I am currently level 75 Guardian with 0/10/30/25, base on the popular AH build. I mainly use Greatsword and Hammer swapping for maximum dps. I only do PvE solo at the moment. Utilities are HTL and SY shouts with Signet of Resolve and Judgement.
I understand AH works very well when you proc boons on allies/party members, and basically that’s where your constant healing/regen comes from – the more allies and members, the better the heal. Unfortunately I am just playing solo pve most of the time, and I am not sensing that sustain healing effect from AH. Is this normal? Or Am I playing it wrong? Or should I not even considering AH build since I am mostly solo-ing?
I run an AH build as well (0/5/30/30/5) since I do a lot of fractals and other dungeons but I also solo PvE from time to time. While I think meditations would be better for solo, I don’t really notice much of a lack of healing from being solo in an AH build. Of course there definitely would be a lack if my health dropped a lot but for the most part in PvE, the mobs die fast enough that I don’t really worry about my healing. You do gain some healing by applying the boons to yourself (tho of course not as much as you would in a party) and I find that to be enough to get me through any solo PvE I do. Even in Orr where there are mobs galore.
If you plan on playing mostly solo, I would probably rethink going for an AH build but if you’re just leveling solo and plan to do more group oriented content at 80 then AH will suit you fine for the next 5 levels.
I’ve recently gotten (nearly) 100% map completion, from about 39%, in the last few weeks. Not particularly quickly, and involved a lot of playing and trying new builds. I currently use an AH/hammer build, though it’s tweaked to my personal tastes and consecration heavy. I personally found that, when solo, a Monk’s Focus build may provide better survivability. A combination of three meditations, each providing a 2k+ heal (at 80), with relatively short cooldowns is a very fun playstyle. It also frees up points that would normally go into virtues for another tree, if you’d prefer. I can’t argue that an AH/hammer (or GS) build is an amazing build for group situations; however, when solo, it seems to lack. This is just in my experience.
if your race can summon companions you can use them for more heal as well. like charr warband. or you might try fire elemental powder.
other than that you can only increase the boon output to get more out of AH. Mazers build is more effective for that since virtues also grant boons whne you put 5 points in that traitline so first suggestion would be 0/10/30/20/5.
Mathematically, AH is better than Monk’s Focus using Smite Condition and another meditation (with the 20% recharge saving) if you’re able to put around 2’3 (varies with HP in favor of AH but not too much) boons per second (I don’t like 3 meditations on the same bar normally there are better things to put in). Aditionally the 2’3 is asuming the Meditations are used as soon as they’re available, which may not be the best idea if you’re not going to give them a good use.
In solo play it might seem harder to achieve 2’3 per second, but it’s still possible at least in short periods of time (mace + focus gets a lot of extra boons in regen and might from 25 Valor with all those blocks) and even if you don’t reach the mark, you will still get decent heal over time, have an array of good effects (extensive to any ally that you find at any time), and cure conditions with full Rune of the Soldier set.
I’ve tried to work with Meditations to find an alternative to AH, but mathematically AH ends up being better in general. Monk Focus seems to be good for burst heals, but if you have good sustained healing, you may not need a burst heal.
Mace+shield with GS is what I run and I don’t want to go into too much detail regarding what I run as I’m still testing but the trait that increases symbol size is extremely useful as it allows you to dodge around while remaining inside the symbol and it is also to provide extra boons (more healing to you) to all of your allies.
Calm Caril – Level 80 – Guardian
“Jim’ll Fix It and if he doesn’t it’s not broken”
0/15/30/20/5 works like a charm. i always trait large and mostly long duration symbols – for me they are class defining abilities. symbols make sure that you utilize abilities on crit as soon as they come of cooldown. worked a lot better before the vigor nerf but well… its still fine.
With my Build I have 65% crit rate and my symbol of wrath crits for 1K every tick which is just a bonus on top of my normal attacks so DPS wise I can’t complain either
The reason I chose Shield was for a certain combo I love to use where I knock them down with shield 5, leap to them with GS 3 and knock them down again with GS 5 and then its all about the Whirling Burst attack for a finisher (GS 2)
Calm Caril – Level 80 – Guardian
“Jim’ll Fix It and if he doesn’t it’s not broken”
AH with the Staff and Mace is very good. The staff triggers AH 60 times if there’s 5 people around you and AH triggers on the mace each time a regen buff stacks on somebody standing in it.
Really there’s nothing special about it. The trait does everything for you.
AH with the Staff and Mace is very good. The staff triggers AH 60 times if there’s 5 people around you and AH triggers on the mace each time a regen buff stacks on somebody standing in it.
Really there’s nothing special about it. The trait does everything for you.
That’s nice, except the guy was asking about SOLO play not grouped.
AH with the Staff and Mace is very good. The staff triggers AH 60 times if there’s 5 people around you and AH triggers on the mace each time a regen buff stacks on somebody standing in it.
Really there’s nothing special about it. The trait does everything for you.
That’s nice, except the guy was asking about SOLO play not grouped.
Well, AH triggers on yourself. I mean, what can you really say besides be near other people if you want the full potential of the trait? :P
If you’re by yourself its a mediocre self-heal, but around others it has its full potential.
I play mostly soloing around Orr and such. I find AH lacking. I don’t need it in many circumstances and when I do need heals, it’s not enough. I’m at the point where I’m running full zerker’s gear and ruby gems. With hammer protection, the regular heal and 2nd virtue, I don’t even need any Valour 30 healing traits.
If you are swapping between dungeons and solo farming, then yes, continue with a build that gives you the AH option. If not, I suggest you dump the idea and push a little more offense. I feel that reliance on AH for heals in the solo farming content is ignoring the active heals available to you. i.e., you have a sub-optimal farming build.
@OP
What kind of gear do you use? What traits do you have? What are you untility skills and elite?
I run AH in dungeons and solo PvE with no problems. I use a mix of Knight and Zerk armor for high crti chance. I have the trait Empowering Might which gives might boons (your as well) on every crit. In PvE a staff’s emopwer skill can act like a mini heal.
May I suggest taking purging flames a consecration skill for use with you hammer. Everytime you cross the ring made by this kill you lose a condition. Everytime the enemy cross the ring they recive burning a condition. Use mighty blow after purging flames to get 3 stacks of might. I have 20 points in Vitues so my Might stacks from this last around 20 seconds. This will help boost your damage output for you basic chain attacks and your symbol
I use Stand Your Ground and Hold the Line shouts. With my 6x runes of the soldier (revome condition on shout) I am hardly ever dealing with bleeds, posions (the death of any Guardian), or the annoying immoblizations, cripples, and knockdowns. I know that Save Yourselves give more boons and has longer boon duration. However, it also has a much longer cool down than Stand You Ground or Hold the Line.
I have 100% world completion and I wouldn’t give a second thought to going back to any area with my AH build. Solo or other wise.
