Guild Wars 2

O.K. I understand the reasoning of the requirement of a valid path on shadow steps, teleports, and blinks, but……….

When the reason is a bump no higher than the ankles on my toon, there is a problem.

That valid path needs to be better defined.

Since the large update last week, I’ve been encountering an error message stating that there is “No valid path to target.” with all of the teleport skills that require ground targeting in the game. Blink and Infiltrator’s Arrow are the skills that I encounter it the most often with but it seems to happen with every teleport skill that uses ground targeting. I understand that the system used to determine what valid paths are has been revamped significantly. I don’t have an issue with that as the new system seems to prevent some odd behavior with those types of skills.

Having said that, the problem is the skills arbitrarily fail to teleport me to my destination even if I’m on completely flat ground. This makes them incredibly frustrating to use in combat as they may randomly fail and with no obvious reason. They just refuse to work.

This happens consistently when on ramparts of towers/keeps in WvW. But not on all of them. Note that I’m not trying to teleport off of them. I’m just trying to teleport to another location directly ahead of me on the rampart. I’ve also had it happen when trying to teleport up onto a rock in various areas and then work perfectly fine if I move my character slightly. Or it’ll fail on completely flat terrain. It also happens inconsistently on stairs.

I can’t seem to reproduce this problem reliably unless I specifically try to teleport to a location I obviously can’t reach. In those cases the error seems to be displaying correctly. The problem comes in when I receive the error and I’m simply trying to teleport across an open space.

I haven’t experienced this at all. From time to time, I get the message but I think its to prevent players from porting out of the map, which happens frequently on ramps and stairs. But also where two textures/surfaces overlap, so I’m just GUESSING you managed to find where two flat surfaces overlapped and the system is just preventing you from accidentally popping out of the map. Again, its just me guessing. I experimented a bit with some locations I know for sure I used to be able to pop out of the map, but get this message instead when I try to do it now.

Hmm, interesting thoughts on that. You may be onto something. The only issue I see with that is I’d have to be constantly finding those locations where surfaces overlap. I wish I could provide more useful information in this thread that might make this easier to reproduce but the error is popping up seemingly randomly for me and it won’t even show up in the same locations if I try it enough.

This seems to happen about 40% of the time with me. On some surfaces, it happens 100% of the time. But even that isn’t consistent. There was an area in the Silverwastes where I simply couldn’t get Infiltrator’s Arrow to trigger at all. I tried for a good 30 seconds to see if I could figure out why it wasn’t working. Eventually I gave up. Just out of curiosity, I tried it again when I was at that location a while later. The skill worked without trouble at all.

Like I said above, sometimes it’s an obvious issue (e.g., I’m trying to teleport across a trench or something) and the error makes sense in that case. In those cases it’s clear that the skill is trying to be used in a manner that it isn’t intended to work in (whether intentional on the player’s part or not). But the message pops up so frequently for me that I can’t rely on the teleport skills at all anymore. And a lot of the time I can’t even tell why the message is appearing. It might be obvious from an internal perspective in the game but it isn’t obvious from a gameplay perspective.

I’ve had this issue repeatedly in PVE & WvW. I understand the purpose behind the patch, but as op stated, I get it on flat ground where I should be able to use Infiltrator’s Arrow. This is a problem, I use this to escape quite often, especially when soloing champs.

The error basically removes one or more of my skills making some fights extremely more difficult. I’ve also still encountered pitfalls/holes in the terrain that are impossible to get out of, and teleporting is the only option short of the waypoint.

If you can’t fix part of it, break all of it. Seems to be a trend recently.

This is also impacting the thief Steal mechanic. Since that skill shadowsteps you to your target, I’ve been finding that I can’t even use that. It’ll just randomly refuse to trigger. It doesn’t use ground targeting either. I also tried out with the various guardian teleport skills (like Judge’s Intervention). It happens with those too. So I need to revise what I originally said. It impacts all teleport skills regardless of whether they use ground targeting.

This problem is extremely annoying because it randomly disables most of my escape skills. It’s bad for all of the classes that use teleports to escape but it’s especially awful for thieves since so many thief skills rely on teleporting to function in a consistent, reliable manner. Teleports are a huge part of being able to survive as a thief. If you factor in skills like Infiltrator’s Strike and Infiltrator’s Return, it even impacts other utility found on skills (e.g., condition removal). This issue removes that consistency and reliability. And that’s a really big problem. I can’t imagine having to deal with this in PvP. It’s bad enough in PvE and WvW as it can be the difference between winning and dying.

