Guild Wars 2

Compared to rune of strength, how much difference in damage is there among them?

And as a mesmer which focuses on phantasm damage+a bit of healing via restorative mantras which rune will be better for me in pve/wvw? My equipments are cavalier trinkets, berserker armors+backpiece, and GS/S+F legendaries (so stats can be changed accordingly but i usually use knights for more survivability) with sigils of strength/perception and accuracy.

Traits are 4 (III,X),4(IV,VI),0,6(IV,VIII,X),0

Privateer:

(1): +25 Power
(2): +10% Might Duration
(3): +50 Power
(4): 25% chance to shout Yarr and grant 3 stacks Might.png Might to nearby allies when hit. (cooldown: 20s)
(5): +100 Power
(6): +50% chance to summon a Parrot. (Cooldown: 60s)

the parrot seems to hit hard too and last a long time… could probably keep him alive longer with my healing mantras

Pack:

(1): +25 Power
(2): +10% Swiftness Duration
(3): +50 Power
(4): 25% chance when struck to grant nearby allies Might.png Might, Fury.png Fury and Swiftness.png Swiftness for 10s . (Cooldown: 20s)
(5): +100 Power
(6): +20% Swiftness Duration; +125 Precision

*note that rune of strength is out of the question, it’s too expensive for me. plus I like how both can apply boons to my phantasms/partymates

I have Pack on my Mesmer. The +125 Precision sealed the deal for me as a cheap rune.

Pack aren’t bad especially for WvW where the swiftness duration may come in handy. I believe the top runes for PvE are Scholar (if your party can provide you might stacks and you can stay about 90% HP most of the time), Strength Runes if your party doesn’t provide might and Ranger Runes for reflect damage.

Thanks… But what if I wanna use torch sometimes for the sake of variety? Will pack still be ok or should i just switch to ranger?

Are you talking WvW or PvE? If PvE, torch is bad except to switch to avoid trash mobs like in Arah. I wouldn’t use Scholar in WvW either.

Leo Paul.1659:

Thanks… But what if I wanna use torch sometimes for the sake of variety? Will pack still be ok or should i just switch to ranger?

If you actually use torch in a fight in pve, you’ve made an enormous mistake and should reevaluate the choices that lead you to that decision.

In wvw, if you’re just tossing on torch for ‘variety’ then you should remain fine. If you intend on using it in a different build, then build appropriately for that new build.

I mean torch in wvw for a bit of dueling when I get bored of running with the zerg coz I find focus warden to be terrible in 1v1.. i really wanna use torch coz rodgort looks good with my mesmer’s outfit

Torch is a great weapon for Mesmer PU builds, which can be condition or power based.

Xavi.6591:

Torch is a great weapon for Mesmer PU builds, which can be condition or power based.

For a power build torch is pack still fine? or ranger so it’s still ok for focus?

I wouldn’t use a torch and a focus in the same build. In my opinion, focus isn’t that great for WvW but if you were to use it, I would use with Hoelbrak Runes (might on interrupt). I prefer Traveler’s runes for most of my WvW builds but some builds are really based upon the runes that you choose.

Check some of the build threads here and watch some vids to see the style that you like then design around that.

Xavi.6591:

I wouldn’t use a torch and a focus in the same build. In my opinion, focus isn’t that great for WvW but if you were to use it, I would use with Hoelbrak Runes (might on interrupt). I prefer Traveler’s runes for most of my WvW builds but some builds are really based upon the runes that you choose.

Check some of the build threads here and watch some vids to see the style that you like then design around that.

Alright ty! I think hoelbrak has been changed, it just gives might when struck for 10 sec with a cd of 5 sec like strength. the final bonus is +20% might duration and -10% condition duration

Ah yes, you are correct. I guess another reason to not use focus in wvw for me.

The torch 4 is an aoe blind/blast finisher and hits relatively rather hard. For a lot of stacking spots in PvE where phantasms don’t/can’t work, the torch is actually a decent choice.

Arah especially has fights where phantasms practically or literally do zero damage. Blasting for stealth or just stealth in general can also help if your party/you have trouble with the long skips. Alternatively, if you need to keep 3 wardens up to defend your team for specific fights, why not swap to torch 4 for bonus damage after the wardens are set up.

Pyroathiest.4168:

Leo Paul.1659:

Thanks… But what if I wanna use torch sometimes for the sake of variety? Will pack still be ok or should i just switch to ranger?

If you actually use torch in a fight in pve, you’ve made an enormous mistake and should reevaluate the choices that lead you to that decision.

In wvw, if you’re just tossing on torch for ‘variety’ then you should remain fine. If you intend on using it in a different build, then build appropriately for that new build.

It’s not an “enormous mistake” if that’s what he enjoys to play sometimes, though. He didn’t claim the Torch was the most powerful weapon in GW2, so I am sure he’s aware of its strengths and limitations-perhaps he just finds it fun/fitting to his/her playstyle, PvE or otherwise.

Lately I am experimenting putting Chaos Armor on illusions as a way to unload conditions, which comes with blindness, confusion, and cripple. Having an extra pet through Privater seems to be a synergy with this approach. However, I haven’t really figure out the proper timing in skill rotation at the moment and this approach is kinda expensive as it need a burst finisher from Prestige and a skill to provide Etheral field.

