Guild Wars 2

is it a viable support build for Pve? or something like 0/15/30/20/5?

indeed it is, EM+AH on knight gear using Hammer will make you immortal, you can also try going zerker with GS, lots of healing there too

Who are you hoping to support with those 30 points in valor? AH is self only.

yes there’s no team support with AH, it only affects the user. EM is nice but if you have other members on your team that are eles, or engis that stack might with fire fields EM isn’t quite as useful.

EM also has a cool down so on a good day you can only keep about 5-7 stacks of might up.

The internal CD is 1 second, so without any further boon duration, you’ll almost never get above 3 stacks from it.

oh, well for mostly solo survival stuff, but how else can I make that build just as team supportive…that might not work so well just because AH is mainly a self-supportive kind of thing…

AH is the definition of a selfish build. Its better to get used to dodges and using blinds/aegis/reflects and deal decent damage at the same time than to run AH, never die, but contribute nothing but poorly timed shouts/boons and leach off of dungeon runs.

EM aside, Ah let’s you spec for insane damage at the cost of supporting your bros, but doesn’t leave you hanging when you get low on health. Healing up fully in many instances lets you stay in the fight longer. Still supporting if you’re not dead, yes? I’m speaking strictly from a wvw perspective however.

Which is, of course, very helpful when the whole thread is centered on PvE …

AH in pve is designed for babies who can’t reach the dodgeroll key

AH is crap in PVE, please stay away from it unless you want to be a useless burden on the team.

empowering might is also not worth 20 points in honour, you should probably invest those trait points somewhere else and get more DPS/support

CMstorm.8679:

oh, well for mostly solo survival stuff, but how else can I make that build just as team supportive…that might not work so well just because AH is mainly a self-supportive kind of thing…

please do not listen to all this people, EM + AH is certainly not the most supportive, but still, using boon duration runes you can keep your party with 5~6 stacks of might every fight, also the might boon from staf is long enough to catch up to the CD so you get 5 + 12(?) stacks almost permanently, while being a really strong tank

korelg.7862:

CMstorm.8679:

oh, well for mostly solo survival stuff, but how else can I make that build just as team supportive…that might not work so well just because AH is mainly a self-supportive kind of thing…

while being a really strong tank

And you should not take adivce from anyone that says things like that.

AH + EM is full health to you in dungeons. Your party is still getting might, you don’t die, why complain? Just throw on full zerker gear to make up for the DPS and your golden. I run AH in pve and no one has complained.

pve, anything works, just play how u think you should play….

Painbow.6059:

AH in pve is designed for babies who can’t reach the dodgeroll key

quit being a kitten bag.

It’s getting old.

Obviously he’s new and that’s why he’s asking.

fadeaway.2807:

Who are you hoping to support with those 30 points in valor? AH is self only.

Most of guardian’s weapon sets and utility is embedded with ally support in some way, so I do not see how taking AH is a problem.

Amins.3710:

Painbow.6059:

AH in pve is designed for babies who can’t reach the dodgeroll key

quit being a kitten bag.

It’s getting old.

Obviously he’s new and that’s why he’s asking.

so use a dps build with more defensive gear and don’t rely on a trait to keep you alive

Painbow.6059:

Amins.3710:

Painbow.6059:

AH in pve is designed for babies who can’t reach the dodgeroll key

quit being a kitten bag.

It’s getting old.

Obviously he’s new and that’s why he’s asking.

so use a dps build with more defensive gear and don’t rely on a trait to keep you alive

There…

Wasn’t that easier than being a kitten? If you’re so good at the PvE, be insightful and share your “epic elite skillz” in a way in which people will respect you.

Be a kitten and no one will make note of anything but that.

Amins.3710:

Painbow.6059:

Amins.3710:

Painbow.6059:

AH in pve is designed for babies who can’t reach the dodgeroll key

quit being a kitten bag.

It’s getting old.

Obviously he’s new and that’s why he’s asking.

so use a dps build with more defensive gear and don’t rely on a trait to keep you alive

There…

Wasn’t that easier than being a kitten? If you’re so good at the PvE, be insightful and share your “epic elite skillz” in a way in which people will respect you.

Be a kitten and no one will make note of anything but that.

AH is junk so I was trying to deter him from using it, i’m not a pro at pve either, but AH is awful and shouldn’t be used

Painbow.6059:

Amins.3710:

Painbow.6059:

Amins.3710:

Painbow.6059:

AH in pve is designed for babies who can’t reach the dodgeroll key

quit being a kitten bag.

