Guild Wars 2

Ranger Warhorn has gotten some nice additions to its (5) Skill ‘Call of the Wild’ recently (Regen when Traited, increase to 3 might stacks instead of 1), but Hunter’s Call still feels lackluster. Now before we begin, let me mention something pretty interesting.

Superior Runes of the Mad King.

The 6th rune bonus spawns EXACTLY the same attack as Hunter’s Call, it’s even called ’Hunter’s Call’ in the combat log, only, it uses the old 900 range and it applies up to 3 enemies in an AoE. You see me coming.

Hunter’s Call Activation Time: 0.75s Cooldown: 25s
Call hawks to swarm foes around you.

• Damage (12x): 600 – Current Hunter’s Call is 36 dmg per hit for 16 hits, this one would be 50 per hit for 12 hits
• Humber of Targets: 3
• Duration: 4s – old duration is 5 seconds for 16 hits
• Radius: 800 – Yes, current HC is 1200 but needs a target. It’s a slight nerf, but its balanced as it affects ANY 3 foes in a 800 radius. Rune of the Mad King is a 900 range

So there you go:

• Remove the target necessity
• Make it an AoE 800 radius skill that affects up to 3 foes
• Lower the hits to 12 hits (from 16) but make the hits deal 50 dmg (from 36)
• Make the attack last 4s instead of 5s
• Activation time lowered from 1s to 0.75s

Such changes would add GREAT offensive utility against mobs, in PvP, in WvW.
Also, much like the mad king rune’s 6th effect (or current Hunter’s Call), it would obviously apply to stealthed foes, only the birds would remain invisible as long as foe is stealthed (as it currently works)

So, let me get this straight. You made Hunter’s Call to be applied on 3 targets like the 6th bonus of Rune of the Mad King, then nerf its radius by 100 less than the Mad King Runes, even though the Runes don’t require a target, but our Hunter’s Call does.

You could have simply stopped at, “Update Hunter’s Call like the Mad King Runes so it summons hawks on 3 targets.”

I was originally gonna suggest a 750 radius as it would become a pretty strong on demand AoE direct damage skill

Of the Mad King still has a Forty-Five seconds Cooldown on its effect too, so it can keep tis 900 radius and 16 hits (more on crit procs with it)

Also please fix the bugs

• Does not work on structures (Tequatl’s fingers for example)
• If you are blind while activating it, the entire skill won’t deal any damage
• If you activate it on an already blocking target, the entire skill won’t deal any damage (even if the blocking stance has ended)
• Still has many issues with ‘obstructed’ targets (for both the activation phase and the attack phase)

Wondrouswall.7169:

So, let me get this straight. You made Hunter’s Call to be applied on 3 targets like the 6th bonus of Rune of the Mad King, then nerf its radius by 100 less than the Mad King Runes, even though the Runes don’t require a target, but our Hunter’s Call does.

You could have simply stopped at, “Update Hunter’s Call like the Mad King Runes so it summons hawks on 3 targets.”

That is how I would like to see it. No requirement to target either.

It is difficult to balance Hunter’s Call (or warhorn in general) when two good runesets and a trait compete with it directly.

While you could say just super buff warhorn skills to overshadow the runes and trait (or nerf the runes and trait?) maybe it would be easier to redesign Hunter’s Call.

Hunter’s Call may not be identical to barrage, bonfire or whirling defense but it is essentially another fast ticking skill comparable to also rapidfire. Making it hit more targets won’t really add anything remarkable to ranger.

A crazy thought I had was making the skill summon some npcs for a duration (5) that would cap out enemy aoe (prioritizing them) while also doing something else ofcoarse.
Maybe 5 animals each doing something different. 1 boon removal, 1 condi removal, 1 soft cc, 1 condi focus and 1 dmg focused? Would last 5sec on 30sec recharge?

Justine.6351:

It is difficult to balance Hunter’s Call (or warhorn in general) when two good runesets and a trait compete with it directly.

