Guild Wars 2

With the upcoming specialization changes, every skill will have a skill type and you will unlock skills with Hero Points through lines based on types.

As they said there will be a “Signet” unlock track or, for instance, a “Physical” unlock track.

We also learned from the AMA that:
- Physical skills will be more effective with Endurance above 50%.
- Rampage and Mending will become Physical skills.

However, this still leaves a problem: none of the current Physical skills have an underwater version. Neither does Rampage.

This would make a potential “Physical” reward track and traits that affect Physical skills a poorer choice. One could argue about the importance of underwater combat in the game, but it will never become better if nothing is done about it.

What could be the underwater versions of Physical skills?
https://wiki.guildwars2.com/wiki/Physical
https://wiki.guildwars2.com/wiki/Rampage

Here are some examples.

Stomp
https://wiki.guildwars2.com/wiki/Stomp

For Stomp, I could see it become a single target Sink effect, that also pushes you upwards. It would remain mostly the same, losing only the Radius and Launch effects.

Another option would be to make your character quickly dive towards the bottom of the water; if movement is interrupted by a surface, you stomp it and debris could be sent as projectiles towards nearby targets.

Throw Bolas
https://wiki.guildwars2.com/wiki/Throw_Bolas

Simply make it a net while underwater. There is an environmental weapon that gives a nearly identical skill that works under water.

I doubt this will be a priority any time soon, especially since there won’t be underwater in HoT.

Penguin.7906:

I doubt this will be a priority any time soon, especially since there won’t be underwater in HoT.

The Specialization system is for the entire game and will come online before the expansion; the fact that there will probably be little underwater exploration in the jungle maps HoT will add does not change the fact it’s a problem elsewhere.

They gave us the rundown on upcoming trait and skill changes before they were in their final form so we could give them feedback and they could adjust. Underwater in itself may not be a priority, but skill balance and build diversity is definitely on top for them right now and having an entire skill type and it’s associated traits be unusable in one aspect of the game is not balanced.

I agree it is a somewhat minor issue, but it shouldn’t just be brushed aside.