I’m doing a full review of each class’s Elite Specializations here:
https://forum-en.gw2archive.eu/forum/game/hot/All-Elite-Specializations-Analysis/first#post5574892
The following is my analysis of the Herald.
I’ll be covering the following things in this review…
01) General Descriptions
02) New Traits Analysis
03) New Weapon Analysis
04) New Skills Analysis
05) Gearing Options
06) Rune/Sigil Synergies
07) PvE Usefulness
08) PvP Usefulness
09) WvW Usefulness
10) Overall Opinion
Revenant – Herald
General Description
The Revenant is the newest addition to the Guild Wars 2 game. This class has been given mixed reviews, but it’s very much tied to the rather strange complexity that it comes with. It’s been said to be a confused Guardian trying to be a Thief or a Mesmer, but it’s far more interesting than that. The Revenant utilizes the powers of many different aspects of iconic characters in Guild Wars Lore. They have access to the Stone Tank powers of Jalis, the Malevolent Conditions of Mallyx, the Healing Powers of Ventari, the Destructive power of Shiro, and the Mysterious Support powers of Glint. All these things put together make their weapons and traits rather tricky to put together in a way that makes your build feel “focused”. Once you’ve mastered the understanding of each trait line’s purpose, each weapon’s strengths, and gained an understand of every Legend’s skills – you’ll be able to make a class that truly seems the most universal and balanced of all the classes. However, depending on how “focused” you make your builds you may be less effective in some aspects of the class’s overall skills than others – which is typical of every other class too. This class will take some getting used to, but it’s well worth the effort.
New Traits Analysis
Minor Traits
Crystal Harbinger:
Grants access to the Legendary Dragon Stance, Shield, and F2’s Facet of Nature
The F2 skill will stay active across all stances and you don’t even need to have the Legendary Dragon Stance on to have access to it.
Vigorous Persistence
Gain +25% Endurance Regen While you have an active upkeep skill.
Since every Legend has an upkeep skill you’ll likely make good use of this.
Envoy of Sustenance
Increase Boon Duration +15%
Fantastic in general.
Adept Traits
Swift Gale
Gain Superspeed on Stun Break.
Can be useful if combined with the Invocation trait line.
Radiant Revival
Place Infused Light (2s) on an ally when reviving them. — 45sec ICD
The recharge on this skill and short duration make it near useless. It has potential, but it’ll be rarely used.
Hardening Persistence
Gain +40 Toughness for each upkeep point you’re using.
This works really well across all Legends since the F2 stays regardless, but the Dragon Stance makes the most use of it.
Master Traits
Bolster Fortifications
Grant Protection to nearby allies when using a healing skill.
The short boon duration (2.25s) makes this rather weak.
Shared Empowerment
When you apply “a boon” to an ally, you also apply might. — 1s ICD
This is amazingly powerful and is the most typical choice people will make.
Harmonize Continuity
When you Stun Break > Stun Break allies in 600 Radius.
Decent support utility – can be used.
Grandmaster Traits
Elder’s Force
Increased damage +2% per boon.
Amazing synergy with Dragon Stance.
Soothing Bastion
Activate Crystal Hibernation when struck below 25% HP.
Great recovery option since Crystal Hibernation blocks all attacks for 4s.
~!~ BUG: Shield skills don’t increase boon duration. ~!~
~!~ BUG: No ICD listed, but it is assumed 20s ~!~
Enhanced Bulwark
When Stability is applied to you, gain an extra stack. — 1s ICD
Good if you need Stability.
New Weapon Analysis
The Herald gains access to the Shield.
Envoy of Exuberance — 10E 15s ICD
Throw Shield to targeted area granting Protection and a burst of Healing and Protection again as it returns to you.
Great support skill.
Crystal Hibernation — 20E 20s ICD
Root in place creating a crystal shield around you that blocks all attacks while regening health for 3s.
Amazing recovery skill.
New Skills Analysis
The Herald gains access to the Legendary Dragon Stance and Facet of Nature.
Facet of Nature [F2] — -2U
Pulse increased outgoing boon duration by +50% to self and allies
Amazing synergy with Dragon Stance.
||
One with Nature -- 25s ICD
Consume Facet of Nature to grant Fury, +3 Might, Regen, Protection, and Swiftness to self and allies.
