Guild Wars 2

Hey there,

I have a problem with Fractals atm, I currently run Nike from DnT’s gs & axe/mace build with full zerk gear, ruby orbs and the traits 30/25/0/0/15. It is a fantastic build and when i am running dungeons/fractals with my guildies, it works perfect and i barely even need to dodge as fights dont last very long (full zerk builds on them too)

Now my problem is when i pug dungeons/fractals, i seem to be the only one that goes full Zerk, rest of them do very little damage, and i get focused down by bosses hard.

I noticed this in particular the other day when mossman followed me in circles for the whole fight and basically ignored the rest of the party, this is fine for low level fractals as i mostly time my dodges correctly, and when i do miss one his damage (without agony pre 10) wont insta kill me and i can heal up. I am ok with having to stay on my toes, but kiting a boss for a full fight while my team barely dpsed the boss bit by bit was a painful experience).

Is there a way i can Tanky up a little to survive fights a little better while doing comparable damage (I dont wanna just full PVT it and be as bad as the rest of them).

Any tips would be nice,

Thanks

If you’re party has tank BS builds switch to full PVT set and camp with LB. If they ask why you’re doing it tell them why they are using tank set. I did once when a guardian started the dungeon and he started to brag about how he keeps us alive with clerics.. Got tiered and switched full PVTand LB for that run.

Pretty much what atse said. Get yourself a nice set of PVT armor and put some Dolyak runes in it. Keep your zerk trinkets on.

It won’t save your bacon from a bad group in 10+, but at pre-10, it makes it far less painful.

learn to dodge? or get a shield or sword? if still too much, get signet of stamina

changing your self to pvt well only make the run even longer and even unbearable.

i haven’t play dungeons for ages, so i don’t know if there’s any changes, but i used to be pug only zerker war at fotm48 a few months back..

Lighter.5631:

learn to dodge?

did you even read my post? Dodging isnt the problem as I said, was just looking if I could change it up a bit to survive bad groups. When I run with guildies its fine, but when I am the only one dealing dmg, there isnt enough dodges to dodge every hit.

Thanks guys I was hoping I wouldn’t need to resort to that, for now i am just running Gs/Longbow and will stick out my zerk gear, I wont be optimal but at least I wont have to be picked up off the floor by the full soldiers. In an ideal world I would never have to pug it but oh well :P

healing signet deals with residual damage very well if that’s a problem

and if you’re taking too much damage swap out for knight helm/chest/legs.

I’ll be brutally honest and give you good advice, since you were kind enough to give me a shout out in the OP.

1. You have stepped your game up to the next level. You are committed to being good and doing things properly. However, you have reached the point where you’re better than the average quality of the random pugs you get. Now is the time to force them to step up. You need to be the instance starter/group starter for these pugs, and you need to gear check them. If they are the ones causing you to die, you ought to take control of the party and begin to get strict with the types you’ll allow into your pugs.

2. If you still find yourself in a bad pug, and you have no choice, just range. I know using a ranged weapon is undignified and dumpy, but so is the Clerics Mesmer who is getting you killed. When you get a depressing pug, just longbow ftw.

WTF with Cleric Mesmer?.

Nike Porphyrogenita.8137:

I’ll be brutally honest and give you good advice, since you were kind enough to give me a shout out in the OP.

1. You have stepped your game up to the next level. You are committed to being good and doing things properly. However, you have reached the point where you’re better than the average quality of the random pugs you get. Now is the time to force them to step up. You need to be the instance starter/group starter for these pugs, and you need to gear check them. If they are the ones causing you to die, you ought to take control of the party and begin to get strict with the types you’ll allow into your pugs.

I am constantly annoyed by people who are looking for group members with such polite epithets as “no noobs” or “need 3 more war” or “full zerker ONLY”. Even though I am by no means a bad player, I refuse to join groups who advertise themselves like this, because what it communicates to me is not “We want good players”, but rather “You are on probation for the entire run, and we will kick you if we hear a single peep out of you”.
What strengthens this opinion is the quoted statement that playing a berserker warrior is “being good and doing things properly”, suggesting that anyone who has a build that is not compatible with that is doing things improperly, making them inferior.

I understand the need for a group that fits your play style, but being “brutal” about it is not the only way to accomplish that. Being polite and friendly accomplishes a lot more, and encourages polite and friendly players to join you. It also enhances your chances of building your friends list of people who you could want to play with more often.

Nike Porphyrogenita.8137:

2. If you still find yourself in a bad pug, and you have no choice, just range. I know using a ranged weapon is undignified and dumpy, but so is the Clerics Mesmer who is getting you killed. When you get a depressing pug, just longbow ftw.

While I applaud your advocating variety of weapons, you don’t need to be disdainful about weapon variety. For that matter, it is also not necessary to look down on people with a play style that is incompatible with yours.

So, to be “brutally honest”, while I have no doubt that your build is a very enjoyable and efficient one, and there is nothing wrong with encouraging that build, I do not believe I like the attitude you encourage to go along with it.

My advice to the OP is to be clear and polite about what kind of group you want (without appearing elitist or derogatory to others), and if you end up in a group that is not compatible with your play style, just make the best contribution you can make in the situation, and try to enjoy yourself regardless. Why would using a longbow have to be embarrassing and annoying? Instead, it could be a nice change of pace from the repetitiveness of dungeons and fractals.

I didn’t say he had to be brutally honest to the pugs, I was being honest with him. The problem is quite simply that pugs are getting him killed because they don’t know how to play. His best options are stop pugging or to form the group so he can weed out the riff raff.

And ranging mobs that are supposed to be fought in melee IS undignified and dumpy.