Clunky shortbow skills

Clunky shortbow skills

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Posted by: Menzies The Heretic.3415

Menzies The Heretic.3415

All shortbow skills of the Thief have nearly no range, and are slow moving projectiles.
Altough this weapon gives great utility and is everyones favorite speed mount, it feels quite clunky in some situations.

Here are my personal problems with this weapon, and what in my opinion could make this weapon feel a lot better:

  • Skill nr 2 on the Thiefs shortbow has about enough range to hit your right little toe. Or perhaps a cannon when you stand close enough to the wall in wvw. The blast finisher is often the best use for this skill as it can be spammed a lot. Also detonating in the enemies face gives some pressure.
  • Pressing 3 on the Thiefs shortbow puts the skill in a queue behind whatever action you are currently doing. So if you are planning to evade an incoming hammer bash, you are often fooled by this skill by its late and clunky reaction. This is the reason why this is often spammed, because if you press it twice it will actually spam it twice.
    With only a littlebit of lagg this skill places you on the wrong position, or doesn’t move you at all. It fires you toward your enemy, when you lose focus on your target by accident. This gives this skill a clunky and spammy feel.
  • Skill 5 is a great way to move around in a lot of situations. Altough this arrow takes a while to fire, and often gets stuck in a small bump or random brick in the ground which results in wasted ini and a teleport back to where you were essentially. The range of this arrow is not bad. But because the arrow is fired from the hip, the range is reduced by terrain a lot of times. This is also the skill that gives me the most lagg or skill lagg issues. Rooting me or teleporting me back to my original location.

My idea to improve this weapon is:

  • Increase the height from which the arrows are fired.
  • Speed up traveling time cluster bomb.
  • Remove cast time for ifiltrators arrow (the range got nerfed, so increasing the range again will result in a lot thief hate.. Again). Making infiltrators arrow instant cast will make teleports smooth like shadowstep, and give a better reaction in close combat (as thats what SB is, close combat).
  • Make evasive shot cancel your current action so that its reliable. Then give this skill a follow up skill to make it less spammable. Perhaps a telegraphed power attack.

Again, these are my idea’s. I’m not a game balance expert, but with some compensation I would really like to see these things implemented in some way.

* Twitch – Mênzîes – Mesmer pvp
* YouTube – Fun, guides and gameplay

(edited by Menzies The Heretic.3415)

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Posted by: oscuro.9720

oscuro.9720

I think cluster bomb should be reworked in the sense that it changes the arrow animation to the bomb one but shoots at normal speed. On detonation, it blows up in mid air launching miniature bombs downward.
It should act more as an arrow, not a mortar shot.

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Posted by: Menzies The Heretic.3415

Menzies The Heretic.3415

I think cluster bomb should be reworked in the sense that it changes the arrow animation to the bomb one but shoots at normal speed. On detonation, it blows up in mid air launching miniature bombs downward.
It should act more as an arrow, not a mortar shot.

So less arc, higher speed.

* Twitch – Mênzîes – Mesmer pvp
* YouTube – Fun, guides and gameplay

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Posted by: oscuro.9720

oscuro.9720

I think cluster bomb should be reworked in the sense that it changes the arrow animation to the bomb one but shoots at normal speed. On detonation, it blows up in mid air launching miniature bombs downward.
It should act more as an arrow, not a mortar shot.

So less arc, higher speed.

Bingo. Maybe more damage and more stacks of bleed

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Posted by: Yamsandjams.3267

Yamsandjams.3267

I think cluster bomb should be reworked in the sense that it changes the arrow animation to the bomb one but shoots at normal speed. On detonation, it blows up in mid air launching miniature bombs downward.
It should act more as an arrow, not a mortar shot.

So less arc, higher speed.

Bingo. Maybe more damage and more stacks of bleed

More damage? That thing is like your own portable siege weapon

Though I do share the sentiment of it not being useful in ranged combat. The main way cluster bomb is used is by spamming it at your feet.

If it had an overall faster projectile speed it’d be much better. Kind of like what they did for engineer grenades.

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Posted by: NinjaEd.3946

NinjaEd.3946

-#2 is fine, it just needs its former glory of 1200 range. I still don’t see why that change was introduced, as it wasn’t an issue anywhere. Ele can use dragon’s tooth and w/o line of sight snipe siege, or just use staff skills, Ranger can slowly melt it with lb, necro can seek through walls with DS #4.

-#3 is fine as well. Granted it “saves” the last press of it and often will keep using it even when not intended, it does the job of avoiding a melt down when immobilized.

-#5 could use some help since it’s only goal is to avoid a burst while immobilized(or stuck in a cc ring like static or RoW), and getting around. Idm if on occasion its teleporting function doesn’t work on climbing buildings in pvp but I hate having it not work on ground level because a little step or terrain got in the way. As far as instant cast, there is no need. It just needs to be more reliable as a ground teleport without getting obstructed.

“I’m waiting for the staff to get off their lunch
break. I feel like they should be back by now..”

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Posted by: Interceptor.2653

Interceptor.2653

Are the people in this thread aware that Infiltrator’s Arrow (AKA Shortbow #5) is an AOE Blind? It’s not just for moving around, folks.

