Hey Everyone,
So here’s something that has been bothering me. While I love Zealot’s Defense, and the fact that it blocks projectiles I hate the fact that you can not move while using it. Being that the 1-H sword is not used by very many Gaurds I feel that if you were able to move while continually casting Zealot’s Defense it might be a more appealing weapon to players. Especially with the increasing number of longbow rangers I feel being able to move toward your target while blocking projectiles is much more useful than standing still while ranged foes move further and further away. Thoughts?
-King Melvaleir
Eh the main problem I & most ppl I know have with then number 3 on the 1h sword on guardian is
1: The block is not an actual block, its an absorb (this means it will not actually trigger on block effects)
2: The damage is so low compared to auto attack its never worth using unless your getting hammered with ranged attacks
3: If a target is strafing many of the projectiles can miss.
Other problems many have with the sword include
1: The last attack on the auto chain is considered a projectile & can be reflected. Yet it does not count as a projectile finisher. (make it one or make it count as a melee)
2: (Applies to greatsword as well) While teleports & leaps are alright the guardian could really use some CC (Cripples, stuns, dazes, chills etc…) so that they can stay on target. (Guardians are extremely easy to kite vs any other melee specced class).
It would be fantastic if flashing blade & leap of faith applied a short duration (say 3 seconds) cripple to enemies they damage.
A rework of the last chain of AA would be great. As it is, if someone pops reflect it effectively shuts down a melee weapon. You can either eat half your dps or stand around until weapon swap is up. So instead of 3 projectiles, maybe just one hard hitting slash that does nearly the same damage but has cripple. Warrior and Thief sword AA do cripple so it kind of fits too.
If not a cripple on AA, it would at least be very appreciated on Flashing Blade.
But to the main point of the thread. Yes, Zealot’s Defense would work much better if you could move while casting it. It’s easy enough to avoid as it is now, and allows the target to create more space to kite the guardian.
Eh IDk if you should be able to move while casting it.
Though i would do the following
1: Greatly increase the projectiles speed
2: Make it count as an actual block not an absorb, so that block traits/effects trigger off of it.
3: Make it easier to cancel (as is you usually have to dodge roll to cancel it mid cast)
Zealot’s Defense with no root might be a nice QoL change, but the auto attack issue is more important. If I had to choose between the two, it would of course be the latter.
The Sword #3 is useless, it can only work to “block” ranged atks, even with it, not worth. The damage is too low and too easy to dodge. They should chage it to at least allow to channel while moving.
Eh the main problem I & most ppl I know have with then number 3 on the 1h sword on guardian is
1: The block is not an actual block, its an absorb (this means it will not actually trigger on block effects)
2: The damage is so low compared to auto attack its never worth using unless your getting hammered with ranged attacks
3: If a target is strafing many of the projectiles can miss.
Other problems many have with the sword include
1: The last attack on the auto chain is considered a projectile & can be reflected. Yet it does not count as a projectile finisher. (make it one or make it count as a melee)
2: (Applies to greatsword as well) While teleports & leaps are alright the guardian could really use some CC (Cripples, stuns, dazes, chills etc…) so that they can stay on target. (Guardians are extremely easy to kite vs any other melee specced class).
It would be fantastic if flashing blade & leap of faith applied a short duration (say 3 seconds) cripple to enemies they damage.
Brought this issue up before here, That was some months back. Sadly it was ignored by most of the community then, as well as the developers. I also find that number 3 on the auto attack can be fickle if I am not lined up perfectly.
I don’t think we will see much love for it any time soon.
“We have now left Reason and Sanity Junction. Next stop, Looneyville.”
AA chain#3 should have the cone’s width of elem’s lightning whip and also should behave like it too (e.g. not projectile) . Sword#2 should be used without target. Sword#3 – piercing projectile… maybe then it’ll be worthwhile. Powerful blade Trait is boring — make it inflicting vulnerable for like 5 sec on crit.
If ya no longer see me after this post,
it means THEY got me for " neg criticism in clever disguise".
Know that it has been fun and I love ya all.
Sword #1 – Take away the 3 different hits and projectile status and make it a single hit melee that applies a boon, maybe vulnerability or might like greatsword?
Sword#3 – I don’t use sword simple because of this skill, it’s way to unreliable. I feel the need to waste a skill just to get it half of it off. Guard’s lack of mobility doesn’t help either. ^^ Could make it weaker but allow full movement while casting. Minus the damage nerf I don’t see this becoming useful any other way without using a knockdown,immo,pull, etc.)
