Question for wvw

[Grand Marshal.4098]

Has anyone attempted a boon support heal cata with staff?

If yes, is it any fun?

Classic Water/Arcane staff cata I suppose with a rezz glyph maybe elite water elemental etc.

Cause I'm very bored and wanna play random niche builds, so is it worth getting some quick gear for it and have fun?

Ik tempest exists btw

[Guybrush.4762]

Heal catalyst is a thing specifically in the context of Guild vs Guild so... yes it is definitely playable if you want to put the effort. That being said, there is a reason Tempest is generally preferred in Blob vs Blob. On paper both BvB and GvG looks the same (2 squad bashing at each other) but it has a vastly different dynamic when you look into the details. In GvG, the arena is smaller, there is no terrain to hide behind, focusing one target is way more common, etc. and therefor you favor a different set of tool to do the job. But fair enough, you specified you knew Tempest was a thing so I will not insist 😄.

As for the specific Catalyst build, GvG build are often tailored with a precise squad composition in mind so people tend to play slightly varying builds. Generally speaking though both Water/Arcane and Glyph of renewal see play but I don't feel too hot about the Elite water elemental as it will die super fast and you would not end up gaining a lot of value from it imho. With the combination of Water+Arcane trait line in mind - and the fact that such builds tend to look for regeneration application in order to cleanse alteration via the trait Cleansing water - I would advise you to take Elemental celerity instead to refresh your Water skills and fit two Healing rain (staff water 5) into a single Water loop.

Edited June 18, 2023 by Guybrush.4762

[Grand Marshal.4098]

13 hours ago, Guybrush.4762 said:

Heal catalyst is a thing specifically in the context of Guild vs Guild so... yes it is definitely playable if you want to put the effort. That being said, there is a reason Tempest is generally preferred in Blob vs Blob. On paper both BvB and GvG looks the same (2 squad bashing at each other) but it has a vastly different dynamic when you look into the details. In GvG, the arena is smaller, there is no terrain to hide behind, focusing one target is way more common, etc. and therefor you favor a different set of tool to do the job. But fair enough, you specified you knew Tempest was a thing so I will not insist 😄.

As for the specific Catalyst build, GvG build tend to be tailored with a precise squad composition in mind so people tend to play slightly varying builds. Generally speaking though both Water/Arcane and Glyph of renewal see play but I don't feel too hot about the Elite water elemental as it will die super fast and you would not end up gaining a lot of value from it imho. With the combination of Water+Arcane trait line in mind - and the fact that such builds tend to look for regeneration application in order to cleanse alteration via the trait Cleansing water - I would advise you to take Elemental celerity instead to refresh your Water skills and fit two Healing rain (staff water 5) into a single Water loop.

Sounds good, any build link would be appreciated since I don't got much time to tinker with traits myself.

[oxbivious.3594]

Staff support cata is very strong at boon application, the issue is it doesnt provide any healing (tiny bit with water skills) which means you'll be reliant on other members of the squad providing heals for your party (preferably heal vindis). Arcane doesnt provide much on cata, some access to immob but its not much value. Fire is your main source of cleansing through smothering auras in combination with elemental epitome and powerful aura.
Traits would be Fire 322, Water 322, Cata 333.
Gear is full minstrel (some givers if you want to min max boon duration) with radiance/durability, staff with energy concentration.
This guide will go in more detail than I ever could, covers rotation really well. https://metabattle.com/wiki/Build:Catalyst_-_Support_Catalyst_(GvG)

Edited June 16, 2023 by oxbivious.3594

[Grand Marshal.4098]

4 minutes ago, oxbivious.3594 said:

Staff support cata is very strong at boon application, the issue is it doesnt provide any healing (tiny bit with water skills) which means you'll be reliant on other members of the squad providing heals for your party (preferably heal vindis). Arcane doesnt provide much on cata, some access to immob but its not much value. Fire is your main source of cleansing through smothering auras in combination with elemental epitome and powerful aura.
Traits would be Fire 322, Water 322, Cata 333.
Gear is full minstrel (some givers if you want to min max boon duration) with radiance/durability, staff with energy concentration.
This guide will go in more detail than I ever could, covers rotation really well. https://metabattle.com/wiki/Build:Catalyst_-_Support_Catalyst_(GvG)

Looks good thanks for the tips. 

I mean with smart positioning healing should not be a problem and frankly for the things I want to do, performance isn't the end all and be all. What about regen cleanse? I see that build you posted plays more with auras.

