Guild Wars 2

So I’ve recently been messing around with new and different builds that stray from the typical 0/0/30/30/10 or what I run being 5/0/30/30/5 type of AH build for PvE. Most of the time it seems that the only viable setup for Guardian is tanky AH, but I think I might have thrown together a setup that gives Guardians a damage boost, but are able to still survive. Please give good feedback and not elite-est b.s. Thank you. http://gw2skills.net/editor/?fUEQRAse7elw1iDnGSIEg9Eh1DAeQ/VVIeXPgoEbIA-jAyAYrBRTRApPQ58iox2GKiGriBTdSEV7OY0qFCQ2CA-e or http://tinyurl.com/ozqwuth

It’ll work but it’s a super selfish spec. As long as you’re cool with that, go for it. Some changes though:

Use Shelter, not Dwayna. As long as you block a couple thousand damage you will have basically out healed Dwayna. Having a block skill is tremendously helpful. You can use it for all sorts of things, particularly as a last ditch to prevent big hits from bosses.

Your gear is too tanky. Roll with Valkyrie armor if you want some padding against conditions. I’d use Berserker trinkets as well. If you’re concerned about getting killed, run Judgement instead of Bane for the extra stunbreak plus 300 toughness worth of damage mitigation.

I’d also strongly consider moving away from Monks Focus and into Honor instead. The reason being, that Vigor trait is baller for keeping yourself alive. Constant vigor really helps. If you’re concerned about healing, you can do all kinds of things – 2x Vampire runes, Sigil of Blood, Omnomberry Pies, Leeching sigils, etc.

foofad.5162:

It’ll work but it’s a super selfish spec. As long as you’re cool with that, go for it. Some changes though:

Use Shelter, not Dwayna. As long as you block a couple thousand damage you will have basically out healed Dwayna. Having a block skill is tremendously helpful. You can use it for all sorts of things, particularly as a last ditch to prevent big hits from bosses.

Your gear is too tanky. Roll with Valkyrie armor if you want some padding against conditions. I’d use Berserker trinkets as well. If you’re concerned about getting killed, run Judgement instead of Bane for the extra stunbreak plus 300 toughness worth of damage mitigation.

I’d also strongly consider moving away from Monks Focus and into Honor instead. The reason being, that Vigor trait is baller for keeping yourself alive. Constant vigor really helps. If you’re concerned about healing, you can do all kinds of things – 2x Vampire runes, Sigil of Blood, Omnomberry Pies, Leeching sigils, etc.

Thank you, I completely see where you’re coming from and can totally reason with what you’re saying, the block from the heal is good and I agree. I can see why you would run zerker jewels for a bit more damage and I might try it. Not the biggest fan of Valkyrie though but I’m biased.

Well, the thing about Valkyrie is that it will always out damage Soldiers and Knights but it’s still a step down from Berserker. The trade off is condition damage resilience. That’s why I like it. In PvE I rarely if ever die to direct damage, it’s always conditions that get me if I don’t have any cleanses left. That’s just me though, your experience may vary.

I thank you for you conducive reply.

For what it’s worth, here’s my take..although my crit dmg is higher than what is shown. I believe that you can make a more damage focused gaurdian with all the survival benefits that come from our class….it’s just a matter of finding what works with your play-style and skill level. I’m admittedly not super amazing, thus the knight’s gear, but with gold earned from a week of playing, you can adjust your gear to try to find a good balance of dmg vs survival.

http://en.gw2skills.net/editor/?fUEQJARSlYg67WESIEfIFRuAbGEEgVKi39wUoxMC-jAzAYLM8VgIMRjKAkALiGbVbIa1uwqXwUnJVDLIbvFk9GKrCBUeMA-e

hello dogtail.5203,
i might suggest you to look this build
https://forum-en.gw2archive.eu/forum/professions/guardian/Guide-WvW-PvE-new-AH-Guardian-build/first#
i know it’s a lot different from your own but if you are looking for damage and survivability it’s a great one.

