Guild Wars 2

AW Lore.5682:

over 2k being normal? gees, i have terrible defense then

i have a bit over 1800 toughness, all my trinkets give +toughness, +power and +precision, tough granted i am wanting to get the Crucible of Eternity armor set.

there goes my puffed chest about having a lot of armor, lol.

They were talking about ARMOR, not toughness.. :P

I think you’re overreacting over two rings and a backpack. Use your best exotic rings and don’t mind.

I completely stopped grinding fractals the moment i realized how measly was the difference in terms of stats. Now i only do them to help friends or when i want to change from the gold grinding.

Now i am working for my legendary, much more rewarding than +5 power in 6 months from now (estimated time for my perfect ascended ring to drop…).

I would like to bump this post for great justice.

This thread has more value in my eyes than every other thread in the forum, summed up (especially the moaning troll posts).

My boy is 3 years old, and he’s asking me to play… i am looking forward to that moment, too!
And to the moment it will ask me to play rugby… :P But that’s another story, as epic as the OP…

It seems the author has “Grognet” as surname.

Couldn’t find anything related on google.

In a pure theoretical way, numbers in first post are coherent with what i thought about weapons.

Just bear in mind that, while hammer and greatsword (and staff) do AoE hits, Sword does not. So, Sword DPS is a little higher, but there are many times where having a GS or Hammer is really better DPS.

Lodestones have a really low % chance of drop, while Cores seems to have a slightly better % now.

Every dungeon has a specific Core/Lodestone within their boss and final chests, i.e.: Citadel of Fire drops Molten Cores/Lodestones in their chests.

Fractals are simply mini-dungeons and they follow the same rules.

As for the open world, best chance for Cores/Lodestones are the Corrupted ones (drop from Corrupted Colossus and Quaggans in Frostsound Gorge). There are however other spots for Charged and Onyx.

Only remember, farming for an hour in the same place brings DR, so change activities often (i usually alternate WvW and PvE activities for my legendary grind).

A difference of about 5 levels is what you can reasonably expect.

Blueshield.6291:

I’ve tried this one with a static group on voice comms who don’t drool on their computers. Without one of the two classes with portal abilities, this is only completable through sheer luck.

In a game that claims to have classes highly flexible in the roles they can fill, it’s just plain stupid to make one of the “Paths” of this dungeon 100% dependent on having the right classes in the group.

That said, I’ve found that for the most part, the Fractals dungeon as a whole fails in its objective of being fun. This joke of a Fractal, players who DC can’t get back in and are just screwed (and leave the group short a player), group can’t leave to pick up replacement manpower if needed…

Completed without Mesmers or Elementals.
Only Swiftness from my Shouts and one of us (me) keeping mobs at bay (kiting).
We were all on voice and counted 3-2-1 to start running.

P.S.: People you play with have to be wary of traps or have stability.

I am positive Guanglai meant to evaluate against single target, so no AoE considerations, and that’s good for a comparison. We all know hammer and GS are good AoE Weapons, and Staff even hit 5x, but for now the target is “single foe”, to have a level comparison.

Still, i can’t understand the difference in builds.

We are badly derailing from the original thread, so i don’t know how long can we continue without being OT all the times.

I see your (and Leonard’s) point, but not your tactics. If the tactics of your group are “hit and run”, why are you running with them? Our class is not suited to this tactic (and it’s not the only one, think about necros, or engineers).

Your group could find a sound tactic to make you useful and needed in it, not a liability to be sacrificed only because we “lack in escape”: and, with good tactics, we shouldn’t be forced to “go tank”, we could go flailing about in full dps and 30 zeal (ideal, but possible).

Even in tanky build, a good group focus fire + CC tactic will work wonders in your survivability. You will then be the focal point of the attack, the “main assist” to paraphrase WoW lingo.

These tactics will minimize the need for escape (that we lack), and in that case, we could use our long lasting norn elite CD or burning all our utilities and do a dash (there is little that can stop me if i run Retreat, SYG, and WoR plus RF).

But we won’t need them at any encounter, because the group tactics will be much more suited to you.

We aren’t forced in determined build, but often our groups force us to do that to ease their work, when all contributions should be equal.

