Guild Wars 2

i’d like to share my opinnion regarding Ventari Tablet and Energy Management

I think that many people share the same opinion that managing Tablet is very unconvenient and clunky. Ventari has problem to keep the fluency of it’s attack execution because of tablet management issues.

As we all know combat in GW2 is very dynamic because we move and dodge during the combat trying to actively mitigate the damage. That’s why people tend to use only zerker gear, because they can achieve highest possible dps knowing that they are mobile enough to overcome difficulties.

Ventari can move tablet to other places to heal allies, cleanse condition or provide anti-projectiles bubble. However, it is very difficult to provide support effectively in current shape and form of the tablet in such a dynamic environment, centred on constant movement. Managing tablet in huge zerk in WvW can be troublesome. Also in other game modes, people move around, changing position. It is very hard to heal your party members in such case. In competitive PvP I can’t imagine people gathering around the tablet to get some healing. They would be too easy target for AoE. Movement is the key and even though we can move tablet around, it’s till not manageable enough to provide support effectively.

The other problem is energy management. This topic was mentioned in many other topics as well. I’d like to suggest a solution to this problem. Showing at the same time how would new energy management system work with suggested new version of the tablet. My suggestions:

1.Tablet should be stationary, like a turret.

2.Tablet provides permanent “Ventari’s Wisdom” aura to Revenant and party members (allies) staying within certain range from the tablet (900 or 1200 range – please note these numbers are just an example)

3.Everytime utility skill is used it is triggered for all party members with Ventari’s Wisdom Aura. If Revenant uses anti-projectiles bubble. All allies got their personal bubble, not bubble around the tablet. Same with healing and condition clense for other utilities.

By this we don’t have to worry much about tablet position. Also range of the aura should be properly balanced, but this would definitely help to focus on providing steady support instead of focusing on moving tablet all the time and missing people you want to heal, because they constantly dodge or move.

Some people can say that this is an easy mode and maybe too convenient, lazy solution. But here is the catch. We have to remember about energy management.

See Part 2 of this post below:

Part 2.

Energy management causes that we can’t spam our utilities like a crazy and sit on the back of the zerg doing nothing and rolling face on the keyboard. What in my opinion should be done to energy management to be more interesting and involving mechanic.

1. Weapon skills shouldn’t cost any energy, but grant you energy,

The longer the cooldown of skill is, the more energy you get back. Autoattack gives you small percentage of energy. Numbers should be balanced (BAU).

So how this would work and what’s would be the impact on the gameplay?

For example, Revenant in Ventari would become truly melee support. You would have to be engaged in combat and deal some damage to get your energy back to provide support, to trigger your urility skills. No combat – you run out of the energy in no time.
Merging these two solution together Ventari Legend can become decent support while still dealing damage.

1. Tablet easy to manage – People would have to move and do their job in specific range, but not small range. I prefere 1200 personally. This would fix mobility issue.

2.Easy to manage group support. – Party members get Ventari aura. You don’t have too look up people in the crowdly zerg to send them tablet and then maybe correct tablet’s position, because person already moved to other position.

3.The adventage of above two points can be balanced with energy managemet – you are forced to be constantly in combat to manage energy resources to use your utilities in order to support your allies. You support AND still do dps at the same time. That would be the essence of melee support-oriented specialization.

4.Enemies can decrease your support ability and allies can boost your support!
How? If enemy casts on you cripple or immobilize (if you go with melee weapon like staff or mace/axe) you can’t reach your enemy and hit them – so you dont get energy. If enemy cast slow on you or chill, you cant use weapon skills at normal speed and you have higher cooldowns – again, your capability of energy regen is decresed. The same with taunt, etc.

However, your allies can boost your support capabilities! If allies grant you quicknes, then you can execute your attacks faster and fill energy bar very fast! I would like to see some traits in Invocation that help energy management, so for example, everytime you crit you get some energy, so fury becomes your friend. Or ventari globes droping at auto-attack 3 skill on staff restore your energy additionaly. Also, every boon and every support from your group that allow you to keep you effectively engaged in combat pays off in ability to trigger your support utilities more often.

To sum this up. I think that presented solution for Ventari Tablet changes would definitely help Ventari Legend to be more effective at support and allowing it to focus on dps at the same time. Suggested energy management system can positively impact the other legends as well. If you are more involved in combat, you use more your weapon skills, then more utility you can provide to you and your allies.

PS: If you managed to get though this wall of text, you have my respect.