Guild Wars 2

Long story short, I played GW1, GW2 beta and for a few weeks when it came out but quit shortly after. I just gave GW2 a second chance last week and am enjoying it a lot so far with some of the changes that they’ve made since I last played. I’m normally rather skilled at PvP in the games I play (around top 5-10% at least, not the very best but above average for sure).

I tried every class and I want to focus on one in particular to lvl to 80 and get nice armor transmogs. It’s a tough choice as they’re all a lot of fun. Thief, Warrior and Guardian might stand out a bit for me.

I mostly played Guardian DPS in sPvP and lvled him to 39 and decided to give Warrior a 2nd try (I was terrible at it when I first tried it) and it feels like the warrior DPS might actually be quite stronger overall (I use the cookie cutter builds from meta battle since I’m still a noob).

After having watched some recent tournament games, some teams had a Warrior and some had 1 or 2 Guardian(s) but the Guardians are normally bunker builds I think (with the staff) which I haven’t tried yet but I don’t think I’d enjoy a low DPS support build as much in terms of playstyle. So here are my questions:

1- I’m wondering, is Guardian DPS build more of a build for fun vs noobs or can it actually work vs good players as well? It feels to me like it has very good burst potential but that it might be very easy to shut it down for a skilled player and then just keep a bit of pressure on the DPS Guardian for him to go through his small heals and die.

2-How would you compare it with Warrior DPS build (say GS/Hammer)? Are both (Guardian and Warrior) about as viable as each other?

3-What would you say are the strengths and weaknesses of DPS Warrior compared to DPS Guardian? I know that the Guardian has some blocking, retaliation and more heals but the Warrior has about 40% flat more health, better base run speed, endure pain to tank no dmg while attacking and an ‘’I win’’ button ult if the other ppl don’t disengage.

4-Overall, I’m wondering if Bunker Guardian is the only truly viable competitive build vs skilled players while Warrior can go DPS build vs skilled player in competitive games or if DPS Guardian can have about the same potential.

Guards have mad burst damage. Once you know the rotation and don’t attack some one head on, you will cut them down fast. They have a little survivable with the slight condition and the condition to boon skill, but they are very glass cannon.

To be honest, in my opinion, both are pretty on par with each other. I use a Sword/Focus + Staff burn build on my guardian and he does just fine. Hammer + Longbow CC on my warrior doesn’t really struggle all that much either, and is useful against bunker builds.

Then again I main both classes so perhaps I’m biased.

I don’t know, it feels to me like Guardian DPS build (at least, the GS/Scepter one) is a noob stomper but won’t work vs good players. I chain the shield from focus+whirlwind from GS and teleport+ burn for massive burst (I often root them +vulnerability on top of it before and use the burst ult for quickness). If the player is any good, all he has to do is like 1 knockback or endure pain from warrior or something like that to negate almost if not all of my burst and then I just have mediocre dmg and weak heals waiting for the combo to go back up. I could space the CDs out some more but if I do, then it feels like the warrior outperforms the guardian by far.

DPS rampage warrior. Second to none in the cleave category, double quickness is cray, and more team oriented with CC chains.

Guardian = defensive group support
Warrior = offensive group support

DPS Guardian vs DPS Warrior = Warrior takes Signet Of Power (unblockable attacks every 25seconds) + Berserker Stance (immune to conditions, blinds/burns a favorite of the Guardians), Guard is now RIP because he can’t block your attacks and can’t blind them either. Warrior Endure’s Pain, GG.

DPS Warrior is THE better class for when you are good at the game in Conquest. Guardian is just low skill floor low skill cap, there’s not much to learn. Warrior mobility and damage has out-play potential though.

Nier.8741:

DPS Warrior is THE better class for when you are good at the game in Conquest. Guardian is just low skill floor low skill cap, there’s not much to learn. Warrior mobility and damage has out-play potential though.

That’s what it feels like so far but I just want to confirm this first before I switch character (I leveled Guardian to 39 and I’d have to start back from scratch with Warrior). I enjoy both but it feels like Guardian is better for lower skill capped players while Warrior can outperform it if you pull it off (I’m talking about DPS spec only though, I haven’t tried Bunker Guardian).

DPS guard (burn guard) is ok but a little cheesy.
Old DPS medit guard is not that good and very easy to outplay.

DPS warrior is overall stronger i’d say, but it’s not in a very good place either.
DPS warrior probably have the highest damage out of any class (in PvP) but it’s way harder to land and its survivability is pretty low compared to other dps classes like mesmer. It’s probably the hardest dps build to pull off right now, but when you do it definitely feel rewarding.

DPS Warrior is slightly stronger.

/thread

Nick.7621:

DPS rampage warrior. Second to none in the cleave category, double quickness is cray, and more team oriented with CC chains.

Engi cleave is better because they have poison nades, and poison makes rez attempts much slower, plus they can do all the cleave from ranged and use toss elixir x when needed to stop a rez/stomp attempt without fail.

