Guild Wars 2

So I do WvW a lot with classes, but I usually just go in with my PvE build and zerg around. I recently have been intrigued with sPvP, but I need help picking a class.

I know i could try them all and find the one I like, but I don’t want to go in and get rofl stomped on my first character and then instantly get turned off about wanting to PvP.

So anyways, I’m not too good at combo fields. I know blasting fire gives might from PvE haha. This prob knocks ele out of the competition.

I’d like to be able to kill reasonably quick, but I also don’t want to die in 2 hits.

I don’t want to be a one trick pony where I blow everything and then have to wait for CD’s to burst again. I’d like to be able to stay in the thick of combat and still be able to hurt even once I’ve blown all my CD’s.

Any suggestions? Thanks in advance for the replies!

Jordo.5913:

So I do WvW a lot with classes, but I usually just go in with my PvE build and zerg around. I recently have been intrigued with sPvP, but I need help picking a class.

I know i could try them all and find the one I like, but I don’t want to go in and get rofl stomped on my first character and then instantly get turned off about wanting to PvP.

So anyways, I’m not too good at combo fields. I know blasting fire gives might from PvE haha. This prob knocks ele out of the competition.

I’d like to be able to kill reasonably quick, but I also don’t want to die in 2 hits.

I don’t want to be a one trick pony where I blow everything and then have to wait for CD’s to burst again. I’d like to be able to stay in the thick of combat and still be able to hurt even once I’ve blown all my CD’s.

Any suggestions? Thanks in advance for the replies!

If you are looking for a build with great survivality, and heavy spike dmg with low CD’s try a shatter mesmer and enjoy

Cleric Bunker Guardian

Condi ranger perhaps?

I’d suggest looking for a tanky build at 1st to get used to the pace of the game/skill rotations and the enemies. After you’ve become familiar with that then id try a more roaming build so you can master rotations (bunker builds don’t rotate as much) then just go with what you have fun playing. Or just go in feet 1st with what you like to play the most and improve through that route! But it sounds like your looking for a bruiser build (mid damage/sustain/roaming) Intothemist.com might have a few but I’m not so sure I haven’t truly explored that site or you can go with metabattle.com but metabattle is a bit more restrictive when it comes to builds because they glorify meta builds more then viable builds (I use metabattle more though) .

Easy to win with, high damage with low risks, a chance to win in team and in 1vs1 fights…
You’re talink about mesmers!

d/d ele is really good when you have the basic rotations down. however, i would suggest playing the class you are the most familiar with or that you enjoy the most. i found a lot of my wvw experience was transferable to pvp, and being familiar with the weapons and mechanics of a class already helps a lot.

It depends on playstyle to define which class is easier.
In fact, I think you need to adapt to each class. Elementalist D/D is meta, but it is not so easy to do the rotation at first. Shatter mesmer has good surviability and is pretty annoying to enemies, but you must know how use portals, how positionate, etc. Thieves in general are good to keep rotation, so you need to play smart. And there are observations for every class/build.

Mesmer will help you take down nooby players that can’t differentiate between clones and you or can’t handle stealth at all, but if you start to rely on that to survive, better players will just focus you/your teammates and punish your lack of positioning. Their burst got nerfed by a sizable amount recently though, so you need to pick your fights very carefully and know when to back off. Tankier warriors and D/D eles are almost never worth engaging on point unless you can 2v1 them because your damage probably won’t be enough anymore to threaten a competent one.

Medi guard, bunker guard, any warrior build, DD ele are all good for starters.
DD ele requires some practise of basic rotation though. But it is by all means the best class in PvP right now.
Also, all the meta builds currently have great survivability. Bunker guard, dd ele, mesmers thieves engis with vampirism runes…Basically you shouldn’t die as long as you do correct play.

I just recently started doing some PvP too from having played mostly WvW since launch. I’m not a great “PvP’er” either but I’m having a lot more fun in sPvP than I thought I would. So here’s my perspective.

1st and most important: Do not go into Practice/Hot Join!

• You’re not matched with players of your relative skill and so are more likely to just get rekt. And you don’t really learn anything about the map and rotation, etc. because people are mainly just fighting, not trying to win the match. I made this mistake and it almost turned me off from sPvP totally. Just go straight into Unranked.

• The only reason you may want to go into Practice is to just use Observe Mode to get a feel of the maps. But under no circumstances join a match unless you just want to run around to get a feel of them knowing that you’ll probably get rekt.

As for classes, it sounds like you’ve played most of them in WvW. If you have a Mesmer I’d recommend starting with that. It’s pretty easy to be effective and not die. And they have good mobility, evades, and are pretty strong now as others have mentioned. No need to use the stealth build even – you’ll be good without it (I hate stealth so am biased against it and refuse to use it myself).

I also do well with my Trap Ranger. Strangely I don’t do well with my Warrior. I think maybe it’s because at first melee is harder because you’re in the thick of things and I was trying to play an all melee War because I refuse to use a bow on my War. So maybe that’s another thing to consider – Ranged or Melee.

