Spellbreaker Vs. Berserker PvE

[Kamikae.9536]

So I'm not wanting to worry too much about WvW or PvP because the skills and traits can be different. But for general PvE. When HoT came out I immediately spec'd berserker and even though power builds weren't ideal the spec was fun. I really liked how berserker added lots of CC to help with the HoT breakbars and the berserk mode added a nice dps boost to burn bosses or big groups quick. Come HoT berserker was certainly viable but spellbreaker added some much needed defense to berserker geared players the full counter kept some CC and boon strips helped in certain situations. I preferred the flavor of zerker but SB was so much stronger especially in fractals. Long story short I pretty much only used SB for everything since PoF release. I came back after a hiatus and saw berserker got massively overhauled. In theory zerker has a lot more burst dmg at the cost of being a bit more squishy but removing the F1 skill from non zerk mode feels suuuuper clunky. So how do you guys play the "new" zerker? Or should I just stick with SB for open world due to the extra survivability and the fact that "perfect" dps isn't needed? Gear wise I stick with GS (I love the flavor and feel) and A/A or LB usually but I have every wep set for war available, full zerk gear and str runes (I prefer them over scholar I know) I usually run Arms, (3, 2, 1) Disc (2, 3, 1 if axes or 3 for all others) and either elite spec in the 3rd slot (SB 1, 1, 3)Am I just overthinking this or is berserker just not ideal for open world right now? Or am I just playing it wrong because I feel like a sitting duck between rage modes, whereas sb has lower spike damage but I feel like I can spam bursts a LOT more due to the adrenal refund. I prefer the flavor of zerker and I miss the heavy CC from headbutt and wild blow but I feel like SB has better sustain and survivability when solo or roaming open world I feel like the best solution would be to reduce the CD on zerk mode to be in line with other bursts since out of zerk almost all your traits from that line don't apply and you are locked out from the burst skills now, honestly the loss of the F1 out of zerk feels like the hardest part to deal with

[Aigleborgne.2981]

It's all about feel and fun.I play a charr and berserker fits it perfectly. I love berserker rage, and when out, I just hope to survive.Probably not optimal in pve, but more fun and challenging.

My biggest complaint is related to utilities, very mediocre beside increasing rage duration.

[Thorstienn.1642]

I think your mistake is building for burst with Arms. That works for SB and core but not for Berserker, because as you pointed out, it's kind of on or off.Therefore, build for out of berserker mode when you dont have an f1 burst to fall back on: after all, you will only get stronger IN berserk mode.With this thinking, grab strength line instead of Arms: 3, 2, 1 or 2 (Flat situational damage (prob overkill), or healing and endurance to feed more reckless dodges).But what about fury? Grab rune of rage!Ditch the zerker gear (well don't as it's great when you have others to give you spotter etc), get Maruders for gear (more precision + vitality to live more), and assassins for weapons and accessories, throw on a sigil of Accuracy and your at 100% crit with signet of Fury at all times.Personally I like to use Mending as a heal, gives me another peak performance, removes condis and has a 12s CD. Kick for bosses, throw bolas other times. Headbutt because why wouldn't you?Last utility can be whatever you want really; more might and fury uptime=FGS or more flavor= Wild Blow or Lazy= Signet of Might.I like GS, Mace/Axe, but double axe would be fine too.I guarantee though, getting yourself to 100% crit on your own, you will always feel a difference in the world.

[RedShark.9548]

I mostly stick to spb, berserker feels way too clunky, as you pointed out, after the mode ran out. Its even worse in pvp, you feel like a sitting duck and just run around to wait for berserk to come back up again.

[Hashberry.4510]

Zerk is just painful now, really annoying play style.

[Lan Deathrider.5910]

Zerker for high level pve or WvW roaming. Spellbreaker for PvP and roaming/ zergs in WvW. Axe/axe zerker in over isn't clunky. GS zerker in WvW isn't clunky either.

[DoRi Silvia.4159]

PvE depends alsoIf it is open world PvE I run the defense trait to help me sustainBasically the new berserker is a glass canon spin to win class with GSLand arc divider pop blood reckoning and spin again and most mobs will have died already.

