Warden Gambit Chart

[Thingolanor]

Hello everyone! I've created a Warden Gambit Chart (currently up-to-date for Update 42). My goal is to produce and maintain a chart simple enough to read easily and detailed enough to provide general and helpful information about gambits, as well as being elegant and pleasing to the eye. After some suggestions, I have also introduced some alternate charts to provide a wider variety of information with minimal clutter. Together, these charts can cover a wide variety of uses, including use as a quick reference sheet, a guide for when gambits are acquired during leveling, or an overview of specific gambits.

One example of useful information included on the sheet is which gambits are usable outside of combat. This is handy for Wardens using Battle Prep. (Interestingly, Goad is one of these skills, allowing Wardens to prepare Battle Memory outside of combat if they are quick enough!)

I intend to post updated charts as the Warden changes over updates. Let me know if you all have suggestions or fixes. I hope it’s useful, enjoy!

Spoiler: Changelog

Update 38:
Chart introduced, mistakes corrected, alternate versions added

Update 39:
No changes

Update 40:
No changes

Update 41:
No major changes, mistakes corrected

Update 42:

Spoiler: Wide variety of changes

Changes to all horizontal charts:

• Added more effects to the main key.
  • Separated “Damage” into “Main Hand Damage”, “Fire Damage”, “Light Damage”, and “Morale Drain (Light)”.
  • Separated “Debuff” from the buff categories, as debuffs can be single target/AoE and affect other players.
  • Added “Single Target, Immediate” to define ordinary circles.
• Modified some symbols on the main key.
  • Slightly changed the color and shape of several effects.
  • Changed “Morale Drain” to better match other damage types.
  • Changed “Increase Morale” and “Increase Power” to more easily clarify when the heal is immediate or over time.
  • Changed “Remove Corruption” to be circular, thereby avoiding confusion over whether it occurs over time.
  • Changed “Potency” to be a unique color, as I decided to make “Debuff” yellow.
  • Changed “Usable out of Combat” to be more unique. Moved it to the upper portion of the key to clarify that it doesn’t modify another term in the key.
• Added more information to certain gambits.
  • Warden’s Triumph, Readied Blade, and Shield Tactics now have additional information boxes.
  • Conviction now shows an AoE threat increase to indicate its “moderate threat transfer” ability.
• Shifted the names and effects of individual gambits on horizontal charts to improve readability and decrease unnecessary clutter.
• Changed the effects of certain gambits to have only one marker for immediate damage (previously, the chart would indicate the number of immediate attacks for skills such as Onslaught, but I decided this information was unnecessary and only added extra clutter).
• Moved the author’s name to the bottom right corner with the update name.

Other changes:

• Charts with gambit images: Changed how small builder numbers are shown to remove clutter and improve intuitive reading of the chart.
• Vertical charts: Added the label “Immunities” to the Readied Blade gambit line.
• All charts: Modified the reading key in the bottom left corner to match other changes. Made a variety of other small changes not worth mentioning.

Update 43:
No changes

Update 44:
No changes

Update 45:
No changes

Main Chart (Complicated):

Main Chart (Simple):

Spoiler: Two alternate chart versions people might find useful

 

[Xanthion]

Correct me if I am wrong here, and it may be only a minor technicality. But I don't believe the War-cry line applies bleeds. It applies a Light Damage over Time effect instead. Even though it's still a DoT, I believe bleeds work on physical damage and light has its own category of effect.
With Unseen Strikes, you have put a label indicating it cashes out bleeds. I feel maybe it should reflect that it cashes out Light DoTs instead. Seasoned Warden's would understand what you mean, but newer Warden's if they refer to this chart, might be mislead.
With the repeating icons, such as the x3 red circles for Onslaught, does this indicate the Tier of the skill/effect? Both Onslaught and Wall of Steel share the same icon structure.
Also with Persevere, Safeguard, Conviction and Restoration, I believe these have an over time effect, but it is not indicated by your legend. I did note that you have a squared + and a bubble + on some of these effects. I am guessing you are indicating a direct Morale increase and the other is to indicate the heal over time?
But your chart looks fantastic. Thank you for the time and effort you have put into it!

