Guild Wars 2

Latest Update – 1/28/2016

Updated text and video for 1/26 patch

Video Guide

https://youtu.be/zGQwNZRqRyk

General Text Guide

Gear

Stats

• Berserker
• 1 Toughness Trinket – One trinket to help grab aggro for some fractal content. You will have some downtime of hardening persistence.

Infusions

• Power

Weapons

• Sword (Main Hand) – Main weapon
• Axe – Main offhand
• Sword (Off Hand) – If you need a block on swap
• Shield – If you need to do block rotations along with sword
• Hammer – Blasting fields out of combat or need to range stuff
• Staff – CC
• Mace – Fire field and blast out of combat if need be

Runes

• Scholar – Best choice for groups
• Strength – Best choice for solo or pugs that don’t stack might. You can run a Strength Sigil instead for a smaller personal dps loss in groups to proc more might.

Sigils (Multiple sets is optimal)

• Night + Force
• Slaying + Force or Night
• Daytime – Force + Air
• Alternative Sigil – Strength

Consumables

Food

• Bowl of Seaweed Salad – Most optimal food for record runs
• Sweet and Spicy Butternut Squash Soup – Best food for groups
• Fried Golden Dumplings – Best food for solo or if you chose strength runes
• Experimental Remnant or Bowl of Asparagus and Sage Salad – Good cheap alternative

Utility

• Slaying Potions – The best choice if the mobs are all the same type
• Bountiful Sharpening Stones – Best if slaying is not useful

Here is an up to date high level Fractal guide shown from the Guardian’s perspective. Dekeyz is working on an Elementalist version and I have a link to them if they are up on the start of the video.

Videos

• Aetherblade
• Aquatic Ruins
• Captain Mai Trin
• Cliffside
• Molten Duo
• Molten Furnace
• Snowblind
• Solid Ocean
• Swampland
• Thaumanova Reactor
• Uncategorized
• Underground Facility
• Urban Battlegrounds
• Volcanic

Here is a playlist as well – Fractal Playlist

Bonus Video – Reactor Room Solo with no Cooling Rods

Build – 15/25/0/20/10

• DPS Rotation (Hammer Only) = Auto attacks only or Mighty Blow -> 2x AA chains -> Mighty Blow -> 2x AA chains -> repeat. They do the same DPS so you really only want to use Mighty Blow for fire fields and not break up your auto attack chain or else it will be a DPS loss.
• DPS Rotation (Hammer + Greatsword) = GS2 -> GS4 -> GS3 -> GS5 if no pull is needed -> GS auto until GS2 is up -> GS2 -> Swap to Hammer and do 3 AA chains (If need to dodge or use Mighty Blow then complete current chain while swap becomes available and swap) -> repeat GS and Hammer rotation. For quick mobs use GS2-4 -> Hammer.
• Whirling Wrath hits more than 9 times if you stand in a target hitbox
• Binding Blades hits more than once if you stand in a target hitbox with adds around it
• Flashing Blades is a big DPS loss so only use it if you need another blind or your group is really lacking vuln stacking.
• Zealot’s Defense is nearly identical DPS compared to sword auto. I only use it when projectile defenses are down.
• You can take 10 out of Radaince and put it in virtues for more removal or valor for strength in numbers if you want

Zeal

II – Fiery Wrath – Increases damage by 10% against burning foes

• Everywhere except at Imbued Shaman

VI – Spirit-Weapon Mastery – Reduces recharge on spirit-weapon skills.

• Only at Imbued Shaman

Radiance

VI – Blind Exposure – Applying blind also applies 3 stacks of vulnerability (10 seconds)

• Always on

II – Signet Mastery – Reduces recharge on signets.

• Use at Elemental Source and Mai Trin

X – Powerful Blades – Sword and spear damage is increased by 5%.

• Use when you have a Sword or Spear on swap

VII – Radiant Fire – Reduces recharge on torch skills. All burning durations are increased

• Use for everything else

Honor

II – Superior Aria – Reduces recharge on shouts.

• Always on

VII – Writ of Persistence – Symbols last longer.

