Guild Wars 2

I am looking for a build to base off of that specifically helps zergs in WvW. I am willing to sacrifice all of my DPS if it helps the zerg make up for my DPS loss. I’m really just looking for something to help my server perform better in WvW.

I dont think I should focus on just offensive buffs or just heals, I think it should be more balanced so that I can be useful when we need to push as well as when we need to hold a gate. Buuuuuuuuuut, if there’s an offensive buff spec that is just over the top optimal, and there’s a defensive buff spec that’s over the top optimal, I would love to see those as well, I dont mind respecing, or even rolling another toon in order to BEST help my server.

I only have a level 7 Guardian at the moment, so I’m very very new to the profession, excuse me if I dont quite understand the concepts of what the Guardian can or can not do.

ooo, and thanks in advance to anyone willing to add their thoughts/builds

Your biggest problem will be the 5 target limit on buffs and heal. No matter how much you spec into buff, you will be useful to 5. Its alright if you do small scale wvw (roaming with a small group) but as you mention that you want to support the zerg, I fear you will waste your time…

Only thing that you could do is a symbol build (which aren’t affected by max target iirc) but it’s quite frankly pretty underwhelming.

Probably not as bad as it seems at first glance
Extreme might stacking builds are fairly possible
If i go full support in WvW it would look like this.

need lots of dedicated gear though

Full WvW offensive support build!

Traits
20 in radiance
Renewed justice makes virtue of justice best support spell in whole game when things are dying all around you. Couple it with inspired virtues and might duration stack and its possible to get 10+ might stacks from this trait alone, like in supply camp taking. And dont forget that in total 25 second burn for team for each justice. Most underrated guardian dunguen trait everrrr. The extra precision also helps fuel empowering might.

30 in honor
I want Empowering might and two hand mastery.(explained in might stacking strategy section) And selfless daring too. Dodge all the time and heal your teammates.
(i thought about going 30pt for battle presence but i kinda believe its too weak a heal to change much)

20 in virtues
Mostly for the boon duration. Also Inspired virtues. Master of consecrations would seem a solid choice though since wall of reflection = pretty much best support skill guardian has in WvW . The trait also helps with hallowed ground duration and cooldown.
Now to gear choice….the fun part

Gear and utility skills
Weapon: Hammer and staff

Utility skills:
Reflection wall (cos its best support you can find)
Hallowed ground ( For fire field, stability is a plus)
Save your selves (optional…….but i always feel its good for charging, and the fury helps pump up crit rate for Empowering might. And then all those boons last extra long with your boon duration stack)

Armor and trinkets:
Hmm hard call for armor Stack Precision though lots and lots of it. For empower of course and the Crit for vigor trait > more vigor = more dodgeroll heals. Get other stats of your preference.

IMPORTANT!
search the trading post for the word “winter”
You should see some exotic jewelry which gives 2% boon duration per piece. Use those to stack boon duration longer.

Sigils:
+ crit chance sigils would be best. You really need high crit to fuel empowering might.

Runes:
Might duration stack
2x rune of the fire = 20%
2x rune of hoelbrak = 20%
2x rune of strength = 20%
20pts in virtues = extra 20%
Giver trinkets = 12%

90% might duration total. Making all your might buffs last longer.

Your mass might buff rotation should go like this:

Use hallowed ground first itll last for 12 seconds. Take out your hammer. Might blow for 3 might. wait 4 seconds, mighty blow again for 3 more. (If you dont know why its because of Fire combo fields and blast finisher)
6 stacks
Switch to staff and give 12 more stacks to everyone with staff 4
18 stacks
Activate Virtue of justice
And with inpired virtues your now up to 21 stacks

Now press 1111111 on ranger pets, necro minions etc crit on them and for 25 stacks of might from empowering might trait.

You have now reached the 25 might stack cap for five of your teammates. Now proceed to 111111 on staff. Or take out your hammer and deal some damage with your increased power. Rinse and repeat might buff process when it wears off. Staff 4 shouldnt even have a cooldown in might buffing at all with the increased might duration and decreased skill cooldown from 2hand mastery. So with staff 4 and staff 111111 alone you should easily be able to maintain about 15 stacks of might for 5 people with 0 downtime.

Spam your Justice virtue whenever possible. Tag everyone and everything. Your investment in virtue line would make the cooldown rather low for starters and every time something dies you can use it again becuase of renewed justice.

Yes and remember to spam your wall of reflection whenever its up.

