Bladesworn - Power Shoutsworn Roamer

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

Focused on: Direct damage, Control and Mobility

Designed for: WvW Roaming

Difficulty:

TBD

This build was last updated on August 21, 2022 and is up to date for the October 8, 2024 patch.

Overview

A high sustain, high mobility, WvW Bladesworn build for roaming with decent damage, centered around shouts.

Skill Bar

Axe/Shield

Utility

Template Code

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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

Axe
Marauder

Shield
Marauder

Sigil

Sigil

Rune
x6

Infusion
x18

Consumables

Food options

• - passive damage mitigation and great stats.

• - a very strong defensive option which improves your already great endurance regen. Even has synergy with Might related traits and the Strength line in general.
  • Budget version:

Utility

• or , whichever is cheaper.

Usage

Elite specialization basics

• Warriors who spec Bladesworn lose access to weapon swapping in combat but gain access to the Gunblade, which works a bit like an Engineer kit (F1 by default).

• Instead of Adrenaline you build Flow in combat. If you have enough Flow you gain access to Dragon Trigger (F2), which roots you in place and starts consuming Flow when used. Dragon Trigger empowers your Gunblade skills. The more Flow you consume, the stronger the first 3 skills get. These 3 skills are the main source of your burst damage.

• While swapping in and out of Gunblade has a 10s CD, this can sometimes be bypassed. Dragon Trigger is on a separate CD and using it puts you back into Gunblade mode.

General

• Gunblade isn't a very complicated weapon. 1-4 are damaging skills and 5 is for mobility/ Fury application. Skills 1-2 are melee, 3 is ranged, 4 works in both. Spam them in whatever order you wish if they're not on CD.

• The 3 Dragon Trigger burst skills are:
  • Dragon Slash - Force: replaces the autoattack, melee cleave.
  • Dragon Slash - Boost: replaces skill 2, a gap closer/mobility skill with good damage.
  • Dragon Slash - Reach: replaces skill 3, ranged projectile attack.

• While dragon trigger is active, Gunblade skill #5 turns into a ground targeted teleport. While the range is short, this could still allow you to reposition yourself in a way to hit targets who escaped to the highground or are hiding behind a pillar.

• Unyielding Dragon makes it easier to land Dragon Trigger skills by giving you Blind immunity while also making it more threatening by adding a Stun.

• Axe/Warhorn is more of a defensive set by comparison, but Throw Axe is an excellent finishing move against low HP targets even from range. It's quick and does high damage.

• "For Great Justice!" and "On My Mark!" are both defensive and offensive skills. You can either use them to heal yourself and your team or set up kills depending on the situation.

• Use Warhorn #4 on CD to maintain permanent Swiftness.

Sustain

• Every source of Might application heals you thanks to Mending Might and Might Makes Right, turning otherwise damage focused skills like "For Great Justice!" into healing skills.

• Unshakable Mountain is a very important part of your survival kit, giving you barrier whenever you use the last charge of an ammo skill. This includes all of your shouts, Combat Stimulant, Gunblade skills and even Throw Axe.
  • This trait heavily encourages you to spam Gunblade skills to make sure you don't build up multiple charges. If every charge is your last one, this trait keeps the procs rolling.

• Vigorous Shouts adds not only sustain but also group healing to the build, making all of your utility skills stronger.

• Rune of Superior Rune of the Trooper turns every shout skill into a source of condition cleansing.

• Tactical Reload gives one charge to all of the aforementioned ammo skills and makes your next Dragon Trigger stronger. It's primarily a defensive skill, make sure your heal and shouts don't have 2 charges before using this.

• Be careful with the timing of Combat Stimulant! The charges don't stack, if you use the second one before the first heal goes off the first one won't heal you.

• Your best source of condition cleansing is also your only stun break: "Shake It Off!" so plan your CD management accordingly.
  • A lesser version of this skill procs from Shrug It Off.

• Call of Valor on Warhorn provides much needed cleansing while offering useful boons and barrier for you and your team.