Guardian 1h Sword - Needs Love

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Posted by: Haseno.6417

Haseno.6417

As of right now, the Hammer is the best weapon. High damage, great support, permanent protection, and if you’re running writ of the merciful (20-30 honor), it heals anyone inside the radius of the symbol proc.

This isn’t to say that other weapons don’t have their merits, such as mace, staff, or scepter.

However, the sword, is truly lacking. Unlike the other weapons, there’s no combo field, combo finisher, and the weapon damage is the weakest out of them all.

I feel that the 1h sword should be a more viable weapon choice, and perhaps people would utilize the 1h sword more.

I’d recommend some kind of magic effect, such as a symbol, or boon.

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Posted by: buki.3108

buki.3108

It either needs to hit harder or hit more people. Atm the only reason I use any 1h is for a shield – that doesn’t feel right.

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Posted by: Lysico.4906

Lysico.4906

fast attack, teleport and ranged protection

They all have rolls..

Also saying hammer is the best weapon is sort of silly

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Posted by: Silver.8023

Silver.8023

I wouldn’t say it’s the lowest damage, I would say that it delivers its damage a little unreliably though. I do agree that it’s lacking.

I made a thread on this a little while ago. Feel free to share ideas and (dare I say) opinions there if you want to consolidate all the sword stuff there!
https://forum-en.gw2archive.eu/forum/professions/guardian/Sword-problems-and-possible-solutions/first

Silver Stormshield – Guardian
Kaimoon Blade – Warrior
Fort Aspenwood

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Posted by: foofad.5162

foofad.5162

One-handed sword is fine except for Zealot’s Defense. ZD is terrible. Root, slow projectiles, single target, and I have never had the projectile absorb on it actually work in a meaningful way.

Eilir Eirasdottir, Guardian, Tarnished Coast
Painbow.6059: Ignore what anyone else who doesn’t agree with me has said because its wrong.

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Posted by: Haseno.6417

Haseno.6417

Each weapon succeeds in it’s own respective area. All weapons are situational. However, the sword is truly lacking and has a far more minimal role in comparison to other weapons.

Sword needs its own unique mechanic. The hammer gives a symbol, mace gives a symbol, greatsword gives a symbol, staff gives a symbol.

Sword should do something as well.

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Posted by: Bash.7291

Bash.7291

Highest single target damage out of the the weapons we use is it’s respective area. The sword’s only flaw is that you have to trait for it to bring the best out of it, but getting 1.9k auto attack with 3k crits on the third hit is pretty nice. you do need to trait 30 into radiance to get that though.

Living Dead Girl ~ Necro
[Rev]

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Posted by: Danicco.3568

Danicco.3568

Sword should do something as well.

…a Symbol?

I think Flashing Blade needs a damage increase, and that’d be already cool to use it.

Zealot’s Defense should work like a Mesmer’s Blurred Frenzy or Warrior’s Hundred Blades, they root you in place, and you deal physical damage while throwing those projectiles. The damage increase would be insane if our target stays in melee range and eats all the hits, just like the two skills I mentioned.

For PvP, people would be expected to avoid it just like they already do these two skills, except ours on a longer cooldown. You can even remove the projectile blocking because I also never got it to a really meaningful use like foofad said.

We’d get our damage buff, it’d be a physical AoE that hits in front of us, making the Sword viable for all PvE stuff and (maybe) finally comparable to a Greatsword. It would still deal less AoE damage since it’s on a long cooldown, but you’d be able to run Sword + Offhand and something other than Greatsword/Hammer as secondary weapon.

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Posted by: Under Web.2497

Under Web.2497

My asuran guard uses ZD to escape a red ring- not all rings traverse through the z axis – so it allows me to stay in melee and still dps unlike dodging and losing dps

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Posted by: Silver.8023

Silver.8023

I think my last suggestion on the thread I linked a few posts up fixes up Sword Wave a fair bit. Keeps the sword’s single target viability and its ability to proc Virtue of Justice more often than other weapons but also addresses Sword Wave’s inaccuracy/narrow arc for lack of better words (not to mention it’s ability to be reflected! ).
I like Danicco’s idea, it would make Zealot’s Defense behave in way more similar to Whirling Wrath then anything else, if I caught your meaning that is, make it hit foes in front with melee attacks (kinda like Warrior’s Flurry) but also shoot out the projectiles for bonus damage, like how Whirling Wrath works. It would probably mean the projectiles do far less damage though than they do now though, removing a lot of the ranged capacity of the skill but I mean, it’s not like you can hit reliably with it at range the way it is now….
I’d still prefer the suggestions I listed in that thread I linked earlier though.

