Guild Wars 2

Ok, I’m not sure if something like this has been posted already (probably so) but as my warrior has only been level 80 for a short time, I wanted to post a concept here and see if it would work or if I’m still a noob when it comes to the class.

The idea is simply to stack a crap-ton (that’s a lot) of conditions on the target while using the burst abilities to drop confusion on it as well. My hope is that it will make it very viable in roaming, and to some limited extent, zerg vs zerg.

Can you all look at this and tell me if I need to change things around or if it would work?

Perplexity Warrior Build

mercury ranique.2170:

You can’t salvage karma gear directly. But there is a work around.
1: get a regular level 60 (or above) gearpiece of the same kind and a transmutation crystal
2: transmutate the rune to the level 60 gearpiece
3: This is now salvagable. Use a BL salvage kit to peel the rune off.

Thanks! You just saved me a crap ton of gold.

I have a full set of karma gear that I put perplexity runes in and was wondering, is there anyway I can salvage those runes back out? I won’t be using this armor anymore and didn’t want to loose all those coins I put into it.

Thanks!

KeeZee.7312:

If you want to play like a warrior, play a warrior. You don’t role a thief and then ask they change the class to also be a warrior.

I actually rolled a warrior just to do the burst rifle build. Once I hit 80, I found it other than making some interesting Youtube video’s, it’s not really that viable. I went to the condi build and just didn’t enjoy it.

My thief was an alt I always enjoyed because if the crap it the fan, she could easily escape. I think I’ll just go with that duel pistol build as it was a ton of fun and pretty amazing in PvE as well.

Just wondering though, would something like this condi Thief Duel Pistol Unload + SB work well? It looks pretty darn fun considering the amount of conditions you can stack on a target. It would also give the added bonus of semi-burst as well.

Not sure how it would work in a zerg Vs zerg situation though I would think it could work there too.

BlackDevil.9268:

Well.. I guess that’s hard to answer, because I use another build for zergs/raids. It’s on my twitch channel. Also my GvG build is on there.

That’s what I hate. It would be so nice to use the same build/gear for both roaming and when going against a zerg. I’m doing the same thing right now and just hate changing back and forth.

KeeZee.7312:

I think the issue lies with you just don’t feel like you are contributing when in actuality you are.

That’s probably the case.

Just wondering though, would something like this condi Thief Duel Pistol Unload + SB work well? It looks pretty darn fun considering the amount of conditions you can stack on a target.

Just a random thought but wouldn’t an unload build like this be pretty darn nasty with perplexity runes? Not sure how well this would work with a condition set instead of a the normal damage version.

Oh, and are you using THIS BUILD?

That was great! Can I ask, what build are you using? I forgot how much fun duel pistols can be.

I agree that the thief’s ability to “scout” and take out targets along the perimeter of the zerg adds a great deal but other than that role, what else can they do? The SB leaves a great deal to be desired. Still, it is nice to be able escape should you find yourself in a bad situation. Sometime I just wish my thief could do more against the enemy zerg than just spamming SB skills.

@BlackDevil,

First of all, I love your build even though I use a slightly modified version of it. I was wondering though, what do you do with your build when running with a zerg? Do you keep the same armor/traits and then just use null field/feedback? I have been really hoping to find a balance between roaming and zergs.

NargofWoV.4267:

I’m not sure about how effective it is using P/P/T set, but most of the bow skills are condition ticking, so stacking + condition just makes sense.

That’s kind of what I was thinking as well. The problem is, while this is great for roaming, it doesn’t appear all that effective in zerg Vs zerg. With all the AoE condi removal, I found that most enemy zergs just ignore me.

I have been playing GW2 for about a year now and have noticed that while a build might be great for roaming, it may completely suck when doing the normal zerg Vs zerg battles. The trick then is to find some sort of balance so that you, as the player, can be effective when you’re stuck in a 1vX situation or when you want to stick with the blob. This question has been something I’ve yet to be able to answer and was wondering, what you all thought?

