"Holo knight"

Build:http://gw2skills.net/editor/?vdEQJAsenUUBlXhFJD2UBkfhlKDrPD+BHhiJjAQ5Z8DseaPA-jVSBABEt/AWKp04EA0lSFKV/JLlBA8AAQTJIe6JWHMAYmZmpRmZmZmZKFgqT2A-w

I have been experimenting with sword shield lately and theory crafted which I believe to be really cool since it can give you permanent quickness along with a ton of superspeed via Kinetic Battery and thanks to rifle turret replacing elixir S, you can achieve it very frequently.

My knowledge of this build is still not perfect since I just recently picked it up, but Ido believe if mastered, the performance can be quite devastating ;)

• Near permanent quickness and super speed

• Insane burst potential

• Very decent survivability if played right (shield, stun break, photon wall, reflect). Since the build does not use elixir S you need to be really mindful of your defensive skills and use them smartly. You are more than welcome to take elixir S instead of rifle turret, you will sacrifice some burst for higher sustain which is the smart decision to do here, I run rifle turret to end the opponent fast before he has a chance to use his whole kit and for the whole flavor of the build of course :)

• High Mobility and Escape potential

• Solid boon uptime overall

• Fairly challenging to manage, especially for a new player, in which cases some of the positives will become negatives ;(

Tips:Hit & Run - This builds excels and uninstalling people extremely fast as seen in the video, however, don't be stupid like me and get out, you can see that very clearly in my first clip where I got too aggressive at the end and paid for it with my life, had I played it safer, perhaps I would have lived and made much better clip xD

Don't waste your utilities at the start of a fight - Applicable to any other class out there, you are not a warrior with an infinite passive invulns or whatever, with the recent changes to elixir S, all of your sustain comes from active skills.

Cleave over stomping - unless you have elixir S for safe stomp, you should almost Never attempt to stomp over cleaving down the body, it is much faster and does not make you vulnerable to others, and if you want to stomp make sure to corona burst just before you do it for that sweet stab.

Spam your Spammables - rifle turret and photon wall have both 7 seconds cooldown and should be spammed as hard as possible to make this build work much better ;)

You are not using Rifle, not using Photonic Blasting Module and no Elixir S. I use the Thermal Release Valve as well, but for a condition-power hybrid in PVE. Thumbs up for creativity, but that is it.

Been there with the perma quickness option a while ago, I do not use it. Our class is a giant weapon-rack on 2 legs, our utilities are probably the best feature anyway. By choosing this path, you reduce our strength into a brain-afk-autoclick. I do not remember when we removed the rifle turret from the skillbar, but in its current form it is not viable at all. Selecting a Utility Skill for the sole purpose of getting the shortest toolbelt-cooldown is a no-go. It works, yes it does work excellent. Reason why I do not use it? I want my utilities!

This is a common theme on the Holosmith, screw engineer and everything that works. Focus 100% on Holosmith, Photonforge and only use the other stuff for boosting the Holo. Why do you think they nerf core abilities recently? They did not harm anyone or anything for ages. But the sole fact that the Holo can use them, makes a fix necessary. They do not want to touch the Holosmith (yet), it just plays too good and the damage is decent. Instead they look on core, look what we use and can be used on the Holosmith and nerf that.

You focus on permanent quickness and superspeed, yet you neglect to trait HGH when you want to use Elixir U? I mean, it is your only stun-breaker and 40 seconds can be really long, especially in competitive. Iron Blooded has an effect in WvWvW, I do not question that. But I would rather keep control over my character than watching it getting butchered. And you get quicker access to quickness and superspeed.

For an alternative approach it is good.

[EDIT] And you forgot to select some weapons (stats) in your build.

[EDIT] And you forgot to select some weapons (stats) in your build.

Thanks, I will add those ;)

I will also further address the issue with the utilities in my post :)

Fun build, also played with that a few times with full marauder equip. Although I have some concerns/Questions:

How do you prevent being kited by hard-hitting rangers with sigil of hunting? Won't they just shoot you down within 4 seconds (including your dodges) before you even get close to them? Or deadeyes that just go invis and spike you slowly from here and there until you are down?

