Guild Wars 2

My perspective of how balance on Guardian should go.

• Wings of Resolve: Better synergy with Absolute Resolution, removing conditions before the leap.
• Virtue of Corage: Better synergy with Indomitable Courage, giving instant stability.
• “Save Yourselves!”: Add resistance to the group of boons.
• Merciful Intervation: Remove the requirement of ally in the targeted area.
• Sanctuary: Casting time changed to 1s.
• Hallowed Ground: Add burn stacks to this skill.
• Signet of Courage: Unroot player while casting. Improve the healing scale. Casting time reduced to 4s.
• Signet of Mercy: Pulse Aegis each 30s. Remove healing power. Unroot player while casting. Cooldown reduced to 120. Casting time reduced to 3s.
• Zealot’s Defense: Unroot player while casting.
• Sword Wave: Remove the projectile status of this skill.
• Orb of Wrath: Increase the damage of this skill.
• Faithful Strike: Casting time reduced to 1/2s, hit 3 targets.
• Protector’s Strike: Block all ranged attacks, explode in melee attacks.
• True Shot: Increase 20% damage, increase cd.
• Hunter’s Ward: All enemies should be struck by the ward created.
• Cleansing Flame: Remove conditions from player and allies.
• Symbol of Protection: Casting time reduced to 1s.
• Wrathful Spirit: Add swiftness to this trait.
• Shattered Aegis: Increase the scale damage coefficient with power.
• Empowering Might: 2 stacks of might instead of 1.
• Pure of Heart: Change to grandmaster trait and add 1s resistance.
• Force of Will: Change to a master trait.
• Honorable Staff – Allies also gain boon duration.
• Hunter’s Fortification: 10% damage reduce while you have conditions.
• Glacial Heart: ICD reduced to 10s, change the position with Stalwart Defender.

Something I see that could help guardian is Aegis boom should stack now, with all this cc in Heart of Thorns.

Sword #3 should be one giant slash that destroys projectiles while it moves in a path. It should be LB #3 basically, but a sword skill. Maybe give it a wider range.

Merciful Intervention needs to be changed completely. Medis need to be selfish. Make it so we can blink anywhere within a 1200 range and drop a fire field upon blink

That sword #3 = lb #3 idea is kind of interesting. Much better than a root with projectiles. Sword auto should be revamped and changed into pure melee. With all this projection reflect by other classes these days , auto attacking can actually hurt you which is so stupid.

I also agree with changing the cast time of sanctuary. Its an interesting skill but worthless because of its cd and cast time.

for hunters ward i think there should be one big cc ring in the middle, not 5 small ones. less clutter, less cc spam.

guards also lack sustain compared with some light armor classes on bunker/sturdy specs, expecialy if carrying a mace and a shield, and adds a very low support to the team, due how the defensive guardian is completely obsolete.

But overall some of those changes would be interesting to see.

I’d add:

• Hammer auto chain – 1/2s, 1/2s then 3/4s. Direct damage reduced by 22% to maintain old dps.
• Banish – Cast time reduced to 1/3s
• Mighty Blow – 1s cripple on hit. CD increased to 6s
• Empower – cast time reduced from 2.5 to 2s.
• Honorable Staff – Allies also gain boon duration increase within 400 radius.
• Empowering might – radius increased to 400.
• Whirling Wrath – Projectiles removed. Damage buffed appropriately.
• Signet of Resolve – ICD reduced to 8s
• Receive the Light – AOE heal. Allied heal reduced by 10%
• Sanctuary – Radius increased to 180. CD reduced from 90s to forty-five secs(for some reason if I type this as a number it’kitten by the swear jar). Healing scales with power and healing power.
• Signet of Courage – Passive radius increased to 500m. Pulses resistance(2s) at same interval as heal.
• Cleansing Flame – channel time reduced by 1.5s

Ubik.8315:

I’d add:

