Guild Wars 2

I’ll second this suggestion. ANet won’t do it, of course, because they want people to grind to get mats for Asc. bullgravy, so they stay playing.

It would be nice, needing to buy 7 runes for the occasional underwater shenanigans is a pain :p

+1 from me

As it stands now, aquabreathers are just an artifact from development which doesn’t fit in the game.

They’re a problem when it comes to stats, runes and overall aesthetic for our characters. I’d much rather that they’d invest time in creating a wide variety of aquabreather skins than roll out a method to craft ascended ones.

No thanks, I want to craft a breather, and it makes no logical sense to have it as just a skin, that is not simplifying anything, it would make it more confusing for new players.

new players will be just as confused by the time they get to endgame. fewer armor slots means less confusion. Hell, even the UW weapons need a do-over; at least so they don’t kitten up stacking sigils.

Narrrz.7532:

new players will be just as confused by the time they get to endgame. fewer armor slots means less confusion. Hell, even the UW weapons need a do-over; at least so they don’t kitten up stacking sigils.

Have to agree with you here. I don’t see either system more complicated, at least with the “skin only” system people won’t have to worry about having to spend extra money on the extra upgrades and runes needed for it.

Me entire time playing GW2 and still to this day: could not care less about aquatic headgear.

It’s like the base foundations of a house that HAD plans to be built but instead were left to rot and rust for years on end.

• useless, confusing gear slot
• the game has little to no GOOD underwater content save for HoTW dungeon
• I can literally sit underwater for ages and not die without an aquabreather so why do they exist in the first place?
• aqua breather skins… Sounds like cash grab USELESS mail carrier skins 2.0 seriously why bother.. ANET removed water content in some starter zone maps. They stopped releasing water weapon BLTC skins too a while back.

As woopty doo aesthetics goes ok sure whatever but at the end of the day… It’s so pointless having anything to do with aqua breathers. And of course, naturally, ANet decides to pull the King daddy of all moves by “introducing ascended aquatic headgear” when there’s soooo many things that need tending to or polished up in regards to the current aquatic headgear available.

Great idea, +1. Just make the skins craftable and if people are not happy with that because they want to craft something with stats on it, they have no clue anyway, that is a poinless position to take. New players wouldn’t be confused by removing the need for a breather at all because it is less to think about than currently.

I would much rather see Anet finish off what they started with under water content versus your suggestion of having them remove it and its aspects further from the game.

Guild Wars 2 is the only game where I do not mind the under water combat….. and they are so close to having it finished….. but the development team seems to be scared of spending any resources on something that people care so little for. …because there are still lots of other things in the game that need improving.

I think at this point, the future of water combat could go in either direction….
The foundation is there…. and I would rather see it built upon rather than see it scrapped.

Ascended breathers is under water stuff taking a step in the direction imho.

TheBlackLeech.9360:

I would much rather see Anet finish off what they started with under water content versus your suggestion of having them remove it and its aspects further from the game.

I’m not asking them to get rid of underwater combat. I do like it.

However, none of the rest of our armor or trinkets change when underwater. Why do we have to slot an extra piece for headgear? There aren’t any mechanics unique to underwater helms: it doesn’t help you breathe, it doesn’t change anything about the fight (except for currently: we have to manage a 7th rune and lose some stats).

tl;dr the game already treats it like a skin now. Let’s just make it official and then ANet can focus on the things that make underwater combat interesting.

+1 to that. Aquatic breathers are obsolete, and I think that this is rather a strange upgrade to spend resources on. I’d prefer it if my breathers just copy the stats of my helm instead.

The game has previously made a huge shift away from underwater combat with the removal of Raid on the Capricorn in PvP, and the large lakes in the WvW Borderlands. Black Lion Weapon skins don’t support any of the three underwater weapons. Also, seeing as we’re moving on further inland with HoT, I doubt there will be much underwater combat aside from random ponds or secret tunnels.

Ascended breathers are absolutely pointless at this moment.

