Guild Wars 2

I don’t main a guardian, but I’ve been having some success with it in PvP as a dps/meditation build. Good in teamfights, decent dps and so on and so forth.

On the other hand, I don’t play a warrior in PvP (only PvE), but from what I know, a warrior has:

1. Much better stability (a bit odd considering this should be a guardian’s forte)

2. Better condi removal (there’s a trait that removes condis for each bar adrenaline). That itself is…wow!

3. Better damage. No explanation necessary

4. Far superior CC. The hammer AoE CC in particular is of such awesome group utility that it’s hard to find a better one. And it can be spammed so often that it can repeatedly change the course of a fight.

5. Healing: Not really sure about this. I think guardians have a lot of defense, but healing signet and lyssa runes…super!

6. Better condis. If specced for it, I think warriors can apply much heavier condis than guardians, is that not correct?

7. Better mobility. I love my DPS guardian, but the bugger is just so darn slow!

8. More health. Not sure why, but guardian has the lowest health pool of all and warrior has the highest isn’t that so?

I’m not sure why exactly I haven’t taken my warrior to PvP yet. But…I don’t know I’m having a good time with my guardian but I can’t help feeling that I’m losing out.

For those who’re much much more experienced than me in playing a guard, can you tell me what we do better than warriors? As an example, take the dps/meditation build I’m currently running. Would my team be better served by a warrior instead all things like skill etc being equal?

Ultimately I play PvP to win…

I think you should compare different builds and not professions.

Warrior currently have more options, just not all builds has all the stuff you talk about.

If you are talking about Hambow, med guardians are kind of a hard counter to it. Med Guardian has better mobility, and if blind at the right time, you can complete shut down the warrior’s CC from hammer. Basically warrior is left with a lower dam ranged weapon vs a high dam guardian that they cannot get away from.

However hambow warrior will better off vs other professions.

blocks, blinds, boons

bhagwad.4281:

I don’t main a guardian, but I’ve been having some success with it in PvP as a dps/meditation build. Good in teamfights, decent dps and so on and so forth.

On the other hand, I don’t play a warrior in PvP (only PvE), but from what I know, a warrior has:

1. Much better stability (a bit odd considering this should be a guardian’s forte)

Guardian is better at providing stability to allies.

2. Better condi removal (there’s a trait that removes condis for each bar adrenaline). That itself is…wow!

Guardian has excellent condition removal options that also can remove it from allies. Purging flames, Absolute resolution, Pure of Voice, Cleansing Flame (torch 5), Ray of Light.

3. Better damage. No explanation necessary

Warriors definitely can deliver better damage in pvp.

4. Far superior CC. The hammer AoE CC in particular is of such awesome group utility that it’s hard to find a better one. And it can be spammed so often that it can repeatedly change the course of a fight.

Definitely. Guardian has little CC, its one of the worst aspects of the class.

5. Healing: Not really sure about this. I think guardians have a lot of defense, but healing signet and lyssa runes…super!

This is tough. Warrior has better passive healing. But Guardian has better active healing, most of which can heal allies.

6. Better condis. If specced for it, I think warriors can apply much heavier condis than guardians, is that not correct?

Guardian doesn’t even have a viable condition spec.

7. Better mobility. I love my DPS guardian, but the bugger is just so darn slow!

Mobility is another weakness of the guardian profession unfortunately.

8. More health. Not sure why, but guardian has the lowest health pool of all and warrior has the highest isn’t that so?

I believe in beta guardian had the same base health as warrior, but it was nerfed due players saying guardian was just too hard to kill. Interesting enough, warrior is probably much tougher to kill than beta guardian, yet they retain their large base health.

I’m not sure why exactly I haven’t taken my warrior to PvP yet. But…I don’t know I’m having a good time with my guardian but I can’t help feeling that I’m losing out.

For those who’re much much more experienced than me in playing a guard, can you tell me what we do better than warriors? As an example, take the dps/meditation build I’m currently running. Would my team be better served by a warrior instead all things like skill etc being equal?

Ultimately I play PvP to win…

In my opinion warrior is a offensive heavy armor profession and guardian is a supportive heavy armor profession. They have similarities, but distinct differences. If you like to be the pillar in your group then play guardian. If you want a more aggressive and self focused playstyle go warrior.

A warrior has a lot for himself but very little for your allies relative to a Guardian. Med Guardians are also very mobile in a fight.

