Guild Wars 2

Thanks for the comms, Gaile, we definitely appreciate it. Any update on when Season 3 starts? We’re all dying to know.

When will anet realize, that amulets are not the (main) issue?

UmbraNoctis.1907:

When will anet realize, that amulets are not the (main) issue?

This. Adding and removing amulets does not affect build diversity. Only stat diversity which we are not in need of. However, let me add that the attempt is much appreciated.

Oh good God thank you!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Josh Davis.6015:

Salamander.2504:

Thanks for the comms, Gaile, we definitely appreciate it. Any update on when Season 3 starts? We’re all dying to know.

Next week.

Fantastic, thank you for the comms

Josh Davis.6015:

UmbraNoctis.1907:

When will anet realize, that amulets are not the (main) issue?

As mentioned in the OP, there will be a few balance changes coming next week as well, but runes/sigils/amulets are one of the things the PvP can change on our own without impacting the rest of the game. To be clear: the PvP team, just like fractals/raids/wvw/etc, does not handle profession balance – there is a separate team for that.

Can we have an AMA with the balance “team” ? !!

When you say “outlier” skills, it typically means OVER-performing things. However, things can be outliers in UNDER-performing ways too (i.e. spirit builds for rangers, corruption or minion builds for necros, banner warriors, etc.)

Are both types of “outliers” being addressed or just the over-performing ones?

Frankly, several professions have lots of wasted programming because several specs are under-performing more than one aspect grossly over-performing. Regardless…If you just fix one without the other, you could create more problems than you solve and create another merry-go-round situation.

Let’s hope they fix spirit weapons… shouts… that one useless meditation… under performing Guardian elites in PvP… Core Guardian traits that are terrible… Let’s hope. And hope. And hope… For all eternity…

Aaaaaaaand there goes the condi build for Warrior.

On the plus side Mesmer got nerfed with it.

But yeah Amulets are not the problems. Fix the balance by fixing the classes.

So this will take mesmers out of meta.

I LIKE the fact we are seeing smaller faster updates from the PvP team and balance team.

This is promising and let’s us know you guys are actually trying to turn things around.

Why are you removing viper’s amulet?

People are forgetting that sage’s amulet is the same thing, with healing power except toughness. Warrior / mesmer have so many invulns that healing power might actually be better than mercenary’s. I might be way off, but I don’t see this change mattering too much. The real victim will be necro.

Thiefz.3695:

So this will take mesmers out of meta.

Unless any of the myriad of other condition amulets can be made workable. Much experimentation inc

nah thats fine, casually kill a bunch of outlier builds cuz condi mes is running rampant and its the easy way out to fix it. I guess ive come to expect it at this point but it is quite sad.

Dextroz.4019:

Why are you removing viper’s amulet?

They aren’t, they’re just refunding the $$$ for anyone who purchased it before 5/17.

Dextroz.4019:

Why are you removing viper’s amulet?

Removing the price. not the amulet

Buff warrior nerf mesmer kk thx.

Really?

The only Tier 1 meta build playing this amulet at the moment is condi mesmer. Do you really think the amulet is broken or does condi mes just have broken mechanics? This is going to kitten so many specs that are on the fringe of viability at the moment.

My goodness the balance team is lost……

smh((

Rarnark.5623:

Really?

The only Tier 1 meta build playing this amulet at the moment is condi mesmer. Do you really think the amulet is broken or does condi mes just have broken mechanics? This is going to kitten so many specs that are on the fringe of viability at the moment.

My goodness the balance team is lost……

smh((

Did you not read? It is not the balance team that is removing the amulet.

Can you add Clerics to the list of removed Amulets?

Certain builds that overuse the healing power were just plain boring to fight last season.

Rarnark.5623:

Really?

The only Tier 1 meta build playing this amulet at the moment is condi mesmer. Do you really think the amulet is broken or does condi mes just have broken mechanics? This is going to kitten so many specs that are on the fringe of viability at the moment.

My goodness the balance team is lost……

smh((

Imo merc is bad.

It gives you everything, toughness, vitality, 1k power and 1k condition damage?

Some classes do not need precision to bomb you with conditions, some classes have insane access to fury so yea.