Examples -

1. My condi Warrior works like a dream come true against 1v1 or 1v2 but when it comes to using this same build against a zerg, she’s pretty much useless. As it stands, most zergs will spam the AoE condi removal and eliminate the majority of the damage she can do. I will assume this is the case for other heavy condition classes/builds.
2. I have a zerker Thief that can deal out tons of damage when roaming but in a zerg, that SB just doesn’t cut it. Try running a heavy condi build? Yeah, that doesn’t work either.
3. I also have a Mesmer that uses staff + s/f and can deal out tons of support/damage in a zerg. However, when using this same build while roaming, I get torn to shreds. However, if I change over to my hybrid build (in signature), I can easily survive 1v2 + or simply stealth and run away.

Perhaps I’m looking at this all wrong but is there a class/build that can be highly effective in both styles of combat? So far, I’ve not really found much of anything that can fill both roles effectively.

Thanks for the response Whisper!

You explained a great deal to me about how conditions work in the zerg situation and it makes complete sense as to why my condi Warrior wasn’t all that effective. My alternate build on my Mesmer uses an AoE condition removal whenever I shatter so when I run up against heavy condition builds, it’s pretty easy to ignore them when dealing with the zerg. Sad that I didn’t think of that when I was playing my warrior.

As for the perplexity runes, I fought a thief like you a few days ago and he dropped me within the first few seconds. Once I figured out what he was doing, I changed over to the build in my signature (heavy stealth + condi removal) and the fight then lasted for almost 10 minutes. Sadly, I made a huge mistake and he got me.

As for the Warrior, I think you’re right on with it being strictly a roaming build as I’ve found it to be highly effective against 1 or 2 enemy targets. It’s pretty much worthless when in a zerg though.

I think that’s my main problem as I am trying to find a class/build that is effective for both roaming and in zerg Vs zerg. I have a level 80 Thief, Warrior, and Mesmer and so far, the Mesmer feels like it fits that role the best even though there are many aspects about the class I don’t like. I have always loved the thief but I have never been able to find that balance between being a roamer and a solid pain in the kitten to another zerg.

Any suggestions?

messiah.1908:

hi
tried to put my thief behind the enemy forces while having fun

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lrixr4lQfvA

Great video (love the music too)! Can you please post a link to your build? I haven’t played with my thief in months and have grown tired of my Mesmer.

Ok, could I trouble you all to answer a few questions about this build please?

1. Would it not make sense to stack perplexity runes with the build and add the confusion damage to the massive amounts of conditions you already apply?
2. If you are rolling with a zerg, would the SB be effective against the blob? I would think that if you’re stacking the conditions, the SB should make short work out of large groups.
3. Isn’t this build also very easily taken down with conditions? I would think you would have trouble against some of those Necro’s that use condition transfers.
4. My main character (at the moment) is a GS + Sword/Torch or Pistol Mesmer that uses P/T/C + Beserker gear. The point being to cause conditions and a solid amount of direct damage to the target. Have you fought against a similar Mesmer build and been able to be effective?

The reason I ask these is that last night I was defending the keep on my server with my condi Warrior and it just felt as if the enemy blob could pretty much ignore me. I stood on the ramp going up to the second floor and lobbed arrows with the LB for about 5 minutes. I suppose the condi Warrior just feels very unfulfilled as a build.

Most of folks I see using the LB all run some sort of condi build. Is it not as effective using a P/P/T set and normal DPS build?

To be honest, I think this video listed below is what really got me thinking. I do very well on my Mesmer but wanted do do something more with direct damage.

Obtena.7952:

It doesn’t sound stupid, but it’s pretty surprising to see someone say they hate Warrior in it’s current state. Is the problem that your simply tired of easymode? If so, then yes, try a Guardian. It won’t be hard for you to feel the difference quickly.

It has a lot to do with not being able to really apply the GS skills. Nobody is stupid enough to stand there and get hit with HB and most of the other skills don’t appear much more effective other than running away. I could just really suck too as my main has always been my Mesmer.

Oh, all I do is WvW.

Ok, I have an 80 Warrior that I put a crap ton of time into building only to come and find out that I pretty much hate the class. Other than the Rifle sniper build, I’ve not found anything that really felt “fun.” Yeah, I know the Condi LB build works well (boring) and we all know about the issues with the hammer but I wanted a melee class that could deal out damage, have mobility, and somewhat decent survival skills. The GS sucks for Warrior! /cry

Anyways, after that rant, I am thinking of deleting the character and rerolling her into a GS + Sword/x Guarding using mostly zerker + toughness gear. Can you all give me some suggestions?

