This was a thread initially created to ask for current support builds, not to debate the meaning or understanding of “support”. Please refrain from presuming ignorance in others and only post if you have something to contribute to the actual topic of this thread.
Here is a few meta and semi meta builds for different classes, take a look
Alot more of them, but starting to be a LONG post, so will only list a few more, since you asked about guard, ele and “reaper?” I will list these. If you are looking for something more specific let me know.
You did not need to go through all this trouble! I edited out the latter bit as I already had decided to go check out Druid and didn’t really care for any more pointers.
If nothing else it’s a handy list to come back to though and I rather appreciate the effort.
People where berserk, since you where able to do all the support in berserk. The support was reflects, might/fury buffing, stun break, stealth, etc all stuff you can do in berserker gear.
So before I stopped playing I had bored of the berserk meta.
One thing that you should know is that build != gear stats. In this “Berserker” meta you so hate players were always supporting and buffing.
It seems I need to clarify something. Back when I played, there was the universal meta that no matter what profession or build you were doing, you would be outfitted with berserk gear. On top of this, every profession had a meta build where all focused on maximizing your direct damage and it was widely discouraged to stray from this.
I am of course also aware that everyone had individual utility which was expected to be, well, utilized. Particularly in the community I was part of, there was the mentality that if you didn’t do it exactly right, you were a major liability.
So when I refer to a berserk meta, this is what I’m talking about. It didn’t matter which profession I played back then, because it would just be the same thing anyhow.
Coming back now I see more gear variety and a multitude of viable builds, thus my interest in seeking a more support focused profession to further suit my tastes.
I hope this will help dissuade any further condescending comments.
@Tarasicodissa: The thing with Nike was much more than trying to make me understand something and was definitely not for my own good. A few posts have been deleted now, and I’d appreciate ignoring that little bit of drama.
I believe I will check out Druid first as I already have a level 80 Ranger, so I can get started on that right away whereas I don’t have a Mesmer character, but I appreciate input and information.
First all, support builds have always been a part of the gw2 meta, it used to be that you where able to make due with a minimum of support, so your supporters was still running dmg builds while supporting (ps war, guard and mesmer was all 3 clear supporters in the old dungeon/frac meta).
In raids today, the general group will need more support and the builds (and the general meta) have therefore changed. This combined with the strong offensive and defensive effects of the elite specs, this have led to several “mainly support” role in alot of raid groups.
PS war is still 1 of them
Druid, either full magi, condi or berserker
Chrono, either as tank or as second chrono (some also use minstreal here)
That’s good to know. Before I quit playing, berserk meta was everything for every profession which spawned the “if you ain’t doing zerk you ain’t doing it right” mentality, but condi Druid sounds like it could be fun and challenging so I’ll go check it out.
I feel like I explained my position pretty thoroughly regarding support roles. If you still don’t understand it reread from the beginning.
I’m not harassing you. I don’t know you. Stop imafining yourself at the center of the universe.
I understand very well that you have a distaste for support roles and a poor view of those who find enjoyment in playing according to such roles. You are responding to my post, directly describing your idea of me; which has been nothing but demeaning and insulting, based on a poor assumption built from “hints” in my OP and then try to avoid it by claiming that I have been imagining all of that.
You are correct in that you don’t know me and I don’t know you either, which makes your passive-aggressive behaviour all the more unreasonable.
In gw2 raiding there are no dedicated buff bots who sit at the back and spam buffs and can get carried through content on the low skill support role. Even the “support classes” like warrior and mesmer are expected to contribute.
You seem to have a rather poor opinion of a “support role”, which makes me wonder what compelled you to answer my post. I’d see applying Fury, Might and Quickness as contribution, and I would consider the timely readiness for a groupwide Retaliation, Stability or Stunbreak as more than “low skill”.
Thing is though, there are builds that can do all of those things, while providing others. Chronos can provide perma-quickness while also tanking and doing some DPS. Warriors and Druids can provide healing and other buffs while also doing good DPS. So if you have a build that can provide both support AND damage, why would you ever take one that only does half of that?
Nike is the only one here suggesting that all a support can do is “sit back and buff”, while devaluing even that. I have my own ideas of what a support in GW2 specifically is and what it can do, which I haven’t defined in my posts. My response to Nike was to defend the contribution of utility and the presence of skill in keeping team mates up and active. All I asked for was some pointers for support professions, yet it attracted a debate on dedicated support roles.
In gw2 raiding there are no dedicated buff bots who sit at the back and spam buffs and can get carried through content on the low skill support role. Even the “support classes” like warrior and mesmer are expected to contribute.
You seem to have a rather poor opinion of a “support role”, which makes me wonder what compelled you to answer my post. I’d see applying Fury, Might and Quickness as contribution, and I would consider the timely readiness for a groupwide Retaliation, Stability or Stunbreak as more than “low skill”.
I am a returning player and the question is simply the topic title.
So before I stopped playing I had bored of the berserk meta. I don’t feel the competative spirit and I’m not interested in doing the biggest, flashiest damage. My greatest joy is in helping and supporting my team mates so they can do their job to the fullest and I need neither the spotlight nor gratitude to feel fulfilled in this. Part of why I quit was due to the mindset that if it wasn’t berserk, it was neither wanted nor needed.
Returning now I see that support is now something more appreciated and that a few professions now better provide this support after changes or the addition of elite specializations. But instead of jumping into the great unknown and fumbling around, I was hoping to get some pointers towards the new or current support Professions or Builds.
Edit: Because of an arguement made based on poor assumption at the start of this thread, people continue to walk into this post and similarly assume that there is no proper understanding of Professions and Roles in Guild Wars 2 and there have been both informative and condescending responses.
Even the “support classes” like warrior and mesmer are expected to contribute.
I’ll never understand the love/pure hatred for “zerk meta”.
Because I made the comment “I’m not interested in doing the biggest, flashiest damage.” it seems that people have thought that I intend to play the game without using action 1-5 and that I was trying to find a way to effectively “leech” off of groups as a “do-nothing support”. I can only repeat myself so much, but this assumption is WRONG and this post was made by an old player asking what professions or builds currently provided heavy and viable support in dungeon/fractal/raid settings.
This is NOT a thread to discuss the meaning of the word “support” and how it may apply to Guild Wars 2.
