Hey GW2 forum folks, I need some advice. I currently play a thief and am running fractals regularly with a group consisting of a Ranger, Engi, Ele, and another Thief. We’re currently at level 8 and aim to keep running together to reach as high as we can.
However, I’m wondering if I would be a better contribution to my group, particularly for higher level fractals, if I switched to a Guardian. This would mean I would have to finish leveling my Guardian, then catch up to the same fractal level as our group, but I’m thinking that the condi cleanse and AoE stability may be pretty clutch at higher level fractals.
Yup take a guardian wall of reflect is essential to dpsing bosses at melee range. Also id suggest one of your other members also make a guardian just in case you ever want to play thief because it gets boring to play guard every single time. Also you dont really need to level up to their level just make sure you have enough ar and someone in your group is at the right level.
PS: take a zerker guardian unless your group is really bad. But even then playing as a zerker guard not only improves you but also your group especially if you will be playing together for a long time
If you and your friends can learn how to do all the encounters without a Guardian, you’ll become better players. Guardians make things a lot easier, though.
Ok, here’s another question. I also have a mesmer that’s already level 80. Would a Mesmer substitute just as well? It would certainly cover reflects, but you don’t get things like the AoE stability for the Harpy fractal.
I dunno, the sheer amount of reflects you can chain (since pugs aren’t going to LoS and burst behind a wall of reflection) is a life saver in my experience.
Sanctum of Rall (NA) – [LOD] – PvE/Dungeon Phantasm Mesmer build
Morrï (Mesmer) | Serah Mahariel (Guardian) | Morrï Mahariel (Warrior)
“colesy’s on rampage today. Slaying casuals left, right and centre” – spoj
I dunno, the sheer amount of reflects you can chain (since pugs aren’t going to LoS and burst behind a wall of reflection) is a life saver in my experience.
If you’re talking about pure pug runs, it could be, but the problem that mesmers encounter in fractals is that a lot of time is spent on cleaving trash and their dps there is basically non existent (since mes dps = phantasm = they disappear after cast or when target dies = useless on endless waves of trash). Certainly I never felt thankful for a mesmer in the party when we hit things like the dredge fractal.
Been a while since I’ve ran dem fractals but everytime I went with a full dps group for a 48 (as opposed to taking something like mes that is really there mostly for the utility) it always went better. You can almost taste the joy when you do the dredge cart if your group is bringing the deeps. And I almost always got the dredge fractal when I ran fotm so..
Guardians bring both the utility and the dps. The mes doesn’t really have a place there.
- “No tears, please. It’s a waste of good suffering.”
Yea, the dps of the mesmer is a bit lacking. However, after looking at the upcoming changes, it seems like they will get some decent buffs to utility since the condition cleanse and stability mantras will be changed to affect your party as well.
Fights can sometimes be a lot simpler if you have someone like a guardian to lead the line and hold mobs in a kill zone where you can apply your group dps. Rangers and thieves can dodge about to defend but then the mobs run about too, messing up your area dps and making everything more difficult. That’s another reason to pick guardian over mesmer.
I dunno, the sheer amount of reflects you can chain (since pugs aren’t going to LoS and burst behind a wall of reflection) is a life saver in my experience.
If you’re talking about pure pug runs, it could be, but the problem that mesmers encounter in fractals is that a lot of time is spent on cleaving trash and their dps there is basically non existent (since mes dps = phantasm = they disappear after cast or when target dies = useless on endless waves of trash). Certainly I never felt thankful for a mesmer in the party when we hit things like the dredge fractal.
Been a while since I’ve ran dem fractals but everytime I went with a full dps group for a 48 (as opposed to taking something like mes that is really there mostly for the utility) it always went better. You can almost taste the joy when you do the dredge cart if your group is bringing the deeps. And I almost always got the dredge fractal when I ran fotm so..
Guardians bring both the utility and the dps. The mes doesn’t really have a place there.
lol, I dunno what Mesmers you’ve been playing with, but they sound pretty fail. Do they all stay in GS or Staff all the time?
Sword DPS is pretty kitten high (3rd highest in the game after Warrior/Thief), also most Phantasms do AoE damage. Focus can pull all mobs on 1 spot making them easily susceptible for AoE damage.
That being said, Guardian has way more and better reflect skills than Mesmer. On lvl 48 Volcanic Fractal it’s pretty much a must. It’s almost impossible to do Volcanic Fractal without reflects with pugs.
I dunno, the sheer amount of reflects you can chain (since pugs aren’t going to LoS and burst behind a wall of reflection) is a life saver in my experience.
If you’re talking about pure pug runs, it could be, but the problem that mesmers encounter in fractals is that a lot of time is spent on cleaving trash and their dps there is basically non existent (since mes dps = phantasm = they disappear after cast or when target dies = useless on endless waves of trash). Certainly I never felt thankful for a mesmer in the party when we hit things like the dredge fractal.
Been a while since I’ve ran dem fractals but everytime I went with a full dps group for a 48 (as opposed to taking something like mes that is really there mostly for the utility) it always went better. You can almost taste the joy when you do the dredge cart if your group is bringing the deeps. And I almost always got the dredge fractal when I ran fotm so..
Guardians bring both the utility and the dps. The mes doesn’t really have a place there.
lol, I dunno what Mesmers you’ve been playing with, but they sound pretty fail. Do they all stay in GS or Staff all the time?
Sword DPS is pretty kitten high (3rd highest in the game after Warrior/Thief), also most Phantasms do AoE damage. Focus can pull all mobs on 1 spot making them easily susceptible for AoE damage.
That being said, Guardian has way more and better reflect skills than Mesmer. On lvl 48 Volcanic Fractal it’s pretty much a must. It’s almost impossible to do Volcanic Fractal without reflects with pugs.
Yes you most likely want a Guardian (or even two) in higher fractals, I recommend atleast gearing a secondary toon (guardian) with AR if you can. Or you can do as someone else mentioned do a Guard as a frac main and then gear another class as you get the lootz for it…
I dont know how good your group is but looking at Volcano lvl48 without a guard, its a pain… There are tactics to handle it but it usually means a lot of running, chaos and ranged dps
edit: and ofcourse not to forget lvl48 Maw meant a guard was almost required, atleast until they added the new weapon infusion slots. But if the frac cap is raised then guard will be required yet again… (99% res can be a bit risky)
No you don’t need this if you take smoke screen and the engineer elixir U it does the same thing. There is barely any conditions, condition removal helps a bit on cliffside.
Group stability helps a bit on dredge but both can be compensated by dps.
Those who say you need guardian to win in fotm are bad players.
lol, I dunno what Mesmers you’ve been playing with, but they sound pretty fail. Do they all stay in GS or Staff all the time?
Sword DPS is pretty kitten high (3rd highest in the game after Warrior/Thief), also most Phantasms do AoE damage. Focus can pull all mobs on 1 spot making them easily susceptible for AoE damage.
