Guild Wars 2

Hi all,

I’ve recently started using (or trying to use) a hammer and mace/WH build in WvW. I use this almost excusively for zergs. However, I haven’t used hammer before. My PvE build was rifle and …. anything but hammer and LB basically. I usually went with axe/mace or GS.

Anyway, I find when in WvW zerg fighting I’m fairly useless because I have no idea how to fight with my build. I feel slow and clunky when using the hammer. Can anyone please tell me how they use their hammers so I can at least try some stuff out? I realize that experience will help, but my server is always under-manned in WvW so I kind of need to get better as fast as possible. I’ve tried watching some videos but I have a hard time seeing everything the people are doing at the same time.

I appreciate any assistance. Thanks!

Well you’re build doesn’t work well for mobility, that would attribute to your clunkiness, replace mace with sword and you can use savage leap to close distances, escape, and generally move around. I assume you are using mace for the Unsuspecting Foe trait, but you don’t really need mace if you have the hammer. Also give us your traits so we can understand your build a little better

We don’t know what your gear is, or your trait setup, etc. If you can provide this, maybe we can adjust some and guide you a bit more particular.

So, give us more information.

OK, I will post my build when I get home from work tonight for sure! Thanks for the replies though!

I got so frustrated with my hammer build that I ended up switching to my rifle and mace/WH, but actually got admonished by a guildmate and told I should be using the hammer so I really want to make a try of it.

Here is a short clip from last night, this isn’t a large zerg on either part but the idea is the same. http://www.twitch.tv/attack__attack/c/3213050

Move up to the front line and try to stun as many people as possible, knockdown, dps and then get back to your backline to regen a bit. Use Earthshaker to blast finish combo fields, I generally try and blast water/healing fields first. Rinse and repeat.

We ended up losing the tower in this clip, it’s just an example of how hammer is utilized.

Note that it excels more with choke points (top of stairs going up to the lords room for example).

AttackAttack.8917:

Here is a short clip from last night, this isn’t a large zerg on either part but the idea is the same. http://www.twitch.tv/attack__attack/c/3213050

Move up to the front line and try to stun as many people as possible, knockdown, dps and then get back to your backline to regen a bit. Use Earthshaker to blast finish combo fields, I generally try and blast water/healing fields first. Rinse and repeat.

We ended up losing the tower in this clip, it’s just an example of how hammer is utilized.

Note that it excels more with choke points (top of stairs going up to the lords room for example).

Dat music. Very much enjoyed the tunes on this video.

Anyway, that’s basically the jist. You come flying in, AoE stun, AoE knockback, conal snare, grab some attention, then vanish back through your line. People want to target the person who just dove into them, so having stability on hand is definitely preferred, and Zerker Stance helps you shrug off any conditions that tried to get spammed/are on the ground everywhere all the time.

At least that’s the style I’ve used, but I like my mobility. If you want a more conservative style since you’re using Mace/WH, you could still dive, but make it more controlled. With a GS as the secondary you can get wild with it, but if you make sure to use your WH to cleanse properly, keep your vigor up, and block a shot or so with the Mace, you could launch in with the Hammer, cause some disarray, apply some more central stun with the Mace, then roll your way out. It’ll be riskier, but that’s what I envision your ZvZ will look like.

That being said, I’d recommend a Sword MH if you want to use a WH, for the mobility (as was mentioned). Being able to bust out of a Zerg is part of the key to survival in diving in with the Hamme-Hamme-Hammer.

Thanks for the like! Be cautious, not all my videos have music of that genre!

I know we haven’t seen the OPs build yet, but in order for Sword to be effective as mentioned it needs to be coupled with the ‘Mobile Strikes’ trait

OK, here is my current build…. sorry for the delay, been a long, long day :p

http://gw2skills.net/editor/?fIEQNBiSDbk0p4N4RFiJOggeohVBXcUoEAoSxcYHA-jEFBYLw4LBCnJZ0yQEHAkIw0IJL9pIaslRFRjV1ATVCRZCV7CQ/CSFD2OOQG0weDIuDouEYyAwMGA-w

AttackAttack.8917:

Here is a short clip from last night, this isn’t a large zerg on either part but the idea is the same. http://www.twitch.tv/attack__attack/c/3213050

Move up to the front line and try to stun as many people as possible, knockdown, dps and then get back to your backline to regen a bit. Use Earthshaker to blast finish combo fields, I generally try and blast water/healing fields first. Rinse and repeat.

We ended up losing the tower in this clip, it’s just an example of how hammer is utilized.

Note that it excels more with choke points (top of stairs going up to the lords room for example).

Thanks for the clip! I never thought I should run in and then book it to heal. Seems so obvious now :p

Cogbyrn.7283:

AttackAttack.8917:

Here is a short clip from last night, this isn’t a large zerg on either part but the idea is the same. http://www.twitch.tv/attack__attack/c/3213050

Move up to the front line and try to stun as many people as possible, knockdown, dps and then get back to your backline to regen a bit. Use Earthshaker to blast finish combo fields, I generally try and blast water/healing fields first. Rinse and repeat.

We ended up losing the tower in this clip, it’s just an example of how hammer is utilized.

Note that it excels more with choke points (top of stairs going up to the lords room for example).

Dat music. Very much enjoyed the tunes on this video.

Anyway, that’s basically the jist. You come flying in, AoE stun, AoE knockback, conal snare, grab some attention, then vanish back through your line. People want to target the person who just dove into them, so having stability on hand is definitely preferred, and Zerker Stance helps you shrug off any conditions that tried to get spammed/are on the ground everywhere all the time.

At least that’s the style I’ve used, but I like my mobility. If you want a more conservative style since you’re using Mace/WH, you could still dive, but make it more controlled. With a GS as the secondary you can get wild with it, but if you make sure to use your WH to cleanse properly, keep your vigor up, and block a shot or so with the Mace, you could launch in with the Hammer, cause some disarray, apply some more central stun with the Mace, then roll your way out. It’ll be riskier, but that’s what I envision your ZvZ will look like.

That being said, I’d recommend a Sword MH if you want to use a WH, for the mobility (as was mentioned). Being able to bust out of a Zerg is part of the key to survival in diving in with the Hamme-Hamme-Hammer.

Thanks for the advice. I’m pretty good with the GS so maybe I’ll try that with the hammer. I can try a few different things I guess

Your build is similar to what I run but instead I only take 10 in Arms (with UF or whatever Adept trait you want, I use Furious Reaction) and put 30 into Disc and get Burst Mastery.

Burst mastery is good because if you ever Earthshaker, the only thing you have to wait on to do it again is the CD rather than have to get some adrenaline first, the increase in damage is good as well.

If you’re going to stick with Mace then your Disc traits are fine but if you swap out sword for mace drop Signet Mastery and pick up mobile strikes. Sword 2 is a movement ability, so you get a snare removal out of it with that trait.

Thank you for the help Attack! I don’t feel I need to stick with the mace. I think I’ll try sword for a while and see if I get better results. Good advice on the traits, thank you