That makes sense even in answering original poster: there are lots of builds, but we tend to consider “viable” only the ones that let us be accepted more easily by groups.

Leonard.2867:

@Fabsm.5897

Hostility was mostly talking about maneuvering around in the fight and falling back if need be. Your section on ‘Escape’ just reinforced his point. Did not know if you was trying to debunk him or not….

The point is, the entire perspective on “escaping” is wrong.
As i said, Guardians have to play aggressive and be the focal point of hate from their foes, while your mates do the DPS we lack.

We can Maneuver as easily as other classes. Judge Intervention + Flashing Blade can reach even the fastest straggler. We can have 25s of Swiftness with Retreat, on a short CD. We even have an AoE interrupt/pull on GS. I don’t think we lack in maneuvers.

We lack in escape, because this won’t EVER be a viable option for a frontline charger as the Guardian. This is built in the class, you don’t escape, it is win or die for us, we are the last man standing (or falling) in the breach, even when we lose.

Why do hammer and staff have different builds from the others?

Minus 300 precision mean a great loss of DPS, 300 vitality and Healing Power don’t matter much in terms of DPS.

He was probably running an AH build, the “spammed” ability was probably Smite, if it wasn’t the GS autoattack. You can have good self healing with AH builds, but as there are lots of them, i would rather point you to the forums to look for them.

@Hostility:
You seem to know the class well, but why are you so oblivious of our strengths, and instead focus on our weaknesses?

First of all: Why Escape? Guardians must think AGGRESSIVE all the time, because our entire class is DEFENSIVE. I know it seems contradictory but it’s simple in practice.
You have to be aggressive, focus one target and run it down, ignoring damage due to our toughness and resilience, and focusing on enemy weaknesses.

Charging in a Zerg: Did it. A lot of times. We have means to do that and survive, we even have means to escape, but i usually neglect them because a charge of a guardian and at least two AoE melee (another two guardians = ideal) can seriously disrupt an enemy formation.

Escape: Do you really miss them? Well, we have Merciful Intervention (but i hope they fixed that kitten bug). I am not sure, but i think even Flashing blade can be used in a pinch without target to escape. And we have Renewed Focus, now, this is not escape, but more often than not three virtues+RF+three virtues all while moving have saved me much more than a Shadowstep.

Mobility: No, seriously. Please, we have Retreat, Flashing blade, Judge Intervention (these two can be combined), even Save Yourselves! What do you mean by “mobility”? Certainly a thief is much more agile and mobile, but compared to a warrior? What do they have more? A charge? We can “charge” at 1800 range with JI+FlashingBlade.

Conditions: This, you’re right. Conditions are our weakness, we can build around it, but it will be always our demise, along with boon-stealers. Nuff said.

My way: I often play with Retreat(Mobility), Wall of Reflection (Disrupting archer/mage formations while charging), Contemplation of Purity (Condition Removal while overwhelmed)

Some of the things you said about gap closers are right, but don’t be so pessimistic, we have good offensive and defensive capability, and we especially shine in large groups, and in a very specialistic role in tpvp, bunker point defense.

I rarely feel not useful in PvP.

Ascalonian Dungeon sword?

You’re too harsh with some builds, and i think this is because of some “lateral” thinking about “cookie cutter builds” and “DPS meters” that reminds me of WoW.

The Guardian is actually one of the most versatile class of all the game, but we pay that flexibility with the WORST base stats of the game period.

I’ve now tried most, if not all the builds of the guardian, even the most obscure ones (i have yet to try and build a burning condition build…), and i can assure you that guardian is viable in any role, and the “efficiency” of certain builds is only in ease of play and sustained effects.

For example, my favorite build, Hammer/AH, a tanky build as it was defined, really shines only if you have at least a melee partner. If you don’t have her, Mace/Shield is way better (try it if you don’t believe me), and in that case, Empowering Might would have to be switched for WoP.

In this game, builds are not “static”. I often change traits during a dungeon, and i have done things unthinkable in other mmo, as switching from a tanky dps role to a ranged healer/support role in a few seconds, simply switching my traits and some bits of armor (which i always have with me).

The concept of static builds is reminescent of WoW-clone games, where your role is defined and determined. Try doing it for a change, do Ascalonian 2, “tank” Spider, Kohler, and the Breeder, and then switch “Support” for the last boss. Without going to the trainer. It IS easier than you could expect, and will get rid of your concept of “builds” faster than a wall of text as i have written now.

