Solo Builds - Warrior Style!
Edited and Published by: Magi
Table of Contents
Farming Charcoal and Dye 101
Making a Warrior Solo Build 101
Staying Alive
Taking Your Enemies Down
Skills
Extra Reading
In Guild Wars there are hundreds of places to farm: Sorrows Furnace, Grenths Footprint, Underworld and Fissure of Woe to name a few. People have pondered about the best way to go about farming these. Now as we all know, the smaller the group, the more drops for the individual. So when there is only one person in the group, they get all the drops. This is the factor that motivates people to solo farm. Although against the philosophy of ArenaNet, it is exactly what the player wants. This guide will provide you with a 101 guide to those of you who have yet to learn how to solo, or know of a cool place where their are loads of gold drops that have yet to be tapped.
My very first build can be found below. I suggest reading it before moving on, as I find it is the perfect example of what you need for a build.
Also, if you want to learn about other builds click here.
FARMING CHARCOAL AND DYE 101
Attributes:
9 Tactics
11 Swords
9 Strength
8 Healing
(with runes of minor tactics and major swords, but you can do what you want)
Skills:
Sever Artery
Gash
Galrath Slash
Final Thrust
Mending
Watchful Spirit
Heal Signet
Ok, so here's where we begin - what are you farming aye? The Fire Imps right outside of D'Allessio Seaboard. One in every 9 or 10 or so will drop one or two charcoal, and their glowing hearts expert salvage at about a 1:10 chance for charcoal (decided to change this from the other thread, I must have been lucky the first few times). Oh, and while I'm on the topic, these guys drop dyes. So far for me its been like 1 in every 3 runs, one black, one purple, one yellow, and one silver.Don't fret, the coin drops you get from the imps more than cover the costs for the expert salvage kits.
Onto the grinding part:
Zone out from D'Allessio Seaboard. Get Mending and Watchfu Spiritl off, and go straight for the first group. This is where it gets annoying: they keep gatting you with all sorts of annoying skills like Inferno and Immolate. Just run right into them, you dont take much damage, but the Immolate is a pain. If you've played a Warrior before then you know the drill: Server Artery, Gash, Galrath, and Thrust.
Here's a map of the recomended path:
Follow this path and be sure you try not to aggro the Bog Scales at the end, they have price of failure and some other annoying skills. You can try this with an build, but other people I have told my tip to have complained to me about dying from the mass spam of Immolates.
Making A Warrior Solo Build 101
Introduction
Why farm with a Warrior? It's simple: Warriors can take in loads of damage, or not take said damage at all, and dish out a lot in return. Creating builds and farming takes practice. You won't just be able to wake up one day and say, "Hey, that looks cool, I'm going to go solo it." It takes fine tuning and in some cases, things arent even soloable.
Your Target
Everyone has that one thing that they just know has the great drops. My friend farms the level 17 Devourers outside of Ventari's Refuge. I thought it was stupid, but when I watched him do a run, he got at least 500 gold in drops, as well as 1 gold per run. Just goes to show, you can find good things to farm anywhere. You just have to keep your eyes pealed.
Your Approach
We all want to be able to solo farm every last square inch of the Fissure in 10 seconds flat and get all the cool gold weapons and shards, but it just won't happen. There are limits believe it or not. Just because something has the cool drops, does not mean it is practical to farm. I gaurantee you I could come up with a build to solo the Underworld, or at least a way to kill some Aatxes, but it would probobly take an hour per Aatxe. Farming is not just about quantity, its about quality and speed. Thats why people like IWAY, they dish out lots of high damage attacks at a quick pace. Same goes for PvE farming. Your build needs to be efficient, and you're farming spot needs to be accessible.
Making The Build
So you've found a place you want to farm. You can easily get to where the monsters are that you wish to farm. Now it's a matter of farming them. Sadly, this is going to mean your little Mending and Watchful Spirit trick won't cut it. So, lets get down to business.
