Fractals Of The Mind

My first character to reach level 50 was a necromancer, and I could stay up (not get downed) on a 48 with 45AR using Deathshroud. I was doing this along side guardians who would repeatedly mess up the Tome of Courage heal and my little necro would be the only one from the party left standing sometimes. People were stubborn to depend on my necro and still insisted on the silly 99% res trick but it worked every time I had a fully charged Deathshroud. Ultimately, this encouraged me to level up my guardian so I could better help the team and heal them with the tome. Now my guardian is my main fractal character.

GUARDIAN BEGINNER'S BUILD

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Introduction
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This guardian build is a generic anchor guardian build, which I initially used to level up my guardian to 48. Your DPS will not be the best but you will be able to help your team reliably and able to heal yourself very well. Please keep in mind, the views here are my opinions and are not meant to offend other builds. My feedback comes from trying out new things and running fractals many times to learn what works and then to relearn what works better (we can always improve!).

NOTE: As soon as I learned how to play fractals better and found a pure zerker team to take intelligent risks with, I switched to GUARDIAN ADVANCED BUILD: http://fractalsofthemind.createaforum.com/fractals-guardian-builds/guaridan-advanced-build/

Credits: Much of the influence from the build came from my friends that I met playing fractals with, who showed me this nice video by ShadeusGlavor from the elite European PvE guild Define [HC] (thanks!):
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BV_eBDu0zEc

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Armor Set:
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x6 Knight's armor (toughness, power, precision)

Runes: (we want the most boon duration we can get!!)
x2 Superior Rune of the Traveler (I would not put this in a helmet, since they are expensive and you would need to buy 3 to have one for an aquabreather too.)
x2 Superior Rune of the Monk (get with AC dungeon tokens)
x2 Superior Rune of the Water

(I would not use Soldier runes at all- the guardian has many ways to remove conditions from the team and self so Soldier runes are an unnecessary overkill.)

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Trinket Set:
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Backpiece: Soldier's (I wish I would have made Beserker instead)
Earrings: Beserker x2
Rings: Beserker x2
Amulet: Beserker

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Weapons:
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Hammer: Knight's with Superior Sigil of Force (+5% damage)

Greatsword #1: Beserker with Superior Sigil of Perception
Greatsword #2: Beserker with Superior Sigil of Force when stacks are full

Sword: Beserker with Superior Sigil of Fire (the flameblast aoe helps in stacking situations when killing mobs)

Staff: Knight's with Superior Sigil of Perception

Scepter: Beserker with Superior Sigil of Force (+5% damage)

Focus: Knight's with Superior Sigil of Accuracy (+5% critical chance)

Trident: Beserker with Superior Sigil of Serpent Slaying (+10% damage to krait)
Spear: Beserker with Superior Sigil of Serpent Slaying

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Traits:
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Shorthand: 0/0/30/30/10

Expanded
Valor
IV: Strength in Numbers: 150 toughness to you and nearby allies
When to use: ALWAYS (unless another guard has the same trait, then switch to what fits the situation)

VI: Retributive Armor: 5% of toughness is converted into precision
When to use: ALWAYS

XI: Altruistic Healing (AH): the BEST and also the WORST part of this build: heal yourself when applying a boon to allies (self included)
When to use: ALWAYS (try this trait with Empower on the staff (#4) in a group to see how effective this trait is)
 
Honor
Vigorous Precision (minor 5 point trait): chance to gain vigor on a crit (very good trait!! need to dodge a lot in fractals, works with AH)

II: Superior Aria: Shouts cool-down 20% faster (all shouts work with AH)
When to use: ALWAYS (this build will always have at least one shout as a utility skill, and shouts work with AH)

V: Resolute Healer: make a shield of absorption when reviving an ally
When to use: GRAWL FRACTAL ONLY if team keeps going down

VII: Writ of Persistence: Symbols last 2 seconds longer (all guardian symbols cause a boon, so this also helps with AH)
When to use: stacking situations with the hammer and use auto-attack for permanent protection, usually so much time that you can swap weapons and come back before protection runs out if you plan it right

VIII: Empowering Might: chance on a crit for you and nearby allies gain might (works with AH)
When to use: Jade Maw, ranged fights where little to no condition removal is needed and you use a scepter/focus, some stacking conditions if you can give up other traits
[In my opinion, this trait is very overrated and not worth using if you can benefit better from another trait in this line.]

IX: Two-Handed Mastery: two-handed weapons cool-down 20% faster (i.e. spear, trident, hammer, staff, greatsword)
When to use: ALWAYS WATER FRACTAL, usually anytime you use 2 two-handed weapons at the same time

XI: Pure of Voice: Allies effected by shouts have one condition converted into a boon (works with AH)
When to use: any place where there are going to be problematic conditions: CLIFFSIDE hammer running, WATER fractal with the krait at the start, maybe the GRAWL final boss, etc.

Virtues
Inspired Virtue (minor 5 point trait): Virtues give extra boons [works with AH]: Justice- 3 might stacks, Resolve- regeneration, Courage- protection
 
I: Unscathed Contender: 20% more damage while under the effects of aegis
When to use: RANGED boss fights, JADE MAW, any time you do not need a Wall of Reflection and think you can keep up aegis

VI: Master of Consecrations: 20% cool-down and 20% duration on consecrations [VERY IMPORTANT TRAIT TO USE]
When to use: ANYTIME YOU NEED THE WALL OF REFLECTION [which is a lot of the time]: grawl final boss and beginning mobs, harpies and final boss on uncategorized, mossman and bloomhunger bosses, snowblind when beating the ice elemental when the vets spawn, charr fractal when killing the mobs in the city and arena, dredge fractal when killing mobs before the car and at the car (in front or behind the car), cliffside final boss after chanters spawn and the boss drops the hammer [you get the point I think!]

