Curse

Pliskin MacReady · Jul 16, 2007, 09:19 PM // 21:19

I've been casually playing Guild Wars for a while. I don't have a guild or anything, really, so I mostly just get by. But now I would like to play the game a little more seriously, especially with Eye of the North coming our way.

Since Prophecies I've mostly stuck with axes when it came to PVE. My most recent build has been this:

Axe Mastery: 16
Strength: 13
Tactics: 4

[skill]Flail[/skill][skill]Cyclone Axe[/skill][skill]Cleave[/skill][skill]Penetrating Blow[/skill][skill]Executioner's Strike[/skill][skill]Enraging Charge[/skill][skill]Lion's Comfort[/skill][skill]Rebirth[/skill]

With Sentinel's armor, Lieutenant's headpiece, and an assortment of axes/shields. It got me by and I went through most of the game using just that. I've completed all the missions and most quests.

But now I feel it is time for a change. I've been looking for builds that people use in PVE in hard mode, but most of what I come upon is Obsidian Flesh tank builds meant for hard areas.

In general, I either PUB or go with a set of heroes/henchmen. So I don't tend to be part of groups that are organized enough to take an Obsidian Tank, not that it seems very necessary in certain PVE areas.

But with Hard Mode I'm wondering:

- What role should the warrior fulfill? Damage? Defense? Both?

- What are people looking for when they do Hard Mode PVE with a warrior?

- Should I consider switching weapons? I suppose this depends on the build, unless I need to focus more on Tactic and/or Strength skills.

- Any build suggestions would be appreciated.

None of my other builds have really helped me much. I never really utilize stances or shouts. I think I've focused too much on attacks, and while I've gotten by, I know I could do better. I just don't think I'm imaginative enough with the warrior to really utilize it effectively (if I wasn't so far with my warrior in terms of titles, heroes missions, and equipment I would probably roll an Elementalist, Ranger, or Necromancer).

Thanks in advance for any help that is offered.

Stormlord Alex · Jul 16, 2007, 09:58 PM // 21:58

The build you have already is workable... Just a couple of pointers, really:

The HM foes hit hard... Drop Strength, buff Tactics to 10-11, and use Watch Yourself! Especially with IAS, Cyclone Axe and Enraging Charge, you can keep WY! buff up the whole fight.

And Deep Wound is sex - essentially, an easy 100hp armour-ignoring damage against the high-level hard mode foes, and it really isn't a stretch to put Dismember on an Axe bar. You could drop Penetrating Blow, as you already have Cleave as a fairly spammable direct damager.

Personally, I prefer Eviscerate (especially for HM) as it frees up room on my bar, and I can bring fun stuff like Shock, Bull's Strike, Rending Touch and the like without hurting my damage potential much.

The main thing is how you play your warrior in hardmode - for example, I ran a slightly modified GvG ShockAxe (Healing Signet --> WY!, Frenzy --> Flail) to slaughter a few Prophecies missions, both with guildies and AI, and the important thing is to take the initial aggro... then kill stuff. With AI, you can have your Prot hero cast a couple of prots on you, then flag the AO away before engaging; with people, ask the monk to throw a couple of prots on you and then ask them all to stay back, and you dictate when they should come and help you kill stuff.

By the time the team had got to me I had killed one of them Inferno Imps ... Eviscerate spike = ftw

Racthoh · Jul 16, 2007, 10:18 PM // 22:18

I wouldn't use a lieutenants insignia personally, considering you are running 16 weapon that really makes a dent in your damage output. Hexes in hardmode last a REALLY long time anyway; you'd be better off hoping the monks are ninjas with their removals to catch the key hexes before you're sitting with a big stack.

Skill wise...
Cleave -> Eviscerate
Cyclone Axe -> Agonizing Chop
Penetrating Blow -> Wild Blow (when you know you'll be facing block stances)

I would consider bringing the Sunspear Rebirth Signet over Rebirth. Hard res is better suited elsewhere.

Quote:

- What role should the warrior fulfill? Damage? Defense? Both?

It depends on the party makeup. I'll usually carry either Watch Yourself! or Shield's Up! depending on if our group contains any ritualists or paragons. Shelter, Union, chain Defensive Anthems, and There's Nothing to Fear! when a human paragon is present simply outclass anything the warrior can bring to aid their allies. Obsidian Flesh has been tempting in small party hex heavy areas, or areas with multiple enchantment removals that make it impossible for Protective Spirit or Shield of Absorption to stick.

