly needed, but is useful when you're not in immediate danger. | This is also not needed, but gives you an extra reserve of energy for emergencies. |
This will be your defensive set. | It gives +20 Energy compared to the shield set and 20% half skill recharge. | Use it only when necessary, and immediately switch back to your other set. |
Pcons
At the start of every run, you need at least 20 each of:
- Birthday Cupcakes
- Candy Apples
- Candy Corn
- Golden Eggs
- Scrolls of Resurrection
- Personal Death Penalty removal items (Pumpkin Cookies are ideal - do not use items that affect the whole party)
- Throwaway summoning stones (you don't need as many as 20, and any type of summon will do)
When you can afford it, buy a full stack of each item.
These pcons are not strictly required, but will improve your performance significantly, and the cost is negligible compared to the profit from DoA:
- Slices of Pumpkin Pie
- War Supplies
- Powerstones of Courage or Seals of the Dragon Empire
Titles
- Rank 5 Asura (Not Too Annoying) or higher - for Pain Inverter
- Rank 5 Vanguard (Shadow Agent) or higher - for Ebon Escape
- There is no minimum Lightbringer requirement, but make sure you picked up the Lightbringer effect in Chantry of Secrets.
EMo
/ EMo | |||||||
Energy Storage: 12+1+3, Protection: 12, Healing: 3
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After getting some experience on both TK and UA, you can start learning EMo. Begin by doing some more runs as UA, watching the EMo and asking questions. When you think you understand the role, get your equipment checked:
Armor
This armor set is required, and will be your standard armor in DoA: | A low armor set (with identical runes) is not required, but is useful in some place. If you still have your starter armor, that's ideal - if not, you can craft a 15AL set in a beginner town: |
---|---|
• 5x Radiant Insignia | • 5x Radiant Insignia |
• +1 Energy Storage headpiece | • +1 Energy Storage headpiece |
• Rune of Superior Vigor | • Rune of Superior Vigor |
• Rune of Superior Energy Storage | • Rune of Superior Energy Storage |
• 3x Rune of Attunement | • 3x Rune of Attunement |
Weapons
Any enchanting weapon set | Adept Protective Staff of Enchanting with HCT Protection Prayers ("Aptitude not Attitude" inscription) | Martial enchanting weapon with +5 Energy ("I have the power!" inscription) and | Martial enchanting weapon with 10% HCT ("Don't Think Twice" inscription and |
---|---|---|---|
A staff with half cast time mods is ideal. | This is not needed, but you can use it to cast bonds faster at the start of the run. | Focus with +15 Energy ("Live for Today" inscription) | Any max shield with +10 armor vs demons (you can ask us for a free shield - we have plenty) |
This will be your standard weapon set. | Only use this for desperate energy emergencies. | This is not needed, but can be useful when you are tanking enemies. | |
Pcons
At the start of every run, you need at least 20 each of:
- Birthday Cupcakes
- Candy Apples
- Candy Corn
- Scrolls of Resurrection
- Personal Death Penalty removal items (Pumpkin Cookies are ideal - do not use items that affect the whole party)
- Throwaway summoning stones (you don't need as many as 20, and any type of summon will do)
When you can afford it, buy a full stack of each item.
These pcons are not strictly required, but will improve your performance significantly, and the cost is negligible compared to the profit from DoA:
- Slices of Pumpkin Pie
- War Supplies
- Powerstones of Courage or Seals of the Dragon Empire
Titles
- Rank 5 Vanguard (Shadow Agent) or higher - for Ebon Escape
- There is no minimum Lightbringer requirement, but make sure you picked up the Lightbringer effect in Chantry of Secrets.
