Guild Wars 2

I think Boss mobs need a sort of randomization in mechanics that is harder to predict, instead of more life.

What I mean by this is the following, think about how different players approach a class:

1) Each person does not react the same way in defense or offense (their use of skills following being attacked)
2) Some people react faster than others (call it their “human delay”)
3) Some people choose not to even use certain skills (ignoring them entirely)
4) Combo fields (give bosses unseen combo fields, and allow them to combo or even better — cause the players to combo off these fields for ill effects — IE make them stack conditions on themselves because of their actions)

Imagine if Tequatl for example, would sometimes cast spell A) when hit by a fire attack, and other times cast spell C) when hit by the same fire attack. Make the bosses reactive, and surprising.

Sometimes Tequalt would Skill #1, then Skill #9, then Skill #3. Other times he would Skill #1, then Skill #5, then Skill #8.

Have fields come down that when you use #1 skills, you suddenly have stacks of confusion, or torment and you are forced for a while to stop autoattacking and rely on your other skills. Sure it would throw people off at first, but it would make them watch for fields.

Have another combo field (that the boss lays down) when they use a Blast Finisher, it would throw THEM backward, or knock them back.

Sometimes make Tequatl’s #6 skill have a 2 second cast time. Then other times if he blasts a certain field he gains reduced cast time. So suddenly the next time Tequatl uses his #6 skill it instant casts. Because of the field in play and the buff “Reduced Cast Time.”

Have some fights where Tequatl refuses to use his skill #7 and so people relax and forget about it next time. Not expecting it and then he starts with skill #7.

Give him 10-40 sets of attack patterns. And then give him a randomizer that chooses a random set of attack patterns every 1-10 attacks.

Make the same bosses different every-time you fight them. So even if their moves are telegraphed. They feel different each time. You are never quite sure what version of Tequatl (example) that you are getting, or what you have to prepare for.

Sometimes make him cast a 10 second cast time Skill #8. And then right at the 6 second mark, make him STOP casting that spell, and then instead auto-cast Skill #3 or something else. Make him fake the players out, or change his mind mid-cast.

You could even change his CDs or cast times on spells, randomly, and right when you think you have 10 seconds to dodge his Skill #8, suddenly it just nails you without any warning.

You don’t have to make bosses have more HP. If you make them more unpredictable.

That is what dictates good players, their ability to change, adapt and to be as unpredictable as the game allows them to be.

Start making bosses truly unpredictable.

Make them have multiple mechanics, and sometimes they won’t even use certain mechanics, and other times they will spam them like their going out of style.

We need CONDITION blast fields, not just BOON blast fields. Give people something to think about when using their spells.

“Am I going to hit this bosses blast/whirl/whatever field?”

“Is my dagger-storm going to kill me or my allies when I use it?”

“If I heal now, am I going to stack confusion on myself?”

Not only this. But remove Defiant and allow players to fear bosses, to stun them and stop their attacks, to daze them and cause the boss to use a counter ability that is only even used when it has been dazed, or feared, or stunned.

Allow a fear to interrupt a crucial move from the Boss mob, but by consequence, the Boss counters by instantly killing that one (just the one who casted fear) player, or stacks 25 stacks of confusion on everyone. So that the one player can choose whether to sacrifice himself for the good of the others. You can even randomize the counter attacks. So that a player might try saving everyone by fearing the boss, and suddenly he just wipes out half the field of players in response to being feared.

Make players go into a fight, not ready to auto-attack and be done with it. But with a tiny bit of fear and trepidation. “What’s going to happen… next?”

Keep them on their toes, so if they really want to defeat it. They have to be engaged in the fight.

I am really hoping the new Tequatl (which is why I used him as an example) is more like this. And less like every other boss in the game.

crosses fingers for new Teqautl

I concur good doctor, I concur