No, it’s not. Adding 2 more targets to summon swarms is fine. If a Ranger wants to trait for it so it can cast it 5s faster, then they take NM and there’s a sacrifice due to trait choice.

If they wanna slap on the Mad King Runes and pop their elite for another swarm, there’s a price paid. It’s almost no different than casting Warhorn 4 after Quickdraw, except now you’re hitting 2 additional targets.

If anything, it’s a buff and a nerf, because group retaliation is now more effective against horn blowers. If they want, they can increase the cooldown.

Wondrouswall.7169:

Justine.6351:

It is difficult to balance Hunter’s Call (or warhorn in general) when two good runesets and a trait compete with it directly.

No, it’s not. Adding 2 more targets to summon swarms is fine. If a Ranger wants to trait for it so it can cast it 5s faster, then they take NM and there’s a sacrifice due to trait choice.

If they wanna slap on the Mad King Runes and pop their elite for another swarm, there’s a price paid. It’s almost no different than casting Warhorn 4 after Quickdraw, except now you’re hitting 2 additional targets.

If anything, it’s a buff and a nerf, because group retaliation is now more effective against horn blowers. If they want, they can increase the cooldown.

Totally agree, it would be a good skill if it had 3 targets.

@ Justine
If it hit more targets, it would be near guaranteed 25 might for your pet under SoTP and or Companions Might, would also add some much needed AoE, would be usable with any build too. Plus, the code would be a straight cut and paste. More likely to happen. That is most of the reason we’d suggest this change, its just easy for them to do.

Wondrouswall.7169:

Justine.6351:

It is difficult to balance Hunter’s Call (or warhorn in general) when two good runesets and a trait compete with it directly.

No, it’s not. Adding 2 more targets to summon swarms is fine.

Balance was a poor choice of word.
What I mean is, there is nothing you can do to Hunter’s Call as is that will make it “viable” when you can still just run one of the 2 runes sets and/or the trait Clarion Bond.

In what instance should you choose warhorn with 5 target hunter’s call?

power? lol take clarion bond, rune of the pack. open slot for offhand axe or dagger.
condi? take madking rune. open slot for torch or dagger.
support? sure. Call of the Wild, can even stack it with pack runes.

Ok so support. Now how does making Hunter’s Call 5 target really improve warhorn? Would 5 target Hunter’s Call be an improvement? Yes, but why half fix a skill?

Thinking they will more likely jump at meeting halfway on a skill change because it seems easier to incorporate is setting yourself up for disappointment when that half measure change proves to be meh. Suggest a change that brings the skill into play for more then just “lols it looks awesome”. Spam dmg tics on multiple foes is already easy to achieve on ranger.

I think Hunter’s Call would be a great place to put a “reveal” debuff active skill, for the duration of the hawk’s attack.

Haha! Sure, sure. Viable. It’s a mediocre skill attached to a weapon that was more redundant because the best skill about it is on a trait. Why half fix a skill? Because it’s realistic low-hanging fruit.

Good luck though thinking it maybe easier for Anet to rework it. The best Hunter’s Call can hope for is upping the target count and maybe adding in a condition like blind.

Justine.6351:

Wondrouswall.7169:

Justine.6351:

It is difficult to balance Hunter’s Call (or warhorn in general) when two good runesets and a trait compete with it directly.

No, it’s not. Adding 2 more targets to summon swarms is fine.

Balance was a poor choice of word.
What I mean is, there is nothing you can do to Hunter’s Call as is that will make it “viable” when you can still just run one of the 2 runes sets and/or the trait Clarion Bond.

In what instance should you choose warhorn with 5 target hunter’s call?

power? lol take clarion bond, rune of the pack. open slot for offhand axe or dagger.
condi? take madking rune. open slot for torch or dagger.
support? sure. Call of the Wild, can even stack it with pack runes.