TLDR; builds are not static, try changing, even on the move.

Signet of Mercy suffers from the same bugs that affect Light of Deliverance (#5 on Tome of Influence), i.e. It does affect the nearest targets first, be they NPCs, Minions, Allies, etc.

And it only affects downed players (not defeated players, who says that is misguided or has been fooled by some other ability)

TLDR; it is useless atm. Maybe not terribly bugged, but useless.

Rhymzo.6720:

Hello guys

I have one question. Following Brutaly’s guide I got the pre/vit/heal gear from karma, and socketed 2 hoelbrak, 2 fire (still need the 2 strength), and I noticed that my might duration didn’t change. I mean it’s already 40% might duration from those 4 runes, and I tried EM on staff and got 11 seconds. If my math skills didn’t fail me, 40% from 10 1/2 seconds isn’t half a second.

What did I miss here guys? Help please

Thanks!

Empower has a known bug, the Might buff lasts 8s instead of 10s.
With your buff, it is 8s * 1.40 = 11.2s

I agree with Daendur, farming is a poor word. Grinding is the best word for this.
So, an anti-grinding system is good, an anti-farming system is bad.

In all MMO, you have to “farm”. Farming gives you material reward for your time and dedication to the game, and that usually brings further rewards.

Grinding (i.e.: Farming repeatedly in a single area/mob/quest/event to maximize gain/time) is ultimately bad for the game, because it brings the player to either hate the area (in games like WoW) or excessively love it (in games like GW2 where rewards are shared). So, most farmers restrict themselves to the Plinx event because is more efficient than running from event to event in all Tyria.

That brings developers to overreacting and nerfing the area (as it has happened with Plinx event), and that always detract something from the game, as little as it is.

TLDR; Farming is good, Grinding is bad.

Tweek.3190:

Bornthisway.4609:

Now that the only way to get the best gear is to do the new dungeons, what is the point of crafting?

So please tell me how I can get the best weapons and armor from the new dungeon! Only trinkets, aka jewelry, are gotten from the new dungeon.

People are overreacting on a change that will take time, i.e. MONTHS to fully be in effect.

But, the end of the world is now, with a backpack and a ring.

To the OP:
We will never know if crafting could become profitable in the future. Remember, if many people stop crafting, there will be less supply, price will raise and then crafting will become more profitable again.

Keep your art, maybe it could be needed.

Vinny.6924:

100% agree.

I lose money on waypoints moving around maps. I lose about 11s per fractal run for repair costs and half the time I break even or n nothing of value drops. So dont tell me to farm there.

Chps and vets drop nothing of use so skip them. I have watched my gold go down for days now. Unless there is some secret that im missing out on here…

No secret, but if it’s gold you want, you’re doing that all wrong.

First, fractals are NOT meant to give you money, instead, the exact opposite, you will probably lose some money to grind for your ascended item.

Normal dungeons, however, are a very good money source: Ascalonian Catacombs will probably give you 50s from bosses alone, and then you add loot. I bet you won’t die, so those will be net gains.

Other option is farming, 1 hour in each different lvl 80 area (Malchor, Cursed, Straits, and the new isle), you will probably earn 2-3g / hour.

Try it, and you will notice you stop losing gold and start gaining.

@zing:
May i suggest you integrate your set with the right foods and consumables?
They could be the boost you’re looking for.

Was thinking about:.

Plates of Lemongrass
Superior Sharpening Stone
Loaf of Omnomberry Bread
Master Maintenance Oil

to name a few.

kitai.7638:

well…. i’m back with another question, this time regarding empowering might, the trait. I’m currently building a ah/em guardian and i want to use scepter torch + staff so my question is, when they say nearby allies, do they refer to allies near me or near my target?
and how near? same question applies for sigil of water i guess, when it procs does it heal allies near me or near the target that got critted?

When you see “near you” stay assured that it really means “almost in the same space of you”, as i think the range is 400 or so…

You can have a good guess of the range activating a Water Field with a blast and see the animation.

Math is then correct, but not in an intuitive way.

The traits add to the Recharge rate. But they don’ REDUCE THE CD.

