Guild Wars 2

I realized something the other day while doing the event to open Crucible Of Eternity.
I used to solo the event from start to finish many times a day on my Ranger. My Ranger is full zerk and it never even occurred to me that these events might be difficult if I weren’t glassy. Then, I eventually migrated back to my Necromancer which became my main once again (I have a bad habit of hopping mains…) My Necromancer is a high condition build (nothing creative really, a conditionmancer with more bleeding damage than most) and I can melt people in WvW as well as most NPC enemies. But of course, this means I have to bring my condition stacks up first which depending on what abilities are already on cooldown can take some time. While doing the event to open CoE, I was nearly dead the majority of the time just from the Inquest mobs… I managed to complete it all but I actually died at least twice while doing it. I would like to believe I have condition stacking down to a science. I can apply just about every one available to a Necromancer, and then some, in a pretty short window. I know how to use my Death Shroud both defensively and offensively and I know when something is too much for me to handle.. But as I was struggling to do these events I realized… My Ranger has 16k vitality in all zerk. My Necromancer has 19k with plenty of toughness (rabid gear) and yet it’s a struggle on my Necromancer but so easy I was never even aware it could be difficult when I had done it on my Ranger.
Berserker gear is the meta because killing mobs quickly is plain and simple; the best way to do it… The faster they’re dead the less chance they’ll kill you instead. I’m not just now realizing this, but I am just now realizing how different a zerk character is from a non-zerk character. I still put out beautiful damage and have great survivability on my Necromancer, but the sad truth is that even a Ranger can do better in full zerk.
So, say what you will, maybe it’s L2P, I don’t know… I’m just saying that it has never really sunken in just how true it is that full zerk is the best way to go.

You got carried by your bear.

Anyways, direct damage and conditions should be pretty balanced on solo kills.

Star Ace.5207 Op was talking about a single event needed to open a dungeon, not about the party or anything, and he realized what the difference was when using a direc damage build (zerk ranger) over the condi necro. Why the range and flame and saying that he dicctates on other how to play and stuff? you are missing the entire point here.

To OP: True, zerker get’s the job done, but also is a high risk thing. Glad that you enjoy your zerk ranger.
Salutations from a fellow ranger

In FotM most of the wipes was with non-zerker people because we were too slow or just because zerker gear is chosen by these that know how to play.

So you are moaning about the fact that your wvw/pvp meta toon was less effective (but still able to do the content) than a niche zerk dungeon meta toon?

You are moaning about zerk builds and yet failing to take into account that fact you happened to use two completely different classes? Does your necro have a bear?

I also find it somewhat hard to believe that someone who solos dungeons using a zerk build, didn’t realise why the zerk build was the dungeon meta in the first place.

Wethospu.6437:

You got carried by your bear.

This. Ranger/hunter type classes are usually solo stars because they can summon a tank build pet and DPS from range.

Fenrir.3609:

So you are moaning about the fact that your wvw/pvp meta toon was less effective (but still able to do the content) than a niche zerk dungeon meta toon?

You are moaning about zerk builds and yet failing to take into account that fact you happened to use two completely different classes? Does your necro have a bear?

I also find it somewhat hard to believe that someone who solos dungeons using a zerk build, didn’t realise why the zerk build was the dungeon meta in the first place.

I think you probably misread the OP a bit.

The OP didn’t say that he was doing the dungeon, he said he was doing the event to open the dungeon. Nor did he say he didn’t understand the reason, in fact, he said clearly he did understand the reason why zerker is better. I think he was just shocked at how much better.

And I read this and didn’t see moaning at all.

Star Ace.5207:

I think intolerance is much sadder (in-game or in real life, doesn’t matter). Playing with Berserker’s gear is not inherently good or evil (works great for most content), but players deeming others “selfish”/“baddies”/“carebears”/“playhowyouwants” for playing this or that way that is not “meta” is the true sad story in this game-the need to belittle others for being different/playing whatever.

Those kind of players are usually the cancer of society and you can be rest assured that online they’re belittling the carebears and offline they’re not doing anything productive.

Psychol.5783:

In FotM most of the wipes was with non-zerker people because we were too slow or just because zerker gear is chosen by these that know how to play.

Give evidence that all Berserker’s gear players “know how to play.” Indeed, some people buy it because of the status it gives them ("I have the “right” gear for GW2; I am pro!"), not because they do particularly well with it.

