Guild Wars 2

I’ve only PVE through this game so far and have found that underwater combat to be the most frustrating experience. Monsters seems to have aggro range of miles and you get swarmed easily. They summon minions that do more damage than the summoner. And, you do a lot less damage compared to being on land, which only makes you feel like dragging them up to land where possible. I’m not asking to make this aspect of the game easier, but I don’t think underwater combat should be so easily overwhelming.

Does anyone have any thoughts on this? Or, am I just playing my Guardian class wrong? ;(

Agreed, it was really hyped up to and I was very disappointed (I’m playing as a warrior). With only two under water weapons (not sure about other professions) and all the bugs, it’s very frustrating.

I share your sentiments and I believe most people do.

Underwater combat in this game is just as tedious and bad as in any previous MMO. It’s a shame because ANet explicitly stated they wanted to make it fun and they clearly put quite a lot of emphasis on it (some early videos claim that roughly 30% of content will be underwater).

But instead of seizing the opportunity to make it engaging….it turned out just as bad as ever.

1. Instead of making players slightly overpowered underwater to compensate for the unnatural environment…they seemed to have made players weaker. Underwater combat is static and boring with very few interesting abilities or meaningful combo-fields.

2. The fact that mob density is already insane in this game gets exasperated in a 3D environment. You can’t move freely because you’re constantly adding mobs with their ridiculous threat range. I rarely ever finish a fight by killing all the attacking mobs. I usually end up giving up at some point and just move on because of the constant stream of adds underwater.

3. Mob movement, especially that of large Megalodons etc. is very erratic and buggy. They jump around in unpredictable patterns and rarely have any interesting mechanics. It just not well designed.

my only complaint is that mobs reset every 3 seconds.

I agree that it was way overhyped and both my wife and myself hate it. We aren’t really sure how to fix it except to remove it which would be great.

I really enjoy underwater exploring an’ combat, though I admit it can be a bit harder than land … kiting is usually easier an’ ya do have another dimension ta move in. (or get attacked from)

My enjoyment depends greatly on what class I’m using.

Before they fixed it, Thief was crazy fun, because Nine-Tailed Strike was insanely OP.

Mesmer is solid, with trident clones throwing confusion everywhere (one target… basically perma 6+ stacks with three out, which… is trivial)

I actually rather enjoy it, but only having done it as an Elementalist and Ranger, my only experience has been with pretty nice ranged weapons.

Engineer + grenades = underwater win.

I love the underwater environment and combat. As 80 ranger with 2 gold weapons I don’t have any problems even with swarms but remember as lower level it was a bit difficult and the space bar got used a lot. I usually never paid too much attention on my underwater weaponry before which turned out to be a mistake when faced with stronger or multiple mobs. Also, I believe since most combat is made on land, the skill level under water is a bit lower, which it was in my case anyway..

Underwater combat has a lot of potential but my DPS is too low. I hate fighting underwater because of it. (Elementalist)

I love underwater exploraion. the cool spots i’ve found are all underwater but the combat is too wonky to make me willingly go into water. with me it’s mostly a problem with the camera. i lose track of targets way to easily. they seem to snap all over the place and i cant keep up. as a result, i avoid being in the water as much as possible

I agree with the OP, have noticed this myself. Very disappointing and frustrating.

I like it myself. On some classes better than others, but none of it really bugs me.

I hate underwater combat. I’ve always hated underwater combat, but I hate it even more in Guild Wars 2. As someone else mentioned, the mob density and accidental aggro is ridiculous.

Then again, that’s one of the major problems with this game in general. You can’t freaking go anywhere without aggro’ing mobs constantly. It’s a chore and a pain in the kitten just to move in this game. They need to trim the mob density across the board by about 40%.

underwater is cake.

then again, I am an Engineer and we are OP underwater. Sadly, not so much on land. Though I have learned to ignore turrets and mortars and it’s been good since that.

I like underwater combat but the spawn rate lets it down. You could of cleared the mobs that are near you for like a vista or something then when you go to interact with it mobs have spawned again.

I have no problems with underwater combat at all and like it a lot. I have an ele (80), ranger (80). necro (50), engi (55) and warrior (50).

You need to pay attention to whats around you and then you won’t aggro so much. It is harder to do that when your underwater as you have to remember to check above and below you as well as all round you.

