Stat selectable armour and optimising choices

[Rashagar.8349]

This may well just be a problem with my brain, but does anyone else struggle to actually make a decision regarding which stats to select? 

 My brain seems to get too caught up in worrying about making some kind of theoretical optimal choice, that I don't have enough information/system knowledge to make, so I just end up accumulating gear that I never use, and then going down rabbit holes of how best to get X stats on gear pieces, without ever considering just using the stat selectable gear I have for the thing I actually want, just because it might not be the most optimal/cost-effective use of that gear. 

[Infusion.7149]

We're in a condition meta til Tuesday March 29 patch then maybe power and condi will be more equal.

I don't know what kind of content you do but as berserker's and marauders are far cheaper and minstrel is more of a niche WVW / raid tank set viper is probably your best bet.

edit: the caveat is if the stat select is a weapon that is normally used as power (i.e. greatsword)

 

Edited March 27, 2022 by Infusion.7149

[Mungo Zen.9364]

6 hours ago, Rashagar.8349 said:

This may well just be a problem with my brain, but does anyone else struggle to actually make a decision regarding which stats to select? 

 My brain seems to get too caught up in worrying about making some kind of theoretical optimal choice, that I don't have enough information/system knowledge to make, so I just end up accumulating gear that I never use, and then going down rabbit holes of how best to get X stats on gear pieces, without ever considering just using the stat selectable gear I have for the thing I actually want, just because it might not be the most optimal/cost-effective use of that gear. 

Yes, I did more so in the past but it still happens from time to time.  As I got deeper into understanding the game and theory-crafting builds it started to make more sense.  It's all the moving parts, between stats on gear, sigils, runes, buffs, and then even considering how to optimize each choice.  Heck, the game mode and traits you select add to the variables you need to consider.

That said, I don't hang on to gear unless it is Ascended or Stat Selectable Exotics.  Exotic gear is so easy to get that there is no real need to keep it around.

If you haven't, go play with gw2skills.net and their build editor.  You can obsess over stats and builds at no cost but your time, and maybe find some confidence with theory crafting your favourite profession.

[HnRkLnXqZ.1870]

With the customization of your characters and builds, you can go really deep in GW2. The meta is rather simplified, due to its  focus on full sets of the same stats, what helps most players who do not want to bother with the math at all. There exist different do and don't values for stats, which you may or may not want to achieve. You can also make up your personal borders and try to optimize builds with those. The deeper you dive into the system, the more complex it becomes. And as long as you do not fully understand the synergies between the stats, it is quite a confusing mess. 

7 hours ago, Rashagar.8349 said:

My brain seems to get too caught up in worrying about making some kind of theoretical optimal choice, that I don't have enough information/system knowledge to make, so I just end up accumulating gear that I never use, and then going down rabbit holes of how best to get X stats on gear pieces, without ever considering just using the stat selectable gear I have for the thing I actually want, just because it might not be the most optimal/cost-effective use of that gear. 

This is mostly a question of the content you play. The entire efficiency-thinking has the greatest impact in group-content, as they monitor your performance and many encounters follow a scripted pattern, which requires scripted performance. If that is the content you intend to play, you may have to stick to the meta-builds. 

If you mostly play open-world and story content, efficiency is less important. Which means you are free to pick your own gear-stats and experiment with them. You can also stick to the meta there. Everything goes. 

Due to the flexitibility of our build system, there is no golden path. It mostly depends on your preferences and your playstyle. 
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One of the most common requests we have here is people asking for the best build in the game, something that is god-mode in everything at once, does not die and requires pressing just a few buttons. That obviously does not exist. Every build has a focus on a few parameters. Once you realize that, all you have to do is looking for your own preferences. What do you want to achieve with your build?

The meta offers a lot of builds for different preferences. If you pick one of those, they make the stat-decisions for you. If you want to be independant and craft your own, just keep in mind your personal preferences and try to get those working.

If you need further assistance with build-crafting, I recommend reaching out to the >profession boards<. The people there have deep knowledge of their class and know how to achieve different goals. They can also provide knowledge about tratis, runes and sigils which can help to reduce the complexity of the stat-system. For example, some traits (passives) are capable of increasing your critical hit rate, so you can neglect that factor in your stats a little more.