Difference between pages "What are Combo Fields" and "Guide:Understanding PvP Roles In Conquest"

 
 
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{{#seo:
 
{{#seo:
|title=GW2 What are Combo Fields Guide - MetaBattle
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|title=Understanding GW2 PvP Roles in Conquest
|description=Detailed Combo Fields Guide that explains the combo system and common combos used in different game modes in Guild Wars 2.
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|description=This guide is aimed at players who are about to set foot into GW2 PvP and want to understand the roles they can fill in the main gamemode, Conquest. Knowing your role not only makes it easier to perform well, but also helps with picking the right build for your intended playstyle later on.
 
}}{{Guide
 
}}{{Guide
| title = What are Combo Fields?
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| title = Understanding PvP Roles In Conquest
| description = Introduction guide to combo fields and finishers.
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| description = Brief guide for new players who want to learn what roles builds can fill in PvP and how.
| mode = PvE,PvP,WvW
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| mode = PvP
 
| section = Misc
 
| section = Misc
| icon = Chaos Aura.webp
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| icon = PvP Swords.webp
 
| featured = pvp
 
| featured = pvp
}}
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}}This guide is aimed at players who are about to set foot into GW2 PvP and want to understand the roles they can fill in the main gamemode, Conquest. Knowing your role not only makes it easier to perform well, but also helps with picking the right build for your intended playstyle later on.
==Introduction==
 
Have you heard your character shout "Impressive combination!" without understanding why? Do you know why your WvW commander keeps saying "water on tag"? Do you want to learn how to instantly heal your entire group to full, stack 25 {{Tooltip|Might}} on your entire group, or stealth your entire group for 30 seconds?
 
  
Combo fields are an important but little-understood Guild Wars 2 mechanic. It's particularly important for '''Engineer''' and '''Elementalist''' players, but all classes can make use of combos effectively. This guide will explain the combo system and common combos used in different game modes.
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<div class="alert alert-success" style="margin-top: 15px;">Section revised on: <b>June 2022</b></div>
  
 +
==Roamer/+1==
 +
===Role===
 +
As a roamer, you intend to find opportunities to end fights. Your main goal is to move between fights that are in progress and tip the balance in your favor - this is called "+1ing" or "outnumbering", as you're often helping your teammates briefly outnumber the enemy by 1. Since outnumbering enemies means that your enemy might have numbers advantage elsewhere on the map, it's in your best interest to get the job done as quickly as possible. To do that you need 2 things: burst damage and mobility.
  
==Fields and Finishers==
 
[[File:Fire Field.jpeg|300px|alt=Fire field]]
 
  
''A fire field.''
+
===Stats & Tools===
 +
Roamers have high damage stats and good mobility. Their sustain is on the lowered end and while their burst damage tends to be really high, unlike teamfight specs they often lack damage outside of burst windows.
  
Many skills in Guild Wars 2 leave behind '''combo fields''' with a certain elemental type. These fields show up as circles or rectangles on the ground outlined with a colored aura corresponding to the type of field they are.
 
  
Additionally, certain types of skills, called '''combo finishers''', have extra effects when used inside a combo field. The extra effect varies depending on the type of combo field.
+
===Gameplay===
 +
Opportunistic! If your teamfighter cannot find an end to their fight, the extra pressure a roamer brings to the table could be the key to overwhelming things like enemy supports.
 +
Tactical decisions you may have to make:
 +
* Sometimes you might want to focus on peeling for your team by shutting down the enemy +1er.  
  
The tooltip of every skill explains if it creates a combo field or functions as a combo finisher. You can read the tooltips on your skills to find out what combo fields and combo finishers you have access to.
+
* Breaking up stalemates can be good enough even without a kill. If your bunker cannot cap a node, pressuring the enemy bunker just enough to leave the capture point can easily allow him to take the cap. If you're confident that your bunker can hold the node and not die to the enemy then your job might be done here. Don't spend too much time chasing a kill 2v1 if you don't have to, as wasting manpower over nothing is a bad idea.  
  