Ok so support. Now how does making Hunter’s Call 5 target really improve warhorn? Would 5 target Hunter’s Call be an improvement? Yes, but why half fix a skill?

Thinking they will more likely jump at meeting halfway on a skill change because it seems easier to incorporate is setting yourself up for disappointment when that half measure change proves to be meh. Suggest a change that brings the skill into play for more then just “lols it looks awesome”. Spam dmg tics on multiple foes is already easy to achieve on ranger.

If it affected 5 targets, I would;

• Replace Dagger in any build that uses it
• Take it any time I’m using Sharpened Edges
• Take it any time I’m playing support Druid
• Take it all the time if they improve the AF generation from damage.

Heimskarl Ashfiend.9582:

Justine.6351:

Wondrouswall.7169:

Justine.6351:

It is difficult to balance Hunter’s Call (or warhorn in general) when two good runesets and a trait compete with it directly.

No, it’s not. Adding 2 more targets to summon swarms is fine.

Balance was a poor choice of word.
What I mean is, there is nothing you can do to Hunter’s Call as is that will make it “viable” when you can still just run one of the 2 runes sets and/or the trait Clarion Bond.

In what instance should you choose warhorn with 5 target hunter’s call?

power? lol take clarion bond, rune of the pack. open slot for offhand axe or dagger.
condi? take madking rune. open slot for torch or dagger.
support? sure. Call of the Wild, can even stack it with pack runes.

Ok so support. Now how does making Hunter’s Call 5 target really improve warhorn? Would 5 target Hunter’s Call be an improvement? Yes, but why half fix a skill?

Thinking they will more likely jump at meeting halfway on a skill change because it seems easier to incorporate is setting yourself up for disappointment when that half measure change proves to be meh. Suggest a change that brings the skill into play for more then just “lols it looks awesome”. Spam dmg tics on multiple foes is already easy to achieve on ranger.

If it affected 5 targets, I would;

• Replace Dagger in any build that uses it
• Take it any time I’m using Sharpened Edges
• Take it any time I’m playing support Druid
• Take it all the time if they improve the AF generation from damage.

*Dagger is used offhand of axe for a reason.
*If you are using sharpened edges you are condi and using torch. If you are using torch then you are using sword mainhand for same reason you use dagger in offhand while using axe mainhand.
*playing support druid, OK you can tag foes while giving out boons.
*AF generator, OK if they bump to 1%.

I mean if we are talking pve you can run pretty much anything I suppose.

Justine.6351:

Heimskarl Ashfiend.9582:

Justine.6351:

Wondrouswall.7169:

Justine.6351:

It is difficult to balance Hunter’s Call (or warhorn in general) when two good runesets and a trait compete with it directly.

No, it’s not. Adding 2 more targets to summon swarms is fine.

Balance was a poor choice of word.
What I mean is, there is nothing you can do to Hunter’s Call as is that will make it “viable” when you can still just run one of the 2 runes sets and/or the trait Clarion Bond.

In what instance should you choose warhorn with 5 target hunter’s call?

power? lol take clarion bond, rune of the pack. open slot for offhand axe or dagger.
condi? take madking rune. open slot for torch or dagger.
support? sure. Call of the Wild, can even stack it with pack runes.

Ok so support. Now how does making Hunter’s Call 5 target really improve warhorn? Would 5 target Hunter’s Call be an improvement? Yes, but why half fix a skill?

Thinking they will more likely jump at meeting halfway on a skill change because it seems easier to incorporate is setting yourself up for disappointment when that half measure change proves to be meh. Suggest a change that brings the skill into play for more then just “lols it looks awesome”. Spam dmg tics on multiple foes is already easy to achieve on ranger.

If it affected 5 targets, I would;

• Replace Dagger in any build that uses it
• Take it any time I’m using Sharpened Edges
• Take it any time I’m playing support Druid
• Take it all the time if they improve the AF generation from damage.

