Warrior PvE | Dungeon Greatsword, Axe/Mace | Damage Solo DPS Warrior Build For PvE
Table of Contents
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
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- Greatsword Slice½Slice your foe.Damage: 259Vulnerability: 8 sRange: 130
- Brutal Strike½Hit your foe with a final brutal strike.Damage: 333Range: 130
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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 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
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
Conditions
Control
Fields & Finishers
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
Power: 100
Precision: 70
Experience from Kills: 10%
- (30min)
- Power: 100
- Precision: 70
- Experience from Kills: 10%
Utility Nourishment
- (1hr)
- +10% damage vs undead
- -10% damage from undead
- Experience from Kills: 10%
Armor & Runes
- Defense: 127
- Power: 63
- Precision: 45
- Ferocity: 45
- 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.
- Defense: 127
- Power: 47
- Precision: 34
- Ferocity: 34
- 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.
- Defense: 381
- Power: 141
- Precision: 101
- Ferocity: 101
- 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.
- Defense: 191
- Power: 47
- Precision: 34
- Ferocity: 34
- 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.
- Defense: 254
- Power: 94
- Precision: 67
- Ferocity: 67
- 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.
- Defense: 191
- Power: 47
- Precision: 34
- Ferocity: 34
- 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.
Armor Stat Totals
- Defense 1271
- Power 614
- Might Duration 45%
- Precision 315
- Ferocity 315
Rune Bonuses
Superior 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
- Precision: 5
- Agony Resistance: 5
- Precision: 5
- Agony Resistance: 5
- Precision: 5
- Agony Resistance: 5
- Precision: 5
- Agony Resistance: 5
- Precision: 5
- Agony Resistance: 5
- Precision: 5
- Agony Resistance: 5
Accessory Totals
- Power:692
- Precision:496
- Ferocity:466
- Agony Resistance:35
Weapon Set Sigils
- Weapon Strength: 1045-1155
- Power: 251
- Precision: 179
- Ferocity: 179
- Weapon Strength: -
Weapon Set I
Sigil of Superior Force+5% damage.
- Weapon Strength: 900-1110
- Power: 125
- Precision: 90
- Ferocity: 90
- Weapon Strength: 940-1060
- Power: 125
- Precision: 90
- Ferocity: 90
Weapon Set II
Superior Sigil of Undead Slaying+ 10% Damage vs. Undead
Sigil of Superior Force+5% damage.
- Weapon Strength: 950-1050
- Power: 125
- Precision: 90
- Ferocity: 90
- Weapon Strength: 905-1000
- Power: 120
- Precision: 85
- Ferocity: 85
Water Weapon I
Sigil of Superior BloodlustYou 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 BloodlustYou 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):
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!
- 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?