Guild Wars 2

How would it turn out?

Instead of “15% chance to block incoming projectiles” it would be “15% chance to block incoming attacks while wielding a ranged weapon”

Discuss.

Melee*

With a rangers low health pool and lack of defensive ability, even 15% isn’t worth building into. If you are up close as a ranger then, you are doing it wrong and projectiles are the least of your problems.

15% to block ALL attacks, not just incoming projectiles may be worth being a grandmaster trait.

15% is too random and unreliable. I thought GW2 was skill-based?

Weapon skill 1 is enough to finish every content in the game. Yep, rly skillbased….

Kain Francois.4328:

15% is too random and unreliable. I thought GW2 was skill-based?

Exactly. During their friday livestream they discussed sigils and runes and how their design philosophy has ‘changed’ to have these types of RNG elements to be more predictable and effective. This joke of a grandmaster trait, unless changed, is a 180 on that philosophy.

15% is kitten i agree. Would be better if it was: You block every third projectile while in melee action. This trait gives the ranger a boon that has 3 charges. When all 3 charges are gone you block and the boon resets.

Mad Pig.2890:

With a rangers low health pool lack of defensive ability, even 15% isn’t worth building into. If you are up close as a ranger then, you are doing it wrong and projectiles are the least of your problems.

Rangers have quite a few evades, besides the usual condi-bunker building. Ironically close range is where rangers are best at, ANet seems to love making our bow skills utterly useless (see: GW2’s poor man Read the Wind).

That being said, the new traits in general are pretty bad. Nature magic one might be okay, but that basically promotes spirit ranger more than ever.

15% is a joke, could we get less RNG on a GRANDMASTER trait please? What is this, Eles get a stance that 100% PREVENTS critical strikes and here I am with my sword/dagger where I MIGHT block something that’s a PROJECTILE… zz

That would essentialy bring back stat defense from other MMOs like dodge/block chance. Not saying it’s totally bad to have those, but they don’t fit current philosophy of game nor they work with current dynamic combat system.

Zoid.2568:

15% is kitten i agree. Would be better if it was: You block every third projectile while in melee action. This trait gives the ranger a boon that has 3 charges. When all 3 charges are gone you block and the boon resets.

Omg, so so so so much this.

Maybe they’ll agree that this trait needs more love.
New trait —> “You and your pet have a 15% chance to block ranged attacks while in melee”

^^

How about “33% chance to block projectiles while you have swiftness”?

Anything that is a XX% chance to proc isn’t fun to use imo. Especially something that’s designed to defend you. If it proc’d quickness or something so we could use it offensively it’s a different story.

I agree with a lot of the above posters. I would much rather have seen it just provide missile reflection when we use a specific skill for X seconds. At least then it would be controllable.

Like if you use a survival skill, you will reflect all ranged attacks aimed at you for X seconds kind of thing.

Atherakhia.4086:

Anything that is a XX% chance to proc isn’t fun to use imo.

Man.. you must hate RPGs

kokiman.2364:

Atherakhia.4086:

Anything that is a XX% chance to proc isn’t fun to use imo.

Man.. you must hate RPGs

This is an MMO, not an action RPG like Diablo. Defensive skills shouldn’t have a chance to work in an MMO, imo. Offensive skills are completely different and I don’t mind it too much.

Take Ele Aura’s for example. Would you cast any of them if they each only had a 15% chance to proc when struck?

Can it be just a flat 15% damage taken reduction?

Atherakhia.4086:

kokiman.2364:

Atherakhia.4086:

Anything that is a XX% chance to proc isn’t fun to use imo.

Man.. you must hate RPGs

This is an MMO, not an action RPG like Diablo. Defensive skills shouldn’t have a chance to work in an MMO, imo. Offensive skills are completely different and I don’t mind it too much.

Take Ele Aura’s for example. Would you cast any of them if they each only had a 15% chance to proc when struck?

I understand what you mean, it’s just that your example is a bit off because most MMOs actually have RNG systems.

Imo not even crit chance should be rng. If you have 50% crit chance, then every other attack should ALWAYS be a critical hit.

