Guild Wars 2

I just can’t beat these things. I can sometimes get them to 1/2 health, but then they just heal it and I’m down to 25% health from their conditions and damage. How do other players get through their defense, especially their book elites?

The only way to counter them are conditions, and preferably you should use a necro for that job. Having boon removal, poison, enough CC to keep them of healing(you got 2 fears, one on rather short cd), and high condition damage will melt them pretty easily. However, it doesn’t make bunker guardians any less viable, since you won’t have your necro at disposal every time you need him.

They usually strip my conditions pretty fast though. Perhaps I should try a necro build specifically built to take them out and work from there.

Necromancers, with their plethora of Boon strip and boon conversion, is the perfect counter to a bunker guardian. A good Condition Necro can apply conditions and strip boons faster than a guardian can remove them.

A common tactic is for them to use “Save Yourselves!” To draw all conditions from his teammates, as well as gaining a bunch of boons. They can then use “Contemplation of Purity” to convert all those conditions into boons. Corrupt Boon will then negate two utilities they just used, either forcing them to use Virtue of Resolve (if they traited for condition removal on use), or just eat it.

Stability will convert into Fear if timed right, just watch for the Aegis icon, since it will block Corrupt Boon.

Necro is the only way. They really need a new game mode to diversify the gameplay. I was a proponent of conquest (and I still enjoy it), but the bunker metagame has gotten stale.

Other than necros, a shatter mesmer with two forms of boon removal (remove boons on shatter, null field) can kill most guardians quite easily, though it’s time consuming so you have to pick your battles or you’re just wasting your own time. As a mesmer it’s also easy to counter guardian KDs with distortion and blur.

To deal with their full heal, remove their boons and then use a basic interrupt (daze, stun, KD).

The only class that can down a bunker gaurd is a ranger. Mesmers also have a fair chance.
Gaurdians are amazing at stripping conditions. A necro will never solo down a good gaurdian.
In general a bunker gaurd should not be easily downed in a 1v1, so I see this as pretty fair. If you’re attacking a gaurdian bunker solo, you need to switch up your game.

Chi Malady.2015:

Necro is the only way. They really need a new game mode to diversify the gameplay. I was a proponent of conquest (and I still enjoy it), but the bunker metagame has gotten stale.

It isn’t a bunker meta game it’s a repsonse to one class that is insanely OP in PvP. The only reason why bunker builds are so popular is because the game has literally been designed around one class.

There is only one class that can burst down a player in 1.5 secs.

There is only one class that can Rez and Stomp better than any other class.

There is only one class that can escape anything, run faster than anything, and mitigate dmg better than any guardian simply by not being seen.

Can you guess what class that is?

But when you have one designer who is an abosolute pvp moron(I’ll give you a guess it rhymes with harp) and who sets every game mechanic in that one classes favor.

From the fact that glory is based on who delivers the last hit(skirmisher, defender, assaulter) before downed state. To the way maps are arranged, tight camera angles, swift turns and corners, sudden terrain elevation, all garunteeing that a player can never see where thier team is to escape a zerg.(and a mini map that’s bugged to hell)

And you see how the game was designed to benfit the most over-powered mechanic every seen in an MMO.

This forces every class but the one meta into a bunker build unless they wanna die in secs to said class.

As for Guardian build they are one of the holy trinity to bunkers, Elemetalist, Engineer, Guardians. Guardians have an extreme weakness like all other bunker builds=low HP’s.
Sure they have alot of condition removal but they cannot defend agianst steady condition dmg, so high poison, bleeds, and burns that deal their dmg in 3 secs rule them. So classes that rely on burst, or stacking many bleeds or conditions do bad vs them while d/d Elementalists rule them( with abilities like drakes breath that deal 7+k over 3 secs before a guardian can remove it)

Fellknight.4820:

Chi Malady.2015:

Necro is the only way. They really need a new game mode to diversify the gameplay. I was a proponent of conquest (and I still enjoy it), but the bunker metagame has gotten stale.

It isn’t a bunker meta game it’s a repsonse to one class that is insanely OP in PvP. The only reason why bunker builds are so popular is because the game has literally been designed around one class.

There is only one class that can burst down a player in 1.5 secs.

There is only one class that can Rez and Stomp better than any other class.

There is only one class that can escape anything, run faster than anything, and mitigate dmg better than any guardian simply by not being seen.

Can you guess what class that is?

But when you have one designer who is an abosolute pvp moron(I’ll give you a guess it rhymes with harp) and who sets every game mechanic in that one classes favor.

