Guild Wars 2

I think everyone agrees AoE is a little rampant in all aspects of the game.

The game might be improved as far as balance goes, if some AoE abilities were given multiple radius – working like Shockwave in Guild Wars 1.

The numbers below are just placeholders. Mind the concept.

Essentially, consider that a skill with 180 radius that deals 1800 damage at the moment, could instead deal:
- 2000 damage against targets within 120
- 1500 damage against targets within 150
- 1000 damage against targets within 180

So it deals more damage the closer to the center of the AoE you are.
Abilities that apply damaging AoE conditions could have a similar mechanic, so a skill that currently applies 18 seconds of poison to targets within 180 radius, could instead apply:
- 20 seconds of poison against targets within 120
- 15 seconds of poison against targets within 150
- 10 seconds of poison against targets within 180

Essentially, ANet can buff part of an AoE by nerfing another part of it, making AoE less overwhelming.