ZeroSkitzo.5403

The way you typed your post, I highly doubt you’ve played Every Single Class to plat lol. What current class(es) can do 20k in dmg in a second with 2-3 buttons? You can dodge, block, invul, etc. Anywho, to answer your actual question, hammer cata fell out slightly of the Side Node meta to FA scepter cata and Defense SPB (which you should know if you’re a plat player) but still effective. Also, the rotation is almost always earth - air - fire - water on repeat. Use three then hard hitting skills in proper rotation. Hammer cata has great balance of defense and damage without even really trying. I’d say you need more practice to learn how fluid and capable the class really is as it easily can hard carry gold elo which is where you’re getting obliterated (honestly you should be able to play any class there and just have game knowledge to NOT get obliterated if you have made it to Plat on Every Single Class as you mentioned). Keep at it and you’ll get gud!

Check GuildJen’s roaming build section. She has a few different builds listed. As far as strongest, I’d say nade holo is prob at the top.

There’s also pistol/pistol/x, elixir gun, tool kit and mortar kit. Unfortunately engis weapons aren’t the best and that’s why they have kits. The kits are meant to server as the weapon swap, not to camp in. However, for open world, you can do whatever you want. For metas, I would run rifle.

Your build sounds interesting - share?

Looks fun! Been trying to find a sustainable power build. Will test later but is signet of renewal like a last ditch skill? I feel like your pet will insta die if you use for condi transfer unless you do it then immediately swap pets.

Everything above is pretty accurate as someone who has played both. Just get one set of gear and play each to see which STYLE you like more as that’s really the main difference. FB is more effective solo and beefing team mates but much “slower” and “immobile”. WB is way more active, mobile, engaging, and Fun IMO. I play the GS & Scepter/torch since I just made twilight yesterday and it works quite well for condi (just check SC build). Again - even with GS - still basically same gear as FB so don’t worry. For instance - just took CWB into CMs today for first time and all the mobility between fights/walking (99/98) and even getting back to the boss in sunqua as she moves around is extremely refreshing and fun (just don’t use F1 unless you land it on the boss/minions as you move).

Ah good to know. Hopefully he will make a cele vind vid soon and hear is decision making, etc. I forgot to mention I’m also using malyx over Shiro right now just for different play style. I mailed cele renegade for too long with Jalis/Shiro or Bubble/Shiro.

1. No but 80% or even 84% is safer as with 78, you have to hit alac right off cd and sometimes you may not be grouped perfectly for it 2. Yes, see 1 3. I imagine ritualist is good for meta events but is pure condi so open world solo, will be slower than power. I’d honestly recommend celestial if you want an all arounder and has same boon duration as Ritualist. Good luck!

Thanks for sharing! I imagine he’ll make a vid. Curious he went S/S over M/A. Also surprised he said cele herald was worse since I know he loves cele herald. I’ve been playing harnes’s build any been enjoying it. Still a lot to learn with the alliance stance and making it most effective. Also running GS over staff for fun but staff would be better in outnumbered fights.

Similar to my ask of the other guy - are you still trying cele vindi? Have you landed on a favorite build?

Hey! Curious if you’re still trying out a cele vindicator build or moved on? With recent GS5 nerf and dodge nerf (which you called), I’m trying to find other ways to solo roam in wvw with it. Thanks!

http://en.gw2skills.net/editor/?PKABcqdfllyUZTMKmLO+WexUA-zRZYBKhgCE8WkwNIGETZ0YCERBY7DJM6to/rF-e I doubt this will change people’s minds but I honestly enjoy Bladesworn and above is the build I use for open world and EOD metas (ignore the exotic offbhand axe - that can be used for bloodlust stacking sigil though). The key part is getting your crit chance to 80 so it will be 100 with fury (which this does). You can obviously swap out stats as you see fit but just what I threw together. You have to enjoy swapping into gunsaber and using DT (5 to get closer with 1 or use 2 if still too far) and also using axe/pistol (5-4-5 axe 2) but I find it very interactive and fun. Obviously this won’t work in raids or serious strike groups but pulls its own weight. I’m also “excited” for the banner change but prob will still suck lol. Also, feel free to change the power signet for kick (cc) or shake it off (stun break). Honestly for cc you just need the way station and the charges refresh with the ammo elite so just need it once per meta. Lastly, if you need more self sustain, go Rivers flow and immortal dragon. Good luck out there! Edit: brave stride is also great for stab in DT (use Saber 5 and DT 5 to get the stab). I also forgot to replace the vision sigil with a force sigil lol