So if you are leveling up for WvW go with warrior since mobility is king and guardian sucks at it

but for pvp in the future go with guardian since Warrior is nothing but a Rampage bot and once that gets the nerf bat we all expect, warrior will become obsolete for the dps role

just know that both classes are easy to kite and wear down outside their cooldowns for your average mesmers, eles and engineers which are quite popular

i fear the warrior but not the guard…..
so i guess warriors hurt more

Oslaf Beinir.5842:

So if you are leveling up for WvW go with warrior since mobility is king and guardian sucks at it

but for pvp in the future go with guardian since Warrior is nothing but a Rampage bot and once that gets the nerf bat we all expect, warrior will become obsolete for the dps role

just know that both classes are easy to kite and wear down outside their cooldowns for your average mesmers, eles and engineers which are quite popular

I thought Rampage got nerfed already last patch

NeoSoul.4198:

Oslaf Beinir.5842:

So if you are leveling up for WvW go with warrior since mobility is king and guardian sucks at it

but for pvp in the future go with guardian since Warrior is nothing but a Rampage bot and once that gets the nerf bat we all expect, warrior will become obsolete for the dps role

just know that both classes are easy to kite and wear down outside their cooldowns for your average mesmers, eles and engineers which are quite popular

I thought Rampage got nerfed already last patch

A trivial nerf is trivial still, it needs a necro level “normalizing”.

crazy Damage, passive quickness, stances applying through transformation and bonus damage from peak performance still carries it.

DPS guard is 100% viable, and eats people alive. It’s not a noob stomber, it’s an everyone stomper (including DPS warrior) if you know what you’re doing. Try this: http://intothemists.com/calc/?build=-Bs-Bl;0NFk40G3BG-90;9;4OnQ;0046147148;4W7H7X;17V-17V-1a0K

Hammer5→JI→Hammer2→Torch4→Mace3→gg

You will get rocked by d/d eles in 1v1, though, there’s really no ways around it with this build.

http://gw2skills.net/editor/?vJAQJARSjMdQVI2FCmhAnIGKCKtLi+owGgHIAwVvFSBA-TpBFwANuAAOOCAl2fo9hAoaZAAPAAA

Been having a lot of fun this lately. Strong bust and good shirt term survivorbility. I like to start in gs hit once or twice to get into combat. Swap in hammer for a couple hits. F1 hammer into 100b. Even if the combo doesn’t work out perfect you can still wreck people. This build is also strong at breaking bunkers. Most burst builds just have a couple of skills then they are done. This build get deadlier as the fight goes by building might. It’s not uncommon to have 15+ stacks after 10 seconds. This allows u to build into a higher burst after ur first one. It’s not always good in team fights unless ur good with getting in and out of combat and able to manage ur skills well. Even then u can be focused down by good teams.

Been having the same strugle with these 2 classes recently, but I play this game from launch, which is worse IMO xD

I don’t agree Medi Guard is a noob stomper. Of course if you go with the traditional burst rotation that everyone mediocre lvl knows how to avoid you will die! No way around! I don’t like to open with Focus Shield, WW and JI, it’s so obvious.
Also, Radiance tree is much better than Zeal. Zeal minors all depends on Symbols, which if you use GS & x/F you will most likely only have 1 symbol. Also Radiance offers more Fury, and Imob (comboed with Perfect Inscriptions) it helps A LOT, and ppl don’t expect an Imob from a Guardian, and it’s quite hard to predict when the next one will come. Sure it’s one every 24 secs but helps a lot.

On other hand I have been strugling a lot with DPS Warrior. I like it a lot but Rampage is easy countered nowadays (even I can do it with my Guard) and with so many blinds going around come nearly useless! I have to try with Signet, the only problem I got is the first trait from Strength will become nearly useless because the only option will be Restorative Strength and you will rarely or never use Healing Signet.

Anyway I will leave you my builds

Medi Guard:http://gw2skills.net/editor/?vVAQNAsdRlsAhqhY3QwcIwPEHBE1dbjgMwGAXbCkXwHMCB-TpBFABPcIAE4IAIeZACOBA1s/AAPAAA

DPS Warrior (still testing this version, no conclusive feedback yet): http://gw2skills.net/editor/?vJAQJARSjMdQXIWFC2dAnIGKCKtLi+owGgHIAwVvFCBA-TpBFwACOEANuAAOOCAt2foaZAAPAAA

I’d much rather have a Rampage Warrior in a team fight than a Meditation Guardian.

Velimere.7685:

I’d much rather have a Rampage Warrior in a team fight than a Meditation Guardian.

^ This.

SpellOfIniquity.1780:

Guardian = defensive group support
Warrior = offensive group support

DPS Guardian vs DPS Warrior = Warrior takes Signet Of Power (unblockable attacks every 25seconds) + Berserker Stance (immune to conditions, blinds/burns a favorite of the Guardians), Guard is now RIP because he can’t block your attacks and can’t blind them either. Warrior Endure’s Pain, GG.

Sounds like a Power Necro in Lich form; if you are in cooldowns you are dead, but if you have your skills ready you can stand yourself against for 20 seconds easily and then outplay a class which rely too much on passive skills and will lack Elite for another ~3 minutes.

But I can’t be sure about because Power Liches are common and I have a ton of experience fighting them with my Guardian, whereas almost no Warrior I saw in the last months seems to use Rampage.

If the topic creator was also using a Thief I would advise him to focus on that class: is meta at every time in the PvP, has his role as scout and in the focus party in WvW and is one of the best roamers in the game being also decent as a duel class. In open world WvW 1 vs 1 situations a propper Thief with skill can only have two results: you either win or just disengage.