From what I can tell, the warrior’s biggest enemies are
1) Extreme vulnerability to conditions, especially those that hamper movement
2) No form of sustain.
I was thinking that the warrior has one of the most boring f1-fx skills. So here’s an idea:
-An f2 that reduces slow condition durations and effects on the warrior for any given time based on adrenaline level for a certain duration of time (say 5, 10, 15 seconds). More than any other class, they should be bursting with power, and this is shown in the fact that they have a jack kitten ton of physical strength. They should be less susceptible to slowing conditions than other classes. Sure, you can still put them on a warrior, but don’t expect them to have as much of an effect right? I was thinking that cripples on a warrior reduce speed by 2% instead of 50%, and chill reduces warrior speed and skill recharge by 33% instead of 66% at max adrenaline level. Additionally, at max adrenaline level -50% condition duration. This would make a warrior truly something to be feared the longer in the fight they are, as A-net’s class philosophy states. (Currently adrenaline system is lackluster) Also a similar reduction in stun and other control effects on the warrior. Cooldown? 30 seconds.
-An f3 skill that function as a second “endure pain” that reduces damage to the warrior based on adrenaline level. I know gw2 isn’t real life, but when you have a lot of adrenaline pumping through you, you feel less pain, and in some cases none at all. Endure pain gets rid of all damage, so why not make the adrenaline system more useful for that kind of thing? They would last for maybe 2, 4, and 6 seconds respectively and reduce all incoming damage by 25, 37, and 50%, and this includes conditions. Cooldown? 60 seconds.
-An f4 skill that drains all adrenaline and heals the warrior, cleansing damaging conditions. At stage 1, say clear poison and confusion, healing the warrior for 4000 health. At stage 2, clear all damaging conditions, healing the warrior for 8000 health. At stage 3, clear all conditions at heal the warrior for 12000 health. Cooldown? 90 seconds.
These things I feel would not actually “buff” the warrior but rather just give him more options to deal with what everyone else can throw at him. Do I keep this adrenaline bar full for the extra damage and crit chance? Do I use it for my burst skill, or do I need it to heal myself back up? Additionally, it functions pretty similarly to the mesmer’s f1-f4. One might argue that the warrior has easy access to adrenaline regen, whereas I’ll point out a mesmer has EXTREMELY easy access to clone and phantasm production if specced for it, similarly.
-Make it so that the warrior is completely immune to slowing conditions when in rampage mode. (As it stands it’s the worst elite I’ve seen from ANY class). In addition, instead of a transformation to something with 5 skills on cooldown, make it more like the Necromancer’s skill, where you have adrenaline and as long as you can keep it up by dealing damage you can spam your skills with impunity. Using skills drains adrenaline, as does taking attacks.
Other thoughts:
-Endure pain functions properly; as in, the warrior is also immune to conditions. This would justify its insane cooldown. Otherwise, reduce the CD.
-Balanced stance…well…this skill really just is bad compared to the Guardian’s stability shout. They both break stun, but in exchange for 20% more stability uptime guardians apply stability to all allies AND applies retaliation for the same duration to all allies. Furthermore, this skill can be easily traited at adept (and often is) so that the stability uptime is HIGHER than what the warrior can achieve, not even mentioning that this is a group wide buff for the guardian and gives retaliation in addition. The two skills just do not compare
(For the record, my main is a guardian, I play it extensively and I have a warrior as well. currently I’m not even touching melee in spvp, because it’s just awful for the warrior.)
(edited by Teamkiller.4315)