Meditation DH build theorycrafting (sPvP)

Hey guys I've been trying to theorycraft a new build based around the new Soaring Devastation trait. I'm aware that choosing it over Piercing light means traps become sub par but I may have found a way to make it work. The build I've come up with plays like a core GS Medi Guard where you're capable of big damage spikes in a short time frame. It is also based around the grandmaster trait "Big Game Hunter." The logic behind Big Game Hunter is that, we treat it just like the Spellbreaker's Magebane Tether but with a higher damage modifier (20% instead of just 10% from Magebane Tether) and constant application of vulnerability. Anyways here's the build.

http://gw2skills.net/editor/?vVAQNAsdRnkIClDhVDBeDB8DhlEiS+5n+t/aZDgEIL/+vAE-jpxHQB9Y/hrVG4bPAAAcIA83JAggHBAA

Like I said this build plays like a core guard build with the utility of DH virtues. Because we can't fit radiance in the build, we take marauder amulet instead of valk and we're using soaring devastation for the 25% move speed passive so instead of lynx runes we can take a higher damage rune like say.... scholar's? I'm still not settled on runes and sigils yet so for now I'll just stick with the highest damage boosting modifiers. Unlike LB Meditrapper we don't want to use spear of justice mainly for pulls but instead for the 20% bonus damage modifier. The rest of the damage comes from whirling wrath while tethered. The basic combo goes as follow: Spear of Justice (F1) > Wings of Resolve (F2) > Whirling Wrath (2). Just like on a core guard you can use Shield of Wrath beforehand for the extra burst and/or Judge's Intervention and Smite conditions to boost damage and close the gap. The damage doesn't rely on Wings of Resolve landing but it damages and immobilizes your target(s) so it can be a good setup for Whirling Wrath. The damage you output from a successful combo is similar to that of the Core guardian burst but the plus side is you don't rely on retal for your damage. Bulwark and Hunter's Determination in the DH traitline are also interchangeable. Anyways let me know what you think.

Looks like a nice build, though I'm not so sure how good Dragonhunter works without a longbow. I agree with the whole core guardian relying on retaliation in order to deal high spike damage. I've never been a fan of the radiant hammer build. It doesn't work in 1v1 duels because it's so predictable and easy to counter and it only works in team fights for a few seconds.

This will be very vulnerable to spellbreakers and holos since they can both outmaneuver a DH and favorably trade with you in melee range even with damage multipliers. A skilled reaper player that knows when to use their interrupt will also pose a huge threat.

A build I've found that actually makes very good use of Soaring Devastation is your typical meditrapper, but change out longbow for scepter/focus, change out trap heal for medi heal and change out the GM trait to whichever. This build is more of a bruiser and less reliant on bursts, but is still capable of bursting with focus 5 and ToF. I think if the 10% damage/4s cd of trueshot were brought into pvp, classic meditrapper would reign superior again, but this build works just as well if not better imo.

@Arcaedus.7290 said:This will be very vulnerable to spellbreakers and holos since they can both outmaneuver a DH and favorably trade with you in melee range even with damage multipliers. A skilled reaper player that knows when to use their interrupt will also pose a huge threat.

A build I've found that actually makes very good use of Soaring Devastation is your typical meditrapper, but change out longbow for scepter/focus, change out trap heal for medi heal and change out the GM trait to whichever. This build is more of a bruiser and less reliant on bursts, but is still capable of bursting with focus 5 and ToF. I think if the 10% damage/4s cd of trueshot were brought into pvp, classic meditrapper would reign superior again, but this build works just as well if not better imo.

Yea i'll try scepter and focus. Seems like a good idea since my build functions like a core guard but takes longer to set up. Scepter with spear of justice will make for better kiting and sustained damage.

@Les.4872 said:

@Arcaedus.7290 said:This will be very vulnerable to spellbreakers and holos since they can both outmaneuver a DH and favorably trade with you in melee range even with damage multipliers. A skilled reaper player that knows when to use their interrupt will also pose a huge threat.

A build I've found that actually makes very good use of Soaring Devastation is your typical meditrapper, but change out longbow for scepter/focus, change out trap heal for medi heal and change out the GM trait to whichever. This build is more of a bruiser and less reliant on bursts, but is still capable of bursting with focus 5 and ToF. I think if the 10% damage/4s cd of trueshot were brought into pvp, classic meditrapper would reign superior again, but this build works just as well if not better imo.

I wouldn't recommend the scepter in PvP. Sure it's nice that you can have a ranged weapon, but the guardian already has two good ranged weapons: the longbow from Dragonhunter and the staff which is a support weapon. If your goal is to deal damage from range, you can do better with either the longbow or even the staff. It's not worth using the scepter just because you can use Chains of Light to immobilize foes behind you. The auto attack can be easily avoided by sides stepping and the immobilize has a very long cooldown.

@Hoodie.1045 said:

@Les.4872 said:

@Arcaedus.7290 said:This will be very vulnerable to spellbreakers and holos since they can both outmaneuver a DH and favorably trade with you in melee range even with damage multipliers. A skilled reaper player that knows when to use their interrupt will also pose a huge threat.

A build I've found that actually makes very good use of Soaring Devastation is your typical meditrapper, but change out longbow for scepter/focus, change out trap heal for medi heal and change out the GM trait to whichever. This build is more of a bruiser and less reliant on bursts, but is still capable of bursting with focus 5 and ToF. I think if the 10% damage/4s cd of trueshot were brought into pvp, classic meditrapper would reign superior again, but this build works just as well if not better imo.

The symbol provides on point pressure and is on a fairly low cooldown so you do get some decent damage out of that. Also running scepter/focus, 4/5 of your skills are non-projectile compared to only 2/5 on longbow (longbow 3 is a projectile but unblockable so I didn't count that).

