How to deal with Spellbreakers in sPvP?

[FyzE.3472]

Hello every one! First of all, sorry for my English.So I recently tried playing some Scrapper and I found that it's really, really hard to deal with Spellbreakers. I have a Spellbreaker of my own but I am still unsure of how to properly play vs one as Scrapper. He can easily pressure me off the point and even kill me if I'm not careful. In team fights, every time a SB sits on me, I'm screwed if I stay. So please give me some tips. Any help will be very very much appreciated. I liked playing Scrapper and would like to be better at this profession.

[Vaga.5174]

Hi there,

First of all the english was fine ^^

Second, please either state you are using the meta build or post the build you are running from http://en.gw2skills.net/editor/. It will help us help you :)

[FyzE.3472]

@"Vaga.5174" said:Hi there,

First of all the english was fine ^^

Second, please either state you are using the meta build or post the build you are running from http://en.gw2skills.net/editor/. It will help us help you :)

Right, sorry about that. I'm using the meta build of course. Because I don't feel comfortable enough to make up my own just yet.https://metabattle.com/wiki/Build:Scrapper_-_Conversion_Bruiser -- this is the build that I use. If any other Scrapper build is better, I would also like to know about it :)

[Vaga.5174]

Ok good.

Spellbreaker is one of the strongest 1v1 on nodes classes at the moment, so its perfectly normal to be struggling 1v1 with them, in most circumstances you should not be 1v1 unless you are comfortable with surviving.

With that in mind here are a few things i would suggest:

• Kiting: Its important vs spellbreaker to keep a reasonable distance on node inbetween picking your attacking. You should be constantly moving. Remember the rule: You do not need to stand on a cap all the time to make a difference to a game. Hold a cap for as long as possible by all means, but not to the point of death. If a point is neutral - kite to your hearts content and re-engage when your cd's are up, keep that point neutral for as long as possible. If the point is lost and it looks like you can not beat the person on it, LEAVE. Do not risk dying for node that is not your teams in the first place.

• Use your combo fields and finishers - You have only one water field at your disposable, Reconstruction Field. However it lasts for 4 seconds, which means you can use Rocket Charge for 2 leaps and Acid Bomb for a ~4000 extra heal.

• Do not attack when they use full counter - Stow your weapon can sometimes prevent an attack when you see a spellbreaker proc this. Try to avoid using rocket charge on them unless they have just procced full counter.

• Try to proc their stability trait early using thunderclap, then kite whilst it is up. Use thunderclap again with rocket charge after you have procced their stab to deal damage and stunlock them.

There are a few tips. The main thing is understanding when to engage or disengage a fight. You are unlikely to beat a decent spellbreaker 1v1 with scrapper, but your job would be to hold a neutral/friendly cap for as long as you can until you get a +1. But try hard not to die in the process! If it is not your cap and SB is there just dont fight and help elsewhere.

[FyzE.3472]

Wow a lot of great tips! Thanks man! Can't wait to try them out!It sounds like you were a Scrapper main and then turned to "the dark side" and became a SB main (judging by your forum icon). Is it so and if it is, why? Also, hopefully you understand that I'm joking about "dark side". No disrespect ;-)

[Vaga.5174]

Actually no, I am more a warrior main since launch, but i've fought many Scrappers and picked up a few things that distinguish a decent one and a not so decent one.

No disrespect taken, a lot of people feel the same way about SB, but the class balance pendulum is forever swinging, just at the moment it is in Spellbreakers favour.

I will still say the reason i enjoy War/ SB is because i enjoy the style of play and the big damage we can create, as well as having a pretty decent amount of damage mitigation and sustain, but mainly because since i've played it so much i'm pretty good at it!

[Karras.2945]

@FyzE.3472 said:Hello every one! First of all, sorry for my English.So I recently tried playing some Scrapper and I found that it's really, really hard to deal with Spellbreakers. I have a Spellbreaker of my own but I am still unsure of how to properly play vs one as Scrapper. He can easily pressure me off the point and even kill me if I'm not careful. In team fights, every time a SB sits on me, I'm screwed if I stay. So please give me some tips. Any help will be very very much appreciated. I liked playing Scrapper and would like to be better at this profession.

For Scrapper, use CC skills like Thunderclap to force them to use their stun breakers. The less stun breakers they have the better. At 50% health expect for the passive Endure Pain to proc. You can also use the Elixir Gun for the permanent weakness from the auto attack for more sustain because weakness is the greatest counter to power professions like the warrior and thief.