As others have mentioned, engineers play quite well underwater. For me, this makes up for some of the “challenges” faced playing an engineer on land. You are probably aware that the auqabreathers are heart quest only, so don’t forget to upgrade yours for the armor boost. Lvl 80 Asura engineer.

edjahman.9104:

I agree that it was way overhyped and both my wife and myself hate it. We aren’t really sure how to fix it except to remove it which would be great.

There were many things over hyped up in this game. One of them being this yes.

Totally agree mob density sucks in GW2 and made far worse underwater. You can rarely if ever fight just one mob at once.

i just find it odd that there is no underwter gear anywhere in the game, except for your starter and some lv27 ones you can find on one or two karma vendors.

the combat itself is fun or boring depending on the class. rangers are really fun to play with the speargun, but thieves are boring all around.

Hi, I’m an engineer with a grenade kit. I don’t see the problem here.

I used to have trouble with underwater combat, but now that I’ve done it a few times with different classes (and upgraded my underwater weapons) I find it as easy or easier than combat on land. I agree that the ranged weapons make underwater combat much easier.

My biggest gripe, though, is that sometimes when I’m halfway through killing a critter “immune” will start popping up and they return to their spawn point while regenerating their health. It happens more frequently when using melee weapons, at least in my experience.

Underwater aggro range should be reduced. Chalk it up to a lack of underwater visibility or something. Also, some classes do need help. Mainly any class that depends too heavily on traits, because under water, those traits don’t work.

I am one of those that just don’t like underwater combat in this game. Nor from aspect of hard/easy, it’s just that I really don’t like it for some reason. When I see an underwater heart quest, I die a little bit inside:)

Actually, I am supporter of the underwater combat being the same as land combat (as in same weapons/skills). While I know that’s not very logical and it brings no variety to the table, I simply like it that way.

But, if I make an effort and think objectively and try to keep personal preferences out of analysis, I would say the underwater combat is GW2 is, I don’t know, bland and sub-attractive. The weapons should be “more awesome” in order to compensate loss of “conventional land control” when character enters water. Character’s movement becomes sluggish, but mobs retain their agility and speed.

i dislike how the traits you pick up for your favorite land weapons may not work for your underwater weapons and vice versa.

thats my only real gripe with it.

Underwater combat is just plain broken in area’s. Builds will auto swap making a certain play style useless, and the game doesn’t recognize walls too well either.

Thankfully only a VERY few dungeons require underwater combat. If anymore did I would have to bang my head on the wall.

I actually quite like it. Particularly in WvW.

Probably has something to do with shark pets.

Few problem’s I’ve had with underwater combat:

Lack of weapon variety. All of a sudden you’re locked into two, maybe even one, weapon choice. There’s no variety in weapons/skills, so if you don’t like the skillset… tough luck.

You’re locked into whatever spec you were in, many specs become useless underwater… banner warrior? symbol guardian? lol…

Mob density and aggro range is ridiculous, you may not necessarily see them (due to the limited camera view of the game), but as soon as you enter their enormous aggro sphere, they’re going to stick in you for awhile

Swimming back up to the surface to get back on land… aaaaaand immobilized (specifically in Orr). You can’t use abilities on the surface, you’re stuck taking whatever they throw at you until it wears off. Plus downed system in PvP… trying to finish someone in the water + keep on surfacing and not being able to use skills = annoying.

Just some annoyances I’ve had, probably some more that I forgot. In the end, underwater combat feels tacked on and shallow. Also, any engineer saying they like underwater because they can use their grenades or w/e… that completely misses the point because you’re now using a “land” skillset and not using any of the unique “underwater” skillsets.

Mario.6309:

You’re locked into whatever spec you were in, many specs become useless underwater… banner warrior? symbol guardian? lol…

No yer not. While yer underwater, switch out yer skills to a build ya like better … after that whenever ya enter the water you’ll auto switch inta that build.

Underwater combat is never fun in any game ever and I wish devs would stop getting the impression that it’s a good idea but they never do.

At first I enjoyed underwater combat in this game. Then the bugs/leashes/absurd multipulls/etc. happened and I remembered.

Jack of Tears.9458:

Mario.6309:

You’re locked into whatever spec you were in, many specs become useless underwater… banner warrior? symbol guardian? lol…

No yer not. While yer underwater, switch out yer skills to a build ya like better … after that whenever ya enter the water you’ll auto switch inta that build.

