Dervish
Overview
21 Dervish / 18 Predator. A Primalist melee burst spec built around Predatory Instincts stacks and the Apex Predator window. Pre-load Locus of Destruction out of combat for 10 stacks, open with double Scald for +30% elemental damage, then spam and pop Apex Predator to reset the cooldowns on your hardest-hitting abilities for a brutal burst window. Outside the burst your damage stays decent, but the kill pressure lives in stacking and timing Apex.
Rotation
Locus of Destruction before battle (out of combat) so you open with 10 Predatory Instincts and Apex Predator ready.
1. Scald x2 for +30% elemental damage.
2. Spam the main macro until BOTH Blindside and Sudden Strike have been used.
3. Pop Apex Predator to reset the cooldown on those two hardest-hitting abilities.
4. Spam again until Apex Predator comes back up.
5. Use Apex as soon as it's off cooldown, then keep spamming.
This is your maximum burst window. Once you're out of Predatory Instincts and Apex runs out, your damage drops off slightly but stays decent. Keep Locus on cooldown to rebuild stacks for the next burst.
Macros
suppressmacrofailures cast Primal Avatar: Wind Serpent cast Locus of Destruction cast Scent of Blood cast Silent Stalker cast Blindside cast Sudden Strike cast Tectonic Spike cast Seismic Smash cast Air Cutter cast Squall cast Break Free cast Fading Light cast @self spiritualism
suppressmacrofailures cast Primal Avatar: Wind Serpent cast Scald
Key Abilities
- Apex Predator 50% damage increase for 15 seconds. Requires 5 stacks of Predatory Instincts. Resets the cooldown on your 2 hardest-hitting abilities (one off the global cooldown, one on it). Time it right after Blindside + Sudden Strike for the biggest burst.
- Locus of Destruction Gives 10 stacks of Predatory Instincts (capped at 10). USE THIS OUT OF COMBAT so you can cast Apex Predator the instant you start fighting. Keep it on cooldown to maintain stacks.
- Primal Fear Ranged 6s duration stun. 20s cooldown. Your main ranged control.
- Scirocco Interrupt. If you successfully interrupt someone, applies a 4s Debilitate. 8s cooldown. This is your priority interrupt.
- Dazing Blow Another interrupt. 15s cooldown. Does NOT debilitate. You can probably ignore this ability to reduce complexity.
- Relentless Pursuit Primal Avatar ability. A charge that microstuns into a 3 second root. Your gap-closer and lockdown.
- Resilient Hide Primal Avatar ability. 25% of damage taken is healed back to you for 8s. Your survivability cooldown.
- Silent Stalker 15s Stealth. Already in the spam macro (it gives bonus crit chance), but keep it bound separately too so you can use the 15s stealth as an opener or escape.
Tips & Notes
- Pre-load Locus of Destruction OUT OF COMBAT for 10 Predatory Instincts stacks, so Apex Predator is ready the moment you engage.
- Open every fight with Scald x2 for +30% elemental damage before you commit to the spam.
- Apex Predator needs 5 Predatory Instincts stacks and resets the cooldown on your 2 hardest hitters. Fire it right after Blindside + Sudden Strike for the maximum burst.
- Silent Stalker lives in the spam macro for the crit chance, but keep a separate bind for the 15s stealth opener/escape.
- Scirocco is your priority interrupt (4s Debilitate on a successful interrupt). Dazing Blow is a backup interrupt with no debilitate. You can ignore it to cut complexity.
- Control + survival tools: Primal Fear (ranged 6s stun, 20s cd), Relentless Pursuit (charge → microstun → 3s root), Resilient Hide (heals 25% of damage taken over 8s).