Cleric Arbiter Build

The Complete Cleric Arbiter DPS Build – Neverwinter Mod 29 Mountain of Flame

Welcome to our Cleric Arbiter Guide, updated for Mod 29: Mountain of Flame.

If you’re looking to play a Cleric but want to do damage instead of just healing in Neverwinter, the Arbiter class might be the perfect fit for you. This guide will tell you everything you need to know about playing an Arbiter, including abilities, feats, and more!

Neverwinter’s Arbiter class is a versatile and powerful option for players who want to play as a Cleric. It is recommended that you run a loadout for a Devout Healing build as well, so keep this in mind when building your character, choosing gear that will compliment both builds so that you don’t have to switch out everything.

The purpose of our class guides is not just to show you a build that you can copy and use on your character, but to show you a base build and teach you the mechanics and stats of the game, so you can understand and play your class to its fullest capabilities.

Try different gear, feats, and powers, and learn to tailor your own build for your playstyle. See our guide to making your own build for more info.

Basic Cleric Arbiter Info

Below is all the basic information for the Arbiter from race choices to stats.

Other Cleric Builds

Race

What race you play doesn’t play a huge role, but will give you a small boost. Generally, I would advise you to play a race that you enjoy.

  • Wood Elf – 5% Critical Strike – +2 Dex and +2 Int or Wis – 20% Resistance to Slow
  • Human1% Bonus to all stats – +3 To any Ability Score
  • Metallic Ancestry Dragonborn Recieve 3% more healing and 3% more Max Hit Points – +2 to Any two Ability Score – 3% Critical Strike – 3% Power
  • Dragonborn Recieve 5% more healing – +2 to Any Ability Score – 3% Critical Strike – 3% Power
  • Gith5% Combat Advantage – +2 Dex and +2 Str or Int – 5% Stamina Regen
  • Tiefling5% + Damage to targets below 50% health – +2 Cha and +2 Con or Int – 10% to reduce damage of target for 5 sec by 2.5%
  • Half-Orc5% Crit Severity – +2 Dex and +2 Con or Str – 10% Movement Speed for 3 sec when entering combat

Ability Score Priority

Put all your available Ability Scores into Intelligence and Dexterity.

Arbiter Stat / Rating Priority

Your cap for each stat is based on your item level. To cap a stat, the numbers of the stat need to be equal to or higher than your item level.

If your stat number is higher than your item level, you are wasting stats and should try to allocate stats differently.

For every 1000 points, a stat is lower than your item level you lose 1% in that stat.

Offensive Stats

  1. Power (90%)
  2. Combat Advantage (90%)
  3. Critical Strike (90%)
  4. Critical Severity (90%)
  5. Accuracy (90%)

Defensive Stats

  1. Defense (90%)
  2. Awareness (90%)
  3. Critical Avoidance (90%)
  4. Deflect (90%)
  5. Deflect Severity (90%)

Paragon Path Feats, Powers & Rotation

This part is all about optimizing the Arbiter with the best feats, powers, and boons.

Cleric Arbiter Build

Combat Powers

At-Will Powers

  • Lance of Faith (Single-Target)
  • Conflagrate (AoE)

Encounter Powers

  • Prophecy of Doom (Single Target) – Chains of Blazing Light (AoE)
  • Forgemaster’s Flame (Single-target) – Searing Javeling (AoE)
  • Daunting Light

Daily Powers

  • Guardian of Faith
  • Celestial Prominence – Flame Strike (AoE)

Class Features

  • Pilgrim’s Light (Solo) or Doomsayer
  • Divine Equilibrium

Feats

  • Lightspeed
  • Focused Light
  • Sudden Verdict
  • Burning Patch
  • Perfect Balance

Boons

You should always choose boons based on what stats you currently need. Therefore a selection of several viable boons is available to you for each tier.

Tier 1 Boons

  • Recruit’s Training – 0.2% Power Per Rank
  • Critical Strike – 0.2% Critical Strike Per Rank
  • Critical Avoidance – 0.2% Critical Avoidance Per Rank
  • Cultist Bulwark – 0.2% HP Per Rank
  • Cultist Power – 1% Increased damage and damage resistance vs. Cultists.

Tier 2 Boons

  • Squire’s Training – 0.2% Power Per Rank
  • Armor Penetration – 0.2% Critical Severity Per Rank
  • Lingering Medicine – 1% Increase effectiveness of healing potions.
  • Defense – 0.2% Defense Per Rank
  • Demonic Bulwark – 0.2% HP Per Rank
  • Demonic Mastery – 1% Increased damage and damage resistance vs. demons.

Tier 3 Boons

  • Knight’s Training – 0.2% Power Per Rank
  • Combat Advantage – 0.2% Combat Advantage Per Rank
  • Lingering Fortification – 1% Increase effectiveness of healing potions.
  • Awareness – 0.2% Awareness Per Rank
  • Dino Bulwark – 0.2 HP Per Rank
  • Dino Power – 1% Increased damage and damage resistance vs. dinos.