For your build:
1) Shelter > Dwyna: shelter give you block and 1stack of might per block.
2) according to 1) i suggest you to put on Altruistic Healing so you get 75hp per boon (and 75 per block while shelter is active, togheter with might per block… not bad at all)
3) equip is too tanky in my opinion… beyond 1800 thougness it starts to lose effectiveness
4) il suggest to remove orbs from equip… they give you a nice stat bonus but dont give you “effects”… look at rune of lyssa for a quick idea
5) i really dont suggest you to put 2 times the same weapon… 2 times shield means you play with 8 skills instead of 10
6) as amulet i suggest the berserker one because scales better with stats
7) as offset (trinkets) i suggest to put on berserkers because give you more power and critical damage so you can change the equip (main) with a knight one which give more thougness and scales better.
I hope I have been of help

Ps: sorry for grammar

I run the 10/30/30/0/0 sometimes. Mix of zerker and soldiers gear to a comfortable level, 8/12 pcs are zerker for me. I run Sword or Mace with Shield depending on the content and Scepter/Focus. Damage is quite good, 6K+ Protector’s Strike with Mace for example. You need to be on the ball and proactive on damage mitigation though as you have a lower HP pool, at least with my gear setup. IMHO its a challenging and rewarding build. It does lack the support that the Honor tree gives but killing stuff more quickly can be viewed as support also

Blood~

Kjeldoran.3849:

hello dogtail.5203,
i might suggest you to look this build
https://forum-en.gw2archive.eu/forum/professions/guardian/Guide-WvW-PvE-new-AH-Guardian-build/first#
i know it’s a lot different from your own but if you are looking for damage and survivability it’s a great one.

‘yawn’ Start thinking out of the AH box. AH may offer great survivability, but the damage of the build you suggest just sucks compared to a Zeal/Radiance berserker build. If you know how to play the game, moving your PvE build out of AH into the 10+x/25+x/0/25+x/x direction is the way to go since the selfheal is no longer needed.

But as I just saw it … the equipment of the OP’s build is an incredibly bad choice. People wearing Solider or Sentinel should be kicked instantly from any group. That crap is just selfish, useless and cripples anything you might want to call damage beyond any hope of recognition. So maybe a typical AH is the better option for the OP, since he does not seem to have a good understanding of the guardian in PvE …

CptAurellian.9537:

‘yawn’ Start thinking out of the AH box. AH may offer great survivability, but the damage of the build you suggest just sucks compared to a Zeal/Radiance berserker build. If you know how to play the game, moving your PvE build out of AH into the 10+x/25+x/0/25+x/x direction is the way to go since the selfheal is no longer needed.

Hello CptAurellian.9537,
as you will have understood the AH build I have created isnt the simply AH defensive/support build and it’s done to carry out max damage while still surviving in ottimal way…
the other kind of build you suggest (10/25/0/25/0 +x) was the first one to which I had thought when i started to play guardian… but after few tentatives the final verdict was:
not an high damage as i thought and a lower resistence (in pve at least) than i thought.
The point is that guardian cant wear only zerker of play with a “zerker” mentality.
A warrion can wear zerker and play as a glass cannon or wear knight/other and play as a tank… but a guardian can play only with a basic defensive build with some dps elements which will help you to see some great numbers in pve and pvp ^^
Another important point is the self heal because you really “need self heal!” it’s not an option… at this point there 2 choises for you:
1) get vitality and something like 17k HP so you dont need self heal but you waste your damage
2) get 14k hp and point in damage… the result? you damage is higher, you get more boons, you get more heals and so more survivability… what’s wrong with this?

I invite you to take a closer look to build ^^ and ask me if you have trouble like these

CptAurellian.9537:

Kjeldoran.3849:

hello dogtail.5203,
i might suggest you to look this build
https://forum-en.gw2archive.eu/forum/professions/guardian/Guide-WvW-PvE-new-AH-Guardian-build/first#
i know it’s a lot different from your own but if you are looking for damage and survivability it’s a great one.

‘yawn’ Start thinking out of the AH box. AH may offer great survivability, but the damage of the build you suggest just sucks compared to a Zeal/Radiance berserker build. If you know how to play the game, moving your PvE build out of AH into the 10+x/25+x/0/25+x/x direction is the way to go since the selfheal is no longer needed.

