I run a build similar to yours and I’m getting good results.
1vX is really just a matter of outlasting until your team comes to help you out. When I queue on my own I can get focused down really quick if the players are somewhat competent, but if I queue with a guildie who’s quick to help me out, things are widely better. So when you’re on your own, don’t expect to win a fight. The best you can do is not lose it.
Okay, with that out of the way, let’s move on to your build:
First of all use Shelter. There’s virtually no reason to use Signet of Resolve instead, in a Bunker build. Block incoming attacks during the cast time is just that good.
And maybe you’re using the Signet because you don’t have Purity, but I’d sooner drop Strength in Numbers than Purity. Picking up the extra damage and healing for the Mace isn’t a bad thing.
If you want inspiration, here is my build.
On to playstyle:
As I said above, your goal (when alone) is not to win fights, it’s to not lose them. In 1v1 this should be relatively easy (although some professions will still be able to give you a hard time) and 1v2 should be doable. Against players that aren’t too awesome 1v3 is manageable for a minute or so. In team fights, you should still focus on keeping yourself alive. Each ability you use for yourself will help the other members of your team, so if you’re just starting out don’t think too much about using your skills specifically to help them.
I’ll give a breakdown on how to use each skill in your build so you know how to use them (excluding auto-attacks because those are just filler).
Weapon Skills:
Symbol of Faith: Use this to generally increase your sustainability. The main use (for you) is the healing it gives. The damage is mostly incidental. It has a slow cast time, so try to only use it when you’re not being focuses down (yet) or to bait an interrupt.
Protector’s Strike: This is a pretty versatile skill, but most of the time you’re going to use it to block melee attacks. This does fair damage, so try to land the counterattack. I believe it does block ranged attacks, but try to use it to block big melee blows.
Ray of Judgment: Blinds are pretty powerful, but can be unreliable. Use it when you think your enemy is winding up a big attack. Try to be close to that enemy to get the most out of the effect (the cleanse and the regeneration). The tracking can be unreliable as well, so don’t count on anything but the blind and the cleanse.
Shield of Wrath: Most of the time you’re going to use it to block attacks. It’s especially useful if you want to do things that need to get through, such as stomping or ressing, or occasionally when you really need the heal of Empower.
Orb of Light: Pretty useless. You can use it to harass ranged enemies before they reach you or in a pinch you can explode for the heal or some burst. Be sure to have an enemy targeted when you use it, because it has a tendency to float towards the ground when you don’t have a target.
Symbol of Swiftness: The most important use of this Symbol is using it before the match starts. Try timing it so everyone on your team has the maximum duration. This will make a difference, especially if the other team can’t do it for whatever reason. Other uses are: tagging players running towards you so they start moving slower already, giving boons for Altruistic Healing, or incidental damage. My favorite use is probably to start stacking swiftness approximately 4 seconds before I cap a point if I know I have to move on to a different point right after the cap. (For example when capping Far but needing to go help at Mid asap.)
Empower: This skill is critical. Even when you’re on your own the heal is very meaningful and with allies near it becomes a whole lot better. It’s not as good a skill to use when you’re already low (you can die while channeling it) so try to use it when you’re about half your health. Empower is a key interrupt target. Sometimes you need to land it (because your other means of healing are on cooldown) and in those cases it might be worth casting Stand Your Ground before (or during) Empower.
Line of Warding: Very useful. Despite it being very visible, people still run into it all the time. At it worst, it forces the opponent to use Stability or some other movement skill and it best it knocks an enemy down and interrupts a skill. Before the fight begins, I use it to slow the approach of opponents. During the fight, I put it in the middle of the point (works best for small points). You can also place it on a player trying to ress someone so they get interrupted.
“Come on, hit me!”
