Warrior sPvP | Tournament Sword/Axe, Mace/Shield | Team fighter The Finisher
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Table of Contents
Summary
The build is made in the same spirit as Meditation Guardians or Fresh Air Elementalists, by maintaining a balance between:
- High damage level, with a strong focus on targets with less than 50% HP. It also embeds might-stacking capabilities, resulting in regular double-digit damage figures.
- Good active defense, with many blocks, soft and hard control, decent condition cleansing and good mobility.
I. Weapons and Skills
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- Gash½Bleed your foe with a gash.Damage: 202Bleeding: 8 s (340 damage)Range: 130
- Hamstring¼ 12Cripple your foe with a precise slash.Crippled: 1 sDamage: 252Range: 130
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Weapon and Skill Details
Sword/Axe is the damage set:
- F1 lets you immobilize opponents, as a preparation for bursts.
- #1 is moderately interesting. However, it is fast and can build significant damage when you are under Quickness. The third strike cripples, making the target stay close.
- #2 is used firstly for mobility. Make sure auto-targeting is off. It also cripples, which can be useful as a setup for bursts.
- #3 is our finisher move, deadly when the target is under 50%. Hitting up to 12k.
- #4 is used mainly to gain Fury. Make sure you have Fury (either with #4 or the Signet of Rage) before unleashing #5.
- #5 is used for damage (up to 14k), and utilitity. It hits 15 times, thus is very helpful to build adrenaline. It is also a Whirl finisher, so if possible perform it while standing on a combo field. Best used when the target is crippled, immobilized or stunned (all status effects brought by the build). Beware of Retaliation, though.
Mace/Shield is the defense set:
- F1 is a long stun. Use it either to setup a burst, or prior to disengaging (making sure the enemy cannot disable you and follow you when you run away).
- #1 is a decent damage chain, but should be performed only if the opponent is stunned.
- #2 is a block, with a decent damage riposte (5k).
- #3 is used circumstantially, to interrupt skills with tells (heals...) or revivers.
- #4 is used to interrupt an opponent, or initiates a Stun Chain. Usually followed by Mace F1.
- #5 is a strong block. Particularly shines against thieves using the stolen Whirling Axe (as each blocked hit provides might). Beware Unblockable Attacks, though (get familiar with them).
Utilities:
- The Healing Signet is optimized with Signet Mastery. Don't hesitate to use the active, which grants Resistance, either when you're condi-bombed, or want to safely escape (thus nullifying cripple, immobilize and chill).
- Balanced Stance is traited with Rousing Resilience. Each time it activates, Rousing Resilience triggers (no need to break from stun - and no, it's not a bug, it has been documentedon the wiki ever since the trait was introduced). Use it aggressively before each burst, to make sure Axe #5 isn't interrupted.
- Berserker Stance is necessary. Use it to engage, making sure your burst will not be hindered by handicapping conditions or enemy condition bursts. It will give also you plenty of adrenaline, ideal for Mace F1.
- Endure Pain is used it to mitigate enemy bursts (don't take a burst without using the skill). When you're disabled (stunned...) use it as a stun breaker to trigger Rousing Resilience.
- The Signet of Rage is optimized with Signet Mastery. The passive gives you adrenaline, useful for your burst skills. The active gives you Fury (useful for Axe #5) and Might (optimized with the Runes of Strength).
Traits
Arms
- Precise StrikesYour critical hits have a 33% chance to inflict 1 stack of bleeding for 4 seconds.
- Berserker’s FuryGain 2 adrenaline every 3 seconds while in combat. Striking a foe below 25% health grants fury for 5 seconds (can only trigger once every 10 seconds).
- Signet MasteryReduces recharge on signet skills by 20%. When you activate a signet gain a stacking 100 precision buff for 1 minute (maximum 5 stacks). Striking a foe below 50% health activates Signet of Might.
- OpportunistImmobilizing a target grants fury for 5 seconds (10s ICD).
- Rending StrikesYour critical hits have a 33% chance to inflict 1 stack of vulnerability for 8 seconds.
- Unuspecting FoeGain 50% increased critical hit chance against stunned foes.
- Deep StrikeFury you apply also gives 150 condition damage.
- BlademasterReduces recharge on sword skills by 20%. Sword skills have a 20% increased critical hit chance against bleeding foes.
- BloodlustDeal 5% additional damage to bleeding foes. Bleeding you inflict lasts 33% longer.