Update: I've worked it out. The x3 icons indicates the number of times the Gambit applies an effect.

 

[Thingolanor]

Oh! I've actually never understood the difference between bleeds and other DoT effects. That makes a lot more sense! I'll try to fix the description of Unseen Strikes soon (this chart is all about technicalities, so definitely worth fixing).

Yes, the squared + is to represent healing over time as opposed to the rounded +. It is a little indistinct though, and I haven't decided how to make it more distinct in such a way that it still looks nice.

 

[Findu]

Thanks for making this! It inspires me to actually stick with warden, because gambits always went over my head.

Yes, the squared + is to represent healing over time as opposed to the rounded +. It is a little indistinct though, and I haven't decided how to make it more distinct in such a way that it still looks nice.

Maybe place them in a black square/circle? I was looking for that specifically after reading the legend, so I was confused as to where they were indicated...

 

[Thomas]

What do the colors of the round borders mean? and what signify the black numbers?

There is also another useful distinction to make: When casting effects on opponents they can be removable or not, and if they are removable they have an effect type (wound, cry, song, tactical attack). The bleeds of the power attack line are wounds, while the war-cry line gives cries. In the precise blow line, the effects are not removable. This does not play a great role in PvE, as NPCs do not remove effects, but in PvP this is significant.

 

[Xanthion]

Oh! I've actually never understood the difference between bleeds and other DoT effects. That makes a lot more sense! I'll try to fix the description of Unseen Strikes soon (this chart is all about technicalities, so definitely worth fixing).

Yes, the squared + is to represent healing over time as opposed to the rounded +. It is a little indistinct though, and I haven't decided how to make it more distinct in such a way that it still looks nice.

Some monsters are resistant to physical damage, so they would be resistant to bleeds. But in that instance, your Light Damage over Time effects would be more impactful than your bleeds as they are not categorised as a physical attack. And vice versa.

With your bleeds, you have shown them as a red square to represent damage, but over time. You could do this with the heals. Have the green + for the instant heal, and then a green square showing healing over time as Findu is suggesting.

 

[Martin]

Oh wow nicely done! This looks so complex to someone who doesn't play warden but it's oddly aesthetically pleasing... A snowflake if you will... Glistening with hidden information unobtainable to us non warden players

 

[Shotechi]

I've just started my first Warden and this chart scares the living daylights out of me ?

 

[Martin]

I've just started my first Warden and this chart scares the living daylights out of me ?

good luck! It is not a class for me (way too complex and tricksy!) but I hear it's fun and effective if that is your style.

 

[Thingolanor]

Maybe place them in a black square/circle? I was looking for that specifically after reading the legend, so I was confused as to where they were indicated...

With your bleeds, you have shown them as a red square to represent damage, but over time. You could do this with the heals. Have the green + for the instant heal, and then a green square showing healing over time as Findu is suggesting.

Yes, I could try something like that. I'll give it a shot and see if it looks reasonable.

What do the colors of the round borders mean? and what signify the black numbers?

There is also another useful distinction to make: When casting effects on opponents they can be removable or not, and if they are removable they have an effect type (wound, cry, song, tactical attack). The bleeds of the power attack line are wounds, while the war-cry line gives cries. In the precise blow line, the effects are not removable. This does not play a great role in PvE, as NPCs do not remove effects, but in PvP this is significant.

The colors on the round borders indicate the gambit builder used to get the skill, i.e. Quick Thrust, Shield Bash, or Warden's Taunt. The black numbers indicate the level at which the gambits are acquired. Maybe I should make some sort of key...

Thanks for the info on effect types! It's good to learn something new.

 

[Gryffs]

Nooo! We do not discuss Goad being usable out of combat! Ssshhhh! :LOL:

 

[Thingolanor]

Here's an update with some of the changes suggested! I also tested The Dark Before Dawn and discovered that it gives immediate power as well as power over time, so I changed that. Is it better?

