Guild Wars 2

Hey guys
So I left Guardian a while ago but I’m thinking of coming back to it. Now in PvE it’s pretty simple and I’m familiar with the class more than enough to get the choices in the meta, but when it come to PvP and I look the “meta” I have to ask:

Why Communal Defences over Strength in Numbers?

Medi Guard is great at 1 v 1 and small fights, why not take a trait that will allways take effect at what we are good over one that will work in some ocations, and even there not that good because the radius is really small.
I’m also asking this because I will want to roam and the choice seems pretty obvious to me. SiN allways

Btw how is roaming going for Guardian?

There is not one “right” answer, but in general:

A 100% block for one attack is better than a (making up percentage) 1% reduction in all incoming damage. Reason being, you can potentially block a CC or a burst hit and stop a killing blow from happening or buy time for a cooldown/heal to be ready.

Now the reason why Communal Defense is not a no brainer and should always be taken….the range is abysmal, shorter than shouts (300 I think?). So the chances of this procing on your allies relies on coordinated response by either yourself and/or your allies to close in close to you.

Running up to then and popping a Protector’s Strike or Virtue of Courage may be your best bet, and that way you get a double block if anything.

It is “easier” and more consistent to run with Strength In Numbers, because it is a consistent effect and has a greater range, thus giving it better “up time” on allies as well as yourself.

Communal Defense provides nothing to the player, but potentially good coordinated effort to the group.

I try to swap between both depending on the map. Map with small node I prefer Communal defense because when I go in a fight a second block for my team in middle is usually better. But in map with larger node like Forest, the smaller radius of CD make it less efficient.

At Medi Guard average stats of 2450 armour, the 150 Toughness from Strength in Numbers is worth around a 5% damage reduction.

@CMF
I couldn’t have said it better.

Communal Defense offers a chance to apply AoE Aegis to all allies. Considering Guardian is a spear head class that is first in and last out, the chance of applying an extra block on allies is actually high. Add Shattered Aegis in the mix and you have yourself a very huge spike damage potential.

Saiyan.1704:

@CMF
I couldn’t have said it better.

Communal Defense offers a chance to apply AoE Aegis to all allies. Considering Guardian is a spear head class that is first in and last out, the chance of applying an extra block on allies is actually high. Add Shattered Aegis in the mix and you have yourself a very huge spike damage potential.

Does Shattered Aegis also work with Aegis you apply to allies?
Okay I’ve seen nice answers, but when it comes to WvW, and if you run solo SiN is the only option.

What I really miss now is the blind from Virtue of Justice
Idk why since the patch Guardian feels odd to me, have been prefering Warrior and Thief a lot more

mPascoal.4258:

Saiyan.1704:

@CMF
I couldn’t have said it better.

Communal Defense offers a chance to apply AoE Aegis to all allies. Considering Guardian is a spear head class that is first in and last out, the chance of applying an extra block on allies is actually high. Add Shattered Aegis in the mix and you have yourself a very huge spike damage potential.

Does Shattered Aegis also work with Aegis you apply to allies?
Okay I’ve seen nice answers, but when it comes to WvW, and if you run solo SiN is the only option.

What I really miss now is the blind from Virtue of Justice
Idk why since the patch Guardian feels odd to me, have been prefering Warrior and Thief a lot more

I miss Justice is Blind so kitten much… such a useful trait. I know what you mean about classes feeling odd though since the patch…

I mained Engi and it just feels completely foreign now… no idea why – in theory it’s very similar. Just gotta go with the flow I guess.

It’s science time!

Assic.2746:

In general +150 toughness doesn’t make a difference.
I’ve just tested it on PvP.
Average damage taken with Strength in Numbers: 1293
Average damage taken without Strength in Numbers: 1303,5
Difference: 10,5dmg (per hit); less than 1%

I think it’s better to take Communal Defenses. You will not decreseace, but completly negate incoming damage for your whole team.

So if the amount of lets say AoE damage is equal to 1293. Communal Defenses will block a total of 4 * 1293 = 5172 or 5 * 1293 = 6465 (if you have aegis) damage for your whole team.
With Strength in Numbers you can only decrease it by 5 * 10,5 = 52,5 damage.
But what is important, Communal Defenses has 15s of ICD and Strength in Numbers works all the time (while in combat), so it’s 52,5 * 15s = 787 damage in 15s if each of your team members gets 1 hit each second.
It’s 75 hits in 15s distributed across all of your team. It would be equal to amount of damage blocked by Communal Defenses if your team would have recived
75hits * 6,6 = 495 hits in 15s (each member has to be hit ~7 times each second).

I recommend Communal Defenses and if you take Pure of Heart with it you only gain further benefits.

If you have Pure of Heart, any Aegis you apply will heal the player to which it’s applied. With Cleric amulet, that’s over 1200 healing per Aegis. That synergy really tilts the choice in favor of Communal Defenses over Strength in Numbers.

Shattered Aegis also works like this, but since its damage effect is 240 radius, you don’t see nearly as much of a benefit.