Guild Wars 2

I always am searching for new Ideas for how the Thief could get improved, because compared to the current Classes and their Elite-Specs, I find we definetely get the shortest stick from all.
Our Trait Lines feel totally underwhelming and that even 3 years after release. Alot of what we have should be better baselined into either Weapon Skills or Utility Skills, or simply be removed completely to make space for generally more useful group based effects, because the thief is too selfish with only Stealth and Venoms beign the thigns he puts on the table for support

My latest iteration will go a step further now.
So far I’ve always concentrated myself only into what Traits would be good for merges with traits, I tried to find more key roles and lloked for options to put them into the thief by improving aspects of Boon Steal, which should be a thief’s most essential group as also own self support.

I looked into way how to bring back acrobatics to its old glory, but must admit, that my concept doesn’t anymore convince myself, so I scrapped it…
With the next step, thanks to some inspiration of ideas from other people, I want to put more focus into followign aspects of Thief Gameplay – Shadow Steps, Counter Attacks/Blocks (which I tried already earlier to focus more for Daredevil), weapon and utility skill integrated improvements – which is something I haven’t tried yet to take into considersation.

My goals with this ideation are practically concentrated down into the following bullet points:

• Strengthen the uniqueness of the Thief, by adding more functions in which the Thief becomes sublime over others, because Stealth has totally lost that factor by now
• Strengthen the Group Support, so that Thief becomes more than just only a Stealth/Venom Bot for others
• Making the Thief the class, which rewards Mobility and Positioning the most.
• Strengthen the Survival/Defense options of the Thief/Daredevil, so that you actually become able again to solo as Thief, getting away from this idiotic +1 balance
• Giving each of the Trait Lines thethe feeling, that they are all kind of equally strong, that none of them feels butchered down so that an other line can exist, that none of them feels like being forced upon us, because they provide something that Thieves always need, just to be a viable class more or less.

I also go with this iteration now a step further, because i don’t make this time also a stop before going to merge Trait Lines, which is imo the next essential thing.
Other things and ideas in my mind on the other hand I need to keep back ,because they might be better fitting for the game in form of a new Thief Elite Spec.

So if you find asking yourself maybe while reading "Where has he put into this, why is that missing or how is the Thief supposed to do these things, it might be, because I removed certain aspects in favor of lettign Anet brign some things back for later Elite Specs.
I kind of believe, that we will see in the future alot more of Trait Changes and that the thief is one of the Classes which will have to change the most like a chameleon each time to adapt itself each time Anet adds a new Elite Spec.

Now lets start with the new iteration ^^

Lets begin with the new Traitlines!!

• Martial Arts (Critical Strikes + Acrobatics)
• Thievery Arts (Shadow Arts + Trickery)
• Deadly Arts
• Agility
• Cunning
• Daredevil

Aspects of the Traitlines realigned!:

Martial Arts = Critical Chances, Counter Attacks, Evasion
Thievery Arts = Stealth, Steal, Shadow Steps
Deadly Arts = Venoms, Traps, Crowd Control
Agility = Signets, Initiative Management, Control Management
Cunning = Deceptions, Tricks, Boon Denial
Daredevil = Dodge Styles, Endurance Management, Survival

Martial Arts

> Minor Adept <
Critical Eye
Increases your Base Critical Hitrate by +10%. Counter Attack with your weapon based Counter Skill the next incoming Melee Attack after a Dodge Roll, after parrying it with your Weapon(s). ICD 15s Visualized by a Counter Attack Symbol that appears after a Dodge and lasts for 2s

> Major Adepts <
Flawless Strikes = Lets you evade for a half second incoming attacks after dealing a Critical Hit and increases your Ferocity by up to 5 stacks by +50 when you evade attacks in combat through having hit an enemy critically first.
Surprise Attack = Your Attacks become unblockable and remove from you Weakness, Vulnerability and Blindness if you attack from behind or the sides. ICD 10s
Fluid Strikes = Increased Damage of +10% while having not full Endurance.
Gain with decreasing Endurance a higher chance of receiving Vigor of increased Durations after a Critical Hit. 3 Bars = 5% Chance for 2s, 2 Bars = 10% Chance for 4s, 1 Bar = 15% Chance for 6s, 0 Bars = 20% Chance for 8s Duration.

> Minor Master <
Unrelenting Strikes
Gain Fury whenever you strike an enemy that is above 25% Health. ICD 10s
Your Critical Hits now cause Vulnerability. ICD 1s

> Major Masters <
Way of the Empty Palm = Increases your Attack Speed by 20% and you Critical Damage is 10% increased, while you have no Steal Skill with you.
Way of the Gentle Fist = Increases your Damage by 20% after a successful Counter Attack for the next 3 Skills used.
Way of the Strong Fist = Gain Might for 5s after dealing a Critical Hit. ICD: 1s. Your Evade Durations are increased by 1/2s while you have Might.

