“If you hear my arrow whistle, it’s too late.”
(edited by Triss.3801)
Ranger Greatsword Block
+1 perfect suggestion. I believe similar has been discussed before. This is really a big QoL change that needs to happen, nothing worse than having a defensive skill that puts you at a disadvantage.
I really like this suggestion, can’t tell you how many times I’ve died because GS rooted me in place to do its KB or just stopped the block.
Tarnished Coast-[NOPE]
Kitten – Zerker Ranger – http://gw2efficiency.com/c/Kitten
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Kitty Smallpaw – Condi Ranger – http://gw2efficiency.com/c/Kitty%20Smallpaw
It should just be a block and anyone that hits you in that period gets knocked back, no need for the swing animation and the rooting.
I’d like to keep being able to throw the GS at any time during the block.
+1
I have no clue why the block stops during the kicking animation
Simply a bad design
Excellent suggestion, half the time the counter attack misses anyway, it would be great if you could choose when or if to use it.
Jim Hunter when my other account isn’t suspended
No, this is the intended point of the skill. If anything attacks you in melee range, you knock back with heavy damage. If you’re blocking ranged attacks with the skill, and another opponent decides to hit you in melee range to cancel your block, that’s fair game and smart play.
A straight 3s block on a 12 second cool down would be too strong, especially if it was coupled with QuickDraw. The only time really when a foe attacking from ranged can cancel your block would be if a mesmer casted phantasmal berserker or warden on you or if a ranger’s pet or necro’s minions caught up to you.
Also, if you see someone attack you then immediately dodge, don’t be angry and ask for the casting time on counterattack to be reduced. Your opponent played smart, he saw you had the block up, new what attacking would do, and dodged in response. Too often I see people get angry when players dodge their counterattack, when that is simply smart play.
Stormbluff Isle
(edited by Soilder.3607)
No, this is the intended point of the skill. If anything attacks you in melee range, you knock back with heavy damage. If you’re blocking ranged attacks with the skill, and another opponent decides to hit you in melee range to cancel your block, that’s fair game and smart play.
A straight 3s block on a 12 second cool down would be too strong, especially if it was coupled with QuickDraw. The only time really when a foe attacking from ranged can cancel your block would be if a mesmer casted phantasmal berserker or warden on you or if a ranger’s pet or necro’s minions caught up to you.
Also, if you see someone attack you then immediately dodge, don’t be angry and ask for the casting time on counterattack to be reduced. Your opponent played smart, he saw you had the block up, new what attacking would do, and dodged in response. Too often I see people get angry when players dodge their counterattack, when that is simply smart play.
That is not the point. The point is, its a huge tell and good players know it, so they bait out the counterattack and burst you while you are stuck in the animation. They don’t even need to dodge. No defensive skill should put you in that situation.
No, this is the intended point of the skill. If anything attacks you in melee range, you knock back with heavy damage. If you’re blocking ranged attacks with the skill, and another opponent decides to hit you in melee range to cancel your block, that’s fair game and smart play.
A straight 3s block on a 12 second cool down would be too strong, especially if it was coupled with QuickDraw. The only time really when a foe attacking from ranged can cancel your block would be if a mesmer casted phantasmal berserker or warden on you or if a ranger’s pet or necro’s minions caught up to you.
Also, if you see someone attack you then immediately dodge, don’t be angry and ask for the casting time on counterattack to be reduced. Your opponent played smart, he saw you had the block up, new what attacking would do, and dodged in response. Too often I see people get angry when players dodge their counterattack, when that is simply smart play.
That is not the point. The point is, its a huge tell and good players know it, so they bait out the counterattack and burst you while you are stuck in the animation. They don’t even need to dodge. No defensive skill should put you in that situation.
The amount of time you are left vulnerable is 1/4th of a second, the approximate casting time of counterattack. No build in the game can unleash a full burst attack in that time span. The only one that arguably can would be a fresh air ele, which, considering the immense keyboard input required and the skill needed to identify and react to the rangers block in a way which prevents him from being knockedback or from having to dodge (because remember, if a player dodges your counterattack, by the time their dodge has ended, you are no longer rooted, and therefore a player dodging your counterattack also cannot burst you), would be a well earned burst.
The counterattack being baited out, as I said before, is good play. If I see a character using the skill, then I will auto attack and waste a dodge. There’s nothing wrong with that, it’s counterplay.
If you are having trouble with players reading your counter attack, try to use it more reactively. As in, don’t use it when approaching a character you are about to attack. Use it in the middle of an engagement when you know an auto attack or different skill is bound to hit, that way they don’t have much time to see you in the blocking stance.
Stormbluff Isle
(edited by Soilder.3607)
Yeah, it’s more far more likely to be pure luck if someone hits you in counterattack than skill.
No, this is the intended point of the skill. If anything attacks you in melee range, you knock back with heavy damage. If you’re blocking ranged attacks with the skill, and another opponent decides to hit you in melee range to cancel your block, that’s fair game and smart play.
