Guild Wars 2

Just putting this out there, because I haven’t seen it discussed.

I’m running nearly the exact ‘Marauder Hammer’ build from metabattle :

http://metabattle.com/wiki/Build:Scrapper_-_Marauder_Hammer.

Only thing I’ve changed is I’ve dropped Elixir Gun and taken Blast Gyro.

Particularly in this bunker meta, having basically ‘Big ’ol Bomb’ decapping on a 15sec cooldown is really good.

Notes:
Decapping 1vs2’s regularly.
Great in team fights, chained after Slick Shoes.
Combos well with other CC for long lockdowns – (good for focus killing Bunkers).
Toolbelt – still have 2nd stun break.
Excellent disengage – very rare that you can’t escape 1vsX situations (group superspeed).
Timing can take a bit of getting used to – like Big ‘ol Bomb, it isn’t an instant knock back.
Need to be level with target to avoid pathing issues. 90% of time you’ll be in melee range so won’t be a problem.

To each their own… I’m finding this extremely effective.

If anyone else gives this a go I’d love to hear how you get on…

Acid Bomb is probably about 30% of my overall damage… there’s no way dropping E-Gun is a sustainable choice.

30% sounds like a bit of an exaggeration. =P

However, I would agree that dropping EG for Blast would probably impact the build too much. If you really needed to fit it in, Slick Shoes seem like the better option since the toolbelt skills are so similar and it’s more of a switch from lockdown CC to knockback/decap CC.

That being said, I have seen some good decap-focused builds that run with FT, Elixir B, and Blast Gyro. Considering the bunker-heavy meta, that may not be a bad idea, but bunker mesmers will be really tough to control.

For me it’s not so much that EG does good damage, it’s that it’s three elixirs in one. Three condi cleanses, 6 stacks of might from HGH, and a stunbreak, not to mention the support abilities of middling usefulness, the AoE heal, and the blast finisher. That’s a lot. Acid Bomb also has good mobility if you do a quick turnabout before you use it, which has saved my butt countless times or helped me get to an objective quicker than the other team.

I’m hesitant to give up all of that might and cleansing and utility just for another knockback.

Elixir gun retaliation too. You can have 20s of every 32s retaliation up, and that’s if you are lazy about it. It is such a powerful utility that I almost always plan my moves around node, around it. Plus all the other benefits listed above. EG is lyfe in pvp

I’m still playing with both ‘builds’

I urge you to properly try it – Blast Gyro is really good, it works.

I’m solo decapping bunker Mesmers fast, and have no shortage of damage or healing or mobility. I win most 1v1’s and rarely will I lose a 1vX without being able to disengage.

A bit of extra damage vs a half decent bunker doesn’t matter but sending them flying off the node every 15 seconds is game changing.

A good Blast Gyro is regularly the standout moment of a solo/group fight when I/we take the advantage. It provides really significant moments which I don’t get with the Elixir Gun.

Most of what the Elixir Gun brings to the table right now are things that we actually don’t need any more of… damage, healing and mobility are fine and condi clear is pretty decent.

Whereas Blast Gyro gives us the rifle knockback that we so badly need in this bunker meta.

I wouldn’t drop Slick Shoes for it either…

basz.6129:

Elixir gun retaliation too. You can have 20s of every 32s retaliation up, and that’s if you are lazy about it. It is such a powerful utility that I almost always plan my moves around node, around it. Plus all the other benefits listed above. EG is lyfe in pvp

Not to mention that you can swing an extra AoE heal off Acid Bomb and either Healing Turret or Mortar 5, or blast finish any other field you make with Mortar. Not like they’re all super useful, but. Y’know.

I did give Blast Gyro a try the other day, though I replaced Slick Shoes with it. I ended up really missing the AoE knockdown in group fights but it had its uses, especially hunting people down with the orb. I also used Battering Ram for a while before switching to Slick Shoes, and I have to say I like Blast more because the stun break is so crucial, and when Blast works it can be a game-changer. I’ll try later without EG, but I’m not sure I’ll get as much out of an inconsistent/situational knockdown (depending on terrain) as I get out of every EG skill.

I’ll report back though.

There’s also the possibility of just going full decap:
http://gw2skills.net/editor/?vdAQFASnUUB1ahVXBuoC0ehFLjiutf76Os6GmtSMZCgvD-TJxHABPXGIgHAQ47PAwFAAA

Considering how many bunker-heavy builds there are out there, I’ve found this to work pretty well.

But honestly, I can’t wait for this meta to change…