Staying Alive
You've made it to you're foe and you are engaged in combat. You hear the clink of steel on steel. It's just a matter of their steel or yours. Odds are it will be half and half. This game is not only about offence, but it's about defense and skill. There won't be much of a chance you will be fighting something you can kill with one hit. If you can, then their is probobly not much of a chance it will drop anything worth your time. That being said you will need a solid defence.
Armor
Depending on skills you select you will need different armors. Do you plan to have very little, if any skills that involve energy and having most of your skills coming from adrenaline? If so then you will need as high and armor value as possible. However, if your skills are high costing in energy, or you just plain have lots of skills that need energy that will add up fast, gladiators is the way to go.
When it comes to armor, there is a wide misconception about having one piece of Knights or Ascalon armor to reduce damage. This does not work. It was nerfed a while back so that damage would be area based on armor. 33% of attacks will hit the chest, and damage taken will be relevant to that piece of armor; 33% will hit the legs, and 11% on gloves, head, and boots.
Runes
While on the topic of armor, I should discuss runes. Runes should be set up to have highest available level of absorbtion, highest available level of vigor, minor strength, minor tactics, and a superior of what ever weapon you plan on using. The superior rune of weaponsmastery should go on the helm, and the helm should have a bonus of the weapon. So if you are going to be a sword warrior, then you're helm should have a built in +1 swordsmanship, and +3 from a superior rune of swordsmanship.
Although I said that damage is area based on you're armor, the rune of absorbtion's effect is not. The absorbtion rune will take off damage that hits anywhere. Not just the piece that it is on.
Healing
Like you thought you could just rush in and have no way to keep alive? Unfortunately thats not the case. For all the damage you put out, your enemies will be putting right back on, so a solid base of healing is neccessary. Where this healing comes from is up to you. Healing Signet is not a good idea. I repeat Healing Signet is not a good skill to use in the heat of combat. Why - because with -40 armor you essentially take double damage. In the two seconds it take you to activate, there could have been mounds of damage dealt to you. Personally, I suggest using your secondary profession to heal yourself. Here are some ideas:
Necromancer
Life Transfer: Good for when your opponents main weapon is degen. It stops them in their tracks and also loads down even more pressure on your oponent.
Grenth's Balance: A personal favourite of mine. Every 10 second just pick a random foe that is chocked full of juicy health and let loose. Again you get the healing at the cost of you're oponent.
Monk
Need I even start? Healing breeze is by far the best option. Cast once every 10 seconds and you're good to go. I do not recomend Orison of Healing or Heal Area. The damage you take and the rate your energy regenerates are very different. Orison will dry up your energy reserves faster than an psycotic ED Mesmer covered in syrup on a hot summer day. Heal Area I don't recomend for the same reason as above, except it will also heal you're oponent. (This can be used to your advantage if you are facing a foe that uses it, as it will heal you). Two good Monk skills from my experience are Vigorous Spirit and Live Vicariously. Together they give that +20 health per attack
Evasion
You didn't think you would be taking every last bit of damage thrown at you did you? Shame, shame. If that were the case you'd spend all your time healing and none of your time killing the baddies. There are two main evasion skills that people use:
Bonetti's Defence: This skill is extremely popular for two reasons. It is charged by adrenaline, meaning you don't need energy and there is no recharge time; just the time it takes to regain the adrenaline. And second being, you get a lot of energy back when fighting things with melee attacks.
Gladiators Defence: Again, another extremely popular skill, and its benefits are twofold. First being it gives you a few seconds of evasion, but at a decent tactics you can have it going 1/3rd of the time, and buys you a time to use your healing. Also, when fighting Warrior based enemies, they take damage. Lots of damage. Some people use this solely for their offence, and keep Bonetti's Defence up while they are waiting for it to recharge. Thus recharging thier energy and giving them a few seconds to heal while Gladiators Defence is up. Very effective combo.
Energy Management
Solo farming is about skill. Energy management is important, and it's hard for Warriors being that you have two energy regeneration to begin with, and with Gladiators, still only 25 energy. For some of you that are going to have a high costing skill in your build, you might want an offhand item rather than a shield for the energy. Here are some ideas:
Bonnetti's Defence: Only works when fighting Warriors. Any build that I have when Warriors are involved, whether it be Ettins or Trolls or Summit Dwarves, I have this skill.