Nothing should be RNG in a game where being skilled is what decides the fight.

solrik.6028:

Nothing should be RNG in a game where being skilled is what decides the fight.

So no crits?

Yamsandjams.3267:

solrik.6028:

Nothing should be RNG in a game where being skilled is what decides the fight.

So no crits?

Why not?

Condition damage works without crit. I don’t even know why ‘critical hit’ exists in these kind of games as a probability.

I would like to see striders defense changed to be an on crit heal/regen, or protection

Or

A heal/regen, or protection on weapon swap

Yamsandjams.3267:

solrik.6028:

Nothing should be RNG in a game where being skilled is what decides the fight.

So no crits?

I don’t want GW2 this way, but i’d like to play a MMO where all hits from behind turn into critical hit, and side strikes would be “mini” crits, something like 30-50% of the critical damage.

Kain Francois.4328:

15% is too random and unreliable. I thought GW2 was skill-based?

Nailed it.

Could be 75% for all I care. Would still rather take a more predictable lower number even as a ranger player, just so I can plan my moves better instead of relying on RNG.

solrik.6028:

Yamsandjams.3267:

solrik.6028:

Nothing should be RNG in a game where being skilled is what decides the fight.

So no crits?

Why not?

Condition damage works without crit. I don’t even know why ‘critical hit’ exists in these kind of games as a probability.

I’d like to second this sentiment.

Chokolata.1870:

Can it be just a flat 15% damage taken reduction?

This, but change it so it effects the Ranger and pet. And then give a GM trait in a different line that increases damage dealt in melee range by 15%. There, we’ve solved part of the pet problem.

RyuDragnier.9476:

Chokolata.1870:

Can it be just a flat 15% damage taken reduction?

This, but change it so it effects the Ranger and pet. And then give a GM trait in a different line that increases damage dealt in melee range by 15%. There, we’ve solved part of the pet problem.

So what you’re saying is you want 0/30/30/0/0 to be unkillable to anything that isn’t condi damage and rangers to ascend to become the immortal rulers of PvE and WvW? Got it.

I’d like to see something like;

Strider’s Defense
You have a 15% chance to block ranged attacks while wielding a melee weapon.
You have a 15% chance to block melee attacks while wielding a ranged weapon.
Activate Signet of Stone when your health reaches 33%

Heimskarl Ashfiend.9582:

I’d like to see something like;

Strider’s Defense
You have a 15% chance to block ranged attacks while wielding a melee weapon.
You have a 15% chance to block melee attacks while wielding a ranged weapon.
Activate Signet of Stone when your health reaches 33%

I would accept this, however signet of stone would only apply to your pet unless traited.

Since it is a throwback to a Guild Wars 1 skill, and quite a few of our GW1 skills in GW1 that had a blocking factor were also movement speed increases, why not we change the trait so that it provides a chance to block whenever we are under the effects of swiftness?

Except that’s way too strong, so it should probably be more like “gain Aegis whenever we apply swiftness to ourselves or our pets.” Might be in need of an ICD, might now, I didn’t really extensively think it through like I normally do, I was too excited about how cool I thought it sounded lol.

Make it 15% chance to block while wielding a melee weapon and 15% chance to evade while wielding a ranged weapon, that’s what makes the most sense; besides warrior can make it’s attacks unblockable so what’s blocking using a ranged weapon good for if your enemy can just smash through your bow (IRL anyone?).

Durzlla, yeah, that’s the idea. Its pretty good imo as is, but if you trait into signets too, for a full DPS build, you get great effects, add in runes of resistance and you have your aegis.

Heimskarl Ashfiend.9582:

I’d like to see something like;

Strider’s Defense
You have a 15% chance to block ranged attacks while wielding a melee weapon.
You have a 15% chance to block melee attacks while wielding a ranged weapon.
Activate Signet of Stone when your health reaches 33%

This is only marginally better assuming the stone sig part works like enlargement does now.

