Guild Wars 2

Alright so I tried the Hammer today in some spvp, I love the hammer and have been using it in WvW and PVE leveling with good results, however today in SPVPI have never been more frustrated. I run 10 25 15 20 0 build with 48% Crit rate, just a decent damage build nothing crazy, all morning with the hammer I was just continuously kited. I usually don’t mind the 3rd swing of the hammer, but with all the cc’s interrupts and dodging going off it was a complete hindrance to me to sit there waiting for the last hit to land and to get my symbol up. Any one on one I was in the enemy was able to out heal my damage with the hammer as all they had to do was avoid the 3rd hit. My hammer hits were critting for around 1.5k, when I swapped to greatsword my hits were critting for 2.5k and were much faster, anyone having these issues? I kept the immobilize on cool down as well as Banish and ring of warding, but all it took was one dodge and banish was on cool down, and ring of warding is easily dodged out of. I tried ring then banish which would work when I was able to get the ring around them. Honestly this is the first time I have really had an issue in SPVP, first time I tried hammer. I swapped back to greatsword and went 16 kills, 18 kills, same spec and utilities it was night and day.

All I’m trying to figure out if anyone else has had these issues in SPVP or if there’s any tips for the hammer.

Maybe the Hammer isn’t right for your build, but I’m loving the Hammer in sPvP.
I use a very defensive point defense build, so the Hammer is perfect for me.
I can’t really be kited, because I don’t need to be moving.
The third hit on the chain isn’t as easy to dodge as you think, since the hit will follow the target.

Other tips: The Hammer is mostly a control weapon, so best to use it as such. Chain the control abilities for maximum success. For my build (with the goal of keeping the enemy of a point) I use Banish—>Chains of Light and then Circle of Warding when they get closer. If your goal is to be close to the enemy, start with Chains of Light (or another weapon) to get close, than put up a Ring of Warding and Banish them so they’ll bounce of the Ring.

“in SPVPI have never been more frustrated. I run 10 25 15 20 0 build with 48% Crit rate, just a decent damage build nothing crazy, all morning with the hammer I was just continuously kited.”

This is pretty much my entire experience with Guardian SPvP in general. Using a Greatsword we have (generally) two ways of keeping in melee range of someone – Binding Blade and Leap of Faith (which is a joke, as it’s a 50/50 if it’ll connect or not). A lot of people will use Judge’s Intervention to close gaps as well.

The real issue Guardians have is that we don’t have any slows or cripples. We have no “hamstring” or “crippling poison” that so many other melee focused classes have in the past. As Ynna said, you could try a scepter in your off set for Chains of Light, but it’s a 2 second immobilize – that’s not really going to solve your frustration for long.

I feel your pain.

I combine hammer with judges intervention. Teleport to foe, ring of warding, smack him a few times, use the root (3rd skill), use banish (to smack him to a safer location if needed), pull out scepter, use root, use smite, use stun (in a utility skill, the signet), switch back to hammer, rinse and repeat.

If you are under attack try to get to the 3rd auto attack skill to make a symbol, then use the smash to give retaliation. The trait giving -20% recharge on hammer skills is extremely useful, as it makes it possible to cycle the retaliation every time you reach the 3rd auto attack skill.

This is exactly what I was doing Ref, almost word for word, but while judges intervention was on cool down I was just being kited with that slow 3rd hit. It was extremely frustrating, but… I see where YNNA is coming from using the hammer to keep people’s out of a point seems to be the hammers main use, it really was not good (at least for me) in chasing down and regular skirmishing in SPVP.

Vigil.3408:

“in SPVPI have never been more frustrated. I run 10 25 15 20 0 build with 48% Crit rate, just a decent damage build nothing crazy, all morning with the hammer I was just continuously kited.”

This is pretty much my entire experience with Guardian SPvP in general. Using a Greatsword we have (generally) two ways of keeping in melee range of someone – Binding Blade and Leap of Faith (which is a joke, as it’s a 50/50 if it’ll connect or not). A lot of people will use Judge’s Intervention to close gaps as well.

