Guild Wars 2

First let me say I’m not say rangers are overpowered or underpowered or anything like that. I’m simply using two of its skill designs as an example of a skill design that needs to be taken from the game from all classes and locked in a container deep underground.

The two traits I will be using are Strider’s Defense and Shared Anguish.

Strider’s Defense’s main problem lies that is is based in RNG. It has no counterplay directly. Say I’m a ranged person. When I use one of my skills, these’s a 15% chance that the skill will be blocked. There is no way I can prevent this from happening unless my attack is unblockable. There is no way for me knowing this can happen. The entire counterplay and play in general with this trait is based in RNG. This is not a good design for PvP games. Having gameplay based in RNG and chance is never a good idea, especially when there is no call animation and things like that.

Shared Anguish is another example of this problem. Its not so based in RNG, but if you use a disabling condition, you have no idea if its going to be negated or not. Again, not much of a counter play.

The main counterplay for both of these is wasting a skill or spamming. I personally don’t think this type of skill design where in order to counter play it you have to purposefully waste a skill is too great of a design. With blinds and aegis, you have a condi and boon skills that can be stripped/cleansed.

Here’s a suggestion as a replacement for Strider’s Defense.

Make it so that every 15 (or 10, i’m not sure what the ICD on it is now or if there is one. If not I think 10 or 15 seconds is a pretty good ICD) seconds the little trait icon will appear where buffs appear for the ranger, silimar to the way kite refinement appears for an engineer. When this happens it means that the next ranged attack will be blocked. This allows for two things

1. More control of the ranger. He can adapt his playing to the fact that the trait is up and take the actions he wants with that in mind

2. More of a counter play. Attacks will see that is up and will have to decide how they will negate/counter it.

Here is a suggestion for Shared Anguish

Make it so that there is an icon for enemies to see under the rangers name to know that his first disabling condition will be negated. Don’t make it a guessing game during play.

I have to admit when I read the title I thought this was just a nerf begging rant. This is actually a very solid, well thought out idea. I like it. But I see no reason for this to be PVP only. This is how it should be across the board.

Personally I don’t think Strider’s Defense is worth GM trait, in fact I think it’s the worst idea they have come up with. After all the shouting and the screaming about passive play, we get this bomb dropped on us.

I commend them for what they’ve done with some of the other traits like Stone Heart but this is just a major stinker in a field of mostly roses and 1 possibly rusted wheel.

My question is; why isn’t this trait something else? Why is it this? Isn’t there something better they could put here? Isn’t there a better idea?

My Suggestion; Strider’s Defense is changed in functionality or changed completely and given a different name.
- Functionality change; Projectiles are deflected when you use sword skills (not including auto-attack)
- Complete overhaul; Strider’s Defence is now called; Seeking Blade; When you evade, your next sword attack is unblockable and deals 20% more damage.

Don’t worry about Counter play on Striders Defense

Because no one is going to use that god awful trait in the first place.

Terravos.4059:

Don’t worry about Counter play on Striders Defense

Because no one is going to use that god awful trait in the first place.

just make striders defense flat ranged damage reduction, similar to protection or engi’s stabilized armor. no rng, same effect, no icd needed.

Terravos.4059:

Don’t worry about Counter play on Striders Defense

Because no one is going to use that god awful trait in the first place.

Most of the new traits don’t really have a place in any builds. The worst offender imho being guardian because most classes have at least one trait that could be situationally useful, but the 5 new guardian traits are just horribly bad. Not even mentioning the condi traits (still introducing condi traits for a class that doesn’t have solid condi application? change the weapons and utils before you change the traits), but I don’t see anyone ever picking FoW over PoV in Honor, or PoB over Indomitable or Shielded Mind. As for communal, it’s in a terrible trait line whose only two traits justifying a 30 point investment are either full medit build or AH. “I’m going to pick 30 in valor for communal” said no one ever.

A lot of traits introduced in one patch but most of it is garbage.

I wouldn’t worry about any of the traits they are going to introduce. They aren’t going to be used in good builds at all. Apart from maybe the mesmer traits.

Nothing wrong with this trait, you all need start playing other Top Games like Dota 2, LoL and take look at there Passive RNG Skills some of them allot better.