Guild Wars 2

I am currently now using druid for my WvW roaming toon and I finally am starting to get my rotations and what I should to in certain situations, however I don’t really know how to properly use the Celestial Avatar properly. When I jump in it, I just spam random buttons (I understand that #3 is a stun/daze and #1 is a heal when it hits).

Anyone have any pointers for an Avatar noob.

Thanks

Talking about Zergs or small-party roaming?

4 is the big heal. 5 is the big offense skill but it roots you. 3 is the daze. That’s about all you need to know. I typically go either 3-5-3 or 3-4-3 them exit depending on whether I need offense or healing.

2 is a time delayed single condi clear, if it’s an emergency, but generally ignore 1 and 2.

Tragic Positive.9356:

Talking about Zergs or small-party roaming?

Mainly small scale/solo

Fluffball.8307:

4 is the big heal. 5 is the big offense skill but it roots you. 3 is the daze. That’s about all you need to know. I typically go either 3-5-3 or 3-4-3 them exit depending on whether I need offense or healing.

2 is a time delayed single condi clear, if it’s an emergency, but generally ignore 1 and 2.

Great run down. Is the utility from #5 worth the root? When I pop CA form, I just drop 3 and spam 1 until my time is up or until i’m in a better position.

Bigpapasmurf.5623:

Tragic Positive.9356:

Talking about Zergs or small-party roaming?

Mainly small scale/solo

Then your most common uses would be what Fluff already said. Using 1 and 2 is a waste. Those are useful only in zergs where you don’t want to be in front line but still want that healing in order to contribute for loot.

If you are not running full glass, 3>5>3 has cool synergy with Verdant Etching. It would deal some nice spike, Slow enemies and root them simultaneously.
It’s usually worth the root. You’ll have to learn when it’s too risky, but it’s one of the best disrupting combinations we have.

All heal mechanics are a mess. Honestly, just keep yourself alive and kill stuff. Don’t stress yourself out on working with clunky mechanics designed to heal stationary players at stationary bosses.

You usually only need skill 3 and 4 in WvW roaming, #5 kills you in every encounter that’s not a 1v1 cause it’s damage in WvW and PvE is 50% or so lower than in pvp, so ig isn’t really threatening

Hepatolith.6389:

You usually only need skill 3 and 4 in WvW roaming, #5 kills you in every encounter that’s not a 1v1 cause it’s damage in WvW and PvE is 50% or so lower than in pvp, so ig isn’t really threatening

Yeah, and you don’t have time to do much else, let alone try to aim silly reticles at moving teammates while getting blasted in your pixelated face.

I like a bunch of stuff about GW2, but profession and role designs are very poor. I’m playing the keyboard and clunky mechanics than I am playing the game.

I gotta say this was really helpful guys/gals and I really appreciate it.

3/4/3 seems to work best and #5 helps during small group fights (keeping them immob for aoe)

Number 5 would be dangerous in a 1v1 as the time to use it would close quickly and if it backfires, no one can act as a safety net.

I do gotta say that for what anet was going for in terms of CA, you would figure that there would be more than 1 ability that can remove condis, or would increase the speed in which the flower blooms to clean said condi.

I’d throw a #2 in there as well, if you find the time for it. Exiting CA with a seed that clears a condition, heals and blinds seems like a good thing to me.

Mainly 3 and 4 are big heals (of which 3 also is a daze and 4 is a mobile water field). Number 5 is a pretty good offensive (but also defensive thanks to the slow condition) skill, you won’t be able to move while using this skill though.

I see some people here that say that you have to ignore skill 2, but I don’t agree on that. Most of the times I use 3 or 4 first (so they get the benefit from Quickdraw trait) after that 2 then 3 or 4 (depending on which 1 I used before) then 2 then again 3 or 4 (the same as the first one I used).

The condi cleanse the blind can be pretty good. Also a little trick is when you want to leave CA, use skill 2 just before you leave it. The delayed healing the seed does will help you charge up your astral force quicker!