MT
/ Main Tank | |||||||
Shadow:12+1+3, Tactics:9, Dagger:9, CS:3
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When you have a good grasp of the other roles, it's time to move on to tank. Just like playing UA and observing the EMo, you can learn MT while playing EMo. When you think you understand the role, get your equipment checked:
Armor
This armor set is required, and will be your standard armor in DoA: | This set is required for pulling Jadoth: | An extra headpiece with +1 Shadow Arts is useful to increase your health pool in Veil. | |
---|---|---|---|
• 5x Blessed Insignia | • 5x Blessed Insignia | • Blessed Insignia | |
• +1 Shadow Arts headpiece | • +1 Shadow Arts headpiece | • +1 Shadow Arts headpiece | |
• Rune of Superior Shadow Arts | • Rune of Superior Shadow Arts | • Rune of Minor Shadow Arts | |
• Rune of Superior Vigor | • Rune of Superior Critical Strikes | ||
• 2x Rune of Vitae | • Rune of Superior Deadly Arts | ||
• Rune of Superior Dagger Mastery | |||
• Rune of Superior Shadow Arts | |||
Weapons
Martial enchanting weapon with +5 Energy ("I have the power!" inscription) | Enchanting staff | Flatbow |
---|---|---|
Any max shield with +10 armor vs demons (you can ask us for a free shield - we have plenty) | +20% enchanting is required, but the other mods are optional. | The mods on this are not important. |
Adjust your attributes if necessary to meet the requirement on the shield. | +energy or HCT are both good. | It's just used for pulling. |
This will be your standard defensive set. | ||
Vampiric Daggers of Enchanting | Martial enchanting weapon with -5 Energy ("I have the power!" inscription) | High energy staff | Shield with +10 vs Earth |
---|---|---|---|
These are for dealing damage with auto attacks while you have nothing else to do. | This goes together with your shield to make an energy-hiding set. | This is not strictly necessary, and is only used for extreme energy emergencies. | This is usually not needed, but can save your life if you have to tank titans without bonds. |
This will only be used in rare emergencies, but is still necessary. | Titans don't count as demons, so a demon shield is less effective. | ||
Pcons
At the start of every run, you need at least 20 each of:
- Scrolls of Resurrection
- Personal Death Penalty removal items (Pumpkin Cookies are ideal - do not use items that affect the whole party)
- Throwaway summoning stones (you don't need as many as 20, and any type of summon will do)
- Powerstones of Courage or Seals of the Dragon Empire
When you can afford it, buy a full stack of each item.
These pcons are not strictly required, but will improve your performance significantly, and the cost is negligible compared to the profit from DoA:
- Candy Corn
- Golden Eggs
- Lunar Fortunes
- Slices of Pumpkin Pie
- War Supplies
Do NOT use Birthday Cupcakes as MT. The speed boost will cause enemies to break aggro.
Titles
- Rank 5 Norn (Slayer of Wurms) or higher - for IAU and YMLaD
- There is no minimum Lightbringer requirement, but make sure you picked up the Lightbringer effect in Chantry of Secrets.
Trench Tank
/ Trench Tank | |||||||
Shadow:12+1+3, Tactics:9, Dagger:9, CS:3
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After learning MT, the final role is TT. This is the most challenging to learn, so while there is no special equipment needed (except the MT gear plus Birthday Cupcakes), some study and practice is necessary before your first run.
Videos
Cave is the one area you can actually cause the run to fail, so it's crucial that you can do this correctly before you do your first run. Get a friend to catch the earth groups for you (or just use your own heroes, but this can be very awkward while you're trying to learn) and practice cave until you can reliably complete it. Record yourself and post in the vod-review channel, or have a teacher come to observe you to confirm that you're doing it right.
In Veil, you'll be on your own after derv hill, so you need to know how to glitch trenches and pull monk lord. If you have plenty of spare time, you can use heroes to practice this on your own.
Armor
The MT armor is sufficient - these extra sets are just for tryharding. Don't forget to switch back to your Blessed set afterwards.
Infiltrator's armor makes you take less damage at cave. | Vanguard's armor makes you take less damage on derv hill, and the Minor Shadow Arts headpiece increases your health pool. |
---|---|
• 5x Infiltrator's Insignia | • 5x Vanguard's Insignia |
• +1 Shadow Arts headpiece | • +1 Shadow Arts headpiece |
• Rune of Superior Shadow Arts | • Rune of Minor Shadow Arts |
• Rune of Superior Vigor | • Rune of Superior Vigor |
• 4x Rune of Vitae | • 4x Rune of Vitae |
Weapons
Martial weapon with +5 armor |
---|
inscribable shield with +10 vs Blunt |
This is just for reducing damage on derv hill. |
Don't forget to switch back to an enchanting weapon! |
Pcons
Birthday Cupcakes are required for Veil, and are useful in Gloom. Do not use them elsewhere.
Other pcons are useful and highly recommended.