Guild Wars 2

I’ve been searching around and reading a lot about Guardians lately. I’ve been level 80 for a little while now and I am just now starting to realize that you need to be very dynamic and reactive with your skills and weapons whilst in combat.

To be successful in combat, there are a lot of aspects to your profession that you need to consider if you plan to beat your opponents every time! All of which include the dynamic – shouts, boons, retaliation, symbols, virtues, consecrations, and passive trait abilities… Not to forget, now you need to also think about being reactive – dodging, converting conditions into boons while also unleashing damage to foes, “Oh! Here comes more mobs!”, weapon swapping, protective bubbles, healing, blocking (aegis), retaliation, etc.

There is just so much to account for when using a Guardian in combat… the bigger question (or questions) is/are – when, how, where (targeted abilities), and in what situations do you use which abilities and why? Is there a rotation? Is there a bonus when you use certain abilities before others? What stacks up on what?

I am no “Guardian-pro” at the least… I would like to hear from other fellow Guardians about their combat strategy and rotation.

Let’s use a template so we don’t get this thread mistaken for a Guardian build or profession guide.

• What’s your build?
  1. 1-on-1 combat (weapon use, ability rotation, utility use)
  2. Multiple opponents (weapon use, ability rotation, utility use)
  3. Reasoning for your strategy.
  4. Where do you incorporate dodging into your “dance routine”?
  5. Personal advice or tips about Guardians you would like to share.

Meditation tanky DPS build – 20-0-30-20-0
1. Hammer / Scepter & torch – Hammer primary weapon of choice, scepter for ranged combat. Rotation is based on if I can anchor mobs near me with hammer, and using immobilizes / ring of warding to keep enemies pinned on aoes my party is using.
2. Same weapons
3. While most PvE bosses may be immune to knockdowns and the like, only a few are outright immune to immobilize, which is a very handy tool to have both to keep enemies where you want them as well as keeping them away from you or whoever they’re chasing after. The protection symbol on the hammer chain keeps the damage mitigation high to help with anchoring mob(s).
4. Most of the time I dodge when enemies do the big ‘wind up’ animation. I.e. Flaming Effigy’s aoe burn in CoF path 1, Fractals Moss Man dual axe swing, etc.
5. Nothing atm.

It’s pretty much all the same how i play my characters in pve.
Maximum damage, Energy Sigils, if possible vigor and evades.
As guardian i was using 20/25/0/25/0 but since i do arah much and want the reduced recharge on WoR i swapped over to 10/25/0/25/10. Equipment is all Berserker GS with Sigil of Energy, Sword with Sigil of Energy and Focus with Sigil of Bloodlust.
I dodge whenever the situation requires it (also to stay out of combat to skip faster) and usually follow it up with GS3. Oh and well, i have a set of Knight’s Trinkets to catch aggro and sometimes use 0/0/30/20/20 if the group is terribad and im lazy.

Build +30% Dmg (low endurance , mob inflicted burning and condition, blind gives invulnerability) – 10-25-10-25-0

Weapon : Sword + Focus / Greatsword, Utilities:Save Yourself, Bane Signet, Retreat

Dance Cue:Inflict mob 12 stack of Invulnerability, hit SY , and do Greatsword (2)

Skill rotation
Focus (5)&(4),Sword (2).+(3),Virtue Justice, Greatsword(3),(4) and (2).
Dmg calculation
Focus (5):7k
Sword (3):7k
Greatsword (3):3k
Greatsword (2):8k
Total :25k dmg in 10 secs.
Goes up to total 48k provided with 25 stack might and 25 stack of invulnerability in dungeon.

yLoon.5289:

Build +30% Dmg (low endurance , mob inflicted burning and condition, blind gives vulnerability) – 10-25-10-25-0

Weapon : Sword + Focus / Greatsword, Utilities:Save Yourself, Bane Signet, Retreat

Dance Cue:Inflict mob 12 stack of vulnerability, hit SY , and do Greatsword (2)

Skill rotation
Focus (5)&(4),Sword (2).+(3),Virtue Justice, Greatsword(3),(4) and (2).
Dmg calculation
Focus (5):7k
Sword (3):7k
Greatsword (3):3k
Greatsword (2):8k
Total :25k dmg in 10 secs.
Goes up to total 48k provided with 25 stack might and 25 stack of vulnerability in dungeon.

Fixed that for you. Also nice damage numbers!

10/25/30/0/5 – Offensive Build for PvE solo farming, and spvp GS – S/F
off ageis burns(for multiples, 10% against bruning when solo target), build uses off block burns and might, excessiv use of VoJ, high condition damage with moderate direct damage. healskill: shelter, food: rare veggie pizza

weapon sigils(with Carrion gear): geomancy – accuracy/geomancy
weapon sigils(with Zerker gear): force – accuracy/force

1. S/F 4, 2, swap to GS – VoJ 5, 3, 2, 1, 1 until weapon swap, 5, 2, 3, 1, 1, 1

standard mobs are dead before i swap back to sword without me taking damage even once. in spvp its pretty much the same (except that players wont die that easily)
mob gets 9 stacks of vurn. constant burn, constant bleed(3),

2. collecting 5 mobs with S/F, VoJ, purging flames, 5, 2, swap to GS – 3, 5, 2, 4, 1, 1, 1, 2
blast finisher from focus, then firery aura, binding blade as early as possible to take advatage of all the ticks, stay in GS until a 2nd 2 and all 5 mobs should be down. cast Voj in between for more blinds and might.

3. dish out damage on everything around you while not getting hit an being extremely mobile

4. i rarely do because i do not need to. (in dungeons i use a diffrent build)

5. play what you like

10/30/0/30/0 Versatile ‘DPS’, weapons and utilities adjusted per content. Heavy Zerker use with a bit of Soldiers mixed in.

Hammer and Scepter/Focus – Signet heal, Save Yourselves, Wall of Reflection, Shield of the Avenger default.
AC = Autoattack Chain
1. Sc/F 5>2>3>1 >>swich to H> 1AC>2>1AC> repeat Hammer sequence. SYs to fill the block/protection gap between Sc/F 5 falling off and H 1 Symbol start up. Switch to Sc/F and back off to regen HP if needed. 6 as needed. H 3,4,5 and Sc/F 4 as needed.

2. Same as 1, position to Symbol as many targets as possible.

3. Hammer’s Protection symbol is awesome for melee heavy groups. Allows melee to ‘face tank’ much longer. Omnom Pie and Sigil of Blood on Scepter to retreat and refill HP.

4. Goal is to keep your endurance between 50% and 100% to increase damage by 10%. Try to keep 1 dodge available. I will usually dodge out just before Might Blast so I can get a quick leap back to the target.

5. Zerker gear is workable, it adds more challenge and proactive damage mitigation fun. Gear to your comfort level but more DPS equals faster runs and less damage incoming. Give your group Virtue of Justice, you get more Burning up time on the target if all group members hit it vs 1 proc per 5 swings.