Guild Wars 2

sry for my poor english

I played S/D thief since 2013 Feb. now it was unvaluable.

I have an idea to bring it back, here is my suggest

Larcenous Strike dont need to hit someone with Flanking strike but cost 2 ini

it will cost 4+2 ini totally, so it wont spam. and it will give S/D some ACTIVE burst and more playstyle. I think,S/D is too passive, the damage is ok, but too passive.

how do you guys think ? and Karl shall we get this easy change ?

- feline grace should work like before nerf but only on succesfull dodges
- inf return should be instant and breakstun
- lacernous strike should steal 2 boons
- flanking strike unblockable

Daredevil

/15chars

I’m sorry but sword 2 instant return with a stunbreak was broken. It can’t be brought back.

Kolly.9872:

- feline grace should work like before nerf but only on succesfull dodges

Personally, I’m not sure about balance on this, but having things work on evade just doesn’t really feel good. I would like to just have it be returned to its original state (unlikely as that may be).

- inf return should be instant and breakstun

I didn’t play thief when this was a thing, but that just sounds really broken.

- lacernous strike should steal 2 boons

I think this is reasonable.

- flanking strike unblockable

I think this is ok actually…it gives us a way to counter blocks while still be susceptible to dodges and blinds.

I think S/D is already back guys. It’s really fun and can be challenging.

I do wish Sword #2 was instant and #3 would be consolidated into 1 skill.

Other than that, I think S/D is fine.

We can’t say the same for traits tho.. and it’s all about Acro. We will have to wait until Tuesday and see.

sword 2 return instant is overpower

I think change on Larcenous Strike ,make it active is the best way

S/D will never be brought back, because staff exists now. If SD is good, staff won’t be, and vica versa, but since our elite spec is centered around staff… Staff is going to be good, not SD.

You equip it, trickery(222), acro(333, iirc), deadly(233). Valkyrie armor/pack runes, zerk rings/back, valk earrings and amulet.

Withdraw, soa, scorpion wire/rfi, step/refuge/inf signet, open elite.

And it feels like other specs with no SA, though still better than most SA-less specs with self cleanse. Still would rather have FG back there kinda in acro. It’s not awful but it’s not the old 10/0/0/30/30 or variants (or 10/30/0/0/30 which wasn’t as dodgy kitten was known for anyway. I always had better luck kitten anyway, but especially with that one).

Bring S/D back? It was never lost.

I have also played S/D since way back and have stayed with it throughout all of its changes. The changes to Sword 2 were acceptable and the changes to FS weren’t that bad. It was weird to get used to at first and it was easily spammable if you missed it, but it really just forced you to land FS and to be more accurate when using it. FS being spammable also allows you to use this skill as an evade more effectively imo.

As for S/D being a passive set, I think that has more to do with the thief’s play style, attitude and the enemy they’re fighting. It doesn’t have to be passive at all. While it does have less burst than other sets, it has many great things about it as well. My whole approach to S/D has been sustain. Damage over time. Out-living and out-playing your opponent as well as utilizing the CC and mobility the set gives you. The state of the game forces us to play this way (well from my experience). You can’t often go out and burst people down right away anymore. It’s all about CC and stunbreakers. I have 4 stuns and 3 stunbreaks ready to go. The hardest fight I have is Condi Mesmer and Burn Guards and that’s really just because those builds are what they are.

Acro also isn’t as bad as people say it is. I honestly like it more than the old Acro. The new acro gives you Hard to Catch (Improved) and Don’t Stop. They’re great traits compared to what I used before just because that’s all that was really useful (Fleet of Foot and Quick Pockets). The nerf to Feline Grace isn’t that bad. You don’t need all those dodges if you use them as needed. Especially with S/D. Acro is still a great traitline and people really need to see that.

I run DA/Acro/Trickery with Valk Armor and Zerk Everything else. Pack Runes. I focus on perma Fury/Swift/Might and try to use stuns to break my enemy’s rotation.

I invite anyone to check out my build video that I posted the day after the June 23rd Patch;
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LkfvePTjBjI

As for results I have 2 post-patch roaming videos;
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EbVacSFkxEQ

(newest)

S/D is in very much great shape. It’s all about who wields it and how. I wish people didn’t look so dimly on it. As for the state of the thief class itself against other classes…well that’s a different story.

My 2 changes would be;
- More HP
- (For S/D) Make Infiltrator’s Return remove at least 2 conditions instead of one.

thegreatbronk.6890:

Bring S/D back? It was never lost.

