Guild Wars 2

• Our trait that improves Glamours is in Inspirations
• Our trait that improves Manipulations is in Chaos
• Our trait that improves Signets is in Domination
• Our trait that improves GS skills is in Domination
• Our trait that improves Staff skills is in Chaos
• Our trait that improves Scepter skills is in Illusions
• Our trait that improves Sword skills is in Dueling
• Our trait that improves Focus skills is in Inspirations
• Our trait that improves Pistol is in Dueling
• Our trait that improves Torch skills is in Illusions (and PU in chaos, but that only indirectly improves Torch and only affects 1 of the Torch skills instead of both)

• Our traits that improve Mantras are split across both the Dueling and Inspiration traitlines

Even after the nerfs it has received, Inspirations has by far the most inherent sustain of all of our traitlines. It comes with loads of condi cleanse, AoE healing, a trait in each tier that heals (or provides regeneration via Illusionary Inspiration), distortion share, traited for all of that its actually a bit ridiculous how much of our sustain is still locked up inside a single traitline.

Mantras are the only type of skill we have that have their related traits spread out over more than 1 trait line. I think that for the sake of consistency, Restorative Mantras should be moved to Dueling so that this is no longer the case. What this change would do is provide more consistency and cohesiveness (We would only need 1 traitline to fully trait mantras), and it would move some more sustain outside of the Inspiration line. It also would open up the door for mantra builds by only necessitating a single traitline to be able to fully trait mantras, allowing people more freedom in making their build.

I propose that RM is moved to adept tier in Dueling and either

• Desperate Decoy is moved to adept tier Inspirations
  or
• Deceptive Evasion is moved to Inspirations line and Desperate Decoy is moved to GM dueling

I think this change is overdue but would like to hear what other people think about it

I disagree that all of one type of trait should be in 1 line. Mantras are not the only thing that have traits in only 1 line. Let’s look at a few examples:
1) Domination has the signet trait. Inspiration shares distortion and has a Signet of Illusion proc which is affected by domination. Illusions gives reflect on distortion.
2) Speaking of illusions, it has a 20% CD on all illusions which combos with all the listed weapon CD traits.
3) As mentioned torch and stealth is actually in 3 lines (if you count desperate decoy).
4) Interrupt traits are in 4 trait lines and every weapon combo aside from X/torch has interrupts.
5) Blinds are all over the place trait and weapon wise although some of these (blind on chaos armor and blind on glamour) have been removed over time.

HM is about 3 charges (you channel less often) and a damage bonus when you use the skill. In a way it’s a 50% buff to mantras and then an additional bonus damage. That’s comparable to what most weapon or utility traits give. Mantra most likely to be used with this: MoD for the daze in PvP.

RM is about charging often (you don’t want 3 charges because that’s less spam of channels). Like HM, it’s worthy of a trait slot and can stand on it’s own. Mantra most likely to be used with this: Spam MoP (the “dps” mantra) for AOE heals. Most other mantras are not spammed in combat for the healing but charged prior to fights. Furthermore, I’m 100% ok with inspiration being our only AOE healing line.

Both of these stand alone as good enough to be a trait. Some might disagree but I think the real issue is that mantras need a rework. These traits are GOOD. They also don’t synergize with each other nor are they often used in the same situation. Therefore, I don’t see an inherent problem with them being in different lines.

Granted, there is the issue that Dueling or other lines could use sustain. I still don’t think it fits. Dueling is not an aoe healing line. Dueling is a dodge, crit, interrupt, active defense line. If dueling/domination needs sustain, they need new traits. Examples: Heal on interrupt or clear conditions on yourself when you remove a boon for enemies

The issue is not Inspiration in itself. The problem is there is no other traitline / weapon (like ele magnetic wave) that offers a reliable condition cleanse.

I think for Mantras to become viable:
1) Baseline 3 charges, none extra from HM
2) HM instead reduces charge time of Mantras by 33%
3) increase duration of damage buff from HM to better match that of similar abilities in other classes. IIRC Thief is like 15s on a similar buff? Why are ours all horrendously short like 6s on FF, and 10s on HM? Should be 15s at least.

That would leave HM a very powerful and desirable GM trait for Mantra-oriented builds, and also make Mantras and Mantra-focused builds far more viable than now. (The recharge time is simply out of date. It’s always been terrible in fact, but with the pace of the current game it’s simply feels like an eternity to charge them in combat!)

That 33% shaves a tad more than .5 seconds off the charge time, still leaving it well above 1 second.

Although I think the OPs idea has some merit, I don’t really think it would change the fact that Mantras will remain niche at best.

On another note regarding alternate sources of Condition cleansing, I think the Blurred Inscriptions trait in Domination should clear 2 Conditions, which could potentially open up some power builds that don’t need Inspiration. (and would make this trait more competitive with the other 2 options it competes with)