Guild Wars 2

You can’t. Either you reroll like most of the warrior community or take defense over strenght as you run a condi build. Still tho rerolling is much more optimal option compered to other.

Go play zerker shatter Mesmer for a while.

I don’t run the defensive line on War, nor take endure pain on the bar, or a shield for that matter. I’ve mained Mesmer since release and only picked up war as an alt in the last year. The only build I’ve played on war is Kshot, using str, arms, disc, and now Berserker with str, disc, bers. The weapons I took were Rifle sw/wh, and now Rifle/GS.

Coming from Mesmer I never understood the whole “standing in the thick of things, soaking hits, out-sustaining my enemy” thing that Warrior can do. Instead I brought my knowledge of Mes to my war game: kiting, duking, bursting, and proper skill management, to overcome my enemies. There’s not a direct coloration since the weapons, skills, utils, armor and HP are different, but the theory is the same. If you want to survive without the defensive line you have to play in a certain way. Obviously the right setup is required.

Don’t get me wrong though, the Defensive line will better your odds, and it’s sound to take it. But the suggestion that you can’t live without it is… well wrong.

You could also always watch footage of it at play.

Basic tips

• Don’t over extend
• Disengage when focused
• Try to save your mobility for disengage, outpace your enemies
• Know your role, don’t try to sustain on point without sustaining options (like Defense)
• Manage your utils appropriately, don’t play dangerously when they’re on CD
• Bring a ranged option
• Bring a mobility option
• Other stuff

Choosing a different character and going on with that. Sadly, so many core professions and warriors are doing that right now.

I did all of the HoT maps as a full zerker GS warrior. Its not hard. Learn the telegraphs for the big hitters, dodge. Sometimes you’ll die because you made a mistake. Learn from it.

There are a few bosses where melee will just die (Axemaster in Dragon’s Stand or Guild Hall claiming as an example), it doesn’t matter what class you are, so bring a Longbow or Rifle with you to swap in.

Maybe Dire gear and pack a sw+sh as your alt set, along with stances? You won’t be great around condi clears due to lack of condi diversity, but you’ll do solid damage otherwise and have more sustain.