Warrior PvE | Dungeon Greatsword, Axe/Mace | Damage Solo DPS Warrior Build For PvE

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Summary

This is the general solo PvE build for warrior in dungeons and fractals updated from the 6/23/2015 patch.


I. Weapons and Skills

Zojja's Claymore
  • Weapon Strength: 1045-1155
  • Power: 251
  • Precision: 179
  • Ferocity: 179
  • Weapon Strength: -
Zojja's Reaver
  • Weapon Strength: 900-1110
  • Power: 125
  • Precision: 90
  • Ferocity: 90
Zojja's Flanged Mace
  • Weapon Strength: 940-1060
  • Power: 125
  • Precision: 90
  • Ferocity: 90
Zojja's Impaler
  • Weapon Strength: 950-1050
  • Power: 125
  • Precision: 90
  • Ferocity: 90
Berserker's Harpoon Gun
  • Weapon Strength: 905-1000
  • Power: 120
  • Precision: 85
  • Ferocity: 85
  • Arcing Slice¾
    Burst. Strike your foe with an uppercut and gain fury.
    Damage: 480Level 1 adrenaline: 3 sLevel 2 adrenaline: 6 sLevel 3 adrenaline: 9 sRange: 150
  • Greatsword Swing½
    Slash your foe.
    Damage: 259Vulnerability: 8 sRange: 130
    • Greatsword Slice½
      Slice your foe.
      Damage: 259Vulnerability: 8 sRange: 130
    • Brutal Strike½
      Hit your foe with a final brutal strike.
      Damage: 333Range: 130
  • Hundred Blades
    Repeatedly strike multiple foes. The last strike does extra damage.
    Damage (8x): 1,624Final strike damage: 406Range: 130
    • 0
    • 0
  • Whirlwind Attack¼ 8
    Whirl in a target's direction, slashing foes along your path.
    Damage: 259Combo Finisher: WhirlRange: 450
    • 0
    • 0
  • Bladetrail¾ 12
    Throw your greatsword at your foe so that it returns to you, crippling foes along the way.
    Damage: 277Crippled: 4 sCombo Finisher: ProjectileRange: 900
    • 0
    • 0
  • Rush2 16
    Charge and strike your foe.
    Damage: 628Range: 1,200
    • 0
    • 0
  • Healing Signet16
    Signet Passive: Grants regeneration.
    Signet Active: Heal yourself and gain resistance.
    Healing: 3,320Resistance: 6 s
    • 0
  • Signet of Might20
    Signet Passive: Improves power.
    Signet Active: Your next 3 attacks are unblockable.
    Passive effect: 180 powerUnblockable: Next 5 strikes
    • 0
  • Signet of Fury¼ 24
    Signet Passive: Improves precision.
    Signet Active: Gain adrenaline.
    Passive effect: 180 precisionAdrenaline: 30
    • 0
    • 0
  • Signet of Rage1 48
    Signet Passive: Grants adrenaline.
    Signet Active: Gain fury, might, and swiftness.
    x5Might: 30 sFury: 30 sSwiftness: 30 s
    • 0

Weapon and Skill Details

If you are running the fast hands build, you should be using the Blood Reckoning healing skill because you will need it to maintain Berserker's Power, as it is used for extra adrenaline for when not in the berserk transformation.

 

In addition to this, you should be using "For Great Justice" if using the fast hands build because it will be difficult to maintain 100% fury uptime without!

 

"To The Limit" is interchangeable with Healing Signet and Defiant Stance depending on the situation for when not using Blood Reckoning.

 

"To The Limit" is useful for the start of an encounter when you want to fill your adrenaline right away to begin with your burst skill, so use this when you know that you won't need to actually worry about your heal during a fight.

 

If you do need to worry about your health during a fight then go for Healing Signet. It has a great passive that will help keep you alive. You can also pre-cast signets before an encounter for the precision bonus from your Signet Mastery trait, which would give Healing Signet another use.

 

Defiant Stance is a very niche healing skill for combat that can be useful for boss fights that are predictable and hit a ton of damage at once, as it can fully heal you.