Offhand items: This is good only if you can meet the requirement(s) on the item. If you are going to be sacrificing a shield then it better well be worth it.
Mesmer Secondary: Mesmer secondary is the worst possible way to deal with energy management on a Warrior. You don't need to deliberately put points in an attribute just because there is an energy advantage. Thats taking it away from where it could elsewhere be.
Monk Secondary: There are two skills that can make the energy problem work. That would be Balthazars Spirit and Essence Bond. When you have these casted on your self, even with 0 points in smiting, you will still gain two energy when ever you take damage. It adds up fast, even when only fighting one or two enemies, and actually turns out to be more than the normal regerneration.
Great, now that you're read these you can start tinkering around with builds to stay alive. Maybe tinker around with some builds and just go outside of a town and see if you can survive what is thrown at you with a little to spare. That little to spare, is going to be the berth you have to use to counter attack.
Taking your enemies down
Your Enemies Weakness
What is your enemies weakness? There are a few way to go about this.
- Are they a caster with a low armor level?
- Do they use skills like Frenzy and take extra damage from you're attacks?
- Are they elemental based and can an oposite mod on your weapon can do extreme damage?
Sometimes, none of these apply, but you can still hack through your target like nothing.
Your Weapon
This is quite possibly the most important part. Warriors aren't going to be using Meteor Shower and Searing Heat for their damage. Its going to be, like I said earlier, steel on steel.
So lets get started. Weapons have built in mods, and interchangable mods. Mods that give you a damage bonus while in a stance, while above 50% health, while below 50% health, while enchanted, while hexed, and versus hexed foes are all built in. These cannot be changed. I would recomend a while enchanted or a while above 50, because most builds do involve keeping one self enchanted or in a stance (like Bonettis Defence) for the duration of combat, and it is only natural that you take advantage of this and harness the bonus with your weapon.
Based on what you saw earlier you have some decisions to make. Are your foes attuned to a certain element? Would an elemental hilt give a great benefit? What about energy? Do you have a very limited energy regeneration? Do you use Monk enchantments like Healing Breeze? Each of these has a respectable weapon mod that is linked to it, and I suggest reading this while designing your weapon.
*I do not recomend hammers. They have a slow attack speed and deny you access to offhand items like shields and foci.
Skills
The skills. This is the true build. Everything has been leading up to this. By now you should have a good idea to how you will have you're skills set up. Builds should be able to accomodate the following points:
- Running skills to get to the target if they are not easily accessable at a zone portal right outside a town.
- Defensive skills to prevent damage.
- Offensive skills and buffs to deal damage.
- Healing.
The final part of the build involves choosing the skills. This part is dificult to explain, and I suggest getting first hand experience. I can only offer my insite as to what certain skills are good for.
Running Skills[B]
Sprint: This is the main Warrior primary skill for running.
Charge [E]: If what you are farming is extremely hard to get to, like the Ice Imps that drop Icy Dragon Swords, then I highly suggest you bring this skill. It can be used in combo with Sprint for extreme speed as it is a shout and will stack.
Defence Skills
Gladiators Defence [E]: This skill is great for defence. It deals damage, and helps to evade giving that momentary respite from combo for healing and getting enchantments up. Again, and elite, but a very powerful one at that. Ony good when your oposition is a Warrior and attacks with melee weapons (hammers, axes, swords).
Bonetti's Defence: This skill is so good that even non-Warrior primaries have used this in solo farming builds. Like Gladiators Defence it gives you that desirable evasion. Unlike it however, is that the factor of offence from Gladiators Defence is lost, and replaced with an even more desirable energy bonus. This can be a great skill, as it is charged by adrenaline, and can be used to help get your healing or buffs going. Downside to it is that it ends if you use a skill, so if you get a condition on and need to remove it, or absolutely need to heal, then you are out of luck. Although you only get the energy bonus from melee attacks it is still effective at evading other kinds of attacks (and Gladiators Defence is capable of doing so as well) and in the time it wears off, it can be recharged with more adrenaline, making it hypothetically possible to keep it up continually under the right conditions (meaning you dont need to use another skill).
