Guild Wars 2 Guide to Bladeswor
Everyone likes to pick the Warrior Class in Guild Wars 2, only because of how well they are in the game and how fun they are to play. But, when it further expands to the specializations, people usually want to go with Bladesworn and fail in the game afterward. For that reason, we have here a guide to Bladesworn, to help you get the most out of your Warrior Class. So, without any further ado, let’s hop into the details of this guide.
Bladesworn in Guild Wars 2
With the latest major update to Guild Wars 2 End of Dragon, there has been an addition to the Specialization for each Class. Well, Bladesworn is an Elite Specialization that came for the famous Warrior Class. Warrior is great with attack and defense altogether, but the Bladesworn focuses more on the attack side.
Dragon Slash and Gunsaber
The major attack of Bladesworn is Dragon Slash which can even perish enemies with just one blow. While the fun part is Gunsaber, being a mix between a pistol and a greatsword. Bladesworn is running around the field, causing explosions, shooting, and slashing.
Bladesworn changes the Warrior Weapon to Gunsaber, which is the secondary weapon for this Specialization. When you have a Gunsaber with you, the flow changes into the blast attacks. There are a total of 10 points for these blast attacks.
Adrenaline and Flow
Being a Specialization, the typical Adrenaline from Warrior Class is converted to Flow. Bladesworn, therefore, revolves around Flow and it gets generated in combat. Before, the skills that regenerate or boost Adrenaline will give a somewhat bonus to Flow as well.
Dragon Trigger
Remember the Burst Skill? That is replaced by Dragon Trigger, which is a mode taking the Flow/Charges to maximum, but the requirement is you don’t have to move. To enter this stage, the Bladesworn requires the execution of either one of three abilities from Dragon Slash. In return, you will have more charge damage as well.
In this state, you will have two blocking abilities by name of Flicker Step or Trigger guard. With Flicker Step, you don’t end the Dragon Trigger, while teleporting around. On the other hand, with the Trigger Guard, you will block the attack from the enemy.
Dragon Slash Techniques
The Dragon Slash techniques are divided into three categories; the first one is Reach, the second one is Boost and the third one is Force. Out of the bunch, Force is the most deadly, but it is for close combat. The Boost, on the other hand, is for medium range because you rush forward and then slash the enemies.
In comparison to both, the Reach might be the lowest in damage, but it doesn’t require you to move while throwing a piercing projectile forward.
All in one, the Dragon Trigger and Flow are the main mechanisms of Bladesworn. They are exceptionally hard to master, but once you get a hang of them, they are as much fruitful in Guild Wars 2
Bladesworn Skills
This specialization has a lot of skills at its disposal. Here in this guide, we will get to them one by one, so that you have an idea of what is there to offer.
Professional Skills
Unsheathe Gunsaber: Using this provides you with new skills, while the only thing that affects this skill is your recharge rate of the weapon
Sheathe Gunsaber: This gets you back to the typical weapon set. It is the opposite of Unsheathe Gunsaber.
Dragon Trigger: You will start preparing for the Dragon Slash. This is a channeling ability that works on Flow and draws it after activation. With each flow increment, your Dragon Slash level will increase, doing more damage.
Dragon Trigger Abilities
Dragon Slash Force: This is a burst ability that slashes the enemies in front, but then ends the Dragon Trigger. You will get drained of your charges after attacking it.
Dragon Slash Boost: Also a burst ability that allows you to dash forward and slash enemies straight on. Using this also consumes all charges, while ending the Dragon Trigger.
Dragon Slash Reach: This is also a Burst attack that slashes while making blades in the air to attack enemies. Same as always, your charges are consumed and the Dragon Trigger is ended.
Trigger Guard: Using this will gain your Aegis, but won’t end the Dragon Trigger
Flicker Step: Using this will blink or teleport you to a separate location, but won’t end the Dragon Tripper
Weapon Skills
Dragon’s Roar: When using this, the Bladesworn will use the hand cannon to fire the barrels in front. This deals a lot of damage, while also emptying the magazine, and pushing your back.
Gunstinger: You reload the gun and start striking the foes while stepping forward. Using this ability restores ammo.
Blade Skills
Swift Cut: This is a chain skill that Slashes the Foes
Steel Divide: This is also a Chain skill that again Strikes the Foes
Explosive Thrust: Being a Chain Skill, you will do the final blow along with a fire shot to cause an explosion.
Blooming Fire: You release explosion volleys after slashing your foes with the blade
Artillery Slash: Uses the sword to fire a shell that explodes on the first enemy it drops on.
Cyclone Trigger: You will start spinning, along with the ability to block the projectiles of enemies. You are in melee mode, while every enemy that gets in your range is damaged and enemies that are outside the range get hit with the fire shots.
Break Step: You will jump forward with force, damaging and exploding the enemies that are available at the position of start.
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Slot Skills
Combat Stimulant: Being a support skill that makes you enter the state of Stim and heals you. It is an Armament Skill and upon expiring, you will get a bit healed. In the stim state, when you use this skill, you will also get various buffs.
Flow Stabilizer: It is an Armament Skill that gives you fury and enhances the rate of Flow. You will get one more Flow if you already have some.
Overcharges Cartridges: Again an Armament Skill that gives your explosives attacks more damage. If you already have Overcharge Cartridges, you will use the Detonate ones.
Detonate Cartridge: Uses the available charges to expand, launch and damage the enemies in front. The more charges you spend, the more radius will enhance for explosions.
