Guild Wars 2

I have concepts about the direction stats should take since there is constantly issues all over related to it from all 3 modes.

1) Players have been asking for specific stats combo with gear and quality of gear. Why not change how stats are given? Transform all stats on gear in stats points and allow us to add and minus it to our basic stats.

2)Stats doing the same. Why have power,precision,ferocity and condition duration/damage? It creates imbalance,,limits playstyle in all modes, led to multiple on balance that still go on right now. Following #1 I propose a merge of power with precision/ferocity and condition duration/damage.

3)Stat role. You wouldn’t benefit from a effect without investing in the stat affecting. A player with no healing power would receive no healing,one with no boon duration would receive no boons. This wouldn’t limit support as if the player needs it he would spec for it and would share/receive with/from others that do the same. Another reason is the inferiority of recovery/body defense since you can out skill yourself to not need pve wise, this system would interest high skill players to invest in it,it’s not forced as they already spec for 3 greedy stats to get what they need.

4)Boons and conditions. Change percentages and put numbers. Poison would reduce healing power,vulnarability would reduce toughness,this makes conditions more friendly game and encourage synergy. Mobs would have healing stats attached to them. Fury would be change to next skill does X extra damage,might should no longer affect conditions as they create the cap.

Problems solved:
-Player skill is directly rewarded, a critical stat(s) result in RNG like system which is never good
-Instead of having basic stats players open to others. Ex: A burst player may choose to invest in power+malice+boon duration , focused on directed damage amplified with control/weakening conditions and offensive boons instead of worries of crits.
-PvE diversity is increased
-PvP balance is improved and eased

Discuss,criticize,give me your opinion on stats and customization.

If you could chage stats around at will, as per your point 2, the entire crafting system would have to be changed, as currently different materials result in different stat combos.

Also point 3 not only sounds non-feasable, but goes directly contrary to your claim that "PvE diversity is increased ". If everyone had to invest in boon duration to recieve boons, healing to recieve healing etc. then all classes would result in a hodgepodge mish mash of every stat. Kindof like the celesial pvp meta at the moment.

In short, I don’t think this would be a very good idea, and I highly doubt anet would implement it.

Lorgus.6148:

If you could chage stats around at will, as per your point 2, the entire crafting system would have to be changed, as currently different materials result in different stat combos.

Also point 3 not only sounds non-feasable, but goes directly contrary to your claim that "PvE diversity is increased ". If everyone had to invest in boon duration to recieve boons, healing to recieve healing etc. then all classes would result in a hodgepodge mish mash of every stat. Kindof like the celesial pvp meta at the moment.

In short, I don’t think this would be a very good idea, and I highly doubt anet would implement it.

1. takes from #1 with the removal of crit chance/damage and attached stats to traits the player receive a large pool of stats to control and personalize. A power ranger could simply invest in other stats to make up for what he wants or simply focus purely on burst with/without conditions. This doesn’t really affect spec because you can just invest back crit chance/damage and condition duration are no more.

Every class is kind of already mix match because you don’t need much stats to have good healing/boons etc. base healing is strong but scales poorly,boons stay long even without duration, only mix max is withing the raw damage stats. While they didn’t allow full tanks/condi etc to be possible full dps are possible. The system would improve burst specs and create others. A tank player could use intelligence sigils with fury up time to do good damage,a similar scenario is air/fire sigils. While a zerker vs celestial struggles if attacks are actually crit right and thinks he should do more damage than cele. New system would be zerker has full control of his output and is properly rewarded for it.

Support specs/traits etc would gain a boost. A symbol healing(example) guard would be more useful/wanted and the healing would be based on his healing power same way venom share works. Damage specs would gain a boost they would gain the ability to control their condition/raw damage ratio and put to better use defensive/utility stats they find unneeded. Traits would be improve as no stats would be wasted when making a spec, a trickery power wouldn’t waste his points on condition damage unless he wants to control and take advantage of them.

Overall it’s fixes condition stacking in pve,improves diversity in all 3 modes,gives players wide scale choices and customization,creates more reward as skills goes up. There is really nothing wrong with it but you can also gives your opinion on how to reach the same goal.

1) This could create huge balance issue. However choosing which of the 3 stats you want while not change the ratio between those could be a good idea.
2) No it doesn’t create imbalance. Do you see the game as imbalanced? Its a possibility that could have been use from the start of the game, but I don’t see any advantage of one choice over the other. It’s different way to looking at it and since we already have one system, switching it would be a huge process for almost no return. Lot of work for almost nothing.
3)This game is based around anything can work but there is setup more optimized than other. You change would force ppl into certain role and would limit diversity. Everybody would need a minimum amount of boons duration, healing power, etc. Leaving less place for diversity.
4) Again a change without any significant result.