The only downside though is that this leaves exactly no room for either AH or monks focus. Toughness and crit damage woulkd also be a bit on the low side. But i guess you cant have everything and 25 stacks of might on your group makes up for it in its own way.

lcc.9374:

The only downside though is that this leaves exactly no room for either AH or monks focus. Toughness and crit damage woulkd also be a bit on the low side. But i guess you cant have everything and 25 stacks of might on your group makes up for it in its own way.

You know might stacks expire independently of each other right? It’s not like the duration refreshes each time you add another stack. They’ll be dropping when you get half way through your sequence.

I know it drops but that’s what the might duration is for
Were talking about 90% increased duration here

Dont know if these affect combo fields but

20seconds from combo fields even without duration buff
6stacks time to cast is about 5seconds
Then 12stacks from staff 4, these last for more than 12 secs
4sec cast
18stacks and 10+seconds still on combo buffs
Virtue of justice is instant 3 more stacks

Easy 21stack buff in9 seconds
With about 10 more seconds till might stacks where off

I haven’t tested it but I’m sure 90% might duration is going to make it longer than 10secs

If u are still not convinced do it like this
swap save yourselves with purging flames
Hallowed ground>purging flames>2x mighty blow

Double fire field and blast finisher gives 12 20second might stacks out the gate(I think that’s how it works)
Now staff 4 for the rest

Easy 20 might stacks most of the time since purging flames and hallowed ground is on 32and64 sec cooldown respectively. Those 6 stacks from combo fields will have nearly no downtime because they last 20secs without might duration. And if they are affected by might duration their length would be doubled. They’ll last longer than your purging flame cooldown.

With double combo field with no downtime. Staff 4 buff with basically no downtime ,
voj 3 stack buf on 23sec cooldown even without refreshes. And empowering might proc.(these last for 9 secs btw)

20+stacks around the clock should be achievable

You should have
You don’t even need to use voj and empowering might

I quite like the sound of it X)

Seems like an easy way to make a difference on the battlefield without going into no man’s land. I’m also reading this post in the voice of a giddy 8 year old describing his new toy. The fact that it almost convinced me that hallowed ground and purging flame isn’t underpowered is a bonus.

This is my WvW “support” build. http://www.guildhead.com/skill-calc#mcc9ombNC0mbNC9cxxaVmqckbc

Survivability wise, simply amazing. You want to stack toughess, healing power, and vitality. Atm with 25 stacks of +healing I have 1460 healing, 16.5k hp, and about 3250 armor.

I use mace + staff and I switch between both constantly. Use the mace to place down symbols on friendly players that are grouped up — look primarily for downed players — and switch to your staff and use your symbol (it heals for decent amount with writ) then use staff empower. Basically switch back and forth. Use your staff as your main weapon in order to tag and attack players.

Wall of reflection is the bread and butter of your build. Run up your opponents, BE RIGHT IN THEIR FACES, and use it. Enemy players always instinctively target the closest player and you can reflect huge amounts of damage.

Stand your ground is your “oh crap” button. It breaks stuns and gives stability, but it is also useful for retaliation if you want to damage players as well.

Sanctuary is your jack of all tool. Use it on downed players to res them or run up in front of enemy zergs and use it on yourself after a Wall of Reflection. The enemy will be so focused on trying to kill you that they’ll divert their attention off the players behind you. Also, you can use it to block off choke points followed up with a wall of lining.

Self-healing wise (+1450 healing) and AH you have EXTREMELY good self-healing. Your full staff duration can heal you for 3/4ths your life and your mace can heal you good for good numbers as well. Play on the front lines, take the hits, and then roll back and drop a mace symbol or staff heal yourself.

Seflless daring (heals yourself and players near you when you roll) is extremely good. It heals for about 1200-1400, but two rolls gives you a good amount of health back. Play smart with it and roll into players that need heals or use it to top yourself off when backing away from the front lines. You’re almost guaranteed to have endurance regeneration up from other players.

You give up your DPS, but you can tag players for kills with wall of reflection and your staff. You aren’t a healer, don’t play as one. You’re a DPS, a tank, and a healer. Be flexible.

Thank you Icc and ComeAndSee, this is the type of theory-crafting/debate I love in RPGs. I have the ‘Healway’ build on radar, and am messing with it in PvE, but I’d like to have something tailor made for WvW(and helping the zerg)

i do realize that I can’t buff an entire 50+ zerg(with the 5 person cap). but maybe if cooldowns could be lowered enough that i can run around and do my best. or at least stay close to the more important battles. or like one person says go symbols(but i dunno how effective symbols are in general)

thanks again everyone, and i hope to see more debates and ideas about the most optimal way to support the zerg with a guardian