Warrior Preview [Version: BWE April 2012]

[The Pointless]

Original thread by Auntie I, on which this version is based, can be found here.

Until the final release of the game, all of the following information is subject to change. This post can only document information based on official sources like the wiki.guildwars2.com, arena.net/blog or statements made by ArenaNet employees in various online and print publications, as well as information available during Beta Weekend Events.
You can add information to this list by posting alterations and additions, which can be incorporated in the initial list.

While this is slowly but surely being brought up to date, most of this information is carried over from the last thread. As a result, a good deal of this information may be well out of date until then. Again, you can post alterations and additions, which will be a big help in getting this thread up to date and keeping it that way.

Axe or Mace? Rifle or Greatsword? You know, they're all good.

Preview profession guide

Overview
The warrior is a Soldier profession. They are the masters of a wide range of weapons and use the heat of battle to generate adrenaline which makes them even more deadly. The warrior relies on speed, strength, toughness, and heavy armor to survive in battle.

Abilities

The warriors role in the game is predominantly determined by the Main Hand weapon they wield. Each weapon type has a particular style and type of damage.
Adrenaline is unique to the warrior. As the warrior attacks, adrenaline is built up. This adrenaline can be used to increase the damage of the warrior's attacks or it can all be spent on a single powerful burst attack. Each weapon set has a single burst skill. The skill has a variety of different stages each one more powerful, yet requiring more adrenaline to use. The variations at each stage can be anything from doing more damage, laying on additional conditions, increasing the duration of an existing condition, or increasing the duration of a skill.

Skill Types

• Banners - The warrior summons a banner to add a buff to their allies. The banner can be picked up and carried around to move the buff. Alternately, it can be left in one area. This will allow the warrior to continue fighting.
  Example: Banner of Courage
• Chains— A set of three skills that are all linked to the same key. They share a single skill slot and go off in sequence if you are hitting your target. The advantage of this that rather than making a sword warrior spend three skill slots, they stack to fill only one slot. The use of Chains allows the warrior to compact their skill bar, effectively giving them two extra weapon skills on a weapon set. The end result is a larger selection of skills and abilities.
  Example: Sword chain skills Sever Artery, Gash, and Final Thrust
• Shouts - Shouts are area of effect skills that give bonuses to allies or debuffs to enemies. Example: On My Mark
• Stances - Stances are skills that can be toggled on to give an enhancement at the cost of energy regeneration. When it is toggled off the warrior is able to regenerate his energy pool again.
  Example: Berserker's Stance
• Charge Skills - These skills need to be held down in order to power them up for more impressive attacks. The warrior can wind up the skill and release it at different power levels to do increasing amounts of damage.
  Example: Obliterate

Weapons
A warrior can use nine different weapons. He can combine any of the nine weapons available to him in 19 different ways. A warrior has two active weapon sets and can easily switch between them. The downside of doing this in combat is that a cooldown is triggered to prevent the Warrior from continuously switching between the two weapon sets. However, this cooldown can be decreased by equipping the Weapon Mastery trait once gained.

The warrior weapons are:
Main Hand: Sword, Axe, Mace
Offhand: Shield, Warhorn, Sword, Axe, Mace
Two-Handed: Greatsword, Hammer, Longbow, Rifle

Sword (Main Hand) – Fast and mobile, specializing in making enemies bleed
Sword (Off Hand) – ?
Axe (Main Hand) – The choice for building Adrenaline, specializes in powerful damaging attacks
Axe (Off Hand) – ?
Mace (Main Hand) – Used for powerful stunning attacks, leaving enemies susceptible to further blows
Mace (Off Hand) – ?

Shield (Off Hand) – Provides defensive abilities
Warhorn (Off Hand) – provides Buffs to damage output

Greatsword (Two Handed) - Area-of-effect attacks with the ability to move quickly between groups of enemies
Hammer (Two Handed) - Area-of-effect attacks that can stagger groups of enemies
Longbow (Two Handed) – Ranged damage with arrows that can be set on fire to cause area-of-effect damage.
Rifle (Two Handed) - Single-target ranged weapon for picking fights, pulling or finishing off enemies.

