Please change the Radius of the combo field to 240.
Its not very big, and anyone can just avoid it by stepping off one meter to the side, its very weak and doesn’t really help in pvp because its so small, and in pve the mob can move 20 meters and be out of it, its radius is pathetic.
100% agree. It’s easy for anyone with a bit of experience to stand outside the field and still hit you.
As far as I can tell, it also doesn’t block projectiles like it should. I recall a number of instances where ranger arrows flew right through it and tagged me on the other side.
If you’re a thief and haven’t
pre-ordered HOT at this point,
save yourself the money and don’t bother.
100% agree. It’s easy for anyone with a bit of experience to stand outside the field and still hit you.
As far as I can tell, it also doesn’t block projectiles like it should. I recall a number of instances where ranger arrows flew right through it and tagged me on the other side.
Black Powder is incredibly useful. Just ignore the initial “blind radius” and remember that any projectile finisher you use while standing in it will also cause blindness, even if the enemy is outside of the field radius. For example: pistol and short bow auto-attacks will cause blindness. You can also use Heartseeker as a leap finisher through it for insta-stealth (useful if you’re running D/P).
If anything, traps need a larger radius. That rectangle target is just crap when necros get a nice big radius for their marks.
Black Powder is incredibly useful. Just ignore the initial “blind radius” and remember that any projectile finisher you use while standing in it will also cause blindness, even if the enemy is outside of the field radius. For example: pistol and short bow auto-attacks will cause blindness. You can also use Heartseeker as a leap finisher through it for insta-stealth (useful if you’re running D/P).
If anything, traps need a larger radius. That rectangle target is just crap when necros get a nice big radius for their marks.
The problem is, nobody uses P/P, they would be using S/P or D/P.
And … about the stealth thing, why would it matter if the field was bigger then? it does not effect that style of game-play a single bit.
Are you going to increase guardian symbols or necro marks while you are at it? Or is this post specifically for another “thing” the thief needs to beat all classes.
Black Powder is incredibly useful. Just ignore the initial “blind radius” and remember that any projectile finisher you use while standing in it will also cause blindness, even if the enemy is outside of the field radius. For example: pistol and short bow auto-attacks will cause blindness. You can also use Heartseeker as a leap finisher through it for insta-stealth (useful if you’re running D/P).
If anything, traps need a larger radius. That rectangle target is just crap when necros get a nice big radius for their marks.
The problem is, nobody uses P/P, they would be using S/P or D/P.
And … about the stealth thing, why would it matter if the field was bigger then? it does not effect that style of game-play a single bit.
The field lasts 4 seconds, which is forever. It also counts itself as a projectile finisher for causing blind, so just using the skill blinds your target. And pistol #4 is still there you know, lol. Same with the ` key and your shortbow.
Hit 5 → hit ` → hit 1 or 3 → you’re welcome.
Fosthe — Sylvari Elementalist
Men of Science [MoS] – Tarnished Coast
Are you going to increase guardian symbols or necro marks while you are at it? Or is this post specifically for another “thing” the thief needs to beat all classes.
There are already traits that double the size of marks and symbols…
Writ of Exaltation – Symbols are larger.
Greater Marks – Increases area of marks and marks become unblockable.
They double the size of the area pretty much…
I’m tired of this crap, I’m asking for something thats not overpowered, infact very underpowered in pvp and in some cases pve to be buffed to be reasonable, Black Powder isn’t overpowered, its a very fair attack, infact its a bit underpowered, the reason is, you can stand out of it and still hit people with melee attacks, which is stupid.
Asking it to be buffed to 240 meter field is completely reasonable.
Are you going to increase guardian symbols or necro marks while you are at it? Or is this post specifically for another “thing” the thief needs to beat all classes.
There are already traits that double the size of marks and symbols…
Writ of Exaltation – Symbols are larger.
Greater Marks – Increases area of marks and marks become unblockable.