The real issue Guardians have is that we don’t have any slows or cripples. We have no “hamstring” or “crippling poison” that so many other melee focused classes have in the past. As Ynna said, you could try a scepter in your off set for Chains of Light, but it’s a 2 second immobilize – that’s not really going to solve your frustration for long.

I feel your pain.

Because everyone is going to understand WoW references.

Ring of Warding works wonders with Judge’s Intervention, especially against light-armored targets because you can hit really hard with Mighty Blow (lockdown on target + burst). I run a Medi build with 0/0/30/20/20. IX in Honor (20% recharge reduced on 2-handers) makes for a great double 2-hander combination with Hammer and Greatsword (or staff if you’d like).

Soon enough runes of the Traveler will be out for PvP which should make the leap on hammer extend just a bit more, as well as you being able to get in people’s face more easily – Runes of Speed are too much of a reduction in damage to be worth it IMO, though in some situations they prove to be helpful. I feel that the 1-handed weapons cannot get close to how much AoE damage the Hammer delivers, which is why I always return to it after testing other combos. Keep trying it – it’s worth it.

I could never get used to hammer in sPvP, it seems like it would be great for the AoE, but it just feels too slow, and the CC just seems too predictable and easy to counter. Also waiting for the AA chain to drop a symbol is kind of annoying.

You have to time it with the teleports + sigil of hidromancy for chill

Hey I play a rank 49 Guardian in both sPvP and tPvP and you want to use hammer eh?

Well to adress your first issue that you habe where you’re being kited, I suggest you do 2 things.
1. Use a scepter/focus or greatsword as your alt weapon. GS has an awesome pull and scepter has an immob and both have burst.
2. Hammer tends to be a tankier weapon type as a gaurdian as it has the slowest attack patter otherthan maybe mace. So maybe try a tank/dps combo? I would suggest GS/HAMMER- 0/0/30/20/20 medi heals and do as you will with the rest.

I’ve ran both bunker and dps guardian in pvp and personally prefer dps running Gs/Sword-Focus. If you have a question in particular or just want to talk I’m online right now if you want to whisp me: Master Slin.

I know multiple guard builds, weapon sets, and have 500+ hours into pvp and 2.2k outsode of pvp with guard so I know the class fairly well.

Edit: I posted that on my phone ^ and didnt realise this was a request to know what’s up w/ a hammer. And here’s my opinion (now that i’m on a comp i read errythang), Hammer is made for bunkers, either going Mace/Shield/Hammer or Staff/Hammer it doesnt matter. There is a DPS build my friend showed me as a GS/HAM 0/0/30/20/20 but idk it’s not an amazing dps comp cause only stat that’s on offense is the one you get medi heals from in that spec. If you’re dying to use hammer and you want it to feel like a greatsword you GOTTA use sword or GS as an alt, cause then you dont needa wait for Judges interven errytime, you have a leap/teleport and an extra burst. If you’re running staff with the hammer then you’re basically a bunker and i would just claim mid and stay there, if someone comes act like a decap engi w/ your knockbacks/lines and finally empower and unleash the mighty blow and auto attack power that is the hammer on a guardian. Without a burst mechanic it simply isnt what the sword/greatsword is… so yea. That’s my opinion.

This is a super necro. I can tell because of some of the account names and having seen quite a few necros in my day.

I’d use sword as alt, for tournies should be enough to have a good array of damage/survi potential as a meditation dps, both in 1v1 and group fights. Scepter IMHO tends to overwrite hammer: instead of closing the gap, you switch to range, where you won’t be using hammer at all. And Greatsword IMHO is too easily avoided.

Sword on the other hand as the best single target dps, good for dropping people fast.

And I find I NEED 30 points in radiance to pump up crit chance, so I might be using a weapon that scales a lot with it aswell.