[The Pointless]

Skills

Weapon Based Skills
Axe Skills
Burst
Eviscerate
10
Leap at your foe with a devastating attack. Effect increases with adrenaline level.
Combo Finisher: Leap
Range: 300

Main-hand
1-1) Chop
Chop your foe.
Range: 130
1-2) Double Chop
Chop twice at your foe.
Range: 130
1-3) Triple Chop
Chop three times at your foe.
Range: 130

2) Cyclone Axe
6
Spin around and attack all nearby foes.
Vulnerability: 8s
Combo Finisher: Whirl
Range: 130
Extra Effect: When used within the range of the effect of Wall of Fire (Elementalist Skill), it sends the fire flying in different directions.

3) Throw Axe
10
Throw an axe that Cripples enemies
Crippled: 4s
Combo Finisher: Physical Projectile
Range: 900
Extra Effect: It can be upgraded with Malicious Accuracy to cripple and inflict a critical hit on fleeing foes.

Off-hand
4) Dual Strike
12
Strike your foe with both axes. Gain Fury with each hit.
Fury: 2s
Range: 130

5) Whirling Axe
20
Spin and attack nearby foes. You can move while spinning.
Combo Finisher: Whirl

Greatsword Skills
Burst
Arcing Slice
10
Strike your foe with an uppercut that grants might.
Might: 15s (6 stacks)

Main-hand
1-1) Greatsword Swing
Slash your foe.
Vulnerability: 8s
Range: 130
1-2) Greatsword Slice
Strike your foe again.
1-3) Brutal Strike
Strike your foe to inflict Vulnerability.
Vulnerability: 8s

2) Hundred Blades
6
Repeatedly strike multiple foes. The last strike does extra damage.
Range: 130

3) Whirlwind Attack
12
Whirl in a target's direction, slashing foes along your path.
Combo Finisher: Whirl
Range: 450

Off-hand
4) Bladetrail
20
Throw your greatsword at your foe. It travels to your target and returns to you, crippling foes along its path.
Crippled: 4s
Combo Finisher: Physical Projectile
Range: 900

5) Rush
20
Charge your foe.
Distance(10s): ?
Range: 1,200

Hammer Skills
Burst
Earthshaker
10
Jump to the targeted location and slam your hammer down, damaging and stunning foes.
Stun: 1s-3s

Two-handed
1-1) Hammer Swing
Bash your foe.
Range: 130
1-2) Hammer Bash
Bash your foe again.
1-3) Hammer Smash
Smash the ground and damage nearby foes.

2) Fierce Blow
12
Weaken your foe with a fierce blow.
Weakness: 5s
Range: 150

3) Hammer Shock
12
Smash the ground and send out a Crippling wave.
Crippled: 7s
Range: 600

4) Staggering Blow
20
Push back nearby foes with a staggering blow.
Knockback: 180
Combo Finisher: Whirl
Range: 130

5) Backbreaker
30
Knock down your target foe.
Knockdown: 2 seconds
Range: 130

Longbow Skills
Burst
Combustive Shot
20
Ignite target area, burning nearby foes. Effect increases with adrenaline level.
Combo Field: Fire

Two-handed
1) Dual Shot
Shoot a pair of arrows at your foe.
Combo Finisher: Physical Projectile (20% Chance)
Range: 900

2) Fan of Fire
8
Fire a spread of three flaming arrows, Burning foes.
Burning(2s): -56 health
Range: 900

3) Arcing Arrow
10
Shoot a slow, arcing arrow that explodes on impact.
Combo Finisher: Blast
Range: 900

4) Incendiary Shot
20
Shoot an arrow that explodes on impact Blinding foes.
Blindness(5s): Next outgoing attack misses
Range: 900

5) Pin Down
25
Fire an arrow that Immobilizes the target foe.
Immobilize(3s): Unable to move.
Combo Finisher: Physical Projectile
Range: 900

Mace Skills
Burst
Skull Crack
10
Stun your foe with a skull crack. Effect increases with adrenaline level.
Stun: 1s-2s

Main-hand
1-1) Mace Smash
Smash your foe.
Range: 130
1-2) Mace Bash
Bash your foe.
1-3) Pulverize
Pulverize your foe, leaving them Weakened.
Weakness: 5s

2) Counter Blow
10
Block the next attack. Counter with an attack if you are in melee range. Gain adrenaline if not attacked.

