Welcome to this new Top 10. Today we’ll examine the best builds in Guild wars 2 PvE.
Since most of the PvE content is focused on team compositions, we’ll see what are the best builds for solo play in Open World content.
Remember that what is the best build for someone is not necessarily the best for you! Everyone has a different playstyle and should focus on learning the one that suits them, not the one considered the best.
Let’s dive right into the builds now.
10. Condition Willbender - Guardian
The Condition Willbender's specializations
Condition Willbender guide: MetaBattle
Equipped with Sword/Torch and able to switch to a Scepter, the Condition Willbenders are able to stack ridiculous amounts of Burning on their targets.
This build can deal very high condition and burst damage and is one of the most in-combat mobile builds for open-world content.
The goal of this build is to maintain Rushing justice up, thanks to Alacrity, so you can stack Burning on your targets.
Even though this build is primarily focused on condition damage, it also excels at sustained damage.
Condition Willbender excels in:
- condition damage: with the ability to apply burning, this build can put to shame even the strongest condition firebrand out there;
- sustain damage: more focused on condition, but it has nothing to envy when comes to sustain damage;
- mobility: due to the nature of willbenders, this build is able to cover a lot of ground in no time, especially in battle;
- self-sustain: being very fast gives you also some good disengage options for survivability, and if that’s not enough you have Litany of Wrath to become almost immortal for its duration;
- versatility: huge condition damage, good sustain damage, ultra mobile and good self-sustain, it has it all.
Try this build if you like...:
- setting your enemies on fire;
- traveling at the speed of light;
- to be able to sustain yourself and not fully depend on others.
9. Hammer Catalyst - Elementalist
The Hammer Catalyst's specializations
Hammer Catalyst guide: MetaBattle
The Catalyst has a very versatile build that can deal very good amounts of damage while providing itself and its allies numerous boons such as Might and Fury.
As the name suggests, this build comes equipped with a hammer so it’s focused on burst damage and mid-range fighting.
One can also trade some damage for Quickness, this is especially useful while in a team to become a very powerful support.
The Hammer Catalyst excels in:
- burst damage: it’s not a surprise that the catalyst is able to deal huge amounts of burst damage;
- self-sustain: with Wind Storm, Immutable Stone and Glyph of elemental Harmony it can survive the worst situations;
- boon sharing: Might, Fury, Protection and Resolution are boons that it can share with its allies along with Quickness should it decide to trade some damage for utility;
- versatility: able to play as a dangerous high burst-damage dealer or switch to a still powerful support boon-sharer;
- CCs: Shock Blast and Ground Pound let it relatively stun and immobilize its target when needed.
Try this build if you like...:
- to buff yourself before crushing your enemies;
- to be able to adapt to the situations and switch between a DPS and a support;
- landing criticals.
8. Condition Specter - Thief
The Condition Specter's specializations
Condition Specter guide: MetaBattle
This build is the balance between condition damage and survivability, able to deal with the most dangerous situations in the open world.
It revolves around the use of weakness to gain high stacks of Might and is equipped with Scepter/Pistol and Double Daggers.
Through the use of Wells, it has excellent self-survivability in the worst-case scenario.
The Condition Specter excels in:
- condition-damage: can stack a large amount of Poison and Torment, due to the nature of Specters;
- kiting: can stay out of reach of the most dangerous enemies thanks to Measured Shot;
- self-sustain: its wells provide high healing abilities and lots of boon for itself or its party;
- support: can provide permanent Fury, Might and Swiftness to its party;
- versatility: can face all the hardest contents alone, but also adds immense support value to parties, if needed.
Try this build if you like...:
- to weak your enemies before killing them;
- to sustain yourself and help some allies in need;
- to melt your enemies with conditions damage.
7. Power Bladesworn - Warrior
The power Bladesworn's specializations
Power Bladesworn guide: MetaBattle
With two axes and a greatsword, this Bladesworn build compensates for its lack of mobility with huge buffs to its damage.
This build hits like a train and has one of the best self-healing synergies in the game, making it able to get through most of the PvE content.
The Power Bladesworn excels in:
- burst damage: Dragon Trigger lets you deal huge burst damage;
- self-healing: one of the top synergies in the game, with Forceful Greatsword, Might Makes Right, Mending Might and Phalanx Strength you are able to heal yourself every time you gain Might.
- boons: permanent Fury and 25 stacks of Might will help you destroy everything in your path;
- survivability: can easily sustain itself with “To the Limit!” or by switching to Greatsword;
- versatility: single target damage and AoE damage are completely covered by its weapons.
Try this build if you like...:
- to annihilate your enemies with Dragon Trigger;
- to sustain yourself with a very strong synergy of skills;
- to excel in both single target and AoE damage.
6. Power Soulbeast - Ranger
The Power Soulbeast's specializations
Power Soulbeast guide: MetaBattle
Yet another power build, this time for the Soulbeast.
This build has extreme burst damage both melee and ranged, high mobility and many CCs for the worst fights.
This build comes equipped with a Longbow and Dagger/Axe combination, and its suggested pets are the Smokescale (for an evade and CC) and the Rock Gazelle (for a dash and CCs).
This build is focused on Beastmode to gain huge bonuses.
The Power Soulbeast excels in:
- high-damage: merged with your pet you’ll gain huge bonuses to damage;
- melee combat: the greatsword lets you fight in close quarters with a difficult but hard-hitting rotation;
- ranged-combat: the longbow lets you stay afar while dealing with the strongest enemies and kiting them away;
- survivability: you’ll be able to dodge and blocks attacks and, if needed, unmerge with your pet to let it tank;
- CCs: Point-Blank Shot, Takedown, Hilt Bash, Winter’s Bite and Counterattack are some of your crowd control options that will help you deal with the most aggressive enemies.