Problem solved?
1) Player skills is directly rewarded right now and I fail to see in which way making stats work differently would change increase the involvement of skill in the game. Mechanics do that, not stats.
2) Yes. More stats diversity will make possible to focus more on what you focus. That’s your point 1 that I partially agree with.
3) It would be decreased and what you see as diversity would only be forced upon the player. You would absolutely need healing power or you can’t heal you, you would absolutely need boons duration to have fury and might, etc. That would not increase diversity that would only force ppl to use some stats and limit what they can do with the stats they choose to use.
4) Not really at all. Balance is far more complicated than that. It would change how the game play, which would make it imbalance. Then the staff would need to work to make the new system balanced.

Thaddeus.4891:

1) This could create huge balance issue. However choosing which of the 3 stats you want while not change the ratio between those could be a good idea.
2) No it doesn’t create imbalance. Do you see the game as imbalanced? Its a possibility that could have been use from the start of the game, but I don’t see any advantage of one choice over the other. It’s different way to looking at it and since we already have one system, switching it would be a huge process for almost no return. Lot of work for almost nothing.
3)This game is based around anything can work but there is setup more optimized than other. You change would force ppl into certain role and would limit diversity. Everybody would need a minimum amount of boons duration, healing power, etc. Leaving less place for diversity.
4) Again a change without any significant result.

Problem solved?
1) Player skills is directly rewarded right now and I fail to see in which way making stats work differently would change increase the involvement of skill in the game. Mechanics do that, not stats.
2) Yes. More stats diversity will make possible to focus more on what you focus. That’s your point 1 that I partially agree with.
3) It would be decreased and what you see as diversity would only be forced upon the player. You would absolutely need healing power or you can’t heal you, you would absolutely need boons duration to have fury and might, etc. That would not increase diversity that would only force ppl to use some stats and limit what they can do with the stats they choose to use.
4) Not really at all. Balance is far more complicated than that. It would change how the game play, which would make it imbalance. Then the staff would need to work to make the new system balanced.

1. is backed up #2,3 &4.

#2,3,4 This is not a solo rpg, even in co-op it would work, if you can’t do others will it gives other people purpose,promotes grouping,friends and guilds. If you don’t want to deal damage with boons just invest more in power which creates the zerker feeling even without crit chance/damage. If poison decreases healing power instead of percentages it becomes group friendly because it would stack,same case with vulnerability that would decrease armor. Worrying of cap not anymore might wouldn’t affect condis anymore and condition players could invest more in malice(mix of condi damage/duration) creating a sinister style condi without crit chance/damage. No pain no gain, how much you want to improve the game = how much you are willing to work on it.

I have yet to see other solutions mentioned either from them or other players on those topics. I am glad you criticize but also contribute/reform on how reach the goal.

Sagat.3285:

1. is backed up #2,3 &4.

#2,3,4 This is not a solo rpg, even in co-op it would work, if you can’t do others will it gives other people purpose,promotes grouping,friends and guilds. If you don’t want to deal damage with boons just invest more in power which creates the zerker feeling even without crit chance/damage. If poison decreases healing power instead of percentages it becomes group friendly because it would stack,same case with vulnerability that would decrease armor. Worrying of cap not anymore might wouldn’t affect condis anymore and condition players could invest more in malice(mix of condi damage/duration) creating a sinister style condi without crit chance/damage. No pain no gain, how much you want to improve the game = how much you are willing to work on it.

I have yet to see other solutions mentioned either from them or other players on those topics. I am glad you criticize but also contribute/reform on how reach the goal.

You assume that there is an inherent problem to fix, which I don’t think there is. There is a problem between an inherent problem that need to be fixed and a good game that can use some improvement (like anything can always need some improvement).

If you think there is an inherent problem that need to be fixed, start by isolating it and explain what it is. Then we can argue if yes or no it’s a problem and if we come to the conclusion that yes its a problem THEN you can say : ‘’I am glad you criticize but also contribute/reform on how reach the goal.’’ Because right now what is the goal you are talking about?

Your idea fragment the mechanics of the game into little pieces and force you to choose which one you want to experience.