3) Pommel Bash
15
Daze your foe with a brutal pommel bash.
Daze: 1 second
Range: 130

Off-hand
4) Crushing Blow
15
Crush your opponent's armor, leaving them Vulnerable.
Vulnerability: 10s
Range: 130

5) Tremor
25
Send a wave toward your foe that knocks down enemies in a line.
Knockdown: 2 seconds
Combo Finisher: Physical Projectile
Range: 1,200

Rifle Skills
Burst
Kill Shot
10
Fire a powerful shot. Damage increases with adrenaline level.

Two-handed
1) Bleeding Shot
Fire a shot that Bleeds your target.
Bleeding: 6s
Combo Finisher: Physical Projectile (20% chance)
Range: 1,200

2) Aimed Shot
10
Fire a precise shot that Cripples your foe.
Cripple: 5s
Combo Finisher: Physical Projectile
Range: 1,200

3) Volley
10
Fire a volley of shots at your foe.
Number of attacks(10s): ?
Combo Finisher: Physical Projectile (20% chance)
Range: 1,200

4) Brutal Shot
15
Shoot your foe and make them Vulnerable.
Vulnerability: 10s (Stacks 5 times)
Combo Finisher: Physical Projectile
Range: 1,200

5) Rifle Butt
20
Push your foe back with your rifle butt.
Knockdown: 450
Range: 130

Sword Skills
Burst
Flurry
10
Immobilize your foes with a flurry of strikes. Effect increases with adrenaline level.
Immobilize: 2s - 4s
Range: 130

Main-hand
1-1) Sever Artery
Bleed your foe with a slash.
Bleeding: 8s
Range: 130
1-2) Gash
Bleed your foe with a gash.
Bleeding: 8s
Range: 130
1-3) Final Thrust
Strike your foe with a powerful thrust.
Range: 130

2) Savage Leap
8
Lunge at your foe, striking them with your sword.
Combo Finisher: Leap
Range: 600

3) Hamstring
15
Cripple your foe with a precise slash.
Crippled: 7s
Range: 130

Off-hand
4) Impale
20
Throw your sword at your foe and apply multiple stacks of bleeding over time.
Bleeding: 12s

5) Riposte
15
Block the next incoming attack. Riposte and bleed your foe if you Block a melee attack. Gain adrenaline if you are not attacked.
Bleeding: 12s

Shield Skills
Off-hand
4) Shield Bash
25
Bash your foe with your shield and Stun them.
Stun: 1s
Combo Finisher: Leap
Range: 300

5) Shield Stance
25
Block incoming attacks.
Duration: 3s

Warhorn Skills
Off-hand
4) Charge
20
Grant Swiftness to yourself and allies, while removing Chill, Cripple, and Immobilize
Swiftness: 10s
Removes Cripple
Removes Immobilize
Removes Frozen
Range: 1,200

5) Call to Arms
20
Grant Vigor to yourself and allies, while Weakening nearby foes.
Vigor: 10s
Weakness: 6s
Range: 1,200

Aquatic Skills
Spear Skills
Burst
Whirling Strike
10
Strike all foes around you, stunning them. Effect increases with arenaline level.
Stun: 1s - 2s
Range: 150

Two-handed
1-1) Stab
Stab your foe.
Range: 150
1-2) Jab
Jab your foe.
Range: 150
1-3) Impale
Implale your foe, Crippling them.
Cripple: 4s
Range: 150

2) Mariner's Frenzy
8
Attack foes in front of you with a series of strikes.
Number of Strikes(10s): ?
Range: 150

3) Harpoon Pull
15
Pull your foe to you.
Range: 600

4) Parry
15
Block your foe. Counterattack with a powerful strike. Gain adrenaline if you are not attacked.

5) Tsunami Slash
25
Spin forward and strike foes along the way.
Number of Strikes(3s): ?
Range: 600

Harpoon Gun Skills
Burst
Forceful Shot
30
Shoot at your foe doing more damage the more adrenaline you have.

