Understanding gear for WvW and PvP

[Meep.3052]

Hello all,I am new to GW2 and am loving the smooth combat system in this game. I haven't had this much fun since Warhammer Online back in its heyday.

I have levelled up a thief and a ranger almost exclusively through sPvP, as I have limited game time and am not that interested in PvE or crafting. I am looking to get into WvW, but I am a bit overwhelmed with all of the information about gear and am looking for some help. Specifically, I am wondering if some kind soul could explain what I should be doing to gear up for WvW? Are all of the exotic gear sets the same aside from cosmetics? What reward tracks should I be focusing on? I have already started getting the Warclaw (thanks to Mukluk for the tutorial).

Thanks in advance for your help.

Meep the Wanderer

[Veprovina.4876]

WvW is a mix of PvP and PvE content kind of.In sPvP all gear is the same, it's standardized. In WvW it's not, you have what you take with you fom PvE (or any exotic armor that you might have gotten in PvP reward tracks etc.).So no, everyone uses their PvE equipment in WvW and they're not the same like in PvP.

As to what you should be doing, look up a build you want to play, get exotic or better armor and weapons with the stats that compliment your build and just dive in.In WvW (as opposed to PvE), gear with +toughness and +vitality is usually more preferable than something like Berserker's gear in PvE because you're fighting real people and unlike PvP, in WvW the AOE spam from hundreds of people can get pretty intense. You need all the help you can get from gear to survive that, and a good team.

Even if you're roaming, all that damage won't do you any good if you're easily one shotted.

As for reward tracks, first get the Warclaw one. Put one point into Warclaw mastery to unlock it, do the collection and the reward track for the final piece, and you'll get a mount. Not having one in WvW nowdays if you're playing alone is harder, like, if you're following a zerg and all are on mounts, you'll be a bit behind until you get one.Not a big deal, but still, it's a cool mount, get one, you'll like it. Warkitty. :tongue:

Other reward tracks are dependant on what you want.I say, complete the non repeatable reward tracks first to get the cool skins and whatnot if you want.Those do require you to first do the PvE part though like Heart of Thorns reward tracks that are unlocked only if you completed that content in PvE.

And after that, the best repeatable reward tracks are in no particular order:

• Triumphant Armor Reward Track (for the eventual legendary armor - those are precursors - are stat selectable so get some and put for later if you need some other stat combo)
• Gift of Battle Item Reward Track (you need that for legendary crafting, also rewards legendary crafting components like Mystic clovers and obsidian shards)
• Hero Weapon Reward Track (stat selectable exotic weapons - precursors for getting WvW ascended weapons)
• Legacy Armor Reward Track (unique stat selectable armor that awards a lot of legendary crafting components upon completion)

[Meep.3052]

Thank you for the response Veprovina, it is greatly appreciated. I have been putting off trying to figure this out for a while, so it is nice to have some direction.

[Ashantara.8731]

Here are a few helpful links regarding WvW:

• https://metabattle.com/wiki/WvW
• https://wiki.guildwars2.com/wiki/World_versus_World
• https://metabattle.com/wiki/Guide:WvW_Guide_For_a_Novice
• https://wiki.guildwars2.com/wiki/World_Experience

Unlike PvP, you use real gear that you need to buy or craft, including sigils, runes and infusions. It is recommended that you eventually acquire ascended gear as you cannot put infusions into exotics.

Take your time to go through all the vendors that you will find in WvW and see what they have to offer.

As for reward tracks: https://wiki.guildwars2.com/wiki/WvW_Reward_Track#Reward_track_types

[Meep.3052]

Thanks Ashantara

[Infusion.7149]

For both thief and ranger in WVW it's usually marauder stat gear (not marauder armor skin).Regardless , you should probably not play those in WVW if you're new as they aren't highly desired classes.A good choice if you only play medium classes is scrapper engineer , both DPS and minstrel support are sought after due to superspeed and decent group utility (stealth gyro , med kit + cleanses with Purity of Purpose for minstrel versions).

In addition, remember that food+utility are present in WVW.

WvW Reward tracks you should focus on are:

• Warclaw reward track (obviously you want a warclaw to navigate)
• Guildrider Warclaw reward track (also includes 2 week Armistice Bastion pass)
• Triumphant Armor Reward Track (to unlock Triumphant Armor tiers)
• Gift of Battle Reward Track , once you have all Triumphant Armor pieces unlocked (also used for Warbringer backpack)
• Hero Weapon Track , if you want the Mistforged hero weapon skin(s) only

PVP reward tracks you should focus on are:

• Glorious Reward Track (you need this for Mist Cores as well as to unlock Glorious Armor tiers)
• Any reward track that is one off rank reward track for 7+ mystic clovers , in the long term (see https://wiki.guildwars2.com/wiki/Mystic_Clover )
• Ascalonian Catacombs if you plan on running a minstrel support build (Monk runes)

Other notes if you only play PVP + WVW:

• Getting ascended accessories other than Mist Band (not unique so you can have two), Mist Talisman (not unique so you can have two), Mist Pendant is difficult without PVE
• Warlord's armor boxes are a good way to get stat select exotic armors
• Mist Lord's weapon set , Mistforged obsidian, and obsidian weapon sets are obtainable from PVP (using ranked ascended shards of glory) so you don't need to WVW for those
• The stat gain from exotic armor is far less than that from weapons and trinkets , prioritize trinkets and weapon
• For classes you don't normally play in PVP you can save up the tomes of knowledge to instant level 80 a class that is sought after in WVW
• WVW infusions can be removed using the infusion extractor from Fractals of the Mists , it costs you silvers only
• For all intents and purposes the Grandmaster Mark shards are amazingly slow to create marks, you're better off crafting them in addition to the ones you obtain from PVP seasons
• If you see Armistice Bastion Pass available in gemstore , buy it if you intend to WvW regularly. It's the only place to properly test damage in a standardized test environment (the golems there). Unlike PvP lobby where the golems are available to everyone (in the PVP lobby) and in PvE where the Special Forces Training Area is accessible from Lion's Arch you are at a disadvantage without the pass. Skills and traits function differently sometimes and this is the only way to account for it.** The functionality of the Armistice Bastion Pass is similar to the Mistlock Sanctuary in that you can return to the area you came from.

[Meep.3052]

Thanks Infusion, this is also very helpful.