- Burst PrecisionBurst skills have a 100% critical hit chance.
- FuriousGain 1 additional adrenaline when you critical hit. Additionally, you gain 8 seconds of Furious Surge whenever you critical hit which increases condition damage by 10 per stack (maximum 25 stacks).
- Dual WieldingIncreases attack speed by 15% while wielding a sword, axe or mace in your offhand.
Defense
- Thick SkinGain 120 toughness while you are above 90% health.
- Shield MasterReduces recharge on shield skills by 20%. Blocking an attack grants 1 stack of might for 8 seconds. If you block a missile attack you reflect it instead.
- Dogged MarchChill, cripple and immobilize have their duration reduced by 33% when applied to you. Gain regeneration for 3 seconds whenever one of these conditions is applied to you (10s ICD).
- Cull the WeakDeal 5% more damage to weakened foes. Striking a foe without weakness that is below 25% health inflicts weakness on them for 3 seconds.
- Adrenal HealthHeal every 3 seconds based on your current adrenaline level.
- Defy PainCast Endure Pain if you take damage while below 25% health. This trait benefits from the duration bonus provided by Last Stand
- Armored AttackGain power equal to 10% of your toughness.
- Sundering MaceReduces recharge on mace weapon skills by 20%. Mace skills apply 1 stack of vulnerability for 10 seconds whenever they hit a foe that is dazed, launched, knocked down or stunned.
- Spiked ArmorGain 150 toughness while you have retaliation. Suffering a critical hit grants you retaliation for 5 seconds (15s ICD)
- Last StandGain vigor for 6 seconds whenever you activate a stance. Stance durations last 25% longer. If you are affected by a crowd control skill cast Balanced Stance. 45s internal cooldown.
- Cleansing IreGain 1 adrenaline whenever you are hit. Remove 1 condition per bar of adrenaline spent when activating a burst skill.
- Rousing ResilienceGain 1000 toughness for 8 seconds and heal yourself whenever you break out of a stun.
Discipline
- Versatile RageGain 5 adrenaline when you swap weapons.
- Crack ShotReduces recharge of rifle and harpoon gun weapon skills by 20%. Rifle and harpoon gun shots pierce.
- Warrior’s SprintMove 25% faster while wielding melee weapons. Using a movement skill removes the immobilize condition.
- Vengeful ReturnThe Vengeance downed skill has a 100% chance to rally you if you kill a foe while it is active. When you rally you regain 25% additional health and 100 endurance.
- Fast HandsReduces recharge of weapon swap by 5 seconds.
- Inspiring Battle StandardBanners apply regeneration for 3 seconds every 3 seconds to allies in their radius while they are active.
- Destruction of the EmpoweredDeal 3% additional damage to foes for each boon they have on them.
- Brawler’s RecoveryRemove 1 condition whenever you swap weapons (combat only).
- Versatile PowerGain 2 stacks of might for 10 seconds whenever you swap weapons (combat only). Burst skill recharge is reduced by 15%.
- Merciless HammerReduces recharge of hammer weapon skills by 20%. Hammer skills deal 20% more damage to stunned, dazed, knocked down, or launched foes.
- Heightened FocusStriking a foe below 50% health grants quickness for 4 seconds (15s ICD).
- Burst MasteryBurst skills deal 7% more damage. Regain 3/7/10 adrenaline when using a burst skill based on the amount of adrenaline spent.
Trait Details
The build template brings the following synergies:
- Finisher synergies, with Unblockable from Signet Mastery, Quickness from Heightened Focus and Sword #3 damage – all on targets with HP < 50%.
- Good adrenaline generation, thanks to Axe #5 hitting 15 times, Berserker’s Stance and Versatile Rage. Fueling Adrenal Health, and permitting frequent “utility” weapon F1s.
- Decent condition management with the Berserker Stance, the Resistance of the Healing Signet (optimized with Signet Mastery), and Brawler’s Recovery.
- Improved critical chance with Signet Mastery (precision stacks) and Swordmaster. Fury with Signet of Rage (optimized) and Axe #4. Using Air/Fire to take advantage of this, Axe #4 hits twice, Axe #15 hits 15 times, maximizing the chance for triggers.
- 5% additional damage, with Precise Strikes, sword AA bleed and improved critical chance, working with Bloodlust.