I think one of the issues AN created over time was introducing too many stat combinations. Balancing traits/weapon skills/utilities/heals/elites against amulets is proving to be too hard to do. Maybe even impossible.

In PvE and WvW diversity is probably a good thing, because it makes the content enjoyable in different ways, but in PvP it’s a whole other story.

yeah so warrior finally finds a decent build (not even meta) after two seasons of sitting out and it gets trashed this soon?

I don’t care if chrono was running rampant, nerf chrono without removing new features. This is ridiculous, people are just going to go back to the bruiser scrapper anyway, same scrapper, rev, ele. This has to be a joke, I’m not usually THIS salty, but warrior BETTER have some kitten good buffs coming up soon or you’re gonna have more people like Argi who don’t even take it seriously anymore. There’s already a lack of build diversity, removing even more choices is not the way to fix that.

Remember a few years ago when people could run signet warriors, tanky banner warriors, gs warriors, axebow warriors? Condi mesmer, lockdown mesmer, power shatter mesmer? Remember when people could actually come up with strange builds that could work to an extent? Yeah, when are we going to get THAT back?

UmbraNoctis.1907:

When will anet realize, that amulets are not the (main) issue?

So very very true. Amulets make builds possible, not necessarily overpowered and even if they turn out to be too strong, you can simply nerf the build and not negate whole builds and playstyles by removing the amulet.

Look what removing cele amu did: Ppl still complain about imbalanced stuff and ele being too strong, but ele is now just forced into clerics AMU and a full support build many players don’t enjoy playing. Also, Cele D/D would very likely not be too strong, same for cele druid and potential other cele-builds.

Removing Merc’s will simply make builds that use mixed dmg fully commit to condition dmg or fade away: We will potentially loose builds and gain more ppl complaining about condition-dmg being too strong.

Let’s hope the “outlier” shaves include Revenant, now that mesmers and necros will no longer be able keep power rev’s in check (without toughness).

Salamander.2504:

Let’s hope the “outlier” shaves include Revenant, now that mesmers and necros will no longer be able keep power rev’s in check (without toughness).

Let’s hope & pray.

Rarnark.5623:

Really?

The only Tier 1 meta build playing this amulet at the moment is condi mesmer. Do you really think the amulet is broken or does condi mes just have broken mechanics? This is going to kitten so many specs that are on the fringe of viability at the moment.

My goodness the balance team is lost……

smh((

Mercenary Amulet was used by the Meta builds for Mesmer, Necro and is currently used by Condi Warriors and if anyone did play Condi Rev it was used by that also. So no its not a niche amulet used only by condi mesmer.

Spartacus.3192:

Rarnark.5623:

Really?

The only Tier 1 meta build playing this amulet at the moment is condi mesmer. Do you really think the amulet is broken or does condi mes just have broken mechanics? This is going to kitten so many specs that are on the fringe of viability at the moment.

My goodness the balance team is lost……

smh((

Mercenary Amulet was used by the Meta builds for Mesmer, Necro and is currently used by Condi Warriors and if anyone did play Condi Rev it was used by that also. So no its not a niche amulet used only by condi mesmer.

Nice to see some people see things and not deluded by their own pvp experience.

Josh Davis.6015:

UmbraNoctis.1907:

When will anet realize, that amulets are not the (main) issue?

As mentioned in the OP, there will be a few balance changes coming next week as well, but runes/sigils/amulets are one of the things the PvP team can change on our own without impacting the rest of the game. To be clear: the PvP team, just like fractals/raids/wvw/etc, does not handle profession balance – there is a separate team for that.

While runes, sigils, and amulets do need balance, their balance strongly influenced by the foundations they are built upon- the professions. To change runes sigils and amulets first without fixing the profession is like building a house over a broken foundation, then eventually repairing the foundation by rebuilding the house. This is going to take the development team more time than if they were to fix the foundation first.

But as far as I’m aware, this is not your decision to make and you’re just a messenger, so I’m just sharing my thoughts with you.

Salamander.2504:

Let’s hope the “outlier” shaves include Revenant, now that mesmers and necros will no longer be able keep power rev’s in check (without toughness).

Have you visited the Rev forums lately? I’m not against it, but I can already smell the smoke from the inflamed QQ over another nerf.

