WvW Build- The Holy Warlock. Guide + Gameplay tips =D **Updated with post 7/16 patch video**

[RisenHowl.2419]

Build link: http://gw2skills.net/editor/?vVAQNAW7dnkICVBhtCB+CB8DhF5BLLM0iiRVRgsUAQeAu/KgA-jVyCQBMT9HA8gAWwFBYaHBAkpbglKBPx+DOT5Hg0QEAABYmzMZWmBzcmzcmzcmVmzcmzcmzcmzcmzsUA/tsC-w

More clips:

UPDATE POST 7/16 PATCH VIDEO

[XileTommy.7698]

share the build please?

[RisenHowl.2419]

@XileTommy.7698 said:share the build please?

Updated the OP with the build guide =D

[iKeostuKen.2738]

Used pretty much the same build with dire instead. Loved the playstyle tons!

[jaif.3518]

I like the build. I like the theme. I like how you managed a condi build good for zergs.

However, your videos make it look easy. :-) Reality is that most people don't stand still into bunch, so you get a whole lot of running around and misses before you can get them in the choke and really blow them up.

Covering downs is a great idea, though. I used to put poison on them with (others), hitting them with flame does get a fair share of secondary downs.

[kyllar.6907]

Tried this build today and it was a lot of fun. Don't have sinister gear yet so just had a mix of Carrion and Dire and was still effective!! I do agree that it is not a good solo roaming build but works great in zergs

[EremiteAngel.9765]

One of the most unique and fun builds I've seen in a while :o

[XenesisII.1540]

Hi Risen,Just wanted to post to say I love this build!My friend happened to get this on his recommended videos on youtube for some reason and passed it along to me. I haven't touched my guard in 2 years and it's exactly the type of burn guard build I've been looking for, as I never really liked the torch type builds and I don't like firebrand, plus the staff and spirit weapon changes make it much more fun to use here. It's definitely not a roaming build, but it can clear camps quick, kills siege fast, and fun defending gates, in fact I've seen groups get really scared of the damage and back off. The biggest thing to fear is dying from retaliation every zerg fight lol.

I've barely been playing, my main mesmer has been getting nerfs, so thanks for sharing and bringing some fun back to the game for me :)

[Burnfall.9573]

+1

Well done

[RisenHowl.2419]

@XenesisII.1540 said:Hi Risen,Just wanted to post to say I love this build!My friend happened to get this on his recommended videos on youtube for some reason and passed it along to me. I haven't touched my guard in 2 years and it's exactly the type of burn guard build I've been looking for, as I never really liked the torch type builds and I don't like firebrand, plus the staff and spirit weapon changes make it much more fun to use here. It's definitely not a roaming build, but it can clear camps quick, kills siege fast, and fun defending gates, in fact I've seen groups get really scared of the damage and back off. The biggest thing to fear is dying from retaliation every zerg fight lol.

I've barely been playing, my main mesmer has been getting nerfs, so thanks for sharing and bringing some fun back to the game for me :)

Thanks, glad you enjoy it! Managing retal and positioning are probably the hardest parts of using it lol. The trick is loading a soj/symbol/soj then using litany to make you immortal for 6s =D

[XenesisII.1540]

@RisenHowl.2419 said:Thanks, glad you enjoy it! Managing retal and positioning are probably the hardest parts of using it lol. The trick is loading a soj/symbol/soj then using litany to make you immortal for 6s =D

Yeah I've been using shelter for the extra block but I'll try litany out today and see how it goes, and also go core guard by swapping dragonhunter for radiance and see the difference in burns :D

[otto.5684]

I do not WvW, but I am curios why DH instead of FB? FB is much better suited for condi damage and AOE blocking through aegis.

[XenesisII.1540]

Probably because of the 2 cover conditions cripple and vulnerable every time justice procs to make it harder to cleanse (isn't really needed in pve). FB have more support options, but you're really playing this to spam out multi hit aoes to try and proc justice as much as possible.

[RisenHowl.2419]

@XenesisII.1540 said:

@RisenHowl.2419 said:Thanks, glad you enjoy it! Managing retal and positioning are probably the hardest parts of using it lol. The trick is loading a soj/symbol/soj then using litany to make you immortal for 6s =D

Yeah I've been using shelter for the extra block but I'll try litany out today and see how it goes, and also go core guard by swapping dragonhunter for radiance and see the difference in burns :D

I tried out radiance core too, those 10k burn ticks are devastating lol

@otto.5684 said:I do not WvW, but I am curios why DH instead of FB? FB is much better suited for condi damage and AOE blocking through aegis.

