Tale of the Tortured Mastermind

Recall the cruelty of Scarlet Briar as you revile your target with a battery of insults, damaging their ego. — In-game description

Tale of the Tortured Mastermind

Profession

Mesmer (skill list)

Specialization

Troubadour

Slot

Utility

Type

Tale

Training cost

15 Hero points

Game link

API

77066

Gallery
Overhead skill activation.

“

0.5½  

20

25

 

Tale of the Tortured Mastermind

Recall the cruelty of Scarlet Briar as you revile your target with a battery of insults, damaging their ego.

 Damage (4x): 796 (3.0)^?

 Damage (4x): 424 (1.6)^?

 Torment (8s): 176 Damage, 254 Damage if Foe Is Stationary

 First-Hit Weakness (5s): -50% Endurance Regeneration, +50% Fumble (Unrestricted)

₁₀ Second-Hit Vulnerability (4s): +10% Incoming Damage, +10% Incoming Condition Damage

 Third-Hit Boons Removed: 3

 Number of Hits: 4

 Fourth-Hit Daze: 3 seconds

 Fourth-Hit Daze: 2 seconds

Performance. Reciting this tale with the flute playing will grant you notes.

 Notes Granted: 1

 Defiance Break: 300

 Defiance Break: 200

 Range: 900

— In-game description

Related traits

Domination

• Illusion of Vulnerability — Inflict vulnerability when you interrupt a foe. This trait can only affect enemies with defiance bars once per interval.
• Dazzling — Disabling a foe also applies vulnerability. Disables include stun, daze, knockback, pull, knockdown, sink, float, launch, taunt, and fear.
• Furious Interruption — Gain quickness when you interrupt a foe.
• Fragility — Deal increased strike damage for each stack of vulnerability on your target.
• Vicious Expression — You and your illusions deal increased strike damage to foes without boons. Disabling a foe removes boons from them. Disables include stun, daze, knockback, pull, knockdown, sink, float, launch, taunt, and fear.
• Power Block — Interrupts deal damage and inflict weakness while granting you a damage increase. This trait can only damage enemies with defiance bars once per interval.

Dueling

• Duelist's Discipline — Pistol attacks from you and your illusions have a chance to cause bleeding. Interrupting a foe recharges pistol skills. This trait can only reduce recharge on enemies with defiance bars once per interval.
• Superiority Complex — Your critical hits deal more damage. Critical hit damage against disabled foes, or foes below the health threshold, is further increased. Disabled foes are affected by stun, daze, knockback, pull, knockdown, sink, float, fear, taunt, or launch.
• Ineptitude — Interrupting a foe inflicts blind, and blinding a foe inflicts confusion. This trait can only activate on enemies with defiance bars once per interval.

Chaos

• Chaotic Interruption — When you interrupt a foe, recharge one of your equipped-weapon skills at random. Only affects weapon skills that are recharging.

Troubadour

• Raconteur — Tales heal and grant protection to nearby allies.
• Syncopate — Deafening Drum releases an additional quick wave after a delay. Deal damage to enemies you disable.

Trivia

• This Tale recounts the story of Scarlet Briar, a sylvari whose plans during Living World Season 1 provoked the destruction of Lion's Arch.
• Upon casting this skill, the troubadour will recite the following lines in order:
  • The mad Scarlet yukked.
  • As clockwork knights struck.
  • "Begone, little pests!", she said.
  • "Desist, my dears, or you'll be dead!"

Version history

For a detailed skill history, see here.

Patch	Changes
October 28, 2025	Visions of Eternity release: Tale of the Tortured Mastermind has been added to the game. Reduced the cooldown from 25 seconds to 20 seconds in PvE only. Increased the power coefficient per hit from 0.75 to 1.0 and increased the daze duration from 2 seconds to 3 seconds in PvE only. This skill now always applies torment on hit and grants a note when used while the flute is playing.
August 19, 2025	Tale of the Tortured Mastermind was available during the Visions of Eternity elite specialization Beta Event.