Warrior WvW | Small Group Hammer, Sword/Shield | Assaulter WVW ZERG Assaulter 2.0 + Roaming Mods
Table of Contents
Summary
UPDATE
***Some people have suggested that this build works better as a roaming/small scale battle build that in zergs. Fair enough. In my experience it works very well in all WVW scenarios - although as noted it offers no support, but that is not its aim.***
Fun and extremely effective wvw build post patch. Updated with some tweaks to optimize performance, see bottom of page for traits changes recommended for roaming.
Warhorn and Shoutheal got nerfed into the ground, so I decided it was time warrior became an assault class again, no more shout/horn bot.
This build gives you a tanky, mobile, high damage warrior, with lots of escapes should you find yourself getting focused.
ZERG
Pre Combat:
The new signet trait is awesome, you will have 50% crit chance without fury with this build if you maintain 3 stacks of precision buff, which is easy to do (cast healing + fury signet several times in downtime before the fight, they should be recharged before you jump in). You shouldn't need to use dolyak signet for this.
Combat:
Both hammer and sword will hit really hard! Open fight with sword 2 leap, use signet fury to instantly hit full adrenaline, then cast flurry for max immobilize. Switch to hammer and let rip with staggering blow and hammer shock to dps and farm adrenaline, then unleash earthshaker, which should be at least level 2, and will 100% crit due to sigil intelligence (make sure it is your 3rd attack). Finish hammer chain, then switch back to sword, repeat. Final thrust should hit with 90-100% crit chance on a bleeding target if you have fury due to blade master. Shield is there both for the 2nd leap on 4 (immobilize break, you also have one on sword 2 leap) and the block. You can take shield master for lols, but dogged march is still king in zerg combat.
Sure this build has no support apart from Warbanner, but you will do a lot of damage and cc while still being a tank with great mobility, which to me is what the warrior should be about. Aggressive defense, am I right? 
If you really want to run warhorn, you can. Shield is not essential. Investing in tactics isn't worth it however post nerf, in my opinion.
ROAMING
What about roaming? Works very well for that as well! You can use the build as above, or consider swapping sword for axe (same sigils) for more burst. Swap dogged march for shield master to deal with pesky rangers. If condi is a problem, tale brawlers recovery, although you will loose dps. Obviously you will want to swap warbanner for rampage as well.
If running axe, swap furious for burst precision to get guaranteed 100% crit eviscerates, save sigil intelligence for your hammer 
Also take unsuspecting foe instead of blademaster and merciless hammer instead of burst mastery to enhance your hammer burst. Open with signet fury, shield bash and max eviscerate, then auto attack to farm adrenaline, before switching to hammer and rapidly unleashing your burst - backbreaker, fierce blow, staggering blow, max earthshaker, auto - these will all theoretically 100% crit due to sigil intelligence + unsuspecting foe if they connect, and will benefit from merciless hammer. Hit them with hammer shock and switch to axe when you have max adrenaline again before another 100% eviscerate.
And then there's always rampage if the shit really hits the fan, although most of the time I don't need it
I. Weapons and Skills
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- Hammer Bash½Bash your foe again.Damage: 333Range: 130
- Hammer Smash½Smash the ground and damage nearby foes.Damage: 444Range: 130
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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.
III. Stat Specifics & Effects
Primary Stats
- Health 27912 (+8700)
- Vitality 1870 (+870)
- Armor 3331 (+1120)
- Toughness 2120 (+1120)
- Attack 3872 (+1761)
- Power 2761 (+1761)
- Critical Hit 21% (+21%)
- Precision 1351 (+351)
Secondary Stats
- Condition Duration (self) -65% (+-65%)
- Critical Damage 11% (+11%)
- Damage 1111 (+0%)
- Defense 1211 (+0)
- Experience from Kills 20% (+20%)
- Ferocity 171 (+171)
- Stun Duration (self) -25% (+-25%)
Boons
Conditions
Control
Fields & Finishers
IV. Food, Armor, Trinkets & Upgrade Items
Food Nourishment
Condition Duration (self): -40%
Vitality: 70
Experience from Kills: 10%
- (30min)
- Condition Duration (self): -40%
- Vitality: 70
- Experience from Kills: 10%
Utility Nourishment
Gain power equal to 6% of your toughness
Gain power equal to 4% of your vitality
Experience from Kills: 10%
- (30min)
- Gain power equal to 6% of your toughness
- Gain power equal to 4% of your vitality
- Experience from Kills: 10%
Armor & Runes
- Defense: 121
- Power: 60
- Toughness: 43
- Vitality: 43
- Toughness: 25
- Vitality: 35
- Toughness: 50
- -10% Incoming Condition Duration; -10% Incoming Stun Duration
- Toughness: 100
- -15% condition duration and -15% stun duration
- Defense: 121
- Power: 45
- Toughness: 32
- Vitality: 32
- Toughness: 25
- Vitality: 35
- Toughness: 50
- -10% Incoming Condition Duration; -10% Incoming Stun Duration
- Toughness: 100
- -15% condition duration and -15% stun duration
- Defense: 363
- Power: 134
- Toughness: 96
- Vitality: 96
- Toughness: 25
- Vitality: 35
- Toughness: 50
- -10% Incoming Condition Duration; -10% Incoming Stun Duration
- Toughness: 100
- -15% condition duration and -15% stun duration
- Defense: 182
- Power: 45
- Toughness: 32
- Vitality: 32
- Toughness: 25
- Vitality: 35
- Toughness: 50
- -10% Incoming Condition Duration; -10% Incoming Stun Duration
- Toughness: 100
- -15% condition duration and -15% stun duration
- Defense: 242
- Power: 90
- Toughness: 64
- Vitality: 64
- Toughness: 25
- Vitality: 35
- Toughness: 50
- -10% Incoming Condition Duration; -10% Incoming Stun Duration
- Toughness: 100
- -15% condition duration and -15% stun duration
- Defense: 182
- Power: 45
- Toughness: 32
- Vitality: 32
- Toughness: 25
- Vitality: 35
- Toughness: 50
- -10% Incoming Condition Duration; -10% Incoming Stun Duration
- Toughness: 100
- -15% condition duration and -15% stun duration
Armor Stat Totals
- Defense 1211
- Toughness 474
- Vitality 334
- Condition Duration (self) -25%
- Stun Duration (self) -25%
- Power 419
Rune Bonuses
Superior Rune of Melandru- Toughness: 25
- Vitality: 35
- Toughness: 50
- -10% Incoming Condition Duration; -10% Incoming Stun Duration
- Toughness: 100
- -15% condition duration and -15% stun duration
Accessories & Jewels
Accessory Totals
- Power:692
- Toughness:466
- Vitality:466
Weapon Set Sigils
- Weapon Strength: 985-1111
- Power: 239
- Precision: 171
- Ferocity: 171
- Weapon Strength: -
Weapon Set I
Sigil of IntelligenceYour next 3 attacks after swapping to this weapon while in combat have a 100% chance to critical.
- Weapon Strength: 905-1000
- Power: 120
- Precision: 85
- Ferocity: 85
- Weapon Strength: 806-909
- Power: 120
- Precision: 85
- Ferocity: 85
Weapon Defense: 61
Weapon Set II
Sigil of Superior BloodlustYou gain +10 power each time you kill a foe. (max 25 stacks and ends on down or weapon change)
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)
There are niche uses for this, and I would like to vote it up. But it's not zerg meta, and never will be. I can see this as a great roam build, possibly a new meta build for that category. Switch tags, tag it for small groups instead of large.