Kross.6428:

Ascended breathers are absolutely pointless at this moment.

Jellyfish Fractal!?

RubberDougie.2750:

Kross.6428:

Ascended breathers are absolutely pointless at this moment.

Jellyfish Fractal!?

Hardest fractal ingame. ascended gear all slots essential. need overcap AR too, agony there is just brutal.

Zephyra.4709:

aqua breather skins… Sounds like cash grab USELESS mail carrier skins 2.0 seriously why bother..

just because the looks already exist, and SOMEONE is bound to ask for them. it’s not strictly a cash grab if it fulfills an actual player desire.

Aquabreathers really shouldn’t have any stats and connection to our armor rating. Have them as skins for now, maybe with special effects. In the far, far, faaaar future with the UW expansion, add a new mechanic to it, for deep diving or something fancy like that.

To add to the generall UW mechanics. Let us use weapons on land with very much the same skills but give them a attackspeed debuff. This enables players that have never been in the water the ability to actually learn those skills, even if they aren’t the most effectiv. How many people know the UW skills of their mains? 10%? What about the UW skills of alt characters? 0,1%?

Agree to OP, why need separate head piece stats for above and underwater?

Yep, sounds like a good idea to me, it’ll save us having to waste gold on mats for these headpieces and on the runes for them. Just let us use our actual helm underwater with its actual stats and rune (and yeah, I know they’re not actually needed for most content before someone chimes in with a “you don’t have to anyway” comment).

If they’re not going to do that then what they should do is make crafting re-breathers a “full” feature: what I mean is that if they’re planning on adding ascended recipes then they really should add the missing exotic/rare/masterwork and fine recipes too. I never understood why these recipes weren’t in the game at launch. Adding recipes for these should be pretty trivial, especially if it just reuses the same skins.

This is quite simple, really the underwater rebreathers are a pain and unnecessary, the function of keeping someone alive underwater could be done by their normal helmet.

They are the commonest item which is forgotten when upgrading equipment. I found one of my characters still had the basic starter rebreather over two years after being created and getting to level 80,

The advantage start with you don’t need to upgrade yet another armor piece. You don’t need a seventh rune just to make sure your runeset works fully everywhere and in fractals you don’t lose 5 agony resistance every time you get a fractal that makes you go under water.

OK there is only one fractal that is fully under water but some manage to fight the Mossman under water on the Swampland fractal.

The stats on the highest rebreather are level 80 rare, which is two steps lower than an ascended helm, so this would increase underwater stats.

Obviously it would be an option to keep the skin for underwater use but mostly this is cosmetic effect. Where a helm does not cover the mouth it can be assumed a magic field covers this area preventing water getting to the person’s face.

But I like my breather when I’m under water. Also crafting breathers are coming.

BrotherBelial.3094:

But I like my breather when I’m under water. Also crafting breathers are coming.

• You’d still have your breather (as a skin) while underwater.
• The suggestion is that ANet cancel the plans to craft breathers as gear (if they want to offer the option to craft skins, that’s fine).

+1
Aquabreathers are silly

For the amount of under water combat that is in the game the lose of stats is a non issue, and buying a 7th rune is not that much of a pain. It also acts as a minor gold sink. We will have the chance at ascended breathers, and will be able to pic the stats we want, if not we will via the forge. Also it will add busy work for people who already have everything. I’m looking forward to making mine, and I quite like them.

+1

WaterBreathers serves no real purpose.
* Use helmet STATS/RUNES
* Add a "Skin" slot, so it looks like you’re wearing one UnderWater

+1

Another point is (as I already said on another thread), unless they are going to make exotic aquabreathers freely available, again, this will just widen the gap even further.

There will be people in rare aquabreathers trying to fight people in ascended ones, in WvW (where underwater combat takes place more than some may assume).

IndigoSundown.5419:

I’ll second this suggestion. ANet won’t do it, of course, because they want people to grind to get mats for Asc. bullgravy, so they stay playing.

Or stop playing, as the case may be.

