Guild Wars 2

Somewhat cross-posted from the bugs forum, but since this isn’t a bug but a suggestion, I thought I’d carry it over here. I know there was a thread about this a little while ago, but I can’t find it (seriously, just enter Howler into the search bar: 0 results. Nice search engine you got there).

I’m actually about to craft Howler. Only 211 ecto to go and it’s done. I’m a bit sad that it’s been turned into a pale shadow of itself, since I started working towards it before they “adjusted” the FX around the same time they beefed up Eternity. So, I thought a bit. This is what I would do with it:

- Remove the default warhorn sound completely, or muffle it greatly. Make the howl louder and longer. The Super Warhorn replaces the default sound. Why does a Legendary not? You can barely hear the howl over the default skill sound.
- At nighttime, the moon inside the crescent should be always on. Not just the glowing eyes.
- On wield, a burst of stars around the player that trickles down to the ground, along with a heightened fog aura and the wolf’s eyes glowing more brightly. Scale the luminosity on the moon as well so that it shines brighter (during the daytime this should activate the moon briefly, or hell, why not just activate it on wield any time of day?), and add a dynamic light burst that matches the color of the moon (by dynamic light, I mean an actual light sourced from the warhorn that casts illumination and shadows on whatever’s around it. This could be made only visible to the player that wields it, much like the glow on Jormag’s Breath, since anyone in WvW hiding with it doesn’t blow their position just by wielding).
- On skill use, all of the above to a degree, but a smaller dynamic light radius, and a burst of stars only from the warhorn. Fog aura should amplify on use as well.
- Actually put some effort into the footfalls. Seriously. The current ones are programmer art. How about a neat little star burst from the ground that lingers a bit before fading? Or an arcing crescent moon similar to the rainbows from The Dreamer?

Of course, that entails developers actually having some loving care for this weapon, and while I would hope the FX artists and creative programmers would, it seems like this is not the case.

I’ll tell you what, though, if even 50% of the above suggestions were done, that would make this weapon deserving of being called Legendary.

I rather not have any stars on my Howler.
Thank you very much.

I wouldn’t mind subtle changes to Howler. I am pretty content with it all the same really as the majority of the “bling” comes from whatever main hand legendary I have equipped.

omg, do not change my howler in any way, it is the best looking legendary

Don’t fancy the stars.. but yes they messed up when they screwed with the default sound.. It adds to it being a wolf..and the moon should be lit at night 2.. gd knows why they changed it.. but from what I hear a few people btch’d and moaned about it and because a few complaint everyone else has to suffer.. from what i hear.

Seriously, I just was just thinking about this today. There are so many vocal players crying for brighter, louder, more obnoxious legendaries when there are thousands of mature players who prefer a little subtlety and class. I myself thought it was a joke when players were saying that the re-skinned Ascalonian legendaries actually looked good. I prefer style and design over bright, ugly, spastic lights and noises.

Now that’s not to say I’m oppose to change. Just don’t go overboard, please.

If any legendary could use a boost it’s Kudzu; And I’m not saying throw some rainbow auras around it or add zebra matting calls when it shoots, but the weapon itself could use some better textures or something.

Footfalls of Howler should be wolf paw print shaped but in the textured color of the moon with small visible craters in it.

On crit hit effect small ghostly wolf biting. Similar to shark spear effect but in a smaller scale.

Hammerguard.9834:

Seriously, I just was just thinking about this today. There are so many vocal players crying for brighter, louder, more obnoxious legendaries when there are thousands of mature players who prefer a little subtlety and class. I myself thought it was a joke when players were saying that the re-skinned Ascalonian legendaries actually looked good. I prefer style and design over bright, ugly, spastic lights and noises.

Now that’s not to say I’m oppose to change. Just don’t go overboard, please.

They ninja fixed AC modded effects with the latest big patch. My AC reskinned predator no longer has the permanent flame thrower effect nor the glow aura around the scope at night. Not in AC explo nor in any open world/www during night time. I’m melancholic of it, wasn’t over the top at all, felt like it should’ve been all along.

I’m not advocating for anime-style super star bursts and blinding FX or anything. I suppose it’s difficult to describe what I’m picturing in my head. Simply more of an inclination towards nighttime, the moon, stars, wolves, is what I had in mind. The stars I’m thinking of would be more of a subtle… what’s the description I’m looking for… I dunno, but I’m thinking of the Fervid Censer’s particles, very small that blink in and out and fade away.

Howler is the legendary of fog and mist not of any stars or night sky.
And i got it because of mist and the color white and not because of any stars

I would have made howler were it not for the fact that the only 2 classes on which I would actively use it are Norn.

Explanation: any offhand will disappear inside the Norn’n left knee. This has been the case since launch. Reported many times in all the designated places. Two years later: nothing.

Buttercup.5871:

I would have made howler were it not for the fact that the only 2 classes on which I would actively use it are Norn.

Explanation: any offhand will disappear inside the Norn’n left knee. This has been the case since launch. Reported many times in all the designated places. Two years later: nothing.

It must be your armor because I have no clipping issues at all with Howler on my Norn. Now compare that to Asura where you can’t even see the wolf effect.

The only changes I would like to see is some polish. The wolf that pops out looks dated, and the super adventure box warhorn has a more distinct sound.