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Posted by: NinjaEd.3946

NinjaEd.3946

I imagine most are, its just that it’s not the primary use of infiltrator’s arrow and since it can’t reapply the blind w/o another cast most people can bypass it with an aa followed by their anti-stomp skill (#2 when downed). If someone’s goal is to aoe blind BPS does the job 4X better.

“I’m waiting for the staff to get off their lunch
break. I feel like they should be back by now..”

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Posted by: Interceptor.2653

Interceptor.2653

^ Hilarious logic, as usual.

It’s not really relevant that IA isn’t strictly the greatest AOE blind available to our class. Fact of the matter: it is an AOE Blind with combat use, so any potential adjustment to range or projectile travel time certain would need to take this into account.

I didn’t see anyone even mention it, so just wanted to make sure that people were aware/hadn’t forgotten.

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Posted by: Menzies The Heretic.3415

Menzies The Heretic.3415

I think most people are aware, but generally never use it.

* Twitch – Mênzîes – Mesmer pvp
* YouTube – Fun, guides and gameplay

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Posted by: Dee Jay.2460

Dee Jay.2460

Are the people in this thread aware that Infiltrator’s Arrow (AKA Shortbow #5) is an AOE Blind? It’s not just for moving around, folks.

Except it is.

I have known about this “feature” since launch and the only thing this added Blind does is get you stuck in combat because you blinded some random critter along the way.

It’s not like Thieves are starved for Blinds as is and I’d gladly see the one on Infiltrator’s Arrow go in return for a reduction in Initiative cost.

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Posted by: Interceptor.2653

Interceptor.2653

I have known about this “feature” since launch and the only thing this added Blind does is get you stuck in combat because you blinded some random critter along the way.

I think I need to start an education campaign on what the word “only” means. There seems to be some confusion in this thread regarding the definition of that term.

If you’ve only used the Blind on random critters… basically, that’s a personal problem. I’ve had my fair share of clutch blinds on IA; while we have better options for AOE in a void, in reality sometimes it’s the only thing you have available. Weapon-swapping is not always desirable, and utilities are not always off cooldown or even slotted in the first place.

It’s not like Thieves are starved for Blinds as is and I’d gladly see the one on Infiltrator’s Arrow go in return for a reduction in Initiative cost.

Or added range, or faster projectile speed, or even given a finisher. Those all have the potential of being useful trades for us. I wouldn’t miss IA’s Blind too much, although I would miss it a little.

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Posted by: deepwinter.9015

deepwinter.9015

I love my shortbow! Shortbow is awesome! Best utility weapon in the game.

But that’s the thing, its a utility weapon. If you’re trying to use it as a primary weapon, you’re going to have a bad time.

Azhandris – Sylvari Thief
Tarnished Coast

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Posted by: NinjaEd.3946

NinjaEd.3946

I love my shortbow! Shortbow is awesome! Best utility weapon in the game.

But that’s the thing, its a utility weapon. If you’re trying to use it as a primary weapon, you’re going to have a bad time.

In certain cases it has damage potential. For example, a thief uses SR, swap to sb and spam that cluster bomb in it. Overall it’s just for utility though, kind of like how many necromancer’s have staff on the side (although they can hit pretty hard).

In relation to the change of IA, I’d be all in favor of removing the blind for a reduced initiative cost. There are very few situations in which the blind from IA is of any use and overall I doubt people would really miss that blind although there could be some other approaches like interceptor said, like changing it to a combo skill or something else.

If you’re using IA to evade a single attack, there is disabling shot for a much cheaper cost without putting yourself into melee range. If you’re using IA for the purpose of putting blinds out, OH pistol does the job far better. Only thing IA is used for is avoiding many attacks when you’re immobilized (or chilled/crippled and out of endurance) and getting around. Only time I’ll waste it for the sake of a blind is if my weapon swap is on cooldown and I want to help an ally finish someone off without being interrupted which is very rare to come across.

“I’m waiting for the staff to get off their lunch
break. I feel like they should be back by now..”

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Posted by: CrimsonNeonite.1048

CrimsonNeonite.1048

Honestly I used to have a problem with it, but it takes alot of practice, patience and Camera work to be used properly. It isn’t a great single target damage source because most of it’s Skills are easily avoidable, but the Cluster Bomb Blast finisher and Poison Field Combo is extremely useful in certain situations.

It’s extremely useful against Classes like Mesmers or even Thieves, and in a Zerg it is what makes us a useful Class which also let’s us collect a ton of lootbags.

It’s an amazing AOE utility weapon really.

Scrubio
Plays completely opposite professions to his main Teef.

(edited by CrimsonNeonite.1048)

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Posted by: infantrydiv.1620

infantrydiv.1620

Shortbow is one of the strongest, most streamlined weapons in the game.

Autoattack does great DPS for a multitarget attack and wrecks mesmers

Clusterbomb a spammable blast finisher that does a ton of damage. You can use this to blast the poison field for AoE weakness or Pistol #5 for stealth, or stolen Ranger water field for an enormous amount of healing.

Disabling shot… a spammable EVADE with cripple. Amazing for kiting.

Choking Gas very good in team/ group fights, especially on downed bodies.

Infiltrator’s Arrow is great mobility both horizontal and vertical.

Ranger//Necro