Guild Wars 2

Hello all,

Lately I’ve been playing on my Meditation DPS Guard and there is one thing that is crippling my damage output: I can’t hit people! Aside from the occasional #5 pull and Judge’s Intervention we have no other way of getting players in hitting range which is really annoying.

So I came up with an easy fix that would allow Guardians to sit in range more often, at least while using GS: add a cripple effect to leash as it is on the person, and make it tick every 2-3 seconds for its 10 seconds of duration. IMHO It’ll bring out much more effectiveness out of close range builds.

Thoughts? Any other possibly more effective solutions?

Use hammer instead of gs (or hammer and gs…) Judge’s → ward them. You get better heals out of litany anyways with hammer mighty blow…

Sticking to your target is definitely one of the toughest things to overcome as a dps guardian. Personally, I find hydromancy sigils and speed runes indispensable in this. While I would love for Anet to give use some soft cc, these are the best tools we currently have. When working on sticking to a target with my build I tried a number of things but none were as effective.
Here is the build I run, with a little explanation on each part: http://intothemists.com/guides/2294-ittys_meditation_dps
Good luck, and message me in game if you have any other questions about dps guardian!

Sword #2 is a really short cooldown teleport.

Smirgel.9460:

Use hammer instead of gs (or hammer and gs…) Judge’s -> ward them. You get better heals out of litany anyways with hammer mighty blow…

I don’t have Littany because of the SP requirement And as much fun as Hammer is I don’t think it’s the best weapon for DPS although I should test it out with Judge’s Intervention

mrook.4163:

Sticking to your target is definitely one of the toughest things to overcome as a dps guardian. Personally, I find hydromancy sigils and speed runes indispensable in this. While I would love for Anet to give use some soft cc, these are the best tools we currently have. When working on sticking to a target with my build I tried a number of things but none were as effective.
Here is the build I run, with a little explanation on each part: http://intothemists.com/guides/2294-ittys_meditation_dps
Good luck, and message me in game if you have any other questions about dps guardian!

I thought about using Hydromancy, and I guess I should give it a try at this point. I’ll check out your build – thanks!

Disregard litany, unless you have mad skill and timing it is pain to use anyway. 10/0/30/25/5 or 10/0/30/5/25 with zerk ammy speed runes and hydro sigils help a lot. I generally run GS/hammer with scepter/focus on swap if I need ranged. It works but guards do need some soft cc love.

Mobility has always been a problem for guards. Easiest solution atm is just running Speed Runes, but some people would rather run others and that’s understandable. Running GS and Sword/X is another great way to stay on target. Also hammer for the CC it brings.

Another thing people like to do which has been mentioned is use Sigil of Hydromancy and Ice. I personally never had the need to run them that much (much better sigils out there). However they will help you stay on target.

Mobilty isn’t the problem, Guards actually have deceptively good mobility seeing as Sword 2 and Judge’s are actually teleports; it’s the lack of access to snares outside of immobilize on Hammer and Scepter that make guards easy to peel from. Hydromancy helps compensate a little.

scepter also helps.
in facts, i believe scepter is much better than sword coupled with gs.
Experienced players will dodge your zealot wrath unless you immobilize them with scepter.

In spvp you are fighting on points so if they want to keep the point running away is not an option. So i guess this is more about fighting as a med guardian in general? If so have always a scepter with you, it helps alot.

Scepter
Use it like a close range weapon!

Actually guardian has 2 teleports 1 leap 1 pull and even a lot of immobilizes.The only thing is that you have to use your brain while playing a guard and use the skills when needed .If you are a spammer dps guard is not the best choice.

mini.6018:

Actually guardian has 2 teleports 1 leap 1 pull and even a lot of immobilizes.The only thing is that you have to use your brain while playing a guard and use the skills when needed .If you are a spammer dps guard is not the best choice.

wat

Generally speaking the effectiveness of damage, I feel, is reduced when switching to sword (as opposed to scepter) and dropping Flame/Lighting sigils to use Hydromancy. Also noticeably hurting from dropping power runes and switching to speed, which I use mostly in tournaments. It feels like DPS Guard is incomplete.

