Guild Wars 2

Combo fields are pretty much useless in their current form. There are sure some that are ok, but most are utter crap. I think that a big buff would be on place here.

Like how many players are actually trying to setup combo fields so that other players can do more dmg? How many players actually try to use combo fields the other players are setting?

I tried with my thief how much the poison combo field makes extra damage. I have about 50% condition build and itemized for condition damage. If I just shoot through a combo field a normal arrow, the poison does around half an arrow more damage. Compared to the fact how much more effort it needs to shoot these arrows in the heat of a battle, and how much is the increased damage. I have to say that I do understand why most people do not really care.

On top of this, the combo field poison arrows did not proc always. It was sure possible that no poison arrows at all was created from some poison fields.

With effective combo fields, to be good in the PvP or WvWvW, you really would need to think the synergy between the characters and where do you actually cast your combo fields. I think this would make the game to be harder to master, and at least imho that would be right way to go.

One more thing to clarify. That half an arrow damage → Total damage from the whole combo field. Not per arrow.

Strange, because I often do Combo Fields with my elementalist. I equip my Arcane Wave and blasts my fire and/or water fields near allies. If I have my staff, I blasts on my AoE heal fields for more healing.

But that is mostly in organized PvE groups, such as running dungeons with my friends. I most likely only see combo fields in big zergs or in small organized play. I will rarely see a pug blasting my AoE fields.

A better incentive to combo fields might be worth looking into. And maybe if the combo would scale better too, that’d be great.

Fields act differently depending on the finisher. Poison fields are great, but aren’t that great with projectile finishers. Use your SB #2 blast finisher on them and you’ll apply aoe weakness (and bleed). Which is a really good set-up if you’re planning on diving into the middle of the fray. Keeps you from getting whalloped on.

Also, I think Anet has tried to limit the combos each profession is able to pull of solo. On your own, thieves only have smoke, poison, and dark fields. Tons of finishers. But join an engi or ele who’s laying down fire fields and you can spam blast finishers to build huge aoe might. Or blast a ranger’s spring for repeated aoe heals. Can you imagine how OP thief would be if we had access to fire or water fields like they do?

Combos are designed to strengthen the combined might of a group. And while many people just drop whatever fields they have in zergs on CD, good group combo utilization in dungeons or small-scale WvW can seriously turn the tide. A strategic use of fields to create party-wide stealth, or stacking might, or retaliation is under-utlized and under-valued. Playing smart pays off. Unfortunately, not everyone does.

Fire and Water Fields are a key part of most ways to play an Elementalist.
Smoke Field is the reason why D/P Thief is the most popular spec for Thief.
I have seen Water, Fire, Lightning and Light used in WvW.

FYI, the primary use of Poison FIeld is AoE weakness.

Indeed, there are some that are ok, but some are not so ok. My example from thief poison field is just an example. Also I agree that solo use of fields should not be as powerful.

The point here is, that the people who understand to use fields would get greater benefits from those. It would be nice to see that using those fields would actually affect notably to the battle. Would make smaller group to be able to win battle against bigger group that is not using those. Maybe it is just me then, but at the moment I do not see combo fields in so big light. Rather like, a small bonus you can get.

One example. Like a warrior with his leap.
If combo fields would be so important that when a warrior is going to get his initial contact with enemy, it would make sense to say in team speak that cast me a field I am going to leap.

Raoknorog.1928:

It would be nice to see that using those fields would actually affect notably to the battle.

Fire Field + Blast Finisher = LOLMIGHTSTACKING

Do you even zerk bro?

Also lol at the “there are none that are good!” sentiment.
The ele can solo-stack some 20 stacks of might using the right weapons and traits.

The most common uses of fields that I’ve seen are:

- blasting in fire fields to stack aoe might
- blasting in water fields to aoe heal
- blasting in smoke fields for aoe stealth (WvW)
- whirling in light fields for aoe cleanse

They tend to be pretty obvious in dungeons. Someone drops a healing spring or napalm and you should blast em if you got em for party support. Sometimes you will pre-stack might or stealth before encounters. In tPvP (which I have zero experience in) I’m sure there are some combo strategies that are planned & used.

In WvW zergs and world bosses, there’s just too much of a disorganized scrum for anyone to even see what’s going on.

Raoknorog.1928:

One example. Like a warrior with his leap.
If combo fields would be so important that when a warrior is going to get his initial contact with enemy, it would make sense to say in team speak that cast me a field I am going to leap.

You can SEE the fields on the ground and the effects around the edge of them. All you need to do is know which one is which and they’re all pretty obvious. The only difficult ones to pick out are ethereal and light, at least for me.

lol another fail word filter. “The only kittenes to pick…”
I tried to use the word hard and one as adjective and noun….man are they overzealous with this…

If you are not using combo fields, you are not playing right. Everyone should be benefiting from Combo fields. Its a free Boon, effect, or healing that you are otherwise missing out on.

And ANET did boost Combo Fields on some 30point Traits.