A straight 3s block on a 12 second cool down would be too strong, especially if it was coupled with QuickDraw. The only time really when a foe attacking from ranged can cancel your block would be if a mesmer casted phantasmal berserker or warden on you or if a ranger’s pet or necro’s minions caught up to you.
Also, if you see someone attack you then immediately dodge, don’t be angry and ask for the casting time on counterattack to be reduced. Your opponent played smart, he saw you had the block up, new what attacking would do, and dodged in response. Too often I see people get angry when players dodge their counterattack, when that is simply smart play.
Risk v.s. Reward
I respect your opinion Solider especially in the case of counter-play, however I believe you are missing my point. What I am suggesting is a “non-system assisted skill” and for arenanet to offer the risk vs. reward of using counter attack to the discretion of the player(which would require more skill might I add). It is not healthy for the game to have cross-profession discrimination in terms of the games fundamental gameplay mechanics.
I know it is extremely possible for developers to implement this skill. Such an example would be the Revenant’s underwater spear skill which changes functionality depending on the range in which the skill is used “Rapid assault” and “Spear of Anguish”. This way Rangers do not have to lose access to either “Counterattack” or “Crippling Throw” but once again have to decide(Risk v.s. Reward) of using the appropriate skill depending on the situation. This would invariably solidify the Ranger’s greatsword as a utility based weapon which it is currently used for as opposed to the dps set up of sword/axe.
With the exception of Guardian the previous blocks I mentioned in my earlier post do not discriminate between range and melee damage. I think the saying “a block is a block is a block” is very fitting here. So yes beyond the balance of the skill duration I still hold fast to my first statement. I believe this a change that needs to happens whether to the joy or chagrin of other players.
“If you hear my arrow whistle, it’s too late.”
(edited by Triss.3801)
No, this is the intended point of the skill. If anything attacks you in melee range, you knock back with heavy damage. If you’re blocking ranged attacks with the skill, and another opponent decides to hit you in melee range to cancel your block, that’s fair game and smart play.
A straight 3s block on a 12 second cool down would be too strong, especially if it was coupled with QuickDraw. The only time really when a foe attacking from ranged can cancel your block would be if a mesmer casted phantasmal berserker or warden on you or if a ranger’s pet or necro’s minions caught up to you.
Also, if you see someone attack you then immediately dodge, don’t be angry and ask for the casting time on counterattack to be reduced. Your opponent played smart, he saw you had the block up, new what attacking would do, and dodged in response. Too often I see people get angry when players dodge their counterattack, when that is simply smart play.
Risk v.s. Reward
I respect your opinion Solider especially in the case of counter-play, however I believe you are missing my point. What I am suggesting is a “non-system assisted skill” and for arenanet to offer the risk vs. reward of using counter attack to the discretion of the player(which would require more skill might I add). It is not healthy for the game to have cross-profession discrimination in terms of the games fundamental gameplay mechanics.I know it is extremely possible for developers to implement this skill. Such an example would be the Revenant’s underwater spear skill which changes functionality depending on the range in which the skill is used “Rapid assault” and “Spear of Anguish”. This way Rangers do not have to lose access to either “Counterattack” or “Crippling Throw” but once again have to decide(Risk v.s. Reward) of using the appropriate skill depending on the situation. This would invariably solidify the Ranger’s greatsword as a utility based weapon which it is currently used for as opposed to the dps set up of sword/axe.
With the exception of Guardian the previous blocks I mentioned in my earlier post do not discriminate between range and melee damage. I think the saying “a block is a block is a block” is very fitting here. So yes beyond the balance of the skill duration I still hold fast to my first statement. I believe this a change that needs to happens whether to the joy or chagrin of other players.
Well, I see what you’re saying, but I don’t think it’s a necessary change. The skill, in my opinion, works fine as is. It’s a strong ranged block on a short cooldown, with the added functionality of throwing the greatsword for ranged damage or knocking back a melee opponent with heavy damage.
The greatsword already performs exceptionally well as a utility weapon and I disagree with you saying that this is a needed change to solidify the weapons status as such. It already has a strong evade on the auto attack, which can be chained three times to potentially earn three and a half seconds of evasion per auto attack chain (doing this is a bit complicated, but very strong). There’s of course maul which offers strong burst damage, but nothing extreme unless traited. It has another evasive gap closer/creator, the block/melee cc as we previously mentioned, and then a short duration stun/daze, which in my opinion is the only skill needing improvement.
I also disagree with you comparing skills across professions. Each profession has a different playstyle and different mechanic, making it so skills across classes will never be copies of eachother and will always have differences suitable to each classes playstyle. Of course, there are always some exceptions, such as rapid fire and volley, even though they have respective differences, but for the most part this holds true.
If you’re suggested change did come to fruition, the playstyle would stay the same, which is fine as your suggestion was not made to change the playstyle but rather improve it, and the weapon would still remain excellent as utility. However, the cooldown of the Counterattack would definitely need to be bumped to compensate for a full block. In the end, the efficiency of the GS would remain the same imo.
Stormbluff Isle
(edited by Soilder.3607)