Guild Wars 2

Kal Spiro.9745:

I’m actually rather disappointed to learn that the fall damage traits are all still there.

No kidding. Revival and Rally traits also take up space.

well my “non meta but works perfect for me” build only suffered one thing… the engi power shoe trait is gone, that might be something that actually will drive me nuts cause i use that thing since 2 years…other then that it actually will skyrocket that build to something magical. Also… an f5 for elite skills AND (for me) viable options other then the crate…means i actually gonna have even more of a good time with my favourite class.

Nokaru.7831:

Kal Spiro.9745:

I’m actually rather disappointed to learn that the fall damage traits are all still there.

No kidding. Revival and Rally traits also take up space.

And are eagerly used by people in several types of gameplay.

Elementalist Arcane skill builds were further killed. Not that anyone used them…

how do you guys know what the new traits are?

King Noob IV.3560:

how do you guys know what the new traits are?

http://www.twitch.tv/guildwars2/c/6594135

One thing I know of that is burned is any player trying to currently get a full set of luminescent armor. The meta achievement has been bugged for it for over a month now!

Conncept.7638:

Elixir infused bombs on the other hand was something truly unique and interesting and most of all, incredibly fun, if only the developers had ever given it some love so that players would even try it out.

Couldn’t agree more. Some love should be given to Bomb’s. My Bomb build is lost in this feature pack.

My necromancer and elementalist are definitely beyond repair, just from what I’ve seen from the posts (I really can’t be bothered with the streams). Elite specialisations and culled/merged traits could potentially ruin others too.

Chameleon Dude.1564:

I really can’t be bothered with the streams

You can also view the trait info at this site without having to dig through the long stream: http://dulfy.net/2015/04/24/gw2-specializations-ama-livestream-notes/

I too have a lot of characters. 17 for now, 18 once HoT releases. Most of my build ideas still exist, they just might need to new tweaking. For example i can still make a Kill Shot warrior, but I cannot pair it with a great sword anymore, it just doesn’t fit. I figure I’ll have to go sword/warhorn and healing shouts. One of the big hits to my builds is the mutually exclusive Invigorating Precision and Ricochet. Between that and Signet of Malice, I could have great sustain while specced specifically for 100% crit chance. I mean, if things stay how they are no big deal, I can do ricochet venom share, but that idea and concept is gone. Ricochet and IP were essential, as was the 100% crit chance.

I can’t really think of much else. Some builds are going to be built from scratch anyway, so though I might not keep all 17 builds through release, anything I’d want to salvage should be able to pass through the gates.

On topic, I only have one build I’m kinda worried about and it’s for my engie, the class that’s the furthest from being finished.

I run a 4/4/0/6/0 Celestial/Traveler’s build based on Flamethrower and Elixer gun. I don’t currently like the suggested change to Juggernaut as I don’t see pulsing stability as a substitute to pulsing might. No word on if the +200 toughness stays either.

I’m ok with the combination of Incendiary Powder and Napalm Specialist, ( even as a Grandmaster) but Fireforged Trigger and Deadly Mixture are currently MIA. Actually, there doesn’t seem to be a Flamethrower specific trait on the list yet. That would seriously hamper my Flamethrower use.

It sounds like they want to split it so we have a single trait per kit. I just hope I can properly spec both FT and EG at the same time.

I use a similar build on my main: Flamethrower engie with good evasion and happy burning with hybrid damage. I’m not seeing anything good for the Flamethrower, at all. Only complications, useless and forced “choices” and overall a complete destruction of my favorite playstyle.
Pulsating stability instead of might? I’m an engie. I dont need or want to play as a warrior.

Flamethrower on engineer seems on first blush to be taking a hit. Its lackluster damage was augmented by the might from Juggernaut and by the damage boost from Deadly Mixture. Mixture does not appear (unless it shows in one of the TBD slots) and Jug has been turned into a Stab trait. None of the other traits shown seen to help this kit, which sorely needs it to be competitive.

