Guild Wars 2

One of the main reasons people spec heavily into Arcana is because it reduces the cooldown on our class-defining ability. What I would like to see is a way to reduce attunement cooldowns without investing in Arcana. I know, crazy…

How to do this? Adding a trait on each Element line like the 20% reduced skill cooldown trait we already have, that actually reduces the cooldown of a particular attunement (maybe add the functionality on the current -20% cooldown traits?)

For example someone that wants to play mostly in Fire can take the new trait ad will have the same cooldown on Fire as someone that invests heavily in Arcana (but ONLY FIRE of course). That way he’ll be able to switch back to his prefered (chosen) Element quickly, without investing in Arcana.

Of course there is a problem if someone takes the trait AND has high Arcana, it will make that particular attunement ultra fast. To counter this, the trait and the Arcana trait shouldn’t stack, that way no build based on Arcana will see any kind of change, only more builds that focus on one/two attunement without the need for Arcana will become more viable.

What do you all think?

I dislike the idea of having to invest in individual elements for attunement reduction. It goes against our current design philosophy and not to mention it’ll take up already valuable trait slots. However, I agree the current bonus for the arcana trait line is more impacting than it should be.

I think one way they could alleviate this is to reduce attunement CD by 30% across the board and then reduce the cooldown reduction from arcana points to 1% per point. That way, players won’t be as pressured into spending points in Arcana, but those investing fully into arcana will have the same cooldowns as before.

It won’t happen. This will produce cookie-cutter builds and will encourage people to invest more heavily into arcana. Think what will happen if people abuse this (and they will).
With 30% off attunement cooldown if you invest 30 points in arcana you get 90% CD reduction which along with 20% CD reduction for skills in two elements will allow anyone to totally abuse low cd skills. Or if you invest 5-10 points into arcana you can get 20 points into 3 elements without sacrificing anything.
Similar goes with the first suggestion – what happens if you invest into fire and earth, lower skills cooldowns, lower the attunement cooldown AND invest 30 points in arcana?

The reason players invest heavily into arcana is the fact that traits are quite good. For example: evasive arcana, the elemental swap boon bonus + 33% chance for vigor on crit. Quite neat I must say. I personally always struggle between 4 major traits in arcana and I want only 2 for any other attunement as the rest are not so appealing.

If you want decent cooldown 15 points into arcana gives 30% CD for attunements which is pretty decent IMO. IF you want to get 3 attunements with decent traits there must be something you have to sacrifice which is the arcana trait.

The whole idea with the trait lines derives from GW1 – for each profession you had one unique attribute (now called trait) that increases overall performance and no particular skill. It was a must to heavily invest into it (at least untill the soft cap is reached). Then 3 other attributes that increase certain skill groups effectiveness. The same is here – arcana for Eles, Shatter reduction for Mesmers etc. Overall performance is important and players should spend some points into those lines.
Exactly the same model but better modeled in GW2. Just because your fire skills are still useful without fire attunement trait which was not the case before (they were useless).

I believe the way to go is to rework some traits to be more appealing (this goes for all professions not just ele). This with re-balancing some skills in terms of animation or cast delays would do the trick.

P.S. The biggest problem most Ele users have is that they mindlessly burst all their offensive skills and get to a point where everything is on long CD. You should consider what (and when) to use certain combination. Long skill chains are not always the way to go. For example: My combos usually consist of chains containing 2-3 skills not more. So I get somewhat decent might stack and still have skills to use when the boon is active.
P.P.S. – the second biggest problem which is common for all professions is that a lot of players search the forum for most common builds instead of trying to make one on their own. Also DO note that the game is relatively new so changes will happen and you probably will need to change your build at some point.

Attunement cooldown should be 11 seconds by default, and 8 with 30 points into arcane. Also we should get the respective boons by default when switching, and elemental attunement should only make it so allies get these boons too.

That would give us builds without 20 points arcane.

And the trait passive bonus will go to hell. Also, Mesmers will want lower shatter CD etc…
Anyway I posted my reasons why I dislike the idea above.