 

[Thanatos]

I would add numbers or letters for the buttons you have to use for these gambits. like 1 (shield), 2 (spear), 3 (fist) or sh sp F.

 

[Thingolanor]

I don't love that idea, mostly because I feel like it adds extra clutter to an already daunting chart. Do you suggest that because you think the colored borders are too subtle?

 

[JohnMHammer]

I think that the formula in the form of 1313, 2312, etc. would be much more useful than the level at which the Gambit is earned by the character.

And by the way, thank you for the effort you're putting in to share this with the community! Very nice work so far.

 

[WarTronic]

Looks great, but one Thing i noticed - the two "aggro gambits" - Resounding Challenge and Deflection - behave differently if you are speced in blue and red. (well, technically it is one perk in blue but in practice it boils down to the trait picked because well... in blue its very important for aggro and in red you better avoid *more* aggro so...)
Maybe Two rows for those scenarios?

And iirc Aggro increase on fist-shield and shield-fist line was also bound to that one trait.

 

[Findu]

Are the numbers the level at which the skill is unlocked or something else?

 

[Thingolanor]

Are the numbers the level at which the skill is unlocked or something else?

Yep!

I think that the formula in the form of 1313, 2312, etc. would be much more useful than the level at which the Gambit is earned by the character.

That's a decent idea. Knowing the levels at which gambits are obtained is extremely helpful while leveling a Warden, but I understand that it's not at all useful for a Warden over level 50 (which would include the majority of Wardens). I'll have to look into it.

Looks great, but one Thing i noticed - the two "aggro gambits" - Resounding Challenge and Deflection - behave differently if you are speced in blue and red. (well, technically it is one perk in blue but in practice it boils down to the trait picked because well... in blue its very important for aggro and in red you better avoid *more* aggro so...)
Maybe Two rows for those scenarios?

And iirc Aggro increase on fist-shield and shield-fist line was also bound to that one trait.

Yes, you're right... arrgh. The problem I've found previously with putting the differences of different specs on the chart is that it ends up cluttering the chart up way too much. I'll have to consider how to fix that...

 

[Findu]

Yep!

That's a decent idea. Knowing the levels at which gambits are obtained is extremely helpful while leveling a Warden, but I understand that it's not at all useful for a Warden over level 50 (which would include the majority of Wardens). I'll have to look into it.

Yes, you're right... arrgh. The problem I've found previously with putting the differences of different specs on the chart is that it ends up cluttering the chart up way too much. I'll have to consider how to fix that...

I feel that you'll then need a diagram for each trait tree which would then accomodate for that, but I can see how that would not be ideal either.

 

[agentspiff]

I've just started my first Warden and this chart scares the living daylights out of me ?

There’s an easy way to think about things that really reduces the apparent complexity of the chart...

There are three main types of gambits:

1. spear
2. shield
3. fist.

And then, each type has two main branches (the straight lines that fork off right and left).

The gambits along those branches are pretty much all the same gambit, just with increasing strength.

So that’s really only 6 major gambits you need to memorize at first:

• spear shield - (cauterize line) - immediate damage, single target
• spear fist - (unseen line) - immediate damage, area

• shield spear - heals
• shield fist - buffs

• fist spear - (fate line) - dot, single target
• fist shield - (war cries line) - dot, area

All the other dangling leaves and side branches on the chart are specialized buffs, debuffs, etc that you can worry about learning later as you need them. There are two other attack lines that branch off those main lines (unerring and exultation), but you can learn those later once you get these first 6 anchored in your brain.

So learning six primary skills isn’t that much of a mental roadblock to get started with a class.

---

If you're curious, the extra two dangling attack lines of gambits are:

• unerring line - 123x - single target bleed dots
• exultation line - 312x - area drain dots - the essential set for Blue Tree Wardens

So the entire corpus of gambits rendered in the diagram consists of 8 lines of combat gambits plus a collection of dangling utilities and buffs.