Guild Wars 2

Has anyone ever gotten an answer to whether Ettins and other big foes with wide sweeping melee attacks are supposed to be able to hit you when your standing in the middle of Sanctuary? Feels to me like my magic bubble should protect me from Ettins and their clubs, but they are well capable of bashing me with them from outside the safe zone.

Sanctuary does not protect from AOE damage attacks.

Yeah, that doesn’t answer the question. If the ettin were a player with a greatsword in AOE would Sanctuary protect me? Cause the greatsword swing is akin to an ettin swing; they both hit multiple people. But I’m not sure what I got hit with was even that. There official wiki doesn’t have a very good breakdown of what your average Ettin is capable of, but surely they aren’t ground targeting. If “Sanctuary does not protect from AOE damage attack” is the answer then the answer might as well be “Sanctuary does not protect from ettins.” So is that how it’s supposed to work?

Sanctuary has three functions – it heals those within it, it protects from projectiles, and enemy players cannot enter into it. However, it does not protect from AOE damage, siege projectiles, conditions, OR melee damage. Sanctuary is big enough that most mobs can’t get within melee range, but small enough that some can. You can still be hit by melee from mobs with a long enough reach, and an attack like a Guardian’s Greatsword #3 can still hit you since it’s AOE, if memory serves.

This is another of the many case that demonstrates how really Anet hate support, and how support players are penalized with low performance skills (with too High CD).

This skill was designed with the idea “Saty here my friend, you will survive!”, but at the end of the story it doesn’t works… and if you stay under the sanctuary you die like kitten.

What is the point of a protective skills, if you can take a lot of damage expecially if you hold the position, and the skills to be usefull need that you hold the position?
No body knows except Anet.

In my opinion they have to re-design all the supportive and healing skills.
Reading in the forum, all the “wanna be healer” complain this “support” system and there are lot of threads where people ask why some skills simply suks (orb of light, merciful intervention, healin breeze, line of warding, empower… oh whait… al the supportive skills suks!)…

Leeain.2431:

In my opinion they have to re-design all the supportive and healing skills.
Reading in the forum, all the “wanna be healer” complain this “support” system and there are lot of threads where people ask why some skills simply suks (orb of light, merciful intervention, healin breeze, line of warding, empower… oh whait… al the supportive skills suks!)…

Off Topic:
Empower rocks. Try it with your warrior buddy at the side.

On Topic:
Sanctuary -sadly- works as intended, and it is a useless skill as it is now
It will be Much More useful if it had an area like that of the shield #5.

Leeain, while I agree with you that most support skills need to be refined, I don’t agree that they are all bad. The heal from Orb of Light isn’t all that great, but it’s Damage is actually really good if you spec for it. Healing Breeze is buggy, but it can still heal you and whoever’s in front of you for a decent amount. Guild Wars 2 doesn’t have “healers” like other MMOs do. But keep in mind you can spec your character to have other abilities heal – like symbols and meditations and applying boons.

And empower is an amazing skill. I don’t know what you think sucks about it. Boosting everyone around you with 12 stacks of might and heals of over 1k? That’s pretty cool. Plus, Guardian has shouts and consecrations and symbols which can mitigate damage to the group very well.

Sanctuary isn’t as good as it could be, especially with the long cool-down time. But it can be good in certain situations. And under water, it’s amazing.

You may want to take another look at how Guardian fulfills a support role. It’s more about buffing allies and offering group utility rather than being a straight-up healer like you can be in WoW or SWTOR. You’re going to do more for your group dropping buffs and removing conditions than you will by trying to heal them to full. In that sense, I think that’s how Anet intended for support to be.

Fabsm:
Empower rocks. Try it with your warrior buddy at the side.

Ultramatum:
And empower is an amazing skill. I don’t know what you think sucks about it.

Will rocks if Anet will allow to cast it in movments.
Right now, in pvp half of the time enemy interruprt you… and some times people who need to be healed run too much far away and you waste the skill cause you can’t run after them. :\
And, obviously, you are easy target cause you have to stay still in the position and channel it…

Ultramatum:
The heal from Orb of Light isn’t all that great, but it’s Damage is actually really good if you spec for it.

