Guardian - Glass Healer

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Maybe it never coalesced into something brilliant. Maybe it never made it off the ground floor. Maybe we based our better ideas off of it. Basic builds are anywhere from downright bad to just shy of being good enough to showcase. These builds share the widest ratings and can lead to wildly differing levels of success.

Focused on: Support, Control.

Designed for:

Conquest

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Overview

An off-point support build focused on healing, reviving, and protecting allies.

Skill Bar

StaffHealingUtilityElite

Scepter/Shield

Slot Changes

Elite skill:

2
90
Renewed Focus
Meditation. Focus, making yourself invulnerable and recharging your virtues.
Duration: 3 seconds
Prevents Capture-Point Contribution
- If you know you're going to be focused really hard. Using it over
3¼
120
Signet of Courage
Signet Passive: Periodically heal allies in the area around you while in combat.
Signet Active: Fully heal nearby allies.
Active Heal: 100%
Passive Heal: 808
Number of Targets: 5
Healing Interval: 10 seconds
Passive Radius: 300
Active Radius: 1,200
Combat Only
typically isn't recommended though, because that means losing your best healing skill.

Utility:

40

Merciful Intervention

Meditation. Shadowstep to an ally in the targeted area and heal around them. If no ally is present in the targeted area, this ability will not shadowstep.

Healing: 1,960

Number of Targets: 5

Radius: 180

Range: 1,200

can be replaced by:

30
"Stand Your Ground!"
Shout. Grant stability to yourself and allies.
Retaliation (5s): Reflect incoming damage back to its source.
₅Stability (6s): Cannot be knocked down, pushed back, pulled, launched, stunned, dazed, floated, sunk, feared or taunted.
Number of Targets: 5
Breaks Stun
Radius: 600
- Merciful Intervention is a very versatile skill that can be used as a burst-heal (especially for mobile allies like thieves), to teleport to and revive a downed ally, and as a quick getaway if an ally is in range. If you're being focused, Merciful Intervention IS going to save you. That said, if you think you'll need more protection against CC, Stand Your Ground is also a decent option. You should be fine just with the stability from
45
Virtue of Courage
Virtue: Grants aegis every few seconds.
Activate: Grant aegis to yourself and nearby allies.
Aegis (20s): Block the next incoming attack.
Number of Targets: 5
Aegis Refresh: 40 seconds
Radius: 600
though, and not having
40
Merciful Intervention
Meditation. Shadowstep to an ally in the targeted area and heal around them. If no ally is present in the targeted area, this ability will not shadowstep.
Healing: 1,960
Number of Targets: 5
Radius: 180
Range: 1,200
will leave you much more vulnerable to being focused in a team fight.

Weapons:

Scepter/Torch over Scepter/Shield.
The torch can be used at the cost of survivability to cleanse large amounts of conditions from allies, as well as for a small boost to damage. It's not really recommended since it has no self-defensive options, and channeling the cleanse at 400 range is likely to get you killed, but if you really think you'll need the cleansing for allies, go for it.

Specializations

Variants

Taking
Virtuous Solace
Drop a protective area at your location when you're struck while below the health threshold.
Health Threshold: 25%
over
Absolute Resolution
Activating Virtue of Resolve removes conditions from nearby allies. Virtue of Resolve's passive effect is stronger.
Virtue of Resolve (3s): 315 Heal
Conditions Removed: 3
Radius: 1,200
trades off cleansing support for an effect that could potentially save you from being chased or focused down. It's a very big trade off however, so consider it carefully. Generally it's a better idea to stick to
Absolute Resolution
Activating Virtue of Resolve removes conditions from nearby allies. Virtue of Resolve's passive effect is stronger.
Virtue of Resolve (3s): 315 Heal
Conditions Removed: 3
Radius: 1,200
since the only other decent option for ally cleansing is a torch.

Equipment

9

Superior Sigil of Agility

Gain 5 seconds of swiftness and 1 second of quickness when you swap to this weapon while in combat. (Cooldown: 9s)

18

Superior Sigil of Escape

Remove movement-impairing effects from yourself when swapping to this weapon while in combat.

