Guild Wars 2

Zephyr’s Speed is the first minor trait for the Air Magic trait line, the trait provides a constant 10% increase in movement speed while attuned to Air. One with Air is in the first set (Traits 1-6) of Air Magic major traits and it provides a 5% increase to movement speed every 10 seconds while attuned to Air up to a maximum of 25%. The expected result of having both traits would be 10% + 5% every 10 seconds for 50 seconds ending up with a total bonus of 35%.

Unfortunately this is not the case, due to the way the game handles multiple speed boosts (only the highest value speed boost has an effect) the One with Air trait doesn’t behave as described. Instead of providing 5% every 10 seconds it provides zero increase for the first 20 seconds and 5% every 10 seconds afterwards. This is due to the 10% already gained from Zephyr’s Speed causing the highest speed boost to be 10% so the 5% and 10% from the first 20 seconds are not seen.

The issue here is that the minor trait Zephyr’s Speed that you have to have in-order to have One with Air is essentially useless 20 seconds after it takes effect. This seems like an oversight, why doesn’t the description for One with Air not read, 20 seconds after attuning to Air the effect of Zephyr’s Speed is increased by 5% every 10 seconds to a maximum of 25%? Really the two traits should just stack to give a 35% speed boost as that is what it says the skill does. Really any stacking penalties or limitations should be noted in the skill/trait description or the total movement speed should be shown in the character sheet.

I was under the impression that speed increases do not stack, with the faster speed increase being 33% from swiftness.