Does this sound completely stupid?

Rigel.3092:

OP, your build probably works well for you, but I do not need “big numbers” to be effective nor to accumulate loot bags, along with fabulous spikes. I run this when roaming (I have a different build I run when running mid-to-large group):

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JgYhGde9Qmc

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8MIs2F8NEmE

I’ve watched your video’s several times and was very impressed with them. I rolled a GS warrior hoping to do such damage and quite frankly, I don’t even play her now. The warrior has been a complete disappointment that I wonder why I even leveled her to 80. Right now, I’m thinking of deleting the character and starting over as a zerker Guardian. Sounds crazy though, don’t you think?

Wilson,

I play a hybrid Mesmer as a main and was wondering, did the Mesmer you face use a GS + S/P or S/T? There is a build that uses P/T/C armor + zerker items to cause massive amounts of conditions and direct damage. I was curious as I fought a hammer warrior the other day with this build and pretty much kited him around while the conditions did the job.

He clearly, was not a graduate of the Wilsonian Institute.

Esthetics,

I sent you a PM a moment ago about the guild. Oh, and I love the comics!

I’ll keep this short and to the point as my caffeine level is low right now so I doubt that after a few minutes that anything I say here will make much sense anyways…

I am currently looking for a WvW based guild that not only knows how to be a success in WvW but also how to simply have fun. I’d like to find a community of players that doesn’t take themselves too seriously, is light-hearted, and enjoys laughing at the simple aspects of the game. If your group can easily find humor in just about everything, then you’re probably a perfect fit. Oh, and any form of RP support would be great.

I am also hoping to find a guild that is mature, active, well established, and has a dedicated leadership team. GW2, to me, is a place where I can unwind and have a good laugh with some friends. However, while I am rarely serious, I am terribly competitive and will often spend hours reviewing over 1 little stat just to see if I can improve upon something. My goal is to always do what I can to help my team succeed.

MY BACKGROUND:

While I have only recently become active in GW2 again, I have been an avid fan of MMO’s for years. I spent about 5 years playing WoW where I was a GM and story-writer for a large RP/PvP guild. I also played SWTOR since early beta along with a host of other MMO’s. I am very comfortable with Mumble, Vent, etc. and would be more than willing to help in the development of story-driven events. I also have a decent knowledge of html, PHP, and graphic design.

If you would like to know more or have some suggestions on a guild that would fit what I’m hoping to find, please post here or send me a PM. I’m happy to speak over Mumble, Vent, etc. if you would like.

Ok, sorry if this is a stupid questions but isn’t this build going to be affected by the DEC nerf? It looks fun to play but my Necro is only level 35 atm.

@ Nefejrangh,

This is a really interesting build! Just wondering, do you think it would be more effective with perplexity runes? I’ve been looking for something along these lines to play around with but I wasn’t sure if the extra confusion would make a difference.

Kirec.2394:

As a side note, if the Mender’s Purity change goes through Dec 10, it will remove two conditions rather than one. You might consider dropping the torch trait for it, so you can replace that lackluster iMage

That’s a good point Kirec. I can’t really stand the iMage but with all the condi builds out there, I found the torch to be a great way of negating their damage ability. It’s also nice to have the extra stealth option. This came in real handy the other day when I went up against a condi (perplexity) thief as we tried to kill each other for about 10 minutes. I don’t think if I was using the pistol that I would have been able to survive that long. Course, there could just be a huge lack of skill on my part too.

Great video! I have to ask (as I’ve built my build on your concept), would you think the traveler runes would be better for the build? I know they don’t work with the speed boost you’re doing but the constant movement bonus + crit damage just looks so nice.

Not to keep killing an already dead horse but I was playing on my alt last night and just remembered how much I would really like to change my Norn over to a Human or Asura. Please Anet, can you make this option available to us?

Xavi.6591:

Mesmer AoE ‘Glamour’ builds really got nerfed a while back when Blinding Befuddlement was nerfed. That pretty much killed it for us. You can try the ‘Triforce’ spec which is the closest to the old spec.

Mesmer AoE is terribad compared to most other classes. We are a better 1v1 class.