Edit: I’ve seen an (anecdotal) post that Jug will retain its previous functionality and will add Stab. If so, that reduces (but does not eliminate) my concern. Still don’t see any replacement for Deadly Mixture.

My 2-0-6-6-0 Poison Master/Survival of Fittest Spvp build due to traits contending as grandmasters in new format.

also: whats happening to increased range/radius from off hand training?

My builds are actually going to be BETTER.

Build: here. Basically, a 6/3/0/4/1 Guardian build. It relies on symbols, and use the fact that Justice is recharged with each kill and that it gives Might to keep a stead supply of that boon.

Situation: gone. With access to only 3 trait lines, it would require 4 different lines in order to work. Those traits haven’t been merged.

“Ah, it’s not a viable build!!!”

Honestly, that’s an excuse used by bad players. In PvE, anything is viable (unless someone is a really bad player). You could do pretty much anything even without traits. Having an “optimal” build is only required by the dungeon speed-running groups, and ArenaNet cares so much about those players that they are not even going to add new dungeons with HoT.

What traits do is give diversity, allowing you to change how you play so you have more options, and therefore are less likely to become bored, and therefore less likely to stop playing. That’s a win-win situation for ArenaNet, but somehow they are curbing diversity from the game.

My Mesmer will need serious reworking, same with my Necro, but I was pleased to see the toons I play the most will be changed very little.

Looking over your build, I looks like going into HoT you drop the 1 point in Virtues (awesome minor trait, I know) and get full progression in the other tree. You’ll need to make up for the lost might from activating justice as often as possible, but I think that the extra minors and major traits will probably let you get back to parity.

Its not exact, but the Devs have also indicated they are not trying to preserve exact. The core of it seems to be the refreshing Justice on kill and that certainly hasn’t gone away.

Is there a list of what is now baked into each class. Like it appears that Eagle Eye is now base Ranger. What else is automatic.

http://www.reddit.com/r/Guildwars2/comments/33qrg0/specialization_ama_livestream_notes/

Notes for everything on the stream. Under each profession there chit chat about what was baked in, other commentary, etc

Nike.2631:

Looking over your build, I looks like going into HoT you drop the 1 point in Virtues (awesome minor trait, I know) and get full progression in the other tree.

I think what annoys me the most is that the usual profession mechanics are a bit bland without traits. With minor investiments like one trait point, you could spice them up a bit – add the boons to the Virtues, add confusion to Shatters, it used to be that the boons on Elemental Attunements were also a minor trait, and so on.

Now, there are no “minor investiments” anymore. It’s all or nothing.

ArenaNet will change how traits work, but I don’t think they have changed enough. The three minor traits being kept between the major ones don’t really make sense – that’s a relic from the current system, since picking a trait line already unlocks all three minor traits; it’s not a progression from minor to major to minor anymore.

Likewise, I wish they had changed how the traits linked to the primary profession mechanics work. Instead of keeping them together with the other traits, I wish ArenaNet would have kept them apart, so everyone could choose one among three (or 4) ways to enhance the primary mechanic. So, for example, all elementalists would have access to Evasive Arcana or Elemental Attunement or one more option equally useful, beyond the trait system; all Guardians would have access to Inspired Virtue or Shielded Mind or Purity of Body or Permeating Wrath; and so on.

ArenaNet could bend their system a little more, now that they are overhauling it.

its so funny that i see much much drama on this forum about the new traits and builds

when i no 80 % off all gw2 players only care about DPS build the rest they don’t care as long the can kill fast

so they don’t even try any other build system ore play a other style
and if there class get nerft on there dps build they gone QQ ad forum -.-

but its the same with any mmorpg good sample SWTOR 70 % play dps 20 % healer 10 % tank and then they QQ need tanker ore healer

if players stop playing dps and more focus on support classes maby the games get more fun and balance

sorry for my English

Genlog.4983:

if players stop playing dps and more focus on support classes maby the games get more fun and balance

This is just going to make players play DPS even more. You can’t dip into other traitlines now; you have to fully invest in them. So when I used to get the fall damage trait, but ONLY got the fall damage trait from a line, now I’m going to just invest all the way into my damage traitlines. I don’t need 30 points, or whatever, in a traitline that doesn’t have worthwhile traits.

