Guild Wars 2

I have noticed that the ballista is a siege equipment that is used less than others and I believe there are some reasons for it:

Hard to hit moving targets – I think this is a reasonable part of the ballista because when the rounds do land they hit for massive dammage. Some people don’t like this feature and prefer other siege instead because of it. I think maybe a small tweak to the projectile speed but it isn’t necessary.

No form of ‘CC’ – All other forms of siege have some sort of CC weather it be a knock-back, knock-down, or slow, ballistas however do not. When an enemy force is stuck in a choke point for longer from some sort of CC they are forced to take more damage. This makes other siege more effective than the ballista. Possible fix make a long cool-down attack that has some knock back for whoever it hits and call it heavy bolt or something, or maybe have some other form of CC such as a giant scorpion wire ability where it pulls enemies to the ballista (great for attacking people on the wall).

Requires LOS – This is probably the most problematic part of the ballista. It only allows for the ballista to be used in specific spots and makes it un-idea for a lot of situations. They are near impossible to use on a wall for defense unless you are on a ramp above the wall, they just hit they wall when you fire. I don’t think you should change it so they don’t need line of sight I just think it could be improved. A simple solution would be to just re-do the model a bit to show it as a higher standing ballista and move up where the projectile get’s launched from (allowing them to be used on walls easier to shoot out). I’m sure there are many people that would agree that it is frustrating to build a ballista just to shoot the wall you built it on.

Anyhow these are just some small change suggestions for the most part I like how the device works but would like it to be a bit more use-able so you seem more on the battlefield. Thanks for your time reading this post.

Pink Ninja Man.4375:

I have noticed that the ballista is a siege equipment that is used less than others and I believe there are some reasons for it:

Hard to hit moving targets – I think this is a reasonable part of the ballista because when the rounds do land they hit for massive dammage. Some people don’t like this feature and prefer other siege instead because of it. I think maybe a small tweak to the projectile speed but it isn’t necessary.

No form of ‘CC’ – All other forms of siege have some sort of CC weather it be a knock-back, knock-down, or slow, ballistas however do not. When an enemy force is stuck in a choke point for longer from some sort of CC they are forced to take more damage. This makes other siege more effective than the ballista. Possible fix make a long cool-down attack that has some knock back for whoever it hits and call it heavy bolt or something, or maybe have some other form of CC such as a giant scorpion wire ability where it pulls enemies to the ballista (great for attacking people on the wall).

Requires LOS – This is probably the most problematic part of the ballista. It only allows for the ballista to be used in specific spots and makes it un-idea for a lot of situations. They are near impossible to use on a wall for defense unless you are on a ramp above the wall, they just hit they wall when you fire. I don’t think you should change it so they don’t need line of sight I just think it could be improved. A simple solution would be to just re-do the model a bit to show it as a higher standing ballista and move up where the projectile get’s launched from (allowing them to be used on walls easier to shoot out). I’m sure there are many people that would agree that it is frustrating to build a ballista just to shoot the wall you built it on.

Anyhow these are just some small change suggestions for the most part I like how the device works but would like it to be a bit more use-able so you seem more on the battlefield. Thanks for your time reading this post.

Balistae like Golems, are offensive weapons rather than defensive ones. In specific Balistae are used to counter siege placements, provided those placements have LOS to your Balista. The problem that exists with this concept is not a problem with the balista, but rather with other mechanics. The arrow cart is cheaper, deals comparative damage, is easier to use (ground targeted), doesn’t require LOS, and with extremely low trait investment has an equivalent range. It just makes the balista obsolete. Imagine if the Arrow Cart only had a maximum of 1200 range, did 10% less damage, and did no damage to siege weapons. The Balista as it is would have a place in the line up.

The only change I’d make to the Balista is adding a trait that allows it to pierce keep/tower/castle walls with skill #3 turning it into a serious threat to defending siege placements. Otherwise it’s fine, it’s just that the Arrow Cart is flat out too big for its britches.

I would definitely agree with Ballista piercing. But I think it should have a knockback shot as well.

Obscure One.4357:

Balistae like Golems, are offensive weapons rather than defensive ones. In specific Balistae are used to counter siege placements, provided those placements have LOS to your Balista.

