Guild Wars 2

Disclaimer: The following are ideas and thoughts on the Warrior profession, and not law, so for the would-be-idiot-savants chill out and breathe if you disagree with me, and approach this review with logic. I have stated premises that lead to a conclusion. Agree, reject, or just sit in the gray area, but just breathe.

Suggestions on Weapons: Vulnerability, Weakness, Bleed, and Cripple seem to be the mainstay of Warriors, and as such the Warrior Profession should have more opportunities to place their opponents in these conditions, as other professions compound conditions very quickly in short durations.

Great Sword:
• Add vulnerability to last strike or increase the animation speed of Great Sword Swing
• Allow Hundred Blades to be channeled while moving, increase the damage, or add a passive effect like cripple, vulnerability, or immobilize.
• Have whirlwind add a passive effect like vulnerability or cripple
• Fix the issues of the Bladetrail not returning
• Fix the issues of Rush’s pathing, and add a passive effect such as cripple or vulnerability

Hammer: Increase the animation speeds for 1-5.
• Add weakness to each swing of Hammer Swing.
• Change Staggering Blow to apply weakness or vulnerability as well, or allow Staggering Blow to be casted while moving
• Change Backbreaker to apply weakness or vulnerability as well
• Have Earthshaker apply weakness or vulnerability as well

Rifle:
• Change Volley so the ability applies bleeds or vulnerability as well
• Increase the amount of vulnerability stacked by Brutal Shot to 8 or 10
• Increase the knockback of Rifle Butt to 600, or have the ability knock back by 450 and knock down as well
• Have Killshot apply vulnerability or a bleed as well.

Mace: Increase the animation speeds for 1-5
• Have Mace Smash apply or refresh weakness on every swing
• If Counter Blow counters have the ability apply a stack of vulnerability or weakness
• Increase the amount of vulnerability stacked by Crushing Blow to 8 or 10
• Have Skull Crack apply weakness or vulnerability as well.

Sword:
• Have Savage Leap immobilize as well or add a bleed.
• Final Thrust should add a bleed as well
• Rip should also add a bleed

Axe:
• Have all three chops add a stack of vulnerability.
• Have whirling axes add vulnerability.
• Eviscerate should also add some stacks of vulnerability.

Bow: Rangers bows are better. The bow needs a lot of work.

Shield: Ugh, the cooldowns are really long, and agro like a champ.

Warhorn: Gold

Implement a 2-handed Axe please—that is highly aoe based.

Thoughts on Utilities:

Banners: Are lackluster at the moment, apply little benefit to the party, have a very limited area of effect—even with traits—and cause a lot of background noise with all the F mashing for downed and rally, and are on extreme cool downs that are not proportionate to their benefits.

Signets: Have extensive cool downs which are not proportionate to their benefits—even with the 20% trait to reduce their cool down—and are highly selfish in group play.

Shouts: Totally awesome as is, but I would like to see a stability buff given through SHAKE IT OFF.

Stances: Too short for their cooldowns—even with a trait that increases their duration by 25%— Endure Pain is not working as intended 100% of the time, and are highly selfish in group play. With the amount of boon stripping going around, and the capability of other classes to prolong their boons, Warriors are given the short end of the stick when it comes to stances.

Physical: All physical utilities control in some fashion and do lackluster damage, even when traited, and should have their cool down’s reduced, or have more traits supporting them that is proportionate to their cool downs. As of now physical utilities lack real synergy with any trait line and are more fluff and fair than anything else.

Thoughts On Elites: I guess 1 out of 3 isn’t bad—I guess.

Signet of Rage: No complaints or suggestions. Fine as is.

Juggernaut: For a 3 minute cooldown Juggernaut is too much of a fluff ability that is simply another weapon set, that provides no real benefit, as Hammer and Mace do a better job of crowd controlling, and have shorter cooldowns when traited. Juggernaut is a garbage elite that has very little use outside of Role Play.

Battle Standard: For a 4 minute elite the Banner is utter trash. Guardians, Mesmers, and Rangers do a better job of Booning their companions then Warriors do with this piece of “kitten poo.” The only reason to take this interruptible POS into SPVP or WvWvW is for the instant rally.

