Since a lot of people seem to be confused as to how to generate Guard, here's a simple guide. In short, only abilities that expressly say "generate xx% Guard" will generate Guard.
Thus far, the following abilities generate guard for a warrior. Abilities with asterisk (*) also require the passive to be learnt (the smaller ability icon next to the main one).
1H & S:
- Shield Wall - Generates guard if hit by enemies in the front while Shield Wall is active; costs stamina. Can build up Guard very quickly against multiple/fast attacks, as long as your stamina holds. Make sure to only hold up shield when necessary Dark Souls style. Precise amount is not shown in tooltip, but from experience it looks like a flat 10% per hit.
2H:
- Block and Slash* - Only if the passive Flawless Defense is also learnt. Successfully countering an attack generates 15% guard. Costs stamina per sec while it's active until parrying an attack. Very costly if you don't time it properly.
Vanguard:
- War Cry - AoE taunt. Generates 20% Guard per enemy within range. In other words, 100% Guard if 5 enemies within range, but only 20% if only a single enemy within range.
- Challenge - Single-target taunt. Generates a flat 10% Guard.
- Charge Bull - A toggled charge ability. Toggle to start charging, and toggle off when you want to stop (otherwise it stops only when you are out of stamina). The trajectory of the charge can be slightly adjusted during the charge outside tactical mode. Generates 10% Guard for every enemy hit. An enemy can be hit multiple times (usually twice at most), if it's knocked back by the first hit and then hit again. It will waste you a lot of stamina if you initiate the charge too far away from enemies. I recommend using this at/near melee range instead.
- Unbowed - Generates 10% (20% with passive) for every nearby enemy. Does nothing else.
Champion:
- To the Death* - Generates 25% Guard everytime the taunted enemy takes damage.
- Walking Fortress* - Temporary damage immunity (8 secs). With passive Siege-breaker unlocked, it generates 10% Guard every time you are hit.
- Counterstrike - Ultimate ability using Focus. Generates 100% Guard, among other deadly effects.
Aside from these abilities, there is no other way to generate Guard whatsoever, unless there are special items out there that I haven't found yet. A 2H warrior without any relevant abilities will not magically start generating Guard, and ergo tend to die very easily in due to various enemies' melee AoEs. However, as you can see in the 2H exclusive Block and Parry, they can do a very very good job off-tanking a single melee enemy. In fact, if properly controlled they will use less stamina, deal more damage and take less damage than a proper 1H & S tank against lone melee enemies with normal attacks.
Guard is essentially "extra health". It doesn't deplete over time, and will stay there for good after a fight is over, so you can build up Gurad on weaker foes before charging into a diffcult battle. However, Rest/Fast Travel/Equip Potion or any other action that restores the party to full health will erase any Guard your character(s) have.
It's harder to generate than Barrier, but unlike Barrier the final damage inflicted on you is affected by armour rating.
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