As the title states, feedback on turrets.
Turrets don’t quite seem up to par with other utilities at the moment. This doesn’t mean that they are weak or useless, just they don’t feel as good as they could be due to a number of reasons:
- Turrets are static – As stationary placed objects turrets seem somewhat out of place in GW2 combat, were movement is very important in how encounters play out. This has its advantages in static defensive situations, but if you’re in an encounter when the combat is mobile (i.e., pve exploration, escorting, etc.) turrets fall behind. This by far is probably the biggest issue holding them back in my eyes.
- They feel awkward to manage at times – Having the ability to pick up your turret is great as it shortens cool down time and returns it’s stowed tool-belt skill. The draw back is you need to be by your turret to pick it up. While that’s fine, makes sense and works, it means you may be slowed down after encounters because you’re picking up your turrets. Especially if you set them out of the way. That’s not even getting into the effort of doing things like overcharging and then blowing them up like healing turret for maximum effectiveness.
- Semi prohibitive cool downs make them unattractive – I love rocket turret, but seldom use it because of how often I can make use of it and have it be useful. Turret cool downs, both on their tool belt skills and utility are the length they are because you can spend points in tools (to lower tool belt skills) and pick them up (shortening the utility skill itself). Even still some seem to fall behind, such as the thumper turret with shockwave. Now granted shockwave’s cool down reduction as of late it is a step in the right direction but it’s a great example of something having a cool down so high for what it does that it isn’t worth taking.
How can we improve turrets? I think turrets would be better if they were:
Short duration but potent – The turret you plop down doesn’t last long, maybe only 5s, using its skill, but then falling apart afterwards. Rifle turret fires a piercing volley of 5 shots, rocket turret fires 3 rockets (first 2 burn, last knocks down), so on so forth. The point is you use a turret like you use any other skill. This solves a number of issues at the same time. It makes them easier to manage for starters (helping new players), makes them more attractive for splashing into builds, as well as more suitable for mobile combat. Turrets only really feel like they pull their worth if they stick around for awhile (save healing turret), even then seem underwhelming at times.