Guild Wars 2

Lately I’ve been trying all kinds of experimental builds to maximize HB effectively. Bolas, bulls, physical mastery, Hammer/GS, sword/x, just a slew of your standard and a few non-standard builds.

Honestly the more I play around with GS the more disheartened I get about it. Now I’m just recently back from a very long hiatus ( played on release for a year, quit for about 2 ). During those days, the glass warrior (GS+Axe/shield) always felt strong. Tanky enough to out play, high enough damage to play “kill or be killed” style. Doesn’t feel that way these days.

I’ve been maining the 2/0/6/0/6 Hammer/GS build and while I enjoy it, lack luster in sPVP. I also don’t believe its an optimal dueling build ( compared to a lot of the meta-y class builds ) in WvW roaming. Not saying that it doesn’t work, just saying that I’m sure there is a much better build.

If we look at mesmer or thief replica of HB you’ll notice that theirs are much more potent in terms of usage. Sure, if you get a full crit string of a full HB you’ll see hp bars delete. Doesn’t really happen against competent players. Mesmer gains invincibility during a shorter animation, Thief gains evade + stun. So why not Warriors -anything-?

I would really like to hear some suggestions out there. A few of mine:

Make HB root on contact
Allow player to continue to move during animation
Speed up natural animation or cut the full duration in half (or something)
Allow another skill in GS to root/stun/hard slow (maybe GS 5 = bulls charge )

GS just seems so lack luster these days and honestly its the main reason I play my warrior. I hate the idea of long bow. I’m not a particular fan of 1h sword. I do really enjoy the hammer/gs and axe/shield+gs. I also feel like its required to run Endure Pain and/or Berserker Stance as utilities leaving only 1 or 2 slots for a stability skill and your choice.

GS hammer will only work vs competent players if u take the 20606 into 006202 for leg specialist. Hammer 3# into earthshaker, so that they “cant” dodge it.

For SPvP I changed out GS for LB with hammer, found that better overall than GS.

Yeah I’ve messed around a lot with 2 into tactics. Seems more consistent. But I do love seeing 2k+ crits on a dodge roll.

I rarely use HB anymore running GS/Axe.SW.

I use the GS to kite and deal extra damage while charging up for bursts with evis.

GS/Hammer works because you have multiple ccs to help set up HB but it’s still super hard against some classes (esp with blind and kiting)

I’d love to talk about Geek Squad!

Honestly though, GS is best when you don’t worry about landing hundred blades. HB should just be used to force your opponent to run/dodge if they go too offensive or just to cleave downed enemies/rezzers. Outside of that, utilize the weapon as a mobile offensive tool.

Until Stronghold comes out though, I think LB just overshadows GS due to being able to paint a node in fire.

Disregard Hundred Blades. It’s here to cleave bodies, for when you land a CC (Pin Down if we’re talking sPvP) and an occasional surprise for an enemy circling back into melee distance. All of the other abilities save #1 deal good damage and you should rely on those plus Reckless Dodge and procs to kill your enemy.

Greatsword is what makes Warrior viable in WvW. It’s a fine weapon, albeit a quirky one.

Well there’s your problem, focusing on HB.

Whirlwind is one of THE strongest abilities in the game (if you can aim it). Load up double proc sigils and go to town.

HB combos are there to pressure not to kill outright.

GS needs to be a 5-target cleave weapon on all its skills, except #5 Rush.

Or

100b needs to be highly buffed, 100b should be Hard setup/risk but also high reward, But in fact the “reward” is not high anymore.

I mean what is the point in 100b when Axe auto attack can out damage it + without self rooting ?

BicTheLighter.7612:

Make HB root on contact
Allow player to continue to move during animation
Speed up natural animation or cut the full duration in half (or something)
Allow another skill in GS to root/stun/hard slow (maybe GS 5 = bulls charge )

1. Root on contact, does not really sound like a good idea on the most damaging single skill in the game.

2. Has been suggested many times. What will make it different from axe 5? How much would the damage have to be nerfed then?

3. Cutting the duration time in half seems a bit much, but they could definitely decrease it after what they did to longbow 2 for rangers. That change was stupid to begin with though, so we may not want to take the same route.