{| class="wikitable"
+
* In general you don't want to commit to a fight for too long. Since you are vulnerable, burning cds in an action will probably make you an easy target.
|-
 
! Field Type !! Color !! Blast Finisher !! Leap Finisher !! Projectile or Whirl Finisher !! Field mainly created by
 
|-
 
| Dark || Black || Area {{Tooltip|Blind}} (3s) || Gain {{Tooltip|Dark Aura}} (5s) || Projectiles steal life || Necromancers and Revenants
 
|-
 
| Ethereal || Purple || Area {{Tooltip|Chaos Aura}} (3s) || Gain {{Tooltip|Chaos Aura}} (5s) || Projectiles inflict {{Tooltip|Confusion}} (5s) || Mesmers
 
|-
 
| Fire || Orange || Area {{Tooltip|Might}} (3 stacks for 20s) || Gain {{Tooltip|Fire Aura}} (5s) || Projectiles inflict {{Tooltip|Burning}} (1s) || Elementalists, Engineers, Rangers, Revenants and Warriors
 
|-
 
| Ice || Light blue || Area {{Tooltip|Frost Aura}} (3s) || Gain {{Tooltip|Frost Aura}} (5s) || Projectiles inflict {{Tooltip|Chill}} (1s) || Elementalists
 
|-
 
| Light || Yellow || Area cleanse condition || Gain {{Tooltip|Light Aura}} (5s) || Projectiles cleanse conditions || Engineers, Guardians and Mesmers
 
|-
 
| Lightning || White || Area {{Tooltip|Swiftness}} (10s) || Inflict {{Tooltip|Daze}} (1s) || Projectiles inflict {{Tooltip|Vulnerability}} (2 stacks for 5s) || Elementalists and Engineers (Scrappers)
 
|-
 
| Poison || Green || Area {{Tooltip|Weakness}} (3s) || Inflict {{Tooltip|Weakness}} (8s) || Projectiles inflict {{Tooltip|Poison}} (2s) || Necromancers and Thieves
 
|-
 
| Smoke || Gray || Area {{Tooltip|Stealth}} (3s) || Gain {{Tooltip|Stealth}} (3s) || Projectiles inflict {{Tooltip|Blind}} (3s) || Engineers and Thieves
 
|-
 
| Water || Blue || Area Healing || Gain Healing || Projectiles grant {{Tooltip|Regeneration}} (2s) || Elementalists, Engineers and Rangers (Druids)
 
|}
 
  
[https://wiki.guildwars2.com/wiki/Combo Wiki article on combos, including a list of combo skills by profession]
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* Depending on just how good your mobility is, you might have to be the one to decap empty nodes from time to time. If there's nothing for you to +1 or your team is wiping, it's often best to look for opportunities elsewhere. Nautralizing (decapping) an empty node is a great way of denying points from the enemy team whilst also breaking them up and drawing people away from other fights. Your mobility (especially on professions like Thief) lets you stay one step ahead of the enemy. Sometimes you could even consider going for fully capping the node, especially if you're confident in your profession and your ability to duel (or if you're expecting an ally to reinforce/take your place soon in which case stalling is enough).
  
  
==Using Combos Effectively==
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==Bunker/Node Holder==
Combo fields are important because they can add powerful effects to your skills for no effort. Because there's no limit to the number of finishers that can be used in a combo field, a group of coordinated players can blast a massive amount of {{Tooltip|Might}}, healing, or stealth out of one player's combo field.
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===Role===
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As a bunker you have one job: hold a capture point without dying, sometimes even against multiple enemies. However! Staying alive is often more important than holding a cap, more on that below.
  
To use combos effectively, you should know which of your skills are combo fields and combo finishers, and coordinate with players around you in chat or voice:
 
* Place combo fields when you know they will be needed, like a fire field at the beginning of a fight to quickly stack {{Tooltip|Might}}, or a water field when teammates are low on health.
 
* Conversely, try not to place unnecessary combo fields if they will overlap and interfere with other players' important combo fields.
 
  
 +
===Stats & Tools===
 +
A bunker has a certain compromise between damage, sustain and mobility. Some have enough damage to force others off the node, some max out sustain and not much else, some sacrifice damage for CC and to knock enemies off the cap (that's called a decap build). Mobility's usually on the lower end as a bunker's primary concern is to stay in place and survive without having to run away.
  
