Guild Wars 2

what’s the point in it having a 10.000 range if it requires line of sight?
it never works! i always get teleporter to another place, along the way back…
I read that if it worked as a teleport it could be abused by someone puting it in the door to an enemy fortress and then following the guy who stepped on it, directly inside.
just change it so you’re always teleported to the trap instead of the character who stepped on it, and change it from a shadowstep to a proper teleport.
same for shadow return, why does it require line of sight if you were already there? half the time it doesn’t work, sometimes because there’s tiny rocks on the wy… even if I actually walked from one point t another…
this change wuld make for example jumping puzzles easier for lots of people, and the skills much more useful,

I do not think it useless at all and remains a favored skill for me in WvW.

Just get used to the fact that the long range port will rarely happen and focus on its other uses.

If you do want that long range port , try and chart out areas it can be used. If you are speaking to PVP I doubt there many but in WvW as example I can set one up near the NW or NE tower gates, Port into Garri for much needed supplies, get just outside the gate in Garri on either side and port directly back to the tower in question.

I also like to use it as an offensive tool, stacking it with a needle trap so that the person that triggers the shadowtrap is also imobbed , I port in on him and he has 10 vuln even as I have 20 stacks might with fury and am stealthed.

As a roamer its use as a misdirection skill is significant wherein you are seen fleeing in one direction as a group gives chase, and just port in behind them using the early port. I also like to set one up on a run followed by a needle a few later.. The shadowtrap triggered and then the needle stepped in and you port in behind out of LOS to set up an attack be it a backstab or some other.

Some might feel there bttter skills to be used in those precious 3 spots, but this one hardly a useless one.

i guess it has its uses in WvW, as long as you use it really close and in a straight path, but even the smalles stones on the way sometimes mess things up…

I play P/D trapper, shadow trap is insanely useful in that build. Setting up ganks on chokepoints, two stealths for sneak attacks with pistol, a stunbreak, a pretty much guaranteed OOC skill when used correctly and a port to the enemy that works even if the target is stealthed which is borderline broken when used right. Not to mention 15 stacks of might when traited. It’s only problem is that you have to focus your build around traps and be aware of the LoS issue and your location to get the most from it.

I like to use it like this: precast shadow trap and steal, then swap weapons for geomancy proc on top of steal condis. Wait for them to cleanse, precast needle trap and port to them using shadow trap (which works even if the target is stealthed, so this works wonders against thieves and mesmers) and cancel your heal for the on heal trap. Then spam the area with poison fields from shortbow, as you probably got them pinned down by this point. Works very well vs ele, thief and DH that have one big cleanse that they rely on, and can catch out druids if you can force them to use the cleanse signet early.

WvW too I guess, right?

coso.9173:

WvW too I guess, right?

Yeah, mostly WvW roaming. The only use I have for it in PvE is porting back fro the TP to a crafting station, but there’s not much need to outwit mobs with ports in PvE all round.

I normally use shadow trap for my PvP setup. Good for instant response to any foe trying to cap home.

coso.9173:

it never works! i always get teleporter to another place, along the way back…
I read that if it worked as a teleport it could be abused by someone puting it in the door to an enemy fortress and then following the guy who stepped on it, directly inside

This actually seems like it would be a GOOD change for wvw, giving the thief an anti-fortress infiltration role currently reserved for portal mesmers. WvW honestly needs roles and flavour beyond the karma-farm zerg.

As for my own experiences with this utility – it’s all about trial and error. I have had some amazing 10,000 range teleports (like on the south or east side of Stonemist or on the road leading from Speldan Clearcut to SM) that actually proced loading screens on teleport… while I’ve also had times where I could physically SEE the trap right in front of me and got blocked by a small incline of terrain.

I’ll be the first to admit it’s not a SOLID choice, but it is a good escape utility should you catch your opponent unawares.

I disagree whole heartedly, this skill is not useless it just needs a slight buff.

Think of what thief does best currently in every game mode… +1. Whether its +1 dps for pve (pretty good at it for pve if played right), or +1 wvw roaming or +1 pvp to a point being capped or even in combat if well placed (at doorway to point, enemy has ally try to enter the fight and you refocus on them now without any suspicion. )

I think it just needs to not have a cast time if you choose to break it early. I understand its a pretty strong teleport but that’s what thief does best in defence, avoid damage. They don’t heal up quickly even with healing power, next to no stability or protection access, they move and dodge. The only buff I’d consider necessary is to the early break. Rest is pretty strong as is.

I think the only buff needed is a slightly lower cooldown (40 seconds) and knocking a bit of time off the trigger portion for early use.

i use shadow trap when hiding in an enemy keep in order to stealth cap it. it saved me often when people are looking for me and i step into an anti stealth trap . ofc you need to know where you can use it.

for my purpose it would help alot if the cast time for the early port gets reduced a bit, it happend 2-3 times that i got killed by a zerg after stepping into an anti stealth trap and then got nuked down while casting the early port to shadow trap.

id say the early port could be changed to be a port like mesmers portal, but the LoS should remain for the Shadow Pursuit part, you should be able to see a thief comming if you are aware of your surroundings, yes i do know about that minimal animation the trap has when triggered but thats nothing compared to black pôwder ring for example.

babazhook.6805:

I think the only buff needed is a slightly lower cooldown (40 seconds) and knocking a bit of time off the trigger portion for early use.

Agreed. Since the utility is so niche, it ends up just being a same-or-worse Shadowstep a substantial majority of the time.