Guild Wars 2

I don’t know what happening, if anything, but ever since that balance patch came out it has been nigh-impossible for me and my guild to complete our tier 4 dailies.

I mean, we’re experienced raiders and fractal folk. we know are classes, our builds, we know the mechanics and all that good jazz. but it has been a freakin’ chore if not a disgusting venture to try to complete our fractals.

did something happen, did that balance patch really screw things up that bad? what am I missing?

What issue are you having with in Fractals at the moment?

When they first added in Chaos fractal and the new instabilities (flux bomb, poison trail, etc.), my group did have issues adapting to these mechanics but it’s been a while since that happened. Even with the Lich form nerf for Necros, my group is finding T4 dailies alright at the moment.

kazafz.6780:

What issue are you having with in Fractals at the moment?

When they first added in Chaos fractal and the new instabilities (flux bomb, poison trail, etc.), my group did have issues adapting to these mechanics but it’s been a while since that happened. Even with the Lich form nerf for Necros, my group is finding T4 dailies alright at the moment.

it’s like everything is hitting like a truck, dude. it’s like we have absolutely no survivabality now, whereas we did before the patch.

I noticed the same with time. Maybe it’s just my imagination but power compositions without druid are very fragile atm. Even with really good players the instabilities hit really hard especially social awkwardness which is like a direct nerf to power compositions since stacking occurs whether u want it or not.

On a side note, necro faceroll is the same as pre-patch.

If you were playing condition heavily the bosses should take longer to kill as they have higher healths now. I would advice you to have some power specced people that have good ranged options like Ele, Ranger or Guard. You might also want to choose the fractals without Afflicted and Toxic Trail.

I pug T4 a lot with my friend and it can take from 20 ish minutes to an hour to finish all dailies, depending on how good pugs are. All in all, you don’t need much theorycrafting and preparation really. Key thing is to stay alive and contribute as much as you can after.

Jorvych.3064:

I mean, we’re experienced raiders and fractal folk. we know are classes, our builds, we know the mechanics and all that good jazz. but it has been a freakin’ chore if not a disgusting venture to try to complete our fractals.

If the second part is true, the first obviously isn’t. T4 fractals can still be easily completed with about 90% of pugs (even if they’re mediocre), so an organised party should have no issues.

To be blunt, the only times I’ve had issues with T4 since the balance patch have stemmed from the team itself: lack of experience, not getting along, someone leroy-ing everything, etc. In other words, the teams I’ve been in with bad players take forever to complete while a team with experienced laid-back folks get the job done no problem. Granted, I’m generally the one swapped out to fill the gaps when it feels like the team I’m in is “missing a class” of sort to fill a role.

I don’t know, I find it unreasonable that we all became absolute scrubs in a matter of days.

Fractals are still the same. Maybe you got rekt by social awkwardness?

It’s the instabilities. Most groups avoid the levels with ‘poison trail’, for one thing.

There’s to much damage sources, so that berserker/viper die ultra fast unless you have very good players (support like healing protection must be applied and must be done so in perfect manner).

Toxic trail: most of time no issue, but in some situations (12+ mobs running in circles) you cant avoid, 1700 damage PER sec…

Enraged (this one is a big source imo): Wild strike (a thief auto attack of average 3k can go up to 11000 (cliffside) damage… One shots anyone without full hp with is likely at chest seal as theres simple so much ranged and other stuff.

Fractals melting together: most of time no issue BUT and here’s the but, if maw, or the Chaos fractal aoe, summon on you when you just double dodges a (must dodge) fractal mechanic: Almost certain death. There are counters but they are few.

It also makes AI (and especially multiple survival, that can move) very powerfull, as they c an eat away damage that you normally would take in the chaos of these battles. Melee is punish very very much imo (a little to much).

Controlled fractal groups still can do it ultra easy (mostly), average to good pugs now fail (only very good pugs succeed).

These days requirements: you use meta build or other build that you play very very well and has a minimum of dodges, survival, damage, and support, and breakbar potential (this last one is a big issues on pugs!!! no breaking bar = instant wipe often). A lot of ppl play with average builds, that when supported with druid heals/damage buff, might etc, still were extremely good. This is no longer the case. These people MUST adapt, but don’t.

My issue with recent patch is also: reviving downed ppl (without traits making you protected while doing it) is very hard almost suicide. Toxic trail damages faster then it gives heal to downed ppl. (and to the resser also!). Wild strike can burst the downed down (enraged) before heal connects.

