Guild Wars 2

5/5/04/0

The Idea is 10% more damage from symbols and Symbols last longer.

Would this for Main hand hammer damage be more than other hammer damage builds?

Ive done testing and it seems like more damage to me.

If you increase the damage of Symbols and it’s duration, you increase the damage of the auto-attack, of course.
Then, if you’re a dps or hybrid build, that build can be good. But you’ve not condition clean (if you don’t play meditations) and no passive healing ability (only the bad virtue and 230 hp by dodge). You can still be good in dungeon, when you don’t need all that healing, and you can fight longer whit your perma Protection.

Faux.1937:

5/5/04/0

The Idea is 10% more damage from symbols and Symbols last longer.

Would this for Main hand hammer damage be more than other hammer damage builds?

Ive done testing and it seems like more damage to me.

Well 5/5/0/4/0 is pretty much the best DPS build for a Hammer/GS or a Hammer camping build.

If you were thinking of comparing it to a 3/5/0/4/2 build with UC, then you need aegis about 50% of the time to get higher dps than a 5/5/0/4/0 build. Personally, i prefer 3/5/0/4/2 build for my hammer since I only use my hammer in Fractals where i need MoC. But ya when you don’t need MoC 5/5/0/4/0 is usually a better choice since UC rarely proc 50%+ of the time, especially during harder fight.

So basically, what Thad said. 5/5/0/4/0 for most dps, 3/5/0/4/2 for support, or even 3/3/0/4/4 for most support, although that is usually too much. Hammer is nice for its ease of use and benefits it gives. It’s why I use it.

Here are some dps comparison numbers. Hammer has the potential to be highest but breaking up hammer chains from dodging or messing up means you will lose a fair amount of damage since a lot of the dps comes from the symbol and it will less than non hammer builds which don’t suffer that issue. Camping hammer leads to like 10% or less dps than doing rotations with GS which isn’t bad. Use 5/5/0/4/0 when there isn’t much/any thing to reflect and use 3/5/0/4/2 when reflects are needed.

5/5/0/4/0-GS-Hammer – 11029
6/6/0/0/2-GS-Scepter – 10871
4/6/2/0/2-GS-Sword – 10797
4/5/0/0/5-GS-Sword – 10515
3/5/0/4/2-GS-Hammer – 10146
5/5/2/0/2-GS Camping – 9417
3/5/0/4/2-Hammer Camping– 9338
4/6/2/0/2-Sword/Focus Camping – 7530
3/5/0/6/0-Staff Camping – 7391

obal.3218:

Here are some dps comparison numbers. Hammer has the potential to be highest but breaking up hammer chains from dodging or messing up means you will lose a fair amount of damage since a lot of the dps comes from the symbol and it will less than non hammer builds which don’t suffer that issue. Camping hammer leads to like 10% or less dps than doing rotations with GS which isn’t bad. Use 5/5/0/4/0 when there isn’t much/any thing to reflect and use 3/5/0/4/2 when reflects are needed.

5/5/0/4/0-GS-Hammer – 11029
6/6/0/0/2-GS-Scepter – 10871
4/6/2/0/2-GS-Sword – 10797
4/5/0/0/5-GS-Sword – 10515
3/5/0/4/2-GS-Hammer – 10146
5/5/2/0/2-GS Camping – 9417
3/5/0/4/2-Hammer Camping– 9338
4/6/2/0/2-Sword/Focus Camping – 7530
3/5/0/6/0-Staff Camping – 7391

Out of curiosity, do you have the numbers for 33044 hammer camping? I figure it’s a little over 10% loss as you lose the 10% modifier. So, little under 8.5k?

Jerus.4350:

Out of curiosity, do you have the numbers for 33044 hammer camping? I figure it’s a little over 10% loss as you lose the 10% modifier. So, little under 8.5k?

It would a bit more than just 10% less dps since you would also lost burning duration, 100 precision and 100 condi dmg. Also keep in mind that Damage modifiers multiply each other and are not only added. So the lost of the 10% from radiance would be more like 12-13% dps lost. So I think that a 3/3/0/4/4 build would be more like a 15-16% lost of dps overall. Lets say 14% just to be sure and you get about 8k dps at most, but probably more between 7.5-7.8k DPS. Which is still a little bit better than a staff camping build, which say alot.