• Hammer auto chain – 1/2s, 1/2s then 3/4s. Direct damage reduced by 22% to maintain old dps.
• Banish – Cast time reduced to 1/3s
• Mighty Blow – 1s cripple on hit. CD increased to 6s
• Empower – cast time reduced from 2.5 to 2s.
• Honorable Staff – Allies also gain boon duration increase within 400 radius.
• Empowering might – radius increased to 400.
• Whirling Wrath – Projectiles removed. Damage buffed appropriately.
• Signet of Resolve – ICD reduced to 8s
• Receive the Light – AOE heal. Allied heal reduced by 10%
• Sanctuary – Radius increased to 180. CD reduced from 90s to kitten . Healing scales with power and healing power.
• Signet of Courage – Passive radius increased to 500m. Pulses resistance(2s) at same interval as heal.
• Cleansing Flame – channel time reduced by 1.5s

Sounds resonable, except the thing with resistance, that could be OP. Condi removable would be enough.

Piggybacking off of some ideas…

Hammer really needs its cast times reduced.

Ring of Warden – reduce from 40 seconds to 25 seconds; reduce cast time from .75 to .5
Banish – reduce from 25 seconds to 20 seconds; reduce cast time from 1 to .75
Zealot’s Embrace – reduce cast time from 1 to .75

Glacial Heart needs to be on a 5 second ICD instead of 15 and it needs to be moved. It just feels weird that it’s in the second tier Virtues line. I feel as if it should swap with Strength in Numbers from the Valor line.

I’d like to see Purification Trap gain access to 5 seconds of Resistance rather than 10 seconds of Regen.

I’ll provide some adds and reinforcements
sword auto- remove projectiles increase attack speed 20%
Sword 2 flashing blade- add 3second cripple
Zealots defense – remove self root

Great sword 3 leap of faith- evade 1.25 seconds
Whirling Wrath- removed proectiles, increase damage and radius by 20%
Binding blade – improve projectile speed – pulse cripple

Sceptre- smite, improve visuals, like Ray of judgement from gw1, like sky hammer/orbital bombard ment laser, the fists are kittened

Mace- final hit cleave, mace 3 block projectiles and explode when struck wishing melee range

Merciful intervention- teleport to targeted location and heal allies while dazing enemies 1sec also partially resurrect downed allies 15%

True shot- casttime reduced, or can be cast while moving
(Joke)True shot- reduced damage to 20%(again) instant casttime, unblockable

Hold the line- grant resistance
Retreat- grant super speed 3 sec, break stun

Merciful intervention- teleport to targeted location and heal allies while dazing enemies 1sec also partially resurrect downed allies 15%

Spirit weapons are indestructible and cannot be targeted and last as long as long as you have the skill equipped
Spirit weapons have a movement range of 750 radius from you and would not chase target beyond range. Spirit weapons ignore terrain

Trait that allow command skill to execute without breaking spirit weapon would instead decrease command skill cool downsword auto- remove projectiles increase attack speed 20%

Sword of justice- command skill, swap location with targeted enemy 900 range

Hammer of wisdom- every 5th attack daze 0.5 sec

Bow of truth- auto cleanse Condition, command skill convert all conditions to boons

Shield of avenger- grant 4s protection every 12 seconds command skill, place reflect shield at targeted location 6s cooldown 25s

Add a trait that makes aegis block for .25ish seconds after being broken. This would belong ideally in virtues but I hesitate to place it there as other trait lines see no usage. Heck even throw it in zeal with some shifty name and id be happy to try the line again.

—as it stands guards passive defense aegis is a joke. It’s one block in a quickness fast skill meta which is worthless. This change would force attackers to actually bust and aegis knowingly before bursting.

Id like to see the Zealous blade trait boosted from a 5% bonus to 10%, then change the healing per attack from a flat 25 to 7% of all damage done while wielding a greatsword.

I’m not in favor of Whirling Wrath removed the projectiles because we have a combo with Purging Flames.

I added some of feedbacks to original topic.

You can make all the suggestions you want its pretty much a certainty Anet will never use them & pretty much a given at this point that they have no idea WTF they are doing with guardians in PvP.

