Guild Wars 2

Since this game allows for a wide range of customization to your PvP with the runes/sigils/traits/utilities you pick, I understand there will always be a way for your profession to counter another profession. I’ve only played a few, so I wanted to make this post for analyzing which classes are better suited to take out other classes.

From what I’ve seen, Guardians, Engineers, and Necros have the easiest time with Thieves…

Rangers and Necros seem to do well against Guardians…

Thieves seem to be better suited to take down Rangers, Eles, and Warriors…

Warriors, Engineers, and Rangers seem to be average overall, and really what takes them down seems to be based on individual skill moreso or the circumstance involved.

Mesmers, however, I am at a loss for. I struggle with them with my Guardian, a little less so as an Engineer but in general, they are my hardest fight. Are there any hard counter-professions to Mesmer? Thieves? Warriors? I’ve heard someone say Rangers before, anyone else that can back that up?

Anyway, just throwing some of this out there in a desperate attempt to keep some actual debate alive on the board, and also to get people’s opinions on what counters what the easiest. If you disagree, please post why, maybe we can bring up some constructive ideas.

Engineer is probably the closest thing to a counter for Mesmer that I’ve found, albeit, not a “hard” counter.

Balanced s/d and d/d eles can drop phantasm mesmers more or less consistently – they can take shatter mesmers as well, but it’s a lot harder to recover if you fail to avoid a shatter.

Despite them being lacking in the big picture, rangers with the appropriate build are probably one of the best 1v1 classes in the game right now, in my experience anyways. Engineers and ele’s are up there with them for best overall duelists.

You’d think thieves should be up there, but I really don’t think they are. In a strict 1v1 where both players are aware of each other, thieves are outclassed by a variety of other professions.

Hybrid symbol guardians are also a little over the top in 1v1’s right now.

Noctred.6732:

Balanced s/d and d/d eles can drop phantasm mesmers more or less consistently – they can take shatter mesmers as well, but it’s a lot harder to recover if you fail to avoid a shatter.

Despite them being lacking in the big picture, rangers with the appropriate build are probably one of the best 1v1 classes in the game right now, in my experience anyways. Engineers and ele’s are up there with them for best overall duelists.

You’d think thieves should be up there, but I really don’t think they are. In a strict 1v1 where both players are aware of each other, thieves are outclassed by a variety of other professions.

Hybrid symbol guardians are also a little over the top in 1v1’s right now.

The thing I’ve noticed is that in the realm of 1v1s, smart ranged almost always beats melee (mostly because of the lack of confined space like in an arena). Maybe this is why Anet has been reluctant to allow dueling/arena play? Because it doesn’t really fit into the PvP style of the game based around team play. Perhaps that’s why melee burst is so heavy and ranged is so weak overall, because 1v1 weak ranged still beats melee burst in a drawn out fight.

This is why Mesmers seem so strong to me… since their clones are not melee range, the burst from shatter specs are hard to deal with considering they can regenerate more clones quickly. As an Engineer, I can spec to make my turrets explode and keep someone 1v1 knocked around for quite a bit, but once my turrets are gone, it’s typically 30s to 1m before I can spawn another.

Are mesmers weak to condition damage? I did find sometimes when I made a kamikaze burn spec Guardian I could take them down fast that way, I just often died at the same time.

It’s got a lot to do with spec. I tend to beat most mesmers on my necro, but I think it’s due to the role I play in teams being a lot better 1v1 than a shatter mes. I’ve lost a few 1v1s vs mesmers but it comes down to being outplayed rather than countered.

The only classes that really give my necro trouble 1v1 when they’re specced for team play are ranger and ele. Ele is definitely winnable, but you really have to outplay a ranger.