Guild Wars 2

I feel like these 2 weapons are very badly designed in this game for the Guardian.

The shield is normally a weapon you want to use in melee and its main purpose is to block attacks.

The focus is a more magical weapon normally paired with a scepter for a more ranged/caster approach, for this purpose its a weapons that should provide some blocks to ranged attacks and allow you to slow down or blind your opponent so you can regain the distance between you and him.

As it is right now the Shield lacks any melee “blocking” and usefulness while the focus is being used at melee range.

I think that just a slight change would make each of these weapons better and more appropriate.

I think we should switch the number 5 skill in these weapons with each other. Give the shield the SHIELD OF WRATH and give the focus the SHIELD OF ABSORPTION.

By doing this the shield becomes a true melee weapon with blocking capabilities while turning the focus the perfect ranged off-hand.

It would be nice if the design team looked into this since many players playing the Guardian are very disappointed by how the shield performs at the moment and this very simple change would actually be an improvement not only in the playability for both weapons but also design wise.

Thanks!

I think the shield is fine. The 5 skill is incredibly useful against projectile-heavy enemies and bosses (e.g. Lupicus) and can be used to push enemies away.

Sword/focus is a pretty common combination used to stack vulnerability on an enemy through blinds.

TheKillerAngel.3596:

I think the shield is fine. The 5 skill is incredibly useful against projectile-heavy enemies and bosses (e.g. Lupicus) and can be used to push enemies away.

Sword/focus is a pretty common combination used to stack vulnerability on an enemy through blinds.

That is exactly the problem with the focus, it is being paired with melee weapons. As a mace or sword wielding guardian I feel like it would eb cooler to go into battle wielding a shield instead of a focus. Its basically just asking to switch skills not to make them go away or destroy them so in that way the shield can get to be used as shields are used for melee combat and blocking attacks while the focus can be used as it is meant to be used as a magical tool that helps you keep your distance from enemies and protects you at ranged

While it would make more sense that way, I find having them they way they are now does seem to feel more right. Once I realized which weapons to pair together, it flowed much more smoothly. I know the traditional “sword-n-board” are hard to get over. When pairing the shield with a scepter, you become a powerful midline support, and since you’re already back near squishies, the bubble benefits them more (this is during normal play, not boss-stacking gimmick play) and I’ve found that focus not only works well on sword, but works pretty good on mace. Too bad mace just sucks in general, but if you have more than 1 guard in the party it doesn’t do too bad.

Nay of the Ether.8913:

While it would make more sense that way, I find having them they way they are now does seem to feel more right. Once I realized which weapons to pair together, it flowed much more smoothly. I know the traditional “sword-n-board” are hard to get over. When pairing the shield with a scepter, you become a powerful midline support, and since you’re already back near squishies, the bubble benefits them more (this is during normal play, not boss-stacking gimmick play) and I’ve found that focus not only works well on sword, but works pretty good on mace. Too bad mace just sucks in general, but if you have more than 1 guard in the party it doesn’t do too bad.

The problem here arent the skills but the fact that the skills are placed on the wrong skins, the focus feels like a shield and the shield feels like a focus. Doing what Im asking for or completely switching both skills from one weapon to the other would make each feel more like it should!

If we r going to use logic then my biggest issue is the fact that shield’s #4 ability only grants protection to those in front of the guardian. I use Mace/Shield in my tank build and usually r standing right in front of my enemy. Most of my allies are usually behind me so when If pop #4 then usually none of them get the buff. Please make this aoe radius based.

that could be good, at least u get it