Warrior WvW | Large Group Sword/Warhorn, Hammer | Defender Non-shout Alternative
Table of Contents
Summary
In light of the shout nerfs, here is an alternative, lacking the team orientated heals but with superior single and AOE target damage, huge crit chance and the same vitally important CC warriors provide.
I. Weapons and Skills
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- Gash½Bleed your foe with a gash.Damage: 202Bleeding: 8 s (340 damage)Range: 130
- Hamstring¼ 15Cripple your foe with a precise slash.Crippled: 1 sDamage: 252Range: 130
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Weapon and Skill Details
Standard weapon choices here with S/W - H, Cavalier's simplilly because if you have 5 stacks of signet mastery you don't need the extra crit % from zerker gear. Healing signet remains the best healing warriors have, and provides the extra crit chance with signet mastery, Endure pain helps a lot with survivability which is important in front line. Dolyak signet has a 8 second longer cool down that balanced stance, but helps you retain you signet mastery and also provides that little extra bit of toughness which is always appreciated. Signet of Stamina gives good endurance when not on cool down (Remember this was nerfed from 100% to 50% last patch) and cures ALL conditions on use. Very helpful. Need I mention signet mastery again. Banner because you are in a zerg, and so nothing else provides such a useful tool. The only real reason warriors are still kicking around is this ability, so don't waste it.
Traits
Strength
- Reckless DodgeDeal damage to foes at the end of your dodge roll.
- Death from AboveFalling damage reduced by 50%. When you take falling damage launch foes away from your point of impact.
- Restorative StrengthGain 5 stacks of might for 6 seconds when you use a healing skill.
- Peak PerformanceReduces the recharge of Physical skills by 20%. Physical skills deal 10% more damage for each bar of adrenaline you have accrued.
- Building MomentumBurst skills restore 15 endurance if they hit.
- Body BlowStuns, dazes, knockbacks and knockdowns inflict weakness for 3 seconds and 2 stacks of bleeding for 6 seconds.
- Forceful GreatswordReduces the recharge of Greatsword and spear skills by 20% and increases damage of greatsword and spear skills by 10%. Additionally when you land a critical hit with these weapons you gain 1 stack of might for 5 seconds.
- Great FortitudeGain vitality equal to 10% of your power.
- Stick and MoveDeal 10% more damage while your endurance is not full. Adept
- Berserker’s PowerGain a 10/15/20% damage boost for 8 seconds after using a burst skill based on how much adrenaline was spent.
- Distracting StrikesInterrupts inflict 4 stacks of confusion for 8 seconds.
- Axe MasteryRecharge on axe skills is reduced by 20% and gain 150 ferocity for each axe you are wielding. When you critical hit with an axe you gain 2 additional adrenaline.
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.
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
I've gone for Strengh Arms Discipline, but feel free to try around and see what works for you. Only must haves are Signet Mastery (for obvious reasons), Merciless Hammer and Warrior's Sprint. If you don't take Sigent Mastery, don't take this build.
III. Stat Specifics & Effects
Primary Stats
- Health 23802 (+4590)
- Vitality 1459 (+459)
- Armor 3029 (+818)
- Toughness 1818 (+818)
- Attack 3510 (+1560)
- Power 2560 (+1560)
- Critical Hit 25% (+25%)
- Precision 1441 (+441)
Secondary Stats
- Condition Duration (self) -60% (+-60%)
- Critical Damage 52% (+52%)
- DMG Taken from Guards and Lords -2% (+-2%)
- DMG to Guards and Lords 3% (+3%)
- Damage 950 (+0%)
- Defense 1211 (+0)
- Experience from Kills 20% (+20%)
- Ferocity 782 (+782)
- Might Duration 10% (+10%)
Boons
Conditions
Control
Fields & Finishers
Stat and Effect Details
Good all round stats, keep in mind that your crit chance in fights will be much higher with our good old friend signet mastery!
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
- Toughness: 60
- Power: 43
- Ferocity: 43
- Power: 25
- Might Duration: 10%
- Power: 50
- 25% chance when struck to gain might for 10 seconds. (Cooldown: 5 seconds)
- Power: 100
- +20% Might Duration; -20% Condition Duration applied to you.