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Posted by: purpleskies.3274

purpleskies.3274

Personally I would like to know why ZD shoots projectiles, which means they can be reflected or stopped, but they don’t have the standard 20% projectile finisher.

Also as was said in the suggestion thread before the patch, make it so flashing blade doesn’t require a target. If you have no target it sends you forward 600 yards.

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Posted by: Skynet Railgun.9345

Skynet Railgun.9345

I am a 1h sword user together with a shield and GS as secondary weapon. I found that ZD is a good skill even though it root you in a place. It’s good against BS thieves and GS warrior . Attract them into melee range, block or evade BS or 1000 blades, than ZD can deal some damage. It’s also good to chasing down runaway enemies using the flashing blade. The down side is that the range of the sword is a little bit not enough.

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Posted by: timecookie.8570

timecookie.8570

Binding Blades happens to be the most valuable weapon skill you have as a Guardian so I would not say Hammer is the best weapon.

1H Sword has a very good DPS but can unleash its potential only on single targets. It has an AoE Blind with a fairly low cd which is not something you find on lot of weapons. And btw, Blind is a strong condition even though ineffective on champs and legendaries.

And about the magic effect, it reflects projectiles.

There still are specific mobs I use the 1HSword against but not too much. This weapon, yet balanced, stays in the shadows of more suitable weapons given the situation. Or just because of its lack of utility (after all we are talking about Guardian).

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Posted by: Swimsasa Stoon.8936

Swimsasa Stoon.8936

GS-3-1HS-2-f3-shout(save yourselves)-focus5-GS3 etc… in a 1 on 1 against anything you can’t lose….. except for monsters and players that have rapid attacks…. like number two on the 1HS

(edited by Swimsasa Stoon.8936)

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Posted by: azureai.9764

azureai.9764

Sword needs its own unique mechanic. The hammer gives a symbol, mace gives a symbol, greatsword gives a symbol, staff gives a symbol.

Sword should do something as well.

Sword quickly procs Virtue of Justice. That is what it does uniquely, and what it is designed to do.

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Posted by: Danicco.3568

Danicco.3568

Sword needs its own unique mechanic. The hammer gives a symbol, mace gives a symbol, greatsword gives a symbol, staff gives a symbol.

Sword should do something as well.

Sword quickly procs Virtue of Justice. That is what it does uniquely, and what it is designed to do.

Greatsword and Hammer does it better.

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Posted by: Thz.7569

Thz.7569

I think the sword would be fine if 3rd auto and ZD had proper cleave like the first 2 auto attacks. I’m sure some like how single target based it is and would want a #s increase to make it fill that niche, but I think that would make it too strong. So yeah, I just want to be able to aoe with it.

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Posted by: Bloodgruve.6038

Bloodgruve.6038

Hammer is awesome but from my testing Sword has the highest single target damage output. Used to be great with and viable with Omnomberry Pie but with that nerf it lost its edge IMHO. Without all that crit healing sword is simply damage and lesser utility than our other options.

Things to fix,

Auto chain should have its angle increased to hit more targets in front of you.

Sword Wave should be melee hits instead of ranged but the 3 in 1 attack is unique and should be kept.

Flashing Blade should be a leap finisher or drop a symbol where you land.

Zealot’s Defense should allow you to move during the attack or give it the same frontal cone as sword auto.

With these changes I’d happily go back to sword even after the food nerf.

Blood~

“Real knowledge is to know the extent of one’s ignorance”

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Posted by: Silver.8023

Silver.8023

Food fix*

Those changes are pretty much entirely what I wrote in my sword thread that I linked. I didn’t suggest the extra symbol, it would be really nice for sword to have some extra trait synergy and AoE, which is what the symbol would provide (sword in support builds?! whaaaat?! ). I’m just not sure if it would be done I really would like a symbol squeezed unto the sword somewhere though.
I did mention that it would be nice if Zealot’s Defense’s projectiles hit foes in a line rather than just a single foe. I didn’t suggest the additional normal melee cone attack damage but I guess it would kinda make sense. Either suggestion would drastically increase the sword’s AoE capabilities, of which it has almost none, currently.

