Guild Wars 2

I have played around 150+ tournaments both in beta and on release. I’ve played both offensive and defensive guardian specs. I have played roamer as well as point defender. I believe I have poked at every part of the spectrum within the guardian class pvp-wise.

I feel as though focus is a very handy offensive off-hand, I (when playing offensively) pair it with sword, though I ran glass cannon i could stay alive much longer than with shield, I still enjoyed shield because of the knock back to keep enemies of points and to knock people off finishers, to get the revive of course. I could generally take down the mobs on FoN in 6 seconds, yet i wouldn’t take any damage from the mob.

As defensively speced i ran mace shield. I could block an attack (I would save it for when i saw an obviously stun or knockdown e.g bulls charge and pistol whip). I haven’t ran many dungeons but the few dungeon runs I have completed shield worked much better than focus for supporting my team.

the issue with shield skill 4, In pvp i generally am only with 2 other players on my team so it isn’t much of a challenge to hit both of them with the buff. I image with mace and shield you can buff your whole team right before a fight begins and sustain it for a lot of the fight with hammer+mace shield+ shouts (in a dungeon situation).

Peronaly i didnt like the shield on guardian. I run with focus since thats feels more defensive for me. Focus gives blind, regen and block

I find the #5 skill more fitting for a shield than the #4. It reminds me of 300, where they all raise their shields to stop the rain of arrows.

“You had to say it”
“Say what?”
“Fight in the shade”

On a serious note, I’m currently 74( HOLY CRAP, I thought i was lower) I use greatsword as my main and mace/shield as my swap to, I find the shield to be situational and I haven’t had an issue spinning around to throw protection on that group member that’s bailing for his life, plus it heals me, and with another talent it removes a condition, even if its not good for somethings, condition removal a little boost in mitigation and the bubble for a heal and to ease the pressure in a pinch I find helpful, I have NOT used focus as of yet, so far I found, for me anyway using the shield to be just fine, I think it comes down to personal preference in the end, not what is better, focus may be ‘better’ but its complete garbage if i cant use it the right way and visa versa