Guild Wars 2

So what are the traits that you would never pick, is it a question of numbers balance or functionality that would need to change, and what functionalities would you like to see added to trait lines?

For me, while I really like the idea of Replenishing Despair and what it’s trying to do, I don’t think I’d notice it’s effects in it’s current iteration. Which seems to be a problem with a lot of the “heal on x” revenant traits for me (Steadfast Rejuvenation, Invigorating Flow).

I’d like more sources/higher uptime of retaliation to be added to Retribution/Jalis, and/or the icd removed from Empowering Vengeance.

I’d like some sort of Glint-less access to swiftness that doesn’t involve standing in place blasting a field or running around during a fight to pick up staff orbs. Even just a passive 25% speed buff. One place it might make sense to have either of these is in Salvation (centaur and all), and it’d be nice to have more reason to take the trait line outside of Ventari too. Thing is I like what the orb trait is trying to do even though I’d never use it (and I mostly use staff). Maybe a group heal+swiftness on legend swap instead? Or a passive 25% speed added to the toughness based on healing minor trait?

I still really like the playing with energy threshold traits from Invocation just as a general concept, but I’m still hoping that Equilibrium will get some kind of healing boost to make it vaguely comparable with the damage option.

Anyway, what would your trait tweaks/changes be?

Good question. Revenant (like other professions) has a lot of underperforming traits. Here are the ones I can identify:

Devastation
Ferocious Strikes – this competes directly with Vicious Lacerations, except that Vicious Lacerations is numerically better. Until Rev has a second main hand power weapon, there will be no reason to take this trait.

Corruption
Replenishing Despair – The hp gain from this trait is pretty low. In a prior iteration of the trait, it healed around 50 hp per condition but had no icd. This allowed it to benefit from being hit with conditions rapidly and gave the user some synergy with Pain Absorption. The addition of the icd killed this trait, IMO.

Frigid Precision – There is nothing wrong with this trait, it is just weak. It should also give some benefit to chill. E.g. when you apply chill you also apply weakness or vulnerability. Or, for example, chill you apply lasts longer.

Maniacal Persistence – I do actually use this trait on rare occasion. However, in most builds it is underwhelming. It performs poorly with fast / weak attacks (e.g. sword or staff), and it is much weaker than another trait with a similar effect – Roiling Mists. As a result, the number of situations where Manical Persistence is useful is generally very small.

Invocation
Charged Mists – This trait is very weak for a GM. It only procs when you go from > 50 energy to < 50 energy by spending energy. Roiling Mists is generally a much more potent source of damage.

Retribution
Improved Aggression – Since I only play WvW, PvP, and solo/casual PvE, this trait is worthless to me.

Retaliatory Evasion – This is not necessarily a bad trait, but it’s competitors are generally better options.

Empowering Vengeance – Revenant has few sources of retaliation, therefore this trait is generally weak.

Steadfast Rejuvenation – This trait is weak for a Grand Master. The healing should be significantly increased, or alternatively the effect of the trait should be completely changed.

Salvation
Tranquil Benediction – This trait does buff healing orbs significantly, but in PvP and WvW (which I play primarily), it is often detrimental to try to pick up the orbs during intense combat. The problem here is the mechanic of the orbs themselves rather than this trait.

Momentary Pacification – The icd on this trait is way too long for me to consider taking it.

Herald
None! All traits here have some use, IMO.

Only trait i really do not understand on rev is Momentary Pacification Why this is a 45 second CD make no sense to me.

fluidmonolith.3584:

Devastation
Ferocious Strikes – this competes directly with Vicious Lacerations, except that Vicious Lacerations is numerically better. Until Rev has a second main hand power weapon, there will be no reason to take this trait.

Malicious Reprisal is extremly good in WvW blobbing except of Ferocious Strikes: Drop a Hammer autoattack into a blob, get 2 unblockable, now drop the hammer and you will see a minimum of 2 people getting stuck.