Guild Wars 2

HoT inevitably brought in some more issues to balance but didn’t fix some pre-existing ones and should be addressed. I’m trying to be unbiased and avoid “I don’t know how to fight it so it should be nerfed” arguments.

Dragonhunter
Traps are too strong in their current state. Being able to tear off half to all health with a couple traps is insanely strong.
Dragons Maw requires special mention. It feels broken. It’s the only cc I’ve seen that, in pve, actually control an enemy with a break bar not just break it. There is no way out of it.

Berserker
It needs some love. Right now in a match getting to full adrenaline and going into berserk mode is seemingly challenging and when you get into it, it doesn’t seem worth the cost. Seems like a number issue. I don’t play warrior but I can see this is an issue.

Revenant
Herald seems required right now. Mallyx/Condi isn’t good. Crystal hibernation and soothing bastion seem like a free 4s invulnerability with the heal and shouldn’t have point contribution with that. Staff is buggy and weaker than the other weapons. There are also a few useless for pvp traits like the taunt duration trait.

Scrapper
I think scrappers in a good place. Gyros dont seem to be affected by swiftness which makes it keeping up hard and walking with one clunky. Rocket jump does a little too good of damage for what it can do but by like 5-10% tops.

Druid
Right now the traits allow a druid to have a ridiculous amount of survive. It’s better than a bunker guardian, however their outgoing support isn’t that great but that could just be that I mostly only see them self sustaining rather than helping which is a player issue.
I also rarely ever see glyphs. Is there an issue with them? I honestly don’t know but it is notable.

Thief and Daredevil
With the introduction to reveals thief has taken a serious hit. It undeniably needs some buffs to cope with the change. I see most thieves as just food at this point. It feels like most of the issue is that the outgoing damage is less than incoming. Daredevil helps but doesn’t solve the core issue. I also think daredevil is in s good place given thief gets a buff.

Reaper
I don’t see an issue with Reaper. Gravedigger is awfully strong but hard to land.

Tempest
It doesn’t seem like tempest is in a great place. This could be that I haven’t seen enough that have known how to do it but I’ve never felt threatened by one. Rebound needs a buff.

Mesmers and Chronomancer
Blinding dissipation is still causing issues especially when mixed with chrono.
Well of Precognition shouldn’t allow for point contribution since it is an invulnerability. If a player uses it and causes a team decap you should just call them out on it. Same rules as shadow refuge.
Continuum rift is hard to kill in a 1v1 scenario.
Over all its in a pretty good place outside the above.

For background I play mesmer, necro, guardian and now revenant.

Dragonhunter

• While Dragons Maw is a beast of a trap that needs to be toned down, I don’t find traps hard to play against are players tend to be very predictable with them. Not to mention you can easily dodge the trap trigger.
  I’d put Dragonhunters in B tier, good but can be counterplayed.

• Berserker
  It’s in a weird spot, it’s trying to be a condi/power hybrid and fails heavily on the condi part. In my opinion it’s just never going to be balanced. CC, condi, damage and defense all wrapped up into one has been GW2’s biggest balancing problems.
  Not to mention the Berserk mechanic feels weird, why activate it? I thought the idea of berserking is being pushed to a limit and going on an uncontrollable rampage?
  I’d put Beserkers on C tier, ArenaNet has no clue what they wanted to do with Warriors.

• Druid
  I honestly have no idea what to make of Druids right now. I got blown up by one but that’s only because I was channeling a hero and the drake pet crits me for 9k damage.
  A spec with not only no conditions but no boons either? It’s a support spec with only raw healing. Is it OP? The only issues I have with them is kittening pet damage, but then again, it’s the same on all rangers.
  I’d put Druids on B tier, it’s good but has some vulnerabilities and isn’t super strong on party support unlike Tempest.

• Scrapper
  I think it’s pretty fair, it’s just Engineer 2.0, there is no reason not to be a scrapper unless you lack the money. That being said, base engineer could use some rework.
  I’d put Scrappers on A tier, it’s very good and is meta strong. It’s also better than engineer, so fork over that money.