So, you have to reverse the numbers.
Let’s try with Virtue of Courage.

With no traits, you get your virtue back in 90 seconds, i.e. Recharge Rates is:
1/90 = 0.011111 per second

Then you add 10 traits, and that is added to the RECHARGE RATE:
0.011111 * 1.1 = 0.01222 per second
That means you need (1/0.01222) seconds = 81s
If you add 20 traits:
0.011111 * 1.2 = 0.01333 per sec
You need (1/0.01333) = 75s
If you add 30 traits:
0.011111 * 1.3 = 0.01444 per sec
You need (1/0.01444) = 69s

I guess the difference is due to them adding each increment AFTER the previous one:
10 traits, RECHARGE RATE:
0.011111 * 1.1 = 0.01222 per second
20 traits, the previous +10%:
0.01222 * 1.1 = 0.013444
1/0.013444 = 74s
30 traits, the previous + 10%
0.013444 * 1.1 = 0.147888
1/0.014788 = 67.8s (this one doesn’t fit well)

With this second formula, however, all other virtues are correct, while this one differs in 1s in the last trait (maybe an inexact misuration).

Have you timed the “real” recharge time?
Maybe that, as said in the wiki, the reduction is not properly reflected in the tooltip.

I am favoring the “Knight” over the “Paladin”.

I think that in Arthurian cycle there are good examples of characters which could be good “Guardians”: Percival, Gawain, Galahad and Bors, even Lancelot, to name a few.

Knights that don’t mind using “magic” to improve their physical or spiritual abilities, and which strive for their people (an altruistic trait that is common in guardians).

Paladins are more of the zealot and inquisitor lots, chasing and hunting evil throughout the land, following their faith and that alone. While altruistic and self-sacrificing, their ruthlessness in smiting evil is not reflected in Guardians, where we don’t have any faith ties, and we don’t have any evil-specific related ability.

So i vouch for Knights. Somebody dubbed us “Mystic Knights”, that could be fitting, even if it is not in the main “stereotype” rpg roles.

redknight.8036:

chuckles

Warrior with endure pain 5 second and shield block asking for a more survivable profession in World v World.

Guardians can resist a lot more than 5 seconds, even without using Renewed Focus.
The only difference is we don’t do a lot of damage in the meanwhile.

DavidMonthen.4398:

Puru.4217:

Daendur.2357:

i think those players with 2000/3000+ golds can buy a lot of precursors now and control the market for a while…

Pretty much my thoughts.

This is what I did.

High risk involved here, if they really raised the % chance of precursor drop from boss (i.e. dragons) chests.

Cassium.3240:

Glob + 250 ectos + gift + back item = ????

What’s that? A hope, or an actual recipe?

I agree fully with KensaiZen. Most people giving “counsel” here seem to not have played Guardian at all in WvW. Guardians are one of the few classes (maybe the only one) that can rush in a zerg and survive. We don’t need range at all in WvW, except when on the walls.

You have to play aggressively, as a frontline fighter, and your weapons are your melee companions and Wall of Reflection. You have to play smart surviving a zerg. You put up WoR, then if you have hammer you put ring of warding (or line of warding with staff) to divide them (even horribly bugged as it is, it works well in splitting a group), and then your companions arrive and you’re mass buffing them with shouts and AoE Retaliation, while hitting away with your hammer.

The Warrior counterpart at this point is out cold from several thousands arrows and spells, leaving a hole in your charge.

You can play horribly ofc. Trying to kill people 1v1 (useless), or charging headlong without concern or protection (suicidal) or without melee companions (you won’t last long).

If there is a class that benefits from zergs in WvW is the guardian. Try having 3 Staff-armed Guardians at the fore of a charge and tell me how it went
(Hint, all three guardians will cast different spells each time…)

The real nemesis of the Guardian are AoE Condition damage and boon stealers (i.e. Necros and Mesmers), and in WvW you will rarely encounter Condition Necros, while most of the mesmers i have encountered where newbies that failed to kill me even with all the advantages they have (they must have been portal bots…).

Try Hammer+Staff, even stronger with Hammer giving you Protection every 3rd hit…

I need to run some tests in WvW to be sure, but if my calculations are right, i think i will have to abandon this idea..

