Guild Wars 2

So lets put up a list of brilliant instances of using WoR, whether it’s WvWvW or Dungeons. Not sure about sPVP though. Will start with a few I have had great fun with:

1) AC exp – Kohler’s attack nullified – or used to
2) AC exp P2 – reflect ranger/ele mob attacks at mortar repair phase

3) FOTM 10 onwards – Asuran cliff – Stupid harpies, eat your own knockback attack
4) FOTM any – Hello Mr Dredge-boss, return-to-sender bombs (altho I believe the dmg has been reduced now)

5) WvWvW – tower gate defense, drop a WoR in front of the gate, really irritates the enemies firing at the gate.
6) WvWvW – great retreat from zerg ability to buy you some time from ranged attacks

7) CM exp – riflemen, rangers, narrow passages
8) CM exp or anywhere really that you have to res a downed player, drop a WoR just in front and res the player up

1-2: useless
3-6: ok
7-8: SoR does everything better
You forgot to mention volcanic and swamp fractal.

I’d like to clear up some myths around WvW’ing with Wall of reflection as well.

First. It’s not the guardian’s purpose to use that wall. It is a nice utility that has some niche uses, but if you stick to it religiously, you WILL be disappointed.

Situations where the wall is useful typically involves zerg vs zerg. A zerg is usually comprised of a few people who know what they’re doing and a bunch of others spamming auto attacks. The wall will relieve some of the pressure the auto attacks put on your side, buying you a little bit of time for your allies to execute a counter maneuver. It only makes a difference when you actually have someone (or yourself, say, with an elite) who can provide that counter maneuver. Just throwing in a wall and calling it a day, and you fail your team.

Gate defense with wall, often not worth it. Again, the wall only delays the inevitable. If your reinforcements are coming within a few minutes, the wall may seem to help. However, your time is better spent operating siege weapons, dispersing the mob that’s firing those attacks to begin with, or stand behind the gate and melee or use the staff cone attack to destroy rams and golems. Those are the ones that’s actually hurting your gate.

In small group skirmishes, the wall may have a bigger effect particularly against ranged characters. If you also exploit choke points then you can overcome the problem with the shape of the wall. Even though the wall does reflect projectiles from all directions, its shape still make it more difficult to use in the open field than skills that create spheres. Do note that all professions regardless of configuration will have some way to counter anti-projectile fields, regardless of how much they rely on ranged attacks. It doesn’t give you complete immunity against anyone.

In any case, it is one utility skill that fits some people’s taste and style, but the guardian does have other tools that are effective in all kinds of situations. Don’t feel locked to this skill.

He did mention the instances he’s had -fun- with, not instances he’d been 110% more effective than any other guardian not using WoR.

Use it against the spiderlings in AC EXP, they will easily kill themselves if you round them up and place yourself in a corner, WoR in front of you. Can be difficult if your allies are running all over the place trying to hit them and grabbing agro though!

The giant tendrils or tentacles or whatever the bone spike things in Orr are called that throw fish at you. They can be reflected with careful placement (bit easier with a bubble projectile reflection skill) – it’s quite funny to see a giant fish fly hundreds of feet backwards to its origin.

Versus Scepter Mesmers – reflecting their autoattack will cause -you- to spawn a clone. It’s odd.

Most Golem bosses like the Event one in the eastern side of Malchor’s Leap, Gold something, have that golem attack where they rapidly shoot many bolts of energy at you. It’s easy to see coming and one WoR will both keep you safe and watch the numbers go veeery high. I remember there is one in Sorrow’s Embrace story as well.

If I take Wall of Reflection off my bar, it has to be for a darn good reason.

Silver.8023:

If I take Wall of Reflection off my bar, it has to be for a darn good reason.

This ^

What a lot of people don’t realize is that the wall is not really the white translucent force field we do. The wall is actually a Rectangle area that you can step in and reflect anything no matter which side you get ranged attacked from.

Wall of reflection is among the best skills in the game for WvW. Traited you get 12 seconds of reflection on a 32 second CD. It is useful in many situations.

On the front lines it invaluable for warding off ranged attacks and letting you push and stand your ground against enemy zergs.

As was stated earlier, it can do solid damage when thrown up inside a gate that is being pounded by ranged attacks.

In small fights and 1v1s it can shut down ranged classes for a while. I’ve won many 2v1s because of this skill. It also helps guards counter being kited.

It is very useful for taking over supply camps solo, as it reflects the initial bolas the guards throw and keeps scouts out of the fight for a while.