==Common Combo Usage==
 
===Blasting Might===
 
Using a blast finisher in a fire field grants 3 stacks of {{Tooltip|Might}} to up to 5 nearby allies for 20 seconds. A group can coordinate blast finishers to reach 25 stacks of might for a long duration.
 
  
This is used in '''WvW''', '''open world PvE''' and '''Fractals''' before big engagements. It's also useful to maintain damage buffs in '''instanced PvE''' when you don't have a dedicated support providing might.
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===Gameplay===
 +
While holding caps is your goal, this does not necessarily mean that you need to hold until you die - usually it's better to move off the cap, resustain for a few seconds and come back once you've stabilized. If they get the decap so be it. As long as you're tying down 1 or more enemies without the enemy scoring points you're doing your job.  
  
 +
Should the enemy manage to cap the node though and you don't see an opportunity for a kill you should give up and move on. Fighting an endless 1v1 on an enemy cap is not something you should be doing.
  
===Blasting Water===
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When your node is not threatened move on to the next one, perferably to another smaller fight. In some cases you might want to reinforce a teamfight if there's nothing else to do, but bunkers often don't have enough damage to truly be useful there.
Using a blast finisher in a water field heals 5 nearby allies for 1320 health (scaling up to ~2000 with healing power). A group can coordinate blast finishers to instantly get a huge amount of burst healing on a large group.
 
  
This is used in all game modes for a bit of extra healing. It's especially important in '''WvW''' for sustaining through large-scale fights, and is usually called out in chat (i.e. "Water on tag").
 
  
 +
===Rotation===
 +
Try to avoid teamfights most of the time, focus on smaller skirmishes. Once you've won a node don't just afk on it! Use the minimap, your team, and the recent kills window to determine where you should go next. If you're certain that your node is safe for the time being, move on to the next one. Another thing you could do is move to a choke point and watch enemy movements, if they are going for your node then go back and intercept them. If they're not, follow them or push one of their nodes.
  
===Blasting Stealth===
 
Using a blast finisher in a smoke field grants {{Tooltip|Stealth}} to 5 nearby allies for 3 seconds, stacking in duration. A group can coordinate blast finishers to gain a very long duration of stealth.
 
  
This is sometimes used tactically in PvP and WvW, however its main use is in '''instanced PvE''' to skip enemies. This is usually done by a Thief with {{Skill|Smoke Screen}} and {{Skill|Cluster Bomb}}, but a Ranger can also provide a smoke field with {{Tooltip|Smokescale}}.
+
===Teamfighter===
 +
===Role===
 +
As a teamfight spec you intend to do just that: fight with your team against the enemy team, avoiding 1v1s. Your main goal is to make sure the main fight on map will be won by overwhelming the enemy through constant pressure.
  
  
===Condition Cleanse===
+
===Stats & Tools===
Light fields are a powerful defensive tool that can cleanse conditions or provide {{Tooltip|Light Aura}} (-10% incoming condition damage). Classes with easy access to light fields and combo finishers, like '''Guardian''' and '''Engineer''', can use them to support their team.
+
Teamfight builds have high damage and medium-to-low sustain, as they usually get to rely on a support for backup and must have enough damage to try and kill the enemy support. On top of raw damage, CC and boon removal is also common.
  
This is used in all game modes to counter condition damage.
+
<!--===Gameplay===
 +
Making it smart will imply to switch your target choice from time to time. While targeting a support is good as this one as low self sustain which forces him to burn down his build, this will also allow his team to apply 100% of their pressure while not getting the support’s kill ever (since this one supposedly would kite early enough). Hence you also must consider targeting the other teamfight opponent so they have to take cover. If they do not take cover, either they might fall, or they will force their support to get back into the fight scene and become vulnerable again. Also do not forget ever the roaming and high burst capable classes in front !! Those ones can run surprise attacks that are deadly for most of your allies, support included ! Plus, they are quite vulnerable, so that it does not require much to apply a bit of a pressure onto them. Simply freezing, weakening or poisoning a thief or a mes will make them unable to take action for 10 seconds. However, do not commit a killing onto a roamer, this will most likely split your teamfight, push your support into a risky situation, and a roamer normally should still have ways to get away ! Let your allied roamers finish the job ! The death of a teamfighter is quite annoying as team looses control over the teamfight. This one is quite likely to go wrong and kiting becomes preferable to allies. In the end, YOU are the main responsible for target calls !!
 +
Rotation
 +
You want to stand where the main fights happen to have an impact against the opponent team. Hence the main fight is yours. If you start facing a simple holder or a roamer with no ally around, you are in the wrong spot, and you are becoming a target as you would not be able to leave this fight on your own may it become more dangerous. If no ally comes to swap role with you, consider leaving this fight before it gets at your disadvantage, or follow your support lead.-->
  