But as I just saw it … the equipment of the OP’s build is an incredibly bad choice. People wearing Solider or Sentinel should be kicked instantly from any group. That crap is just selfish, useless and cripples anything you might want to call damage beyond any hope of recognition. So maybe a typical AH is the better option for the OP, since he does not seem to have a good understanding of the guardian in PvE …

I play a support Guardian everyday in PvE so I clearly understand the roles and mechanics, as well as the fact I play it very well. And like I said. No elite-est BS. If you’re going to post, make it productive.

http://gw2skills.net/editor/?fUEQRAse7elUgiDnGSIEgNFh1DAeQ/VLAXw1DIKxGC-jgyAYrBRTRCNRBiIAk+KiGbboIas6FM1JRUtHHzdQEVHEgsA-e revised build from advice posted.

Hey dogtail a last advice,
if you are sure you want to run a meditation build remember some important tips:
1)never use 2 time the same weapon!
2)knight equip scales better in main equip and not as trinkets
3)if you want to maximize vulnerability on enemy ill suggest to replace a shield with a focus because 4# focus skill blind a target and hit 4 targets that mean: 2 times enemy and 2 times you giving 6 vulnerability stacks. Then if you put it togheter with sword you can use #2 #4 and put 9vulnerability stacks on enemy in a second.
4) why 5 points in zeal? in my opinion is better to put them in virtue and get 3 might stacks, 5sec of regen and 5sec of protection… for you and party!
see you

Seconding Inspired Virtue. It’s spammable might due to synergy with your Radiance minors.

Thirding…I’ve gone as far as key-binding it to “W” (I don’t dodge forward) so that I’m spamming it easily and often. More damage for 5 points + the other good stuff.

I bound it to C, myself, since I do use WASD for movement. I can hit it with my index finger or thumb.

Kjeldoran.3849:

the other kind of build you suggest (10/25/0/25/0 +x) was the first one to which I had thought when i started to play guardian… but after few tentatives the final verdict was:
not an high damage as i thought and a lower resistence (in pve at least) than i thought.
The point is that guardian cant wear only zerker of play with a “zerker” mentality.
A warrion can wear zerker and play as a glass cannon or wear knight/other and play as a tank… but a guardian can play only with a basic defensive build with some dps elements which will help you to see some great numbers in pve and pvp ^^
Another important point is the self heal because you really “need self heal!” it’s not an option… at this point there 2 choises for you:
1) get vitality and something like 17k HP so you dont need self heal but you waste your damage
2) get 14k hp and point in damage… the result? you damage is higher, you get more boons, you get more heals and so more survivability… what’s wrong with this?

Sorry, but that’s complete bullkitten. The fact that you are obviously unable to play the full zerker style does not mean that it does not fit to the class itself. In fact, perma vigor and all the blocks, blinds, etc. make it even easier to go full zerker than in the case of warriors. PvE is predictable, so it is all about choosing the right utilities (hi @ WoR) and pressing dodge at the right time.

AH is the easy way with nothing to think about since it helps you soak up a lot of unnecessary damage, but a full zerker build will lift youe effectiveness to completely new levels if you are willing to pay attention to the fight.

CptAurellian.9537:

Kjeldoran.3849:

the other kind of build you suggest (10/25/0/25/0 +x) was the first one to which I had thought when i started to play guardian… but after few tentatives the final verdict was:
not an high damage as i thought and a lower resistence (in pve at least) than i thought.
The point is that guardian cant wear only zerker of play with a “zerker” mentality.
A warrion can wear zerker and play as a glass cannon or wear knight/other and play as a tank… but a guardian can play only with a basic defensive build with some dps elements which will help you to see some great numbers in pve and pvp ^^
Another important point is the self heal because you really “need self heal!” it’s not an option… at this point there 2 choises for you:
1) get vitality and something like 17k HP so you dont need self heal but you waste your damage
2) get 14k hp and point in damage… the result? you damage is higher, you get more boons, you get more heals and so more survivability… what’s wrong with this?

Sorry, but that’s complete bullkitten. The fact that you are obviously unable to play the full zerker style does not mean that it does not fit to the class itself. In fact, perma vigor and all the blocks, blinds, etc. make it even easier to go full zerker than in the case of warriors. PvE is predictable, so it is all about choosing the right utilities (hi @ WoR) and pressing dodge at the right time.

AH is the easy way with nothing to think about since it helps you soak up a lot of unnecessary damage, but a full zerker build will lift youe effectiveness to completely new levels if you are willing to pay attention to the fight.

