The difference between WvW and PvE builds

What are the elements that one should look at when creating a build for WvW?How do these elements differ, or which differ and which do not?

In other words, what makes a WvW build different than a PvE build?

Which "element" of WvW do you find yourself the most in?

Like: I run solo. I run in a group of 5. I run with a guild of 15. I follow the blob of 30 +.

Condition removal and stun breaks.

~ Kovu

@"GDchiaScrub.3241" said:Which "element" of WvW do you find yourself the most in?

Like: I run solo. I run in a group of 5. I run with a guild of 15. I follow the blob of 30 +.

I think what I'm interested in is more along the lines of what Kovu stated above. Sorry for my lack of clarity at times.

For instance, the difference between WvW and PvE builds, I assume, is not that WvW focuses solely on condi damage, while PvE focuses primarily on direct damage.So then, does this mean that condi and direct damage types use a different algorithm to determine damage in WvW than they use in PvE? Or are the defenses against each determined differently?

@Oriens.5630 said:

@"GDchiaScrub.3241" said:Which "element" of WvW do you find yourself the most in?

Like: I run solo. I run in a group of 5. I run with a guild of 15. I follow the blob of 30 +.

There are aspects that are calculated differently, but what Kovu stated is a general notion. To my knowledge something like Retaliation hurts more in PvE than it does WvW for example. However, if fighting blobs and such, hitting 5 people with Retaliation is still going to hurt so timing or limiting uses of things that hit multiple times/targets is necessary (or remove the boon itself). I'm fairly sure most of the algorithms operate in the same way, but with reduced numbers (like with Retaliation).

It should be noted if you're running in smaller groups or solo then mobility is needed along with what Kovu stated. In general, avoid being full zerker/viper unless you have a group to carry you. Even still I'd prefer marauder over zerker in the blob wars.

Also Superior Energy Sigil works for w.e. build more than half the time. Helps carry yourself.

There are a few skills, traits and effects that have different numbers in WvW but the way they work is generally the same.

The main difference with a WvW build is you shouldn't design it with the expectation that you're not going to get hit. You'll need to look at direct damage mitigation, condition removal and stun breaks, as those are the main ways you end up dead in WvW.

Offensively, stuns and other CC are also a lot more useful in WvW than they are in PvE. It's worth taking them if it reduces your opponents' ability to avoid your damage, or deal damage to you.

In general terms:

Zerg/PUG: aoe and damage, preferably at least one "get out of jail for free" card, for when you find yourself under the hammertrain.Zerg/Organized (to some degree): Look up the metabuilds for zerging. Depends more on classes, but ex Gaurds: Tanky support, stability and other boons, and condi clear, and some healing. Scourge: ALL THE AOES!!!!!!!Havoc (5 man organized groups): Anything the group agrees on really.Roaming (2-5): look up roaming builds on MetaBattle, typically focus on: Damage, with a little defensive stats, stun breaks, condi cleanse, mobility.Roaming/Dueling/Gank (1): Thief and Mesmer, or being really good at dueling with another class, and specialize in counter-gank thief and mesmers.

In even more general terms, you need to build for survival. Enemy players have this nasty habit of learning stuff, getting better, and finding new and creative ways to kill you. So going in with a typical PVE "full zerk, all the signets for max damage!" type of build is going to leave you as roadkill.

Building for defense can mean different things. Warrior roamers can get away with full zerk, because they have so many other defenses (stances, traits that proc stances, lots of passive heals, and even heals on burst skills etc), While a typical zerg guardian/firebrand will be in near or full Minstrel or other similar stats, and a condi scourge might pack mostly Dire gear for lots of toughness and vitality.

Solo roaming:Burst damage and mobility, you also need stunbreak, condi removal, you will need the ability to disengage ambushed by 1+ players because you are on your own, (unless you are confident to fight 1+), killing someone fast in order to reduce chances of reinforcement, when fighting 1+, you needs to kill 1 target fast, stomp and disengage or head for the next target.