Traits

Strength

  • Reckless Dodge
    Deal damage to foes at the end of your dodge roll.
    • Death from Above
      Falling damage reduced by 50%. When you take falling damage launch foes away from your point of impact.
    • Restorative Strength
      Gain 5 stacks of might for 6 seconds when you use a healing skill.
    • Peak Performance
      Reduces the recharge of Physical skills by 20%. Physical skills deal 10% more damage for each bar of adrenaline you have accrued.
  • Building Momentum
    Burst skills restore 15 endurance if they hit.
    • Body Blow
      Stuns, dazes, knockbacks and knockdowns inflict weakness for 3 seconds and 2 stacks of bleeding for 6 seconds.
    • Forceful Greatsword
      Reduces 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 Fortitude
      Gain vitality equal to 10% of your power.
  • Stick and Move
    Deal 10% more damage while your endurance is not full. Adept
    • Berserker’s Power
      Gain a 10/15/20% damage boost for 8 seconds after using a burst skill based on how much adrenaline was spent.
    • Distracting Strikes
      Interrupts inflict 4 stacks of confusion for 8 seconds.
    • Axe Mastery
      Recharge 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 Strikes
    Your critical hits have a 33% chance to inflict 1 stack of bleeding for 4 seconds.
    • Berserker’s Fury
      Gain 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 Mastery
      Reduces 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.
    • Opportunist
      Immobilizing a target grants fury for 5 seconds (10s ICD).
  • Rending Strikes
    Your critical hits have a 33% chance to inflict 1 stack of vulnerability for 8 seconds.
    • Unuspecting Foe
      Gain 50% increased critical hit chance against stunned foes.
    • Deep Strike
      Fury you apply also gives 150 condition damage.
    • Blademaster
      Reduces recharge on sword skills by 20%. Sword skills have a 20% increased critical hit chance against bleeding foes.
  • Bloodlust
    Deal 5% additional damage to bleeding foes. Bleeding you inflict lasts 33% longer.
    • Burst Precision
      Burst skills have a 100% critical hit chance.
    • Furious
      Gain 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 Wielding
      Increases attack speed by 15% while wielding a sword, axe or mace in your offhand.

Discipline

  • Versatile Rage
    Gain 5 adrenaline when you swap weapons.
    • Crack Shot
      Reduces recharge of rifle and harpoon gun weapon skills by 20%. Rifle and harpoon gun shots pierce.
    • Warrior’s Sprint
      Move 25% faster while wielding melee weapons. Using a movement skill removes the immobilize condition.
    • Vengeful Return
      The 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 Hands
    Reduces recharge of weapon swap by 5 seconds.
    • Inspiring Battle Standard
      Banners apply regeneration for 3 seconds every 3 seconds to allies in their radius while they are active.
    • Destruction of the Empowered
      Deal 3% additional damage to foes for each boon they have on them.
    • Brawler’s Recovery
      Remove 1 condition whenever you swap weapons (combat only).
  • Versatile Power
    Gain 2 stacks of might for 10 seconds whenever you swap weapons (combat only). Burst skill recharge is reduced by 15%.
    • Merciless Hammer
      Reduces recharge of hammer weapon skills by 20%. Hammer skills deal 20% more damage to stunned, dazed, knocked down, or launched foes.
    • Heightened Focus
      Striking a foe below 50% health grants quickness for 4 seconds (15s ICD).
    • Burst Mastery
      Burst skills deal 7% more damage. Regain 3/7/10 adrenaline when using a burst skill based on the amount of adrenaline spent.

Trait Details

Sometimes you will change certain traits depending on what you are fighting. There is a fast hands variant of this build, and the only two things that change for it as far as traits and utilities are concerned are the heal and one utility (Blood Reckoning, "For Great Justice).

 

If not using the fast hands build, remember that you want to have Furious in order to maintain 100% Berserker's Power uptime. You will be camping greatsword here, so due to that you will not be getting adrenaline from weapon swaps or burst mastery and thus will need this trait.


