GW2. Core Axe and Hammer Warrior PvP Build. Warrior.
Last Update: December 2023
The Core Warrior is a Duelist or DPS which outputs tons of damage in melee range while also having many stuns and slows to catch up to its targets. It heals from hitting its targets that makes most 1v1 matchups easily won, but it can struggle to survive if being pressured in outnumbered or by classes that are too mobile to catch up to. The combos often involve landing a CC and then catching up to the target to stun them and perform burst.
Axe Variant
Basic combos: Greatsword 4 > Bull’s Charge > Greatsword F1 > Greatsword 2 > Greatsword 3 > Axe 3 > Axe 2
Axe 3 > Shield 4 > Axe 2 > Greatsword F1 > Greatsword 2 > Greatsword 3
Build
| Axe / Shield | Heal / Utility / Elite |
| Greatsword | |
Alternatives:
- Utility:
| Amulet/Rune/Relic | Weapons | Sigils |
|---|---|---|
  | ||
| Berserker | Axe/Shield | Cleansing/Battle |
 | ||
| Fighter | Greatsword | Energy/Intelligence |
| Speed |
Build Template Chat Code:
[&DQIzHgsdBCunAKcAagBqAK0ArQBxAKgAfAHuAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA=]Hammer Variant
The Core Hammer Warrior is not as effective as a Duelist but can also be a great DPS in team fights due to the amount of CC it has. The Merciless Hammer trait with Cleansing Ire grants plenty of adrenaline to give you sustain from Adrenal Health and longer duration stuns on your Earthshaker to set up your combos. Stun locking enemies with the hammer abilities and then landing Fierce Blow, Hundred Blades, or Arcing Slice can destroy enemies who lack stun breaks or stability. Of course this is a very telegraphed build so you want to count dodges and bait cooldowns before wasting all of your CCs.
Basic combos: Hammer 3 > 4 > 5 > 2 > F1 > Swap > Greatsword F1 > 2 > 3
Greatsword 4 > 5 > 3 > Swap > Hammer F1 > 2 > 4 > 5 > 2
Build
| Hammer | Heal / Utility / Elite |
| Greatsword | |
Alternatives:
- Utility:
Alternatives:
- Defense: when you are against more CC than conditions
| Amulet/Rune | Weapons | Sigils |
|---|---|---|
 | ||
| Berserker | Hammer | Cleansing/Savagery |
| ||
| Fighter | Greatsword | Energy/Intelligence |
| Speed |
Build Template Chat Code:
[&DQIzPhYvBDenAKcAagBqAK0ArQBuAKgAfAHuAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA=]
Looks like this was updated to take endure pain instead of for great justice? Seems like taking the defense line instead of tactics would give way more sustain since the tactics line provides only 1 shout heal (long cooldown) + shrug it off + mending might for sustain. Compare that to extra condi cleanse from cleansing ire + up to 299 h/s from adrenal health + 33% resolution uptime (10% strike reduction) + either reduced shield cooldowns or dogged march (good regen uptime at 130 h/s).
Leg specialist would be missed, but a 1s immobilize and a 7% damage modifier don’t seem worth the sustain loss from taking tactics over defense, given not taking for great justice. The way I see it, one can take either:
Tactics + for great justice + shake it off + stomp (important to have a 2nd stunbreak)
Or
Defense + bulls charge + endure pain + shake it off
axe/axe core warrior….no, no, no… replace the strength with arms 3/1/3 or u are wasting the tactics leg specialist, losing an increased attack speed and extra damage to disabled foes… replace discipline with defense, and use 3/1/1, or you will have no sustain and for 2 auto stun breaks, immunity to control and crits and extra vigor, plus u will cause weakness at 50% and do more damage to weakened foes, thus making “fear me” very brutal… make sure you are using tactics 1/2/2 for immobilize, an auto heal plus quicker heals and an autostun break… use the utilities: to the limit, fear me, shake it off, bullcharge and signet of rage… and, why would you use the greatsword if the weakness of the build is catching mobile opponents? replace the greatsword with the rifle/bow….