Guild Wars 2

I noticed a certain weapon that most thieves use on a regular basis missing from the new content stream. In fact they even removed the only trait that even had anything to do with SB (power shots…but who ever took this anyway?). Did I miss something in the stream? Are they really going to ignore this popular weapon with the new trait system? I saw 2 traits in the Deadly Arts related to pistol on top of the dagger traits. I don’t like pistol as a main hand and I don’t understand why they are trying to push it onto us as our ranged option? Or are they going to force us into rifle when the specialization comes out, basically letting SB fall to the trash bin? I love my SB and if this is the case…it’s going to hurt a lot.

Am I missing something here? I went over the new trait lines like 4 times and haven’t seen anything on SB

If almost everyone already uses it it probably doesn’t need extra help from traits.

Ink.9058:

If almost everyone already uses it it probably doesn’t need extra help from traits.

actually it does lol, it is more like second utility bar and not actual weapon lol

Cynz.9437:

Ink.9058:

If almost everyone already uses it it probably doesn’t need extra help from traits.

actually it does lol, it is more like second utility bar and not actual weapon lol

No, it actually doesn’t, it is a main weapon as almost every thief will have it in any given game mode. Those that claim they don’t use it will have something else for a few days so they can say “I’m different” but they’ll put it back on because it’s such a needed weapon. If the short bow was made any more powerful that’s all we’d be allowed to have out in every game mode.

kash.9213:

Cynz.9437:

Ink.9058:

If almost everyone already uses it it probably doesn’t need extra help from traits.

actually it does lol, it is more like second utility bar and not actual weapon lol

No, it actually doesn’t, it is a main weapon as almost every thief will have it in any given game mode. Those that claim they don’t use it will have something else for a few days so they can say “I’m different” but they’ll put it back on because it’s such a needed weapon. If the short bow was made any more powerful that’s all we’d be allowed to have out in every game mode.

[blast] is the only reason I feel forced to have a short bow at the ready at all time.

Shortbow is taken for a number of reasons, arguably most important
1) Infiltrators arrow provides unparalleled map mobility – mandatory in spvp
2) Best, spammable blast finisher (clusterbomb) in the game
3) Ranged attack – so you can do some tickling from range

Ofc, the evade is also important, but I feel those three things are the most important aspects. And while the shortbow might be the thief’s best friend, in a 1v1 or 1vX setting, it might be / is better to take another melee weapon set, though that is ofc unheard of in pvp, due to infiltrators arrow.
In short, it already does what it is supposed to do flawlessly, so I dont see any need for trait buffs. Longer range, maybe, but infiltrators arrow could become even more god tier then.

i honestly wish they would just bring disablinbg shot to what it used to be, half of them time it gets you killed instead of doing what it suppose to do :/

Cynz.9437:

i honestly wish they would just bring disablinbg shot to what it used to be, half of them time it gets you killed instead of doing what it suppose to do :/

And bring back the double shortbow quick pockets evade tank?! Way too powerful to bring back! Far too deadly a build! Madness!
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
/s

(Yeah, that should be reverted)

Just like how some weapons are good for control, physical damage, and condition damage, there are, and should be, weapons made solely for utility. I think the SB is perfect as a utility weapon/tool and purposefully designed that way. Not all weapons are designed for damage and I like that.

what kind of buff/support do you want added to the SB? reduced initiative used for SB skills? increased dmg to SB skills? grants additional effects to specific skills? aren’t all the SB skills already OP in a utility point of view?

What do you want? completely rework all the SB skills for more offensive approach, why don’t you just ask for a more offensive range option? oh wait, we’re getting that already, the rifle.

Honestly i feel like the new specialization will be giving thief the rifle they wanted and probably base off all the traits by giving us more range which is probably where they moved the SB trait maybe

ChoChoBo.6503:

Just like how some weapons are good for control, physical damage, and condition damage, there are, and should be, weapons made solely for utility. I think the SB is perfect as a utility weapon/tool and purposefully designed that way. Not all weapons are designed for damage and I like that.

what kind of buff/support do you want added to the SB? reduced initiative used for SB skills? increased dmg to SB skills? grants additional effects to specific skills? aren’t all the SB skills already OP in a utility point of view?

