Guild Wars 2

Hey this thread is for advise. I want to play a DPS one handed build. I do not like sword. atm im using mace/Focus with scepter/torch(some people might remember my post about scepter. please keep in mind i started that about using it as main).
Traits are : Zeal II, Radiance II VI XI and Valor I VII XII
i can already see the damage does not scratch that of the GS(from what i’v seen so far)

Please do not post builds here, this is just a conversation
thank you

I also use a scepter/torch as one of my sets (can´t say its main or alt since i’m constantly switching between them and GS). Scepters damage might not seem that high, but if you add up all the hits you can generate…you’ll be in for a huge surprise (doesn´t hit to hard but certainly hits lots and lots of times!). As for torch, it’s clearly an underrated weapon, very few Guardians use it, don’t really get it since it is clearly a better dps weapon when compared to focus or shield (if were ONLY discussing the damage output of the weapon), since the cooldowns are low and are a great compliment to scepter cooldowns.

Seeing your traits, you clearly use a lot of meditations. I don´t run meditations, and so my suggestions would be sing honorable shield, strenght in numbers (very usefull when running in groups) or rertrebutive armor (another compliment to damage output).

Another good idea you be going 20 points in honor for empowering might (with RHS you can easily reach a constante 5 might stacks with scepter/torch) and inspired virtues (with the 15 points in radiance you already have, just keep the might comin!)

Yeah im using the meditation for the healing. With monks focus its something like 1.2k each time you use one. So with smite condition on that 1.2k hp with 800+ damage and a conditation removed everything 16 secs.

being able to stack more might would be great and i did use it on my GS dps build however i am looking for something different something a little more easily sub-stained dps.

Superior forge and superior bloodlust on my mace/focus? i do like force since its always there. but yeah i dont know

Mace is slower than GSword but it hits harder, and the speed makes it feel like its doing a lot less. I don’t think the damage is too far off from GSword if you can manage your symbol placement and use Protectors Strike as a dps ability. I see 7K+ Protectors Strike critss alone and close to 9K on the complete autochain with crits. GSword WW can reach 8K for me in a group setting but averages 5.5K. Protectors Strike has almost twice the cooldown as WW but if timed right it has very short ‘cast time’.

I used to be a Torch guy to keep up burning. After the realization that Virtue of Justice in a party setting drops almost full uptime burning if all 5 players hit the target I’ve been leaning more towards Shield for utility. I haven’t devoted the time to exploring the DPS increase of Torch vs 5x VoJ though but I believe that individual Burning all has the same DPS regardless of the ability.

My default ranged is Scepter/Focus. It hits hard and the devs have confirmed that it’s the highest potential ranged dps weapon in the game. Problem is it fails to hit sometimes or it will hit the wrong mob due to placement. Devs are going to fix this though.

I run Superior Force and Accuracy on my melee and Superior Blood and Accuracy on my ranged. Coupled with Omnom Pie you can back out when needed and regen your health. Mace is nice though as you get a bunch of passive healing.

I generally run 10/30/0/30/0 for versatility in dungeons but if I want to just go RHS I’ll run your build. I feel they’re both pretty equal DPS when it comes down to it though.

GL
Blood~

Hey yeah i agree with most of what you said.i think focus is a better match for the mace in this build over shield on my build blocks stack might and with meditation i can take the little extra dmg. hmm the burst damage with scepter torch using skills 4-4(active),3,2,5 in that order is very high. tested in Arah tonight and torch 5 was criting fot almost 12k while smite was still up,

all in all after running Arah and SE p2 tonight i see this weapon combo and set up being high dps(for guardians) and having strong survivability.
I use smite condition, contemplation of purity and Judge’s intervention so you could choose to use Shelter or signet or resolve atm im using signet. but shelter and another block so this will help with dps getting the might from the blocks, up to you. same with Renewed focus.

Really happy atm. Finding myself dead less than when i ran 2-handed build.

I haven’t seen a 12K torch but I may have to give it another try. I don’t like torch on ranged simply cuz its not easy to take advantage of the extra initial burning before you throw with 4. I tend to use Focus with ranged but I don’t run Might on Block. Also, I think that Torch 4 has higher dps if you don’t throw as it will come back online faster, especially if its traited.