[oxbivious.3594]

7 minutes ago, Grand Marshal.4098 said:

Looks good thanks for the tips. 

I mean with smart positioning healing should not be a problem and frankly for the things I want to do, performance isn't the end all and be all. What about regen cleanse? I see that build you posted plays more with auras.

You only have 1 source of regen from staff 5 so it just works out more cleansing to run powerful aura. When compared to tempest, they are able to provide aoe auras with shouts so they dont lose too much value by taking the regen cleanse trait.

[Guybrush.4762]

The metabattle build listed above looks solid ; it is more or less what a friend of mine is playing. By default I would definitely switch Armor of Earth for something else. The three utility skills listed in the build description are fine but for regular Blob vs Blob I would take Signet of Water myself because of the juicy active healing since last buff. Unless I am mistaken the build description did not mention that you can (and probably should) equip a second weapon set. You have two options here :

• Scepter/Focus is a classic GvG option : you use it for the might precast at the beginning of the fight.
  • LONG PRECAST: in Water Staff: 2 -- Switch Fire -- Swap to Scepter/Focus: 4 (at your feet)>5>2 (without target)>3 (at your feet)+5>5 -- Switch earth 2+4 -- Swap to Staff 3 | Switch to fire then scepter and not the other way around as Water staff 2 is a bit capricious and tend to disappear mid air otherwise, be quick and press the next skill during the cast of the current one, only press Staff earth 3 once as you want to have this skill ready when the fight begin, when there is a "+" sign press both skill simultaneously. Congratulation your group now have 25 stacks of might, and 2 stacks of stability, while you have 250 additional toughness, resistance, and a bit of barrier.
  • QUICK PRECAST : in Fire Scepter/Focus : 2 (without target)+5>5>4 (at your feet)>3 (at your feet)>5 -- Switch earth: 2+4 -- Swap to staff | Sometime you straight up don't have time for a full precast and this is a good alternative. This one only generate 19 stacks of might (which is still plenty) but it takes less time to execute and is easier to do. You can still transmute earth if you have the time or wait until the last second of magnetic aura to make sure you have stability at the beginning of the fight even if the engagement is delayed.
     
• A second Staff with a sigil of Benevolence : note that you are not supposed to use stacking sigil in GvG but if you are not planning to enter the Edge of the Mists Arena then this is a strong option that cost you basically no effort.

Edited June 17, 2023 by Guybrush.4762

[PilzorStyleZ.8301]

For large-number fights, Support Catalyst is not a very good choice, unfortunately. Due to its boon coverage, it is pretty strong in organized fights with well-prepared party setups. For larger, less organized fights, however, the boons are less important and the lack of healing makes it an inferior choice to many other supports (e.g., Tempest). It has also a more difficult rotation with less active defenses, which is harder to maintain as numbers grow.

That being said if you like the idea of providing boon support:
You can very much play a DPS Catalyst build and, besides losing boon duration, provide very similar utility while also padding the DPS meter with Lava Font and Meteor Shower. As most utility is AoE with longer durations, you can easily precast it before a clash. Without losing much DPS, you can play Water trait line with Cleansing Water to get really good cleansing with Healing Rain for free, and, due to the high base healing on Healing Rain, also get some serious healing without any extra Healing Power if you place it well.

[MysteryDude.1572]

Quote

On 6/15/2023 at 7:17 PM, Grand Marshal.4098 said:

Has anyone attempted a boon support heal cata with staff?

If yes, is it any fun?

Classic Water/Arcane staff cata I suppose with a rezz glyph maybe elite water elemental etc.

Cause I'm very bored and wanna play random niche builds, so is it worth getting some quick gear for it and have fun?

Ik tempest exists btw

 

http://en.gw2skills.net/editor/?PGgAYZlNwaZYML2LOWTrxfA-zVJYjRF/hkmIITpQ6KAHeICze4t0+lGA-w

this is the catalyst support build

its build for boons mostly, less heal

DISCLAIMER : radiance rune extends duration of YOUR auras not the ally shared ones

it can be played with monk runes too

can be played cele, needs life sigil in that case

Edited June 25, 2023 by MysteryDude.1572

[PilzorStyleZ.8301]

12 hours ago, MysteryDude.1572 said:

DISCLAIMER : radiance rune extends duration of YOUR auras not the ally shared ones

That's not true. It applies to all auras you grant, including those you give to allies via Powerful Auras.