Better to have the attack type match the weapon type we have equipped. I’m much more likely to be taking melee damage while using a melee weapon just as I am more likely to be getting hit by a ranged attack while ranging.

“You and your pet gain Aegis when Swiftness is applied or refreshed.”
“You and your pet gain Aegis when Fury is applied or refreshed.”
“You and your pet gain Aegis when Regen is applied or refreshed.”

Pick one?

The above could probably be worded better to avoid having players think that both the ranger and the pet gain Aegis when only, say, the ranger gains the swiftness/fury/regen.

Though, with 15 into Nature magic the pet will get it anyways.

Substance E.4852:

Heimskarl Ashfiend.9582:

I’d like to see something like;

Strider’s Defense
You have a 15% chance to block ranged attacks while wielding a melee weapon.
You have a 15% chance to block melee attacks while wielding a ranged weapon.
Activate Signet of Stone when your health reaches 33%

This is only marginally better assuming the stone sig part works like enlargement does now.

Better to have the attack type match the weapon type we have equipped. I’m much more likely to be taking melee damage while using a melee weapon just as I am more likely to be getting hit by a ranged attack while ranging.

I have to disagree. If you block melee attacks while in melee, that’s far too OP, what’s the point of aegis when a ranger can block 15/100 attacks? CD on aegis is long for a reason.

When you do it this way, you are either in melee, trying to close the gap on a ranged user, or taking dmg in the back. Or, if you are trying to stay at range and melee is attacking you, you can block, in these situations I think its pretty balanced and more to do with skirmishing than survival.

I would the stone signet to be the same as enlargement now. So you can trait for full DPS with signets and have reasonable defence too. Its not like the other classes don’t already have these kinds of traits/mechanics.

Heimskarl Ashfiend.9582:

Substance E.4852:

Heimskarl Ashfiend.9582:

I’d like to see something like;

Strider’s Defense
You have a 15% chance to block ranged attacks while wielding a melee weapon.
You have a 15% chance to block melee attacks while wielding a ranged weapon.
Activate Signet of Stone when your health reaches 33%

This is only marginally better assuming the stone sig part works like enlargement does now.

Better to have the attack type match the weapon type we have equipped. I’m much more likely to be taking melee damage while using a melee weapon just as I am more likely to be getting hit by a ranged attack while ranging.

I have to disagree. If you block melee attacks while in melee, that’s far too OP, what’s the point of aegis when a ranger can block 15/100 attacks? CD on aegis is long for a reason.

When you do it this way, you are either in melee, trying to close the gap on a ranged user, or taking dmg in the back. Or, if you are trying to stay at range and melee is attacking you, you can block, in these situations I think its pretty balanced and more to do with skirmishing than survival.

I would the stone signet to be the same as enlargement now. So you can trait for full DPS with signets and have reasonable defence too. Its not like the other classes don’t already have these kinds of traits/mechanics.

Yes, except guardians have better burst ability than we do, don’t have to choose between damage and sustain like we do, and have boons oozing from their pores.

In a vacuum, 15% block sounds like a lot but it’s not nearly as game breaking on a class that has to rely almost entirely on auto attacks to deal our damage on a power build.

You are right actually, after more consideration, a 15% block chance to all attacks, unconditionally, is probably pretty reasonable. Its not going to save you from a zerg or a perma stealth thief, but it would help sustain. Its also not on demand like guard or war blocking, so I still say it needs Sig of Stone added to it also, at a higher health level than 25%.

For that to be good, signets would need to be applied to the ranger all the time, which is something everyone is crying out for and for good reason. Sig of the Beastmaster could be changed to something like “Signets last 50% longer and apply fury for 5s on activation” and then we would have a killer build imo.

Just to put it into perspective;

Strider’s vs. an 8-hit skill you’d be looking at a 1-[.85]^8 = ~.727 = 72% chance for at least one hit to be blocked.

So currently we’re got a 72% chance of shaving off 1/8th of the likes of Unload and Zealot’s Defense. Extending that to the likes of Blurred Frenzy and 100b is probably not going to break the bank.

The trait seems to be aimed much more at pve than any form of pvp.