Guild Wars 2

Hey all. Before I start, I only have a charr reaper, so I’m basing my opinions on that. Now then…

I’m not sure when this was changed—I only recently geared up my necro and started playing him again—but I noticed that the reaper’s Nightfall animation (greatsword skill #4) has been changed. I remember it having the player strike their sword into the ground to create that swirling darkness. There was such power behind it and it felt really satisfying to use that skill. Here’s a link to the skill animation I’m referring to.

https://youtu.be/5NJENoYL8Yo?t=10m9s

Currently, however, the skill animation seems to have been replaced with a rather underwhelming, slow spin. What’s more awkward is that the vortex swirls in the opposite direction that you spin (What???).

Overall, the animation as it is now is very weak-looking, nothing compared to the ground-slamming original. When did they change this, and why? Was it mobility issues? But then the guardian and mesmer doesn’t seem to have any problems with their greatsword skills that use the ground stabbing animation.

Is there a possibility that the animation could get reverted? It’s probably a long-shot, I know, but the old animation just felt so much better and I already miss it!

It was changed to remove rooting. It probably won’t be reverted by now.

The animation may not be as fun, but the skill is a hell of a lot more satisfying to use now because it doesn’t root you during the cast.

I kinda figured it was because of the root… but was it really all that detrimental? The guardian’s greatsword skill, Symbol of Wrath (skill #4), functions similarly, and there hasn’t been any complaints about it as far as I know and it feels just fine to use.

I apologize if I’m nitpicking… I just enjoy the aesthetics as much as the mechanics, and the way it looks now is just weird. At least if they spun in the same direction as the swirling vortex it’d look a little less awkward.

True, it probably won’t be reverted, but I wish they would’ve made the effort to make the replacement animation look just as impactful as the old one.

I wish they’d do the same for Mesmer greatsword #3 and Guardian #4. Rooting should only occur on incredibly powerful skills like Hundred Blades or Meteor Shower.

It won’t be reverted. It was even mentioned by Robert in the elite spec preview. The quote is something similar to how it would look stupid/make no sense to see a character moving with a GS plunged into the earth, which I completely agree with.

DeceiverX.8361:

It won’t be reverted. It was even mentioned by Robert in the elite spec preview. The quote is something similar to how it would look stupid/make no sense to see a character moving with a GS plunged into the earth, which I completely agree with.

I think it looks just fine for the guardian and the mesmer.

On the contrary, I think it looks stupid/makes no sense that the graphics for Nightfall spins in the opposite direction that the character spins the sword, but that’s just my opinion. I preferred the old animation, and the minuscule root was never an issue for me.

Oh well, in the end I’m just one player. It’s not going to kill my overall experience by any means, but aesthetically it does kinda suck. Chalk that in right next to elementalists shooting golf ball sized fireballs and barely visible, egg-shaped auras.

As I mentioned earlier, if the replacement animation at least looked as strong as the old one, I’d be more welcoming of it… but it just looks too… soft.

It definitely won’t be reverted. There were lots of complaints about Nightfall rooting you back before it was changed. Most people hate skills that root you with a fiery passion due to the mobility employed by GW2’s combat engine, and now that they’ve changed it there’s no going back or the complaints about it would be even more than before.

I agree the new animation is lame by comparison. I really like the “sword plunge” animation. All I can do is hope that they never give in and change the last couple of skills that use that animation.