Build:W/any Dragon Slash

The PvXwiki community finds this to be an excellent build. Through the PvX vetting system, it has reached an overall rating in the range from 4.75 to 5.0 and thus qualifies for the highest category of working builds: Great. This build has been designed for the following use: PvE general

This build is part of the current PvE meta. Remove this tag if it is no longer used in the current PvE meta.

This warrior is a PvE build designed for sustained damage output. It uses adrenaline-control skills from the Factions and Nightfall campaigns to maintain a steady flow of damaging attacks.

Attributes and Skills

Warrior / Any 12 + 2 Strength 12 + 1 + 1 Swordsmanship Your attack skills gain 14% armor penetration. Dragon Slash FactionsWarrior. Swordsmanship 14Dragon SlashElite Sword AttackIf Dragon Slash hits, you strike for +38 damage and gain 5 strikes of adrenaline. This attack skill has 14% armor penetration.10 Optional CoreNo Profession. UnlinkedOptionalOptionalOptional. Optional CoreNo Profession. UnlinkedOptionalOptionalOptional. Optional CoreNo Profession. UnlinkedOptionalOptionalOptional. "For Great Justice!" CoreWarrior. Unlinked"For Great Justice!"ShoutFor 20 seconds, whenever you gain adrenaline, you gain 100% more.545 Flail NightfallWarrior. Strength 14FlailStanceFor 14 seconds, you attack 33% faster but move 33% slower.4 Enraging Charge NightfallWarrior. Strength 14Enraging ChargeStanceFor 14 seconds, you move 25% faster. Enraging Charge ends when you successfully strike a target, at which point you gain 3 strikes of adrenaline if you hit with a melee attack.520 Optional CoreNo Profession. UnlinkedOptionalOptionalOptional.   Template code

• Optional 1 should be:
  • Brawling Headbutt
  • "Save Yourselves!"

• Optionals 2 & 3 should be:
  • Whirlwind Attack for massive damage and adrenaline management.
  • Enduring Harmony for greater FGJ! upkeep.
  • Steelfang Slash has great synergy with other Knockdown skills.
  • Body Blow / Low Blow for damage and an easy source of Deep Wound and Cracked Armor.

• Optional 3 should be:
  • "Finish Him!" for Deep Wound/Cracked Armor finishing blow.
  • Asuran Scan for great damage increase.
  • Pain Inverter to blow elementalists up.
  • Resurrection Signet / Sunspear Rebirth Signet to revive fallen allies.
  • "You Move Like a Dwarf!" for a snare and interrupt.

Equipment

• Sentry's Insignia with Superior Vigor and Absorption runes.
• A sword and shield of your choice; Furious sword hilts and "while stanced" shields are particularly useful.

Usage

• As you approach the enemy, activate Enraging Charge to quickly obtain melee range. This will give you an initial burst of adrenaline as you enter the fray. Try to set yourself up near multiple enemies so you can switch quickly from foe to foe in mid-battle.
• The adrenaline gained from Enraging Charge allows you to activate Flail as soon as you strike your first target.
• Chain your attacks, using Dragon Slash to maintain adrenaline.
• When there are no more targets in your immediate area, you can use Enraging Charge to cancel Flail and quickly move to the next target. If you are engaged in a protracted melee, Enraging Charge can be used to gain a few extra strikes of adrenaline instead.
• If you are fighting a target that will run around or are fighting enemies that will quickly be dispatched, avoid using Flail. The slower movement speed can reduce your DPS in these situations and becomes not worth the IAS boost.

Counters

• Standard anti-melee counters

Variants

• In high-level Nightfall PvE areas, consider adding Lightbringer's Gaze.
• Take Enduring Harmony to lengthen duration of your shouts.
• Plague Touch or Mending Touch for condition removal.
• Distracting Blow, Distracting Strike, or Savage Slash for an interrupt.
• "Shields Up!" or "Watch Yourself!" can be used for a party-wide buff, but you would have to take a few points of strength and invest them in tactics.
• Purge Signet works very well as an optional skill as the energy it takes is not generally needed if locked on a target.
• "Dodge This!" for a little damage boost and an unblockable attack.
• "You Move Like a Dwarf!" or Brawling Headbutt, in conjunction with Knee Cutter, can provide a quick way to build adrenaline.
• Take Low Blow to increase damage outputt and inflict your target with Cracked Armor, Flail has to be active to build up the adrenaline point and use Low Blow while your target is knocked down. Possible to swap "Save Yourselves!" with Distracting Strike to interupt your target.

Notes

• Avoid using Dragon Slash on a nearly dead foe that is being targeted heavily by your allies. Sometimes, that enemy will drop in mid-swing, causing your Dragon Slash to fizzle; your damage output will be lowered until you regain the ten strikes of adrenaline needed by Dragon Slash if this occurs.