In Warborne: Above Ashes, combat mastery isn’t just about raw power—it’s about precision, timing, and adaptation. Among the many builds emerging from the ashes of the game’s competitive scene, few have captured as much attention as the Stormblade Veinhold Extraction Build. Designed for Solo PvP and Rift dungeon play, this setup turns your Drifter into a storm of steel—fast, lethal, and nearly untouchable when played correctly.

The Stormblade thrives in tight arenas and 1v1–3v3 skirmishes, where its blend of burst damage, mobility, and AoE disruption can dominate opponents who fail to keep up with its relentless tempo. In Veinhold Extractions, where small-scale tactical battles are the norm, the Stormblade reigns supreme.

This guide breaks down the full mechanics, rotations, and strategies behind the build—helping you master its flow and become a true tempest on the battlefield.

1. Core Identity: What Makes the Stormblade Special

The Stormblade build embodies controlled chaos. It’s a high-mobility burst DPS setup that emphasizes speed, Warborne Above Ashes Solarbite, and disruption over brute endurance. Every skill is tuned toward movement and crowd control, letting you dictate engagements and dismantle your opponents’ positioning.

In confined arenas like the Veinhold Extraction zones, this build shines brightest. Tight corridors amplify your AoE slashes and control fields, turning limited space into a weapon. Whether you’re dueling or facing small groups, your enemies will struggle to disengage once the storm begins.

Key Strengths:

Exceptional burst and AoE pressure in short engagements

Sustained lifesteal and shield uptime through passives

Multiple crowd-control tools and disruption fields

Scales effectively with critical chance and attack speed

Near-constant mobility for repositioning or pursuit

The Stormblade’s design rewards precision and aggression—you’re not built to sit back. Once you engage, you commit fully, using skill rotations and passives to maintain dominance until your target is erased.

2. The Foundation – Drifter Skills

Active: Tempest Slash (Drifter)

The core of your offensive identity, Tempest Slash launches a flurry of blade strikes for 4 seconds, dealing 120% physical damage per hit and granting damage immunity and Unstoppable status during the animation. Each hit beyond the first deals reduced damage, but when paired with high attack speed, this skill becomes a hurricane of steel.

Key Use: Engage or counter-initiate.

Synergy: Combines perfectly with armor effects like Snarl to weaken enemies mid-combo.

Pro Tip: Time this skill to bypass incoming bursts—you’re immune while slashing.

Passive: Lightrend Cut

Every critical hit triggers 70% bonus AoE physical damage and reduces enemy armor by 15% for 4 seconds (cooldown 1.3s). This is your secret weapon for amplifying sustained pressure, especially in group skirmishes.

Synergy: The armor reduction stacks beautifully with Sweeping Tempest, maximizing follow-up burst.

Optimization: Focus on crit chance and speed; the faster you strike, the more this passive procs.

3. The Weapon: Storm Spear Mastery

The Storm Spear is your lifeline—it’s not just a weapon, but an extension of your momentum. Each skill flows into the next, building toward Spear Scar stacks and unleashing powerful finishers.

Skill 1: Javelin Throw

After every 5 Basic Attacks, hurl a spear for 180% Physical Damage, gaining +20% Movement Speed for 2 seconds.

This automatic skill rewards rhythm and consistency. The movement boost lets you kite, chase, or reposition instantly.

Combo Role: Use between skills to maintain chase pressure.

Note: Can trigger passives like Spear Scar and Lightrend Cut if it crits.

Skill 2: Lance Thrust

Rapidly thrust your spear in a frontal cone, dealing 60% damage per hit, then finish with a 130% slash.

This is your control and pinning tool, locking down enemies trying to escape. It also builds Spear Scar quickly thanks to its hit count.

Usage: Ideal right after Tempest Slash when your target tries to disengage.

Synergy: The final slash benefits from armor debuffs caused by Lightrend Cut.

Skill 3: Sweeping Tempest

Your ultimate zone skill—perform a sweeping strike for 300% Physical Damage, knocking enemies back 8m, and granting 25% Damage Resistance for 6 seconds. It also creates an 8-second disruption field that slows enemies by 30% and reduces their damage by 20%.

Core Utility: Perfect for clutch control and survival in 2v2 or 3v3 fights.

Zone Denial: The field punishes aggressive enemies and forces ranged opponents to reposition.

Timing: Delay until enemies are grouped or low to maximize disruption.

Passive: Spear Scar

Every time you use a weapon skill, you gain Spear Scar, empowering your next 4 Basic Attacks with:

+60% Attack Speed

+2.5m range

+30% Lifesteal

Additionally, it has a 35% chance to grant a shield equal to 15% of your max HP for 2 seconds.

