Guild Wars 2

Hi buddies, hi ArenaNet,

Actually I had a debate with some Norns like me. We concluded that racial skills (especially Norns ones) are not powerful enough. Then those are useless because nobody use them, it seems it’s only here for some RP.

Some racial skills are more usefull to some professions (classes), like the Charrs Battlecry for Warrior or Ranger – But I don’t know if Warrior Shout traits or Ranger Shout traits works on it… Anyway, here comes my SUUUGGESTTIONNN !

As you see it coming, I suggest that some Racial traits (disabled on sPvP because we can’t use racial skills in sPvP). I also suggest some boosts on the base racial skills.

If you look that Prayer to Dwayna, comparing to Heal as One (Ranger), HaO heals more than the Prayer PLUS it heals your pet also for 10 sec less on the cooldown ! This is the perfect example of the uselessness of racial skills.

In other hand, we have the Norn Leopard transformation ELITE which cost a lot of skill points. I dont have to compare this skill to anything because I do less damage with it than if I am on normal stance ! Then why should I use this skill ? It disadvantage me !!!

• Boost a little bit racial skills to challenge normal skills ! I must asking myself “What should I use, Signet of Rage or Wolf Form ?” Those are both ELITE SKILLS ! I should asking myself !
• Apply traits on racial skills (no balance problems on sPvP, sPvP = No racial skills), like healing shouts, shouts cooldown reduction, …
• Add some traits to boost racial skills which can’t be boosted by traits for now. This to balance races each other. Like cooldown reduction on transformation, secondary effect on prayer, … that kind of thing.
• Maybe add some racial traits (???) – I think too hard to implement for now.

Who is with me ? Don’t you agree my proposition ? ^^

Kind regards,
Lary

Up plz, nobody is according to me ?

Snow Leapord form is actually really useful; But mostly for the stealth it offers and the huge mobiliy it has (a 1600 range dash I believe? Something like that). It’s also the only Norn Elite that can auto-attack while moving – something that I think could help out the other Norn Elites greatly.

As for Prayer to Dwayna; Aye, it’s perhaps the most useless racial skill in the game. It really offers nothing at all to anyone. Lots of people argued this a while back but I think we all gave up in the end, Even if it’s effectiveness isn’t increased, it needs something to make it “unique” or flavourful rather than just a standard heal; Such as boosting it’s power if you are under 15% HP, or making it a HoT effect.

All that aside, despite many racial skills needing a rework to be worth something at least, even if they aren’t too be as powerful as other skills, making various “encompass all” traits (such as the Guardian’s Elite Skill CD reduction trait, or Shout-related Traits working on Warcry) would be a good first step to helping them out a bit.

For over a year now I’ve been frustrated that Battle Roar does not count as a shout.

Racials are supposed to be weaker than class specific skills in an effort to keep a specific race from being meta. If you think it’s bad enough that people all run similar builds, imagine how plain the world would be if we were all the same race too.

@Player Character
You spoke about meta in PvE ? Or in WvW ? Racials can’t unbalance the game if they are all equals each other. But actually, do you know someone using a racial instead of a class specific skill (except Balthazar Hounds)? No, then, why just not simply delete those useless skills ?

I’m not according to you ! Racials are not strong, are not fun, nobody use it. I’m really disapointed because I though Norns could be like in GW1 : Almost everytime in form.

But please, don’t speak about a PvE or WvW metagame. How many games perfectly works with that kind of skills in PvE or RvR ?

@KotCR
Okay for the Leopard Form, it’s fun… But absolutely not strong enough ! Do you use it ? A 240" cooldown ELITE SKILL for escape ???

They are there for flavour, and that’s all there is to it. Racials should never be better than any profession skill in favour of balance.

I use Wolf form on my Norn. Does it suck? Yep. But I have fun messing around with it in open pve. So w/e. If I’ll do something serious I’ll just switch to a good elite.