Honestly if Anet really wanted to fix Guard soft CC and mobility problem, there are two simple things that would work, and have been suggested before.

Zealot’s Speed- 5 seconds of swiftness on weapon swap.

Glacial Heart- Now applies to all weapons, reduce CD to 10-15 seconds. Also move it to Zeal to make that line more appealing.

It is incomplete, but just barely. There are some high level DPS guards out there, but they require a lot of skill to pull off what other classes can do easier. Doesn’t make it not fun though.

I love guardian, but know what you mean. I swapped to warrior. More health, more damage, movement, more of just everything you need. Sword/shield-greatsword on warrior just makes the same combo on guardian look weak. All your melee weapons on warrior are just that..made for melee. This is the single illusion people QQ warrior’s as being over represented. Players want viable melee classes..thief is good, but it has a learning curve and involves teleports and stealth and kinda lacks that heavy melee feel..and as for guardian, unless the person your facing as never seen a mediation guard, all you’re going to do is throw mostly air balls all game long. This game has casters, it has range but the melee side is just lacking and doesn’t feel as diverse as it could be. Perhaps a new weapon introduction could be good..but as is, it has already been stated they don’t guardians to have too much offense with their already existing multiple defense options.

I feel that warrior is a better roamer than guardian. This just because warrior can run more out of combat. Said that, talking about pure damaging potential they are not that far from each other.

What warrior brings to the table is more CC and AoE, or more mobility.

Said that, as a war I’m afraid to go against a med guard because I have to go melee, and their GS hurts. A lot.XD

I don’t play with points in defense so they usually outsustain me.

I even tried it, and it isn’t that hard to use… Is much stronger in small fights than against large groups, though (even if scepter helps a lot). Said that, sure, you need to overcome its weakness. You can have success on small nodes, such as Clocktower or Quarry.

And I did the math once: med guards can exceed 500 hps with shield and 3 meditations.

Wow!! I couldn’t agree with the OP more. I’ve literally been like, “I’m just not going to connect”, and even told people after duels I wish I could hit them! I’ve used superior sigil of hydromancy, but I can’t cover conditions, I’m not in range sometimes, and other times it’s evaded.

Give us easy access soft cc (cripple/chill)!

mrauls.6519:

Wow!! I couldn’t agree with the OP more. I’ve literally been like, “I’m just not going to connect”, and even told people after duels I wish I could hit them! I’ve used superior sigil of hydromancy, but I can’t cover conditions, I’m not in range sometimes, and other times it’s evaded.

Give us easy access soft cc (cripple/chill)!

because there is not enough conditions flying around already…

Cynz.9437:

mrauls.6519:

Wow!! I couldn’t agree with the OP more. I’ve literally been like, “I’m just not going to connect”, and even told people after duels I wish I could hit them! I’ve used superior sigil of hydromancy, but I can’t cover conditions, I’m not in range sometimes, and other times it’s evaded.

Give us easy access soft cc (cripple/chill)!

because there is not enough conditions flying around already…

Guardians aren’t really contributing to the conditions flying around

mrauls.6519:

Cynz.9437:

mrauls.6519:

Wow!! I couldn’t agree with the OP more. I’ve literally been like, “I’m just not going to connect”, and even told people after duels I wish I could hit them! I’ve used superior sigil of hydromancy, but I can’t cover conditions, I’m not in range sometimes, and other times it’s evaded.

Give us easy access soft cc (cripple/chill)!

because there is not enough conditions flying around already…

Guardians aren’t really contributing to the conditions flying around

guardians have no burns mkay

Cynz.9437:

mrauls.6519:

Cynz.9437:

mrauls.6519:

Wow!! I couldn’t agree with the OP more. I’ve literally been like, “I’m just not going to connect”, and even told people after duels I wish I could hit them! I’ve used superior sigil of hydromancy, but I can’t cover conditions, I’m not in range sometimes, and other times it’s evaded.