I have also played S/D since way back and have stayed with it throughout all of its changes. The changes to Sword 2 were acceptable and the changes to FS weren’t that bad. It was weird to get used to at first and it was easily spammable if you missed it, but it really just forced you to land FS and to be more accurate when using it. FS being spammable also allows you to use this skill as an evade more effectively imo.

As for S/D being a passive set, I think that has more to do with the thief’s play style, attitude and the enemy they’re fighting. It doesn’t have to be passive at all. While it does have less burst than other sets, it has many great things about it as well. My whole approach to S/D has been sustain. Damage over time. Out-living and out-playing your opponent as well as utilizing the CC and mobility the set gives you. The state of the game forces us to play this way (well from my experience). You can’t often go out and burst people down right away anymore. It’s all about CC and stunbreakers. I have 4 stuns and 3 stunbreaks ready to go. The hardest fight I have is Condi Mesmer and Burn Guards and that’s really just because those builds are what they are.

Acro also isn’t as bad as people say it is. I honestly like it more than the old Acro. The new acro gives you Hard to Catch (Improved) and Don’t Stop. They’re great traits compared to what I used before just because that’s all that was really useful (Fleet of Foot and Quick Pockets). The nerf to Feline Grace isn’t that bad. You don’t need all those dodges if you use them as needed. Especially with S/D. Acro is still a great traitline and people really need to see that.

I run DA/Acro/Trickery with Valk Armor and Zerk Everything else. Pack Runes. I focus on perma Fury/Swift/Might and try to use stuns to break my enemy’s rotation.

I invite anyone to check out my build video that I posted the day after the June 23rd Patch;
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LkfvePTjBjI

As for results I have 2 post-patch roaming videos;
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EbVacSFkxEQ

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8ULl62omaHw

(newest)

S/D is in very much great shape. It’s all about who wields it and how. I wish people didn’t look so dimly on it. As for the state of the thief class itself against other classes…well that’s a different story.

My 2 changes would be;
- More HP
- (For S/D) Make Infiltrator’s Return remove at least 2 conditions instead of one.

I think anyone who use D/P SA will eat you,even they are bad…

I can kill a newbee no matter what build he take..but a skillful guys..ehmmm

Christonya.3856:

S/D will never be brought back, because staff exists now. If SD is good, staff won’t be, and vica versa, but since our elite spec is centered around staff… Staff is going to be good, not SD.

SD can be good it just needs its role defining more.
Crippling Strike should also remove a boon (not steal)

Larcenous Strike reverted back to stealing 2 boons and precastable

This would give some control over which boons you steal and help with this boon power creep every class seems to have now (which is getting worse with elite specs)

Infiltrators Strike/Return needs initiative cost reducing or conditions removed increasing to 2 (also remove range restriction on infiltrators return back to how it used to be to fix the terrain issues, its so much clunkier than it used to be)

The old changes may have been justified when they were done but when traits were reworked made builds much more powerful, reverting the old changes would be a nice start helping SD thief have a role.

Fade.5904:

Christonya.3856:

S/D will never be brought back, because staff exists now. If SD is good, staff won’t be, and vica versa, but since our elite spec is centered around staff… Staff is going to be good, not SD.

SD can be good it just needs its role defining more.
Crippling Strike should also remove a boon (not steal)

Larcenous Strike reverted back to stealing 2 boons and precastable

This would give some control over which boons you steal and help with this boon power creep every class seems to have now (which is getting worse with elite specs)

Infiltrators Strike/Return needs initiative cost reducing or conditions removed increasing to 2 (also remove range restriction on infiltrators return back to how it used to be to fix the terrain issues, its so much clunkier than it used to be)

The old changes may have been justified when they were done but when traits were reworked made builds much more powerful, reverting the old changes would be a nice start helping SD thief have a role.

cant agree more!

thegreatbronk.6890:

Bring S/D back? It was never lost.

I have also played S/D since way back and have stayed with it throughout all of its changes. The changes to Sword 2 were acceptable and the changes to FS weren’t that bad. It was weird to get used to at first and it was easily spammable if you missed it, but it really just forced you to land FS and to be more accurate when using it. FS being spammable also allows you to use this skill as an evade more effectively imo.

As for S/D being a passive set, I think that has more to do with the thief’s play style, attitude and the enemy they’re fighting. It doesn’t have to be passive at all. While it does have less burst than other sets, it has many great things about it as well. My whole approach to S/D has been sustain. Damage over time. Out-living and out-playing your opponent as well as utilizing the CC and mobility the set gives you. The state of the game forces us to play this way (well from my experience). You can’t often go out and burst people down right away anymore. It’s all about CC and stunbreakers. I have 4 stuns and 3 stunbreaks ready to go. The hardest fight I have is Condi Mesmer and Burn Guards and that’s really just because those builds are what they are.