So I don’t take healing power in my build. Then I don’t have access to the healing mechanic at all. But I use to be able to heal myself before, whatever the build I was using. I lost a mechanic.

Ok then I won’t take boons duration. Well, it’s not better, because now I can use boons. I just lost a mechanics that i use to have.

Its ok, I’m a direct dmg dealer i’ll take healing power, boons duration and power. I don’t do condition anyway. Well technically I do condition even if it’s not a big numbers. I lose that mechanics, but its ok. But I use to stack vulnerability with my team and now I can’t.

See what I’m saying? Right now you have access to all the mechanics in the game. You can focus on direct damage or in boons or in healing or in condition, but you can work with all the mechanics anyway. But with your idea I need to choose which mechanics I will use and which one I won’t be able to use. That diminish the experience. Again for what goal?

Issues: condition cap,poor stat scaling,universal optimal zerker meta, crit RNG mechanic, pve rewards system, pvp balancing, lack of customization,attached stats to traits lines,traits.

Goal: Fixing ^ and ease up class balance.

Currently you are not dps if you are not using crit chance/damage. First crit is bad mechanic it really on chance which is terrible a burst player(PA) will worry if the attacks he wants to crit crit while others(PB) will simply play a tankier spec but use intellingence sigils,have fury uptime, use condi etc. Also 3 stats doing the same thing clearly imbalance while others use 1,you can’t build full tank/healer/condi but you can for dps.

If you are worried about not having enough stats don’t! Crit chance/damage removed+condition duration merge wih C.D+removal of attached stats to traits= large customization. Your spec will not change you can simply reinvest in stats but will improve because you control it,remember free stats, support and control specs can rivalize with damage stats. Conditons with numbers are more group friendly and players can control mobs better,might will not longer affect it since you can just keep investing in malice condition stacking fixed.

There shall be a cap to how much you can invest in one stat around 1800 and how much points in general to prevent wild outs and anarchy. Group way, as a power player you don’t have to take other stats if you know you won’t need and another player can provide it for you, you could max power+malice(or a little bit of boon duration). Malice would increase how much armor your vulnerability decreases etc. This would only create celestial(with all stats) specs only if you are trying to solo group content.

You decide what fits you it’s an improved customization.

Merging condition/precision with power would result in something completely impossible to balance. You’d pretty much have to neuter any and all condition damage and gut the crit chance gain to make it work.

The end result is just less build options. Now you would do power for everything instead of choosing between an ailments build vs. a crit build vs. a straight power build.

Since we’re throwing around suggestions for discussion, here’s mine:

Problem: Condition damage sucks in PvE w/ large groups. Control conditions too easily available to everyone. No reason to go anything but zerks.

A: Damage conditions are stacked on an attacker-basis, not a target basis (IE- every attacker has their own stack).
B: Damage conditions can crit.
C: Lower base damage on conditions, w/ condition damage ramping it up more (but not as much as now, since they can crit).
D: Control conditions have a low base and scale w/ toughness, League of Legends support style.
E: Boons have a lower base and scale w/ healing power. In addition, healing power needs to scale a little better. Not by that much, but enough that it feels worth it to build the stat. It really doesn’t right now.
F: Some inherent condition resistance that stacks as you’re carpet bombed on conditions by different attackers. It affects duration of control conditions only and resets after a while.

Obviously, there are balance issues to work out—especially with carpet bombing damage conditions in PvP. I have no real ideas for that. But I think something along these lines would go a long way to addressing the issues outlined above.

CarbunkleFlux.6582:

Merging condition/precision with power would result in something completely impossible to balance. You’d pretty much have to neuter any and all condition damage and gut the crit chance gain to make it work.

The end result is just less build options. Now you would do power for everything instead of choosing between an ailments build vs. a crit build vs. a straight power build.

Since we’re throwing around suggestions for discussion, here’s mine:

Problem: Condition damage sucks in PvE w/ large groups. Control conditions too easily available to everyone. No reason to go anything but zerks.

A: Damage conditions are stacked on an attacker-basis, not a target basis (IE- every attacker has their own stack).
B: Damage conditions can crit.
C: Lower base damage on conditions, w/ condition damage ramping it up more (but not as much as now, since they can crit).
D: Control conditions have a low base and scale w/ toughness, League of Legends support style.
E: Boons have a lower base and scale w/ healing power. In addition, healing power needs to scale a little better. Not by that much, but enough that it feels worth it to build the stat. It really doesn’t right now.
F: Some inherent condition resistance that stacks as you’re carpet bombed on conditions by different attackers. It affects duration of control conditions only and resets after a while.