Traits:
Too many traits are horrible, and not enough of them are useful. That is the only constructive criticism I can give, as the community has come to realize the top tier traits in each line that just dominate all others, which in all actuality lead to cookie cutter builds of DPS, Tank, and Support. Some traits are too deep into their trait line, and other traits just become redundant or make no sense. A lot of the 2 handed weapon traits should apply to all 2 handed weapons and not niche the player, as to allow for more variety, so in turn the player could be a STRENGTH HAMMER WARRIOR as opposed to just a STRENGTH GREATSWORD WARRIOR. The same should apply to the one handed weapons as well because if the Warrior profession is going to be the poster child of WEAPON MASTER then the Warrior should be exactly that, and instead what we have is just a larger weapon pool to pull from then other professions, and the way warriors currently work the player would be a fool to not go at least 15 points into Discipline for the Fast Hands trait.

Final Thoughts:

Not broken, but far from perfect, and other professions can bring a lot more to the table then the warrior can, and do it better. The simple truth is the Warrior is not a necessity in any form of SPVP or WvWvW, and sadly there are a lot of arguments out there that weigh heavily in the favor of other professions, especially when people bring up a cons-versus-pros table and compare professions side by side.

Hopefully before anyone else gets emotional about the first post, I want to say that I don’t think buffing warriors with conditions all across the board will help, given your final point about roles and comparison tables.

If animations on Hammer are faster, which role does that help Warriors fulfill more appropriately? Will applying Vulnerability on GS attacks really make it usurp a role’s throne? If you add Cripple to GS’s everything, is that really fair to other classes? Does 100B really need to have its risk removed to make it even easier to use? With GS cleaving/whirling and Hammer attacks, is a 2H AoE axe really necessary? Wanting it for the skin or whatever is fine I suppose, but if another weapon is going to be developed, it’ll be usable by multiple classes, and we won’t see it until an “expansion”.

At the core, however, if you recognize that roles are better filled by other classes, shouldn’t the balance discussion gravitate toward which roles the Warrior should be able to fill, where it falls short from other classes, and then steps towards making it better in those regards? I don’t know that any of the core issues are addressed by a few conditions or shorter animations.

I get that these are just your thoughts, but I think comments regarding overall balance should be met with suggestions on how to improve that balance over niceties.

I was just about to dismiss your whole post just due to the defensiveness and insults you threw out at the beginning, but I persevered and kept reading.

Overall, you’re asking for too much. Warriors stack vulnerability, weakness and bleeding at a pretty good rate and most abilities would be too powerful with more conditions.

I do think that the mace burst skill should apply weakness and the 3rd chain hit on the mace has a windup that is too long for both the duration of the weakness and the attacks damage. Most other weapons are ok with the exception of maybe the rifle, it shoots slow and doesn’t do that much damage.

Banners, and the traits deep strike and empower allies need to scale in level. 70 power becomes completely irrelevant between level 20 and level 80. Banners only giving 90 power and 90 condition damage at 80 makes them only relevant for the regeneration they can provide when you trait it.

@Cogbyrn

I have a few unstated premises, but I’m not suggesting everything I’ve touched on be implemented, then again I don’t go into arguments with dichotomous thought of either/or, and anyone can fill the warrior’s role, so I don’t see what points you are making when the players have to find the role a warrior should play in the group. A Ranger can outpace a warrior in range fight, a Guardian can provide better boons and support in a defensive fight, and a Mesmer can control to a better degree then a warrior, and everyone can DPS, and some arguably better than others.

Front loaded damage is countered by toughness—everyone can get toughness, and thus be a tank, and support their groups with boons. I find the Guardian, Mesmer, Engineer, Ranger, and Necromancer the best for this role due to mechanics that just synergize in that role.

A DPS profession is best fulfilled by the Mesmer, Thief, Ranger, or Elementalist with their abilities of dropping target or use of escape mechanics. Making them ideal for roaming, or striking an objective with critical mass. If a class is great 1v1 then that only compounds in a group fight, and if a class is subpar in 1v1, then they’ll also be subpar in a group fight. Warriors are obvious burst cannons, and by obvious I mean obvious. A warrior who raises a shield with reflect missiles makes an obvious statement of “DON’T SHOOT ME BRAH,” and it takes no amount of skill for a competitive player to drop target, and come back to the shielding warrior in 3 seconds. If a warrior at some point flashes a Hammer, the obvious tell he’s going to smash your face is a slow-raised-imapoundyafacebrah-motion, and playing iron chef gensu with a 2-handed greatsword while rooted doesn’t get more neon-bright.