Agreed, although another option (what I’m currently running) is to move away from the AH/face-tank set-up by using knights/ruby gems while traiting for more damage. I think that this is a good stepping stone to hone your skill level while keeping you off the floor. I hope someday to be so skilled as to be able to run full zerker. Best of luck to the OP.

CptAurellian.9537:

Sorry, but that’s complete bullkitten. The fact that you are obviously unable to play the full zerker style does not mean that it does not fit to the class itself. In fact, perma vigor and all the blocks, blinds, etc. make it even easier to go full zerker than in the case of warriors. PvE is predictable, so it is all about choosing the right utilities (hi @ WoR) and pressing dodge at the right time.

AH is the easy way with nothing to think about since it helps you soak up a lot of unnecessary damage, but a full zerker build will lift youe effectiveness to completely new levels if you are willing to pay attention to the fight.

Really? are you sure you have enough blocks/vigor/blind to avoid everything?!… i dont thing it’s possible… it seems you are talking about something you have never experienced before…
1) i want to underline again, because someone continue to talk about AH bunker build, that mine isn’t bunker build but can hit very strong do you want numbers so you can compare to your “berserker build”??
auto attacks: 1= 800-1808 2=1000-2260 3=1500-3390
ww= 5000-7000 (sometimes also 8k)
LoF= 1500-3390
SoW= 600-800 per tick
BB = 2000-3000
and please dont tell me stories like “i hit for 5000 with auto attack” because it merely fake… i know that build, was the first one i played when i was inexperienced but learn that you can’t avoid everything also if you are the most skilled gw2 player.
Did you never played wvw? when you are in the middle of a zerg you can “avoid everything” and “block” the rest??… i dont think and without regeneration you can be kitten by the weakest of rogue and smash by the first berserker warrior or destroyed by a phantasmal mesmer (that, with this kind of build, you will never reach)… seriously… take more in consideration a solid base of defence because there isnt much you can do… or play warrior or mesmer or rogue… but not guardian ^^

Err, 5k+ autoattack aren’t fake. Against 25 vuln with 25 might in a full berserker setup I’ve hit 6.5k Sword Waves before. I can math it out if you want but it’s completely doable. You can get higher than that too.

dogtail.5203:

http://gw2skills.net/editor/?fUEQRAse7elUgiDnGSIEgNFh1DAeQ/VLAXw1DIKxGC-jgyAYrBRTRCNRBiIAk+KiGbboIas6FM1JRUtHHzdQEVHEgsA-e revised build from advice posted.

Losing Fiery Wrath is a noticeable hit to damage. Vigorous Precision is a great trait though also. You may want to run Hammer and Scepter/Focus or something with a 10/25/30/5/0 maybe. Then you get the Hammer and AH synergy and Hammer’s damage isn’t effected by 2h Mastery so you’re still maxed there. You do lose the ability to improve your symbols though so that’s a hit.

Whatever you do don’t run Shield offhand for both your weapon loadouts. I’d suggest Focus coupled with Scepter.

Blood~

foofad.5162:

Err, 5k+ autoattack aren’t fake. Against 25 vuln with 25 might in a full berserker setup I’ve hit 6.5k Sword Waves before. I can math it out if you want but it’s completely doable. You can get higher than that too.

man i’m talking without boons and condition on enemy
with 25 vulnerability and 25 might it will be like 7k+ ^^
3400 + 3400×0.25 + about 3000 (25might = 875 power) = 7250

the difference between my set and a full zerker one is very very slight … only about 80 power (less than 80 but now i dont want to do precise calculations) and about 12% critical damage… the difference is tha with knight main set you have 270 more thougness and thanks to the build you can survive 10 times better
270 thougness isnt soo much but without knight gear you have to surely waste something else because a guardian with 14k hp (with 300vit from traits) can’t survive with less than 1500 thougness

‘sigh’ Where is Guanglai when his anti-AH rants would be appropriate for once?

But well, he isn’t here, so I’ll do the job in this case. Some hundred hours with AH and some dozen with zerker builds recently are probably enough.

Kjeldoran.3849:

Really? are you sure you have enough blocks/vigor/blind to avoid everything?!… i dont thing it’s possible… it seems you are talking about something you have never experienced before…

First point: Why whould I want to avoid everything? For big hits, there is virtually always enough vigor or a block, while small ones are a question of priority. No one dies to a few hits from trash, not even a full zerker player. However, trash is the wonderful case where you will be able to spam blinds a lot since you get a free AoE blind for every dying mob.

