Guild Wars 2

even though PoF is around the corner, I’d just like to note that build variety is probably the lowest it’s ever been. there are a handful of specs that completely stomp their intraclass alternatives. a simple example is the druid/ranger. playing anything other than Minstrel is pretty bad in comparison, at least at a higher level. there are no viable condi ranger specs, period.

it’s just a repeating pattern with this game. if your playstyle does not fit the meta build, too bad so sad. i hope PoF breaks this mould, so that I can at least alternate between Soulbeast and Druid. I don’t even care about fixing core any more.

I just want to point out that meta isn’t king.

I rarely use meta builds and usually manage to do better than those that do. Meta is more of a starting point to get to know a style of build before you tweak it to match your playstyle.

Mind you there is nothing wrong with playing meta, however my style is more “Meta is boring, non meta, that really works, is more fun”

Your thread title says that meta builds are too strong (as in some builds are overpowered) but your post content seems to be about build diversity and variety which is what PoF addresses, so I’m not understanding the point.

Given a problem and a selection of tools, there will be a set of tools that are more suited for solving that problem than the other tools.

The problem is winning at sPvP.
The selection of tools is the abilities and traits.

What do you mean by Minstrel’s?

It’s not that meta conquest builds are always too strong, it’s that meta conquest builds best suit the purposes and roles of conquest. Using your same example, Bunker Druid vs. Condi Druid, look at how both builds are OP under the right circumstances. Bunker Druid is great to stall node decap in conquest even in 1v2s, but it does nothing to help pass a DPS check in a raid. Condi Druid however, was literally the highest DPS in the game for awhile there but simply doesn’t fit enough of a niche role in conquest to be a top meta selection. Likewise, a build that is meta for wvw sucks in conquest just as much as a conquest build sucks in wvw. Cool example: Staff Eles & Power Well Necros. These suck terribly in conquest but are powerful as hell when used as backline zerg material.

Just depends on what game mode you’re talking about. There are many viable builds on every class, just not everything on every class is specifically optimal for 3 node hold 5v5 conquest.