Guild Wars 2

Title:
Is the general consensus of thieves around the world that Pistols are nonviable in a PvP setting or just in general?

If so, what’s the point of choosing them over the shortbow?

This is a discussion thread, just looking for people’s opinions.

I like pistols very much in WvW for several reasons (however i never played p/p in spvp/tpvp).

1. Range. When you use any close range weapon it’s easy to miss when a target is moving. It’s a matter of luck if you land a backstab or not. You don’t have the problem with pistols.
2. Survivability. An enemy player can try to avoid backstabs by moving, evading, hitting the air. It’s harder to avoid sneak attack because unlike to bs, the thief will not pop up right behind your back but anywhere in a 900 m radius around you. Belive me, it’s impossible to predict where a p/p thief will appear, for the thief it makes no difference as long as it is within 900 m. The dmg is lower, but almost no risk.
3. Skills. Very good autoattack, up to 5k dmg with Unload, Black powder (blindness for 4s) and interruption with head shot. I don’t need anything else.

During the short time when i was using d/d in WvW i was able to kill unexperienced players much faster but i died every few fights. With pistols it takes more time to kill someone, but i am able to kill better players and die once in a blue moon.

I’m not trying to tell that p/p is better, because it isn’t. It’s just perfect for me

Main hand = crap
Off hand = strong

Pistol is the only option for a single target ranged DPS. Shortbows are great dealing AoE damage and hitting multiple targets, but unless you are really good at shortbow, you’re better off with pistol for single target.

Unfortunately, both weapon’s #1 (auto-attack) are bugged — the fire rate is slower than stated and the projectiles travels really slow.

Sir Vincent III.1286:

Pistol is the only option for a single target ranged DPS. Shortbows are great dealing AoE damage and hitting multiple targets, but unless you are really good at shortbow, you’re better off with pistol for single target.

Unfortunately, both weapon’s #1 (auto-attack) are bugged — the fire rate is slower than stated and the projectiles travels really slow.

shortbow does way more single target dmg than pistol could ever dream of doing, and lets not even touch aoe lol. The problem with pistol is the auto attack is condition based but the main attack is power, making it mediocre as kitten. Idk how to feel about offhand pistol, the ini cost for that 1/4 second daze seems pretty high, the blind field destroys melee, but not so good without projectile finishers for ranged (unload + blind fields gonna suck ur ini dry quick)

Zepidel.5349:

Sir Vincent III.1286:

Pistol is the only option for a single target ranged DPS. Shortbows are great dealing AoE damage and hitting multiple targets, but unless you are really good at shortbow, you’re better off with pistol for single target.

Unfortunately, both weapon’s #1 (auto-attack) are bugged — the fire rate is slower than stated and the projectiles travels really slow.

shortbow does way more single target dmg than pistol could ever dream of doing, and lets not even touch aoe lol. The problem with pistol is the auto attack is condition based but the main attack is power, making it mediocre as kitten. Idk how to feel about offhand pistol, the ini cost for that 1/4 second daze seems pretty high, the blind field destroys melee, but not so good without projectile finishers for ranged (unload + blind fields gonna suck ur ini dry quick)

Mind reading completely what I posted?

“…but unless you are really good at shortbow, you’re better off with pistol for single target.”

I never discounted those who use shortbows for single target damage.

When I mentioned single target, that’s what I meant, single target and none of those “oh kitten I over aggroed with my auto-attack and AoE LAWL”

I use P/P over SB at 80 in PvE, probably because I leveled with them and SB just feels… slow? Weaker? Something… by comparison. Sometimes I try going over to SB (because people say it’s so awesome) and always go back. Must be all the bang-bang-bang-bang smoke and thunder. =) Honestly in PvE and especially Dungeons, spamming #5 for the blind when I get low on health feels like I’m helping my team in a different way (damage mitigation), and #2 seems to do quite a bit of damage (I’m traited mainly for Power and Conditions since my main weapons are D/D).

Zepidel.5349:

Idk how to feel about offhand pistol, the ini cost for that 1/4 second daze seems pretty high, the blind field destroys melee, but not so good without projectile finishers for ranged (unload + blind fields gonna suck ur ini dry quick)

I think the 1/4s daze is deliberately designed to be a very short duration.

Daze has two effects:
1. Interrupts the target – http://wiki.guildwars2.com/wiki/Interrupt
2. Stops target using their skills

By choosing an ultra short duration the dev’s are saying they want this skill to be used for the #1 effect but not the #2 effect.

If you put a 1s or 2s daze on 4 ini a thief could permadaze a target while the thief’s team mate kills him – it would be OP.

So what I think the dev’s wanted was for you to use the 1/4s daze to interrupt heals, stomps, rezzes and channeled attacks – but you can’t spam long dazes to lock someone out of using their skill bar.

I think 4 ini to stop your guildie being stomped or delay your enemy from using their heal for another 5 seconds is a fair price.

I love Head Shot and don’t mind 4 ini cost – just wish I remembered to use it more!

I agree with you that Unload and Black Powder are mutually exclusive choices because of the initiative cost.

For us to choose to use Black Powder we need a buff to the projectile finisher % chance because 20% is way to low for me to spend 6 initiative creating a blind field that may never proc a combo with my auto attack.

I would want a minimum 50% chance because our auto attack is so slow.

I think the real issue with pistols is the lack of stealth due to no blast/leap finishers.

If #2 (which I think most people think is a useless skill) was converted into some kind of blast/leap (for 3 initiative) then I think the set would be usable.