Guild Wars 2

Watched the latest ready up stream and became a bit worried, see I run a DPS zerker guardian that also focuses on giving support via boons, converting conditions on the party via shouts (and giving boons at the same time)

This build requries a few things, dodging via my perma vigor (which now nolonger exists due to the vigorous precision change), damage mitigation via skills and aegis (still there), damage from zerkers (lowered somewhat but not game breaking), and three sets of two boons that increase my boon duration by 15% each to a total of 45% (55% after 10points into the final line)

My main query is this, if arenanet doesn’t give SOMETHING to offset their removal of this rune set option do they even realize they are removing one of the only viable paths for classes that want to be able to provide ACTUAL support under the current system.

I doubt this balance patch will increase the effectiveness of healing as a stat (utterly useless as it is) and really unless the guardian can provide those longer boons I see little reason for playing it anymore zerker or not, it currently has great sustained damage, amazing survivability albeit requiring a lot of attention timing and general skill to do so and it can provide enough boons, cleansing and reflection to the group that it’s lack of burst is almost always offset for the party as it just makes runs so much cleaner.

They are reworking the entirety of the runesets. They are moving the higher bonuses to the top of the 6, they are increasing the value of some parts (Like on hit %’s), they are adding new runes to represent stats that are not represented.

They know that people are using 2×3 for boon duration.

Hold your pitchforks till we know more. We have only seen 3 runes that have been redone.

Kumu Honua.2751:

They are reworking the entirety of the runesets. They are moving the higher bonuses to the top of the 6, they are increasing the value of some parts (Like on hit %’s), they are adding new runes to represent stats that are not represented.

They know that people are using 2×3 for boon duration.

Hold your pitchforks till we know more. We have only seen 3 runes that have been redone.

Did you read my post? there are no pitchforks yet, but it has to be brought up especially as one of the boon duration runesets (monk) was shown in the livestream and only gives 30% boon duration for the full 6 set.
Sure there may be another boon duration set amongst the rest, but I want to make sure that it is talked about so the developers see it or have a CHANCE to see it at some level.

I am worried, not angry and Arenanet haven’t got the best track record with stuff like this, human fallibility and all that.

I mean seriously, even my title is worded as a query…

Take a step back. Grow a spine.

I wasn’t insulting you saying you were an angry mob. I simply stated that we have only seen 3 rune sets, and they have specifically mentioned making new runes for stats that are not/under represented.

They also specifically mention the 2×3 that people use.

So no use getting into a frenzy over something we know little about and they seem to actually be aware of.

What’s going on here?

The new monk runes only give 15% boon duration. 5% for 2x, +10% for 4×. You might have to mix with 2x water for another 5% to get 20% total. Although water and monk are similar, it would be nice to have a dedicated rune set so we at least get a special bonus out of a full set. Superior rune of strength only has a max of 45% might duration, so might duration was reduced by 20%. If we assume the same for boons, then we should expect no more than 25% boon duration. 20% is probably more in-line with Anet’s thinking since there are many traits that use that 20% magic number and they obviously don’t want general boon duration to creep close to the specialized runes.

So yeah, I think everyone is hoping for the best, but I say plan for the worst. IMO, 20-25% boon duration is not worth it. That buys me an extra second or two, which when considering animations and weapon activation times, doesn’t give me enough time to maximize on it. I’ve already begun planning using a new rune set and moving away from boons. It sucks, but that’s life.

Kumu Honua.2751:

Take a step back. Grow a spine.

I wasn’t insulting you saying you were an angry mob. I simply stated that we have only seen 3 rune sets, and they have specifically mentioned making new runes for stats that are not/under represented.

They also specifically mention the 2×3 that people use.

So no use getting into a frenzy over something we know little about and they seem to actually be aware of.

Your attitude is seriously bad man/girl/whatever.

Really there are better ways to communicate with folks on the net and that is that.
No this is not something that will keep me up at night, no I will not think on it past now. But really.

Nate.8146:

The new monk runes only give 15% boon duration. 5% for 2x, +10% for 4×. You might have to mix with 2x water for another 5% to get 20% total. Although water and monk are similar, it would be nice to have a dedicated rune set so we at least get a special bonus out of a full set. Superior rune of strength only has a max of 45% might duration, so might duration was reduced by 20%. If we assume the same for boons, then we should expect no more than 25% boon duration. 20% is probably more in-line with Anet’s thinking since there are many traits that use that 20% magic number and they obviously don’t want general boon duration to creep close to the specialized runes.

So yeah, I think everyone is hoping for the best, but I say plan for the worst. IMO, 20-25% boon duration is not worth it. That buys me an extra second or two, which when considering animations and weapon activation times, doesn’t give me enough time to maximize on it. I’ve already begun planning using a new rune set and moving away from boons. It sucks, but that’s life.

And this is part of what I worry about, because I really don’t think arenanet intends to kill off this sort of gameplay but it might end up being a bit of a casualty in the OCD desire to keep all numbers relatively recognizable.
It isn’t just for us either, stability is a big one, it takes a little while for people to recognize they have it to and having the extra duration helps a lot.

Well that and keeps up my swiftness in world vs world a bit longer -laughs-, the biggest issue with symbol of swiftness is that one enemy running over it causes me to enter combat, a couple of roamers who know this can always catch a guardian.
-cough- I can’t say I haven’t been guilty of using the tactic with friends myself though.

From what we have seen I guess the general boon duration will be nerfed and we will see mostly runes buffing specific boon duration more.

This might make my Guardian sad, but then again it might make me rework some of my build and try some new things for WvW as well.