Ritualist

This article is about the elite specialization. For the attribute combination, see Ritualist's. For other uses, see Ritualist (disambiguation).

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"Embrace the world beyond."

Ritualists are one of the oldest known professions in Tyria, having existed well before the gods gifted magic to the wider world. These spirit callers channel entities from the Mists, who they beckon forth to aid them in battle.

— In-game description

Ritualist is an elite specialization for the necromancer unlocked with the Visions of Eternity expansion.

As Canthan practitioners form new ties with necromantic communities, new ritualists have learned the ability to summon ancestral spirits while in ritualist's shroud as well as weapon spells that benefit themselves and their allies.

List of ritualist skills

See also: List of necromancer skills

Profession mechanic

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Inspired by the original Guild Wars’ Ritualist profession, the Guild Wars 2 version enters its ritualist shroud to summon weapon spells that provide effects to nearby allies while also summoning the spirits of Anguish, Wanderlust, and Preservation to attack foes.

— Promo description

Ritualists replace Death Shroud with Ritualist's Shroud, which enables the summoning of spirits for supporting allies or power-based offence in combat.

• Spirits may be summoned while in ritualist shroud for an initial attack followed by a periodic basic attack.
• Summoned spirits will not persist when exiting ritualist shroud unless traited with Lingering Spirits.
• Innervate effects are centered around its respective spirit only.

#	Skill			Description
F1	Ritualist's Shroud		10	Assume the form of a ritualist and gain new skills, turning your life force into health.
F1	Exit Ritualist's Shroud			Leave Ritualist's Shroud and return to your normal form.
F2	Innervate Anguish		10	Channel power to your Spirit of Anguish, damaging nearby enemies and granting might to nearby allies.
F3	Innervate Wanderlust		15	Channel power to your Spirit of Wanderlust, inflicting fear on nearby enemies.
F4	Innervate Preservation		25	Channel power to your Spirit of Preservation, granting defensive boons to nearby allies.
Ritualist's Shroud
1	Essence Blast	0.75¾		Shroud. Fire a blast of energy that is more powerful for each active spirit. Active spirits will prioritize attacking the last enemy targeted by this skill if they are in range.
2	Anguish	0.5½	7	Shroud. Spirit. Mark an enemy to take more damage from your summoned creatures, then summon a spirit of anguish. Anguish fires a barrage of projectiles that deal increased damage against crowd-controlled enemies and for each condition on those enemies.
3	Wanderlust	1	12	Shroud. Spirit. Create a powerful blast that damages enemies in the area, then summon a Spirit of Wanderlust at that location. Wanderlust knocks down enemies and creates a lingering area that deals damage and inflicts conditions.
4	Preservation	0.5½	20	Shroud. Spirit. Grant boons to nearby allies, then summon a spirit of preservation. Preservation will unleash a burst of energy, healing and removing conditions from nearby allies.
5	Summon Spirits		20	Shroud. You and any active spirits shadowstep to the target area. Any spirits that aren't currently using their initial skill will immediately use an additional skill.

Slot skills

Healing

Skill				Description
Resilient Weapon		0.5½	25	Weapon spell. Take reduced damage from strikes and periodically heal. Effectiveness increased while below 50% health. Grant this to nearby allies for a reduced duration.

Utility

Skill				Description
Splinter Weapon		0.25¼	20	Weapon spell. Your strikes will trigger an additional strike on nearby enemies. Allies receive fewer stacks of this.
Nightmare Weapon		0.25¼	20	Weapon spell. Your strikes steal life from enemies and inflict vulnerability. Grant fewer stacks of this to nearby allies.
Weapon of Remedy			20	Weapon spell. Periodically remove conditions, healing for each condition removed. Grant this to nearby allies for a reduced duration.
Weapon of Warding			30	Weapon spell. Block attacks. Gain protection when the last stack is removed. Grant fewer stacks of this to nearby allies.

Elite

Skill				Description
Xinrae's Weapon			75	Weapon spell. When you take damage over a percentage of your maximum health, heal for the difference, then steal life from that foe. Grant fewer stacks of this to nearby allies and break them out of stuns.