I’ve found a location (looking for others as well) where I can consistently cause this message to come up despite not trying to do anything abnormal. If you go to the southwest of the Splintered Coast Waypoint in Sparkfly Fen there’s a Risen Brute near some boat wreckage. This wreckage is right on the edge of the beach. The ground is flat and there are no visible objects in front of the Risen Brute.

This error is triggered every single time a teleport skill is used to try to approach this enemy. The type of teleport doesn’t matter. Teleports also don’t work if you’re “inside” the boat wreckage.

“No valid path” and the even more dumb “target too close” is still a problem.

Maybe it’s time to add it to these lists…
https://forum-en.gw2archive.eu/forum/support/bugs/Mesmer-Bugs-33-Updated-October-22nd/
https://forum-en.gw2archive.eu/forum/support/bugs/Targeting-Still-Broken-Please-Fix-It/

I’v been playing Mer only for a short while and Blink confuses the heck out of me, sometimes I’ll be able to port, most of the time its simply refusing even on flat ground or really slow slopes down, and then thers Frostgorge Sound where I can port over the ice ‘caves’ thing without it making a fuss …

I don’t get it at all its like the skill with most potential won’t let me actually use it besides a minor speedboost and IF it works an escape. Glad to see this is a bug rather than a mockery.

Even when i can clearly see the target and i’m taking damage from the target it still tells me no valid path…the worst one is “target too close” which happens when im literally in a guaranteed hit range. I don’t know what you coders did or why just reverse the change, dont “fix” anything with good intentions, just change it back.

A big chunk of my time in GW2 is playing pvp as a thief, my thief gameplay relies on split second decisions, if there is even a half second skill lag or for what ever reason my skills don’t go off, my build becomes useless. The teleports were fine before, i have no clue why you would fix something that wasn’t broken.

I invested a lot into my thief i and i imagine a lot of other thieves do not appreciate this change.

Please acknowledge or i will post this message every three days.

Yeah, threatening to spam the forums (and spamming the forums) will just get you banned from the forums. And you’re not likely to get a direct response if you make threats, either.

Banned, probably, but this one breaks a class ive spent months working on so I will take the risk. I don’t use a stealth heavy build, i dont even use refuge or Shortbow for escapes and i have no plans of changing my build now, if teleports don’t work it means all the practice and gold ive put into this class would have been a waste.

Just looking for acknowledgment and a message saying this issue will be fixed. If i am going to be banned, so be it.

If you want to actually get this fixed you’re going to have to be more specific where you are having these issues and include screen shots if you can. They will not roll these changes back. I’ve actually seen a great improvement with blink in PvP because of these changes. But yeah you’re going to have to specifically tell them where this occurs so they they can reproduce it or they won’t fix it.

Also, no offense, but you come across as being rude and if you want them to fix this issue being rude isn’t going to get you too far. You will most definitely get infractions for spamming but they also aren’t going to look into the issue at all if you’re being rude about it.

Last tip. Make a post about this is the theif forum and see if other thieves are having the same issue and tell them to comment on this thread. The more people who report and confirm this problem the more likely you will get a response. That’s the route to take if you actually want to get a response. I understand you are upset but making angry posts about a bug isn’t going to get it fixed.

Andraus.3874:

If you want to actually get this fixed you’re going to have to be more specific where you are having these issues and include screen shots if you can. They will not roll these changes back. I’ve actually seen a great improvement with blink in PvP because of these changes. But yeah you’re going to have to specifically tell them where this occurs so they they can reproduce it or they won’t fix it.

Also, no offense, but you come across as being rude and if you want them to fix this issue being rude isn’t going to get you too far.

None taken but here is my problem. A class altering change was made with no reason why, but when might and confusion were changed, we got paragraphs of detailed reasoning.

Repeatedly people have complained about this issue, showing videos, screenshots with some very eloquent manners and repeatedly they have ignored. If that isn’t enough to get a response for breaking several classes then i have no choice but to use this tone.

I honestly wish I could understand some of the choices they make when it comes to mechanics and map designs:

- Very uneven topography on pvp maps which makes for interesting designs but gives sniper builds a huge advantage over melee builds and worst of all teleports have never worked when trying to reach a sniper on certain pillars or ledges even when in range (e.g spirit watch and skyhammer).