Empower (12 stacks) + Inspired Virtue of Justice (3 stacks) + Superior Sigil of Battle (3 stacks) + Wrathful strike (3 stacks if it hits 3 enemies) + at least 4 crits within the last 10 s with Empowering Might = 25 stacks (different duration, ofc).

That’s only a way to reach it, there are multiple combinations ofc, this one is possible without any specific rune apart from the sigil.

That said, he didn’t use this combo because he does have the Justice buff.

My thoughts on the mob on the isle:

Karka (young and normal)→ WoR them to death.
Karka Veteran → Avoid Charge, WoR, AoE like there’s no tomorrow. Retribution is your best friend (along with AH).
Karka Champion → Good Luck! (never survived the combination Double Jump + Steam Roll).
Reef Riders → You can WoR to have them whittle down their health, the veteran one will toast you anyway, i always avoid it.
Drakes → They’re Broken. HORRIBLY Broken. AoE that ticks for 1/4 of your life, than you avoid it and they PULL and STUN. In the AOE! Oh if you are not already stunned by their 360° tail slap that hits HORRIBLY FAR, they have a rubber tail or what? Oh they have a few life but can be beaten easily… now… let’s talk about the veteran or champion one (good luck).

As someone said, they steal your boons, so Hammer (my favorite weapon) is really bad..
Shouts work, but i suggest Contemplation of Purity/Wall of Reflection/Retreat to safely navigate the isle.

Free Waypoint travel to NEAREST waypoint could be useful and not easily exploitable.

A suggestion to OP. Find some guild that has your timezone, even on another server, and use (abuse) the guesting system to finally have a group to explore Orr with.

You don’t have to leave your friends’ guild, and you will certainly find people willing to help you in other servers with your timezone.

After all, that’s what the guesting and multiguild systems are for.

WvW may not take place in Tyria, but it’s a marvellous place to explore as well. And it even has a Jumping puzzle to boot!

That said, i am puzzled too by the absence of Dungeon PoIs in the Achievement. I feel that they too should be considered. After all, exploring every instance and explorable mode should be a goal for any respectable explorer!

The world of Tyria is vast, and you cannot be a true explorer if you have not visited all of it, even the battlefields!

To help you, change your server to one that owns that PoI, get your 100%, then change back after a week.

Better yet, deactivate MF in dungeons. Simpler, and same results.

Phooka, i don’t know what are you talking about: achievements like “Dungeon Master” are really important and many players strive to obtain that.

I have the same problem as you, and i long ago started doing dungeons in an “organized” way. First, path 1, then path 2, then path 3, then Story Mode (if i haven’t already done to access path 1).

This way, i can always do the right exp path.

Milennin.4825:

moiraine.2753:

I don’t use MF gear in dungeons,nor my groups.Only pugs use MF.
Conclusion don’t pug.

Because everyone playing this game has a big active guild and full friends list dedicated to doing any dungeon whenever you want… right?

Name of the game is “Guild Wars”, not “Solo Wars”. Having a few friends help.

Seriously, Magic Find should be rendered inoperative in dungeon, to preserve PUGs’ already fragile environment.

That’s not being elitist, that’s protecting your game experience from idiots.

You would have been morally justified in kicking him off at the start. Because, you’re not free to “run in MF armor because i can”, just because you didn’t ask your party if THEY agreed.

Sam Pan.3651:

Fabsm.5897:

I have never played GW1.

In my unbiased view of this PvP system, i actually find it rather enjoyable. I don’t compare it to other systems (with one exception, see below), because that is our system and we have to adapt and make suggestions to improve it, not an outright “it sucks” PERIOD.

Ignorance about GW1 does not make you unbiased, it just makes u ignorant. It’s like a person who eats cheese toast all day and loves it only because they have never tasted delicious pizza before.

Except that if you read all of my post (i highly doubt it), i have eaten pizza all my life, only not the GW1 one you all are comparing to.

And just to let this post be useful, i will answer to Ichishi:

I strongly disagree with your analysis.

I think there is strong synergy in this game, interclass AND team synergy. You cannot use them in PUG hotjoin sPVP, because of no communication.

