Guild Wars 2

I am strongly considering getting a commander tag for WvW, but I am a bit nervous. I am on Kaineng server and we usually only have 1-2 commanders on at any given time to split between all BLs, so I feel like I would like to help out.

My main is class is thief, it’s the class I feel most competent and comfortable with. I don’t see many thief WvW commanders, though. I know that being able to survive in the midst of a heated battle is really important, which is why you tend to see war/guard commanders. I have a war and a guard, both fully leveled and equipped, but I strongly prefer thief!

I am looking for advice about commanding in general, but also more particular advice about commanding as a thief. Any and all constructive comments are greatly appreciated!

What you like the most is also the best choice, isn ’ kitten

I do believe evade builds can survive pretty well too.

i checked theory craft and i found that stealth + 50% reduce damage can help a lot in this situation.

i based the craft that com needs , 3000+ armor , around 1000 healing power to have very good hp refill from the guardians and good vitality + conditions removal while in stealth ….

i will check it in www too because i found it very funny to stay unaffected from conditions and from melee train burst damage a thief . i hope it works ….

this is the build : http://gw2skills.net/editor/?fZAQNAV6al8MpopNNx8J0PNBSBxdDCw79qxdnipWVA-TVyCABA8AAAU3wmqrolyPGVCm3+DeqShGXBAJOIABAQAm5MTmlZwQH6QH6QHazcmzcmzcmlBgZNA-w

the com needs any a rune that gives healing power . i used the altruism for offensive boons to his allies with low cooldown ( 10 sec ) , maybe grove is better for stacking protection . i really don’t know what is better for thief .

for – conditions food can also used the loaf of saffron bread because it reduces much more the inc damage while stunned , stuck and have -20% cond damage too .

i know it sucks its power damage , only 916 but i based my build on conditions* + spam venom on enemies and 4 stealths ( from steal , from blinding powder and from combo pistol 5 key + blast from shortbow – 2 key and one from trait if you attacked with 10% damage on you ) . the stealths i think is the key to stay a alive a thief in front line , because of -50% damage while in stealth.he is taking it from the trait . someone can rip the one venom and add the smoke screen for more stealths (blast) + blinds …. but i think the regen that gives the healing signet is better for this situation to rip it for hide in shadows.

in battle i think this com should start with dagger storm to pick up the 10 sec of stability and reflect the first big damage and create the first combo with wirl .

p.s. the only problem i think is your mates that will have some problems stay close to you while in stealth or trying to stay close to you when you use shadow strike to avoid the front line damage

.* i used total cond build because of retaliation problem from melee train

Go full support with lots of dodges. -50% in stealth. Shortbow blasts when you call water on yourself. Dont shadowstep since your group will not keep up. Dagger storm elite to give yourself stability.

It can work. Be better in a hit squad than a zerg squad tho.#

the answer to your equation is = lootbag

you can go commander as all class commander usually dont do lot of dmg rather have to stay alive longer to give command

so aim for 3k armor and higher vitality with full pvt for power dmg or dire for condition dmg (pvt much better)

here is a build i theortcraft

http://gw2skills.net/editor/?fZAQNAV8al8MprptNxsJ8PNRSBx9CCQD06wdfiSMVA-TFSBwA4U/JryvzKBTpbYxBBg3+DaeCAAuAAkBgZLA-w

high power so your dmg will be nice
high armor and vitality
good utilities than benefit your team with you (i know ppl dont like traps but give it a try as its group build and not solo)

you basically using SB for blast and poison area pressure and s/p to secure a location when there are down enemies
your venoms which you sharing at the right time can immobilize and stun 5 enemies fast and with traps which unblockable can further help you to control the area around you as commander and give 10% more dmg so your team dmg will be higher

you shouldn’t use SS SR as team must follow you so basically any thief escape utilities isnt for you as commander

and you are not lootbag if your team has 2 guardian and warrior and ele who know the job

dont forget to use PW when burst as it evade skill so while not taking dmg you are doing some (it like the guardian block ability and warrior immunity for dmg)

If you like thief, get a tag for thief, there is no point playing a class you don’t enjoy playing even if that class is more suited for commanding. Try S/P + SB.

I was a thief commander until the mug+hidden thief nerf in the 5-10 range covering the over night shift on SoR. I used a standard crit/shadow build with 2 pc of sentinel for the chest and legs; the biggest stat blocks for the extra vitality. 2 pc soldier and the rest all zerk. Traveler runes free up an utility slot that would otherwise be taken up with signet of shadows.

I nvr rly had any problems surviving larger zergs even on the front lines; just dont rush through an aoe spammed choke point with the heavies though, you wont survive that.

my style was rush in and create an advantage, the team would follow and clean up. What is an advantage you ask? This could be many things such as steal in and back stab a light armor to half health, then when their 10 turn around to smash you just stealth. your team will see them chasing you and attack their backs.

my point is… youre not a guardian dont try to play like one.

thief is the most tricky and versatile of all the classes, we excel at creating advantages.

another example: say there is a downed enemy player, your team wants to stomp. drop refuge over your stompers and spam cluster bomb into it. they will stealth, and you are throwing area blind. hammer spammers cant touch this!

you also need to take care of your team, be watching for that ranger who is back peddling and go save him. cover that warrior who over extended with area weakness. these are things you dont see heavy hammer train commanders do very often.

Synosius.9876:

thief is the most tricky and versatile of all the classes, we excel at creating advantages.

Thief is the class with the worst versatility in the game, you roam and do burst damage. Thats it. Creating advantages? We are talking about WvW right? Like any other class can do so much more beside roaming. Compare a thief to a water-bot ele that can literaly keep a small zerg alive by himself. A guardian that spams buffs and heals forever. A mesmer that mass stealth your zerg, ports them and spams null fields for AOE confusion spam. That list could go on and on forever, thieves are only good for roaming and single target burst in WvW and because single target dps is not really important in the grand scale of WvW theirs only roaming.

you’ll be surprised on how far you can go even on a squishy thief as a commander in wvw as long as you can actually lead and know wvw. It definitely won’t be on the same level as a zerg ball com though. might be possible to lead a zerg ball if you go by nomad equipment set, d/p, signet of malice(u can guess where this build is going).

i have successfully led as a thief. its like leading a roam group of friends…a really really big group lol

I’ve commanded alot especially last year when Lyssa runes granted you all boons for 5s on activating an Elite which helped give me more sustain, but since then alot has changed after all those balance patches.

I don’t command as much these days because it burned me out, but I’d have to build alot more tanky, have a party that grants plenty of stability and to make sure they can follow my movement easily enough for my group to bomb or regroup – which means no D/P or too many shadowsteps.

I’m using S/P SB, with different tactics (much more passive) in WvW.

Where other commanders would double dodge and put up stability, I would fake push and flank. Pistol whip and common sense keeps me alive. Just like stated before, lyssa runes used to be perfect for the job.