Try this build if you like...:
- ranged combat;
- melee combat;
- to fuse your and your pet’s power;
- to debilitate your enemies with countless CCs.
5. Power Deadeye - Thief
The Power Deadeye's specializations
Power Deadeye guide: MetaBattle
Equipped with two Pistols (one for each weapon set to abuse Quick Pockets) and nothing more, this build is a true beast in everything open-world-related such as map completion and story.
Focused on chain-killing mobs to buff itself, this build is perfect for melting one enemy at a time.
The Power Deadeye excels in:
- chain-killing: Deadeye’s Mark followed by a storm of Unload (or Shadow Flare for some AoE) will suffice for most situations.
- no need for defenses: nothing can touch you if they’re already dead;
- self-buffing: while chain-killing it gains permanent Quickness and Fury;
- rushing: due to the fast-killing nature of this build, you can rush much of the content in the game;
- CCs: even if they are not really needed, when things get bad you can always daze, blind or immobilize your foes with Head Shot, Black Powder and binding Shadow.
Try this build if you like...:
- to literally destroy everything with just one skill;
- to rush the PvE content, or to ease it up;
- to gain more power the more you kill.
4. Power Renegade - Revenant
The Power Renegade's specializations
Power Renegade guide: MetaBattle
This Renegade build, armed with two swords and a staff, revolves around the application of Vulnerability to your enemies in order to heal itself on the next attack and continue fighting.
A straight-forward build, able to easily sustain itself while doing impressive damage (both single-target and AoE), that can carry you through most of the PvE contents.
The Power Renegade excels in:
- self-sustain: every application of Vulnerability will grant you Battle Scars through Dance of Death, giving you the ability to steal health on the next attack;
- damage: burst damage, sustain damage and AoE, this build has them all;
- self-buffing: has the ability to keep high stacks of Might and Fury on itself;
- high skill cap: this build, like most of the Revenant builds, is pretty hard to learn but possesses a high skill cap that will reward those who take their time to learn it.
Try this build if you like...:
- to greatly weak your enemies;
- to heal yourself every time you weak your enemies;
- to learn a tricky and rewarding build.
3. Power Reaper - Necromancer
The Power Reaper's specializations
Power Reaper guide: MetaBattle
As one of the most reliable builds for the open-world, the Power Reaper can deal a high amount of single-target damage, as well as AoE damage. A Greatsword is all that it needs.
This build revolves around the application of Chilling on your enemies to buff your damage thanks to Cold Shoulder.
The Power Reaper excels in:
- high-damage: it possesses high damage that further increases on chilled foes;
- applying Chilling: since it gets increased damage on chilled foes, it has many skills that apply Chilling (and many other conditions) such as well of Darkness, “Suffer!”, Grasping Darkness and many others;
- conditions: due to the nature of necromancers, many abilities apply numerous debuffs such as Blinded, Vulnerability and Crippled;
- survivability: can easily cleanse conditions with Consume Conditions or take reduced damage with Reaper’s Shroud;
- CCs: can stun, knockdown, pull and fear enemies with abilities like “Chilled to the bone!”, Infusing Terror, and Grasping Darkness.
Try this build if you like...:
- to chill your enemies with ease;
- to apply many conditions even if you are not a condition build;
- to control all the situations with the right skill and CC.
2. Condition Mirage - Mesmer
The Condition Mirage's specializations
Condition Mirage guide: MetaBattle
Equipped with a Staff, this is a strong and easy build that provides permanent Might while applying conditions like Torment and Confusion.
This build can easily solo most of the PvE content, including champions and bosses, thanks to its mobility and evasion.
The Condition Mirage excels in:
- evading: due to the nature of Mirages, the dodge (Mirage Cloak) is one of your strongest tools to evade and ambush your enemies;
- boons: can get a permanent 25-stacks of Might and some Fury and Alacrity;
- condition damage: mostly from auto-attacking and Chaos Vortex with all your clones up;
- survivability: can cleanse condition, stunbreak, dodge, blind and negate projectiles if needed;
- solo-play: this build can easily clear the majority of the PvE content, including bosses and champions, in solo.
Try this build if you like...:
- to face bosses and champions alone;
- to evade most of the attacks;
- to let your clones destroy your enemies with condition damage.
1. Power Mechanist
The Power Mechanist's specializations
Power Mechanist guide: MetaBattle
The Power Mechanist is our top build when it comes to open-world PvE.
This build, equipped with a Rifle, is simple to play, can deal massive amounts of damage, and has access to numerous CCs.
If its damage isn't enough, its Mech will provide sustained damage as well as utilities like Rocket Punch to assist you in battle.
The Power Mechanist excels in:
- dealing damage: this is what this build is all about, spam Blunderbuss and Jumpshot along with your auto-attack and you’re good to go;
- raw damage: even without buffs and boons this build can melt everything;
- CCs: with skills like Overcharged Shot, Net Shot and Force Signet, you gain access to many crowd-control options;
- solo: whether it be the story, map completion or some champions, this build will cover everything;
- utilities: your utility will help you sustain yourself and your Mech, increase your movement speed and your damage dealt if needed.
Try this build if you like...:
- shooting your enemies in the face;
- dealing lot of damage without the need of buffs;
- to solo most of the PvE content with raw damage.
Conclusions
That brings us to the end of our list of the Top 10 Guild Wars 2 PvE Builds.
Please keep in mind that the Meta is constantly changing, so what is considered the best now may change in the future.
I hope it inspires you to play something different in your next battle!