- The very existence of skyhammer and how it took i believe over a year to remove it from ranked and unranked when it is not even allowed in world and regional tournaments

- how for over 2 years you couldn’t teleport to the two ledges in the mid point of forest of niflhel, meaning you had to leave the point or go all the way round . Luckily i used necromancer most of that time so i couldnt port anyway but try and fear them off.

This “no valid path” and “target too close” is another one, and from Anets history it is going to take at least another year and a half before they address the problem of teleport skills sometimes not going off when you are within 100 units of the target, sometimes losing initiative and steal sometimes going on partial CD when theres “no valid path” and the same message popping up when you can see and walk to the target unobstructed. Yet you can still port around some obstructions.

You might have noticed that i use the word “sometimes” to describe when it happens, thats because i still don’t understand when to expect the problem in the middle of battle hence no screenshot. This irregularity to me shows a complete flaw in the logic system and their lack of response to people who have pointed this out is again the reason for my topic and the tone.

I’ve ran into this a lot on my Mesmer. I’m running along and using Blink for quicker travel and I keep getting hit with the No Valid Path message due to slightly bumpy terrain.

At least you don’t lose the skill to a CD anymore when this happens.

yeah but when you are immobed, and you have a split second to get out of a bunch of aoe, might as well have went on CD cause youre dead because a pebble was in the way of your shadowstep.

I find the new system better on a general basis but when I’m on flat ground, stairs in WvW, the Legacy of the Foefire base and other places it should work where it doesn’t……….. so.much.hate!!!

I hate this new system in PVE. ive wasted so many of my guardians blinding flash(I think) thinking i could teleport to a monsters and then get told one of two things. “No valid path” or my favorite “Target is to close”

I am getting this error in more places than I realized and it has completely broken my thief. I use shadowstep to clear conditions, and am unable in a multitude of places, flat ground or no, to do so. If you’re surrounded with aoe’s and there is nowhere to shadowstep to then it is impossible to clear conditions w/o using a lesser condi removal or traiting to remove conditions on stealth. Here is a screen of one of many areas I can’t even shadowstep to my actual position. This along with the inability to steal from close range targets, is making it extremely difficult to play a good thief. Sword 2 skill won’t even work in several areas. Please fix.

it’s definitely an issue that i hope is remedied sooner rather than later. various skills, traits effects, and utilities that were used in clutch situations, both defensively and offensively, now fail to work due to this new pathing implementation.

in some cases, the pathing issue has lead to my character’s death by not being able port away on flat ground, around small rocks, over floor traps in dungeons like cliffside fractal, onto some stairs (uneven ground), and even right next to my original location (less than 150 range). also, i’ve encountered the issue in too many areas of the game to report every single instance it has occurred which is why i feel it’s an issue that warrants more development tweaks.

I’ve died so many times because I’ve had an escape planned that didn’t work when it should have, be it Infiltrator’s Arrow, Infiltrator’s Return, or Shadow Return. There are spots that you know work, but can’t depend on because if you are so much as half a step to the left or right, it can go from working perfectly to telling you no valid path to target for no apparent reason. It makes you look like an idiot, running into a wall tanking auto attacks or burst when you’re meant to be running from your port location. It completely screws up your flow. It removes forward thinking potential and skillful maneuvers, and it’s beyond annoying to get into a situation you should have easily avoided.

Not to mention that infiltrator arrow will consume ur initiative do animation and wont tp you cuz “no valid patch”. Infiltrator return now just fails to Teleport me back even when im in range it just teleports in place just like it was on old buggy gw2 versions

Another bump for this “no valid path” kittenation. So many fights I have timed my Steal perfectly for an easy kill, but no. It fails from a very clear line of sight, and I try again from a slightly different position, still fails, destealth, and instead of an easy kill, I’m the one getting downed.

ye this is pretty much annoying when you are playing 1 of the most squishy proffesion in game… Anet wants thief to never make mistake to be effective yet makes another patch that discourage us from using our skills. Basicly i stopped using 5 on SB to run away/walltrick its way to risky to lose initiative and do nothing… Same goes on Infiltrator strike to enemy treb, before i could infiltrator on treb, if pressured get infiltrator return back… Whats funnier it buggs on Blue treb and never on red one…

I’m fairly shocked that there is still no response to this.

I play mostly mesmer, and it’s super annoying. I have recently just removed the skill from my bar completely. It wastes precious time to get out of a mechanic or avoid death because it never works when it’s important.