My suggestion for Sword Wave is that it hits three times in a normal melee arc up to three targets, none of this cone projectile nonsense. If they want to sneak a 1 second cripple on each of those three hits, all the better!

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Posted by: Obtena.7952

Obtena.7952

Maybe we should start setting our calender to these threads. Consistently one a week, and each having the same lack of background.

Each weapon has a purpose. Learn what they are before claiming they are ‘truly lacking’. Sword certainly isn’t truly lacking though there is room for (small) improvement. Being sensational doesn’t make the case any stronger.

(edited by Obtena.7952)

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Posted by: Chammorine.2517

Chammorine.2517

I don’t know if it’s just me, but I think 1h sword pairs really well with torch. As mentioned, It procs Justice super fast, letting you keep burn on the target basically all the time after using your 4 skill.

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Posted by: Chammorine.2517

Chammorine.2517

To follow up, (I was busy) I think the one thing sword could use is SOME kind of defensive boost and/or a symbol. It has practically no group synergy, which is really blah for a class that is supposed to be largely group support based. In the area of lacking or not lacking, I think it may depend too much on synergy with Justice to be truly viable without a torch in the off hand to go with it. BUT it does work really well that way.

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Posted by: mrauls.6519

mrauls.6519

The sword shouldn’t be looked at alone. It is meant to be used in combination with a focus, shield, or torch. The sword’s 1-3 skills are great.

It seems that people want the 1h sword to do damage like a greatsword. No! The 1h sword should be faster than a greatsword, but put out less damage.

Leave the sword alone

Mes (Guardian)
I make PvP & WvW videos

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Posted by: crewthief.8649

crewthief.8649

Binding Blades happens to be the most valuable weapon skill you have as a Guardian so I would not say Hammer is the best weapon.

1H Sword has a very good DPS but can unleash its potential only on single targets. It has an AoE Blind with a fairly low cd which is not something you find on lot of weapons. And btw, Blind is a strong condition even though ineffective on champs and legendaries.

And about the magic effect, it reflects projectiles.

There still are specific mobs I use the 1HSword against but not too much. This weapon, yet balanced, stays in the shadows of more suitable weapons given the situation. Or just because of its lack of utility (after all we are talking about Guardian).

I’m pretty sure that your opinion on Binding Blades is purely subjective. Very good skill for sure, but best…I don’t know about that.

< JADE QUARRY >
Zabroshan – 80 Guardian / Sorroe – 80 Mesmer
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Posted by: crewthief.8649

crewthief.8649

fast attack, teleport and ranged protection

They all have rolls..

Also saying hammer is the best weapon is sort of silly

How is that silly? I can make that argument all day, every day. Burstiest weapon we’ve got, 3 forms of CC, auto-attack chain that procs a Protection symbol. Mighty Blow is a medium range leap that hits harder than anything else a Guardian has (burst-wise) and is an instant cast blast finisher (arguably the best blast finisher in the game). Very, very easy argument to make.

< JADE QUARRY >
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Hands Off My Octopus

(edited by crewthief.8649)

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Posted by: Chammorine.2517

Chammorine.2517

fast attack, teleport and ranged protection

They all have rolls..

Also saying hammer is the best weapon is sort of silly

How is that silly? I can make that argument all day, every day. Burstiest weapon we’ve got, 3 forms of CC, auto-attack chain that procs a Protection symbol. Mighty Blow is a medium range leap that hits harder than anything else a Guardian has (burst-wise) and is an instant cast blast finisher (arguably the best blast finisher in the game). Very, very easy argument to make.

It’s also incredibly slow on activation times for it’s AA and is easily interrupted. According to the wiki, it actually takes 3.7 seconds for the AA chain to complete and the protection symbol to be down. JUST the Symbol part takes 2 seconds. Mighty Blow IS a very nice skill for sure. As you mentioned, it brings an insta-cast, leaping Burst finisher. Short CD too. But I’d rather have the prot symbol than insta-burst damage usually, and they interfere w/ each other BC Symbol takes 2 freaking seconds to activate by itself and at most lasts 4 sec. And lord forbid you have to dodge while you’re watching the grass grow waiting for it to land.