III. Stat Specifics & Effects

Primary Stats

  • Health 19212 (+0)
  • Vitality 1000 (+0)
  • Armor 2271 (+0)
  • Toughness 1000 (+0)
  • Attack 4050 (+1895)
  • Power 2837 (+1837)
  • Critical Hit 63% (+63%)
  • Precision 2240 (+1240)

Secondary Stats

  • Agony Resistance 35 (+35)
  • Critical Damage 64% (+64%)
  • Damage 1213 (+5%)
  • Defense 1271 (+0)
  • Experience from Kills 20% (+20%)
  • Ferocity 960 (+960)
  • Might Duration 45% (+45%)

Boons

  • Aegis
    Block the next attack.
  • Distortion
    Allows mesmers to evade attacks for some time.
  • Frenzy
    Increases damage taken by 25%. It typically seen as a mechanic to offset a beneficial effect such as quickness.
  • Frosty Armor
    Chills foes that hit you.
  • Fury
    20% critical chance increase. Stacks in duration.
  • Haste
    Regenerate endurance at 50% effectiveness when under the effects of this skill. It's typically seen as a mechanic to offset a beneficial effect such as quickness.
  • Invulnerability
    Prevents the target from taking damage or receiving conditions. It is also placed on rallied players for one second.
  • Might
    X damage per attack increase. Stacks intensity.
  • Protection
    33% damage reduction. Stacks in duration.
  • Quickening Zephyr
    Prevents healing. It typically seen as a mechanic to offset a beneficial effect such as quickness.
  • Quickness
    Makes all skills and actions 50% faster.
  • Regeneration
    Regenerates X health per second. Stacks in duration.
  • Rejuvenation
    Regenerates health. This effect is exclusive to the guardian profession through the Virtue of Resolve.
  • Resistance
    Resistance temporarily negates the affected target of all effects caused by conditions.
  • Retaliation
    Does X damage to an opponent each time they hit you. Stacks in duration.
  • Smiting
    Causes every fifth attack to apply burning. This effect is exclusive to the guardian profession.
  • Stability
    Cannot be knocked down, pushed back, launched, stunned, dazed, floated, sunk, or feared.
  • Stealth
    Allows the user to be invisible to enemy players and avoid being spotted by enemy NPCs.
  • Swiftness
    33% movement speed increase. Stacks in duration.
  • Vigor
    Faster endurance regeneration. Stacks in duration.

Conditions

  • Agony
    Agony is an effect unique to Fractals of the Mists that removes a percentage of the player's health every second and reduces received healing by ~50%.
  • Bleeding
    Bleeding is a stackable condition that deals damage over time.
  • Blind
    Causes the target's next hit to miss instead.
  • Burning
    Inflicts X damage per second. Stacks in duration.
  • Chilled
    Reduces movement speed and skill recharge by 66%. Stacks in duration.
  • Confusion
    Inflicts X damage each time a foe uses skill. Stacks in intensity.
  • Crippled
    Crippled is a condition which decreases movement speed by 50%. Stacks in duration.
  • Fear
    Causes the target to run directly away from the caster.
  • Immobilized
    Immobilized is a condition which prevents movement and dodging. Victims also can't turn. Stacks in duration.
  • Poison
    Inflicts X damage per second. Reduces outgoing heals by 33%. Stacks in duration.
  • Slow
    Slow is a condition that reduces the activation time of skills and abilities.
  • Taunt
    Taunt is a control effect that forces the affected target to run towards the source of taunt with all skills except stun breakers disabled while using their auto-attack skill.
  • Torment
    Deals damage every second; deals additional damage if moving; stacks intensity.
  • Vulnerability
    Increases damage the target takes by 1%. Stacks in intensity.
  • Weakness
    Causes 50% of attacks to be glancing and reduces endurance regeneration by 50%. Stacks in duration.

Control

  • Break Stun
    Stun break is an effect which can break control effects on a character.
  • Daze
    Interrupts and prevents the target from using skills for a period of time.
  • Float
    Forces the affected target(s) to move towards the surface.
  • Knockdown
    Interrupts and causes the foe to be unable to move or use skills for a short duration. Knocked down foes fall to the ground.
  • Launch
    Interrupts and tosses a character into the air.
  • Pull
    Shortens the distance between the user and the foe by drawing one of them to another. If a foe is pulled, this can result in an interrupt.
  • Push
    Physically pushes foes away from the player and interrupts them.
  • Sink
    Forces the affected target(s) to move away from the surface.
  • Stun
    Interrupts, immobilizes, and incapacitates foes for a short duration.
  • Teleport
    Teleport to target location.
  • Teleport
    Teleport (alternatively, flash) is a mechanic that causes the user or target(s) to instantly move from one location to another.

