Aetherion talks Guardian traits
Some interesting suggestions, a lot of them of them are pretty decent and would work well. Others not so much, like the reworked Radiant Retaliation would probably be too strong.
Still it was a very nice read.
Guardian WvW Guide!
Heavens Rage
Heavens Rage
(edited by Harbinger.8637)
Fun read, however personally Radiant Retal might be a little too strong if it scaled on both power and condi damage, it would make Carrion Guard a lot more popular. Now a few things I’d like to touch on the updated focus skill, a blant flat heal would be boring but rather it would be more reasonable to have 1 extra block and bounce on Ray of Judgement, and Shield of Wrath.
Kindled Zeal rework, the result of that change would be the same as the current problem between Amplified Wrath and Kindled Zeal, they both serve the same purpose but one of them is better than the other. Amplified Wrath already does it job well with Carrion specs for burns. Changing Kindled Zeal doesn’t add any sort of new flavor or build defining qualities that Amplified Wrath already does.
Burn baby Burn/Searing Flames really doesn’t need that change, with the amount of attacks, lingering AoE and such you will always put out burning in such little time through VoJ. Idealy to make the trait a little more worth slotting it needs to have its own separate ICD per player, so it isn’t bolted down to 1 player every time it procs.
On next attack traits, its been proven unless you’re letting off 1 hit burst like thief backstab, next hit % damage modifiers are quite bad, if however it was duration based, like how Warrior’s Signet of might works(Comparison here is unblockable attacks in place of damage amps) for about 2-3s that would be much better, however you’d need to tweak the percentage down a bit since medi burst guardians are already quite strong in the DPS department already when going that route.
Defender’s Flame as a minor master trait would be too powerful imo, Amplified Wrath guard would get a master a free major trait slot out of that change, paired with 2 points in zeal for Fiery Wrath it really does become free 10% without having to do much to up keep burn procs.
Superior Aria change, as much as increased shout range is nice, moving Superior Aria to Master slot would be a bit of a nerf overall, since there it will compete with Two handed mastery, which GS/Hammer/Staff users benefit from and need since the CD on those weapons are a bit high, mainly hammer though.
Going to add one change to Honor line it would be to give Force of Will 15 to 25% – Condi duration, so it has a little bit more of being a incentive to pick up against condi specs over something like pure of voice which basically means you convert 1 condition into a boon based on 1-3 shouts on you have on your bar.
Kindled Zeal I’d make it into something like transfer a condition when striking a burning foe, while having like kitten ICD. Another idea would be striking a burning foe procs 200 damage for X amount of boons your target has or remove/destroy 2 boons and do X damage per boon removed with a ICD. A alternate version of the last one i brought up would be, based on how many conditions you have on you. It will have power scaling but notsignificant power scaling just a small bit like retaliation scales. Comparable trait with this would be Necro with Terror.
Other than the list everything looks quite good!
Reth Grimrazor – Charr Guardian – [GWB]Grim Warband – Tarnished Coast
Redgen Furyblaze – Charr Guardian – [SHD]Shade Warband – Tarnished Coast
Lerious Warhowl – Charr Warrior – [SHD] Shade Warband – Tarnished Coast
Redgen Furyblaze – Charr Guardian – [SHD]Shade Warband – Tarnished Coast
Lerious Warhowl – Charr Warrior – [SHD] Shade Warband – Tarnished Coast
(edited by Lucentfir.7430)
Fun read, however personally Radiant Retal might be a little too strong if it scaled on both power and condi damage, it would make Carrion Guard a lot more popular. Now a few things I’d like to touch on the updated focus skill, a blant flat heal would be boring but rather it would be more reasonable to have 1 extra block and bounce on Ray of Judgement, and Shield of Wrath.
Kindled Zeal rework, the result of that change would be the same as the current problem between Amplified Wrath and Kindled Zeal, they both serve the same purpose but one of them is better than the other. Amplified Wrath already does it job well with Carrion specs for burns. Changing Kindled Zeal doesn’t add any sort of new flavor or build defining qualities that Amplified Wrath already does.
