Guild Wars 2

So we have already established that tempest is not a number problem but we got a +20-50% number patch preview . But let’s be realistic. We are 4 months before release and we won’t get a complete rework. We won’t get a new weapon or a completely new skillset. We have to work with what we have.

The problem with the current overloads is that the costs are too high. An overload costs:

• 5s of staying in an attunement
• completing a 2-5s channel
• 20s attunement cooldown.

The fire overload is an AoE damage with 5s channel and 25s cooldown. Sounds like a Meteor Shower. I’m not suggesting that Tempest should get a Meteor Shower-esque fire overload for balancing reasons, but the cost would actually justify the effect.

Another example is the water overload. In 27s (5s wating, 2s channel, 20s cd) the base water/arcane/x ele can attune to water (Cleansing Wave, Healing Ripple, Elemental Attunement), use a water skill and use the water-dodge from Evasive Arcana … twice. The water overload competes against 6k-8k heal, 10s regen and 2-4 condi cleanses. I don’t want that as an overload, honestly.

The problem with this cost is that adding 20% everywhere won’t solve the problem and adding 100% everywhere would create more problems that it solves. How to create overload effects that are worth the cost then? Reduce the overload cost:

• no or lower waiting time
• attunement goes on normal attunement cooldown
• normal length casts in the order of 1s

ANet had the design goal to reward staying in an attunement longer than normal. How about this:

• For every second you stay in an attunement, you gain a stack of Elemental Overload, maxing at 10.
• The effects of the overload skill scale with the number X of Elemental Overload
• Fire Overload: 1s cast, creates the lingering flame tornado we have now at your position. Lasts for X seconds
• Air Overload: 1s cast, ground-targeted, creates the lightning storm we have now at the target position. Either lingers for X seconds or shoots 5 X lightning strikes over 5 secons in the area. Fire and Air overload could switch groundtargeting, but I’d prefer one targeted and one PBAoE overload.
• Water Overload: instant, but the bubble bursts after 2s. Base Heal 1k, cleanses one condition. Radius scales with X, Target limit X (new niche: a support skill with a target limit of up to 10)
• Earth Overload: Stays the same, but the effect is limited to X/2 seconds.

These are just examples, but I think that 4 decent spells with usable cast times/costs help the Tempest more than the current expensive overloads that can never be balanced to their cost