Tier 4 Boons

  • Captain’s Training – 0.2% Power Per Rank
  • Accuracy – 0.2% Accuracy Per Rank
  • Lingering Power – 1% Increase effectiveness of healing potions.
  • Deflect – 0.2% Deflect Per Rank
  • Necrotic Bulwark – 0.2% HP Per Rank
  • Necrotic Mastery – 1% Increased damage and damage resistance vs. undead.

Advanced Boons

  • Masterclass – 1% Forte per rank
  • Quick Turnaround – 1% Recharge Speed
  • Call of Power – 1% Action Point gain per rank

Master Boons

  • Deathly Rage 3/3
  • Blood Lust 3/3
  • Life Lessons 3/3
  • Blessed Advantage 3/3

Guild Boons

  • Offense – Power/Accuracy/Critical depending on what stat you need.
  • Defense – Defence
  • Utility – Mount Speed or Movement Speed

Weapons & Gear

If you are new to Neverwinter and need to know how to get better gear and increase your item level, check out our Gearing Up Guide.

Note that the best in slot for your build might vary depending on what stats you have.

The best way to gear up in Neverwinter is by making a lot of Astral Diamonds, check out our Astral Diamond Guide to learn all the secrets of AD farming.

  • Best-in-Slot Enchanted Depthforged Helmet (Master Lair of the Mad Dragon)
  • Exalted Dark Maiden Resolution Barbute (Temple of the Spider / Menzoberranzan Campaign Store)
  • Abyss Conqueror’s Healing Guard / Spellweaver’s Hood (Demonweb Pits)
  • Serene Hood of the Dragon Hunter (Dragon Hunts)

Armor

  • Best-in-Slot Enchanted Depthforged Cuirass (Master Lair of the Mad Dragon)
  • Abyss Conqueror’s Spellweaver Robe (Demonweb Pits)
  • Enchanted Bregan D’aerthe Mauler’s Plate (Menzoberranzan Campaign)
  • Tactful Leathers / Mighty Cuirass of the Dragon Hunter (Dragon Hunts)

Arms

  • Best-in-Slot Enchanted Depthforged Gauntlets (Master Lair of the Mad Dragon) AOE or Ultraviolet Elven Bracers (The Imperial Citadel) Single-Target
  • Abyss Conqueror’s Healing Mitts (Demonweb Pits)
  • Mighty Vambraces / Tactful Gloves of the Dragon Hunter (Dragon Hunts)

Feet

  • Best-in-Slot Enchanted Depthforged Sabatons (Master Lair of the Mad Dragon) Only in Fire Themed-Maps or Sharp Longboots of the Dragon Hunter (Dragon Hunts)
  • Radiant or Ultraviolet Elven Boots (The Imperial Citadel)
  • Abyss Conqueror’s Mauler Greaves (Demonweb Pits)
  • The Dark Maiden Resolution Greaves (Temple of the Spider)
  • Rusted Iron Leggings (Vallenhas)

Weapons

  • Living Magma Set / Encased Magma (Master of Flame Campaign Store)
  • Demonweb Empowerment / Perfect Set (Northdark Campaign)
  • Dark Matter / Solarium & Starcore Set (Adventures in Wildspace Campaign Store)
  • Scalebreaker’s Wrath / Duergar Set (Dragonbone Vale Campaign)

Main Hand Modification:

  • Lance of Faith

Offhand Modifications:

  • Action Point Gain
  • Any stat you might need

Rings

  • Red Dwarf Ring of Xaryxis (The Imperial Citadel Master)
  • Platinum Abyssal Loop (The Demonweb Pits)
  • Moondancer’s Binding of Precision (Wildspace)
  • Sapphire Abyssal Loop (The Demonweb Pits)
  • Emerald Abyssal Loop (The Demonweb Pits)
  • Eilistraee’s Harmony + Elistraee’s Beauty (AOE) (Northdark Reaches)
  • Soothsayer’s Ring of Absolution (Dragonbone Vale)
  • Waywatchers Ring of Precision (Dragonbone Vale)
  • Waywatchers Ring of Punishment (Dragonbone Vale)
  • Mightbreaker’s Ring of Elegance (Dragonbone Vale)

Neck & Waist

  • Masterwork of Menzoberranzan Set: Shroomwood Amulet & Shroomwood Sash (Mastercrafted / From the Auction House)
  • Demogorgon’s Wrath Set: Heart’s Twine & Sinous Chord (From the Auction House)
  • Trickster’s Gift Set: Starshard Choker & Twinkle of the Stars (From the Auction House)