Quote:

- What are people looking for when they do Hard Mode PVE with a warrior?

I've either been playing with humans who consider the warrior's first priority damage, or H/H groups for vanquishing/missions. My sword would always be 16, and either a Dragon Slash or Crippling Slash build designed for DPS. In most areas, Dragon Slash. In areas where I would be met with block stances, Crippling Slash with Wild Blow. Running Wild Blow on a Dragon Slash bar would make as much sense as playing it with Final Thrust.

Quote:

- Should I consider switching weapons? I suppose this depends on the build, unless I need to focus more on Tactic and/or Strength skills.

I've played with axe and hammer warriors on hard mode; they're usually specced 16/13 as well. Some hammers I've seen go with Dolyak Signet since they lack a shield. The benefit of axe is obviously the unconditional Deep Wound, and since some enemies can't bleed or can't be knocked down it really makes axe shine.

Cathode_Reborn · Jul 16, 2007, 11:57 PM // 23:57

For hm, you want a mix of damage and utility. Interrupts and KD's help alot. Self-defense skills are really not needed if the monks are decent. We finished THK last night with 3 hero monks and 2 wars who had no selfhealing/defense (one sword and hammer). Interrupts like Distracting Blow or Agonizing Chop can help against those slow but painful ele spells. Counter Blow can be used effectively to get any melee off your monks. Skills that cause Weakness or Cripple can also be used defensively. If your monks arn't being harassed, they'll have an easy time keeping the team alive. "Watch yourself" is another good defensive skill. Grasping Earth is a very good snare even with a low rank in Earth magic.

While some people might think it's effective, a bunch of x/Mo's with Rebirth isn't always a good idea. Have a few people use another hard res like Ressurection Chant, have some bring a Res sig, and another few use Rebirth.
When a monk goes down in a heated battle, you need them back up fast with a good amount of energy.

a soldiers blade · Jul 17, 2007, 03:51 AM // 03:51

I think that u should use swordsmanship and use bonetti's defense and
all that stuff to recieve no damage and use the user skills for healing and
attacking.

i dont have this build but i think its real nice.
First the build;
Sprint
Tiger stance/Frenzy
Sun and Moon slash
100 blades
Dolyak sig
Bionetti's Def
Vig spirit
Live vicariously

not my build but real good for W/Mo

-.- · Jul 17, 2007, 04:46 AM // 04:46

Quote:

Originally Posted by a soldiers blade

I think that u should use swordsmanship and use bonetti's defense and
all that stuff to recieve no damage and use the user skills for healing and
attacking.

i dont have this build but i think its real nice.
First the build;
Sprint
Tiger stance/Frenzy
Sun and Moon slash
100 blades
Dolyak sig
Bionetti's Def
Vig spirit
Live vicariously

not my build but real good for W/Mo

What are you smoking?!

hellyea526 · Jul 17, 2007, 04:59 AM // 04:59

Your current build isn't too bad. I do agree with everyone else that deep wound helps a lot and eviscerate would free up some skills on your bar. I've gotten legendary guardian on my warrior, and I've found myself doing damage and defense. You really don't need any defensive skills although I've found "save yourself" to work very well with a dragon slash warrior (watch yourself is decent too). In my opinion, the main role of the warrior is to keep the aggro on him/herself and you'll find that very important in hard mode. If you can keep the aggro on yourself most of the time and off your casters, you should do just fine.

farmpig · Jul 17, 2007, 06:17 AM // 06:17

Not bad but i would love to see u bring dismember for the unconditional deep wound

Pliskin MacReady · Jul 17, 2007, 11:36 PM // 23:36

Taking into consideration what has been suggested, I came up with some of the following ideas:

16 Axe
10 Strength
10 Tactics

[skill]Flail[/skill][skill]Shock[/skill][skill]Cyclone Axe[/skill][skill]Agonizing Chop[/skill][skill]Eviscerate[/skill][skill]"Watch Yourself!"[/skill][skill]Enraging Charge[/skill][skill]Sunspear Rebirth Signet[/skill]

I current have 22,000 Sunspear Promotion Points, so I'm at rank 9 and should be at rank 10 within a couple of weeks now that I have time off from work. Unless someone says otherwise, I think the Sunspear Rebirth Signet is worth taking over the Resurrection Signet at this point.

