I’m new to GW2 and am about to hit 80 on my first character. I’m wondering for PvE/Dungeons what would be best for a newbie – doing an offensive trait build and then getting Vitality/Toughness gear or defensive trait build with Power/Precision gear?
Gear gives far more bonus to your stats than the traits will. So, generally speaking, an offensive trait build with Vitality/Toughness gear will end up more a defensive build and vice versa. There are two approaches:
1. Start as pure DPS which can force you to learn the ins/outs of a dungeons or area and you’ll eventually learn the skills necessary to survive as a pure DPS player.
2. Start with a defensive/tanky approach and phase in more DPS as you learn the content.
Pick whichever method suits you better.
So I was thinking of a build that has 30 points into Tactics for the healing shouts and then 15 points into Defensive for Adrenal Health (which also gives +Healing that helps the healing shouts). Which then only leaves 25 points for some offensive talent that I’m thinking would go all into Arms and then full Berserker gear.
But I’m not sure if I would be better going the other route with a pure offensive tactic build and then wearing tankish type gear.
So, personally, I don’t find Adrenal Health to be that awesome of a skill. To me, if someone is investing points into the Defense line, it starts to push the weapon selection towards Hammer/Mace. One of beauties of Mace/Hammer are the CC skills, your F1 adrenaline based skill being one of them. So, if you’re using your adrenaline for the burst skills, you aren’t getting the passive regeneration. In short, don’t tie yourself too strongly to Adrenal Health.
Going Mace/Hammer is by no means a requirement when spending points in Defense of course, but as you said, since you’re also considering 30 points in Tactics, this limits the available points to spend elsewhere. Greatsword does well with points in both Strength and Arms, which, for the best bang-for-buck, would normally mean 20 points in each line, which you won’t have if you spend 30 in Tactics and 15 in Defense.
An alternative approach, especially if you like the Shout build and will keep 30 in Tactics is use Runes that further boost your boon duration. Example: 2x Strength, 2x Speed, 2x Water. Strength gives 20% Might duration bonus, Speed gives 20% Swiftness duration and Water gives a general 15% boon duration. (Note: There are other sets of Runes which give the same bonuses on the first two Runes, that may be cheaper than these specific Runes.) What this does is get your total Might and Swiftness duration boon to 65%. Since you’re running a Shouts build, I assume you’ve taken the Shouts cooldown reduction trait. If you also spend 10 points in Discipline and take the signet cooldown trait, you get:
- For Great Justice applying 3 stacks of Might with 41+ second duration, on a 20 second cooldown. So that’s 6 Stacks of Might up constantly.
- Signet of Rage applies 5 stacks of Might and Swiftness with 49+ second duration, on a 48 second cooldown. So, another 5 stacks of Might and Swiftness up constantly.
- Between FGJ and SoR, you also end up with permanent Fury.
If you then take the adept level Empowered trait in the Tactics line, it grants 2% damage bonus per boon, which means 6% constant damage bonus. For WvW and PvE, permanent Swiftness is just so incredibly spoiling. Dungeons it’s probably not as beneficial.
In the end, you’ve spent 40 points for a pretty much permanent bonus of 385 Power, 20% Critical Chance, Swiftness, and 6% damage bonus. Not too shabby. You have 30 points and 2 skill slots (not counting your heal) to customize to your situation, personal play style, general mood, and/or weapon choice.
This is basically the backbone of my Warrior builds. I have three basic sets of gear:
- DPS: Full Berserker’s gear set, with a GS, Longbow, and several Axes (various Sigils)
- Bleed: Full Rabid armor, Carrion trinkets (except back piece being rare Rabid)/jewels, Knight’s weapons with several Swords (various Sigils), and an Axe. (I use the Berserker’s Longbow as my secondary weapon). Great part of this particular build is Might helps both direct damage and condition damage, so the build still does respectable direct damage, with bleeds ranging from 100-125, maintaining at least 10 stacks.
- Tank: Soldier’s armor, Knight’s Hammer and Mace, Berserker’s shield and Axe, Knight’s trinkets with Berserker’s Jewels (except back piece with is a Rare Soldier’s).
I find all three builds to be incredibly fun.
