Guild Wars 2

Should they continue to buff/nerf certain weak skills or traits?

• After all, it was the dreaded Dhuumfire update that put the balance into a frenzy. Adding a new mechanic and more access to conditions that started the worst meta.
• Making mild changes to mechanics like immobilize utterly breaks the system. Even mild changes isn’t ideal.
• Unbalanced mechanics like Perplexity Runes to wreak havoc for months and other mechanics forcing players into a corner with Lyssa Runes. Making PvP unenjoyable for everyone.
• Even PvP map types will throw the system out of loop, one build that focuses AoE CC maybe balanced in Capture game types but overpowered in Team Deathmatches. What do you do if that happens? How do you balance that? You can’t.

Obviously, to keep PvP balanced and even for all, is not to touch the system. Yeah, the gameplay will not evolve but at least you don’t feel like the game mechanics are cheating you, that you picked wrong. Changing up a balanced system isn’t ideal.
Right?
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BUT!
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• The trait system is lackluster, along with Runes and Sigils that don’t contribute much if not anything to the game.
• I’ve already posted threads like changing mechanics and redesigning traits to something more fun, interesting and requires more thought.
• I stated there is a lot of potential for expanding play styles and builds. Opening more opportunity for fun in Guild Wars 2 gameplay.

Obviously, adding new stuff will unbalance the game but the reward is new, fun and exciting things. Some may hate it, others will like it. So, expand and fix later.
You cannot expand gameplay without running into some problems, avoiding that isn’t ideal.
Right?

What is the answer to this? Balance? Improved design? Both but in limited quantities? Both in large quantities?
As players, what do we favor more?

ideally if balance were achieved within the next patch, the following patch would focus on bringing other builds that are subpar upto a good standard i guess. and the balance cycle continues.

For over a year they are trying to balance the game, at least they say so. But to be honnest I don’t see any progress, the balance seems to be even worser then year ago.

My question for dev would be, what means balance for them? Is that overall balance across all builds and classes? Or does it mean to nerf the most used builds just to force ppl to use the less used builds?

I would personally favor small but fast changes. At the moment we got games overcrowded by lbow/hammer warriors, spriti rangers, condi necros. They need months to fix stuff, which the community sees after week. If a build appears, which is obviously over the top, they should make a hotfix, small change rather. So we don’t have games overflowed by these builds/classes.

Miyu.8137:

My question for dev would be, what means balance for them? Is that overall balance across all builds and classes? Or does it mean to nerf the most used builds just to force ppl to use the less used builds?

That is a really good question.
I’m quoting it just because it’s really good.

Balance to me-is skill, fun, punishment and reward.

In fact, fun plays a huge role in balance. Balance numbers and skill level as much as you want, if one class is more fun than the other, regardless of being even, everyone will play that one class more.

Even if we got perfect balance in this patch, it would get umm less perfect when the traits and sigils are updated anyway. So i would actually advice focusing more on those than what they seem to do now. Then again, since they havent done a thing with sigils and almost nothing with bringing up kittenty traits in a full year, i guess that ruins the party so:

Just focus on getting 1 build of each class into some sort of even representation. With Ele and War just trading places between best and worst pvp class, to pick an example, we will never get there. While doing that, fix a couple useless traits at the same time, bring that along with the balancing decisions. When that is somewhat done we would ofcourse need another game mode, and only after that i would focus on getting sigils up to par and at least aiming on a 2nd build with another role (power/cond/CC/bunker etc) for each class. But the most important is having 1 build on each class that you feel is balanced between effectiveness, difficulty, and eachother.

I can agree with having 1 class with a viable build GankSinatra.

But I disagree alternating between balance and game design in updates, it can easily run into power creeping.

I think there is potential to create more depth as far as multiple balanced builds for each class. Right now, Anet is working to find a meta that we (mostly) all enjoy. I think it will become clear when eles get their new grandmaster trait making them immune to conditions when above 90% health. We will see a spike in eles, thats for sure.

But be sure to note that you have to give it a couple months after the patch to determine exactly which direction the meta is heading. Im sure there will be some unfair solo queues on their way based purely on team comp. But you have the power to change that by hopping on a class thats better fit to handle a mostly condition immune ele.

If youre a condi build whos against some eles, be sure to stick by dps builds who can get them below the threshold, then time your condis well. yes, maybe condi classes will require some skill!! We’ll find out soon

a balance miracle may occur sometime in the future, but it will not be the dec.10 one.

As I was playing blade and soul, I realize just hos horribly illconceived condition is in the game. In that game, condition damage exist but it wasn’t in your face and it wasn’t a main form of damage.

I also realize how this game ttk is so high, in that game one can react (even when playing with 280 ping) and the little things make combat so much more interest than this game.

silvermember.8941:

As I was playing blade and soul, I realize just hos horribly illconceived condition is in the game. In that game, condition damage exist but it wasn’t in your face and it wasn’t a main form of damage.

I also realize how this game ttk is so high, in that game one can react (even when playing with 280 ping) and the little things make combat so much more interest than this game.

Most games break damage to things like magic damage and physical damage like League of Legends, condition damage is the same concept.

It’s purpose is for builds and play styles in Guild Wars 2.

It also doesn’t help that some skills don’t have much tells to them or are to blazing fast for their own good.
How can you tell Pin Down from a normal arrow? You cannot. It has the same activation time and look as Dual Shot.
Signet of Spite hits really hard, yet your reaction for the glowing circle above the enemies head is less than a second.

When you look at League, a lot of skills are under a second but they are well telegraphed and have good animations.