OK dude above me said what I wanted to but I didn’t see it so, to make a big point.

When exiting CA drop a seed on yourself as when it blooms it contributes towards AF build up when not in CA.

Helps get back into CA faster.

Are any of you really using glyphs and seeds for roaming builds?

I have only ever seen a couple rangers use glyphs, and I can’t ever recall seeds being dropped…

I use Glyph of Equality for the stun break and daze (which can proc the Ancient Seeds root), but imo Celestial Shadow is better than Verdant Etching for my power/LB build/playstyle.

Yeah the glyphs are total garbage relative to the other utilities. The skill effects just aren’t very useful.

CA still feels clunky to me, lacking finesse, like the skills don’t complement each other enough, and that the form is too structured around just healing.

Remember that 2 + 3 is aoe retal ;D

scerevisiae.1972:

Yeah the glyphs are total garbage relative to the other utilities. The skill effects just aren’t very useful.

Do you comapare them to other professions utilities or ranger utilities? If the latter, I don’t agree at all.

Disregarding the recent nerf to glyphs, I find them and shouts to be our best utilites. Traited Glyph of Equality is my absolute favourite ranger skill of all: It heals ranger and allies inside its radius, it clears one condition for ranger and allies inside its radius, it blinds, it dazes, it deals damage, it creates a light field AND it breaks stun.

I simply can’t understand how ppl can claim this to be garbage?

The elite glyph could use some love though. The first step imho would be to double the duration.

Swagger.1459:

Are any of you really using glyphs and seeds for roaming builds?

I have only ever seen a couple rangers use glyphs, and I can’t ever recall seeds being dropped…

yes… 15 chars

I forget what each one is called so I was about to start writing, I use a Shift 2, then 3,4,2or 5, maybe a Shift 1 if people are in need then finish with a 2…lol.

I do not like to WvW, I only visit EOTM when I want something in particular and it is in a zerg to make it easier on myself. But maybe my two cents can help you in some way?

I do use Verdant Etching on the Druid Tree. I really like it. I also use Glyph of Empowerment during CA to boost healing on allies. I immediately use #3, followed by #4. #2 or #5 depending on my range at the time and the situation. I also like using Glyph of Rejuvenation for a big support heal on my team if needed and I try to finish with a #2 since it is a delayed heal.

Zlater.6789:

Remember that 2 + 3 is aoe retal ;D

It’s surprising people don’t know there combo fields.

In WvW,
Use 2 + 3 on people using siege if under fire (can also be used while moving towards the ally) + follow up with 4

3 + 5 + 3 is useful for camps/tower lord rooms (takes down breakbar some and usually plenty of fields to blast)

Use 4 only whenever you see an ally group running from action (on the commander tag works great) – usually follow up with a 3 and get out of Celestial after.

There are also situations when in smaller groups/zergs and you are taking out siege on ramparts and under fire that you’ll want to stop and use (staff 5-3/Celestial 3-4-3) on the group to counter arrow cart/cannon pressure.

I never have time to use 1 before CA time expires because it is so little and so slow…

IMO, Verdant Etching is meh compared to a lot of other options for building Astral Force. To me, it would make more sense that any CC effect applied or taken by the Druid would also build Astral Force with the Verdant Etching trait and then it would be much more worthy of a choice (CC trigger theme fits Druid trait line).

Swagger.1459:

Are any of you really using glyphs and seeds for roaming builds?

I have only ever seen a couple rangers use glyphs, and I can’t ever recall seeds being dropped…

The reason is the meta roaming Druid build (with shouts) is overall much stronger. A Survival build I’ve used lots in the past (before I knew of the meta build) and is very close in raw roaming power (loss of the combo of trait + SotP + Bristleback (or similar pet alpha) + WHaO makes the meta better; you can play around with the Runes/Sigils on my Maw Survival based build but it’s based on durability first and offensive power second). I recommend this to new WvW roaming Rangers to get a handle on the flow of CA swap/weapons/pet management/positioning rotations.

