Anyone feel like giving me some pros and cons of the off-hand weapons (focus, shield, and torch)? I’m an offensive guardian that loves doing a lot of damage, but likes to survive (not die).
Focus gives you pretty much the best defensive skills as well as some of the best support utility (blast finisher, ally condi removal, blind), which makes it a solid choice in both PvE and PvP. Unless you’re encountering projectiles, it’s generally a better choice than the shield for PvE.
In PvP, the shield is a bit better for a bunker since it allows you to knock enemies off a point.
I can’t think of much of a reason to use a torch offhand outside of solo leveling. Maybe a specific PvP build?
The focus is our best overall offhand as it provides both offensive and defensive utility. You’ve got a blind, a condition removal, a block, a blast finisher and a pretty high damage skill.
The shield can be modestly useful for the knockback, which can be a pretty potent effect if you use it creatively. It’s usually easier to get more out of a focus, though.
The torch is mainly used only as a burst weapon in specialized PvP/WvW builds. The number 4 skill has good power scaling and applies a long-duration burn. It’s a bit more damage than you can get with the other offhand options but loses out in utility value.
Basically, just get a focus unless you want to try and do gimmicky things with knockbacks or burst combos.
I tend to use torch a lot in PvE dungeon runs. Torch #5 does a crapload of damage, you can move while channeling, and it still cleanses conditions by default without traiting, all on a very low CD, and its direct power based damage that scales up with each tick of the channel.
I switch to focus if tanking is needed in some of the upper fractals etc. Its very situational.
Shield I use least of all due to its extra long CDs, even with traits (tried it out a few times). Only time I use shield now is in WvW when we go up against groups that tend to speed rezz their people a lot, the AOE knock back does a nice number on them.
Most recently for teq fights I use staff, sword/torch.
torch 4 i can’t complain about. i feel like torch 5 could really use a boost. maybe exponential damage increase with each “hit” you land? or at least cleanse ourselves as well.
not much to add on to what others have said. and shield 5 is amazing in WvW on high ledges. XDD
Akaimon | Jolly Good Guardian
Akaigi | Warrior Made of Wood
[CDS] – Sanctum of Rall
torch 5 is crap dps. IMO torch is even worse than the shield. mediocre damage (torch 4 burst isn’t that great when you consider cast time) and the condition cleanse on torch 5 doesn’t really redeem the weapon, especially considering how it doesn’t affect yourself as well.
Focus is really the best overall, I don’t see any reason (at least in pve) not to use it. the block is amazingly useful (also big damage when it blows up) and the ray helps stack vuln/blind and removes condis
visually, i’d love to play with a shield more. and the torch animations are pretty neat, but yea, hands down focus packs a punch offensively, and defensively. so based on your “criteria”, you can’t go wrong with focus. : ))
just in case, many Guards like to pre-cast focus 5, count 4 secs? and then let it blow up for great AoE explosionz. of course, use it in conjuction with Judge’s Intervention plus any other burst skills that we have (GS 2, hammer 2, torch 4, even mace 3 when done right).
@guanlong – do you mean the CD after double tapping torch 4? cast time isn’t TOO bad imo.
Akaimon | Jolly Good Guardian
Akaigi | Warrior Made of Wood
[CDS] – Sanctum of Rall
not really the CD, but I find it a pretty clunky skill. probably more personal pref since I like just using the sword AA.
and yeah I’d much rather use a shield than a focus, charr look weird with most focus skins (though the corrupted one goes quite well with my jormags breath). too bad shield is so situational and focus is so much stronger in dungeons.
I hate the Issue with the torch that if the player is on a slight slope etc the 4 skill seems to miss 50% of the time for no reason at all. It’s meant to be a ranged skill so it should be able to handle being shot up a slight incline.
Calm Caril – Level 80 – Guardian
“Jim’ll Fix It and if he doesn’t it’s not broken”
Personally, I think torch could become a strong offhand for PvE if they made at least 1 of these 2 changes:
– Create a fire field with decent up-time
– Grant fury with a decent duration