Shirt

  • Ember Stiched Shirt (Lair of the Mad Dragon) Only in Fire-Themed Maps
  • Ember Infused Shirt (Lair of the Mad Dragon)
  • Brilliant Starwoven Shirt (Wildspace Heroic Encounters)
  • Shimmering Flarefiber Shirt
  • Lolth’s Embrace (Narbondellyn Heroic Encounters)

Pants

  • Ember Stiched Pants (Lair of the Mad Dragon)
  • Luminous Flarefiber Pants
  • Lolth’s Embrace (Narbondellyn Heroic Encounters)
  • War-Worn Pants (From the Auction House)

Artifacts

Primary Artifact

  • Demogorgon’s Reach
  • Mythallar Fragment
  • Halaster’s Blast Scepter
  • Wyvern-Venom Coated Knives
  • Crystal of Soul’s Flight

Secondary Artifacts

Choose secondary artifacts based on the stats you are lacking.

  • Jewel of Caldera
  • Searing Conduit of Magma
  • Astral Seed Tendril
  • Portable Spelljammer Detector
  • Macro’s Mystic Marker
  • Xeleth’s Blast Scepter
  • Scintillating Symbol of Water
  • Rod of Pain
  • Wand of Domination
  • Marilith Mask
  • Mystic Bolt
  • Eye of Odran
  • Assassin’s Dice

Enchantments

When getting enchantments, always get the ones with the stats you are lacking in with your gear, boons, etc in mind.

Offense Enchantments

  • Ruby Enchantment
  • Garnet Enchantment
  • Cobalt Enchantment
  • Citrine Enchantment
  • Amethyst Enchantment
  • Jade Enchantment

Defense Enchantments

  • Garnet Enchantment

Utility Enchantments

  • Garnet Enchantment

Bonus Enchantments

  • Recharge Bonus

Combat Enchantments

  • Lightning Flash

Overload Enchantments

  • Rage of Flames or Devil’s Precision
  • Various Marks from Stronghold Vendor
  • Corrupt Black Ice / Lethal / Piercing
  • Black / Red Dragon Glyph

Armor Reinforcement Kits

  • Accuracy, Power, or Critical Strike Kit +1, Depending on what stat you need.

Jewelry Reinforcement Kits

  • Combat Advantage Jewel

Consumables & Buffs

Consider getting VIP for the Power of VIP HP buff if you aren’t already. Also always stand in campfires to get the +1 ability campfire buff.

Pick one from each of the categories below depending on the stats you are lacking.

  • Invocation Blessing: Grace of Battle / Gift of Awareness / Righteous Boon / Gamber’s Fortune
  • Stronghold Food: Ratatouille
  • Event Food: Squash Soup
  • Elixir: Sunlord’s Gift Elixir
  • Potion: Superior Flask of Potency +1
  • Belt: Stone of Health / Dragonfire / Forger’s Box

Companions

Summoned Companion

For your summoned companion you have the choice between using Augmented companions which will make it easier to cap stats or an active combat companion which will do damage. At the moment Active/Striker companions are usually better than augment companions.

Active Companion Choices

  • Black Death Scorpion
  • Etrien
  • Tutor
  • Blaspheme Assassin
  • Wiggins the Undead Intern
  • Mage Slayer
  • Xuna
  • Paranoid Delusion
  • Tomb Spider
  • Greenscale Bowman
  • Regis (AoE)
  • Wulfgar (AoE)
  • Xaryxian Defector (AoE)
  • Minotaur Mercenary(AoE)
  • Rimefire Golem (AoE)

Enchantment Power

  • Acute Senses
  • Potency
  • Perfect Vision
  • Potent Precision
  • Precision

Companion Powers

Below is a selection of viable companion powers.

Offense Powers

  • Wulfgar (Wulfgar’s Wrecking) – 4.7% Combat Advantage & Accuracy
  • Drizzt (Drizzt’s Devestation) – 4.7% Critical Change & Severity
  • Neverwinter Knight (Neverwinter Knight’s Discipline) – 7.5% Outgoing Damage
  • Wild Hunt Rider (Wild Hunt Discipline) – 2/3/5% chance to increase damage by 10% for 5 seconds.
  • Siege Master (Siege Master’s Discipline) – Combined Rating – Increases the power of your At-Will powers by 11% (Doubled on Stronghold Map)
  • Black Dragon Ioun Stone (Black Dragon’s Insight) – 7.5% Critical Chance
  • Staldorf (Staldorf’s Presence) – 7.5% Combat Advantage
  • Razorwood (Twigblight’s Insight) – 3.8% Critical Severity & Accuracy
  • Hawk (Hawk’s Insight’s) – 3.8% Critical Severity & Critical Chance
  • Armored Orc Wolf (Orc Wolf’s Instincts) – 3.8% Critical Chance & Accuracy
  • Batiri (Batiri’s Wisdom) – 11% Damage Versus Bosses
  • Dancing Blade (Dancing Blade’s Insight) – 3.8% Critical Severity & Combat Advantage
  • Flame Sprite (Flamesprite’s Insight) – 3.8% Critical Chance & Accuracy
  • Golden Cat (Golden Cat’s Insight’s) – 7,5% Combat Advantage