I personally think a lot of the weapons are decently balanced but since we have no DPS meter (thankfully) its all up to player perception and questionable formulas. Aside from staff which is lower than our other options but gives more support.

Blood~

Done some test in Cursed shore, with no foods,buffs,bloodlust or pre stacked might.

Mace auto hits for 1.5-3.3k symbol of faith ticks at 1-2.2k(along with giving you regen). Smite condition heals for 1899k and hits for over 3k everytime. protector;s strike is up and down 2.5k-6k crazy range.

Scepter auto is 1.8k avg. Smite 700-1k

Torch Zealot’s flame active 3-4.7k, Cleansing flame(hard to judge) ticks range frim 800-3k.

All these numbers taking from combat log and all from same type of foe. Remember when looking at these numbers they are with no buffs,foods,bloodlust or pre stacked might.

Torch is really bad at long duration fights and mediocre at short duration fights. Cleansing Flame does terrible damage for its duration, and only cleaves 3 targets rather than the usual 5 for other AOEs. Zealot’s Flame is hamstrung by its cooldown and doesn’t offer much overall DPS over autoattacking, only a fair burst. I really recommend Focus or Shield over Torch for almost any situation.

That out of the way, Mace is a totally fine DPS weapon, the only thing that hurts about it is the lack of cleaving on the third autoattack swing. That said, it has slightly higher DPS in its autoattack against a single target than Sword does. Sword’s main advantage in its autoattack is the fact that it has 3 hits on the last swing and thus does a really good job of setting off on-crit effects from sigils and traits. However, the last swing is actually a projectile, not melee damage, and so for things like the bonus fractal or other monsters with projectile reflection or blocking, you can actually end up hurting yourself on your own autoattack.

The other thing about Mace damage is that while yes, Protector’s Strike hits like a truck, if you leave it hanging out there and don’t absorb an attack for a long time your DPS actually tanks as a result. So only use it if you absolutely know you’re going to block something right then and cancel out of it by hitting another attack (I commonly use Shield 4) if you fail to block immediately. That will keep your DPS up.

Scepter is great as a DPS tool though the longer the range, the more likely you’re going to miss due to movement. The orbs are also tragically slow, so slow that enemies can outrun them with Swiftness. As others have said, it works great as a faux melee weapon with breathing room. But it doesn’t cleave, so if you’re in melee and facing multiple opponents, you’re much better off using an actual melee weapon.

Built properly (with RHS and other traits) Greatsword will almost always lose out to Sword, Scepter, and Mace in terms of damage versus a single target, but versus 4 or more Greatsword will almost always out damage Sword, Scepter, and Mace – as long as we’re talking about optimal builds for each weapon.

Foofad i understand and agree with a lot of what you are saying. We need to remember that play style comes into all this. example i use mace/focus with Scepter torch. yet neither one set is my main i try and flick them every 12 seconds and i see a lot people using the one weapon so i know they are wasting dps waiting on skills on CD.
You are also right about the GS however only Arah really has a lot of mobs. CoF, CoE, SE TA(kind of) HotW not really any real mobs to talk of. So this si part of the reason i changed from GS DPS.
I don’t think we need to talk about scepter needing fixing.
Protector’s strike on the mace i do need to get a little better at timing the skill however that doesn’t affect the build.
hmm yeah i was just thinking today while playing the torch 5 skill duration does effect the quality of the damage. Ever more then the top end crits are below 9k.

mace and focus was really fun. for a while, i played a symbol nuke build. the mace was extremely useful for that. i still need better timing with Protector’s Strike as well. i imagine thouhg, you could get nice burst with SoW from Focus, then applying Protector’s Strike on top. time it so that SoW goes off the same time PS gets hit.

i am a huge fan of the torch as well though and i feel it matches up pretty well with the scepter. i liked using JI, then depending on the opponent (if they dodge instatntly or not, insta-immob chains of light, then zealot’s fire and flame to follow up. smite. then cleansing flame if you want to add mroe pressure, though its dmg is really quiet low. but it still does it’s job well. then auto away. i feel like i kill things a LOT faster this way compared to many other weapon sets.

i love 2H weapons and played those majority of my Guardian career. now i’m falling in love with 1h weapons again and sword is too, my least favorite lol.