Guild Wars 2

Has anyone had a problem where Phase Retreat can be blocked and even reflected?

Supcutie hit me up this weekend mentioning that P-retreat was being affected by things like Aegis and even Feedback, but I didn’t have a chance to do any tests myself.

Anyone else notice this?

Fay.2357:

Phase retreat now treats the mesmer itself as a projectile. Now, apply all projectile interactions assuming that basic start.

If a projectile hits a block, it procs the block/aegis and any counters associated with that, and the skill fails to function.

If a projectile hits a projectile destroy, it gets destroyed and the skill fails to function.

If a projectile hits an invuln, it gets destroyed and the skill fails to function.

If a projectile hits a reflect, the projectile is cast by the reflecting party, and the skill fails to function.

Now, all of these are normally straightforward, but with phase retreat it’s a bit more complex. In all these cases, the ‘projectile path’ is the actual path the mesmer takes when teleporting from point a to point b.

In all of these situations, you fail to move at all. However, in all of these situations, you can still produce a clone. That part of the skill is not reflected or blocked. Now, you obviously can’t phase retreat towards someone you have targeted, so you’d need to have someone else targeted in order to produce that clone in some of these situations.

The oddest interaction is reflect. Phase retreat has a 1200 ‘range’, where range only means the range at which a clone will be summoned. When reflected though, the game gets a bit confused, and it interprets that 1200 range as being the actual distance traveled.

The game gets confused in another way too. Normally projectiles go to a specific target, so it sorta takes that assumption and applies it to phase retreat. The game says ‘well, this mesmer-projectile was traveling and hit this guy’s reflect. This means that the mesmer must have been a projectile targeted at this guy, so now I’m going to turn the guy into a projectile targeted at the mesmer’. Aaaaaand then you teleport the person who reflected phase retreat 1200 range directly towards you. If the person happens to be farther away than 1200 range, they will be teleported 1200 range in your direction.

Basically….wow.

Video Up: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cdZYi9k6Nls&list=UUxbSKcFKNHuxPy39xJXNMfA

Bug thread here: https://forum-en.gw2archive.eu/forum/support/bugs/Mesmer-Phase-Retreat-Horridly-Broken/first#post4436924

Pyro and I just tested this. I can confirm it is broken.

Whats happens doing blocks: you nullify the retreat movement and it triggers the block if the staff user is right next to you only. Swirling winds also counts for this in the entire radius of it, whether you try to retreat in or out of it.

Reflects: if you put feedback or any reflect on the staff Mesmer and he retreats in it, you actually pull the reflecter 1200 range towards the Mesmer. Kinda broken lol.

I think I need to upgrade my facepalm emote. My epic picard facepalm is not enough for this one…

frifox.5283:

I think I need to upgrade my facepalm emote. My epic picard facepalm is not enough for this one…

Get the double facepalm for these type of situations

Just a bit more clarification (and pyro will be posting in the bug forum w/video):

If you phase retreat while an opponent is target, through or outside projectile hate skills (swirling winds, untraited warden, smoke screen) OR block skills (illusionary counter, shelter, aegis etc), the port is nullified, but the clone is created.

If you phase retreat on a target behind or inside a reflect, it works as warlord says (this is really weird).

If you phase retreat on an opponent using an invulnerable skill, phase retreat fails altogether (no movement, no clone).

Pretty sure that’s what I observed. Anyone please clarify.

I’ll be uploading a video soon, but I’ll clarify as a lot of this is not quite accurate.

Phase retreat now treats the mesmer itself as a projectile. Now, apply all projectile interactions assuming that basic start.

If a projectile hits a block, it procs the block/aegis and any counters associated with that, and the skill fails to function.

If a projectile hits a projectile destroy, it gets destroyed and the skill fails to function.

If a projectile hits an invuln, it gets destroyed and the skill fails to function.

If a projectile hits a reflect, the projectile is cast by the reflecting party, and the skill fails to function.

Now, all of these are normally straightforward, but with phase retreat it’s a bit more complex. In all these cases, the ‘projectile path’ is the actual path the mesmer takes when teleporting from point a to point b.

In all of these situations, you fail to move at all. However, in all of these situations, you can still produce a clone. That part of the skill is not reflected or blocked. Now, you obviously can’t phase retreat towards someone you have targeted, so you’d need to have someone else targeted in order to produce that clone in some of these situations.

The oddest interaction is reflect. Phase retreat has a 1200 ‘range’, where range only means the range at which a clone will be summoned. When reflected though, the game gets a bit confused, and it interprets that 1200 range as being the actual distance traveled.

The game gets confused in another way too. Normally projectiles go to a specific target, so it sorta takes that assumption and applies it to phase retreat. The game says ‘well, this mesmer-projectile was traveling and hit this guy’s reflect. This means that the mesmer must have been a projectile targeted at this guy, so now I’m going to turn the guy into a projectile targeted at the mesmer’. Aaaaaand then you teleport the person who reflected phase retreat 1200 range directly towards you. If the person happens to be farther away than 1200 range, they will be teleported 1200 range in your direction.

Basically….wow.