For core power engineer, the best way to deal with Spellbreakers is using the Grenade Kit. I know that it's not that easy to use the Grenade Kit especially on moving targets, but the best way to deal with Spellbreakers in my opinion is to kite them with grenades. Here's how I use the Grenade Kit:

1. Use the 'Look Behind' hotkey. Not many people use this, but with this hotkey it's much easier to turn the camera behind you rather than turning it yourself. I wish there was a toggle Look Behind option though.

2. Change your keybinds. I use F for the auto attack. The reason for this is because pressing 1 over and over again for the auto attack can cripple your fingers, so I use the F key and it has made kiting easier. For skill 2 I use C because the number 2 key is located above the W key, the key that I use for going forward. This means that I have to let go of the W key in order to press number 2 for Shrapnel Grenade. Those 2 keys are essential for kiting with grenades or just kiting in general. You can use other keys if you want, these are the ones that I personally use.

3. Use Shrapnel Grenade whenever it's off cooldown, use Freeze Grenade to chill the Spellbreaker and in general just spam grenades in front of the Spellbreaker.

4. Not many people know this, but Net Shot on the rifle is instant cast and can shoot behind you, meaning you can have your back turned against the Spellbreaker and it will still immobilize them.

5. Use the Tool Kit to block damage and use Box of Nails to cripple the Spellbreaker.

6. Elixir Gun skill 4 Acid Bomb is a backwards leap. You can use the 'About Face' hotkey to leap forward.

7. Stack just enough amount of Vulnerability on the Spellbreaker before using Grenade Barrage.

8. If they don't have stability, use CC skills like the Overcharged Shot from the rifle and Magnet from the Tool Kit.

9. Try learning how to use the new and reworked Med Kit with the reworked trait Health Insurance. It's quite amazing for sustain. It can heal you more than the Healing Turret if you know how to use the Med Kit. Here's the rotation that I use: skill 4, skill 3, skill 5, any blast finisher. Even the F1 Bandage skill heals you more than the Healing Turret and has a lower cooldown if you're using the Tools specialization. Sure it's got a 1 second cast time, but it's worth it.

Overall, the best way to beat Spellbreakers is to stay out of melee range and kite them. They can be annoying due to the amount of sustain and CC they have, but they are by far the easiest profession to kite.

[Vagrant.7206]

@Hoodie.1045 said:Overall, the best way to beat Spellbreakers is to stay out of melee range and kite them. They can be annoying due to the amount of sustain and CC they have, but they are by far the easiest profession to kite.

That's the struggle for scrappers, because they generally need to be in melee range. Holo is better suited to handle SB's because it can kite much more easily than scrapper.

[Karras.2945]

@Vagrant.7206 said:

@Hoodie.1045 said:Overall, the best way to beat Spellbreakers is to stay out of melee range and kite them. They can be annoying due to the amount of sustain and CC they have, but they are by far the easiest profession to kite.

That's the struggle for scrappers, because they generally need to be in melee range. Holo is better suited to handle SB's because it can kite much more easily than scrapper.

When was the last time you've seen a Holosmith use the Grenade Kit for kiting and used the tips on how to use the kit that I provided for the OP? Take your time, I'll wait.

[Rezzet.3614]

problem is spellbreaker is like thief they ll harass and reset combat over and over when it doesnt go their way ,diference is one relies on stealth spellbreaker flat out becoes immortal while dashing and leaping nonstop.

[Karras.2945]

@Rezzet.3614 said:problem is spellbreaker is like thief they ll harass and reset combat over and over when it doesnt go their way ,diference is one relies on stealth spellbreaker flat out becoes immortal while dashing and leaping nonstop.

It's why I've always called the Spellbreaker a crutch specialization for bad warriors. They can't time their blocks on time to heal themselves up, dodge properly or timing the enemies' dodge to stun them with Shield Bash. It gives them sustain, daze, stun, resistance and so many other things all thanks to Full Counter.

Core warrior doesn't have this and it's why I play core warrior over Spellbreaker. It requires more skill than Spellbreaker, because Spellbreaker is basically core warrior set on easy mode.

[Rezzet.3614]

@Hoodie.1045 said:

@Rezzet.3614 said:problem is spellbreaker is like thief they ll harass and reset combat over and over when it doesnt go their way ,diference is one relies on stealth spellbreaker flat out becoes immortal while dashing and leaping nonstop.

It's why I've always called the Spellbreaker a crutch specialization for bad warriors. They can't time their blocks on time to heal themselves up, dodge properly or timing the enemies' dodge to stun them with Shield Bash. It gives them sustain, daze, stun, resistance and so many other things all thanks to Full Counter.

Core warrior doesn't have this and it's why I play core warrior over Spellbreaker. It requires more skill than Spellbreaker, because Spellbreaker is basically core warrior set on easy mode.

thats a very accurate summary