>Minor Grandmaster <
Feline Grace
Counter Attacks cause now 4 Stacks of Bleeding. You receive 50% lesser Fall Damage and perform an AoE Stealth that grants you and your Allies also Fury.

>Major Grandmasters <
Invigorating Precision = You are healed for a 15% part of your outgoing Critical Hit Damage
Assassin’s Equilibrium = Successfully evading Attacks causes AoE Slow and Poison for each evaded Hit in the Evade Frame, when equipped with Dagger, Sword, Spear or Staff.
Flashing Blades = Every 10th Critical Hit while equipped with Dagger, Sword, Spear or Staff causes Lightning Strikes like from using Superior Rune of Air and blinds foes around you with a Flashlight for 1s. Increases Dodge Roll Distances and Leap Distances by 50% after a Critical Hit for the next Dodge Roll/Leap. ICD 10s

Thievery Arts

> Minor Adept <
Kleptomaniac
Steal Boons of nearby Foes if you Shadow Step. For each stolen Boon you gain 1 Point of Initiative (Max 5)

> Major Adepts <
Fleet Shadow = Gain Super Speed while being in Stealth. Stealth work now as Stun Breakers for you ,so Stealth Skills won’t be under cooldown anymore, when you get affected by a CC Skill and your Stealth Durations are 25% increased.
Thrill of Crime = You and your nearby Allies gain Might, Fury, Swiftness and Resistance when you Steal.
Hidden Thief = Steal grants you Stealth. Using Steal Skills while in Stealth makes them 50% more effective. Attacking out of Stealth steals a Boon from your Target.

> Minor Master <
Shadows Embrace
Your Stealth Durations are increased by 25%. You periodically remove damaging conditions while in Stealth every 3s.

> Major Masters <
Assassins Assault = Your next Attack after a Shadow Step always leeches Health based on 20% of the Damage dealt.
Hidden Blades = Throw Impairing Daggers at Enemies in the line of sight that were between you and your target location when you Shdow Step. ICD 15s
Smoke Bombs = Create at your target location Smoke Screens whenever you Shadow Step.

> Minor Grandmaster <
Resilience of Shadows = You and your allies gain 25% lesser Damage from all Sources while being in Stealth when you stelath yourself or your allies.

> Major Grandmasters <
Shadow Rejuvenation = You and your allies gain Regeneration as long you are Stealthed. You and your ally become stealthed when you revive and you revive faster allies by 10%
Quick Pockets = Stealing grants you Quickness and Steal recharges 35% faster.
Sleight of Hand = Steal dazes foes and if you interupt foes, you Torment them.

Deadly Arts

> Minor Adept <
Serpent’s Touch
Steal Poisons foes, Your Attacks in Downed State cause Poison

> Major Adepts <
Deadly Trapper = Trap Recharges are 20% reduced, Grant Might and cause Vulnerability
Lotus Poison = Poisons and Venoms weaken targets now ICD 10s. Your Poisons reduce now 50% Healings
Mug = Heal yourself on Steal and Steal deals non critical damage now.

> Minor Master <
Potent Poison
Your poisons deal 33% more Damage, your Venoms have 1 more Charge and activating Venoms grants you Might. If used with Venomous Aura, then your Allies too.

> Major Masters <
Trappers Respite = You can lay now Traps twice before they recharge and you lay on Heal now an Ambush Trap at your location that knocks foes down..
Panic Strike = Cause immobilization to foes with lesser than 20% health. ICD 15s. Causes. Steal causes to nearby enemies around your target Fear for 1s
Executioner = Deal 20% more Damage to foes under 50% Health. Reduces your Weapon Swap Time by 2s. Gain for a short moment all Boons when you kill something. ICD 10s

> Minor Grandmaster <
Exposed Weakness = Deal increased Damage for every Condition on your foe. Weakness durations you cause last now 50% longer.

> Major Grandmasters <
Hidden Killer = Your Stealth Attacks always are 100% critical and you gain Alacrity on Stealth so that your Healing, Utility and Elite Skills recharge faster.
Explosive Traps = Traps cause now Burning and launch all nearby foes away. Launched away foes work as projectiles to nearby other foes and hit them as well.
Venomous Aura = When you use a Venom, apply it to all nearby allies as well. Venoms recharge 20% faster

Agility

> Minor Adept <
Signets of Speed
Reduces Signet recharge by 20% Using Signets grants you Swiftness and Quickness for 5 seconds and remove Cripple, Slow and Chill.

