Who here uses PvX WiKi builds?

Actually, I have to disagree with this. Most of PvE is so easy, many beginners don't even need to look up builds, and in fact, are fine just slapping whatever skills they think look cool, and can do just fine. Trust me, I have a few friends that look to me as their only source of information regarding GW, and that is how they have gone through all of Prophecies, and most of Nightfall. My god, you should've seen some of their builds. Absolutely horrendous. A necro with a bow, pet, and life steal skills. Seriously.

Anyway, then there's this other friend, who used GWiki religiously (back before the builds were erased and PvX was created), copying each build to see how they all worked. He was invited to several different guilds, and went on many runs through FoW/UW, Urgoz, and finally DoA. He then moved through various PvP arenas, and even GvG'd a few times. Everyone commended him for being one of the best rangers they've ever played with - not a single build he played with was original. Eventually he did begin to tweak the builds and make his own.

I watched all of this happen while I already had a good understanding of GW and most of the classes. I was always there if they had questions, too. Now, my point is, the very nature of GW PvE means all you really have to do is copy a build and fly through it. The ones that have the most trouble are going to be those who have no guidance at all, and don't actively seek it. PvX Wiki is perfectly fine for 99.9% of PvE, and 100% for those who are smart enough to change out a skill or two depending on what they are going up against.

PvP is a different story, but once you dive into it, you will meet people who are more than willing to help, and guilds with their own resources for build ideas/suggestions. PvX Wiki probably doesn't help too much here, and I wouldn't really suggest it if that's what you're wanting to do. Maybe AB builds, those are okay.

Really, experience is the best teacher. Just think of PvX as a mildly retarded tutor.

I get PvX builds then tweak to fit my playing style. I've come up with some interesting builds that way...and reading how everything works together gets me looking around for other combos aside from PvX.

I use it for both research and to play around with a build and try it sometimes. Often times I don't run with a PvX build because most are so specific at what they do and I prefer my own made up builds that I feel are usually a more generic build that works in most situations. Although, I do like to visit PvX to see what's out there and maybe go with something and tweak it a little. Often times I've been unable to use these builds though because I haven't gotten the skills that a lot of them require.

As a side note, I find it funny to read people's responses about how PvX builds are garbage and their own self made builds are superior. Well, perhaps you're all right, but I can't begin to tell you how many builds I've seen people ping in game that they claimed were "superior" when in fact they turned out to be complete SH#T. Oh well, who cares anyway? It's just a game and as long as everyone has fun then that's cool with me.

That's pretty much sums it up.

The problem with Obs mode is that you only get builds for GvG and HA, some of which can be changed for other arena useage, but some cannot be. Obs mode is better used to study what's currently popular in the meta-game.

And what is so bad about so called "cookie cutters", I mean, they get used a lot, because they are the best, and those that want to win use only the best they can find, that's a fact. People who go around saying "Im being different/Diverse/unique" because they're using a less than very good build are idiots as far as I care. Being diverse by changing skills in your bar to be effective in a certain area is perfectly fine, but some people thing that being unique is a good reason to play bad builds, and they need to see the light.

I myself use wiki for inspiration and ideas, and I do watch some Obs mode as well, to get the jist on what I may run into and need to counter.

all these builds were once unique, and original. but then people found out how well they worked, and they became common, and boring.
the 55 [insert class here] was very original when they first came out. but now its not even considered interesting anymore.

Research, looking out for nooks XD

I am always looking for a new build and trying out different combinations of skills. So rather than using PvX to get a build I use it as a reference tool to see how other people relate skills to one another. I usually end up thinking, "Hey those skills look ok together but what if I use this instead." Sometimes I like to pick an Elite and make a build around that skill. I do this because, being a necro as my main character for so long I have grown REALLY bored with SS, MM, and BiP builds. I have come up with quite a few really nice builds as well as some miserable failures (but at least I recognize them as such). What I find ironic is a build I posted on GwWiki several months was marked for deletion not 10 minutes after I posted for "not having synergy" is the same build I used to get Leg. Protector, Leg. Guardian, beat GW:EN and rip through Glint's Challenge. After that I pretty much lost faith in any of the so called "synergy" that comes from PvX.

I've used it for reference when someone refers to a build by shorthand or a nickname & I don't know wth they're talking about. Other than that, no, I haven't used it.

This game relies on builds, it makes sense to go to a build wiki for info if you need it. In build wars you need builds, isn't the ZB build in there? I think I got it from there, altered two skills and started being an overpowered RA monk. I mean you have to test the builds you get from there and think which build is bad or good but how many builds do you see in the stasisgame I mean metagame? Hand full of builds in use so there's not going to be much in the wiki that's useful or not nerfed.
This isn't release day, build individuality gets you nothing now except /kicks out of parties. Now that there is observer mode people can see what skills you're using. When you target someone you can see in detail what their skill does and everything.

They are good build templates, I love using them.

Sometimes for farming builds.

Hero build research.

I'll use a wiki build every once in a while if I want to play a different build as a change of pace, but I never use it skill-for-skill.

I only took a build or two for farming, but some builds are kinda good but ppl bring some skills that make the build crap. So I kinda just change some skills and make it better lol.

I end up making improvments to every build I see on their lol.

O Rly?

I'd like to see you try.

I'm not proud. I'll look on pvx wiki for new ideas, inspiration; but I never use a build just as it is presented. Also, look at the variants for each build. They are intended as starting points for a build, not "cookie cutter."

Truth.

People who won't use a build simply out of arrogance or are creative to their own detriment make me sick. Ever wonder why these brilliantly creative ideas never caught on?









Then again, thanks to these same people who try and reinvent the wheel, those who run proven builds win iPods and video cards.

I'd use that noodle fan.

I look at the builds, but I never use them. I get more fun making my own.

I wish more PUGs would at least look at PvX Wiki. Some of the builds I've seen actual players using were horrible. I'd much rather have players running cookie cutters, rather than gobbledy goop. My Warrior, Elementalist, Necromancer, and Dervish have their own home-brew builds, but my Monk and Ritualist use a PvX wiki build, Assassin uses a modded PvX wiki build, and my poor Paragon has some gobbledy goop with TNTF at the end.