Guild Wars 2

Yesterday i got to lvl 80 with my guardian and I am looking for a pve only build how i can easily survive dungeons and orr.

I don’t have much money for a berserker set. Since i recently bought a koss set.

Just play meta and get money quickly to buy berserker gear. It’s really not that expensive.

Get Armageddon set (berserk stats) from Grenth Temple. Soldiers ring and amulet might be useful for some surv

Don’t follow the “meta” it has no diversity. You should play how ever you want.

Don’t listen to people who say “don’t follow the meta”. They don’t know what they’re talking about.

Follow the meta and get yourself a berserker set with scholar runes. Then figure out what meta build you want to play. There is plenty of diversity and plenty of meta builds to choose from depending on which weapons you want to use.

Do you want to be a great support to your team while killing stuff quickly? Play meta.

Do you want to be slow and hold your team back? Don’t play meta.

The choice is yours.

I’d say that you shouldn’t jump headfirst into a berserker build. Get a little bit of defensive gear to use while you learn the fights, and then slowly transition over once you know the encounters well enough to be able to avoid getting hit.

There is no Meta, Ante dissolved their dungeon team awhile ago so future dungeons are off the table. Basically use what ever armor you want personally I prefer Soldiers armor with Flame Legion Runes, with Zerker Wep/Trinks, I use Obals Hammer build.

Wow, every post in this thread so far is really pulling out the soapbox and preaching. Let me offer a more objective approach and provide an explanation which might enlighten you why these threads become battlefields.

Dear OP,

Since the game is structured to people using primarily active defenses, it’s optimal to use the highest damage output gear and use your traits/skills to give you whatever support you and your team need in PVE. I don’t know you’re skill level but if you’re short on gold like you say, I would advise you start with zerker gear because the cost difference isn’t that big between it and something else. If you need more defense, you can adjust your traits/skills to do so, even while you play. For example Signet of Judgement. IF that approach still doesn’t work for you, only then would I suggest you supplement your gear to include more defensive stats, mostly in the trinkets.

GL

http://gw2skills.net/editor/?fVAQNAS7dlsApboVDxcI8DRRDRljNYHBHXXe9BchBAA-TxCBwAGVyxT9HlKHgcFAkoEEwDBIvuhi7PkSDxDzPJMBRIAWjBA-e

I use this build for pvp, pve, wvw. Never die in pve. (you may combine this with shouts in pve to support allies more + staff instead of scep/foc)

Good day OP,

if you are playing casualy (just for fun and not much time to spend hours on gaming) just play how you want, which can be full berserker as well

However, if you play like every day with organized groups I would recommend full berserker and use other defensive abilities like:

Blinds, blocks, reflects, protection, invulnerability ect…

BUT!

It’s your Guard, it’s all up to you mate.

Going for the Meta or your personal variation of the meta, should be your ultimate goal. Several meta build exist and for a reason. The community see them as some of the best build with our current knowledge of the game.

If you go in the general direction of the meta, you should be fine. I would recommend to try out the meta traits and then use the gear that you feel comfortable with. Like a mix of soldier, zerker, knight, etc. As you get better, you can then replace some pieces of gear to zerker or you can stay with your current gear

Berserker can be tricky for new players, so I’d say 50/50 on a Berserker/Soldier’s split on armor and then slowly swap out soldier’s for Berserker’s.

FFS! Meta!

How can we have more meta builds for a same job?

Meta means the-MOST-effective-tactic-available…

So cannot be more than one.

So half of you are talking kitty.

(sorry for trolling but this “meta” kittenes me off)

Aggrostemma.1703:

FFS! Meta!

How can we have more meta builds for a same job?

Meta means the-MOST-effective-tactic-available…

So cannot be more than one.

So half of you are talking kitty.

(sorry for trolling but this “meta” kittenes me off)

The man has a point

The most effective tactic available is not a static thing … there are instances where it will change slightly; Skills are chosen for what dungeons are being done, etc…

Of course, if you simply refer to meta as the highest damage dealing weapon combo and traits, then yes, it’s extremely restricted to not even a handful of builds. I don’t think that’s what the OP is asking for.