So if your doing this for fun by all means go ahead but if you expect it to get done I wouldn’t waste my time unless you can abduct & brain wash the entire dev team into doing it.

baroi.3264:

I’m not in favor of Whirling Wrath removed the projectiles because we have a combo with Purging Flames.

I added some of feedbacks to original topic.

I Hope u realize it’s a whirl finisher and the projectiles r generated by the whirl

Zantmar.5406:

baroi.3264:

I’m not in favor of Whirling Wrath removed the projectiles because we have a combo with Purging Flames.

I added some of feedbacks to original topic.

I Hope u realize it’s a whirl finisher and the projectiles r generated by the whirl

obviously

Ragnar the Rock.3174:

You can make all the suggestions you want its pretty much a certainty Anet will never use them & pretty much a given at this point that they have no idea WTF they are doing with guardians in PvP.

So if your doing this for fun by all means go ahead but if you expect it to get done I wouldn’t waste my time unless you can abduct & brain wash the entire dev team into doing it.

Tyler Bearce.3427:

Nerfs are coming for a number of the problematic guild upgrades like cloaking waters, chilling fog and airship defense.

For cloaking waters, the stealth duration is getting reduced dramatically. We recognize that it’s possible that any amount of stealth is too strong, but changing a number is something we can do quickly and safely. Whereas changing the upgrade to do something entirely different requires significantly more time, both in terms of general development (design/implementation/testing) and also in large part because it would require updated text, which in turn needs to go through our long editing and localization process. As for removing the upgrade entirely, that also isn’t really an option, due to how it’s intertwined with the Scribing and Guild Halls systems.

but changing a number is something we can do quickly and safely. Whereas changing the upgrade to do something entirely different requires significantly more time, both in terms of general development (design/implementation/testing) and also in large part because it would require updated text, which in turn needs to go through our long editing and localization process.

Explains the short shortsightedness of development staff when creating balance meta-shift patches.

You took his quote completely out of context.

phokus.8934:

You took his quote completely out of context.

His post was for cloaking waters but the general idea behind balance is the same when applied to profession balance.

Most basic change consolidate symbol traits to one trait line. Consolidate traits which deal with conditions to Radiance.

Hallowed Ground should provide stability and resistance.
Purging Flames should pulse condi removal in addition to removal on cast.
Sanctuary’s healing should be upped or at least provide regeneration
Signet of Resolve should give out stability or protection or swiftness (probably needs a long pulse time and short boon up time)
Signet of Mercy should give out regeneration to you and allies
Signet of Courage should give out resistance rather than heal
Merciful Intervention should drop a water field and not require an ally target
Ring of Warding also provides Protection
Detonating Orb of Light is a blast finisher and the orb moves faster
Empower gives 2 stacks of might
Line of Warding also absorbs projectiles
Smite is a symbol
Sword wave gives the fire condition
Zealot’s Defense- set yourself on fire, absorb projectiles, burn enemies close to you
Shield of Absorption detonation’s healing increased
Zealot’s Flame cures conditions on you, burns enemies around you

Just my 2 cents.

Im still learning but it seems there isnt allot of room for building around dps from symbols, I would love to see some more from that kind of playstyle.

Ryou.2398:

Im still learning but it seems there isnt allot of room for building around dps from symbols, I would love to see some more from that kind of playstyle.

Except nobody stands in a symbol in PvP unless they miraculously got stunned or cced in it.

TheBravery.9615:

Explains the short shortsightedness of….

As opposed to long shortsightedness? I don’t really know what you’re expecting. Development takes time and you’ve been on these forums long enough to have heard that from at least one of the multiple times they’ve stated that during the life of the game and even way before in development.

Ubik.8315:

Ryou.2398:

Im still learning but it seems there isnt allot of room for building around dps from symbols, I would love to see some more from that kind of playstyle.

Except nobody stands in a symbol in PvP unless they miraculously got stunned or cced in it.