> Major Adepts <
Signets of Might = Using Signets grants you and your nearby Allies Might. You recharge with your used Signet the Signets of your Allies and you keep the passive Effects of your Signets, when activating them..
Flanking Strikes = Gain Quickness when attacking from behind or the Sides
Guarded Initiation = Receive lesser Damage from all sources for every point of Initiative you have. Using Weapon Skills heals you based on your spent Initiative.

> Minor Master <
Hard to Catch
Breaks Stuns and grants you on Stun Break Super Speed, Vigor and Protection. ICD 30s. Increases your Toughness by +200 while you are revealed.

> Major Masters <
Vigorous Recovery = Gain Vigor when using a Heal Skill. Vigor lasts on you 20% longer. Gain +200 Healing Power, while you have Vigor.
Initiative Strike = Your First Skill with that you initiate a combat doesn’t cost Initiative and you gain 3 Initiative from Steals.
Uncatchable = Throw Caltrops on Evade or Dodge and grants swiftness on Dodge.

> Minor Grandmaster <
Endless Stamina = Vigor on you is 50% more Effective and and Initiative recharges 20% faster while you have Vigor

> Major Grandmasters <
Quick Reflexes = Gain Retaliation on Dodge. Melee Attacks that would cause CC effects to you lead into automatic Counter Attacks that reflect the CC back to the origin. ICD 10s
Practiced Tolerance = Gain Vitality based on 10% of your Precision. Increases the maximum Range of your Shortbow and Pistols by + 300
Upper Hand = Regain Initiative on Evade and Initiative increases your Damage per Initiative Point

Cunning

> Minor Adept <
Revealed Training
Gain +200 Power and Alacrity, while you are Revealed.

> Major Adepts <
Raffinesse = Reduces your Deceptions by 20% and you gain Resistance when you use Deceptions
Way of the Fox = When you use your Heal Skill, you Steal 2 Boons from your Target.
Fearsome Presence = Your presence reduces the Boon Duration of nearby Enemies by 50%. Fear and Taunts are lesser effective against you.

> Minor Master <
Malicious Strikes
Gain Ferocity and Condition Damage against foes over 50% Health

> Major Masters <
Ricochet = Pistol/Harpoon Gun/Shortbow Shots have a chance to cripple foes with hits, deal 10% more Damage and bounce of targets once, in case of Trick Shot once more.
Trickster = Your Tricks recharge 20% faster and remove Conditions.
Bountiful Theft = Stealing grants you and your Allies Vigor and you rip 2 Boons from your target that you grant your Allies.

> Minor Grandmaster <
Thieving Magpie = Using Deceptions recharges your Steal. Skill and Effects that steal Boons, steal now 1 Boon more after using a Deception.

> Major Grandmasters <
Stunning Tricks = Using a Trick weakens your target, makes it vulnerable and immobilizes it on spot.
Bewildering Ambush = Steal causes Confusion and the next try of your target to gain Boons will fail.
Improvisation = You can use Steal Skills now twice and using a Steal Skill recharges your last used Utility Skill.

Daredevil

> Minor Adept <
Physical Superiority
Gain Acces to Physical Skills and the Staff Weapon. Your Endurance is increased to 150 now

> Major Adepts <
Brawlers Tenacity = Physical Skills are 20% reduced and your Endurance Regeneration is 20% increased.
Weakening Charge = Your Critical Hits cause Weakness. ICD 10s
Weapon Fanatic = Gain Endurance and Quickness on Weapon Swap. Remove a Condition on Weapon Swap.

> Minor Master <
Driven Fortitude
Gain Health on Dodge and remove a Condition. ICD. 3s

> Major Masters <
Impacting Disruption = Deal Pulmonary Impact on Interuption
Staff Master = Gain Endurance from spent Initiative. Staff deals +10% Damage. +20% if you have more Endurance than your target.
Pressure Striking = Vaults have increased Range and knock foes down.

> Minor Grandmaster <
Endurance Thief = Gain Endurance when you Steal. if you had at that moment maximum Endurance, will Steal convert Conditions over to your Target.

> Major Grandmasters <
Dustdevil = Changes your Dust Strike into a large circular AoE Blindness that blocks also projectiles like a Smoke Screen for the duration of 3s.
Master of Self Defense = Using Dodges grants you Regeneration, Protection and Stability for a short while.
Lotus Flower = Whirl Finishers from you cause you to use the Lotus Flower skill, which whill cause projectiles from the projectiles of the Whirl Effect to cause Confusion per Projectile that hits you.

