Guild Wars 2

Right, so the patch just hit and the game is in complete chaos. I have not been able to play a lot due to RL stuff, but I am at work theorycrafting a bit.

Something that really bothers me is what they did to the Arms Traitline.

On one hand, they gave it great ‘unbiased’ traits in the first slot. All three traits can be used effectively on both direct and condition damage oriented builds. Kudo’s.

Then comes the second slot. This one offers you a fine choice between the direct damage route (Unsuspecting Foe), condi (Deep Strike, although this seems a bit UP) and even a hybrid option, useful for both (Blademaster).

So far, so good, right?

Then in with the third slot. You can get a semi-ok trait for condi builds in this line with Furious. Dual Wielding might be decent with sword sword condi as well. Burst Precision is just bad all around.

This leaves you with no real option in that third slot should you pick Arms on a direct damage build. I think this is a missed opportunity. Honestly, I would really like to toy around with Arms (on Mace/SH GS for example), but the complete lack of a good trait in the third slot really makes Strength the better option for boosting my damage.

A fix to this could probably be to incorporate a power boost to Furious similar to the condistacking. This would not break the trait at all, just make it slightly stronger on hybrid builds mostly.

Burst Precision could also do with a buff, as I can not see any reason why anybody would spec so deep into Arms to get this trait. If you can already get epic crit chance boosts in the first two slots (Signet Mastery, Fury generation, Blademaster, Unsuspecting Foe), then why would you need a slightly higher crit chance on just your burst skills? This trait was way better off in Strength.

tl;dr: the third trait option in Arms is completely lackluster for direct damage builds right now, and I don’t think this is intentional, seeing as Arms does have great traits for direct damage builds in the first two slots.

Just some thoughts.

Signet mastery kills UF and Burst Precision.

I feel Furious need a bit of a buff, 1 adrenaline per crit is not enough.

Attack of Opportunity should be reverted back.

Yeah, the grandmaster choices aren’t great for the direct damage builds I strung together, but I went with Furious for the adren gain because I didn’t trait Defense/CI when I was in arms.

Signet Mastery is the real star of that line. No joke, I actually ran a signet warrior last night (4 signets plus bull’s) and was doing unreal damage, but was thin on sustain and error margin.

I enjoyed Merciless Hammer and Berserker’s Power. Two +20% damage modifier if I used a 3-bar burst skill in the last 10 seconds and my target was CC’d. A +10% if my endurance wasn’t full as well. Even more +3% for each boons on them … and boons seem to be flying around like candy.

Were you running h/gs with the arms line? Have to admit I hadn’t thought of that.

I wouldn’t dare take DotE over Brawler’s without CI though. A cleansing sigil and 6s of resistance will only take you so far!

<edit>
Apologies … brainfarted and was thinking about Strength … not arms …

I agree with OP that ARMs has far less in it for a Power build than it does for a Condi build.

For a condi build I think it can be pretty sick … maybe for a hybrid too, but I have yet to try that.

There is some good stuff there for critting against stunned opponents that could be tested out as well … gaining more adrenaline per crit when you are critting more against stunned opponents and your burst skills stun as well as some weapon skills … it could synergize well … just not sure if as well as alternatives … needs to be tested.
</edit>

Choppy.4183:

Yeah, the grandmaster choices aren’t great for the direct damage builds I strung together, but I went with Furious for the adren gain because I didn’t trait Defense/CI when I was in arms.

Signet Mastery is the real star of that line. No joke, I actually ran a signet warrior last night (4 signets plus bull’s) and was doing unreal damage, but was thin on sustain and error margin.

This is the thing, you would go Furious because the other two traits just don’t give you anything really. Whereas more adrenaline usually doesn’t hurt.

Now if they would give power builds just a little bit more incentive to pick Furious, the traitline would actually be great for certain power builds (Mace, Sword, even Hammer).

I also ran both Arms and Strength thusfar, and trust me when I say Arms does not compare well to Strength in terms of damage. Like Sebrent said, the raw damage modifiers from Strength are incredible.

Axe/mace or Axe/shield + GS. In arms, you take the signet of might at 25% hp, unsuspecting foe for 100% crit evis and rampage 100% crit when you land the boulder, and then you take Dual Wield mastery or 100% crit chance on burst skill. STR ARMS DISC. GS can definitely go full glass-cannon because of evade and mobility.