- 5% additional damage, with the Runes of Strength. Might sources include Signet of Rage (optimized with Signet Mastery), Versatile Power and Shield Mastery (applicable to Mace / Shield blocks).
- X% additional damage, with Rending Strikes. Likely to jump high with Axe #5 hitting a lot in a reduced timeframe (ideal continuation is Sword #3).
- Improved blocks, now reflect and gain might, Shield #5 optimized.
- Improved damage application rate with Dual Wielding and Heightened Focus, working well with our damage Sword/Axe set.
- Improved Retaliation of Spiked Armor, with Rousing Resilience allowing to take more hits. Retaliation can be further optimized with the Armored Attack variation (see below).
- Improved Armor with Rousing Resilience (RR), working with the two stun breakers. Also note RR continues to trigger with Balanced Stance without the need to break stun, thus providing a protection-like effect for 8s every 40s.
- Improved Mobility with Warrior’s Sprint (working with both weapon sets), Sword #2 and Shield #4 synergizing with “Mobile Strikes”, and Blademaster optimizing Sword #2.
Possible variations are exposed thereafter. They're not bad, but still inferior to the original template:
- Substitute Rousing Resilience by Cleansing Ire, and Balanced Stance by the Dolyak Signet. The build has enough adrenaline as it is though, and might be too fragile to successfully “Embrace the Pain” anyway. Also, Cleansing Ire would not be optimized with Burst Mastery.
- Substitute Defy Pain by Armored Attack or Sundering Mace, depending on your preferences. Since the build is focused on finishing opponents, I believe that Defy Pain is still best.
- Substitute Blademaster by Unsuspecting Foe (UF). However, the critical chance is already so high that it makes this variation questionable (UF seems more fitting with gear having less precision than berserker).
III. Stat Specifics & Effects
Primary Stats
- Health 19212 (+0)
- Vitality 1000 (+0)
- Armor 2211 (+0)
- Toughness 1000 (+0)
- Attack 3399 (+1375)
- Power 2375 (+1375)
- Critical Hit 47% (+47%)
- Precision 1900 (+900)
Secondary Stats
- Critical Damage 60% (+60%)
- Damage 1024 (+0%)
- Defense 1211 (+0)
- Ferocity 900 (+900)
- Might Duration 45% (+45%)
Boons
Conditions
Control
Fields & Finishers
Combo
Stat and Effect Details
The build has:
- Hard Control: Mace F1, Mace #3, Shield #4.
- Soft Control: Sword autoattack, Sword #2, Sword burst.
- Bleed: Sword autoattack. Not useful per se, but helps proc Bloodlust (5% additional damage).
- Fury: Signet of Rage and Axe #4. Base berserker has near 50% critical chance, Fury brings it to 70%. Precision stacks give 2x5%, and Blademaster provides an additional 20%. We reach 100% critical chance with the build, when the damage set is equipped.
- Might: Gain might with the Signet of Rage, when swapping weapons and when blocking. Might is optimized with the Runes of Strength.
- Stability: with Balanced Stance. Balanced Stance is further optimized with Rousing Resilience.
- Swiftness: with the Signet of Rage and the Balanced Stance, both optimized.
- Retaliation: with Spiked Armor.
- Quickness: with Heightened Focus.
IV. Runes, Sigils, Accessories & Jewels
Armor & Runes
PvP Rune of Strength
- Power: 25
- Might Duration: 10%
- Power: 50
- +15% Might Duration; 25% chance when struck to gain might for 10 seconds. (Cooldown: 5 seconds)
- Power: 100
- +20% Might Duration; +5% damage while under the effects of might.
PvP Rune of Strength
- Power: 25
- Might Duration: 10%
- Power: 50
- +15% Might Duration; 25% chance when struck to gain might for 10 seconds. (Cooldown: 5 seconds)
- Power: 100
- +20% Might Duration; +5% damage while under the effects of might.
PvP Rune of Strength
- Power: 25
- Might Duration: 10%
- Power: 50
- +15% Might Duration; 25% chance when struck to gain might for 10 seconds. (Cooldown: 5 seconds)
- Power: 100
- +20% Might Duration; +5% damage while under the effects of might.
PvP Rune of Strength
- Power: 25
- Might Duration: 10%
- Power: 50
- +15% Might Duration; 25% chance when struck to gain might for 10 seconds. (Cooldown: 5 seconds)
- Power: 100
- +20% Might Duration; +5% damage while under the effects of might.
