Guild Wars 2

Recently I changed my good old 0/0/30/30/10 AH Guardian build and I must say the new one really works better for me. I was never very happy with AH in fractals because during most fights Reflecting Wall and Shield of Avenger was just to important, thus shouts being quite useless or having just one shout left didn’t really do the “AH-job”.

So my intend was to get a build with similar or a minor loss in defense but get some more damage out of it.

With this build I think you have now a very situational but effective defense and dps output, depending on the weapon.

http://de.gw2skills.net/editor/?fUEQNAS8dlUgSD3FSHEf4Eh1DAeQ/hpQje8ShDpIA-jwBBYfERzEBwUBDRL7sIasVNFRjVXDT5iIqGA-e

In times of need I use hammer for 100% symbol and protection up-time. Otherwise I use sword/focus which really hits hard with this build. Try it out and tell me if it works for you as well if you want.

Only suggestions I have is to remove 10 from valor, and put it into virtues to pick up MoC. Then swap out smite condition for Purging flames, so you can do team condi removal, and have the shorter cool down on both WoR and PF.

no master of consecrations? 15,15,0,20,10 with 10 spare for absolute resolution or radiant power (in my opinion str in numbers isn’t worth it) using hammer of course

To visualise Cat Has Ducks’ suggestion:
http://gw2skills.net/editor/?fUEQNAS8dlUgKD3FSHEfIFRWBRa9AgH0fYK0oHvK4QA-jwBBYfERzEBwUBDRL7sIasVNFRjVXDT5iIqGA-e

Lower cooldown on your Wall of Reflection, plus Purging Flames (Reinigende Flammen).
The best thing about Purging Flames it that it heals all conditions on allies, lessens the duration of new conditions briefly and it is a Fire Field. With Hammer #2 you can combo on that to give your group extra Might.

You can always drop Purging Flames again in situations with only a few conditions.

Small adjustment, big help? I might give this one a whirl: looks basic but fun.

Rather than make a new post I figured I add onto here as I start to have an issue tonight with fractals 31.

Here is the build I use currently:

Build

My problem might simply be skill related, in which case I am pretty sad as this is the first huge problem I’ve had running this build. I try to stay current with the meta, and I thought this build was pretty close to it.

However:
I did a level 31 fractal for the first time tonight. I died enough to get kicked from the group. Which is never a great feeling. I told them it was ok, as clearly I was hurting the group. We were on Cliffside and the last boss was 1 shotting me with his hammer. No agony which I have 40 of and not 30 as the link says. But his swing was hitting for 11.6k + and I have 11.4k health or there about.

I was trying to block and blind as I normally would and sometimes that worked, but he would catch me eventually and kill me in 1 hit. I thought about trying scepter and just staying range but I opted out so the group didn’t have to suffer and yell at me. And If I did do that I’d be taking away a lot of my DPS.

Need advice and help badly. thanks.

Taking master of consecrations and strength in numbers would be a better option to boost your defense and group support. Symbolic exposure would be another good option to boost your group’s offense since you can maintain 5-6 vuln from auto attacking with hammer. Something like this might suit your desires better 15/15/10/20/10

You say you use sword if not hammer. It would be best to do rotations with greatsword and hammer. Sword/focus is good to have on swap for mainly bosses that are difficult like mossman, archdiviner, etc.
DPS Rotation (Hammer + Greatsword) = GS2 → GS4 → GS3 → GS5 if no pull is needed → GS auto until GS2 is up → GS2 → Swap to Hammer and do 3 AA chains (If need to dodge or use Mighty Blow then complete current chain while swap becomes available and swap) → repeat GS and Hammer rotation. For quick mobs use GS2-4 → Hammer.

KOPPER.1458:

Need advice and help badly. thanks.

Hammer builds are best for fractals. You get perma prot, shout cd, vigor, bigger hp. The extra dps the gs + sword builds offer isn’t worth it for fractals with the OP support hammer brings. Use skale venom also.

thanks obal I will look into that. which hammer build is generally better for fractals? I know there are 3.

You link a build above but not sure if that was directed at me.

if you died a lot it’s more of a l2p issue, I use that build on 49 with pugs but hammer is still better, the 10,30,0,5,25 build just has more range damage

I use 10/30/0/5/25 gs/sf when I feel like doing more damage in a more organised group,

I take 15/15/0/20/20 hammer/staff when I’m pugging or just want to cheese my fractal 49’s

KOPPER.1458:

thanks obal I will look into that. which hammer build is generally better for fractals? I know there are 3.

You link a build above but not sure if that was directed at me.

It was for the OP. Here are the other 2. I use the 15/25 one regardless since my groups are pretty solid.

15/15/0/20/20 - Use if you are the only source of condition removal

15/25/0/20/10 - Use if someone else also has removal

I always run with pugs. Simply don’t have a group I can rely on who like to do fractals.

Painbow, I am sure it is a l2p issue in great extent. I simply do not possess the skill at this time to run that build effectively. It’s a matter of timing when it comes to blinds, and blocks I feel. If I take 1 hit, I am dead.

I ran again with another group who was a little more patient and we got through it. At least the second time I wasn’t the only one dying from time to time.

Yeah that’s fair enough, I always suggest baptism through fire though, learning the hard way is the best way. I used to struggle running zerker in an AH build for example

“I always suggest baptism through fire though, learning the hard way is the best way”

I agree with you. If I had a steady group the learning would be easier. As it stands in Pugs, you get kicked. And I personally don’t learn much, other than I suck. lol

Got what I need for that hammer build, going to test it tonight. Was killing some champs with it and it was working rather well.

obal.3218:

KOPPER.1458:

thanks obal I will look into that. which hammer build is generally better for fractals? I know there are 3.

