Build:Dragonhunter - Turbo Trapper

The community gave this build a rating, making it second-tier: Good

Focused on: Direct damage

Designed for: PvP Conquest

Difficulty:

TBD

This build was last updated on February 04, 2023 and is up to date for the October 8, 2024 patch.

Overview

A PvP Dragonhunter build made to burst targets with True Shot and Traps while surviving by avoiding damage through blocks, Stealth and evasion.

Skill Bar

Longbow

Sword/Shield

Utility

Template Code

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Equipment

Longbow

Sigil

Sigil

Sword

Shield

Sigil

Sigil

Rune

Amulet

Usage

General

• Try to stay in range, keep your distance whenever possible.

• Rune of Trapper is what makes this DH work. The build doesn't have a whole lot of sustain, instead it relies on Stealth and Superspeed to avoid taking damage. As a result mistakes can be rather punishing.

• Whenever you drop a Trap you'll gain Stealth and Superspeed. The stealth won't last long if an enemy's in melee range because the traps deal damage, but it should be enough to reposition yourself and break targeting. Or you could drop the trap preemptively before they get to you or the ranged could focus you.

• Test of Faith is an excellent defensive skill because it's an instant source of Protection and Stealth + Superspeed. Can also be used while CC'd.

• Deflecting Shot is unblockable and may even be used to interrupt blocking skills.

• Wings of Resolve removes 2 conditions and provides a substantial amount of healing for you and your teammates. It's also an excellent mobility tool in combat and a good way of repositioning yourself even in brief stealth windows.

• Shield of Courage breaks stun and blocks all attacks in front of you, use it to relieve pressure from yourself and your team - for example, you can stand facing foes attempting to cleave downed teammates while you or your team is reviving them.

• Try to burn through all of your virtues before resorting to Renewed Focus. RF is a great panic button when you're being focused by the enemy team and you don't have any CDs left, but Dragonhunter virtues have cast times so any virtues you didn't use before RF will go to waste.

Damage

• The ring created by Test of Faith deals more damage than the initial trigger, and a significant portion of your burst damage comes from pulling/pushing foes through it.

1. Drop the trap preferably at your target's feet so that they spring it immediately and not after you already blew a CC. Consider jumping in with Symbol of Blades if they are far away.
2. Push them out of the ring with either Deflecting Shot or Shield of Absorption.
3. Pull them back in with Hunter's Verdict (chain skill of Spear of Justice).
4. If possible, swap weapons and use the remaining knockback skill too that you didn't 2 steps before.

• You deal extra damage to enemies affected by Spear of Justice, so consider using it before hard hitting skills like True Shot.

• Resolution increases your critical strike chance via Righteous Instincts. This boon is extremely important to have while unloading your hardest hitting skills! You may obtain it boon from every Virtue skill as well as the Healer's Resolution enhanced Purification.
  • The F1 Virtue is already a part of many burst combos but the F3's great too. In addition to the Resolution, Shield of Courage also applies Aegis for extra damage via Unscathed Contender while allowing you to tank some damage and safely counterpressure opponents.

• There's a delay on Hunter's Ward, the final strike doesn't go off immediately after you finish channeling the skill. This leaves you enough time to pull targets in with Hunter's Verdict to make sure they get hit and can't dodge nor leave before the skill finishes and the rings trap them inside. The final strike of this skill also does heavy damage.

• The Stealth from the rune isn't purely defensive - you could use it to cover up the animation of True Shot and other ranged attacks, increasing their chance to hit.

Sword/Shield

• This is the defensive set of the build, but still has some hard hitting skills.

• The main source of burst damage here comes from Zealot's Defense. Note that the projectiles can be very unreliable in anything but melee range.

• Symbol of Blades has many uses: vertical mobility via teleportation, symbol for cleaving, or a combo field which can be used for AoE cleansing by executing a blast finisher in it.

• Use Shield of Judgment when you or an ally is about to be focused by the enemy, or if you're already pressured. It also applies boons in a cone, try to aim it at as many allies as possible.

• As mentioned above, Shield of Absorption is mainly a combo tool, but you can also use it for general CC (even neutralizing enemy points) or to defend against some ranged attacks. It forms a dome around you for a couple of seconds, blocking projectiles. You can choose to detonate the dome with its chain skill, which will cause a bit of AoE healing.

Top Streamers

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Related Builds

• Stealth Trapper - the WvW Roaming version of the build.