List of ritualist traits

See also: List of necromancer traits

Tier	Trait		Description
Minor Adept	Spawning Power		Death shroud is replaced with ritualist's shroud. Spirits created by shroud skills will persist until you exit shroud. After performing their initial attack, spirits will periodically attack enemies. Gain access to weapon spells.
Major Adept	Wandering Spirits		Spirits teleport to you before they perform their autoattack.
Major Adept	Spirit's Gift		Heal nearby allies when you summon a creature. Spirits and minions are creatures.
Major Adept	Explosive Growth		When you summon a creature, deal damage to enemies around that creature. Spirits and minions are creatures.
Minor Master	Boon of Creation		Gain concentration. Gain life force when you summon a creature. Spirits and minions are creatures.
Major Master	Spirits' Remedy		Remove conditions from nearby allies when you summon a creature. Spirits and minions are creatures.
Major Master	Empowering Spirits		Grant boons to nearby allies when you summon a spirit.
Major Master	Spirit's Strength		Your summoned creatures deal more damage and their healing is increased. Spirits and minions are creatures.
Minor Grandmaster	Charged Souls		Gain access to spirit innervation skills, allowing you to channel energy to your spirits for an additional effect. Gain life force when you use an innervate skill.
Major Grandmaster	Wielder's Boon		Weapon spells remove conditions from affected allies. Affected allies receive the full benefit of weapon spells.
Major Grandmaster	Lingering Spirits		Gain a bonus for each active spirit. Spirits persist when exiting ritualist's shroud but continue to drain life force. Life force that is gained during this time will not be consumed by spirits.
Major Grandmaster	Soul Twisting		The first spirit skill you use when entering ritualist's shroud recharges instantly.

Lore

Being unique to Cantha, ritualists had existed long before the worship of the gods and their granting of magic to the races as they focused on channeling spirits from the Mists. They relied upon the strength and wisdom granted to them by their powerful ancestors who thus maintained a connection to their descendants. Through their spirits, and sometimes the physical remains of the ancestors, ritualists were able to practice magic, or something close to it. When magic was granted by the gods, many of the original abilities were strengthened and merged into their modern form. Though still relying on the power of the dead, their original skills are no longer a visible part of the profession.

Modern developments

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Ritualism is one of Tyria’s oldest professions. The practice originated in Cantha, where humans discovered that spirits could be summoned from the Mists and bound to a ritualist’s will. In practice, this was traditionally a respectful partnership between ritualists and ancestral spirits—but as the Speakers’ influence spread in recent years, so did their hastily adopted methods of forcibly binding spirits.

Necromancy and ritualism have long been considered separate disciplines, but as open hostility between the Speakers and Jade Brotherhood cools and Cantha becomes one of the Tyrian Alliance’s strongest pillars, ritualists have formed ties with necromantic communities across Central Tyria, Elona, and beyond. Ritualism will gain new practitioners; networks of political support and shared resources will ensure that responsible traditions are favored over cruel shortcuts to power.

— Official website

Ritualists are masters of spirits, able to call upon them in battle for aid. According to Kyung, Speaker-affiliated ritualists resort to an older and crueler version of ritualism that is easier to learn whereby the spirits are unwillingly bound to their summoner. Modern ritualists establish more of a bond of trust with the spirits and ask them for their aid. As mentioned by Canthan elders, ritualist study is traditionally a difficult study requiring years to train, though not wholly dependent on blood connections to ancestral spirits: the numerous spirits within the Mists result in potential connections and assistance, should one know how to ask.

Ritualists have been seen summoning spirits that attack and defend, both striking with lightning and granting shields to their allies. A skilled ritualist can also shift into the spirit world, with some ritualists even creating portals into the spirit realm and making spirits and historical scenes visible to those who enter. Their spiritual abilities also assist in cleansing and calming disturbed spiritual energy, as seen with some practitioners like Ritualist Alina and Ritualist Solon around the Temple of the Dredge.

List of Ritualist NPCs

See also: Category:Ritualist NPCs

Gallery

Specialization background.

The Guild Wars Wiki has an article on Ritualist.

Promotional material

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Icons

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  Official icon

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  Official icon

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  Wiki icon

Trivia

• In the concept art, the ritualist wears the Ritualist Outfit.
• Ritualist was one of the playable professions in Guild Wars Factions. However, in Guild Wars 2, the profession was initially exclusive to NPCs, and added as a playable specialization with Visions of Eternity.
• The revenant profession shares many similarities with the Guild Wars Factions ritualist profession, including the use of blindfolds and the similarity of their profession symbol. Revenants also connect to the Mists, though they seem more focused on channeling an echo of a legendary being, rather than establishing a communion with ancestral spirits as ritualists do.
• During the VoE beta preview, ruptured for additional effect on expiration, whether through resummoning, Rupture F2-F4 skill activation, or when exiting ritualist shroud.

External links

• Elite Specialization Reveal: Thief, Necromancer, and Warrior, GuildWars2.com
• Elite Specializations: Antiquary, Ritualist, Paragon, YouTube.com
• Elite Specialization Livestream: Antiquary, Ritualist, Paragon | Visions of Eternity, Twitch.com

See also

The Guild Wars Wiki has an article on Ritualist.

• Monk

References

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Necromancer