You link a build above but not sure if that was directed at me.

It was for the OP. Here are the other 2. I use the 15/25 one regardless since my groups are pretty solid.

15/15/0/20/20 - Use if you are the only source of condition removal

15/25/0/20/10 - Use if someone else also has removal

hey obal, thanks for your input and sorry for my late response. i was quite busy with my exams at the university.

i was testing around with your stated builds tho, and i think 15/25/0/20/10 is indeed quite nice – will probably also stick with it. the weakness for guardians are really conditions i think, combined with the low health pool it gets annoying sometimes.
do you wear full berserk/assassins gear also in high level fractals? i was mixing it with some knights armor stuff.

with my guardian i am just never sure if i shall even try to do some major damage, or rather really focus on supporting the group and leaving dmg issues to my warr twink..

I run full zerk though I usually just play in organized groups. I’ve run it in pugs a bunch of times and still did fine. Mixing knights/zerk is a good option. I do that myself sometimes to “tank” mossman, archdiviner #2, champ ettin so everyone can do optimal dps behind them safely while I draw aggro and cycle through my blocks. If you have hammer, spamming F1, and using the right utilities like retreat, wall, shield, purge, etc you are supporting you are supporting your group the best a Guardian can. The builds I listed give you a lot of DPS on top of that which is important for fractals as well.

I use 10/25/0/25/10 for the 50% damage modifier and extra vit

KOPPER.1458:

“I always suggest baptism through fire though, learning the hard way is the best way”

I agree with you. If I had a steady group the learning would be easier. As it stands in Pugs, you get kicked. And I personally don’t learn much, other than I suck. lol

Got what I need for that hammer build, going to test it tonight. Was killing some champs with it and it was working rather well.

Stop beating yourself up. There’s good pugs and there’s a whole lot more bad pugs. A kitten load of people play selfish builds and have defensive or worse gear even at fractal 49. Bringing a zerk guardian in such a group is a nightmare since you don’t have the sustain to stand upright longer than the buffs you provide. Which isn’t long enough in those non-DPS pugs. Then they start pointing their ignorant fingers at you, the “tank”, as you’ve already experienced.

And sword in Fractals, ugh, just horrible. Unless you have a real zerk party, you’re better of using scepter/focus on a majority of Fractal bosses with a switch to melee when the opportunity arises. GS/hammer and staff (pull and #5) for trash.

Gambit.8425:

KOPPER.1458:

“I always suggest baptism through fire though, learning the hard way is the best way”

I agree with you. If I had a steady group the learning would be easier. As it stands in Pugs, you get kicked. And I personally don’t learn much, other than I suck. lol

Got what I need for that hammer build, going to test it tonight. Was killing some champs with it and it was working rather well.

Stop beating yourself up. There’s good pugs and there’s a whole lot more bad pugs. A kitten load of people play selfish builds and have defensive or worse gear even at fractal 49. Bringing a zerk guardian in such a group is a nightmare since you don’t have the sustain to stand upright longer than the buffs you provide. Which isn’t long enough in those non-DPS pugs. Then they start pointing their ignorant fingers at you, the “tank”, as you’ve already experienced.

And sword in Fractals, ugh, just horrible. Unless you have a real zerk party, you’re better of using scepter/focus on a majority of Fractal bosses with a switch to melee when the opportunity arises. GS/hammer and staff (pull and #5) for trash.

I will definitely agree that you should stop beating yourself up over this. I also run pugs exclusively for fractals. I just like to hop on and get a daily run in real quick and do a bit of crafting. I haven’t actually completed the daily in 2 days now due to absolutely horrible pug groups. Either they are wearing gear with stats that I don’t even recognize the set name for …like power/healing/crit dmg or a mix of celestial and pvt or something equally low damage dealing….or they just don’t know the encounters or mechanics at all. I also seem to get a lot of groups that want to play range wars 2 or with guards using staff exclusively. I tried joining a group that advertised “zerk only” and ended up in a group with a guard camping staff, a warrior using long bow..and I’m pretty sure 3/5 of them were in pvt or worse. I usually give the groups a chance and see how the first fractal goes…its usually painfully slow due to very low team damage output and I just bail after the first chest. I’ll add that I generally look for a mid to high level fractal run..somewhere in the high 20’s or low 30’s because I’m only interested in the daily chest and some random gear to salvage for luck+mats to sell on the TP. I pick this level of fractals because one would assume that if you are at that level….you at least know the encounters and have some idea of effective tactics/gear…they keep proving me wrong.

These group compositions generally lead to me having very high aggro as the highest damage dealer, wearing heavy armor, and in melee range with most others camping range and throwing spit balls at the boss. These fights drag on long enough for me to occasionally get downed as the boss starts focusing me. This is in direct contrast to some excellent pug groups I have had in the past with mostly zerks using melee weapons and appropriate utilities. To be brief, its probably not your game play so much causing the issue or your build…it seems the pug population has degenerated to an overwhelming population of bads since the announcement of impending zerk nerfs.

I tend to run 10/30/0/10/20 with sw/foc + scepter/foc or hammer. I cycle through these weapons depending on the encounter. I generally break out the hammer when either the group is high dps or there are lots of combo fields generated.