Problem is, builds STR DEF DISC are just strong as hell. I can see ARMS DEF DISC working for Mace + Hammer, sure. Maybe even hambow.

But if you take Axe/Mace you’d do better with Dual Wield, and with Shield as offhand Unsuspecting Foe can give you a 100% crit Evis. Not to mention Intelligence sigil is a less costly investment.

You need arms for hugs <3

Dinsy.2491:

You need arms for hugs <3

But I also need the Strength to lift my Arms…

If you use Furious you and burst mastery you can spam your F1 on cooldown without even having to manage your adrenaline.
Signet Mastery is also a very strong choice.

I feel the master traits are really really weird and could use some looking at.

Harper.4173:

If you use Furious you and burst mastery you can spam your F1 on cooldown without even having to manage your adrenaline.
Signet Mastery is also a very strong choice.

I feel the master traits are really really weird and could use some looking at.

I can do that without Furious. No problem.

At least the Master traits offer something for both worlds and they fit the crit-theme pretty well IMO.

Cygnus,
i made a burst precision buff proposal in a new topic, go see if that is a good enough reason for you to go arms.

ARMS seems good in PVE try it.

Cygnus.6903:

This is the thing, you would go Furious because the other two traits just don’t give you anything really. Whereas more adrenaline usually doesn’t hurt.

Now if they would give power builds just a little bit more incentive to pick Furious, the traitline would actually be great for certain power builds (Mace, Sword, even Hammer).

I also ran both Arms and Strength thusfar, and trust me when I say Arms does not compare well to Strength in terms of damage. Like Sebrent said, the raw damage modifiers from Strength are incredible.

I agree with everything you say here. Combine Strength and Arms for fun and profit though.

I’m dropping Arms for tonight’s tests though. I’ll either stick with Str-Def-Disc, or experiment with more sustainable builds. I bunch of guildies and I were bashing each other around last night and sustainable builds won pretty much every time… 1v1s, 2v2s, and 3v3s. That was true of warriors, rangers, and engies, anyway.

No idea how well that will translate in wvw, but I think it should for small group stuff.

Well I was dueling a pretty decent thief yesterday. He was all offensive, but when I made him run out of utility, he literally got dropped in a second. Was a fun clip lol.

So yeah, we are entering a phase of the game where a little more sustain is needed, especially if you don’t have thief/mesmer tricks.

Heck, on my Ranger in Settler’s at at least 95% hp (so Barkskin was up), I got dropped in less than 2s by a Thief that came from outside my LoS while I was stomping his teammate … couldn’t do anything since basilisk on me and my defensive skills were on cooldown from fighting the guy I was stomping … I think more than sustain is needed against some things.

Sebrent.3625:

Heck, on my Ranger in Settler’s at at least 95% hp (so Barkskin was up), I got dropped in less than 2s by a Thief that came from outside my LoS while I was stomping his teammate … couldn’t do anything since basilisk on me and my defensive skills were on cooldown from fighting the guy I was stomping … I think more than sustain is needed against some things.

More sustain is bad because then Hambow/Spirit Ranger/Cele meta will just come back in a different form.

Do you know why fighting games are so hype? It’s because people are always trying to go for each other and defending is actually HARD.

I’m all for abilities hitting hard … if they have a bloody telegraph :-p

You won’t see me complaining if a Warrior nails me with Eviscerate … I deserve every bit of damage I take in that instance.

I was contemplating 06606 Rifle/SwSh build with Valk Armor and a mix of trinkets ranging from Zerker to knights, there needs to be a bit of toughness somewhere…

Signet Mastery, BladeMaster, Burst Precision
Shield Master, Defy Pain, Last Stand
Crack Shot, DotE, Heighted Focus

Rifle runs Air/Fire, Sword is Choice while Shield is Energy.

Giving thought to utilities as with Last Stand, Defiant Stance becomes useful though Healing Sig is hard to pass up.

This warrior is backline sniper in Roaming/Zerg, capable of blowing up anyone dropping to 50% or less with Signet Mastery’s Sig of Might Proc and Heightened Focus. The Sw/Sh is for defensive retreat although given the build’s nature melee isn’t necessarily bad while waiting for the weapon swap back to Rifle.

