Guild Wars 2

Shield of Judgment
½ Cast
30 Second Cooldown
- Create a shielding wave in front of you that stuns foes and gives protection to yourself and up to five allies.

Changed to be a cone stun would make this weapon more viable

Why? Its a support weapon not a defensive weapon.

How about

“Create a shielding wave in front of you that gives protection to yourself and up to five allies and stuns the next foe who attacks those affected.”

Would be more guardian like, and like the monk skill it’s named after.

It does seem logical to me that a shield be a defensive weapon. That would be consistent with the other professions shield skills as well.

So you want to change shield just because it doesn’t fit your build?

Aza.2105:

So you want to change shield just because it doesn’t fit your build?

Guardian shield has been a lackluster option since release, same for torch (mostly #5), due to its long CDs for its short duration abilities.

Shield #4 is a 30s CD for only 3s of Protection and 300 dmg. In which, our hammer already does in its AA chain.

Eh, I still prefer Protection from Shield #4 than spamming hammer AA to get it. The weapon is already viable, but still, additional effect would be nice.

AoE Stun is probably too powerful for an additional effect to the only weapon skill in the game that gives on-demand Protection (AoE too!). Daze maybe?

Charak.9761:

Aza.2105:

So you want to change shield just because it doesn’t fit your build?

Guardian shield has been a lackluster option since release, same for torch (mostly #5), due to its long CDs for its short duration abilities.

Shield #4 is a 30s CD for only 3s of Protection and 300 dmg. In which, our hammer already does in its AA chain.

I disagree with everything you are saying here, it seems to me your problem is a perception issue rather than the actual design functionality of the skill.

First, torch is awesome. #4 has high burst damage if you are zerker and provides great burning up time if you are condi. Second, #5 cleansing flame is highly underrated. Its very hard to complain about a skill that removes 9 conditions from allies with a 15 sec baseline cooldown. Most people look at the damage component, but fail to realize that cleansing flame is a hybrid skill, a condi remove AND damaging skill.

Shield of Judgment lasts for 5 secs outside of spvp. I’m not sure if you are referring to pve/spvp when you talk about the skill. In spvp hammer AA is unreliable, I don’t think anyone would suggest bringing it for perma protection because it would be impossible. The only reason why that works in pve is because enemy AI is basically non existent. So you fight against targets most of the time instead of npcs who have a chance at killing you.

Look at the shield objectively. #4 is comparable to hold the line, #5 is comparable to wall of reflection. Note I’m saying comparable not the same. The shield offers group utility skills on weapon skills. The devs don’t need to change the shield at all, maybe buff it a little.

Shield of absorption should scale better with healing power and Shield of Judgement should scale better with power so it does more damage.

Engineer shield has a reflect/blast and a block/daze.

Warrior shield has a stun and a really good block.

Guardian shield has protection and an AoE knockback/projectile defense.

Even so, I would agree with a slight buff to the #4 although being fairly new to guardian (only about ~4 months of pvp use). I don’t use any bunker spec though so I can’t say I have used it consistently just yet, but looking at the numbers (including the cooldowns) it seems weak to me. I just love my focus with a 0 cast time shield and the condi clear too much, although I miss torch.

I agree 3-second AoE Protection is too short, but that should not be a reason to buff the skill. The problem is the restrictions in sPvP.