Reviewing The Guild Wars 2 Beta, Here’s What I Loved: The Guardian Class

Here is a review of the guardian class in Guild Wars 2 – one of the top classes combining Warrior and Monk

Guild Wars 2 took another step towards release with the first weekend beta last week

The third entry in the recap of the first Beta Weekend Event for Guild Wars covers the Guardian, the class I predominantly played and intended to play from the beginning. I chose it because my play style is more defensive, mainly as a healer. Though there are no defined roles in Guild Wars 2, the Guardian can be built to play that role.

The Guardian is basically a fusion of the Warrior and Monk from Guild Wars, in my opinion. It’s a frontline class like the Warrior, but doesn’t exclusively sit back like a Monk. Typically Guardians let off some attacks, while protecting allies and reversing enemy conditions. For example, an ability I had took any condition inflicted upon me and chucked it back at the enemy. The idea was to get as many conditions as possible and reverse them, causing massive damage.

Though the class I ran – or most of it at least, because I couldn’t level up fast enough to get all the skills – was based around supporting teammates. I equipped a Mace, with an off-hand Shield. To start, the basic attack of Maces slightly heals teammates while causing damage to enemies. The second skill, Symbol of Faith, provides regeneration for four seconds. Protector’s Strike is the third skill, creating a shield for me and nearby players while knocking back enemies that hit allies.

Shield, utility, meditation skills

My first Shield-specific skill – Shield of Judgement – damages foes and gives additional protection. Shield of Absorption creates a dome that knocks back foes and absorbs projectiles.

Signet of Resolve’s a condition-removing skill I talked about, removing one every 10 seconds while offering great personal healing. Signet of Judgement grants retaliation to nearby allies, which damages enemies whenever allies get hit, and reduces incoming damage to the caster.

I ran two meditation skills: Contemplation of Purity, which removes all conditions and turns them into boons (which a 60 second recharge). The other, Smite Condition, removes a condition and does damage to nearby foes. Damage is doubled if a condition is removed.