Really, this game may as well play itself it’s so simple. And nice job on taking away peoples’ unique builds. Now constructing builds is going to be even more mindless.

Let’s just take away things and call it “mainstreaming” it into a new and improved feature!

ALL of my builds were improved.
I think these changes are making thematic builds much more interesting than before.

Since trait lines no longer give attribute points, you are no longer having to spec in what formerly was the Power and the Precision line.

This said, It will create a bit more diversity. BUT….

A Lot of good traits are now packed with others…. destroying lots of prefer’red builds

Necro (Condi)
The terrormancer was the best condition build for necro’s But NO if you wan terror you are not allwoed to take scepter because having an condition extra surely means you are not to improve on the ONLY DECENT CONDITIONS WEAPON…
Staff looks nice but is the COMPLEMENT of scepter. There are no alternatives. Staff itself is not very adept at dispencing conditions: only providing them on trigger… not on auto….
Second the master traits in curses are ALL USELESS IN PVE. the only barely useable one gives you a bit of lifeforce drain on crit. If you run dire it is useless, including the others. Nice you can boonstrip, but barely any spawn in PvE has boons.

Elementalist (Support)
The support Ele always relied on BOTH Evasive Arcana and Elemental Attument
But: "No we as developers think giving you 1 might for 15 seconds or 5 secs of regen/swiftness/protection is so OP it must be nerfed beyond imagination.
Yes it has synergies, You were so proud of your synergies in so many proffesions, but seem to have forgotten the enthusiasm when adressing Elementalists.

Warrior (Hybrid, condi/power)
I have also issues with Warriors longbow traits and empower allies overlapping, as all possible hybrids are screwed over. Longbow is the condition weapon fro range, but as long as I run rabid or dire the loss of empower allies is insignificant, but when running Sinister, rampager, carrion with the idea of leaving me some power while losing all toughness I get -NOTHING- Yes I can use the longbow to great effect, but I cannot make a build which supports in ANY WAY.
oh and they removed the banner traits, giving more range and 20% reduced CD, which is something I really dislike, as banners are essential to buff the hybrids… but had great synergy with all warrior builds and are a BIG part of the proffesion mechanic, we do get 2 different traits on res though…., SO PLEASE MERGE the 2 res traits and give us back the banner CD and range increase.

Ranger (Condi)
Ranger’s wilderness survival stacks the 2 condition traits in 1 tier: Ambidexterity and Expertise training are both very usefull for rangers, it is the sole way for ranger pets to get condition dmg outside excessive might stacking. Why should condition offhands make it uimpossible to use my pet for conditions? Or should we have the pet use EMPTY CONDITIONS (conditions with no stats)

Mesmer(Condi)
Mesmer has the Chaotice transference in th esame tier as Chaotic dampening, or you trait for getting condition dmg based on toughness is in the same line as your staff mastery, a condition weapon.

SO PPL FROM THE DEV TEAM:

NOW WE CAN USE CONDITIONS IN PVE MAKE SURE YOU ALSO RECONSIDER AND BALANCE THE TRAIT-POSSIBILITIES FOR CONDITION USERS!

You created RESISTANCE (No effect from conditions) and MIRROR (imagine bouncing back conditions???), have build an entire proffession which is supposed to be able to use conditions to his advantage and what happens

And again (PvE) CONDITION-USERS are NERFED…. This time through builds

AGAIN….. (it is not like we never saw this coming , after 1 buff to confusion after several nerfs and constant hammering on ALL OTHER conditions, removing and reducing stacks and so on.)