Arms is still tricky to work with though.

Is this about PvP? If so, I’ve found this: http://intothemists.com/calc/?build=-wFwo;1NKFO0d4gLkQ0;9;4efh;0157037158;4Uo07T;1F-03F-030P
(I haven’t decided on what runes to use right now, btw, Pack due to fury and high stats for now).

To be extremely effective. Utility skills and Elite can be freely changed. I just find Zerker Stance and Signet of Stamina invaluable right now. With vigor nerfed and conditions being so strong, they are almost mandatory, you can change the signet for a second Endure Pain. Shake it off is your shortest CD stunbreak and Rampage is your overpowered elite (you can use the signet instead).

Regarding the traits. Honestly, I think Signet Mastery is one of the best traits in the game. You don’t even need signets in your build, Signet of might proccing alone will be enough the get perma 200 precision, even more if you include the use of other signets. Trust me, you will have crazy high crit chance, specially with a sword.

The passives from arms are incredibly effective with a celestial amulet. The minor traits providing additional bleeding, damage and vulnerability. Furious + Burst mastery provides you with unlimited adrenaline, you can spam sword immobs and longbow firefields to your hearts content and also have high Adrenal Health uptime.

You can maintain an average of 10 Furious stacks and 10 stacks of Might or so per fight. That’s like 2100 power and 1k to 1,1k condi damage on average. Remember you’ll have like 50% crit chance on bow and like 70% crit chance on sword (without fury) with like 187% crit damage. I’ve seen 3k burn ticks, 1.5k bleeding ticks and 7k final thrusts. 1.2k and 1.3k sword AAs are fairly common.

It’s also really good with double sword instead of shield. But the shield traited is sooo good, well timed blocks can give you 20+ stacks of might, provides a set up stun for Final Thrust, additional mitigation and sweet reflects.

6s CD Savage Leap is crazy mobility, really. I’ve found it even better than greatsword.

It’s a pretty interesting hybrid. Try this one out.

Im currently running this in wvw zerg + roaming:
https://forum-en.gw2archive.eu/external?l=http%3A%2F%2Fintothemists.com%2Fguides%2F5601-wvw_zerg_assaulter

Arms is amazing. I also like burst precision as it guarantees crits on your burst skill when you need them while staying tanky in soldiers armor, sigil of intelligence isnt realiable if you are swapping weapons every 5 secs

Khenzy.9348:

Is this about PvP? If so, I’ve found this: http://intothemists.com/calc/?build=-wFwo;1NKFO0d4gLkQ0;9;4efh;0157037158;4Uo07T;1F-03F-030P
(I haven’t decided on what runes to use right now, btw, Pack due to fury and high stats for now).

I took your build and modified it like this:

http://intothemists.com/calc/?build=-wFwo;1NKVO0d4gL-60;9;4efh;0157037158;4K-m6T;1fgm9fgm90y

Reaching 20+ bleed stacks is ridiculously easy and quick. You can get slightly over 30 if things go perfectly!
That, pretty much guaranteed crits and good survivability – lots of fun !

There is no reason not to go zerk on a warrior. Unless you are condi, ARMS is a waste. You can argue that you are going soldiers and valk but who are you kidding. Soldiers is training wheels and VALK is totally pointless when u have high base HP. Get good.

The master level traits need a bit of adjustments imo. They’re too underwhelming for master level really and often times irrelevant options anyways.

I really dislike how the original deep strikes trait was merged with signet mastery and given the free might signet. It feels like this one trait is trying so hard to do so much at once but for no reason. I mean… just look at the other two options:

“Gain fury when you immobilize a target”
“Gain adrenaline while in combat. Gain fury when you strike a foe below the health threshold.”

Berserker’s fury isn’t bad, but my gosh opportunist looks underwhelming. Signet mastery is just so good here.

As for the grandmaster traits… they seem alright to me tbh. I’m not sure if I would change any.

The signet trait in arms is amazing. Specially when you play a super glassy GS build. Right now Axe + GS is almost just as effective back in the old Hundred Blades meta even in sPvP.