1) i want to underline again, because someone continue to talk about AH bunker build, that mine isn’t bunker build but can hit very strong do you want numbers so you can compare to your “berserker build”??
auto attacks: 1= 800-1808 2=1000-2260 3=1500-3390
ww= 5000-7000 (sometimes also 8k)
LoF= 1500-3390
SoW= 600-800 per tick
BB = 2000-3000
and please dont tell me stories like “i hit for 5000 with auto attack” because it merely fake… i know that build, was the first one i played when i was inexperienced but learn that you can’t avoid everything also if you are the most skilled gw2 player.

Second: Anecdotes are not useful in such discussions. Turn to harder numbers and have a look at the effective power in build calculators, which is a good substitute for actual damage done. Compared to 10/25/0/30/5, the switch to 0/0/30/30/10 already decreases it by 20%, while the gear all stays the same. Changing the gear to your setup yields a decrease of 30% in total, which is quite significant.

Did you never played wvw? when you are in the middle of a zerg you can “avoid everything” and “block” the rest??… i dont think and without regeneration you can be kitten by the weakest of rogue and smash by the first berserker warrior or destroyed by a phantasmal mesmer (that, with this kind of build, you will never reach)… seriously… take more in consideration a solid base of defence because there isnt much you can do… or play warrior or mesmer or rogue… but not guardian ^^

We are talking PvE here. Derailing the discussion in the direction of ZvZ is just plain stupid since that’s a totally different environment. Besides, WvW with a full zerker build also works, as stunningstyles has proven in a pretty nice video. As in PvE: You just need to know what you can do – and what you can’t.

Oh, I overlooked this one. Bullkitten³, learn to play.

because a guardian with 14k hp (with 300vit from traits) can’t survive with less than 1500 thougness

To the person that said a guardian with 14k hp can’t survive with less than 1500 toughness, I can. It’s all about using your tools right

@Kjeldoran
Calm down.

Its definitely possible to hit for almost 5k with sword chain with no buffs, debuffs and with just 4 zerker trinkets and a 0/5/30/30/5 set up. If you move 5 points from virtues and radiance to zeal and grab fiery wrath its a breeze. Just valkyrie armor, divinity runes, berserker weapons and ber/valk rings. Accessories and amulet being the only berserker i use when doing that.

And if you play with sigil of battle and swap you can go as high as >6k. Back in beta there was a guy that actually used only one main hand (sword) and just swapped off hand to build might stacks. Was awesome to play with/versus him and see him hit big numbers with the chain.

Just:
stack power to >2+k
120% crit damage and watch what happens with your crits.

My personal record for an instant burst, in wvw, is approx 17k with a 0/30/30/5/5 burst build which i also use in tpvp. Ofc versus a level 80 in exotics

The build you use (in your thread) isnt a dps centric build, its a tank build.

I have 13750 hp when i run my burst build, about 2400 armor and i survive, hmmm.

Brutaly.6257:

@Kjeldoran
Calm down.

…

And if you play with sigil of battle and swap you can go as high as >6k. Back in beta there was a guy that actually used only one main hand (sword) and just swapped off hand to build might stacks. Was awesome to play with/versus him and see him hit big numbers with the chain.

I have 13750 hp when i run my burst build, about 2400 armor and i survive, hmmm.

Hey Brutaly,
sorry but i dont want to look angry or aggressive… that wasnt my aim…
i only tried to help dogtail.5203 with his build.
Now I admit that i’m pretty jealous of my own build because i worked a lot on it and it gives me a lot of great satisfactions…
I know it isn’t a full zerker build and never will hit like a zerker build but it’s focused on hard hitting… notice that 50% crit chance and 76% crit damage are without foods or bonuses or anything else.
The base of the build is: if i block i get might, if i get might i get heal, if i get heal i can survive better… and it’s focused on gain might in a lot of ways… also with the sigil of battle (on the sword) and i can easily reach 25 stacks without difficulty… above all the build isnt too squishi because of thougness…
that’s all… someone takes my help as offense… but it wasnt… continue with you berserker build, i see a lot of warrior, guardian, thief, mesmer and elementalist play “berserker” during cof or how or AR and die …in a second… mybe you are so skilled to resist at all… dont know…

See you in game.