@XenesisII.1540 said:Probably because of the 2 cover conditions cripple and vulnerable every time justice procs to make it harder to cleanse (isn't really needed in pve). FB have more support options, but you're really playing this to spam out multi hit aoes to try and proc justice as much as possible.

Xen has it right, cover conditions+f2 for mobility + f3 for getting in easily. It plays like a weaver with better defense tools

If you want to run fb, you're better off going boons+damage with something like this:

That way you make the most of fb's potential

[Kolisch.4691]

Hahaha ha I used this today because of some buffs. It's still not something you use against people prepared to go into a serious fight... but it wrecked a lot of newbies for me today! You could insta down 4-8 players just waiting to cap a sentry etc. I don't get why they like to stay close to each other and have ducky condi cleanse abilities.

[RisenHowl.2419]

@Kolisch.4691 said:Hahaha ha I used this today because of some buffs. It's still not something you use against people prepared to go into a serious fight... but it wrecked a lot of newbies for me today! You could insta down 4-8 players just waiting to cap a sentry etc. I don't get why they like to stay close to each other and have ducky condi cleanse abilities.

Works fine against serious groups too, just gotta land your skills when they stop to bomb or regroup.

I got 180k yesterday off 1 scepter 2 lol. It makes keep defense hilarious since you can kill siege and anyone near it with 1 symbol+1soj

[Orion.1678]

Yeah this build got even better from the update. The only thing left for me is to get sinister weapons (I hate crafting ha ha.)

[RisenHowl.2419]

update with post patch footage =D

[Syrus.2174]

Sounds really interesting.I'm really kind of new to Guard, usually I play Rev nowadays and Ele for a long time before, but I always was interested in a zerg capable Guardian build that isn't just focussed on healing/support.

The tutorial video is from some time ago, were there any changes since then that affected the build? Other traits? Different skills or such?Also, I saw you played it with a bow as well as shield instead of focus for parts of the video, what advice can you give for switching to those weapons?

Would it be worth to get some Expertise on there?Since I never ran a condi build, I'm quite bad at judging this. I was mostly wondering if replacing the infusions with expertise would make any worthwhile difference for example.

Thank you for the build though! Definitely going to test it a bit more, already had some nice encounters yesterday, but I still have a lot to learn.

[RisenHowl.2419]

@Syrus.2174 said:Sounds really interesting.I'm really kind of new to Guard, usually I play Rev nowadays and Ele for a long time before, but I always was interested in a zerg capable Guardian build that isn't just focussed on healing/support.

The tutorial video is from some time ago, were there any changes since then that affected the build? Other traits? Different skills or such?Also, I saw you played it with a bow as well as shield instead of focus for parts of the video, what advice can you give for switching to those weapons?

Would it be worth to get some Expertise on there?Since I never ran a condi build, I'm quite bad at judging this. I was mostly wondering if replacing the infusions with expertise would make any worthwhile difference for example.

Thank you for the build though! Definitely going to test it a bit more, already had some nice encounters yesterday, but I still have a lot to learn.

If you have experience playing ele, you'll pick this up quickly since it follows all the same rules. Place bombs 1/2s ahead of where your enemy is regrouping or as they push a choke, always dance in and out of range so you don't have to tank any hits. rotate into your zerg for healing, then back out again so you don't eat a bomb.

tutorial is still current, none of the traits or skills have changed and the armor remains the same. sinisters or grieving is the best for coordinated groups, vipers is the best against pug groups or groups with little cleansing/resist. Up to you, depends on what you mostly play it against.

shield and focus are interchangeable, focus has a nice oh kitten button while shield offers better ranged protection if you find yourself frequently targetted by deadeyes or soulbeasts. Staff is better against coordinated groups with high reflect uptime. Overall i think bow offers more damage/CC but it's harder to use since you have to account for reflects and work around them.

expertise is useful against groups with poor cleansing. You can get some really stupid burn ticks against those kind of groups, like 20k+ lol. Against better groups, 50% burn duration works well since it leaves very little room to cleanse. soj triggers permeating wrath 1 or 2 times per swing and symbols trigger it 3x per pulse, combined with zealot's aggression (apply 1 1/2s cripple on each PW activation) this means every hit applies 3s of cripple which syncs up nicely with 3s burns. You can go for longer burn ticks, but the longer it's ticking the better a chance the enemy group has of turning it into aegis with their scrappers, which reduces your group's damage output overall.

