Guild Wars 2

Hello Guardian community! I hope you’re all enjoying being super cool atm

I need some advice. I am a Ranger main whose been loving the Druid recently, and I need to know some tips on countering the new specialization you’re all rockin’. I normally try to play the profession i am struggling against for a while to learn how it works (and indeed, Guardian is my secondary class) and improve my ability to fight against it, but all my time is being pumped into mastering the Druid right now!

If you could let me know what the specs weaknesses and strengths are (how it performs against condi, physical dmg etc), plus some solid counters, that would be highly appreciated.

Cheers.

Just a very quick overview:
Weak to conditions unless you take Hunters Fortification and blocks.
Power damage is strong from traps and longbow
Burn application is relatively weak unless you take advantage of multi-hit skills and VoJ

Counters:
Conceptually, Dragonhunters are a point defense specialization. Forcing them to leave their protected area is huge in swinging a fight in your favor.

Strong ranged damage (especially conditions) with projectile reflects. Revenant Hammer comes to mind, ranged ele with lots of magnetic Aura too. If you don’t trigger their traps, they aren’t nearly as threatening. This doesn’t take into account combining traps and mediations (JI onto you and drop traps).
Dragonhunter also brings some cc, so stability is helpful.

That should cover much of whats popular currently. Creative people will likely create summer new challenges to work around.

You might try using an offensive melee pet (cats/pigs) to get in and trigger their traps, but once you do you’re gonna need to get right in there with them to clobber the DH before he runs off or resets them. Trying to pull a ranged duel with them will get you killed if its a typical DH longbow build. Your biggest hit has a telegraph that lets them know when to use their missile-canceling arrow to shut it down and hit you hard.

Like all Guards he’s got a short lifebar with lots of self-heal, so spike damage (power or condition) will really dig deep into their cooldowns. Watch for the ‘chicken hop’ with the glowing wings popping out of their back. When you see that their innate regeneration is gone and they’ve probably just blown their last heal so you’re getting real close at that point.

Absolutely great advice. One of the few things that can screw up my well-placed traps is if a pet runs in and sets them off. So Rangers and MM Necros as actually a pretty good counter to DH Trapper.

If there is a point being held by a particularly good DH, or even worse, two DH I’d just advise your team to ignore the point. Concede it and get the other two points. DH are not mobile and if they choose to leave their point they will lose much of their advantage from the pre-built trap setup.

Nike.2631:

You might try using an offensive melee pet (cats/pigs) to get in and trigger their traps, but once you do you’re gonna need to get right in there with them to clobber the DH before he runs off or resets them. Trying to pull a ranged duel with them will get you killed if its a typical DH longbow build. Your biggest hit has a telegraph that lets them know when to use their missile-canceling arrow to shut it down and hit you hard.

Like all Guards he’s got a short lifebar with lots of self-heal, so spike damage (power or condition) will really dig deep into their cooldowns. Watch for the ‘chicken hop’ with the glowing wings popping out of their back. When you see that their innate regeneration is gone and they’ve probably just blown their last heal so you’re getting real close at that point.

Mesmer clones, and auto invulnerability traits, are the bane of my glass cannon berserker DH

a lot of DH trapper atm just play high dmg wich means they don´t have much ( or any) survivalbility. Once you overcome the traps (e.g. let ur pet run into them ) try to avoid True shot ( that high dmg Longbow skill) by evading, interrupting, blocking, good kiting etc.

Check out this video: https://forum-en.gw2archive.eu/forum/professions/guardian/Video-How-to-fight-Dragonhunter-by-Arken/first#post5679907

One basic thing is to learn the visuals of the traps which are very clear, especially Test of Faith; ring of swords that punish you for crossing them, uninformed players can kill themselves on that trap alone when they run in and out of it. Easiest is to dodge immediately when you see a trap go off

Survive the early burst and apply condi pressure. If the fight goes for more than 20 seconds, get ready for the second burst

Condi druid is one of the toughest match ups for my trapper guard.