The gear is good, but it will never make the player-on a similar hand, any other gear choices don’t make any player necessarily “bad”, nor will they magically forget “how to dodge.”

theodor.3480:

Star Ace.5207 Op was talking about a single event needed to open a dungeon, not about the party or anything, and he realized what the difference was when using a direc damage build (zerk ranger) over the condi necro. Why the range and flame and saying that he dicctates on other how to play and stuff? you are missing the entire point here.

To OP: True, zerker get’s the job done, but also is a high risk thing. Glad that you enjoy your zerk ranger.
Salutations from a fellow ranger

I never insulted him-he also never gave me the impression that he treated others with pseudo-“leet” disdain. He seems to enjoy his condition necromancer after all.

My point was that such a thing (gear efficiency discrepancy) is not as sad as the fact that many people would deride others for not playing the way they play. I also wish the difference wasn’t so stark in many cases, so I can identify with him.

Star Ace.5207:

theodor.3480:

Star Ace.5207 Op was talking about a single event needed to open a dungeon, not about the party or anything, and he realized what the difference was when using a direc damage build (zerk ranger) over the condi necro. Why the range and flame and saying that he dicctates on other how to play and stuff? you are missing the entire point here.

To OP: True, zerker get’s the job done, but also is a high risk thing. Glad that you enjoy your zerk ranger.
Salutations from a fellow ranger

I never insulted him-he also never gave me the impression that he treated others with pseudo-“leet” disdain. He seems to enjoy his condition necromancer after all.

My point was that such a thing (gear efficiency discrepancy) is not as sad as the fact that many people would deride others for not playing the way they play. I also wish the difference wasn’t so stark in many cases, so I can identify with him.

Here i can agree, the difference is very big, but until the PvE AI will see some improvements, we shall see zerk. Also A zerk build/geared char has a higher risk vs reward than a tanky one. But nobody should enforce it on others (looking at the non descript lfg and when join zerk gear ceck). Anyways zerk will be king for a long time i think

I’m glad some people understand what I’m saying and I apologize for any miscommunication to those who did not understand.
I wasn’t soloing the dungeon but the event to open it. Where you have to kill the trolls, inquest and then the Champion guarding the entrance to Crucible Of Eternity.
I wasn’t belittling other or complaining about anything, really. Just stating that I had always assumed what could be done with zerker could be done just as easily with different stat alignments given the player is skilled enough. But it doesn’t seem to be the case. I do more than great damage on my Necromancer but comparing a Rabid stat to a Berserker stat after having neglected my Ranger for so long it really became apparent to me just how much more effective Berserker is in a DPS perspective.
Also, for the record, I’m about as tolerant as they come. Builds, people, anything. Perhaps I should have chosen my words more carefully when naming this thread, all I meant was that I’m somewhat upset realizing just how good berserker really is after I’ve disagreed with others so many times saying it’s not. I’m not saying my experience is the experience that all others should measure by, just that I feel ignorant having believed so firmly that the difference between zerk and any other stat wasn’t that large.

Also… I wasn’t then, nor have I ever, used a bear. Drakes are my favorites. And although yes, you’re completely right it’s easier to do when my pet is tanking… I was using a greatsword and I was face to face with all of my enemies, killing them faster than they could damage me or my pet anyway.

We have active defenses, means tankynes is useless if you can just dodge that damage. Obviously zerk gear is the way to go for pve then.

Star Ace.5207:

Give evidence that all Berserker’s gear players “know how to play.” Indeed, some people buy it because of the status it gives them ("I have the “right” gear for GW2; I am pro!"), not because they do particularly well with it.

I think the proposition was more like “good players typically don’t choose something other than berserker for PvE”, not “all berserkers are good”

SpellOfIniquity.1780:

Also… I wasn’t then, nor have I ever, used a bear. Drakes are my favorites. And although yes, you’re completely right it’s easier to do when my pet is tanking… I was using a greatsword and I was face to face with all of my enemies, killing them faster than they could damage me or my pet anyway.

A drake still has a lot of utility. While it doesn’t have top-tier HP like a bear, it does have good HP/armor, a self heal, AoE weakness, a blast finisher, and if you choose an ice drake, an AoE chill.

I (like some others) merely suggest that this is not as cut-and-dry a case of Berserker making the content easier than another gear set. A sturdy and/or utilitarian pet can make a big difference, which is why you’ll also see many solo eles running with their earth elementals out.