Guild Wars 2

I like withdraw as its hps is pretty decent compared to other heals. However I rarely slot it and Roll for Initiative because I do not like the lack of control that comes with it. Its straight backwards only and the distance covered could be enough to put you in the path of harm or off a cliff. Maybe into a ditch unintentionally.

It limits itself in where it can be used, where you are positioned and facing in relation to the enemy and environment and timing of activation. And I would slot these more if it acted a little more like a regular evade. Direction of my choosing and a manageable distance that’s tight but still gets you out of trouble.

And I wouldn’t mind if other evasions on other professions were like this. In fact, I am all for more skill control. But that me.

Thoughts?

It is rather awkward but you can roll forward. I too have rolled off cliffs and towers with it though. I would like to see more control especially with withdraw so one can get those proc on heal effects to work properly.

I am not sure on the distance though. I rather like that the distance longer then a regular evade as it can get you out of aoe hot spots more reliably and makes them handy as gap openers when you want more range.

Maybe reduce the distance by 1/3rd? And change the animation to lightning’s backflip?

Some way of cancelling the retreat on these skills would be nice. Maybe just hitting the button a second time rapidly? I can’t imagine this is intended as a balancing drawback to the skill, since it’s useful in so many other situations.

I just love withdraw. Being able to use it in any direction gives the opportunity to get distance or get close to your target while healing and evading. Having a good control over the camera is essential here. If you have that you can do a hell lot of things with that heal. Making the evade from it easier to manage would propably lead to a nerf to 20sec cd. In small areas you can use a wall or something to mitigate a drawback into an unwanted direction or change weapons to cancel the roll (evade get canceled, too). And don´t forget the condiremove it has. I think withdraw is in a good spot right now. Roll of initiative is another thing though. Don´t use it because the gain of initiative is done better with signet of infiltration.

yolo swaggins.2570:

Maybe reduce the distance by 1/3rd? And change the animation to lightning’s backflip?

I would prefer no distance reduction at all with the direction you go controlled by the keyboard like regular evades. This coming from a person who played a lot of p/p and really needed to open that distance.

I think the distance is around 500. This is less then the distance one steps back when using rangers lightning reflexes and about twice the distance as a regular dodge. I think that decent and one of its strengths. Disabling shot on s/b has a distance of around 240 which is about the same as the ranger skill quick shot.

Shadow strike steps one back 600 units and I rarely have issues with that distance.

Coronit.9432:

I just love withdraw. Being able to use it in any direction gives the opportunity to get distance or get close to your target while healing and evading. Having a good control over the camera is essential here. If you have that you can do a hell lot of things with that heal. Making the evade from it easier to manage would propably lead to a nerf to 20sec cd. In small areas you can use a wall or something to mitigate a drawback into an unwanted direction or change weapons to cancel the roll (evade get canceled, too). And don´t forget the condiremove it has. I think withdraw is in a good spot right now. Roll of initiative is another thing though. Don´t use it because the gain of initiative is done better with signet of infiltration.

Well RFI is a trick and be put on a lower cooldown if one traits. The instant INI gain is oftimes more rewarding then INI over a period of time.( That INI gain also turns off if you use that signet) Lowering that cooldown to 48 seconds allows for more INI gain then Infiltrators gives.

Add to that and the same trait that lowers cooldown will allow RFI to remove another condition. 4 conditions removed, a stunbreak every 48 seconds and 6 ini every 48 seconds is not all bad.

I think it in a good place as well.