Defense comes in handy as there is the trait for invincibility when hp hits 50% for 4secs but at the cost of discipline trait which has a handy 25% increase movement speed

Fractals and raids must run discipline, you will just need to watch your health and make sure to dodge aoe

[Mesket.5728]

Berserker mechanic is borked for PvE. You are either forced to equip burst skills you might not want just to extend zerk or deal with a ridiculously long cooldown out of all your class mechanic. It really sucks fofr PvE map roam or long fights. Just go core warriors for this as Spellbreaker is also "broken" since it works on receiving hits in a game that trains you to dodge them. I can't figure out their design team yet... but well, what can we expect from a team that designed a "berserker class" in a game with Berserker gear and give him a torch for conditions :/

[BrokenGlass.9356]

@"Mesket.5728" said:Berserker mechanic is borked for PvE. You are either forced to equip burst skills you might not want just to extend zerk or deal with a ridiculously long cooldown out of all your class mechanic. It really sucks fofr PvE map roam or long fights. Just go core warriors for this as Spellbreaker is also "broken" since it works on receiving hits in a game that trains you to dodge them. I can't figure out their design team yet... but well, what can we expect from a team that designed a "berserker class" in a game with Berserker gear and give him a torch for conditions :/

In all fairness, at the time HoT launched, the best build for EVERY class was berserker gear. And so, they designed the berserker as a condi class, so they could jam thier thumb into the eye of the berserker meta.

[Kamikae.9536]

Well as a couple of follow ups I use discipline not arms and swap that to tactics for fractals or dungeons. I've been playing with zerker for a bit in PvE and it gets a lot more burst dmg than SB but is a lot squishier. SB definitely has a more fluid playstyle. Zerker can really out DPS though if you rotate well and keep your buffs up between bursts. I'll keep playing around with both but I think zerker needs a hair more streamlining to make it more fluid.

[Lan Deathrider.5910]

@Kamikae.9536 said:Well as a couple of follow ups I use discipline not arms and swap that to tactics for fractals or dungeons. I've been playing with zerker for a bit in PvE and it gets a lot more burst dmg than SB but is a lot squishier. SB definitely has a more fluid playstyle. Zerker can really out DPS though if you rotate well and keep your buffs up between bursts. I'll keep playing around with both but I think zerker needs a hair more streamlining to make it more fluid.

Yeah, upkeeping BMode is key to anything resembling fluidity to Berserker. Honestly, if you have Smash Brawler, and enough Rage skills you should be able to keep BMode up for the duration of a boss, and if it has phases then you should be able to get back into BMode rather quickly once you need to again. Axe/Axe is fairly fluid for FotM even outside of BMode.

[Jzaku.9765]

I find berserker much better for general pve due to significantly higher burst damage - which is really what you're doing in open world pve most of the time, mowing down trash.

Try Str 122/Disc 231/Bers 111, specifically you want to be critting 100% of the time for the synergy between Forceful Greatsword (which gives might for any weapon now, like axe 5) and Might Makes Right. Bonus - while in A/A you'll be able to spam the heck out of Decapitate, giving you 5 might per cast. Try to be efficient with your adrenaline > decap casting, it's exactly 3 critical strikes for enough adrenaline to decap.Pretty much only swap to GS for AoE from Arc Divider and out of zerk to 100b.

Once you get used to it you can even drop Str for Tactics to generate might for the Zerg with Phalanx Strength and Decaps. It'll give you even more sustain with allies around you from Mending Might.

[cryorion.9532]

The only thing I hate about reworked Berserker is being unable to exit it at will and that rage skills are quite underwhelming (especially Sundering Leap). Also, reworked Head Butt is pure aids, I still can't get over the stupidity of this idea... :rage:

To make things simple, if you want best damage as warrior, Berserker. If staying alive is problem or boon removal is required, then use Spellbreaker.As Berserker, use Strength and Discipline with Axe Mastery trait. Try to get to 100% crit chance so you can spam Decapitate as often as possible. Use double Arc Divider on enemy groups. Blood Reckoning heal is really good. Time it properly and you can heal yourself from 1 to 100% in 1-2 seconds if you cleave or if you are buffed. You gotta do big damage if you want to get the most out of this heal.

[Lan Deathrider.5910]

Yeah Berserker is a go big or go home trait line. You can rock a Hammer with it though with a sigil of absorption if you need boon removal but don't want to swap trait lines. For PvE you'd want a CC weapon set anyway.

[DKRathalos.9625]

@Lan Deathrider.5910 said:Zerker for high level pve or WvW roaming. Spellbreaker for PvP and roaming/ zergs in WvW. Axe/axe zerker in over isn't clunky. GS zerker in WvW isn't clunky either.

Well but I still want Hundred Blade to not selfroot but I think they are out of idea how to tweak this skill.

[Lan Deathrider.5910]

@DKRathalos.9625 said:

@Lan Deathrider.5910 said:Zerker for high level pve or WvW roaming. Spellbreaker for PvP and roaming/ zergs in WvW. Axe/axe zerker in over isn't clunky. GS zerker in WvW isn't clunky either.

Well but I still want Hundred Blade to not selfroot but I think they are out of idea how to tweak this skill.

I agree on the self root. I'd take a replacement skill with comparable damage though. Removing the self root would require them to really change the animation for it though, so at that point just a whole new skill is just as feasible.