Ele can now grant Fury on Fire fields with Might stacking, for example.

Combo fields still have a way to goes to be ‘better’, but they should not be ignored.

Lostwingman.5034:

Raoknorog.1928:

It would be nice to see that using those fields would actually affect notably to the battle.

Fire Field + Blast Finisher = LOLMIGHTSTACKING

Do you even zerk bro?

Also lol at the “there are none that are good!” sentiment.
The ele can solo-stack some 20 stacks of might using the right weapons and traits.

As I said, some are ok.

Calculate how many fields are in the game, and how many you think are really good? Which do have tactical use behind? From how many you speak in team speak that you want the field A?

Or is that, “Giev my mihgt, ZEEEERGDOOOM!”

Raoknorog.1928:

Lostwingman.5034:

Raoknorog.1928:

It would be nice to see that using those fields would actually affect notably to the battle.

Fire Field + Blast Finisher = LOLMIGHTSTACKING

Do you even zerk bro?

Also lol at the “there are none that are good!” sentiment.
The ele can solo-stack some 20 stacks of might using the right weapons and traits.

As I said, some are ok.

Calculate how many fields are in the game, and how many you think are really good? Which do have tactical use behind? From how many you speak in team speak that you want the field A?

Or is that, “Giev my mihgt, ZEEEERGDOOOM!”

Well looking at the possibilities, I would say that the only useless one is Ice Field. And it’s a pretty kitten rare field to begin with.

Ethereal is hard to use in a “strategic” manner, considering that it centers on Confusion and Chaos Armor, of which the latter is random.

I think they are fine, could do with a few more options on Mesmer.

HOWEVER – what i would LOVE to see – the ability to use enemy fields against them. This would be SO good. Imagine an enemy uses a Water field and blast for healing, wouldnt it be great if you were fast enough you could also get a heal from his water field if you use a blast finish inside it…

Raoknorog.1928:

Lostwingman.5034:

Raoknorog.1928:

It would be nice to see that using those fields would actually affect notably to the battle.

Fire Field + Blast Finisher = LOLMIGHTSTACKING

Do you even zerk bro?

Also lol at the “there are none that are good!” sentiment.
The ele can solo-stack some 20 stacks of might using the right weapons and traits.

As I said, some are ok.

Calculate how many fields are in the game, and how many you think are really good? Which do have tactical use behind? From how many you speak in team speak that you want the field A?

Or is that, “Giev my mihgt, ZEEEERGDOOOM!”

There are currently 23 useful Combo Fields out of a total of 36. Of those 23 we ‘as a community’ use a total of 13 on a daily basis (from what I have seen in WvW and at world Bosses).

Those 13 are;

In the order of Finisher\Field popularity
Fire-Blast\Leap = Might+(Fury)\Fire Shield
Lighting-Blast = Swiftness
Water-Blast\leap\Whirl\Projectile = Healing\Healing\Healing\regeneration
Ethereal-Blast\Leap = Chaos Armor\Chaos Armor
Light-Whirl\Projectile = Remove Condition\Remove Condition
Poison-Projectile\Whirl = Poison\Poison

That is less then 1/3 of the combo fields we have open to us that I see getting used regularly.

Raoknorog.1928:

As I said, some are ok.

That’s a strange way to say most.

Raoknorog.1928:

Calculate how many fields are in the game, and how many you think are really good?

They’re pretty much all made to be useful AT LEAST for the class dropping them.
Unless you’re bad and don’t drop your finishers on it or have no idea what the fields do and just hit buttons.

Raoknorog.1928:

Which do have tactical use behind?

All of them?
It just depends whether the people who have them in their skill list know how to use them.

From how many you speak in team speak that you want the field A?

What is this?
Is this English?
Did I say something about those 20 odd stacks having to be group coordinated? Maybe read my post again:
“The ele can solo-stack some 20 stacks of might using the right weapons and traits.”
S/D is a helluva combo.

Or is that, “Giev my mihgt, ZEEEERGDOOOM!”

The hell are you talking about?
Or was the obvious way I wasn’t taking you seriously with my tone affecting your brainwaves?

sirsquishy.8531:

There are currently 23 useful Combo Fields out of a total of 36. Of those 23 we ‘as a community’ use a total of 13 on a daily basis (from what I have seen in WvW and at world Bosses).

Those 13 are;

In the order of Finisher\Field popularity
Fire-Blast\Leap = Might+(Fury)\Fire Shield
Lighting-Blast = Swiftness
Water-Blast\leap\Whirl\Projectile = Healing\Healing\Healing\regeneration
Ethereal-Blast\Leap = Chaos Armor\Chaos Armor
Light-Whirl\Projectile = Remove Condition\Remove Condition
Poison-Projectile\Whirl = Poison\Poison

That is less then 1/3 of the combo fields we have open to us that I see getting used regularly.

Those are combo field skills.
OP speaks that combo fields themselves are tactically useless.
There is a difference between “Combo Field Skill” and “Combo Field”, of which there are only 9.

