Guild Wars 2

The new changes are like christmas for theorycrafters. Sadly I am going away tomorrow morning, otherwise I’d be caning these changes for the next week.

I hope to have a couple of new builds up before I go away though, so watch this space.

The first one is below and was inspired by a build a guildmate put up before the changes. I’ve always been a bit annoyed with the waste of Condi damage if you spec into arms and take Axe/Shield + GS, so with this you get a bit of condi pressure to go with your burst.

http://papaganooshplace.blogspot.co.uk/2013/06/papas-stance-warrior.html

There should be some more builds going up as an when.

Take sword. Skill 3 does more damage than eviscerate. I’m hitting people for 10k+ wearing soldier’s.

So stupid.

Yeah this has sword in it. It’s crazy damage!

http://gw2skills.net/editor/?fIAQJASTjcOpwxQuQMxBEkCNsKOPUilg8SKODzA-ToAA0CvIMSRjjGjRSas0MsYZB

There is another variation using trip stances. I need to test it further, but it seems to be quite a good foil for destroying necros (as there seems to be at least 2 in every 5 man at the moment). You can CC them and mitigate their condi’s quite nicely.

Could also swap out Burning Arrows and swap in Signet Mastery with Sig of Stamina if you need more condi removal.

Pain about this is you can’t take Ire and Merciless Hammer.

This is an updated version of the build. Love the buff to zerkers stance!

http://gw2skills.net/editor/?fIAQNAR5ejgOtwpQyQMxBE0jvoKyiTBlQ9AP2w4A-TsAg0CnIqRVjrGTNyas1MsYZxGBA

It is up to personal preference whether you use Last Stand or Defy Pain in the trait line.

Personally I am a big fan of Div Runes, but you could use Lyssa or Melandru if you were having lots of problems with condi damage.

It is also worth noting that Vigorous Focus doesn’t appear to trigger with Defy Pain (haven’t tested with Last Stand) not sure if this is a bug or intended.

Not sure why are you not using double sigil of paralyzation on mace/shield set :/

That’s what I am running atm:
http://gw2skills.net/editor/?fIAQNAR5ejgOxwpQuQMxBAkivqy8wIgK6oQJmA-TsAg0CnIqRVjrGTNyas1MsYhwGBA

works like a charm

Identical sigils do not stack.

Because double SoP don’t stack….

For your build I don’t see it working that well between Cleansing Ire/Unsuspecting Foe and Berserker’s Power. It seems slightly counter intuitive that you’ll want to use Skull Crack every time it is off cooldown (and you see the opportunity) for Cleansing Ire and Unsuspecting foe, so the Berserker’s power will only ever really give you more damage on Skull Crack which is negligible.

Also not sure how extensively you have run that, but to me it seems slightly lacking in Adrenaline gain, although I suppose you do have Berserker’s Stance for that at some points.

edit : what he said about sigil ^^

Static bonus sigils

Static bonuses stack with themselves when used on dual-wielded weapons, except for Superior Sigil of Force (only +5% bonus to damage) and Superior Sigil of Accuracy (only +5% bonus to crit chance).

Now unless they changed that I think they should stack.

Well it seems you are right.

Kenshin.6154:

Not sure why are you not using double sigil of paralyzation on mace/shield set :/

That’s what I am running atm:
http://gw2skills.net/editor/?fIAQNAR5ejgOxwpQuQMxBAkivqy8wIgK6oQJmA-TsAg0CnIqRVjrGTNyas1MsYhwGBA

works like a charm

Nice build, Kenshin.

You sure about the sigil of paralyation stacking? Too lazy to check in spvp.

Last time I checked the condition duration sigils stacked additively. It also says on wiki that static bonus sigils stack with themselfs (force and accuracy not ofc)

Interesting.

I usually dismiss the duration stack ones after learning that the condi’s only tick for every full second applied (making half and quarter seconds redundant), but will certainly test the Sigil of Para stacking when I get in game. It seems weird to me that the devs would make all wep swap sigils share an ICD, not allow the on kill sigils to stack, put an ICD on the on crit sigils, but then leave these alone. If they have then this is great as it will make Skull Crack even stronger.

Bait out the stunbreak with Shield Bash and Skull Crack them to death

Only issue I see with your build is the synergy between Unsuspecting Foe + Cleansing Ire and Berserkers Power. You’d really want a buff like that coming off with your HB, but you will also want to use Unsuspecting Foe and Cleansing Ire whenever you can (for 50% crit and condi cleanse), so you will hardly ever be at full Adren long enough to take advantage. Also what is the Adren generation like on it?

I like the GS Mace/Shield build. I used it a lot. However, as of last night (when I finally had some time to do extensive testing) I have fallen back in love with the Mace/Shield Sword/Mace build. When surrounded by a bursty team, and taking Warriors sprint, you can always be where the action is thickest and help your team mates get off their full damage, whilst providing some very decent pressure to the opposition.

Build

I’m fairly certain that the +stun duration sigils do not stack. Actually pretty sure Defektive said he tested it with one and with two…or maybe I watched him do it on his stream. Either way, pretty sure they do not stack for sigil of paralyzation.

I too absolutely love the Mace/Shield and Sword/Mace setup.