• Use if you have Hammer on swap

Two-Handed Mastery

• Use if you don’t have Hammer on swap (Imbued Shaman, Jade Maw, Aquatic Ruins)

Virtues

VI – Master of Consecrations – Consecration skills recharge 20% faster and last longer.

• Always on when wall is on your bar

I – Deal 20% more damage while under the effects of aegis.

• Use if wall is not on your bar (Lornar, Dredge Bosses, Jade Maw, Aquatic Ruins, First Archdiviner Fight)

Builds

• Use Master of Consecrations, Absolute Resolution, and Indomitable Courage when needed
• Use Focus for fights where you need block rotations and at start for Shield of Wrath then swap to Torch or Bow

GS

• Build – Bowbear Hunter
• Best build for short fights due to the strong starting burst
• Use Bow if no blocks are needed for max DPS
• Use Mace if blocks are needed for a small loss
• Don’t use F1 if others can’t keep up cripple unless your group has terrible vuln stacking

Scepter

• Build – Not a Bowbear Hunter
• Best against large hitbox bosses that barely move when solo

Hammer

• Build- Bowbear Hunter Minus Bow
• Best build for longer fights since the DPS evens out with GS and is greater with quickness
• Best for an easier time
• Good for CC. Use mace/shield on swap for more
• Use Mace since it’s not much of a loss over bow and you mainly run the build for support/survival anyway and offhand to fit your situation
• Use Empowering Might instead of Pure of Heart if might is not being covered

Condi

• Build – Group
• Build – Solo
• Good Alternative to Zerker
• Best for bosses with large hitboxes and soloing bosses
• Use Scepter for bosses and Sword for trash
• Use Zealous Scepter instead of Fiery Wrath when solo against bosses or in low might groups
• Use Inner Fire instead of Right-Hand Strength when solo or in low fury groups
• Don’t hit F1!

Starter/Free Account

• Build – Dragonhunterless
• Drop Radiance for Dragonhunter when you get it
• Spam virtues to get retal or take radiant fire + amplified wrath instead
• Take inner fire when solo or group doesn’t cover fury

Weapon Skill Notes

• Whirling Wrath hits more than 9 times if you stand in a target hitbox
• Binding Blades hits more than once if you stand in a target hitbox with adds around it
• Symbol of Wrath after cast can be avoided by moving right after the symbol is down, using a skill, or swapping
• Mighty Blow is a small DPS loss compared to using auto chains only so use it if there are beneficial symbols down.
• Protector’s Strike can be canceled by hitting the escape key
• Cleansing Flame is a DPS loss for condi boss and zerker so only use it in desperation

Latest Updates
1/29/2016
Added starter build

Video Guide

Zerker – https://youtu.be/oWKSOGhLDi8
Condi – https://youtu.be/HRDZWE6fL_w

General Text Guide

Gear

Stats

• Berserker with Assassin Weapons and 2 Trinkets – Zerker Set
• Viper Amulet + Everything else Sinister – Condi Set (Group)
• Viper Armor + Viper Amulet + Everything else Sinister – Condi Set (Solo)

Infusions

• Zerker – Power
• Condi – Condi

Weapons

• GS – Top DPS burst weapon
• Bow – Top DPS with GS
• Hammer – Top sustained DPS weapon
• Mace – Use with GS if blocks are needed or with hammer
• Torch – Use with Mace for DPS and condi
• Mace – Use for blocks
• Sheild – Use for utility out of combat or more cc for raids
• Sword – Use for condi trash
• Scepter – Use for condi boss or larget targets when solo

Runes

• Scholar – Zerker
• Flame Legion – Zerker alternative
• Balthazar – Condi

Sigils (Multiple sets is optimal)

Zerker

• Force + Air
• Night + Force
• Slaying + Force or Night

Condi

• Scepter – Air
• Torch – Earth
• Sword – Bursting
• GS (Boss) – Geomancy + Earth
• GS (Trash) – Earth + Bursting
• Alternative Cheap Sigil – Geomancy

