Guild Wars 2

So as the title states I am wanting to start running fractals on a regular basis, but I do not want to be dead weight. The build I’ve been using for quite some time now is just a more aggressive version of the “boonway” build seen below.

http://gw2skills.net/editor/?fUIQNAsdSlYg67mFSKEf4ESOjVCBtPAQYPwI4rjA-jAzAYrAixgoPgEhAl8UWTgCiluwWdjW5NI6FMVJRUt3oIa1CBYeCA-e

(honestly I hate AH not because it is bad, rather it just doesn’t fit me well).

My question is do I need to majorly change my build in order to be more effective in this dungeon? Also I use some knights gear as you can see but it is not for survivability but more to keep aggro on myself, am I wrong when it comes to this? If so should I just go full zerk?

Any feedback would be great, I wouldn’t even mind a “WTF NOOB GTFO MY GAME OR L2P” as long as you attach a build or some kind of explanation

build is interesting…
but I cannot tell You how it fits to Fractals

Ok maybe some more explanation could help as well. The weps listed are not set in stone, I also keep a scepter/shield for when I have to deal with range or just in a situation that I need to range and use gs for more dps/might stacking. I use energy sigil on all my off-hands for more heals and general survivability while using flat crit on mh or 2h weps (minus staff which I just do not use often enough to consider).

The utilities I use all the time are healing signet mainly for its awesome passive, Save Yourselves for more boons/break stun/all that good stuff, and Hold the Line for regen uptime/protection/low cd to abuse with PoV, but the last utility skill is completely situational (also always use renewed focus for elite since I’m not a big fan of the tomes outside of the full heal which is normally just too slow IMO)

If you are comfortable with this build, then there’s no reason why you can’t use it for fractals.

FoTM is mainly about choosing the right utilities between encounters ( and switching weapons and traits if necessary ) – the first 30 or so fractal levels you can be in a very glassy build.

You’ve got shouts with Pure of Voice, which is always useful. Also as you have points in Virtues you can hotswap spirit weapon and consecration duration traits as needed ( you’ll probably get a rude comment from pug members if you don’t use wall of reflection or shield of the avenger during some battles ).

People tend to go for AH because you can be quite lazy and stand there face-tanking a lot of the mobs, generating might for other melee classes in your group – but there’s no reason to go that route if you don’t like it.

If you find you’re having troubles, then switch some of your gear for a touch more dodge-roll and/or symbol healing, and experiment with a staff or mace.

Your build is okay, but you have to change skills depending on the stage. And because you have 25 on virtues, you can change ii and ix to v and vii if the need for you to use shield of avenger and wall of reflection.

Also, I recommend having some sort of long range weapons because you cannot melee the boss all the time, especially in the 48 stage.

Thank you for your replies! Any stages in particular I should watch out for and specific skills that are a must for them?

Debonaire.5207:

Thank you for your replies! Any stages in particular I should watch out for and specific skills that are a must for them?

You need wall of reflection for swam bloom berg. And shield in that stage. You don’t necessarily have to change traits, but having those skills.

Same applies for dredge stage – fighting the mobs.
Same applies when fighting the fire shaman.
Same applies when fighting the harpies and the last boss of harpies stage.
You need stability buffs for the ice stage – fighting the ice elemental 2nd boss.
And shield and wall is helpful in fighting ascalonian mobs.

It is safe to say, you can have those skills in all fractals. And then you adjust what you need per experience dictates.

I run almost the same build as you except I have staff and septer focus as my main. And I have a great sword to pull the mobs depending on the situation. (i have all guardian weapons) But i use staff the most and then septer focus in all things. I just transfer weapons for variety.

http://gw2skills.net/editor/?fUIQNAW7dlUgyCnDyLEmIFRWhVafAg4Hw4lCHSRA-jgyAEDYqRwIQQZxioxW6Cb1Nal3goXwUlER1ejioVLEg5JA-e

This is what i run. from fotm 1 -48

I use ascended valkyrie for accessories – with 45 ar in total.

So I’m taking that master of consecrations would be very useful and just swap out my last skill as needed and keep the shield ready thank you all very much for the input.

The main thing I am wondering now is my idea about knights gear, should I stick with the 3 pieces and hammer for agro or go all zerk?

Debonaire.5207:

So I’m taking that master of consecrations would be very useful and just swap out my last skill as needed and keep the shield ready thank you all very much for the input.

The main thing I am wondering now is my idea about knights gear, should I stick with the 3 pieces and hammer for agro or go all zerk?