• Daredevil
  I think it’s pretty fair, it’s beastily in 1v1’s and is a king at assassinating assassins. While it does suffer in teamfights like the regular thief, it makes up for it in 1v1’s.
  I’d put Daredevils on B tier, so many players suck at thieves. A good daredevil can wreck your kitten 1v1 and decap before anyone knew what was going on. However, in conquest it is not ideal against players with good rotations.

• Herald
  This is the assassins, assassins, assassin. I don’t mind the unavoidable damage but Glints heal needs to go. It’s why defiant stance will never work, it’s the only source of healing that can only be used aggressively. But now you got two heals on Revenant, both can be used passively while waiting on recharges and another that saves your kitten from being spiked down.
  The lesson here is, you can have amazing damage. You can have amazing recovery. You cannot have both. Fix this kitten ArenaNet.
  I’d put Herald at S tier, it’s like a thief but better at teamfights. In other words, a better thief

• Reaper
  It’s strong, very strong. I wouldn’t call broken but it just replaces Necromancers. Cele Reapers needs to die, it’s bad enough Signet Necromancers were the top tier build but Reapers takes that to a new level. The issue is tons of AoE near-perma chill, I get it, it revolves around chill but God kitten reduce the sheer amount of AoE.
  I’d put Reaper at S tier, this elite spec has little weaknesses, the only Reapers that die to kiting are stupid ones. They are also better than Necromancers in every aspect, fork over money.

• Tempest
  Very, very powerful. With the right build you’ll never lose a 1v1 and just absolutely wreck teamfights with massive amounts of support and healing. This is why I question the Druids design when Tempest does the support role better in every aspect.
  I’m not sure where to start to fix Tempest, as 99% of elementalist players are terrible button mashers.
  I’d put Tempest at S tier, it’s by far one of the most powerful bunkers right now. Defensively and offensively it’s nothing short from deadly. The weakness that is holding this spec back is all the terrible ele players.

• Chronomancer
  Alacity is easily the most powerful boon in the game, why chronomancers overlook it is beyond me. That being said though the biggest issue with chronomancers is they are just shatterspike 2.0. They are better Mesmers in every aspect. Keep the traits. Keep the skills. Keep the utilities. Don’t keep the shatters, actually give them new shattering abilities ArenaNet! kitten, kitten ! >:(
  I’d put Chronomancers at A tier, it’s very good all around and offers some build diversity. However, shatterspike 2.0 ALSO has the same issues as regular shatterspike. So ArenaNet just made the same class, with the same weaknesses. Still better than mesmer, BUY HOT IF YOU WANT TO BE A COMPETITIVE MEMSER.

Daredevil isn’t even that good at 1v1… Pretty much any meta class can defeat it while also bringing far more utility to the team.

Hooglese.4860:

Revenant Staff is buggy and weaker than the other weapons. There are also a few useless for pvp traits like the taunt duration trait.

Scrapper
I think scrappers in a good place.

Druid
Right now the traits allow a druid to have a ridiculous amount of survive. It’s better than a bunker guardian, however their outgoing support isn’t that great but that could just be that I mostly only see them self sustaining rather than helping which is a player issue.
I also rarely ever see glyphs. Is there an issue with them? I honestly don’t know but it is notable.

I don’t see an issue with Reaper. Gravedigger is awfully strong but hard to land.

Tempest
It doesn’t seem like tempest is in a great place.

Staff is the second best weapon availiable to Rev, despite the #4 bug.

Scrappers are not in a good place, they need to be toned down.

Druids have very good group support, in fact they’re rewarded for it with improved AF regen, which leads to more group support.

Tempest isn’t bad, it just isn’t as braindead as cele d/d ele was.