Two-handed
1-1) Mariner's Shot
Shoot your foe from long range. The farther the shot goes, the more damage it does.
Combo Finisher: Physical Projectile
Range: 1,200

2) Brutal Shot
3
Make your foe Vulnerable with a shot to their vitals.
Vulnerability: 15s
Range: 1,200

3) Split Shot
8
Your shot splits into a spread of harpoons that each Bleed your target.
Bleeding: 5s
Range: 1,200

4) Knot Shot
25
Fire a shot that Immobilizes your foe.
Immobilize: 2s
Range: 1,200

5) Repeating Shot
25
Fire multiple shots that Push back your foe.
Number of Strikes: 4
Range: 1,200

[The Pointless]

Other Skills
Note that denotes the cost in Skill Points required to unlock each Skill.

Healing Skills (Slot 6)
General
Healing Surge
30
Heal yourself and buld adrenaline.
Adrenaline: 10

Mending
20 1
Heal yourself and remove two conditions.

Signet
Healing Signet
40 4
Signet Passive: Grants Regeneration.
Signet Active: Heal yourself.

Utility Skills (Slots 7-9)
Physical
Kick
20 1
Push your foe back with a kick.
Knockback: 240
Range: 130

Throw Bolas
20 2
Throw bolas to Immobilize your foe.
Immobilize: 4s
Combo Finisher: Physical Projectile
Range: 900

Bull's Charge
40 4
Charge your foe and Knock down fleeing foes.
Knockdown: 2s
Combo Finisher: Leap
Range: 600

Stomp
60 6
Launch nearby foes into the air with a powerful stomp.
Radius: 240
Combo Finisher: Blast

Signet
Signet of Might
60 1
Signet Passive: Improves Power.
Signet Active: Gain Might.
Might: 10s

Signet of Fury
60 3
Signet Passive: Improves Precision.
Signet Active: Gain adrenaline.
Adrenaline: 30

Signet of Stamina
45 4
Signet Passive: Grants faster endurance regeneration.
Signet Active: Remove all conditions.

Dolyak Signet
60 5
Signet Passive: Reduces incoming damage.
Signet Active: Gain Stability.
Stability: 8s
Range: 1,200

Shout
"For Great Justice!"
25 1
Grant Fury and Might to yourself and nearby allies.
Fury: 2s
Might: 25s
Radius: 1,200

"I Will Avenge You!"
85 6
Gain Might, Regeneration, and Swiftness. If you kill a foe, your allies rally.
Might: 10s
Regen: 10s
Swiftness: 10s
I Will Avenge You: (10s)
Resurrection Radius: 1,200

"Fear Me!"
95 7
Induce Fear in all nearby foes.
Fear: 1s
Radius: 360
Combo Finisher: Blast

Banner
Banner of Discipline
120 2
Place a banner that improves Precision and Prowess on you and nearby allies.
Banner of Discipline: 45s
Banner Effective Radius: 900
Combo Finisher: Blast
Range: 1,200

Banner of Strength
120 3
Place a banner that improves Power and Malice on you and nearby allies.
Banner of Strength: 45s
Banner Effective Radius: 900
Combo Finisher: Blast
Range: 1,200

Banner of Defense
120 4
Place a banner that increases Toughness and Vitality for you and nearby allies.
Banner of Defense: 45s
Banner Effective Radius: 900
Combo Finisher: Blast
Range: 1,200

Banner of Tactics
120 5
Place a banner that increases Compassion and Concentration on you and nearby allies.
Banner of Tactics: 45s
Banner Effective Radius: 900
Combo Finisher: Blast
Range: 1,200

Stance
Berzerker Stance
60 3
Gain adrenaline for a short time.
Berzerker's Stance: 20s

Endure Pain
90 5
Take no damage from incoming attacks.
Duration: 5s
Breaks stun

Balanced Stance
40 6
You gain Stability.
Stability: 8s
Breaks stun

Frenzy
60 7
Improved Critical Damage and Quickness.
Quickness: 4s
Frenzy: 4s
Breaks stun

[The Pointless]

Traits
Traits are a passive tool for increasing character attributes or enabling other effects; they are always active. Along with profession, weapon and skill selections, the trait system allows players to customize their characters to suit individual styles of play. There are two types of traits — minor and major:

• Minor traits are enabled automatically by spending 5, 15, or 25 points in a specific trait line.
• You can choose among 12 major traits after unlocking a trait slot after spending 10, 20, or 30 points.

