Guild Wars 2

Just wanted to get everyone’s feelings about the latest changes to Fractals.

I ran Uncategorized today and had Flux on. It make it extremely annoying because you constantly had to hop to platforms on top of the harpies instant knocking you off.

Also in Swampland the mistlocks were Flux and Random condition. I would often get the flux bomb and torment at the same time. So no matter what, you get hurt.

While these were intended to add to enjoying, I feel like they have deterred people from wanting to do fractals. As they have now become more of an annoyance than enjoyable.

Quite honestly I liked the old way alot more. Am I alone in feeling this way about them?

Well, flux bomb plus social awkwardness did make for an interesting Uncategorized run today, will agree on that point. But after we took a more controlled approach, and not the bum rush we’ve been accustomed to, it wasn’t really an issue. So, it’s manageable fore sure. At times flux bomb became an amusing tactic to troll your friends Which, as long as it’s good natured made it an even more entertaining run.

My feelings may change after a dozen more runs, but fractals haven’t been this interesting in ages. I’m enjoying the change up for the time being.

I like Flux. It adds a nice extra mechanic to the fight and makes you be aware of your positioning. Overall the changes are nice. Kills are much faster again and the difficulty is added by mechanics you need to deal with rather than the passive HP sponge crap we had before. On top of that with boon thieves removed skillful play gets rewarded again with much faster kill times.

Icethorn.6570:

Just wanted to get everyone’s feelings about the latest changes to Fractals.

I ran Uncategorized today and had Flux on. It make it extremely annoying because you constantly had to hop to platforms on top of the harpies instant knocking you off.

Also in Swampland the mistlocks were Flux and Random condition. I would often get the flux bomb and torment at the same time. So no matter what, you get hurt.

While these were intended to add to enjoying, I feel like they have deterred people from wanting to do fractals. As they have now become more of an annoyance than enjoyable.

Quite honestly I liked the old way alot more. Am I alone in feeling this way about them?

Depends what you mean by old. I loved the old way of 4 fractals = 1 run although that’s just me

Mist convergence is fantastic, 10/10 would get double horace’d at T100 again. I’m on the fence about the rest of the changes since it’s been two days, but so far I haven’t had any real problems beyond flux/social/enrage on cliffside and that was a bit more to do with target focusing and lack of cleave (or maybe too much)+enrage than anything else.

I personally find flux bomb enjoyable as it brings a lot of attention to personal positioning. I enjoy the little game of “where can I drop this so that it’d do the least amount of damage?”. I can’t speak for everyone but my pug groups adapted very good as they seem to get progressively more spacially aware. I sure as we do more runs it’ll just be another mechanic we’ve practiced and mindlessly execute.

I understand the frustration though, It sometimes feels unfair when challenging content is added. However, I feel that fluxbomb is a forgiving instability as it gives you more than enough time to get out of the way.

I currently feel the toxic trail to be more of an issue as it tends to grow rapidly when faced with large packs in tight areas. The combination seems unfair, but I’m willing to give it some time to see if we are able to adapt or the mechanic is truly unfair. I’ve been able to handle the toxic trail by having a druid healer to heal through the toxins or multiple aoe classes to burst the pack before they spread their toxins.

I think the difference between the two instabilities is that flux bomb can be handled by any individual while the toxic trail answers seem to be class dependent so far. I guess it’s up to the devs to decide what they want for fractals. We the players most likely adapt, with a few that will give up on the content.

Sarahfull.4930:

Depends what you mean by old. I loved the old way of 4 fractals = 1 run although that’s just me

Kinda wish they’d bring that style back myself so you’re not alone in that.

As far as the instabs, i feel its more of people not adapting to change yet again after being used to steamrolling poorly tuned content.

TexZero.7910:

As far as the instabs, i feel its more of people not adapting to change yet again after being used to steamrolling poorly tuned content.