9

Superior Sigil of Agility

Gain 5 seconds of swiftness and 1 second of quickness when you swap to this weapon while in combat. (Cooldown: 9s)

18

Superior Sigil of Escape

Remove movement-impairing effects from yourself when swapping to this weapon while in combat.

Superior Rune of the Monk

(1): +25 Healing Power (2): +5% Boon Duration (3): +50 Healing Power (4): +10% Boon Duration (5): +100 Healing Power (6): +10% outgoing heal effectiveness to allies, +1% outgoing heal effectiveness for 3 seconds whenever granting a boon to an ally (max 10)

Mender's Amulet

+1050 Power +560 Precision +560 Vitality +1050 Healing power

Swapping your weapon to gain quickness and then following up with any supportive signet can make the difference between saving an ally or not.

Usage

Do NOT tank a point unless you absolutely have to, the build doesn't offer enough survivability to the user to justify this, and it makes the user extremely vulnerable to being focused. If you don't have an ally who can tank points at all, this build isn't going to be able to substitute that. Generally stay a fair distance away from the point, as you'll need that distance if you're focused and need to use
40
Merciful Intervention
Meditation. Shadowstep to an ally in the targeted area and heal around them. If no ally is present in the targeted area, this ability will not shadowstep.
Healing: 1,960
Number of Targets: 5
Radius: 180
Range: 1,200
.
Try not to fight without allies. You're not worth much if you're supporting nothing. Generally, attempting to 1v1 will end up with you dead. If you're forced into a 1v1, just try to hold out until an ally approaches, or leave to where your allies are.
If you need to focus on supporting someone, it should usually be your necromancer. Necromancers deal a lot of damage and strip a lot of boons, but they're vulnerable to being focused. It's your job to make sure that they stay alive to do their job regardless of being focused. If the enemy figures out why your necromancer isn't dying, be prepared to get focused.
The damage this build deals without

Virtue of Justice

25

Virtue of Justice

Virtue: Burn foes every few attack.
Activate: You and your allies inflict burning on the next attack.

Burning (passive effect) (2s): 264 Damage

Burning (active effect) (4s): 524 Damage

Number of Targets: 5

Number of Attacks to Trigger: 5

Radius: 600

is somewhat decent but generally supplemental. Do not put yourself at risk to deal damage unless you know you can down your target.
If you're being focused, do not hesitate to kite enemies or use your abilities to save yourself.

Sanctuary

1½

120

Sanctuary

Consecration. Form a protective healing shelter for allies. Foes and projectiles cannot enter.

Healing: 266

Number of Targets: 5

Pulses: 6

Duration: 6 seconds

Radius: 120

Combo Field: Light

and

Line of Warding

1

40

Line of Warding

Ward. Create a line in front of you that foes cannot cross.

Duration: 5 seconds

Combo Field: Light

Range: 1,200

are both good skills to use to kite and protect yourself.

Merciful Intervention

50

Merciful Intervention

Meditation. Shadowstep to an ally in the targeted area and heal around them. If no ally is present in the targeted area, this ability will not shadowstep.

Healing: 1,960

Number of Targets: 5

Radius: 180

Range: 1,200

is also a very good way to get out of a tight spot if you have an ally at long-range (which you should, if you positioned properly). In fact, if 3 enemies are focusing you, you probably won't get away alive unless you teleport to an ally at long-range.
Use

Empower

2½

20

Empower

Channel might to yourself and allies around you. Heal nearby allies when it ends.

Healing: 1,500

₁₂Might (10s): 360 Power, 360 Condition Damage

Number of Targets: 5

Radius: 600

and

Detonate Orb of Light

Detonate Orb of Light

Detonate the orb to heal nearby allies. Orb of Light takes four times longer to recharge if detonate.

Damage: 146

Healing: 788

Number of Targets: 5

Radius: 240

Range: 1,200

frequently. These are healing skills that you'll use to sustain your allies rather than to burst heal them. Be careful where you use Empower, as you'll essentially be rooting yourself and asking to be focused.
Signet of Courage

4¼

180

Signet of Courage

Signet Passive: Periodically heal allies around you in an area while in combat.
Signet Active: Fully heal nearby allies.

