Guild Wars 2

Hey folks, I recently returned to my (old) main again and really enjoy the druid once I roughly figured out it’s mechanics.

I’ve checked some metabattle PvE (raids & fractal) builds; yet I’m puzzled which one to use (one is called Power Glyph Buffer, the other one’s called LB S/A druid); and they hardly differ.

Anyways, in both builds its suggested to mix in some assasins gear. Is this really useful? Since Im more or less full zerker atm. Don’t really want to transform my ascended armor, so could I just replace some trinkets with the assasin variant? If so, which ones?

Thanks in advance!

I don’t know why a power build would sac power for precision if berserkers already puts you at 50% base. Spotter and fury take you to 77%. I wouldn’t change out your berserkers.

Nefarius.9702:

Is this really useful?

Only if you like to min/max. Otherwise, stick to your current Berserker setup. Damage difference is minimal to our already minimal damage output and not our primary role in a group.

It’s because the builds are poorly optimised. It is necessary to incorporate assassin’s gear if you wish to min/max the dps on the build, however, you won’t reach 100% Critical Hit Chance without Superior Sigil of Accuracy and perhaps Truffle Steak food anyways.

Overall, with most min/max, the benefit is minute so don’t get too caught up on it. I recommend qT’s website for their builds, since they’re close to 100% optimised for dps. Alot closer than these.

Edit: Additionally, assassin’s gear only benefits you if you already have “too much” power, ~4300, where precision and ferocity start to take over as more useful stats to invest in. In other words, these builds really are only optimal for fully buffed situations (a perfect composition). So they don’t work as well compared to other stat arrangements for soloing.

Mr Greggles.5908:

It’s because the builds are poorly optimised. It is necessary to incorporate assassin’s gear if you wish to min/max the dps on the build, however, you won’t reach 100% Critical Hit Chance without Superior Sigil of Accuracy and perhaps Truffle Steak food anyways.

With the gear in the second build (S/A LB power) you will reach exactly 100% crit chance if you have spotter banner of discipline and fury AND you are flanking the boss while on sword. If you are on longbow you will undercap by 1 precision. No need for accuracy sigil of food with precision on it.

When testing this build I compared it to full zerker and the difference was pretty good noticable.

Aim for exactly 89% critical chance on your hero panel (With spotter+ fury + banner). We get 10% critical chance from flanking monsters, and the hero panel is currently bugged to show 1% less than your true crit chance.

If you’re using food with precision on it (i.e Truffle steak) then you can just use 3 precision infusions to reach exactly the right amount. For other foods (Rice balls or seaweed salad) you’ll likely want some assassins pieces to make up the lost 70 precision.

rather than transmuting your gear you can mix in assassin’s trinkets

^ alright, how many trinkets and which?

what does “min/max damage” mean by the way?

Nefarius.9702:

what does “min/max damage” mean by the way?

Minimizing undesired stats, traits, and effects while maximizing desired ones. In the case of GW2’s PVE: Getting the most damage while providing all the necessary group support.

Results may vary depending on your group composition and encounter. Not the most elaborate explanation, as I’m sure someone can do it better, but that’s the essence of it.

Nefarius.9702:

^ alright, how many trinkets and which?

what does “min/max damage” mean by the way?

For most people it will be maximum offense with minimum defense as killing is generally the point of most gameplay. Even a tank type person will only use the required amount of defense and then stack as much offense as they can because the objective has not changed, if they are truely min\max.

I’m not really sure how assassins gear is necessary when full buffed ascended,

961+150+170+100(6%/4% precision utility)=1381
1381/21=65.76
65.76+4+10+30=99.76% crit chance

Or is there a raid specific utility I am missing?

The fractal offensive potion will give you crit chance (I think 15% for 150 AR), so thats another thing to watch out for.

IMO stick with full zerks.

Okay, I doubled checked everything on GW2 Build Editor. Here’s the Math.

Precision Needed = (66 * 21) + 1000 = 2386

This will give 70% Critical Hit Chance, the 30% left-over is covered by fury (20%) and flanking (10%). Therefore totaling 100% Critical Hit Chance.

Full Berserker’s Gear = 1961 Precision
Full Berserker’s Gear + Buffed = 1961 + 320 (spotter and disc banner) = 2281

Since we need 2386 Precision, we are in fact 105 (2386 – 2281) Precision under the requirement for 100% Critical Hit Chance. Therefore, you can actually just make that up simply by using a Maintenance Oil (100 Precision) instead of Sharpening Stone (100 Power) and 1 Precise Infusion (5 Precision).

If you believe in the myth that you have 1% more Critical Hit Chance than it says at all times (I haven’t seen the evidence to support that it exists), you simply reduce the amount of precision in the build that is necessary by 21.

That is, the required Precision becomes 2365, making Full Zerker Gear 84 Precision less than what’s needed. 84 Precision can be made up by switching out your [Helmet, Shoulders, Body and Gloves] from Berserker’s to Assassin’s Gear. This will give you 99% Critical Hit Chance on your hero panel.

Conclusions: You don’t need Assassin’s Gear if the 1% myth isn’t true. You will need it if it is true. This should clear up everything regarding this matter. To make this work, you need to be flanking at all times in a fully buffed group.

Links to both builds:
http://tinyurl.com/gncjxlw (No Assassin’s Gear)
http://tinyurl.com/jtfh9dl (Assassin’s Gear)

Further Comments:

Yes, kiwituatara, you’re right, 150 AR gives (150*1.5) = 225 Precision, which is 225/15 = 15% Critical Hit Chance with the Offensive Fractal Potion (assuming you have the mastery).

By Min/Max, we’re talking about the correct allocation of offensive stats to maximise Effective Power. Effective Power is calculated by using the Formula:

Effective Power = Power*(1+CriticalHitChance*(CriticalHitDmg))
Effective Power = Power*(1+(((Precision-916)/2100)+ExtraCritChance)*((Ferocity/1500) +1.5)

Regardless of the formula itself, the concept can be used in determining “Tankyness” or Effective Health as well. For this situation though, (I won’t get into the math), it turns out as I mentioned in my earlier comment, that when you reach ~4300 Power, Ferocity and Precision start to take over as more important stats (Precision more than Ferocity). In other words, to optimise Effective Power in fully buffed scenarios, you need to get 100% Critical Hit Chance. From then on in, Ferocity > Power in normal (crit-able) circumstances.

Min/Max is not always referencing Minimum Defense, Maximum Offense. From the get-go, that’s already assumed. It’s more referencing the distribution of Power/Precision/Ferocity. All % Modifier Traits/Buffs will be used over direct stats as a general rule, since they scale exponentially together, which can be overpowered. This is why you get the DPS of Thieves and Elementalists. Not due to stats, but due to % Modifiers. On the other hand, it’s why Rangers and Mesmers have the lowest direct damage builds.