I must be mistaken because I though that they were kinda a counter to catapults taking out a wall. I don’t see why they shouldn’t be used on defense as well as offense. I like the idea of a penetrating shot but it seems it would be op because then on defense you could just build a ballista on the ground behind the walls and shoot out being almost un-killable, not to say that arrow carts can’t already do this.

Ballistae are niche siege engines. Their purpose is siege destroyer, and should be used as such. Like Obscure One has pointed out, their main disadvantage is LoS. AC’s excel at this, especially with the view-hack that is slowly becoming accepted in W3. But I wouldn’t say they are entirely offensive, they just need AC cover fire in order to do their job right.

There is no other siege that can hurt other siege like a ballista can, except for a treb. But then again trebs can do a lot of things better than all other siege, which is why they are slow and expensive. Still, the return on investment on a well placed ballista is good, especially with the increased range and rate of fire skills.

There are particularly good vs. golems and rams, something to consider since AC’s do crap damage to both, and since golem rushes are becoming as common as sliced bread. The real trick for defense is finding just the right spot for them, and having a buddy cover you with AC fire that can take out any build sites they might be throwing down to counter your Balli.

One thing to note: when placing a ballistae, the bolt line-of-site start is in the lower middle of the ballistae, not at the business end of it. Looking at it, you would think the bolt just flies from the end of it, but it doesn’t. This is why you see players placing them so they hang over the edges of walls and cliffs…which obviously makes them more vulnerable. That said, if you want to shoot downward at all, you either need an edge safe from return fire, or a gradual or terraced slope down to effectively hit things below you. Kind of a bummer.

They’re too easily killed due to placement requirements, so they are junk.

Ballistas need finalyl a change in their targetign system. they should require of the player to target an enemy first, just to be able to shoot at them.

Using the Ballista, the player should target the ground, using the ground taeget placement to target enemies and where you want to shoot at, just like shooting with a canon, that also uses the normal groud targetign system.

Ballistas shoulld also get their attacks buffed by adding the effect, that their shots should be of a kind of line of sight attack, that deals damage to everything that stands in the line of sight to the point of the ground target where you have shot at.

I mean, you are shooting a huge pointy bolt with high speed at sombody.. somethign like that pieres through everythign easily if it gets on impact with a squishy human body that moves into the opposite direction than the bold, which should basically launch also hitten foes back to add to them a little CC effect.

Ballista are really good and has a place.

You see people doing arrow cart spam, build a ballista and destroy all the arrow carts.

Any kind of AoE knockback in auto-attack is just overpowered.

No.

I do agree with the ground target so you can lead moving targets and hit them. However I do think most of the current skills should not get this. If any it should only be the 1 skill that becomes ground target. I would much rather see a new skill added that is a ground targeted skill.

I do think it would be extra cool if it was an explosive quarrel. That when fired it tries to get to the targeted location. The quarrel damages anything in its path until it strikes the ground/wall, it then sticks in and then detonates after a heartbeat or two knocking back and damaging nearby players and siege (maybe even doors with another update) this should allow it to remain fairly powerful but the skill factor to hit moving targets and the delay (with red circle warning)should keep it in check as anti infantry. To me this allows ballista to regain a place in wvw even if it requires some specialization to get it.

runeblade.7514:

Any kind of AoE knockback in auto-attack is just overpowered.

So the catapult is overpowered then? And the trebuchet! Also as I mentioned it would be a new spell with more cooldown than the normal attack. I like the idea of firing an explosive round as suggested above. Kinda helps with the hitting moving targets and lack of CC.

Pink Ninja Man.4375:

runeblade.7514:

Any kind of AoE knockback in auto-attack is just overpowered.

So the catapult is overpowered then? And the trebuchet! Also as I mentioned it would be a new spell with more cooldown than the normal attack. I like the idea of firing an explosive round as suggested above. Kinda helps with the hitting moving targets and lack of CC.

Catapults and Trebuchets are more expensive and take more salvage. So you’re putting in more work to get better results.

I do agree that just having one power that is specifically a knockback would be better than nothing. I still think it should be piercing, but making it a line attack would be the same thing.

3 of your problem can solve if all 1 2 3skill balista use same as 4th shoot.

BUT

My problem is place to put this balista useful.
-On wall,Hell it shoot hit gap on 3pixcel conner.
-On floor same above they hit something like thin air and struck WT…