Defense Powers

  • Minsc (The Bigger They Are) – Increased damage vs strong enemies.
  • Phasespider (Phasespider’s Presence) – 3.8% Critical Chance & Combat Advantage
  • Fire Archon (Fire Archon’s Insight) – 10% on At-Will use to increase Combat Advantage for 10 seconds
  • Golden Cat (Golden Cat’s Insight’s) – 7,5% Combat Advantage

Utility Powers

  • Dark Dealer (Dark Dealings) – 3.8% Accuracy & 3.8% Combat Advantage
  • Alchemist Experimenter (Alchemist’s Discipline) – 3.8% Critical Chance & Combat Advantage
  • Golden Cat (Golden Cat’s Insight) – 7.5% Combat Advantage
  • Book Imp (Bookimp’s Presence) – 3.8% Accuracy & 3.8% Combat Advantage

Mounts

Mount Insignia Bonuses

All classes and specs should consider using Wanderer’s Fortune and or Traveler’s Treasures before you have refined all your gear and enchantments, for extra refinement every day.

Insignia bonuses are mostly down to preference. Some boost damage a bit, and some boost survivability, while others add utility.

DPS

  • Tactician’s Precision
  • Enchanter’s Hex
  • Warlord’s Inspiration
  • Warlord’s Motivation
  • Artificers Enticement
  • Mender’s Covenant
  • Executioner’s Covenant
  • Artificers Persuasion
  • Assassin’s Covenant
  • Calvary’s Warning
  • Gladiator’s Guile

Self Healing

  • Barbarian’s Revelry
  • Survivor’s Blessing
  • Survivor’s Gift
  • Knight’s Rebuke
  • Oppressor’s Reprieve

Utility

  • Wanderer’s Fortune
  • Traveler’s Treasures

Insignia Type

  • Insignia of Aggression
  • Insignia of Skill
  • Insignia of Brutality or Dominance if you still need power

Mount Collars

  • Sturdy Crescent Collar
  • Wayfaring Barbed Collar
  • Unified Crescent Collar
  • Supportive Crescent Collar

Mount Powers

Mount Equip Power

  • Dominant Force (Power)
  • Ferocity (Extra Damage)
  • Opportunistic ( Combat Advantage)
  • Ferocious Predator (Power & Critical Severity)
  • Armor Breaker (Critical Severity)
  • Rapid Accuracy (Accuracy)
  • Precision (Critical Strike & Severity)
  • Ruthless Efficiency (Critical Strike

Mount Combat Power

  • Bigby’s Hand
  • Giant Toad
  • Golden Warhorse
  • Tunnel Vision (Several)
  • Space Guppy School (For AoE)
  • Pegasus (For AoE)

If you have any questions or suggestions about our Neverwinter Cleric Arbiter guide, please leave a comment below!

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10 Comments

  1. When I look at class features for Arbiter I see;
    Soothing Prayer
    Hallowed Armor
    Pilgrim’s Light
    Expanded Faith
    Critical insight
    Doomsayer
    Light of the Scales
    Divine Equilibrium

    Did you mean Doomsayer v.s. Doomsday?

  2. Very nice guide, but why INT and CHA rather than INT and DEX? Are you maxed on Crit Severity anywya, or is the companion bonus really that good?

    My first character years ago was a Tiefling Anointed Champion, so I get why Tiefling is good dps race. Shame the power share was so nerfed!

    Any changes for mod 17?

  3. I mostly agree (speaking as a 28K IL cleric who has been playing since day 1 of open beta), but I see one issue. You say “Searing Javelin or Daunting Light” – which I agree with, but which one you pick affects a number of other things….for example, it makes no sense to pick Lightspeed and Focused Light if you are not using Daunting light.

    Here is how I see it: There are two viable approaches, and the primary decision is whether to use Perfect Balance or not.

    If you pick Perfect Balance, you pick Lance and Conflagrate, Forgemaster and Daunting Light, and the feats you listed, and alternate between burning and radiant for Perfect Balance.

    The other approach is to use Lance and Scattering Light, Forgemaster and Searing Javelin, and Piercing Javelin/Tipping Scales/Angel of Death. In this setup you just use the orange pips for your attacks, and always burn yellow pips for Divinity.

  4. Can someone share rotation for this build? The skills are known, but how to use them in the best way? 🙂

  5. SO reading this Build Guide, I am confused to some degree. this seems like a single target build?. What feats and powers would need to be changed for this to work as a AOE DPS build?.

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