I imagine forcing people to craft and grind is, at best, a double edged sword for them.

Especially in a game that was supposed to be grind-free.

The bizarre thing, is that WoW (which was never touted as being grind-free) is, in many ways, less grindy.

Crafting is (genuinely) optional and if you want to get (for example) PVP gear, you just have to play that game mode.

As opposed to feeling, virtually, forced to craft, as you are here.

I could do WvW for an eternity and never get any ascended gear (just rings, trinks and weaps), unless I craft.

Yes….

cannot +1 enough times.

What with the excuse new players would be confused? I mean we were all new players at one time, and I think we came out the better for it.

the less confusing the systems, the less time taken to understand and them and feel comfortable within them.

The integration of breathers were kitten anyway. Anet should have made a quest where you have to ‘earn’ the breather to constantly breathe underwater. Instead we get this breather from the beginning and if you take it off, you still can breathe underwater. This is so cheap and rushed like sadly a lot in this game.

The idea to just have skins and keep the head gear would make sens imo if they aren’t willing to give us a nice and smooth underwater content anyway.

Underwater content will need a revamp when we finally meet bubbles, anyway (presuming the game lives that long; fingers crossed)

Totally agree. Make the breathers a skin (that, ofc only shows underwater) and apply the ordinary helm stats to it.

This is a great idea. Until Anet is ready to completely overhaul underwater combat it is much better to just clean up the dying remains of it. Simplify aquabreathers into cosmetic skins, and fix stacking sigils when going underwater.

+1
I have in the past already often suggested to get rid of the breathers and use
the normal headgear instead.
Most of my chars with 80 had still the level 1 breather, until i’m in the mood
to get the 7x piece in Frostgorge, and i still refuse to put expensive runes in
them. Its however annyoing to loose the speedboost under water on chars
that use traveller runes.

+1

Make them skins and use our headgear stats BUT give us a one time per char ability to salvage the rune free of charge when you make the change.

Vavume.8065:

No thanks, I want to craft a breather, and it makes no logical sense to have it as just a skin, that is not simplifying anything, it would make it more confusing for new players.

Actually, you do not need a breather, to breath under water. I found that very confusing, when I was a new player.

Always wondered why it wasn’t like this already.

The fact that the breathers keep popping up occasionally feels like it is someone’s pet project.

Tigaseye.2047:

+1

Another point is (as I already said on another thread), unless they are going to make exotic aquabreathers freely available, again, this will just widen the gap even further.

There will be people in rare aquabreathers trying to fight people in ascended ones, in WvW (where underwater combat takes place more than some may assume).

IndigoSundown.5419:

I’ll second this suggestion. ANet won’t do it, of course, because they want people to grind to get mats for Asc. bullgravy, so they stay playing.

Or stop playing, as the case may be.

I imagine forcing people to craft and grind is, at best, a double edged sword for them.

Especially in a game that was supposed to be grind-free.

The bizarre thing, is that WoW (which was never touted as being grind-free) is, in many ways, less grindy.

Crafting is (genuinely) optional and if you want to get (for example) PVP gear, you just have to play that game mode.

As opposed to feeling, virtually, forced to craft, as you are here.

I could do WvW for an eternity and never get any ascended gear (just rings, trinks and weaps), unless I craft.

Agreed. I rarely get Asc. drops. Ironically, 2 of the 3 I’ve gotten (other than rings) came from WvW reward chests. Maybe that’s because I find the endless repetition of Champ trains, World Boss Trains and SW chest farms to be beyond boring into “I’d rather watch paint peel.”

As someone who hates crafting in GW2, I am unlikely to ever get full Asc. weapons and armor for one character, never mind multiples. Offering yet another Asc. piece to have to grind to craft is just one more nail in a coffin that is rapidly getting close to shut for me.

Zok.4956:

Vavume.8065:

No thanks, I want to craft a breather, and it makes no logical sense to have it as just a skin, that is not simplifying anything, it would make it more confusing for new players.

Actually, you do not need a breather, to breath under water. I found that very confusing, when I was a new player.

