Guild Wars 2

Comparing the new: https://www.guildwars2.com/en/news/specializations-part-one-a-primer/

With the old: http://wiki.guildwars2.com/wiki/Water_Magic

2 traits are completely missing:
Arcane Abatement (maybe they will do something with masteries and fall damage, it’s weird to remove fall damage reduction completely) and Shard of Ice, which isn’t the most useful trait anyway.

2 traits were buffed in functionality:
Soothing Wave changed into Soothing Ice: when you take a critical hit you get both regeneration and frost aura, before you only got regeneration
Piercing Shards, now also increases Vulnerability duration as well as dealing more damage on vulnerable foes while attuned to water

2 traits were combined:
Cantrip Mastery + Soothing Disruption = Soothing Disruption
Vital Striking + Aquamancer’s Alacrity = Aquamancer’s Training

1 trait became Major trait
Bountiful Power

1 trait became Minor trait
Aquatic Benevolence

6 traits remain the same
Soothing Mist, Healing Ripple, Stop, Drop, and Roll, Cleansing Wave, Cleansing Water, Powerful Aura

Thoughts on the changes?

What I find the most interesting about the changes, is that traits do not appear to compete for the same playstyle anymore.

In Grandmaster traits, we have a party buff trait, a party healing / condi cleanse trait and a DPS trait, different playstyles, different builds

In Master traits, we have a DPS trait (the cd reduction will be beneficial to non DPS builds but I believe they will always get the other traits anyway), a very powerful self-survival skill (great for PVP bunkering), and a party heal trait

In Adept traits, we have 2 defensive support skills, one condi removal and the other regen + frost aura, and one good DPS trait

There is no longer a choice between getting Vital Striking or Piercing Shards in the Adept slot or having 3 great party support grandmaster traits. If all other traitlines for all professions work like this maybe we won’t feel the need to put adept traits on master or gm slots because the traits apply for different roles / playstyles. Unless of course you want to mix things up a bit.

I’m excited by these changes, especially in light of the stats being disconnected from the trait lines. This could allow for damage heavy build that focus around staying in the water attunement, rather than lightning or fire.

is anyone else bothered by aquatic benevolence replacing bountiful power as a grandmaster minor? as a d/d ele 25% outgoing power doesn’t do much of anything for me