I understand the need for a change in how it worked previously, but I would hope anet will look into this problem as it’s definitely not working correctly now.

[img]http://i.imgur.com/LC5C8RW.png[/img]
[img]http://i.imgur.com/GFpmjpx.png[/img]

90% of the Silverwastes.

I’ve had the same problem, especially in PvP. I try to blink to the most normal places (in front of me) and have gotten the “No Valid Path” message. By this time I’m freaking out because someone is chasing me and before I know it I’m dead.

while farming in the Silverwastes, i just tried to use Infiltrator’s Strike on a boar that was within the skill’s activation range, on flat ground, and right in front of me without any rock/ground obstructions, and still received the “No Valid Path” message.

The shadowsteps skills have been put under the care of the RNGesus now. I’ve played 2 games in the Forest of Nifhel just today. While I could Judge’s Intervention from beyond the stairs of the Henge onto an opponent stationed there, all attempts at doing it on thief have failed – even if there is a valid path, not out of range and not requiring jumps. Thieves are as squishy as they could make them (probably revenge on the SF builds of GW1), but with this new Gift of Mechanics from the patch they’re at the Edge of Extinction. I’m not saying though that other shadowsteps or teleports work as intended. ‘Cause they don’t. Unless the intention was to just break them like that, in which case, they work perfectly. And with absolutely no word about it from anyone responsible, it would seem it’s the latter.

Types of ground overlapping, pebbles (like someone above said), flat terrain (that actually might have some props on it to make it more bootyfull), stairs and ramps. Everywhere you go, there’s a very tiny chance that your skills will work. And hey! 5 initiative isn’t all that bad to lose for no reason in the thickest of a fight. Or the only utility that removes more than 1 condition…
And when you’re hugging the mob (probably works in pvp too, but didn’t see it) and try to steal or just hit it… bam! Target too close! so, only reasonable choice, step back so you can get the better “No valid path” error message.

“Good mechanics” to improve on an already “good balance” between classes…

Later edit: funny how two skills from same weapon, with same range function differently in the screenshot bellow. Used Choking Gas and arrow hits the intended target (at the bottom of the stairs). Used Infiltrator’s Arrow and my shadowstep is cut short halfway.

do i rly must start recording my thief games and put link there so it will be inwestigated… those shadowstep buggs happen like 4-5times per match. Infiltrator return from infiltrator strike is broken, shortbow 5 is broken and eats 5 initiative and fails toteleport… WHY DOES IT EVEN SHOT if IT’S GONNA FAIL TO TELEPORT… Valid patch or not. I do have valid patch when i cast it, ofc i wont stay in place waiting for arrow to land, its not fun when arrow lands and you are in place that has no vaid patch/no line of sight eats ur initiative leave you basicly in “kill me mode”. And for god sake im not casting shadow return to teleport IN place, It used to work well if i wanted to return it would atleast teleport me to a place in my starting direction, not in place… if i wanted to shadowstep in place for some reason i would use it without target… WTF

I too understand the point of this but it’s buggy as can be. A slight bump in the ground will cause me to get this message. As an ele, flashing at the right time can be the difference in life and death. Like I said I don’t have a problem with the change if it wasn’t broken. This is pretty disappointing and I do hope it gets some attention rather than being left to putter itself out.

I understand the point of the change, you don’t want people map glitching and exploiting, however the changes have seriously diminished the full capabilities of a thief in normal combat (pve, wvw & pvp). As it stands, any class with a teleport skill will have this issue, but thieves skills work about 50% of the time if we’re lucky.

If we need to post more pictures & videos we definitely can, but could we at least get a response as to whether or not you are going to look into it, or you just prefer it the way it is?

I believe they’re quite aware of the mess they caused with this, but HoT and Gemstore maintenance takes too much of their time and energy to actually have any to spare on small things like game-breaking faulty mechanics.
Along with the conditions mechanics mess, missing story chapter, broken events (both having even achievements linked to them), there’s a plethora of issues that people kept reporting with virtually no feedback and certainly no remedies offered by those in charge.
As of late even the number of gold spammers seems to be on the rise which makes me think not very nice things about the direction this game is going.

Hey, Anet! Why can’t you guys be the awesome people that we used to know during GW1 times? Actually fixing broken stuff and maintaining the balance in both pvp and pve environments, not just spamming the store with half-kitten items.