DD Ele, if you’ve already used it in WvW, would be good too. I never liked it so I haven’t tried it in sPvP myself but as others have said it’s strong if you know it and like it. I have played my Staff Ele and actually do well and enjoy it even though the higher level players here on the forums will rag on using Staff Ele.

But you’re not going to be in there with higher level players. You’ll be in there with other players of your relative skill. I’ve had great matches thus far – pretty even most of the time and fun. If I get on a win streak I can tell when I’ve been pushed up into a higher level because I start facing opponents who are clearly better than me. But then I just lose a couple and get back down to my proper level.

No need to even stick with the same class. I switch around, makes it more fun that way. Plus, getting to know the maps and rotation is important too. So jump in and have fun!

Velimere.7685:

Cleric Bunker Guardian

betwin absurd damage, insta kill burst and poisons, cleric guardian has next to no survivability now.

Apolo.5942:

Velimere.7685:

Cleric Bunker Guardian

betwin absurd damage, insta kill burst and poisons, cleric guardian has next to no survivability now.

you joking bud. you seen Tage play?

Jordo.5913:

So I do WvW a lot with classes, but I usually just go in with my PvE build and zerg around. I recently have been intrigued with sPvP, but I need help picking a class.

I know i could try them all and find the one I like, but I don’t want to go in and get rofl stomped on my first character and then instantly get turned off about wanting to PvP.

So anyways, I’m not too good at combo fields. I know blasting fire gives might from PvE haha. This prob knocks ele out of the competition.

I’d like to be able to kill reasonably quick, but I also don’t want to die in 2 hits.

I don’t want to be a one trick pony where I blow everything and then have to wait for CD’s to burst again. I’d like to be able to stay in the thick of combat and still be able to hurt even once I’ve blown all my CD’s.

Any suggestions? Thanks in advance for the replies!

So play ele then. D/D celestial Fire Water Arcana, that is like the answer tbh considering it takes no skill and anyone can play it. They do ALL forms of damage and has annoying mobility and all-in.

BlackTruth.6813:

Jordo.5913:

So I do WvW a lot with classes, but I usually just go in with my PvE build and zerg around. I recently have been intrigued with sPvP, but I need help picking a class.

I know i could try them all and find the one I like, but I don’t want to go in and get rofl stomped on my first character and then instantly get turned off about wanting to PvP.

So anyways, I’m not too good at combo fields. I know blasting fire gives might from PvE haha. This prob knocks ele out of the competition.

I’d like to be able to kill reasonably quick, but I also don’t want to die in 2 hits.

I don’t want to be a one trick pony where I blow everything and then have to wait for CD’s to burst again. I’d like to be able to stay in the thick of combat and still be able to hurt even once I’ve blown all my CD’s.

Any suggestions? Thanks in advance for the replies!

So play ele then. D/D celestial Fire Water Arcana, that is like the answer tbh considering it takes no skill and anyone can play it. They do ALL forms of damage and has annoying mobility and all-in.

“So anyways, I’m not too good at combo fields. I know blasting fire gives might from PvE haha. This prob knocks ele out of the competition.

I’d like to be able to kill reasonably quick"

Definitely go warrior hands down the best most op char in spvp

….. :c

Some will think it is odd, but try guardian or vampire signet necro. They are both good at surviving, and they have their own unique powers. They both can shut down mesmers and ele’s. Burning is not bad in guardian, and necro’s signets are fun to use. All meta mesmer builds lack condi cleanse, and dd ele builds depend on boons. So you can counter them if you play right.

Zerk warrior or bunker guard would be your best two bets.

Zerk warrior may be best if you want to down opponents since it is high dps and pretty tanky at the same time. Bunker is much tankier, as you would expect, but plays a more supportive role.

Both are relatively simple play styles that are good for breaking into PvP since you can concentrate more on where teammates are, what enemies are doing, and where to go, rather than which skill you should be using next.

Check out MetaBattle.com for these builds.

Apolo.5942:

Velimere.7685:

Cleric Bunker Guardian

betwin absurd damage, insta kill burst and poisons, cleric guardian has next to no survivability now.

Don’t post from mommy’s account, Sweetie.

Jordo.5913:

I’d like to be able to kill reasonably quick, but I also don’t want to die in 2 hits.

Mesmer. When you absolutely, positively HAVE to kill someone in one second or less using just a couple of keys…

Accept no substitutes.

Apolo.5942:

Velimere.7685:

Cleric Bunker Guardian

betwin absurd damage, insta kill burst and poisons, cleric guardian has next to no survivability now.

Do you really play this game?

Michaeas Magister.1589:

Jordo.5913:

I’d like to be able to kill reasonably quick, but I also don’t want to die in 2 hits.

Mesmer. When you absolutely, positively HAVE to kill someone in one second or less using just a couple of keys…

Accept no substitutes.

In light of the recent nerfs, if someone is getting oneshot but a Mirror Burst in under a second, they deserved it or got severely outplayed. Even marauder builds can face tank it now with reasonable success due to the Mirror Blade nerf+Fire/air sigil stealth nerf.