It’s getting old.

Obviously he’s new and that’s why he’s asking.

so use a dps build with more defensive gear and don’t rely on a trait to keep you alive

There…

Wasn’t that easier than being a kitten? If you’re so good at the PvE, be insightful and share your “epic elite skillz” in a way in which people will respect you.

Be a kitten and no one will make note of anything but that.

AH is junk so I was trying to deter him from using it, i’m not a pro at pve either, but AH is awful and shouldn’t be used

Here we go again.

Is it good for soloing PVE? Yes it is, especially if you’re newer to the game and want a “safer” choice. That said, there are better options out there (build and gear) that open up more game styles – team support, tanky DPS, DPS, etc.
IMHO it’s a bad habit to rely on AH(+EM) for survivability when you can use dodging, blinds, retaliation, gear choice and active gameplay while freeing you from a very limited build.

Aza.2105:

Painbow.6059:

Amins.3710:

Painbow.6059:

Amins.3710:

Painbow.6059:

AH in pve is designed for babies who can’t reach the dodgeroll key

quit being a kitten bag.

It’s getting old.

Obviously he’s new and that’s why he’s asking.

so use a dps build with more defensive gear and don’t rely on a trait to keep you alive

There…

Wasn’t that easier than being a kitten? If you’re so good at the PvE, be insightful and share your “epic elite skillz” in a way in which people will respect you.

Be a kitten and no one will make note of anything but that.

AH is junk so I was trying to deter him from using it, i’m not a pro at pve either, but AH is awful and shouldn’t be used

Here we go again.

I cant see the problem with AH besides healing scale.
5 guardians with AH it isnt that bad.

Coltain.1395:

Is it good for soloing PVE? Yes it is, especially if you’re newer to the game and want a “safer” choice. That said, there are better options out there (build and gear) that open up more game styles – team support, tanky DPS, DPS, etc.
IMHO it’s a bad habit to rely on AH(+EM) for survivability when you can use dodging, blinds, retaliation, gear choice and active gameplay while freeing you from a very limited build.

I’m not sure why players gauge their performance with trash mobs. The only time blind is useful is for trash.

Aza.2105:

Coltain.1395:

Is it good for soloing PVE? Yes it is, especially if you’re newer to the game and want a “safer” choice. That said, there are better options out there (build and gear) that open up more game styles – team support, tanky DPS, DPS, etc.
IMHO it’s a bad habit to rely on AH(+EM) for survivability when you can use dodging, blinds, retaliation, gear choice and active gameplay while freeing you from a very limited build.

I’m not sure why players gauge their performance with trash mobs. The only time blind is useful is for trash.

In many dungeons, including arah, trash mobs are some of the greatest threats. Also, dealing more damage and mitigating damage will also be superior to dealing less damage, but taking more hits. This counts for bosses as well as trash mobs.

The quicker an encounter is over, the less possible mistakes and the less you have to worry about mitigation skills being on cool down. Also, the faster you kill things the faster you make money, in open world and especially in dungeons.

Aza.2105:

Coltain.1395:

Is it good for soloing PVE? Yes it is, especially if you’re newer to the game and want a “safer” choice. That said, there are better options out there (build and gear) that open up more game styles – team support, tanky DPS, DPS, etc.
IMHO it’s a bad habit to rely on AH(+EM) for survivability when you can use dodging, blinds, retaliation, gear choice and active gameplay while freeing you from a very limited build.

I’m not sure why players gauge their performance with trash mobs. The only time blind is useful is for trash.

Damage mitigation – while blind isn’t that effective against champ mobs and higher, it surely helps to mitigate damage (even if slightly) from multiple “trash” mobs.

1. @Amins, im not new at all. Im a little new to guardian, and i have seen better support builds than AH. I was just taking a look at some other traits/boons with low cd’s that might benefit from AH. But it’s just not worth it, group support-wise…I was just asking about that particular trait combo/build because I theorycraft a lot and I sometimes lose track of what builds i’ve already put together…so yeah…

well it that case the constant procs of might will heal you yes there is a synergy between the two traits

I used the AH/EM build for almost 6 months, I rarely died, I thought it was great. The two traits do have good synergy. But the build is very selfish and subpar in general. I realized this as I learned combat better. Sure this build can take a lot of hits. But a proactive dps guardian can support the team far better and do far better damage. Sure, I guess AH/EM could be a decent solo build, but for dungeoning it’s bad.