How do you fight condi mesmers? You only have the healing turret and the PF leave as condi removals and the spamming-part of your build is just an Invitation to stack some confusion on you.

And last but not least, how do you fight spellbreakers/core warriors with 2x5s of invulnerability while you on the other Hand only have the shield 2s + photon wall 3s? You cannot kite them without a constant range pressure and they do at least similar close range damage.

This build seems problematic. Your Elixers have a high cooldown and you aren't using anything to mitigate that. The real strength of Gatorade X is the toolbelt skill to turn people into a Chocobo, which you don't get. The ability itself is hit or miss. In that regard, you'd do better with Prime Light Beam. Your only stun break takes too long. This means you can get locked down multiple times and not have much to do about that. If you aren't using Rifle you really shouldn't be using Gatorade U. The two combos well when you drink it before firing Overcharge Shot. The cooldown on it means you won't be gaining much benefit from the Vigor, Stability, or Quickness unless it's a long fight. Plus you're already getting Stability from your Corona Bursts. Gatorade C is far superior, especially since Scourge/Firebrand is still a popular combo and you are almost 100% melee which means if you want to kill them you will have to suffer through all that condi damage. You could maybe go without the big C if you were carrying your rifle so that you could blast them from a safer distance but any melee build should have strong condi cleanse to counter being up close and personal with anything that spams condi damage. You really don't have any options for fighting ranged fighters other than getting in their face. You also don't have much in the way of stopping people from retreating out of your melee range to heal or escape. Rifle helps to solve those problems. If you're using a shield it really should have the Sigil of Impact so that you can take better advantage of Static Shield.

I also stand in agreement with @HnRkLnXqZ.1870 general sentiment.

@Dace.8173 said:The two combos well when you drink it before firing Overcharge Shot.

You really don't have any options for fighting ranged fighters other than getting in their face. You also don't have much in the way of stopping people from retreating out of your melee range to heal or escape. Rifle helps to solve those problems. If you're using a shield it really should have the Sigil of Impact so that you can take better advantage of Static Shield.

Depending on how much CC the opponents has: consider using elixir U directly AFTER the overcharged shot, it will safe you one stack of stability.

Fully aggree with the ranged fighters.

@"Prinzsecond.4863" said:Fun build, also played with that a few times with full marauder equip. Although I have some concerns/Questions:

How do you prevent being kited by hard-hitting rangers with sigil of hunting? Won't they just shoot you down within 4 seconds (including your dodges) before you even get close to them? Or deadeyes that just go invis and spike you slowly from here and there until you are down?

How do you fight condi mesmers? You only have the healing turret and the PF leave as condi removals and the spamming-part of your build is just an Invitation to stack some confusion on you.

And last but not least, how do you fight spellbreakers/core warriors with 2x5s of invulnerability while you on the other Hand only have the shield 2s + photon wall 3s? You cannot kite them without a constant range pressure and they do at least similar close range damage.

Hello, thank you for your questions, I never said this build is next meta or something, it is just a fun way to play and experience holo.

1. Rangers and deadeyes are actually not that much of an issue, especially if you take "Analyze" trait in a tools trait line, you can effectively counter them, you have shield and photon wall to reflect their output and ur high quickness and superspeed can case them down quite effectively, especially now that deadeyes , now taht they can be blocked and reflected. they may kite you for a little while, but they will not outkite ur instant cast tool belt skills that will pressure down quite nicely if u wanted to completely counter them, you would also take elixir S, which as I mentioned is pretty much better idea ;) Also, I am not aware what Sigil of Hunting does ;))))

2. Engi gets heavily countered by Condi mesmer, even going for more Condi remove may not work as a good and patient mesmer can just slowly watch you die, especially because you spam skills 2x as much as other classes, mesmer is ur worst counter, and this build is fully about pressure, so you have higher cahnce of going balls deep against mesmer, pressuring him hard with your kit and instakilling him on the spot rather than play something less aggressive which has a very little means of fighting the infinite Condi spam, a very effective method of fucking over mesmer is to abuse terrain, Mesmers are terrible with terrain (they can't teleport on you, clones AI is dumb etc..)whilst Holo is a god of Terrain Abuse. I would even say that Holo counters all other classes when fighting on a very tricky sovereign environment as our skills literally cut through atoms and can hit ppl through walls xD

3. As seen in the video, it is very much possible to win a duel against spellbreakers and Core warriors, you can pressure them from mid-range, since the auto attacks have 300 cleave radius I believe, when they pop invuln go full defensive and kite their output, which should not be hard with super speed, once it is gone pressure them hard, you are quite tanky believe it or not and can take some beating, definitely more than they can.