From the fact that glory is based on who delivers the last hit(skirmisher, defender, assaulter) before downed state. To the way maps are arranged, tight camera angles, swift turns and corners, sudden terrain elevation, all garunteeing that a player can never see where thier team is to escape a zerg.(and a mini map that’s bugged to hell)

And you see how the game was designed to benfit the most over-powered mechanic every seen in an MMO.

This forces every class but the one meta into a bunker build unless they wanna die in secs to said class.

As for Guardian build they are one of the holy trinity to bunkers, Elemetalist, Engineer, Guardians. Guardians have an extreme weakness like all other bunker builds=low HP’s.
Sure they have alot of condition removal but they cannot defend agianst steady condition dmg, so high poison, bleeds, and burns that deal their dmg in 3 secs rule them. So classes that rely on burst, or stacking many bleeds or conditions do bad vs them while d/d Elementalists rule them( with abilities like drakes breath that deal 7+k over 3 secs before a guardian can remove it)

You’re basing the game around hotjoins. One word, son : tournaments.

Davinci.8027:

Fellknight.4820:

Chi Malady.2015:

Necro is the only way. They really need a new game mode to diversify the gameplay. I was a proponent of conquest (and I still enjoy it), but the bunker metagame has gotten stale.

It isn’t a bunker meta game it’s a repsonse to one class that is insanely OP in PvP. The only reason why bunker builds are so popular is because the game has literally been designed around one class.

There is only one class that can burst down a player in 1.5 secs.

There is only one class that can Rez and Stomp better than any other class.

There is only one class that can escape anything, run faster than anything, and mitigate dmg better than any guardian simply by not being seen.

Can you guess what class that is?

But when you have one designer who is an abosolute pvp moron(I’ll give you a guess it rhymes with harp) and who sets every game mechanic in that one classes favor.

From the fact that glory is based on who delivers the last hit(skirmisher, defender, assaulter) before downed state. To the way maps are arranged, tight camera angles, swift turns and corners, sudden terrain elevation, all garunteeing that a player can never see where thier team is to escape a zerg.(and a mini map that’s bugged to hell)

And you see how the game was designed to benfit the most over-powered mechanic every seen in an MMO.

This forces every class but the one meta into a bunker build unless they wanna die in secs to said class.

As for Guardian build they are one of the holy trinity to bunkers, Elemetalist, Engineer, Guardians. Guardians have an extreme weakness like all other bunker builds=low HP’s.
Sure they have alot of condition removal but they cannot defend agianst steady condition dmg, so high poison, bleeds, and burns that deal their dmg in 3 secs rule them. So classes that rely on burst, or stacking many bleeds or conditions do bad vs them while d/d Elementalists rule them( with abilities like drakes breath that deal 7+k over 3 secs before a guardian can remove it)

You’re basing the game around hotjoins. One word, son : tournaments.

I can only respond to factual statments based on the topic of the conversation I dont respond to morons who want to stroke thier own ego

As a bunker guardian myself, I can assure that necros are not able to kill a bunker guardian (assuming skill equity). You can kill a bunker guardian with:
1. A shatter Mesmer (the most common 20/20/0/30/30 used by everyone)
2. A 1v1 Ranger
3. A DPS Guardian (with the Meditations Oppa build)
4. A 1v1 Engineer Holder (like the one used by Magz from Onibawan) in a close space. The more-teamfight or not so holder engineers die to a bunker Guardian in 1v1 (like the build used by Avalca from Chieftain Ninjas)

Anyways, it all depends in the build of the bunker guardian, because there are teamfight-focused bunker guardians or block-focused bunker guardians.
Never try to kill a guardian with conditions, because most bunker guardians have HUGE condition removal (F2 removes 3 condition + every shout removes a condition or meditations remove your conditions)

Never try to kill a guardian with conditions, because most bunker guardians have HUGE condition removal (F2 removes 3 condition + every shout removes a condition or meditations remove your conditions)

I’m going to have to disagree with you, unless you are talking about every other class besides Necromancers.

Necromancers eat Guardian’s condition removal for breakfast.

Hammerheart.1426:

Never try to kill a guardian with conditions, because most bunker guardians have HUGE condition removal (F2 removes 3 condition + every shout removes a condition or meditations remove your conditions)

I’m going to have to disagree with you, unless you are talking about every other class besides Necromancers.

Necromancers eat Guardian’s condition removal for breakfast.

Honestly, I can assure you that no necro in the game was able to kill me 1v1 even:
1. Me trying to eat the wells
2. He carrying full boon removal build.
The only necro who can kill (and close 1v1) a bunker guardian is a 1v1 no condition build with the Golem Elite (which no one uses).
I tried it with my guildmate Posi (which is well-known as being one of the best necromancers in the world) and it was impossible for him. Also I have had a bunch of duels in tournaments and I have never ever had a problem vs a necro.
If you play guardian smart enough (don’t eat wells, remove specific condition stacks), necro has not damage to kill you (even not using your elite).

