OhHolyDuck's Guardian Build Guide Video - Selfless Support Guide!

Here is my first crack at making a Build Guide video!
https://youtu.be/JFGhWzVsJbk
This build is pretty straight forward - I am calling it the Selfless Support Build for Guardians.
I foresee this build working best in Joust and Conquest.
More build guide videos coming, so be sure to subscribe!

Hi Duck,

Solid video, and nice that it's so short. As a cookie-cutter build, I think it's solid, and in order to keep the video short, you'll need to short-list your build and options. I understand that.

Of course, I always have feedback, so here it is:

• I feel that Joust and Conquest are different enough that it really changes the importance of certain items. Given the smaller map of Joust, and that one protection type is only going to counter one god depending on matchup, it really changes things around. This means, in many cases, that I think itemization, including Sovereignty and Heartward Amulet, need special consideration. (I understand you want to keep this simple, so just making some points...) Specifically, I think specifying for Joust would be a neat thing, since there are already Conquest Guardian build directions from pros out there (like EmilZy). As such, my feedback will be with JOUST in mind.
  
  
• With the base being close, I like your stock choice of Shoes of Focus. However, I do NOT like Traveler's Shoes being an option for Joust. Reinforced Shoes seems like a better alternative, to me, especially since you're dedicating yourself to being a Support/tank.
  
  
• Getting Gauntlet of Thebes as your first protection item can be a bit risky. Sure, you can build up your stacks quickly, and it synergizes well with Guardian's Blessing, but in a case where the enemy team has 2 physical gods, I think you might be better served with Sovereignty before Gauntlet. If you haven't seen it, I feel this video from EmilZy explains things nicely. (granted, it's for Conquest where things are slower...so this is just a consideration)
  
  
• With regard to Sovereignty and Heartward Amulet, of course you'll first want to consider enemy comp. Sov obviously will be more functional when you face 2 physical gods, for example. That said, if considering the overall strengths of these two items further, I feel that Sov is generally the stronger item overall. Physical items have lower power attached to them, so the +15 physical protection is going to have a bigger effect.
  
  In addition, the physical protection helps against all minions, as well as tower damage. I'd say, whenever facing 2 physical gods, it's absolutely a solid core item.
  
  
• Heartward Amulet, on the other hand, will only help against magical gods. Even if facing a 2 magical, 1 physical comp, I would say that I'd still question the use of the item. Base is fairly close, so mana regen for you and teammates isn't quite as important as in a Conquest match, and with only 3 teammates, one of the two teammates is likely to have the mana buff some of the time.
  
  Also, alternative items for early magical defense instead of Heartward make a lot of sense.
  
  - Void Stone, especially early in the game, can really help damage output if you have a mage on your team, as it will cut very deeply into their lower early protections.
  
  - Genji's Guard introduces even further CDR to Shoes of Focus, and if you're mana hungry, provides great MP5. Personally, I feel that mixing Heartward and Genji's, as you sort of suggest in your guide, is MP5 overkill.
  
  - Gauntlet of Thebes might be okay built after Sovereignty, as mentioned above. It also may be all the magical protection you ever need, if you're facing, say, Khepri with 2 physical gods. (okay, I see how all these details would completely screw your 2 min video XD)
  
  
• Basically what I'm saying here is that I feel Heartward Amulet, except in specific cases, is a mediocre item at best. I'd pick it up if facing 2 magical gods + a tank Guan Yu or something.
  
  
• Finally, you throw out some optional items after the core. I personally don't like the Mystical Mail option at all. The damage falls off late, and...you used Kumbhakarna footage in your video, and that would just straight up screw his mez. Instead, I think a good build should always consider counter items...in keeping this video short, you might only explain with a one-liner, but Midgardian Mail and Pestilence should be options.

Hope this doesn't seem like I'm downing your video. I think your idea is great, and as a basic cookie-cutter build, is fine. Probably too tough to provide all these options, but if anything, changing your core and making the Heartward slot a wider variety magical protection slot would be good. In the image of your core, you could perhaps put Heart, Genji, and Void on top of each other to show that slot as choosing one?

I rarely build Heartward Amulet anymore, I tend to go with either Void Stone or Pestilence as my first magical protection item depending upon team comps.

Keep in mind, Genji's Guard is a great item for a mana hungry guardian. Genji, Void, and Pest are my normal options for first magical.

True, but I usually only get that on warriors; I prefer aura items on guardians. I usually get focus, so that helps a bit with the mana issues.

Another option for healer guardians is lotus crown because it has physical protections, MP5, health, and provides both types of protections to anybody you heal, including yourself.

Yeah unless you are playing Slyv, I wouldn't go Lotus Crown. Jade Emp. maybe, but not Lotus.