Guild Wars 2

So I was piddling around with axes in mists, debating with myself the value of power builds, and whether or not I wanted to buy all new gear, and something strange happened…

- Deathshroud was actually worth using. -

I mean for more than a 3-second increased lifespan as I run hopelessly from a zerg, or just a single thief in WvW (grats on balancing that class Anet)

..and I started to wonder, why did they make the so called condition class’s core mechanic so freakin’ worthless?

What does DS get from out of precision-toughness-condition gear?
…or condition-toughness-healing?

For some reason, popping DS and hitting 800 damage crits with the slowest attack in the game. just doesn’t strike fear into the heart my enemy. In fact I can almost hear thieves say “I’ve got him now!”

It could be more worthless if you removed the damage avoidance, soft cc,hard cc that can be used while cced, and the aoe channel that can can cause multiple crit procs.

It is not entirely worthless.

• You get very good damage mitigation
• You get one Fear (2s in my build plus 2.5k dmg from this fear)
• You get No. 4 aoe skill which is very good for flagging targets to get drops. Good in WvW zerging
• You get No. 4 aoe skill (again) which procs Barbed Precision (2s Bleed for me) without any CD like crazy.

I agree, DS could have been better, but saying it is worthless is too much. You just need to discover how and when to use it.

The main things I use it for are:

The #2 to cause Chill (Which can be powerful when trying to lock someone/something down)

The #3 to cause Fear, interrupting various abilities and giving some breathing room (As a condition build you can pick up Terror and do some really nice damage with it as well)

The ability to use it while CC’d can remove a chunk of burst damage if a stun break is not available.

Mostly though (Even in power builds) I use it to jump off very high places and take no damage (Your health is unaffected even if you take enough damage to completely clear your Life Force) which can be handy in solo PvE and certain areas in WvWvW.

This ^ Jumping It helps sometimes a lot to catch your group in WvW. Especially around Citadel at borders where you’d normally have to go around the cliffs.

First off this is what spvp is for. To mess around with builds.

Second, you will give up on axe eventually. Necro power builds with dagger are always better.

Finally embrace death (shroud). It is a 3rd set of cooldowns to go with weapon sets that you need to learn how to use.

Don’t forget to mention that when you pop in and out that you get a stun break, condition removal, stability (if traited), 2s pbaoe bleed (if traited), and fury. That fury is extra crit chance, which of course means more bleeds.

I find the best use of it is to buy me a couple seconds until my heal comes off of cooldown and fear whatever was about to kill me. It also doubles as a shield if you know you are about to take a backstab. Sure, the bs will pop you right out of ds, but you aren’t dead though.

svava.4182:

Don’t forget to mention that when you pop in and out that you get a stun break, condition removal, stability (if traited), 2s pbaoe bleed (if traited), and fury. That fury is extra crit chance, which of course means more bleeds.

We don’t get a stun break, we get a good interrupt that can be used while stunned. Definite difference.

DS 2 is the best single target bleed we get when you factor in the chill effect that is also AOE. The more you use it the more you will like it. Plus as others have said all the passive effects you can trait for in DS. I personally am in and out of DS constantly, and I am full condition. Also DS 4 procs a lot of little bleeds with barbed prec.

I think what you really meant to say, is that DS1 is largely useless in a condition build, which I would agree with. But it gives us even in a condition build something that can hit structures hard(er), and you can trait for it to build might, which is something.

It isn’t like it would make any sense for it to be doing condition damage with the 1 skill anyhow… how painful would that be for a power build? They would go into DS and have to deal condition damage primarily.

Better to think of it as a utility in a condition build, and something more for a power/DS build.

To be fair, even with no investment in power, Life Blast still hits decently hard. I regularly have 800 damage normal attacks and I am full on Rabid (save accessories which are Carrion) and have no trait points in Spite. Crits hit up to 1300.

Drarnor Kunoram.5180:

To be fair, even with no investment in power, Life Blast still hits decently hard. I regularly have 800 damage normal attacks and I am full on Rabid (save accessories which are Carrion) and have no trait points in Spite. Crits hit up to 1300.

As long as you are in that top 50% yes, I agree. Below that it hits like a wet noodle.