But in 2v2 situation, with my buddy elementalist, he knows that he has to prefer fields, because i can Area-Blast them. Even my Ranger guildie knows he has to put the Waterfield down so i can heal the entire defending team.

And we often do team strategies, one of our preferred strategies when we are 3+ in the same place, is the “Empowered Piledriver”: i call this one, guildies know that they have to hold on all their most damaging CDs and stay alive near me, then i use Empower + Virtue of Justice, and they all focus one target with 18 stacks of Might each.
While not an overwhelming tactic, it is easily coordinated on Teamspeak, and it works wonder on unprepared teams.

I really think that tPVP has much to offer in terms of competition and eSport. It is not a casual activity at all, despite of the possibility to join alone, and i strongly advise against doing that without TS or a good team that doesn’t coordinate.

And, sure, we only have “Capture and Hold”-type PvP right now, but maybe in the future we will have Capture the Flag, Team Deathmatch, Rabbit, Arena (yes i was an avid Tribes player) or other types of competitive PvP.

Brutaly, do you think the change to dodgehealing will have an impact to the build?

Tarn.1374:

A lot of work you’ve put in here, quite interesting. I’m curious:

How does Vigorous Precision (VP) trigger Altruistic Healing (AH)? VP only applies to yourself doesn’t it, whilst AH only proc’s when you apply a boon to others? What am I missing here?

Thanks in advance.

If you read the wiki , it says that Altruistic Healing triggers even if the boon is applied to yourself.

I have never played GW1.

In my unbiased view of this PvP system, i actually find it rather enjoyable. I don’t compare it to other systems (with one exception, see below), because that is our system and we have to adapt and make suggestions to improve it, not an outright “it sucks” PERIOD.

When i want large-scale battles, i go to WvW: it actually reminds me of RvR in DAOC, and would be great if the reward system could go in that direction.

When i want fast-paced team battle (you can call it “guild” battle) i go to tPvP. I have a team, and we are learning together. We can be called a “guild” in that sense. So there could be “Guild Wars” just now . Now, if it could be reflected in guild status…

What i cannot bear is hotjoin sPvP. It is terrible. They could at least mantain parties already formed in it, or bring them down to 5v5. Right now, it is an horrible halfway between WvW and tPvP. Thumbs down.

Maybe we can merge some thoughts?

https://forum-en.gw2archive.eu/forum/professions/guardian/Looking-for-info-on-a-successful-Burning-build/first#post738805

Morelia.6835:

Burning doesn’t deal enough damage by itself to make it worthwhile to center a build around it. Especially when you consider that it doesn’t stack very well with Burning applied by other people.

According to this source , Burning stacks in duration, and the most recent effect must wait for the less recent to expire. So, no worries about Burning overwritten or not applied. It will be applied in full and for full duration.

As for the damage, is (8 + (4 * Level) + (0.25 * Condition Damage) per second). In the editor i see 1723 condition damage (that’s a bit off, because is not considering armor nor jewels).

So it is 758,75 DPS (plus whatever damage the skill is doing) over a course of several seconds (we have +45% burning duration). And that’s not adding the various plusses from traits.

It’s that all? I would have expected a bit more.
Oh, utility #3 is not Hallowed Ground (doesn’t burn), it’s Purging Flames.

Good starting point, but it would need 30 Virtues to pull it off (need ground Targeting for Consecrations). Will pull off Valor, as i don’t think i will stack Toughness in this build.

The signet enhancer aren’t needed in a one-signet build Imho.

I made some adjustments to the weapons (Sword/torch and Staff to get Empower before or instead of the combo).

Put Sigil of Smoldering on the Weapons, so i can throw burning even when not on the walls and elite is in cooldown.

Net result:
http://gw2skills.net/editor/?fUEQNAsfWlYg672FSMEg4ER2jRKySa9QgA0fVFiHA;TEBAzypESJlSNlSKKeMyIkxGmjHZYLBGCcE4JwcBA

Any other suggestions to improve? Scepter instead of Sword, maybe?

Rinnovo l’invito a chi volesse provare la nuova patch con un gruppo in crescita!

Cerchiamo italiani di qualunque server che vogliano fare PVE con noi, e persone del server DESOLATION che vogliano unirsi alla conquista del mondo!

Contattatemi ingame e/o postate le vostre apply sul sito nel primo post.