Guild Wars 2

“Gain aegis when you are struck while below the health threshold.” – threshold = 50%

The description seems pretty awesome for an adept minor, no?

Until you dig abit further. This awesomeness comes with rather a huge catch. The aegis lasts for an awesome duration of 3 seconds and with internal cool down of 90s second, quite spammable. Being frugal is not always a virtue.
The Aegis is powerful when it’s timed skillfully, and trash when it just pops randomly. This traits is the latter. At best it will more likely just block a tick of lava font or just one of the hits of 100blades. And 3 second duration? we all know how slow pve mob attack. Why can’t it be 10s, or even just 5s when it will just block another attack soon. I dont understand this stinginess in the way skill designer handing out the numbers. The worst insult is probably the 90 second internval recharge. Basically they are saying: “only once per encounter (and hopefully it will be useful..hopefully), thou shalt not ask for more!”. I understand it will be rather powerful without internal cool down. But this 90s is beyond human commonsense. Its usefulness is already limited by the randomness of your cause to hit 50% health. Why 90s cd? For that functionality, why not 30s, kitten , and.. fine! if you insist that the Guardian is already perfect, why not 60s. The Elem’s armor of earth trait deserves a high CD because it’s a powerful and reliable effect obviously. But a 3 second aegis is not likely a life saver and certainly dont deserve a 90s cd.
I understand it’s in Anet’s perspective that the Guardian currently stand at such a flawless stage that a little twist will enly destroy the balance of the universe ( don’ we all seem to have a hard time remember when was their last input in the Guardian forum?). But as with many other thing not so perfect about the Guardian that players have put time to point out, they should ask themself maybe it’s them (anet).

quaniesan.8497:

“Gain aegis when you are struck while below the health threshold.” – threshold = 50%

The description seems pretty awesome for an adept minor, no?

Until you dig abit further. This awesomeness comes with rather a huge catch. The aegis lasts for an awesome duration of 3 seconds and with internal cool down of 90s second, quite spammable. Being frugal is not always a virtue.
The Aegis is powerful when it’s timed skillfully, and trash when it just pops randomly. This traits is the latter. At best it will more likely just block a tick of lava font or just one of the hits of 100blades. And 3 second duration? we all know how slow pve mob attack. Why can’t it be 10s, or even just 5s when it will just block another attack soon. I dont understand this stinginess in the way skill designer handing out the numbers. The worst insult is probably the 90 second internval recharge. Basically they are saying: “only once per encounter (and hopefully it will be useful..hopefully), thou shalt not ask for more!”. I understand it will be rather powerful without internal cool down. But this 90s is beyond human commonsense. Its usefulness is already limited by the randomness of your cause to hit 50% health. Why 90s cd? For that functionality, why not 30s, kitten , and.. fine! if you insist that the Guardian is already perfect, why not 60s. The Elem’s armor of earth trait deserves a high CD because it’s a powerful and reliable effect obviously. But a 3 second aegis is not likely a life saver and certainly dont deserve a 90s cd.
I understand it’s in Anet’s perspective that the Guardian currently stand at such a flawless stage that a little twist will enly destroy the balance of the universe ( don’ we all seem to have a hard time remember when was their last input in the Guardian forum?). But as with many other thing not so perfect about the Guardian that players have put time to point out, they should ask themself maybe it’s them (anet).

The problem comes with Aegis/Blocking traits that have the potential to be Overpowered in encounters. When they test and balance it, they test it at maximum potential, meaning with all traits that affect Aegis and Blocking active at max stats along with any chain of effects(see below example) then adjust the balance for it to not be broken. However, Aegis/Blocking traits never even reach half of their full potential in combat situations.

You are probably using Valorous Defense as is, gaining only Aegis(1 block) at 50% health.

But when balancing, Valorous Defense is considered as:
Free block on the next attack at 50% health.(Aegis)
Increased damage by 20% at 50% health.(Unscathed Contender)
Heals you for 645 at 50% health.(Pure of Heart)
Deals 146 AoE damage at 50% health.(Shattered Aegis)
Gain 3s Retaliation at 50% health.(Wrathful Spirit)
Gain 1 stack of Might at 50% health.(Blocking + Might of Protector)
Inflict 1s of Burning at 50% health.(Blocking + Defender’s)
Increased damage by 10% for 1s at 50% health.(Defender’s Flame + Fiery Wrath)
Removes a Boon from foe at 50% health.(Defender’s Flame + Searing Flames)
Heals you for 210 at 50% health.(Aegis + Retaliation + Might + Altruistic Healing)

Even though no good build can feasibly contain all that, the balance is around that. The minor trait is considered to be giving you ALL of the above for FREE at 50% health. Which ones you take out of all these effects is then up to you.

Also taken in consideration are
The maximum possible stats for each of these effects.
(such as Pure of Heart heals for 1500 at 2k Healing Power)
Any other effects you may gain from any Runes.

Valorous Defense never reaches its full potential but is balanced around it being at full potential.

Another example of another trait that never reaches full potential.
Shattered Aegis (When an aegis you applied is removed, it damages nearby foes.).
People have been screaming NERF on this trait in the last balance patch where it changed from applying Burning when Aegis is removed to doing damage barely worth a Burning tick.
But know this: Shattered Aegis is not balanced around things like Valorous Defense, but more around Virtue of Courage.
It barely does 200 damage when Aegis is removed.
But consider this:
200 damage per Aegis
5 Aegis
5 Foes for each Aegis
If an enemy hits your whole party with a big AoE, you did
200 * 5 * 5 AoE damage(5k damage total divided at 1k per foe if we consider the same 5 foes) to nearby foes while also blocking the AoE. Free extra 1k AoE damage when activating Courage or Retreat. This potential is clearly never realistically reached due to number of foes/allies and positioning.