Sword #1 – Take away the 3 different hits and projectile status and make it a single hit melee that applies a boon, maybe vulnerability or might like greatsword?
.)
I will have to disagree with that. Being 3 hits is one of the main attraction. It counts 3 times toward the 5th hit for the burning Virtue. It creates at least 3 chances for crit for sigil purpose.
The flaw of the sword AA3 lies in that a) count as projectile attack when you generally in melee when that occurs , and further subject to limitations of projectiles and b) the narrow cone shape that often missses anything that any that flies too high, stay too low or too much to the left/right.
If ya no longer see me after this post,
it means THEY got me for " neg criticism in clever disguise".
Know that it has been fun and I love ya all.
Sword #1 – Take away the 3 different hits and projectile status and make it a single hit melee that applies a boon, maybe vulnerability or might like greatsword?
.)
I will have to disagree with that. Being 3 hits is one of the main attraction. It counts 3 times toward the 5th hit for the burning Virtue. It creates at least 3 chances for crit for sigil purpose.
The flaw of the sword AA3 lies in that a) count as range attack when you generally in melee when that occurs and b) the narrow cone shape that often missses anything that any that flies too high, stay too low or too much to the left/right.
You have a good point, can’t argue with that. And yea, the narrow angle of attack for it is ridiculous. Always feel like it misses at point blank range. lol
Sword #1 – Take away the 3 different hits and projectile status and make it a single hit melee that applies a boon, maybe vulnerability or might like greatsword?
.)
I will have to disagree with that. Being 3 hits is one of the main attraction. It counts 3 times toward the 5th hit for the burning Virtue. It creates at least 3 chances for crit for sigil purpose.
The flaw of the sword AA3 lies in that a) count as projectile attack when you generally in melee when that occurs , and further subject to limitations of projectiles and b) the narrow cone shape that often missses anything that any that flies too high, stay too low or too much to the left/right.
This is kind of how I feel on it too. The 3-hit attack is definitely a plus and is great for things like on-crit procs and VoJ passive. The thing we need to get rid of is the projectile, lack of horizontal cleave, and the general unreliability of it, particularly when attacking something that isn’t targeted.
I have no idea if this would be hard for ArenaNet to make it happen, but how about splitting the current unblockable into Unblockable and Unreflectible and giving our Sword Wave this new unreflectible skill fact? The new unreflectible could maybe also apply to Phoenix, Mirror Blade and Ether Clone (so you can’t reflect the phoenix/clone creation but can block the damage).
As for Zealot’s Defense, I don’t think it needs to actually block projectiles instead of absorbing/destroying them or you might as well apply the same to Shield of Absorption, Whirling Defense, Refraction, Sanctuary, Smoke Screen and Ring of Earth.
I’d rather have the projectile speed increased by X% and maybe increase the damage a little bit. If the ability to move while dealing damage and absorbing projectiles were added, I feel the damage would be reduced by a sizable amount which wouldn’t be ideal either.
I have no idea if this would be hard for ArenaNet to make it happen, but how about splitting the current unblockable into Unblockable and Unreflectible and giving our Sword Wave this new unreflectible skill fact?
Being ‘unreflectable’ is already a property of unblockable attacks. Which is why Anet is erroneously making more and more PvE enemies unblockable instead of just reworking reflects like they should have done long ago.
I agree with quaniesan that the Powerful Blades trait could use a second look. I think it should also decrease sword cooldowns, or give a boost to power, precision, or ferocity. A cooldown reduction would be great for Sword 2 and would really help Meditation Guards deal with kiting enemies.
With only a damage boost, it seems a little underperforming for a master level trait, especially since most master weapon traits on other classes contain two effects. In fact, even the other master Guardian weapon traits have a secondary effect, like Zealous Blade, Radiant Fire, and Mace of Justice. Perhaps the original rationale was it was strong enough since it also affects Spear damage, but I think that should be reconsidered in light of Anet significantly scaling back on underwater combat in PvP and WvW.
I have no idea if this would be hard for ArenaNet to make it happen, but how about splitting the current unblockable into Unblockable and Unreflectible and giving our Sword Wave this new unreflectible skill fact?
Being ‘unreflectable’ is already a property of unblockable attacks. Which is why Anet is erroneously making more and more PvE enemies unblockable instead of just reworking reflects like they should have done long ago.
The fact that an unblockable projectile cannot be reflected is already known to me, what I meant was that the current Unblockable should be split into an Unblockable that only circumvents Blocking (Absorption/destruction of projectiles would be included in this, since it’s practically the same function just without trait interaction) and an Unreflectable that only circumvents Reflection.
