Now you've picked your main profession, but as you quickly realize: you can choose a secondary one! But which one should you pick? I'll do my best to cover that in this guide, and hopefully you will after reading this be a bit more confident about what profession to pick as secondary.

The guide is designed keeping PvE in mind, for PvE see my upcoming Guide about designing builds.

As always there is no best option for which secondary to choose, the game is very balanced in this aspect too. When picking secondary later on into the game you will mostly be doing so depending on your builds. What I'm covering here is aimed to cover the basics for picking secondary the first time and not later on into the game. I've ignored some of the skill combinations that can be acquired later on into the game as taking those into account would be stupid considering that you by the time you can acquire those you can change secondary profession. So here we go.

Warrior

• Ranger
  • Offers some defensive stances as well as a few ways of applying conditions.
• Monk
  • Warriors with Monk secondary are usually called Wammos, which is a harassment rather than just a statement. The reason why W/Mo has became declared worthless or equal is because of some players to pick bad skills for their Warrior.
  • Picking a Monk secondary is mostly for the healing skills they offer, this can be good to pick as a beginner as it can greatly aid you in battles by allowing you to keep yourself alive.
• Necromancer
  • Not a good option to pick. The Necromancer skills tend to be quite energy heavy for a Warrior resulting in that you either don't pick any skills from this line or that you run out of energy quickly.
• Mesmer

• Won't render much usefulness until you can acquire some of the defensive stances that Mesmers got access too.
• Elementalist
  • Snares and damage boosters can be acquired if you pick Elementalist secondary, however keep in mind that it takes quite some time before you can actually get these skills.
• Assassin
  • Features a few decent self heals some snares, interruptions and some skills to increase your running speed. May be viable option.
• Ritualist
  • The Weapon spells Ritualist secondary offer can increase your damage quite a lot, however that's the only thing a Ritualist secondary will offer.
• Paragon
  • Allows you to use a spear instead of an axe, hammer or sword. A few other shouts and chants can also prove good.
• Dervish
  • Due to some Scythe Mastery attacks not being Scythe attacks only you can use this attacks with other primary weapons, making this a good choice. A few other skills for better survivability are also accessible.

Ranger

• Warrior
  • The most commonly picked secondary if you want to play as a "thumper", but that's mainly useful and possible at higher levels.
• Monk
  • Allows for good condition removal, healing and reusable resurrection skills.
• Necromancer
  • Usually not a very good due to the energy heavy skills in necromancer line. Can't truly take advantage of the skills until later into the game.
• Mesmer
  • Some ways for condition spreading otherwise not much offered here.
• Elementalist
  • Wards may be used for some party wide support, a few damage boosting skills however it takes some time to acquire these skills.
• Assassin
  • Allows for reduction of the energy cost of assassin's attack skills, making them more spammable.
• Ritualist
  • Good reusable resurrects and some weapon spells for more damage.
• Paragon
  • Some skills for more damage otherwise not very much offered here.
• Dervish
  • Offers much more effective ways of spreading conditions. Also offers some defensive skills.

Monk

• Warrior
  • Defensive stances allows for more survivability.
• Ranger
  • Defensive stances allows for more survivability, although not as useful as some Warrior ones.
• Necromancer
  • For some offense. Not much use.
• Mesmer
  • Combined with some interruption skills that give back energy upon successful interruption the monk got much better energy management.
• Elementalist
  • Some defensive skills, energy management ones and snares can be used should you choose this as your secondary.
• Ritualist
  • More healing.
• Assassin
  • Allows for much more survivability thanks to skills from the Shadow Magic attribute.
• Paragon
  • May be used for some extra party support.
• Dervish
  • Allows for more survivability.

Necromancer

• Warrior
  • Not a good choice, lack of synergy.
• Ranger
  • Not a good choice, lack of synergy.
• Monk
  • Good option to act as a secondary healer for your party, especially thanks to the energy gain Necromancers can maintain (thanks to Soul Reaping).
• Mesmer
  • Both are hex heavy classes. Tend to be a common combination to punish the foe.
• Elementalist
  • Energy management.
• Assassin
  • Not a good choice, lack of synergy.
• Ritualist
  • Allows for good healing thanks to energy (Soul Reaping) and heals from Restoration Magic attribute.
• Paragon
  • Some shouts affect minions.
• Dervish
  • Allows for more survivability and health regeneration allowing for more spamming of some skills that requires sacrificing health.

