Part 26

Dive into the Frostmaw Auraway build discussion for Guild Wars 2. We're breaking down skill interactions like GDW and Grenth's Aura, and how they impact damage and survivability.

Hey there! So, we're diving into some of the nitty-gritty details of the Frostmaw Auraway build. It seems like there's been some back-and-forth about how certain skills interact, specifically Great Dwarf Weapon (GDW) and Grenth's Aura. Let's break it down. GDW & Grenth's Aura Interaction There was a question about whether GDW and Grenth's Aura cancel each other out. The short answer is: no, they don't. Here's the thinking: Grenth's Aura applies a -21 life steal effect. GDW, on its own, provides +20 damage. When you add in Honor, that brings the damage back up to around +15 or +16, not counting your base weapon damage. If you then add Order of Pain (+10 damage), you can hit the Shadow Form damage cap of 26 per hit, especially since scythe attacks hit three times. This is important because while wurms might be resistant to Knockdown (KD), GDW's primary benefit here is the damage boost, not necessarily the KD. Some folks pointed out that KD might be more useful against other mobs like Incubi, which don't remove boons like KD. However, the focus for this build is damage output, and GDW contributes significantly to that, even if the KD effect isn't always applicable to the main target. Stun on Critical Hit & Wurms It's worth noting that the skill 'Stun on Critical Hit' only affects the attacks *of* the wurm, meaning if a wurm critically hits you and you don't have anti-KD, you'll get knocked down. It doesn't mean wurms themselves are immune to being knocked down. You can test this, even on Frostmaw himself with skills like 'You Move Like a Lame Cow' (YMLC). IAU & Armor Stacking There was also a discussion about the interaction between 'Infused Armor' (IAU) and armor stacking. It seems IAU is bugged in a way that benefits players: the armor calculation happens *after* the maximum armor stacking is determined. This means you should still get the additional armor from IAU, as it stacks with all other armor boosts. Build Adjustments Someone mentioned moving EBSoH (Enchantment of the Black Sands) onto the 'Caller' role to have it set up before the team reaches them. GDW was then moved to the 'Shouter', though SYG (Shadow's Embrace) was suggested as a potentially better alternative. Team Play vs. Solo Play There's a bit of a tangent here about team play versus solo play in Guild Wars. While soloing is a great aspect of the game, some players feel that a MMORPG should encourage more group interaction. There was some heated discussion about players who can solo content but struggle in team settings, potentially disrupting runs for others. The general consensus from some is that while solo builds are fine, the game offers so much more when played as a team, and focusing solely on solo play can be limiting. Keep these points in mind as you're running this build. Understanding these interactions will make you a much more effective player!