what the hell is the point of blocks if everything in the entire game becomes unblockable?
Well, it’s an arms-race issue. They’re giving out blocks and invulnerabilities like candy.
Consequently, we need more and more abilities which can ignore them.
The correct solution is ofc to restrict access to either, and ideally use it as a class theme:
- One class (and only one!) has access to a lot of blocks and invulnerabilities. Conceptually I’d see this on the Warrior, but whatever, doesn’t matter. A second class has access to a 1-2 duration-based block abilities. Everyone else has only a single-hit block, and only on one weapon, if even that.
- Likewise, only one class is able to pierce vulnerabilities frequently, ideally via a debuff (so the target can react). A second class can pierce in limited quantities, probably as a secondary effect on specific attacks, all on one weapon (easy to identify). That’s it.
We have a lot of elements in GW2’s combat which could be used really well to differentiate the classes, yet the constant arms-race coupled with the “me too, me too, me too!”-approach of many PvP players and the devs genuinely listening to players (IMO always a bad thing in MMORPGs, players know what they dislike but not what they want) leads to classes which are washed out and effects which are all over the place.
The idea of one class and only one class having blocks is bad. It’s like back in gw1 when rangers had evades and warriors had blocks. Some skills were unblockable and some undodgeable. The idea of needing different skills to counter 2 different classes was a nightmare when you have such a small skill bar. Anet decided to normalize everything with good reason here.
Have they really been giving out blocks like candy though? As far as all the base classes go, I don’t think any new blocks have been added throughout the entire game. New specs are supposed to introduce new play styles. More blocks is not a problem. The lack of good counters is. Adding more unblockable stuff also means adding more non reflectable stuff which is just a pain to remember what is what.
Look at fighting games with a pretty simple rock, paper, scissors kind of format. Block stops a punch. Grab stops a block. Punch stops a grab. Importantly, the punch and grab look very different. Having unblockable punches is"messy."
I like the beta Well of Precog (BRING IT BACK instead of aegis) and the new Basi Venom. These are very specific anti-block skills with decently long CDs but powerful effects and seem like decent “grabs.” You don’t spam them randomly vs someone that has blocks. You use the skill to make the next attack unblockable. Importantly, it lets your enemy know that you are using a specific ability which alters their defenses allowing for counterplay. Having interrupts be unblockable wouldn’t have fun counterplay from a “block class” as it would just negate their mechanics. It would be like mesmers being countered by thieves all the time due to class mechanic.
http://wiki.guildwars2.com/wiki/Unblockable
I think the bigger issue is that it’s not easy to learn what is or isn’t unblockable without just memorizing that list. Traps and walls are easy categories to remember. I think the rest of these abilities that are unblockable actually need better tells. Like instead of a red AOE, they can be orange/yellow AOEs. And players that have the unblockable attack buffs glow orange/yellow. Hopefully new elite specs will continue to give walls or traps to more classes and it will become common knowledge of what type of skill counters blocks.