Acro also isn’t as bad as people say it is. I honestly like it more than the old Acro. The new acro gives you Hard to Catch (Improved) and Don’t Stop. They’re great traits compared to what I used before just because that’s all that was really useful (Fleet of Foot and Quick Pockets). The nerf to Feline Grace isn’t that bad. You don’t need all those dodges if you use them as needed. Especially with S/D. Acro is still a great traitline and people really need to see that.

I run DA/Acro/Trickery with Valk Armor and Zerk Everything else. Pack Runes. I focus on perma Fury/Swift/Might and try to use stuns to break my enemy’s rotation.

I invite anyone to check out my build video that I posted the day after the June 23rd Patch;
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LkfvePTjBjI

As for results I have 2 post-patch roaming videos;
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EbVacSFkxEQ

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8ULl62omaHw

(newest)

S/D is in very much great shape. It’s all about who wields it and how. I wish people didn’t look so dimly on it. As for the state of the thief class itself against other classes…well that’s a different story.

My 2 changes would be;
- More HP
- (For S/D) Make Infiltrator’s Return remove at least 2 conditions instead of one.

In wvw it works fine, where you have extra stats. In spvp it’s damage is none existantly low.

Fade.5904:

Christonya.3856:

S/D will never be brought back, because staff exists now. If SD is good, staff won’t be, and vica versa, but since our elite spec is centered around staff… Staff is going to be good, not SD.

SD can be good it just needs its role defining more.
Crippling Strike should also remove a boon (not steal)

Larcenous Strike reverted back to stealing 2 boons and precastable

This would give some control over which boons you steal and help with this boon power creep every class seems to have now (which is getting worse with elite specs)

Infiltrators Strike/Return needs initiative cost reducing or conditions removed increasing to 2 (also remove range restriction on infiltrators return back to how it used to be to fix the terrain issues, its so much clunkier than it used to be)

The old changes may have been justified when they were done but when traits were reworked made builds much more powerful, reverting the old changes would be a nice start helping SD thief have a role.

MAN. Those sound like great ideas!…. And would completely over shadow staffs existence as the none stealth weapon.

Which is what I said.

SD and staff will always clash, and the one that is better will over shadow the other.

nerf SA line, LS 2 boons steal I think that’s all.

Atm S/D isn’t weak but it’s bad compared to d/p SA so if we nerf SA and remove the nerf to LS then we could see more s/d thieves.

I think Acro could really use an HP increase. Also, one of the things we’ve been asking for is making Cloak and Dagger blind baseline. This would be huge for S/D and up our survivability quite considerably.

Aside from that, I don’t really miss old Feline Grace and I don’t think it’s really necessary if you know how to play S/D right. I’d much rather get the CnD blind baseline, HP increase, a slight increase to sword AA damage, and have Expeditious Dodger apply 5-6 seconds of swiftness.

Ever since the change to Felice Grace I simply can’t bring myself to enjoy Acrobatics anymore. I also really miss the sword 2 teleport while stunned (it wasn’t a stunbreak, it just moved you.) Basically to fix S/D they have to simply unnerf the silly changes they did.

Arlowslol.1974:

I think anyone who use D/P SA will eat you,even they are bad…

I can kill a newbee no matter what build he take..but a skillful guys..ehmmm

Even if they’re bad? Sorry, no. If they’re bad they won’t even get their BP+HS combo off because they’ll be dead by then. D/P does counter S/D really well, but you can beat them. When they run SA it’s a challenge because they stealth all day, but they don’t “eat” me.

I usually run S/D+SB but I’ve recently swapped SB for D/P offhand so I can stealth longer when fighting D/P SA. It’s worked out well so far. You can counter D/P with S/D by interrupting them when they’re trying to leap through BP and by dodging their Shadow Shot because you can see it if you watch for it. In fact I think in each of those videos linked I killed a D/P thief as you described.

Also, I can kill a new player regardless of build too. Without armor even. What’s to be proud of with that? Or are you saying I just kill noobs? If so, I just came here to post my opinion as a long-time S/D thief and don’t appreciate an insult. I don’t just kill noobs, I kill players of all kinds, but whatever.

It seems to me that the people who struggle with S/D are just not that great with the set. I’ve seen many people trying to use it in duels and they just don’t do well and that’s not because of what the set lacks. If S/D is too hard, then people should just stick with Shadow Arts and D/P. The people that do well with the set like myself and many others, don’t see a problem with S/D. We more or less see an issue with the thief class itself as far as balance goes with other classes.