Main Brooch: Quickcarve Brooch Superior Brooch

For Level 65 or above Attack Modifier: 345

Impact Modifier: 1,799

Increases Crit Factor by 6.

Increases Crit Factor by 6.

Increases Crit Factor by 4. Secondary Brooch: Empowered Brooch Superior Brooch

For Level 65 or above Attack Modifier: 345

Impact Modifier: 1,799

Increases Power by 3.

Increases Crit Factor by 6.

Increases Power by 3.

Brooch

It is necessary for any player to have two brooches: one Empowered and one Quickcarve. If you cannot afford a Superior Brooch, then obtain Simple Brooches from dungeons like Kalivan’s Dreadnaught Normal Mode or Channelworks.

Quickcarve will be your main brooch because Attack Speed and Crit Rate have better synergy with Shadow Reaping. Using Quickcarve brooch during Shadow Reaping will allow you to execute more rotations and increase your chance to crit the majority of your skills during Reaping. If you can only afford one superior brooch, then pick yourself up a Superior Quickcarve Brooch.

Glyphs

These glyphs are for all PVE purposes. You can use this for normal runs and high score runs

Why Blazing Double Shear glyph and not Cable Step CD glyph?

There are two reasons:

Blazing Double Shear glyph will give Double Shear a 20% boost in DPS. Generally, you will be able to utilize this glyph effectively in a run. This glyph is also crucial during the Slaying Shadow Reaping Combo (Spiral → Grim → Shear → Grim → Sunder). Cable Step does not increase the attack speed of Shadow Lash. It only increases the initial cast time of Shadow Lash. In fact, casting Shadow Lash by itself might be as fast or even faster than Cable Step -> Shadow Lash depending on how far you travel with Cable Step. Watch below: (Or alternatively a side by side video) Solo cast Shadow Lash Cable Step → Shadow Lash This is not to say that you cannot swap Blazing Double Sheer for Cable Step CD. If you prefer Cable Step CD then that is your choice. But if you are doing a high score run, then Blazing Double Shear is a must.

Why Shadow Lash CD glyph and not Smite CD or Retribution or even Shadow Step glyph for your last 5 points?

Shadow Lash is actually not that bad of a DPS skill for a filler. If you ask me it is a REALLY good DPS skill for a filler. It does roughly 300k+ crit per hit with +15 VM5/VM6 in a party set up with only nostrums + crit scroll. Since Pendulum and Whipsaw CD have been lowered by 10%, it has become a little bit more rare to use Smite as a filler. More often than not, a higher priority skill will be up before you have a chance to use Smite as a filler. One decision that you will make often is whether to use Smite as a buffer for Pendulum → Whipsaw or go into Shadow Lash while there is roughly 2 seconds left on Pendulum → Whipsaw. Which rotation to execute out of these two are completely on your judgement. From my experience, it’s 50/50. Sometimes I use Smite as buffer for the Whipsaw combo, and sometimes I just go into Shadow Lash (Although this is kind of contradictory to the priority list which will be mentioned in the next section as Shadow Lash has a higher priority than Smite. However, sometimes the alternative is a better rotation depending on what the boss is doing). Finally, Shadow Lash has a longer buffer for CDs and does significantly more DPS than Smite, therefore glyphing Smite CD is by far a worse choice. In all of the dungeons that we have currently, it is unnecessary to glyph Retribution or Shadow Step CD for more survivability. With good skill management, you should be able to evade comfortably with non-glyph Retribution and Shadow Step (this is coming from a player who has done over hundreds and hundreds of resets on score runs with < 50% HP due to Slaying Crystal where getting hit by a single boss attack means death) . Although I cannot say for certain if Retribution CD or Shadow Step CD is necessary for the upcoming Dreadspire 2 as I do not have experience in Upper Dreadspire.

Rotation

A lot of Reaper guides out there always state the following rotation as a Reaper’s main rotation:

Spiral → Shear → Grim → Sunder → Spiral → Pend → Whip → Shear → Grim → Cable → Shadow Burst → … etc.

WRONG. If you play Reaper based off of this rotation, you are not maximizing your DPS.

So what should your rotation be? The answer to that is:

It depends… In fact it’s actually pretty complicated to give a concrete answer because the rotation you use depends on what the boss is going to do.

Skill Priorities

Before giving a guideline on rotations, we have to talk about skill priorities so that the guideline makes sense. Here is the skill priority:

(Pendulum → Whipsaw) / (Cable → Shadow Burst) > Grimstrike (and Grimstrike Resets) > Sundering Strike > Double Shear > (Cable → Shadow Burst) > Shadow Lash > Death Spiral > Smite

I will explain why Cable Step → Shadow Burst is one of the highest priority further down this section.

Why is this the priority list?