Here is my version of the build. Incredibly good at shutting down Necros (and almost everyone else? lol).

http://intothemists.com/calc/?build=-sFBCx;0VKkP0d4cLVQ0;9;59T9J;13;018A1;027-4oG2S;1CoF2CoF26Br

Im testing between Empowered Allies and Leg Specialist. Leg Specialist works super well with the sword for even more control, but the whole idea is holding people still while others burst them (while still having very respectable steady damage output myself). So I figure a perma +4 might stacks when around me would be a good addition as well – need to test Empowered Allies more to see if I think its worth losing the extra control.

I was under the impression that sop does stack but keep in mind the rounding rule. Stuns and dazes get rounded. So if that extra sop doesn’t get you past the next second you will not see an increase in duration. I haven’t played around with the sigil in months but I haven’t heard that it works differently.

Nikkle.4013:

I was under the impression that sop does stack but keep in mind the rounding rule. Stuns and dazes get rounded. So if that extra sop doesn’t get you past the next second you will not see an increase in duration. I haven’t played around with the sigil in months but I haven’t heard that it works differently.

Ah…if this is true then that could very easily be the cause. I know with just the 1 sigil it feels like my Skull Crack is already a 4s stun.

Velron.3729:

Nikkle.4013:

I was under the impression that sop does stack but keep in mind the rounding rule. Stuns and dazes get rounded. So if that extra sop doesn’t get you past the next second you will not see an increase in duration. I haven’t played around with the sigil in months but I haven’t heard that it works differently.

Ah…if this is true then that could very easily be the cause. I know with just the 1 sigil it feels like my Skull Crack is already a 4s stun.

I tested it. It definitely lasts longer with two.

I tested and confirmed double para does not increase skull crack past 4s last night.

Whether 2 are additive or multiplicative it shouldn’t exceed the 4s. 3*1.15*1.15 = 3.9675
3*1.3 = 3.9

Velron.3729:

I’m fairly certain that the +stun duration sigils do not stack. Actually pretty sure Defektive said he tested it with one and with two…or maybe I watched him do it on his stream.

I tested it on-stream for the people who kept asking me to try it.

Doesn’t stack.

I’ll test it again tonight I suppose and will use a stop watch.

Defektive.7283:

Velron.3729:

I’m fairly certain that the +stun duration sigils do not stack. Actually pretty sure Defektive said he tested it with one and with two…or maybe I watched him do it on his stream.

I tested it on-stream for the people who kept asking me to try it.

Doesn’t stack.

I’ll test it again tonight I suppose and will use a stop watch.

I don’t think there is a stun longer then skull crack right? If so, it’s impossible to test whether two sigils do anything(if stuns round). Also, there is no point to two sigils.

Defektive.7283:

Velron.3729:

I’m fairly certain that the +stun duration sigils do not stack. Actually pretty sure Defektive said he tested it with one and with two…or maybe I watched him do it on his stream.

I tested it on-stream for the people who kept asking me to try it.

Doesn’t stack.

I’ll test it again tonight I suppose and will use a stop watch.

Did you manage to test this? I had a go and it appears both 1 and 2 just create a 4 second stun (at full adren).

Like everyone else is saying if Stuns are rounded then it doesnt matter if you go for +15% or +30%, it will all = 4 seconds, which is what it appears to do. If you had a 4 sec stun it might be possible to test it properly as one would be rounded to 5 and one to 6, but we don’t.

papaganoosh.7908:

Defektive.7283:

Velron.3729:

I’m fairly certain that the +stun duration sigils do not stack. Actually pretty sure Defektive said he tested it with one and with two…or maybe I watched him do it on his stream.

I tested it on-stream for the people who kept asking me to try it.

Doesn’t stack.

I’ll test it again tonight I suppose and will use a stop watch.

Did you manage to test this? I had a go and it appears both 1 and 2 just create a 4 second stun (at full adren).

Like everyone else is saying if Stuns are rounded then it doesnt matter if you go for +15% or +30%, it will all = 4 seconds, which is what it appears to do. If you had a 4 sec stun it might be possible to test it properly as one would be rounded to 5 and one to 6, but we don’t.

correct. thats why you shouldn’t use both.

Since you people dont seem to understand, let me explain it for you.
It seems to me that you are thinking that conditions are always rounded to full second. Incorrect.
The duration of conditions ( !duration! ) is rounded to the nearest quarter of a second (so 0s, 1/4s, 1/2s, 3/4s, 1s). However this quarters do not show up in the tooltips nor can they be seen on expiring conditions.
People were obviously thinking that, because damage over time conditions thick only every full second, condition duration is rounded to a full second.
So at full adren the Skull Crack gives a 3 second stun, with one sigil of paralyzation that is equal to 3,kitten stun (so that gets rounded to 3,5s). With 2 sigils of paralyzation the stun duration gets rounded to 4 seconds.

edit: where it is 3,kitten stun = three point forty five second stun

While that does make sense, it doesn’t fall in line with the testing I did last night.

Brigg.6189:

I tested and confirmed double para does not increase skull crack past 4s last night.

It doesn’t exceed the 4s but two Para sigils definitely makes the stun last longer. I timed it using the Axe-5’s Whirling Axe. Whirling Axe is said to last for 3.5 seconds, stun ends at the same time as whirling Axe with 2 Para sigils. Use 1 sigil and stun ends about 0.5-1s earlier.

Everyone is just bringing conflicting results! And Ziggs you used Whirling Axe, which instantly voids your opinion buddy