Guild Wars 2

In SPvP, I’ve been solo queueing my way up the ranks. I’ve been learning the new specialization’s build types as I go. Mostly, I run a bunker chrono with insp/chaos/chron lines. Sword and board and staff as weapons. Utilities tend to be portal, blink, precognition, and gravity. I can easily bunker multiple enemies and most professions. However, I’m having a heck of a time with dragonhunter. Now a scrubby fotm hunter isn’t the issue. As I’ve been playing my mmr has shot up. I’m seeing these beastly career guards. I can sustain for a bit, but their cd on the unblockable trap is so low they seem to always outpace my defenses. Any advice on how to prevent a well played DH from decapping?

I play Condi Bunker which packs a considerable condition punch without sacrificing personal defence (although it does skimp a LOT on team support compared to Chaos-Insp-Chrono), allowing me to somewhat reliably beat DHs (but generally not enough to finish them before +1 arrives).

Very low CD on Echo of Memory (thanks to Chronophantasma, Illusionist’s Celerity and Persistence of Memory) means an interrupted Block isn’t a huge deal as long as Déjà Vu is procced. That said I certainly try to save Blocks until after they use Test of Faith and Deflecting Shot (and possibly Hunter’s Verdict).

As I said my build is quite selfish compared to the typical Chronobunker, but if you’re solo queuing then I think it’s better to play a more selfish build anyway… I find team support really hit or miss in solo queue.

You can try Shattering up a Stability while blocking to stop them from interrupting it (I’m not actually sure if this works since I don’t currently run Chaos, but it sounds like it should). Other than that you’ll have to rely more on Blurs and sheer durability through Protection and Shattered healing… but that’s not news to you.

I play power shatter mostly and I was just about to create a thread on the same topic. I’ve tried a number of different builds and strategies, but I’m just getting hammered by traps. If you try to fight ranged, they can out dps you with true shot (7K damage)and puncture shot (2.5-3K damage), but if you go melee even with shield the traps just destroy you. I’m resisting going back to my old PU build for now.

Yes, they do seem to counter mes hard no matter the build. I was thinking about it at work today, our network was down all day so I had lots of free time, and I’m going to basically swap around my normal defensive cd priorities. Place the blur in the front, try Embolism’s stab suggestion and try to get my defender out asap. Then I save precog for if I get stuned and pair it with continuum shift. Make sure to get my protection up asap and tough it out. When I run powershatter, I basically have to burst them down asap. Even then it’s trick, but at least you’re not stuck on point as much. Thanks for the suggestions!

You need to be pumping stability while fighting a DH. You know that they can break your blocks with their trap daze/chain yank/deflecting shot heavy light, so you need to stop that. All of these are on substantial cooldowns, so you can predict them.

When the DH engages, expect dazing. This means you either want to be using non-block mitigation skills at the engage, or you need to be pumping shatters during your blocks. Same story for if you get chained, pump shatters until the yank is spent. If you’re tactical with how you spend those shatters in combination with your blocks, you can withstand most of the unblockable pressure. It’s not easy to do though, and takes quite a bit of practice to really get right (I’m still perfecting it myself).

Fay.2357:

You need to be pumping stability while fighting a DH. You know that they can break your blocks with their trap daze/chain yank/deflecting shot heavy light, so you need to stop that. All of these are on substantial cooldowns, so you can predict them.

When the DH engages, expect dazing. This means you either want to be using non-block mitigation skills at the engage, or you need to be pumping shatters during your blocks. Same story for if you get chained, pump shatters until the yank is spent. If you’re tactical with how you spend those shatters in combination with your blocks, you can withstand most of the unblockable pressure. It’s not easy to do though, and takes quite a bit of practice to really get right (I’m still perfecting it myself).

Alright, I tried it a bit in the last few matches and the changes seem to be working. I can sustain myself a lot longer. Thanks for the guidance.

Fortunately mesmer illusions can proc their trap dazes and you can force it quite easily (your sword clones etc). Fight on mid distance when you see they place trap then engage in melee after their trap is triggered. You should be able to remain in cap points while being outside of their trap, even if its just at the edge of cap point. Blink out when locked in their dragon maw (click LOD particle effect in option if you can’t see it, forgot you should activate or deactivate it).

NICENIKESHOE.7128:

Blink out when locked in their dragon maw (click LOD particle effect in option if you can’t see it, forgot you should activate or deactivate it).

O.O Deactivate apparently. So this is how I kept getting knocked down by something invisible. I thought it was longbow procs. >:(

Thank you.

SteepledHat.1345:

NICENIKESHOE.7128:

Blink out when locked in their dragon maw (click LOD particle effect in option if you can’t see it, forgot you should activate or deactivate it).

O.O Deactivate apparently. So this is how I kept getting knocked down by something invisible. I thought it was longbow procs. >:(

Thank you.

LB heavy light and LB 5 can all smack you around :P

But as a DH I can tell you is biggest thing is only rely on blocks when you have stability and focus on using distortion and dodges to avoid damage. Or just bring a tempest with you and watch the DH is cry.

Re: fighting at range: remember the build is Chronobunker, so fighting at range or using Distortion isn’t always an option if you don’t want to lose a point. Should also point out that DHs do considerably more damage at range (although given their burst is melee that probably doesn’t matter too much).

Overall though while DHs do counter Chrono defence, they’re pretty vulnerable to conditions themselves (assuming the meta DH build); so Condi Bunker can kill them before they kill you without losing a point.

Oh, and you likely know this but DH Wards ignore Blur, so when Blurring it’s best to not move so you don’t get knocked around by Hunter’s Ward and/or Dragon’s Maw.