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Skills:
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Healing Skill
Signet of Resolve if you can handle a burst heal with a 40 sec cool-down [also cures a condition every 10 seconds]
Prayer to Dwayna if you are a human and want a medium heal with a lower cool-down of 30 seconds
Shelter: ok heal with a block, can be very useful (30 sec cd)

Virtues
Virtue of Justice: this is traited to give 3 stacks of might when activated, which is nice to use after Empower (staff #4) [works with AH]
Virtue of Resolve: this is traited to give regeneration when used and is a nice little healing skill; use it wisely [works with AH]
Virtue of Courage: this is traited to give protection and aegis when use; good to use when ressing a team member or when your health is low [works with AH]

Elite Skill
Renewed Focus: makes you invulnerable for 2 seconds and recharges all 3 virtues; use wisely when things get rough and you can pop Virtue of Courage for aegis again quickly afterwards
Tome of Courage: use on the Jade Maw when you need to heal yourself and/or your team when agony hits

Utility Skills [remember you can trait for shouts to remove a condition, so think about that before slotting]
These will vary depending upon the situation. Think about what the team needs before yourself, especially since the guardian is a great class for reflects and will be expected to provide them at certain places, along with stability and aegis.

"Retreat": shout with aegis and swiftness
When to use: i use this almost all the time if i can, aegis at the right time and place can save yourself or someone in the team; running and jumping parts with swiftness; use it sparingly, as it has a longer cool-down than most of the other shouts

"Stand Your Ground": shout with stability and retaliation [BREAKS STUN]
When to use: uncategorized harpy section needs stability when walls run out or aegis; before you attack final cliffside boss so the team is not stunned; JADE MAW TO BREAK STUN

"Save Yourselves": shout to gain lots of boons and take some conditions from allies [BREAKS STUN]
When to use: use as a luxury; BREAK STUN at JADE MAW; can hurt you if you are not careful and a selfish trait if not needed really because it has a long cool-down

Wall of Reflection: reflects projectiles, lasts for 12 seconds with trait
When to use: almost every fractal needs a reflect; see above in Traits under "Master of Consecrations"

Shield of the Avenger: reflective shield that does not always work perfectly, last 20 seconds if not destroyed; can be destroyed for a BREAK STUN
When to use: save it to use for the grawl shaman final boss as soon as he goes into his bubble and the eles spawn, not before they spawn- just use wall of reflection or dodge until then; can be used on the harpy run too while jumping, but i prefer "Retreat", Wall of Reflection, and "Stand Your Ground"; also can use when killing the dredge by the car and on the ice ele boss when the vets spawn

"Hold The Line": protection and regeneration
When to use: not very often; i sometimes give to team when we melee a boss and are getting hit a lot (e.g. Old Tom)

Bane Signet: +180 power, use it to knockdown a foe (so it can strip one stack of defiance)
When to use: DREDGE FINAL BOSS TO INTERRUPT IF IT STARTS TO HEAL (not enough guardians do this, sadly); anytime you have a free utility skill you should use this to boost power (e.g. ranged/melee boss fights)

Purging Flames: fire field that removes conditions [up to 3]
When to use: for might stacking party; to remove conditions but probably not the best way to do it in this build

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Playing this build:
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Many of the trait and utility swapping scenarios have been addressed or explained above, but they are not the only options so be creative and think of new things too.

There are some fine details it is good for a guardian to be aware of when stacking mobs, like using the Line of Warding #5 on the staff [so use Two-Handed Mastery trait] to interrupt incoming mobs and putting up a Wall of Reflection (charr and dredge mobs especially). The crowd control from the greatsword #5 skill [Binding Blade] is good to use for clumping mobs together and then aoe-ing them down as a team [especially uncategorized cat robots and the vet eles on the snow ice ele boss]. Also, a hammer guardian is slightly less dps than a greatsword guardian, so I would recommend using a greatsword if your team does not need the protection. Both are very good choices.

Use common sense and try to avoid using weapons in a sub-optimal way, like using a staff auto-attack in melee range for the whole fight or using a scepter in melee range. Also, remember you can cure a condition by combo-ing with a Light Field a and using a Whirl or Projectile finisher (so potentially greatsword #4 then #2).

I hope I have hit on most of the details about this build and how the guardian can be useful in fractals. If anyone has questions or wants to chat about builds, please feel free to post back or talk to me on the GW2 name "neondistraction.2513" (guardian Cpt Jean L Picard). Thank you and happy fractaling to everyone!

im in. West coast play 8am server to 10pm server. got vent mum ts. only want a grp that will join voice to not have to type during new fights/speed.

I only play war. shout heals. let me know if you want to grp. ill be ready at patch

I don't take breaks from fractals, I'm game

Due to the following information;

https://www.guildwars2.com/en/the-game/releases/november-26-2013/

https://www.guildwars2.com/en/news/upcoming-changes-for-the-fractals-of-the-mists/#agony

https://www.guildwars2.com/en/news/upcoming-changes-for-the-fractals-of-the-mists/#mistlock

It's no longer recommended for people to go to PR80 -_-.
Thanks a lot aNet! Seriously!
Oh well, at least we've gotten a few precursors above PR50+

So the gist of it;
- All PR above 30 will be reset to 30!
- PR will be made account-bound instead of character-bound