Burn baby Burn/Searing Flames really doesn’t need that change, with the amount of attacks, lingering AoE and such you will always put out burning in such little time through VoJ. Idealy to make the trait a little more worth slotting it needs to have its own separate ICD per player, so it isn’t bolted down to 1 player every time it procs.
On next attack traits, its been proven unless you’re letting off 1 hit burst like thief backstab, next hit % damage modifiers are quite bad, if however it was duration based, like how Warrior’s Signet of might works(Comparison here is unblockable attacks in place of damage amps) for about 2-3s that would be much better, however you’d need to tweak the percentage down a bit since medi burst guardians are already quite strong in the DPS department already when going that route.
Defender’s Flame as a minor master trait would be too powerful imo, Amplified Wrath guard would get a master a free major trait slot out of that change, paired with 2 points in zeal for Fiery Wrath it really does become free 10% without having to do much to up keep burn procs.
Superior Aria change, as much as increased shout range is nice, moving Superior Aria to Master slot would be a bit of a nerf overall, since there it will compete with Two handed mastery, which GS/Hammer/Staff users benefit from and need since the CD on those weapons are a bit high, mainly hammer though.
Going to add one change to Honor line it would be to give Force of Will 15 to 25% – Condi duration, so it has a little bit more of being a incentive to pick up against condi specs over something like pure of voice which basically means you convert 1 condition into a boon based on 1-3 shouts on you have on your bar.
Kindled Zeal I’d make it into something like transfer a condition when striking a burning foe, while having like kitten ICD. Another idea would be striking a burning foe procs 200 damage for X amount of boons your target has or remove/destroy 2 boons and do X damage per boon removed with a ICD. A alternate version of the last one i brought up would be, based on how many conditions you have on you. It will have power scaling but notsignificant power scaling just a small bit like retaliation scales. Comparable trait with this would be Necro with Terror.
Other than the list everything looks quite good!
My merging of Amplified Wrath and Kindled Zeal was less to “add new flavor or build defining” than it is to merge two redundant traits and open up more room for build variety through new traits elsewhere. Perhaps it’s not necessary and Kindled Zeal already serves to solidify condition/hybrid Guardian builds as a viable build type, but I can’t help but think that they are still lacking. Certainly, Kindled Zeal is the hybrid trait and Amplified Wrath is the pure condition trait, but the latter really didn’t do the job, and, by merging them, I would like to think that I’m making both builds (but especially hybrid/Carrion) more viable.
Radiant Retaliation is a bit of an issue. It’s just plain bad in its current state. It certainly needs something to serve its role as a hybrid or condition damage guardian grandmaster. It may just need a drop on the condition damage ratio (with both power and condition damage factoring into it), or perhaps it needs something more complex, like a Bleed infliction when you are attacked under the effects of Retaliation.
No change to Glacial Heart ?
Your Master Virtue trait “Consecrated Ground” + Adept Valor “Immediate Retaliation” = broken (especially with Adept Zeal “Lingering Vengeance”). Stand in consecrations and do nothing else to gain damage and might stacks …
“In Blackest Night” is also extremely broken (duration is way too long).
“Twin Boons” Regeneration boon is 1 second? That means it is really only good for the Hammer autoattack. It should be 3s and have a 10s ICD (since it is an Adept trait). Remember ‘twin’ would stack with Altruistic Healing so way broken in it’s current state.
All the 10% cooldown reductions are … odd. Everything is based on 20% reductions in traits right now.
Why no suggestions or very little/no addressing of Swiftness boon? That’s definitely a needed QOL for Guardian. In Brightest Day (Zeal GM trait) you suggest is garbage. THAT should be a Adept/Master Minor trait. All Guardian really needs is a “Power Shoes” or “Warrior’s Sprint” equivalent that is tied to Aegis boon or some other similar mechanic (heck, add 25% movement increase to having Aegis boon to Unscathed Contender trait and then call it a day).
IMO, some good ideas but they aren’t thought through in the scheme of overall Guardian build balance.
(edited by Artaz.3819)
Some nice suggestions, though a few of them would really be OP when taken with other traits.
Some traits that are very bad are also left untouched in your suggestions (perfect inscriptions, Unscathed contender, Shielded mind, Supreme justice, etc..)
Overall though I’m happy someone else is tossing ideas out there.