Electric Fence: An Armament Skill that, upon activation, throws a specific device, leaving behind an energy wall that saves you from the enemy projectiles. If an enemy tries to pass through it, they become cripples, while the crippled ones further become immobilized
Dragonspike Mine: Once more, an Armament Skill that throws a mine backward, crippling the enemies. Using this will give you recharges for the Dragon trigger
Elite Skill
Tactical Reload: This is an elite Armament Skill that gives you back the ammo on all the Professional Skills you have.
Build Guide for Bladesworn
What skills should you choose?
Bladesworn is all about the Dragon Slash and the best build would be the one that focuses more on this part. When you are hitting with Explosions, the Dragonscale defense and Guns and Glory give you Ferocity. While the smaller traits also aim to focus more on this.
For the most part, you should choose the Unseen Sword as the Major trait that gives you increased flow on swap between the Gunsaber and the weapon set.
For the Fierce as Fire, you will gain a damage buff of around 1 percent, and it is related to the Ammo Skill stacking. To make the Dragon Slash Unblockable, you can use the Unyielding Dragon Trait to gain Might at the time of Charges flow. With this technique, you can also stun enemies and also completely ignore Blind.
Arms Specialization
The Arms specialization also goes in the favor of Bladesworn, enhancing the Burst and the Critical Skills. You also gain Fury from minor traits at the time you use Dragon Slash. This adds a buff to the Fury as well, making it more dangerous along with Critics and Bleed Chance.
Finally, when it comes to the Major traits, you can never go wrong with the Signet Mastery. With this, you will gain the Signet Skill that stacks Ferocity and also reduces the cooldown. To buff the Dragon Slash with Vulnerability, you can use the Sundering Burst, enhancing the critical hit stacks.
Furthermore, they can put that incredible 100 percent critical rate on Dragon Slash with the Burst Precision Trait.
Strength Specialization
With this specialization, you will have more Might stacks and also buffs for damage improvement. In the segment of smaller traits, you will have Dodge Rolls that deal damage.
On the Major Trait side, you gain stacks of Might after using Restorative Strength on the Healing Skill. The Power is then transferred to Ferocity and Vitality after using Great Fortitude. The Transfer is around 10 percent of the total.
Finally, for the Strength Specialization, you gain an incredible damage buff by using the Berserker’s Power on Dragon Slash. The more charges you will use, the more powerful the damage will be on the output.
What Equipment should you choose?
The easiest part with Bladesworn is none other than weapon selection. We already mentioned that your typical weapon set is replaced with the Gunsaber. You have Ammo, Explosions, and Melee with this weapon, making its way for Guns and Glory and Fierce Fire Skills.
Main and Off-Hand
The best combination is none other than Pistol and Axe because the Axe on your main hand will give you Fury/Vulnerability, while the Pistol on your off-hand will give you Dragon Roar.
Dragon Roar gives you two amazing abilities of AoE Explosion and then the Gunstinger. The second one is one of the best Engagement Skills that provide you with the ability to do Vulnerability, Deal amazing Damage, Block the Attacks, and also do the Dragon Roar Ammo Reload.
Dragon Gear
The Bladesworn should focus mainly on Power and that is why you should use the Dragon Gear, giving you survivability stats and also Health. With this equipped you can even reach a whopping 300 percent critical damage, killing enemies with single blows of Dragon Slash.
Sigils
The drawback with the equipment is that you get to enjoy two Sigils only because of that second weapon set. But the good part about this is that the second set takes the buffs from Sigils. The two best bets are Superior Sigils of Might and the Superior Sigils of Force, as they can give you exactly what you need.
Runes
For the Armor, you can never run away from the Superior Rune of Strength, as you get to enjoy Power along with Might. Your duration is decreased, while your damage is increased, giving you way more Might than you could achieve with other Runes.
What Stats should you Choose?
As we mentioned in the Skills category, you can see that there are Armament Skills that are gadgets used in combat by the Specialization. Some can help you with Ammo, some with Buffs, some defend you, and so on.
Signets
When it comes to the Utility Pick, the best one so far is Signet of Fury. You can gain Flow, Precision, and Ferocity from it.
The Signet of Might is also considered as you gain Might Stacks, gaining Unblockability.
Signet of Stamina gives you debuff removal while giving you Endurance.
Dolyak Signet gives you stability whenever there is a negative effect on you, also providing somewhat healing to you, making it great for PvP scenarios.
Signet of Rage has that Activation pump that gives you the longest time of Swiftness, Fury, and Might Buffs. While you can enjoy the Passive Flow generation as well when it's not active.
Combat Stimulant
This is the best Armament Skill used for healing so far. It can be used over the Healing Signet and comes with two charges. Upon the first charge usage, you gain a small heal, while the second charge gives you that long-term large heal.
In certain circumstances, you also gain Vigor, Quickness, and Fury on Bladesworn in exchange for the larger healing. When the charge activates, you gain Might stacks, around 5 of them. While you also start using the Fierce as Fire.
Final Verdict
Bladesworn is no doubt one of the most devastating class specializations in Guild Wars 2. It best works out for mid to close-range combat, but you can narrow the distance with enemies using various skills like teleportation. Along with damage, you have here various defensive skills and gadgets to make Bladesworn even more skill-based. To help you understand this specialization in detail and get the best build for it, we have here a Guide to Bladesworn in Guild Wars 2.