Fields & Finishers

  • Dark Field
    Dark Combo Effects

    Blast Finisher: Area Blindness
    Leap Finisher: Blindness
    Projectile Finisher: Life stealing
    Whirl Finsher: Leeching Bolts
  • Ethereal Field
    Ethereal Combo Effects

    Blast Finisher: Area Chaos Armor
    Leap Finisher: Chaos Armor
    Projectile Finisher: Confusion
    Whirl Finsher: Confounding Bolts
  • Fire Field
    Fire Combo Effects

    Blast Finisher: Area Might
    Leap Finisher: Fire Shield
    Projectile Finisher: Burning
    Whirl Finsher: Burning Bolts
  • Ice Field
    Ice Combo Effects

    Blast Finisher: Area Frost Aura
    Leap Finisher: Frost Aura
    Projectile Finisher: Chilled
    Whirl Finsher: Chilling Bolts
  • Light Field
    Light Combo Effects

    Blast Finisher: Area Retaliation
    Leap Finisher: Retaliation
    Projectile Finisher: Remove Condition
    Whirl Finsher: Cleansing Bolts
  • Lightning Field
    Lightning Combo Effects

    Blast Finisher: Area Swiftness
    Leap Finisher: Dazing Strike
    Projectile Finisher: Vulnerability
    Whirl Finsher: Brutal Bolts
  • Poison Field
    Poison Combo Effects

    Blast Finisher: Area Weakness
    Leap Finisher: Weakness
    Projectile Finisher: Poison
    Whirl Finsher: Poison Bolts
  • Revealed
    Revealed is an effect applied when stealth is broken, for example by entering combat or exiting a Shadow Refuge circle prematurely.
  • Smoke Field
    Smoke Combo Effects

    Blast Finisher: Area Stealth
    Leap Finisher: Stealth
    Projectile Finisher: Blindness
    Whirl Finsher: Blinding Bolts
  • Super Speed
    Activate your slick shoes, enabling you to move at superior speeds.
  • Water Field
    Water Combo Effects

    Blast Finisher: Area Healing
    Leap Finisher: Healing
    Projectile Finisher: Regeneration
    Whirl Finsher: Healing Bolts
Combo
  • Blast Finisher
    Blast Combo Effects

    Dark: Area Blindness
    Ethereal: Area Chaos Armor
    Fire: Area Might
    Ice: Area Frost Aura
    Light: Area Retaliation
    Lightning: Area Swiftness
    Poison: Area Weakness
    Smoke: Area Stealth
    Water: Area Healing
  • Leap Finisher
    Leap Combo Effects

    Dark: Blindness
    Ethereal: Chaos Armor
    Fire: Fire Shield
    Ice: Frost Aura
    Light: Retaliation
    Lightning: Dazing Strike
    Poison: Weakness
    Smoke: Stealth
    Water: Healing
  • Projectile Finisher
    Projectile Combo Effects

    Dark: Life stealing
    Ethereal: Confusion
    Fire: Burning
    Ice: Chilled
    Light: Remove Condition
    Lightning: Vulnerability
    Poison: Poison
    Smoke: Blindness
    Water: Regeneration
  • Whirl Finisher
    Whirl Combo Effects

    Dark: Leeching Bolts
    Ethereal: Confounding Bolts
    Fire: Burning Bolts
    Ice: Chilling Bolts
    Light: Cleansing Bolts
    Lightning: Brutal Bolts
    Poison: Poison Bolts
    Smoke: Blinding Bolts
    Water: Healing Bolts

Stat and Effect Details

The three boons you'll have the most will be Might, Fury and Swiftness.


