Guild Wars 2

Either as default or with the Forceful Explosives trait. This would put them in the same category as Traps and traited Marks. Basically this would make them even better at killing off Bunkers who stand in them. Their radius is already nerfed, but it seems kinda silly people can throw up their shield and be immune to all the explosions around them.

I really think this would make them competitive again. You either dodge roll them or get out. Reasoning being, they are a very delayed attack. This would make Big ol’ Bomb useful again against classes with blocking attacks, and make it so a short spout of bombs can’t just be avoided with one fell swoop. The radius is already small enough now so they can’t cover an entire point, so making them unblockable would simply make it so they can’t be brute force ignored.

Make it require more skill in avoiding the bomb explosions, and make them more threatening.

I’m not sure having an entire kit’s skill set be unblockable (including the spammable Bomb on #1) would be a good idea, from a balance standpoint.

Of course, somebody’s probably going to swoop in and point out that another class gets exactly kitten that.

You might be right about the #1 Bomb. Being able to spam it could be a little much. I think it’s only Marks and Traps that are possibly unblockable.

I’d actually rather have #1 be a 5s cooldown itself with some sort of bleed component, but I think one step at a time would be a good thing. I admit though that even this would change some of the functionality among traits / killing objects.

I like the idea. Necro’s marks are all unblockable, with the #1 skill being the only non-mark, blockable skill on the staff.

I wouldn’t really want to see bomb #1 go, as I currently use bombs in my power build. Although If it did become a bleed bomb, of course that would be huge for condi bomb builds.

If Bomb #1 didn’t gain the unblockable effect, that would probably be okay.

Personally, I’d be more for making the Bomb (and Grenade, for that matter) kits interesting instead of just “Now! Guess what I just did!? You will suffer my wrath-or walk out of the way. God, I hate you.” to make them ‘competitive.’ To explain: Right now, they basically just have the same attack, over and over, with the same delays, same animations, same area of effect, same range – the only things that’re different are damage and conditions. Yes, that means that each attack technically has a unikittenfect among the skills of the kit, but it also means that each attack is incredibly, boringly, predictable. Bomb kit places timed charges that detonate with a given radius after a second or so (making it one of the two premier kiting kits), and grenade kit flings a handful of grenades at ludicrous range to a specific location afield (including over the user’s shoulder, allowing more kiting action). Once somebody knows what kit you have, it’s not going to be difficult to go “Maybe I should strafe with a ranged weapon/not get into melee with that guy.”

How this particularly relates to blocks: When the enemy realizes you’re using a Bomb kit, they’re going to realize, if they’ve any wit at all, that there’s some delay between when you place a Bomb and when it detonates – a uniform delay, making it easy to predict when the Bomb is going to go off, leaving the Bomb Kit’s attacks telegraphed with plenty of room for reaction, making the Bomb Kit impossible to effectively damage a fleeing target with (as far as I’ve been able to manage; it’s entirely possible there’s some speed boost I’ve yet to try), and otherwise just…well, easy to avoid, or block, if the person it’s being used against has the merest trace of observational capability.

Yeah the #1 skill change to a condi variant would be more of a refinement change for me. Not necessary, but Bombs are usually used in condi builds regardless. Besides, one step at a time. Don’t want to do too much or you risk overbuffing things.

If left spammable, it probably shouldn’t be unblockable. Although, I’ve thought about it rather critically and haven’t really decided with myself whether the #1 skill would be too strong if it were also unblockable. Especially since you can’t really use the Bombs in reaction to a block (as it’d already be pretty much over by the time the bombs went off). As said though, perhaps I’m not seeing this issue clearly and I’ll default to what you guys are saying.

Really the change to me seems like a natural fit. It aids in making the Bombs an anti-bunker type of setup, and makes them slightly harder to brute force counter.

nothing should be unblockable. (and blocks should be a bit rarer.)

Anymras.5729:

Of course, somebody’s probably going to swoop in and point out that another class gets exactly kitten that.

Its already been pointed out in the OP. Marks (4/5 abilities on Necro Staff) can be traited to be unblockable. One of them is a CC, which would also break whatever block you are running.

While on the subject, and i say this for Necro’s aswell. Why on earth can people dodge through bombs and mines (and marks) and effectively avoid them, or even trigger them without any effect (mines/marks)?
It seems this little thing doesnt apply to Ele and their static field. You cannot dodge through that, you’ll still get stunned. Thats all kinds of nonsense right there.

I always thought dodge was completely sacred. Maybe it’s been so long since I’ve seen a static field I didn’t even remember that.

It does feel weird to be able to dodge roll them, especially when being very visible. I don’t think this will ever change though.

Ayestes.1273:

I always thought dodge was completely sacred. Maybe it’s been so long since I’ve seen a static field I didn’t even remember that.

It does feel weird to be able to dodge roll them, especially when being very visible. I don’t think this will ever change though.

Nope, there are several offensive abilities that negate dodge. Off the top of my head, Guardian’s binding blade, as well as hammer 5 and staff 5, interrupt dodge rolls. I don’t think I’ve tried to dodge roll through a static field since August 26 or so, but if I remember right, it will let you complete the roll, and then stun you.

Please do not make recommendations such as these. If bombs ever become unblockable, it will come with a 20-30% base damage nerf.