Guild Wars 2

I just started playing this week, I will not act is if I know anything! My son plays and has 2 80 characters so he’s helping me learn game mechanics.

Questions:

1. I started a Warrior because it said easy to play and I figured I wanted to learn the game, also because I like having a shield. However it seems the shield is no more a shield then just another weapon with armor on it? Why does the shield not give block %, or extra dodge %? Kind of bums me out wanting to be a badarse tanky guy and my shield does nothing but stun on long cd with short range, and block for 3 sec.s with long cd!

2. I started playing with sword and axe as I liked the bleeds really help when i am stunned or knocked down kited etc. and then I can Whirlwind with axe when i get over whelmed, however I am told bleeds can and are easily removed?

Why have bleeds as a damage multiplier if they’re removed by every class so easily? So disappointing as I really wanted to be a bleed warrior… It seems everyone is a Great Sword I hate GS!

3. Will I end up ultimately becoming a cookie cutter for lack of viable diversity as a Warrior? PvP is my focus, PvE secondary to me. It really seems all Warriors play the same spec with the same gear and the same weapon?

Thanks for any input, I am level 20 right now like the game the slow run speeds are annoying but the game play and combat are refreshing. Just wondering if I should make another class, because I don’t want to be another GS wielding Warrior standing a post!

Meta build is for you.

it’s hard to believe that you see a lot of warrior with GS in pvp because its not good.

meta build is sword/warhorn that apply bleed burning and poison.

Ooooh, that sounds good! I shall research this, I want to be decently survivable, and be able to do some good damage no glass cannon stuff. I kind of would like to be a run in smash bash crash get people dotted and run out…

Ty for reply

Keep in mind that PvE and PvP are a lot different.

PvP : Most pvp build for the warrior use a Longbow because its so good, but the other weapon change a lot. The pvp meta build is using sword/warhorn right now, but Hammer or Axe/Sword are also good build especially when you start playing and do not face high end team. But since PvP is all about skill, there is a lot of build that can be good in the right hands even if they are not the best.

PvE : Warrior don’t have the best build diversity in there compare to other profession or Warrior in PvP. Most of us are runing GS + Axe/Mace because its simply the best setup. You can run GS only, or pure Axe build, those are decent build, but if you get away from those weapon to take a Hammer, Sword, Longbow, Rifle or Mace in main hand, then you start having a bad build. Don’t get me wrong you can use any weapons, but you won’t gonna be contributing a lot to your team. And its the internet so ppl are mean sometime when they see these kind of build. You can somehow hide your trait and gear, but you cannot hide what weapon you are using.

1. Warrior is definitely a good place to start, but I think you might be looking at GW2 combat through the eyes of someone who’s played some other MMOs that boil combat down to as little as a spreadsheet, a stopwatch, and don’t stand in red circles. There’s no such thing as % dodge or % block in GW2. In this game you’re not going to block attacks simply because you’ve equipped a shield or dodge an attack simply because you have a high dodge score. You have to hold up your Shield (or MH Mace/OH Sword) to block, and you have to hit your dodge key or use a skill which evades (GS #3) to evade an attack. There are no badarse tanky guys in this game.

2. Yes Bleeds and other conditions can technically be easily removed, but when playing with conditions you have to apply them faster than they can be cleansed and if it’s in your power to prevent them from being cleansed altogether to do so. Also, it may take a few seconds, but it’s not that hard to get someone loaded back up with conditions not long after they’ve cleansed.

3. All professions have to wrestle with the meta. It’s hardly exclusive to Warriors. There’s a lot more variety on the PvP/WvW end than PvE though. If PvP is your main focus experiment away since changing runes, sigils and amulets doesn’t cost you anything.

I disagree with Thadd here on the PVE section, with most of the game moving to World Boss and Open World Content, Zerker builds are less favorable because of the new mechanics in places like Silverwastes. I often use a Tanky Axe Shield GS build in PvE and it serves me much better than AxeMace did. Just like GW1, the Meta isn’t applicable to much aside from ‘Hardcore’ interest areas.

I’ll just repeat what Sagramor said mostly.

1. In GW2 (as stated before) you don’t rely on stats to dodge for you. You are in charge of dodging and managing your endurance. Same goes for blocking, other MMO’s simply… Would you rather win a fight because you perfectly used your block at the exact timing when it was needed, or would you rather lose a fight because the RNG% for blocking failed on you?

2. As stated above. Sure you can get rid of bleeding, but the sword applies bleeding on almost every auto attack (every 3rd applies a cripple). Condition (these are things like bleed, poison, confusion etc etc) build on warriors have become slowly more popular in the WvW roaming scene and a mix of it in PvP as well (longbow applying bleeds and burn).

