Guild Wars 2

Is there any particular reason for this? Seems a real gimmick and puts smaller teams v zergs at another huge disadvantage.

If it’s a PvE balance issue why not just restrict the AoE limit to PvE?

I’d have to guess because of two factors:

One: Because a player with an AOE that would affect more than 5 targets at once would be OP.

Two: Because if WvW siege could hit more than 5 players at once it’d be OP.

ktith.6197:

I’d have to guess because of two factors:

One: Because a player with an AOE that would affect more than 5 targets at once would be OP.

Two: Because if WvW siege could hit more than 5 players at once it’d be OP.

I completely agree. I’m fine with AoE attacks being limited to 5 targets. Any more and you’d set the game up for exploits. For instance, a group of Elementalists would be able to kite monsters to a corner and have everyone AoE them for any easy kill.

Seems changing the 5 target limit would be counterproductive to job balancing.

Thanks for the reply,

I do understand that however it is world v world, we should be able to use our classes/smaller teams to our advantage. A weakness of a zerg is grouped players in a small vacinity and this should be represented in game.

Perhaps siege weapons I understand due to the mass damage they do and the difficulty in avoiding them sometimes – but shouldn’t character based AoE skills have no limit?

I agree that the AOE cap should be removed or at the very least extended to more people. However, I think that would have to come at the expense of lowering the damage of most, if not all, AOE abilities in the game.

choke points would mean continuous AoE would give defenders the ultimate advantage. WvW would become catapult vs catapult.

The other thing one has to consider is…everytime you launch your AOE, it doesn’t necessarily hit the same 5 targets again. Every video game since D&D uses a /roll system that just randomizes what’s going to get hit. If you have 10 people in an egg basket and you use said AOE’s the first time and hit the 5 limit, the second AOE is going to hit again only about 50% of the first 5, and 50% of another 5 that were unaffected the first time. In essence it ends up being a round robin on who gets hit with AOE, unless said target(s) have no ways to “deflect” the AOE’s.

It should not be, however the aoe limit is there to avoid making people think. This way, they can all just clump up like a bunch of clueless idiots when being hit by aoes.

The argument most often made in support is that it would be too powerful which is ridiculous. Either spread out or pop area retaliation and the issue is solved.

Also I was told by guildies that one reason for this change was because of some classes AoE abilities (thief spin) – so rather than fixing the skill they seem to have just derped all AoE’s.

Have been discussing this with my guild and they have suggested things such as using the AoE circle marker to base damage on – people close to the centre would recieve full/bonus damage and players towards the edge of the marker recieve less damage – this would prevent the stacking tactic which is currently used to avoid AoE entirely for any player above the 5 limit.

Another suggestion would be to simply have diminishing returns on the AoE damage, as in every player after the fifth hit would still recieve the damage/conditions etc, but at a reduced number/duration.

Azaruil.3406:

The argument most often made in support is that it would be too powerful which is ridiculous. Either spread out or pop area retaliation and the issue is solved.

This – if the players decide to clump together for strength in numbers, there needs to be a weakness you can exploit. Currently the only option is AoE fears – but again this effects 5 people; v a zerg this is probably 10%.

AoE = Area Of fivE.

Next question, please.

Zid.4196:

AoE = Area Of fivE.

Next question, please.

I lol’ed.

Seriously, i guess the servers would crash without that limitation. A pitty ..

At least increase to 7 or 8 for AOE (5 party member base + account for pets and/or npcs)

OR

Have AOE heals that target players first, so pets and npc don’t eat up your heals. More noticeable in dungeon when trying to help your party members.

Any dev/anet input? Really feel like the cap was a rushed decision given little thought.

BabelFish.7234:

choke points would mean continuous AoE would give defenders the ultimate advantage. WvW would become catapult vs catapult.

Which is wholly preferable to Zerg Vs Zerg.

Atleast siege takes time, resources and strategy to both deploy and destroy.

This single change (limiting AoE to 5 people) has removed any chance that a smaller group can deal with Zergs. It actively encourages the lowest form of gameplay, and let’s be frank, Anet is full of smart people that could have solved these problems in intelligent, interesting ways instead of this blanket bullkitten.