Small scale roaming:Similar to solo roaming but you can either bring more support in order to make the group stronger, or bring in more damage to kill faster.

Zerg / blob:Block, stunbreak, support, condition removal, engage and disengage tool, you are not fighting alone, getting yourself killed in group fight is gonna make yourself a "rally bot", adjust your offensive portion the more experience and confident you have, after all we got a war to fight, some foes to kill.

PS. 1 very important note: don't expect your target will stand still or hug you to get hit like an ai foe, the less your build can snare, cc or fast area condition application, the less likely your attack connect.

You'll be running tankier in wvw on most classes like minstrel firebrand for example. More vitality and toughness in your builds

Condition cleanse.Stun breaker.Swiftness, or 25% run speed boost, or ports for mobility.

Everything else like stats and gear combinations depends on your class and spec, how much survival you want to build into your spec with toughness and vitality which you can run a little light on in pve.

PvE builds in general are maximizing damage potential and survival is an afterthought.

WvW builds in general have a mix of both. Putting survival as an afterthought is a bad idea, though you can get away with it in some cases.

when pve can go pure damage and the same rotation.

when wvw must have stun break and cleanse

AoE stunbreaks (such as stability mantras) , AoE boons, AoE Cleanses, superspeed etc are superstrong. Thats why mesmers run typically double signet of inspiration to copy boons twice for allies with 100% boon duration (chaos gives 3% per boon, durability runes 20% etc so you dont need much to get 100% or 67 % + rev facet boon duration)

Typically you take 2 semi-defensive supportive traitlines and 1 dps for DPS classes. For holo 2 defensive traitlines are alchemy + inventions then you take holosmith for damage. For spellbreaker defense and discipline are defensive, spellbreaker for damage. For core warrior Defense and discipline are defensive. For Firebrand you take honor + firebrand defensive. Sometimes Radiance for damage (though not used in WvW).

Also energy sigil is strong because it is practically 0.75 sec invuln every 10 seconds , interrupt sigil are decent on some classes. Stacking stat sigils like bloodlust are good because they give most amount of raw stats that extend to both weaponsets. Concentration sigil is strong because on weaponswap you gain 33% boon duration (495 concentration) for 7 seconds

10% Damage reduction foods are good (11.11% armor increase) meaning if you have 3000 armor you will get 333 effective armor, which also makes them good for maxing stats, no other food can give you as much except maybe endurance regen.

Regarding runes, you typically want to go for durability runes (300 raw stats, 20% boon duration (300 concentration) + Super strong passive boon giving effect for 5 allies including resistance) or strength runes ( 175 power + 5% damage increase (typically worth 150-175 power in power builds) and 45% might duration.)Other strong stat/supportwise runes are leadership, pack, berserker, monk and scrapper runes that pop up once in a while in builds. Scholar is not used much because everytime youre under 90% health, you lose stats, just better spec for strength or pack if you want to deal power damage.

There are some very gimmicky runes such as balthazar for some classes, runes of mad king to max f1 procs on condi guardian. But the reason they dont work is because they're too selfish, take too much time to ramp or condi duration is wasted stat against good enemy melee train with ton of cleanse. its better to just go something like durability to max stats and be tanky and take offensive stats in gear.

Typically you go for 4 stat combos in gear instead of 3 stat (10% more stats) but celestial is not used much just because it often gives useless stats that have no synergy with your traits, also power is typically worth twice as much as getting ferocity for power builds.

Regarding weapons, anything that has a block, leap, deals burning damage (bleeding needs time to deal damage), aoe corrupt, reflects, pulls, ccs or shares boons is great. For that reason lot of mesmers run sword/shield + sword/focus because staff has 3 useless skills and theres no good another mainhand weapon for big fights.

TDLR; Take supportive traitlines, use elite specs, max your stats, take dura runes and damage reduction foods. Dont use 3 stat gear. Dont use weapons that have bad skills against/with groups. Dont use signets that dont have stronger active effect than other skills have.