That would explain things then. I left the game for several months and back then, we still had some pretty decent AoE skills. I’ve been trying to use feedback and null field in WvW but that’s about all I I’ve found even somewhat effective.

I’ve been playing as a Mesmer now since I started GW2 and though I toyed around witha few alts, it remains the class I enjoy most as it always appears to have some sort of skill for almost every situation. My default build is linked below but basically, it’s a solo-roaming build I use most of the time while in WvW. However, I’ve been leveling a Necro alt lately and the one thing I really love about that character is the massive amounts of AoE damage she can dish out as well as the general chaos she can cause. It’s really quite rewarding to pillage and infect an entire blob with conditions!

Anyways, I was trying to find something that the Mesmer can do on or close to the same scale of AoE as the Necro but I’m completely at a loss. What is an effective way to build a large-scale AoE damage based Mesmer?

@ Lorelei,

I have only recently started toying around with a Necro (level 35 atm) as my Mesmer just doesn’t always feel as effective in WvW as I would like. She’s great as a roaming death machine but when it comes to AoE or zerg killing, she feels limited.

Anyways, I’ve been looking over your build and it’s really impressive! I never considered the D/D concept all that much as I was leveling with the Scepter/Dagger + Staff instead. Looks like I’ll go back and rethink what I was doing. Thanks for posting this!

If possible, can you post some more vids please?

So, with this condi version of the LB +S/S build, is it a good idea to stack perplexity runes?

Olba,

Can you link me to a build that you’re using or that would work well? Also, thanks for responding to my question!

I have been looking around for awhile as to what skills/weapons I can use on my Warrior that will give more AoE damage/support or that will inflict damage upon multiple targets. At first, I created a build for the rifle that used piercing but wasn’t all that impressed. I was wondering though, if I go with a zerker set or something similar that used power+precision, is the LB a decent option for what I’m trying to do?

Basically, I find myself in groups trying to take down or slow down the advance of a zerg and so I thought if I go with the LB and then trait into the increased range, perhaps that would be more effective than my current GS+Rifle zerker build.

Any thoughts/suggestions?

Thanks!

themenaceofseventhdimension.2075:

Here me out completely when I say this, as I have tried that setup for over 2 months now. So here it is:

Scepter/Torch- GS is not viable for 1 vs 2 or more. You just can’t afford to even get hit by 1 immobilize in this situation. Having 2 ranged weapons like that isn’t the way to go and you will die in under 2 minutes I gurantee you. That said, someone else is already using that setup, so you can’t use that setup for the BotM contest. It wouldn’t be fair.

I tried changing out the sword for the scepter and like you said, it wasn’t pretty. I got completely destroyed in under a minute. So… it’s back to the sword again.

As for the contest, this thread isn’t part of that as like I said in the OP, the concept belongs to someone else. I have only modified it and so, cannot take credit.

Super Wilson.7408:

Video is up….
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lM1Y4qecfJo&feature=youtu.be

Great video! I still don’t get why they are nerfing the hammer build anyways as it’s always been somewhat easy to dodge or just use stability to avoid the knockdowns.

Just wondering, with this build, would it be more effective to swap the sword for a scepter and stack the confusion?

I think it could also be a matter of perspective. I play a hybrid GS Mesmer that uses stealth as a primary skill to avoid death and simply annoy the blob. What I’ve found (and this is pretty darn sad really) is that Feedback and Null Field tend to do amazing damage (if not annoy the hell out of the blob) and work very well at dropping sections.

In a usually situation, I’ll find someone who’s in the center of the blob and dropping constant ranged attacks, hit them with Feedback and Null Field, then drop the iZerker. After that, the biggest problem is picking up all the loot bags.

I know that sounds lame but you’d be surprised on how stupid people are and just stand there while they die.

Zalanox.1695:

There’s pretty much zero chance of this not happening. Anet and the white knights can only hold onto their weak lore justifications for so long.

Anet will either give in themselves or NCsoft will force them to.

I’m still not sure how it will affect lore if they just offer a “potion” or something that changes your race or essentially, allows you to recreate your character. Think about it, if a little know Norn Mesmer like me came back to the game tomorrow as a Human, would anyone really even notice?

I would end up being very happy and the GW2 community would go on w/o even the slightest concern or care.