4. No, again, you need to sacrifice something (in this case a utility).

All in all, you are missing the point of GS skills. As the guy above me stated, Whirlwind is where the real dmaage comes from (unless playing something like mace/GS), HB is there to put on some pressure or cleave the downed.

All in all, GS just needs the damage nerfs reverted and it would be very close to fine.

Agreed. Damage nerfs should be reversed – GS would be fine then.

Make HB the melee version of Rapid Fire. Nerf the damage, shorten its cast time a little bit, you can use it while on the move (alter the animation accordingly) and each strike applies vulnerability. Tada! GS warrs just became a thief counter. And the GS itself became much more fluid and fun.

The damage reduction does need to be reverted. I guess the mentality was that the new Arcing Slice might add too much DPS but let’s face it the skill is better than it was but far from amazing.

I am actually fine with the functionality of 100b, it’s a skill that hits hard but requires a setup. With a bow and Bull’s Charge you have enough setups for the skill to be useful. Take Leg Spec and Hydromancy and land Bladetrail after swapping and you can land most of it. With a Hammer you can use Earthshaker or Backbreaker as a setup (there’s also Mace but atm it just feels too weak).

I will say that I wouldn’t complain if the full channel time was reduced to 3 seconds.

So you’ve never stunned someone with head crack and landed a 23k HB? I’m sad for you

nicknamenick.2437:

JackSpacer.4320:

So you’ve never stunned someone with head crack and landed a 23k HB? I’m sad for you

not this joke talk again.

sure build around for that single 100b skill maby you will do great in pvp team!
going FULL zerker (no CI!) because else you will never ever hit 23k in pvp NEVER.
Lets see how hard you fail after you been trying to setup your skull crack.
(because nobody runs atleast 1 stunbreak right? or no blind or whatever? sure you will hit it sometimes and you will kill some with this but its useless like 80 of the time..)

But but 100b!! pff in the mean time while you trying to setup your skull crack > 100b rotation other can do the same dmg without effort in that timeframe.

lol

Thanks for taking the bait mate. Do you rate it 8/8?

Calm down sunshine. I’m sure you’re a delight to be around IRL too. XD

This isn’t the conversation I thought it was.

people using gs wrong

even if your main weapon is gs 100b isnt your only high damage skill the bust skill is the real kicker 100b is more of an execute skill on immobilized targets

gs F1 hits for 50% more damage on targets under 50% hp and also grands fury

Rezzet.3614:

people using gs wrong

even if your main weapon is gs 100b isnt your only high damage skill the bust skill is the real kicker 100b is more of an execute skill on immobilized targets

gs F1 hits for 50% more damage on targets under 50% hp and also grands fury

But not having ways to use 100b reliably means you may have a skill that has almost no practical use. In my opinion that’s just unacceptable. Every skill on my bar should have a use. That’s why traits like leg spec or skills like Bull’s Charge are important.

Rezzet.3614:

people using gs wrong

even if your main weapon is gs 100b isnt your only high damage skill the bust skill is the real kicker 100b is more of an execute skill on immobilized targets

gs F1 hits for 50% more damage on targets under 50% hp and also grands fury

First you need get them down to said 50%. With what..Gs 1? Please..

As it stands now i feel gs has 4 skills, i never use hb as i dont have a ways to set it up in my build – and i reject doing so, just like i dislike war longbow so i dont use it at all (actually i dont even play war anymore due to how horrible warrior is for me in current state)

Every other weapon sets has a way to set up certain combos (just look at mes sword) or secondary effect like ranger axe 5 where you reflect projectiles except our lovely gs where you have to use offset to actually have a bit of chance to land it. I rathen take axe and spam 1, same damage and mobile while doing so.

I like GS-Axe/Shield in sPvP (playing only solo) because it’s a totally different feeling/play style than Hambow (so slow), Axebow or Shoutbow. I need the GS for the extra evades and mobility when going full Zerker. I’ve tested several builds with that weapon combination, 60404 is what works best for me. I rarely use 100b against someone who actually fights me, but it’s often useful to support other players or make people move when rezzing. With 6 in Strength it can’t just be ignored and tanked.