Guild Wars 2

Even though the guardian was one of the first classes I ever made, it was the last one that I ever leveled up and started to play. There was always something that irked me a bit about the guardian, and I never could quite put my finger on it. I think I’ve figured out what is bothering me. Most of the guardians utilities are redundant.

I’m mostly a PVE player, so it is from this perspective. A lot of the tools that the guardian has are the same tools, but with slightly different things attached to them.

I’m going to use Sanctuary as an example. Sanctuary is an interesting consecration that I almost never use. If I want to stop projectiles, I already have wall of reflection to do it better. If I want to stop someone from moving, I already have ring of warding/line of warding to do it. If I want to heal, merciful intervention does that better. The end result being that I’m never going to run sanctuary.

Repeat with… most skills, really. I essentially have the same toolbox, whether I’m running shouts, meditations, or consecrations. Group Condition Cleanse? In Shouts, Consecrations, and Spirit Weapons. Additional Burning Damage? In everything but shouts. Group Stability? That’s in Shouts and Consecrations. Projectile destruction? Spirit weapons and Consecrations. Stun Breaks? So many I can barely count them. Movement skills? Shouts and meditations.

There are some “unique” things here and there. Meditations have shadowsteps are are largely selfish. Consecrations create fields. Spirit weapons are AI based and can tank a few hits, etc. Overall, it seems like the guardian is shoehorned into doing the same three things. Cleanses, Stun Breaks, and Blocks. You just have to decide whether you’ll be AoE, ground targeted, self-targeting, or an AI build.

Heck, even the traps are a bit bland right now. We have damage, damage and vulnerability, damage and immobility, damage if you move, and damage + aegis.