Power Dragonhunter

August 2023

Power Dragonhunter is still a great option for providing damage build in World vs World. This Guardian elite specialization turns their virtues into extremely powerful tools that provide sustain, mobility and crowd control.  With large amounts of piercing ranged damage, high area burst potential from traps and two of the most powerful crowd control skills in the game; Hunter's Ward and Hunter's Verdict combined, the Dragonhunter has the potential to be a great class in skilled hands!

Build Fundamentals

The Dragonhunter is mostly ranged due to wielding scepter/focus and longbow, however many of the skills can also be cast effectively in melee range therefore making it very versatile. Most organized groups will like to coordinate your crowd control Hunter's Ward with Necromancer wells Well of Corruption, and your traps (Test of Faith & Procession of Blades ) with Ghastly Breach so make sure not to use them until the commander calls for these skills. Virtue skills are mainly used prior to dropping traps in melee range, but depending on the situation can be used differently, this is explained in more detail later in this guide. Predicting the enemy movement and positioning your abilities well is very important for maximum effectiveness.

Main Priorities

Staying alive is the most important priority. This can be achieved by dodging, using your heal skill Shelter which will block attacks, your elite skill Renewed Focus which is a channeled invulnerability and lastly careful positioning. You will also rely on your party to assist you with this, be it receiving Stability, Superspeed, healing, condition removal, or stunbreaks.

Spiking groups of enemies is your main role, cleaving secondary and lastly generating kills with some single targeted burst. It’s important to understand how you can achieve this through skill usage. Examples of some spike rotations can be seen in the rotation section at the side of the page.

Spiking & General Ability Usage

This build’s fundamentals can be separated into four main areas:

Virtue Abilities

• Spear of Justice This skill passively burns foes every five attacks, thanks to Zealous Scepter this allows you to gain might passively and it is further increased whilst wielding a scepter. Dropping pulsing skills in quick succession allows you to gain 25 Might easily!
  The active component of this virtue is a 1200 range unblockable piercing spear that also reveals the enemies struck. You do not usually use this unless you can guarantee some kills in order for it to be refreshed via Renewed Justice otherwise you will potentially miss out on 25 stacks of Might when you unleash your damaging skills. However If you are provided with Might from elsewhere, be it food or a party member then you can use this ability more freely.
• Hunter's Verdict This is the active flip over skill of Spear of Justice. All enemies tethered by the spear to you can be pulled to you. This ability’s recharge is separate from that of Spear of Justice it may still be on cooldown if you use Spear of Justice immediately after it comes off cooldown. If the enemy goes further than 1200 range away from you the tether will break so it’s best to activate this ability as soon as possible if you intend to pull your targets in. Fun fact; its unblockable and unevadeable – enjoy!
• Wings of Resolve Regenerates a very small amount of health passively and provides 25% movement speed. The active component is a 800 range leap combo finisher to a target area that will do huge damage and immobilize the enemies, whilst removing Immobilize from you, healing allies in the area and also remove two conditions from you. This skill can be used for sustain, to position yourself effectively prior to placing traps or to get out of a bad situation!
• Shield of Courage Grants personal Aegis periodically. Activating this skill will give Aegis to you and nearby allies while also creating a conal shield effect, blocking all attacks that hit you and your allies from the front for three seconds. You and allies are vulnerable from the sides and behind while this shield is active, so if possible face the enemy for its duration to maximize mitigation.

Weapon Skills

• True Shot A powerful 1500 ranged attack that pierces through enemies. Can be used to create downs or finish enemy downed players. Due to it rooting you in place and being a projectile you may need to cancel the cast with weapon stow (this setting needs to be keybound), dodge, or simply moving.
• Symbol of Energy Fire an arcing arrow that explodes on impact and a places a symbol into the ground. Due to it being a projectile take care when and where you cast this skill.  Use in conjunction with other skills to add damage to your spike or to simply finish enemy downed players.
• Hunter's Ward Form a 1200 range cage of arrows that locks enemies in place, and deals huge damage at the location. If enemies are still in the area of effect of the spell when it finishes channeling, they are affected with hunters mark, this means the targets are surrounded by ethereal chains which cannot be crossed for 5 seconds unless they have a minimum of 2 stacks of Stability
• Symbol of Punishment Create a symbol on the ground from 900 range that strikes foes and grants Might to allies in the symbol. Can be placed in melee range and on ranged spikes or simply to finish/cleave enemy downed players.

Traps

• Procession of Blades Sets a trap that spins around damaging enemies.  Placing this trap first before Test of Faith is very important as it is not instant cast and will reduce the risk of being interrupted.
• Test of Faith is an unblockable trap that deals high damage to enemies when they attempt to cross it.

Utility Skills

• Sword of Justice Places spinning spirit swords from 900 range to add burst to your spike.
• Shelter A 2 second block that when heals you when it ends.
• Renewed Focus A 3 second channeled mediation making yourself invulnerable and resetting all of your virtues so they can be used again immediately!

Alternatives

Hunter's Determination This trait may be taken to turn your Elite into a stun break

"Stand Your Ground!"  Is an option if you need