Brainstorm: Mini-Objectives

Brainstorm: Mini-Objectives

in WvW

Posted by: Sviel.7493

Sviel.7493

WvW has been accused of being a Karma Train for years at various points and by various people. The reasons behind it are less universally agreed upon, but the solution is generally believed to be reasons not to blob.

During the WvW Sneak Attack event (Dec 2015-Jan 2016), no white swords appeared on any objectives. Scouts become mandatory. Reaction to the event was mixed—some said it broke up blobs while others said it just reinforced the K-Train. Most agreed that it was helpful for small groups looking to hit objectives. At the end, one of the loudest complaints was that it increased the importance of scouting without making the activity more interesting or rewarding.
Some Sneak Attack feedback: https://forum-en.gw2archive.eu/forum/game/wuv/WvW-Sneak-Attack-Feedback/first#post4700678

I want to try can capture the helpful to small groups part while also addressing the boring parts of scouting. I think it’s possible to do that while also giving reasons not to blob without flat out punishing people who want to blob.

I propose that we brainstorm mini-objectives that fit the following criteria:

1.) They must be helpful to groups of 5 or less without being helpful to groups of 15+
2.) They must not change how quickly a map can be K-Trained when undefended.
3.) They must encourage player interaction—both between allies and enemies.
4.) They must reward either moving as a small team or hanging about allied areas without veering into PvE much, if at all.
5.) They must work mostly within existing game mechanics so as not to be too difficult to implement.

Please be sure to include a numbered list with your suggestions that details how they fit the criteria.

Brainstorm: Mini-Objectives

in WvW

Posted by: Sviel.7493

Sviel.7493

Here are a few of my own suggestions to get things rolling. The second is probably more fitting for the borderlands as that’s where I play, but I’d like to see if the first could give some recourse to players who want to damage T3 structures on EBG. I’d love to hear more ideas, especially from EBG folks.


This is an idea that is often floated in this section. I’ve modified it a bit to be more interactive.
Players can talk to the Quartermaster at an allied camp to send a Bomber Yak to an enemy objective. If the Yak is killed or reaches a gate, the bomb detonates after 5 seconds and deals massive damage to all players (on both teams) and gates in a moderate radius. For players, it should essentially be an auto-downstate. For gates, it should be about 10 hits of a Superior Ram. Only 1 Bomber Yak can be deployed every 20m.

1.) In this way, a small team can meaningfully hit an objective without having to spend a bunch of time at it worrying about being run over. However, since a larger group could just build rams and not worry about being discovered, this would not be an efficient or helpful mechanic for them.

2.) Since Yaks take a while to walk and there is a cooldown on Bomber Yaks, this won’t increase the rate that a Karma Train can travel.

3.) Assassinating these Yaks will be a high priority. Scouts in the area will have to close in and fight to take it out or set an ambush at the structure it’s headed to. It’s not such a big threat that it warrants a zerg, though, and there likely won’t be time to bring one. Hopefully, this generates small-scale, objective oriented fights.

4.) The Yak is a boon for small teams. Since the delivery time can be as short as 90s (or less if you give the Yak swiftness) and the damage happens in a burst, you can’t wait for white swords to check it out. Thus, you’ll have a reason to keep your eyes open as a scout rather than half-afking in the lord room.

5.) While the event would have to be scripted, Yaks, explosions and Quartermasters all exist in the current game.

Notes: New Offensive guild tactics could be used to improve the Yak bomb damage. In organized play, new group compositions centered around keeping a Yak alive rather than just ganking players could become viable. If nothing else, poor Quartermasters will have a purpose in life again.


Players can talk to a quartermaster at an allied camp to spawn a single Yak that holds 2x supply or counts as 2 Yaks towards the upgrade counter. The Yak would have a global icon (like trebuchets, visible even on mini-map) that acts as a beacon for invaders. There should be a cooldown on this as well.

1.) Escorting a Yak is not efficient for a large group.

2.) This won’t affect Karma Trains, but the secondary suggestion could effect how quickly a map upgrades when no enemies are around.

3.) The beacon should let people know there’s a small-scale fight for the taking. It would not be an efficient use of a zerg but would quickly let fight-focused invaders know where to go for both kills and helping their server.

4.) This rewards hanging about in allied areas and gives small-team roamers clear PvP objectives.

5.) All of these mechanics currently exist in some form.

Notes: Guild upgrades like speedy or armored Yaks work well here. Invincible Yaks is obviously very effective, but that might be ok as it’s currently nigh useless and would mark the camp as a priority target for roamers and defenders alike.

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