 +
==Support==
 +
===Role===
 +
As a support class you intend to keep allies alive and revive them when they got down. Peel for them with CC, remove their conditions, heal them back up and protect them from damage while also helping them deal damage uninterrupted by sharing things like {{Tooltip|Stability}} or {{Tooltip|Magnetic Aura}}.
  
===Leap Finishers===
 
Many professions have access to short cooldown leap finishers, especially '''Thief''' ({{Skill|Heartseeker}}) and '''Holosmith''' ({{Skill|Holo Leap}}). For increased effectiveness, these skills can be combined with {{Tooltip|Stealth}} from a smoke field, '''healing''' from a water field, {{Tooltip|Frost Aura}} from an ice field, '''light aura''' from a light field, or {{Tooltip|Daze}} from a lightning field.
 
  
This is used in '''PvP''' and '''small scale WvW''' to gain an edge in fights, and the combo with lightning fields can be a source of additional CC in '''instanced PvE'''.
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===Stats & Tools===
 +
Healing Power is your most important stat and one sigil per set will likely have to be sacrificed for {{Sigil|Transference}}. Selfsustain is medium-to-high, but supports can sometimes be more squishy than bunkers, as their goal is to keep allies alive first and foremost. If your allies are doing fine they can in turn help you survive by peeling enemies off of you. Mobility tends to be low.
  
  
===Blasting Swiftness===
+
===Gameplay===
Using a blast finisher in a lightning field grants {{Tooltip|Swiftness}} to 5 nearby allies for 10 seconds, stacking in duration. A group can coordinate blast finishers to gain a very long duration of swiftness.
+
Stay near allies and try to move where the teamfighters are, or move together with them. Use your CDs to keep them alive - any CDs, these could even include offensive skills like CCs or condition applications that mitigate damage such as {{Tooltip|Weakness}} or {{Tooltip|Blind}}. Sometimes a best defense is a good offense, make sure your teammates are able to do damage freely while the opponent is getting pressured/CCd.
  
This is used in '''PvP''' to stack swiftness before a PvP round starts.
 
  
 
+
===Rotation===
==PvE Weapon and Skill Swaps==
+
Avoid 1v1s at all costs. You should be unable to win almost any fight, and high damage specs could even solo you sometimes if they get to pressure you uninterrupted. You're not a node holder/bunker. When this happens, consider giving node to provide support to your team elsewhere.
Coordinated PvE groups blasting might or stealth often bring extra weapons that they can swap to for combo fields or combo finishers:
 
* '''Elementalist:''' Dagger – {{Skill|Churning Earth}} and {{Skill|Earthquake}}; Scepter – {{Skill|Dragon's Tooth}} and {{Skill|Phoenix}}; Focus – {{Skill|Magnetic Wave}}; Sword – {{Skill|Earthen Vortex}}
 
* '''Guardian:''' Hammer – {{Skill|Mighty Blow}}; Focus – {{Skill|Shield of Wrath}}; Shield – {{Skill|Holy Strike}}
 
* '''Mesmer:''' Torch – {{Skill|The Prestige}}
 
* '''Ranger:''' Warhorn – {{Skill|Call of the Wild}}; Staff – {{Skill|Ancestral Grace}}
 
* '''Revenant:''' Staff – {{Skill|Renewing Wave}}
 
* '''Thief:''' Shortbow – {{Skill|Cluster Bomb}}
 
* '''Warrior:''' Longbow – {{Skill|Arcing Arrow}}; Warhorn – {{Skill|Call of Valor}} and {{Skill|Charge (warrior)}}
 
