Guild Wars 2 is ArenaNet's buy to play MMO, live since August 2012 and available on Steam since 23 August 2022. There is no subscription, the level cap has been 80 since launch, and stat gear stops at ascended, so long term progression runs through masteries, elite specializations and map completion instead of a gear treadmill. Six expansions have shipped, most recently Visions of Eternity on 28 October 2025, which handed every one of the nine professions a new elite specialization.
Your choice of equipment defines your damage output and playstyle. This guide ranks every major option, explains what makes each one strong, and tells you which builds they pair best with.
Equipment Rankings
| Equipment | Tier | Best For | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Greatsword | S | Power builds and open world clearing, where cleave damage matters more than single target output. | A two handed power weapon carried by Guardian, Warrior, Mesmer, Ranger and Reaper, and it plays completely differently on each. |
| Staff | A | Ranged pressure and support, especially in world versus world where positioning beats raw damage. | The caster staple, though its role flips by profession. |
| Longbow | A | Staying at range in open world and in fights where standing in melee is a losing proposition. | Ranger, Warrior and Dragonhunter all use it. |
| Dagger | B | High attack speed melee builds and anything that wants short cooldowns rather than big single hits. | A fast main hand or off hand weapon for Elementalist, Thief, Necromancer and Revenant. |
| Rifle | B | Single target burst at range, and for Deadeye specifically, killing one priority target very quickly. | Used by Warrior, Engineer and Deadeye Thief. |
S-Tier: Greatsword
A two handed power weapon carried by Guardian, Warrior, Mesmer, Ranger and Reaper, and it plays completely differently on each. Guardian greatsword is a pull and cleave weapon, Mesmer greatsword is a ranged attack chain, and Reaper greatsword is slow, heavy melee.
| Attribute | Detail |
|---|---|
| Tier | S |
| Best For | Power builds and open world clearing, where cleave damage matters more than single target output. |
| Key Mechanic | Weapon skills and elite specializations |
| Recommended Build | Guardian |
How to get it: Available from mid-game onward. See our walkthrough for the exact progression point.
Best builds using Greatsword: Pairs naturally with Guardian thanks to how their stat scaling lines up.
A-Tier: Staff
The caster staple, though its role flips by profession. Elementalist staff is long range area damage across four attunements, Guardian staff brings Symbol of Swiftness and the Line of Warding, and Necromancer staff is a condition and life force generator.
| Attribute | Detail |
|---|---|
| Tier | A |
| Best For | Ranged pressure and support, especially in world versus world where positioning beats raw damage. |
| Key Mechanic | Boons, conditions and combo fields |
| Recommended Build | Revenant |
How to get it: Accessible in the early-to-mid game. Check our maps guide for the location.
Best builds using Staff: Pairs naturally with Revenant thanks to how their stat scaling lines up.
A-Tier: Longbow
Ranger, Warrior and Dragonhunter all use it. The Ranger version fires at 1200 range as standard and reaches further with the right trait, rewarding players who fight from outside the enemy's window.
| Attribute | Detail |
|---|---|
| Tier | A |
| Best For | Staying at range in open world and in fights where standing in melee is a losing proposition. |
| Key Mechanic | Dodge rolls and endurance |
| Recommended Build | Engineer |
How to get it: Accessible in the early-to-mid game. Check our maps guide for the location.
Best builds using Longbow: Pairs naturally with Engineer thanks to how their stat scaling lines up.
B-Tier: Dagger
A fast main hand or off hand weapon for Elementalist, Thief, Necromancer and Revenant. Thief dagger is the classic backstab weapon, Elementalist dagger is a close range attunement dance, and Virtuoso dagger generates blades.
| Attribute | Detail |
|---|---|
| Tier | B |
| Best For | High attack speed melee builds and anything that wants short cooldowns rather than big single hits. |
| Key Mechanic | Dynamic events and level scaling |
| Recommended Build | Mesmer |
How to get it: Found in later areas. Our walkthrough covers when you can access this.
Best builds using Dagger: Pairs naturally with Mesmer thanks to how their stat scaling lines up.
B-Tier: Rifle
Used by Warrior, Engineer and Deadeye Thief. Since Secrets of the Obscure added Weaponmaster Training, any elite specialization can wield any weapon its profession can, so rifle options opened up considerably.
| Attribute | Detail |
|---|---|
| Tier | B |
| Best For | Single target burst at range, and for Deadeye specifically, killing one priority target very quickly. |
| Key Mechanic | Masteries, mounts and gliding |
| Recommended Build | Necromancer |
How to get it: Found in later areas. Our walkthrough covers when you can access this.
Best builds using Rifle: Pairs naturally with Necromancer thanks to how their stat scaling lines up.
Equipment Progression Path
The order you should acquire equipment as you progress:
- Starting gear → Enough to clear Queensdale
- Staff → Your first real upgrade, available early
- Longbow → Mid-game upgrade with good scaling
- Greatsword → Best-in-slot, aim for this by late game
- Upgrade to max → The power spike from max upgrades is enormous
Equipment Tips
- Always upgrade your primary equipment before diversifying. One strong option beats three mediocre ones.
- Match your equipment to your build's stat priorities for maximum scaling.
- Buy a full set of exotic gear from the trading post the moment you hit 80 rather than saving for ascended. Exotic sits about five percent below ascended in stats, costs a fraction as much, and covers every open world map, story instance and strike mission you will touch in your first hundred hours.
- Check our tier list for how equipment rankings affect overall build effectiveness.
More Guild Wars 2 Guides
- Guild Wars 2 Guild Wars 2 Overview
- Guild Wars 2 Best Builds
- Guild Wars 2 Tier List
- Guild Wars 2 Walkthrough
- Guild Wars 2 Beginner's Guide
- Guild Wars 2 Tips & Tricks
- Guild Wars 2 Combat Guide
- Guild Wars 2 Boss Guide
- Guild Wars 2 Maps & Locations
- Guild Wars 2 Crafting Guide
- Guild Wars 2 Classes & Characters
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