List of Baselined old Trait Effects

• Old Preparedness > Thief have now baselined 3 Initiative Points more
• Old Dagger Training > The Poison Effect has been baseline into the Dagger Auto Attack as Double Strikes deal now each hit a Stack of Poison too.
  The Skill has been renamed to “Viper Blades”
• Old No Quarter > Effect gets merged with Signet of Malice Active/Passive
• Old Concealed Defeat > Removed. This Trait was just crap and senseless
• Old Last Refuge > Removed. This Trait was just crap and senseless
• Old Leeching Venoms > Baselined with Skelk Venom. Made SV just stronger kitten is basically already this Trait.
• Old Shadow Protector > Baselined passively with Resilience of Shadows to give Thief more Group Support through Stealth and give Thief Stealth a superior effect over Stealth of other Classes.
• Old Cloaked in Shadows > Merged with Feline Grace practically as there it makes more sense, Cats always fall on their four feet and that even when falling from very high!
• Old Pain Response > removed, was just too weak and with Shadow Embrace, and other Condition Removes like Driven Fortitude you have already enough passiveCondi Removal practicaly. Needed to go to make space for more general useful stuff to return.
• Old Don’t Stop > Removed, felt unneccessary with DD’s Dash and when you have other passive Condi Removals. Felt better to let it make space for more useful older Traits to return
• Old Evasive Empowerment >Removed and brought back the way better more useful Fluid Strikes back in a way that it feels more rewarding, if you have to dodge alot without forcing you to do something within a short time span.
• Old Escapist’s Absolution > Merged with Driven Fortitude for the cost of havign an increased ICD.
• Old Daredavil Dodge Style Traits: Reworked so that they become toggleable F2-4 Skills with that you can change out of combat your Dodge Styles.

I’m just going to say it. Karl doesn’t care save your efforts and roll a class he doesn’t touch.

Infraction away.

I have no problems with that, I just like to reconcept Classes and give maybe that way the Devs new Inspirations, if it gets used or not is irrelevant for me.
This reconception should just show, that alot of the current Thief Traits could easily also replaced into other Trait Lines, that alot of them are easily mergeable and would make also sense to be merged to make space for more useful things.
The reconception shows, that you can also easily merge the current old Trait Lines and in one go the Thief would provide instantly a completely different Gameplay Flair by just mixing things up together and replacing Traits to completely different positions where they make in my opinion thematically more sense.
Under the current Designs are alot of things wildly mixed around, where I thried with the reconception here to refocus all gameplay elements into specific traitlines.
See the Aspects of Traitlines after which I realigned the Traits new, so that for example you find Traits, that are responsible for Initiative Management only in one single Trait Line and not in like 2 different ones more or less, so that each line is focused on their very own mechanics with each trait line responsible for 3 different gameplay Mechanics.

Alot of things I kept out, because they will I try to make more baseline with the Weapon and Utility Skills to spice them up a bit more and make them more useful and interestign that way. Other things that you don#t find anymore, like for exampel the old Preparedness Effect do I think, should be right the way be baselined, because this one for example is a Trait Effect, that is way too important for the Thief currently in general, why it became quickly an essential “Must Have” that forces at the moment everyone to use Trickery if they want to be competitive.

Skill Changes Based on the Trait Changes

Viper Blades > Wild Strike > Lotus Strike
Deal two Strikes that Poison per hit the Target, followed by a quick thrust Attack that lets you evade incoming attacks and which steals 1 Boon. Ending the Combo with a Lotus Strike, which will cause Torment now instead of Poison.

Signet of Malice
Passive: Grants Ferocity based on the Character Level. (Max +250 Ferocity). Your Damage that you deal, including Condition Ticks heal you. Condition Ticks are only 50% effective as like Direct Damage Attacks that trigger stronger heals.
Active: Heal yourself significantly, gain Fury and while you have Fury on while the Skill is recharging, will critical hits increase the Duration of all other boons on you by 1 second. ICD 2s.

Skelk Venom
Reduced Recharge from 40s to 30s. When you activate Skelk Venom, your Attack leech Health for the amount of Charges from Skelk Venom (increased to 7 Charges base)
Skelk Venom now won’t leech only Health, with Skelk Venom applied Attacks you leech now also Endurance from your targets.

Hide in Shadows
Gains the Flip Skill “Pain Response”
When you use Pain Response before the Trigger Time of 3s runs out after using Hide in Shadows, then you leave instantly Stealth with no Reveal, or if you used it, while you had reveal and couldn’t stealth with HiS, then it will remove Reveal and you gain Resistance and Protection for 3s.

Signet of Shadows
Passive: Increases Movement Speed by 25% and makes Cripple, Chill and Immobilize lesser effective against you. TPriodically turns incoming Immobilizes into Cripples.
Active: Blind foes around you and gain Stealth for 3s