Guild Wars 2

From wiki:
“Bring the orb to any capture point to score. Movement speed decreased by 40%. Prevents stealth and swiftness. Carriers drop the orb if teleportation or invulnerability abilities are used.”

So why is it, that professions with leaps and powerful blocks (engineer, guard and warrior comes to mind) are allowed to do their thing, and professions with teleports, stealth and invulnerability (like necro to an extend, thief or mesmer) are not allowed to use theirs? Do I see a pattern of preferred professions ANet wants to see in PvP?

You may say: “Well engi also uses stealth, guardian has invul too and swiftness is smth many professions use. So in the end all are hindered.” This is correct, to an extend. Necro for instance is only left with DS to tank dmg… mesmers has nothing to help them carry the orb (besides odd signet tank builds maybe). The same is true for thieves. However warriors, guardians and engineers (and also rangers?) have still a variety of skills left to use (some of them available in a variety of builds), which they can use to help them carry the orb. But the profession concepts of mesmers and thieves are denied… why is that?

Yeah, well, maybe that’s ArenaNets way to increase build diversity. Like skyhammer where it is best to play max tanky with pushes, pulls and fears.

Personally I think the following abilities should be the first to get changed accordingly:

• Mirror Images: When using Mirror Images you are getting teleported a small step around, causing you to loose the orb.

• Super Speed: Increases your movement to max speed even when you are carrying the orb. Combine this with any movement skill, and you are faster than light. F.e. Rocket Boots to shoot you over the halve map; or combined with the Fiery Greatsword.

• ’Monarch’s Leap’ leaping distance

• Combination of Withdraw, Roll for Initiative and Disabling Shot

Block – there are skills which are unblockable and can break block channeling(like warrior’s shield skill)
Leap – Leap distance is affected by movement impairing effects such as cripple, chill etc.

Why Teleports such as Mesmers or Thief’s are disabled?
Mesmer portal is 5 000 distance points.
Thief Trap portal is 10 000 distance points.
Necromancer – Spectral walk has 8 sec to recall, Wurm has 1 200 distance points.

Also, thief has a leap attack – Heartseeker.
Mesmer has couple of defensive attributes such as Distortion(can’t interrupt) or Aegis.

Why didn’t you mention this and did call few classes block skills to be powerful while they’re counterable?

I know the need for balancing. Let’s assume we find certain skills too strong for the map, like portal or spectral walk (that would be an entirely different discussion, so I leave it out here).

My point was, that there are professions, that don’t need certain builds to help carrying the orb. They just have it across different builds. Like blocks from engi and guardian, like leaps from engi and guardian. Not even warrior has in the common builds an inherent ability to better carry the orb, however either shouts or stances still give them good benefits. Rangers can leap in every build I have encountered.

Now to the things you said about Mesmer, which are all subpar in comparison or situational:

Mesmer distortion:

• either on an odd signet build for frequent use
• or it’s a long cool down and requires a clone setup (Distortion)
• or it roots the mesmer (Blurred Frenzy) —> this one helps to survive but you won’t be closer to any cap point

Mesmer aegis (I almost laughed at this comment…):

• random application from a relatively long CD skill (Chaos Storm)
• random application from PU, but then we’ll drop the orb, cause of stealth…

Now compare this to other one button click and unconditional skills:

• frequent block across different builds (engi gear shield, guardian shelter, guardian focus #5)
• frequent leaps across different builds (engineer rifle, guardian GS, warrior GS, ranger GS or 1H-sword)
• defensive skills across different builds (warrior shouts or stances, guardian shouts or meditation)
  —> those are skills which are often used across different builds, can be used frequently and don’t require chance or a set up to work

—> A mesmer for instance, if he wants to carry the orb as efficiently, needs to go out of their way (literally) and use certain builds (like signet builds) to do it, or needs to blow long cool down skills (like Distortion).

Yes blocks, leaps and other defensive skills can often be countered. But most Mesmer builds don’t even have anything useful in the first place for orb carrying. That is the imbalance by design.

And all of this, because ANet didn’t know how to balance certain teleports? I understand that blink for instance could be very strong too. What I don’t understand is, why they left Mesmers (and others) without any reliable utility, while others still have it.

Mesmer sword 3 or staff 2 shouldn’t drop it. Mesmer can do alright if they have traveller runes, and either a staff, gs or focus to disrupt foes and/or shield themself.

Personally, for orb farming, Warrior ranger ele engi is the best. Ranger has rolls and gs 3, as well as an extended endure pain.

Henrik.7560:

Mesmer sword 3 or staff 2 shouldn’t drop it

Just for clarification:
F4 Distortion drops the orb.
Sword #3 Swap drops the orb.
Staff #2 Phase Retreat drops the orb.
Distortion on signet ‘Blurred Inscriptions’ drops the orb.
Mirror Images drops the orb.
(and obviously Blink, Stealth and Portal).

Mesmer can do alright if they have traveller runes

And a profession using traveler runes AND have a movement skill are getting double the benefit since they increase the traveling distance too.

@Teutos.8620:
Uh, I didn’t know that, for I avoid carrying the orb myself. That confirms my suspicions, if it is true. So basically mesmers have no tools to help them carry the orb. Same goes maybe for necromancer and thief, but I am not sure…

Those orb mechanics either are simply not thought through, or they are a statement of the devs, as to what professions should be capable of…

TyPin.9860:

thief, but I am not sure…

Thieves are actually quite fine. They can sill spam Disabling Shot or Flanking Strike combined with Withdraw and Roll for Initiative.

Super Speed & Rocket Boots as a quick swap in for Cele/Rifle will literally take you almost 75% of the way to the mid point, directly from the orb spawn. If anything was ever broken, it was this.