An objective holder is most certainly a Engineer, Necromancer, Guardian, Mesmer, or Elementalist. Warriors can compare, although on the lower end of the tier when they go tank or support. Like I already stated: whatever-a-warrior-can-do-someone-can-do-it-better.

When a Warrior doesn’t go for the bunker build, or shout line, then he becomes a paper weight easily controlled, with little too no outs. Stability can be cleansed, and Balanced Stance triggers Last Stand, and on a 40 second cool down is just “ruff” with how many passives other professions have to be become immune to all damage, drop target, or become stabilized. Rice paper is rice paper in this game, but alot of other professions can at least d-up, drop target, or boon stack. Warriors not so much, and mobile strikes is only benefited by two weapon sets, sword for leap, and greatsword for whirlwind and rush, and if a player is using shield bash to break an immobilize I want to say “you’re doing it wrong.”

I thought it would be—you know—sorta implied a 2-handed great axe would come with an update or expansion—but yeah, I guess I see your point.

I don’t think you read the whole thing, but I bite.

@Quetz

I don’t really care what you find defensive or insulting, and thanks for the Rhetoric. I placed the disclaimer for a reason—so possible idiot savants wouldn’t start doggin on my personal review without some forethought. Does this apply to you? Then you obviously got the point. If not, then move on.

I’ve asked for two things: Stability on Shake it Off and for a 2-handed axe to be implemented—made suggestions on how weapons could be tuned, and wrote out my thoughts on utilities, elites, and traits; but I guess your right, asking for a 2-handed axe makes me sound entitled.

I agree with your thoughts on banners. I’m sweet n’ low on your thoughts with weapons, as rifle isn’t the only weapon in need of tuning.

the old trait system was better. don’t even know what the hell they are thinking. before you just slotted certain traits INTO a reserved slot for the WEAPON, so you had hammer traits, GS traits, whatever ready to kitten rock when you equipped thekittenweapon…and there were the other more general traits. the interface was better and actually looked like someone designed it too. Anet must have secretly lost alot of game data in an accident and just pushed forward, this kitten is a huge regression from alpha stages.

Honestly I stopped reading after I saw what you suggested for Greatsword… Especially for HB… You can have a it channeled on the move or a stun for it if they reduce the damage by 10-25%… On the other hand the easiest solution wouldn’t be nerfing it but removing quickness completely from the game.

On the other hand just reread it and really? You seem to have a thing for vulnerability… They already changed it once from “Defense” reduction to the current 1% dmg increase…. With your proposed changes at least for the axe which is already hitting hard enough imo a single warrior in theory could apply all 25 stacks of vulnerability. Depending on the duration for it though.

Overall I’d say while some suggestions are wishful thinking your comments about the banners, shouts, signets etc are quite sound. I’ve never used the banners for they just seemed like a waste of time for a buff you’d have to move constantly. Shouts they’re alright but agreed shake it off could use the stability instead.

Signets, well I think the signets are alright cause in one way you’ll have to decide if you want the Passive of them or the Active. On the other hand compared to the Elementalists signets they are a bit on the heavy side cooldown wise.

What is needed tho is balancing around the other weapons a warrior has at his disposal that is true I must admit.

@Elshagan

I don’t find my suggestions on weapons to be wishful thinking when other professions do exactly what I’ve asked for in a single key stroke. A ranger can apply 10 stacks of vulnerability every 15 seconds for 8 seconds at long bow range, and that is just one example, and condition builds aren’t really all that great for Warrior as Necromancer and Engineer far out pace Warrior in both departments, and too a closer extent Ranger.

As I’ve stated before: not everything on the suggestion list is a must, but a general idea, and with as much condition stripping, and boon stacking going on in SPVP and WvWvW, a Warrior capable of keeping a steady stream of something on a target would be nice.

Right now Mesmer, Necromancer, and Guardian are way too liberal with how often they can strip conditions, and how often Rangers, Engineers, Necromancers, and Mesmers can stack boons and conditions is mind blowing—Guardians too. I don’t know if the Warrior players only play warriors, and think this profession is the only class to mash 1-5 and rinse and repeat, but they would be severely wrong.

The only skill invovled in GW2 right now is knowing when to use certain utilities, certain weapon abilities, and dodge; other then that a player simply needs to press all the damage buttons.