Perhaps a talent that adds a “test of faith” like detriment to leaving the symbol area then? cross the line and you get stunned or cc’d or some pretty hefty debuff is placed on you.

Ubik.8315:

Ryou.2398:

Im still learning but it seems there isnt allot of room for building around dps from symbols, I would love to see some more from that kind of playstyle.

Except nobody stands in a symbol in PvP unless they miraculously got stunned or cced in it.

I didnt say for pvp though I mostly meant for pve:)

After trying almost all elite spec this balance is just suggestion for guardians:

- Decrease cooldowns of Shield of Courage to 30 sec but decreasing duration by 1 sec.
- Wings of resolve – evade for 0.5 sec or stability for 0.5 sec upon activation.
- Increase all symbol radius to 260 (just look at scrappers lightning field radius)
- Increase meditation fury boon to 8 sec.
- Greatsword final autoattack gives 3 Might – guardian is only class that cannot stack might easy as others.
- Sword 2# blind and imobilize for 1.5 sec, 3# works as greatsword WW attack – that means you can move while casting but with lower speed.
- Mace 3# grant protection if struck.
- Hammer final autoattack cast to 3/4 and symbol does not pulse protection it gives instant 1 sec protection and symbol gives retalation, 2# increased radius to 300 but only affect 3 ppl, 3# instead of immobilize it actually pulls your foe to you and burn them for 3 sec and cripple for 1.5 sec, #4 cast time 3/4, #5 can cast while moving.
- Staff 2# when you hit target it explode and heals allies around that target
- Scepter 2# smite is a symbol now
- Focus 4# pulses aoe blind for 3 sec every 1 sec
- Shield 4# removing (or destroying) 2 boons from enemy
- Torch 5# aoe 5 pulses instead of 9 breathing pulses

- Passive trait – If you have aegis on yourself increase movement speed for 25%.

Hope this helps.

Ragnarox.9601, like all of those minimal change, the aegis trait for speed would be really really nice, it would fit well on the DH i guess.

And I forgot to mention…there is 1 bug. Annoying one.

If you have 1 stack of stability (given by your longbow attacks) when someone stun, fear or whatever take that stability or aegis of you why does Hunter’s determination activate?It should activate when you don’t have aegis or stability.

What absulutely needs to happen.

• Wings of Resolve: Better synergy with Absolute Resolution, removing conditions before the leap.
• Virtue of Corage: Better synergy with Indomitable Courage, giving instant stability.

If DH is selfish, why are we prioritizing AoE heals in a group as if we’re meant to leap there to support? We absolutely need these two changes for an active counter against other class’s playstyles.

Saiyan.1704:

What absulutely needs to happen.

• Wings of Resolve: Better synergy with Absolute Resolution, removing conditions before the leap.
• Virtue of Corage: Better synergy with Indomitable Courage, giving instant stability.

If DH is selfish, why are we prioritizing AoE heals in a group as if we’re meant to leap there to support? We absolutely need these two changes for an active counter against other class’s playstyles.

You’ve seen in livestreams how they play classes. They balance stuff by their skills not our skills so we now have classes that are 2 tiers better than other, saddly guardian is 3 tiers away from being a good class sitting in their favourite “Good spot” with no friends to play.

interesting bug, if that gets fixed, theres much less happening i the in cluster spam wars, altough i tough that was fixed already.

Expect for that to get fixed when Anet starts realising guardian arent effective as other classes XD.

Also mace trait line needs strong changes as well and some on shield needs to be merged, since game does not invite to engage at melee due some specs still a bit to strong… compared with that guard can sustain when damage is even more sacrificed than the other classes…we dont even have strong boons, the class deppends to much of them.
And saddly Anet keep buffing those specs no matter what on what they are a bit to much.

Invigorated Bullwark is amazingly useless, even on a very very blocky DH build does not help, mace guard at melee range lacks for what the trait requires for its poor outcome of how guardian badly uses the stats(overall performance compared with other classes).

Force of will:
-> Improve healing by 3-4 base on effective health% (guardian sacrifices to much when investing on healinpower stats this trait should at least cover that).
-> Remove +300 vit form trait and make it belong it core, guardian really needs this.