Not a terrible skill for running away or blocking ranged attacks to protect a downed ally for a rez.

It will never leave my bar.

Lyca.9183:

Silver.8023:

If I take Wall of Reflection off my bar, it has to be for a darn good reason.

This ^

What a lot of people don’t realize is that the wall is not really the white translucent force field we do. The wall is actually a Rectangle area that you can step in and reflect anything no matter which side you get ranged attacked from.

Indeed, this ^

Recently discovered and have to remember to do it more often, but yh, you just stand in your wall and everything (that can) bounces back from where it came. Hopefully this is not a bug, heh

I recently reflected a Risen Catapult shot in Orr. The effect created a big red circle but the projectile was centered on me and hit the wall just before it would have hit the ground and splatted the whole area. So it may be possible to reflect other AoEs if your placement is perfect.

…Wish I could have seen the damage when that flying chunk of goop found its way home…

Just to mention here, the guardian reflect/absorb projectile skills don’t all absorb reflect the same stuff. i.e. the 5th skill on scepter barely absorbs anything, the summoned shield absorbs tonnes of different projectiles and the wall of reflection is somewhere in between the two.

Lafiel.9372:

Just to mention here, the guardian reflect/absorb projectile skills don’t all absorb reflect the same stuff. i.e. the 5th skill on scepter barely absorbs anything, the summoned shield absorbs tonnes of different projectiles and the wall of reflection is somewhere in between the two.

Scepter #5 is simply three blocks. That’s EVERYTHING, so I’m not sure where you got the idea that it barely stops anything, it doesn’t absorb or reflect anything however. The two shield bubbles only absorb projectiles, an unlimited amount of them I might add, which is invaluable. Wall of Reflection only reflects projectiles, also an unlimited amount. It doesn’t block or absorb a thing so I don’t think it could be put between absorbing or blocking as it does neither.

If you’re confused with Wall of Reflection not reflecting certain siege equipment that fire projectiles, it actually used to be able to but they removed it for obvious reasons. More so in pvp/wvw than pve as I’ve reflected quite a few npc sieges. They’re the only projectiles I’ve not seen it reflect aside from things like Meteor Shower which technically isn’t a projectile skill. It’ll even reflect some ground targeted projectiles such as thrown bombs.

I think it’s one of the best, if not, the best skill in the game. As a Guardian, it’s pretty much the only good ranged damage and projectile finisher I have (aside from underwater of course).

Don’t tease. If I could walk around on land with my Trident out… whole new ball game that would be.

Shield of the Avenger > Wall of Reflection

Only in terms of stopping projectiles over an area. It does nowhere near the damage and can’t remove conditions like Wall of Reflection can. Not to mention, nothing’s more satisfying than watching your foe shoot themselves in the face!
Shield of the Avenger is still pretty good though.

SoA is an awesome ability. But you need 20 in zeal and 10 in virtues to stay mobile with it. It also lasts forever.

Biggest problem is, it can be killed. Thus the need for 20 in zeal so you can pull iy out of focus fire.

SoA, WoR, stability…. Good stuff right there in wvw skirmish

I love placing SoA right ontop of a boss which does long duration area projectile attacks ( like old tom in fractals ). You get a solid bubble of shimmering energy that completely projects your whole party for half a minute. So it can be pretty “cool” too.

Reflection in a choak point for WvW is very powerful — be it WoR or Mesmer Feedback. It makes for an instant push by your zerg.

hmm sounds good

There is no reason to keep Wall of Reflection on your utility bar 100% of the time in PvE. Nothing is stopping you from switching to it right before those rare pulls when there’s very heavy ranged damage being thrown around. To be honest though, I roll AH so I have no problem auto-attacking my way through every dungeon; the rest of the group is just along for the ride. :P

As for Wvw, it’s been awhile for me. Didn’t it get nerfed so it can’t reflect siege equipment?

sPvP… Sometimes useful, depends heavily on team comp. There’s room for it in a Shout build, but no way to reasonably fit it in a med build. (Stand Your Ground will probably be filling one slot in any build, only leaving 2 slots left for personal preference)

I always bring it to spvp! It’s staggering how many people will just sit there, shooting themselves to death! I usually run pretty heavy support and tankiness so it’s a good supplement to my damage.
It’s also good for forcing people to change position if they’re dedicated ranged. Another fun move is when they finally run around the wall, you just walk through it to the other side!

It’s also quite good against downed Warriors and Thieves.