Firebrand Power Build?

Just toying with my options right now. What are the chances of a Firebrand Power build being viable?

I didn't try anything, but I guess maybe you can make use of all that Quickness?But I don't know if it will be enough to give up DH for it in a power build. Probably not.

I made a power GS/Sw+F Firebrand build during the test that was built on using high quickness uptime to burst people. I killed a lot of people with it in the random chaos of unranked PvP but it didn't really feel like something that I would want to bring into ranked. That being said, the bursts are really great so there may be some possibility for a viable build...but I didn't experiment with it too much.

We haven't seen the coefficients yet, but it does seem that most of the Tome of Courage skills have decent straight damage components to their attacks, so I'm expecting power Firebrand to be viable. There'll be some skills that probably will be less worth using without high condition damage, but elementalist already has that consideration, and in firebrand's case, if they don't use a skill they can just use that page on one that better suits their build.

Time of Courage has one damaging ability every 4 seconds so you must mean Tome of Justice?

I'm also thinking about the same.

If the Healer's Retribution (Radiance) bug is fixed when using the heal mantra, then you could actually make a hybrid build (support with decent DPS) using Radiance/Honor/FB with mace&shield and Scepter&torch for range or Hammer for perma protection with the new POWER/healing/concentrantion stats.

Build idea.

In that way you would have decent DPS (thanks for radiance), somewhat good healing (perma regen+symbols heal+pure of heart - I'm not counting with Tome of Resolve because the cooldown is too high), perma protection if using hammer as secondary weapon and perma quickness.

I just want to see what are the new runes and sigils to use. I'm not sure about the foods as well. Should sigils, runes and food be support oriented or DPS oriented?

I'm not so sure about its viability, but it seems fun. I'm a bit tired of DPS DPS DPS and more DPS...

But I'll wait up to see what the are the changes on the release and if they actually fix the bug, the Healer's Retribution is key for this build work.

11k hp and 2300 armor....your survival is really low.

There's a Quickness build that's probably better than core power bursts simply because you're hitting faster.

The coefficient on Axe auto is pretty good too. I would be afraid of power FB rather than core power bursts to be honest.

I extensively tested out power-style FB during the demo weekend. It can work in some scenarios however it doesn't really bring that much more to the table than core medi guard in terms of damage. It's essentially core medi guard with a lot more utility. DH with its superior mobility, CC/pull and better adaptability to focus-fire gives more for power-based builds.

Power-dps FB builds are pretty lackluster as compared to retribution DH since FB traitline lacks any form of dmg modifiers for power-based builds, we already have DH for that role.

Still, a power/support hybrid FB might have some potential; as we are all well-aware, mace and hammer have fairly long wind-up timing for their AA, quickness would offset that weakness, making those wpns (hopefully) ideal for grp support. We might not even need writ of persistence for a hammer wielding FB, and this could free up the honor traitline, allowing hammer FB to divest into other more useful traits.

Power/Support could be interesting, for sure. Would feel more in line with what I'd expect a Guardian to play like, rather than just hard DPS all day. Reminds me of the old AH Hammer days

I tried power build in the demo using Zeal/radiance/FB and it works well in open world. It might even be competitive with DH due to abundance of quickness. It surely cannot compete with DH though in raid/fractal environment.

Unless there are some major changes, power FB builds will not likely to function in sPvP.

There might be some interesting interactions with Shattered Aegis and Loremaster. I wouldn't be surprised to see it in wvw like Lightning Rod ele was.

http://en.gw2skills.net/editor/?vVAQNAR8dnkICFBjNCDmDB8DhlEC7aZFASAZ5n/TAa/fOQboA-jpxHAB9v/g/HBAAOIAKfBA++BAcdZAA

This will probably be the best power build. Maybe the cleansing mantra will be changed for smite or contemplation but atm it seems to be the best to run the cleanse mantra just for the instant cast immobolize. You'll notice the build is basically the meme greatsword radiance build right now but without the radiance. If you wanted to run any power build with FB you basically have to run greatsword. Reasons are pretty obvious: 1. Greatsword is one of the only weapons with mobility and FB has none 2. Whirling Wrath benefits from quickness 3. Instant cast immoblize is huge for WW

Furthermore you probably want sword for the extra mobility and utility as well as decent damage. Maybe scepter will be better after testing, but I have a feeling that when you're at range you'd rather use one of your tomes since being in the fray with them is basically a death sentence. Obviously the problem with this build is stunbreaks and tome of courage will be at least a 65s cd depending on what they do. I'm not sure what the solution to this is, but I have some game breaking ideas that if you want to know you can PM me.

