Guild Wars 2

Are spirit weapons going to get improved in the expansion, or nerfed? Just curious. I actually like the concept of them, just not the implementation.

Over all nerfed.

You wont need to spec all over the place to get them anymore but they won’t have the +50% damage trait anymore.

They will also still die quite easily leaving you with a decent sized CD.

Not much changed other than some traits were removed and some made baseline. There is only one spirit weapon trait now.

Shield of the Avenger will still be useful for certain parts of PvE.

Ragnar the Rock.3174:

Over all nerfed.

You wont need to spec all over the place to get them anymore but they won’t have the +50% damage trait anymore.

They will also still die quite easily leaving you with a decent sized CD.

Was that 50% possibly made baseline though? I don’t know if they’ve said one way or another.

Even still, it is very nice that spirit weapon builds will have many more trait options, so even if that 50% does go away there’s still a lot that can make up for it. Looking forward to theorycrafting new stuff for my spirit weapon PvP build (been too busy trying to figure out how to salvage my necros).

The burning on SW strikes would deal more damage than the 50% increase. Honestly I’m fine with them scrapping that benefit is that even if the case, since the trait consolidation is the real prize.

personally i think they might be more viable now. Enough to make them worthwhile? We will see

Asmodal.6489:

personally i think they might be more viable now. Enough to make them worthwhile? We will see

well in the previous and actual game (im already thinking of 23rd patch :X ), SW to be efective guards had to be extremelly squishy, if the AI get slighter improved migh be viable to use with specter, i played a full month with full traited SW on WvW and they were easy to kill still with the hp boost, its was a pain to use and this is being nice….
They were most time skills on cooldown (due massive aoe circles…), altough i do remember a group of ranger that tryed to spike me with LB all arrow got absorbed (shield animation made my fps drop alot due number of absorbed skill/arrow spamming) until one ele 1 shot with fiere the traited SW.
Necros wells also kill really fast SW, warrior bow with condi also can 1 shot SW.

i have been doing duels with SoA SW and its funny how people don’t know what skills are aborved by the SoA SW and it is has extra aegis on command.

if i recall a traited spirit has arround 2.5k to 3.5k health

(edit)
humm theres a trait with 20% damage while aegis+ 10% on >900 range treshold for a LB guardian with spirits weapon might be nice, also having the SW bow taking condis from allies.

Spirit weapons themselves will be a bit weaker, but a build using spirit weapons will be a LOT stronger.

While spirit weapons are losing 50% damage boost, only 2 of the spirit weapons actually attacked frequently enough to gain a benefit from it.

On the flip side, you gain access to 4 more trait slots you otherwise would have had taken up by spirit weapons, which will give you a lot more than the 50% spirit weapon damage ever did.

Spirit weapons are great sometimes, but in general they need more health or sustain to be viable.

what about the 50% increased duration trait that is now gone, too? is this now baseline or removed? otherwise SW would suck hard

Expeditious Spirit: Spirit weapons burn foes for 3 seconds when they hit with an attack. Spirit weapon summon and command skills have a 20% reduced recharge.

Nice spoted guys… that duration its a need in case SW survives the initial of the combat :\ i hope its a tooltip mistake

Manu.1478:

what about the 50% increased duration trait that is now gone, too? is this now baseline or removed? otherwise SW would suck hard

50% increased duration is baseline yes.