Actually, we’ve all missed what the OP is looking for: Meta is NOT a build that gives new players easy survival in dungeons or Orr because it’s not likely a new player asking this question in the forums is skilled with their active defenses enough to appreciate what a meta zerker build can do. Of course, the OP doesn’t know any of this, but we should be more responsible when making our suggestions to him.

KevinB.9643:

Aggrostemma.1703:

FFS! Meta!

How can we have more meta builds for a same job?

Meta means the-MOST-effective-tactic-available…

So cannot be more than one.

So half of you are talking kitty.

(sorry for trolling but this “meta” kittenes me off)

The man has a point

No he doesn’t. Meta is the best build that the community can come up, but not all situation are the same.

In fractal, you want to bring a Hammer guardian for the protection. If you already have a Hammer guardian, then you switch to GS S/F.

If you are in a dungeon like CoF, you want to have the best dps, but if you are in CM, you want Master of consecration for the extra Reflection.

If you are in TA, you like to have a staff for these blossom, then Hammer is a better standalone weapons for combat.

There is a couple of Meta build that you can use depending on the situation. And most ppl are not nazy on that. You can change them a little bit to adapt you your own need. 4/5/0/0/5 is not the best build, but you lose little dps, for max support and can work in almost all situation. It is considered a meta build, because that the best build for general purpose, it work everywhere and a lot of ppl don’t like to change build.

Scholar is the best rune for a guardian, but Flame Legion is acceptable since scholar is costly. Normal ppl don’t have any problem if someone is diverging from the meta a bit as long as they stay with a good build in the end and don’t try to bring an healing staff guardian or don’t bring reflect when its needed.

You can always use yellow berserker gear with flame legion/ruby orbs, rare zerker rings, major sigils, and green zerker trinkets if cost is a problem as a stopgap. (you can get ascended trinkets with laurels anyways, and rare/exotic jewelery is overpriced) It won’t really be fatal. Using other stuff is just going to cost more in the long run. And karma gear can help with costs and would be my recommended solution.

This is my casual run build; I don’t do dungeons much and don’t care for optimizing gear for it, but it works in most pve— I think the vigorous precision trait makes a big difference.

http://gw2skills.net/editor/?fVAQNAsdRlsApUo9CxZI8DRR8Ql7Y8i2+BtQVBAWPBA-ThRBwAX3fU+dT9H86D0cIAA8EAMrEkUAPtFA-e

Lots of retreat use.

Thaddeus:

I accept that the so called meta changes at every fight and every situation… That’s why it is called meta (most effective tactic available). But since the “meta” changes at every single situation, every single boss and every single fight you have … It means “meta” builds – and I mean gear-trait-sigil choises – are not existing. We can call it meta but it does not mean they actually are META.

Sorry for trolling so far….

Here is my point:

Why do you/we/me keep repeating the META builds to someone who has no freaking idea what it means, why is it good, how to play it, how to get it?

Aggrostemma.1703:

Thaddeus:

I accept that the so called meta changes at every fight and every situation… That’s why it is called meta (most effective tactic available). But since the “meta” changes at every single situation, every single boss and every single fight you have … It means “meta” builds – and I mean gear-trait-sigil choises – are not existing. We can call it meta but it does not mean they actually are META.

Sorry for trolling so far….

Here is my point:

Why do you/we/me keep repeating the META builds to someone who has no freaking idea what it means, why is it good, how to play it, how to get it?

Meta is just a loosely define gaming term. You can put whatever definition on it if you want, but that’s not a strict and exact term. Its a general term to differentiate between some of the best build the community created and normal or bad build that are still viable, but not really good.

OK, so from now on we should use the “viable” or “powerful” words. And I ask everybody to do the same if a beginner asks something.

And leave the “meta” word for the speedrunners and the “META” for theorycrafters

Sidebar … I did not know that people had come up with an acronym for META; most effective tactic available. Is this the same way everyone else thinks of it?

Aggrostemma.1703:

OK, so from now on we should use the “viable” or “powerful” words. And I ask everybody to do the same if a beginner asks something.

And leave the “meta” word for the speedrunners and the “META” for theorycrafters

Any build is viable, and good/powerful build are not the same as meta build.

Ppl can take one of the meta and change it a little bit to adapt to their needs, making that new build a good build, but not a meta anymore.