@nova striker
I kinda disagree I think DH is definitely S tier but not as broken as all the idjits in this forum believe.
I’d say it’s something like
S
Dragonhunter
Scrapper
Herald
A
Reaper
Chronomancer
Druid
B
Tempest
Daredevil
C
Berserker

Booms.2594:

@nova striker
I kinda disagree I think DH is definitely S tier but not as broken as all the idjits in this forum believe.
I’d say it’s something like
S
Dragonhunter
Scrapper
Herald
A
Reaper
Chronomancer
Druid
B
Tempest
Daredevil
C
Berserker

What I’m interesting in knowing is where the base classes fit in all of this? Are they all C’s? Where do all the elite specs need to be brought down to so that they are on the same playing field as the base specs?

Salamander.2504:

Booms.2594:

@nova striker
I kinda disagree I think DH is definitely S tier but not as broken as all the idjits in this forum believe.
I’d say it’s something like
S
Dragonhunter
Scrapper
Herald
A
Reaper
Chronomancer
Druid
B
Tempest
Daredevil
C
Berserker

What I’m interesting in knowing is where the base classes fit in all of this? Are they all C’s? Where do all the elite specs need to be brought down to so that they are on the same playing field as the base specs?

Pretty much. Warrior is B. Elementalist is A since dd is still good. Everything else is basically C. Maybe engi B.
Anet trying to argue elite specs are sideways progression is the most absurd thing I’ve ever heard.

Booms.2594:

Salamander.2504:

Booms.2594:

@nova striker
I kinda disagree I think DH is definitely S tier but not as broken as all the idjits in this forum believe.
I’d say it’s something like
S
Dragonhunter
Scrapper
Herald
A
Reaper
Chronomancer
Druid
B
Tempest
Daredevil
C
Berserker

What I’m interesting in knowing is where the base classes fit in all of this? Are they all C’s? Where do all the elite specs need to be brought down to so that they are on the same playing field as the base specs?

Pretty much. Warrior is B. Elementalist is A since dd is still good. Everything else is basically C. Maybe engi B.
Anet trying to argue elite specs are sideways progression is the most absurd thing I’ve ever heard.

Exactly, Anet can try not the say the obvious and hurt some feelings from the free-to-play camp, but to enjoy the latest content and be on the even playing field, you need to upgrade to HOT, end of story.

Daharahj.1325:

Staff is the second best weapon availiable to Rev, despite the #4 bug.

Scrappers are not in a good place, they need to be toned down.

Druids have very good group support, in fact they’re rewarded for it with improved AF regen, which leads to more group support.

Tempest isn’t bad, it just isn’t as braindead as cele d/d ele was.

[/quote]

For the staff the damage is lower and the energy costs are higher with out providing much more defence. It by all means should be the best or second best but feels lacklustre.

What issues do you specifically have with scrapper?

I though the last two points were valid and raised that question. Most druids I’ve seen focus on self survive and don’t help teammates out which is annoying. I have yet to see a good tempest but I’m not ruling it out. I’d like to see a good tempest.

Hooglese.4860:

I have yet to see a good tempest but I’m not ruling it out. I’d like to see a good tempest.

Oh they are out there all right…

Salamander.2504:

Hooglese.4860:

I have yet to see a good tempest but I’m not ruling it out. I’d like to see a good tempest.

Oh they are out there all right…

Why must I be forced in unranked I wanna fight em. I feel like half the people are new to the game, it makes finding balance issues challenging.

Salamander.2504:

Booms.2594:

@nova striker
I kinda disagree I think DH is definitely S tier but not as broken as all the idjits in this forum believe.
I’d say it’s something like
S
Dragonhunter
Scrapper
Herald
A
Reaper
Chronomancer
Druid
B
Tempest
Daredevil
C
Berserker

What I’m interesting in knowing is where the base classes fit in all of this? Are they all C’s? Where do all the elite specs need to be brought down to so that they are on the same playing field as the base specs?

I’d still say daredevil was C with berserker. Anything it can do, another class will do better.