PvP Rune of Strength
- Power: 25
- Might Duration: 10%
- Power: 50
- +15% Might Duration; 25% chance when struck to gain might for 10 seconds. (Cooldown: 5 seconds)
- Power: 100
- +20% Might Duration; +5% damage while under the effects of might.
PvP Rune of Strength
- Power: 25
- Might Duration: 10%
- Power: 50
- +15% Might Duration; 25% chance when struck to gain might for 10 seconds. (Cooldown: 5 seconds)
- Power: 100
- +20% Might Duration; +5% damage while under the effects of might.
Rune Stat Totals
- Power 175
- Might Duration 45%
Rune Bonuses
PvP Rune of Strength- Power: 25
- Might Duration: 10%
- Power: 50
- +15% Might Duration; 25% chance when struck to gain might for 10 seconds. (Cooldown: 5 seconds)
- Power: 100
- +20% Might Duration; +5% damage while under the effects of might.
Accessories & Jewels
Accessory Totals
- Power:1200
- Precision:900
- Ferocity:900
Weapon Set Sigils
PvP Sword
- Weapon Strength: 905-1000
PvP Axe
- Weapon Strength: 857-1048
Sigil of Superior Air
50% chance to cause a lightning strike on a critical hit. (This effect cannot trigger more than once every 3 seconds)
Sigil of Superior Fire
50% chance to cause flame blast on critical hit causing AoE damage. (This effect cannot trigger more than once every 5s)
Weapon Set I
Sigil of Superior Air50% chance to cause a lightning strike on a critical hit. (This effect cannot trigger more than once every 3 seconds)
Sigil of Superior Fire50% chance to cause flame blast on critical hit causing AoE damage. (This effect cannot trigger more than once every 5s)
PvP Mace
- Weapon Strength: 895-1010
PvP Shield
- Weapon Strength: 806-909
Weapon Defense: 61
Sigil of Superior Paralyzation
+30% stun duration.
Sigil of Superior Energy
You gain 50% of your endurance when you swap to this weapon while in combat. (This effect cannot trigger more than once every 9s)
Weapon Set II
Sigil of Superior Paralyzation+30% stun duration.
Sigil of Superior EnergyYou gain 50% of your endurance when you swap to this weapon while in combat. (This effect cannot trigger more than once every 9s)
Upgrade Item Details
Berserker gear is needed. It is fragile, but the build has lots of active defense, to help you survive combats. Also, the strong finisher capabilities of the build should help you down the opponent in matters of seconds (just escape if you cannot).
The Runes of Strength optimize the various might sources that we have built. We don't need additional precision (we already have 100%), so the Pack Runes would be wasted. Ogre Runes could be considered as a viable alternative, though.
The high precision means we do not need any Intelligence sigil for sword #3, so we use Air/Fire on the damage set, to maximize the damage. Axe #4 hits twice, Axe #5 hits 15 times, so the sigils are sure to proc.
The sigil of Paralyzation optimizes both Mace F1 and Shield #4.
The sigil of Energy is necessary, considerably helping the active defense when you switch to the defense weapon set.
V. Basic Gameplay
Swap weapons frequently, taking advantage from Fast Hands, to optimize Versatile Rage, Brawler’s Recovery, Versatile Power and the sigil of Energy. You alternate attacking with the damage set, and defending with the defense set.
Make sure to use soft/hard control, as well as the Balanced Stance and the Berserker Stance, prior to executing your burst chain.
When in group fights, don't melee blindlessly, take your time and pick up your targets (with health less than 50%), as thieves, mesmers or rangers would do. The finisher damage, along with Quickness and Unblockable, is real.
Main Skill Rotation
This is the main opening rotation. It will surprise the opponent, and inflict excellent starting damage. Note that Sword #2 cripples, making sure that most hits of the Axe will hit (or force the opponent to dodge, teleport or block - not all people do that, as the combo is pretty fast).
This is the finishing combo. Axe #5 often helps you to bring the opponent under 50% health, so you immediately get Quickness and Unblockable, ideal for Sword #3.
A safe way to Final Thrust. Sheathe weapon after Flurry.
Another safe way to Final Thrust.
The basic stun chain. Can be followed by the Mace autoattack, or by switching weapon and performing Axe #5 and Sword #3.
Running away with Resistance, after disabling the opponent (so that he cannot follow you or incapacitate you).