Pretty sure you misunderstood. I’m not talking about utility skills, I’m talking traits. A warrior specced into banners that jumps into the water now has a bunch of wasted traits. Sure you can swap some of the traits out, but your build may not be nearly as effective regardless. Plus swapping your traits every time you go in and out of water is clunky as hell if you’re suggesting that as an easy fix. I suppose having a separate trait tree underwater combat would remedy SOME of the problem…

>>Mario said: “Pretty sure you misunderstood. I’m not talking about utility skills, I’m talking traits.”<<

Oh, Traits … well, yeah, I’ve never felt I was hurt because my traits were specked for land, since yer only gonna spend about 30% of yer time in water, if that. Havin’ a quick switch for traits when ya hit the water – the way they do with skills – would be nice. (I haven’ checked ta see if they do, but I’m guessin’ not)

Maybe underwater feel harder because it’s the same difficulty the game was until BWE3 where they decided to make everything on land so easy we can just stand still and spam 1.

That depends on yer class Haishao – thieves can’t do that with anything their own level more than 1 on 1 … fighters are another story.

But BWE1 was way too far the other direction – ya had no choice but ta use range weapons yer entire first 10 levels an’ if ya fought more than 2 things at once you were always dead … always. (unless ya managed ta run away) Dyin’ every 5 minutes or less got old pretty fast.

It’s pretty awesome as a engineer + harpoon.

Totally like the mechanics and weapon ability’s / turrets.
I am guesing it’s more annoying for melee characters ?

Love underwater combat with my warrior. Spear does insane damage and has fun skills.
If only mobs doesn’t reset every 5 seconds…

I was very disappointed with underwater combat and the underwater zones. One of my favorite zones in WoW was Vashj’Ir and I was sure GW2 was going to outdo this in terms of visuals. Perhaps they still will. I’d love a very deep and huge underwater zone. But only if they can make it fun to play in it. Less mobs and mobs placed in more varied ways, so that it might be safe on the ocean floor at one point and at another be full of crabs. Also have the mobs doing more natural things not just floating aimlessly. At the moment it seems mobs are simply placed in order to get in your way or to make sure theres no empty spaces. They should be placed more creatively than that. These ones mining the floor, these ones guarding, these ones looting treasure. I liked the touch of floating undead that seemed like corpses until you got close, but there wasn’t enough of that kind of thing. Mobs were mostly place like some kind of homing mine.

Invulnerable mobs and random resets… that allied to low dmg output and lack of combos make water combat painfull and something to be avoided.

((invulnerables and random resets are complete deal breakers)).

Grumwulf:

That’s why I mentioned the “same combat mechanics as land combat” as maybe something that makes underwater combat more appealing. You had whole area in WoW submerged and people loved it. My guess it’s because characters retained the skills and weapons from the land combat.

The underwater mobs are hacking if you ask me. For example the risen sharks in coast of devastation. They become invulnerable when their hp drop to 20-30%.

I kind a dislike underwater combat too. Too many mobs just goes invulnerable while fighting and get their HP full or incresed. It’s also taking much more time in underwater to kill mobs.

I would simply buff all underwater skills (or most) atleast for elementalist. Most if not all of his skills are just too weak and elementalist is weak too so you often are about to die while killing single mob. In land I can take 3-5 mobs easily in some cases. In underwater combat even 1 mob feels hard and taking too long.

I’m a fan of the underwater combat, the atmosphere and animations are amazing, however I have noticed a disparity between certain classes.

This has to be the first game that I’ve found really difficult to choose a main character, I normally like to focus on one class and really get attached to it. Most classes have been an absolute blast, ergo I’ve ended up with 6 level 50-60’s and annoying as this is ( I really want to click with one class!) it’s given me decent amount of coverage time with the underwater combat across the board.

One of the most obvious issues is that elementalists are extremely lackluster, even with the different attunements the damage is sub-par. It can take 20 seconds to kill a regen skelk (a grenade engineer can do this in 5 seconds). I think this is something that needs to be reviewed

Sakagami.3825:

Or, am I just playing my Guardian class wrong? ;(

There’s a big part of your problem.

As a whole, underwater combat can be very buggy and frustrating, but fighting underwater with a Guardian just exacerbates the issue.

I’ve got a level 80 Elementalist, Warrior and Guardian. Ele and Warrior are pretty good underwater but Guardians are hopeless underwater.