Star Ace.5207:

Pyroathiest.4168:

Leo Paul.1659:

Thanks… But what if I wanna use torch sometimes for the sake of variety? Will pack still be ok or should i just switch to ranger?

If you actually use torch in a fight in pve, you’ve made an enormous mistake and should reevaluate the choices that lead you to that decision.

In wvw, if you’re just tossing on torch for ‘variety’ then you should remain fine. If you intend on using it in a different build, then build appropriately for that new build.

It’s not an “enormous mistake” if that’s what he enjoys to play sometimes, though. He didn’t claim the Torch was the most powerful weapon in GW2, so I am sure he’s aware of its strengths and limitations-perhaps he just finds it fun/fitting to his/her playstyle, PvE or otherwise.

Play how you want is well and good, but I can assure you that I, and most good players will instantly kick a mesmer from a dungeon party if I see them using a torch in combat.

As an aside, the parrot gains the signet of illusion buff when u summon an illusion :/ i dunno if it’s just graphical or it actually adds HP to it though

Leo Paul.1659:

As an aside, the parrot gains the signet of illusion buff when u summon an illusion :/ i dunno if it’s just graphical or it actually adds HP to it though

Oh really? That’s interesting. I wonder if the rock dog does too now…brb.

Edit: It does. It seems to be a bit variable whether it’ll get the buff on summon. Sometimes I have to re-requip the signet. I’ll test more to see if it actually gives the hp bonus.

I’ll test this later but I wonder if phantasm damage modifier traits apply to the parrots / rock dogs.

Doug Whisper.2465:

Lately I am experimenting putting Chaos Armor on illusions as a way to unload conditions, which comes with blindness, confusion, and cripple. Having an extra pet through Privater seems to be a synergy with this approach. However, I haven’t really figure out the proper timing in skill rotation at the moment and this approach is kinda expensive as it need a burst finisher from Prestige and a skill to provide Etheral field.

It feels like you are jumping through too many loops when using Prestige for providing Chaos Armor. However, the iSwordsman gets Chaos Armor on its own because it uses a Leap finisher. If you want to go down this road the OH Sword is your best bet. Of course, this means that the parrot would be pointless.

Pyroathiest.4168:

Leo Paul.1659:

As an aside, the parrot gains the signet of illusion buff when u summon an illusion :/ i dunno if it’s just graphical or it actually adds HP to it though

Oh really? That’s interesting. I wonder if the rock dog does too now…brb.

Edit: It does. It seems to be a bit variable whether it’ll get the buff on summon. Sometimes I have to re-requip the signet. I’ll test more to see if it actually gives the hp bonus.

Mine seems to get the buff icon when I summon a clone… and the clone gets attacked

Xaylin.1860:

Doug Whisper.2465:

Lately I am experimenting putting Chaos Armor on illusions as a way to unload conditions, which comes with blindness, confusion, and cripple. Having an extra pet through Privater seems to be a synergy with this approach. However, I haven’t really figure out the proper timing in skill rotation at the moment and this approach is kinda expensive as it need a burst finisher from Prestige and a skill to provide Etheral field.

It feels like you are jumping through too many loops when using Prestige for providing Chaos Armor. However, the iSwordsman gets Chaos Armor on its own because it uses a Leap finisher. If you want to go down this road the OH Sword is your best bet. Of course, this means that the parrot would be pointless.

Yes. It is how I put Chaos Amor on clones and phantasm in Staff and S/S setup. However, OP is GS + S/F or S/Torch for fun.

Furthermore, according to wiki, there is a 1s cooldown to trigger condition through Chaos Armor and Chaos Armor created through blast finisher only last for 3s Vs 5s as in leap finisher. Thus, the more entities with Chaos Armor, the higher the chance to fully unload the conditions.

For OP Phantasm build, the situation for this to make sense would be a lot of range attackers in WvW and keep stacking up blameless on them.

Thanks for the suggestions! At this point, I just really enjoy the wardrobe system, so I’m trying to find a way to have fun without being too much of a liability to my teammates whether I intend to play wvw or pve by trying to reconcile looks and function with an optimum build for my choices (without having to spend on different armor sets just for stats).

Also, GS, Sword, Focus and Torch legendaries are now account bound so I can use them on my guardian too when I get bored..

When me and Potato Plant looked at the numbers Rune of the Pack beats Rune of Strength until Strength gets 4-6 might stacks. If you assume 25 stacks of might and perma fury Strength wins. We used a full zerk with a few soldier pieces mixed in 20/20/30 build just to compare the numbers.

Pack is really good the raw stats are great and if you have 2 members running them it should be perma fury for the party. Not sure if this is a PvE or WvW post or sPvP. Rune of the pack is no slouch it is effectively 175 power and 525 precision when your fury is up.

In PvE, is pack still better than Privateer when privateer procs 3 might instead of just 1 and then a mesmer can double it via signet of inspiration for her teammates?

With the update on companion behavior, I feel like the parrot isn’t a drawback to the rune anymore… In fact it kinda hits hard. So I guess what I want to know is, is 3 might+a temporary ranger pet better than 1 might, fury and swiftness + 125 precision on a cavalier/berserker build…