Pendulum → Whipsaw has to be the highest priority because it is one of your best and fastest application of a hard hitting skill. Before the Knockout Patch, Grimstrike and Grimstrike reset priority would have been below Sundering Strike. However, ever since the Triple Crit Rate Glyph buff to Grimstrike, it is much more important to prioritize this skill. In every fight, Grimstrike should be your skill with the most damage dealt due to its crit and reset factor. Here is a screenshot to show you how strong Grimstrike is even with a relatively low crit rate: If my Grimstrike resets and Sundering Strike is up, should I use Sundering Strike or keep spamming my Grimstrike? The priority list says to use Grimstrike until it goes into CD. If you reset so many times that you end up losing a cast of Sundering Strike, then that’s okay because the damage you would have gained by resetting Grimstrike would have been greater than a single cast of Sundering Strike. Also keep in mind the Grimstrike resets also act as a buffer. So if you reset enough times, you may be able to skip a Shadow Lash rotation which means more casts on your main skills. In addition, Sundering Strike is naturally cast after Grimstrike, so it makes more sense that Grimstrike is a higher priority than Sundering Strike. (Cable Step → Shadow Burst) has also been pushed down on the priority list, but its use is a little bit more complex. The reason why (Cable Step → Shadow Burst) is listed as one of the highest priority is because of distance. Sometimes, when you start a boss, the tank is usually the first one in. (Cable Step → Shadow Burst) allows you to gap close much faster than running up behind the boss then start attacking it. Again, it only becomes the highest priority if you are too far from the boss. The purpose of the priority list is to determine your opening move and to determine what rotation you’re going to use in case multiple skills with high priority are off cool down.

Rotation Guidelines

With the priority list stated, it should be obvious why this rotation:

Spiral → Shear → Grim → Sunder → Spiral → Pend → Whip → Shear → Grim → Cable → Shadow Burst → … etc.

is a suboptimal opening one. The wind up for one of your hardest hitting skill in this rotation is 3 skills long containing 2 low priority skills. So why don’t we just open up with Pendulum → Whipsaw?! As stated above, it is the fastest application of one of your highest hitting skill, so it makes much more sense to open up with this combo. With that said, let’s create the guideline for your rotations.

You do use this rotation, but it is usually used during the middle of your rotations. Do not misunderstand. There is a difference between basing your play style off of this rotation and using this rotation based off of the priority list.

So let’s create a guideline:

We will refer to two of our openers as (A) and (B):

(A)

Pendulum → Whipsaw (B)

Cable Step → Shadow Burst

When should you open up with (A)?

Generally, you want to open up with (A) if you know the boss is not going to turn around in less than 5 seconds. For example, if you open up with (A) and the boss turns around, then you’re screwed because if you decide to use any other skill, you’re going to front crit. If you decide to chase the back, then you’re going to run out of skills to re-position yourself in the next few seconds. The reason why you would have to expend 2 stacks of Shadow Step is because of the initial Pendulum Strike displacement from the beginning of the combo.

Here are examples of (A) cases:

Case.A.1 I did not use Shear during this example because I was afraid that by the time I got to my Sundering Strike the boss would have turned. Case A.2 This example shows that the opening (A) rotation does not have to be used exclusively in the beginning of a fight. If you’re mid-fight and you’re in a position where everything is off CD, then you have to continue with your rotation based off of the priority list. Case A.3 An (A) example with a stationary boss where you have all the back time in the world.

So if you have enough back time, you will use this rotation:

(A) → Shear → Grim → Sunder → Cable Step → Shadow Burst -> etc.

“etc.” = continue with your rotation based on the priority list.

When should you open up with (B)?

You want to open up with (B) if:

The boss is going to turn around due to the boss’s natural attack pattern or an impending secondary aggro.

Case B.1 This clip shows exactly the strength of a (B) start which is the ability to re-initiate your rotation if for some reason it was disrupted. After I finished casting Spiral → Grim, I was able to chase the back and continue with the rotation by re-initiating with the last stack of Spiral. Case B.2 An (A) start would have actually been better here. However, it is hard to predict what opening move Perimos was going to do. I used a (B) start here just in case he would have opened up with a “Get Back” move. Case B.3 Again, I opened with (B) because it would have been possible where Perimos’s opening move would have given me less than 5 seconds of back time (a “Get Back” opening move). In this case I followed up (B) with Pendulum → Whipsaw because I realized that I would also have enough back time to end my rotation with a Sundering Strike back crit.

Special cases in which you need to save pendulum strike to DPS while re-positioning.

SCHM Darkan As you can see in this clip, I saved my Pendulum Strike while Darkan was doing his “Double Back Swing” moveset which allowed me dodge his skill and do damage.