MacLeod.4208:

I’d think about taking the 10 points out of Inspiration and putting it in Domination for Cleansing Conflagration. You’ll be able to remove more conditions I believe and you’ll have more access to stealth and thus boons.

That’s a great idea! When I first started using this build I wasn’t sure if I liked the pistol for it’s DPS + condi or the torch for it’s obvious stealth benefit and so I didn’t even think of cleansing conflagration.

Thanks for the help MacLeod.

Ok, the one problem I am having with these builds is trying to get the gear. Right now, outside of the Temple armor sets or running Asc Exp over and over (which nobody does anymore), getting the armor sets is a pain. The rings, etc are running about 30 gold when I checked last night.

Looks like it will be a bit of time before I can get geared up.

Traitine.8713:

I use this build for your exact reasons:

http://www.constantwarfare.com/2012/11/squadcommander.html

Lots of survivability, and some utility for the team. I’ve started using a Greatsword as the off-weapon for mobility. I really enjoy this build, and have used it more than any other. WvW is 90% of what I do.

I had a fun 1v1 fight with it the other day, but it isn’t a solo build. This is kinda what you can expect:

http://www.twitch.tv/constantwarfare/c/3190409

I’m also on Tarnished Coast, so feel free to whisper me if I’m on.

Thanks for the help! This build is perfect.

I’m looking to recreate my sniper warrior into more of a “tank” build used by Commanders with a focus on being able to survive extensive amounts of punishment. I’m not so much concerned with overall damage as I am in being able to help the team and allow for the enemy to focus on me while the team does their job. Is there such a build that doesn’t kill the Warrior’s mobility?

If you have some suggestions, can you please post a link for me?

Thanks!

There was a thread awhile back that listed a similar build though I lost track of where it was. That being the case, I figured I would place mine up here and see what you all think.

The concept of this build is to utilize the condition stacking skills of the class while still giving you a good bit of direct damage and crit. As I personally love the GS for the Mesmer, this build gives you the ability to act as a ranged shooter while quickly changing over to Melee when necessary. The added bonus is the vast amount of stealth you get so should you run into a problem, it’s easy to escape.

I built this build on the gear I actually have so I’m sure it will be more effective with better items. In either case, I’ve found it great as when in a zerg (just change a few skills around) as well as roaming. As for the runes, that’s my personal choice as +25% movement is well worth the cost.

As a test, I attacked a group of 5 the other night who were taking a camp just to see how much I could annoy them while avoid getting killed. With the almost constant stealth, movement speed, + the GS, they ended up chasing me across the map for about 10 minutes. It was a ton of fun!

Anyways, I don’t take credit for this idea but I have made many changes from the original version I saw awhile back. Please let me know what you all think?

Hybrid Condi/Crit

Lord Titan.3791:

Hey there everyone,

I know that I have been silent for some time now. Real life caught up to me in the form of a family emergency and I was forced to step away for 2 months. But I’m glad to say that I am back and ready to get in the swing of things.

Many of my builds have altered since I posted these and I was wondering if you guys would like me to update this thread with the new information.

If so please say so below and I’ll hop right to it.

Thanks,
Titan

I would really like to see your updated list of information and these builds. Could you also give your thoughts on the DEC 10th changes to the class? I had just begun to learn how to play the Sword/Shield + Hammer build when I saw the changes to come.

First, lemme state that I’m really just looking for opinions on what class is best suited for zerg support in WvW, the Mesmer, or the Necro? I’m mainly looking to produce the most AoE damage as well as being as completely annoying to the enemy group as possible.

For my Mesmer, I’ve found that feedback, nul field, iZerker, and the iWarden tend to be rather effective but the class feels somewhat less than optimal when it comes to overall AoE damage.

Do ya’ll have any suggestions?

White Raven.4368:

I am not an expert on builds and such,but my Ranger plays a more defensive role and can get overwhelmed with a hard charging enemy.

My Necro can suck up everything the enemy throws at it,and spread pain over many, many targets in large group play.

Just wondering, could you possibly link your Necro build for me please?

I’ve never really played either of these classes all that much but both look rather fun. I was wondering though, what is more effective in WvW for both solo roaming and in helping the group?

On my Mesmer, I have fought several rangers and have never really found them to be a class to avoid while necro’s have really given me some trouble. Anyways, I’m really looking for opinions.

Thanks!