Guild Wars 2

What if instead of an autoattack, every weapon had a zero cooldown heal?

What if at least half of every skillbar was geared towards support play, with damage being occasionally included to a lesser extent?

What if you could do damage, but it was on a massive cooldown, and you spent the majority of your time and effort playing support, even on the most offensive builds possible?

How many people would be enthused about that? My guess is, not many. Much has been said about how the death of the trinity allows for more flexibility in roles and gameplay. This is true… If you were a dps player in that other game. I’m glad the trinity is gone, but my heart is broken at the state of support in this game. Is it useful? Yes. Can you be a “support player?” No. The most support oriented builds possible still spend most of their time doing dull, boring, mundane dps. When I read the mmo manifesto I was excited! Support was growing past healing and becoming more engaging! Huzzah! Instead it got kicked in the teeth. Did I miss a press release saying that this would be the case?

Don’t get me wrong, I don’t think Anet should change their game. They have a clear artistic vision that is resonating with many players. I support that, and they have done SO MANY THINGS so perfectly right. I’m still going to be trying out every build and playstyle I can in the hopes of finding something fun. But I wanted to explain why myself and others like me are frustrated with the “death of the trinity.” Dps killed the other two members, and it blindsided us.

Well its not just the death of the holy trinity as many call it it, its the death of any sort of strategical depth. Its like football game with nothing but linebackers in every position. Or a basket ball game with no centers forwards or pointguards…just people running around with no special abilities or roles.

It absolutely makes grouping a lot more boring, as everyone more or less is a DPS class with no real significant abilities or roles besides this. I think GW 2 is an example of what not to do. Its an ok game but the lack of any real strengths or class strengths really shortens the lifespan of this game. If every class is the same ability wise I really lose interest in playing other classes.

Its sad the MMO genre has reached its absolute dumbest dumbed down state ever with GW 2.

Cromx.3941:

Well its not just the death of the holy trinity as many call it it, its the death of any sort of strategical depth. Its like football game with nothing but linebackers in every position. Or a basket ball game with no centers forwards or pointguards…just people running around with no special abilities or roles.

It absolutely makes grouping a lot more boring, as everyone more or less is a DPS class with no real significant abilities or roles besides this. I think GW 2 is an example of what not to do. Its an ok game but the lack of any real strengths or class strengths really shortens the lifespan of this game. If every class is the same ability wise I really lose interest in playing other classes.

Its sad the MMO genre has reached its absolute dumbest dumbed down state ever with GW 2.

Though I don’t think GW 2 is the dumbest MMO out there by far, I totally agree with the rest of your post. The strategic thinking required in Dungeons, in open world boss encounters and in general gameplay is gone. What you have are dynamic zergfests and death-running dungeons.

There is a significant portion of this game’s userbase which misses IN DEPTH TACTICAL COMBAT that comes from having group roles, complex fight mechanics and challenging events that forced player organization.

My only hope is that Anet cares about these players enough to consider our opinions, because many of them have been rendered in constructive and useful ways. The game needs to recommit and make the PvE more interesting, or it is going to lose people who are unable to satisfy themselves on PvP alone.

Cromx.3941:

Well its not just the death of the holy trinity as many call it it, its the death of any sort of strategical depth. Its like football game with nothing but linebackers in every position. Or a basket ball game with no centers forwards or pointguards…just people running around with no special abilities or roles.

It absolutely makes grouping a lot more boring, as everyone more or less is a DPS class with no real significant abilities or roles besides this. I think GW 2 is an example of what not to do. Its an ok game but the lack of any real strengths or class strengths really shortens the lifespan of this game. If every class is the same ability wise I really lose interest in playing other classes.

Its sad the MMO genre has reached its absolute dumbest dumbed down state ever with GW 2.

Yeah totally strategic. I’ll stand here… let the mob beat on me. You, you, and you smack the crap out of them. You heal me. Maybe once in a while. Deeps, hit the buttonz!!!

After an hour of the same thing. Wewt. Fat lewtz.

Talk about ‘dumbed down’.

The holy trinity blows.

Sin.8174:

Cromx.3941:

Well its not just the death of the holy trinity as many call it it, its the death of any sort of strategical depth. Its like football game with nothing but linebackers in every position. Or a basket ball game with no centers forwards or pointguards…just people running around with no special abilities or roles.

It absolutely makes grouping a lot more boring, as everyone more or less is a DPS class with no real significant abilities or roles besides this. I think GW 2 is an example of what not to do. Its an ok game but the lack of any real strengths or class strengths really shortens the lifespan of this game. If every class is the same ability wise I really lose interest in playing other classes.

Its sad the MMO genre has reached its absolute dumbest dumbed down state ever with GW 2.

Yeah totally strategic. I’ll stand here… let the mob beat on me. You, you, and you smack the crap out of them. You heal me. Maybe once in a while. Deeps, hit the buttonz!!!

After an hour of the same thing. Wewt. Fat lewtz.

Talk about ‘dumbed down’.

1. Except when DPS and Healers can both generate threat quicker than the tank, and an equilibrium has to be found in the group. And the tank has to control multiple mobs, and hope the DPS is focusing down the one he has generated the most threat with.

2. Except when mobs (not even bosses, mind you) have unique fight mechanics that force the group to be mobile, handle CC and threat dynamically and force you to adapt rather than just tank & spank.

