Guild Wars 2

Hey everyone!
Im not here to suggest a new gamemode or the implementation of dueling.
What i want to discuss is the reward-ratio on AoE and Single-Target spells.
Pretty much every viable build in the meta right now is using some kind of AoE-damage (based on my own observations).

Builds that are frequently used:
Trap-Rangers
Nade-Engis
Mark-Necros
D/D Elementalists (PBAoE)
Shatter Mesmers
Very few Longbow-Warrios (AoE)
Guardians that bunker are also focusing on AoE to some extend.
Thieves are rarely used.

This is not necessarily a bad thing, but the problem is how much more efficient AoE-damage is against not only many people but ALSO single targets.
Take for instance a Trap-Ranger, Mark-Necro or Nade-Engi. None of these classes would be able to create a build that would deal more damage, even if solely focusing on single target dmg.

Both in 1v1’s and larger fights builds that use AoE-damage are to be preferred, which in my head turns on a red-light, something is wrong.
Why should AoE dmg hit more targets, be easier to use AND give the most dmg?

I think we are seriously in need of a paradigm shift in regards to single-target dmg and AoE. What you gain in being able to hit many targets you should sacrifice in dmg.
This is also the reason that we rarely see thieves in PvP, because single-target dmg is just not as effective.

To sum up / TL;DR:
The benefits of AoE damage compared to single target dmg are simply too good. You do not only hit more targets, you also deal more dmg to the individual. Usually these builds require less precision and thought, since the best strategy will always be to spam the AoE as much as possible (on a node)

Whether you agree or disagree please discuss in a friendly manner and keep it civilized.
I’d like to hear more opinions towards this subject. Currently i’m rank 28 and have only just made the leaderboards (I have no team, i’m solo-queing), so the situation may be different in higher levels of PvP.

Discuss!

I think you may be missing the fact that it is almost impossible to create builds that are entirely single target damage. In addition, you will never (or at least almost never) see a thief without short bow in tPvP. Cluster bomb is basically a spammable AoE with 0s CD because it is a thief skill. By your rationale this would make thieves the most wildly useful profession ever.

There are problems with the balance and build diversity in this game that make certain weapon sets entirely inferior, and that is why those sets don’t get used. Furthermore, nearly every weapon has to have an AoE skill on it due to the design decision of creating so much passive damage in this game. There has to be lots of AoE to clean all that garbage (meaning clones, minions, pets, turrets, summons, etc.) up, otherwise it would be a game decided entirely by AI and RNG performance (which arguably already plays WAY too big a role).

Paradigm Shifting……..

The irony. I’m taking a team from GW2 and its solo/team que mad DSA and playin a lil Final Fantasy on the play station and you bring up Paradigm shifting lol.

I just had to read this thread to see if it was Final Fantasy related. Alas, it is not.

@Myrmidian
I completely agree that due to a lot of AI, the need for AoE is there.
It’s difficult and yes almost nearly impossible to create builds that have solely single target damage. Having AoE skills on your weapon-set or in your utilites is fine as well, but if you look at the current meta-builds they are not hybrid. They are almost ONLY AoE dmg, which means that single-target skills are too weak in comparison.

In a 5v5 fight it is very difficult to hit with single-target skills, since people will move around dodging and there will be a lot of CC. But even IF you actually hit it won’t do much, because most single target skills are weaker than the AoE alternatives.
Which to me makes absolutely no sense.

@Valkyriez
I have no idea what you just said.

Heh, I agree that a change is needed, but not necessarily the one you want

I think everything should just be changed to AOE. “Single Target” skills just have a very narrow radius (ie. only those overlapping the target will get hit.) These narrow-radius skills should enjoy a small damage/effectiveness bonus compared to skills with a larger radius.

Since we don’t have body blocking / player collision in this game (which is very sad) we might as well make the most of it.

By making everything AOE, the following occurs:
- We discourage silly-looking formations like “stacking” on one point – powerful “single target” skills will hit everyone who stacks at one place.
- Since all skills are potentially “AOE”, this makes balance a bit easier, and also means that restrictions like the 5 target limit can be eased or removed.