Guild Wars 2

In your opinion, what class/build is optimal for being a commander? Discuss.

One that can tank. Preferably tank guardian, d/d ele. You don’t want a glass cannon commander. Sure you do more damage, but that’s meaningless in a zerg. You will die in 2 seconds and your team be left without a commander.

I play a balanced thief it works great. Anything but glass cannon is fine imo. And prefer something you can charge in first without dieing to boost morale and encourage team to push.

How about a mesmer? Portals are always useful… No need to shout around looking for mesmers when you need them.

Matters not. Class is not even a consideration for me in which commanders I will follow and which I will avoid.

Any class that can remove boons to prep a spike? Especially stability.

Stanley.3295:

How about a mesmer? Portals are always useful… No need to shout around looking for mesmers when you need them.

I do enjoy being a mesmer Commander, it has its perks.
Perhaps not more than any other class, but it works fine for me.

Even in glass cannon gear.
Generally the only battles I die in are ones that wipe the whole zerg anyway.

Warrior, Guardian, Elementalist (Usually staff is better because of mobility + fields.. But d/d works as well).

Personally I don’t think any specific profession is a better Commander than another. It’s far more the person behind the profession that makes or breaks a Commander on the field. Like others have said, it will of course help not being built as a glass cannon, since a Commander diving head first into clashes can indeed inspire others to not stall and get everyone killed slowly, as a few inch in at a time. I do however not believe this is a requirement for a successful Commander on the field.

All professions has various Traits and Utility they can build into for being somewhat beefy, and additionally to provide good helpful boosts to the allies around them. Play the profession you prefer the most, and if you want it, get your Commander status for that one.

I’ll follow a Commander that enjoys their profession any day, over one that doesn’t (as much as they would on a different profession), just because the profession they chose was perceived as being “better” at it. I’ll follow a “glass cannon” Commander who dies often—someone who knows how to inspire and lead, has a good tactical sense and field presence—over one that does not, but stays alive longer.

The Commanders I like to follow, are good at including others outside of their own guild “bubbles” as well. And they are good with their ability to communicate their intentions. In most cases it doesn’t take more than a little hot-linked (Shift-click) location in the /t chat.

shout/hammer warrior =) pure support

Guardian is the best. Followed by warrior. And 3rd place goes to mesmer

Every Class has their pros and cons.

Close combat classes like Warriors and Guardians are great for charging headlong into the enemy (encouraging everyone else to follow their example), while ranged classes that hold back are great for keeping aware of the the bigger picture (quicker to notice and react to enemy surprises).

Common! Srsly. Mesmer would be perfect commander! U dont need to tell em where u want portal. U just put it where u need it ^^.

Queen of humans is mesmer. Many dragon champs were mesmers. So u have no other choice!

doesnt matter

what matters is your brain and your dexterity

This is an excellent question, I don’t think it truly matters to be honest. I have seen every class of commander and when the zerg rolls in, they all die the same. I am a pure glass cannon commander myself with nothing but power, prec, crit damage. I have out lived many on the battlefield without running away. Its just about knowing your class, when to CC, when to evade/dodge ect.. Just my 2 cents though.

Also I am not a DD ele btw lol. I enjoy my Bifrost way to much :P

just grab anything which doesn’t die instantly and doesn’t move around in weird patterns(I’m looking at you, d/d ele!)
Even a ranger skilled for pet torpedo would make a nice commander.
“FOLLOW THE PET!”
“CHAAAARGE!”
“erm… chief, how should we follow it when it just climbed that wall?”

What I’d be more concerned about is the RACE to pick as commander.
For example, screw Asuras, you aren’t going to be seen like that.
Grab a Charr or Norn, they can be easily spotted, especially when they have a huge blue icon floating above their heads.

Guardian commanders are funny if enemy have necro.

naphack.9346:

just grab anything which doesn’t die instantly and doesn’t move around in weird patterns(I’m looking at you, d/d ele!)
Even a ranger skilled for pet torpedo would make a nice commander.
“FOLLOW THE PET!”
“CHAAAARGE!”
“erm… chief, how should we follow it when it just climbed that wall?”

What I’d be more concerned about is the RACE to pick as commander.
For example, screw Asuras, you aren’t going to be seen like that.
Grab a Charr or Norn, they can be easily spotted, especially when they have a huge blue icon floating above their heads.

Eh? I think asuras are fine, people are more focused on the icon rather than the sprite itself. SoS EB commander runs with a afro asura which I’ve grown accustom to lol.

I think mesmers as commanders are the best, the portal ability just gives you that much more flexibility when applying your on the field strategies.

personally i like my ranger as commander, i can stay back out of the fight and view things when i have to, i can switch to melee and charge in like a soldier, and i can roll support when its lacking. i find i provide good damage even when more worried about survival, and can still passivly contribute to the fight while looking at the map on occasion. and having a long range AoE in the grp at all times never hurts. plus when using range its easy for my team to figure out what targets im attacking just by following the arrows.

after switching out my glass cannon spec for a survival/condition build, i found i rarely ever die and even better i can still take opponents down when im on my own. but like those above me have said, its all personal preference.

Each have their strengths. I personally like guardian, necro, or warrior. Anything really built tough thats in melee range. If you aren’t going to be up front in the nastiest part why should anyone else? They also naturally follow you in. This allows for better damage placement where you want it. As well as not sitting back and letting ranged classes lock you down when charging them would be the best response.

While I don’t feel class should detract from anyone’s abilities to lead, I do believe melees are better. You can TELL people to do something but if you aren’t advancing with them or in front of them some wont follow or should I say are not as motivated to move forward. Though I do like a two commander setup where one is up front leading others in while the other is back a bit paying attention to other things, relaying information or being the other commanders voice in say team chat.

Knowledge of strategy and Wv3 mechanics > Any class.

Mesmer would so easily be locked into portal slavery instead of commanding. As mesmer your job would be hiding in keeps, teleporting/hasting golems, sticking your neck out for portal bombs, doing jump puzzles for everyone else…

You want a profession/build which can stand back and oversee the battle field, type in chat and look at the map without fear getting instagibbed. Also something that can charge in and lead the little people into skirmish. You also want a profession with access to permanent Swiftness and other movement speed increasing skills.

I know you’re thinking about me korgov, I know you are!

True. Bunker Elementalist does tick all the boxes above.

This is a non-issue. Profession is not a factor in the slightest. Build in lots of defense/survival to your spec and you’re good to go.

A norn Warrior using T3 helm holding a Battle Standard.

No one ever says engineer, but as its intent is as a static character, seems like the better choice. But yeah probably don’t know enough about them really, that’s why I just rolled one as an alt.

Class doesn’t matter. What does is where you go, and what you ask people to do.

Even though the commanders in my guild are an Engie/a Thief/a Mesmer, a Guardian commander just feels right.

They can tank and support their squad.