ANET, you are doing this all wrong. In regards to “balance” patches.
Well hello there, I am back to write another lengthy post on what is being done wrong in regards to balance from a PVP perspective.
My last 3 posts were quite the rollercoaster, from being completely downtrodden with the state of PvP, to being excited for quarterly balance patches to once again being downtrodden after HoT and leagues.
Now for the reason for my post :
ANET, your last balance patch was lazy with some of the most corner cutting I have ever seen in a gaming balance attempt.
Harsh? Probably. But I suspect that you were pressured for time and unable to release a comprehensive balance patch and instead left us with this drivel. If this is NOT the case and you released this patch believing you had put enough time and thought into it, then tell me know, so I can stop hoping for better days.
Now for some context.
What we were told :
1. Quarterly balance patches, so we can’t expect much more after this patch. BAD
It is obvious that you no longer stick to tweaks, you are making sweeping and massive changes to BASE systems in PvP in an attempt to improve the PvP, this is NOT how to go about it.
You literally are making things worse patch by patch because of these sweeping changes.
2. Getting rid of bunker amulets.
Seems good, but in truth the problem is and never was amulet related, how is it that pre-HoT, the other bunker amulets(besides cele, which is debatable) was never a serious issue?
You guessed it, power creep or more accurately tanky creep. Sure actual power/condition damage received plenty increases as well, but hard mitigation wins out vs increase damage any day. If you 1million damage but your oponent is invulnerable, you really do no damage, for example.
All this serves to do is limit build diversity even more.
There are very many ways to deal with the current state of PvP, most of which have been discussed at length, some examples:
Less access to boons. MUCH less.
More boonstrip/conversion. No necro isn’t enough.
Split PVE and PVP balance. Can’t even begin to describe how important this would be for a competitive game mode. It will open up so many options for real change.
Now before I begin with specific examples I feel its neccessary to discuss how TERRIBLE this power creep is.
It is obviously that you are scared to flat out nerf a class, this is most likely due to the effect it might have on PvE as well as a slight fear of community outcry. This has led to a situation where every patch other classes are buffed to “catch up” in power to the powerful classes. Just looking at some of the patch notes on the 26th, there are tons of flat improvements.
It is time you start nerfing instead.
Thief is probably the most notable lazy buff:
Dagger auto increase, wtf were you thinking here? PvE right? Obviously…
Dagger play style has always been : Setup backstab > hit for large number > Finish with heartseeker. This is overly simplified but that is a quick summary of DAGGER MAINHAND alone.
After your ridiculous dagger auto increase setting up a backstab is a complete and utter waste of time and initiative.
Lets look at the numbers all run WITH fury up :
Auto attack chain takes 3/4 of a second to complete.
I was able to consistently deal 5000 damage in one auto attack chain vs a heavy golem using the stardard metabattle daredevil DP build.
A backstab was able to achieve 4300 not as consistently. This only has a 1/4 second cast but requires initiative, time or a utility to do.
Hearseeker requires 3/4 of a second to complete. At 50% HP consistently hit for 3500 damage. At 25% I got 4200 damage consistently.
So auto chain is literally better that bothering to do anything else on 1 and 2, making the entire design of the weapon utterly and pathetically pointless.
Who thought this was a good idea? Who thought this is what constitutes a BALANCE change? Because it sure doesn’t.
What SHOULD have been done here was that the TOTAL DPS increase should have been distributed over the 3 skills mentioned above to preserve the dagger mainhand play style and promote skillful play instead of mindless spam.
This was just one of many example of why you are incapable or unwilling to balance PvP in this game in any competent manner and since I just noticed my post is hellishly long already, ill call it for now.
Sincerely
Tired of hoping but stubborn PVPer.
Private retriever of runaway NPCs
Mistband[MIST] – PVP Training guild EU
(edited by Novuake.2691)