Guild Wars 2

OK,……. Don’t get me wrong,while i think its a BIG buff(i will equip this skill right away
when i get back home from work),overall i think this is a poor and bad decision.
Why?
Let’s see the Deception type UI skills:

1.Shadowstep.(deception)
2.Shadow Refuge.(deception)
3.Blinding Powder.(deception)

Now if this isn’t Holy Trinity i don’t know what is.This 3 skills are SOOO much above anything else,especialy traited with -20% recharge,that this instantly renders every other UI skills inferior by a lot.A lot. And this pigeonholing is bad,very bad.
It kills variety,and variety is a prerequesit for progress.Just my opinion.

Usually a signet (shadows or assassin) is a better choice for the 3rd slot, for mobility or damage. Especially if you’re using OH dagger or pistol, you don’t NEED blinding powder as you’re probably pushing against the sneak attack cooldown as it is.

Also we have Smoke Screen, which falls under the Deception family and has saved my kitten many times. (I’m happy that the wall’s height just got increased.) Deception is just a powerful skill line that modifies combat without doing massive amount of control effects, which means that other classes don’t inherently complains about those skills.

Xyrm.5602:

Usually a signet (shadows or assassin) is a better choice for the 3rd slot, for mobility or damage. Especially if you’re using OH dagger or pistol, you don’t NEED blinding powder as you’re probably pushing against the sneak attack cooldown as it is.

Oh yes,you do.32 sec 5-6 sec stealth,that can be used while stunned and also blinds the stunner,i think you do.Or at least any non BS-burst does.I assume you as a fan of those 2 signets that you mentioned are a BS-Burst build.I suppose that anything with lower CD that your Steal-Basilisk Venom-Assassins Signet is useless for your setup and gameplay.

I use blinding power while scouting just as an extra escape ability in case I run into a zerg that doesn’t render. Though most of the time if I am planning on fighting I drop it in favor of something else.

for the -20% recharge trait we must drop something else… maybe the condition remover or hidden thief.

ZLE.8293:

Xyrm.5602:

Usually a signet (shadows or assassin) is a better choice for the 3rd slot, for mobility or damage. Especially if you’re using OH dagger or pistol, you don’t NEED blinding powder as you’re probably pushing against the sneak attack cooldown as it is.

Oh yes,you do.32 sec 5-6 sec stealth,that can be used while stunned and also blinds the stunner,i think you do.Or at least any non BS-burst does.I assume you as a fan of those 2 signets that you mentioned are a BS-Burst build.I suppose that anything with lower CD that your Steal-Basilisk Venom-Assassins Signet is useless for your setup and gameplay.

I’m actually not a BS burst build, but a more survival oriented D-D build that whittles away repeatedly with backstab (see signature, but I use valk gear in pvp). I usually DO run with Signet of Shadows though, which allows for faster movement (making it easier to actually land backstabs and be more mobile in general) AND an instant aoe blind which can be used at any time on a 30s cooldown, and is centered on your target with 1200 range meaning it is guaranteed to hit. I never had issues hitting with C&D, and using blinding powder when stunned does NOT break stun, meaning you’re still there eating a 100b to the face or whatever else was already cast on you (and therefore, has no real extra utility over the signet).

I saw your build,i can say a lot ,but this will turn the topic to a opinion battle,which i don’t want.Cheers.

I’ll be picking up Blinding Powder with the changes. A 60 second cooldown made it feel rather lackluster against Shadow Refuge.

I’ve always looked at Blinding Powder as an “Oh kitten!” button. Now a 32 second cooldown traited.

You cannot really afford to use 3 deceptions , unless u trade mobility. Pro players already learned to knock you out of shadow refuge so
i would trade shadow refuge for blinding powder any time
blinding power is the best escape ability’s after steal without mug

I don’t know why they buffed it that much. Blinding Powder was absolutely fine before as far as skill design is concerned. It’s pretty bugged though because it doesn’t stealth you and triggers revealed right away when you get hit at the same time you use the skill.

Even with 60s CD (48 traited) the skill offered much more utility than most people would think.
The instant AoE Blind is extremely strong. It can be used to stomp certain classes and make their interrupts miss and it can be used to counter bursts. It reduces incoming spike dmg you receive while being stunned/immob’d. Moreover, it’s an AoE stealth which cures up to 2 conditions (if traited) and heals you (if traited).

There is no other utility skill that is actually that versatile. Reducing the CD of it just makes it even more powerful. Once they fix the bug it might be overpowered because it gets 100% reliable then