- Defense: 121
- Toughness: 45
- Power: 32
- Ferocity: 32
- Power: 25
- Might Duration: 10%
- Power: 50
- 25% chance when struck to gain might for 10 seconds. (Cooldown: 5 seconds)
- Power: 100
- +20% Might Duration; -20% Condition Duration applied to you.
- Defense: 363
- Toughness: 134
- Power: 96
- Ferocity: 96
- Power: 25
- Might Duration: 10%
- Power: 50
- 25% chance when struck to gain might for 10 seconds. (Cooldown: 5 seconds)
- Power: 100
- +20% Might Duration; -20% Condition Duration applied to you.
- Defense: 182
- Power: 45
- Toughness: 32
- Vitality: 32
- Power: 25
- Might Duration: 10%
- Power: 50
- 25% chance when struck to gain might for 10 seconds. (Cooldown: 5 seconds)
- Power: 100
- +20% Might Duration; -20% Condition Duration applied to you.
- Defense: 242
- Power: 90
- Toughness: 64
- Vitality: 64
- Power: 25
- Might Duration: 10%
- Power: 50
- 25% chance when struck to gain might for 10 seconds. (Cooldown: 5 seconds)
- Power: 100
- +20% Might Duration; -20% Condition Duration applied to you.
- Defense: 182
- Power: 45
- Toughness: 32
- Vitality: 32
- Power: 25
- Might Duration: 10%
- Power: 50
- 25% chance when struck to gain might for 10 seconds. (Cooldown: 5 seconds)
- Power: 100
- +20% Might Duration; -20% Condition Duration applied to you.
Armor Stat Totals
- Defense 1211
- Power 526
- Might Duration 10%
- Condition Duration (self) -20%
- Toughness 367
- Ferocity 171
- Vitality 128
Rune Bonuses
Superior Rune of Hoelbrak- Power: 25
- Might Duration: 10%
- Power: 50
- 25% chance when struck to gain might for 10 seconds. (Cooldown: 5 seconds)
- Power: 100
- +20% Might Duration; -20% Condition Duration applied to you.
Accessories & Jewels
- Power: 5
- DMG to Guards and Lords: 1%
- Power: 25
- Precision: 15
- Ferocity: 15
- Power: 5
- DMG to Guards and Lords: 1%
- Toughness: 5
- DMG Taken from Guards and Lords: -1%
- Power: 5
- DMG to Guards and Lords: 1%
- Toughness: 5
- DMG Taken from Guards and Lords: -1%
Accessory Totals
- Power:699
- Precision:441
- Ferocity:441
- Toughness:31
- Vitality:21
- DMG to Guards and Lords:3%
- DMG Taken from Guards and Lords:-2%
Weapon Set Sigils
- Weapon Strength: 905-1000
- Toughness: 120
- Power: 85
- Ferocity: 85
- Weapon Strength: 814-900
- Toughness: 120
- Power: 85
- Ferocity: 85
Weapon Set I
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)
Sigil of Superior BloodlustYou gain +10 power each time you kill a foe. (max 25 stacks and ends on down or weapon change)
- Weapon Strength: 985-1111
- Toughness: 239
- Power: 171
- Ferocity: 171
- Weapon Strength: -
Weapon Set II
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
Food as before, I've put exotic back as soldiers with zerk upgrade simply because not everybody can get / has ascended backpeices. A mix of Knights and Soldiers for suvivability and good power. Hoelbrak is great because you have so many sources of might (Restorative Strength, Signet Mastery, Your fellow guardians...) and the -20% condition duration applied to you is always great to have. Double Energy is what i'm very used to and would recommend, although a more offensive idea would be to swap the hammer's energy for fire. Keep that bloodlust somewhere, generally where you are used to. If you put it on hammer, try sigil of renewal on your warhorn.
V. Basic Gameplay
Same as ever. Stay on tag, call banners in rotations, use CC as often as you can. Keep your signet mastery at 5 AT ALL TIMES for maximum damage. Focus on your banners because that is what makes or breaks warriors
Main Skill Rotation
Standard Combo. Throw lots of auto attacks with your hammer out before dodging back. Using Hammer Shock helps you kite away from your enemies and regroup effectively. Don't use staggering blow unless you absolutely know what you are doing, because 9 times out of 10 it just knocks enemies out of your teams damage.