 
 
Engineers can blast might or stealth very effectively using their kits and tool belt skills:
 
* Fire fields: {{Skill|Fire Bomb}}, {{Skill|Napalm}} or {{Skill|Throw Napalm}}
 
* Smoke field: {{Skill|Smoke Bomb (engineer)}}, {{Skill|Smoke Screen}} or {{Skill|Sneak Gyro}}
 
* Blast finishers (examples): {{Skill|Acid Bomb}}, {{Skill|Big Ol' Bomb}}, {{Skill|Flame Blast}}, {{Skill|Holographic Shockwave}}, {{Skill|Infusion Bomb}}, {{Skill|Magnetic Inversion}}, {{Skill|Rumble}}, {{Skill|Orbital Strike}}
 
 
 
Rangers can swap in pets for the combo fields they provide:
 
* Fire field: {{Tooltip|Fire Wyvern}}
 
* Smoke field: {{Tooltip|Smokescale}}
 
 
 
 
 
==Advanced: Combo Field Priority==
 
For builds where combo usage is crucial (e.g. [[Build:Reaper - Condi DPS]]) it's worth knowing specific details about which combo field takes priority when there are multiple combo fields.
 
* '''Blast finishers:''' The oldest combo field takes priority. Hence, if a light field is placed on top of an existing fire field, {{Skill|Dragon's Tooth}} will still blast area {{Tooltip|Might}}.
 
* '''Leap finishers:''' The first combo field entered takes priority. If there are multiple combo fields at the start of the leap, the oldest one takes priority. Hence, using {{Skill|Savage Leap}} out of a fire field into a light field will grant {{Tooltip|Fire Aura}}.
 
* '''Projectile finishers:''' The first combo field the projectile enters takes priority. If there are multiple combo fields at the start of the leap, the oldest one takes priority. Hence, shooting {{Skill|True Shot}} out of a fire field into a light field will grant burning bolts.
 
** For '''20% chance projectile finishers''', the 20% chance applies to ''each'' combo field the projectile passes through. Hence, shooting {{Skill|Long Range Shot}} out of a fire field into a poison field has a 20% chance to inflict {{Tooltip|Poison}}; if that fails, it has a 20% chance to inflict {{Tooltip|Poison}}.
 
* '''Whirl finishers:''' The first combo field entered takes priority. If there are multiple combo fields at the start of the whirl, the oldest one takes priority. Once a field has been prioritized for the whirl finisher, it will remain prioritized until you move out of it. Hence, if you begin {{Skill|Soul Spiral}} in an ice field, then move into a light field while still being in the ice field, you will get chilling bolts.
 
 
 
For '''combo fields that move or change in size''' (e.g. {{Skill|Flames of War}} or {{Skill|Nightfall}}) these fields are effectively removed and re-created every time they move or change in size. Hence, they will always tend to count as the newest combo field for the purposes of combo priority.
 

Revision as of 21:06, 4 February 2023

This guide is aimed at players who are about to set foot into GW2 PvP and want to understand the roles they can fill in the main gamemode, Conquest. Knowing your role not only makes it easier to perform well, but also helps with picking the right build for your intended playstyle later on.

Section revised on: June 2022

Roamer/+1

Role

As a roamer, you intend to find opportunities to end fights. Your main goal is to move between fights that are in progress and tip the balance in your favor - this is called "+1ing" or "outnumbering", as you're often helping your teammates briefly outnumber the enemy by 1. Since outnumbering enemies means that your enemy might have numbers advantage elsewhere on the map, it's in your best interest to get the job done as quickly as possible. To do that you need 2 things: burst damage and mobility.


Stats & Tools

Roamers have high damage stats and good mobility. Their sustain is on the lowered end and while their burst damage tends to be really high, unlike teamfight specs they often lack damage outside of burst windows.