So if you open up with (B), you will follow this rotation:

(B) → Spiral →Shear → Grim -→ Sunder → Spiral → Pend → Whip → etc.

“etc.” = continue with your rotation based on the priority list.



Shadow Reaping Rotation

Non-Slaying:

(Pend → Whip → Grim → Sunder) → REPEAT

Do not cancel Whipsaw to cast Grim → Sunder Faster

Slaying/Alternative:

(Spiral → Grim → Sheer → Grim → Sunder) → REPEAT

This Shadow Reaping rotation is coined as the “Slaying” rotation because Reapers are unable to use Whipsaw during runs with Slaying crystal usage. Otherwise, they would go above 50% HP. In addition, this is the “Alternative” Reaping rotation because there are times where it is better to use this rotation. If you don’t understand why this Reaping rotation is sometimes better, then please revisit section 5.b) regarding the (A) opener.

You can mix your Shadow Reaping rotation during the duration of the skill. You don’t have to exclusively use the Non-Slaying rotation if you’re in a normal dungeon run.

Decision Making

Even though a priority list exists, there will be many cases where you might have to create a rotation different from that priority list based on what the boss is doing.

Here are a couple examples:

Example 1 The most optimal way to have continued my rotation after the Fire Puddles was Cable Step → Shadow Burst because of the distance between me and the boss. Since that combo was on cool down, Pendulum → Whipsaw SHOULD have been used based on the priority list. However, executing Pendulum → Whipsaw in the position that I was in would have been difficult. If I failed the execution and misdirected my camera to where I would have missed my Whipsaw, then I would have lost a a decent amount of damage. Instead, I went for the safer and easier rotation to execute which was closing the gap with Smite, then Spiral → Shear → Grim → Sunder. Afterward, I was able to safely back crit with Pendulum → Whipsaw. Example 2 In this example, I could have ended my Shadow Lash with a Double Sheer which would have been enough buffer to get my Pendulum → Whipsaw on CD. After Shadow Lash, the priority list says to use Pendulum → Whipsaw. However, you can see that Rokdos is doing his “Donut” move set. Since the outer circle was the first indicator, there would have been a chance that Pendulum → Whipsaw would have taken me to the edge of the indicator resulting in a stun. Instead, I used a Spiral → … → Sunder rotation and saved my Pendulum → Whipsaw for displacement when Rokdos’s skill hit the inner circle.

Rotations: Conclusion

What’s to be learned from this section is that there is no definitive rotation outside of the opening rotations. That is why I put “etc.” at the end of the opening rotations. Your rotations will always be based off of the priority list, and then you refine your rotation based on the boss’s movements. To choose the most optimal rotations, you will have to predict what the boss is going to do, and the only way to do that is to gain experience in dungeons. In the most mechanically intensive boss fights, a 10+ skill-long combo that a player memorizes would be invalidated due to constant re-positioning to get the the back of the boss. This holds all true for all classes, not just Reapers; memorizing rotations does nothing but create bad habits. However, knowing the priorities of your skill and understanding why priority list exists as it is will accelerate your improvement and create a greater understanding of how to DPS.

Animation Cancelling and Powerlinks

Although low on the priority list, Death Spiral has an important role in your rotation. It serves two purposes: to re-initiate combos and to cancel animations. Make sure you always have a skill that can cancel Shadow Burst’s and Sundering Strike’s animation lock. Being stuck in a Shadow Burst’s or Sundering Strike’s animation lock is a DPS loss. Cancelling these two animations will also give you a more fluid rotation. Try to avoid being locked in a skill animation before you start Shadow Lash. It is a relatively high down-time on your DPS. Occasionally this will happen.

Shouldn’t I use Death Spiral to Powerlink Grimstrike?

As stated above, it is much more important that Death Spiral is used to serve for re-initiation for combos and to cancel animations. The only time I would suggest intentionally using Death Spiral for power links is when your Shadow Burst is on CD.

The reason why I did not touch upon Powerlinks extensively (mainly Spiral and Shear Powerlinks for Grimstrike) is because Powerlinks are naturally integrated within rotations. Due to the way skills are chained, you’re always going to have a Powerlink active for Grimstrike. The duration of the Powerlinks are also quite lengthy. There are more important things to worry about, such as positioning and skill management, and that is what I tried to emphasize in this guide. You’re not going to out-DPS another Reaper by pulling off more double Powerlinks on Grimstrike. You’re going to out-DPS another Reaper by getting more skills off, based on how you position and how you manage your skills.

Final Words

If you want to see more of my gameplay, please visit my YouTube channel. Although a little bit out dated, I would also suggest checking out Kyang’s (A.K.A Greenstrike / Kiirofuji of MT) Youtube Channel or his past broadcasts on Twitch for more valuable visual aids. I learned most of what I know about Reapers from him.