Guild Wars 2

I know this will probably be met with a large amount of opposition, but I just don’t like DH. Prior to HoT, Guardian was my favorite class in any MMO. I honestly thought it was perfectly balanced and great to have along in any content. I feel like DH turned us into something completely different than the design philosophy of the core class, and the power creep has made taking DH become pretty much expected of all Guardians.

So how have I dealt with this? I still main core Guardian. I play a shout support build for most PVE and zerg WvW and meditate build for sPvP and small group WvW (though I hardly sPvP anymore). I am still having a lot of success having cleared all Fractals 1-100 (quite easily). However, every now and then I run across players who freak out when they don’t see the little arrowhead next to my name.

I guess I am just wondering if any of you other Guardians feel the same way or have had similar experiences. Don’t get me wrong. I know DH is great and that a lot of folks love it. It just isn’t for me.

I run a core bunker build. Its weaknesses are good Revenants and good Necros with the right builds.

Currently running this one:

http://gw2skills.net/editor/?vVAQRAse5dnkICVDhtDBGDB8DhjGiKvC1X+hLgIYEuD7CEAA-TJxGABgs/AAPBA7LDQwJBAA

Why the Rune? Extra protection.

I run for fun. And made a video last week if u wanma watch

https://forum-en.gw2archive.eu/external?l=https%3A%2F%2Fyoutu.be%2FN-wxjJz1Vwo

I don’t run core guard anymore but I can understand the sentiment. With DH we lost the support part of our class entirely in PvE. It’s now a pure dps class. Don’t get me wrong, I’m happy we got a meta spot and that we’re no longer mindlessly pressing 1 on hammer, but guardian used to be so much more than just dps. Part of the class identity is definitely gone. Also traps rly just aren’t interesting skills imo.

At least the right weapons finally improved to a spot where you actually have a rotation. At the start of HoT with rev doing literally everything better, and the first half of 2016 where you were basically forced into an afk hammer auto build were way worse.

My second guardian is pure core and I like it that way: I honestly only made the first one because of the longbow we got, but that’s it.

I switched back as soon as base virtues were buffed back into viability in PvP. I can’t stand DH.

Personally, I have always looked at the DH elite spec with disgust, a great disappointment in terms of both lore as well as actual game-play. As an active PvPer, the trap-builds that were initially popular only further added to my dislike for the spec.

While I do run a DH build in PvP that doesn’t primarily focus on using traps, I do cherish playing my core guardian in fractals still. Using virtues over DH may not push for the highest possible DPS, but reflects and stability still go a long way in that kind of content. My friends don’t mind… or don’t dare triggering me over it

Core hybrid, I don’t like DH at all.

Hammer, Mace & Shield core guard. Eternal protection, situational reflect, aegis up the wazoo and heaps of stability, carried more pugs through fractals than I can count.

I currently play core Guardian for everything but raids, and even in raids I use core for W1 and W2. I use a burn build because it can pull 20k in a raid setting which is passable and for fractals it still provides a ton of support with resolve, courage, purging flames and torch 5 coming out once in a while. The problem with the build arises when the spirit weapons are down and the DPS drops from pretty awesome to trash (the 20k is the fight average, lose probably 6k DPS when weapons drop).

I have a core frontliner build for WVW but since I bought HOT, the dream of having my guardian use a LB was too strong. I am playing DH for every mode now, but I have the gear set-up for frontliner to swap. For now, the flavor of DH isn’t going away any time soon. If I could use a bow outside of the elite spec I would. It makes it so much easier now especially tagging in metas and more fun in fights having a power 2h range options.

Not presently, but I have been seriously considering it. I’ve been stepping away from traps over time, there are viable alternatives to longbow for ranged, and the instant-activation core virtues do have their advantages. At the moment, I think the extra damage from having one trap on your bar, the stronger healing from Wings of Resolve, and the block from Shield of Courage is still worth it, but I could see myself going back if…

…wow, I didn’t realise Virtue of Courage had been buffed to a 45s recharge. That really IS tempting if you back it with the appropriate traits.

Well i like to think i play a upgraded version of core, since i only use the DH for the virtues and the trait that removes conditions on blocks(only reason i bought hot…).

Still playing it based on the old mace shield guard, never liked trap nor bow.

I’d just like to say my core bunker Guardian build is amazing, I’ve been playing with it for two months now and haven’t flinched since. Just make sure you save your condi cleanses or else you’ll have trouble surviving.

Not a fan of DH so yes, I run core guardian. I have two of them in fact, one norn and one asura.

I run it on my alt, partially because I don’t want to buy my inactive gf HoT :p

You can run core in EU! Hey you can run shirtless play with maybe a build from 4 years ago and still be fine. Have fun in North America. Not happening unless you are targeting brand new players, people that never duel before, or zerg players that use the mouse to click. Or you can play a burn guard but that one trick pony can be countered easily after the first encounter.

Still playing Unscathed Contender build when soloing quests.
Still play Core Guard in sPvP from time to time too.

After getting F2 interrupted and dodge traps at high level. I did switch my symbol marauder build from DH to Virtues (standard trait selection, with aegis burst).

https://metabattle.com/wiki/Build:Dragonhunter_-_Symbolic

Mender to maurauder.
Speed to Lynx.

Sigil of 5% dam when impaired conditions, swap give cripples on scepter/focus, sword/shield.

It was fun to play, 1v1 sounds fine for the trash match-making (bronze vs mid tiers players +), mobility was great on lynx and sword 2.

Fun time.

Swap traps for other meditations.