Guild Wars 2

Anyone already decided on what Ascended armor prefix to get?

I am torn between several combinations because since this is my main and the class I play 90% of the time I have well over 5 armor sets which I use depending on game type (wvw roaming, zerg, PVE, etc)

So let me ask you a somewhat different question:

Which prefix and rune set would you recommend in order to encompass and do well in most areas of PVP. I realise a single set will not excel in most, of not any but lets try to get the most optimal combination.

Keep in mind that since ascended accessories now are quite available, they can be interchanged to cope with most scenariors.

Here are what I have been thinking

Zerker armor + Runes of speed + zerker accessories —> PVE
Zerker armor + Runes of speed + PTV accessories --> zerg
Zerker armor + Runes of speed + Zerker/PTV (mix) accessories —-> Roaming

PTV armor + Soldier runes + zerker accessories —> PVE (sucks I know, don’t hurt me)
PTV armor + Soldier runes + Zerker/PTV accessories --> Zerg
PTV armor + Soldier runes + Zerker accessories —> Roam

Valk Armor Runes of Speed/Traveler/Soldier is also another alternative

What are your thoughts guardian community?
What set up would you recommend?
What setup have you already chosen for your guardian and for what game mode?

Hello! I have been thinking for a long time on this matter. I found out that, for me, the combination that works best is:
Divinity armor + Divinity runes + Divinity accessories
This is just my personal opinion, but i think you benefit from every single stat and it is the best all around option.

hope it helped!

pristo.6471:

Hello! I have been thinking for a long time on this matter. I found out that, for me, the combination that works best is:
Divinity armor + Divinity runes + Divinity accessories
This is just my personal opinion, but i think you benefit from every single stat and it is the best all around option.

hope it helped!

Divinity? you mean celestial?

For wvw

The only stuff i actually determined are celestial chest, legs and head. Those will be the first ones since they have better overall budget.

The only gear i ruled out (besides condition gear) are the rest of the celestials since they have poor effective budget. Im a bit reluctant towrds pvt so i will probably use clerics and valkyire in the rest of the gear since i have all sorts of accessories to tune my stats with.

Runes will probably be boon duration since they open up for more choices in gameplay ie, support, might stacking burst, healing etc. My fall back plan is ofc travelers but it kind of limits the builds imo. Boon duration is never wrong.

I’m getting Celestial first! Most people will probably just get zerker though.

But zerker is so boring though!

Combination of PVT and Valkyrie, though I’m worried about how expensive it’s going to be to get Soldier Insignias… :/

Berserker + Scholar runes set to go with my Berserker Trinkets and weapons =p

why rune of speed for pve?

Harbinger.8637:

I’m getting Celestial first! Most people will probably just get zerker though.

Celestial any good?

I play my Guard as an assaulter (JI + hammer for an initiate) so I need healing, some damage, vitality/toughness, crit/crit damage. Definitely celestial for the primary armor slots, and maybe for the secondary armor slots as well. But I play to eventually make full zerker, and some pvt/knights as well for tanking in wvw.

Hunter.4783:

But zerker is so boring though!

Actually, “I” don’t find Zerker to be boring at all out in WvW. I’m not sure how it is in the PvE romper room, but in WvW I think it is one of skill. The better the player I’m willing to bet Zerker could get boring. Those that are average, myself for example, running zerker gear while roaming keeps one on their toes…

Healaway to me is boring. Wait, that isn’t really fair. It is my go to build and style of play because I find it safer and more forgiving What I mean I guess is that it is a slower pace of playstyle whereas zerk/dps you have to down the person or they get away or reset…

Brutaly.6257:

For wvw

The only stuff i actually determined are celestial chest, legs and head. Those will be the first ones since they have better overall budget.

The only gear i ruled out (besides condition gear) are the rest of the celestials since they have poor effective budget. Im a bit reluctant towrds pvt so i will probably use clerics and valkyire in the rest of the gear since i have all sorts of accessories to tune my stats with.

Runes will probably be boon duration since they open up for more choices in gameplay ie, support, might stacking burst, healing etc. My fall back plan is ofc travelers but it kind of limits the builds imo. Boon duration is never wrong.

What about the possible changes to conditions or whatever that discussion was a while back? Not sure what the devs left off at but wondering if this could change at all?

oh mann. i’ve been thinking about this as well and it’s not easy. so to be honest, i’m going to wait until they release the patch and see what can be done lol. (okay, which is tomorrow. not really that bad lol).

Celestial on the big pieces might be an option for WvW to start with. and then i’m thinking.. maybe berserker on the shoulder/glove/boots and eventually a full set for fractals, etc.

for WvW, maybe a few PVT pieces as well. will really have to see. maybe can mix in valkyrie as well.

Oh ya, and you wanna know the best part? There are no soldier insignia on sale as of right now. So getting 6 of em should be fun

yay!

