Guide:Paragon

WORK IN PROGRESS The Paragon has many uses throughout Guild Wars. A Paragon supports and buffs a party through Shouts and Chants. Many times, you'll find Paragons investing points in all attributes, as all of them can help. A Paragon has 80 armor, the second highest in the game, 2 Energy Regeneration, and 4 attributes. A Paragon can be highly adaptive, able to suit whatever the party needs, from damage, to buffs, to healing. Paragons in some aspects work much like Ritualists: They have offensive, defensive, and healing skills. This makes a Paragon useful for any team.

Attributes

Leadership

The primary attribute of a Paragon, Leadership is the Energy Management of a Paragon.

"You gain one Energy for each ally affected by one of your Shouts or Chants (maximum 1 Energy every 2 ranks)."

Basically, for every 2 ranks of Leadership, you gain 1 Energy for each ally affected by your Shouts or Chants. So, if you used something like "Go for the Eyes!" at 10 Leadership, and 7 allies were affected, you'd gain 5 energy. This helps neutralize the cost of high Energy Shouts and Chants, as well as boost back Energy with spammable ones.

Spear Mastery

"Spear Mastery increases the damage you do with spears and your chance to inflict a critical hit when using a spear. Many skills, especially spear attacks, become more effective with higher Spear Mastery."

Spear Mastery is what gives the Paragon its damage. The main weapon for a Paragon, the spear, is a ranged weapon with the range of a shortbow. However, it can also be wielded with a shield or offhand, making it the only one handed range weapons persides wands. Spear Mastery can also make your spears inflict Bleeding, Deep Wound, Dazed, and Burning. Along with the ability to Interrupt and end Stances, this makes a Paragon far from whimpy.

Motivation

"No inherent effect. Many Paragon skills, especially those related to Energy management or that inspire your allies, become more effective with higher Motivation."

Motivation is one of 2 Paragon attributes which is a requirement for some shields.

Motivation is the main source of healing for a Paragon. Many people seeking to heal parties with this attribute, use Song of Restoration, a "Heal Party" of sorts. This attribute can also be used for Battery, containing 5 skills that help allies gain Energy, along with one for yourself, this can take the place of a Battery and a Monk.

Command

"No inherent effect. Many Paragon skills, especially those that protect your allies or increase your tactical position on the battlefield, become more effective with higher Command."

Command is one of 2 Paragon attributes which is a requirement for some shields.

Command is the buff of all the Paragons attributes. Containing a skill bar full of Command shouts and chants can make a party deadly. "Stand Your Ground!", which is useful for support backline casters, can boost a measley 60 armor to 84. "Go for the Eyes!" and "Find Their Weakness!" have great synergy together, and "Can't Touch This!" can lead to the end of commonly used Touch Rangers.

Styles of Play

A Paragon can take on a few different roles, as well as be multiple roles. Here are just to list a few:

Degen Spammer

Having Blazing Spear, Barbed Spear, and Apply Posion on your skill bar can lead to massive health degeneration. Also, along with 4 different attacks that can inflict a Deep Wound, this becomes the most common way to play. Also, you can combine with Command to buff your party members as well as your own deadliness.

Focused Paragon

"Focusing" around the elite skill Focused Anger, you can charge high cost and low cost adrenaline skills quickly. You need about 10 Leadership to reach its max potential, so you can easily crank up your weapon specialty to 12. You can spam low cost energy skills like "Go for the Eyes!" and "Watch Yourself!" or high cost adrenaline skills like Blazing Spear

Skills

Like Warriors, Paragons have a mix of adrenaline and energy skills, along with attack skills and shouts. Paragons have a unique skill type -- Chants -- that can have beneficial effects on the Paragon and party members.

Shouts and Chants

• Aggressive Refrain

A useful skill for most Paragon types, Aggressive Refrain provides 25% increased attack speed, providing the Paragon with its high DPS. The refrain is reapplied after a Shout or Chant ends on the player, so with careful management, the IAS can be sustained indefinitely. Even for Paragons whose focus is not on damage, Aggressive Refrain allows the player to quickly build up adrenaline for support skills.

• Anthem of Flame

Popular due to its cheap cost, short recharge and Burning condition, Anthem of Flame is often used by Paragons to sustain Aggressive Refrain. This Chant also boosts damage from other party members.

• "Go for the Eyes!"

As a Shout, "Go for the Eyes!" has instant activation time. This allows the Paragon to achieve several things: instantly boost damage for all party members using attack skills, instantly gain energy from Leadership (GFTE has no energy cost), and to sustain Aggressive Refrain.

Spear attacks

• Spear of Lightning

Popular for quick spike damage due to its low energy cost and armor penetration.

Utility skills

• Focused Anger

Essential for builds that rely on adrenaline skills. Focused Anger allows for sustained adrenaline skill spamming, and synergises particularly well with skills like "Go for the Eyes!", which can be charged in several hits.

• Leader's Comfort

Other than several Chants, Leader's Comfort is the only self-heal the Paragon has. When used within earshot of several party members, Leader's Comfort can heal for a significant amount. However, activation is slow, and team builds usually cover for the Paragon with dedicated healers.

• Signet of Return

Signet of Return acts as a useful hard res, improving when within earshot of several party members. The skill benefits particularly well when used in conjunction with "We Shall Return!".