Some profession only have 1 meta and 1 or 2 thing they can switch around depending on the situation. For exemple an engineer can take 6/6/0/0/2 for combat. Or take 6/6/0/2/0 for combat where you need more dodge like Lupi. Other profession have totally different build depening on the situation. Like Guardian with 3/5/0/4/2 Hammer build in fractal, or 4/6/2/0/2 GS S/F in normal dungeon.

These are all meta build, that you take depending of the situation.

Now you can put something like that on your guardian 2/5/0/2/5. This is a good build based on the meta, but its no longer a meta. Or you can take 0/0/6/6/2 in PvE, which is viable, but not good, nor a meta.

Thaddeus: +1

But do you agree with me that in a beginner’s topic the word “meta” shouldn’t be used out of context?

So instead of: “Just play meta and get money quickly to buy berserker gear. It’s really not that expensive.” (sorry Oxtred, no offence at all) we should say: “Build 46202 with Sc+F/GS and get zerker gear asap. This is the most effective tactic available in dungeons. The so called META”. Here, two birds with one stone…

Anyway I will stick to this “rule” from now and I hope some of the forum posters, the top contributors and “helpline players” will follow it too.

P.S.: I see a lots of newcomers and they won’t understand such terms… As we can see some of the more experienced players don’t know the exact meaning either.

I guess you are right, especially the part about new players. But to defend Oxtred play the meta and get money quickly to buy berserker gear is ok too.

Take zerker rare gear, take the meta traits and then go after exotic/ascended stuff to complete the build. But again, your point is valid. Saying play meta to a player that just got his guardian to level 80 won’t help him at all if you don’t explain the meta or link to a guide on it.

LucosTheDutch.4819:

Don’t listen to people who say “don’t follow the meta”. They don’t know what they’re talking about.

Follow the meta and get yourself a berserker set with scholar runes. Then figure out what meta build you want to play. There is plenty of diversity and plenty of meta builds to choose from depending on which weapons you want to use.

Do you want to be a great support to your team while killing stuff quickly? Play meta.

Do you want to be slow and hold your team back? Don’t play meta.

The choice is yours.

^This, as a non meta player, i always recommend to others to try to follow the suposed meta, theres no point of using any other stats on this game besides zerk, even on defensive “tactic”, kill fast survive longer and follow the game mechanics.

Aeolus:

Can you read back 16 posts please? Yes, from the bottom…

urfrid.5971:

Yesterday i got to lvl 80 with my guardian and I am looking for a pve only build how i can easily survive dungeons and orr.

I don’t have much money for a berserker set. Since i recently bought a koss set.

Even if meta is the best tactic or not depending the situation, did we give the OP the answer he/she needed already?

You can get all kinds of gear from the reward tracks in Spvp, just pick a dungeon that has the stats you want. Karma vendors in orr are also easy pickings.

…new players shouldn’t go full zerker. It’s for people that know the fights.

Instead try a mix of knights, soldiers and assassins… I find more crit far better than more damage on crits, when playing on my guard, especially when using empowering might/sigil of strength.

Meditation builds are awesome, but so are builds that use empowering might and altruistic healing.

I can never decide between longer lasting symbols, or healing ones, but a hammer guard is rather awesome to have in a group. If the group has melee peeps that keep dying; big, long lasting healing symbols are amazing. Scepter or staff on swap depending on the fight.

I find runes of the traveler or speed to be superior in all circumstances. Increased movement speed means getting in more hits and getting out of the way more often.

Obtena.7952:

Wow, every post in this thread so far is really pulling out the soapbox and preaching. Let me offer a more objective approach and provide an explanation which might enlighten you why these threads become battlefields.

A clear explanation is the best advice you can give someone new rather than a link to a build and bickering about the meta. It isn’t going to mean much to someone out of context when they just hit 80. And like you mentioned later in your post, depending on their skill level their needs might be different.

That’s why I just link to Obal’s guide instead of joining the war. Much more clear than I can explain and goes over everything. Traits, weapons and gear are all looked at along with why tactics are used. I’m surprised more people don’t find it before making a thread, it is sticky’d at the top of the guardian forums.

https://forum-en.gw2archive.eu/forum/professions/guardian/Guide-DPS-Guardian-for-PVE/first