@"DRfear.5234" said:

1. Rangers and deadeyes are actually not that much of an issue, especially if you take "Analyze" trait in a tools trait line, you can effectively counter them, you have shield and photon wall to reflect their output and ur high quickness and superspeed can case them down quite effectively, especially now that deadeyes , now taht they can be blocked and reflected. they may kite you for a little while, but they will not outkite ur instant cast tool belt skills that will pressure down quite nicely if u wanted to completely counter them, you would also take elixir S, which as I mentioned is pretty much better idea ;) Also, I am not aware what Sigil of Hunting does ;))))

2. Engi gets heavily countered by Condi mesmer, even going for more Condi remove may not work as a good and patient mesmer can just slowly watch you die, especially because you spam skills 2x as much as other classes, mesmer is ur worst counter, and this build is fully about pressure, so you have higher cahnce of going balls deep against mesmer, pressuring him hard with your kit and instakilling him on the spot rather than play something less aggressive which has a very little means of fighting the infinite Condi spam, a very effective method of kitten over mesmer is to abuse terrain, Mesmers are terrible with terrain (they can't teleport on you, clones AI is dumb etc..)whilst Holo is a god of Terrain Abuse. I would even say that Holo counters all other classes when fighting on a very tricky sovereign environment as our skills literally cut through atoms and can hit ppl through walls xD

3. As seen in the video, it is very much possible to win a duel against spellbreakers and Core warriors, you can pressure them from mid-range, since the auto attacks have 300 cleave radius I believe, when they pop invuln go full defensive and kite their output, which should not be hard with super speed, once it is gone pressure them hard, you are quite tanky believe it or not and can take some beating, definitely more than they can.

Thank you for the clairification!1) I meant signet of hunting haha sorry^^ the stuff rangers have to make their attackes unblockable for 6s, which leaves the shield and the photon wall useless in this time. Rest of your answer is as expected. I would still take in any Kind of ranged weapon as the 3.5s toolbelt is not really a ranged pressure, even with static discharge.

2) have to disagree, although you are absolutely right with the skill spamming and the Terrain usage. However, Holo has such huuge AOE damage and CC that he can just outdmg the mesmer if played nicely. Static discharge helps a lot here. But you have to survive the mesmers invuls and evades first, so with no Option to survive the first few seconds of a fight, you will have bad Cards against mesmers. I have far less Problems fighting as power holo against mesmers as I have against power revenants.

3) I will watch the Video again this evening. I mean no offense here, you fought well on those seconds that I watched the video! but, I stopped the first watching as IMHO it did not reflect an Encounter with skilled roamers. But maybe I am totally wrong here^^ And good warriors are almost as fast as you are with superspeed.

Thank you for the clairification!1) I meant signet of hunting haha sorry^^ the stuff rangers have to make their attackes unblockable for 6s, which leaves the shield and the photon wall useless in this time. Rest of your answer is as expected. I would still take in any Kind of ranged weapon as the 3.5s toolbelt is not really a ranged pressure, even with static discharge.

2) have to disagree, although you are absolutely right with the skill spamming and the Terrain usage. However, Holo has such huuge AOE damage and CC that he can just outdmg the mesmer if played nicely. Static discharge helps a lot here. But you have to survive the mesmers invuls and evades first, so with no Option to survive the first few seconds of a fight, you will have bad Cards against mesmers. I have far less Problems fighting as power holo against mesmers as I have against power revenants.

3) I will watch the Video again this evening. I mean no offense here, you fought well on those seconds that I watched the video! but, I stopped the first watching as IMHO it did not reflect an Encounter with skilled roamers. But maybe I am totally wrong here^^ And good warriors are almost as fast as you are with superspeed.