Mesmer

• Warrior
  • Not a good choice, lack of synergy.
• Ranger
  • Not a good choice, lack of synergy.
• Monk
  • Allows for support through healing(even if you'd be better off with a monk). Can also provide some spammable signets from Smiting Prayers.
• Necromancer
  • Many hexes combine very well allowing for more punishing.
• Elementalist
  • Energy management and reduced casting time of otherwise long time casting spells (Fast Casting).
• Assassin
  • Not a good choice, lack of synergy.
• Ritualist
  • Allows for offensive and defensive support.
• Paragon
  • Not a good choice, lack of synergy.
• Dervish
  • Allows for more survivability.

Elementalist

• Warrior
  •  Not a good choice, lack of synergy.
• Ranger
  • Not a good choice, lack of synergy.
• Monk
  • Allows for Elementalists to work as hybrids; i.e. deal a bit of damage while still providing your team with healing mainly thanks to their large energy pool and good energy management.
• Necromancer
  • Due to Elementalists energy management skills and large energy pool they can spam hexes that otherwise would be too energy heavy for other classes.
• Mesmer
  • Allows for some more energy management.
• Assassin
  • Shadowsteps may prove useful to quickly get close to targets and unleash skills that have short range.
• Ritualist
  • Due to Elementalists energy management skills and large energy pool they can provide the team with lots of healing and spam out energy heavy spirits without trouble.
• Paragon
  • Condition removal can be accessed, otherwise not much synergy,
• Dervish
  • Allows for more survivability.

Assassin

• Warrior
  • Allows for an IAS (Increased Attack Speed), which can greatly boost your damage output.
• Ranger
  •  Not a good choice, lack of synergy.
• Monk
  • Allows for more survivability.
• Necromancer
  •  Not a good choice, lack of synergy.
• Mesmer
  •  Not a good choice, lack of synergy.
• Elementalist
  • Conjures can be acquired, however keep in mind that these takes some time to acquire.
• Ritualist
  • Weapons spells can boost the Assassin's damage output.
• Paragon
  • Due to Paragons being located in the Nightfall campaign these aren't possible to choose as a secondary profession until later into the game
• Dervish
  • Due to Dervishes being located in the Nightfall campaign these aren't possible to choose as a secondary profession until later into the game

Ritualist

• Warrior
  •  Not a good choice, lack of synergy.
• Ranger
  • Spawning Power affects Nature Rituals as well, although that is hardly any help.
• Monk
  • Allows you to play as a good healer.
• Necromancer
  • Spawning Power affects minions you animate, making them get more health and armor.
• Mesmer
  • Allows for hex removal, something that Ritualists otherwise lack.
• Elementalist
  • Energy management.
• Assassin
  •  Not a good choice, lack of synergy.
• Paragon
  • Due to Paragons being located in the Nightfall campaign these aren't possible to choose as a secondary profession until later into the game
• Dervish
  • Due to Dervishes being located in the Nightfall campaign these aren't possible to choose as a secondary profession until later into the game

Paragon

• Warrior
  • Due to both professions using adrenaline skills this combination tends to be a good one due to a "natural" synergy.
• Ranger
  • A pet allows for more energy gain from their main attribute (Leadership).
• Monk
  •  Not a good choice, lack of synergy.
• Necromancer
  •  Not a good choice, lack of synergy.
• Mesmer
  • Due to Paragons role of being a support class that relieves allies of pressure Mesmers are sometimes picked due to their hex removal.
• Elementalist
  • Conjures can be acquired, however keep in mind that these takes some time to acquire.
• Assassin
  • Due to Assassins being located in the Factions campaign these aren't possible to choose as a secondary profession until later into the game
• Ritualist
  • Due to Ritualists being located in the Factions campaign these aren't possible to choose as a secondary profession until later into the game

Dervish

• Warrior
  • Many adrenaline skills can be spammed more due to Scythes quicker building of adrenaline as well as lack of other adrenaline skills.
  • As both professions are mêlée ones they tend to combine fairly well.
• Ranger
  •  Not a good choice, lack of synergy.
• Monk
  •  Not a good choice, lack of synergy. Dervishes can survive well enough using only their own attribute lines.
• Necromancer
  •  Not a good choice, lack of synergy.
• Mesmer
  • Won't render much usefulness until you can acquire some of the defensive stances that Mesmers got access too.
• Elementalist
  • Conjures can be acquired, however keep in mind that these takes some time to acquire.
• Assassin
  • Due to Assassins being located in the Factions campaign these aren't possible to choose as a secondary profession until later into the game
• Ritualist
  • Due to Ritualists being located in the Factions campaign these aren't possible to choose as a secondary profession until later into the game

Great guide.

Stic