Your character can survive just as well under water without a rebreather, The way we used to do the Aquatic Ruins Fractal dolphin path when there were still repair costs. We removed all armor including back piece and rebreather. That meant no armor damage if you died while navigating past the krait. Then everything went back on before killing the end champion.

It looks like the devs originally put the rebreather in as they thought it was another piece of armor for people to upgrade without considering the fact that the maximum it went to was masterwork. Then most rebreathers are not salvageable, meaning people are reticent about putting an expensive rune on. There was never any plan for people to craft them.

Given the lack of underwater content, and the reaction and removal of it, it’s unlikely we’ll see anything with new re-breathers, or like your adjustments like in your awesome suggestion, anytime soon. But it’s a great idea. Here’s to hoping they’ll do it. +1

So the poster thinks if aquabreathers turned to skins will confuse the new players. Riiight, So the back item with a skin to apply to your back is confusing too. So for new players we just apply a dunce hat on them beacuse even the tiny simplist idea of using a skin is so confusing to new players we have to call them brain dead.

I was new to the game and was I dumb? Nope I am a vary fast learner and by fast I mean I can learn this game faster than a regular new player up to a point I understand the game fully like Vetern and they get stuck with a “new player” who has the talent and skills of a vetern but still fresh meat in the game for being new still.

Anyways, Having a Aquabreather as a skin sounds like a nice idea. I would love to see a breather match my mesmer’s clothing underwater something that looks extemely cool.

The “this makes things complicated” argument doesn’t sit with me.

What the OP is asking for is essentially like how outfits work- they apply a skin but don’t apply any stats. I don’t see this confusing new players very much.

Equally, trinkets apply stats but don’t apply skins. Likewise, this doesn’t confuse new players, it’s just an “oh right” moment. There is very little to find confusing. Heck, a tool-tip over the slot for rebreather could explain it if there’s any worry regarding it:

“Underwater headpiece skin slot:
Apply a skin to this slot that appears underwater. Doesn’t affect stats.”

I’ll thoroughly second this. Heck, we’re still mostly stuck with limited stat selections for breathers. Nuke ’em, make ’em skins, and just use my standard hat stats and runes.

This idea was truly touched by His Noodly Appendage. RAmen, OP, RAmen.

I think OP is right and wrong at the same time.
To the actual, failed, incomplete and sad situation of the aquatic gameplay, you are right: a 7th piece of gear desn’t make sense at all.
To the proper, meaningful and fixed aquatic gameplay we SHOULD have, the 7th piece is needed.

IMO Anet should give this some love, begining with the basics:
First of all, characters should drown when not using the breather.
Second, the gear should be there to acquire, for every tier. (They should make higher tiers breathers drop rate very high for a couple of months to compensate for the years without them)
Third, at least the most common subaquatic combat and movement mechanics should be polished ASAP.
Fourth, the most common sub content should be debugged and improved.

I know is a long and hard list, and I’m not even talking about NEW content, just about completing current subaquatic content. But this is the only REAL answer: aquatic content needs to work. Anything else will only make things worst.

I agree that the underwater breather should use the stats you have on land, not needing another headpiece with hopefully adequate stats and buying another rune.
Love underwater combat, shame others don’t, can absolutely be improved though.

+1. Really annoying concept that honestly should be done away with and just replaced as skins.

IndigoSundown.5419:

Tigaseye.2047:

+1

Another point is (as I already said on another thread), unless they are going to make exotic aquabreathers freely available, again, this will just widen the gap even further.

There will be people in rare aquabreathers trying to fight people in ascended ones, in WvW (where underwater combat takes place more than some may assume).

IndigoSundown.5419:

I’ll second this suggestion. ANet won’t do it, of course, because they want people to grind to get mats for Asc. bullgravy, so they stay playing.

Or stop playing, as the case may be.

I imagine forcing people to craft and grind is, at best, a double edged sword for them.

Especially in a game that was supposed to be grind-free.

