Returning Druid player looks for help

[Jaffawer.4932]

Heya! I've decided to check back on GW2 after about one-and a half year break and would like to ask how's Druid doing, particularly in Fractals. I remember running T1 and T2 fractals with this build: http://gw2skills.net/editor/?vNEQNAW8Xn0rCtqgNrA2sCEtil9ADOueX3rL3uAwoj5CEwGBlY83A-jRyGQBI4gA4h9HEjuBy9AAAwVAQRqCEElfeUJofU7BA-e mainly focusing on zerk dps with supportive buff generation.

 

I've went through several discussions/tips for current Druid builds mainly focusing on full healing/might upkeep through a new armorset (Harrier or Magi's/Minstrel's/Harrier's mix?). I'm not sure how long it will take me to fully convert my build (mainly trinkets) and I'm still not sure which way to go (full Harrier or the mix). If I understand it correctly, it all comes down to

person's playstyle and skill?

 

I'm not really sure if I can take my old zerk druid build to fractals. Do people expect you to run full healer/might-gen Druid build in fractals nowadays? Also do you have any recommendations for a new "up-to-date" druid builds based on popularity and usefulness? I've seen alot of Soulbeasts but would like to stick to my Druid.

 

Thanks alot for the help!

 

[Deadly Moonshiner.1354]

Speaking of fractals, I saw that now there are other options for healing/boon support (renegade, guardian). Still I stick to my boon support healer (see at metabattle for the build). I have full ascended armor and weapons (harrier) and take 2 magi accessories. The rest of trinkets are harrier.

 

For my build, I change between more heal (lingering light) and more might upkeep (grace of the land) depending on the encounter and my party members. Also depending on a situation, I take stone or sun spirit or glyph of empowerment. I take jacaranda and switch the second pet as needed. In general, I take food and oil only for toughest encounters or if the team is not too experienced or geared. In most cases I only use potions. In general, this all matters only in T4 provided you have decent party mates.

 

I have no problems finding T4 pug teams in a need of a healer. I join them in lfg unless they explicitly state they don't want a druid.

 

To answer your question I have seen a 2nd druid going DPS (I never did so) and sometimes taking the remaining spirits of glyphs. That may be a role for you if you wish to use your zerker druid. In the end of the day, what matters is if you do your task in fractals as a druid - being heal/support or DPS/support or pure DPS.

 

Welcome back and good luck!

[Jaffawer.4932]

Thanks!

Feels like it would be good to be able to cover both healer and dps options in order to better cover the group's needs. I really like teh idea of full support build, but at the same time, tehre are instances in which dull support may be a bit of an over(heal).

 

It will take me some time to get a new healing accessory set anyway, so till then I'm gonna stick to my dps set and then possibly create a new one for purely for healing. Damn it's gonna be expensive...

[BRNBRITO.9624]

Up to T3 it doesn't really matter THAT much, if you plan on doing T4 on Druid you'll be expected to be a healer/support as druid dmg/cleave is pretty meh and depending on frac/instabilities it can be pretty healing intensive.

 

Staff + Axe/Warhorn for weps, you REALLY want the Warhorn#5 buffs, for spirits run Frost/Stone as default IMO, you'll usually have more pDps than cDps(obviously, Sun/Stone if you have all condidps), and 33% damage reduction is HUGE for survivability. Glyph of empowerment if you got Vuln covered and pdps comp, else run Storm spirit as last util.

 

Nature Magic 2-3-1 (or 1-3-1) over Marksmanship, and on Druid traitline you can play with Primal Echoes as well. Vicious Quarry over Quick Draw can be worth sometimes on shorter fights. Also I usually run Iboga/Wyvern, the extra condis can help depending on what comp you have and it still has some CC and nice damage.

 

Personally i run 6/6 Harrier armor (Monk runes), Harrier weps (Transference/Water), this gives you good healing and good boon duration, then for trinkets i run Minstrel if there's a lot of damage pressure and my group isn't that good, otherwise i run Berserker/Diviner trinkets.

[Jaffawer.4932]

> @"BRNBRITO.9624" said:

> Personally i run 6/6 Harrier armor (Monk runes), Harrier weps (Transference/Water), this gives you good healing and good boon duration, then for trinkets i run Minstrel if there's a lot of damage pressure and my group isn't that good, otherwise i run Berserker/Diviner trinkets.

 

Is there any particular advantage for running Minstrel's instead of Cleric's ?

 

 

[BRNBRITO.9624]

> Is there any particular advantage for running Minstrel's instead of Cleric's ?

 

Boon duration

[ButcherofMalakir.4067]

But remember that you cannot raid with minstrel

[Jaffawer.4932]

> @"ButcherofMalakir.4067" said:

> But remember that you cannot raid with minstrel

 

Ye, I thought that the high toughness would mess up the aggro, but I wasn't super sure about the numbers.

[BRNBRITO.9624]

Yeah gotta watch out for toughness on raids, though it might take a while, it's good having multiple trinket sets to adjust depending on content/group, i'd say >90% of pug chrono tanks still run 2-2.3k toughness so most of the time it's fine.

[ButcherofMalakir.4067]

With diviners gear chrono doesmt need toughness so they sometimes tank with 1 toughness infusion.