Can firebrandt be played as viable healer/gw1 monk now?

[Nekres.1038]

title. As guardian has inherit some skill names from gw1 monk. I wonder if firebrandt is a viable healer now with the healing tomes.

 

I absolutely hate the mechanics/playstyle in order to heal with druid.

 

I know that firebrandt got nerfed recently dmg and I hope he can be played as healer now.

[RabbitUp.8294]

It's better than before at least. The tome itself doesn't make a huge difference, because the cooldown is still long. There's the perk of Loremaster, so that you can enjoy both the active and passive healing of F2 at the same time, though they still haven't got rid of all the bugs (up until a couple days ago, Battle Presence didn't work with Loremaster, now it works, but you don't get the improved passive from Absolute Resolution).

 

We recently got Bow of Truth, too, so that's neat. Its healing is good (it's basically druid's Rejuvenating Tides in a utility slot), but it's so slow in delivering it, that I had people walk out of the AoE, not realising they are being healed. Especially considering that unlike Tides, Bow doesn't speed up with quickness.

 

At its current state, I don't see a point in playing something like magi guardian, besides for the fun of it. If you just want green numbers, auramancer Tempest can do the job better. Ventari rev is stronger, too, but the playstyle of managing the tablet is not for everyone.

 

However, you can make a hybrid build that heals and stacks quickness and even quite a bit of might, along with aegis/stability for certain encounters. You do sacrifice Receive the Light in favour of Mantra of Solace to achieve this, but you will be a lot more useful than a healer guardian. It's stil not something you would take to optimised groups or raids, though.

[Saiyan.1704]

Sadly never played GW1 (bought it but never played, long story) but as per FB healing abilities, we're the new "D/D Cele Support Ele" among the meta, only tons more healing, damage, and 0 mobility lol. There's several builds but check out

 

https://en-forum.guildwars2.com/discussion/7322/pvp-best-bunker-healway-fb-build#latest

 

that thread for a decent grasp on "current meta build" support Guard.

[Knox.8962]

I have used [this tank/heal/support guy](http://gw2skills.net/editor/?vVAQRApe3ensADFBjlBBOCDEEhlHCDLA0AySZtn5TGYfemPDoA-jxRDQBQZ/BHcCACpSQAcQAk3DA0DIQ1fkoyvAAHAv39A493f/93fvu/+7v/+7v/+7vXKA/mZB-e) in raids and fractals with pretty decent success.

 

Some rough numbers for reference. With quickness up, you have 1788 healing power. Additionally, you have a 179% healing modifier when fully stacked on the mace trait.

 

When healing others you'll see the following numbers:

Battle Presence - 427/s

Regen - 631/s

Aegis - 2749

Faithful Strike - 2310

Water Rune Proc - 2945

Water Sigil Proc - 2258

Shining River (F2#4) - 4704

Desert Bloom (F2#1) - 4370

Dodge Roll - 3424

 

All of those numbers are before the 33% modifier from Eternal Oasis.

 

This thing can pretty easily provide tons of prot, aegis, regen, condi clear and quickness. It does about as much damage as a magi druid if you can stay in melee range. You can take several different utilities instead of the spirit bow as needed. Wall of Reflect, Merciful Intervention, Signet of Mercy, Save Yourselves, Stand Your Ground and Hallowed Ground all have uses on different encounters or with different group comps. Additionally, you have access to resist from F3 and if needed, you can swap Feel My Wrath for the Elite Mantra for AoE Stability and a Stunbreak.

 

It certainly takes some getting used to, and the mantra ranges make it awkward to play sometimes, but it does a ton of healing and utility in one dense little package.

[RabbitUp.8294]

> @Knox.8962 said:

> Shining River (F2#4) - 4704

> Desert Bloom (F2#1) - 4370

 

This bothers me so much. It makes no sense that these skills have roughly equal healing, and it makes for a clunky playstyle to have to spam 1 button.

 

The tome could feel so much fluid with some changes. Nerf the auto, nerf skill 2 but make it heal regardless of conditions cleansed, make skill 3 a blast finisher, buff skill 4 and make it a pulsing heal.

 

Now, the rotation becomes 5, 4, 3, 2, 1, instead of spamming 1 so much. Or 5, 2, 4, 3, 2.

[Knox.8962]

I really wish the River was a pulsing heal as well. That said, I would like to point out that Radiant Recovery (F2#3) is absolutely insane on condi-heavy fights

[RabbitUp.8294]

> @Knox.8962 said:

> I really wish the River was a pulsing heal as well. That said, I would like to point out that Radiant Recovery (F2#3) is absolutely insane on condi-heavy fights

 

True, but it's very niche currently. Especially in a build like this, where Absolute Resolution and Eternal Oasis would have already cleansed 8 conditions before you can cast Radiant Recovery. Sure, you can use it before Oasis, but then, you sacrifice 3 of the free boons of Oasis for healing, roughly ~2000 more healing best case scenario than spending that page casting an Oasis-boosted Desert Bloom, instead. With only 2 conditions, they are practically tied.

 

It only shines in situations with constant condi pressure, which are limited to competitive modes, and wvw more than pvp.

[PowerBottom.5796]

There are IMHO very viable full bunker/support builds with magi amulet that fit a similar role to what a GW1 monk did. Obviously the monks in GW1 where much less tanky and stayed in the backline, while the guard can stay up front and on the point quite well.

 

I still prefer the sage rune (at least for solo-Q), because as soon as you pull out the tome of justice, you're gonna deal very high amounts of dps and it is still a rather tanky build with super strong support.