The bizarre thing, is that WoW (which was never touted as being grind-free) is, in many ways, less grindy.

Crafting is (genuinely) optional and if you want to get (for example) PVP gear, you just have to play that game mode.

As opposed to feeling, virtually, forced to craft, as you are here.

I could do WvW for an eternity and never get any ascended gear (just rings, trinks and weaps), unless I craft.

Agreed. I rarely get Asc. drops. Ironically, 2 of the 3 I’ve gotten (other than rings) came from WvW reward chests. Maybe that’s because I find the endless repetition of Champ trains, World Boss Trains and SW chest farms to be beyond boring into “I’d rather watch paint peel.”

As someone who hates crafting in GW2, I am unlikely to ever get full Asc. weapons and armor for one character, never mind multiples. Offering yet another Asc. piece to have to grind to craft is just one more nail in a coffin that is rapidly getting close to shut for me.

Yeah, I know exactly what you mean.

What we need is more options to obtain the same (or same level of) things.

I have nothing against the crafting option, for people who enjoy crafting, but just think there should be more ways to go than just crafting.

Yargesh.4965:

Love underwater combat, shame others don’t, can absolutely be improved though.

It seems slow compared to land based fighting, except perhaps for zerker warrior with spear. Guardian especially could do with a little more hitting power on trident. For most people underwater fighting seems to be something to avoid rather than do. In Straights of Devastation the only use of the water seems to be getting to the other side.

Perhaps creating entire underwater PvE, PvP and WvW maps would help?

Khisanth.2948:

Always wondered why it wasn’t like this already.

The fact that the breathers keep popping up occasionally feels like it is someone’s pet project.

It funny, I did not. I just assume the game was not going to kill you for no reason, mostly an acceptable breaks from reality.

+1 from me… Rather see it just gone instead of getting an ascended version of it.

I completely agree with this. I’d love to finally not have to worry about my underwater gear.

These encryptions may give you a new Mini Professor Mew, new ascended aquatic-breather recipes, high-level crafting materials, or many other rewards.

The question I pose to the devs is why bother focusing on underwater stuff now? In the last sets of Black Lion weapons there have been no underwater skins whatsoever. Why deprive us of new underwater skins (making some of us assume that you guys have completely given up on underwater combat), then announce this new way to obtain a breather (which is RNG no less – and most of us hate that. Fractal skins, anyone?). May isn’t good enough for me, especially when I’m stuck with a green breather, when everything else I have equipped is either exotic or ascended.

Making them into skins would be so much easier for all of us players.

Illconceived Was Na.9781:

https://www.guildwars2.com/en/news/the-brand-new-fractals-of-the-mists-legendary-backpacks-ascended-salvaging-and-more/

At the end of every fractal, you’ll find a … fractal encryption …[that might drop] new ascended aquatic-breather recipes.

I’d like ANet to reconsider this idea and replace the idea of breathers as gear with making them a skin-only component.

• Aquatic Breathers have never been needed to, you know, aquatically breathe (at least, never in the live game).
• For 3 years, fighting under water has meant reduced stats and has required buying a seventh rune for every armor set.
• For most of these 3 years, breathers were limited to sub-L80 masterwork, karma items: no rares (never mind exotics) and completely uncraftable or unsalvageable at top levels. Even now, the supply of better-than-green rarity is extremely limited.

Thus, in a meaningful sense, we’ve never really had true underwater headgear; all we’ve had is a placeholder marginally better than no gear at all (and arguably worse than nothing at times).

Accordingly, instead of adding recipes into the game to create the gear, how about if we simplify gearing up by removing this seventh, orphaned child of armor and replacing it with a skin.

• ANet can sell breather skins on the gem shop.
• There could still be “ascended” recipes for breathers with special effects.

tl;dr don’t introduce new breathers into the game; simplify the system and replace them with wardrobe-only skins that display while underwater.

another bad idea and worst thing for the game as well as the game does not need more useless skin,s . better off with fixing the game and trying to save it while they still got the chance