Consumables

Food

Zerker

• Bowl of Seaweed Salad – Most optimal food if you like to dance and for record runs
• Plate of Truffle Steak – Best in general
• Fried Golden Dumplings – Best for solo
• Birthday Blaster – Free decent alternative

Condi

• Koi Cake – Best
• Super Veggie Pizza – Cheap alternative
• Fried Golden Dumplings – Best for solo

Utility

Zerker

• Slaying Potions – The best choice if the mobs are all the same type
• Toxic Sharpening Stones – Best when slaying doesn’t apply

Condi

• Toxic Focusing Crystal – Best choice though slaying is fairly close so you can use that as a cheaper alternative or other condi utilities. If you stick with cheaper alternatives you should get more viper gear to account for the loss in condi duration.

I updated the guide a bit though it is a little outdated. We do some things better now and usually just run 1 guard. I was planning on redoing it when I was at 80 but they screwed us over then. I was planning on doing it again when I got to 50 but they screwed us over again with no fractal skin boxes so there’s no point to do them. Maybe some day our guild will get together to do a guide from a Guardian, Elementalist, possibly Warrior, and some Theif trickery perspective if they put the skin boxes in the game.

This should be helpful for people just starting out, looking to move on from the faceroll 30s, or want to try our tactics with an organized group like meleeing mossman and friends.

Our group composition usually consists of
1 Guardian – Hammer
1 Warriors – Zerker Meta
1 Mesmer or GS + Sword/Focus Guardian for extra support
2 Other – Ele, Theif, Warrior

Builds to use:

https://forum-en.gw2archive.eu/forum/professions/guardian/Guide-DPS-Guardian-for-PVE

Hammer is the best choice. Additional guardians should run the gs + sword/focus build

You can swap between knights armor at asura champ room to kite the ettin, old tom if you stack in melee, mossman and archdiviner if you melee and aggro them first to have your team stack melee behind them, the stab the fire event in snowblind to kite the adds away, cliffside arm seals if you are the one to pull the adds to the corner, and the clown car. It can be beneficial for these cases but you should go full zerk for the rest of fractals. If you put on the knights gear you aren’t a tank. You tank the bosses by not getting hit. To do this you cycle aegis, shelter, sheild of wrath, and renewed focus.

I’ve noticed from forum posts and my own experience how hard it is to get into Arah. If you are new to Arah, a guild that wants to get into running Arah, or just not had much luck with Arah and feel pretty defeated I will take you for a nice easy and pleasent run. I run path 3 only since its the most farmable and will teach you the run. I’m not willing to do path 1 or 4. I’m also not looking for more regulars at this time.

My backround:
I’ve earned dungeon master and earned over 10k Arah tokens so I know Arah pretty well. I run a guardian so I can handle lupi pretty well. I’m not a fan of the player base that does Arah (just look at the posts for Arah on gw2lfg.com alone). Given that, I’ve posted for Arah noobs only for awhile now and and have always finished the run and we rarely wipe at Lupi. Some of my best runs have been with first timers. I usually have 1 or 2 regulars with me and we have done path 3 runs with just the 2-3 of us so that makes the run easier. I have soloed lupi so that makes the run even easier.

Times I run Arah:
7 pm est (daily reset time) and 12 am est (daily reset time + 5 hours)
I run it twice most days
I will make an exception if you have a full guild team but most likely will have to be an hour after my normal runs or on a weekend.

Requirements for joining my group:
On a NA server
Have full exotic gear (will get slaughtered if not)
Have a ranged weapon on you (warrior- rifle, guardian – scepter + focus or sheild, theif – bow)
Have some dungeon experience
Will listen and follow directions
Won’t act pushy/elitist
Be on when I go or set a time that would work with me
Make a post here. I’m no longer responding to requests via in game pm/mail (can’t keep track anymore this post helps me do so). I will pm you in game when I go if I have room and will stop asking if you don’t respond after 3 different times.

Here are my solo runs if you want to see the fun that awaits you and how to deal with Lupi which also has a link to my Guardian guide (shameless self promotion ).
range – http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nEC2CmIcBD8
melee – https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EygYNOxzjTA