They double the size of the area pretty much…
I’m tired of this crap, I’m asking for something thats not overpowered, infact very underpowered in pvp and in some cases pve to be buffed to be reasonable, Black Powder isn’t overpowered, its a very fair attack, infact its a bit underpowered, the reason is, you can stand out of it and still hit people with melee attacks, which is stupid.
Asking it to be buffed to 240 meter field is completely reasonable.
It’s not a mark or a symbol, however. It is a combo field. Please direct me to any other profession that enjoys the ability to trait for larger combo fields.
Were it a trap, then I might understand the request (as rangers can trait to improve trap size). However it is not — I’m unable to trait Purging Flame to have a larger area. I can, however, cause it to recharge 20% faster, last longer and use ground targeting. You can trait Black Powder to bounce to additional targets, deal 10% more damage and cripple foes.
Do you not see how it is silly to compare Black Powder to Seals and Marks?
Fosthe — Sylvari Elementalist
Men of Science [MoS] – Tarnished Coast
Improving black powder would allow you to face tank on a point, standing and blinding basicly largest part of cap point. Its also possible to chain 3-4 of them since they last 4 seconds you only lose 3 innitiative per 1 field basicly.
Anyways my point is, its a combo field, not “you cant kill me perma blinded” skill
It could be improved though by giving some weapeons(sword etc. combo finisher)
Some nice ideas for the combo I haven’t tried yet here. I find I’m able to take some camps solo with this ability which does make it a bit of ’can’t hit me’ even against multiple npcs . The power of the blind is for the wise. There are many nice tricks up thieve’s sleeves which make them a strong group class as well. I enjoy the old sword and pistol with bow combo, always found the backstab signet thing very underwhelming in WvW.
100% agree. It’s easy for anyone with a bit of experience to stand outside the field and still hit you.
As far as I can tell, it also doesn’t block projectiles like it should. I recall a number of instances where ranger arrows flew right through it and tagged me on the other side.
Probably because the areas so small.
But I don’t think it blocks projectiles.
From the Wiki under Smoke Fields – ’A smoke field is a type of field created by certain skills that triggers combo effects when a combo finisher interacts with it. Smoke effects apply stealth to allies or blindness to foes. Enemy projectiles passing through smoke fields will miss their target. ’
The latter part just doesn’t work, unfortunately.
Edit: I’m also led to believe that the wiki is correct. Look at Smoke Screen – the description claims it blocks projectiles, but under the skills active effects there’s no “Blocks projectiles” function, just “Smoke field” (which in itself has the block projectiles effect)
If you’re a thief and haven’t
pre-ordered HOT at this point,
save yourself the money and don’t bother.
Improving black powder would allow you to face tank on a point, standing and blinding basicly largest part of cap point. Its also possible to chain 3-4 of them since they last 4 seconds you only lose 3 innitiative per 1 field basicly.
Anyways my point is, its a combo field, not “you cant kill me perma blinded” skill
It could be improved though by giving some weapeons(sword etc. combo finisher)
240 is probably a bit too large – I’m assuming OP just picked that number because its the next “Size up” in ANets typically used AoE sizes. 180 however is just too small. It should probably be between 195-215 (some playtesting required)
If you’re a thief and haven’t
pre-ordered HOT at this point,
save yourself the money and don’t bother.
Are you going to increase guardian symbols or necro marks while you are at it? Or is this post specifically for another “thing” the thief needs to beat all classes.
There are already traits that double the size of marks and symbols…
Writ of Exaltation – Symbols are larger.
Greater Marks – Increases area of marks and marks become unblockable.
They double the size of the area pretty much…
I’m tired of this crap, I’m asking for something thats not overpowered, infact very underpowered in pvp and in some cases pve to be buffed to be reasonable, Black Powder isn’t overpowered, its a very fair attack, infact its a bit underpowered, the reason is, you can stand out of it and still hit people with melee attacks, which is stupid.
Asking it to be buffed to 240 meter field is completely reasonable.
It’s not a mark or a symbol, however. It is a combo field. Please direct me to any other profession that enjoys the ability to trait for larger combo fields.
