Guild Wars 2

Let me first take some time away from the titular subject to lay down a few fundamental “Points of Interest”:


1.) I’m making a skill suggestion that is relevant only to the skill itself.

2.) This is not a thread for the [Build “A”] vs. [Build “B”] crowd.

3.) This is not a thread for the [Class “A”] vs. [Class “B”] crowd.

4.) Trolls, and non-trolls acting childishly or detracting from discussion relevant to the suggestion, how it could be implemented, what considerations it might require, or further well-mannered brainstorming will be promptly ignored without reply.


Now, regarding the skill: Arc Lightning (scepter), as it stands, is a very weak auto-attack with fairly mediocre #2 and #3 skills. Combined with different offhands, the scepter’s air attunement can have some utility here and there in very, very context-specific situations. However, in spite of this utility, air-scepter remains ultimately weak in comparison to other weapons and other attunements (or even its own attunement in many cases).

Arc Lightning currently “charges up” meaning the damage begins to progressively increase as you channel the skill, increasing incrementally in damage-ticks of three, with the final three ticks delivering about-average (compared to other weapon choices) damage. The channeling nature of the skill makes it extremely susceptible to interruption, which is problematic given that most air-based skills are movement-based, allowing for greater maneuverability instead of damage, meaning that damaging air skills are few in number, and generally weak. This, combined with the low damage-output of Arc Lightning even when compared to other air attunement attacks, makes Arc Lightning sub-par as an attack, which is crippling when air attunement already suffers from lower damage output, and one of the three air-scepter skills does no damage whatsoever, and the other is only an average (albeit reasonably fast-recharge) damage spike.

One simple alteration to Arc Lightning, which would befit the skill’s title and animation, would be to slightly alter the animation to have secondary arcs of lightning arc to foes in a cone-of-effect, making the skill an area-of effect attack, allowing the scepter a little more versatility in being able to harass groups with mediocre damage, whilst spiking single targets during the damage harassment.

Little, if any additional changes would be necessary, given the skill’s already low damage output, and the skill (and air-scepter as a choice) would be given more versatility/viability. As it stands, air scepter is significantly underpowered and very few players even bother with it, excluding niche build-makers having fun trying out new ideas whether or not they’re practical.

Given that staves are typically the more AoE-focused weapons for casters, “Chain Lightning” (staff air-attunement auto-attack) could receive a similar slight alteration to keep its role secure: Increase Chain Lightning’s target-bouncing range (i.e. the skill’s 1200 range stays the same, meaning the player can only initiate combat on targets within that range, but “bounced” lightning bolts can travel beyond that range, provided enemies are clustered close enough) and number of targets from 3 to 5, potentially lowering the damage output to compensate.

I think these slight alterations would make these two skills feel more appropriate to their names, with Arc Lightning being the prime skill that needs attention. These are just some initial brainstorm suggestions, and damage-value tweaking, balance considerations, etc. are the realm of the development team handling such matters.

Hope this gets some Anet attention, maybe a response from a developer?

Until then, game on and have fun everyone.

Cheers!

I was having a similar thought about the skill. A bit of trivia: Arc Lightning originates from the GW1 skill of the same name, where its secondary effect was hitting one additional nearby foe if the original target suffered from a water spell hex effect.

Of course the gw2 skill cant rely on water spells. Relying on chill could be an option, but thats too limiting i think. The GW2 Arc Lightning works on the concept of increasing effectiveness the longer you hold it without interrupting. So what if the “arc” effect would come in play as the charge-up gets to Phase 2 hitting a second nearby (lets say at range 600), and on Phase 3 it hits one additional foe (possibly the same original foe for double damage, or a third enemy)?

Damage would be calculated as such: The damage value is the same as suffered by the original target. Meaning that through the 3 second channel of the skill, the second foe would suffer phase2 and phase3 damage from the 2nd second to the end, and the third foe would suffer only phase3 damage for 1 second.

The problematic thing when programming this would come up if one of the effected targets disengage (gets out of range or dies). Ideally if its not the original target that gets out of the equation, the arc should jump to another secondary or third target during casting. I dont know if this could be done easily. Maybe if the target is chosen again at every strike?

simple solution would be for the primary target to be repicked at every tick and then a second enemy within 600 would hit if one was to exist. this would extend the damage to two targets and effective maximum range by an additional 600. makes the skill much more dynamic without being too useful.

although i think your changes would be really interesting, probably with an appearance change since a lightning arc is NOT a straight wobbly line. ( => https://www.google.at/search?q=lightning+arc&client=opera&hs=G0N&channel=suggest&tbm=isch&oq=lightning+arc&gs_l=img.3...24186.27849.0.28467.15.11.0.0.0.0.0.0..0.0....0...1ac.1.34.img..15.0.0.PXcrToVb02A )
i’d have made it look like darth sidious’ special skywalker treatment.

anywho,... compared with fresh air, this whole air stuff is definitely NOT the weakest of things ever

for it to actually look and act like ark lighting it would have to be a “5” skill likely on staff which the community would not be happy to hear of staff losing its static circle of despair