IV. Food, Armor, Trinkets & Upgrade Items

Food Nourishment

Plate of Truffle Steak
Duration: 30min
Power: 100
Precision: 70
Experience from Kills: 10%
  • (30min)
  • Power: 100
  • Precision: 70
  • Experience from Kills: 10%

Utility Nourishment

Powerful Potion of Undead Slaying
Duration: 1hr
+10% damage vs undead
-10% damage from undead
Experience from Kills: 10%
  • (1hr)
  • +10% damage vs undead
  • -10% damage from undead
  • Experience from Kills: 10%

Armor & Runes

Zojja's Visor
  • Defense: 127
  • Power: 63
  • Precision: 45
  • Ferocity: 45
Superior Rune of Strength
  1. Power: 25
  2. Might Duration: 10%
  3. Power: 50
  4. +15% Might Duration; 25% chance when struck to gain might for 10 seconds. (Cooldown: 5 seconds)
  5. Power: 100
  6. +20% Might Duration; +5% damage while under the effects of might.
Zojja's Pauldrons
  • Defense: 127
  • Power: 47
  • Precision: 34
  • Ferocity: 34
Superior Rune of Strength
  1. Power: 25
  2. Might Duration: 10%
  3. Power: 50
  4. +15% Might Duration; 25% chance when struck to gain might for 10 seconds. (Cooldown: 5 seconds)
  5. Power: 100
  6. +20% Might Duration; +5% damage while under the effects of might.
Zojja's Breastplate
  • Defense: 381
  • Power: 141
  • Precision: 101
  • Ferocity: 101
Superior Rune of Strength
  1. Power: 25
  2. Might Duration: 10%
  3. Power: 50
  4. +15% Might Duration; 25% chance when struck to gain might for 10 seconds. (Cooldown: 5 seconds)
  5. Power: 100
  6. +20% Might Duration; +5% damage while under the effects of might.
Zojja's Warfists
  • Defense: 191
  • Power: 47
  • Precision: 34
  • Ferocity: 34
Superior Rune of Strength
  1. Power: 25
  2. Might Duration: 10%
  3. Power: 50
  4. +15% Might Duration; 25% chance when struck to gain might for 10 seconds. (Cooldown: 5 seconds)
  5. Power: 100
  6. +20% Might Duration; +5% damage while under the effects of might.
Zojja's Tassets
  • Defense: 254
  • Power: 94
  • Precision: 67
  • Ferocity: 67
Superior Rune of Strength
  1. Power: 25
  2. Might Duration: 10%
  3. Power: 50
  4. +15% Might Duration; 25% chance when struck to gain might for 10 seconds. (Cooldown: 5 seconds)
  5. Power: 100
  6. +20% Might Duration; +5% damage while under the effects of might.
Zojja's Greaves
  • Defense: 191
  • Power: 47
  • Precision: 34
  • Ferocity: 34
Superior Rune of Strength
  1. Power: 25
  2. Might Duration: 10%
  3. Power: 50
  4. +15% Might Duration; 25% chance when struck to gain might for 10 seconds. (Cooldown: 5 seconds)
  5. Power: 100
  6. +20% Might Duration; +5% damage while under the effects of might.

Armor Stat Totals

  • Defense 1271
  • Power 614
  • Might Duration 45%
  • Precision 315
  • Ferocity 315

Rune Bonuses

Superior Rune of Strength
  1. Power: 25
  2. Might Duration: 10%
  3. Power: 50
  4. +15% Might Duration; 25% chance when struck to gain might for 10 seconds. (Cooldown: 5 seconds)
  5. Power: 100
  6. +20% Might Duration; +5% damage while under the effects of might.

Accessories & Jewels

Mark of the Tethyos HousesOffensive Slot
  • Power: 157
  • Precision: 108
  • Ferocity: 108
Precise InfusionOffensive Infusion
  • Precision: 5
  • Agony Resistance: 5
Berserker's Back (Infused)Offensive Slot
  • Power: 63
  • Precision: 40
  • Ferocity: 40
  • Agony Resistance: 5
(Infused)
Precise InfusionOffensive Infusion
  • Precision: 5
  • Agony Resistance: 5
Crystalline BandDefensive Slot
  • Power: 126
  • Precision: 85
  • Ferocity: 85
(Infused)
Versatile Precise InfusionOmni Infusion
  • Precision: 5
  • Agony Resistance: 5
Ring of Red DeathOffensive Slot
  • Power: 126
  • Precision: 85
  • Ferocity: 85
(Infused)
Precise InfusionOffensive Infusion
  • Precision: 5
  • Agony Resistance: 5
Magister's Field JournalDefensive Slot
  • Power: 110
  • Precision: 74
  • Ferocity: 74
Versatile Precise InfusionOmni Infusion
  • Precision: 5
  • Agony Resistance: 5
Althea's AshesOffensive Slot
  • Power: 110
  • Precision: 74
  • Ferocity: 74
Precise InfusionOffensive Infusion
  • Precision: 5
  • Agony Resistance: 5