If you do not plan to use LB at any capacity, I do not think it is good idea to go DH. If you want to play a stronger dps variant to core rad/valor/med you can use rad/zeal/virtues, which should work better than DH if you are using GS and sword.

Compared to 20% damage with big time hunter with zeal you get:

Constant 10% damage with GS.Constant 20% lower CD with GS.Constant healing while using GS.Vulnerability on symbols, which should even out with vulnerability while using SoJ.10% more damage from symbolic avenger, to enemies in symbols.130 power constant from symbolic avenger.

You will need Lynx runes, but you should have no issues maintain retaliation uptime, assuming you take Wrathful Spirit. And you still run Valkyrie, which is much better stats over marauder.

Also, I would consider initiating with WoR to be extremely dangerous. It has 1 sec cast time. It is the only out of combat mobility skill. Plus you are going to lose the 25% MS, a good heal, the passive heal and 2 condi removal. This is a huge cost for a skill that can be avoided with a dodge or the root instantly cleansed.

http://gw2skills.net/editor/?vVAQNAT8dnkIClDhVDBuCB8DhF/hyKA+27Uu8H/4/KcvgPA-jpBHQBL8IAIuHAATKDAgLAQ52foZHEAA

This is what I'm running. At high mmr and premade AT groups it plays as an excellent assassin build. I can typically crit 5k-8k with True Shot. Lots of spike damage. Only thing it probably lacks is some cleave and isn't the best in a 1v1.

@"Red Raven.7824" said:http://gw2skills.net/editor/?vVAQNAT8dnkIClDhVDBuCB8DhF/hyKA+27Uu8H/4/KcvgPA-jpBHQBL8IAIuHAATKDAgLAQ52foZHEAA

This is what I'm running. At high mmr and premade AT groups it plays as an excellent assassin build. I can typically crit 5k-8k with True Shot. Lots of spike damage. Only thing it probably lacks is some cleave and isn't the best in a 1v1.

I like what you're doing with this build. Keep wings of resolve for passive move speed and cleanse but not for initiating which gives you space to slot leadership runes for longer boon uptime. With radiance you also get a good crit buff and i understand how much damage you can dish out with true shot while being tethered. I'll try it out. Would probs take healer's retribution over right hand strength tho for the retal uptime when F1 is on cd. I'd also swap opportunity on sword with agility on bow. Since you're gonna F1 and true shot from ranged it seems like the better sigil setup. Sword 2 + 3 with quickness feels like a better gap closer/burst option.

Edit: Silly me you get retal from "stand your ground" so i guess right hand strength is a good option. I was also thinking of a better stunbreak option and avoid taking stand your ground but you're not taking virtues so stand your ground seems like the right choice.

@otto.5684 said:If you do not plan to use LB at any capacity, I do not think it is good idea to go DH. If you want to play a stronger dps variant to core rad/valor/virtues you can use rad/zeal/virtues, which should work better than DH if you are using GS and sword.

Compared to 20% damage with big time hunter with zeal you get:

Constant 10% damage with GS.Constant 20% lower CD with GS.Constant healing while using GS.Vulnerability on symbols, which should even out with vulnerability while using SoJ.10% more damage from symbolic avenger, to enemies in symbols.130 power constant from symbolic avenger.

You will need Lynx runes, but you should have no issues maintain retaliation uptime, assuming you take Wrathful Spirit. And you still run Valkyrie, which is much better stats over marauder.

Also, I would consider initiating with WoR to be extremely dangerous. It has 1 sec cast time. It is the only out of combat mobility skill. Plus you are going to lose the 25% MS, a good heal, the passive heal and 2 condi removal. This is a huge cost for a skill that can be avoided with a dodge or the root instantly cleansed.

rad/zeal/virtues means it's a core guard and core guard without meditations is a highly unsustainable build so I don't think it's much of an option. The GS heals can only do so much and the whole build is already too damage oriented. The normal core guard build has a good mix of damage and sustain because of valor. Plus I'm looking for a high damage build for DH in pvp using Big Game Hunter and there's already a good core build for both GS and hammer.

@Les.4872 that was a typo. I meant rad/zeal/med. you cannot play any sPvP build without meditation

I think you could drop one of the meditations and throw in a trap to dump on their heads while you're whirling. Litany alone should keep your health up.

@Les.4872 said:

@"Red Raven.7824" said:

http://gw2skills.net/editor/?vVAQNAT8dnkIClDhVDBuCB8DhF/hyKA+27Uu8H/4/KcvgPA-jpBHQBL8IAIuHAATKDAgLAQ52foZHEAA

This is what I'm running. At high mmr and premade AT groups it plays as an excellent assassin build. I can typically crit 5k-8k with True Shot. Lots of spike damage. Only thing it probably lacks is some cleave and isn't the best in a 1v1.

My main reason for not going virtues is because dragonhunter virtues have a cast time. You end up missing out on the entire reason for going virtues as a core guard. With radiance you get some more damage and the perk from renewed justice is nice.

@Red Raven.7824 said:

@Les.4872 said:

@Red Raven.7824 said:

http://gw2skills.net/editor/?vVAQNAT8dnkIClDhVDBuCB8DhF/hyKA+27Uu8H/4/KcvgPA-jpBHQBL8IAIuHAATKDAgLAQ52foZHEAA

This is what I'm running. At high mmr and premade AT groups it plays as an excellent assassin build. I can typically crit 5k-8k with True Shot. Lots of spike damage. Only thing it probably lacks is some cleave and isn't the best in a 1v1.

I noticed because you didn't take virtues, you don't get retal on F1 so you have to use other active sources like the heal skill if you dont take right hand strength or stand your ground or your F3. Ideally it would be nice to take both DH and virtues together with radiance but without valor, the sustain game becomes kinda meh.