Powerful support buff.
Facet of Light — -1U
Pulse Regen to self and allies.
Good support.
||
Infuse Light -- 30s ICD
Consume Facet of Light to heal self and invert all damage to healing for 4s.
Great heal skill if used right.
Facet of Darkness — -2U
Pulse Fury to self and allies.
Good support.
||
Gaze of Darkness -- 20s ICD
Consume Facet of Darkness to Reveal the area around you and Blind nearby foes.
This skill is good anti-stealth play and will also Break Stun.
Facet of Elements — -1U
Pulse Swiftness to self and allies.
Good mobility option.
||
Elemental Blast -- 15s ICD
Consume Facet of Elements to target area in a 3-pulse attack. Pulse 1 Weakens, Pulse 2 Chills, Pulse 3 Burns.
Decent damage from Burning regardless of condition damage.
Facet of Strength — -2U
Pulse Might to self and allies.
Good support.
||
Burst of Strength -- 15s ICD
Consume Facet of Strength damaging foes and causing Vuln.
Decent damage and up to 20 stacks of Vuln.
Facet of Chaos — -5U
Pulse Protection to self and allies.
Great support.
||
Chaotic Release -- 45sec ICD
Consume Facet of Chaos causing damage, KB, and granting Superspeed to allies.
Good control/utility skill.
NOTE: Interesting fun fact. The organ tone harmonies in the background that play when maintaining any Dragon Stance skill are very similar to GW1’s Crystal Desert song controlled by the Player Instrument Volume slider.
Gearing Options
The following are acceptable gearing types to consider for a Herald.
NOTE: These are types that can work depending on the overall goal of your build. They are not all equal as some are much better than others.
Power: Berserker’s, Zealot’s, Soldier’s, Valkyrie
Precision: Rampager’s
Toughness: Knight’s, Cavalier’s, Settler’s
Vitality: Sentinel’s, Shaman’s
Condition: Sinister, Carrion, Rabid, Dire
Healing: Cleric’s, Apothecary’s
NOTE: Condition builds on a Revenant in general are viewed as rather weak, but they can still work if you put the effort in.
Rune/Sigil Synergies
NOTE: These are types that can work depending on the overall goal of your build. They are not all equal as some are much better than others.
Superior Rune of (the)…
Power: Baelfire, Brawler, Citadel, Elementalist, Fire, Flame Legion, Hoelbrak, Ogre, Pack, Strength
Precision: Eagle, Lyssa, Thief
Toughness: Dolyak, Earth, Forgeman, Guardian, Melandru
Vitality: Exuberance, Wurm
Ferocity: Rage
Condition: Adventurer, Aristocracy, Balthazar, Perplexity, Scavenging, Tormenting, Undead
Healing: Altruism, Defender, Dwayna, Grove, Monk, Water
Superior Sigil of…
Attribute Bonus: Force, Malice
Duration Bonus: Smoldering, Venom
Chance on Hit: Water, Purity
Chance on Crit: Air, Blood, Fire, Generosity, Nullification, Rage, Strength, Torment
On Kill: Luck, Restoration, Benevolence, Bloodlust, Corruption, Cruelty, Momentum, Perception
On Swap: Battle, Cleansing, Doom, Leeching, Renewal
PvE Usefulness
Entirely useful. This class can match the DPS of other Berserker speed run classes with much higher sustain.
PvP Usefulness
Amazing in team fights and can certainly hold its own on capture points.
WvW Usefulness
Fantastic for zerg fights. This class offers so many different options that each Revenant can choose a different role and support the fight in multiple ways. Roaming is also fairly easy depending on your build.
Overall Opinion
Since the first release of the Revenant I hated it. It was so hyped up and looked and sounded like it was going to be amazing. The Legends seemed powerful but when we got them were very underwhelming. However, over the course of the other beta weekends we’ve seen this class grow into something respectable for this game. It’s become viable in many areas of the game and doesn’t feel too one sided like it did before. There are still elements of this class that seem out of place and/or clunky, but for the most part everything has been coming together really well. I believe this class will be very entertaining at release, but I know many people will find it VERY difficult to learn and master.