A few reasons when to use utility food (sharpening stones (power), oil (precision), tuning crystals(condition dmage), slaying potions or food :
Normally people use Food, utils, slaying potions when you are in need of a boost. Good examples of it’s use are:
- Leveling (use food for the tier appropriate) to add some additional damage, the fact most armors are mixed anyways will give more toughness and viatlity.
- Experience boosting: The fact you get an added 10% EXPEREINCE for BOTH FOOD and UTILITY is very nice as well.
(I’d suggest candy corn icecream for ppl leveling alts. it’s 5% more effective but it costs way more (~15s) then most starter foods (4-15 c)
- Speedrunning/dungeons: Use Slaying potions of the YOUR appropriate level (not the dungeon), it will add some damage and it will add damage reduction as well.
- Area’s with only 1 type of enemy: ORR always use a superior potion of undead slaying for a +10% damage and a -10% damage received.When you want to max out damage and youy DO NOT have the appropriate slaying potion use a utility instead.
- WvW in situations where 1 hit might turn the fights maxing out your stats for optimal use is most important, so use the foods most appropriate, either condition duration reduction for melees or damage boosting food for ranged, backline ustility as needed… Often the commanders drop plates, feasts and bowls of food, utility is your ownb thing, but going without makes ppl target you.
- Condtition Duration: Toxic utilities are +100 appropriate stat and +10% coindition duration, coupled with +40% duration food for conditions it is a near mandatory setup for condition users. however the combo costs ~70 silver/ 30 minutes.
- Adding non standard effects to your build. Things which come to mind are might on heal (marjorie’s experimental chili), dodge food (orrian truffle and meat stew+40% improved endurance regen, might on dodge used it before for the now nerfed acrobatics thief with runes of evasion) and things you do not expect (sweet bean buns: -40% condition duration (self) ,+ 25% condition duration), life steal food(s).
- Magic Find: Omnomberry…. and halloween utils.
Generally on lvl 80 I carry only certain amounts of food:
Utility:
- potent sharpening stones adds power based on vit & tough. (100 base)
- potent tuning crystals adds condition dmg based on vit & tough. (100 base)
- toxic sharpening stones adds 100 power, + 10 condition duration
- toxic crystals adds 100 condition dmg, + 10 condition duration
I am no fan of precision oils as I run a huge amount of condition and/or condi/power hybrid builds and the added precision doesn’t effect my damage output (well the loss of 1 or 2 bleeds tends to be insignificant, but it could proc a sigil of strength more often )
Food
- plate of truffle steak ( +100 power + 70 precision 30m)
- rare veggie pizza ( + 40% condition dur + 70 condition 30m)
- Bowl of Garlic Kale Sautee ( + 40% condition dur + 70 condition 60m)
- Prickly Pear Stuffed Nopale ( + 40% condition dur + 70 power 30m)
- Bowl of Sweet and Spicy Beans( + 40% condition dur + 70 power 60m)
- lemongrass and poultry soup ( -40% condition duration on self, +70 vitality)
But other niche foods I use are:
(- plate of fire flank steak + 100 power + 70 condition dmg)) cheap alternative for power food on hybrids if you do not need condition dmg, (I use it when I expect fighting a lot of objects., whne playing hybrid)
(- delicious rice balls ( + 100 healing, + 10% healing to allies)) synergizes with run of the monk and aquatic benevolence or hother healing specs
(- spicy chocolate cookies ( + 100 healing, + 70 precision)) used when using a combat medic instead of a healer.
(- marjorys experimental chili ( + 50 power, + 50 conidtion dmg, 3 might on heal))
synergizes with runes of aristocracy ((CM Dungeon)(might duration, conidtion dmg , might on heal) for 6 might on heal… On hybrid with runes of aristocracy instead of strength
(- orrian truffle and meat stew ( 100% chance to gain might on dodge, + 40% endurance regen) when in need of additional dodges
(saffron mango icecream) used for healing power on bunker specs (synergizes with nomad/clerics. mostkly phased out for me after delicious riceballs arrived))
(spicy marinated mushroom (+ 100 power + 70 toughness) for bunkering… most bunker builds need toughness, this will up it more and give you some much needed power. I use it on 5 shout nomad/clerics commander build cleanse/healing guardian. 1600 power, 3400+ armor, 1200 healing)
Remember these are all lvl 80 and therefore expensive, often 1 tier lower still gives most buffs/boons but ill be considerably cheaper (-50-80% cheaper are normal figures)
23 lvl 80’s, 9 times map, 4ele, 4ncr, 3war, 3grd, 3rgr, 2thf, 2msm, 1eng, 1 rev.
Been There, Done That & Will do it again…except maybe world completion.
but other then that I save food and oils for Dungeons and Fractals since I’ve only recently started doing them and don’t know the way they work yet.