3. PvE (at the moment, the upcoming expansion can change this) is simply a place where doing the most damage you can is the best build, most damage simply comes from a good rotation (at the moment GS + Axe/Mace).
However in sPvP? People say GS is bad, don’t use GS, when I enter a match and another warrior says “GS? Really?” I ask him after the x’th amount of time after I killed him “Leave the dark side, come back to the way Warrior is meant to be played. Stand with me brother, for together we shall cleanse the disease called Longbow warriors.”
In WvW? Thieves hate me, mesmers flame me, engineers get confused by me, rangers detest me, guardians sheek shelter from me, necromancers fear me, elementalists mistform back into their tower from me. This is what a warrior is when played the way you want to play him with the weapons you want to play him.

DontJudgeMe.3958:

I’ll just repeat what Sagramor said mostly.

1. In GW2 (as stated before) you don’t rely on stats to dodge for you. You are in charge of dodging and managing your endurance. Same goes for blocking, other MMO’s simply… Would you rather win a fight because you perfectly used your block at the exact timing when it was needed, or would you rather lose a fight because the RNG% for blocking failed on you?

2. As stated above. Sure you can get rid of bleeding, but the sword applies bleeding on almost every auto attack (every 3rd applies a cripple). Condition (these are things like bleed, poison, confusion etc etc) build on warriors have become slowly more popular in the WvW roaming scene and a mix of it in PvP as well (longbow applying bleeds and burn).

3. PvE (at the moment, the upcoming expansion can change this) is simply a place where doing the most damage you can is the best build, most damage simply comes from a good rotation (at the moment GS + Axe/Mace).
However in sPvP? People say GS is bad, don’t use GS, when I enter a match and another warrior says “GS? Really?” I ask him after the x’th amount of time after I killed him “Leave the dark side, come back to the way Warrior is meant to be played. Stand with me brother, for together we shall cleanse the disease called Longbow warriors.”
In WvW? Thieves hate me, mesmers flame me, engineers get confused by me, rangers detest me, guardians sheek shelter from me, necromancers fear me, elementalists mistform back into their tower from me. This is what a warrior is when played the way you want to play him with the weapons you want to play him.

What is your set up may I ask? I hate cookie cutter builds, and find it ruins the diversity of game play. However I also don’t want to be a lame duck either just feeding the enemy kills while I wallow around.

I really like Sword / Shield as it “Feels” like a Warrior, just wish the shield attacks were on a lowered CD, or the Shield gave a better armor bonus ( damage mitigation).

It seems Guardians can do everything a Warrior can but better and survive longer while buffing, healing, protecting? Maybe i am wrong….

I’ll keep leveling and see how it goes!

Myxam.2790:

I disagree with Thadd here on the PVE section, with most of the game moving to World Boss and Open World Content, Zerker builds are less favorable because of the new mechanics in places like Silverwastes. I often use a Tanky Axe Shield GS build in PvE and it serves me much better than AxeMace did. Just like GW1, the Meta isn’t applicable to much aside from ‘Hardcore’ interest areas.

If you can’t survive in zerk gear (ZERKER ISN’T A BUILD), nothing wrong with that, but that you. I don’t any single person in my guild that needed a more tanky build for SW. Ya its suprising at first but you bring a bit of immobilize and learn how to dodge and there isn’t much problem there. Axe/Mace is the best setup for dungeon (and combat in general), didn’t say that it should be use everywhere, I carry all weapons in my inventory and so should most ppl. As I also said, he can use variation of the meta and still be pretty good : GS camping or Pure axe both do decent job and you can use whatever off hand you want. It ain’t gonna be ideal, but it will do the job done.

Shieldbash.5304:

I really like Sword / Shield as it “Feels” like a Warrior, just wish the shield attacks were on a lowered CD, or the Shield gave a better armor bonus ( damage mitigation).

It seems Guardians can do everything a Warrior can but better and survive longer while buffing, healing, protecting? Maybe i am wrong….

I’ll keep leveling and see how it goes!

Guardian and Warrior have about the same dps (Warrior is still on top in most situation, but not by much). Warrior have passive high stats to stay alive, guardian use active defense. Warrior bring offensive buff (vulnerability, banners, might, fury), while guardian bring defensive utilities (blind, aegis, reflection, protection, condi removal). They are both really good and useful. Sword main-hand for a warrior isn’t a good idea in PvE. If you open world solo or dungeon solo or PvP yes its a great weapon, but in group event or dungeon you will not be that useful (Sword is a condition weapon and condition don’t work that well in group). If you really dislike GS, but love sword, you can still play a pure axe build like : Axe/Mace, Axe/Sword.