AH is a selfish trait, it heals only you and it takes 30 points to get it. EM and Empower from staff sound good until you realize what short duration they are. You don’t have to waste a single trait for comboing might stacks with more that twice the duration. If you’re in a team that is good at comboing for might, then EM and Empower can be a dps loss.

SplendidDust of AncientSuns.8453:

Ah let’s you spec for insane damage

Aeolus.3615:

5 guardians with AH it isnt that bad.

Oh baby Jesus please save our souls….

Aza.2105:

fadeaway.2807:

Who are you hoping to support with those 30 points in valor? AH is self only.

Most of guardian’s weapon sets and utility is embedded with ally support in some way, so I do not see how taking AH is a problem.

Our best support skills are 15 radiance, 10 virtue and 20 virtue without thinking about honor which can be very strong.
That’s a 0/15/30/0/20 without touching honor.. and if you’re really focusing on support.. ask yourself why you’re taking 30 valor over 30 honor.

Cat Has Ducks.1982:

SplendidDust of AncientSuns.8453:

Ah let’s you spec for insane damage

Aeolus.3615:

5 guardians with AH it isnt that bad.

Oh baby Jesus please save our souls….

The ultimate play how you want group.

AH was the 2012 meta. We’ve moved on, and evolved from our former neanderthal selves.

Either play how you want, staying the hell away from any group asking for a DPS, or follow the meta. There’s no logic in trying to make a sub-optimal build better, as then you’re only crippling your group by not playing optimally, aswell as your fun as you’re not playing how you want for the sake of being slightly less bad.

Oh how nice … people that play how they want aren’t being called terrible anymore, they are referred to as ‘slightly less bad’. You can tell it’s the holiday season.

Obtena.7952:

Oh how nice … people that play how they want aren’t being called terrible anymore, they are referred to as ‘slightly less bad’. You can tell it’s the holiday season.

LOL!

As an AH, EM, and Pure of Voice user, The people here have forgotten one thing:

PUGs.

As a 0/0/30/30/10 guardian, you become one of the best anchors in the group. On top of that, you’re curing as many conditions as you want to take the heat off of other group members.

The 2 War, 2 Mes, 1 Guard group setup works best with my build. If everyone goes down, I can stay up.

Ran the AHEM (Ye Olde Strife025’s build) for a good long time.

It’s a nice combo and works very well for solo PvE and group PvE if you are going anchor (The only real way to validate the use of AH really.). Anchoring does work to some degree, at least from group/guild observations. No idea if things have changed and YMMV. Wonderful build if you’re starting out and don’t believe in running Clerics.

Not sure if it works with Berserker…

InfernoHero.5687:

As an AH, EM, and Pure of Voice user, The people here have forgotten one thing:

PUGs.

As a 0/0/30/30/10 guardian, you become one of the best anchors in the group. On top of that, you’re curing as many conditions as you want to take the heat off of other group members.

The 2 War, 2 Mes, 1 Guard group setup works best with my build. If everyone goes down, I can stay up.

Tanking isn’t a mechanic and so it’s impossible to be an anchor. Also your build doesn’t really offer any support through blinds, strong condition removal (unless you go pov + soldier runes), any vulnerability and just to top it all off awful dps.

Using AH in pve just makes you think you are doing good when infact you are getting carried by your team. I pug all the time and AH guards are a joke

noelclover.9408:

Ran the AHEM (Ye Olde Strife025’s build) for a good long time.

It’s a nice combo and works very well for solo PvE and group PvE if you are going anchor (The only real way to validate the use of AH really.). Anchoring does work to some degree, at least from group/guild observations. No idea if things have changed and YMMV. Wonderful build if you’re starting out and don’t believe in running Clerics.

Not sure if it works with Berserker…

Works fine with zerker. I started out with knights and slowly introduced more and more zerk gear. Once I was used to it I realized it was too survivable still (wasted points on survivability is poor use of opportunity cost). So i switch over to a more meta dps/blind build and haven’t looked back.

Summa summarum, AH is bad because it helps you stay alive through providing boons and condi cleanse to your team mates – the definition of selfishness.

The right path is the glass cannon approach where you try to throw up as big numbers as possible before your kitten is torn to shreds, at which point your party, who no longer get any boons or cleanses from you, can rez you once the boss is down or you can all wp together and see those big numbers the second time.

msalakka.4653:

Summa summarum, AH is bad because it helps you stay alive through providing boons and condi cleanse to your team mates – the definition of selfishness.

The right path is the glass cannon approach where you try to throw up as big numbers as possible before your kitten is torn to shreds, at which point your party, who no longer get any boons or cleanses from you, can rez you once the boss is down or you can all wp together and see those big numbers the second time.

