Guild Wars 2

I mostly play thief in PvP, but I’ve found pistol whip to be rather monotone to use as you are stuck in the same spot all the time. Would it be more engaging if you could move around while using it, not necessarily at the same speed as normal running speed, but at least something that could allow you to get one extra hit before the enemy runs away or maybe get out of that AoE in the last second. This would probably require a damage nerf to be balanced, but I think it would make S/P thief a lot more fun.

That root is why I don’t S/P outside pve at all. If your only concern is people walking away from PW, use teleports so they eat the whole PW.

My concern isn’t really that they walk away from it, it’s rather that it is boring to be completely still for several seconds while using a skill

I agree, it would be better if pistol whip was separated into two parts, like flanking strike:

- First part, stun a foe with pistol.
- Second part <optional>, channel a single powerful slash (you can move), that cleaves. If the initial stun interrupted the foe, damage of this slash is increased and also applies some condition, like vulnerability or cripple.

OR

If the initial stun didn’t interrupt the foe, the slash deals the same damage, but doesn’t cleave, and doesn’t apply a condition.

Flanking strike should be also changed, that if no attack is evaded, then larcenous strike deals less damage and does not steal a boon. Then, we could even buff larcenous strike to steal 2 boons if succeeded.

Separating it in two parts make Headshot redundant considering it does the samething for the first skill.

I always found Pistol Whip to be the comparable version of Blurred Frenzy for Mesmers, Hundred Blades for Warriors, which is that one skill that stills you in place while dealing lots of damage. I don’t see this skill getting changed into 2 parts.

Tachii.3506:

Separating it in two parts make Headshot redundant considering it does the samething for the first skill.

I always found Pistol Whip to be the comparable version of Blurred Frenzy for Mesmers, Hundred Blades for Warriors, which is that one skill that stills you in place while dealing lots of damage. I don’t see this skill getting changed into 2 parts.

Separating it into two parts wouldn’t make it more redundant than it already is, would it? And it’s not really redundant as headshot is ranged :) Furthermore, I guess it is comparable to those skills, but that’s no reason why it couldn’t be improved :D

@Tachii
Just because you have always seen PW as another hundred blades or blurred frenzy doesn’t mean it cannot be changed. Besides, devs mentioned some time ago splitting this skill into two parts, like flanking strike.

Also, PW’s stun has to be channeled, while headshot doesn’t.

Being able to move during pistol whip would be op. You would be stunning, dealing a ton of damage, AND evading. Not moving is a drawback from all of this, it makes it so that the thief has to have good positioning to get the full hits in.

I use D/D S/P for wvw. When I need to burst someone down quick, I just pistol whip + steal and Keep them pinned with #2. I also use pistol whip when I think a big attack is coming, like bull rush. I either evade it or interrupt them. (I have an AWESOME video of pistol whipping this warrior’s eviscerate)
So I think pistol whip is great already.