Guild Wars 2

Seems like Reaper will be able to achieve 25 Stacks of Vulnerability on it’s own with minimal work.

Bitter Chill - Chilling a foe inflicts vulnerability. (5 Stacks lasting 8 seconds)

Death Shiver - Constantly apply vulnerability to nearby foes while in Death Shroud. (6 Stacks lasting 10 seconds every 3 seconds). That’s 18 stacks

Unyielding Blast - Life Blast pierces and causes vulnerability (2 Stacks lasting 10 seconds).

These last 2 Traits will probably affect Reaper’s Shroud. Would make 0 sense if not.

Probably not enough of a group buff in PvE…but it’s a start! Thoughts on this?

Yeah, definitely not bad. If you also trait for +50% crit chance in DS I think we’ll be a force to be reckoned with. Probably not enough to make us “meta”, but it’s a buff compared to our current state.

Necro’s already had good vulnerability burst with well of agony and focus 4, signet of spite. Not to mention the godawful axe.

This change would put us in direct competition with Engineers yet Engineers have the most blast finishers in the game, access to blocks, easy access to vigor and swiftness and access to the best combo fields in the game.

Simply providing 25 stacks of Vulnerability isn’t enough, however, if we’re given access to a unique damage buff similar to Spotter or something similar then we might finally get placed in the “okay” tier of play. Here’s hoping!

Good vuln burst doesn’t compare to what we’re going to get now. We’ll be vuln-stacking machines, and it will be consistent.

Bhawb.7408:

Good vuln burst doesn’t compare to what we’re going to get now. We’ll be vuln-stacking machines, and it will be consistent.

“Please keep in mind that the current numbers are not finalized.” ~Jon Peters

I would be highly suspect if chilling stayed with 5 stacks, or that we can so easily maintain 18 stacks just by being in DS. …It’d be cool if it did stay, though.

Bhawb.7408:

Good vuln burst doesn’t compare to what we’re going to get now. We’ll be vuln-stacking machines, and it will be consistent.

Im more excited about the permanent chill. If it reduces pve damage by a significant amount, kinda like a protection that doesn’t overwrite firefields. The vulnerability is just the icing on the cake

Vizardlorde.8243:

Necro’s already had good vulnerability burst with well of agony and focus 4, signet of spite. Not to mention the godawful axe.

Yeah but the active part of Signet of Spite and the Axe are not worth using for the vulnerabilty. And the well can mess up attepts to blast might for the party.

The vulnerability sources I listed are better and if we get good damage in Reaper’s Shroud & Greatsword our viability will be much improved.

Id be fine if bitter chill was reduced to 3 stacks of vuln with 10 second duration. It would be the same as blind exposure that way. Burst vuln is no where near as good as sustained vuln. So its certainly an improvement for PvE. But just having vuln wont be enough especially considering how much other classes already have and the extra guard is getting. So we need the damage aswell.

Vulnerability is condition that’s easily added by every profession in game. What matter is the % increase of personnal damage that you can stir out of your traits. At the moment curse and spite are mandatory for close to death and target the weak. Sacrificing one of them is a net loss.

Beside, I think the dungeon meta will go for spitefull talisman who grant 5% damage against foes that don’t have boons (pretty much 90% of PvE mobs) instead of bitter chill. Bitter chill is more of a PvP trait that would work great if there is really a chill effect on the GS auto.

Rising Dusk.2408:

“Please keep in mind that the current numbers are not finalized.” ~Jon Peters

I would be highly suspect if chilling stayed with 5 stacks, or that we can so easily maintain 18 stacks just by being in DS. …It’d be cool if it did stay, though.

Well…Engineers already max vulnerability by spamming Grenades (while putting a lot of bleed stacks). We are the “Condition Masters” (LOL!)…why shouldn’t we be capable of doing the same? :P

Dadnir.5038:

Vulnerability is condition that’s easily added by every profession in game. What matter is the % increase of personnal damage that you can stir out of your traits. At the moment curse and spite are mandatory for close to death and target the weak. Sacrificing one of them is a net loss.