Its not a really good build, but if you are full zerker, scholar runes, the right sigils, use food and nourishment, etc. You probably still have more DPS than a lot of ppl. Its even WAY better than all those cleric, knight, soldier or AH guardian out there.

Thaddeus.4891:

Jerus.4350:

Out of curiosity, do you have the numbers for 33044 hammer camping? I figure it’s a little over 10% loss as you lose the 10% modifier. So, little under 8.5k?

It would a bit more than just 10% less dps since you would also lost burning duration, 100 precision and 100 condi dmg. Also keep in mind that Damage modifiers multiply each other and are not only added. So the lost of the 10% from radiance would be more like 12-13% dps lost. So I think that a 3/3/0/4/4 build would be more like a 15-16% lost of dps overall. Lets say 14% just to be sure and you get about 8k dps at most, but probably more between 7.5-7.8k DPS. Which is still a little bit better than a staff camping build, which say alot.

Its not a really good build, but if you are full zerker, scholar runes, the right sigils, use food and nourishment, etc. You probably still have more DPS than a lot of ppl. Its even WAY better than all those cleric, knight, soldier or AH guardian out there.

Read what I said again “a little over 10%” hehe. But thanks for some of the other points. about the burning though, if someone is already covering burning (staff ele?) such that mine isn’t ticking that’s a non issue isn’kitten I’m right thinking that only the highest condi damage burning will tick at any given time, then the lower one would take over once the previous is over?

And yeah, I realize it’s not optimal, but my general groups with my guild aren’t optimal, and I’m ok with that. Some dungeons I run 55040 some I run 35042 and some I run 33044 depending on what best suites my groups needs. It’s far easier to make changes myself than get them to change. In many ways I’m a dirty casual PHIW guy, but doesn’t mean I don’t care about doing it the best I can. I’ll leave the optimization and full meta setups for when I want to see just how fast we can do something.

And just an example of where I like absolute resolution (what I take when I run that) is ACp1. If my team plays dumb and doesn’t dodge and gets confusion they’re often dead before my purging flames hits them. So an instant absolute resolution saves them and we win the fight in what? 1s more? not a big concern to me.

Jerus.4350:

obal.3218:

Here are some dps comparison numbers. Hammer has the potential to be highest but breaking up hammer chains from dodging or messing up means you will lose a fair amount of damage since a lot of the dps comes from the symbol and it will less than non hammer builds which don’t suffer that issue. Camping hammer leads to like 10% or less dps than doing rotations with GS which isn’t bad. Use 5/5/0/4/0 when there isn’t much/any thing to reflect and use 3/5/0/4/2 when reflects are needed.

5/5/0/4/0-GS-Hammer – 11029
6/6/0/0/2-GS-Scepter – 10871
4/6/2/0/2-GS-Sword – 10797
4/5/0/0/5-GS-Sword – 10515
3/5/0/4/2-GS-Hammer – 10146
5/5/2/0/2-GS Camping – 9417
3/5/0/4/2-Hammer Camping– 9338
4/6/2/0/2-Sword/Focus Camping – 7530
3/5/0/6/0-Staff Camping – 7391

Out of curiosity, do you have the numbers for 33044 hammer camping? I figure it’s a little over 10% loss as you lose the 10% modifier. So, little under 8.5k?

Those were some older numbers I had just to give a general comparison. Here are newer ones with just hammer. You would lose 3-10% dps across hammer builds by camping hammer if you have writ (5 in zeal would be very little given the symbol trait). You can see that 3/3/0/4/4 really isn’t worth running. It was ok for a few dungeon paths where conditions were actually a problem before the purging flame buff. After the purging flame buff it became obsolete. It’s pretty close to staff if you camp hammer.

