Guild Wars 2

Hello, I’m returning to GW2 after a long break. I actually came back about a week ago. I never played GW2 a lot before quitting, so some what inexperienced at the game – though I am a 15 year MMO vet – I learn classes quickly.

With that said, my preferred play style has always been PvP over PVE. In that role I enjoy a support / dps role (hybrid style). I love buffing my comrades, throwing key CC and peels, and clutch heals. This seems to definitely narrow that down to Elementalist or Guardian.

Just wondering which of the two seem to help a group out more in a hybrid role. Both classes intrigue me. I plan to make both. But just trying to get a feel from experienced players in both PVP/WvW and PVE on the pros or cons of both to decided which of the two will be my first level 80 character.

/bows and thanks

unless you plan to play the d/d meta for spvp. I would go guardian. ele isnt rising in the food chain at all and its going to be 6 more months before we see another change.

Also, pve ele is probably still highest pve dps in game but gets cleaved a lot.

Guardian pve provides highest group support.

Stogzlol.4795:

unless you plan to play the d/d meta for spvp. I would go guardian. ele isnt rising in the food chain at all and its going to be 6 more months before we see another change.

Also, pve ele is probably still highest pve dps in game but gets cleaved a lot.

Guardian pve provides highest group support.

I would refrain from following advice influenced by post-patch blues and speculation about future-meta.

Kyotee.7851:

Hello, I’m returning to GW2 after a long break. I actually came back about a week ago. I never played GW2 a lot before quitting, so some what inexperienced at the game – though I am a 15 year MMO vet – I learn classes quickly.

With that said, my preferred play style has always been PvP over PVE. In that role I enjoy a support / dps role (hybrid style). I love buffing my comrades, throwing key CC and peels, and clutch heals. This seems to definitely narrow that down to Elementalist or Guardian.

Just wondering which of the two seem to help a group out more in a hybrid role. Both classes intrigue me. I plan to make both. But just trying to get a feel from experienced players in both PVP/WvW and PVE on the pros or cons of both to decided which of the two will be my first level 80 character.

/bows and thanks

I’ve just returned to the game in the last couple months after a break of a year or so. I did play a lot before my break and I’m struggling with a similar decision. I do primarily WvW. Made the following list* for myself trying to decide. I’m running fairly standard builds on both; guardian = healway + clerics/soldiers + staff & hammer and ele = x/x/x/6/6 + staff.

Overall the ele provides great support with more versatility & range while the guardian is tougher and pumps out more & faster group buffs.

Guardian pros:
good healing
best at group buffing
useful but not spectacular cc
lots of stability
better at raw survival in thick zerg battles
staff 1 mindlessly tags everything @ medium range

Guardian cons:
no significant long-range damage
only melee damage is noticeable and its merely tolerable

Ele pros:
good ranged & aoe damage
good group support via heals, buffs and fields, fields, fields (water-heals, fire-might, lightning-cc&swiftness)
better cc

Ele cons:
not as good at raw survival
not as good at stability or other group buffs

*list is specific to the build/weapons/etc cited.