What do you want? completely rework all the SB skills for more offensive approach, why don’t you just ask for a more offensive range option? oh wait, we’re getting that already, the rifle.

Longer range, would be hella nice, or maybe if you want full support for it have a set of traits that change around the poison to a water field and make trick shot buff alies? idk some kitten like that, just to open up some options (i love my shortbow as it is regardless though.)

Ummm, almost every thieves use SB in all contents because of mobility and free 0 CD blast finisher… Isn’t that enough?

I don’t see what people are on about in terms of “tickling damage”, the damage is actually quite strong.

The Cluster Bomb does rather significant damage and is very powerful in combination with a poison field which (guess what) is also on the same exact weapon.
Aside of how Cluster Bomb is also pretty much “spammable” for blast finishers (as mentioned above) and the Infiltrator’s Arrow needs no further explaining, it’s basicly the thing that keeps Thief in the top tier PvP brackets to be honest.
The evade is also rather good if you don’t spam it (spamming the #3 will cause you to rubber band like crazy).

Even the silly “low damage” auto attack is strong due to the fact that it bounces (did you ever see the damage on it when you run 6/6/2/0/0?) not to mention that the immobilize on the stealth attack is actually quite great.

I’d almost go as far as saying that I use the shortbow more than anything else. It’s definitly a 50/50 split between the shortbow and my “main” weapon set.
But yeah, the fact that just about every thief in any competitive area of the game (PvP, GvG, PvE speedruns etc.) uses the shortbow goes to show how this weapon is good enough to do without traits.
I mean, we got that extra damage trait in the Shadow Arts tree ‘Power Shots’, you could use that but I think noone really does because it’s simply not needed or because when you look at the trade off, others are more valueable (which is basicly another point of view on the same thing I said earlier: it’s not needed)

I mean, I won’t complain if the shortbow gets some extra love but… I’d rather see other things improved that are, in my opinion, more of a pressing matter.

Vornollo.5182:

I don’t see what people are on about in terms of “tickling damage”, the damage is actually quite strong.

…

Even the silly “low damage” auto attack is strong due to the fact that it bounces (did you ever see the damage on it when you run 6/6/2/0/0?) not to mention that the immobilize on the stealth attack is actually quite great.

Dude I was joking ^^

Jesse.4631:

Honestly i feel like the new specialization will be giving thief the rifle they wanted and probably base off all the traits by giving us more range which is probably where they moved the SB trait maybe

That’s a good point and I think may well be the case.

My only personal whine about shortbow is the lack of reliable stealth – not because I feel I need it at range, but because I’m traited for venoms and therefore stuck with unusable minor traits

Gulesave.5073:

My only personal whine about shortbow is the lack of reliable stealth – not because I feel I need it at range, but because I’m traited for venoms and therefore stuck with unusable minor traits

I thought blasting smoke field with SB is common sense… It saves so many cool down, and able to achieve so many additional stealth..
This is another reason why even PVE thieves have SB on their 2nd weapond 24/7

A shortbow projectile velocity trait would be great.

Currently, shortbow 1 is easily strafed even at under 600 range. This trait would improve the usability of autoattack and make aiming cluster bomb slightly easier. It won’t be OP; it would be a nice QoL trait.

Or, you know, just increase the base projectile velocity of shortbow 1 so it can actually hit someone who isn’t standing still.

Or maybe something as simple as having the auto-attack bounce to extra targets? Maybe increase the radius on cluster bomb and choking gas (though that could be a bit strong)? Could even up the radius on the infiltrator’s arrow blinding effect. Maybe even something as simple as a range increase on the abilities (except maybe inflitrator’s arrow, since that would be really powerful).

I dunno. It’s a bit weird with shortbow since you don’t really build a build around it. It’s just the backup weapon that complements your main set. Since thieves don’t have cooldowns on their weapon skills, I’ve always found it a bit awkward to go with two weapon sets as opposed to a weapon set and the shortbow.

It would be nice if you could take something for specializing in it if you wanted to though.