While they’re at it, they should really redesign Legendaries for elementalists. Throwing out a flamethrower when you’re attuned to water on Incinerator makes zero sense and just says they just did it in a rush.

Imo every legendary should have footfalls.

All they need to do is revert it from post April 15th build but put a 4 second timer on the looping wolf howl at night when used… then it will be back to actual legendary status. Currently no constant moon at night and no glitter like it used to. It’s just a dead weapon at it’s current status. o Btw discussion on this is in the Game Bugs and as usual is ignored since it isn’t a flashy sword with over the top gfx.

Alright, you know the whitish sparkles that appear around the horn when you use it? That’s what I’m talking about for an on-wield effect.

Stars was a poor choice of term.

what i don’t understand is way howler has an aura and rodgort doesn’t have there both second weapons

PacoXI.7690:

Buttercup.5871:

I would have made howler were it not for the fact that the only 2 classes on which I would actively use it are Norn.

Explanation: any offhand will disappear inside the Norn’n left knee. This has been the case since launch. Reported many times in all the designated places. Two years later: nothing.

It must be your armor because I have no clipping issues at all with Howler on my Norn. Now compare that to Asura where you can’t even see the wolf effect.

The only changes I would like to see is some polish. The wolf that pops out looks dated, and the super adventure box warhorn has a more distinct sound.

All my Norns are females. Maybe it works different with males. But females definitely all have clipping. Even without armor.

Dear god no stars please no stars. If I wanted stars I would use the pretty princess scepter.

LOL

The reason I’m laughing, is have you seen the only option for engineers?

Quip

Talk about bad imagery. And that’s if we’re not forced to use a build that requires a kit, which is the reason why I’ve not pursued this at all.

Engineers can use rifles, so you have The Predator, which is pretty kitten awesome as rifles go. It’ll probably be the next Legendary I make.

The most annoying warhorn…

Remove the constant moaning and it would already be better.

Ryan.9387:

The most annoying warhorn…

Remove the constant moaning and it would already be better.

Already removed

- Remove default warhorn sound file
- Increase volume/length of Howler sound file
- Permanent moon during night

Awesome again.

My Sweet Lily.1952:

Ryan.9387:

The most annoying warhorn…

Remove the constant moaning and it would already be better.

Already removed

Idk about you but I loved the constant moaning. It reminded me of shadow’s smexy time noise

It could be worse. You could be making the Minstrel.

Completely agree that the sound should be much more noticeable! It’s a legendary war horn, much like the huge one at the top of Helms Deep from the Lord of the Rings movie, albeit much smaller.

The default war horn sounds are terrible to begin with and sound like my grandma blowing into a conch shell.

Give the horn a sound that will make people notice!!

Ark Bladesteele.2943:

Engineers can use rifles, so you have The Predator, which is pretty kitten awesome as rifles go. It’ll probably be the next Legendary I make.

The problem with that is The Predators a sniper rifle while engineers user rifles as shotguns. Using a sniper like a shotgun is just stupid. Then you have The Flameseeker Prophecies which is basically exclusively for guardians which, ironically, have the worst shield skills of all the classes. Last is troll legendary, Quip.

grifflyman.8102:

Completely agree that the sound should be much more noticeable! It’s a legendary war horn, much like the huge one at the top of Helms Deep from the Lord of the Rings movie, albeit much smaller.

The default war horn sounds are terrible to begin with and sound like my grandma blowing into a conch shell.

Give the horn a sound that will make people notice!!

The sound the wolf makes is fine as it what people are trying to iterate is that it needs to be more noticeable over the default warhorn sounds.

RoseofGilead.8907:

It could be worse. You could be making the Minstrel.

Ha I love how it sounds like you butterfinger the harp and drop it when you wield it.

They really need to give some love to the offhands.

If only they made the fog, foggier, that’s the whole reason why I made it

Still looks nice with my bolt though

thaooo.5320:

- Remove default warhorn sound file
- Increase volume/length of Howler sound file
- Permanent moon during night

Awesome again.

This. It isn’t a difficult fix.

There were always what the OP referred to as stars associated with Howler, or sparkles or moon motes or whatever you want to call them. But with the moon and all, I don’t think stars is any worse description than any other. Regardless, I’d like them back along with the rest of the animation.

make the wolf that appears when u blow the horn more noticable. It’s just so hard to see. Even more when moving.

Ranger’s warhorn effect (wolf and moon) is more legendary than this

and please bring back the moon effect at night

A LEGENDARY War Horn, should sound pretty freaking epic considering the best sounding horn in the game is the Adventure Box one.

:\

i would never put the effort/money into a warhorn legendary, but i appreciate that it’s more subtle than most of the other hideous legendary weapons.

Howler is actually nice, because most ppl don’t even notice its a legendary. Out of countless groups I’ve been in over the months only like a few players actually notice that I have it. Most of these are also posed as a question:

person 1: is that the legendary warhorn?
person 2: lol

nagr.1593:

Howler is actually nice, because most ppl don’t even notice its a legendary. Out of countless groups I’ve been in over the months only like a few players actually notice that I have it. Most of these are also posed as a question:

person 1: is that the legendary warhorn?
person 2: lol

Yea, it needs a bit more notice factor :C