Guild Wars 2

So I’ve read multiple times about Guardians and how they can actually bring burst to the table…especially in comparison to a Warrior.

I want to know the forums thoughts on the best way to accomplish this?

I came up with my own idea for a burst build 15/30/0/0/25 and this seems to me to bring the most damage in the shortest amount of time out of any of our builds.

http://gw2skills.net/editor/?fUQQRAsf5dlUgSD33ROEf4ESOjCMBteAQHk/UfIeA-jECBYfFRjmsYIaUBhOzsIaslhFRjVXDT5iIq2auIa1A-w

Of course this is with no thought of surviving in mind, this would be best in picking out a lone target or 1v1 scenario. Especially compared to say a Meditations build, or taking Abs Resolution or Vig Precision. All that takes away from the burst damage.

So how it works. It seems to me the optimal rotation would be:

Prepare foc5 and mac3 from far range. Hit foc4 from range for the damage and vuln stacks (from vuln on blind trait) and start casting mac2 (which will bring more vuln through traits) and SY (for the extra boons and Power of Virtuous damage) and quickly JI onto target so that the mac2 symbol lands. Immediately swap weapons—popping VoJ (vuln stacks and burning), VoC (for extra boon Stability), Smite Condi (for the extra dmg), and tor4 all at same time. And right away lay down your main burst, which is sw3. At this point, your foc5 and mac3 bursts should proc, and if still alive, target may react, but you can finish off with Zealots fire part of tor4 and sw2 (with its sticking to target potential and extra vuln).

I realize doing this will take major focus on popping all those abilities so quickly, and that you’ll pretty much have everything on cd, but that’s the point of “burst”, getting off as much as you can in shortest amount of time. and this seems to be the best way to do it.

Some things to note and questions I have. A lot of this damage, if done fast enough without giving enemy time to respond, should be done with Aegis up, allowing Unscathed Contender to do its thing. Am I right in thinking that if mac3 gets procced, that Aegis will no longer be up? That sucks if so. Also what about blinds? will mac3 proc even if target is blinded? And does blind remove first or Aegis, or will blind getting used up also remove Aegis?

Also, for Power of the Virtuous, does it take into account boon stacking? or is it just the each different boon you have? Like does more stacks of might increase the +1%dmg of it? what about boons that stack duration? Just want to know if it worth popping VoR as well in rotation and if it worth getting more shouts for more boons, compared to using Smite condition.

Okay that’s it. Any critiques or problems you see…please hit me up on it.

Thanks!

Mace 3 requires you to be struck while channel is up. Actions other than movement will cancel the channel.

Small scale or Solo stuff in WvW, maybe, a more serious team effort, not really.

Not enough overall self sustain. In fact, we had a team mate trying out something similar for about 2 days recently. The biggest problem he ran into was that due to extremely low armor/health he was just dead most of the time. Many times he killed himself by using “save yourselves” as he drew everything from everyone around. He switched out real quick to his old build.

Tongku.5326:

Small scale or Solo stuff in WvW, maybe, a more serious team effort, not really.

Not enough overall self sustain. In fact, we had a team mate trying out something similar for about 2 days recently. The biggest problem he ran into was that due to extremely low armor/health he was just dead most of the time. Many times he killed himself by using “save yourselves” as he drew everything from everyone around. He switched out real quick to his old build.

Pretty much this. I played around with 20/25/0/0/25 awhile back in WvW. It was funny dropping people in a blink of an eye. However if u ran into a competent player or even a group fight. You just become a liability.

Tongku.5326:

Small scale or Solo stuff in WvW, maybe, a more serious team effort, not really.

Not enough overall self sustain. In fact, we had a team mate trying out something similar for about 2 days recently. The biggest problem he ran into was that due to extremely low armor/health he was just dead most of the time. Many times he killed himself by using “save yourselves” as he drew everything from everyone around. He switched out real quick to his old build.

I never feel safe using “save yourselves” without contemplation of purity.

Blind would go away before Aegis just because the attack starts with the attacker first, your character won’t need to defend an attack that doesn’t happen.

Ah, that’s right about mac3…everyone always stands there awkwardly with the block up waiting to get hit. Too good to be true expecting it to act like foc5 I guess.

Yeah, thanks guys. And looking at it again, i’m betting the PvE-meta build 20/25/0/0/25 with GS, like you were pointing out Harbinger, would be a higher/easier burst to pull off than what I originally posted. Especially with that slick gs5 and JI combo I hear gives you more than 1 hit on a single target. That really work? Still gotta try it…

I expect this build would be like a comparable glass bursting thief destroying the squishies. Just for fun kind of thing… …but, instead of the nice working stealth get away or teleports, we only have shelter and RF for a few seconds to try and get back in the keep or something risky. I like it.

Also this one works a little better imo. It gives you two breaks, a lot of condition removing, and a tiny bit more survivability.

http://gw2skills.net/editor/?fUAQNAR7dlYgKCXFSIEf4ESmiCEBteQQGUBVpIeuHA-jUBBofCyZmFRjt4qIasKkYaXER1SBExYA-w

Again theses are just funnies builds. Nothing too srs.

Yeah i can never stand the funnies builds haha
I usually run 10/30/30/0/0 or 10/30/25/5/0 with full meds and shelter w/ full zerk equips (travereler runes are awesome)
really the damage is amazing compared to the amount of of survivability you can get. I mean with a shield of wrath + ZD/WW + smite condi you pretty much always will down someone, so I don’t know why you’d want to go even MORE zerk haha.

http://gw2skills.net/editor/?fUAQNAR8dlUgSD33ROEf4Eh1jBeQ/VVIeXPgYEbIA-T0Ag0CnIqRVjrGTNyas1MsYZxGkjFPLA

This is by far the most DPS build for PvP. I don’t really consider it to be great, more like a fun build, but ppl are droppin like flies. Warrior is not able to put such AoE burst so I consider guardian better in that term.

This build is focussed on bursting down a single target before he can kill you.

That’s certainly possible in PvE and this build will do that but you’ll almost never see it happen in PvP. Many of these abilities do not keep in mind that the target might run, stack you with loads of conditions or simply dodge your big attacks.

Unscathed contenter is just about the most worthless trait in PvP or WvW, Aegis will always be the first thing to go and without Retreat or some investement into re-applying it fast, you’ll never benefit from the 10% damage increase.

Overall, I’d say try this out in PvP where such things are free but I think with a health pool that small and toughness that low you’ll do hugh burst damage, but die before you can finish them off. In team fights or 2V1 you’ll probably also suffer from AoE attacks and big damage.

Most builds for guardians in PvP and such focus around durability or healing with decent damage output.
Try checking out http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1OD4ch9eWf0

It’s the most bursty you can get in PvP without neglecting your survivability to the point where a mosquito bite will kill you.

10 30 30 0 0. Full zerker. Save yourselves, JI, power signet. Medi heal sword focus hammer. Youll burst 10k on sword 3. And same on focus 6 if u dont get hit. + around 3k per AA hit. Once that is all on cd switchand finish with hammer 2. Boom 30k damage in 5 seconds

Jackmo.3428:

10 30 30 0 0. Full zerker. Save yourselves, JI, power signet. Medi heal sword focus hammer. Youll burst 10k on sword 3. And same on focus 6 if u dont get hit. + around 3k per AA hit. Once that is all on cd switchand finish with hammer 2. Boom 30k damage in 5 seconds

you rly don’t need save yourself and the power sig. remember that smite condi hits up to 5-6k so running full meds will have almost no affect on your damage, but your survivability should majorly increase.