PS: you said “>6k with sigil of battle” but i said, and you remember: without boons … that’s a contraddiction but ok…

My point was that you can hit for 5k with the last part of the sword chain with no might or vulnerbilitywith a 0/5/30/30/5 build, without stacking berserker. The stuff that you lashed out at in a previous post and pretty much said was a lie..

I just used might stacking as an example that you can go even higher, or as high, with berserker, or with a more defensive setups.

Brutaly.6257:

My point was that you can hit for 5k with the last part of the sword chain with no might or vulnerbilitywith a 0/5/30/30/5 build, without stacking berserker. The stuff that you lashed out at in a previous post and pretty much said was a lie..

I just used might stacking as an example that you can go even higher, or as high, with berserker, or with a more defensive setups.

can you make a screen (with traits near)? or a short vid please? i’m curious… oh and sorry but i was talking about GS not sword… but please show me your 5k with sword (maybe also with GS).

PS: the video from Stunningstyles yup is surely great but there is an abuse of not legit stack of perception and the presence of particular situation in which no one, of the 2-3 enemies, attacks him… really? and he get hitted for 3k grenade spam? … ok

Kjeldoran.3849:

Brutaly.6257:

My point was that you can hit for 5k with the last part of the sword chain with no might or vulnerbilitywith a 0/5/30/30/5 build, without stacking berserker. The stuff that you lashed out at in a previous post and pretty much said was a lie..

I just used might stacking as an example that you can go even higher, or as high, with berserker, or with a more defensive setups.

can you make a screen (with traits near)? or a short vid please? i’m curious… oh and sorry but i was talking about GS not sword… but please show me your 5k with sword (maybe also with GS).

PS: the video from Stunningstyles yup is surely great but there is an abuse of not legit stack of perception and the presence of particular situation in which no one, of the 2-3 enemies, attacks him… really? and he get hitted for 3k grenade spam? … ok

How is stacks of perception abuse?

No need for screenies of the build, there are no secrets in it just stacking of power and crit damage. You can have at least 2630 in power in a 0/5/30/30/5 build, ofc with food.

Start there and compare with your power and you will find thakittens almost 50% more power than you have and 50% more crit damage will boost the crits even more.

The setup you use in wvw is what i use as frontline pusher, in other words a tank.

Harbinger.8637:

How is stacks of perception abuse?

because he uses sigil of perception on a second weapon he hasn’t during combat… stacks should be removed if you remove weapon with the sigil

so:
1) enter wvw
2) kill 25 mobs and get 25 stacks of perception
3) change weapon and play seriously
… i find that all a bit ridicolous… when i go in wvw i only want to “fight”! i dont want to wait and search someone to take from back… of farm stacks of sigil… or waste tons of food… because i can kill people simply playing… that’s all.

Brutaly.6257:

No need for screenies of the build, there are no secrets in it just stacking of power and crit damage. You can have at least 2630 in power in a 0/5/30/30/5 build, ofc with food.

Start there and compare with your power and you will find thakittens almost 50% more power than you have and 50% more crit damage will boost the crits even more.

The setup you use in wvw is what i use as frontline pusher, in other words a tank.

1)with 0/0/30/30/10 i have 2836 power (base)
2)76% crit damage bonus (base)
3)please make a screen … i’m curious that’s all…
4)that’s my last post here, sory for noise and good bye

Kjeldoran.3849:

1)with 0/0/30/30/10 i have 2836 power (base)

I believe its about 1800 power and 2836 attack or at least that is what you wrote in your thread.

I have about 2550 power and around 3650 attack and 107% crit damage atm which are the stats that are important for bursting.

Brutaly.6257:

Kjeldoran.3849:

1)with 0/0/30/30/10 i have 2836 power (base)

I believe its about 1800 power and 2836 attack or at least that is what you wrote in your thread.

I have about 2550 power and around 3650 attack and 107% crit damage atm which are the stats that are important for bursting.

yes, a mistake, 1838 power and 3275 attack but the with 76% crit damage multiplier (unbuffed) the difference is that i have a 50% base crit chance not 30-40% which make the difference and grow up to 70% with fury (and i can stack fury in a lot of ways with a bit of luck… or not) and i can stack might very fast…