I absolutely agree. There are a few little annoying things, but I’m very happy with the overall direction of the fractal changes. And I did not use any ranged weapon at Cliffside 82 …

If feel that the combination of3 instbilities on some fractals is wierd to play against i mean the poison trail in cliff side and the flux bomb even tho its really nice i like it the 1 shotting from the enraged mobs while you rrun away from the group might wreck you.
Im just wondering why 3 instabilities in the t4 now?

i think its fine,all mobs shoud get extra boon- return dmg for everyone in 2 m radius around.

I’m with you, OP: these changes are awful.

Icethorn.6570:

Just wanted to get everyone’s feelings about the latest changes to Fractals.

I think it’s too soon to offer an opinion. People need a chance to let go of the old way of doing things first.

Icethorn.6570:

Just wanted to get everyone’s feelings about the latest changes to Fractals.

I ran Uncategorized today and had Flux on. It make it extremely annoying because you constantly had to hop to platforms on top of the harpies instant knocking you off.

Also in Swampland the mistlocks were Flux and Random condition. I would often get the flux bomb and torment at the same time. So no matter what, you get hurt.

While these were intended to add to enjoying, I feel like they have deterred people from wanting to do fractals. As they have now become more of an annoyance than enjoyable.

Quite honestly I liked the old way alot more. Am I alone in feeling this way about them?

No, you’re not alone. You know the game is going the wrong direction if you’re waiting for someone in party to leave or hoping to see the weakest link(s) leave the party so you have a better chance of getting thru the stage. I am guilty of such and I hate having that feeling. Didn’t have that mentality before. The normal party I tend to do it, most don’t want to do fractals anymore. Saw the changes and decided it’s not worth the time and went with the Living Story instead. New fractal changes = 5 necs now?

Kudos to ANET! Removal of the greatest offenders of bad instabilities was much appreciated. Instabs that target and punish specific class mechanics had no place. And I am finding the new ones challenging and fun.

I LOVE the mist convergence! Seeing mossman running around in molten duo was a riot. Flux bomb places the onus on the player – a very good mechanic. As for sludge trail, I have no problem but it may by slightly unforgiving to melee.

Again, thanks for the fractal love.

Oh, and the endless tonics, holy crow awesome.

Honestly, the only instab I actively avoid is the toxic sludge one now.

Fractals are much more enjoyable now. I might have to caps lock the odd person here and there so that they don’t try and stack on narrow bridges when someone has the flux bomb, otherwise it’s great.

Love the new instabilities! I will amit when I first heard of the mist convergence, I pictured a party doing a fractal then suddenly out of the blue you all hear " FOR ASCALON uuggahhh!! " and Captain Ashym comes out charging with his FGS

I just finished the Aetherblade fractal with exploding enemies and flux bombs..

suffice to say the changes made to that fractal have made it imo insufferable and irritating as all hell..

I am not playing that fractal on T3 or higher again..

It took us kitten near 40 minutes to get through that hell of a fractal and at least 5 mins of that were because of all the kitten stunlocking bull**** we had to deal with..

15 minutes was trying to get past that beam puzzle which pre changes was annoying but easy… now it’s a disaster of stunlocking insta death..

At this rate we desperately need the old stability mechanic back because what it now is a worthless boon that has little to no use what so ever..

I’m not playing this fractal again.. not while it’s like this.. I’d rather go 1 on 1 with Gorseval with no armor and permablind than play this insufferably bad fractal again..

As for the other changes.. I don’t really care too much about the new instabilities in most circumstances..
they are a fun new addition for the most part.. but combined with some of the existing mechanics and designs of certain fractals they greatly diminish the experience..

It’s fine if you have anti stacking mechanics in most circumstances.. but if you add them to places where you have no choice but to stack up.. like on a tiny platform over a death pit.. while there are already things trying to knock you off said platform..
that’s not challenging content.. that’s just a douchy thing to do..

Nobody like dying in MMO’s but what people truly hate is dying when they have absolutely no way to avoid it..
Survival based on skill is good design.. survival based on luck is just going to push people away from this content.

