Guild Wars 2

Okay, I’m starting to understand the difference. I’ll have to try this build again, because I was playing it too passively the first time around (right when I hit 80 in mastercrafted gear). I wish they had a quick way to switch between 2 presaved builds and gear. It’d be so much easier to toggle a pve and pvp spec.

Hi Osicat,
Thanks for the detailed guide. I’ve been able to learn a lot from it (fairly new to GW2 and just started gearing up at 80). I have some questions I was hoping you could help me out with.

I’m running something similar to your 3.2 Shatter Cat Phantasm Hybrid build, with some slight differences. I’m mainly running PvE (CoF) these days (limited time due to work), but looking for insight into both PvE and WvWvW. (sPvP is a different beast that I’ll conquer at a different time).

First: PVE. I am running a full berserker gearset when running dungeons. I’m using GS with Sword/Focus on swap. I feel like this weapon setup gives me higher sustained damage output than a staff would. Especially for fights where I would be safer from afar, I feel GS does more damage than staff. I understand the defensive abilities of staff are without equal, but I haven’t really encountered the need for the staff defensive skills. Am I mistaken? Am I completely clueless?

Because I am running GS instead of staff, I differ on two major traits. Instead of Powered Illusion (Domination:3), I use Greatsword Training (Domination:10). Instead of Compounding Power (Illusions:3), I use Phantasmal Haste (Illusions:10).

Lastly, I mentioned I am working towards a full berserker gearset for PvE. I realize this will be situational, and I am planning to build a slightly tankier set that will work for PvE + WvWvW. I’ll discuss below.

Second: WvWvW, My setup is exactly the same as the above for PvE, but with different reasoning. First, I haven’t yet acquired a set that will allow me to survive on the front lines (glass cannon), so I feel I have to stay in the back. This is the reason I stuck with GS here as well. However, I also feel that GS gives more AoE damage output, with skill 2, 3, and 4, with a decent defensive utility in skill 5. I feel with GS + Sw/Fo, I have great offensive abilities. Can you elaborate on why you recommend staff over GS? I feel that switching to staff to take advantage of the defensive abilities greatly hurts your offensive abilities.

Here is my main question: gear. I definitely will be getting a set of gear to replace my glass cannon berserkers to use in WvWvW. How does the following setup and stats look?
Chest = Knight
Pants = Valk
Helm/Shoulders/Gloves/Boots = Berserker
Amulet = Ascended Berserker (O)
Ring1 = Cavalier/Cavalier (O)
Ring2 = Cavalier/Cavalier (D)
Accessory1 = Berserker
Accessory2 = Berserker
Back = Berserker/Berserker
Weapons = Berserker

Runes/Sigils:
Armor = Rune of Centaur
GS = precision stacking
sword = fire
focus = force

Stats look to be:
Power 2276
Precision 1650
Toughness 1223
Vitality 984
Critical Damage +82%
Critical Chance 38.95%
Armor 2143
Health 15762

Effective Power 3446.25
Effective Health (EHP) 18398
Damage Reduction 14.33%
Reference Armor 1836

I feel like I need more vitality. Definitely would like to be at 1600+. Not sure what to drop to pick more up.

Wow, that went a lot longer than expected. Obviously I have a lot of questions and was hoping to get some of your insight! Thanks in advance!