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 Axe Warrior • Sword Warrior •  Utility Ranger •  Curses Necromancer •  Pressure Assassin •  HA Ritualist
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This guide covers the build style used by meta sword warriors.
The Core Build[]
<pvxbig> [build prof=W/any sword=12+1+1 strength=12+1][Sever Artery][Gash][Sun and Moon Slash][Optional][Bull's Strike][Frenzy][Rush][Resurrection Signet][/build] </pvxbig>
Core Skills[]
- This combo allows the sword warrior to apply deep wound to a foe. Gash is the only Swordsmanship skill that applies deep wound, and it's bleeding requirement makes Sever Artery (or Crippling Slash) necessary. Barbarous Slice would be a poor choice for inflicting bleeding as it requires that you not have a stance active for bleeding to occur.
- Provides a strong spike finisher that hits twice, and thus triggers buffs such as conjures and Barbs twice. It also grants an extra strike of adrenaline and is unblockable.
- Final Thrust used to be the standard skill for this slot before Factions was released, as it provided the largest amount of bonus damage in an attack skill at the time. It's penalty of losing all adrenaline makes it much less popular than SaMS.
- This skill is stapled to most warrior bars for good reason. It provides a 3-second knockdown (with Stonefist Insignia) on any moving foe, allowing you to spike them while they cannot move or use most skills. Generally, it is followed up with the warrior's interrupt or Shock once the target gets up to prevent last-second skills.
- Frenzy is the Increased Attack Speed (IAS) skill of choice for axe warriors due to its 33% increase, maintainability and short recharge. IAS is needed to pressure, build adrenaline quickly, and compress a spike so healers have a harder time catching it.
- Its downside of double damage to the user can put the user at serious risk if they don't watch the field carefully to know when they can and cannot enter Frenzy.
- This skill serves two purposes; it provides a 25% IMS to catch fleeing foes and acts as an ideal cancel stance for Frenzy/Primal Rage due to its low adrenaline cost and no recharge.
- Some builds may use an energy based IMS, i.e. Sprint, for instant activation without adrenaline. This is advantageous for splitting, as rush cannot be charged without hitting for adrenaline.
- Used to resurrect allies. No single skill can make up for a teammate's entire bar if they die.
Your Elite Skill[]
Most warrior elites available to a sword warrior are stronger versions of the non-elite skills above, and replace the corresponding skill.
- Used in place of Sever Artery to allow even more condition pressure as well as spammable Cripple, most common used Elite for a Sword Warrior.
- Provides additional damage to each sword attack that hits in adjacent AoE.
- As this is Slashing damage, it has increased synergy with Barbs (and Mark of Pain in AB).
- Used instead of Rush to provide a faster (33%) IMS as well as double adrenaline gain while active. However, the use of a non-adrenaline skill will end it. As an sword warrior's energy skills usually consist of Bull's Strike and Frenzy, this is usually not a major concern as the IMS is usually no longer needed once those skills are used.
- Weapon of Aggression can be used in place of Frenzy to have an IAS at the same time as the IMS + Adrenaline boost of Battle Rage.
Variants[]
When choosing from other skills, keep in mind their energy costs, as a warrior has low base energy and energy regeneration.
Interrupts[]
- Useful as both an interrupt and a quick attack for more spike damage.
- Obvious.
- Useful as a half-range interrupt on any skill.
- Account for the flight time of the dagger when using.
- Zero-flight time interrupt on spells and chants.
- Same as Power Spike but with a longer recharge and no energy cost.
- Can interrupt any skill, and returns energy on spells.
Enchantment Removal[]
- Ranged removal + Bleeding.
- Low recharge, touch range removal of enchantments.
- Be careful not to strip important enchantments from yourself.
Self Preservation[]
- Requires some attribute reshuffling to be effective.
- Provides both health and adrenaline.
- Be wary of the signet-disabling drawback.
- Provides a small, maintainable health boost, enough to cover the health penalty of a major rune if desired.
- Also provides adrenaline upon activation based on the number of foes within earshot.
- Thwart linebackers and physical spikes on yourself.
- Can also block a bow/spear interrupt if needed.
Damage[]
Conjure Lightning / 
Conjure Flame / 
Conjure Frost
- Invest 9 points in the elemental attribute, lowering strength to 9+1.
- Increases your critical rate against stationary foes, and provides minor energy denial.
- Very fast attack with big bonus damage on moving foes. Useful for spike compression.
- Provides fairly large damage, as well as adrenaline gain.
- Ignore all blocking.
- Note the long downtime, and 10e cost.
Mobility[]
- Replaces Rush.
- Requires a maintainable shout for full effect, but provides up to 30% IMS instead of 25%.
Resurrection[]
- Hard res that can restore more energy than a resurrection signet.
- Note the drawback.