Guild Wars 2

Wanting to do a shield build (I prefer Axe, but Mace is cool as well. I don’t mind either honestly). But I’m lost on traits / secondary weapon / Sigils. Help me out?

66006 or 60606 using greatsword as your secondary set for might stacking, mobility and burst.

Trait into signets for the first route, or trait shield for the second route.

Axe or mace, whichever you prefer.

Trait Heightened Focus and Berserker Power.

Profit.

I wanted to run my build on Shield Master but Signet Mastery is too good to miss, so 66006 with shield.

is there an alternative to greatsword?

Sure there are. What area of the game to you play and what weapons would you like? Also, is there a particular role or style you want to play?

I just recently got back into the game so I don’t know too much when it comes to what works together well or roles or anything.

but for weapons, I really like axe / mace / shield / longbow. I’m not too big of a fan of 2h weapons and I can’t really put my finger on why.

edit: currently i’m using Healing Signet – FGJ – OMM – BoD – SoR

Sword would be a alternative to GS mobility.

Aersoth.9247:

I just recently got back into the game so I don’t know too much when it comes to what works together well or roles or anything.

but for weapons, I really like axe / mace / shield / longbow. I’m not too big of a fan of 2h weapons and I can’t really put my finger on why.

edit: currently i’m using Healing Signet – FGJ – OMM – BoD – SoR

Are you mostly playing in general pve content or somewhere else (like wvw or pvp, or even pve dungeon groups)?

I usually just do dungeons and fractals with my friends.

I run 6 in arms, with sword traits and signet mastery, 6 in defense with shield traits and whatever else—CI or Last stand and 6 in Discipline with Warrior sprint, brawler’s recovery, and such. I got longbow on swap and I’m doing well in pvp and wvw. pve is cake too tho I’m not a “team player” like a shoutbow.

I run all signets except I toss FGJ on my bar and use Rampage for pvp and wvw. So far I’m very happy with the build. I even tried out Runes of the Undead and they are working better than expected.

I can block with my shield and easily gain 8-12 stacks of might in less than 3 sec. from a ranger in pvp or wvw, or a mob in pve. The shield trait is very nice indeed, but everyone will still want warhorn even tho I think shield has it beat.

In that case, you could get away with just about anything. Start with the weapon you like best and trait for it, then go from there.

I tend to run as high damage as I can and with a mind to how I take out people trying to kill me, which means full zerk, along with the power and discipline lines.

The new shield trait on the Defense line is fantastic and, if you like to run a mace with it then your #2 skill will reflect projectiles in addition to shield 5. They’ll also give you might and grant retaliation.

Berserker’s Power in the Strength line is awesome for damage or, if you want to take advantage of all the interrupts from mace and shield, you could take Distracting Strikes provided you’re running condi gear (take Body Blow too). I don’t personally know if confusion works well in pve, but you could get crazy stacks on there, especially if you take physical skills.

If you’re willing to run sword, you could do a slightly different version of the standard 0/0/6/6/6 build. It would have you use longbow/sword+shield (the shield is the unusual choice), and trait into shouts. You’ll help keep your friends alive, and your damage beyond gear will come from might stacking (FGJ, SoR or Banner, also Combustive Shot+Arcing Arrow+any blast finishers your friends have+Savage Leap through the field to maintain Fire Shield, which will get those might stacks going.

Axe could work with 6/x/x/0/6 pretty well. Making sure you choose Berserker’s Power and not Axe Mastery, you could then pick up Signet Mastery by going the Arms route and getting lots and lots of crit damage, or you could take Shield Master and get better sustain through the Defense line.

But, yeah, you’ll have a lot of give to find what you enjoy most if you’re doing pve content with your friends. Fun should rule the day.

Okay so right now I’m running the following:

Strength – Middle, Top, Top

Defense – Top, Top, Middle

Discipline – Middle, Middle, Middle

Using Axe and Shield, planning to use off-hand Sword for my secondary weapon set.

Other than whether or not I picked the most optimal traits, should I get Condition Damage on the Sword I end up getting? Or just Berserker?

Definitely zerker, since condi gear will do nothing for your axe and sword’s a viable zerk weapon through sword 3 and 4.

Consider taking Great Fortitude instead of Body Blow for that build since you really only have one stun (plus any utilities), so you may as well get the vitality.

As an alternative to strength, given your choice of weapons, you could replace it with Arms – Signet Mastery, Blademster, and Furious.

Or, hey, if you’re taking Blademaster, you could always go Axe+Sw/Sw+Sh and take Dual wielding. Use your Axe+Sw to do most of your damage, then use your sword shield for a quick burst if you need it or to escape to some place warm and cozy or just have out of combat mobility.

Pack a bunch of signets on there and use them (even hit Healing Signet before walking into a fight), and you’ll have really high crit chance from the Signet Mastery buff (you could easily maintain a +500 precision bonus).

As mentioned, you’ll be able to get away with a lot in casual pve, so go with what seems the most fun.

Choppy.4183:

Definitely zerker, since condi gear will do nothing for your axe and sword’s a viable zerk weapon through sword 3 and 4.

Consider taking Great Fortitude instead of Body Blow for that build since you really only have one stun (plus any utilities), so you may as well get the vitality.

As an alternative to strength, given your choice of weapons, you could replace it with Arms – Signet Mastery, Blademster, and Furious.

Or, hey, if you’re taking Blademaster, you could always go Axe+Sw/Sw+Sh and take Dual wielding. Use your Axe+Sw to do most of your damage, then use your sword shield for a quick burst if you need it or to escape to some place warm and cozy or just have out of combat mobility.

Pack a bunch of signets on there and use them (even hit Healing Signet before walking into a fight), and you’ll have really high crit chance from the Signet Mastery buff (you could easily maintain a +500 precision bonus).

As mentioned, you’ll be able to get away with a lot in casual pve, so go with what seems the most fun.

SoR and SoM area reall the only ones you need to maintain a decent crit chance. If you have some precision in you build to begin with you should have no problem getting 80% (100% on sword if you trait blademaster) and the shield trait also works for the Sword 5 which gives you another source of reflects and might.

Julie Yann.5379:

SoR and SoM area reall the only ones you need to maintain a decent crit chance. If you have some precision in you build to begin with you should have no problem getting 80% (100% on sword if you trait blademaster) and the shield trait also works for the Sword 5 which gives you another source of reflects and might.

Probably true, but the other signets might be more optimal than the other choices given where he’ll be playing and the rest of the selections. Doly to toughen him up a bit and for stability if he really needs it, and maybe might or stamina.

One thing I haven’t checked is if the Might Signet effect from Signet Mastery procs the +100 Precision bonus when you hit someone below the threshold. Anyone know?