Build:Dragonhunter - Power DH

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

Difficulty:

TBD

This build was last updated on February 25, 2022 and is up to date for the October 8, 2024 patch.

Overview

A build designed for massive AoE DPS, with great access to spike damage, ground AoE and ranged pressure.

Skill Bar

Staff

Scepter/Torch

Utility

Skill Variants

• "Stand Your Ground!" - access to self and group Stability

Template Code

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Specializations

Variants

• Replacing Zeal with Virtues trades a small amount of DPS for a stunbreak (Indomitable Courage) that avoids sacrificing a valuable utility slot

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Equipment

Head
Marauder

Shoulders
Marauder

Chest
Valkyrie

Hands
Marauder

Legs
Marauder

Feet
Marauder

Backpiece
Marauder

Accessory
Marauder

Accessory
Marauder

Amulet
Marauder

Ring
Marauder

Ring
Marauder

Staff
Marauder

Sigil

Sigil

Scepter
Marauder

Torch
Marauder

Sigil

Sigil

Rune
x6

Infusion
x18

Equipment Variants

• Use Berserker stats if you find you need more offensive stats
  • And use Valkyrie stats to maintain 100% crit
• Sigil of Superior Sigil of Bloodlust stacking sigil option

Consumables

• • personal food option

Usage

General

Surviving

• This build has moderate passive defense
• This build has moderate mobility skill access
  • Use Wings of Resolve if you're seperated from your group and can't safely move back
    • Beware of ground CCs (Line of Warding) that will interrupt your movement
• This builds has high active defenses
  • Shelter is your primary defensive skill. Beware of unblockable CCs (Line of Warding) that will interrupt your block
    • Standing briefly still while channeling Shelter can sometimes be better than moving straight back to your group
  • Shield of Courage will only block attacks from the front
    • To block ground AoE face the player that cast it
    • If using the Virtues variant save Shield of Courage to break stuns with Indomitable Courage
  • Do not use Renewed Focus until Wings of Resolve and Shield of Courage are on cooldown, unless you will die without it

Overall Priorities

High

• Traps - in melee
• Ranged Spike

Moderate

• Sustained damage
• Shield of Courage - zeal/radiance only

Low

• Single target
• CC

Specific Priorities

Damage skill priority

• Test of Faith/Procession of Blades
• Holy Strike
• Symbol of Swiftness
• Symbol of Punishment
• Zealot's Fire - when no projectile block present (Zealot's Flame flip skill)
• Cleansing Flame - in melee
• Sword of Justice

Detailed Explanations

Traps

• Use Procession of Blades and Test of Faith when the enemy group is pushing towards you or your group is in melee
• Don't try to predict the enemy group far in advance or precast traps, wait until you have an opportunity to get immediate value
• Wings of Resolve can be used offensively to position yourself for traps
  • Don't put yourself in a position where you could die trying to get better traps off

Ranged Spike

• Open with staff, using Holy Strike ⇒ Symbol of Swiftness
  • If the groups continue into 900 range, swap to Scepter/Torch and use Symbol of Punishment ⇒ Sword of Justice, otherwise wait in Staff for the next engage

Sustained damage

• When using ground AoEs like Symbol skills or Sword of Justice, try to place them so that one edge is on the enemy group and the other edge is in the direction they are moving to
• Try to swap between weapons as often as possible, keeping all damage skills on cooldown
  • It is worth delaying the swap for 1-2 seconds to fit another Symbol skill
  • If you are frequently delaying your swap out of Staff it is likely you aren't swapping weapons fast enough
• Use your Symbol skills quickly after swapping weapons so that the cooldowns will line up for future swaps
• Combine your Symbol skills with other damage to generate higher spikes
  • Symbol of Punishment ⇒ Weapon Swap ⇒ Symbol of Swiftness ⇒ Holy Strike
  • Symbol of Punishment ⇒ Sword of Justice
• Try to hit your own group with Cleansing Flame as well if you can, but prioritize hitting enemies

Shield of Courage

• Use Shield of Courage when pushing to block damage for your group
  • Shield of Courage will only block attacks from the front, face your enemies, but don't let yourself get out of position

Single Target

• Pull targets with Hunter's Verdict (Spear of Justice flip skill) as the enemy group disengages from yours, never while both groups are crossing through each other
• Spear of Justice can be left on a target without using Hunter's Verdict to apply Revealed
• Use Chains of Light to follow up on Hunter's Verdict or to catch targets as enemies disengage
• If you have a chance to use Zealot's Fire on an isolated target without projectile block, take it

CC

• Don't use Line of Warding unless your DPS skills are on cooldown, other builds are better at providing CC
• Use your CC when:
  • Your group calls a spike:
    • Winds - Winds of Disenchantment
    • Wells - Well of Corruption+Well of Suffering
    • Shades - Desert Shroud
    • Traps - Procession of Blades+Test of Faith
  • On top of enemy downs (while alive players are on top of them)
  • Enemy groups moving defensively while your group is pushing