Signet of courage: rename it for Healing party^^, make it heal party members only, Guardian needs to be more team party play, and less cluster buffer.
-> 4 sec cast reduced to 2 sec.
Reduce effect to 6 or 8 secconds, 10 seconds for a very low value is not worthy since needs “Force of will + stats sacrifice” to get boosted.
Reduce CD to 90? seconds since no one uses traited signets on guardian.
Add 1-2 sec of stability on pulse every 6-8 seconds to party only to make it more worthy of its name.

——Staff—-
Honorable staff
-> Halves 20% staff skills
-> Symbols on staff last longer and heals for 120 base ( probably best would be merge Wrist of persistante trait merged with staff, since i would remove that trait to replace 25% speed on aegis).

Orb of light
-> no more detonation secondary skill, since IT BUGS ALOT, Orb detonates on every ally it finds for its range “X allies max”, for each ally healed improves damage on Orb explosion when reach enemy.

Line of warding (needs a small tune)
-> player gain health when crossing it or give another boon while crossing Line fo warding, 1 sec stability or resistantce???

->Change human male empower animation^^.

——Honor:—-

Wrist of persistante
-> trait removed
-> New trait where Guardian runs 25% faster while on aegis, aegis secondary effects improved 10%, since it is a master and needs to have a very easy removable boon, name can stay the same since it makes sense.

Invigorated Bullwark:
-> start +250 and reach 500 + healing power while Guard stays in combat, still more effective than the 0-500 on blocks that only happens when player is blobbed and needs to use all blocks avaliable to avoid or ending get killed in secconds due tons of aoe and cleaves floating arround, even on small scale is useless, it does not help at all, it needs a strong base effect to be viable.
-> keep the 20% CD on mace skills.

Did you really just suggest the removal of Writ of persistence?
This trait makes hammer worthwhile as a supportive weapon with sustained damage.
This trait increases the effectiveness of all symbols (which guardian has a lot of.)

I’m sorry but I oppose your proposition for changing writ of persistence into this.

1. The current trait is fine as it is.
2. Turning the Honorable staff trait into a staff-only Writ of Persistence isn’t justified.
Yes a staff is used to support but a tick of 120 health on a symbol mainly used for stacking swiftness feels lackluster at best.
3. The Honor line is based on supportive teamplay. A selfish trait such as the perma 25% increase in movement is more at home in a line such as Valor which is mostly used for the selfish meditations or Virtues for the Unscathed Contender-synergy.

All in all I do not consider a 25% movement increase trait worthy of demolishing the most useful role a Guardian can currently play.

If you want the increased movement so badly, suggest it to be merged with the Unscathed Contender trait. Maintain Aegis for both an increase in DPS and movement speed.
For my part put the trait higher into the Virtues-hierarchy to compensate for this buff.
But don’t unnecessarily modify the Honor-Specialization for something as selfish and mostly redundant as increased movement speed.

What honour is there to find in running faster while shielded by aegis?
Your suggestion is a glorified permanent retreat which you don’t have to slot.

Nero.8047:

Did you really just suggest the removal of Writ of persistence?
This trait makes hammer worthwhile as a supportive weapon with sustained damage.
This trait increases the effectiveness of all symbols (which guardian has a lot of.)

I’m sorry but I oppose your proposition for changing writ of persistence into this.

1. The current trait is fine as it is.
2. Turning the Honorable staff trait into a staff-only Writ of Persistence isn’t justified.
Yes a staff is used to support but a tick of 120 health on a symbol mainly used for stacking swiftness feels lackluster at best.
3. The Honor line is based on supportive teamplay. A selfish trait such as the perma 25% increase in movement is more at home in a line such as Valor which is mostly used for the selfish meditations or Virtues for the Unscathed Contender-synergy.

All in all I do not consider a 25% movement increase trait worthy of demolishing the most useful role a Guardian can currently play.