Guardian main build use GS + Sword/Focus if you would prefer that. Not ideal, but you could play GS + Sword/Shield on a guardian and still have a great build.

Shieldbash.5304:

DontJudgeMe.3958:

I’ll just repeat what Sagramor said mostly.

1. In GW2 (as stated before) you don’t rely on stats to dodge for you. You are in charge of dodging and managing your endurance. Same goes for blocking, other MMO’s simply… Would you rather win a fight because you perfectly used your block at the exact timing when it was needed, or would you rather lose a fight because the RNG% for blocking failed on you?

2. As stated above. Sure you can get rid of bleeding, but the sword applies bleeding on almost every auto attack (every 3rd applies a cripple). Condition (these are things like bleed, poison, confusion etc etc) build on warriors have become slowly more popular in the WvW roaming scene and a mix of it in PvP as well (longbow applying bleeds and burn).

3. PvE (at the moment, the upcoming expansion can change this) is simply a place where doing the most damage you can is the best build, most damage simply comes from a good rotation (at the moment GS + Axe/Mace).
However in sPvP? People say GS is bad, don’t use GS, when I enter a match and another warrior says “GS? Really?” I ask him after the x’th amount of time after I killed him “Leave the dark side, come back to the way Warrior is meant to be played. Stand with me brother, for together we shall cleanse the disease called Longbow warriors.”
In WvW? Thieves hate me, mesmers flame me, engineers get confused by me, rangers detest me, guardians sheek shelter from me, necromancers fear me, elementalists mistform back into their tower from me. This is what a warrior is when played the way you want to play him with the weapons you want to play him.

What is your set up may I ask? I hate cookie cutter builds, and find it ruins the diversity of game play. However I also don’t want to be a lame duck either just feeding the enemy kills while I wallow around.

I really like Sword / Shield as it “Feels” like a Warrior, just wish the shield attacks were on a lowered CD, or the Shield gave a better armor bonus ( damage mitigation).

It seems Guardians can do everything a Warrior can but better and survive longer while buffing, healing, protecting? Maybe i am wrong….

I’ll keep leveling and see how it goes!

My setup changes. Warriors are masters of weaponry, so I treat my class like that. My warrior doesn’t want to play 1 weapon setup. In my inventory I have a mace shield sword sword warhorn warhorn longbow rifle GS hammer hammer axe + 3 different armor sets. Depending on simply how I wish to play I switch out the weapons. Today I might want to go GS+Hammer, tomorrow I might want to go super troll and go Mace/Shield + Hammer, or what if I just want to go super duper troll and go sword/shield + Rifle.
Whichever weapons you pick as a warrior, you should always pick the appropriate traits and utilities for them too (sacrifice a utility for Signet of Might when you go rifle for example, to have the unblockable skill effect).
GW2 is not meant to be played with only 1 setup, thats why we have the versatile traits, versatile utilities, versatile armor and weapons. Some setups completely counter a certain setup no matter how good you are, so you have to slightly adjust your setup to ensure you can stay on top depending on the kind of enemy you’re facing.
I feel that if you stick to 1 setup you are keeping the fun of all the other weapons from you. Just pick the weapons you love or which simply feel right for you, and then simply practise them until you make them work.

If you really like it and want to make Sword/Shield work I’ve been messing around with zerk Sw/Sh + LB in WvW. I had been playing Hammer/GS meta (and I have zerk Sw/Sh + LB from old builds) so I just kept my gear from there.
http://gw2skills.net/editor/?fJAQNAseTjMdUFaZIehwJagfgC9t3C5gpAQdaMHlBA-T1SDwA9UiN5EAQ5BAkb/hnKPep+TlDBAI9BAMxpQJIkjAAZAW2CA-w
I’ll swap Vigorous Focus to Destruction of the Empowered and Great Fortitude to Death from Above from time to time.

As for your feelings on Shield, of the three profs who can use shields all three have 25 sec or higher cooldowns. Shields need to be used strategically. Shield Bash for setting up an Eviscerate/Final Thrust or interrupting a stomp/rezz/heal. And Shield Stance for blocking an opponents burst.

For PvP take a look at the Shoutbow meta as someone else pointed out or the more offensive Hybrid Sword meta.

axe/sheild with greatsword or longbow are really nice sets for pvp. also, you can trait shorter cooldowns for sheild and extra toughness when you have one equipped.

Yea Sag, pretty cool, I’ll check out both Shout and this spec you gave me…

I like GS but I don’t dig GS 3. I almost miss my old axe/wh build, some days.

What a random thing to complain about. Why make a new topic? It was right there on page 13.