Honestly I want to like hammer, it’s got most of the stuff I like to look for out of my skills in RPGs: 2-handed, support/control heavy, effects look powerful visually, etc. But 2 second activation on the last hit feels like an eternity when you’re trying to avoid getting interrupted, or running/dodging/chasing, or pretty much any movement in general like so much of GW2’s content seems to require.

(edited by Chammorine.2517)

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Posted by: Bloodgruve.6038

Bloodgruve.6038

Food fix*

Food nerf*

We couldn’t do what thieves and warriors could with crit healing. Omnom Pies were what gave Sword/Torch that extra dimension that made them desirable, imo. A fix* would have reduced the healing slightly and stopped classes from filling there HP in 3 seconds. I ran S/T because it was fun and fast but it was all about damage output and had little group support. But I felt that the crit healing allowed me to stay up front and do what I intended with the build, so for me it justified lacking group support. Without this now S/T feels lacking as melee up-time is not as high. So yes, nerf to Guardians. Not saying that the food didn’t need a change but in this case it stopped me from using the build I was running.

IMHO Sword needs a little something to bring it back on par with our other options.

Blood~

“Real knowledge is to know the extent of one’s ignorance”

(edited by Bloodgruve.6038)

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Posted by: Uncle Salty.6342

Uncle Salty.6342

Consider this.

Anet doesn’t fix one thing. It fixes one thing and screws up ten others. That’s their idea of balance.

Now let’s try again. Do you want Anet to try fixing guardian 1h sword?
grins

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Posted by: Obtena.7952

Obtena.7952

That’s an inaccurate description of how Anet operates, at least with respect to Guardians.

You are right though, I see more pressing issues than to make every weapon do everything people want it to be.

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Posted by: Talyn Rahl.2165

Talyn Rahl.2165

Funny, I’ve recently started running s/t and was thinking just today that they really need to fix a few small things about 1h sword.

Mostly, make ZD have an ~90degree arc… This would help alot, also let us move while casting it….

Then increase the damage on FB, not much, just enough so that it does more than 25% of an auto attack :p

Those would be my ideas, not a perfect 100% fix… but a large step in the right direction.

Also: MASSIVE noob question, but just how important IS Right Hand Strength to a sword and torch Dps build? I’m building towards something along THESE lines, trying to keep the target burning as close to 100% of the time as possible, to gain maximum benefit from Fiery Wrath.

(edited by Talyn Rahl.2165)

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Posted by: azureai.9764

azureai.9764

Sword quickly procs Virtue of Justice. That is what it does uniquely, and what it is designed to do.

Greatsword and Hammer does it better.

?

Objectively, you’re very wrong. Virtue of Justice procs on every five hits (four with particular traits). Both greatsword and (especially) hammer are much slower at hitting than sword, which gets 5 hits in 2.5 seconds.

I agree with those that have said that, while sword might need a minor buff (Flashing Blade, though a quick recharging bind and gap closer, isn’t that much faster than the greatsword version…and greatsword is probably our best weapon), sword tends to be heavily underrated by players who just want another greatsword. Sword is more versitile and does something completely different than greatsword: quick, consistent one-on-one hits.

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Posted by: Phoenix the One.4071

Phoenix the One.4071

1h/focus and GS is a great blind combo with 15points in precision:)
My mate ran it and timed the blinds very good:)
But dunno if it is more effective than having a blast-finisher on demand (I know focus got one, but 40sec and delay is not that overwhelming).

Only reason I got a gs atm is because I haven’t found a exotic 1h sword yet:) also like the whole pull together many mobs, blind → symbol → whirl combo^^

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Posted by: George Steel.1804

George Steel.1804

First off, if you guys are not activating VoJ and entrusting 1h sword’s multi-hit autoattack to proc burning.. You’re doing it wrong.

VoJ should be used ON COOLDOWN as you will(should) have 15 traited in Radiance for refresh, and at least 5 in virtues to provide you(and) your party stacks of might as well. (I run 0-0-10-30-30 and always use VoJ on cd)

You also can’t claim the weapon was “designed to proc VoJ” when GS, Hammer(symbol included) and torch all have multi-hit abilities rivaling sword.

