Guild Wars 2

After getting killed by thieves 1v1, I finally leveled mine up to 80 so I can fully understand the class. Though the random roaming fight can be really fun, I’m finding that the typical zerg is just boring as hell. Currently, I’m running a D/D + SB build similar to Yishis and feel like I’m stuck using this SB all the time with no real benefit to the group. The animation also looks like I’m shooting a spaghetti noodle at the target….

I leveled up as a full condition P/D and it was lots of fun for PvE and zergs but I’ve heard that in roaming fights, they get destroyed pretty quickly. Is there some sort of balance between them or something more exciting I can be doing in zergs that is also effective in 1v1 situations?

I have yet to encounter a class that can be considered ‘exciting’ in a zerg, but shooting poison combinations everywhere causing massive weakness and does help your side a lot. It’s also quite easily accessible, as you just need the Shortbow, and if you have 15 in power you’ll get weakness for free without blast finishing. It it fun? Not really, but it does help quite a bit. I run a min/max Knight/Berserker/Valkyrie mix.

Warning: Wall o’ text from a guy bored at work.

So what to do instead of standing a step behind the melee commander spamming clusterbomb and daggerstorm (w/ shadowsteping as needed (which you can do while dagger storming without breaking the animation))? This gets you the bags, but perhaps not as useful to the team.

Don’t overlook SB #4. It might not get you as many bags, but putting down a lot of AoE poison (and blast finish area weakness OR traited poison = weakness) can help your team out a whole lot. Will anybody appreciate it? I don’t know.

Lol, same thing with a build that gives your nearby friends boons when you steal. Random Joe, “I just got Fury, Might, Swiftness, Vigor, Protection/Stability, must of been that warrior and guardian next to me, thanks guys!”

Opportunist style:

So maybe you’re hanging back a bit with the shortbow, and you notice a downleveled guy or somebody who is hurt, but backing off and you suspect their heal is on C/D. SHADOW STEP down them, cloak stomp them.

Also, if you are on top of a guy you want to stomp, but you worry that you can’t even pull off a cloaked stomp with out getting CCed, AOEed, etc. Start the stomp animation, shadowstep to a safe place, shadow return before the animation finishes. Lulz.

You can often get to the backline via teleporting or stealth and you would be surprised sometimes how long you can go ganking ppl from behind before anybody notices to help out. This REALLY depends on the make up of the enemy group, if its a pug group not on team speak or a hardcore guild. Maybe target ppl who don’t have a tag or one that doesn’t match with the rest of ’em. This can be pretty fun.

Other things is murdering guys who are just trying to get away after their zerg breaks.

For me though, I love the class, and whether or not I go solo/small group or just follow a commander I really enjoy on server Teamspeak is down to the mood I’m in.

No zerg is exciting.

FinalPatriot.8034:

After getting killed by thieves 1v1, I finally leveled mine up to 80 so I can fully understand the class. Though the random roaming fight can be really fun, I’m finding that the typical zerg is just boring as hell. Currently, I’m running a D/D + SB build similar to Yishis and feel like I’m stuck using this SB all the time with no real benefit to the group. The animation also looks like I’m shooting a spaghetti noodle at the target….

I leveled up as a full condition P/D and it was lots of fun for PvE and zergs but I’ve heard that in roaming fights, they get destroyed pretty quickly. Is there some sort of balance between them or something more exciting I can be doing in zergs that is also effective in 1v1 situations?

if ur having problems with p/d than its just a L2P issue…and sorry i reaaaaaaly hate it when people use that phrase. p/d is actually better for zergs and amazing at 1 v 1 or 1 v x also….however its bad against d/p condi removal builds and some eles with full condi removal. i could give u a few tips if u need.

Elmuerto.9840:

No zerg is exciting.

I do agree mostly especially if it’s starts lagging so we end up mashing auto attack, anyway but flanking and maneuvers is what makes these zerg fights ‘fun’ and such. It’s very useful using shadow step and use dagger storm on the back line, I think S/D may be our most useful weapon to use in a large scale battle, we can stealth res and we’ve got some fairly useful combo fields and venom share.

Zerg is boring. Don’t follow a zerg, let them know how stupid they are playing like that, insult them if necessary…

Travlane.5948:

FinalPatriot.8034:

After getting killed by thieves 1v1, I finally leveled mine up to 80 so I can fully understand the class. Though the random roaming fight can be really fun, I’m finding that the typical zerg is just boring as hell. Currently, I’m running a D/D + SB build similar to Yishis and feel like I’m stuck using this SB all the time with no real benefit to the group. The animation also looks like I’m shooting a spaghetti noodle at the target….

I leveled up as a full condition P/D and it was lots of fun for PvE and zergs but I’ve heard that in roaming fights, they get destroyed pretty quickly. Is there some sort of balance between them or something more exciting I can be doing in zergs that is also effective in 1v1 situations?

if ur having problems with p/d than its just a L2P issue…and sorry i reaaaaaaly hate it when people use that phrase. p/d is actually better for zergs and amazing at 1 v 1 or 1 v x also….however its bad against d/p condi removal builds and some eles with full condi removal. i could give u a few tips if u need.

Can you give me a link to a decent P/D build then? I’m running mostly Valk+Zerker gear right now and it works but I thought a nice condition build would be more fun.

It’s just rough because on my GS Mesmer, zerg’s can be a ton of fun with all the anti-ranged skills. It’s pretty sad to cast feedback on a group and then watch 2-3 morons kill everyone.

theres ur problem…. p/d is best as a condi build. the auto attack is slow and horrendous for dmg. run full carrion armor and carrion accs with power condi vit jewels on accs and 2 krait runes 2 centaur runes 2 afflicted runes. i like 5 0 30 30 5 or 0 0 30 30 10. in SA rune remove condi per invis…..blind aoe on invis….heal while invis. in acro run 50% dmg and invis on fall dmg…..50% faster while stealthed…..hard to catch SS away on any CC used on u. then if u choose 10 do the caltrops on roll. the one with 5 is good for poison on a 1 v 1 but caltrops is better if zerging. p/d and shortbow backup. dagger sigil is corruption pistol sigil is 10% bleed duration bow can be 50% endurance or hydromancy.your choice really. rare veggie pizza and master tuning crystal are very important for wvw.

I’m P/D and I tend to avoid large fights. Really, how exciting the fight can be depends on how risky you like to play, and your utility loadout.

Don’t be afraid to lob Cluster Bomb in from way out. Don’t forget it’s a great blast finisher, spammable to boot. People will love you LOTS for spammed Might on Fire fields and heals from Water fields.

Between Hide and Shadows, Shadow Refuge, Blinding Powder, and Cloak and Dagger, you can be a rez/stomp machine in the chaos.

Caltrops can be hilarious if the enemy zerg doesn’t notice it quick enough.

When all else fails, amuse yourself by seeing how long you can Zerf Surf. Zurf? We should totally call it Zurfing.