Guild Wars 2

I usually play the AH build, but am getting bored with it and looking to change it up some. Any advice on a pure dps build for the guardian? Also, what would be the best weapons to use?

What game mode do you play? The standard DPS weapons are Sword or Greatsword but the traitlines will vary between PvE, PvP or WvW.

Key damage bonuses come from 10 in Zeal for trait II +10% damage on burning targets, and 25 in Radiance for + 10% damage to targets who have a condition. Zeal trait VII is the +5% damage w/ GS while Radiance X is the +5% damage with Sword. The only other easy access trait is Virtue 10 trait I which gives a 20% bonus while Aegis is up which can fill a niche for scepter dps, or be used for extra bursts if you know you won’t be hit.

You forgot to mention Elusive Power (Honor 25), which gives you another 10% boost as long as your endurance is not full. So most DPS builds are centered around 10/25/0/25/0, with the remaining 10 points to be put wherever you want.

I was in the exact same situation as you OP and after many experimental builds I’ve settled on 10/25/0/10/25. This equals to 10% damage against burning foes, +10% against foes with conditions, +20% if your aegis is up and finally +X% depending on how many unique boons you have (1% per boon). Even though elusive power (Honor 25) is tempting, I found it funnily enough too annoying to dodge all the time in melee as the endurance bar fills up surprisingly quick with 100% vigor whilst the continuous dodging eats into your DPS.

+20% damage is a huge boost which is why I think unscathed contender (Virtue 10) is worth it just for the burst, you’ll also be pretty surprised at how long you can keep it up if you go ranged as well as combining it with focus 5/blinds to ensure aegis is up for even longer, plus you have multiple ways to reapply it if it is removed (retreat, VoC, renewed focus). As a guardian you’ll have plenty of boons which justifies going 25 into virtues whilst having the benefit of have a 25%boon duration too. Using this set you’ll have at least 2 boons going pretty much at all times with might (VoJ) and vigor (honor 5) with retaliation and aegis also being up fairly frequently boosting damage to 4%. Combine this with “Save yourselves” and you’ve got a pretty decent burst of +7% damage on top of all the other damage multipliers.

The weapons I use are the scepter and focus (range) + greatsword (AOE). To get even more damage out you could take 5 from honor and put it into radiance to get the +15% crit trait and take the sword over great sword (traiting for +5% sword damage) but I personally prefer the AOE potential of the greatsword.

And finally, if you ever do fractals this build gives immense flexibility with traiting, allowing you to boost spirit weapons (eg. Shield of avenger) conjured time by 50%/reducing cool down by 20% as well as the option for traiting for consecrations when projectile defense is needed or taking the improved virtue of resolve trait instead for increased regen and condition removal.

This was just what I settled on, all the previous builds are valid and provide their own pro’s and cons so I guess it’s up to what you feel most comfortable playing with

what gear stats are you guys using?

I like knights for my support build, focusing on stacking might with crits, and my dps is acceptable in my group, but i could see Zerks being a lot better

Also I found using for zealots flame to be effective as an extra burn and a quick spike

PvE, WvW or PvP?
The pvp builds are very, very different.

Elusive Power doesn’t actually add any damage. Due to Vigorous Precision, guardians always have vigor, so one dodge only take 5 seconds to regenerate. That means you’re dodging for one second to get +10% DPS for 4, which means you’re actually losing 12% DPS overall.

That said, in general you will want Empowering Might (for group DPS, not just your own) and/or Writ of Persistence anyway, so Elusive Power ends up being sort of a freebie.

If you are going for PvE, Use Gs with what ever you feel is best of your other slot. i run Zerker on all my armor and 4/6 of my accessories with the other 2 being soldiers, I also run Superior runes of the wurm. Traits are|
Zeal-20- using II/VII
Radiance-0-
Valor-10- using V
Honor-20- using VI/XI or I/XI
Virtures-20- using Vi/III
All of the consecration are usefull i always keep sanctuary to res players, Hallowed ground also is normally always sloted due to it also being a Fire combo feild. Wall of reflection and Purging Flames come and go depending on location/fights.
i don’t use any foods or anything and i crit for 10-11k when bloodlust or might is stacked.

best Dps can only be obtained by not downing. Also anything single target build(Sword) you will almost be using in any dungeon untill a boss fight.