Absolutely awful changes. Individually they seem fine but when you combine them together + already existing TERRIBLE mechanics of some fractals it becomes hell…

Please revert back to old instabilities….

Vova.2640:

Absolutely awful changes. Individually they seem fine but when you combine them together + already existing TERRIBLE mechanics of some fractals it becomes hell…

Please revert back to old instabilities….

let me learn from the so called majority of the the people on this forum. “git gud” or do the lower tiers.

I feel like fractals got definitely tougher after patch. I don’t have much issue with instabilities itself but they are punishing enough to make fights slower imo (you spend more time running around due to instabs, e.g. flux, than actually dpsing).

I run zerker thief so i guess combo of traits, evades and effectively 6 dodges does help there but i can imagine it being major pita for other melee classes/builds. I think the combo of social and poison just punishes melee too much while ranged can spam their dps button w/o any issue. Then again, i am not really surprised – Anet has been punishing melee for many patches now in pve (LS, new maps, fractals).

Also, i didn’t really notice much change in toughness scaling – if anything mobs feel tougher than ever.

Ironically 90s are probably easiest now xD

I don’t mind investing more time in doing daily fractals but if Anet is going to add difficulty to this content they should also upgrade the rewards you get from doing it. As a PS Warrior I’m happy boon thieves is gone. Might even play on my Guard now.

Cynz.9437:

I run zerker thief so i guess combo of traits, evades and effectively 6 dodges does help there but i can imagine it being major pita for other melee classes/builds. I think the combo of social and poison just punishes melee too much while ranged can spam their dps button w/o any issue. Then again, i am not really surprised – Anet has been punishing melee for many patches now in pve (LS, new maps, fractals).

Also, i didn’t really notice much change in toughness scaling – if anything mobs feel tougher than ever.

There is space around a small hitbox mob for 5 players to melee without getting hit by social.

Mobs take ~62% more power dmg, however hp scaling was updated to mitigate this somewhat.

Illconceived Was Na.9781:

Icethorn.6570:

Just wanted to get everyone’s feelings about the latest changes to Fractals.

I think it’s too soon to offer an opinion. People need a chance to let go of the old way of doing things first.

The only problem is that the old way of doing FOTM was appropriate for the rewards they gave. The current form is too over the top.

Especially how poorly tuned some of the instabilities are.

I dislike the changes.

SlyDevil.3952:

Cynz.9437:

I run zerker thief so i guess combo of traits, evades and effectively 6 dodges does help there but i can imagine it being major pita for other melee classes/builds. I think the combo of social and poison just punishes melee too much while ranged can spam their dps button w/o any issue. Then again, i am not really surprised – Anet has been punishing melee for many patches now in pve (LS, new maps, fractals).

Also, i didn’t really notice much change in toughness scaling – if anything mobs feel tougher than ever.

There is space around a small hitbox mob for 5 players to melee without getting hit by social.

Mobs take ~62% more power dmg, however hp scaling was updated to mitigate this somewhat.

Yeah but combined with all other instabilities you are forced to run around and kite a lot where ranged can just basically securely afk.

• Flux Bombs is one of my favorite instabilities. It’s consistent and adds a new mechanic to think about how to handle.
• I generally dislike the Mistlock where it blurs Fractals together as it adds too much of a random element where you can’t predict what is happening when and certain spawns are much more dangerous than others.
• Toxic Trails is pretty painless right now after the nerf, it just requires players think about where they’re standing and where they drag the mobs. Realistically you should just CC the mobs together and lock them down before killing them. If my teams do that, I have no problems on glass builds taking everything down.

Rising Dusk.2408:

• Flux Bombs is one of my favorite instabilities. It’s consistent and adds a new mechanic to think about how to handle.
• I generally dislike the Mistlock where it blurs Fractals together as it adds too much of a random element where you can’t predict what is happening when and certain spawns are much more dangerous than others.
• Toxic Trails is pretty painless right now after the nerf, it just requires players think about where they’re standing and where they drag the mobs. Realistically you should just CC the mobs together and lock them down before killing them. If my teams do that, I have no problems on glass builds taking everything down.

