Guild Wars 2

Updated
In response to being aggitated at how stupid my spirits were acting one day, I decided to think about solutions. Below is what I thought a fantastic solution to spirits would be.

Behavioral rework of spirits - Spirits should not be rubberband-running all around the ranger with even the basic movement. They should hold a solid formation behind the ranger with the trait, Spirits Unbound. First, the spirits know exactly where to go and aren’t running around like mad. Secondly, the ranger can better control the positioning of their spirits. The formation should be determined by the order of casting with the elite, Spirit of Nature, taking place in the center regardless. They should be close enough to affect foes with active effects but far enough to not be constantly cleaved. If backed into a wall, the spirits should remain backed onto the wall and not position themselves infront of the ranger. If backed into a corner, the spirits should cluster into the corner as they try to remain in position while being forced back. In water, their behavior should remain the same.

1 spirit – a short distance, directly behind ranger
2 spirits – form a triangle with ranger at top.
3 spirits – form a semi-circle behind ranger.
4 spirits – form a semi-circle behind ranger.
5 spirits – form a semi-circle behind ranger. Max. Spirit of Nature centered between ranger and semi-circle.
6 spirits – Impossible.

Reskin of spirits - Spirits should have an obvious give away without having to hold control to see which is which. I propose that spirits be stripped of their cliche oakheart skin and be given a colored wisp skin (Frost – White, Sun – Red, Wind – Purple, Water – Blue, Nature – Green, Stone – Brown). This reskin would also fix that awkward, super-speed walk that spirits constantly do wherever they go.

Spirit f2 rework
Spirits f2 should be changed to the spirit release a corresponding combo field, except Spirit of Nature. Of course, they would need an appropriately long cooldown. Their animation could be a sort of melting into the field or draining of its color while casting.

Water – Water Field
Storm – Lighning Field
Earth – Poison Field
Sun – Fire Field

This reworking and reskining benefits both rangers and other players.
-Rangers can control and position their spirits better.
-Rangers can easily remove spirits from aoe.
-Other players can identify and target specific spirits quickly.
-Other players can easily identify spirits before engaging.
-Both, rangers and other players, can track the movement of spirits easier.

Thoughts?

On the topic of reskin, at times my spirits will be skinned to a tree-like skin, at other times, it’s a ghostly skin. Not sure why, but yes on reskin.

Nature spirit res is too unpredictable in regards to movement and casting. If I’m moving and press 0 it’ll blow. If I press 0 and move (at times) before the animation it’ll blow. At times it’ll just not res anyone. This goes back to the rubberbanding of your first point.

Domino.1359:

On the topic of reskin, at times my spirits will be skinned to a tree-like skin, at other times, it’s a ghostly skin. Not sure why, but yes on reskin.

Nature spirit res is too unpredictable in regards to movement and casting. If I’m moving and press 0 it’ll blow. If I press 0 and move (at times) before the animation it’ll blow. At times it’ll just not res anyone. This goes back to the rubberbanding of your first point.

What you’re seeing is the oakheart skin during the day and its ethereal version at night.
Yes, spirit of nature is bugged. It has almost a 100% chance to fail if cast while moving.

I agree its choppy movement, unpredictable animations, and hard to distinguish skins are all reasons I wanted to create this thread.

I like these ideas…I’ve posted a thread on this a year ago, which got buried. My suggestion was to give us wisps that orbit the ranger and imbue our attacks. They’re invulnerable but have actives that use up the wisp for additional utility like creating a field and stunbreaking. This would also reduce clutter.

Make the spirits look nicer. Walking around with vegetables just isn’t cool.

Spirit positioning is a bit awkward indeed… However:

UnitedChaos.8364:

I propose that spirits be stripped of their cliche oakheart skin and be given a colored wisp skin (Frost – White, Sun – Red, Wind – Purple, Water – Blue, Nature – Green, Stone – Brown)

Don’t you dare touching my oakheart skin. Or the dolphin for that matter. And i don’t think you could make anymore of a cliché than colour-coded wisps for elemental spirits.

It’s probably not possible for them to change their behavior like that.

I’m still of the opinion the best option is to remove them entirely and simply have the utility skills grant auras to the Ranger’s pet. Attach the activated portion to the Ranger’s F2 skill with a 30 second internal cooldown. Have them active 100% of the time. Have them go on cooldown when the pet dies or is swapped.

This has numerous advantages:
Remove screen clutter.
Remove the need for several traits.
Makes them useful without traiting them in the first place.
Allows the Ranger to more reliably control them for PvE and PvP.
Introduces effective counter play.
Permanent buffs are far more user friendly and can more easily be balanced.

The only real downside to this is putting more emphasis on a pet that some feel isn’t dependable, which I certainly agree with. However, the goal should be to get the pet into a workable state as well.

Atherakhia.4086:

It’s probably not possible for them to change their behavior like that.

I’m still of the opinion the best option is to remove them entirely and simply have the utility skills grant auras to the Ranger’s pet.

I disagree. Spirits are an staple of gw2’s ranger, but they’re clunky and poorly designed at best.

UnitedChaos.8364:

I disagree. Spirits are an staple of gw2’s ranger, but they’re clunky and poorly designed at best.

It might be easier on us all if we listed/discussed what wasn’t clunky or poorly designed about ranger.

Bran.7425:

UnitedChaos.8364:

I disagree. Spirits are an staple of gw2’s ranger, but they’re clunky and poorly designed at best.

It might be easier on us all if we listed/discussed what wasn’t clunky or poorly designed about ranger.

Well, let’s just keep it about my idea in this thread though.

Ok. The whole long cooldown thing is really not a good idea as the game itself overly punishes that type of play.

Bran.7425:

Ok. The whole long cooldown thing is really not a good idea as the game itself overly punishes that type of play.

I would think having access to extra fields would be extremely powerful. So either the duration would have to be short, or the cool down be longer, but it’s all up in the air, I suppose.

Spirits well Vengful spirits is a bit underwelming, they could add on death of said spirit

in addition to activating the core effects and abilities of the spirits.
sun spirit= on death creates a firefield for 4seconds
Storm spirit= on death , blast finisher explodes
Stone spirit= on death , as normal Creates a Curning ground field for 2secs applying cripple and 1secs of immobilse.
Frost spirit= on death creates a Water field 4secs that applys chill 2sec to nearby enemeies

they all expand there supportive side rather than damage since that comes from the current on death activate spirits abilities.
so only storm spirit will do damage the other will apply a CC effect or support field like frost creating a water field , take it as when it dies it melts into cold water chilling its foes.

of course any durations caused by the active abilities of the spirits like frost on activation causes chill anyway , the on death will activate the base chill duration + 1 additional second. ect

this added cc/ support could deter people from just ganking the spirits 100-0 knowing if they do , the area around them will be supported even after death in its vengence lives on.