Fractals Healbrand - Harrier's + Minstrel or Full Harrier's?

[Soren.9502]

If you want to have the best Fractal Firebrand build (Healbrand) should I go weapons + armor as Harrier's and all trinkets + backpack as Minstrel or just go full Harrier's stats on everything?

I've heard that going full Harrier's is better because then you are also able to excel in Raids. Is this true? What do you recommend for a Healbrand?

Are Raids even worth it though so should I use Harrier's +Minstrel just for Fractals or actually prefer to go Full Harrier's so I can enjoy Raids which I have never done? What do you recommend?

[DKRathalos.9625]

If you just only exchange the backpiece to minstrel it won't make much difference, might as well go full harrier or full minstrel.

[Soren.9502]

I was told a popular combo would be all weapons/armor Harrier's and trinkets/backpiece as minstrel. The other popular choice was full Harrier's.

Well which one do you recommend? Full Harrier's, Full Minstrel, or weapons/armor Harrier's and trinkets/backpiece Minstrel?

[Zhaid Zhem.6508]

Harrier DPS isn't actually that bad and can make the difference on some phases / Exposed debuff. But it's always the great debate, if you want DPS and skip mechanics why not just run without healer and play ritualist/vipere ?
About healing and boons, harrier or minstrel in both you will outheal and loop boons easily, it doesn't matter.
Minstrel is a good start if you're not familiar with fractals and mechanics and want to carry your group to the vicotry. The issue with minstrel; if you intend to do raids you'll have high toughness and so the aggro in many cases.

So if you need to craft/buy your first equipment, may be start with harrier weapons and armor, and then equip minstrel accessories, easier to exchange.

[ArchonWing.9480]

I don't see the point to harrier in fractals, especially with the mobility potion giving concentration you can easily maintain perma quickness.  Minstrel heals for more, and harrier's only real advantage is more concentration.

In the past when we were not as power crept that little bit of harrier damage could help a little but these days it really is a drop in the bucket and also you have to play better because no defensive stats. If you die, then you screw the whole party.

 If you need the heals, go minstrel. If you think your party is better than that and you want to do some actual damage, Cele will output some actual 5 dight dps  while sweating less and still healing. While Cele has the worst healing power out of the 3, the extra damage will finish fights a bit faster so you won't have to heal as much.

Most of the time, I would say minstrel and don't even think about it.

Build harrier if you intend to do raids to deal with tanking mechanics and minstrel/cele causes interference.

https://metabattle.com/wiki/Build:Firebrand_-_Quickness_Support_Healer

https://metabattle.com/wiki/Build:Firebrand_-_Quickness_Support_Celestial_DPS

Edited March 31 by ArchonWing.9480

[Eekasqueak.7850]

I actually like to mix in Celestial with some Harrier/Givers for fractals 

[Soren.9502]

@ArchonWing.9480

What is the point of doing Raids? I heard in Fractals you can farm gold the fastest way. If I only ever play Fractals anyway, I might wanna go full Minstrel as you recommend. Why should you play Raids over Fractals?

[Soren.9502]

Ok guys I figured it out. I am just going to do Daily Tier 1 Fractals, I've already got 2 ascended rings and 14 AR, and when those are done I'm going to continue the story in hopes of completing it ALL someday. Probably in 1 year I'm done, at least I hope so.

[ArchonWing.9480]

9 hours ago, Soren.9502 said:

@ArchonWing.9480

What is the point of doing Raids? I heard in Fractals you can farm gold the fastest way. If I only ever play Fractals anyway, I might wanna go full Minstrel as you recommend. Why should you play Raids over Fractals?

Well, the game isn't just about farming gold. If that's your only goal, then yes fractals are going to be better and just do minstrels.

Raids offer legendary armor and feature some of the most challenging content in the game. Also it is meant for more people, so guilds and larger circles of friends can play together.

Though to be fair, not even Anet can answer your question since they haven't really invested in them in recent memory, though strike missions follow the same concept.

[Yaki.9563]

12 hours ago, Soren.9502 said:

Ok guys I figured it out. I am just going to do Daily Tier 1 Fractals, I've already got 2 ascended rings and 14 AR, and when those are done I'm going to continue the story in hopes of completing it ALL someday. Probably in 1 year I'm done, at least I hope so.

If you're doing T1 you shouldn't be healing anyway. You can solo most (if not all) T1 fractals in berserker gear.

[Titan.7853]

I run full Minstrels with concentration + transference sigils on my healbrand.  I use it in both WvW and for PvE.  You can't heal if your dead.

On staff that puts me at 83% boon duration with Monk Runes.  If you take Rune of the Water, you can get to 93% boon duration on staff.

Edited April 3 by Titan.7853

[Nash.2681]

On 4/1/2024 at 8:21 PM, ArchonWing.9480 said:

Well, the game isn't just about farming gold. If that's your only goal, then yes fractals are going to be better and just do minstrels.

Raids offer legendary armor and feature some of the most challenging content in the game. Also it is meant for more people, so guilds and larger circles of friends can play together.

Though to be fair, not even Anet can answer your question since they haven't really invested in them in recent memory, though strike missions follow the same concept.

I second this. Also there's the highly subjective fun factor. Doing fractals every day can get quite boring fast. At least I rather play less days a week and then do some raids and strikes and be happy about the raw gold plus all the other stuff, than doing fractals every day like it's a chore. But to each their own.