Obviously, there are balance issues to work out—especially with carpet bombing damage conditions in PvP. I have no real ideas for that. But I think something along these lines would go a long way to addressing the issues outlined above.

Not merging more replacing,no more RNG crit chance/damage. It’s bad mechanic that’s the point of replacing it.

I don’t feel it’s a bad mechanic, especially with all the On Crit % weapon sigils that enhance it.

What makes it a bad mechanic to you? The spike damage? Or the fact that you have to build it for it to work?

Ferocity is the stat I don’t really get O_o. Having Ferocity, Power AND Precision just spreads your stat allocation to thin…

CarbunkleFlux.6582:

I don’t feel it’s a bad mechanic, especially with all the On Crit % weapon sigils that enhance it.

What makes it a bad mechanic to you? The spike damage? Or the fact that you have to build it for it to work?

Ferocity is the stat I don’t really get O_o. Having Ferocity, Power AND Precision just spreads your stat allocation to thin…

It’s a chance like system that can’t be really controlled and a simple multiplier for pure dps ,it creates an unreliability in specs that invest in it,it’s also the reason mmos end up in a dps fest. GW2 made it creative but it’s still the same faulty mechanic. No one can prove it’s balanced.

There are loooots of very competitive games, MMO and otherwise, that work around the inclusion of crit to a benefit (League of Legends being notable), so there is evidence of it working in practice and of its viability as a build concept.

I mean, if taking crit out of the game is good for it? OK, I’ll devil’s advocate you there. We lose those weapon sigil options, but dps becomes more of a steady stream.

But I don’t feel the same way about condition damage at all, so regardless of one’s stance on crit there isn’t any good reason to just take that build option away altogether.

CarbunkleFlux.6582:

There are loooots of very competitive games, MMO and otherwise, that work around the inclusion of crit to a benefit (League of Legends being notable), so there is evidence of it working in practice and of its viability as a build concept.

I mean, if taking crit out of the game is good for it? OK, I’ll devil’s advocate you there. We lose those weapon sigil options, but dps becomes more of a steady stream.

But I don’t feel the same way about condition damage at all, so regardless of one’s stance on crit there isn’t any good reason to just take that build option away altogether.

It’s creative but creates imbalance if main purpose is more dps.

Edit: you can also trigger effects with just on hit,on swap,on certain skills,on heal,elite ect.

I just don’t agree with needlessly removing options.
But it’s clear we’re not going to agree on this matter, so I’d rather agree to disagree.

CarbunkleFlux.6582:

I just don’t agree with needlessly removing options.
But it’s clear we’re not going to agree on this matter, so I’d rather agree to disagree.

No options will be removed they will transform while others are being created, it’s not a reduction process.

My take on condis: Each player applies his or her own stack of damaging conditions. There should be literally 0 difference between the amount of calculating the server has to do for 200 people stacking 15-20 stacks on mobs on a specific map, or all of them stacking it on the same boss.

Second, players will gain an effect that states “Gain a percentage of condition-damage-reduction per condition stack of a different player on you. The more different stacks, the higher the ramp-up”. With that, in WvW getting stacked by 40+ players won’t be busted, if X is calculated correctly, while it still is meaningfull in 1v1, 1v2 etc. Scenarios. Usually, this wouldn’t even be needede because whether you have 4 5er stacks of bleed ticking or get hit with 4 powerbased moves shouldn’t make a difference, but in WvW there might be a breaking point somewhere.

With this, now 2 Condi-players will not steal each others DPS, condi damage from zerkers will not overwrite the 4 times as powerful (or more) stacks of the condi-users, and individually the stack would still be maxed out at 25 (not that anyone could reach it on their own). That should make condis usable and not busted in PvE, sPvP and WvW. Question is, why something like this hasn’t been done already, too much effort? Am I overlooking something that would make this busted? Or am I really supposed to believe having the stacks on the same boss takes more calculating effort than the stacks on individual mobs?

They might do something about it in HoT but I think they would have announced it it’s a pretty big thing just like water combat. I still don’t understand why they created 3 dps stats and expected other stats to be worth getting,there is too much difference they should see it by now. I can’t see them creating pvp like encounters in pve they are still going with the single boss fights.

They read forums but I am not sure what are their priorities and caring factor, some issues have been here since beta. Waiting on HoT and more interviews to know how they want the game to progress .