Watch Yourself!: Great skill. Gain 20 armor, meaning you take 25% less damage than you normally would. With only a 4 adrenaline charge, it can be kept up at all times.
Dolyak Signet: ...thousands. Thats how many times this skill has saved me from a knockdown. This is one of my favourite skills. You cannot be knocked down, putting those pesky hammer Warriors, earth eles, and worms out of luck. Even better, there is no energy cost. At all. If you have enough points in strength, you can practically keep this skill up at all times, and with the armor bonus of this combined with "Watch Yourself!" you are all but unstoppable.
Endure Pain: This is another personal favourite. When you start taking a lot of damage when something is interupted, or an extra group is aggroed, this skill can make the difference between a run won or lost. When the going gets tough, activate this skill, retreat a little ways, and then start healing up, and go back for revenge against the dirty little NPC's who dared to disrespect you.
Elemental Resistance: Please note, this a Mesmer skill, but a dang good one at that. People take Mesmer secondary for the soul purpose of having this skill. As long as you don't use another stance, and use something like "Watch Yourself!" to keep the damage off because of the lost armor to physcal damage you will be in the clear if you're opponent uses annoying elemental skills.
Essence Bond: A personal favourite Monk enchantment of mine. Just pop this baby on right after leaving a town, and run out to greet your foe. Every damage is an extra energy. Considering the damage you take should be dampened a lot if you bring armor boosting skills, this skill can be your best friend. Combo this with Balthazars Spirit (no points in smiting) then you're set with a +2 energy per damage. Trust me, that adds up fast. Five hits is 10 energy. If you are fighting one guy who attacks once every second, that is 2 energy a second. Adds up quick.
These are just a few, and some of the most used. There are many more, like Riposte, Deadly Riposte, Wary Stance, Shield Stance, Deflect Arrows, Balanced Stance, and "Shields Up."
Offensive Skills
Desperation Blow: Good skill. As long as you have Dolyak Signet, you might as well take this. If you don't plan on taking Dolyak Signet or Balanced Stance, then don't even look up the stats on this skill.
Power Attack: I'm sure people will think this will be the bomb. It isn't. 10 energy to deal a special attack isn't worth it. Don't take this skill.
Frenzy: Do not take this. I know it may seem apealling and everyone is always talking about using it in PvP, but solo farming isnt PvP. You are taking all the hits. That means you have to try to heal for double the ammount you should be. Don't take this skill.
Flurry: I do, however, recomend Flurry if you can afford the fact that is a stance and would cancel out any other stance you are in. This skill is not meant to be your means of damage; it's more along the lines of "charge adrenaline faster" type of thing. I only suggest this skill if you can afford a slot in your bar for it. It is not entirely neccessary, merely helpful.
Swords
Sever Artery: This is a good skill. I use it (as in bring it with me in the build) when I have very little healing/defence to worry about, just to help hurry things along. You can see it in action in my imp soloing build where my healing breeze takes care of all the damage that the imps can deal. Best if used in combo with Gash due to the deepwound you can inflict. That 20% damage goes a long way.
Gash: Only useful when you have Sever Artery. I really suggest using this when you have a defence and healing that is pressured only slightly.
Galrath Slash: Good skill. Not elite, and does a lot of damage. I use it when there is only room for two or three attack skills, just because of the way it works.
Final Thrust: Great finishing move. No joke. It will deal a massive amout of damage with or without or oponent under 50% health, but while they are under, it deals double. Just be sure you use any other skills that require adrenaline first, because unlike with other attacks, this one makes you loose all adrenaline for every skill.
Other warrior swordsmanship skills include Seeking Blade, Pure Strike, and 100 Blades.