Give us easy access soft cc (cripple/chill)!

because there is not enough conditions flying around already…

Guardians aren’t really contributing to the conditions flying around

guardians have no burns mkay

Have we progressed to complaining about condition spamming Guardians in the meta now? Is it time to fear my condi guardian build yet?? Please???

Mightymealworm.8409:

Cynz.9437:

mrauls.6519:

Cynz.9437:

mrauls.6519:

Wow!! I couldn’t agree with the OP more. I’ve literally been like, “I’m just not going to connect”, and even told people after duels I wish I could hit them! I’ve used superior sigil of hydromancy, but I can’t cover conditions, I’m not in range sometimes, and other times it’s evaded.

Give us easy access soft cc (cripple/chill)!

because there is not enough conditions flying around already…

Guardians aren’t really contributing to the conditions flying around

guardians have no burns mkay

Have we progressed to complaining about condition spamming Guardians in the meta now? Is it time to fear my condi guardian build yet?? Please???

perma burn+perma retal = gg

DPS-Guard is one of the only speccs that is well telegraphed. Should stay like that.

Empathetic Fighter.2065:

DPS-Guard is one of the only speccs that is well telegraphed. Should stay like that.

Uhm !Teleports and instant casts(meditations) is not exactly the definition of telegraphed imo.

Mightymealworm.8409:

Cynz.9437:

mrauls.6519:

Cynz.9437:

mrauls.6519:

Wow!! I couldn’t agree with the OP more. I’ve literally been like, “I’m just not going to connect”, and even told people after duels I wish I could hit them! I’ve used superior sigil of hydromancy, but I can’t cover conditions, I’m not in range sometimes, and other times it’s evaded.

Give us easy access soft cc (cripple/chill)!

because there is not enough conditions flying around already…

Guardians aren’t really contributing to the conditions flying around

guardians have no burns mkay

Have we progressed to complaining about condition spamming Guardians in the meta now? Is it time to fear my condi guardian build yet?? Please???

i didn’t say that guards spam conditions but they do contribute to condi meta… and you have to admit, burning hurts.. A LOT

mini.6018:

Empathetic Fighter.2065:

DPS-Guard is one of the only speccs that is well telegraphed. Should stay like that.

Uhm !Teleports and instant casts(meditations) is not exactly the definition of telegraphed imo.

Ok so what’s istant ?
- 16s cd, aoe dmg, condi removal, extra dmg if a condi was removed.
- 36s cd, 1200r teleport to target, burning if it connects, moderate dmg.
- 48s cd, the best cleanse of the game.

What’s NOT istant ?
- Everything else.

I say try again because you missed by a kitten lot.

Lachanche.6859:

mini.6018:

Empathetic Fighter.2065:

DPS-Guard is one of the only speccs that is well telegraphed. Should stay like that.

Uhm !Teleports and instant casts(meditations) is not exactly the definition of telegraphed imo.

Ok so what’s istant ?
- 16s cd, aoe dmg, condi removal, extra dmg if a condi was removed.
- 36s cd, 1200r teleport to target, burning if it connects, moderate dmg.
- 48s cd, the best cleanse of the game.

What’s NOT istant ?
- Everything else.

I say try again because you missed by a kitten lot.

YOU SEEM CONFUSED

Lachanche.6859:

mini.6018:

Empathetic Fighter.2065:

DPS-Guard is one of the only speccs that is well telegraphed. Should stay like that.

Uhm !Teleports and instant casts(meditations) is not exactly the definition of telegraphed imo.

Ok so what’s istant ?
- 16s cd, aoe dmg, condi removal, extra dmg if a condi was removed.
- 36s cd, 1200r teleport to target, burning if it connects, moderate dmg.
- 48s cd, the best cleanse of the game.

What’s NOT istant ?
- Everything else.

I say try again because you missed by a kitten lot.

Well, the problem is that if you are forced to stay on a narrow point and guard aa s with GS can reach you, it’s gonna hurt. And they are most probably gonna outlast you, unless you can lock and burst them down. In group fights they are weaker, because you just need to focus him down and deal so much damage his hp can’t handle it.