A quick note on dodging: Quick Breathing will give also give you perma vigor via Call to Arms which is nice(and more condi clear), but in addition to this you have two sigils of energy on your weapons and due to the 15 points in strength that let you pick up Building Momentum, you should use your burst skill on mace as often as possible, regardless of adrenaline it gives you half an endurance bar, and then instantly refilling it with weapon swaps, mainly on the banner and then I would start talking about Adrenal Health so the synergy comes full circle. And not that your a DPS class, but having Reckless Dodge at the end of your myriad of them doesn’t hurt, just dont be reckless with when you use them.
When picking up these traits listed so far you also gain three minor traits that are a nice resurrection bonus in addition to your Runes of Mercy, and the vit and boon duration are key pickups.
In the Defense tree, in addition to Adrenal Health, Last Stand is a last resort in the event you aren’t able to predict a CC. 90% of them are adequately telegraphed and take practice to block, dodge or interrupt, but this trait covers that other 10%, and the last second stability is a moment of relaxation when someone is trying to de-bunk you.
The extra healing power and toughness are welcomed with open arms, but spiked armor, defy pain and armored attack just don’t outweigh the synergy that investing the 10 points else where that could top off this tree provide for the build. But Vigorous Return is picked up for key play in those team fights when it counts, and having Thick Skin doesn’t hurt.
Basic Weapon Application: Mace/Warhorn is outstanding at countering meta builds. The main idea is to keep auto attacking, dodging and keeping vigor up until your weapon swap pops. These two things will perma weakness up on your target which counters their would be perma vigor. The middle three skills are purely situational. I only use Counter Blow to block key knock backs so that they are still set on full cd (interrupting does not set most cc skills on full cd), and then use Pommel Bash as needed to interrupt the rest of them. Charge is used to remove the additional CCs and gain condi removal as needed, but I try not to waste it on things such as 1s of burning or cripple when on point. Try not to use this in succession with a heal as it would be a waste of Restorative Strength. Speaking of the strength tree, on weapon swap that 15% condi duration when auto attacking with rifle 8 stacks of bleeds and instinct will make them blow a condi removal. But I usually use a basic weapon swap rotation just as internal weaponswap cd is coming off and making sure the enemy doesn’t have stability, I start with a skull crack into a weaponswap to rifle butting them off point and aimed shot to delay them getting back, immediately after this I start banner swapping to regain full adrenaline, by the time you do this, dodge an incoming cc or squeeze in a Compassionate Banner, weapon swap is back up and you get to start all over again! This is only a basic rotation, but it’s a good place to start.
Basic Utility Application:
I always have the banner out for pregame buffs, personally I start stacking regen immedately with Compassionate Banner, then use Call to Arms followed by Charge and Inspire. For the rest of the utilities I try not to blow them in succession. You have up to 5 condi clears on warhorn, so I use those first. I find regen and Adrenal Health can out heal basic condi application, so don’t rush to clear them. For basic use I use mending as soon as I hit a threshold where I get the full heal and clear up to 5 conditions, save Shake it Off as a stun break and look at the condi removal as a side bonus unless you have an unusually high stack of bleeds or long burning duration which is usually kept at bay by the warhorn, then when condis come in really heavy, Signet of Stamina’s active does wonders to your survivability.
