Guild Wars 2

Mace is the new axe, at least in pvp while playing the new meta. Blind, cripple, 4 stacks of bleed, 4 stacks of confusion, and a daze. Oh and don’t worry, same range as eviscerate now (usually with a better cd when traited so the condi’s stack of course).

Inw axe is vanilla now. Can anyone honestly say they prefer Decapitate? Why not just increase the range to 450 or make it give might with less damage or something? Every axe pvp Warrior loved eviscerate but because mace just made a better version with condi’s we have to pick mace.

Mace/shield was always meta in spvp, check builds people ran in 2014 (gs+mace/shield or hammer/mace+shield).

Yes on skull grinder, but I disagree that mace has always meta in spvp.

Mace/gs was big for a brief while, but then it had its cast time got cranked and its animation made more obvious and the build diminished somewhat. I don’t recall hammer/mace ever being meta, though it did see some use.

Hambow, shoutbow, and even axebow were all meta longer than any mace build pre HoT.

When I first saw Drazeh on his stream running Mace in a full power build with Berserker amulet I was wondering why he is not using axe instead. But it makes sense of course, you need the extra block and CC that mace brings if you run Berserker amulet. And on top of that, Skull Grinder is the better primal burst, even in a power build. It just has so much utility while being as easy to land as Decapitate (unlike Skull Crack where you needed to worry about timing and positioning).

For team fights in mid I would still run Axe but for 1v1s Mace is clearly better.

Decapitate just feels so bleh……I don’t get why anyone can take maxe MH with berserker traited because of how bleh the f2 is.. Decapitate is seriously disgusting feeeling when I use it…..its crummy damage and jagged animation with short range. it has 2 damage components…. but I honestly have 0 clue why the shockwave damage part even exists as its so minuscule. And its jsut awkward loooking…..awkward feeling. And you basically can’t use eviscerate hardly ever if you go berserk. Evicserate was so satisfyingn to use….now its just a case of “crap I hit f1 instead of f2…or wats the point in me taking berserker tyrait if im not even using it.”

its just bad…..i want my old axe back

Mace was meta before the CD got increased then it was GS/Hammer. But HOT ruined Hammer and Axe was popular because the Auto attacks are strong. However ive always loved mace. Ive been using mace since HOT release in PvP and WvW.

ulchanar.4309:

When I first saw Drazeh on his stream running Mace in a full power build with Berserker amulet I was wondering why he is not using axe instead. But it makes sense of course, you need the extra block and CC that mace brings if you run Berserker amulet. And on top of that, Skull Grinder is the better primal burst, even in a power build. It just has so much utility while being as easy to land as Decapitate (unlike Skull Crack where you needed to worry about timing and positioning).

For team fights in mid I would still run Axe but for 1v1s Mace is clearly better.

Ive been running GS/Mace/Shield on power warrior build with Marauder amulet this season. I like it a lot. Berserker amulet has more dps but IMO the loss of survivability is not worth it for me. But then again im average skill level at best. I would think top level players would be just fine with berserker amulet.

Skull Grinder has always been strong on Power builds welcome to 2 years ago or however its been.

Spartacus.3192:

ulchanar.4309:

When I first saw Drazeh on his stream running Mace in a full power build with Berserker amulet I was wondering why he is not using axe instead. But it makes sense of course, you need the extra block and CC that mace brings if you run Berserker amulet. And on top of that, Skull Grinder is the better primal burst, even in a power build. It just has so much utility while being as easy to land as Decapitate (unlike Skull Crack where you needed to worry about timing and positioning).

For team fights in mid I would still run Axe but for 1v1s Mace is clearly better.

Ive been running GS/Mace/Shield on power warrior build with Marauder amulet this season. I like it a lot. Berserker amulet has more dps but IMO the loss of survivability is not worth it for me. But then again im average skill level at best. I would think top level players would be just fine with berserker amulet.

With 2 blocks, 2 EPs, 2 sources of resistance, all that CC and the mobility of GS you don’t really need the extra life of Marauder. If you keep in mind that you can always leave/reset a fight and don’t make that decision too late you can hardly be killed even with Berserker.

ulchanar.4309:

Spartacus.3192:

ulchanar.4309:

When I first saw Drazeh on his stream running Mace in a full power build with Berserker amulet I was wondering why he is not using axe instead. But it makes sense of course, you need the extra block and CC that mace brings if you run Berserker amulet. And on top of that, Skull Grinder is the better primal burst, even in a power build. It just has so much utility while being as easy to land as Decapitate (unlike Skull Crack where you needed to worry about timing and positioning).

For team fights in mid I would still run Axe but for 1v1s Mace is clearly better.

Ive been running GS/Mace/Shield on power warrior build with Marauder amulet this season. I like it a lot. Berserker amulet has more dps but IMO the loss of survivability is not worth it for me. But then again im average skill level at best. I would think top level players would be just fine with berserker amulet.

With 2 blocks, 2 EPs, 2 sources of resistance, all that CC and the mobility of GS you don’t really need the extra life of Marauder. If you keep in mind that you can always leave/reset a fight and don’t make that decision too late you can hardly be killed even with Berserker.

I take marauder because when facing boon heavy enemies I drop brawlers recovery for Destruction of the empowered. So I get a lot of extra damage and the extra vitality from marauder helps me soak up the condis that I don’t cleanse as much anymore. I love fighting Druids or Revs with Destruction of the Empowered. Soooooo much extra damage modifiers. If I was a better player I would take zerk amulet but im average at best.

Warriors don’t need marauder. I do like mara weapons though. Full Mara is like what full soldier used to be Training Wheels for new players.

Decapitate has another purpose (also counter to axe role like skull grinder is to the mace) and that is superior synergy with King of Fires due to being a leap finisher and a berserker skill, allowing you to instantly create and detonate fire auras (assuming you are using torch or longbow for the fire fields). The problem is that it works horribly with teammates (if they put a field down first, you lose your condi damage) and you have 0 defense (lol axe/torch/longbow). Too bad the Powerful Synergy trait sucks (detonate 2 fire auras would be nice) and King of Fires is so hard to use consistently (unless solo). Additionally you can’t even really fit tactics since defense is mandatory (you have no defensive weapons) and you need discipline in order to have axe available whenever you use a firefield.

So rip. It’s fun though when it works.

Also why is skull grinder a blast finisher? really gotta boost that might for everyone on a defensive condi weapon i guess?

Decapitate has a more obvious animation, longer cast time, crappy cleave even if its better than mace cleave, leap vs blast finisher and the skills on the weapon besides the burst skill all suck.
auto attack has the damage loaded into the end of the chain, skill 2 and 3 are just there to be spammed with no real utility. yeah axe was well designed.
the higher stats outside of pvp can make the burst skill damage compensate a bit but in pvp it is kinda hard to overlook the defense and utility mace offers over axe.
blind, block, cc spam , blast finisher ,can bury poison from doom under a pile of trash and ok damage vs damage? that isnt enough compromise to favor axe in pvp even if it were a power build