Accessory Totals

  • Power:692
  • Precision:496
  • Ferocity:466
  • Agony Resistance:35

Weapon Set Sigils

Zojja's Claymore
  • Weapon Strength: 1045-1155
  • Power: 251
  • Precision: 179
  • Ferocity: 179
  • Weapon Strength: -
Sigil of Superior Force
+5% damage.
Superior Sigil of Undead Slaying
+ 10% Damage vs. Undead

Weapon Set I

Sigil of Superior Force

+5% damage.

Zojja's Reaver
  • Weapon Strength: 900-1110
  • Power: 125
  • Precision: 90
  • Ferocity: 90
Zojja's Flanged Mace
  • Weapon Strength: 940-1060
  • Power: 125
  • Precision: 90
  • Ferocity: 90
Superior Sigil of Undead Slaying
+ 10% Damage vs. Undead
Sigil of Superior Force
+5% damage.

Weapon Set II

Superior Sigil of Undead Slaying

+ 10% Damage vs. Undead

Sigil of Superior Force

+5% damage.

Zojja's Impaler
  • Weapon Strength: 950-1050
  • Power: 125
  • Precision: 90
  • Ferocity: 90
Berserker's Harpoon Gun
  • Weapon Strength: 905-1000
  • Power: 120
  • Precision: 85
  • Ferocity: 85
Sigil of Superior Bloodlust
You gain +10 power each time you kill a foe. (max 25 stacks and ends on down or weapon change)
Sigil of Superior Bloodlust
You gain +10 power each time you kill a foe. (max 25 stacks and ends on down or weapon change)

Water Weapon I

Sigil of Superior Bloodlust

You gain +10 power each time you kill a foe. (max 25 stacks and ends on down or weapon change)

Water Weapon II

Sigil of Superior Bloodlust

You gain +10 power each time you kill a foe. (max 25 stacks and ends on down or weapon change)

Upgrade Item Details

There are some situations in which Sweet and Spicy Butternut Squash Soup (+100 power +70 ferocity) is technically optimal, but in order for those situations to be the case you will need to be in a level 80 zone and also be pre-casting signets before an encounter for extra precision during a fight. Since this scenario is kind of unrealistic and also because the price of the food is more than double that of Truffle Steak while barely giving even a fraction of a percentage better of DPS, I can't recommend it.

 

I suggest Truffle Steak as our best damage food for solo settings, but you can take cheaper alternatives and be perfectly fine. If you feel that you need more to survive, consider lifesteal on crit foods like Omnomberry Pie/Ghost or Slices of Candied Dragon Roll.

 

Formerly I suggested slaying sigils and potions but due to the fact that Arenanet has pretty much killed off community interest in dungeons, I will be suggesting different utility nourishments and sigils. For the purpose of raids and fractls, taking something like a sigil of air and either maintenance oils or sharpening stones is what you'll end up needing to do.

 

For stats and armor, you're always going to want to be in full Berserker with Strength Runes. There is a rare and niche situation that Scholar is best and that is when you're able to maintain 90% or higher HP for the vast majority of a fight and more than 1 mob is in your cleave at all times. The reason Scholar is better in that circumstance is because you'll be frequently hitting the 25 might cap with two mobs in your cleave. EVERY other situation, use Strength!


V. Basic Gameplay

The basic idea for this build is that you want to maximize your personal damage as much as possible. This is a glass cannon build. You will deal tremendous damage at the expense of your own defense.

 

You have a few damage modifiers to be mindful of in the Strength line; Berserker's Power and Stick & Move.

 

You also have to worry about your Berserk transformation and adrenaline management with it.

 

Berserker's Power is a damage modifier based off of how full your adrenaline is when you use a burst skill. If you are not running the fast hands variant, you will not need to take the shout "For Great Justice" as you will be able to occasionally use Arcing Slice between the time that the Berserk transformation ends and when it is available to use again. Greatsword's primal burst skill does not provide fury, so if it is difficult to squeeze in an Arcing Slice in between transformations then it is fine to swap out the Signet of Might utility for the "For Great Justice" shout.