In terms of hammer being our best weapon? In PvE, it is. But it’s hella boring. In PvP though, I have to say I’ve had a lot better time with the GS + 2h mastery. I just cannot deal with the kittenedly slow cast on 3rd chain auto swing. Yeah, MB is nice.. but not as the only source of damage.

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Posted by: Under Web.2497

Under Web.2497

would like flashing blade to behave like leap of faith- non targetable leap/finisher

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Posted by: azureai.9764

azureai.9764

You also can’t claim the weapon was “designed to proc VoJ” when GS, Hammer(symbol included) and torch all have multi-hit abilities rivaling sword.

And those greatsword skills have a lot more cool down than Sword 1. (I have no idea what multihit hammer skills you’re talking about.) Also, part of sword’s benefit is it can be paired with torch unlike hammer and greatsword. Even without torch, just start a mob on fire, and sword 1 with Virtue of Justice’s passive will keep it there until the mob is dead. Steady, quick attacks (which proc Virtue of Justice’s passive) is what every one of sword’s abilities scream.

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Posted by: George Steel.1804

George Steel.1804

You also can’t claim the weapon was “designed to proc VoJ” when GS, Hammer(symbol included) and torch all have multi-hit abilities rivaling sword.

And those greatsword skills have a lot more cool down than Sword 1. (I have no idea what multihit hammer skills you’re talking about.) Also, part of sword’s benefit is it can be paired with torch unlike hammer and greatsword. Even without torch, just start a mob on fire, and sword 1 with Virtue of Justice’s passive will keep it there until the mob is dead. Steady, quick attacks (which proc Virtue of Justice’s passive) is what every one of sword’s abilities scream.

GS + Hammer symbols both proc VoJ. But I digress.

If you are not using VoJ on cooldown, you are doing it wrong. Whether or not the weapon was “made to proc VoJ” is all redundant. In the end, sword’s skills are lackluster due to the many reasons others have stated. Having a mobile ZD and reworking Flashing Blade to do some actual damage would alleviate many concerns.

Platinum – Guardian
Technical Strength – Engineer
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Posted by: azureai.9764

azureai.9764

GS + Hammer symbols both proc VoJ. But I digress.

If you are not using VoJ on cooldown, you are doing it wrong. Whether or not the weapon was “made to proc VoJ” is all redundant. In the end, sword’s skills are lackluster due to the many reasons others have stated. Having a mobile ZD and reworking Flashing Blade to do some actual damage would alleviate many concerns.

Everything procs VoJ. The pont is that sword does it fastest and more often. And considering VoJ has a 30 second cooldown, I wouldn’t denounce someone who can put burning back on every 2 seconds by using VoJ’s passive as “doing it wrong.”

I do agree that Guardian sword could use a minor buff (I’d be fine if they reduced Flashing Blade’s cooldown even more and gave it a finisher), but I think people underestimate sword’s utility and don’t understand its role.

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Posted by: Phoenix the One.4071

Phoenix the One.4071

So all in all we need:

Faster autoattack combo with hammer.
Better damage and utility for 1h sword.

I wouldn’t mind that:)

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Posted by: foofad.5162

foofad.5162

I think some folks are missing the main issue. Yes, Sword does have the highest single target DPS. However, when using the exact same build that nets Sword the highest DPS possible, and instead using a Greatsword, you will do very nearly the same damage within a few percent. The ramifications of this being obvious – in any situation where you aren’t hitting just one target, you’re much better off.

Yes, you miss out on off hand skills. But no off hand skill contributes to your damage as significantly as running a Greatsword will. If that’s your concern, then the Greatsword is almost always a far, far better option than a Sword. As a practical matter, you fight multiple enemies so often (compared to single enemies) that the extra killing power you get out of the Greatsword far surpasses Sword.

To be clear, I enjoy Sword except for Zealot’s Defense. And I like being able to use off hand items as well, particularly shield, but Sword and Shield (and Torch, and Focus) are all sub par compared to Greatsword.

Greatsword isn’t overpowered though. Sword is just underpowered.

Eilir Eirasdottir, Guardian, Tarnished Coast
Painbow.6059: Ignore what anyone else who doesn’t agree with me has said because its wrong.