Video Up: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cdZYi9k6Nls&list=UUxbSKcFKNHuxPy39xJXNMfA

Bug thread here: https://forum-en.gw2archive.eu/forum/support/bugs/Mesmer-Phase-Retreat-Horridly-Broken/first#post4436924

How the hell did they manage to break this?

This is funny and sad at the same time. Hopefully we’ll get a fix 6 months from now and then the real fix 6 months after that.

Fay.2357:

Video Up: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cdZYi9k6Nls&list=UUxbSKcFKNHuxPy39xJXNMfA

Bug thread here: https://forum-en.gw2archive.eu/forum/support/bugs/Mesmer-Phase-Retreat-Horridly-Broken/first#post4436924

this is one of the most trolly bugs we could ever get, w the reflects i mean, see a reflect wall of a guardian in wvw? lets make him blink to us! and shatter! its nearly like position swap several of us wanted months ago instead of mimic!

Wyrden.4713:

Fay.2357:

Video Up: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cdZYi9k6Nls&list=UUxbSKcFKNHuxPy39xJXNMfA

Bug thread here: https://forum-en.gw2archive.eu/forum/support/bugs/Mesmer-Phase-Retreat-Horridly-Broken/first#post4436924

this is one of the most trolly bugs we could ever get, w the reflects i mean, see a reflect wall of a guardian in wvw? lets make him blink to us! and shatter! its nearly like position swap several of us wanted months ago instead of mimic!

Yep, in spite of the bugs, it could lead to some interesting exploits and should be fixed ASAP.

Brilliant. A way for mesmers to teleport ENEMIES against their will. Thank you ANet <3

Now, does enemy 1,200 range teleport follow the standard LoS/Terrain logic as Blink?

frifox.5283:

Brilliant. A way for mesmers to teleport ENEMIES against their will. Thank you ANet <3

Now, does enemy 1,200 range teleport follow the standard LoS/Terrain logic as Blink?

Yeah, it follows standard blink pathing.

Sadly, for this to be fixed “soon”[sooner than 6+ months], then (a lot) people have to really “exploit” this…
The dev team is honestly so slow at bug fixing (or just being aware of bugs in general) unless it really breaks their game and the bug is right in their face.

I have no clue how they broke it. Maybe they were trying to stealth nerf it and wound up breaking the whole skill, cause you know, incompetence.

Will Phase Retreat become the new Phantasmal Warden? Answers on a postcard.

Is there any other teleport skills bugged out like Phase Retreat? what about teleport skills on other classes?

Anyone tested blink or swap on sword yet

Swish.2463:

Anyone tested blink or swap on sword yet

Yes, and both work fine.

LOL. that is some serious bug on that phase retreat. Probably only happens 1 of every 1000 Phase retreats, but it’s definitely broken. Anet please.

Fay.2357:

Swish.2463:

Anyone tested blink or swap on sword yet

Yes, and both work fine.

oh good, less work for me and more time to level my ele then.

Actually, What about AT and other ranged utilities?

This may not have a target cap. Any chance it works in EotM?

Zefrost.3425:

This may not have a target cap. Any chance it works in EotM?

The target cap is one. Only one person reflects a projectile.

Let us pray it can be abused in order to get it fixed quickly, otherwise it’ll go the way of the Warden. ;-)

It almost certainly must have been an attempt at stealth nerfing PR, I don’t see how something like this just happens by accident.

A little pro-tip for programmers everywhere: If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it!

Did some testing, This “bug” won’t pull you or a foe inside of a wall.. sadly.. needs more testing tho..

It will not pull an engineer or its turret (turret bubble reflects)

If used without a target on a reflective source it will “push” you forward the remaining distance of the skill.

Can be used to pull foes to unreachable ledges (screw yourself over move in a competitive scene)

…

Thoughts on this.

For the love of god find any and all spots and easy ways to suck foes under the map or inside of walls. ANYTHING, and abuse the kitten of it. Get Anet to fix this as fast as possible.

what in the world…lol…wow

As an amateur programmer, I’ve had my fair share of weird bugs but this is one that I have to stand back and stare in awe at how epic it is.

Haven’t been able to play much this patch…but has anyone tested if the reflect pull counts as an interrupt for the target? If so…this can totally be abused by lockdown mesmers lol.

what happens if 2-4 ppl put reflects? do all of em get pulled?

Wyrden.4713:

what happens if 2-4 ppl put reflects? do all of em get pulled?

It functions exactly like every other reflect in the game. Can 3 people reflect one projectile?

Aluren.1896:

Haven’t been able to play much this patch…but has anyone tested if the reflect pull counts as an interrupt for the target? If so…this can totally be abused by lockdown mesmers lol.

Tested this and it functions as only a shadow step. It is not considered a pull or push and does not trigger traits such as mirror of anguish.

All it ends up being is a very jarring teleport for the reflector and a disappointing wtf for the reflectie…

On the other hand, this opens up the possibility: Who wants a skill to teleport opponents?

Fay.2357:

Wyrden.4713:

what happens if 2-4 ppl put reflects? do all of em get pulled?