Honestly, I don't see much rangers running signet of hunting or even longbow, I mostly see the new meta cancer with Perma boons and big weakness uptime, so I guess if I encountered it would be a frustration, but I also think you are underestimating the build a little bit, it is not as helpless as you may think it is. it can go toe to toe with core war and even oud trade him due to the huge Surprising Spikes it puts out and can survive quite mich due to the damage reduction modifiers and protection.

in average you have around 6 boons (if you are solo roaming) that is -12 % Condi and power damage you take + -10% incoming damage from food ( which I really recommend making, it is super cheap !!! ;) )

@"DRfear.5234" said:

@"Prinzsecond.4863" said:Fun build, also played with that a few times with full marauder equip. Although I have some concerns/Questions:

How do you prevent being kited by hard-hitting rangers with sigil of hunting? Won't they just shoot you down within 4 seconds (including your dodges) before you even get close to them? Or deadeyes that just go invis and spike you slowly from here and there until you are down?

How do you fight condi mesmers? You only have the healing turret and the PF leave as condi removals and the spamming-part of your build is just an Invitation to stack some confusion on you.

And last but not least, how do you fight spellbreakers/core warriors with 2x5s of invulnerability while you on the other Hand only have the shield 2s + photon wall 3s? You cannot kite them without a constant range pressure and they do at least similar close range damage.

1. Rangers and deadeyes are actually not that much of an issue, especially if you take "Analyze" trait in a tools trait line, you can effectively counter them, you have shield and photon wall to reflect their output and ur high quickness and superspeed can case them down quite effectively, especially now that deadeyes , now taht they can be blocked and reflected. they may kite you for a little while, but they will not outkite ur instant cast tool belt skills that will pressure down quite nicely if u wanted to completely counter them, you would also take elixir S, which as I mentioned is pretty much better idea ;) Also, I am not aware what Sigil of Hunting does ;))))

Analyze may counter Rangers but it won't counter Deadeyes for long. Bear in mind Shadow Meld counters Analyze. Sure you have two reflect options but the strength in Deadeye is its ability to wait you out. They can draw out your reflects and then unload on you once they're expended. Being able to neutralize Analyze means they can come and go as they deem fit with little fear of a counter-attack from you. A good Deadeye can kite you and bait your reflects so that they can lock you down later (remember you only have one stun break).

2. Engi gets heavily countered by Condi mesmer, even going for more Condi remove may not work as a good and patient mesmer can just slowly watch you die, especially because you spam skills 2x as much as other classes, mesmer is ur worst counter, and this build is fully about pressure, so you have higher cahnce of going balls deep against mesmer, pressuring him hard with your kit and instakilling him on the spot rather than play something less aggressive which has a very little means of fighting the infinite Condi spam, a very effective method of kitten over mesmer is to abuse terrain, Mesmers are terrible with terrain (they can't teleport on you, clones AI is dumb etc..)whilst Holo is a god of Terrain Abuse. I would even say that Holo counters all other classes when fighting on a very tricky sovereign environment as our skills literally cut through atoms and can hit ppl through walls xD

The thing is, you don't have to make the Mesmer's job easy. Having better condi clear gives you the chance to at least apply the pressure you say your build is going for. Also, Mesmers have a fair bit of teleportation. Standard Mesmer has 4 teleportations skills and a Mirage has 4 shadowsteps on top of that. They are capable of teleporting up and down terrain (which is one reason why folks love them for jumping puzzles). I'm a little unclear on why you think a Mesmer/Mirage wouldn't be able to reach you on terrain.

Also, Mesmers are not the only ones you have to worry about as Scourges are fairly good at taking advantage of terrain and dropping shades on top of you on terrain. Lacking ranged options gives them an advantage you don't have to give them. Add in the fact that they can hard counter your speed and you are pretty much giving them a win that you could easily get against them with better condi clear and longer range.

yea nice ive used this type of build before. its fun. looks to me like youre a bit low on the precision side of things but all in all its righteous.consider using crystal config storm. it adds a bit more dimensionality and off puts some of your weaknesses. also mortar kit can help with defense a bit.