 

**This is my solo-Q Sage Amu build: **

http://gw2skills.net/editor/?vVAQRAse3dnsADtCh1CBmCBkCjlKCLb8ceSPYDgAQTaPd+OrnA-jJhAQBA4JAcl9HkYZgOcSAAA

 

On the full tank variant, I switch axe/focus for staff, sage amu for magi amu and the sigils of smoldering for sigil of cleansing. There are also good versions with mace and less shouts and other runes (water for example), but I really like the shouts+soldiers runes even without the "pure of voice" trait. Battle presence is also good if you feel you have enough stability/stunbreakers with your elite. On the Sages-build, I even like to go for permeating wrath, which increases your dps-output by quite a lot if you feel you have enough support/tankyness on your team.

 

 

 

[gannondorf.7628]

What we still need is a real support spec named monk. I'm so nostalgic...

[Zhaid Zhem.6508]

I like the build of @"Knox.8962" But I'll wait a longer view before change a ascended gear for that

 

Or something with Rune of altruism, scepter and "Empowering might" http://gw2skills.net/editor/?vVAQRAre7ensADFBjNCDmBBEEhlHCDLAMc+A7zz8ZANr9MfyAA-jBCBQB1UJIzUGIWleYV9HCpfgiPBAAt/AAOJAkCwEhRA-e I'm pretty sure we can rise 20-25 might for melee group and perma fury (+quickness etc)

[kKagari.6804]

PvP healing: almost. Depends on how clever your team is too. Raid healing: my opinion is no.

[Knox.8962]

I have used this [Full Healing](http://gw2skills.net/editor/?vVAQRApe3ensADFBjNCDmBBEEhlHCLr9MfyA7zz8ZAFLA0AySA-jRRXABAs/go6HiWJosq/IsyPSB43ML-e) setup for bosses where people are just taking a ton of damage (Pug Sloth runs and Matthias where condi damage and random hits just eat people alive). This one does a TON of healing. The total healing looks fairly meager in the gw2skills, but the healing modifier this thing has is pretty nuts. (~1.8x on all of the outgoing healing roughly before the Oasis modifier)

 

For more stable or organized groups, I've been running some variation of this [tank/heal/support](http://gw2skills.net/editor/?vVAQRAre3ensADFBjNCDGCBEEhF+BbPj+RPpZToM0PALAMDKCA-jBChABOrLYRVQ2Upi4Kr2TrAA7Pgt6HnrEkUAftAA-e) setup. This generates a steady 10-12 might, fury, quickness and does some level of damage as well. It also does a bunch of healing. This version parses somewhere around 9k on a golem.

 

You can go [one step further](http://gw2skills.net/editor/?vVAQRAre3ensADFBjNCDGCBEEhF+BzqAkByT7Z0P6JFLAkeKCA-jBChABirsyZdBbqUBg9HwW9j90KsoKInrEkUAftAA-e) and drop Pure of Heart and pick up empowering might, and slot Radiance instead of Virtues. That'll let you make close to PS levels of might, but you lose out on Pure of Heart and Battle Presence, which is a large part of your healing output.

 

I use axe on my swap for all of these to provide CC when needed or to use the pull for things like add grouping on sloth/xera etc. I take Bane Signet for the same purpose (the condi signet adds slightly more damage on the radiance build, but the CC is not nearly as good for breakbars)

[Zhaid Zhem.6508]

It's quite more than a healer and condi cleanse. You have a lot of Aegis that prevent the healing + Wall oR, f3#3, shield#5 for missiles, the perma quickness, and others boons in great duration, stab, protection, fury, might ...

In fractals it will allow 3 or 4 DPS + a firebrand heal/support ; instead of the casual pug team druid + chrono + cps...

[Grandtomatoe.2045]

> @Knox.8962 said:

> I have used [this tank/heal/support guy](http://gw2skills.net/editor/?vVAQRApe3ensADFBjlBBOCDEEhlHCDLA0AySZtn5TGYfemPDoA-jxRDQBQZ/BHcCACpSQAcQAk3DA0DIQ1fkoyvAAHAv39A493f/93fvu/+7v/+7v/+7vXKA/mZB-e) in raids and fractals with pretty decent success.

>

> Some rough numbers for reference. With quickness up, you have 1788 healing power. Additionally, you have a 179% healing modifier when fully stacked on the mace trait.

>

> When healing others you'll see the following numbers:

> Battle Presence - 427/s

> Regen - 631/s

> Aegis - 2749

> Faithful Strike - 2310

> Water Rune Proc - 2945

> Water Sigil Proc - 2258

> Shining River (F2#4) - 4704

> Desert Bloom (F2#1) - 4370

> Dodge Roll - 3424

>

> All of those numbers are before the 33% modifier from Eternal Oasis.

>

> This thing can pretty easily provide tons of prot, aegis, regen, condi clear and quickness. It does about as much damage as a magi druid if you can stay in melee range. You can take several different utilities instead of the spirit bow as needed. Wall of Reflect, Merciful Intervention, Signet of Mercy, Save Yourselves, Stand Your Ground and Hallowed Ground all have uses on different encounters or with different group comps. Additionally, you have access to resist from F3 and if needed, you can swap Feel My Wrath for the Elite Mantra for AoE Stability and a Stunbreak.

>

> It certainly takes some getting used to, and the mantra ranges make it awkward to play sometimes, but it does a ton of healing and utility in one dense little package.

 

Have you tried the stacking weapon sigil that gives a bonus to outgoing healing multiplyer vs the 250 to healing power? With full stacks that would be 12.5% to outgoing healing. Wouldn't that be more effective than 250 healing power?

[Knox.8962]

I just use the 250 healing power as a placeholder so I can add the impact of the FB GM Minor trait. I don't actually use it in reality.