Guild Wars 2

TLDR: PvE Support builds that aren’t Hammer? PvE DPS builds that aren’t GS+Sw/F? Is Mace effective at all in PvE?

I always envisioned my Guardian being a little more defensive and with more support than my Warrior. Maybe with a Mace and Shield, maybe with a staff.

Then I tried the class.

Turns out both the Warrior and the Guardian classes really like the Greatsword (Warrior likes the Axe more), but for me the two play too similarly when built that way. So I’m looking for alternatives, preferably with more support.

GS + Sw/F is at bit too much like my Warrior’s GS/Axe+Mace. I know it’s not the same. It’s just not different enough.

Hammer + anything makes me sit in Hammer and is too… simple. Can’t really describe it, but not too fun, but not super boring.

Sw/F + anything really wants to be in Sword which is too boring.

Staff is good for Might and AoE trash.

So… Mace? Seems like it’s got some good stuff on paper, but the symbol isn’t that strong and the auto attack is slow. Is there a way to make this work?

No. Hammer has far superior support. Sword has better dps and will have even more tomorrow. You pretty much already answered your question. The mace excels at nothing and isn’t worth using. You can use it solo open world events to have fun if that’s your kind of thing but you will be gimping your groups support or dps for your own fun in a dungeon/fractal.

Good burst in PvP. I traded in my sword for mace on my med build and haven’t looked back.

No, hammer for support and sword for dps, I say that but hammer is also perfectly viable in dps builds

I mace everything i see, altough i always pair with other 2 oe 3 guardians.

*Mace AH support is good when pairing with other guardians even with healing power 480-640

P.S noted after post this was about pve :| , my response was about WvW. in pve i use sword.

“Mace AH support” is never a good thing in PvE.

I use GS+Staff. GS for some damage and staff for support.
Staff 1 – Quick AoE
Staff 2 – Damage+heal in line with short CD with option to detonate for more heals
Staff 3 – Damage+Swiftness+Light combo field
Staff 4 – Heals+12 stacks of might
Staff 5 – Wall to keep enemies away while you rez the allies.
So you have heals, AoE, Might and Swiftness +a light combo field (retaliation and condition removal)

Mace auto attack chain DPS is actually strong. Throw in the symbol and blast from block skill, you have a pretty good dps weapon that also heals you and other melee allies.

But it’s potential can be maximized in immobile fights. If you’ll need to move a lot, other melee weapons are better.

Mace weak points are lack of mobility and no cleave on 3rd hit from auto chain. The lack of cleave is a sloppy fix to multiple healing procs from hitting multiple enemies, I would put money on that.

Mightymealworm.8409:

Mace weak points are lack of mobility and no cleave on 3rd hit from auto chain. The lack of cleave is a sloppy fix to multiple healing procs from hitting multiple enemies, I would put money on that.

That would make sense. Because the first 2 attacks are cleaves but the last isn’t.

To the OP, I think the mace is a decent weapon. It hits very very hard, protectors strike does a lot of damage.

To me the mace does a good combo with shield by utilizing the heal from from skills 1 and 2 and the block from 3 along with shield 5 missile block and heal using al the skills it has to offer I can solo most higher level spawns in pve and even some legendaries such as the spider queen in AC

Mace has the advantage of being 1h. You can pick skills 4 and 5 with offhand of your choice. And i don’t now why no one mentiones the torch? It’s your offhand damage disher, and fairly evil one at that:)

The best use I found for mace is not something commonly discussed. I know it’s not popular or cool to do this but … mace is great for farming Orr trash. In fact, I think it might be not far behind GS for that. You get upfront symbol on good recharge with decent speed and damage from #1 using a strong build focused on farming trash with it as well; 10/30/20/0/5.

The important thing for trash farming is how much damage you can bring at the beginning of the 3-4 second fight. Mace isn’t the highest damage but it can do that better than any other weapon we have.

Obtena.7952:

The best use I found for mace is not something commonly discussed. I know it’s not popular or cool to do this but … mace is great for farming Orr trash. In fact, I think it might be not far behind GS for that. You get upfront symbol on good recharge with decent speed and damage from #1 using a strong build focused on farming trash with it as well; 10/30/20/0/5.

The important thing for trash farming is how much damage you can bring at the beginning of the 3-4 second fight. Mace isn’t the highest damage but it can do that better than any other weapon we have.

YES!.

its awesome for soloing orr. only time i use it (w/ focus) in pve.