Guild Wars 2

edit: FYI OP deleted their post… my post below was the first response, and not the OP.

Not sure if it’d help, but atm I’m working on a 100% resistance up-time build, and I’ve been rather happy with the results. However, I’ve not yet tested it in WvW (as I’m still trying to make sure I’ve worked out the major kinks), even though that’s my intended goal for it….

…Maybe carry a set of equipment for that build for such condi-bomb occasions? So, when you run into a zerg like that (and die), you swap out equipment and traits before running back into the fray?

Since I haven’t given my build a good WvW test, I can’t fully endorse it’d work for all the non-condi stuff one must face… but a Resistance build might be an option to explore….

~EW

And they’re corrupting your resistance? Have your group change up accordingly. In big fights, it’s often less about what you can do individually.

I can’t imagine only you’re getting melted by this…. If you are, then take a look at how you’re managing resistance and condi clears.

I’m honestly among the least qualified regarding large scale wvw fights (I’m 85% exclusive roaming, plus another 14.9% havoc), but I recommend using your resistance on the first push of any group you know that does this.

If your group is organized, have your commander beef up your resistance boon sharing and your group condi clears. I imagine it takes fewer resources to negate a condi bomb in a large fight than it does for them to drop one.

Boon corruption is a hard counter to a heavy Resistance (boon duration) build. Fortunately the only real corruption you need to worry about is from necros (wells/NCSY shout mainly if zerg). In solo land, Mesmer/Thief has strip boon (not corrupt) as well. I rarely see a Wells Necro running anything but in zerg but every Necro runs Wells.

Step #1, try to stay out of wide AoE wells or stay as close as possible to the blob since wells have a target limit of 5 and pulses once per second.

Step #2, have “cover” boons. Don’t focus on just having Resistance boon up.

Step #3, have condition removals too (lighter than normal but still important so run Brawler’s Recovery). Since Resistance converts to Chill condition run Dogged March (which also gives you a Regen cover boon – see #2). Running Cleansing Ire is useful still too but I haven’t found it required with a perma setup. Another option is using Sigils. And yet another option to play with is trait Savage Instinct probably over Smash Brawler; for me, SI is better in solo roaming and SB is better in zerg.

Finally, since you are running a perma-resistance setup, the only way to get there is Berserker Stance, Healing Signet and Durability Runes (not required but very good for base overlap) plus heavy boon duration gear and typically traited with Last Stand. Berserker Stance pulses every 3s so any use during that time is quickly replaced with the next tick < 3s later.

Here’s the thing, Guards and Revs and Eles are everywhere in Zerg situations and remove conditions nonstop so you can do what other people do and rely more on teammates to cover the odd situation where your Resistance is corrupted.

Artaz.3819:

Finally, since you are running a perma-resistance setup, the only way to get there is Berserker Stance, Healing Signet and Durability Runes (not required but very good for base overlap) plus heavy boon duration gear and typically traited with Last Stand. Berserker Stance pulses every 3s so any use during that time is quickly replaced with the next tick < 3s later.

Actually the build I’m currently running is slightly different: Wanderer’s gear (was Vigilant; either works), Healing Sig, Bers Stance, and Revenant Runes. I also replaced all the trinket jewels with Plat doubloons. Signet Mastery means I can use Sig of Rage every time it’s up for near-perma swift/might/fury, which fits in nicely with the padding boons you recommend. Other padding comes from Axe 4, 4GJ, Spiked Armor, and Last Stand.

I had dismissed Dogged March because of the lack of HP, but your argument for it makes sense. Thanx for that!

~EW

EphemeralWallaby.7643:

Artaz.3819:

Finally, since you are running a perma-resistance setup, the only way to get there is Berserker Stance, Healing Signet and Durability Runes (not required but very good for base overlap) plus heavy boon duration gear and typically traited with Last Stand. Berserker Stance pulses every 3s so any use during that time is quickly replaced with the next tick < 3s later.

Actually the build I’m currently running is slightly different: Wanderer’s gear (was Vigilant; either works), Healing Sig, Bers Stance, and Revenant Runes. I also replaced all the trinket jewels with Plat doubloons. Signet Mastery means I can use Sig of Rage every time it’s up for near-perma swift/might/fury, which fits in nicely with the padding boons you recommend. Other padding comes from Axe 4, 4GJ, Spiked Armor, and Last Stand.

I had dismissed Dogged March because of the lack of HP, but your argument for it makes sense. Thanx for that!

