Guild Wars 2

Removed from auto attacks that is. This mechanic doesn’t fit auto’s at all. I’m fine if they keep it in the game but remove it from our auto attacks and give us a fixed damage at any range (mainly talking about rangers LB skill 1 and Spatial Surge). Let it be on utilities and other weapon skills that have a CD so this mechanic could be use strategically as it should.

Can u elaborate further why u prefer it so?

This belongs in the suggestions forum, but I do agree completely.

I think it’d be a bad idea to change it. This gives these weapons distinct weaknesses which makes them more interesting to play against, and more rewarding to play properly. If you don’t like being ineffective at short range with these weapons, save your 2-5s or use your weapon-swap?

Sarrs.4831:

I think it’d be a bad idea to change it. This gives these weapons distinct weaknesses which makes them more interesting to play against, and more rewarding to play properly. If you don’t like being ineffective at short range with these weapons, save your 2-5s or use your weapon-swap?

No, all this makes you do is stay across the map and spam (while mostly not even hitting your target if its moving on ranger’s LB) 1. If it was one weapon attack with a significant damage boost or like added conditions on a long CD then it would make sense to use that skill at max range to maximize its effect. This would also result into a more dynamic gameplay because it wouldn’t force any1 to stay at X range to deal max amount of damage.

I can sort of understand the sentiment, but I don’t really think it’s a problem. The main reason why is because you are supposed to be encouraged to swap weapons based on strategic need.

As perhaps the best example, the Ranger’s Longbow is meant to be a long-distance sniping weapon, while the Shortbow is meant to be a skirmishing weapon. For maximum ranged efficacy, you would use both and tactically swap between them as the situation demands. This would be why Rangers are “unparalleled Archers” – not their power at range so much as their versatility.

The current problem with this scenario is that the Shortbow is too good relative to the Longbow. It has the same (untraited) range with better DPS AND utility and no major weaknesses. This means you never have any incentive to use the Longbow and it just seems gimpy in comparison. That is all (supposedly) being addressed this patch, with a range reduction on the Shortbow and a considerable DPS buff to the Longbow.

In short, I expect it will work mostly as intended and be a lot more engaging after this patch.

The idea is sound but the implementation is not.

Let’s take Mesmer Greatsword for example. Which does reduced damage below 900 units distance and a max range of 1200 – this means that once the enemy closes a mere 300 units; the damage penalty kicks in; that’s about 1-2 seconds even if the victim is crippled.

Then of course we have the common adventuring environments; cramped rooms and narrow corridors in dungeons don’t lend themselves a great deal of space n which to range a target from 1,200 units. Compounded by the fact at extreme range when a clone dies with the absence of no other nearby targets, mobs tend to shrug and reset themselves.

Now let’s have a look at the other attack skills on the GS bar.

• Mirror Blade: Throw an illusory blade that bounces granting might to allies and hitting enemies reasonably hard – despite the attack having a range of 1,200, you must be standing quite close (<600) to stand a chance to receive the bounce and strike the target multiple times. So, to do max damage with one skill you must sacrifce the other

• Mind Stab: TINY ground targetted AoE that removes boons. While 1,200 range, the short delay in casting and tiny target area make it all but useless at long range against moving targets, where the odds of actually clicking them is extremely small.

So, yeah… I understand what the devs are trying to do; but GW2 is too fast paced and too closed environment to actually pull it off, the window of opportunity is too small for the payoff.

Which brings me to the final part for mesmer GS: The payoff

While you might think this is the sniper weapon, and therefore logically it is very high DPS used at extreme range; it’s not the case at all. Mesmer’s scepter boasts significantly higher single target ranged DPS (And no range penalty!); as well as a superior selection of phantasms from the offhand, making the “sniper penalty” all the more dubious. (While the scepter has a range of “only” 900, that’s 900 units of useful damage, Vs greatsword’s 300 window of opportunity before it’s being under-ranged.

(If you’re wondering why so many mesmer’s use greatsword not sceptre, it’s because sceptres projectile is quite slow making it rather less useful in WvW. While greatsword’s phantasm is a good ranged AoE attack – sceptres however are very popular in sPvP)