Guild Wars 2

I was wondering if with the recent changes there are any builds using Spirit Weapons that are actually valid/worth using? They always seemed like a cool idea but a massive wasted opportunity.

They could have been something really cool & unique, but in my experience they seem completely worthless. An entire set of traits & skills that there is literally no reason to use. The could be totally removed & make no difference to the Guardian overall.

I feel that, like the shield, the Spirit Weapons need a complete re-work to be something completely different. They need to be something unique, fun & valid. What do you guys think?

There’s currently some cheesy guardian build for dungeons that runs concentrations and a summoned sword. Probably going to get nerfed into the ground, though.

Sword of Justice is just extra damage; it’s not really integral to the build. With the Symbolic Avenger bug, you kill things before they can deal any significant damage. As a result, you don’t really need support utilities, so the utility skills which offer the most damage are chosen (Bane Signet, Sword of Justice).

But the answer is “no” for general use. Shield of the Avenger is good for PvE fights involving projectiles. Sword of Justice is something to take if you don’t need support utilities and there isn’t a lot of AoE damage to kill it. Other than that, spirit weapons aren’t useful.

Technically speaking Spirits are everything you ever wanted in a utility line. Offers healing, condi cleanse, CC, damage, conditions, stunbreak. In practice yes those things are great but not for 5s every 40-50s

I love running them but you just really cant make them survive.. they are like 4 ghostly blue Logan Thackeray’s Having to be in the front line but not having what they need to actually survive there. Since they follow you, even the bow and shield get downed PDQ in any sort of AoE environment.

hat being said this patch was sort of a buff to spirit weapon builds and here is why.. Before patch you needed a 6/4/0/0/6 to get all your needed traits. (which was impossible btw) I ended up with a 6/2/0/0/6 most of the time.. Now with a lot of traits rolled baseline you can run into only 1 line for all your traits and keep 2 lines open for other things. Here is how it works. A spirit weapon build is really like playing two builds.

What you do when your weapons are up and what to do when they are not.. which means you need the other 2 lines to support your horrible life choices. Until they find a way to make them viable where they have to sustain where they have to function I dont see them being used

After hearing this, i’m not sure how Guardian is “in a good place”. They have an entire set of traits & skills that are useless.

I figured after 3 years they’d make the skill at least worth using.

No.

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Been suggesting since launch that they make them more like a mix between warrior banners & ranger spirits.

By that I mean they are invulnerable, immobile & have 100% up time when traited into.
You place them in a spot to grant all allies nearby a static stat boost.
Then they can be commanded to grant the guardian a special effect on their next attack.

Sword could grant + precision & command could be for the guardians next attack to inflict X stacks of bleeding for Y seconds.

Hammer could grant + power & command could be for the guardians next attack to inflict a knock down.

Shield could grant + vitality and the command could be to create a projectile absorbing bubble which moves with the guardian.

Bow could grant + healing and command could cause the guardian to radiate healing & condition removal for X seconds.

Ragnar the Rock.3174:

Been suggesting since launch that they make them more like a mix between warrior banners & ranger spirits.

By that I mean they are invulnerable, immobile & have 100% up time when traited into.
You place them in a spot to grant all allies nearby a static stat boost.
Then they can be commanded to grant the guardian a special effect on their next attack.

Definitely don’t want that. Static buff items are boring. Seems like there is so much more potential with these weapons to make them interesting. I’m not sure I understand how they think they are fine.

DarksunG.9537:

After hearing this, i’m not sure how Guardian is “in a good place”. They have an entire set of traits & skills that are useless.

I figured after 3 years they’d make the skill at least worth using.

Its a problem common with all summoned objects. The only reason its not considered a problem on the Mesmer is how they are used as ammo for Shatters. Take away the shatters, and the problems with those skills become painfully obvious.

Below someone suggested making them like banners… but I agree that’s not very exciting at all. If the Reverent isn’t getting Weapon spells, I would suggest making those the Active effect of the summons, and changing the overall mechanics to make them more durable overall.

starlinvf.1358:

DarksunG.9537:

After hearing this, i’m not sure how Guardian is “in a good place”. They have an entire set of traits & skills that are useless.

I figured after 3 years they’d make the skill at least worth using.

Its a problem common with all summoned objects. The only reason its not considered a problem on the Mesmer is how they are used as ammo for Shatters. Take away the shatters, and the problems with those skills become painfully obvious.

Below someone suggested making them like banners… but I agree that’s not very exciting at all. If the Reverent isn’t getting Weapon spells, I would suggest making those the Active effect of the summons, and changing the overall mechanics to make them more durable overall.

Its doubtful that will happen though.

At launch they were invulnerable but did horribly low damage.
Even then people cried wha wha its invulnerable.

If they wanted them more durable they could have easily made them so any time in the last 2 years but they haven’t.