I heard Guardian hammer #2 used to do an AoE knockdown as well. An AoE KD gap closer with very good damage and a low CD? Wow, that must’ve been awesome. Overpowered but awesome.

sorrychief.2563:

blocks, blinds, boons

Nice rotation there!

Aza.2105:

bhagwad.4281:

I don’t main a guardian, but I’ve been having some success with it in PvP as a dps/meditation build. Good in teamfights, decent dps and so on and so forth.

On the other hand, I don’t play a warrior in PvP (only PvE), but from what I know, a warrior has:

1. Much better stability (a bit odd considering this should be a guardian’s forte)

Guardian is better at providing stability to allies.

2. Better condi removal (there’s a trait that removes condis for each bar adrenaline). That itself is…wow!

Guardian has excellent condition removal options that also can remove it from allies. Purging flames, Absolute resolution, Pure of Voice, Cleansing Flame (torch 5), Ray of Light.

3. Better damage. No explanation necessary

Warriors definitely can deliver better damage in pvp.

4. Far superior CC. The hammer AoE CC in particular is of such awesome group utility that it’s hard to find a better one. And it can be spammed so often that it can repeatedly change the course of a fight.

Definitely. Guardian has little CC, its one of the worst aspects of the class.

5. Healing: Not really sure about this. I think guardians have a lot of defense, but healing signet and lyssa runes…super!

This is tough. Warrior has better passive healing. But Guardian has better active healing, most of which can heal allies.

6. Better condis. If specced for it, I think warriors can apply much heavier condis than guardians, is that not correct?

Guardian doesn’t even have a viable condition spec.

7. Better mobility. I love my DPS guardian, but the bugger is just so darn slow!

Mobility is another weakness of the guardian profession unfortunately.

8. More health. Not sure why, but guardian has the lowest health pool of all and warrior has the highest isn’t that so?

I believe in beta guardian had the same base health as warrior, but it was nerfed due players saying guardian was just too hard to kill. Interesting enough, warrior is probably much tougher to kill than beta guardian, yet they retain their large base health.

I’m not sure why exactly I haven’t taken my warrior to PvP yet. But…I don’t know I’m having a good time with my guardian but I can’t help feeling that I’m losing out.

For those who’re much much more experienced than me in playing a guard, can you tell me what we do better than warriors? As an example, take the dps/meditation build I’m currently running. Would my team be better served by a warrior instead all things like skill etc being equal?

Ultimately I play PvP to win…

In my opinion warrior is a offensive heavy armor profession and guardian is a supportive heavy armor profession. They have similarities, but distinct differences. If you like to be the pillar in your group then play guardian. If you want a more aggressive and self focused playstyle go warrior.

Thanks for that commentary!

I have an 80 Warrior and Guardian.
I mostly agree with Aza’s responses.
But the comparison really plays out how you might think: Warrior is better offensively and has a variety of builds to do so: condi, power, CC, hybrid, etc. All of which are better than the Guardian choices.
But when it comes to an all-encompassing sustain (health pool, heals, blocks, boons, blinds, invuls, etc.) Guardian is the best, hands down. Warriors are pretty good at it, but the Guardian’s blinds, Aegis, and Protection (all very hard for a warrior to get) really put them over the top. Also consider that the Guardian’s healing power scales the best in the game and the Warrior’s the worst. Yes, taking healing power is a trade-off that ends up sacrificing some offense, but at least it’s an option. Warrior has no viable way to include healing power into a competitive build. Also, unfortunately, Lyssa runes are getting a big nerf in the feature patch, which will force my Warrior to take off those beloved runes, which have been a perfect compliment to my build from the start.
Also, the defensive support a Guardian can give to allies beats the Warriors banners/shouts (both of which take big compromises even to build – including 30 in their worst trait tree (Tactics).
Anyway, despite the low health pool, Guardians are still masters of defense/support.

Retaliation. Too bad it’s nerfed in WvW. 5 duration stack cap is kinda dumb too since Symbol of Wrath will use them up quickly.

Well, meditation guardians can fulfill the role of side point fighters a bit better than warriors, thanks to their 1v1 prowess and some interesting combo.

When it comes to teamfight, though, med guards are worse than hammer warriors. But they can still do stuff.

Symbol dps guard might be as good as a warrior because he has great sustain, AoE boons and AoE condi removal. While delivering aoe dps.

I play my guard with a cleric gear with staff/hammer or greatsword, with a 0/5/30/30/5 build. Each boon I apply heal me, and the 4 staff skill heal me like the heal signet.
Guardian is a very nice support class, war is better for DPS, guard is better for support.