There’s probably several other posts covering this same topic, but I’m just tired of how pathetic Anet handled their so called elite skills in this game, specifically the completely useless racial elite skills. So I apologize for the double post, or triple post or what ever number of times this has already been discussed.
So i just wanna know am I the only one that sees how completely useless the racial elite skills are? The implication of a racial elite (nobody can use it except X race and only PvE), compared to the benefits, plus the recharge time? It’s honestly ridiculous. These are supposed to be the most powerful skills in the whole game. For example theres nothing more powerful in the Norn kitten nal than transforming into a giant Werewolf, Werebear, Weresnowleopard or Wereraven (I had to name them all because they sound hilarious, except werewolf), yet, whenever I see someone transform, all I can think of is, what a complete waste of time! And the same goes to nearly all the racial elites.
Why can’t the Norn permanently transform into any of their animals, until the player decides to go back into normal form? Think about it, you loose all the utility skills, you completely loose the healing ability, you loose your speed buff. And in return, you get an “elite” transformation, that grants you 5 skills, the damage buff is almost non existent, and the health buff is really not that big deal. Whenever you transform you’re really at a disadvantage. According to GW1 lore Norn have always been able to transform whenever they want, so why change this now?
Asuran suits, same situation, when you use the golem suit, you’re loosing skills, and a great decrease in mobility. Asurans are supposed to be genius, and the best thing they can come up with is a golem that lasts for 60 seconds? (mind you they last even longer than the Norn transformation). Also, when they summon golems, why cant they last until they die? Yes, in this case you keep all your skills, but in PvE we’re facing hundreds of enemies, a group of 10 enemies could easily take down the golem, so you’re not giving anyone no advantage in any way. Besides you can always lower it’s health to balance it out.
Charrzooka, loose all your skills for 60 seconds, which is fair? But only 15 shots? More often than not, you face situations where after you use the 15 shots you don’t get the enemies to half health, so why not at the very least make it last 60 seconds, unlimited shots, or just make it like Engineers kits. And we’re talking about an ELITE skill, which implies there no other skill (except other elites) that are equally or more powerful than this one. And a racial elite at that, which means that among the Charr, there’s no skill more powerful than the Charrzooka (except Artillery barrage and Warband). As for Warband, same as the Asuran golem, it should last until the warband dies, after all, that’s literally how a warband works according your very own lore, they stick together till death. Lower their health, and maybe damage, but grant them the ability to stay with you until they die.
Sylvari, Sylvan hound and Human Hounds of Balthazar. We can start by saying that Mistfire Wolf is stronger than either of these skills. Both these skills, just like their Charr Warband) and Asuran (golem) couterpart, should have no time limit, these skills don’t even work underwater kitten . If they’re too powerful, to not be able to last until they’re killed, just balance them out, and make them useful, so they can last indefinitely.
All of these skills are elite, how is it that a elite skill, which are supposed to be the most powerful skills in the whole game, are all nearly useless? Or lack the effectiveness than other elite skills have? These skills are PvE exclusives, where we have enemies capable of killing you, with a single blow. Yet, the elite skills we have, that are racial exclusive, that are supposed to be the most powerful in the game for their respective races, don’t even equal the damage of some regular utility skills, nor are they as effective, or useful, as some minor utility skills. Of course there’s tons of other pathetic skills (and elite skills like Guardian tomes), but most aren’t elite, nor race specific, nor PvE exclusives. Some of these even go against the lose of their very own world, or at least completely against the GW1 lore in the case of Norns (unless I’m missing out on something). So if these skills are all PvE exclusive, which means nobody is getting an advantage over nobody, why not buff them and make them as powerful as they should be, considering the fact that they’re ELITE SKILLS!