Among the many enhancements players can equip in Guild Wars 2, the Relic of Aristocracy has become a popular choice for builds that revolve around boon duration and support efficiency. Introduced with the rework of the relic system in the Secrets of the Obscure expansion, this relic offers a straightforward yet impactful passive bonus. It’s especially favored by players who want to maintain longer-lasting buffs on themselves and their allies, making it a common inclusion in many support-oriented gear setups. Understanding how the Relic of Aristocracy functions and where it fits into different builds can significantly improve your gameplay performance in both PvE and WvW.
What is the Relic of Aristocracy?
The Relic of Aristocracy is one of many relics available in Guild Wars 2 following the overhaul of the sigil system. Instead of relying on secondary effects tied to weapons, relics now serve as unique stat-boosting components tied to your armor setup. The Aristocracy relic focuses specifically on enhancing boon duration, making it a top-tier choice for players who rely heavily on boons to sustain themselves and their group during battle.
Primary Effect
When equipped, the Relic of Aristocracy increases the duration of all boons you apply by 10%. This includes a wide array of useful boons such as might, protection, regeneration, swiftness, and fury. The boost applies to both self-applied and ally-applied boons, which makes the relic an excellent fit for boon-heavy support roles in both group and solo content.
How It Works
The boon duration increase is additive, not multiplicative. This means it stacks directly with any concentration stat bonuses or other percentage-based increases to boon duration. For example, if you have gear that provides 20% boon duration from concentration, adding the Relic of Aristocracy will increase that to a total of 30%.
Why Choose the Relic of Aristocracy?
The primary appeal of the Relic of Aristocracy is its consistent and passive effect. Unlike relics that trigger under specific combat conditions, the boon duration bonus is always active. This allows players to focus on their rotation and movement without worrying about meeting a trigger condition.
- Support Synergy: Professions like Guardian, Elementalist, and Druid benefit heavily from longer-lasting boons, as they frequently apply might, protection, and regeneration to party members.
- Condition Support: Even condition builds that apply boons for secondary effects like might stacking can gain significant value from prolonged durations.
- Ease of Use: No activation condition or cooldown means the relic performs without requiring player intervention, making it user-friendly for newer players or those focusing on mechanics-heavy fights.
Where to Use the Relic of Aristocracy
The relic finds a natural home in a variety of content types. Whether you’re doing fractals, strikes, raids, or open-world metas, any build focused on keeping boons active will see measurable benefits. It also shines in World vs. World, where large-scale fights can last long enough for extended boons to make a noticeable impact.
In PvE
For PvE players, especially in group content like raids or strikes, boon uptime is crucial. Roles such as Heal Firebrand, Quickness Herald, or Alacrity Mechanist all benefit from the extended duration. The longer your quickness, alacrity, and might last, the more breathing room you give to your team. This relic can help reduce the stress of constantly refreshing boons.
In WvW
In World vs. World, where zergs and squads rely heavily on coordinated boon application, the Relic of Aristocracy can help ensure that vital effects like stability, resistance, and swiftness linger just a bit longer. That slight extension can make the difference between surviving a spike or being wiped out.
In Solo Play
Even solo players who use builds with self-applied boons such as might-stacking power builds or signet-based boon setups can benefit from the relic. More uptime means more consistent performance and fewer gaps where you’re left vulnerable or underpowered.
How to Get the Relic of Aristocracy
The relic can be acquired from the relic vendor introduced in Secrets of the Obscure or crafted using recipes unlocked through expansion progression. To unlock the ability to equip relics, players must complete the relevant mastery lines tied to relic crafting and slot unlocking.
- Step 1: Obtain access to the Secrets of the Obscure expansion and unlock the relic system via the Wizard’s Vault or story progress.
- Step 2: Earn Astral Acclaim through dailies or other SotO-related content.
- Step 3: Purchase or craft the Relic of Aristocracy using the appropriate relic crafting components, typically gathered through expansion activities.
Comparison to Other Relics
While the Relic of Aristocracy excels in passive boon duration, other relics offer more situational or conditional power. For example:
- Relic of Fireworks: Increases movement speed, helpful for exploration or speed runs.
- Relic of the Monk: Boosts healing power based on boon uptime, synergizing with builds that already focus on healing output.
- Relic of Leadership: Cleanses conditions when boons are applied strong in condition-heavy encounters.
However, the simplicity and reliability of the Aristocracy relic make it one of the more universally appealing choices, particularly for builds that already invest in boon-heavy gear and traits.
Tips for Maximizing Boon Duration
To get the most out of the Relic of Aristocracy, it’s essential to understand how boon duration stacks with other elements in your build:
- Useconcentration gear(such as Diviner’s or Harrier’s stats) to further enhance boon duration.
- Slotrunesthat offer additional boon duration bonuses some runes provide up to +30% boon duration at max stacks.
- Utilizetraitsthat boost specific boon uptime, especially those tied to elite specializations like Chronomancer or Tempest.
- Keepfood buffsactive. Items like Plate of Mussels or Orrian Truffle and Meat Stew provide additional boon duration for a limited time.
Stacking all of these elements together can lead to boon uptimes that nearly reach their duration caps, keeping your group buffed through even the longest encounters.
A Noble Choice for Support Builds
The Relic of Aristocracy offers a consistent and powerful bonus that helps players extend their boon uptime without the need for complex mechanics or reactive triggers. It’s especially valuable for players running support builds in high-level PvE content or coordination-based WvW squads. With the right gear, food, and relic synergy, it can be a key part of maximizing team survivability and efficiency. As Guild Wars 2 continues to evolve its buildcraft and combat systems, relics like Aristocracy offer a compelling incentive to refine your character’s setup and embrace the power of long-lasting boons.