Guild Wars 2

As many of our GW1 veterans will know, there was a skill in GW1 PvP that was effectively removed from the game due to massive nerf, ie Smiter’s Boon. They increased the energy cost and recharge by so much that it was impossible to use it. This gave rise to the term “Booning” as a severe form of nerf.

This was done on purpose, because it was thought that the healing class should not have too much damage and utility potential. Even though they had excellent damage through their smiting line. This was never remedied or rebalanced.

The same thing is happening here with Druid, namely with Lingering Light and the spec as a whole is being turned down immensely due to PvP. The difference between GW1 ‘Booning’ and GW2 is that in GW1, the skills were split, you had the same power in PvE but PvP was balanced much more vigorously.

This is why we need PvE and PvP split in GW2.

I think they will dramaticly change druid with time

I think it will be too late for a lot of the older rangers. To me the LL change wasn’t a deathblow but I hate being nerfed into oblivion with no warning due to pvp players thinking that the ranger has something strong. I split my time between PVE and PVP exclusively and I can see that these two forms of the game can’t be balanced well.

Druid in general needs a rework, it’s something i’m seeing more and more as I play it more. Sure there are roles we’ll be able to shoehorn it into but I don’t think the healing will be needed at all. The content so far, even 90 scale fractals, don’t require any healing beyond what each person brings. Unless raids are a huge level of difficulty above that healing won’t be needed from druid. so why bring one, GoL and frost spotter are still excellent buffs. It’s really nice that GoL effects both condi and power damage but with the super short duration we’d have to spam CAF heals to keep it active on the dps team. that means you’re now reducing the potential dps of the group by 1 man, something the buffs won’t make up for. why not bring an ele or guard who can heal as part of their rotations, provide aegis and team buffs and still bring some of the top dps.

the one thing i wanted from this patch was for ranger to not just be viable in PVE but to have a defined role. i’m ok with a healer role if a healer is needed, it so far seems like it won’t.

Yup, the 1st guys to finish fractal 100 were all zerker/sinister and no heal support except for water fields. So, even if Druid is really desirable for raids, that is only a very small amount of content they will actually be desirable for. Which to me, is a fail.

Druids will not be desirable for raids. elementalists, and guardians will be however. anything that had good water fields and buffs. An elementalist traited in Arcana, earth and water can still dish out major damage with the correct runes.

emkelly.2371:

Druids will not be desirable for raids. elementalists, and guardians will be however. anything that had good water fields and buffs. An elementalist traited in Arcana, earth and water can still dish out major damage with the correct runes.

I really like the look of the Auramancer Tempest actually, good damage, lots of utility, healing and groupd buffing. Something like this I think. Or if you want more defense, you can drop Fire for Earth and take the protection on aura trait.