Best profession/elite spec for boons solo?

[KiteWatcher.7596]

As I jump around between all the professions, I realized I really enjoy looking down and seeing lots of boons on my bar when playing solo.  What professions/elite specs are the best for this?  Doesn't have to be able to spread to other players.

 

 

[DeanBB.4268]

Are you hoping for as many as possible, all the time? Or just in bursts?

The Harbinger's elite skill gives them every boon, so there is that. Fireworks runes gives 3 on a 20-second cooldown. Mesmer's Signet of Inspiration gives swiftness + a random boon every 10 seconds. I would think some elementalist build would be the winner, though.

[KiteWatcher.7596]

I guess I was thinking more sustained vs just bursts of like 3 seconds.

 

Here's what I came up with just from what I've played but wasn't sure if I missed something obvious:
 

• Chrono - with illusions your phantasms give a lot of boons (quickness, fury, might, maybe others??)
• Thief - Specter has that cool well that gives tons of boons and perma-alac is pretty easy.  Also think maleficent seven on deadeye might be nice
• Herald - pretty easy boon pulsing
• Firebrand - lots of bursts of boons but I think I could get long-term quickness & maybe fury (axe)
• Engineer - elixirs can upkeep quite a few boons and holo is pretty good too from what I think (that arena-type utility skill)
• Harbringer - you mentioned this and it does seem strong.  Also like how this feels faster than Scourge which just FEELS so slow
• Catalyst - saw some videos with a ton of boons.  Just not sure I feel like putting in all that effort 🙂

 

I suspect I'm mostly missing specs that can easily maintain 25 might & fury or maybe even protection

[DeanBB.4268]

If boons is your only criteria, then don't forget sigils. Might, quickness, or random on kill come to mind.

[Legend of Rogue.5394]

3 hours ago, KiteWatcher.7596 said:

I guess I was thinking more sustained vs just bursts of like 3 seconds.

 

Here's what I came up with just from what I've played but wasn't sure if I missed something obvious:
 

• Chrono - with illusions your phantasms give a lot of boons (quickness, fury, might, maybe others??)
• Thief - Specter has that cool well that gives tons of boons and perma-alac is pretty easy.  Also think maleficent seven on deadeye might be nice
• Herald - pretty easy boon pulsing
• Firebrand - lots of bursts of boons but I think I could get long-term quickness & maybe fury (axe)
• Engineer - elixirs can upkeep quite a few boons and holo is pretty good too from what I think (that arena-type utility skill)
• Harbringer - you mentioned this and it does seem strong.  Also like how this feels faster than Scourge which just FEELS so slow
• Catalyst - saw some videos with a ton of boons.  Just not sure I feel like putting in all that effort 🙂

 

I suspect I'm mostly missing specs that can easily maintain 25 might & fury or maybe even protection

Scourge is used in stripping and WVW right now, Power Necro and reaper will always be good in PVE, Harbinger honestly moves really fast, you have to be involved and cant just auto click unless in shroud but you have to manage your health and blight, its easy to pick up the rotation, start with ultimate and work down from there. I like trialblazer HArbinger still, tanky, good condi damage, fun as hell you get away with a lot, does good in strikes, fractals raids etc

[KiteWatcher.7596]

3 hours ago, Legend of Rogue.5394 said:

Scourge is used in stripping and WVW right now, Power Necro and reaper will always be good in PVE, Harbinger honestly moves really fast, you have to be involved and cant just auto click unless in shroud but you have to manage your health and blight, its easy to pick up the rotation, start with ultimate and work down from there. I like trialblazer HArbinger still, tanky, good condi damage, fun as hell you get away with a lot, does good in strikes, fractals raids etc

Harbinger does look fun.  Too bad I made my legndary armor heavy :).  I'll definitely try it out some more with the dozens of stat-select armor boxes I got from wvw/pvp.