No stacks, Spotter, or UC
Traits Equip Sigil1 Sigil2 Food Util EP DPS
5/5/0/4/0 GS Ham Mix-Sch Night Force CB Potion 18018 10331
5/5/0/4/0 Ham Mix-Sch Night Force CB Potion 18018 10016
5/5/2/0/2 GS Ham Mix-Sch Night Force CB Potion 18905 9794
3/5/0/4/2 GS Ham Mix-Sch Night Force TS Potion 15165 9493
4/5/0/0/5 GS Ham Mix-Sch Night Force CB Potion 16805 9442
3/3/0/4/4 GS Ham Sin-Sch Night Force TS Potion 13404 8452

Appreciate it Obal. Lets just leave it at, I feel like I need it in some situations so I use it, and I’m looking more at knowing the opportunity costs of the choices I’m making more than looking for reaffirming that it’s not optimal If my group was more optimized I’d probably be running GS + S/F anyways, though I do like bludgeoning things with a hammer. So 1k or ~11% loss, thanks.

I apologize if I come off a little rude on that topic but really I run with the same group of guys, and I’ve tried running the same parts of dungeons with and without things enough to know where I want them and where I don’t for that specific group. I’m really utilizing that new change with traits to maximize my efforts by swapping things on and off as I need them. My buddies seem to chronically have cripple or poison on them, sometimes in places I didn’t know you could even get those conditions So I just look for ways I can maximize while covering the butts of the people I play with.

But your post does remind me of another question I’ve been meaning to ask you masters of the profession.

Assassins vs Berserker.

I’ve noticed with zerk gear my guard is well below the 65% crit chance goal for 100% buffed crit chance. If I went full Assassin that’s 64% according to GW2skills with what I generally run.

Doing just the head/chest/legs I did on my mesmer(his exo of course) I’d be at 63% with a little higher power.

What are your thoughts/suggestions on that topic?

Having a mix of assassin and berserker is good for hammer. For RHS builds pure berserker is the way to go and with gs/sword builds without RHS it was nearly the same from what I remember which is why I favor berserker gear since that’s mostly what you should be running. If you are running hammer mostly you might want to look into the mix though. If you want to be overwhelmed then check out the link

http://www.dtguilds.com/forum/m/6563292/viewthread/12646847-guardian-dps-build-theory-by-obal-dekeyz

Overwhelmed with math is fun. Or, at least it will be once this headache is gone Thanks as always Obal.

Jerus.4350:

Appreciate it Obal. Lets just leave it at, I feel like I need it in some situations so I use it, and I’m looking more at knowing the opportunity costs of the choices I’m making more than looking for reaffirming that it’s not optimal If my group was more optimized I’d probably be running GS + S/F anyways, though I do like bludgeoning things with a hammer. So 1k or ~11% loss, thanks.

I apologize if I come off a little rude on that topic but really I run with the same group of guys, and I’ve tried running the same parts of dungeons with and without things enough to know where I want them and where I don’t for that specific group. I’m really utilizing that new change with traits to maximize my efforts by swapping things on and off as I need them. My buddies seem to chronically have cripple or poison on them, sometimes in places I didn’t know you could even get those conditions So I just look for ways I can maximize while covering the butts of the people I play with.

But your post does remind me of another question I’ve been meaning to ask you masters of the profession.

Assassins vs Berserker.

I’ve noticed with zerk gear my guard is well below the 65% crit chance goal for 100% buffed crit chance. If I went full Assassin that’s 64% according to GW2skills with what I generally run.

Doing just the head/chest/legs I did on my mesmer(his exo of course) I’d be at 63% with a little higher power.

What are your thoughts/suggestions on that topic?

Hey your not rude man. At this point you are still doing more dmg than a lot of ppl in pugs so don’t worry. There is a huge difference between someone trying to do his best while taking a bunch of stuff that he know is less good, but give him a easier run when playing with friends compare to someone bringing whatever he wants and arguing that healing and toughness is good and that zerker meta is kitten. Its a game afterall.

Anyway, from what I see, i would rather take you in my pugs party than more pugs i get. I have a guildmate that bring celestial gear on his guardian, but I still enjoy playing with him.