Damage is good and you can select the enemy target… so the orb go where you want…
Healing is low… and you can’t use friendly target… so half of the time the orb goes elsewhere… or disappear on the ground.

Not a bug… it is a wrong game mechanic.

Healing Breeze is buggy, but it can still heal you and whoever’s in front of you for a decent amount.

Not so decent amount… -.-
The real problem is how to aim the skill.

When you use a fire cone dps skill, you select the target, you use the skill, and your skill follow the enemy.
When you use healing breeze you don’t… all your def target move, jump, dodge and, at the end, you waste your heal cause you can’t haim.

Not a bug… it is a wrong game mechanic.

Ultramatum:
Guild Wars 2 doesn’t have “healers” like other MMOs do. But keep in mind you can spec your character to have other abilities heal – like symbols and meditations and applying boons.

No… symbols doesn’t heal friends.
One is a self heal (remove condition too)… one boost the healing power (not too much) and ress (slow, and high CD)… one is damage reductor and give ret… and there are others 2 for damage boost.

Meditation? You speak about “merciful intervention”?
Yeh… some times teleport on yourself… some times teleport on the engi’s turret… some times on the necro’s minion… some times on the ranger’s pet… some times on the mesmer’s clone… some times on a full heal friend… meanwhile party die.
The only way to use this skill is stick to your target and, if there is no bug, u can heal him… but in this way teleport does not make sense…

Not a bug… it is a wrong game mechanic.

Compare this skill with Judgment intervention… it breaks stun, goes where you want, low cd…

As I said… no balance between support and dps skills.
I don’t care if in this game there is not a specific healer class… i care about wrong mecanics that mekes the sup/heal skills low performance and useless…

Ultramatum:
Plus, Guardian has shouts and consecrations and symbols which can mitigate damage to the group very well.

True.
This seems to be the only good thing… hold the line is good… wall of reflection too.

You may want to take another look at how Guardian fulfills a support role. It’s more about buffing allies and offering group utility rather than being a straight-up healer like you can be in WoW or SWTOR. You’re going to do more for your group dropping buffs and removing conditions than you will by trying to heal them to full. In that sense, I think that’s how Anet intended for support to be.

I did… that’s why i’m complain it.
I’m forced to play something i don’t like too much… otherwise i’m useless in my party.
But this is not the point…

Anet should change some thing about the healing mechanics (like the friendly target)… Anet can intend support how they want but a lot of skills doesn’t works and are useless…

Yeah, personally I think sanctuary is kind of a junk skill in its current implementation. Haven’t bothered using it in ages. I swapped to Wall of Reflection and never looked back.

It takes a bit more attention on your teammates’ part, but its uptime puts Sanctuary to shame and it can let you mitigate (and deal) tons of damage – especially in dungeons. I never take WoR off my bar.

Leeain, you’re describing Signets. Symbols are persistent ground effects created by weapon Skills.

Ok try this and you will fall in love with empowe, 0/0/30/20/20. In wvw 2 zergs collide you go in first hit Stand your ground than empower… watch as it channels that allmost all the damage you are takin is being healed just from the channel it self then at the end if you took more dammage than it healed watchj it pop for 2.5k in my case……

Hi Leeain,

I’m sorry if you feel Guardian doesn’t fit your playstyle. I personally have never felt useless in a group when playing my Guardian. Perhaps if you shared your build on the forums we could give you some suggestions to help improve your Guardian so you enjoyed more?

Will rocks if Anet will allow to cast it in movments.
Right now, in pvp half of the time enemy interruprt you… and some times people who need to be healed run too much far away and you waste the skill cause you can’t run after them. :\
And, obviously, you are easy target cause you have to stay still in the position and channel it…

I thought it was pretty obvious it was designed for premade group play. One where your team knows to protect you, and they know to stay close. If I say over vent that I’m doing it my group better stay in range unless there is some reason not to.

Damage is good and you can select the enemy target… so the orb go where you want…
Healing is low… and you can’t use friendly target… so half of the time the orb goes elsewhere… or disappear on the ground.

Not a bug… it is a wrong game mechanic.

