Firebrand Power Build Question

Simple question: Is Firebrand Power Greatsword build still viable in August 2018. Been looking for a little variety in my Guardian play and stumbled upon Meta Build Power Firebrand which peeked my Interest. This is for Open World and maybe T1 to T3 Fractals

Maybe? Would help if you described what the build is.

Yes it's viable for that content. Radiance/Zeal/FB. Focus on quickness and retaliation uptime, and ferocity. The damage is pretty insane for a solo build; only drawback is it doesn't scale with raid buffs very well because most of it's power comes from self-applied quickness, so if you're getting that boon from another source DH will do more DPS.

Here's the build I found been playing for last few days and all I can say is OMG is it fun, Power whirling blade with quickness just melts everything

https://metabattle.com/wiki/Build:Firebrand_-_Quickness_Greatsword

Whether or not something is "viable" is always up for debate, so I'm going to let that question sit for a bit. Rather, I prefer to take an objective look at what exactly you're giving up, or gaining, by going Specializing as a Firebrand with a Power-based build.

First and foremost, none of the Firebrand traits benefits Power-based damage, except maybe three additional seconds of Fiery Wrath bonus. Likewise, outside of one single Mantra, none of the Firebrand's Utilities provide something you can't already get from a core Guardian's kit. The biggest "gain" as a Firebrand is access to their Tomes, the first of which scales poorly with Power damage, and the rest are used infrequently due to their long cooldowns.

So, then we can ask the follow-up question, "What do you lose by specializing as a Firebrand?"

Compared to a core Guardian with Zeal, Radiance, and Virtues for a complete offensive package, the Firebrand loses access to fast, reliable sources of Retaliation from their Virtues, which also have no cast time. With group buffs, you'd also lose up to 29% additional direct damage as a Firebrand. Even for the open world, the third trait line can be used for more defensive trait choices from either Virtues or Honor, without sacrificing much in terms of damage.

Finally, when compared with the Dragon Hunter, you would simply give up 27% additional damage from passive traits, plus an arsenal of powerful traps to explode on your enemies.

In other words, the damage and utility you would lose by specializing as a Firebrand far outweighs its minor gains. For the open world and low-tier Fractals, it is as "viable" as a core Guardian using Valor or Honor as their third trait line--serviceable, but far from optimal.

Its completely viable build. I personally use it in fractals and find it extremely enjoyable. You have superior retaliation uptime because of mantras and superior quickness. This two combined with scepter symbol and GS#1 means also superior might generation. Power Firebrand is personally the only time I have experienced giving myself full stack of might.

Also, condition damage from tome of justice is still damage and ToJ #4 skill does very solid power dps.

Its great for PUG fractals, but i wouldn't recommend it for premade and/or guild runs

@Rhyse.8179 said:Yes it's viable for that content. Radiance/Zeal/FB. Focus on quickness and retaliation uptime, and ferocity. The damage is pretty insane for a solo build; only drawback is it doesn't scale with raid buffs very well because most of it's power comes from self-applied quickness, so if you're getting that boon from another source DH will do more DPS.

I've been trying this build recently to mix it up and it works really well. But you are 100% right; its strength comes from on-demand quickness, which if you are already getting in a raid makes this build lackluster.

@Rhyse.8179 said:Compared to a core Guardian with Zeal, Radiance, and Virtues for a complete offensive package, the Firebrand loses access to fast, reliable sources of Retaliation from their Virtues, which also have no cast time. With group buffs, you'd also lose up to 29% additional direct damage as a Firebrand. Even for the open world, the third trait line can be used for more defensive trait choices from either Virtues or Honor, without sacrificing much in terms of damage.

In open world, you can easily keep decent uptime of retal with mantras and you're basically trading the damage/defense of core guardian for on-demand and long lasting quickness.

It is viable for that type of content. Though, since they nerfed the elite mantra CD, it is hard for the build to maintain retaliation. Also, both core and DH power builds are better in open world and lower fractals.

@otto.5684 said:It is viable for that type of content. Though, since they nerfed the elite mantra CD, it is hard for the build to maintain retaliation. Also, both core and DH power builds are better in open world and lower fractals.

Don't disagree with any of the above just enjoy the play style change a hell of alot. I just feel alot more tanky and able to blast mobs so quick. On top of that feel alot more mobile during fights so will stick with this for a while

@ErnstP.4950 said:

@otto.5684 said:It is viable for that type of content. Though, since they nerfed the elite mantra CD, it is hard for the build to maintain retaliation. Also, both core and DH power builds are better in open world and lower fractals.