Honestly, I can assure you that no necro in the game was able to kill me 1v1 even:
1. Me trying to eat the wells
2. He carrying full boon removal build.
The only necro who can kill (and close 1v1) a bunker guardian is a 1v1 no condition build with the Golem Elite (which no one uses).
I tried it with my guildmate Posi (which is well-known as being one of the best necromancers in the world) and it was impossible for him. Also I have had a bunch of duels in tournaments and I have never ever had a problem vs a necro.
If you play guardian smart enough (don’t eat wells, remove specific condition stacks), necro has not damage to kill you (even not using your elite).

A condition necromancer should not be finding himself in a 1v1 situation in a tournament setting. The game is not based around 1v1.

Properly played, Condition Necromancers will neutralize Bunker Guardians.

Psyco Flipside.1936:

As a bunker guardian myself, I can assure that necros are not able to kill a bunker guardian (assuming skill equity). You can kill a bunker guardian with:
1. A shatter Mesmer (the most common 20/20/0/30/30 used by everyone)
2. A 1v1 Ranger
3. A DPS Guardian (with the Meditations Oppa build)
4. A 1v1 Engineer Holder (like the one used by Magz from Onibawan) in a close space. The more-teamfight or not so holder engineers die to a bunker Guardian in 1v1 (like the build used by Avalca from Chieftain Ninjas)

Anyways, it all depends in the build of the bunker guardian, because there are teamfight-focused bunker guardians or block-focused bunker guardians.
Never try to kill a guardian with conditions, because most bunker guardians have HUGE condition removal (F2 removes 3 condition + every shout removes a condition or meditations remove your conditions)

DPS guardian? Ranger?

bunkers are easy to deal with: on team figths u dont attack em cuz its a waste of time try to kill their dps, or put pressure on a necro, or attack the bunker when he ate all the aoe and he is really really low if not its a waste of time.
during the game if u see a bunker holding a point and u are alone just leave go have a teamfigth or something else, becouse if well somewhat u manage to kill him he alrdy won becouse he was holding the point for a while making u useless or well while u were having a 1v1 with the bunker ur team was having a 4v4 when it could have been a 5v4 while leaving the bunker there being useless and then coming with ur team and killing him quickly leaving the other team with 1 man less for the next teamfigth.

From my experience trap rangers + shatter mesmers are the 2 builds i have trouble with. I think a condition engi can do it to, but I haven’t 1v1’d one for a while.

With that said, I think bunker guardians are easy to play, but hard to master. You have lots of dodges/blinds/blocks at your disposal that using them effectively is pretty hard. I know I’m not anywhere close to being “skill capped” and I know a lot of people on NA say that I’m one of the hardest guardians to kill.

Is guardian too strong? maybe. But I really like the concept of having a bunker. However when it gets to the point where you have more than one, then the game gets a little boring.

defeating guardian need time.
If you face a good one, even necro or any condition speced char will need a time. And thats the main issue. You will kill him eventually in 1v1 with = mesmers, necros, rangers, engis. But more or less it will take you several rotation to do so and finally kill him. Even corrupt boon necro will need time for killing the guardian and we talking about 10-15 sec as minimum. Thats the time guardian is allready calling for reinforcments (well he probably did it even before you got to the point and started to attacking). At this point you can expect a friendly staby staby Thief in your back very soon…

So back to our problem How do you counter bunker fast enough? You ignore him! You let him stay in the middle point for eternity keeping him bored as hell and instead you make sure you have capped 2 other points. Its all about capping. If the point is holded by enemy bunker guard, it doesnt make sense to go there in 1v1 situation. Never. If the point is neutralized or its your, then its fine and you can keep there your own bunker to have an endles fight while enemy team is not getting points from it.

Psyco Flipside.1936:

1. A shatter Mesmer (the most common 20/20/0/30/30 used by everyone)
2. A 1v1 Ranger
3. A DPS Guardian (with the Meditations Oppa build)
4. A 1v1 Engineer Holder (like the one used by Magz from Onibawan) in a close space.

^ this
I would put ranger as number 1 simply because ranger has constant dee pee ess with the short bow.. tell me any other class that match the attack speed and range of ranger shortbow.

ranger shortbow damage is rapid and consistent which is what you need to beat guardian and even ele.

other than that your only option would be catch them off guard with 100b or basilisk backstab.

I’ve downed a few guardians with my sword/dagger Thief. Its mostly about timing your interrupt daze, and faking your movement when you go into stealth.