Aza.2105:

Harbinger.8637:

I’m getting Celestial first! Most people will probably just get zerker though.

Celestial any good?

Celestial is fine. The problem is people go full celestial and that’s bad.

Why is full celestial bad and why wouldn’t anyone go full Knights?

VidGhost.3215:

Why is full celestial bad and why wouldn’t anyone go full Knights?

You can get SO MUCH MORE out of your gear than what full celestial provides. Use it on accessories or select armor pieces as a base, that makes sense. Use it on everything and you have low power, low precision, mediocre armor, mediocre vitality, and halfway decent heal power. Only saving grace is the sky-high crit damage, which you can’t even properly utilize.

Edit: the same goes for full cleric’s and knight’s. Really unoptimized gear.

VidGhost.3215:

Why is full celestial bad

And some pieces (Trinkets in particular) makes you loose out on effective stats as well due to “miscalculated” item budget.

So basically dont use celestial trinkets since you can get better effective stats without them when mixing other geartypes.

Im starting to lean on Boon duration runes for an “overall” setup….that or travelers….

Also what will make or break it will be the crit % distribution on armor, if it follows the same pattern as trinkets, the choice will be simple.

I want to go full celestial so bad. It just seems only right for a guardian. Even the condition damage doesn’t go completely to waste with VoJ.

It’s too bad too. I really want it to work, but it just doesn’t. I haven’t seen the ascended stats though, not that they would make it viable.

For pve I’d definitely agree that celestial is bad. However in wvw it provides defenses against both condis and power.

I’ve got a mixed set up so I’m not sure what I’ll get first. I guess Celestial since that’s my chest.

Ascended Berserker Shoulders look to have an extra +1 Crit now Vs other armor parts that get no Crit increase. Are you going for a mix and match set of ascended armor? I’m thinking moving to something like this -

Helm (Knight) Toughness/Power/Precision or (Soldier) Power/Toughness/Vitality
Shoulders (Berserker) Power/Prec/Crit
Chest (Knight) Toughness/Power/Precision or (Soldier) Power/Toughness/Vitality
Gloves (Berserker) Power/Precision/Critical Damage
Leggins (Knight) Toughness/Power/Precision or (Soldier) Power/Toughness/Vitality
Boots (Berserker) Power/Prec/Crit

hmm interesting. not in game now.

has anyone put out a guide yet? with full recipe as well as stat spread? or have that information on hand? : )))

@Vid – i personally prefer the PVT mix Zerker set. i like having power the highest stat on my armor (for my playstyle). gives better balance as well i feel.

akamon.. yeah i’m thinking PVT is the way to go also for the Power stat alone.

yea, for WvW, a couple PVT don’t hurt i feel. they work for my builds. though i’ve been liking valkyrie a lot as well lately… XDDD

just saw the mat list. so it doesn’t seem TOO too bad. but it’ll be another full month before anyone gets a full set. will probs work on zerker shoulders, gloves and feet first. and then maybe soldier’s later main pieces later. : ))

but again, will wait until i see a full list of stats. ideally the build sites get updated soon so we can mess around a bit! XDDD

i have a hard time not using travelers for almost any build (other than when the zerk/scholar set makes more sense).

Just crafted my first pieces of celestials and those sigils are really expensive.

Having different geartypes in different slots gonna take forever for me.

I’ll be going for a full berserker set. Have fun crafting, everyone.

For WWW,

I’m finding less of a need to run any gear that has toughness as a stat lately. With all the damage negation at our fingertips its really no need.

Brutaly.6257:

VidGhost.3215:

Why is full celestial bad

And some pieces (Trinkets in particular) makes you loose out on effective stats as well due to “miscalculated” item budget.

So basically dont use celestial trinkets since you can get better effective stats without them when mixing other geartypes.

Hate asking this but since you, and I’m guessing others, are in similar boats of having multiple gear sets; is there a “best practice” in regards to which slot uses Celestial vs. those that don’t?

After reading this it seems that holds true to any gear set. 3 of the 6 armor sets have better stat distribution or spread compared to the other 3 and accessories follow suit? Maybe I’ve been going about it wrong then because I typically have the same armor for knights/cleric and carrion whereas my dps is invader/zerk mix with zerk accessories.

Well, learn something knew every day.

When I have time and I get the stats on the ascended versions I plan on mathing it to figure out which slots are the best.

Blasino.3128:

When I have time and I get the stats on the ascended versions I plan on mathing it to figure out which slots are the best.

Berserker -sholders, gloves and boots and Celestial – helm, chest, and leggings look to give good overall stats with allot of DPS and max +Crit damage. Unless someone can stat otherwise? … i still cant see any change to the +Crit on Exotic VS Ascended.

Did Anet Nerf berserker ascended by leaving out any +Crit increase