It functions exactly like every other reflect in the game. Can 3 people reflect one projectile?

Just out of curiosity since I never knew if a projectile gets reflect more than once. Suppose we have one guardians in each team, each decides to cast wall of reflection. Would the projectile like ranger arrows continue to bounce between the walls? If so then who gets pulled when the mesmer use phase retreat between them, both the ally and opponent guardian?

NICENIKESHOE.7128:

Fay.2357:

Wyrden.4713:

what happens if 2-4 ppl put reflects? do all of em get pulled?

It functions exactly like every other reflect in the game. Can 3 people reflect one projectile?

Just out of curiosity since I never knew if a projectile gets reflect more than once. Suppose we have one guardians in each team, each decides to cast wall of reflection. Would the projectile like ranger arrows continue to bounce between the walls? If so then who gets pulled when the mesmer use phase retreat between them, both the ally and opponent guardian?

Projectiles become unblockable after 1 reflect. The only semi-exception to this rule that I’ve seen is on mobs that have a ‘reflects projectiles’ modifier, the only ones I can remember being the jade shards in the solid ocean fractal. They will reflect a reflected projectile…but you can’t reflect that reflected projectile back at them.

Seriously…Anet’s genius and creativity to produce weird mechanics is FA BU LOUS.
This needs a standing ovation and must be stored in the best of repository of game design.

Reflect on its own was already a complete success:
- Selfdying from retal without doing anything: marvelous
- Being self ported to ennemy zerg after a necro decided to launch its own tp skill in your bubble : magnificient
- Random efficiency of the skill which may work …or not on some mobs depending on an arbitrary Anet decision : brillant

But now: putting phase retreat on a projectile like mode…we have reached perfection.

I am wondering if they did not apply this “projectile change” to other blink like skills:
- mesmer sword 3 ? => did someobe tested it on a reflected area ?
- mesmer blink ?
- thief steal => would’nt it explain some issue they are facing nowadays ?
- ele ?
- portal ?

works fine, just find the implimentation peeps.

now dat moa on the other hand, way OP. major nerf needed there

BooDuh.2841:

works fine, just find the implimentation peeps.

now dat moa on the other hand, way OP. major nerf needed there

or replace moa with smth useful! like a 25% movement elite signet!

Wyrden.4713:

BooDuh.2841:

works fine, just find the implimentation peeps.

now dat moa on the other hand, way OP. major nerf needed there

or replace moa with smth useful! like a 25% movement elite signet!

ohh, now that could be candy. do do do do …. can’t touch this!

happy wednesday fellow mez-es!

I can’t help but laugh. The quality of this game is beyond belief. AAA MMO!

Thedenofsin.7340:

I can’t help but laugh. The quality of this game is beyond belief. AAA MMO!

we AIM to please, even if some hamsters call us cheeze

Kicast.1459:

Seriously…Anet’s genius and creativity to produce weird mechanics is FA BU LOUS.
This needs a standing ovation and must be stored in the best of repository of game design.

I am wondering if they did not apply this “projectile change” to other blink like skills:
- mesmer sword 3 ? => did someobe tested it on a reflected area ?
- mesmer blink ?
thief steal => would’nt it explain some issue they are facing nowadays?
- ele ?
- portal ?

^Thief bugs. I wondered the same thing. I’m not even sure I want to play my thief now as it is such a precise class—relatively soft and then the steal/heartseeker bugged.

I know most mesmers won’t shed a tear. Personally, I’d rather every class be bug free than this attitude we see of “haha, your class is bugged, how do you like it?”

Well since this will be bugged for the next 6 months, let’s at least figure out a way to use it effectively. Yeah, teleporting enemies towards you sounds like fun!

someone make a combo out of this new ‘feature’.

I believe this always been the case to some degree for quite some time. If have a warrior and trait missile deflect;
1)hunters shot will stealth you. Always has since it was given the stealth mod.
2)mesmer scepter AA 3rd strike will produce a clone of you.
3) I can’t bothered listing all the other anomalies, but I’m sure you get the point.

Reflect has always had peculiar short comings.

CntrlAltDefeat.1465:

I believe this always been the case to some degree for quite some time. If have a warrior and trait missile deflect;
1)hunters shot will stealth you. Always has since it was given the stealth mod.
2)mesmer scepter AA 3rd strike will produce a clone of you.
3) I can’t bothered listing all the other anomalies, but I’m sure you get the point.

Reflect has always had peculiar short comings.

Yes, reflect has always done interesting things.

Phase retreat turns the mesmer into a missile. This is what is broken. Phase retreat should never have an interaction with reflects in the first place, that’s just patently absurd.

Warlord of Chaos.7845:

frifox.5283:

I think I need to upgrade my facepalm emote. My epic picard facepalm is not enough for this one…

Get the double facepalm for these type of situations

For times such as this…

Sadly before you guys try to find some "exploit "way to use this new “feature”(best in tpvp i can see is forcing a guard leave point for secs)
Block skills will also block your phase retreat
Worst is Swirling Winds ,now it totally kittens all the staff skills beside chaos storm .