Were it a trap, then I might understand the request (as rangers can trait to improve trap size). However it is not — I’m unable to trait Purging Flame to have a larger area. I can, however, cause it to recharge 20% faster, last longer and use ground targeting. You can trait Black Powder to bounce to additional targets, deal 10% more damage and cripple foes.
Do you not see how it is silly to compare Black Powder to Seals and Marks?
Ele’s can trait to increase their staff aoe’s (healing rain, frozen ground, geyser, lava front, static field, are combo fields…). What was the point of your post again?
Wait, so a 20% chance to bounce is good! I only have to spend 20 points in trickery (condition specced!) to get it when its only really good in Sword/Pistol spec.
If you used it in D/P, the pistol attack would bounce and destealth you, so not good at all for D/P!
P/P? Nobody uses P/P because P/P sucks.
10% more damage? so the 87 damage (lolpathetic) attack (x2 less damage then PISTOL autoattack.) is now 95 damage!
Oh yeah, black powder can cripple foes, because people would spent 6 initiative (half of it.) to cripple the foe for 3 seconds!
Wait.. why am I arguing this, making it have a low chance to cripple, a low chance to bounce, and deal 10% extra damage is completely worthless.
Are you going to increase guardian symbols or necro marks while you are at it? Or is this post specifically for another “thing” the thief needs to beat all classes.
There are already traits that double the size of marks and symbols…
Writ of Exaltation – Symbols are larger.
Greater Marks – Increases area of marks and marks become unblockable.
They double the size of the area pretty much…
I’m tired of this crap, I’m asking for something thats not overpowered, infact very underpowered in pvp and in some cases pve to be buffed to be reasonable, Black Powder isn’t overpowered, its a very fair attack, infact its a bit underpowered, the reason is, you can stand out of it and still hit people with melee attacks, which is stupid.
Asking it to be buffed to 240 meter field is completely reasonable.
It’s not a mark or a symbol, however. It is a combo field. Please direct me to any other profession that enjoys the ability to trait for larger combo fields.
Were it a trap, then I might understand the request (as rangers can trait to improve trap size). However it is not — I’m unable to trait Purging Flame to have a larger area. I can, however, cause it to recharge 20% faster, last longer and use ground targeting. You can trait Black Powder to bounce to additional targets, deal 10% more damage and cripple foes.
Do you not see how it is silly to compare Black Powder to Seals and Marks?
Ele’s can trait to increase their staff aoe’s (healing rain, frozen ground, geyser, lava front, static field, are combo fields…). What was the point of your post again?
I’m not certain that I’m understanding the point of your post, actually.
Traiting for area attacks is not traiting for combo fields, it’s traiting for area attacks . I don’t think you understand what those are.
Some combo fields are also area attacks; not all area attacks are combo fields. You’re not traiting for combo fields. Failing to see how you’ve rebutted anything.
Fosthe — Sylvari Elementalist
Men of Science [MoS] – Tarnished Coast
Wait, so a 20% chance to bounce is good! I only have to spend 20 points in trickery (condition specced!) to get it when its only really good in Sword/Pistol spec.
If you used it in D/P, the pistol attack would bounce and destealth you, so not good at all for D/P!
P/P? Nobody uses P/P because P/P sucks.
10% more damage? so the 87 damage (lolpathetic) attack (x2 less damage then PISTOL autoattack.) is now 95 damage!
Oh yeah, black powder can cripple foes, because people would spent 6 initiative (half of it.) to cripple the foe for 3 seconds!
Wait.. why am I arguing this, making it have a low chance to cripple, a low chance to bounce, and deal 10% extra damage is completely worthless.
That changes nothing. Just like most traits, those are secondary, passive, automatic effects that happen whenever you use the skills. I fail to see how any of this changes the fact that, like most other professions’ combo fields, you already have traits that affect this one.
Fosthe — Sylvari Elementalist
Men of Science [MoS] – Tarnished Coast
