Guild Wars 2

So, I’ve been running Sword/Shield main set with Scepter/Focus offset as my general build. I’m having a bit of trouble deciding between trait setup. I mostly do WvW and do run some dungeons. I currently run a Rad20/Val30/Vir20 build as seen here.

My question comes down to my choice of “Stand Your Ground!” where with some adjustments, I could potentially take something like “Save Yourselves!” if I move some trait points from Radiance to Virtues and take the Indomitable Courage trait. This would give me a way to retain the Stability boon. The example build can be seen here.

So the trade-off would be the DPS loss of Renewed Justice and Powerful Blades for the DPS gain of Power of the Virtuous and “Save Yourselves!”. I’m unsure of what the difference in DPS would be, or if it would really be worth it. Any thoughts?

My experience in WvW says that “Stand Your Ground” is a superior choice to “Save Yourselves”. In dungeon content, it depends on the fight, but I tend to run “Stand Your Ground” there, too.

“Stand Your Ground” is far superior for any group effort. If you want easy proof, go fight the Claw of Jormag. When he casts his Fear, hit “Stand Your Ground” and watch with satisfaction as your entire screen turns around to.attack again.

That said. Traits are locked while you’re out and about but remember that you can swap Skills at any time out of combat. When you know Stability won’t be needed in.an.upcoming fight, replaced it with something more useful to the encounter. You only have three Skill slots. You should make each of them count.

Thanks for the responses. In my haste, I failed to realize that the trait to make Virtue of Courage provide Stability was giving me 3 seconds of Stability on a 70 second CD, so it’s not very useful at all compared to SYG.

I switch between both. Its usually depends if im in a party and playing with other people and how supportive i want too be to other allies.

- Save Yourselves -

• 10 Boons, 10 sec.
• Extra 20% crit
• -33% dmg
• Swiftness.

Not to mention the others but even these make the skill worth it. Someone just outside the reach of your blade? Pop Save Yourselves and you’ll catch up, get some good crits, and most likely he wont be able to dmg you much back at all.

- Stand Your Ground -

• Stability (The one boon that Save yourselves doesnt give lol)

I really shouldnt need to mention anything thing besides this. Stability is one of the most clutch moment boons EVAR. Pop it right before you Stomp someone (or you allies stomp someone). About to take on a 2v1? Pop Stand Your Ground to get in some much needed DPS before they start to CC you or use it to give you the time you’d need to run away without being trapped.

Both viable skill that each have their respective merits about them, but both as well are more useful then the other depending on the situation. But you cant switch in combat so you’ll have to make that call beforehand. Test it out for yourself!

-Tzenjin

I’d like to reiterate my point about not being locked into skills anyway.

Stability is an awesome boon. When it’s needed. Same with pretty much any other boon of course. Situationally however, some boons may be as useful as an appendix.

Take a look at -just as an example- Caudecus’ Manor, Story Mode. Fighting the Golem or the Door Guard, there is absolutely no need for Stability, and since they both tend to ‘spin to win’, even Retaliation is of dubious help. “Stand Your Ground” is plain not useful in those fights. On the other hand, when you come upon the dogs who do chain Fear and Knockdown, Stability is practically a must-have.