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Posted by: Bash.7291

Bash.7291

I think some folks are missing the main issue. Yes, Sword does have the highest single target DPS. However, when using the exact same build that nets Sword the highest DPS possible, and instead using a Greatsword, you will do very nearly the same damage within a few percent. The ramifications of this being obvious – in any situation where you aren’t hitting just one target, you’re much better off.

Yes, you miss out on off hand skills. But no off hand skill contributes to your damage as significantly as running a Greatsword will. If that’s your concern, then the Greatsword is almost always a far, far better option than a Sword. As a practical matter, you fight multiple enemies so often (compared to single enemies) that the extra killing power you get out of the Greatsword far surpasses Sword.

To be clear, I enjoy Sword except for Zealot’s Defense. And I like being able to use off hand items as well, particularly shield, but Sword and Shield (and Torch, and Focus) are all sub par compared to Greatsword.

Greatsword isn’t overpowered though. Sword is just underpowered.

Why not just run sword/offhand and GS then? It is not like you are restricted to one weapon unless you are engineer/ele. I almost always run that combo just because the vulnerability on blind trait makes them synergize insanely well. Plus the AoE nature of the GS compliments the one target nature of the 1h sword very well.

I never understood why people always compare one weapon to another, compare complete weapon sets not just single weapons, and never 1h vs 2h unless you compare the offhand as well.

Living Dead Girl ~ Necro
[Rev]

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Posted by: Bash.7291

Bash.7291

You also can’t claim the weapon was “designed to proc VoJ” when GS, Hammer(symbol included) and torch all have multi-hit abilities rivaling sword.

And those greatsword skills have a lot more cool down than Sword 1. (I have no idea what multihit hammer skills you’re talking about.) Also, part of sword’s benefit is it can be paired with torch unlike hammer and greatsword. Even without torch, just start a mob on fire, and sword 1 with Virtue of Justice’s passive will keep it there until the mob is dead. Steady, quick attacks (which proc Virtue of Justice’s passive) is what every one of sword’s abilities scream.

GS + Hammer symbols both proc VoJ. But I digress.

If you are not using VoJ on cooldown, you are doing it wrong. Whether or not the weapon was “made to proc VoJ” is all redundant. In the end, sword’s skills are lackluster due to the many reasons others have stated. Having a mobile ZD and reworking Flashing Blade to do some actual damage would alleviate many concerns.

There are only a few times you should actually use VoJ…. In dungeons where your group is going to cause 25 seconds of burning from attacking one target. In WvW where you are going to burst someone down and have the 10% additional damage to burning target trait, you need the blind from radiance 5 to mitigate a big hit, or something you tagged is about to die.

Keep in mind that condition removal can instantly kill a VoJ activation and screw up your burst pretty bad if you don’t use it correctly. Trust me, laying off the F1 trigger finger in WvW was something that took some time to learn but you get alot better knowing when to activate it or not.

Living Dead Girl ~ Necro
[Rev]

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Posted by: GoZero.9708

GoZero.9708

As a PvEer, I think the sword does pretty well. It, alongside a Torch, is typically what I use against bosses that I don’t need any sort of survival against and just need to burn health on. My only complaint is that the 2 skill feels a bit underwhelming. All I use it for is to prevent a big hit on my party with the quick Blindness or (more often) quickly close distance to a boss. If it had 20% less cooldown (or 2 less seconds) or proper damage (the current damage is (.0735 * Attack) – 73.826 when it should be around (.735 * Attack) – 73.826. instead), I think the weapon would be much more accepted compared to the Greatsword and Hammer.

Zealot’s Defense’s root isn’t as big of a concern for me as bosses do not tend to move around like other players do. However, I do tend to notice that even against a sessile target not all 8 attacks hit.

(edited by GoZero.9708)

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Posted by: zainey.5021

zainey.5021

I really like 1h sword for pve too, but somehow that doesn’t translate into good for pvp. It’s just harder to get the burst when I need it in pvp.

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Posted by: Danicco.3568

Danicco.3568

?

Objectively, you’re very wrong. Virtue of Justice procs on every five hits (four with particular traits). Both greatsword and (especially) hammer are much slower at hitting than sword, which gets 5 hits in 2.5 seconds.