Again the mechanic is sound. It’s the group you are in that sounds like the real issue. It sounds like your team doesn’t know your mechanics very well, and you should inform them of it. Just tell them to stick to the target you’ve got a heal coming.

Not so decent amount… -.-
The real problem is how to aim the skill.

When you use a fire cone dps skill, you select the target, you use the skill, and your skill follow the enemy.
When you use healing breeze you don’t… all your def target move, jump, dodge and, at the end, you waste your heal cause you can’t haim.

See the above for this as well. Your group sounds really uncoordinated. This particular skill shines when you can be at the back of a group holding a position. Otherwise it’s really bad. I do agree they should change it though, but that doesn’t appear to be on their agenda.

No… symbols doesn’t heal friends.
One is a self heal (remove condition too)… one boost the healing power (not too much) and ress (slow, and high CD)… one is damage reductor and give ret… and there are others 2 for damage boost.

You can actually trait for symbols to heal allies.
http://wiki.guildwars2.com/wiki/Writ_of_the_Merciful

Meditation? You speak about “merciful intervention”?
Yeh… some times teleport on yourself… some times teleport on the engi’s turret… some times on the necro’s minion… some times on the ranger’s pet… some times on the mesmer’s clone… some times on a full heal friend… meanwhile party die.
The only way to use this skill is stick to your target and, if there is no bug, u can heal him… but in this way teleport does not make sense…

You are absolutely right. The meditation trait “Monk’s Focus” makes it so that meditations heal you. The heal amount is pretty low though. Even then it only works with 3 meditations. Smite conditions is a great one though. It has a low cd, aoe damage, and condition removal all in one. Traited it serves as a small heal (something like 1500). Merciful intervention though is entirely messed up. It should target players first, and if all team members are at full then maybe something else. Right now it’s really hit or miss.

It seems the problems you are having is about the way guardian support is designed. It’s “o.k.” at regular support, but in a coordinated team guardian support really shines. Empower is one of those abilities that is just wonderful in any kind of group setting. In a coordinated group setting though it can make Guardian seem absolutely OP for support.

Don’t forget you also have aoe aegis/protection and heal/regen on demand. Along with burning for your group.

I only play guardian support in pvp, but it is very very strong in pvp. If you are in WvW for example try using guardian support to defend something. Guardians make a huge difference in battles. Just like SPvP, they can make a huge difference in offense or defense.

For example defending a wall in wvw a few days ago.

http://www.gw2db.com/skills/calc/guardian#5|0|1248|12645|3408|3980|4501|0|0|0|0|0|0|0|0|30|1394|2175|1395|30|866|1400|2171|10|2286|0|0|0|0|2|0|0|0|0|0|0|0|0|0|0|0|0|0|

I was using that just for defense, but they couldn’t break through.

Of course that’s all based on my own experience and will be different than someone elses.

Schakal.6091:

Leeain, you’re describing Signets. Symbols are persistent ground effects created by weapon Skills.

Ahahahahahaa I get confused! ahahahahaha!

Yes symbols can heal if you use the proper trait!

Ultramatum.5162:

Hi Leeain,
I’m sorry if you feel Guardian doesn’t fit your playstyle. I personally have never felt useless in a group when playing my Guardian. Perhaps if you shared your build on the forums we could give you some suggestions to help improve your Guardian so you enjoyed more?

I really will appreciate it!

PVE:
http://www.gw2db.com/skills/calc/guardian#16|9|3527|12645|3408|3406|3411|0|0|0|0|0|0|0|0|20|1394|1405|0|30|866|1400|890|20|2286|2176|0|0|0|3|0|0|0|0|0|0|0|0|0|0|0|0|0|

Second weapon staff.
Some times i switch traits or skills (it depends wich kind of boss we are fighting)
I’m litterally a tank… and it works well.
I can take aggro, i can take all the damage.
No problem in dungeon… it really works for me.

