Guild Wars 2

On several PvP maps, having access to abilities that allow you to jump up the Z-axis can be enormously powerful. Skills such as Infiltrator’s Arrow, Lightning Flash, Blink, etc. are generally far more valuable than a standard leap or running skill.

You can argue that the only reason Thief sees as much use as it does is due to its access to IA. Now, before you call me a Thief hater, I am not focusing on any particular skill or class, what I am focusing on is the ability to ignore the Z-axis in general. As cool as the mechanic is, I’m not sure that it’s good for the game. Maybe I’m mistaken but it seems like the maps were not designed with this mechanic in mind.

I would argue that other specs such as GS Warrior/Ranger would be more appealing if the ability to ignore the Z-axis didn’t exist. Another option would be to add the ability to classes that don’t have it. They don’t all have to be able to teleport to the top of bridges but they could at least leap up a few ledges (if that’s technically possible). Some examples could be Sundering Leap on Berserker, Ancesteral Grace on Druid Staff, and Jump Shot on Engi. This would give more classes the ability to back cap or deny back caps.

Either option would make PvP more interesting in my opinion. Interested to see how wrong everyone thinks I am. :P

Aye, totally in favor of removing any and all Z-axis teleports. That would finally allow teef to be stronk in actual PvP again and would remove free out-of-jail cards that only certain classes have access to.
Not sure if adding additional Z-axis movement on other classes would be good, though. The ability to ignore map layout is basically the same as removing all maps except for an empty flat area.

It was made with this in mind. I remember seeing videos months before the first beta weekend (the ones before gw2 release) when I think izzy was using necro Deathshroud #2, back then a teleport ability, to teleport all around clocktower.

It’s definitely intentional, I’m just not sure they realized how important it would eventually become. That’s probably why champion’s dusk is made flat.

Everybody should get access to these ports or they shouldn’t exist.

Also the truly abusive ports, like porting to the ledge above midpoint on Nifhel where somebody without ports can never get to you without running all the way o the beast and back, should be removed.

Z-axis is intended. Was proven so when A-net buffed/nerfed the way it worked (make some spots more consistent and blocked off spots that should not be accessed.)

Most classes that cannot blink have high sustain on a flat and often push the squishys off point. That being said most classes in the game have access to z-axis repositioning or chase if specced to it.

Despite what duel rooms think balance is not based around 1v1 on a flat with nothing to obstruct LoS.

Sure balance isn’t based around 1v1 at all in any form but it is much closer when you allow sustain to still be pressured while on point otherwise you just make a unjustifiably strong hard counter.

It is balanced however when you have 5v5 and your comp has the ability to chase if it needs it. (To deny back cap, get stomp, ect.)

Although I’d be all for not allowing certain teleport plays especially targeted ones without line of sight to the target.

There is a reason that eles, mesmers and thieves are the classes with ground target blinks. They are the ones that it thematically fits on and the ones that are the squishiest by design. The only problem arises when you realize that eles have excellent sustain because of boons and healing.

Except ele isn’t that big if a threat anymore.

If this behaviour wasent intended, im pretty sure anet would have disallowed any form of z-axis teleports when they redid the teleporting mechanics a few patches back.

The only class that can spam z-axis teleports is thief and they have become trash tier when HoT launched.