Summa summarum: L2P. Then you can see big numbers even without greeting the floor.

msalakka.4653:

Summa summarum, AH is bad because it helps you stay alive through providing boons and condi cleanse to your team mates – the definition of selfishness.

The right path is the glass cannon approach where you try to throw up as big numbers as possible before your kitten is torn to shreds, at which point your party, who no longer get any boons or cleanses from you, can rez you once the boss is down or you can all wp together and see those big numbers the second time.

The problem with AH is that it encourages you to take bad utilities just to proc heals. The stock dungeon utility list will be like retreat, purging flames and wall of reflection, so that means AH isn’t doing much. Nevertheless you are supporting your team more than shouts with cleanse, reflect and aegis to mitigate damage. Running a meta build enables you to support (note – a guard should not need AH to encourage them to spread boons) while maximising dps traits like damage modifiers and vulnerability. 30 valour doesn’t give you that. -10/10 for mentioning res’ing too, that’s such a poor argument easily remedied by proper play.

The amount of people who still use AH kind of scares me. There is no debate it is a bad trait and in pve it wastes a ton of your dps potential.
Honestly I think even new players don’t need the kind of sustain from AH builds.
Here is a guide on the forums for players who are maybe not good but average:
http://www.guildwars2guru.com/topic/84424-the-new-guardian-anchor-build/
the build guides there have moderate-good dps

But really there is no scenario in pve that requires you to waste 30 valuable trait points in valor

Stop with the “AH is for new people” already..
It’s in the grandmaster line. No where does it state “this is for new players only”.
It’s a trait, it’s there to be used by anyone who wants to.

It’s like saying only new players use Selfless Daring because they don’t have any friends to heal them.

I really do think half of you forget that there are a large portion who play MMO’s for enjoyment, and not to fuel their ego about being “best” or “better” than others. If someone wants to play AH then let them, there’s nothing wrong with it whatsoever.

Zach.3264:

Stop with the “AH is for new people” already..
It’s in the grandmaster line. No where does it state “this is for new players only”.
It’s a trait, it’s there to be used by anyone who wants to.

It’s like saying only new players use Selfless Daring because they don’t have any friends to heal them.

I really do think half of you forget that there are a large portion who play MMO’s for enjoyment, and not to fuel their ego about being “best” or “better” than others. If someone wants to play AH then let them, there’s nothing wrong with it whatsoever.

Because while your team is suffering to get out enough damage to kill stuff fast enough you are sitting happy with your useless skill less build not giving a fudge about anything. Being a guardian is about being a ‘selfless defender’ not a self-healing-waste-of-potential. If you want to play AH in pve go ahead but just know that it’s like a wet fish flopping on the side of a boat

Painbow.6059:

Zach.3264:

Stop with the “AH is for new people” already..
It’s in the grandmaster line. No where does it state “this is for new players only”.
It’s a trait, it’s there to be used by anyone who wants to.

It’s like saying only new players use Selfless Daring because they don’t have any friends to heal them.

I really do think half of you forget that there are a large portion who play MMO’s for enjoyment, and not to fuel their ego about being “best” or “better” than others. If someone wants to play AH then let them, there’s nothing wrong with it whatsoever.

Because while your team is suffering to get out enough damage to kill stuff fast enough you are sitting happy with your useless skill less build not giving a fudge about anything. Being a guardian is about being a ‘selfless defender’ not a self-healing-waste-of-potential. If you want to play AH in pve go ahead but just know that it’s like a wet fish flopping on the side of a boat

Not at all. I run AH in Fractals all the time and it’s great. My damage is still decent and I can survive easily enough to continue to do damage/heal others.
Plus, I run Hammer, when traited I can have my auto-attack symbol down 100% of the time if I don’t use #2. This applies constant -33% damage to my group.
And again.. you’re forgetting, not everyone plays to be as effective as possible, some people actually play for enjoyment, you know?

Zach.3264:

Painbow.6059:

Zach.3264:

Stop with the “AH is for new people” already..
It’s in the grandmaster line. No where does it state “this is for new players only”.
It’s a trait, it’s there to be used by anyone who wants to.

It’s like saying only new players use Selfless Daring because they don’t have any friends to heal them.

I really do think half of you forget that there are a large portion who play MMO’s for enjoyment, and not to fuel their ego about being “best” or “better” than others. If someone wants to play AH then let them, there’s nothing wrong with it whatsoever.