~EW

Interesting, I never did the Leadership Runes version. I prefer Battle Standard over a Signet Mastery/Signet of Rage build (which also locks you into Arms trait line) to provide some group support since banner has single-handedly won close zerg fights. Plus Banner gives boons too. And Durability does provide Protection boon for cover (even if only on hit). I landed on a Defense/Discipline/Berserker build because I love me some Adrenaline/F2 spam but it leaves options for non-essential traits and can handle different weapon setups too.

I guess if Durability Runes get nerfed, I would probably use Leadership Runes but then have to swap some Commander gear for Wanderer to make up for the Vitality difference. All personal preference at that point. Rune of Defender (supplement with Shield also becomes an interesting rune choice alternative if Signet Mastery build to me)

I’d never use Vigilant, I don’t see a need for condition duration since any burn/bleed damage is just bonus (seems minor in outcome or does no/little damage) so it’s either Commander or Wanderer. Food + Utility + Exotic trinkets with Platinum Doubloons to make up the difference to get to 100%.

Overall, having perma-resistance boon makes it a tougher than normal to take down WvW build – no doubt about that. Downside, is it’s also expensive to run and to make the gear for it to work. And no matter what you do, if you get corrupt spam/zerg pinned, you’re dead but that goes with every class and build.

Artaz.3819:

Interesting, I never did the Leadership Runes version. I prefer Battle Standard over a Signet Mastery/Signet of Rage build (which also locks you into Arms trait line) to provide some group support since banner has single-handedly won close zerg fights. Plus Banner gives boons too. And Durability does provide Protection boon for cover (even if only on hit). I landed on a Defense/Discipline/Berserker build because I love me some Adrenaline/F2 spam but it leaves options for non-essential traits and can handle different weapon setups too.

I got out of the habit of using banners in WvW because either I’d too frequently get out of range, or the casting/carrying became a liability. So these days I rarely even think of them for any WvW build… a PvE build, though, I think Battle Standard would be really good.

I rather like the arms trait line for my build, tbh. Since I’m using Wanderer’s, my crit chance is otherwise shot. But, with Signet mastery + fury I hold on to a ~40% crit chance most of the time with the occasional ~50% peaks. Even w/o any ferocity, it still synergizes with Rending Strikes and any on-crit sigils that catch my fancy to try out. Dual Wielding is also a nice perk of the line since I’m using offhand axe… but the warhorn you’ve got going might be better, and if I were to do that it’d give the freedom to drop Signet of Rage and take Burst Precision over Dual Wielding. Atm my trait selection is Arms/Defense/Tactics.

Artaz.3819:

I guess if Durability Runes get nerfed, I would probably use Leadership Runes but then have to swap some Commander gear for Wanderer to make up for the Vitality difference. All personal preference at that point. Rune of Defender (supplement with Shield also becomes an interesting rune choice alternative if Signet Mastery build to me)

Rune of the Herald would also be worth considering. I still prefer Rune of the Revenant only because it gives more resistance… meaning it takes less boon duration to keep myself in perma-resistance. As it stands, I find I can barely keep resistance up all the time at 60% duration, and comfortably at 80%.

Artaz.3819:

I’d never use Vigilant, I don’t see a need for condition duration since any burn/bleed damage is just bonus (seems minor in outcome or does no/little damage) so it’s either Commander or Wanderer. Food + Utility + Exotic trinkets with Platinum Doubloons to make up the difference to get to 100%.

Lol, I started with Vigilant because it was the cheapest/easiest thing for me to put together to otherwise test the other stuff going in the build. It worked okay with Berserker mace/mace or mace/warhorn, but there is a reason I’m moving onto Wanderers…. Like you I didn’t think the condi-duration from vigilant was good for burn/bleed… but possibly for the non-damaging condis that we can inflict. The one thing that Vigilant has over the others is Toughness as a primary stat… increasing AC by roughly 250ish as I recall. I’m choosing Wanderer’s over Commander’s mostly to have the vitality make up a bit of the toughness loss. If I weren’t running signet mastery, I’d definitely use Commander’s.

Artaz.3819:

Overall, having perma-resistance boon makes it a tougher than normal to take down WvW build – no doubt about that. Downside, is it’s also expensive to run and to make the gear for it to work. And no matter what you do, if you get corrupt spam/zerg pinned, you’re dead but that goes with every class and build.

And, you’ve shown me even more versatility in the build possibilities than I saw previously… thank you for that.

~EW