Active Heal: 100%

Passive Heal: 808 Heal

Number of Targets: 5

Healing Interval: 10 seconds

Passive Radius: 300

Active Radius: 1,200

Combat Only

needs decent timing and foresight to be used. If you know someone is about to be burst or focused, make sure you start casting this. If it turns out they're okay near the end of the cast, just cancel it. Timing this right in a team fight can quickly change a lost fight into a comeback. Casting this without stability and/or in close-range isn't recommended.
If you're forced into holding a point, don't be afraid to use

Signet of Courage

4¼

180

Signet of Courage

Signet Passive: Periodically heal allies around you in an area while in combat.
Signet Active: Fully heal nearby allies.

Active Heal: 100%

Passive Heal: 808 Heal

Number of Targets: 5

Healing Interval: 10 seconds

Passive Radius: 300

Active Radius: 1,200

Combat Only

with stability to hold out for a bit longer. The passive effect generally isn't worth holding onto since you won't last long enough to make use of it. Generally try to hold on to the active for allies though.
Signet of Mercy

3¾

150

Signet of Mercy

Signet Passive: Improves healing.
Signet Active: Revive a nearby ally.

Signet Passive: 180 Healing

Radius: 180

Range: 900

also needs somewhat decent timing, although it is the fastest revive in the game alongside Battle Standard. If you're reviving an elementalist, thief, or mesmer take into account that they may dodge your revive. If you cast this as an ally drops, it'll always finish before an enemy's finishing animation.
Use Sigil of Agility with

Signet of Courage

4¼

180

Signet of Courage

Signet Passive: Periodically heal allies around you in an area while in combat.
Signet Active: Fully heal nearby allies.

Active Heal: 100%

Passive Heal: 808 Heal

Number of Targets: 5

Healing Interval: 10 seconds

Passive Radius: 300

Active Radius: 1,200

Combat Only

or

Signet of Mercy

3¾

150

Signet of Mercy

Signet Passive: Improves healing.
Signet Active: Revive a nearby ally.

Signet Passive: 180 Healing

Radius: 180

Range: 900

to speed up the casting time a bunch. Using this combo with

Signet of Mercy

3¾

150

Signet of Mercy

Signet Passive: Improves healing.
Signet Active: Revive a nearby ally.

Signet Passive: 180 Healing

Radius: 180

Range: 900

is a surefire way to revive an ally (although the casting time for Signet of Mercy already is more or less surefire).
Generally reserve

Sanctuary

1½

120

Sanctuary

Consecration. Form a protective healing shelter for allies. Foes and projectiles cannot enter.

Healing: 266

Number of Targets: 5

Pulses: 6

Duration: 6 seconds

Radius: 120

Combo Field: Light

for if an ally or enemy is downed, or if an ally (or you) is about to be focused down. It is an invaluable skill for interrupting enemy rezzing/stomping, as it chips away stability stacks rather quickly. If you need to, this is also a good way to help decap a point. After this has been cast, you can usually safely approach your allies on point in order to heal with skills like

"Receive the Light!"

2¼

40

"Receive the Light!"

Shout. Heal yourself and allies in a cone in front of you.

Initial Self Heal: 3,250

Self Heal per Pulse: 650

Allied Heal per Pulse: 1,305

Number of Targets: 4

Pulses: 5

Healing Breeze Duration: 3 seconds

Range: 600

.
Wrath of Justice
Striking an enemy with justice's active effect triggers signet of wrath.
and

Chains of Light

½

20

Chains of Light

Immobilize and make your foe vulnerable with ethereal chains.

Damage: 61

Immobilize (2s): Unable to move.

₃Vulnerability (6s): 3% Incoming Damage

Range: 900

are great skills to use when focusing down an enemy. Consider saving each immobilize for after the first one has been cleansed or has worn off, so as to avoid both of them being cleansed at the same time. Take note that
Renewed Justice
Virtue of Justice is renewed when you kill a foe.
will not refresh
Wrath of Justice
Striking an enemy with justice's active effect triggers signet of wrath.
.
Using

Virtue of Justice

25

Virtue of Justice

Virtue: Burn foes every few attack.
Activate: You and your allies inflict burning on the next attack.