A character earns their first trait point at level 11 and earns 1 additional point with each new level, up to a maximum of 70 trait points at level 80.

To allocate trait points to trait lines, open the hero panel, select the Skills and Traits tab, and then select traits.

Characters are limited in how many trait points they can allocate to each trait line: you cannot allocate any points until you acquire and use one of the relevant training manuals and then you can only spend 10, 20, or 30 points in each trait line, depending on the manual (and your level). The three allocation tiers are:

• Adept:
  Unlocks at Level 11
  Requires Adept's Training Manual
  Allows spending up to 10 points in each trait line.
• Master:
  Unlocks at Level 40
  Requires Master's Training Manual
  Allows spending up to 20 points in each trait line.
• Grandmaster:
  Unlocks at Level 60
  Requires Grandmaster's Training Manual
  Allows spending up to 30 points in each trait line.

Strength
+10 Power and +1 Expertise per point.

Minor

• Reckless Dodge (Adept): Damage foes at the end of a dodge roll.
• Building Momentum (Master): Using a burst skill (F1) restores endurance.
• Stick and Move: (Grandmaster): Damage bonus when endurance is not full.

Major

• Axe Mastery: Improved Prowess while wielding an axe
• Berzerker's Power: 2-5% damage based on how much adrenaline you have built.
• Death from Above: Damage and knock back enemies when you take falling damage.
• Flex: You gain 3 stacks of might for 15 seconds whenever you use a physical utility skill.
• Great Fortitude: 10% of power is converted to toughness.
• Physical Mastery: Recharge on physical utility skills is reduced by 20%.
• Physical Training: Physical utility skills deal 30% more damage.
• Powerful Banners: Your banners do damage when summoned.
• Restorative Strength: Using a heal skill will remove weakness, cripple, freeze, and immobilize.
• Short Temper: Gain might when you are blocked.
• Slashing Power: Increased greatsword and spear damage.
• Weapon Specialization: +5% damage while wielding an axe, mace or sword in your offhand.

Arms
+10 Precision and +10 Malice per point.

Minor

• Precise Strikes (Adept): 33% chance to cause bleeding on crit.
• Critical Burst (Master): Burst skills have an 10% increased critical chance.
• Attack of Opportunity (Grandmaster): Deal an extra 10% damage to a bleeding foe.

Major

• Blademaster: Increases your critical strike chance with swords by 10%.
• Deep Cuts: Bleeds you apply last 50% longer.
• Deep Strike: You gain +40 Precision for each unused signet you have equipped.
• Gun Mastery: Rifle and harpoon gun skills recharge 20% faster.
• Last Chance: Gain Frenzy for 6 seconds when you strike a foe with less than 25% health. Only activates once every 90 seconds.
• Momentous Greatsword: Gain might on critical hit with a greatsword.
• Opportunist: Gain fury for 2s when you immobilize a target.
• Rending Strikes: 33% chance to cause vulnerability on crit.
• Sniper: Rifle and Harpoon Gun shots pierce.
• Sweeping Strikes: Your chain attacks on sword, mace, and axe hit up to 3 foes.
• Tidal Spear: Gain swiftness on crits with a spear.
• Unsuspecting Foe: 50% crit chance versus stunned enemies.

Defense
+10 Toughness and +10 Compassion per point.

Minor

• Thick Skin (Adept): Extra armor when health is above 90%.
• Adrenal Health (Master): Regenerate health based on adrenaline level.
• Armored Attack (Grandmaster): 10% of toughness is converted to power.

Major

• Blunt Weapon Master: 15% reduced cooldown with hammer and mace skills.
• Cull the Weak: Increases damage by 5% to weakened foes.
• Embrace the Pain: Gain adrenaline when hit.
• Last Stand: Activate Balanced Stance when you are Stunned, Knocked Down, Knocked Back, Launched, or Dazed.
• Merciless Hammer: Improved Hammer damage by 25% when foe is knocked down.
• Missile Deflection: Reflect missiles whenever you are blocking.
• Shield Master: Increases toughness by 90 while using a shield.
• Shrug it Off: Endure Pain at 25% health.
• Sundering Mace: Your mace skills cause a 1 second weakness when they crit.
• Sure-footed: Increased stance duration by 25%.
• Turtle's Defense: Gain +200 toughness when crippled, stunned, immobilized or frozen.
• Vigorous Return: Increased health on rally.