Your gear is fine as is. I just resently changed to cleric – but from 1-48 i was knights and valkyrie. Since fotm – is toughness based, you should be fine.

But if you go pure berserker, you will have a hard time because the mobs are strong, and you will have like very low hp. So, it’s not advisable unless your team is very very good.

Since i mostly play pug games, i find knights/berserker/valkerie the best to finish it. Whereas cleric/berserker/valkyrie is a good alternative.

http://gw2skills.net/editor/?fUIQNAR7dlUgyCnDyLEm4ES2DWSkQwqC7D2DMC+yIA-jQyAEjATNiWWsIasluwWdjW5NI6FMVJRUt3oIa1CBYeCA-e

The above is what I use when things begin to become difficult. So i can spam shield and wall as the case need be.

Debonaire.5207:

So I’m taking that master of consecrations would be very useful and just swap out my last skill as needed and keep the shield ready thank you all very much for the input

Just in-case you don’t know, you can switch traits on-the-fly as long as you have the points invested in them (and you are out of combat). So I tend to alternate Master of Consecrations (vi) and Improved Spirit Weapon Duration (v) depending on the mobs.

I run FotM 48 on my guardian with the standard 0/0/30/30/10 traits. Most of the time I run GS and scepter/focus, but you definitely need at bare minimum a staff, greatsword, scepter, focus and shield in your inventory. Optional to bring mace, sword, torch and hammer.

The best shouts to run in my opinion are Save Yourselves, Stand Your Ground and Retreat. Stability will come in handy in multiple situations and since your hammer already gives protection, Hold the Line just isn’t as useful.

For some encounters you will need different skills. Wall of Reflection/Shield of the Avenger for example are good for harpies when they start knocking you back in FotM 10+, also good for Bloomhunger in swamp, archers in ascalon, shaman in grawl, etc. I’d keep Save Yourselves and Retreat and just swap in whatever you need at the time.

The Svanir fractal you’ll need stability, so you’d want Hallowed Ground, Stand Your Ground and Retreat.

I really recommend you keep Retreat. Map-wide agony hits like a truck for the final hammer boss and for the dredge mining suit, and the party-wide aegis can mean the difference between barely making it out alive if people dodge at the wrong time and instant wipe.

Best to keep Renewed Focus; you will need a Tome for 48 for the full heal or party wipe at Jade Maw, even with 45 AR, but for almost every other situation Renewed Focus is better.

However, all this is really only for 48. Honestly, anything up to level 38 is fairly easy so don’t worry too much about it. Just try out fractals first and you’ll learn much better than anything we can tell you.

Although full shouts is never a bad build, fractals has several encounters that can be made easy mode with the use of projectile breakers, such as Wall of Reflection and Shield of the Avenger

such fractals include: Grawl, Uncategorized, Ascalon, Swamp, and more.

I’m only up to 30 (stopped climbing fractals) so my experience may not have the best insight, but I usually run something along the lines of:

http://gw2skills.net/editor/?fUIQJAWSlYgKC3FyKEf4ERWBRa9AgEsgYP0oH7IA-jQCBYLBigAi+AI5pIas1tht6KalXBRXDT5iIqGA-e

I swap in weapons such as scepter/focus and greatsword when the situation calls for it, but most of the time I have my hammer out for the protection symbol, at higher levels of fracs signet of judgment may no longer be that useful since the mobs will do tons of damage no matter what, but at 2x and 30 i still find it extremely useful when I’m charging up my symbol.

Utilities are changed accordingly also of course. There’s not really a lot to substitute in, mostly just Hold The Line for WoR when there are no projectile encounters, Shield of the Avenger in somewhere, or some of the other consecrations too (mostly hallowed ground)

I use this, personally. With a combination of symbols and shouts, your group and you can keep a healthy supply of boons regularly. Not only do symbols heal allies, but so does you virtue of resolve — which, by the way, counts as a “boon” as far as your Altruistic healing trait is concerned. So you constantly heal from nearly everything you do. Combined with your decent vitality and toughness, and you won’t get downed often. Your power keeps you dealing a nice amount of dps too. Use your hammer when you want a bit more defense, and your GS for more offense. And feel free to swap out utilities whenever the situation demands it.

http://intothemists.com/calc/?build=V8;4RFk40J3NGF9063RGV40J3VH;49-TT-2;354A29B;17-k0-wV219cV19cVc-Fd0-55-cYq8jVp0t1yY3_951NWK-1T;5cW5PcW5P;9;9;9;9;0k0;3V3k3I