Symbolic Avenger [pDPS]

The purpose of writing this guide is to provide an ultra low intensity method to play PvE dragonhunter while easily hitting the 70% benchmark with minimal effort. This build is low cognition, low physical complexity, has very few repetitions and is functional in instanced content. The utilities do not require specific timing and do not interrupt the auto attack nature of the build. This build requires only one weapon to deal damage to near competitive levels with no requirement of a weapon swap: Hammer!

Gearing and Consumables

Equipment

• Full Assassins's up to the crit cap (75%), in favour of Berserker's pieces
• For a slight DPS loss, you may use a few Marauder's pieces for extra vitality
• Hammer

Weapon Swap

Weapon swap is optional, all the available options will massively reduce DPS and lock you out of hammer, they should be prioritised based on utility requirements. Where necessary, bring Signet of Judgment to proc Relic of the Brawler.

1. Bow - Bow provides a ranged option for bosses with melee DPS downtime.
2. Scepter/Focus - Provides a decent immobilise option with some ranged DPS.

Optimised Marauder/Assassin's Loadout GW2Skills Link

This requires 1 +5 precise infusion, power infusions are optional

Runes

•  Superior Rune of the Scholar OR
•  Superior Rune of the Dragonhunter

Sigils

•  Superior Sigil of Accuracy (Compulsory)
•  Superior Sigil of Impact
•  Superior Sigil of Air(Budget Alternative)

Relic

•  Relic of the Brawler

Food

•  Cilantro Lime Sous-Vide Steak
•  Plate of Spicy Moa Wings

Utility

•  Superior Sharpening Stone(Power)

Build

Power DPS

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Trait Alternatives

There is a Core Guardian variant which provides more selfless support but due to the large amounts of gear differences (crit requirement at 40% only), it will not be covered in this guide. Although somewhat repetitive (spamming virtues) and dependent on resolution uptime, it remains a very strong contender and in many situations superior to this build. Dragonhunter provides a low-repetition option and is therefore the build of choice on this site.

Rotation and Utilities

DPS Rotation

1. Precasts - Dragon's Maw (elite)
2. Opening - Banish (Hammer 4)
3. Use Test of Faith and Smite Condition on cooldown. You may try to time these when Relic of the Brawler is active.

Dragon's Maw precasts may not be possible on some fights although it is the best option for DPS. Bring Signet of Courage instead for passive healing. If you are not familiar with the fight, Signet of Courage is also the preferred default elite skill.

Crowd Control rotation

1. You have decent CC by just using Banish (Hammer 4) and Zealot's Embrace (Hammer 3).
2. You can precast Dragon's Maw (elite) for additional CC just before the CC phase of an encounter.

Sustainability

1. You may opt to take Signet of Courage for passive healing.
2. Your autos generate perma protection and your symbols heal you.
3. Smite Condition for condi cleanse
4. "Stand Your Ground!" or Fragments of Faith provides group stability and a stun break

Other Utilities and extra style points

You may drop Smite Condition for different utilities.

• Judge's Intervention allows you to shadow step through mechanics
• You can also pair this while casting Ring of Warding for a Teleport CC

Optimisation

Cleave

The dragonhunter variant has a larger cleave radius than its core counterpart. The pull, power cleave and trap combo is extremely useful when taking down adds.

A few examples where this advantage can be used are:

1. Harvest Temple - Any phase with adds.
2. W2 Slothasor and its slublings, F1 is a targeted pull that can avoid pulling allies. The cleave effect can take down slublings fast!
3. Fighting adds on W3 towers.
4. W3 Keep Contruct and the Adds
5. W6 Sword and Shields

Raid Ready

1. W1 Gorseval - Immobilise your spirit with Signet of Wrath and Zealot's Embrace (Hammer 3)
2. W2 Bandit Trio - The self sustainability and high amounts of CC allow this build to do mortars very efficiently.
3. W3 escort - For backwarg, bring Signet of Wrath which gives a generous 6s immobilise. You have other skills that can immobilise and cripple too!
4. W6 Qadim - You may choose to use this build instead if 2 players are sent to do Lamp.

Caution: Leftover traps on the arena can trigger mechanics e.g.

• ball mechanic on KC
• killing deadly adds like tormented dead (you don't want to bring this build to SH!)

Videos

I have benched the build with mostly Assassin's and a handful Marauders Gear and budget food/utilities. 1 precise infusion is used to hit the 75% critical sweetspot.

DPS benchmark (29.5k)

Dragon's Maw will start the encounter early. Ideally you want to frontload the damage using Banish (Hammer 4) has a long precast and a short aftercast and you don't want its precast to be included. Hence Signet of Courage is brought for the benchmark instead.