 

The moment your adrenaline is 100% full, you'll want to use your burst skill to maintain your 20% damage modifier from Berserker's Power.

 

Additionally you have to worry about Stick & Move, which is a 10% damage modifier that you'll have whenever your endurance is not full. What this means is that even if you don't need to dodge, you will need to make sure that you make a conscious effort to dodge in between hundred blades/whirlwinds to try to make sure your endurance isn't full as it'll increase your DPS.

 

If you are using the fast hands variant, you will have the Discipline line. What this means is that you will have half the cooldown on your weapon swap and that will allow you to swap weapons in combat without a significant loss in DPS. Generally speaking you'll do the bulk of your damage with your greatsword, but sometimes your main GS skills will be on cooldown and you'll be forced to autoattack/dodge while waiting for hundred blades. In this case, it might be worth swapping to your axe/mace because weapon swap will also help fill your adrenaline and you can use your eviscerate burst skill to maintain Berserker's Power anyways.


Main Skill Rotation

There is no true repeatable rotation because of the fact that the best skills to use at a specific time depend on too many things. The basic idea is that you need to maintain berserker's power and stick & move while still using your most damaging burst skills readily off cooldown.

 

Due to the introduction of elite specialisations however, there is yet another factor to consider when optimising damage: your transformation. The thing is this transformation gives you increased attack speed with increased frequency of different burst skill usage and increased ferocity, so your DPS is greatly heightened during the transformation then dips down much lower when out of it. This is why it's very important to make sure you can transform pretty much as soon as your F2 is off cooldown.

 

In addition to that, it's important to make sure that you pay attention to when your transformation is about to end because even if you have full adrenaline while in your berserk form, once it ends your adrenaline bar changes so if you try to activate your burst skill right as the transformation ends, you may end up accidentally overwriting your 20% damage with a 10% damage modifier instead.

 

There are two example rotations I have to offer!

 

First default build (Strength/Arms/Berserker) with GS camping:

 

Second fast hands build variant (Strength/Discipline/Berserker):


Comments

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@ 01:22 PM, Wed July 01 2015 Reply
Solo Warrior for a dungeon. I think it would be prudent to remove either the 'solo' or the 'dungeon' as this build cannot succeed on its own in a dungeon.
Purple Miku @ 01:02 PM, Thu July 02 2015 Reply
You're joking, right? Dungeons have been possible to solo since they were first created with basically any build. This guide strives for offensive optimization.
@ 03:15 PM, Sun July 05 2015 Reply
Wow, if what you are saying is true then I have been playing unbelievably badly [which of course is very possible]. "Dungeons... possible to solo ...with basically any build.", you say! Man, I feel such a noob right now. So, could I humbly ask for a demonstration? My only additional request is that I can come with you - I have SO much to learn! Btw, I am not being sarcastic - I obviously really do need the help.
@ 11:00 PM, Wed July 08 2015 Reply
He streams almost every day on www.twitch.tv/purpleishawt
@ 04:37 PM, Thu July 09 2015 Reply
Thank you very much :)
Purple Miku @ 09:58 PM, Thu July 16 2015 Reply
Well the dungeons have been around for roughly 3 years, so at this point to a large portion of our community all of the information has been discovered. Fortunately for you and others that are wanting to learn, some of us that have information to share can make guides like I have here. I tend to stream most of my stuff, but sometimes I also upload video demonstrations onto my youtube here: https://goo.gl/ep5ZIz

On my youtube I mostly will just upload short clips demonstrating specific encounters and whatnot, but you can see some really old clips of boss solos of mine... many of which I should probably redo!
@ 07:29 PM, Wed October 07 2015 Reply
Awesome guide!
@ 07:32 PM, Wed October 07 2015 Reply
Is there a way to bookmark it so I can come back to it later?
@ 04:30 AM, Mon February 22 2016 Reply
Bit of a learner still, I have been following all of this well up to the point where I see 2 Sigils of Blood Lust on the Water Weapons.

- How come they are suggested to be on the Water Weapons and not the regular ones.
- Why one sigil on EACH of the water weapons?