Burning (passive effect) (2s): 264 Damage

Burning (active effect) (4s): 524 Damage

Number of Targets: 5

Number of Attacks to Trigger: 5

Radius: 600

with a lot of allies around will result in a ton of burning. Spamming it isn't a terrible idea, especially when your team is focusing someone. Take note that this skill is renewed if an enemy is killed due to
Renewed Justice
Virtue of Justice is renewed when you kill a foe.
Save

Virtue of Resolve

50

Virtue of Resolve

Virtue: Regenerates health.
Activate: Heal yourself and nearby allies.

Virtue of Resolve: 84 Heal

Healing: 1,625

Number of Targets: 5

Radius: 600

for condition bombs and follow up with some burst healing due to the likely removal of poison. If you need to, use it just to remove poison and follow up with healing before it's reapplied.
Use

Virtue of Courage

75

Virtue of Courage

Virtue: Grants aegis every few seconds.
Activate: Grant aegis to yourself and nearby allies.

Aegis (20s): Block the next incoming attack.

Number of Targets: 5

Aegis Refresh: 40 seconds

Radius: 600

(and/or

"Stand Your Ground!"

30

"Stand Your Ground!"

Shout. Grant stability to yourself and allies.

₅Stability (5s): Cannot be knocked down, pushed back, pulled, launched, stunned, dazed, floated, sunk, feared, or taunted.

Retaliation (5s): Reflect incoming damage back to its source.

Number of Targets: 5

Range: 600

Breaks stun

) for stomps, revives, Signet of Mercy, and Signet of Courage. Be considerate of your allies when you have these skills in mind, as breaking a stun for them might mean the difference between winning and losing a fight.
If you're using a torch and your team picks up a huge amount of conditions, so you're forced into using

Cleansing Flame

4¼

15

Cleansing Flame

Breathe magical flames that damage foes and cure conditions on allies.

₁₀Damage: 800

Number of Targets: 3

Pulses: 9

Range: 400

to save them, consider using

Virtue of Courage

75

Virtue of Courage

Virtue: Grants aegis every few seconds.
Activate: Grant aegis to yourself and nearby allies.

Aegis (20s): Block the next incoming attack.

Number of Targets: 5

Aegis Refresh: 40 seconds

Radius: 600

or

"Stand Your Ground!"

30

"Stand Your Ground!"

Shout. Grant stability to yourself and allies.

₅Stability (5s): Cannot be knocked down, pushed back, pulled, launched, stunned, dazed, floated, sunk, feared, or taunted.

Retaliation (5s): Reflect incoming damage back to its source.

Number of Targets: 5

Range: 600

Breaks stun

since this skill is easily interrupted.
Don't ever use

Wave of Wrath

½

Wave of Wrath

Send out a powerful shockwave, hitting up to five foes.

Damage: 146

Number of Targets: 5

Range: 600

unless you desperately need some form of damage in the moment. It doesn't do damage, and more importantly it doesn't support. With the time spent casting this worthless skill, other more important skills like

Sanctuary

1½

120

Sanctuary

Consecration. Form a protective healing shelter for allies. Foes and projectiles cannot enter.

Healing: 266

Number of Targets: 5

Pulses: 6

Duration: 6 seconds

Radius: 120

Combo Field: Light

,

Empower

2½

20

Empower

Channel might to yourself and allies around you. Heal nearby allies when it ends.

Healing: 1,500

₁₂Might (10s): 360 Power, 360 Condition Damage

Number of Targets: 5

Radius: 600

, and so forth could be used instead. I highly recommend turning off the auto-attack for this skill, as it'll just mess with the timing on skills like the two supportive signets and

Sanctuary

1½

120

Sanctuary

Consecration. Form a protective healing shelter for allies. Foes and projectiles cannot enter.

Healing: 266

Number of Targets: 5

Pulses: 6

Duration: 6 seconds

Radius: 120

Combo Field: Light

where a few milliseconds can make the difference between an ally being downed/finished or not.

Counters

High mobility and burst.