I was also considering:

16 Axe
13 Strength

[skill]Flail[/skill][skill]Furious Axe[/skill][skill]Counterattack[/skill][skill]Whirlwind Attack[/skill][skill]Eviscerate[/skill][skill]Dolyak Signet[/skill][skill]Enraging Charge[/skill][skill]Sunspear Rebirth Signet[/skill]

Or:

16 Axe
10 Strength
10 Tactics

[skill]Flail[/skill][skill]Furious Axe[/skill][skill]Counterattack[/skill][skill]"Watch Yourself!"[/skill][skill]Whirlwind Attack[/skill][skill]Eviscerate[/skill][skill]Enraging Charge[/skill][skill]Sunspear Rebirth Signet[/skill]

And also:

16 Axe
10 Strength
10 Tactics

[skill]Flail[/skill][skill]Furious Axe[/skill][skill]Cyclone Axe[/skill][skill]"Watch Yourself!"[/skill][skill]Agonizing Chop[/skill][skill]Eviscerate[/skill][skill]Enraging Charge[/skill][skill]Sunspear Rebirth Signet[/skill]

I'd use "Save Yourself", but I don't even rank with a faction yet. I really haven't been back to Cantha since Nightfall came out. I really need to look for a good Kurzick guild who could help me out.

But any tips/suggestions for the builds I made above?

Also, any other interesting cross-class combinations? Regular skill tomes are relatively cheap. I'd be very interested in any cool synergies between professions. The only other profession I really know well is the Elementalist.

pingu666 · Jul 18, 2007, 12:28 AM // 00:28

for the stuff ive done with axe in hardmode, and normal mode
16axe
11~tatics
rest on strength

cyclone axe
tripple chop
dismember
exicutioners
flail/to the limit
watch yourself
endure pain
res

holding aggro is good, but u need some offense for when aggro breaks :/

karunpav · Jul 18, 2007, 12:45 AM // 00:45

What I've been using in HM for Vanquishing:

16 Axe
11 Strength
9 Tactics

[skill]Eviscerate[/skill] [skill]Executioner's Strike[/skill] [skill]Agonizing Chop[/skill] [skill]Critical Chop[/skill] [skill]Flail[/skill] [skill]Enraging Charge[/skill] [skill]"Watch Yourself!"[/skill] [skill]Sunspear Rebirth Signet[/skill]

I always bring a Monk hero with me, so I have him put Shield of Deflection on me before I group up aggro. Good build, I can usually spike down a target within 5-6 seconds of engaging while I have the other AI focus on another character to speed up killing. So far, it's working great for me.

Bewn · Jul 18, 2007, 01:34 AM // 01:34

I'm gonna bring a new twist into the discussion and suggest a sword build I am currently using in HM with very high success.

[skill]Flail[/skill]
Whirlwind Attack
[skill]Galrath Slash[/skill]
[skill]Dragon Slash[/skill]
"Save Yourselves!"
[skill]Enraging Charge[/skill]
[skill]"For great Justice!"[/skill]
[skill]Conjure Frost[/skill] // [skill]Conjure Flame[/skill] // [skill]Conjure Lightning[/skill]

"Save yourselves!" is just godly imho and Dragon Slash makes it semi-spammable. It's armorboost even helps at tanking since I am the one with the lowest armor for a few seconds. I already regained aggro a few times with this shout

The rest of the build is pretty straightforward as well. Use Enraging Charge to engage, hit FgJ and Flail and go slash slash slash.

Using this build mainly with Hero/Hench

blue.rellik · Jul 18, 2007, 01:28 PM // 13:28

[skill]Eviscerate[/skill][skill]Executioner's Strike[/skill][skill]Agonizing Chop[/skill][skill]Flail[/skill][skill]Enraging Charge[/skill][skill]"Watch Yourself!"[/skill]Heal sig + res sig

jesh · Jul 24, 2007, 06:27 PM // 18:27

For the life of me, I still don't understand why people use Eviscerate in PvE instead of Triple Chop.
Cleave and Whirling axe are even worse, though.

w0lla · Jul 25, 2007, 02:32 PM // 14:32

Well this is what I use atm:

16 Axe
7 Str
12 tactics

Flail
Evis = deep wound + dmg
Exec Strike = dmg
Necrosis = [email protected], 2sec recharge time.
Watch Yourself = +21AL 10sec
To the limit = some adrenaline pumpin
Save Yourselves = +100AL 4sec @rank 3
rebirth signet

Works nicely, the dmg is good. If u play with other human warriors u can chain save yourselves nicely. To The Limit could be changed to whatever skill u desire, just tryin it out for now. flail --> evis-->exec-->necrosis , and then just spam necrosis or exec.