Axe
Penetrating Blow: When going as an Axe Warrior and you only have room for a few attack skills, and this is the one. It's not an elite but gives a damage bonus, and best of all, 20% armor penetration. On top of that, it's a 5 adrenaline charge. That is awesome. This is the elite skill of non elite skills. If running an Axe Warrior, this skill is a must.
Executioners Strike: This is like Penetrating Blow, only less good. Don't get me wrong, it is still good enough to get talked about next to only about 3 other axe mastery skills, so it can't be bad. With an 8 adrenaline charge, you won't be getting this skill off every other second. But considering how high the damage bonus is, when unleashed this skill does massive damage. Enough so to make anything cringe.
Cleave [E]: This being the first elite attack I highlight individually, I would like to say, I do not suggest having an attack skill for your elite. Cleave, having a 4 adrenaline charge rate, you can use this almost every other skill. I personally like this skill, but like I said, I do not suggest using your elite on an attack skill.
Eviserate [E]: Again an elite, I suggest using the elite skill on the defensive. Good skill, massive damage. The deepwound can be used to help set the stage for something like Axe Rake. I love this skill for the damage. Hate it for the fact it takes up the elite spot, which I cannot stress enough, should be used on a defensive or healing skill.
Hammer
Do not use a hammer while solo farming. You have a slow attack speed, and you loose the bonuses of a shield or offhand.
Healing
Healing Signet: Great skill. Tactics (the attribute) is very important and is practically needed, so might as well bring Healing Signet to boot. If you plan on using this in combat, then be sure you have some form of evade or armor bonus up, because the minus 40 armor means that you are taking double damage during activation, and if you are activating it, you are probably already low on health.
Healing Hands [E]: Great skill for when you're getting hammered. Really helps take off the pressure. It's a fairly difficult elite to cap, but it is well worth it as long as you have points in healing.
Healing Breeze: A personal favourite of mine. Does your foe cast spells that light you on fire? Do they make you bleed? Do they do anything along the lines of degen? Well not any more. The regeration this skill gives you is by far worth the 10 energy.
Mend Ailment: This skill is very good if you are farming something with blind. 5 energy to remove a condition. You don't even need to put points in Protection Prayers for this to work.
Live Vicariously / Vigorous Spirit: These 2 skills are great. If you have a high enough healing, then you are going to be gaining 20 health per hit you make. Live Vicariously does not even have to be recasted, as it is a maintained enchantment, and Vigorous Spirit (being the exact same skill, just with a 30 second enchantment time) is perfect.
Grenths Balance: A Necromancer elite. This skill will only heal you if your foe has practically at full health, and you are a fair amount below 50. This skill is very good under circumstances that you would not normally be able to live, because it can allow you to cheat death every 10 seconds, at the expense of a foe who is now at half health.
Life Transfer: Another Necromancer elite. I find that this skill is good for one on one confrontations, where you and your foe are evenly matched. The regen that it gives you, and the degen it gives them can certainly turn the tide of battle in your favor.
Maximizing Output: This is a trick that I decided to save for last, so only those of you who read the whole build will be able to take advantage of. In my charcoal build, as common sence would indicate, the desired item to be farmed is charcoal. In Sorrows Furnace, the desired item to be farmed is Greens. In the Underworld, the desired item to be farmed is ectos. Of course, there are other drops. Piles of gold, weapons, armors. These are good. Pick up every single drop you get. A single non max white item may not seem like much, but what else will those inventory slots be used for? Be sure you have a superior identification kit, and a few salvage kits. Identifying white items does increase the amount of things salvaged. Just be sure you keep an inventory slot open if you get a fancy item. Between every group while I am waiting for health, and energy to regen, I salvage my items. Keeps my inventory clean and leaves room for many more drops.
Remember, identify your white items, salvage everything that doesnt have a value to merchants/players, salvage while waiting for health/energy to regen, and be sure you keep you're inventory clear save for salvage kits, and stackable drops (iron, dust, charcoal, wood, etc).
Extra Reading
Making A Warrior Monk
Extra 30 Attribute Points
"Watch Yourself" Skill Focus
Changing Your Secondary Profession
Happy Hunting!
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