I like the randomness of fractal blur — it makes repeating the content different each time. Plus, bunny and sky hammer are hilarious.

I really dislike those changes, feels like it had no thought put behind it and was not tested at all.

- Social awkwardness – I don’t like stacking in corners either but range of this is enaugh that you will get this all the time when you melee the boss.
- Convergence – there is nothing challanging about bunny or mossman spawning behind your back and instantly downing you.
- Toxic Trail – It could be interesting but it’s way too big, punishes melee too much.
- Flux Bomb – this is the only one that I like, some encounters feel more interesting with it.

It really pushed necro meta even further, why should I bother playing melee when I simply can easy mode everything on necro from range.

Fractal blur is alright. Horik unleashing his cannons while Horik is unleashing his cannons or a jade tentacle spawning inside the tunnel in weapon test fractal is pretty fun. Ninja bunny is just amazing.
Social awkwardness used to be “eh” at best and now got upgraded to a minor pain in the kitten .
Have not played with toxic trail yet so I have no opinion.
Flux bomb is pretty kitten good instability. Would be even better if it had an active combat check like social awkwardness insdead of just spawning at random when someone got in combat.

Critical Lag.9075:

- Social awkwardness – I don’t like stacking in corners either but range of this is enaugh that you will get this all the time when you melee the boss.
- Convergence – there is nothing challanging about bunny or mossman spawning behind your back and instantly downing you.
- Toxic Trail – It could be interesting but it’s way too big, punishes melee too much.
- Flux Bomb – this is the only one that I like, some encounters feel more interesting with it.

It really pushed necro meta even further, why should I bother playing melee when I simply can easy mode everything on necro from range.

SA: There is room around a target for 5 players to melee comfortably, as in with movement modifiers foods and not hitting each other.

Convergence: The big crosshair that appears over the target and the effect when they appear isn’t clear enough?

Trail: Was less than half of max melee range, now reduced to 1/4, I could take a comfortable bath in the non-toxic area while meleeing.

Necro: Because you don’t want to waste half of your life finishing fractal dailies.

Now that I’ve played a bit more I’ve decided I don’t particularly like toxic trails. Enemy mechanics are already fine for making ranged safer, particularly on some bosses, and anomaly bomb and social awkwardness are far more fun while still being instabilities that keep melee more on their toes.

Fractals became easier, a bit more complex and a lot more fun.

Henry.5713:

Fractals became easier for ranged, a bit more complex for melee and a lot more fun for ranged.

fix’d

Cynz.9437:

Henry.5713:

Fractals became easier for ranged, a bit more complex for melee and a lot more fun for ranged.

fix’d

It’s funny. For me, it didn’t change at all for ranged, became easier for melee, and became a lot more fun for me either way.

It’s like people forgot how the old meta worked and can’t adapt. You still need support, you need buffing (guardian, warrior, mesmer) and now you can bring healing to help with the extra damage. People go in with broken comp that bring very little support (2-3) necros, scatters around because they are trying to avoid damage.

i had my best fractals in a long time yesterday, with DH, chrono, ps berserker, tempest, druid, we had aegis, projectile defense, cleanses, heals, good burst damage (very underrated for trash) things were dying faster than ever, with us taking little to no damage.

Henry.5713:

Fractals became easier, a bit more complex and a lot more fun.

which stage you referring to? thaumanova with new patches became more lame. now you have a whirling toilet bowl on falling platforms. the look, the feel is… disgusting. why do we need extra ways to get flush down? the falling platforms is enough.

I really enjoy the fractals blurring together. I think its fun, and I enjoy the randomness. I also exclusively play my necro in fractals now. I probably wouldn’t enjoy it as much if I was still using my ps there.