[SeTect.5918]

23 hours ago, KiteWatcher.7596 said:

As I jump around between all the professions, I realized I really enjoy looking down and seeing lots of boons on my bar when playing solo.  What professions/elite specs are the best for this?  Doesn't have to be able to spread to other players.

 

 

Celestial Catalyst.
Celestial Harbinger.
Celestial Firebrand. (Or Celestial Willbender, works too)
Celestial Herald. (Or a bit worse in case of boon uptime: Celestial Renegade)
Maleficent Seven Deadeye. Celestial Specter.
Celestial Mechanist.
Celestial Chronomancer. (not so great but can keep up good boons too)


As you said in your newest comment, you crafted leggy heavy armor.

In this case I would suggest:
Celestial Willbender/Firebrand or Celestial Herald (or Renegade)

The reason why most of the builds I mentioned are Celestial is because it offers good Boon uptime and also good sustain and "okay" damage. With all the boons, Celestial CAN offer good damage too if your are solo because you can keep up 25 might urself then.

I didnt play Guardian last 2 years and I never played Renegade (because I just dont like the e spec), but I can offer you a build for Herald.
Although I think I could craft you a good Celestial Firebrand/Willbender build, I ll leave this to others.

http://gw2skills.net/editor/?PmgAkelpQIMLKidRSMMCiJSgsCSgj21fLF-zxIY1oh/MCUCkuCQoDA-e Celestial Herald.
Most self Healing comes from Battle Scars, Resistance and Regeneration.
You have perma Resistance and Regeneration. Together they offer you 772 hp each second.
Boons you can keep up perma:
Resistance, Regeneration, Protection, 20-25 stacks of might, Fury, Swiftness. That are 6 boons.
Good sustain, fair damage, good boon uptime.
(If you want to have halfbaked quickness, you can run "Brutality" instead of "Dance of Death" in Devastation spec, but you ll lose a lot of sustain. And important: If you do this, you have to put the mace in the 1st weapon set and the axe in the 2nd weapon set, otherwise its no weapon swap)

Worse sustain and damage than Renegade for sure, but I think this isnt your goal since you asked for boon uptime.

I think Celestial Firebrand is better in case of boons tho.



If you dont care about sustain, you can run diviners stats on most builds.

Edited April 15, 2022 by SeTect.5918

[Stx.4857]

Every class has at least one spec with lots of boons, except warrior I guess, although I think bladesworn has a decent amount.

 

I think the classes with the highest boon potential would be mesmer, guardian, and elementalist.  

 

 

[Blood Red Arachnid.2493]

The two big standouts IMO are Vindicator and Chronomancer.  Vindi gives itself capped might, fury, and quickness while solo.  Chronomancer requires a bit of boon duration, but it does the same while also giving itself intermittent alacrity.  

[KiteWatcher.7596]

1 hour ago, Blood Red Arachnid.2493 said:

The two big standouts IMO are Vindicator and Chronomancer.  Vindi gives itself capped might, fury, and quickness while solo.  Chronomancer requires a bit of boon duration, but it does the same while also giving itself intermittent alacrity.  

What is the Vindicator build?  Not sure I've seen that one yet.

[Blood Red Arachnid.2493]

3 hours ago, KiteWatcher.7596 said:

What is the Vindicator build?  Not sure I've seen that one yet.

Basically it is the snowcrows build: https://snowcrows.com/builds/revenant/vindicator/power-vindicator

Though I make two minor changes.  First, I run Sigil of Stamina over Sigil of Impact.  Second, I usually run either Thrill of Combat or Dance of Death.  The important thing to note here is that, if you're alone and facing multiple enemies, spam Scavenger Burst whenever you can.  This will give you quickness and fury.  The trait Incensed Response will activate and give you might as well.  Alternate between spamming Scavenger Burst, Dodge, and Eternity's Requiem.  The more enemies you hit, the higher your quickness and might goes.

[Mell.4873]

The thing you should ask is, Do you want to be able to precast boon since only a few elites can?

Some elites like Mesmer need to do a little dance around the enemy before they have get their 25 stacks of might and a few second of quickness.