I have full exotic, and i can farm all the dungeons easly…
(never did Arah, but i’m planning to do that)

The problem is that I don’t want to be a kind of tank… i prefere to be a kind of “healer”.
I’m forced to be “tank” cause if i use a “healer build” i became useless…

PVP:
http://www.gw2db.com/skills/calc/guardian#16|9|1248|1308|3408|3410|4501|0|0|0|0|0|0|0|0|30|1394|1405|1395|30|866|883|884|10|2425|0|0|0|0|3|0|0|0|0|0|0|0|0|0|0|0|0|0|

Second weapon scepter+focus

I don’t have a good pvp experience… i have to understand it better, and i don’t like too much the capture points (why there not a simple arena?)…
rank 8… so all suggestions are wellcome.

No WvWvW for now.

@GSSBlunaspike.4153
True… one of my first problem is party coordination.
We have TS but nothing change.
Every body do their own business… T_T

Thanks for show your build to me. I’ll try it… right now i don’t know where i have to hit my head (maybe this is too much italians… it means that i don’t know what i have to do), so all suggestions are truely accepted.
I will treasure your advice.

Hi Leeain – If you want something that’s more of a “heal” spec, this is typically the support build I roll with (along with 2 Major Runes of Sanctuary for max boon duration):

http://gw2skills.net/editor/?fUMQNApeWlcgKD3FyKEm4ES2jRSkQQsHakH9RXFSIA;TkAA2Coo6y4lwLXXrGGbM/A

You’re not going to be doing huge heals, but you will be doing decent heals and good support. Having Superior Sigil of Life and Superior Sigil of Water on your weapons helps maximize your healing potential.

Don’t forget your dodge roll is an AOE heal, so dodging around a lot to heal allies can be really helpful.

Don’t forget to use Symbol of Swiftness to help heal allies too. With this build, it’s a pretty good HoT, healing for around 150 a tick with a full charge of Sigil of Life. If you use Cleric Gear, this will be larger. Also, take advantage of consecrations and shouts as much as possible.

For PvP, this is the build I run with:

http://gw2skills.net/editor/?fUMQNAW7elYgSD3FyIEg4Eh1DCaQ/VVIeXPcIFhIA;TwAA2CooqxUjoGbNuak1sIYQw+j5HA

I’ve found that for PvP matches you want to be able to kill quickly and have good survivability. This brings more to the group than many of the Guardian’s support abilities. But with Staff as your main weapon, you can still offer support in terms of speed boosts and might stacking.

Try these builds out and see if they’re good for your playstyle.

I’ll try!
Tnx for your advice.

I have already 100% cleric + sigil of life and water.
I was all Runes of Dwayna, i’ll try with sanctuary.

Just a question… how does “Writ of the Merciful” heal? It works on symbol of faith even if sof heal by itself?

p.s. sorry all this is complerly off topics loool

Sanctuary is awesome in WvW!

There really isn’t a class that can be used to focus on heals – I think Anet designed it this way to specifically reduce a “nothing but heal” class. However, you have a lot of ways for group heal as a guardian. Even if each only heals for a small amount, they can add up quickly.

For example, even with a modest healing power, say around 300, you can run with staff + mace/shield, and take some appropriate traits, you can do this:

1. Empower: 2000 heal on 20 second cooldown
2. Orb: 900 heal on 10 second cooldown
3. Symbol of centaur outrunning: 150 heal/s for 4 second = 600 heal total on 15 s cooldown
4. Mace 1, 500 heal on full chain
5. Mace 2, 600 total heal + 500 regen = 1100 heal total in 4 on 8 second cooldown
6. Shield bubble + pop = 2400 heal on 40 second cooldown
7. Virtue of Resolve = 1800 heal on 60 second cooldown (probably around 50 seconds or less for a lot of builds)
8. dodge roll for around 700 heal, average 10 second a dodge
9. Healing breeze, around 1800 heal on 40 second cooldown
and whatever utilities you care to put in…

Obviously you can’t optimize and do all of these things due to channeling times and weapon switch delays, but just for the goddess of math where you are able to consistently do all of these things on cooldown, you can heal at least 35000 health per minute for your entire group. Probably 25000 realistically, and not counting utilities.

You can’t “spike heal”, but if you really focus on it and invest in healing power, you can sustain a heal of 600-700 per second. This is on top of whatever healing your allies already have. That’s not too bad.

Has anyone noticed that if you cast it before volley it will deflect but if you get sanctuary off after volley has started it doesn’t work?

This must be a bug.