I’ve played Rift’s Warrior trees for years and I wrote this to get you into the Champion/Bladedancer/Riftblade PvP build fast. I use a 13/51/2 soul split because it hits the specific windows this kit needs: huge burst from Bladedancer, clutch control from Champion, and one teleport from Riftblade. In my experience, that spread wins duels and punishes healers—when you use it right.
Quick summary of the build
Bladedancer is your main; Champion fills utility; Riftblade gives Riftwalk. I’m telling you this up front so you know where the power is focused. We found the 51-point investment in Bladedancer makes Blade Tempo and Hundred Blades feel reliably lethal (especially against targets under 20% health). Honestly, timing beats raw numbers more often than people admit.
Soul points (exact)
- Champion — 13
- Bladedancer — 51
- Riftblade — 2
Why these numbers? Blade Tempo scales with combo generation and attack speed; investing in Bladedancer unlocks both the damage and the sustain you need. Champion at 13 gives Bull Rush and Cornered Beast—useful control and damage amps. Riftwalk (2 points) saves your life and wins you fights that otherwise end badly (been there, cried a little).
Core rotation for burst
Short version: open fast, build combo points, hit your tempo window hard. Start every engage with Weapon Barrage so your attack speed primes combo generation. Then layer in Side Steps for mitigation. If you time Blade Tempo with Hundred Blades, squishies die in a heartbeat. Sounds simple—doesn’t always work (depends on your ping and the target’s defensives).
- Weapon Barrage (pre-pull)
- Side Steps
- Quick Strike x3 to build combos
- Blade Tempo
- Hundred Blades
- Precision Strike / finishers to 5 combo points
- Final Blow
Why this order? Attack speed increases combo accrual, which makes Blade Tempo multiply damage rather than simply adding it. That’s the key: increasing combo throughput changes the math behind every finisher.
Gear priorities (updated 12 June 2025)
Here’s a practical table we tested in premades on 03/04/2025 and again on 11/06/2025—dates matter because patch changes can shift caps.
| Stat | Priority | Target |
|---|---|---|
| Hit | Cap first | 220 minimum |
| Attack Power | Very high | 3,000+ |
| Critical Hit | High | 35–40% |
| Valor | Medium | Prefer PvP gear |
| Endurance | Medium | ~18,000 HP |
Why pick Hit first? Misses kill windows. You can have huge numbers but if your hits don’t land, your burst evaporates. Valor reduces incoming focused damage; that’s why PvP-specific gear matters more than high ilvl PvE pieces in group fights. To be fair, there are exceptions: if you solo duel a rogue, different choices apply.
Runes, enchants and weapons
Attack Power runes on armor, Dexterity enchants on accessories. Put Endurance runes on two pieces if you’re repeatedly getting one-shot. Dual-wield fast one-handers work best here because your build relies on attack-speed synergies. Oddly enough, a slightly slower weapon with higher raw power sometimes outduels a faster set if you can’t sustain tempo—counterintuitive, but true.
Keybinds and macros
Bind your core combo builders to 1–5 and your defensive/cancel abilities to Q, E, R, F. Mouse buttons are ideal for Riftwalk and Bull Rush (you’ll thank me). Bind PvP trinket to an easy panic key—Mouse Button 4 or 5 if you have them.
# spam macro example (simple, not perfect):
show Quick Strike
cast Quick Strike
cast Precision Strike
cast Weapon Barrage
# burst macro skeleton:
show Blade Tempo
cast Blade Tempo
cast Hundred Blades
cast Break Free
use Bloodthirsty Brew
Macros won’t solve bad positioning. Use them to reduce micro, not to replace situational judgment. (Yes, someone will ask—macros aren’t banned in most servers, but check your community rules.)
Matchups — quick notes
Vs Mages: interrupt, keep line-of-sight, Riftwalk to close. Vs Clerics: wait for immunities to lapse, then commit. Vs Rogues: Side Steps counters early burst—timing matters. Vs Warriors: it’s a cooldown chess match; mobility and positioning decide most fights.
Advice: pressure casters constantly; they fall apart when they can’t cast. We found healers panic faster than DPS when you force them off comfort.
Controversial take: Valor is overrated by some high-ranked players; sometimes raw Attack Power + better positioning nets more kills than stacking Valor. Not everyone will agree! Another hot take: dual-wielding is outdated for some metas—yes, I said it.
Positioning and team play
Think surgical, not suicidal. Your role in group fights is to bypass the frontline and hunt healers or isolated DPS. Use terrain and LOS to reset when focus burns you down. Watch this: sometimes the mere threat of your approach makes enemies play safe, and that’s as valuable as a kill. Between us, baiting is an underused tactic.
Combat dancing means unpredictable movement while keeping your rotation—strafe, fake, then commit. Deadly Dance is both gap closer and dodge tool. Use it creatively.
Final notes (short)
I’ve noticed steady improvement in players who record 10 matches and review failures. Watch replays, note missed interrupts and bad engages, then fix one habit at a time. Practice beats theory when you’re under pressure.
One last counterintuitive insight: sometimes lowering your aggression (yes, backing up!) forces enemies into mistakes. Try it.
See you in Warfronts—bring patience, not just gear. ⚔️