I love the cap being released, I have been hoping this time would come sine I made a terrormancer 2,5 years ago and finding out it was useless when playing with others. This will now change, but I am no longer allowed to use my condition builds…

https://forum-en.gw2archive.eu/forum/game/gw2/Dev-Feedback-New-Trait-Present-builds/

DarkOcean.8746:

Genlog.4983:

if players stop playing dps and more focus on support classes maby the games get more fun and balance

This is just going to make players play DPS even more. You can’t dip into other traitlines now; you have to fully invest in them. So when I used to get the fall damage trait, but ONLY got the fall damage trait from a line, now I’m going to just invest all the way into my damage traitlines. I don’t need 30 points, or whatever, in a traitline that doesn’t have worthwhile traits.

Really, this game may as well play itself it’s so simple. And nice job on taking away peoples’ unique builds. Now constructing builds is going to be even more mindless.

Let’s just take away things and call it “mainstreaming” it into a new and improved feature!

AS DPS now comes from gear completely (they removed all stats from te trait lines) DPS is no longer bound to what were the power and precision trait lines. It doesn’t matter anymore.

PaxTheGreatOne.9472:

DarkOcean.8746:

Genlog.4983:

if players stop playing dps and more focus on support classes maby the games get more fun and balance

This is just going to make players play DPS even more. You can’t dip into other traitlines now; you have to fully invest in them. So when I used to get the fall damage trait, but ONLY got the fall damage trait from a line, now I’m going to just invest all the way into my damage traitlines. I don’t need 30 points, or whatever, in a traitline that doesn’t have worthwhile traits.

Really, this game may as well play itself it’s so simple. And nice job on taking away peoples’ unique builds. Now constructing builds is going to be even more mindless.

Let’s just take away things and call it “mainstreaming” it into a new and improved feature!

AS DPS now comes from gear completely (they removed all stats from te trait lines) DPS is no longer bound to what were the power and precision trait lines. It doesn’t matter anymore.

Yeah, but most of the good damage traits are in those lines anyways. Unless they’re changing the lines entirely. I’m just disappointed that they’re restricting the lines like this, but whatever. Maybe I liked having a tiny amount of rogue stats from my traits to supplement my berserker gear. Maybe I liked dipping a few points into a line just to get the falling damage trait. Not everyone is as cool as a warrior where it’s in their damage line :P

Kal Spiro.9745:

*I’m actually rather disappointed to learn that the fall damage traits are all still there. * Considering they reduced the available adept traits by half that is taking up a huge amount of retail. I usually take that trait, but that’s because I was just dropping a couple points into a line I didn’t need for my build. I don’t have that option anymore in this system, so if I’m taking that line it’s because I want what is in that line. Chances are I don’t have room for fall damage.

This. Who the hell uses this trait? The ONLY place it’s even logical is in WvW if you are running away off cliffs. And the same question applies here. Who does that? IT’s a silly trait that should never had made it in game. It’s just a filler trait across all classes same with down state damage.

My 4/4/4/2/0 signet mesmer’s going to end up having to either not be a signet build, or lose the boon stripping that mesmers do better than most classes, as for some reason they stuck blurred inscriptions in the same spot kittentered concentration.

Ish.2846:

Kal Spiro.9745:

*I’m actually rather disappointed to learn that the fall damage traits are all still there. * Considering they reduced the available adept traits by half that is taking up a huge amount of retail. I usually take that trait, but that’s because I was just dropping a couple points into a line I didn’t need for my build. I don’t have that option anymore in this system, so if I’m taking that line it’s because I want what is in that line. Chances are I don’t have room for fall damage.

This. Who the hell uses this trait? The ONLY place it’s even logical is in WvW if you are running away off cliffs. And the same question applies here. Who does that? IT’s a silly trait that should never had made it in game. It’s just a filler trait across all classes same with down state damage.

The fall damage trait can also be useful in jumping puzzles, except that the ground effect produced is generally superfluous. They could have preserved the functionality by having it be a minor trait, though, which would open up one more option for adept.

The limit of 3 choices is not a good one when those choices are all extremely niche (like in Guardian/Honor/Adept where the choices are the falling damage trait, a revive trait and a “gain 50 healing power when you block while wielding a mace trait.”