The only skill invovled in GW2 right now is knowing when to use certain utilities, certain weapon abilities, and dodge; other then that a player simply needs to press all the damage buttons.

I don’t know how this statement happened, but it did. It’s feels the same as saying the only skill involved in Basketball is knowing when to dribble, pass, and shoot; other than that, a player simply needs to run up and down the court.

@ Cogbyrn

I’m making a generalization, and considering GW2 as in e-sport is just wrong. Don’t compare this game to sports because as GW2 stands no way it’s worthy of e-sporting. Their are too many unknowns and balancing issues that need to be cemented, and with as few constants as GW2 has, an e-sport can’t be established.

And that’s how I win basketball. Dribble all the balls.

And the thought originated with how much players are dumbing down Warrior play. All the professions are guilty of 1-5 mashing.

Theoretically, if you’re dribbling the ball, the other team isn’t scoring, so that might work. It’s only weakness is the shot clock.

Anyway, GW2 isn’t an e-sport yet, but I think it has potential. That’s a separate convo entirely though, and I don’t want to derail your thread any further.

I do think people are dumbing Warrior down way further than is fair, but I also think there are good ideas floating around to improve the class.

Agreed. We are smart.

Given that passive defenses are incredibly weak in this game, I would like to see a damage nerf balanced out with more options to prevent yourself from being hit, but that did not stop your damage uptime.

Additionally, traits that reduced the cost of dodge, reduced the cooldown of physical abilities when hit, or cause a knock down when hit in shield stance or while blocking etc…

Damage is not enough to make a class complete imho.

Another overlooked aspect that isn’t necessarily bugged, or needs to be balanced right away but that just feels wrong is the discipline trait line and specifically increasing burst skill damage by 0.1% per point. This is really, really bad compared to just about any other profession specific skill investment. Some of the burst abilities aren’t even really about damage.

@ Quetz

Too true, as with Mace, Hammer, and Greatsword makes what you’ve stated apparent. Sword and Axe are the only two weapons who really benefit from a damage increase in their bursts, and I don’t even know if that is just a direct damage increase (which then makes the trait useless for sword and further pigeonholes the player).

Ah good times in Arena Net. Add numbers, wrap and ship the product, and call it a day.

the old trait system was better. don’t even know what the hell they are thinking. before you just slotted certain traits INTO a reserved slot for the WEAPON, so you had hammer traits, GS traits, whatever ready to kitten rock when you equipped thekittenweapon…and there were the other more general traits.

Seriously? That woulda been AWESOME! Like Materia in ff7 almost! :>

kitten, bring that back!!!

Have to agree on most points you’ve stated here Brolleun…Far too many weapons are useless for the Warrior and are actually pushing decent min-max gamers into bottled cookie-cutter type builds involving stacking of passive abilities with no flavour of ingenuity involved.

I also find banners to be extremely lackluster and shouts are extremely situational unless traited into healing spec, in which case you are just a sub-par support with minimal cleansing and no escape options. (Just compare with the cleansing of a Necro!)Since the majority of mobs in this game will apply condition damage of a sort, these classes have gone from diverse to necessity.

Couldn’t agree more on the traits for individual weapon types as well, we are basically being pushed into archetypes of ‘Strength Greatsword’ and ‘Support Hammer’, despite what the 1-5 numerical abilities of these weapons are, players should not be penalized for wanting to take a Hammer as a form of DPS. (Last time I checked, being hit over the head with a giant hammer really really hurts.)

On the whole, a sound post, we’ll see how much work Anet puts into this game to address the growing community concerns of this really quite boring profession.

Greatsword:
-Make Hundred Blade Adrenaline Strike Instead with 12 sec cooldown, QQ problem solved

Rifle
-Either add more range/ Faster cast time on kill shot
-Reduce the cooldown by 5 if the targed evade
-Add extra knockdown after rifle butt knockback

On My mark
-Maximum Range change depend on your maximum range skill (min 900)

Trait
-Change discipline and tactic minor trait, 3 same talent is sooooo overkill

Srsly they need to make extra “spare” skill for each weapon, so it can be swapped like utility skill.

Good idea. Let’s take an extremely powerful profession that is based around brute strength damage and add conditions to everything he does. Then nobody will have to bother with silly class choices.

No, there are a couple bugs with skills not working right, but the warrior does not need any sort of buffs right now