This passive keeps you alive mid-fight. Rotating between skills and basics ensures continuous sustain, while the bonus range lets you hit enemies trying to kite you.

4. Armor Setup – Agility and Control

Every piece of armor supports your mobility and crowd control game plan.

Helmet: Break Free (Leather)

Removes all control effects and grants 2.5s of CC immunity.

This single skill can decide duels—time it against stuns or freezes to maintain tempo.

Usage: Save for critical CC windows, not minor slows.

Pro Tip: Chain with Sidestep afterward for immediate repositioning.

Chest: Snarl (Leather)

Applies an AoE slow and reduces enemy damage by 50%.

This ability makes you tankier than most offensive builds, especially when diving multiple opponents. Cast it right after engaging to soften counterattacks.

Combo: Use immediately after Tempest Slash for defensive zoning.

PvP Use: Reduces enemy burst windows drastically.

Boots: Sidestep (Leather)

A short dash forward that increases movement speed for a few seconds.

Perfect for dodging projectiles, chasing low targets, or escaping a collapse.

Chain: Combine with Break Free to negate CC and create distance.

Follow-Up: Often leads into Lance Thrust for offensive re-engagement.

5. Core Combo Rotation – Flow of the Storm

Mastering the Stormblade rotation is all about sequencing and adaptability. Each skill sets up the next, keeping you mobile while your opponent struggles to catch a breath.

Recommended Rotation:

Open with Tempest Slash (Drifter)

Dash through your target, dealing massive AoE and activating immunity.

→ Your initial engage and damage buffer.

Cast Snarl (Chest)

Immediately reduce enemy damage and apply slow.

→ You’re now safer to commit to melee.

Basic Attacks

Build up Duelist’s Flow and trigger Javelin Throw after 5 hits.

→ Apply consistent chip and gain movement speed.

Trigger Lightrend Cut

On crit, you’ll weaken enemy armor—perfect setup for burst phase.

Use Lance Thrust (Skill 2)

Keep enemies locked in front of you; finish the animation cleanly for full damage.

Finish with Sweeping Tempest (Skill 3)

Hit grouped enemies for devastating burst, then zone them with the disruption field.

→ Secure kills or push foes into unfavorable positions.

Use Break Free

If you’re stunned or rooted, break out and re-engage using Sidestep.

→ Never let momentum drop.

Sustain via Spear Scar

Keep cycling skills to maintain the lifesteal, speed, and shield effects.

This flow ensures constant uptime of buffs and prevents downtime between cooldowns. Every second you’re moving, striking, or recovering health.

6. Advanced Strategy & Positioning

The Stormblade’s true power comes from map awareness and reaction timing. Here’s how to make the most out of the build in various situations:

A. Veinhold Extraction Arenas (1v1–3v3)

Stay in motion: You’re hardest to hit when unpredictable. Dash diagonally, not linearly.

Use terrain: Corners and narrow lanes enhance Sweeping Tempest’s control field.

Burst windows: Wait until enemies stack—your AoE hits harder in clusters.

Bait cooldowns: Use Tempest Slash early to force defensive skills, then re-engage.

B. Rift (Solo Dungeon Runs)

Pull groups into choke points: Your Snarl and Sweeping Tempest dominate clustered mobs.

Chain sustain: Rotate Spear Scar uptime to maintain HP between waves.

Dodge elites’ CCs: Break Free ensures momentum even against control-heavy bosses.

Speed management: Constant Javelin Throw and Sidestep allow fluid repositioning.

C. PvP Mind Games

Opponents often underestimate your defensive uptime—punish overcommitments.

Cancel animations by combining Sidestep with skill casts to confuse reads.

Save Sweeping Tempest as a finisher, not an opener. Its disruption field can decide entire fights if used reactively.

7. Playstyle Philosophy: The Eye of the Storm

To master the Stormblade, you must balance precision and chaos. Every ability is designed to overlap, chaining motion with momentum buy Warborne Above Ashes Solarbite. The more rhythmically you play, the stronger the build becomes.

Momentum is survival. When you stop moving, you’re vulnerable.

Damage windows are short—capitalize instantly.

Defensive timing > reaction speed. Break Free too early, and you waste your lifeline.

The Stormblade is not a “tank and trade” build. It’s a hit-and-fade predator, dancing on the edge of enemy reach while punishing overextension. In 1v1 duels, it can shred most opponents before they land a counter. In 3v3s, it thrives as the control DPS, diving into chaos, creating zones, and cleaning up weakened foes.