Guild Wars 2

Hi

I really like Guild Wars 2 a lot and this is the first time in a long time I can say that about an MMO, which is why I wanted to make this post of what I feel of the current state of SPvP. This post is not intended as balance whine, I am simply questioning some aspects of the game that I find limits the skill cap or actual fun and diversity of the game.

Quickness
I don’t really feel that this has ANY positive effect on the game right now. It just encourages people to make simple builds based around quickness and dps ability. Note that I don’t even feel that these builds are specifically overpowered, my problem with these builds are rather that people are rewarded for playing these simple builds. For example: Just look at the skillcap difference between an Elementalist and a Pistol Whip quickness build. Why can not all classes be based around knowing your abilities and using them well in conjunction with each other. I feel that quickness right now only serves to simplify the game and that it needs to be either changed or removed.

Downed state
This is actually a brilliant feature, it really makes teamwork crucial. However, the current downed system is a bit flawed in my opinion. The class balance in downstate is horrible. Why not just make it generic, simple and FAIR – give every class the auto attack, a single target stun, the heal and some class specific ability WITHOUT crowd control – there you still have the differences between the classes without it being that unbalanced. I don’t know if I think people should rally, though. I feel that is a bit random at points, but I haven’t really played enough to talk about that.

(Also, a summoner’s pets should be downed when they are in downed state.)

On another note (people who have played ET may recognize this). I am not completely sure about how the spawn waves work in this game, I don’t know if there is any information, I haven’t found any. What I think you should do is, make the spawn wave a static 20-30 second wave. Also give people the right to kill themselves instantly while in downed state (as a fifth hotkey or something). This adds another layer of player impact on the game – having to keep track of the timers and making the right call about trying to survive in downed, and completely removing the randomness of the current spawning system.

Making more aspects of the game controllable by players makes the game less random and more skillbased – which is what an e-sport needs to be interesting.

Objectives
New maps with different objectives than just holding nodes. Not too much to say here. There are lots of things you can do. Add a CTF. Perhaps a stopwatch mode where one team is trying to complete a few objectives in a certain time, while the other team is defending, after the round is over the defenders are now attacking and trying to beat the time of the previous attackers etc. This is something for the future, though. I understand they have more important things to focus on right now.

Raid of the Capricorn
I actually quite like the layout of the map. What I don’t like is the underwater point with the sharks changing alliance with who is holding the point. An easy fix (if you still want some of the water battle) is to just put the underwater control point on a small island exactly where it is now and people will still need to swim to get there. Also, remove the sharks.

Other

Disallow wepons swaps from bag inside of the game. If you want to play a build without a weapon that gives you speed – you should not have speed. This will force teams to co-ordinate more around the speed buff and will make for more diversity.

Maybe make trebuchets and doors etc. take static damage (to not give an advantage to power builds)

I am not sure what I think about summons in their current state being in the game, again, it’s not that I find the builds specifically overpowered (other than in downed versus downed) it’s just that I find that a build with that low player interaction should not even be viable.

Stuff needed that is hopefully coming soon: Duels, private games, paid tournies and a rating system.

Giving people the ability to create their own tournaments in-game would be cool.

Guild Wars 2 as an e-sport
-As much as possible of the gameplay controlled by the players (i.e as little randomness as possible)
-Possibility for build diversity and not a system favoring simple/low player impact builds.
-Don’t try to make the game too casual (like many others before) people who play only to play public etc. won’t care too much about the changes anyway. Make the game specifically for competitive play.

I probably missed out on many things I wanted to say, but I will add more stuff later if I remember them.

Also, please refrain from pointless whining about class balance, if you want to say something about it, be constructive.

What a nice summary !

good work man, i trully agree with almost everything you said.

On quickness. I’m kinda on the fence about this. Having played a warrior and a pistolol thief those two abilities are on to short of a cooldown meaning it’s actually feasible to build gimik builds around them. On the other hand the mesmer elite timewarp provides a much bigger buff but due to it’s massive cooldown isn’t abused in the same way.

Downed state.
I feel that classes should have different downed states, I think the problem is that some classes have really solid downed states while others have complete trash. The mesmer downed state for example is really nice, it’s anti-stomp ability actually works against stability which is fantastic. On the other hand ele’s got kitten with their downed state, I can’t help feeling mist form needs to be moved to the 2 ability and have a slightly reduced duration then give them a new 3 ability. Lastly due to the way classes are forced to build this buffs/weakens some downed states, again with the mesmer their auto attack applies confusion which means it’s great for condition builds while the 3 ability is a phantasm. This means that both major mesmer builds have an ability on the downed state bar which they are designed around.

Ultimately I don’t think mesmer downed state needs nerfing I would actually go the other way and say a few others need buffing. I love the confusion on 1 as a mesmer, it gives a lot of feel to the build and the fact no build of mesmer ever feels like the downed state is crap for them is just great design on anets part. So yes, buff several of the downed states and I think we are good to go.

Would love more variety, just to see what builds pop up for what. At the moment we have quite a narrow PvP build view because only one game mode is available.

Sharks are OP, every time I solo 3 players just because of them it makes me laugh. I think the big problem is that we as players don’t build our characters around underwater combat, this means that the moment you go underwater the way people are fighting and their builds become completely disjointed (see power/precision mesmer for a fantastic example of this).