I'm glad you're enjoying it, you'll get a feel for when to move and bomb after a week or two =D

[Turkeyspit.3965]

This is with Sinister gear? HP pool doesn't make sense.

[RisenHowl.2419]

@Turkeyspit.3965 said:This is with Sinister gear? HP pool doesn't make sense.

I run carrion too for some of the videos, depends on how squishy i think i can get away with. find an amount that works for you to balance your survivability/damage

[Turkeyspit.3965]

@RisenHowl.2419 said:

@Turkeyspit.3965 said:This is with Sinister gear? HP pool doesn't make sense.

I run carrion too for some of the videos, depends on how squishy i think i can get away with. find an amount that works for you to balance your survivability/damage

How important is Power/Precision to your damage? Would Trailblazer neuter the build too much?

[RisenHowl.2419]

@Turkeyspit.3965 said:

@RisenHowl.2419 said:

@Turkeyspit.3965 said:This is with Sinister gear? HP pool doesn't make sense.

I run carrion too for some of the videos, depends on how squishy i think i can get away with. find an amount that works for you to balance your survivability/damage

How important is Power/Precision to your damage? Would Trailblazer neuter the build too much?

~35-40% of the damage is physical, so you lose a fair amount by going trailblazer

-Zeal gives you 10% of your power as condition damage

-precision ups your reflect damage by a fair amount, since reflects use your crit % and the reflected person's power

So best bet is carrion if you want to up your survivability. Enough carrion for 20k hp is surprisingly tanky

[Syrus.2174]

@RisenHowl.2419 said:...

If you have experience playing ele, you'll pick this up quickly since it follows all the same rules. Place bombs 1/2s ahead of where your enemy is regrouping or as they push a choke, always dance in and out of range so you don't have to tank any hits. rotate into your zerg for healing, then back out again so you don't eat a bomb.

tutorial is still current, none of the traits or skills have changed and the armor remains the same. sinisters or grieving is the best for coordinated groups, vipers is the best against pug groups or groups with little cleansing/resist. Up to you, depends on what you mostly play it against.

shield and focus are interchangeable, focus has a nice oh kitten button while shield offers better ranged protection if you find yourself frequently targetted by deadeyes or soulbeasts. Staff is better against coordinated groups with high reflect uptime. Overall i think bow offers more damage/CC but it's harder to use since you have to account for reflects and work around them.

expertise is useful against groups with poor cleansing. You can get some really stupid burn ticks against those kind of groups, like 20k+ lol. Against better groups, 50% burn duration works well since it leaves very little room to cleanse. soj triggers permeating wrath 1 or 2 times per swing and symbols trigger it 3x per pulse, combined with zealot's aggression (apply 1 1/2s cripple on each PW activation) this means every hit applies 3s of cripple which syncs up nicely with 3s burns. You can go for longer burn ticks, but the longer it's ticking the better a chance the enemy group has of turning it into aegis with their scrappers, which reduces your group's damage output overall.

I'm glad you're enjoying it, you'll get a feel for when to move and bomb after a week or two =D

Sadly I got quite used to the much sturdier Rev lately, so my first experience, especially when running full Sinister, was closer to the ground than I'd have liked. Especially since the enemy servers were only running big annoying groups of roamers instead of there being decent zerg fights... so many warriors, engis, rangers, thieves etc. - not much fun.I feel like even compared to Ele - since I ran it with Marauder/Berserker - this build is veeeery squishy. Just something one has to keep in mind. I think I'll try throwing in some Carrion.

Will probably try shield and bow. Luckily I still got a shield lying around somewhere and bow, well...I always wanted a reason to use a bow as a guard. I should at least try it at some point!.And true with the condi-boon conversion, I tend to forget about that. Makes sense to rather focus on simply more damage then, I guess.

Good advice and thanks for the guide!Now I just need to see a zerg fight that doesn't consist solely of warriors, thieves, rangers and engis. D: