Guild Wars 2

Opening Strike is a class defining trait in marksmanship but hardly “defining”.

Arguably, it should be the most powerful single strike in the game.

Idea:
Each passive trait gives 1X more damage (5,15,25) (to 3X not for pet though) addition to current effect.
Drains endurance 50% for the shot.
Single target big hit to really take a lot of damage off upfront at range.

Or

You help decide what would make opening strike that amazing first hit that balances our otherwise mediocre damage?

It could have more conditions or effects, like a 1s knockdown.

Here are the current stats:

Marksmanship (Opening Strike=5 stacks vulnerability for 5 seconds)

Adept: Opening Strike Cause-vulnerability with your first strike when entering combat.
Master: Alpha Training-Pets have Opening Strike.
Grandmaster: Precise Strike-Opening strike always critical hits.

That being said, here is the issue with opening strike imo… First off, to put 25 into Marksmanship just for a shot that gives 5 stacks of vulnerability and crits is crazy. My build is beserker, I have 50+ crit chance, as well as using a longbow. A large portion of people traiting that much into marksmanship are using longbows and power builds. This being said, my first shot already has a 50/50 chance of criting, so the 100%chance is nothing terribly exciting for a build of that type with 25 points in marksmanship. Also, using a longbow, I can already use #3 to put vulnerability on my target. All of this leads to opening strike being lackluster.

All of the above is my experience with my build, but the biggest issue is that it is a one shot then you’re out sort of thing. Even traiting it to regain it with each kill (which, is a grandmaster trait) is sort of crazy because it just isn’t good enough to choose that over signet of beastmastery or another trait. If you are in wvw zerging, opening strike is pretty much a kitten, if you’re against a guardian it is kitten, there are just too many instances where it is just a horrible skill to be traiting so many points for…. and I mean heck, aside from Maul and Path of Scars, we don’t have a huge damage skill that would even work with the 100% crit.

TLDR: Opening Strike is not good :S

Well, anyways, I’ll just say what I think should be done to change it.

Adept: Opening Strike- First shot adds vulnerability to target, always crits.
Master: Recurrence- Opening Strike has a fifteen second cooldown.
Grandmaster: Eye of the Archer- Opening Strike deals 10% more damage.

This would make Opening Strike the skill it should be, also they should take Alpha Training and turn it into a trait and get rid of Remorseless all together.

Just my two cents

^completely agree. Ageis makes Opening Strike worthless. Rangers are in the unfortunate place of only having sustained builds, not burst builds. So opening strike is next to worthless.

Opening strike is bad and keeps me away from that trait line. Needs to be condensed, I’d also be in favor of instead of a timer its based on attack speed.

Minor 1: Opening strike: Leave as is
Minor 2: Alpha Strike: Opening strike crits, pet’s have opening strike
Minor 3: This is now remorseless
New Grandmaster :
Lucky 7: Every 7th attack, you apply opening strike.

Opening strike should work like that:
Minor triats
1) it is always critical and renewed after killing the foe (default)
2) pets have opening strike
3) opening strikes causes vulnerability

Traits: opening strike causes knockdown for 1 sec

3 sec stealth : P

That’s pretty neat. Does remoreseless allow precise strike to proc again? Because you could end up critting a lot without even having precision when zerging…any thoughts on this? I would test but I’m on “vacation” and suffering severe gw2 withdrawl. I clearly don’t use the marks line enough bc this is a basic question :/

Just give it like 5 or 10% chance to refresh on crit and I’m happy.