Warden spec?

[Gwandyn]

Hello fellow hibs... i came to hib a while ago but now i am here again with the Proficio Manus gang. I have decided to make a warden since i hear you need BT . But i want to be able to do some dmg to since i dont like just sitting in the back doing nothing. So my questions are...

1. How do you look at melee wardens? Of course i will keep my nature maxed for bt etc but then go melee with the rest... The few wardens i have spoke to specced in regrowth and acted healers but i want to melee to. I dont want to spec wrong like clerics often do...

Cleric: Clreric lfg!
Group: Invite the cleric!
Cleric: Hi im a smiter i dont heal.
Cleric: Cleric lfg!

2. Well here comes the question that never gets a real answer but i hope you will try. Im not very familiar with tanking abillities so i wonder... how much difference does bonus dmg against a mob/enemy in RvR do? I know that most mobs in hib are weak against blunt or piercing but how much difference (dmg) are there if you use a blunt weapon on a blunt weak mob instead of a blade?
And in RvR... how much difference is there if you use a blade on an plate clad alb instead of blunt?
I allready have a bard that uses blunt as weapon so it would be nice to try blades now but i dont want to gimp my warden...


When im reading this i see that this makes no sence but i guess you will understand what i mean... I appriciate all help .

 

[Cedig]

Dude

I have a lvl 44 Warden currently spec at 42 nurture (stopping at 46) 20 Regrowth (sticking there) and 32 Blunt (going to 39) and the rest in parry

The problem for Wardens is that the naturalist's dmg tables are way lower than tanks. For example Elui (44 celt champ) has way lower weapon spec and does double the dmg i do to everything.. for example something Purple she uses an anytime special attack on, she will hit for say 50-60, while if i use the anytime blunt attack on, i will hit for 35 max. If you get a 0% bonus to a troll with blunt weapon, but a -10% neg if you use a blade, you're really only going to make less than 10 dmg difference on something with a 1000 hp, thats not a lot.

As to the dmg (warden group dmg add buff) mod, when I have mine switched on, I tend to do 20dmg more each attack, again not a lot, but the tanks will maybe do 40-50dmg more each attack.

I think even if you maxed blunt out, I dont think you would be that much better off in RvR... but thats just my opinion

 

[old.Greggor]

Np druid and bards are for healing (Sorry eth, luuna and all other bards )

Wardens are in the group for backup healing and Bubble

if u have bubble u heal less anyway

 

[old.Aure]

Note (if you don't already) that there are a number of changes that will assist in future patches, 1.48-1.51e

Warden haste changes from chant to 10 min self only buff. At 47 spec nuture, it's a 38% increase in attack speed. It does not stack with the druid hunter's line, however it means you can chant bladeturn and buff haste unlike currently.

With an appropriate weapon around the 3.4-4.1 sec delay mark, it's _apparently_ possible to do over 60% increase in damage per fight (although I don't recall whether that was per minute). It's also possible for the epic blade (2.2 delay) to hit the swing cap with it, i.e a swing every 1.5 seconds.

Damage Add changes to insta cast ala Skald and so does en regen. The second en regen becomes a style/fatigue reducer and is insta cast so its possible to sprint and cast it.

Resist buffs and other things help and the spectrum blade chain off a successful Fireblade has been found to work, however i'm not quite up to 39 blades to see if the attack speed reduction on the opponent currently works in version 1.45.

Of course group heals(unspecced) and such will help but that's even further down the patchy road.


So the best thing I can say is if you like the warden now, he only get's better in time.


My current template at 45 is 45 nuture, 34 Blades, 12 Regrowth and 9 Parry.

I'm probably looking at 47 or 49 nuture, 39 blades, 12 regrowth and around 17-21 in parry(21 if i don't go beyond 47 nuture) if my numbers are right.

Two or three decisions to make, 49 for resist buffs (we don't have yet, but soon)over stopping at 47 for last haste (but soon) or taking regrowth to 16 or beyond for better rezz and or heals.

A final choice I may have is trying to get 44 blades for the next style and leaving nuture around 45 or 46(last damage add).

Realm ranks and items can push 39 spec to 39 + 11 and its possible to get the odd + regrowth item.

Parry is under investigation and how effective it is in RVR curently and post patch, so I'm probably going to wait and see and save my points.

Just a final with regard to heals, 6 sec pbt drains mana standing upright, unlike the other 8 and 10 sec varieties, which do, but you don't notice. It seems to mean your role as a healer is determined for you by 6 sec pbt power usage. Buying realm skills in future like Mystic Crystal Lore and Serenity will help that a lot. A mana crack or mana regen song is now absolutely essential when chanting pbt.

 

[old.Gad]

Tuorin has knocked it pretty much on the head, but just to clarify.

Why go blunts?

1) Blunts hit harder but slower. With the wardens rather sub-par damage it would be advantageous to go with blunt weapons for this reason alone. You would feel as if you are actually doing some reasonable damage.

2 The slower attack speed is more than offset after the 1.49 patch when wardens get the best self only haste buff in the game. even better than the druids... this is very very cool.

3) Many people say that there are less decent blunt weapons and use that as a reason to go blade. What blunt weapons there are however tend to give bonus' to the naturalist classes (ie. +emp regrowth etc.). Besides, if a blades weapon drops, everyone wants it, but if a blunt weapon drops there is usually much less of a fight.

4) Many many more mobs in Hib are weak against blunt than blades. Also blunt is a real bonus when beating on Mids and Albs.

Why go blades?

1) It looks cool.

2) You are less likely to be spotted as a healer/bubbler in RvR (although the kite shield gives it away a little bit) so you tend to survive that little bit longer in RvR fights.

3) The level 39 blades style Spectrum Blade gives a heavy attack sped reduction which chains off a use anytime style. The blunt equivalent requires a parry. To be able to use this anytime style in conjunction with the bubble is a major reason to choose blades.

Thats about it... hope it helps. This is what I am aiming for in my lvl 50 spec.

Either

Nurture 49 (for the best resist buffs)
Regrowth 16
Blades 39
rest in parry

or

Nurture 47 (for best haste buff)
regrowth 20
Blades 39
rest in parry

Depending on how good the resists buffs are I dont know whether to go for the bestter resist buffs or the better heal. Any advice on this would be appreciated.