Doesn’t the new system only break builds that branched into more than 3 trait lines? And Most of those are still viable because they streamlined all the traits you’d normally have to branch into 4-5 trait lines into 1-2 specializations?

As I’ve noted in other Fall Damage threads, Ish, I use it. All the time. I have places I like to jump down to, I have an instinctive understanding of how far I can fall based on having the trait. As I’m not a min-maxer, I haven’t minded investing just enough points to get the trait.

Which is a broader point, actually. Does the new system require min-maxing to get a useful build? If so, there really won’t be a lot of choice involved. All the traits offered need to have a solid use and to dovetail well with other trait choices. A formidable requirement …

And that makes it much harder to integrate fall damage traits usefully. Making them riders on other unrelated traits feels clumsy, and for those like me who absolutely want safe falling, it just means taking a trait we might not otherwise want, losing out on the other two in the tier, and getting stuck in a full trait line that may not suit our play style at all.

I have seen suggestions that they be made baseline or taken as part of a mastery line. Both of those seem better to me than having the need for fall damage reduction torque the whole build when it is so very separate from other build choices. I like baseline the best, though I’d be interested to hear if there’s anyone who actively doesn’t want their fall damage reduced if it costs them no resources to be able to fall further.

There are components of my builds that get shafted with how traits currently stand. For example, I run arcane lighting and elemental attunement on my ele. Won’t even be an option with arcane lightning rolled into elemental surge – a competing grandmaster. I also use bolt to the heart in conjunction with lightning rod. Again, no longer even an option as they are both grandmaster traits.

I haven’t really gone through the others as yet. Between ele and mesmer, I’m a very sad puppy. I’m downright terrified to read the other professions.

I’m sad my warrior can’t have fast weapon swaps and might on swap anymore. :\

Not a HUGE deal, but it is annoying.

Threads kind of wandering all over and away from builds that no longer work.

Second build for me is main guardian built around glacial hammer. I do actually enjoy the build for pve (storyline) and all my ascended gear have stats chosen for the purpose of proccing chill. I don’t mind guardian losing chill and agree it doesn’t fit class, I just hope there will be a way to re-select attributes on equipment since I don’t think I would want precision after this change.

JackSpacer.4320:

I’m sad my warrior can’t have fast weapon swaps and might on swap anymore. :\

Not a HUGE deal, but it is annoying.

Take Discipline. Fast hands and Versatile Power are both minor traits — meaning you will get both as minor traits will be automatic, as they are now.

ChoChoBo.6503:

Doesn’t the new system only break builds that branched into more than 3 trait lines? And Most of those are still viable because they streamlined all the traits you’d normally have to branch into 4-5 trait lines into 1-2 specializations?

Well, that’s still a shake-up, even if it’s more positive than some of the other breaks that are being posted. I have a hard time seeing GS Warriors going Strength/Arms/Discipline anymore for group content when putting all the GS traits into Strength means that it’s a lot easier to drop one of the other two specializations to go to Tactics and pick up Empowered Allies/Phalanx Strength. Any Engineer who runs a Static Discharge build will now have to decide what their third Specialization line is going to be; now that Incendiary Powder is a part of Firearms, they don’t need to go into Explosives anymore (though, depending on what the TBD traits turn out to be, might still be the best place to go if your trying to maximize DPS) Finally, even though the Mesmer Mantra Phantasm build is relatively intact, I wonder if that will still be meta… Quickness is now a boon and mesmers have a trait that casts Signet of Inspiration (which spreads any boon on the mesmer to allies) when summoning a phantasm, so I could see a Domination/Chaos/Inspiration semi-permanent quickness-spreading build being attempted.

For my mesmer, moving Deceptive Evasion to a Grandmaster trait decreases my ability to generate clones for both my zerker build and my shatter condi build. Not too happy about that.

My PU and my condition clone death build is destroyed. please unnerf.

runeblade.7514:

My PU and my condition clone death build is destroyed. please unnerf.

Please recognize that you’re not giving enough information and largely wasting your breath until you do.