Surprised im the first to mention PALADINS amulet.

Please also remove it.

The dire/knight/soldier combo of toughness + vitality is just too strong. Its pure math of EHP and why every wvw roaming and zerging build is using those.
Im aware that eles&other low hp classes have trouble with no celestial amulet, but pvp felt more balanced and fun to play against when builds had pros AND cons.

So id rather see the balance team do some work (ex. brokenant finally ungoded and a zerker thief with vitality runes suddenly sounds viable)

‘As mentioned in the OP, there will be a few balance changes coming next week as well, but runes/sigils/amulets are one of the things the PvP team can change on our own without impacting the rest of the game. To be clear: the PvP team, just like fractals/raids/wvw/etc, does not handle profession balance – there is a separate team for that.’

Pretty sure deleting amulets and the builds that rely on them has a significant effect on profession balance.

They are very afraid of the sustain meta…But they don’t want to nerf profession’s defensive abilities.

Next up in the nerf line would be paladin and cleric I guess.

Salamander.2504:

Let’s hope the “outlier” shaves include Revenant, now that mesmers and necros will no longer be able keep power rev’s in check (without toughness).

I have been playing power rev a lot more recently and removal of Merc Amulet is a definite buff to power rev. There is no denying it. (it does nerf Condi Rev though)

Its a pity that removal nerfed condi warrior also. It would seem warrior will have to go back to power GS X/Shield with Marauder or Demolisher Amulet.

Hey , and what about some new rewards for pvp league?:(

Josh Davis.6015:

UmbraNoctis.1907:

When will anet realize, that amulets are not the (main) issue?

As mentioned in the OP, there will be a few balance changes coming next week as well, but runes/sigils/amulets are one of the things the PvP team can change on our own without impacting the rest of the game. To be clear: the PvP team, just like fractals/raids/wvw/etc, does not handle profession balance – there is a separate team for that.

How can you expect PvP balance to ever become good with a system like that? This is beyond my understanding.

Dojo.1867:

Josh Davis.6015:

UmbraNoctis.1907:

When will anet realize, that amulets are not the (main) issue?

As mentioned in the OP, there will be a few balance changes coming next week as well, but runes/sigils/amulets are one of the things the PvP team can change on our own without impacting the rest of the game. To be clear: the PvP team, just like fractals/raids/wvw/etc, does not handle profession balance – there is a separate team for that.

How can you expect PvP balance to ever become good with a system like that? This is beyond my understanding.

What the Left hand nerfs, the Right hand buffs.

Well, so long warriors, again.

psizone.8437:

Can you add Clerics to the list of removed Amulets?

Certain builds that overuse the healing power were just plain boring to fight last season.

Clerics is fine. Toughness doesn’t do enough as it is.

bLind.6278:

Well, so long warriors, again.

No. Power War with Demolisher GS X/Shield will be very good in Season 3 since Mesmer/Necros are squishier now.

warherox.7943:

psizone.8437:

Can you add Clerics to the list of removed Amulets?

Certain builds that overuse the healing power were just plain boring to fight last season.

Clerics is fine. Toughness doesn’t do enough as it is.

Clerics is only a minor EHP increase over Mender’s specifically against power damage.
What it does it increase the percentage of your EHP healed by your healing skills.
Therefore it naturally makes you vulnerable to condi burst.

only used it on condi mesmer.

doesnt affect meh and either way likely to not care about season 3 either

still this kind of cheap solutions isnt going to make things better in the long run

I knew chaith would pull through with this one…Kappa

RIP Burn Guard too? It was a fun distraction. In the right comps it could even work. More of a toy build but now less fun options for guardians again. I have a swell of pity for everyone who mains guard right now not because of this but in general they’re in such a kitten situation in almost all game modes.

Oh no! Not Merc Amulet! That’s a direct nerf to half the top professions!

The horror! Not another Meta Shift.

Works for me, good warriors were running Viper’s anyways if they were condi. Power Warriors won’t see some of their tough matchups running Merc’s, everything just got a lot glassier for the power warrior to kill.

Calling it now, this just moved Warrior up a tier.

wait… wait…. wait. removing of more builds in SPVP shocking. LMAO two more patches and we wont need build template any more. /s