This makes people that in the past ‘easely made an error, but didn’t stress it because well they got up most of time’, annoying. As they basically make the goal much much harder. These days the new goal (not really there before) (especially in pugs) is: do not get downed ever if you can. And here a lot of pugs also are behind schedule since the changes.

Fractals is slowly becoming a chore.

I don’t know about other things, but 94 cliffside became obnoxious. On my cleric’s carry guard I eat 2-6k damage enemy autoattacks when I have 4k toughness. From 8+ enemies while glass eles and a necro try to burst things before enrage, and each of them (but necro) go down to one hit. My build hasn’t changed in ages (actually got buffs over time) but cliffside has caused me great agita recently.

We might need to clarify when the OP start having problems. If it’s after the fractal patch where they add new instabilities and change the Toughness scaling then it’s quite likely an established party would need some adjustments. In my experience cliffside in particular becomes super annoying with some instability combination.

However, if it is past the last Balance Patch… it doesnt change anything to the fractals other than thaumanova floor. So it could be one of the classes. Do you use a druid in your comp? If so, it’s probably because the druid healing coefficients are changed so you would need to change some stats to healing power to heal as good as pre-patch. Basically if you use a zerker/viper druid as a main healer, you would need to switch to a magi set.

Get yourself fractal potions – they help a lot!
25% reduced damage received is amazing

Liverpaul.4719:

Get yourself fractal potions – they help a lot!
25% reduced damage received is amazing

^ this. I find it disgusting how many pugs don’t use potions. They’re dirt cheap and give 15% more damage, 25% less damage taken, 25% more movement speed, 50% more endurance, + bonus stats scaled from your AR.

Poison trails is by far a more painful instability than social awkwardness. I suggest you avoid level 80 – 90 fractals.

Without any detail, it’s really difficult for me to understand the OP’s problem. I haven’t noticed any real difference in fractal difficulty. Other than the lich form nerf adding a minute to every fractal, its pretty much business as usual.

Liverpaul.4719:

Get yourself fractal potions – they help a lot!
25% reduced damage received is amazing

You run out of fractal relics if you use these potions on every fractal. But i love the mobility potion on immobile classes like guard. Definitely an option for harder fractals.

I hate the interaction between poison trails and blind. Poison trail removes blind, making thives a lot weaker in PT fractals. AoE CC spells like rev’s jade wind or chrono’s gravity well are better tools to deal with mobs than blinds.

However it is still nothing compared to old level 50 fractals preHOT with archdiviner randomly oneshotting people.

Yeh I agree another issue with poison trail I find is that endure pain and stuff doesn’t work against them.. I’m not sure if it’s classified as condi dmg or what tho. I think even agony behaves in a similar manner tho so yeah it makes sense..

Enraged (this one is a big source imo): Wild strike (a thief auto attack of average 3k can go up to 11000 (cliffside) damage… One shots anyone without full hp with is likely at chest seal as theres simple so much ranged and other stuff.

Your issue with trash mobs and they don’t have defiance bars so just save ur cc for them when enrage? Like it’s not hard no reason to make this any easier nth

Fractals melting together: most of time no issue BUT and here’s the but, if maw, or the Chaos fractal aoe, summon on you when you just double dodges a (must dodge) fractal mechanic: Almost certain death. There are counters but they are few.

Counters like.. running away from a rabbit? I dun understand. The only time it’s really annoying tho is when ur jumping on precarious ledges like in chaos and stuff and suddenly tentacle pops out of nowhere and throws u off.. yeah that’s like hard mode.

Melee is punish very very much imo (a little to much).

Agreed.. kinda. I’m used to melee on bloom by now tho so dunno if it makes me hypocritical to not advocate a change. Also chaos.. still intense for melee. good to have hot feet yes. Like down in melee with him = 100% chance to die.

My issue with recent patch is also: reviving downed ppl (without traits making you protected while doing it) is very hard almost suicide. Toxic trail damages faster then it gives heal to downed ppl. (and to the resser also!). Wild strike can burst the downed down (enraged) before heal connects.

Uhh? thot u have mastery for faster revive also? also where it problem.. like at bloom. but have a nice pug group (nice not one that ignores ur corpse) and u get res easy. If can’t revive, then don’t. thsumanova boss, don’t down. Down, ur fault. Down, u certainly die. So die, ur fault. No backsies

Liverpaul.4719:

Get yourself fractal potions – they help a lot!
25% reduced damage received is amazing

Yup. They do. I opt’d to get the infinite potions…