Lostwingman.5034:

sirsquishy.8531:

There are currently 23 useful Combo Fields out of a total of 36. Of those 23 we ‘as a community’ use a total of 13 on a daily basis (from what I have seen in WvW and at world Bosses).

Those 13 are;

In the order of Finisher\Field popularity
Fire-Blast\Leap = Might+(Fury)\Fire Shield
Lighting-Blast = Swiftness
Water-Blast\leap\Whirl\Projectile = Healing\Healing\Healing\regeneration
Ethereal-Blast\Leap = Chaos Armor\Chaos Armor
Light-Whirl\Projectile = Remove Condition\Remove Condition
Poison-Projectile\Whirl = Poison\Poison

That is less then 1/3 of the combo fields we have open to us that I see getting used regularly.

Those are combo field skills.
OP speaks that combo fields themselves are tactically useless.
There is a difference between “Combo Field Skill” and “Combo Field”, of which there are only 9.

No, OP is clearly talking about Combo Fields in their state with Finishers, and not the combo fields themselves.

He talks mainly about piercing an arrow through a poison field (20% Finisher I bet) and how its lack luster for him. He does not really talk much about the field’s presence all that much…other then maybe that other players dont see them or setup to use them when they do see them….ect.

Lostwingman.5034:

The hell are you talking about?
Or was the obvious way I wasn’t taking you seriously with my tone affecting your brainwaves?

Seriously, I do not have anything against you. So relax. If you come to troll, do not get trolled.

But I agree that I disagree with you. If you think all the fields are in balance and are good. That is ok. Your opinion has been heard.

Raoknorog.1928:

Seriously, I do not have anything against you. So relax. If you come to troll, do not get trolled.

Typing in a grammatical structure that is not English is not trolling…

But I agree that I disagree with you. If you think all the fields are in balance and are good. That is ok.

That’s not what I said.
You complained that they have no tactical use, that apparently no one can use them without 1337 coordination, and that:

Combo fields are pretty much useless in their current form.

Raoknorog.1928:

Your opinion has been heard.

Hear != Listen
Also, same.

sirsquishy.8531:

No, OP is clearly talking about Combo Fields in their state with Finishers, and not the combo fields themselves.

Raoknorog.1928:

Combo fields are pretty much useless in their current form.

yeaok.jpg

sirsquishy.8531:

He talks mainly about piercing an arrow through a poison field (20% Finisher I bet) and how its lack luster for him. He does not really talk much about the field’s presence all that much…other then maybe that other players dont see them or setup to use them when they do see them….ect.

He was talking about combo fields…
All he talks about are fields…

sirsquishy.8531:

There are currently 23 useful Combo Fields out of a total of 36. Of those 23 we ‘as a community’ use a total of 13 on a daily basis (from what I have seen in WvW and at world Bosses).

Those 13 are;

In the order of Finisher\Field popularity
Fire-Blast\Leap = Might+(Fury)\Fire Shield
Lighting-Blast = Swiftness
Water-Blast\leap\Whirl\Projectile = Healing\Healing\Healing\regeneration
Ethereal-Blast\Leap = Chaos Armor\Chaos Armor
Light-Whirl\Projectile = Remove Condition\Remove Condition
Poison-Projectile\Whirl = Poison\Poison

That is less then 1/3 of the combo fields we have open to us that I see getting used regularly.

A very good comment. I was mainly thinking this from WvW point of view. But have to admit I could not have done it that well.

So basically the point is that I think the fields should get a buff. Good players who are using fields efficiently, should be rewarded from that. This would simply make the skillful players matter a bit more in all that WvW zerg.

We already rack up 2 min of swiftness easily. Dark fields are often placed on Lords to kill the faster with all the life steal. They are used a lot in t1 wvw

Really the finishers shouldn’t have to move much to capitalize if the people dripping the field are doing thier job right.

Overall combos are fine imo

I’m sure by the number of posts this has already been pointed out, but, if you’re not using combos, you’re doing it wrong. I mash my combos every time they are up which on a ground fight and my two primary weapon combinations is about every 8 seconds or so.

Only thing I think might be a little more interesting is some next level combos. Rather than a combination of two items, like 3, 4 or maybe even a combination of more than one class for it to be effective.

Well AoE Condition Removal combos are pretty awesome when you stack on bosses in dungeons.

In the core. Would be nice to see that highly skilled players would matter more in the WvW. I think that the tools to be skillful and to play well in team, are not too great.

Combo fields are the tool for team play in GW2. So I would like to see these buffed, so that the players who are organized and have skills to use those constantly and tactically → Would be victorious. Clear benefits from being good. Skill > Mass.

Olba.5376:

I would say that the only useless one is Ice Field. And it’s a pretty kitten rare field to begin with.

try using it as an elementalist traited for aura’s. if you have the “aura’s give you protection” trait thats an instant 43% damage reduction. (33% from protection and 10% from the aura) thats certainly not bad. so far i know there are only 2 ice fields tho, elementalist staff 4 and ranger trap utility skill.