Guild Wars 2

So we’ve had a good wee while to play with this now and, bug aside, what are your thoughts on moving vs stationary?

What I’ve come to notice is that a moving iWarden is useless in the exact situation you need it for, i.e. fighting a kiting ranged user. Meanwhile moving vs a melee user typically results in a swift death for the phantasm. Therefor moving iWarden’s are counterproductive to part of their main feature, which is projectile fire and area denial.

Stationary iWarden’s were always reliable for what they did. Summon and attack on cast no matter what. Knowing they didnt move meant being able to retreat to them anytime an attack was up. Keeping them on the field meant the possibility of a combo cleanse with temporal curtain (without needing to summon a new warden).

Moving has its benefits as if it can stay alive and move back into range for an attack, that’s an auto win for the feature. But vs those kiting ranged users, it’s usless, and the probability of its survival goes way down vs melee cleave and aoe attacks.

Thoughts?

Because of the bug I can’t say which I like better. Sometimes I think the moving one would be more useful if the fight moves around a lot, but as you said if the enemy is moving the iWarden follows and can’t start his attack. I learned to reduce this problem with Sword 3 but more often then not the bug prevents the iWarden from attacking then.

I see this bug as even worse than the iBerserker bug and would really like to see this fixed. Then we will see how well it really works.

Would rather have stationary in its current form – at the moment in some situations it’s arguably less useful than the iMage.

Ideally however I’d love it to be ground targeted – needing a target to cast, but can be positioned anywhere you like within 1200 range. Would open up a lot of tactical play.

Here’s an idea of how a moving iWarden would work better.

iWarden spawns and attacks immediately next to target (regardless of if target moves or not). iWarden then remains stationary. When the iWarden’s CD is up he begins moving to his target again. Now, the problem with this is you’d essentially be increasing the time between attacks for the iWarden because you have to factor in travel time (he may not even make it, and in many instances this is what’s happening now). So to balance this, reduce the attack rate of the iWarden by a number of seconds.

So

iWarden spawns and attacks
→iWarden waits stationary for his CD
—>When iWarden’s CD is up, iWarden moves to target and makes next attack
—→iWarden gains new smile of happiness animation.

What about the iWarden simply ‘blinking’ to the target’s position after the attack cooldown? Exactly like it just appears when summoned; no running animation/travel time at all? If the target was stealthed during the ‘blink’ it would remain stationary and do it’s normal attack routine without changing positions.

I do agree though that I miss having a reliable area that I could retreat back too to absorb/reflect projectiles or even get some regen or simple area denial. So…

What if there was a second optional activation like the Scepter #2 block after casting which would root the phantasm at it’s summoned spot, bypassing the above ‘blink’ mechanic? That would give you a few seconds to decide if you want it to ‘blink’ to the target at all, or remain as a stationary area of denial. So one click for blinking iWarden and two for stationary, or the other way around.

Just a thought.

Just realized this might be exactly what you’re saying Ross..hehe…so sorry if I just reworded what you were talking about.

I like that idea, to have it complete one attack cycle on spawning, and then move towards the enemy.

Perhaps put a time limit on the movement – say even if it doesn’t reach its target, after 6 seconds of chasing it will stop and initiate another attack cycle?

Wasbunny.6531:

What about the iWarden simply ‘blinking’ to the target’s position after the attack cooldown? Exactly like it just appears when summoned; no running animation/travel time at all? If the target was stealthed during the ‘blink’ it would remain stationary and do it’s normal attack routine without changing positions.

I do agree though that I miss having a reliable area that I could retreat back too to absorb/reflect projectiles or even get some regen or simple area denial. So…

What if there was a second optional activation like the Scepter #2 block after casting which would root the phantasm at it’s summoned spot, bypassing the above ‘blink’ mechanic? That would give you a few seconds to decide if you want it to ‘blink’ to the target at all, or remain as a stationary area of denial. So one click for blinking iWarden and two for stationary, or the other way around.

Just a thought.

Just realized this might be exactly what you’re saying Ross..hehe…so sorry if I just reworded what you were talking about.

I hadn’t thought of a blink option, but it’s a good idea. It’d achieve that which the devs were intending (moving the iWarden next to its target), eliminate the problems with it chasing, and it keeps it clean and simple.

I think what I’ll do is let this thread run its course, then put up a good post in the balance section to get iWarden back on the right track.

hmm solo i preferred the stationary. before when i fought a pistol thief. i would spawn an iwarden when thief is visible and stand next to him as my protector. now it switches target and runs towards something elese if it can atttack. it doesnt sttack gates anymore it will chase the enemy behind it.but like it was mentioned before there is the bug and i cant really tell its full potential yet.

Bugs aside I like the moving warden. Quite often in PvE mobs are stationary but walk to you if los’d or pushed by players with melee attacks. Moving warden does become a problem if the enemy is constantly moving as well. How about giving warden or even all our phantasms in general superspeed buff?

I hate the moving Warden. I can’t believe players wanted this.

I mean, it doesn’t do what I need it for no more. It’s use was to provide a wall behind or inside which me and friendlies can cover from projectiles.

Now it no longer does that, as it just runs off to follow an enemy. Which also means it uses it’s ability much less often.

I prefer for it to be stationary. It was a great shield, good for setting up combos and, if I needed it for damage, I could immobilize the target before summoning it. Now its nearly useless. Only ranged pets should be allowed to chase because they can’t be as easily kited.

starring warden vs stationary warden?

yeah the chasing is a problem as the warden worked as a shield for me. now it spends more time chasing after targets than attacking.i dont understand why anet changed it in the first place.it was my favourite phantasm and now i hate it.

I stopped using the focus in raids since the change. I only use iWWarden in PvE cause is the only phantasms with iSwordman that goes with the stacking metagame.

I like the moving version better personally.

I tend to use it mainly for offense (namely applying lots of bleeds with Sharpened Images) so having it actively chase after enemies rather than becoming something I have to try and lure enemies back into myself is ideal for that. I’d rather have it waste a bit of time running to the target now and then then have it waste its attack on the air altogether.

I can definitely see where other people are coming from and disliking the change, though. It can serve two very different functions and each movement style is suited better for one of them. Short of making some sort of option to select which version you want (and I don’t know if that’s even possible in the current engine unless it was attached to a trait) I don’t know how they could please both sides.

Well as far as that goes, the Duelist is much better a Phantasms for bleeds, procs and offence. So I really don’t see the role for the Warden there much except for AE situations (and then I’d rather be using GS, Staff or just dual-swords).

Well you still got your reflection and pull on 4 wich is still strong. The warden is great IF he attacks. Normally he does, but the problems seem to be big or flying enemies where the warden tries to get close enough to the center of the enemy wich leaves him in a long starring contest…

Even stacked I’ll open with 2 zerkers into warden and sword cleave til the end or if it lasts longer simply sword sword + focus. Taking a GS or staff won’t grant you more dps since the main aoe comes from the sword aa.

Impossible to tell with the bug since mine typically never live long enough to attack now..