Your best bet is probably running this https://metabattle.com/wiki/Build:Spellbreaker_-_Strength_Dagger Instead of GS, take Axe/Axe. That way you keep shield for some survivability but your mobility will suffer. You can also take axe mastery and replace the GS trait with either of the other two but the GS trait still gives might on crit regardless of weapon. Good luck!

Looks fun! Have you tried it roaming in wvw yet? That’s the only game mode I’m interested in haha. Also curious if another heal probably better than signet which would be pve as you mentioned raids 🙂

Thanks for posting! Always fun to see theory craft builds and those willing to share. The Eternal Curse looks very intriguing to me as I mainly solo roam and always wanted to “meme” on core necro so with TB and condi as strong as it is, this is definitely enticing. Any tips for playing it, using shroud effectively, etc.?

Lol I’m blind - I even went back over it but just missed it. Thanks!

Thanks for posting. I’ll keep an eye out. Mind sharing your build in this post?

Hey! Watched your vids and read comments. Out of curiosity - any other rune viable over thief just for testing your build before investing in them? I was thinking infiltration. Thanks!

I read the whole post and I think you’re in the wrong - all you did was basically give him Vallun’s build (not saying he made it first but has a few YT vids on it) and said his is garbage. Did you even try it? I think OP did a great job sharing his unique build and giving his own perspective on how it works for him. As I am a convert from sPVP and mainly solo roam, it’s fun trying different builds. While I do think his original build is just a tad slow on dps, it is a juggernaut and still can kill. My preference is running FB 1-1-3 and Radiance 3-2-3 over valor with sword/torch (which he said is possible) to get more dps and taking camps even easier with F1 reset. OP - keep doing you!

Maybe in anets mind, it’s met the goal as best they could get to the goal. I know you’re not OP and maybe he’s done this but rather than complain and compare to other classes, why not provide potential solutions/ideas to get untamed closer to zerg friendly?

I don’t disagree but not all classes can play all game modes at the highest level. My biggest question is how could anet make ranger viable in zerg play when the biggest issue is the ai dying/how would you build a zerg spec? That’s basically where SLB comes in with merging and being able to res pet that way.

Someone posted a picture on this before but basically the brightness of the orb increases. Also, you can sort of see two if you hide/unhinde one quickly but it doesn’t last.

I recommend soulbeast simply for never worrying about your pet dying. Also, shout out to @Trevor Boyer.6524 and his video from June for how to build one for reference. Here’s the link: https://en-forum.guildwars2.com/topic/96488-how-to-build-a-proper-sic-em-soulbeast-video/page/5/ Good luck!

While leveling - you can do what you want - main goal is to enjoy it! Rotating in and out of kits to use main weapon skills (or holo forge if you go holo) for fractals/raids is more for maxing out dps as part of end game content. As far as open world and leveling at that, just do what feels good! Typically, the core weapon skills are pretty weak (particularly the autos) so it’s only worth casting certain weapon skills and once their on cd, best to stay in kit. Good luck and enjoy the best class out there!

This build sums it up for fractals and raids: https://metabattle.com/wiki/Build:Holosmith_-_Power_Sword_DPS Its meta power dps but won’t bring any support to the group. For fractals, there’s a scrapper quickness build going around but won’t do any good any open world or raids to my knowledge. As far as open world, anything really goes. Depending on the content and solo or not, going full berserker and scholar runes can get dicey (strictly solo speaking) but then some would say get gud. Honestly, metabattle has a lot of variation in the open world section for engi and is good for casual gamers. Engi is quite flexible. Good luck!