Because while your team is suffering to get out enough damage to kill stuff fast enough you are sitting happy with your useless skill less build not giving a fudge about anything. Being a guardian is about being a ‘selfless defender’ not a self-healing-waste-of-potential. If you want to play AH in pve go ahead but just know that it’s like a wet fish flopping on the side of a boat

Not at all. I run AH in Fractals all the time and it’s great. My damage is still decent and I can survive easily enough to continue to do damage/heal others.
Plus, I run Hammer, when traited I can have my auto-attack symbol down 100% of the time if I don’t use #2. This applies constant -33% damage to my group.
And again.. you’re forgetting, not everyone plays to be as effective as possible, some people actually play for enjoyment, you know?

do you slot in utilities dependent on situation or shouts for AH procs? You don’t need AH if you’re playing properly since you will be mitigating damage at the entire party well enough to not need to heal, well, yourself. Also, I find fun in efficiency so I don’t see why you bring the fun argument in. Meta is fun.

Oh yeah, playing ‘properly’ and ‘correctly’ … You would almost think that if this was a real thing, it would come from Anet, not players.

Fun is part of the argument because what you value isn’t the same thing as what other people do.

colesy.8490:

Zach.3264:

Painbow.6059:

Zach.3264:

Stop with the “AH is for new people” already..
It’s in the grandmaster line. No where does it state “this is for new players only”.
It’s a trait, it’s there to be used by anyone who wants to.

It’s like saying only new players use Selfless Daring because they don’t have any friends to heal them.

I really do think half of you forget that there are a large portion who play MMO’s for enjoyment, and not to fuel their ego about being “best” or “better” than others. If someone wants to play AH then let them, there’s nothing wrong with it whatsoever.

Because while your team is suffering to get out enough damage to kill stuff fast enough you are sitting happy with your useless skill less build not giving a fudge about anything. Being a guardian is about being a ‘selfless defender’ not a self-healing-waste-of-potential. If you want to play AH in pve go ahead but just know that it’s like a wet fish flopping on the side of a boat

Not at all. I run AH in Fractals all the time and it’s great. My damage is still decent and I can survive easily enough to continue to do damage/heal others.
Plus, I run Hammer, when traited I can have my auto-attack symbol down 100% of the time if I don’t use #2. This applies constant -33% damage to my group.
And again.. you’re forgetting, not everyone plays to be as effective as possible, some people actually play for enjoyment, you know?

do you slot in utilities dependent on situation or shouts for AH procs? You don’t need AH if you’re playing properly since you will be mitigating damage at the entire party well enough to not need to heal, well, yourself. Also, I find fun in efficiency so I don’t see why you bring the fun argument in. Meta is fun.

And it continues.

colesy.8490:

Zach.3264:

Painbow.6059:

Zach.3264:

Stop with the “AH is for new people” already..
It’s in the grandmaster line. No where does it state “this is for new players only”.
It’s a trait, it’s there to be used by anyone who wants to.

It’s like saying only new players use Selfless Daring because they don’t have any friends to heal them.

I really do think half of you forget that there are a large portion who play MMO’s for enjoyment, and not to fuel their ego about being “best” or “better” than others. If someone wants to play AH then let them, there’s nothing wrong with it whatsoever.

Because while your team is suffering to get out enough damage to kill stuff fast enough you are sitting happy with your useless skill less build not giving a fudge about anything. Being a guardian is about being a ‘selfless defender’ not a self-healing-waste-of-potential. If you want to play AH in pve go ahead but just know that it’s like a wet fish flopping on the side of a boat

Not at all. I run AH in Fractals all the time and it’s great. My damage is still decent and I can survive easily enough to continue to do damage/heal others.
Plus, I run Hammer, when traited I can have my auto-attack symbol down 100% of the time if I don’t use #2. This applies constant -33% damage to my group.
And again.. you’re forgetting, not everyone plays to be as effective as possible, some people actually play for enjoyment, you know?

do you slot in utilities dependent on situation or shouts for AH procs? You don’t need AH if you’re playing properly since you will be mitigating damage at the entire party well enough to not need to heal, well, yourself. Also, I find fun in efficiency so I don’t see why you bring the fun argument in. Meta is fun.

And that is exactly my point. “I find fun in efficieny so I don’t see why you bring the fun argument in”.
You’re thinking about only yourself. Not everyone shares the same opinion as you. Why should everyone else be pidgeon holed into playing what’s most effective because you think it’s the correct way to play?

If you’re meant to play a certain way, then wouldn’t Anet purposely make everyone play said way, and not give them the option to play differently?