But back on point,
Glyph of Equality is good in any build (with or without Verdant Etching) because of no cast time for a heavy CC (without the trait, Sigil or Rune) which comes with stun break (this is huge to counter on any burst roaming build) – because of it’s lower cooldown and more offensive nature with Ancient Seeds, I also like it more than Lightning Reflexes honestly.

Glyph of Alignment is awesome on any build with some condition duration (a low cooldown 3 cover condi utility is very strong if you are running Bleed build).

Glyph of Empowerment is a solid tradeoff for Alignment in a Power build (say hello to pet and me burst).

IMO, Verdant Etching is really taken for the Glyph cooldown reduction more than the seed/AF generation (to me, it’s just a bonus).

This used to be the most optimal when seeds healed 2 condis but it’s still effective. Something else to note you can start casting CF 5 and then cancel it with something like stow weapon. This cancels the skill but you end up with the stability from it. This allows you to get your CF 3 or 4 off at times. From a PvP perspective where blind and condi clear from seeds are helpful the best defensive sustain rotation was: 2 – 3 – 2 – 5/cancel – 2 – 4 – 2 – leave or adding this on the end 1 – 2 – 3 – 2 – leave. If you cast the seeds in good spots you can keep moving and keep getting every heal. For a quick o kitten heals i would do 3 – 2 – 4 or so 3 – 2 – 5/cancel – 4 depending on the situation. For offense I would do 3 – 5 for the roots and then throw a seed on their body as I run up to them for the blind usually. When in an offensive CF throwing seeds to blind the target is often a good play. So you can also do offensively, 2 – 3 – 2 – 5 – 2 – leave – damage. Or you can cancel the 5 and leave celestial form for you want to hit them with good weapon skills like greatsword 5 and a mail or something to really make sure they stay in the roots.

If you’re in Offensive mode during CA, shouldn’t you start 2,3 for the area retaliation? Or is area ret, not what it use to be.
nice advice about the 5/cancel…does it also give slow and cripple? or is that at the end of the heal?

Wintersnight.3061:

If you’re in Offensive mode during CA, shouldn’t you start 2,3 for the area retaliation? Or is area ret, not what it use to be.
nice advice about the 5/cancel…does it also give slow and cripple? or is that at the end of the heal?

That does help, but in group content the chances are that another field has already been placed long before your seed – thus no retal given and you wasted a second doing nothing.
It does apply slow and cripple ever since the initial cast. It procs root at the end. It doesn’t heal. It deals damage.

Artaz.3819:

Zlater.6789:

Remember that 2 + 3 is aoe retal ;D

It’s surprising people don’t know there combo fields.

In WvW,
Use 2 + 3 on people using siege if under fire (can also be used while moving towards the ally) + follow up with 4

3 + 5 + 3 is useful for camps/tower lord rooms (takes down breakbar some and usually plenty of fields to blast)

Use 4 only whenever you see an ally group running from action (on the commander tag works great) – usually follow up with a 3 and get out of Celestial after.

There are also situations when in smaller groups/zergs and you are taking out siege on ramparts and under fire that you’ll want to stop and use (staff 5-3/Celestial 3-4-3) on the group to counter arrow cart/cannon pressure.

I never have time to use 1 before CA time expires because it is so little and so slow…

IMO, Verdant Etching is meh compared to a lot of other options for building Astral Force. To me, it would make more sense that any CC effect applied or taken by the Druid would also build Astral Force with the Verdant Etching trait and then it would be much more worthy of a choice (CC trigger theme fits Druid trait line).

Clarion Bond + Rejuvenating Tides is also good.

I change my traits around quite often but when I’m using Druid and Marksmanship at the same time, I always remember to slot Clarion Bond for that combo.