Tactics
+10 Vitality and +1 Concentration per point.

Minor

• Determined Revival (Adept): Gain extra armor while reviving.
• Fast Healer (Master): Increases revive speed by 10%.
• Reviver´s Might (Grandmaster): Grant might to nearby allies when you revive someone.

Major

• Burning Arrows: Deal 10% extra damage with a longbow against burning foes.
• Desperate Power: Do extra damage when health is under 25%.
• Early Escape: Gain 5 seconds of vigor when your health reaches 90% (30 second cooldown).
• Empower Allies: Nearby allies do extra damage.
• Empowered: Deal extra damage for every boon on you.
• Inspiring Banners: Banners apply buffs to a larger area.
• Inspiring Battle: Standard Your banners also apply regeneration to allies.
• Leg Specialist: Cause a 1 second immobilization whenever you cripple a target with a skill.
• Lung Capacity: 20% faster shout cooldown.
• Quick Breathing: 15% faster warhorn cooldown.
• Stronger Bowstrings: Increased longbow range.
• Vigorous Shouts: Shouts heal.

Discipline
+1 Prowess and +1 Brawn per point.

Minor

• Versatile Rage (Adept): Gain 5 strikes of adrenaline on weapon swap.
• Fast Hands (Master): -5 seconds recharge on weapon swap.
• Versatile Power (Grandmaster): Gain might for 10 seconds on weapon swap.

Major

• Adrenal Reserves: Burst skills cost less adrenaline.
• Heightened Focus: Gain 2% critical strike chance for 1 stage of adrenaline, 5% for 2 stages, and 9% for 3 stages.
• Inspiring Shouts: Gain adrenaline when using a shout.
• Mighty Defenses: You gain might when you block an attack.
• Mobile Strikes: Movement skills break immobilization.
• Quick Bursts: Burst skills recharge 20% faster.
• Sharpened Axes: Critical hits with axes gain extra adrenaline.
• Signet Mastery: Signets recharge 25% faster.
• Sweet Revenge: Chance to rally while Vengeanced.
• Thrill of the Kill: Gain adrenaline whenever killing an enemy
• Vigorous Focus: You gain vigor when using a stance.
• Warrior's Sprint: Increased movement speed while wielding a melee weapon.

[The Pointless]

Attributes

• Strength - Each point in Strength increases melee power by 1.
• Agility - Each point in Agility increases ranged power by 1
• Vitality - Your health will be increased by 10 for each point in Vitality
• Perception - Increases the chance to perform a critical hit

[Sir Jack]

Um, not sure if it was because it's copypasta or not, but the trait system and the list of Warrior changed has changed quite a bit from what is posted here.

[The Pointless]

Um, not sure if it was because it's copypasta or not, but the trait system and the list of Warrior changed has changed quite a bit from what is posted here.

My bad. I should had pointed this out in the opening post:
Pretty much everything's carried over from the previous thread while I pick through and update everything and the only updates I've managed so far have been the Skills list (which still remains a teensy bit incomplete) and splitting the whole shebang out between several posts after finding my efforts pushed the original post well past a 30,000 character limit I didn't see coming, a task that's already eaten up the best part of the couple of days' spare time that I've had (Updating as much as possible from BWE screenies isn't easy).

I'll update the OP with that little fact.

[The Pointless]

Traits has now been updated with info from the official wiki.

[shadowhand]

Made my first warrior for gw2 in the last beta weekend. Got to say I'm impressed with the fluidity of the weapon skills. I unlocked and used all the main and offhand weapons, but my favourites were by far Greatsword and Hammer for both PvE and PvP.

Greatsword has some pretty good damage and allows for swift target changes in heavy melees - it also allows you to get out of the way in a hurry or finish off a fleeing foe with a thrown sword.

Hammer is tons of damage and knockdowns. Particularly useful with Bull's Charge and Stomp.

I was expecting to have a good time because I loved playing warrior in gw. But I was surprised to realize that it was even better than I had imagined :)

I am definately remaking my tiny asura warrior when the game goes live. :)