Guild Wars 2

Let me start by saying that I can accept a nerf to Warrior’s DPS with Hammer while using Soldier’s gear. With some of the Necro’s primary DPS condition skills getting nerfed then Warriors can be tones back as well. Their current strength was needed in order to keep the condition meta at bay. However, I do not agree with some of the proposed changes and find that several will nerf not only builds like Hambow but potential builds when the meta shifts.

My most major issue is the direct nerf to Burst Mastery. While currently this skill is used with the Hambow and Skull Crack builds it also has tons of potential with weapons like the Rifle and Axe. Now those too weapons are currently fairly weak in PvP but where they ever to be changed, and they should be if you ask me, that nerf to Burst Mastery decreases the potential damage of a power based DPS build.

Hambow has the potential damage it does due to 3 factors: Unsuspecting Foe, Burst Mastery, and Merciless Hammer. With UF being moved that means Hambow will become 0/20/30/0/20, Although I see a potential for 0/0/30/10/30 and using Empowered and Lyssa runes. Just forcing the choice between UF and BM is already a pretty big hit to the build’s DPS. The build already saw a bit of a indirect nerf in the form of the Sigil of Para fix. However the changes go one step further and just outright reduce the damage of Earthshaker and Staggering Blow.

If you go too far the Hammer will become not worth taking. Right now Warrior has good sustain, but Guardian is still a much better bunker. If you totally strip the damage aspect from Hammer then it may just become an inferior Guardian. You are hitting the builds damage from so many angles that it seems like it’s overkill.

I feel a middle ground would be like this:
- Keep Burst Mastery as it is, nerfing it not only hurts Hambow but any DPS builds that either currently exist or may exist down the line.
- Keep the reduced damage with Earthshaker considering it’s low cooldown but leave Staggering Blow as is considering its cooldown is basically double that of ES.

Hambow is a pretty unique playstyle and I’d like to see it stay viable. It should still remain the primary threat to pure condition builds so that they can remain viable but always have to be wary of the control Hammer has. Hitting it’s damage from too many areas may make it better to just switch to GS/LB or some other weapon set.

Hambow will still be strong, even if they toned down the fire field. Well the scaling with adre has been changed I believe so I expect a dmg drop aswel. But the fire field was insanely strong, nothing squishy could stand in it and not die. Next to it you have the hammer, build right, this weapon dealt insane damage and CC. Now, that ain’t right. Something that CCs so many and so hard, shouldn’t have that much damage. Hammer burst damage was higher than a thief’ burst damage. They are cutting the damage on 2 skills, both aoe CC skills. Which I completely agree on. You’ll still be able to dish out real good damage. Burst mastery only gives 3% less damage on 1 skill. That ain’t a big deal. I think they are doing a correct thing here.

The thing they have overnerfed is the mace, with the sigil of paralization changed and longer cast time on the burst with more clear animation made the weapon got useless.

Things I would like to see nerfed further:
1) condibunker builds, they will become the strongest roam builds now. I think the torment just deals to much damage. And it is hard to clean off because of the nature of the skill
2) mobility on the greatsword, rush reduction to 900 range would already be fine

And last thing, a warrior and a guardian can’t be compared. When I played at my friends house, who mains a guardian, he was surprised my warrior was dishing out such high numbers in damage. A warrior stays alive because of 2 things, passive regen en defense and pressure. You’ll die if you don’t apply enough pressure on your enemy forcing them to play more defensively. A guardian does this different. They survive by a lot of active healing, protection and blocking. And they will keep up a certain DPS slowly wearing down their enemy. So the way they both bunker is fundamentaly different. Warriors just become strong in zergs because they gain protection, greatly enhancing their passive defense.

The main issue with hammer is that the % crits chance bonus bonus of UF was apply before earthshaker touched. It was pretty much near 100% crits chance on that ability. While I agree that the damage nerf on the hammer is a bit high I pretty much think that changing the way earthshaker worked with Unsuspecting Foe would have fixed a lot of the issue peoples had with those 2 combined.

yanoch.7051:

The main issue with hammer is that the % crits chance bonus bonus of UF was apply before earthshaker touched. It was pretty much near 100% crits chance on that ability. While I agree that the damage nerf on the hammer is a bit high I pretty much think that changing the way earthshaker worked with Unsuspecting Foe would have fixed a lot of the issue peoples had with those 2 combined.

If you changed that than there would be absolutely 0 reasons why to take Unsuspecting Foe. Because you would be able to use 1 skill with 50% more crit chance, neuheu, not worth it.

BurrTheKing.8571:

Let me start by saying that I can accept a nerf to Warrior’s DPS with Hammer while using Soldier’s gear. With some of the Necro’s primary DPS condition skills getting nerfed then Warriors can be tones back as well. Their current strength was needed in order to keep the condition meta at bay. However, I do not agree with some of the proposed changes and find that several will nerf not only builds like Hambow but potential builds when the meta shifts.

My most major issue is the direct nerf to Burst Mastery. While currently this skill is used with the Hambow and Skull Crack builds it also has tons of potential with weapons like the Rifle and Axe. Now those too weapons are currently fairly weak in PvP but where they ever to be changed, and they should be if you ask me, that nerf to Burst Mastery decreases the potential damage of a power based DPS build.

Hambow has the potential damage it does due to 3 factors: Unsuspecting Foe, Burst Mastery, and Merciless Hammer. With UF being moved that means Hambow will become 0/20/30/0/20, Although I see a potential for 0/0/30/10/30 and using Empowered and Lyssa runes. Just forcing the choice between UF and BM is already a pretty big hit to the build’s DPS. The build already saw a bit of a indirect nerf in the form of the Sigil of Para fix. However the changes go one step further and just outright reduce the damage of Earthshaker and Staggering Blow.

If you go too far the Hammer will become not worth taking. Right now Warrior has good sustain, but Guardian is still a much better bunker. If you totally strip the damage aspect from Hammer then it may just become an inferior Guardian. You are hitting the builds damage from so many angles that it seems like it’s overkill.

I feel a middle ground would be like this:
- Keep Burst Mastery as it is, nerfing it not only hurts Hambow but any DPS builds that either currently exist or may exist down the line.
- Keep the reduced damage with Earthshaker considering it’s low cooldown but leave Staggering Blow as is considering its cooldown is basically double that of ES.

Hambow is a pretty unique playstyle and I’d like to see it stay viable. It should still remain the primary threat to pure condition builds so that they can remain viable but always have to be wary of the control Hammer has. Hitting it’s damage from too many areas may make it better to just switch to GS/LB or some other weapon set.

totally agree +1