If you want the increased movement so badly, suggest it to be * merged with the Unscathed Contender trait*. Maintain Aegis for both an increase in DPS and movement speed.

(…).

That actually looks even better :\ and way more simple to change

Or

Well we could ask for writ of persistence be core on simbols >:}

To add…

Renewed Focus needs to recharge the Virtues on activation and not at the end.
Symbol of Energy – fire field – please, stop with the light fields
Shouts – heal by default; 1200 base
Skills that make you stationary – get rid of it; I’d rather see a decrease in movement then staying still as a sitting target
Shield 5 – turn it into a reflect instead of absorb

I think I can go on but I’ll save myself the hassle and just wait until next week to see what changes they bring to DH/Guardian.

phokus.8934:

To add…

Renewed Focus needs to recharge the Virtues on activation and not at the end.
Symbol of Energy – fire field – please, stop with the light fields
Shouts – heal by default; 1200 base
Skills that make you stationary – get rid of it; I’d rather see a decrease in movement then staying still as a sitting target
Shield 5 – turn it into a reflect instead of absorb

I think I can go on but I’ll save myself the hassle and just wait until next week to see what changes they bring to DH/Guardian.

I expect some nerfs and big ones Warrior was worst elite spec and now is the best We are saddly in last spot called “good spot”.

I don’t even bother anymore. Unless it’s PvE I don’t play DH if I can help it. I’ll play something that’s useful…like any other class in the game.

lets pray for some good news next week!
:)

baroi.3264:

lets pray for some good news next week!
:)

At this point I’d love some. Guard was my first love, these days I just end up being sad at how little impact I have when I play her after spamming a few games on my ele or mesmer.

TheBravery.9615:

Ragnar the Rock.3174:

You can make all the suggestions you want its pretty much a certainty Anet will never use them & pretty much a given at this point that they have no idea WTF they are doing with guardians in PvP.

So if your doing this for fun by all means go ahead but if you expect it to get done I wouldn’t waste my time unless you can abduct & brain wash the entire dev team into doing it.

Tyler Bearce.3427:

Nerfs are coming for a number of the problematic guild upgrades like cloaking waters, chilling fog and airship defense.

For cloaking waters, the stealth duration is getting reduced dramatically. We recognize that it’s possible that any amount of stealth is too strong, but changing a number is something we can do quickly and safely. Whereas changing the upgrade to do something entirely different requires significantly more time, both in terms of general development (design/implementation/testing) and also in large part because it would require updated text, which in turn needs to go through our long editing and localization process. As for removing the upgrade entirely, that also isn’t really an option, due to how it’s intertwined with the Scribing and Guild Halls systems.

but changing a number is something we can do quickly and safely. Whereas changing the upgrade to do something entirely different requires significantly more time, both in terms of general development (design/implementation/testing) and also in large part because it would require updated text, which in turn needs to go through our long editing and localization process.

Explains the short shortsightedness of development staff when creating balance meta-shift patches.

At this point it should be pretty obvious that Anet doesn’t take advice from anyone.

Even if a skill is early on in development and can be changed slightly or entirely they don’t take advice as show by them not changing traps for DH when it was leaked they would have them.

It should also be quite self evident that they have no idea what they are doing when it comes to the guardian and have no intention of it being decent in PvP as can be seen by the repeated nerfs to guard skills over the years which were only ever useful at low end PvP.

So I’ll say again, if your doing this for fun by all means ago ahead but don’t expect them to use your ideas no matter how well supported by the community, well thought out or how well explained.

The best advice I can give you if your not happy with guardian (who in their right mind is) is roll something else.
Rev, ele & engi are all much more flexible then guardians, have more viable builds & can fulfill the same roles just as well if not better.

Ragnar the Rock.3174:

It should also be quite self evident that they have no idea what they are doing when it comes to the guardian and have no intention of it being decent in PvP as can be seen by the repeated nerfs to guard skills over the years which were only ever useful at low end PvP.

One of the problems is: Guardian is to much locked in his concept… while classes like engineer have access to all fields and conditions.