Guild Wars 2

I’m looking for a build for my DH that isn’t just straight zerker that can decently survive in the Maguuma jungle. Not a huge fan of almost being 1 shot by every little thing. I’m used to playing my tanky power reaper(great survivability with decent damage). Is there a build that exists for DHs that comes anywere close to that or would you just be tickling everything to death at that point? Thanks in advance.

I would recommend changing out pieces of your Zerker gear for pieces of Marauders till you get to a health buffer you’re happy with. Many a Guardian uses Marauder gear because it provides you with the extra HP to avoid 1 shots but doesnt drop your overall DPS by a noticeable amount.

What weapons are you using currently? Might also be worth considering swapping to a weapon set that allows for more defensive utility like sword and shield/focus if you are using greatsword currently.

Marauder, cavalere and knights gear.
Focus and mace for blocks. Shield for projectiles.
For strong improvements on survivability i would suggest to concentrate on aegis and blocks.
In the right hands you can be upright invincible.

Is not anywhere close to your power/tanky reaper, but for HoT maps I find that the tankiest, most faster mob killer DH is a Dire build based on fire damage: you will be extra tankier while being able to decimate the fauna effortlessly, and can even work with base Guardian.

Being said that, HoT maps should give 0 problems to a full zerker DH using longbow and sword + focus (or shield). If you’re having problems of survability you should care first to your gameplay and skill/trait selection and use before taking a look over the stats. In this game the best way to negate damage is evading, blocking, blinding, using cc… Instead of having big numbers in your HP and armor stats.

I would recommend a full Marauder build with pretty much any weapons you like. I personally prefer GS+LB. GS has mobility which we lack greatly, huge AoE damage and an AoE pull. Sw+ any OH is also really good I just enjoy GS more. For a ranged weapon, Scepter definitely outdamages LB but it is pretty low range, and I personally just find it to be a boring weapon.

Sceptre has the same range as lb, and it’s symbol is on a shorter cd. It also benefits from the right-handed strength trait, which lb does not. The only advantage lb has over sceptre is aoe.

As Buran said i once made a GS , Sword, Shield Dire condi DH with permeating wrath and it was a bulldozer and melted everything.

However for a long time ive been running Scepter/Shield, Sw/Focus full marauder using Altruistic healing, dodge heals, aegis heals and shouts. For open world settings it did more damage and was still unkillable even when solo. Was even stronger when allies around so you could get heals from all the boon output.

The scepter was used for the perma symbols which helped with the AH procs. Also useful when you need to fight at range. The amount of protection, blocks etc is insance with focus/shield.

in recent weeks ive been using my WvW setup in open world which is full marauder with durability runes and GS, Sw/Shield. The burst damage is really good and very tanky still. Mobility is totally fine with GS leap, sword 2 , Wings of Resolve and Judges Intervention. If you really want you can make a PVE GS with sigil of Speed on it for basically perma swiftness if you keep killing things. I usually have 3 min of swiftness on me.

Funky.4861:

Sceptre has the same range as lb, and it’s symbol is on a shorter cd. It also benefits from the right-handed strength trait, which lb does not. The only advantage lb has over sceptre is aoe.

Scepter was nerfed down to 900 range a year ago (with the Scepter/Sword symbol patch).

Thanks for sharing everyone — I’m returning after an absence, and this info is super helpful. I’d also love to see build links/specifics, if you’re willing!