3. Except when boss fights (dreaded raid encounters for you carebears) have multi-phase mechanics that force you to learn all of the above and then change gears and expects you to be smart enough to cope. Including, mind you, totally unique, custom-tailored and intensively scripted fights done special order for that particular encounter. In other words, a UNIQUE encounter.

“You are not prepared”

Vs.

Mobs that have some AoEs
Mobs that have some ranged attacks
Mobs that have a knockdown or a stun
Mobs that might spawn some pathetic adds

And… that’s it.World bosses have the same abilities, but they look cooler and have bigger HP bars. Otherwise, it’s no tank (lack of trinity), just spank. None of your abilities mean kitten other than throwing pretty lights at the target and watching the HP slowly tick down.

Repeat: your abilities, conditions, affects, stuns, controls, anything.. WORTHLESS in absolutely ALL of the so called boss encounters. They are invulnerable, immune, or otherwise not giving two kitties.

Have fun with your [ ] & spank.

That’s blank & spank, btw.

Carebear...

Coming from a dragon slayer. Right-o.

Don’t see me whining about something you can get elsewhere. ;D

You are symptomatic. Indication: narrow minded rhetoric

Diagnosis: Fanboi

You think that this game,in trying to be different, should never take good ideas from other games.

When you deliberately ignore and exclude good concepts for no other reason than to be ‘different’, and then proceed to resolve any mention of this disparity by saying “go back home and play your silly raid game”, you are reducing the entire discussion to a take-my-ball home argument. In other words, stupefying the conversation.

Guild Wars 2 is great. I love it. I will continue to play it.

. . . and I will anxiously await the day they provide a feeling of depth, strategy and challenge to their PvE content.

how many explorable mode dungeons have you played?

I’m not saying that explorable mode dungeons are different, just curious.

Lord Jaguar.9504:

You are symptomatic. Indication: narrow minded rhetoric

Diagnosis: Fanboi

You think that this game,in trying to be different, should never take good ideas from other games.

When you deliberately ignore and exclude good concepts for no other reason than to be ‘different’, and then proceed to resolve any mention of this disparity by saying “go back home and play your silly raid game”, you are reducing the entire discussion to a take-my-ball home argument. In other words, stupefying the conversation.

Guild Wars 2 is great. I love it. I will continue to play it.

. . . and anxiously await the day they provide a feeling of depth, strategy and challenge to their PvE content.

And you think sounding like a total arrogant prat is any better?

There is no discussion needed. It’s simply whining over things that do not exist here. How many topics have there been about endgame, raiding, and the holy trinity? How many threads have been removed or locked because people just can’t ADAPT?

You can call ‘fanboi’ all you like. Name calling is no better than me stating my opinion.

If people can not adapt to the game as it’s been made, then why bother playing?

Furthermore, many great games have been ruined by incessant whining. I’d like for once for the devs to just say ’You know what? This is our game. Get used to it."

Cromx.3941:

Well its not just the death of the holy trinity as many call it it, its the death of any sort of strategical depth. Its like football game with nothing but linebackers in every position. Or a basket ball game with no centers forwards or pointguards…just people running around with no special abilities or roles.

It absolutely makes grouping a lot more boring, as everyone more or less is a DPS class with no real significant abilities or roles besides this. I think GW 2 is an example of what not to do. Its an ok game but the lack of any real strengths or class strengths really shortens the lifespan of this game. If every class is the same ability wise I really lose interest in playing other classes.

Its sad the MMO genre has reached its absolute dumbest dumbed down state ever with GW 2.

You need to try more than one profession, because playing a support Guardian compared to a support Necromancer is completely different.

This is just one example, however, as each profession does a different kind of support in a specific way. Guardian is more raw healing power whereas Warrior can be more buff-oriented. Necromancer is more of an offensive support, as a lot of their “support” abilities debuff or damage consistently.

This, to me, is not “dumbed down.” This provides each profession with purpose outside of what they already bring in damage. From my experience, it’s all based around how a profession does something instead of what they do.

A support Engineer can be great if you’d like a mix of damage and buffs along with healing, but if you’re needing more in the healing department and less in the buff area because of your composition, Guardian or Elementalist might be a better choice.

These options are highlighted in any kind of organised PvP, as you are constantly discovering new ways of doing something and figuring out what synergies with what best (or better for your current situation).

No tactic? No strategy? Okay.

Sin.8174:

How many threads have been removed or locked because people just can’t ADAPT?

You can call ‘fanboi’ all you like. Name calling is no better than me stating my opinion.

If people can not adapt to the game as it’s been made, then why bother playing?

Furthermore, many great games have been ruined by incessant whining. I’d like for once for the devs to just say ’You know what? This is our game. Get used to it."

I agree that the devs shouldn’t cater to my style of gameplay. They have their vision, which many like, and they are sticking to it. I am simply trying to explain why I feel the way I do. I play mmos fora pvp support experience. I don’t think GW2 offers that. I’m still trying to find a workaround to get what I want, but I am somewhat discouraged. My only real disappointment stems from the fact that I was blindsided. In all of the wonderful blog posts leading up to the game, where exactly did they mention that you couldn’t have a support experience? You can play as dps with some support, but that is nowhere near the same.