Introduction
Discover the Berserker Warrior specialization, a relentless force in World vs World battles. With moderate defences, versatile mobility, and a blend of ranged and melee prowess, the Berserker is the cornerstone of large-scale combat. Unleash unmatched spike damage, maintain high might, and strategically take down foes with unblockable attacks. Whether holding the line or charging into chaos, the Berserker’s balanced survival and potent damage output make it a formidable choice for WvW dominance.
Build Fundamentals
As the linchpin of large-scale combat situations the Berserker shines in both melee and ranged combat. You serve as the primary source of damage for your group cementing its status as a crucial class for WvW dominance. Engauge foes strategically with perfectly timed unblockable combos whilst utilizing your evades and high mobility. Achieving the right balance between force and caution is essential for executing rapid, potent spike damage that leaves a devastating mark on the battlefield.
Mastering the Berserker’s Battlefield Survival
- Active Defense: Prioritize active defence’s when needed, balancing usage of dodges,
Blood Reckoning andWhirlwind Attack - Moderate Mobility: Use “Whirlwind Attack”
Whirlwind Attack and “Rush”Rush for movement and repositioning. If needed you may even useSundering Leap all of these will also break immobilize thanks to the traitWarrior's Sprint
Tip: You can use
Rush without target if you want to have more control over where you go
- Ranged Start: Commence combat with Longbow. As this is the most favoured way commander’s play, be prepared to adapt if needed.
- Strategic Timing: Hold “Berserk” until your commander commits to the battle. When you Engauge you will likely want to use one of following rotation examples seen above (top right)
- Signet Preparation: Use “Signet of Fury” to charge Adrenaline before activating “Berserk.” Use Signet of Might for unblockable attacks. Never use the elite signet
Signet of Rage as this is your passive way to gain adrenaline. - Seize Melee Opportunities: When Transitioning into Greatsword, always prioritize instant f1 burst
afterwards. This will enable the fire sigil to work just as you burst thus removing any aegis ensuring your burst skill will land and not be blocked. - Seize Ranged Opportunites: Use
Signet of Might “Signet of Might” for unblockableArcing Arrow arcing arrows andPin Down pin downs. - Ranged Caution: Avoid premature “Berserk” for useful damage over padding the meter.
- Precise Targeting: Drop target for accurate
Scorched Earth “Scorched Earth” casting ensuring you hit the targets you want to. - Projectile Consideration: Avoid Longbow skills into projectile blocks/reflects.
- Facing Focus: Face the target for most Longbow skills. However you can fire
Arcing Arrow arcing arrow behind you if you wish to range spike safely or need to move away while damaging the enemy. - Hundred Blades: Use vs crowd controlled, impaired, or downed foes for safe use as it will root you in place.
Tip: Movement will cancel this skill while channelling if you need to end it early.
Build Specifics
In their heightened state of empowerment, berserkers experience a surge in attack speed, forsaking their feeble burst attacks for the formidable Primal Bursts. These savage manoeuvres ravage and pulverize their foes, demanding less adrenaline for execution, thus ensuring an unending onslaught of destruction. Masters of rage, berserkers employ their immense physical prowess as weaponry, leaping, striking adversaries, even rejuvenating themselves with each blow for a brief period. Notably, berserkers stand out in the realm of damage dealing.
Most organized squads will be coordinating spikes and bombs on enemy groups so make sure to sync-up your skills when the commander calls for them. Predicting the enemy movement and knowing your abilities is very important for your effectiveness as this build utilizes a lot of varied attacks. Correct rotation and timing of skills is very important (read your skills tooltips!).
Staying alive is the most important priority and this can be achieved by dodging combined with careful positioning. You may rely on your party to assist you with this, be it receiving stability, superspeed, heals and cleanses.
TIP: Be Ready to adapt depending on the situation, this could mean swapping the way you play or swapping build via your sigil’s, runes, gear, skill’s and traits!
Damaging targets and spiking down groups of players is your key role. It’s important to understand how you can achieve this through skill usage. An example of rotation’s can be seen above top right.
This build is is divided into three primary sections:
Burst and Rage Abilities
Ensure that you release your target while initiating the casting of “Scorched Earth,” as failing to do so will cause the ability to target the enemy rather than aligning with your character’s orientation.
Your Burst Skills are further buffed thanks to the following traits
Weapon Skills
Given that all of your Longbow abilities, excluding Scorched Earth , function as projectiles, it’s advisable to refrain from using them when faced with projectile blocks or reflects.
Signets
The key in executing your important task of damaging opponents is swiftly chaining key abilities together. You can see a list of combos in the rotation segment above on this page.
The core concept behind ability usage is rotating between weapon skills depending on certain situations and knowing timings of when to burst, get on discord with your commander to help you understand when these will occur.
Your commander is likely to call for specific abilities so don’t just spam them off cooldown. Solo bombing randomly won’t really do that much – it’s very important that all players use their Damage at the same time not only for maximum effect but also so that damage you can capitalize on the vulnerability of your enemies when they have their boons removed!
Try to judge how the fights are going and adapt, enjoy!
Alternatives
It is vital that players understand they can and should learn to shape their build to each challenge. You may wish to add in the following:
Balanced stance may be swapping in instead of sundering leap if you need more stability in favour of less mobility or instead of signet of might for less unblock and might. Battle Standard can also be used instead of your elite signet of Rage however it can be difficult to use and will reduce the amount of adrenaline you can generate.
Battle Standard: Focus on 2+ downed enemies, but ensure your target fits the 180-degree radius. Battle Standard Allies: Utilize the 360-radius rez for groups of 3+ allies.