Current Unblockable: Prevents the attack from being blocked. Prevents the attack from being reflected.
New Unblockable: Prevents the attack from being blocked. Does not prevent the attack from being reflected.
New Unreflectable: Does not prevent the attack from being blocked. Prevents the attack from being reflected.
This would give ArenaNet greater control over which skills they want to be unreflectable, which skills they want to be unblockable and which skills they want to have both properties.
An enemy’s powerful projectile attack could have the property Unreflectable while not having the Unblockable property if ArenaNet wanted it to work that way, instead of giving it the current Unblockable property that functions as both.
I have no idea if this would be hard for ArenaNet to make it happen, but how about splitting the current unblockable into Unblockable and Unreflectible and giving our Sword Wave this new unreflectible skill fact? The new unreflectible could maybe also apply to Phoenix, Mirror Blade and Ether Clone (so you can’t reflect the phoenix/clone creation but can block the damage).
This is one of the best ideas I’ve heard for the AA chain. Unblockable would solve the problem while not taking up a ton of resources reworking the skill itself. It wouldn’t improve the cone having difficulty landing at certain angles, but not eating half your melee damage would be a great start. And the skill can keep it’s appeal of counting three strikes toward the VoJ passive.
Though it would be a hard sell adding cripple to AA #2 with an unblockable AA #3.
I have no idea if this would be hard for ArenaNet to make it happen, but how about splitting the current unblockable into Unblockable and Unreflectible and giving our Sword Wave this new unreflectible skill fact?
Being ‘unreflectable’ is already a property of unblockable attacks. Which is why Anet is erroneously making more and more PvE enemies unblockable instead of just reworking reflects like they should have done long ago.
The fact that an unblockable projectile cannot be reflected is already known to me, what I meant was that the current Unblockable should be split into an Unblockable that only circumvents Blocking (Absorption/destruction of projectiles would be included in this, since it’s practically the same function just without trait interaction) and an Unreflectable that only circumvents Reflection.
Current Unblockable: Prevents the attack from being blocked. Prevents the attack from being reflected.
New Unblockable: Prevents the attack from being blocked. Does not prevent the attack from being reflected.
New Unreflectable: Does not prevent the attack from being blocked. Prevents the attack from being reflected.
This would give ArenaNet greater control over which skills they want to be unreflectable, which skills they want to be unblockable and which skills they want to have both properties.
An enemy’s powerful projectile attack could have the property Unreflectable while not having the Unblockable property if ArenaNet wanted it to work that way, instead of giving it the current Unblockable property that functions as both.
Eh my solution for the auto attack would be to simply change the number 3 auto attack into a pure melee attack with a bit wider cone.
Then have it apply a 1 second cripple to any target it hits.
Then for the number 3 ability I would change it so it actually counts as a ranged block, increase the projectile speed by about 50%, then lastly up the damage by around 25%.
Upping the damage would be ridiculous. It’s not hard to get 6.5k on a knock-down’d target when running w/ an Ele or War.
As it stands, the DPS of ZD is roughly equal to that of the autoattack chain, assuming that all of the projectiles even hit.
It needs either a damage boost, or some sort of offensive utility (i.e. cripple or chill).
Be happy if i could just use it on the go. But I agree the DPS is near that of the AA. I run Sword almost constantly in PvE but I almost never fire off number 3
“We have now left Reason and Sanity Junction. Next stop, Looneyville.”
Alright I can understand why some would be against increasing the damage of Zealot’s defense.
Though I often see more single target damage with whirling wrath (And it also does AOE)
What if they increased the speed of the projectiles by 40ish %, shortened the block duration to 2 seconds & made it block ALL attacks. (not just absorb ranged as it does now)
That would help more of the projectiles hit & the fact it actually blocks would work great with traits.
As for the AA chain, I’d make the number 3 into an actual melee attack with a slightly larger cone & make it cripple any enemy hit for 1 second.
1) Zealots Defense needs its velocity increased by about 25%.
2) It needs to Pierce. It’s already “Destroying Ranged Attacks” through it’s projectiles… so why can’t it pierce?
1) Zealots Defense needs its velocity increased by about 25%.
2) It needs to Pierce. It’s already “Destroying Ranged Attacks” through it’s projectiles… so why can’t it pierce?
Agreed on point 1. As for point 2, I always assumed the magic barrier created in front of you destroyed the projectiles.
