Sword user - Is it viable?

fizzle322

I love the sword and shield look. I love heavy armor.

Is a sword warrior viable for pvp?

What secondary profs are recommended for a sword warrior?

VGJustice

Sadly, a Sword Warrior isn't very viable in PvP due to the lack of damage comparatively to an Axe Warrior. However, in the PvE environment, a Sword Warrior is preferable because of the tactical advantages they have.

But, I'm not 100% up to date on the current meta-game, so take my words as you will. But, I do know that if you want to run a Sword Warrior in PvP, you should get Factions. There are much better sword attacks there.

fizzle322

Thanks for your response bro.

I think I have found a build that jives with my personality.

Gonna try to make a "Death Knight" type of build.

Warrior base, sword and shield, with Necro skills pumped up. Instead of healing I am gonna try to leech life.

Not sure if this build will work, but gonna try it out and see what happens.

VGJustice

Actually, that's a very popular tactic for PvP Warriors. Try this as well:

Get an Icy mod for your sword, and take along the skill Spinal Shivers. When you come up to a boss or a target that casts a lot of skills that needs to be shut down, put Spinal on it then just attack it normally. No more skills from that target.

hadz

So many ways to skin a cat...you just have to think of them (or borrow them from someone else).

I've had a Warrior/Necro from day 1, and they work well! (Never used swords much, I'm not a fan...I've always been an axe-fan...and in this game the axe is great, so, suits me! )

WantsumBier

I just started playing a W/N and I am really enjoying it.

To the person that posted about the spinal & chll, Thanks I'll give that a try.

Aseenus

imo sword / shield pwns...

but in pvp it is really hated... for some stupid reason people made it so that swords are bad in pvp now if u use a sword in pvp people will bag u

in serious pvp i use axe but in glad arena etc sword ftw

DuraheLL

I made my warrior into the thoughest bastard in town.

W/E as in "Axe + Earth" for all the possible armor and evade skills. Making me take almost NO physical damage AT ALL! The only bad thing was that when confronting a mage I was as defenceless as a dismembered cat in front of a grizzlybear.

Bent

What about quivering blade and plauge touch?


NEW! CH2

ELITE
(Sword Attack)

If Quivering Blade hits, you strike for
+(10..34 [42])
damage. If it is "Blocked," Quivering Blade is disabled for 4 seconds and
you are Dazed for 8 seconds. This skill requires Adrenaline.
Updated:
7/13/06

It is the highest DPS melee skill in the game.  Note I said DPS... not spiking.
4 adren for +42 instead of the normal 8 adren.  So effectively 42damage/4adren = +10.5DPS
instead of 42damage/8adren = + 5.25.

And if a your attack is evaded you transfer daze to them.

It doesn't really matter with spiking though because you'd want to charge up all your skills first, so you can spike no faster than your highest adren requirment.  And of course Axe has a better deep wound engine.  But since Anet increased the daze duration this is something I looked at.  A way to get around blinders and guardian spam in small scale PvP.

Staying along the thought of a W/N, I have recently come to enjoy the skill Taste of Pain in healerless PvP (read RA).

Taste of Pain

NEW! CH2 (Spell) If target foe is below 50% Health, you gain 30..126 [158] Health. Added: 1/20/06

5

0.25 sec.

10 sec.

The fast cast means you don't lose any damage really and don't have to re-chase. Figure if you use heal sig you are doing 0 damage for 2seeconds+, since you have to both cast and chase down your target again.  Healing breeze costs more energy and leaves you open for shatter enchantment.  Both can be interupted.  But a med level taste of pain is pretty much a guarentteed 100hp.  It works well in the dreaded Wr vs Wr battles so many newbies seem to enjoy to.  Axe warrior gets you down to about 25% you only got them at 50ish.  hit taste of pain and send deep would back to them with plauge touch.  You survived their spike, and have a greater DPS then them now.

You have
+42/4adren
+42/8adren
+random

They have
+42/8adren
+42/8adren
+random

Since your plauge touch has taken away their deep wound and you can do +21more damage then them per 8dren you so be able to take them down.  Since your elite only takes 4a you can also use skills like wild blow easier.

Once again this is mostly for healerless PvP.  Spiking is much less important when their are no healers around, conditions also become more dangerous to warriors.

VGJustice

Good call, Bent. I'll bet that what you're talking about would be really effective in PvE as well. I hadn't even really concidered Quickening Blade because I go R/W.

Nvar

I sword build thats worked great for me in PvP is Hundred Blades though unfortunately fairly slow recharge with Riposte and Deadly Ripost, Bonetti's Defense, Live Vicariously, Vigorous Spirit. Owns most Wars and sins if they aren't quick on seeing the damage ramping up. Other slots open can be used for Healing Sig or Hex/Codotion removal depending on the group. basically a modification on one of the standard Cyclone Axe builds. Recharge is slower but you hit everything twice instead of just once.

Vertex1980

I made this badass hammer warrior who has 4 knockdowns.  I could combo them so the poor healer would be killed in one combo.

It was badass.  I would sprint @ them and use bull's strike, then just combo them to death.  It was AWESOME!

BenAzn

shweet to bad i quit gw u guys talking about faction also????

VGJustice

Yeah, a couple new elite sword attacks were added in Factions making a sword warrior CONSIDERABLY more viable. Not to mention the extra non-elite sword skills that were added that make them that much nicer. Sword still can't really out damage an Axe, but at least now it's an option.