Symbol hits counts for Virtue of Justice proc.

Hammer Symbol is pretty most always up if you’ve traited for longer Symbols, so you can count it as “always 1 hit per sec”, plus it’s sluggish auto-attack.

Greatsword has… 5 hits, 7 if traited with the Symbol of Wrath, and there’s Whirling Wrath that is 9 hits (without projectiles) every 8 seconds.

If you count up the number of hits over a minute… I’d say they’re either pretty close, the same, or even a little above for the Greatsword.
For the Hammer I don’t know, but I think it should be pretty close too, if you count the Sword as 5 hits per 3 sec…

Swords needs some serious buffs! (I love Sword & Shield looking Guardians)

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Posted by: Ash.2175

Ash.2175

I love 1h sword in pve! Perfect choice for my current build. It hits super fast and I have high crit so with that Honor trait that gives area might on crit I can keep up party might. Procs virtue of justice which blinds targets when it hits. Blind causes vulnerability. I also get vigor on crit and heal people on my dodge roll. Virtue of justice is recharged on a kill too, so I can use it situationally for the blind but I usually still have it up and burning every 5 hits.

Also, most people seem to forget that the sword allows for greater movement (something a Guardian lacks with most other weapons) and blind! Immobilized and need to gtfo? flashing blade. Blind is amazing!! Timing your blinds on big attacks is such great protection. Preventing 1 hit is better than taking 33% less damage for 1 hit. Of course, not all enemies have 1 big hit so its situational… but everything is situational. Also I seem to always be hitting multiple enemies with the #1 sword chain moves, and I’m always moving in a way that tries to group the melee enemies together. IMO, 1h Sword has a lot of potential. I have never done any calculations to see how it compares vs other weapons, but I don’t think it needs any work and I’ve always enjoyed using it. I think its impossible to truly compare one weapon vs another because there are a lot of factors involved (mostly traits and what you’re going for in a build), but I think it is especially wrong to compare 2h vs 1h because of the offhand possibilities.

P.S. I said “most people seem to forget..” but I didn’t read through all the posts so don’t take that line too seriously :P

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Posted by: Setun.4368

Setun.4368

To follow up, (I was busy) I think the one thing sword could use is SOME kind of defensive boost and/or a symbol. It has practically no group synergy, which is really blah for a class that is supposed to be largely group support based. In the area of lacking or not lacking, I think it may depend too much on synergy with Justice to be truly viable without a torch in the off hand to go with it. BUT it does work really well that way.

Anyone on your group / wvw team can run behind your sword #3 if they’re being hit by projectiles and it’ll block it. Not quite as easily effective as some of the other utilities, but it is possible to do.

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Posted by: Setun.4368

Setun.4368

To be honest the only change I’d make to sword would be to make Flashing Blade (and by association, Judge’s Intervention) not require a target for the blink to take effect. Other than that the weapon is fine.

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Posted by: crewthief.8649

crewthief.8649

So all in all we need:

Faster autoattack combo with hammer.
Better damage and utility for 1h sword.

I wouldn’t mind that:)

Faster AA speed on Hammer would put it in the over powered category. AA speed is fine, just takes alot of practice to perfect it.

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Posted by: foofad.5162

foofad.5162

For those of you asking for Flashing Blade buffs, you aren’t going to get them. Flashing Blade used to not require a target, and also did about four times as much damage. They nerfed it in beta.

Eilir Eirasdottir, Guardian, Tarnished Coast
Painbow.6059: Ignore what anyone else who doesn’t agree with me has said because its wrong.

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Posted by: Aza.2105

Aza.2105

A lot of players tend to compare the sword auto attack to Zealot’s Defense. Its quite misleading, auto attack does do more damage over time. But generally damage over time skills aren’t as useful as burst damage skills in a pvp setting. In pvp its easier to teleport to a target and hit them with ZD than it is for you to teleport to a target and try to get a three hit auto attack in. So it has its uses, but its situational.

Sword does need to have finishers, ZD could stand to be actual blocks so it benefits from other traits that activate from blocks. Flashing blade is ok as it is I guess, if it was nerfed in beta, chances are we won’t see it buffed. The auto attack could use some sort of finishing effect. It hits up to three times yes, but GS, Hammer and Scepter have superior auto attacks.

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