Hey everyone! I’m a returning player and I’m really keen on playing a warrior that specializes in using a sword and shield, with the option of adding a secondary weapon. Unfortunately, I’m having a tough time finding any effective builds or guides online that focus on sword and shield for open-world, fractals, or PvE content. Is the sword/shield setup just not viable, or does anyone have tips or builds that could make it work? I’m open to using both core or elite spec options—I’m mainly in it for the style and to not let my teammates down by doing minimal damage or support.
5 Answers
From what I’ve seen, there’s not much use for sword/shield in PvE. Sword skills aren’t all that damaging unless you’re leveraging certain combat techniques. If you’re looking for a melee DPS role, there are definitely better options like sword/sword or even axe combinations that would yield better results. But hey, if you really love the sword/shield fantasy, go for it—just know you’ll probably be on the lower end for performance.
Honestly, shield on a warrior feels pretty subpar, especially in PvE where you can’t really do much while blocking. If you’re dead set on using sword/shield, maybe try a Condition Berserker build with a longbow. You might see a dip in damage, but it should be manageable for open-world content.
You might want to consider a build with sword/shield and a longbow. It’s not perfect but it can be adapted. Start with longbow, then swap to sword/shield after using some skills to build adrenaline. The damage won’t be spectacular, but you should be able to pump out around 20k damage if played right. Just keep an eye on your rotation and don’t forget to utilize weapon-swapping to manage adrenaline effectively!
To be real, the sword/shield combo is pretty iconic but lacks the punch in GW2. If you’re playing solo, you could make it work, but group content might be challenging without solid damage output. Just stick with it if it’s your preferred playstyle and don’t stress too much about the meta!
Yeah, sword/shield feels pretty weak, especially since there’s not much utility from that combo other than defense. If you’re okay with less damage output, you could adapt existing sword/torch builds by swapping out the torch for a shield. It could work for casual PvE, but don’t expect to shine too brightly on the damage charts!
That sounds interesting! I just wish the sword/shield setup didn’t feel so limited. I totally get what you mean about losing some damage to maintain the class fantasy, but if it works out for you, that’s great!