Likely this build will be worse than DH, but I don't think anyone expects FB to outperform DH without significant buffs since our last test. However, it will probably be the best FB build overall, not just power imo.

http://gw2skills.net/editor/?vVAQNAS5ensADFChNDBuCBEEhlBCL7AtiaQ7L0IaG1KAUtaTA-jxRBQBZU5nDV/xf6GC0+DA4BAYhDCgJVCCA-e

Power/Support/Tanky Hammerdin.

Power + 100% retaliation uptime -> 100% crit chance + tons of protection from hammer AA, quickness for fast AA -> symbol and stability from stand your ground and tome 3. Created with pve in mind, might be good for other game types, not sure. Need to test it in game. Additional generation of might/condi cleanses through blast finishers. Second weapon set optional, more support oriented, could be changed. Tomes to gain quicknes and retaliation, especially from tome 1 - pick -> stow. Tome 2 and 3 then actually become very situational when you actually might need them, especially tome 3.

Dunno, I like it, but as I said definately need to test it in all game modes. I just seem not to like Axe and Burn builds I tried during demo weekends. This build brings back my hope for guardian as I was ready to leave my main on shelf and go for something else.

EDIT: If you have any advice how to make it better plz let me knowEDIT2: another version with more mantras and quickness + stability (still having almost 100% cric chance) http://gw2skills.net/editor/?vVAQNAS5ensADFChFBDuCBkCjlBCL7AtiaQWBgqVbafhGRzoA-jxRBQBZU5n/0N4Q1fswBBAAPAgAt/gJVCCA-eEDIT3: GS variant http://gw2skills.net/editor/?vVAQNAR5ensADFChFBDuCBkCjl4Bb/lWT7pVBgGQ9yqEkviUA-jxRBQBOU9HA8AAyoyP/pbwkKBD0+DW4gAAA-e

Don't know why you would run it over dragonhunter traps which not only cleave better but carry massive CC and boon support.

I also don't know how you're gonna play firebrand tomes with a daredevil spamming headshot with pulmonary impact on all your casted skills.

Unless you can maintain high quickness uptime and the axe has some pretty crazy damage modifiers, I can't see it doing more damage than DH.

@phokus.8934 said:Unless you can maintain high quickness uptime and the axe has some pretty crazy damage modifiers, I can't see it doing more damage than DH.

Axe auto has about the same dps as sword but axe 2 has about 1/3 of the damage per tick of other symbols (for power builds//marauder's amulet, tested in pvp lobby).

I don't see how FB would benefit a straight up power DPS build. It means you aren't using conditions or offensive Tome. Not much left to play with ... What's the trait load for FB on that? Mid, Mid, Up? Even the minors are rather wasted on power builds. Compared to what we can get with DH power builds, I wouldn't even think of looking at it.

@Arcaedus.7290 said:

@phokus.8934 said:Unless you can maintain high quickness uptime and the axe has some pretty crazy damage modifiers, I can't see it doing more damage than DH.

This was a bug, hopefully fixed on PoF launch. On tooltip it shown the same damage as mace, but only the first hit had the correct damage.

@Mikau.6920 said:

@Arcaedus.7290 said:

@phokus.8934 said:Unless you can maintain high quickness uptime and the axe has some pretty crazy damage modifiers, I can't see it doing more damage than DH.

Yup, gotta keep in mind there will be a balance on release (for the pof specs at least), so things we think are set in stone may turn to mud.

@firelightx.3980 said:Just toying with my options right now. What are the chances of a Firebrand Power build being viable?

Not really. From all intents this is a hugely condi focused spec to counterbalance DH which is very clearly power based. So yea, just a suggestion, stick with DH if you want power.

If you don't use the axe, how is it any more condi-focused than base guardian? Other than the ashes of the just master quality?

@PaperBishop.1574 said:If you don't use the axe, how is it any more condi-focused than base guardian? Other than the ashes of the just master quality?

+250 condi damage when you have Quickness, and the entirety of Tome of Justice being condition based. Firebrand gives more tools to condi builds compared to power.

Of course, power FB doesn't lose much compared to power guardian (base), and they even get some very good sources of retaliation to synergise with the Radiance traits. But, power DH is miles ahead power FB, with almost 20% permanent damage modifiers through DH traits, before counting the dps increase of Procession of Blade.

Coming back to this, I've been toying around a lot with this idea more.Mainly I've been using a modified version of the Hammer DH build. (Zeal/Honor/Firebrand) and honestly... the damage is pretty respectable. I haven't done specific DPS tests, but honestly I don't feel like my hammer hits for much less than it used to, and all the quickness I get in return helps a ton with the slow auto attack rotation. Plus, in open world setting, Axe #3 is extremely useful for grouping things, such as the adds on a bounty.

So far it's exactly what I'm looking for - a high damage Power build with lots of support options. I'll be interested in trying to fine tune it once I fully unlock the spec.