Guild Wars 2

I really think this skill needs to be re-examined. Based on it’s long 75 second cd I am assuming it is to be considered one of the strongest arcane skills one can take. However, performance wise it leaves much to be desired imo.

My personal issue is the 3 block limit and how it is reached so soon it renders the skill quite weak. In anything other than a 1v1 this becomes severely lackluster – especially when compared against something like Endure Pain or various shield skills. In a medium to large scale combat encounter I cant even get off a channeled skill or run back to my frontline before the 3 block limit is hit and I start to take massive damage and/or cc. Meanwhile other classes just shrug off an entire zergs worth of damage for 1-5 seconds while using similarly slotted skills.

I’m sure someone will chime in and tell me just to stop using the skill – as others have already told me in game. Unfortunately this does not solve the problem of its ineffectiveness. Additionally the skill is rather attractive on some builds heavy on arcane traits and arcane lightning – or at least should be.

I can handle a reduction in shield time from 5 to 3 seconds or even a complete removal of the damage (I think both would be going too far) if we could only get a real invulnerability for the duration.

I think arcane shield is good mechanic wise, it simply has a WAY too long cooldown (like most ele utilities actually). It’s nowhere near as good as armor of earth or mistform yet it shares a cooldown with them.

Arcane shield cooldown should be something like fourty five to fifty seconds.

I always run this skill. on my offensive builds
it’s the best skill ever bar none when you’re running full offense and you get jumped by a thief, especially if they have basilisk venom

It’s actually a really good skill. Comparing it to Endure Pain is unfair. Endure Pain doesn’t break stuns or cause damage. This skill will do just what it is supposed to do exceedingly well – stop a burst, free up your movement, and cause some damage to help set up your counter attack.

The skill itself is nice. The cooldown is just far too long, and the cooldown reduction trait is just not viable.