Gameplay

Opportunistic! If your teamfighter cannot find an end to their fight, the extra pressure a roamer brings to the table could be the key to overwhelming things like enemy supports. Tactical decisions you may have to make:

  • Sometimes you might want to focus on peeling for your team by shutting down the enemy +1er.
  • Breaking up stalemates can be good enough even without a kill. If your bunker cannot cap a node, pressuring the enemy bunker just enough to leave the capture point can easily allow him to take the cap. If you're confident that your bunker can hold the node and not die to the enemy then your job might be done here. Don't spend too much time chasing a kill 2v1 if you don't have to, as wasting manpower over nothing is a bad idea.
  • In general you don't want to commit to a fight for too long. Since you are vulnerable, burning cds in an action will probably make you an easy target.
  • Depending on just how good your mobility is, you might have to be the one to decap empty nodes from time to time. If there's nothing for you to +1 or your team is wiping, it's often best to look for opportunities elsewhere. Nautralizing (decapping) an empty node is a great way of denying points from the enemy team whilst also breaking them up and drawing people away from other fights. Your mobility (especially on professions like Thief) lets you stay one step ahead of the enemy. Sometimes you could even consider going for fully capping the node, especially if you're confident in your profession and your ability to duel (or if you're expecting an ally to reinforce/take your place soon in which case stalling is enough).


Bunker/Node Holder

Role

As a bunker you have one job: hold a capture point without dying, sometimes even against multiple enemies. However! Staying alive is often more important than holding a cap, more on that below.


Stats & Tools

A bunker has a certain compromise between damage, sustain and mobility. Some have enough damage to force others off the node, some max out sustain and not much else, some sacrifice damage for CC and to knock enemies off the cap (that's called a decap build). Mobility's usually on the lower end as a bunker's primary concern is to stay in place and survive without having to run away.


Gameplay

While holding caps is your goal, this does not necessarily mean that you need to hold until you die - usually it's better to move off the cap, resustain for a few seconds and come back once you've stabilized. If they get the decap so be it. As long as you're tying down 1 or more enemies without the enemy scoring points you're doing your job.

Should the enemy manage to cap the node though and you don't see an opportunity for a kill you should give up and move on. Fighting an endless 1v1 on an enemy cap is not something you should be doing.

When your node is not threatened move on to the next one, perferably to another smaller fight. In some cases you might want to reinforce a teamfight if there's nothing else to do, but bunkers often don't have enough damage to truly be useful there.


Rotation

Try to avoid teamfights most of the time, focus on smaller skirmishes. Once you've won a node don't just afk on it! Use the minimap, your team, and the recent kills window to determine where you should go next. If you're certain that your node is safe for the time being, move on to the next one. Another thing you could do is move to a choke point and watch enemy movements, if they are going for your node then go back and intercept them. If they're not, follow them or push one of their nodes.


Teamfighter

Role

As a teamfight spec you intend to do just that: fight with your team against the enemy team, avoiding 1v1s. Your main goal is to make sure the main fight on map will be won by overwhelming the enemy through constant pressure.


Stats & Tools

Teamfight builds have high damage and medium-to-low sustain, as they usually get to rely on a support for backup and must have enough damage to try and kill the enemy support. On top of raw damage, CC and boon removal is also common.


Support

Role

As a support class you intend to keep allies alive and revive them when they got down. Peel for them with CC, remove their conditions, heal them back up and protect them from damage while also helping them deal damage uninterrupted by sharing things like Stability Stability or Magnetic Aura Magnetic Aura.


Stats & Tools

Healing Power is your most important stat and one sigil per set will likely have to be sacrificed for Sigil of Transference. Selfsustain is medium-to-high, but supports can sometimes be more squishy than bunkers, as their goal is to keep allies alive first and foremost. If your allies are doing fine they can in turn help you survive by peeling enemies off of you. Mobility tends to be low.


Gameplay

Stay near allies and try to move where the teamfighters are, or move together with them. Use your CDs to keep them alive - any CDs, these could even include offensive skills like CCs or condition applications that mitigate damage such as Weakness Weakness or Blind Blind. Sometimes a best defense is a good offense, make sure your teammates are able to do damage freely while the opponent is getting pressured/CCd.


Rotation

Avoid 1v1s at all costs. You should be unable to win almost any fight, and high damage specs could even solo you sometimes if they get to pressure you uninterrupted. You're not a node holder/bunker. When this happens, consider giving node to provide support to your team elsewhere.

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