Nike.2631:

runeblade.7514:

My PU and my condition clone death build is destroyed. please unnerf.

Please recognize that you’re not giving enough information and largely wasting your breath until you do.

Based on my limited Mesmer understanding, he’s sad because all the “when killed” clone traits (which were a big part of condi clone death) no longer exist.

Don’t know why his PU build is busted though, the big traits – Decoy at low health, Deceptive Evasion, PU, and the Torch weapon trait- still exist, and are contained to three specialization tracks, it’s just Dueling/Chaos/Illusions instead of Domination/Dueling/Chaos. You’re just going to have to shatter those clones rather than hope the other guy kills them out of frustration.

ChoChoBo.6503:

Doesn’t the new system only break builds that branched into more than 3 trait lines?

No. Also some of the builds that used double adept or double major traits in a traitline. Also, they moved some traits around, and removed/nerfed others. There will be a lot of builds that are going to be hit (i’m still considering what it would do to my guardian AH bunker – so far i’m not impressed).

As a side note, do i see it right, that both Ranger and Engi just lost their 1500 range options?

Astralporing.1957:

ChoChoBo.6503:

Doesn’t the new system only break builds that branched into more than 3 trait lines?

No. Also some of the builds that used double adept or double major traits in a traitline. Also, they moved some traits around, and removed/nerfed others. There will be a lot of builds that are going to be hit (i’m still considering what it would do to my guardian AH bunker – so far i’m not impressed).

As a side note, do i see it right, that both Ranger and Engi just lost their 1500 range options?

The traits are gone, yes. Some of the Dev comments made it sound to me that 1500 range Longbow might become default for Rangers though. Also, while Grenade kit is getting is range nerfed to 900, Mortar becoming a kit might mean it’s the new 1500 weapon for Engineers… Though hopefully 1500 range turrets is a thing that’s going to die and remain dead.

i play engi

in short:
my pve and pvp builds look like theyll be changed but buffed. except turrets. but turrets can die in a fire anyways.
my wvw roaming and frontline builds are gonna be trashed without automated medical response.

Burstmastery & Merciless hammer both in the same traitline…..really?!?!?!

Nike.2631:

runeblade.7514:

My PU and my condition clone death build is destroyed. please unnerf.

Please recognize that you’re not giving enough information and largely wasting your breath until you do.

Anyone watching the stream knows what I’m talking about.

ANet devs knows because they actually spoke that they don’t want clones to be killed.

Clones death requires clones to get killed. It provides a fun playstyle where you toy with your enemy and make them guess which is the real one.

I certainly don’t need to waste anymore breath to a non-anet dev.

Foefaller.1082:

Nike.2631:

runeblade.7514:

My PU and my condition clone death build is destroyed. please unnerf.

Please recognize that you’re not giving enough information and largely wasting your breath until you do.

Based on my limited Mesmer understanding, he’s sad because all the “when killed” clone traits (which were a big part of condi clone death) no longer exist.

Don’t know why his PU build is busted though, the big traits – Decoy at low health, Deceptive Evasion, PU, and the Torch weapon trait- still exist, and are contained to three specialization tracks, it’s just Dueling/Chaos/Illusions instead of Domination/Dueling/Chaos. You’re just going to have to shatter those clones rather than hope the other guy kills them out of frustration.

Because PU is also largely depended on clones dying. Stealth is there to make the enemy guess harder than before.

ChoChoBo.6503:

Doesn’t the new system only break builds that branched into more than 3 trait lines? And Most of those are still viable because they streamlined all the traits you’d normally have to branch into 4-5 trait lines into 1-2 specializations?

Builds that traits into more than 3 trait lines usually take traits that aren’t game-changing. Usually a 10% more damage trait, a small condi removal trait or that the adept minor trait is very powerful for the very low investment.

Hoaxintelligence.4628:

Burstmastery & Merciless hammer both in the same traitline…..really?!?!?!

ANet devs said that they wanted hambow to choose between the two traits.

Besides, even with those two are in a different traitline, hambow gets body blow + distracting strike/Berserker’s power.