I used to play it much at PoF release. With mantra nerf though it fell out of favor for me. I really wish anet do not nerf crap in PvE without understanding how and why is it used..

I was hoping weighty terms and stoic deminor are changed to support none tome power and condi builds, since both traits are currently useless in every game mode. At this point I gave up.

"Wrathful Spirit" (Zeal) pretty much guarantees permanent retal uptime, in combination with Manta of Potence, GS 4, and the elite. More then compensates for 7% vs burning foes (unless raiding).

@otto.5684 said:

@ErnstP.4950 said:

@otto.5684 said:It is viable for that type of content. Though, since they nerfed the elite mantra CD, it is hard for the build to maintain retaliation. Also, both core and DH power builds are better in open world and lower fractals.

Considering how half the changes are because of raids, and the other half PvP/WvW, I'm pretty sure they're intentional. But unlike PvP, you can depend on External boon generation in Raid scenarios, making any non-mechanical change practically moot for as long as Chrono is what it is. On top of which, "raid meta" this expansion is all about which build has the most broken amount of damage, and using it as a bench mark for much more broken every other build needs to become before it even gets consideration.

@"ErnstP.4950" said:Here's the build I found been playing for last few days and all I can say is OMG is it fun, Power whirling blade with quickness just melts everything

https://metabattle.com/wiki/Build:Firebrand_-_Quickness_Greatsword

Hi I'm tryna get into Firebrand and I came across your post, can I use this build for solo open world/higher tier fractals T3-T4/raids? I love the fact that I can use a Greatsword instead of an axe and torch in the build. And if so, should I be using the standard equipment or the optimal equipment as stated in the build guide for all PVE content?

As of the last buff to DH, unless you are playing power dps FB to provide support (some quickness and aegis) do not waste your time with power FB or core in PvE. Most definitely in open world PvE where you get 30% damage bonus right off the bat.

Try it before you knock it. Power FB is like lightning in a bottle for open world. Self quickness + self aegis + self healing + perma retaliation for mega dps buffs makes it instagib trash and solo bosses with the same build. It's also great support with mace, by pumping lots of aegis and quickness to your friends. The only way it would suck is if you have a chrono giving quickness already, then it's main advantage is nullified.

I've been main Dragonhunter for so long, don't get me wrong, I love it, it gets the job done, but I wanna try an elite spec from the PoF expansion that uses a Greatsword(cos I love 'em) and Firebrand is so..... flashy, it looks so awesome but it's so unfortunate that axes and torches are it's 'main' weapons for optimal usability(I've got nothing against them, just really a 'swordy' person myself)..... I solo most PvE stuff except for fractals, haven’t even begun to touch on raids yet and I'd really love it if it was able to use a sword variant Firebrand and still have high survivability and damage in all PvE content, something that y’know, I can devote to for awhile.

@TheHomeButton.4196 said:I've been main Dragonhunter for so long, don't get me wrong, I love it, it gets the job done, but I wanna try an elite spec from the PoF expansion that uses a Greatsword(cos I love 'em) and Firebrand is so..... flashy, it looks so awesome but it's so unfortunate that axes and torches are it's 'main' weapons for optimal usability(I've got nothing against them, just really a 'swordy' person myself)..... I solo most PvE stuff except for fractals, haven’t even begun to touch on raids yet and I'd really love it if it was able to use a sword variant Firebrand and still have high survivability and damage in all PvE content, something that y’know, I can devote to for awhile.

You don't have to Main with Axes & Torches one Firebrand -- this applies strongly though to a condition build which will rely mostly on Tome of Justice as its main burst in the rotation. As stated by a couple of people up top -- the other weapons are very viable to the Firebrand if you could keep Quickness and Retaliation applied for most of your encounters.

The Radiance line allows apply Retaliation every time you pop a heal skill -- which for the FB, 3 times if you spam up to the last charge of the healing Mantra. Having retaliation up also increase damage and Critical Chance moving down the Radiance line. Greatsword has its own source of Retaliation. This load out actually helps the Guardian not to focus so much on Precision so that it could put it a bit of Vitality on Gears while going for more in Power/Ferocity to bump up the damage.

Quickness is applied frequently by Firebrand using selected traits -- but you have to sacrifice having more pages and additional effects on your Tomes. You also have the option to carry a Mantra that applies Might and Quickness to you and people in front of and beside you.