When you feel like dying, just swap to your bow and heal up a bit. He will use his blocking skills anyways so just sit back and fire some arrows. When he’s about to leave invulnerability, just hit him back with steal → CnD → Auto Attack

When it becomes a 2 v 2, you are pretty much kittened. Because you won’t outlast the incoming damage over the guardian.

Fellknight qqing again about thief class – now that is something new : )

Ontopic – Your best bet is to probably use a conditionmancer, they strip boons and apply conditions pretty well.

let me ask you a different question.. then.

How much time you need to KILL guard bunker in 1v1 situation (with necro or condicion speced engi.. whatever). ??

My S/P and S/D thief can smash into guardians. Stability really lengthens it tho.

Not really about 1v1 counter though, it’s too time consuming.
There were all kinds of “Im not going to die” builds in GW1, but they were considered Bad and “selfish” builds because they didn’t contribute anything of meaning to a team.

The conquest format gives them a home, and I think that’s fine but you have to take into consideration that they are a Stalling tactic and by sending 1 person, you’re playing that game.

When a necromancer can kill a bunker guard then the guard must be pretty bad. Means you talking about hotjoin or free tournaments. The only thing that can get annoying is the golem.

When a thief can kill a guard then the guard have a really slow reaction or is afk.

The only two things you will loose to is a ranger due to constant burst and probably a dmg-guard.

bury them in conditions,
i know on my bunker guard the thing i least want to see is a necro, especially a MM, they can spec for their minions to remove boons while the necro spams conditions.

If burst damage is how you want to drop a guard, learn to recognize these skills: Shelter, Renewed Focus, Stand Your Ground, Save Yourselves. Expect them to be running either all 4 of those, or 3 of the 4. Save your burst cycles for when those skills are on cooldown (ideally all of them), and lead with a stun or immobilize so he cant dodge roll.

If aoe effects are your thing (such as necro wells and ranger traps), any smart guard will just walk out of them … unless he’s already locked in 1v1 with somebody from your team on the point (such as your own guard).

The scariest thing for me is when I’m 1v1 with another guard in the clocktower and a necro or ranger shows up in the window

Play a necro, wait until he uses Save Yourselves, corrupt all his boons. Put up constant bleeds to make him waste his condi clear on that.
During that time you shouldn’t have any problem staying away from the objective he’s holding, since he’s probably using a melee weapon (you won’t take any damage. I’m thinking of something like sitting on top of the clocktower in Kyhlo, raining down condis). You should also have the support of your team, so try to kill them quickly before their team comes.

An Engineer Grenade/Bomb/Pistols condition damage build can neutralize Guardian (and Ele) Bunker’s as well. Kills them better then any Necro build I’ve ever tried, even with perfectly timed Corrupt Boons. It can easily overwhelm their condition removal with sheer condition overload. Retaliation damage, bleeding damage, burning damage, confusion damage, poison damage, and even a healthy chunk of direct damage all lead it to being capable of dealing with a Bunker, especially when combined with a Chill. Wins 1v1 fights at an okay speed, but it wins the 2v2 fights even quicker.

It’s not perfect though, as it lacks a stun break and perma-swiftness. It’s probably not ideal outside of Anti-Bunker Roaming, but to be completely honest I personally find the survivability and dueling power of it to be extraordinary when compared to the sustained damage output that even happens to be a lot of AoE. Easily can solo the Lord, breaks down doors and trebs rather quickly, and can steal Svanir with the knockback bomb, AoE blinds, and grenade barrage. Beats burst builds with blinds, Rangers with confusion, and Mesmers with AoE. Basically has the tools to handle everything, but you have to see it coming. Again though, it lacks perma-swiftness which as a Roamer sucks horrendously. Makes up for it by actually killing the Bunkers though.

How to counter a bunker ele or guardian: IGNORE THEM.
A Guardian bunker is like a brick,he can’t really do anything apart from standing still,so ignore him and have fun doing 5vs4 fights.Focus their dps allies first and once they are down, he will eventually go down if you are 2+ people.

Don’t fight alone against a bunker, you are wasting time that could be spend elsewhere and even if you manage to kill the bunker it took so long that it wouldn’t be worth it. Always attack as a group of 2+ against a bunker.

The other option in dealing with a Bunker is bringing a build that may not necessarily beat them, but will knock them off the point enough to neutralize. Was a great strategy for us, except for maybe the mid of Foefire.

In a 1v1 with a bunker guard when I’m on my thief, I like to swap to my D/P set and permablind as best I can. It’s still rough, and a smart guardian will probably still win but I’ve won several encounters both against bunker guards and eles like this.