Strike Mission Guides - Hardstuck (2024)

Strikes are 10-player instanced content where squads face individual bosses. While these fights are generally considered to be easier than Raids in difficulty, Challenge Modes aim to approach Raid difficulty. This makes Strike Missions a perfect introduction for new players into the world of instanced encounters.

Icebrood Saga

Shiverpeaks Pass Select difficulty The Icebrood Construct is the easiest Strike boss in the game, with non-punishing mechanics and almost no DPS check to speak of. This makes it an good choice for a first foray into instanced PVE content. Fraenir of Jormag Select difficulty The battle with the Fraenir does not have many special mechanics, but does have multiple phases. Squads will benefit from access to stability, condition cleanses, and pulls. Voice of the Fallen and Claw of the Fallen Select difficulty Players face a pair of linked bosses. This encounter is straightforward and has no hard requirements, but can benefit from cleave damage, stability, and projectile mitigation. Whisper of Jormag Select difficulty This strike has a number of mechanics that can trip up newer players. While the encounter has no hard requirements, one mechanic is commonly avoided by using a Necromancer or Mechanist. Boneskinner Select difficulty The most punishing of the Icebrood Saga Strike Missions. This encounter is commonly brute-forced, ignoring all but a few mechanics. Squads benefit from aegis, stunbreaks, high healing, and projectile mitigation.

End of Dragons

Old Lion’s Court Select difficulty Old Lion's Court is the first Strike Mission of the Guild Wars 2 story. Face the Watchknight Triumvirate in a relatively easy encounter with punishing puzzle mechanics. Old Lion’s Court (CM) Select difficulty The battle against the souped-up Watchknight Triumvirate is the Strike Mission closest to its Normal Mode counterpart; mastery of the base encounter mechanics is essential for success. Aetherblade Hideout Select difficulty Face a familiar Revenant, channelling a powerful foe from the Mists. Split phases require high amounts of crowd control. Aetherblade Hideout (CM) Select difficulty Do-or-die mechanics that engage the whole squad, an enrage timer, and a stacking debuff that punishes being unaware of the environment; the Aetherblade Hideout Challenge Mode is an entertaining and interesting strike mission. Xunlai Jade Junkyard Select difficulty Face a mischievous Harbinger and their hallucinations in a 3-phase fight. Protect yourself from poisonous attacks and vacuum mechanics. An overall easy fight that can be made even simpler with some extra condition cleanses and good source of swiftness or superspeed. Xunlai Jade Junkyard (CM) Select difficulty One of the most chaotic fights in the game. This encounter tests the entire squad's spatial awareness, mobility, and reaction times and features many mechanics that will heavily punish any players that are off the group for more than a brief period of time. Kaineng Overlook Select difficulty Take on an elite squad of treacherous MinSec officers up on the rooftops of New Kaineng City. This encounter has a more targeted focus on proper player positioning over other mechanics and can be sped up considerably with builds that can cleave multiple bosses at once. Kaineng Overlook (CM) Select difficulty One of the most mechanically complex Challenge Mode in the game. High group coordination and a fair amount of planning are required to succeed.This fight will test your reflexes and knowledge of the mechanics - so come prepared! Harvest Temple Select difficulty Face the mysterious corruption force on top of Harvest Temple and save Tyria. An encounter packed with mechanics that requires a high amount of spatial awareness, good crowd control, and nice-to-have stability. This is the hardest normal mode strike mission released with End of Dragons. Harvest Temple (CM) Select difficulty The peak of GW2's instanced 10-man content. Your squad's DPS, positioning, adaptability, and endurance must be top-of-the-line in order to weather the Dragonvoid's onslaught; new groups will have to (consistently) dedicate weeks, if not months, to clear this encounter!

Secrets of the Obscure

Cosmic Observatory Select difficulty This Strike has players take on Dagda, a jotun wizard possessed by demons. The unusual combination of celestial and demonic magic on display can catch unaware players off-guard, but otherwise this encounter is not challenging when tackled by a squad with a decent composition.

Guild Wars 2 Guides

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