Where is all this stability coming from. Personally I can’t stand the mantra mechanics, and that only gives 2 secs stab a pop. Other than that you have to roll with Bountiful Disillusionment for 5sec stability on shatter. But is there anyone who is not using staff rolling with chaos these days, the line doesn’t offer much except PU but that is a GM in competition with BD.

Tried BD and it really does help with DHs and it is really nice not to be pulled and pushed around each match, but you give up a lot of dps.

Vague Memory.2817:

Where is all this stability coming from. Personally I can’t stand the mantra mechanics, and that only gives 2 secs stab a pop. Other than that you have to roll with Bountiful Disillusionment for 5sec stability on shatter. But is there anyone who is not using staff rolling with chaos these days, the line doesn’t offer much except PU but that is a GM in competition with BD.

This is about Chronobunker, which typically goes Chaos-Insp-Chrono. Bountiful Disillusionment is absolutely amazing with the Stability and group boons (notably you can dispense long-duration group Resistance with Continuum Split) and Chaotic Dampening is almost permanent Protection.

PU is ancient history at this point. Chronobunker provides so much defence you don’t need stealth at all, in fact it’s detrimental as you can’t contest points in stealth.

Couple Chaos with Illusionary Inspiration/Signet of Inspiration, toss in Sieze the Moment and Chronomancer/Durability runes and you’ll be farting out Protection, Quickness and a smattering of BD boons to your allies, not to mention Alacrity. If you’re playing with a coordinated team going anything other than Chaos-Insp-Chrono is suboptimal.

SteepledHat.1345:

In SPvP, I’ve been solo queueing my way up the ranks. I’ve been learning the new specialization’s build types as I go. Mostly, I run a bunker chrono with insp/chaos/chron lines. Sword and board and staff as weapons. Utilities tend to be portal, blink, precognition, and gravity. I can easily bunker multiple enemies and most professions. However, I’m having a heck of a time with dragonhunter. Now a scrubby fotm hunter isn’t the issue. As I’ve been playing my mmr has shot up. I’m seeing these beastly career guards. I can sustain for a bit, but their cd on the unblockable trap is so low they seem to always outpace my defenses. Any advice on how to prevent a well played DH from decapping?

When I play chronobunker, I find dh to be completely countered by me. Illusions proc traps, and when you see traps procced just throw a precog on them and walk in. Alternatively, you can use distortion. New builds run blink so you have a stun break for dragons maw. I think this is probably the biggest counter to trap dh.

On the other hand, when I play thief….. It’s painful

Kevin.4209:

SteepledHat.1345:

In SPvP, I’ve been solo queueing my way up the ranks. I’ve been learning the new specialization’s build types as I go. Mostly, I run a bunker chrono with insp/chaos/chron lines. Sword and board and staff as weapons. Utilities tend to be portal, blink, precognition, and gravity. I can easily bunker multiple enemies and most professions. However, I’m having a heck of a time with dragonhunter. Now a scrubby fotm hunter isn’t the issue. As I’ve been playing my mmr has shot up. I’m seeing these beastly career guards. I can sustain for a bit, but their cd on the unblockable trap is so low they seem to always outpace my defenses. Any advice on how to prevent a well played DH from decapping?

When I play chronobunker, I find dh to be completely countered by me. Illusions proc traps, and when you see traps procced just throw a precog on them and walk in. Alternatively, you can use distortion. New builds run blink so you have a stun break for dragons maw. I think this is probably the biggest counter to trap dh.

On the other hand, when I play thief….. It’s painful

Proccing traps with illusions is another way of saying “I’m not contesting the point and oh it’s now lost, defeating the whole point of playing bunker”. Same goes for Distortion and to a small extent Blink.

Embolism.8106:

Kevin.4209:

SteepledHat.1345:

In SPvP, I’ve been solo queueing my way up the ranks. I’ve been learning the new specialization’s build types as I go. Mostly, I run a bunker chrono with insp/chaos/chron lines. Sword and board and staff as weapons. Utilities tend to be portal, blink, precognition, and gravity. I can easily bunker multiple enemies and most professions. However, I’m having a heck of a time with dragonhunter. Now a scrubby fotm hunter isn’t the issue. As I’ve been playing my mmr has shot up. I’m seeing these beastly career guards. I can sustain for a bit, but their cd on the unblockable trap is so low they seem to always outpace my defenses. Any advice on how to prevent a well played DH from decapping?

When I play chronobunker, I find dh to be completely countered by me. Illusions proc traps, and when you see traps procced just throw a precog on them and walk in. Alternatively, you can use distortion. New builds run blink so you have a stun break for dragons maw. I think this is probably the biggest counter to trap dh.

On the other hand, when I play thief….. It’s painful

Proccing traps with illusions is another way of saying “I’m not contesting the point and oh it’s now lost, defeating the whole point of playing bunker”. Same goes for Distortion and to a small extent Blink.

True I had in mind a situation where say your team is engaging and there are traps on a point. Precog, stab on shatters, and other evades also make the match up easy. Distortion alone is generally not enough for them to get the decap. You can blink away and quickly go back in after dropping precog if you do end up stuck in a maw.

Mesmer can counter DH by using illusions to activate traps

baylock.1703:

Mesmer can counter DH by using illusions to activate traps

Unless, as this ENTIRE THREAD IS TALKING ABOUT, you’re bunkering and trying to stay on the point.

1v1 versus dh its easy
1v2 against 2 dh can be tricky but doable if you do defensive rotation
1v1 + power shatter with boon rip can be trick but doabel for 30-60 sec till help comes
1v1+ viper rev again tricky but doable for 30-60 sec till help come and if you got resistance and null field

consider you trying to hold the point