Guild Wars 2

Overall Spirit gameplay was improved this patch.
I’m glad they firmly decided between minion and turret playstyles. And I have to admit, they chose well. I legitimately do find myself wondering if I should nuke the spirit to reposition it or in a handful of cases benefit from the passive longer. In general, this is good work, and exactly what the line needed.

……But it all kind of left me with a terrible realization.
I know this sounds crazy, but, I think Spirit of Nature is in a bad place now.

Hear me out!
The effect is undeniably potent and ‘worthwhile’…but the gameplay behind achieving the effect seems shallower and more frustrating than its cousins. I think it’s because I’ve got some reasonable ability to predict and manipulate the movement trajectory of mobs, but there isn’t something similar for people (other than myself). AOE rezzing is awkward to try to be pre-emptive about, because the situations you use it in specifically aren’t planned for and aren’t in your hands to manipulate. I end up having to use it reactively, which comes across unnecessarily sluggish and noticeably missing the internal debate of persisting spirit/active effect that is more or less the saving grace of this entire operation.

Ultimately I end up thinking Spirit of Nature needs a revamp.
It should still be something that synergizes with other spirits, but also meaningfully contributes to teamplay outside of worst-case scenarios. The self-resurrection trick is a great skill-ceiling reward for a pet class, but honestly it could be available through Search & Rescue just as well as it could here – and would be a much needed buff to a thoroughly overshadowed utility. Similarly, Water Spirit could really step up and take it’s place as the ‘Healing’ Spirit and start competing for the healing slot in general, if the Condition Removal functionality was transported over from Spirit of Nature to Water Spirit.

If I may make the following suggestions:

( tangentially related Baseline Change:
Moving Enlarged from: Grow larger; deal 25% more damage and move 50% faster, To: You become larger; dealing 25% more damage and gaining a Breakbar. So Signet of the Wild would shuffle around it’s elements to something like:

Signet of the Wild: 62 heal
You become enlarged and move faster.
Enlarged: you become larger; dealing 25% more damage and gaining a Breakbar
Movement speed increase: 50%
Duration: 6 seconds)

Water Spirit
Healing: 805
Water Spirit Buff effect: 75% chance on hit to gain Regeneration.
Number of Targets: 5
Duration: 60
Radius: 1,200

     —>Aqua Surge
     Initial Self Heal: 3,865
     Water Spirit Heal: 1,930
     Number of Conditions Removed: 3
     Number of targets: 5
     Radius: 240

Search and Rescue
For a span of time your pet will seek out and revive a downed ally. If you are downed anytime during the seeking duration, the pet will trade its life to resurrect you.
Cooldown: 85 seconds
Seeking Duration: 2 seconds
Does not work on Defeated allies
Range 1,200

Spirit of Nature:
Grants Boon Duration and Condition Duration to allies.
Nature Spirit Buff effect: Boon Duration + 30% and Condition Duration + 15%
Number of Targets: 5
Duration: 60 seconds
Radius: 900

     —>Nature’s Gift:
     Your allies gain the effect of Enlarged.
     Enlarged: you become larger; dealing 25%      damage and gaining a Breakbar
     Number of Targets: 5
     Duration: 6 seconds
     Radius: 480

Nature’s Vengeance
Each of your Spirits pulses a particular boon every 3 seconds. 50% activated effect range increase. If a Spirit becomes Enlarged the Number of Targets for all abilities and effects is increased to 10 and the Enlarged Breakbar replaces the Spirit’s healthbar for the duration.
Frost: Fury (1 second)
Sun: Might (2 seconds)
Earth: Protection (1 second)
Lightning: Swiftness (2 seconds)
Nature: Stability (1 second)
Water:Vigor (1 second)

While I’m yammering on,

Shouts in general also need some work.
They really need something to help them step out from the shadow of Signets or keep themselves from being relegated to Resounding Timbre proc slaves. I get that they’re for pet micromanagement, but I wonder if opening them up to Spirit micromanagement as well might help these utility lines pull themselves out of the muck together?

“Sic ‘Em!”
Your pet runs faster and does more damage. Your Spirits become Enlarged.
Sic ‘Em (10s) : 40% Damage, 40% Movement Speed.
Cooldown: 45 seconds
Enlarged: 6 seconds
Revealed: 6 seconds
Range 2,000

“Guard”
Command your Pet to move to target area. Your pet will return to and use non-melee skills from this area until cancelled or duration ends. For the duration of Guard your Spirits will be summoned to the target area instead of around you. Your pet gains protection for a short duration.
Cooldown: 45 seconds
Protection: 10 seconds
Duration: 60 seconds
Range: 1,200

     —>Guard Cancel
      Guard is no longer in effect

“Protect Me!”
Instead of attacking, your pet will protect you by absorbing Damage you would take.
Specific Spirits will absorb the damage from specific Conditions.
Frost: Torment Damage
Sun: Burning Damage
Earth: Bleeding Damage
Lightning: Confusion Damage
Nature: All Condition Damage
Water: Poison Damage
Duration: 6 seconds
Breaks Stun

“We heal as One!”
Cooldown: 20
Heal yourself, your Pet, and your Spirits.
Healing Self: 6,520
Healing Pet: 6,520
Healing Spirits: 3,225

“Strength of the Pack!”
…Honestly I don’t even know. That’s skill’s pretty good already.

I feel as though also making the shouts do things like give buffs to the player and the pet would be good cause right now there is no reason to run shouts except strength of the pack, heal as one, and sick ’em. the others are very situational and even in their desired situation not that good

About spirits, a lot of suggestions and balance
Spirits – Making them Useful/Viable

Shouts need some love too. I agree they need to at LEAST include an effect on the player and not just the pet. We Heal as One and Strength of the Pack are excellent examples (and funny enough weren’t shouts until recently)