Azrael.1408:

And the trait passive bonus will go to hell. Also, Mesmers will want lower shatter CD etc…
Anyway I posted my reasons why I dislike the idea above.

Shattering is nowhere near as important for mesmers as attunement switching is for eles.

True but I do not agree for one reason – with the trait that gives clones on dodge. So let’s assume Shatters are lower on CD with 30%. This provide Mesmers the option to spam f1 and nuke you down in no time. Also if there is no decent bonus for arcana points it will go into oblivion. Traits are good yes but it is not only the traits that makes you put points into specific trait line.

Yes attunement swap IS important that is why it must be timed well and not used just because it is available. I personally do not have much issues when using my skills right and in moderate pace. When I have severe issues with attunement swap I usually find out I busted my skills in vain and too fast when it was not needed.

You have to choose which two lines you want most besides arcana. If certain things get fixed and more build become more viable I think it will have more positive results.

Azrael.1408:

It won’t happen. This will produce cookie-cutter builds and will encourage people to invest more heavily into arcana. Think what will happen if people abuse this (and they will).
With 30% off attunement cooldown if you invest 30 points in arcana you get 90% CD reduction which along with 20% CD reduction for skills in two elements will allow anyone to totally abuse low cd skills. Or if you invest 5-10 points into arcana you can get 20 points into 3 elements without sacrificing anything.
Similar goes with the first suggestion – what happens if you invest into fire and earth, lower skills cooldowns, lower the attunement cooldown AND invest 30 points in arcana?

Well, that’s why I wrote that last paragraph so attunement cooldown reduction shouldn’t stack with Arcana.

Of course there is a problem if someone takes the trait AND has high Arcana, it will make that particular attunement ultra fast. To counter this, the trait and the Arcana trait shouldn’t stack, that way no build based on Arcana will see any kind of change, only more builds that focus on one/two attunement without the need for Arcana will become more viable.

As I say in that paragraph no build that depends on Arcana will be affected in any way. It will help make other builds, without heavy arcana investment, more viable, allowing people to switch back and out of their “prefered” attunement more easily.

@maddoctor – I missed that paragraph, my bad But I believe there should be a way to restrict players in a way e.g. to be able to have lower cooldown on only 2 attunements (but not 3) at a time and higher CD for the other two. Or a bit higher CD but common for all 4 elements (arcana bonus). It might work though And the bonus should not be 20% but like 30% otherwise arcana is still more appealing(15 points -30% off globally).
Still I see arcana as all-round performance booster so I would never totally abandon this line.

Azrael.1408:

@maddoctor – I missed that paragraph, my bad But I believe there should be a way to restrict players in a way e.g. to be able to have lower cooldown on only 2 attunements at a time and higher CD for the other two. Or a bit higher CD but common for all 4 elements (arcana bonus). It might work though
Still I see arcana as all-round performance booster so I would never totally abandon this line.

How many traits with 20 points can you have? Max 3 (20+20+20), you are right having 3 out 4 Elements recharge at faster speed without Arcana is a bit much.

That’s easy to “solve” though. Add the relevant trait in the Grandmaster line (maybe upgrading an existing trait to have that power too?), can’t have more than 2 Grandmaster traits so this issue, which is certainly important, will be solved.

The attunement cd reduction trait would have to compete with our strongest traits (in theory, grandmaster traits are supposed to be our best traits) so it will be balanced, I think

It is max 3 now but with expansion you will get more points… this could be solved by re-ordering though. Or just having this bonus when the trait line is maxed out(with the preserved ability to max out 2).

The other issue for a lot of professions is in your last paragraph – grandmaster traits do not always feel grandmaster

well I certainly wish they lowered the default attunement rate to 13 seconds instead of the 15. Not a whole lot less but at least you wouldn’t have to put too many points into arcane. I already play with 10 points in arcane only now (used to be 30 for evasive arcana) and it’s not THAT restricting.

It is not indeed but some people tend to swap too fast and the element is on cooldown when needed

It could use some buff yes but at the same time Ele users also should learn how to use their skills effectively and when to swap. I am all for variety so if it is possible to change something without hurting the gameplay I’d say why not.