*Dagger is used offhand of axe for a reason.
*If you are using sharpened edges you are condi and using torch. If you are using torch then you are using sword mainhand for same reason you use dagger in offhand while using axe mainhand.
*playing support druid, OK you can tag foes while giving out boons.
*AF generator, OK if they bump to 1%.

I mean if we are talking pve you can run pretty much anything I suppose.

Is there a rule book somewhere I missed that states MH Axe needs to run dagger OH? There are other options, if HC was 5 targets, I would never use dagger, I don’t find the evade necessary, really.

Heimskarl Ashfiend.9582:

Justine.6351:

Heimskarl Ashfiend.9582:

Justine.6351:

Wondrouswall.7169:

Justine.6351:

It is difficult to balance Hunter’s Call (or warhorn in general) when two good runesets and a trait compete with it directly.

No, it’s not. Adding 2 more targets to summon swarms is fine.

Balance was a poor choice of word.
What I mean is, there is nothing you can do to Hunter’s Call as is that will make it “viable” when you can still just run one of the 2 runes sets and/or the trait Clarion Bond.

In what instance should you choose warhorn with 5 target hunter’s call?

power? lol take clarion bond, rune of the pack. open slot for offhand axe or dagger.
condi? take madking rune. open slot for torch or dagger.
support? sure. Call of the Wild, can even stack it with pack runes.

Ok so support. Now how does making Hunter’s Call 5 target really improve warhorn? Would 5 target Hunter’s Call be an improvement? Yes, but why half fix a skill?

Thinking they will more likely jump at meeting halfway on a skill change because it seems easier to incorporate is setting yourself up for disappointment when that half measure change proves to be meh. Suggest a change that brings the skill into play for more then just “lols it looks awesome”. Spam dmg tics on multiple foes is already easy to achieve on ranger.

If it affected 5 targets, I would;

• Replace Dagger in any build that uses it
• Take it any time I’m using Sharpened Edges
• Take it any time I’m playing support Druid
• Take it all the time if they improve the AF generation from damage.

*Dagger is used offhand of axe for a reason.
*If you are using sharpened edges you are condi and using torch. If you are using torch then you are using sword mainhand for same reason you use dagger in offhand while using axe mainhand.
*playing support druid, OK you can tag foes while giving out boons.
*AF generator, OK if they bump to 1%.

I mean if we are talking pve you can run pretty much anything I suppose.

Is there a rule book somewhere I missed that states MH Axe needs to run dagger OH? There are other options, if HC was 5 targets, I would never use dagger, I don’t find the evade necessary, really.

Well besides the long evade on short cd, there is poison (self explanatory) and a ranged bleed / cripple for getting on top of someone for split axe, kiting and cover conditions.

If I learned anything switch from greatsword to sword, there is nothing quite like having precise evades. But this is from a wvw glass build perspective.

I was talking from a WvW perspective too. I just always find that I don’t need the evade on the dagger and Sharpened Edges with Hunters call is amazing, it often hits 10 bleeds. If it affected 5 targets, it would be immensely good.

I really love Sharpened Edges + Hunters Call + Mad King runes + Entangle, its a combo that just wrecks people, especially when they panic and cleanse 10 stacks off them, and another 15 stack on.

Heimskarl Ashfiend.9582:

I was talking from a WvW perspective too. I just always find that I don’t need the evade on the dagger and Sharpened Edges with Hunters call is amazing, it often hits 10 bleeds. If it affected 5 targets, it would be immensely good.

I really love Sharpened Edges + Hunters Call + Mad King runes + Entangle, its a combo that just wrecks people, especially when they panic and cleanse 10 stacks off them, and another 15 stack on.

If it goes 5 target without requiring a target I will probably use it instead of torch. Bonfire is pretty nasty but it only kills bad people who either try fighting me in it or don’t clear immobilize quick enough. I already wreck camps stupidly fast so I can probably tone the deeps down a notch and pick up some utility with call of the wild too.