Berserker - DPS Berserker

Part of the current metagame

Our curator decided this build is in the current metagame regardless of rating. The community gave this build a rating, making it top-tier: Great

Focused on: Strike damage and Dps

Designed for: WvW Zerg

Expansions required:

Difficulty:

Normal

This build was last updated on June 01, 2024 and is up to date for the October 8, 2024 patch.

Overview

A high burst damage Berserker WvW build with overwhelming damage.

Skill Bar

Greatsword

Dagger/Axe

Utility

Variants

Weapon

• All three options are viable:
  • Dagger/Axe - Burst damage and boon rip
  • Longbow - Ranged AoE damage
  • Hammer - CC and Mobility

Utility

• Berserker Stance
• Banner of Tactics
• Signet of Might

Elite

• Battle Standard ⇒ Signet of Rage

Template Code

[&DQIEGzM6EhXyEgAAsgAAAK8AAAChEgAA7gAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA=]

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Specializations

Variants

• Great Fortitude if capped on Might

Equipment

Head
Marauder

Shoulders
Marauder

Chest
Marauder

Hands
Marauder

Legs
Marauder

Feet
Marauder

Backpiece
Berserker

Accessory
Berserker

Accessory
Berserker

Amulet
Berserker

Ring
Berserker

Ring
Berserker

Greatsword
Marauder

Sigil

Sigil

Dagger
Marauder

Axe
Marauder

Sigil

Sigil

Rune
x6

Infusion
x18

Relic

Equipment Variants

Stats

• Feel free to use as much Berserker's gear as you can without dying

Relic

• Relic of Speed
• Relic of the Thief
• Relic of Isgarren

Sigils

• Sigil of Superior Sigil of Frenzy on Longbow
• Sigil of Superior Sigil of Energy ⇒ Sigil of Superior Sigil of Force

Consumables

• • personal option

Usage

General

• With Fast Hands and Relic of the Warrior you have an extremely short weapon swap CD. Use it frequently to maximize the amount of Primal Bursts you use.

Overall Priorities

High

• Battle Standard

Moderate

• Damage

Surviving

• This build has moderate passive defense
• This build has moderate mobility skill access
  • Use Whirlwind Attack to move out after spiking
  • Rush can be used for repositioning or gap closing
    • Drop your target if using it defensively
• This build has moderate active defenses

Active defense priority

• Warrior's Sprint - for Immobilize
  • Whirlwind Attack
  • Rush
• Dodge
• Whirlwind Attack - general use
• Balanced Stance

Detailed Explanations

Battle Standard

• Prioritize Battle Standard on clumps of 2+ downed enemies
  • Battle Standard only finishes enemies in 180 radius, the smallest circle in its targeting reticle
• Since Battle Standard also rezzes allies in 360 radius, use it on groups of 3+ allies if you have the skill ready

Damage

Dagger/Axe

• Start fights in Dagger/Axe, conserve Berserk until your commander commits to the fight
• Once your commander commits, use Signet of Fury to fill your Adrenaline then activate Berserk
  • Make sure you're in combat before pressing Signet of Fury. Use autoattacks or Dual Strike
• Use Slicing Maelstrom ⇒ Blood Reckoning ⇒ Slicing Maelstrom then Weapon Swap to Greatsword immediately for Arc Divider
  • Keep swapping weapons off cooldown and follow the priority below
• Use Sundering Leap immediately after a Primal Burst skill to refill Adrenaline and deal solid damage
  • Make sure to aim to the side or behind the enemy group, not the middle or in front of them
  • Be ready to Dodge immediately after the cast if needed
• Maximizing the amount of primal bursts you cast by using your very fast weapon swap cooldown is very important
  • If you land your primal bursts and Sundering Leap cleanly through the entire berserk duration with Alacrity, you should be able to cast Blood Reckoning twice before Berserk ends via duration extension from Smash Brawler
• Use Dual Strike any time Slicing Maelstrom is on cooldown and you're in Dagger/Axe
• Try to use Whirling Axe immediately after Slicing Maelstrom on your second swap to Dagger/Axe if the situation is appropriate
  • If everything lines up properly and you extend Berserk long enough then Whirling Axe will be available just as you leave Berserk
• Hundred Blades is situational. You stand still during channel, which means hitting CC'ed, movement impaired and downed foes is the ideal setup for this ability.
  • Generally you should only channel Hundred Blades during Berserk downtime, but channeling a few ticks then cancelling midway through the cast during Berserk can also be valid

Damage priority

Dagger/Axe

• Slicing Maelstrom
• Blood Reckoning - while Scorched Earth is on cooldown
• Whirling Axe
• Dual Strike
• Autoattacks

Greatsword

• Arc Divider
• Blood Reckoning - while Arc Divider is on cooldown
• Hundred Blades
• Rush
• Bladetrail - only if no projectile block/reflect, realistically almost never use this
• Autoattacks
• Whirlwind Attack - save to disengage

Longbow version

• Start fights in Longbow, conserve Berserk until your commander commits to the fight, do not use it on range spikes
  • Your damage at range is minimal outside of Berserk but using it too early will only lead to padding the damage meter without doing useful damage - don't play to pad the meter
• Once your commander commits, use Signet of Fury to fill your Adrenaline then activate Berserk
  • Spam Scorched Earth until you get a chance to go into melee, then swap to Greatsword and follow your priorities
    • Don't be afraid to go into Greatsword for a single Arc Divider, disengage with Whirlwind Attack then swap back to Longbow
• Make sure to drop your target when casting Scorched Earth otherwise it will aim towards the target instead of where your character is facing
  • A Lock Autotarget keybind can be useful for this
• Since all your Longbow skills other than Scorched Earth are projectiles, avoid casting them into projectile blocks/reflects
• Your Longbow skills other than Arcing Arrow all require facing the target at the end of the cast
• Hundred Blades is situational. You stand still during channel, which means hitting CC'ed, movement impaired and downed foes is the ideal setup for this ability.
  • Generally you should only channel Hundred Blades during Berserk downtime, but channeling a few ticks then cancelling midway through the cast during Berserk can also be valid

Damage priority

Longbow

• Scorched Earth
• Blood Reckoning - while Scorched Earth is on cooldown
• Arcing Arrow
• Fan of Fire
• Autoattacks

Greatsword

• Arc Divider
• Blood Reckoning - while Arc Divider is on cooldown
• Hundred Blades
• Rush
• Bladetrail - only if no projectile block/reflect, realistically almost never use this
• Autoattacks
• Whirlwind Attack - save to disengage