Target the weak is not necessary if you go the soul reaping route and pick Death’s perception. Soul reaping makes for a great alternative for a powerbuild .

The problem with a vuln stacking necro is that every class already applies a little vuln, so a normal group holds 10-ish stacks by themselves. If i remember correctly, necros are getting more vuln traits, and traits that to increased damage to targets with vulnerability. So yes, we can single handedly maintain 25 our selves, but other classes together could maintain 10-20, and deal more damage than we could (not counting the spec that was released today, that i am just now reading!)

Darwec.3784:

The problem with a vuln stacking necro is that every class already applies a little vuln, so a normal group holds 10-ish stacks by themselves. If i remember correctly, necros are getting more vuln traits, and traits that to increased damage to targets with vulnerability. So yes, we can single handedly maintain 25 our selves, but other classes together could maintain 10-20, and deal more damage than we could (not counting the spec that was released today, that i am just now reading!)

And provide Might, Fury, banners, spotter/spirits, reflects, vigor, stealth and blast finishers.

Dadnir.5038:

…

Target the Weak is going to be changed. It’s a pretty small sacrifice now.

Vizardlorde.8243:

Dadnir.5038:

Vulnerability is condition that’s easily added by every profession in game. What matter is the % increase of personnal damage that you can stir out of your traits. At the moment curse and spite are mandatory for close to death and target the weak. Sacrificing one of them is a net loss.

Target the weak is not necessary if you go the soul reaping route and pick Death’s perception. Soul reaping makes for a great alternative for a powerbuild .

There will be more condition with HoT making Target the weak even more desirable. If, actually you can count on an average 5 conditions from your party (10% more damage) after HoT, it will probably be 7-8 conditions (let’s say 14% damage). Do you really think that the 5% from SR can compete with that?

Rexx.1805:

Dadnir.5038:

…

Target the Weak is going to be changed. It’s a pretty small sacrifice now.

Well that depends if you have 101+% crit damage and less than 80% crit chance with fury then its stronger than before ( against non crit immune mobs). Banner of discipline and spotter will also affect its usefulness. (the closer to 100% the less desirable it becomes)

Dadnir.5038:

Vizardlorde.8243:

Dadnir.5038:

Vulnerability is condition that’s easily added by every profession in game. What matter is the % increase of personnal damage that you can stir out of your traits. At the moment curse and spite are mandatory for close to death and target the weak. Sacrificing one of them is a net loss.

Target the weak is not necessary if you go the soul reaping route and pick Death’s perception. Soul reaping makes for a great alternative for a powerbuild .

There will be more condition with HoT making Target the weak even more desirable. If, actually you can count on an average 5 conditions from your party (10% more damage) after HoT, it will probably be 7-8 conditions (let’s say 14% damage). Do you really think that the 5% from SR can compete with that?

It’s getting changed to bonus crit chance, so not that big of a buff anymore. Death Perception will probably outdo it in terms of dps increase.

Yeah, sorry, seem like I didn’t saw that they also kitten up this trait… I’m even more disappointed…

Dadnir.5038:

Vizardlorde.8243:

Dadnir.5038:

Vulnerability is condition that’s easily added by every profession in game. What matter is the % increase of personnal damage that you can stir out of your traits. At the moment curse and spite are mandatory for close to death and target the weak. Sacrificing one of them is a net loss.

Target the weak is not necessary if you go the soul reaping route and pick Death’s perception. Soul reaping makes for a great alternative for a powerbuild .

There will be more condition with HoT making Target the weak even more desirable. If, actually you can count on an average 5 conditions from your party (10% more damage) after HoT, it will probably be 7-8 conditions (let’s say 14% damage). Do you really think that the 5% from SR can compete with that?

SR wont be only about the damage modifier. If the new class mechnanic is as good as they are trying to sell it, the reduced CDs + the guaranteed crits + the damage modifier could easily outweigh the guaranteed crits from curses.