Weapon swaps I’m fine with, there’s the potential to get caught with the wrong weapon and it requires more effort on the part of the player so.

Siege weapons, again I’m fine with this. So a power based build is better at attacking trebs, does it really matter? Bunker builds are better at holding points, this diversity is kinda what means we don’t all end up running 1 build on 1 class.

Next time just say “nerf mesmer”. One of the large problems with the “summon” build for mesmer is there is very little else a mesmer can run, this means that everyone is running a phantasm centric build. Again I don’t mind the whole “summons” and varying skill level required because good players will always be making more skilled plays anyway. I do take your point I’m just not sure you actually fully understand how much a good mesmer really IS putting into their character, phantasms make up 2 of our 20 abilities. Same with a minon necro, they have spec’d into it but they still have other things they are doing.

I agree with everything said here except the suggested change to capricorn.

1) the sharks may need changing, but having the capture point underwater is, i think, fine. Underwater combat just needs a complete overhaul period, in all spheres of play but pvp perhaps most of all.
2) a whine that touches on class balancing, the amulets. Some classes have quality traits in lines that let them synergise well with a particular amulet. Other classes may have good traits and builds that dont happen to match an amulet. If players were allowed greater freedom to allocate equipment bonuses… (copy paste argument made by arena net for adding tiers to the trait system). It creates more viable builds and a more complex metagame.

Malakree.5912:

Next time just say “nerf mesmer”. One of the large problems with the “summon” build for mesmer is there is very little else a mesmer can run, this means that everyone is running a phantasm centric build. Again I don’t mind the whole “summons” and varying skill level required because good players will always be making more skilled plays anyway. I do take your point I’m just not sure you actually fully understand how much a good mesmer really IS putting into their character, phantasms make up 2 of our 20 abilities. Same with a minon necro, they have spec’d into it but they still have other things they are doing.

Actually, what I said has nothing to do with mesmers. I do think that they need a nerf, because of other reasons. I was referencing the Necromancer/Ranger summon build, where all their utility spells are pure summons. I am not taking anything away from skilled mesmers – actually it is one of those classes that you really notice if the player is good or bad, in comparison to say, PW Thieves, where it is harder to tell.

Skill, amulet, weapon or probably armor swapping adds more to the strategy. And if you lock your build and items when you enter a tourney, that means your limiting yourself to the thingsd that uyour setup can only do for you. Remember you won’t zone in an outpost after a win and its best of 3 rounds. Also you face different teams throughout the round. Confining yourself in a set setup will be rock papers scissors because its mostlikely that the other team has a build advantage over you.

alcopaul.2156:

Skill, amulet, weapon or probably armor swapping adds more to the strategy. And if you lock your build and items when you enter a tourney, that means your limiting yourself to the thingsd that uyour setup can only do for you. Remember you won’t zone in an outpost after a win and its best of 3 rounds. Also you face different teams throughout the round. Confining yourself in a set setup will be rock papers scissors because its mostlikely that the other team has a build advantage over you.

I don’t know if you misunderstood me, but what I meant was not that you can’t swap your gear inbetween matches. What I meant was keeping whatever weapon your class uses for speed buff in your inventory and constantly swapping to it just to give yourself a speed buff. It would, in my opinion, be more tactically challenging to make this impossible, thus forcing teams to either be less mobile or account for the speed buffs by changing someone’s build etc.

My biggest gripe so far when it comes to pvp is….
1. Burst damage
Some classes can kill you in seconds if your stun breaker is on cooldown

2. Class Balance
Just go into scenarios and you will see usually whole teams consisting of: thieves, guardians and mesmers. Some warriors and to a lesser extend an engineer. And at the bottom an elemantalist or necro. Whereas the the latter seems to become the Dodo of this game – a class which is going its way to extinction.

3. Minions in pvp
Terrible AI.
Die in seconds even and often are only collateral damage to aoe.
Uncontrollable – no “Attack this target” button…nothing. Often they do nothing, then they attack targets which they shouldn’t and bug out if they fight thieves or mesmers.

Seriously, whoever is responsible for minions should be openly flogged. Even WoW in its state of 2006 had some buttons to control pets and minions.

4. Downed Feature
Great idea. However, some moves are not balanced at all. A warrior can get back up and simply rip you a new one, a mesmer…oh well…good luck finding him, guardian can push everyone back and interrupt all attempts to kill him.
Now take (ironically) again the necro: 1 short fear to get 1 guy trying to kill him off him…then he dies. Hunter seems to be in the same boat if Iam not mistaken (I don’t play one, I just kill them hehe)

I’m all for it when talking about lock weapon sets in a match and balance downed state between classes, but I don’t like that players could defeat themselves with an additional skill like you suggested… The opposite team should have the control about, do we finish him or do we leave him bleeding out (with the risk of getting revived) and take out that player for as long as possible.

Pretty good summary, I agree with most of it.

Especially the burst specs, there seems to be too much reward for using these spec compared to the ’’skills’’ needed

Any self-respecting pvper will learn to play the cards he was dealt rather than make attempts at changing them.

People sat down and produced a sport/art form out of poker.
A game of 5 cards.

Here you have objectives, differing professions, downed state, utilities, dodge, boons, conditions, terrain, teammates.

Arena Net gave you ‘rules’ and a field.

Master it.