Guild Wars 2

Tenrai Senshi.2017:

Guardians could also make decent dps builds without Dragon Hunter, but if a new spec is introduced that can help you improve a build, why not use it?

Also, specializations cause you to ignore 66% of their traits by design. The whole point is to give options. It’s not that you’re ignoring a large part of the spec, it’s that you’re choosing which parts to focus on.

I’ll give an example. Let’s say you have someone who wants to make a dps power/support guardian that focuses mainly on damage and sharing quickness with allies. Because none of the tomes really offer anything that helps power damage builds, chances are this particular player would want to spend as little time using tomes as possible. After all, their optimal damage rotation will come from their two weapon sets, and at most they’d pop into tomes just to get the quickness and then pop out again.

Now imagine you took away their second weapon set. Not only would you be nerfing their damage/utility, but you’d be giving them nothing of value in return. Tome of Justice is mostly focused on burning and popping it for a power build would result in a dps loss, no matter how you look at it. The other two tomes lack damage altogether, so unless the player in question had a specific need for some emergency healing or defensive buffs, they’d see no need to rely on them as an integral part of their build.

But of course, now you’ve messed up a great potential build because you want to nerf it by taking away weapon swap and replacing it with something the build does not need at all. I don’t see why, given this example, the concept of removing weapon swap being a bad idea is difficult to grasp. How much people want to use tomes should be optional, just like every other class mechanic in the game.

Playing a power FB with only quickness in mind is a lot weaker than DH or even core guard. I tested it. And it should be ovious as this elite specialisation is only about condition damage with some support.
It’s like expecting a better raw damage output with druid which is designed for support or scrapper which is designed for sustain and survivability. Even if the damage output of the druid is reduced by 10-50%, it’ll stay in raids. Surely it’s weaker but still effective in the role it plays. To specialize means to give up something but get or be better at other stuff.
Sure you can play other roles with those classes but you never ever will be as effective as if you use the core builds.

Also giving up class mechanics won’t help you at all in places where you need them the most. sPvP, WvW,( raids or even the highest fractals) need to use the best your class can give or else you loose every time in non casual games.

You want to be good at power dmg. OK. You want to be good at condi dmg. OK. You want to be good at supporting. OK. But than don’t specialize to get best in one of these and stay core.

PvP only as I can’t figure out the impact of 1 class in a 50 man zerg in 3 days:

Weaver:
-Felt really complex and needs some weeks to know which attunments chains makes most sense in different situations.

Firebrand:
-Animations are awesome
-Got many bugs with core traits
-Tomes could get 0-0.25s activation time as you can’t react to any spontaneous change in the battle.
-Cones need to target enemies a bit higher or lower standing than you
-At least the elite mantra needs to be player based aoe

Scourge:
-Was really really fun to play
-Changing survivability for support and attack feels rewarding
-If not traited correctly it takes ages to get life force
-Some skills are way to strong

Yolosmith:
-I think anet knows it dealt too much damage
-The most interesting class of all to me

Spellbreaker:
-Felt rewarding if you don’t play too casual
-Looks like a great class to learn how to play spvp as you need to take a look what the enemy does and not just looking at your own rotation and hoping for the best

Yes balance can be better and it will be better after some time but I need to say I really enjoyed all new mechanics and it’s really amazing how the developers create a second time 9 specialisations that work almost like complete new classes.

Tenrai Senshi.2017:

Alteran.9510:

And if you are in meele range you got as much disengage skills as the warrior. A leap and 2 blinks on sword and JI if there are other enemys in a range where you can click on their characters.

I’m sorry, but we have nowhere near as much disengage capabilities as warriors, the mere suggestion that we do is absurd. And what we do have is mostly unreliable. Please don’t compare a targeted teleport skill that must be used on an enemy, to the warrior’s various means of escaping that do not require targets, from dashes, to leaps, to spins. Using sword blink on another target is not disengaging, it’s just reengaging another target and more often than not, won’t do much to save you if you’re already in a tight spot. And it’s already been discussed numerous times how Merciful Intervention is only helpful as a disengage in very niche situations, when you just happen to be lucky enough to have a distant ally to teleport to, who are not themselves already in the thick of battle, or in an compromised position. I don’t believe in the idea of having to rely on the positioning of an ally to disengage, in the first place Merciful Intervention was intended as a “save your ally” tool, not as a “save yourself by using an ally” tool.

The only two real disengages we have are Wings of Resolve and Leap of Faith, the first of which is limited to a single elite spec and the second of which is fairly short ranged.

Also, I’m not sure why you suggest mobility is only needed for tomes and not for Axe. How do we engage with axe in that case? How do we prevent ourselves from being kited to death if we don’t even have a short ranged leap or teleport?

Warrior got sword 2 leap, greatsword 3 (450) and greatsword 5. Hammer and axe got a leap on their F1skill. Also berserker got one jump and spellbreaker one superspeed skill.
So if you can’t use more than one specialisation or can’t wield more than 2 weapon sets at once, there isn’t really more.
Maybe you don’t know but you can use the guardian teleports on a range far more than 1200. So you can disengage with them. You just need to know how.

Why mobility just for tomes and not for axe? Well you are forced to play with the tomes if you play FB but you the axe doesn’t need to go automatic in your main hand. Playing without the axe is possible. Last week end I never did in pvp. But not using the tomes is just stupid.
Axe got a cripple symbol and a 600 pull. If you know how to combine those two counter mobility is there. My build just had no useage of that.

RabbitUp.8294:

Alteran.9510:

Taking away the cooldowns from the tomes would break the F1-F3 traits completely so it won’t happen until anet reworks the guardian completely in its traits.
They can reduce them to the level of core guard or DH but that’s it.

They can easily reduce them to F1 15s, F2 20s, F3 30s or 35s.

F1 would have to be nerfed a little, F2 can stay as is, it’s already weak, and F3 only needs the stability from #1 removed, it can instead apply barrier.

Then, remove the 33% cd reduction trait so that skills are not as spammable.

15s on F1 would make it a far more stronger skill than F1 on core guard. It got a damage buff every 20s. So that wouldn’t end in a little nerf but a heavy one.

Reducing the cd on the tomes is something everyone sees is the best way. They look gorgeous and give the guard something really special. But it’s a waste if you are afraid of using them because of their enormous cooldowns. Seriously, 90s on a class mechanic skill isn’t good.
I’m really afraid of what will happen with the next expansion: 60s on F1, 90s on F2 and 2min on F3??

Tenrai Senshi.2017:

Alteran.9510:

Tenrai Senshi.2017:

It would be better just to make it a base 25% movement speed, with no requirements. I’d say the same about any other movement speed traits.

DH got F2 jump and is designed to fight in range (bow, 1200 range pull, 14% more damage when far away).
Core guard doesn’t need to be in 130-300 meele range as his virtues have a 600 range.
FB needs to be in meele range or 80% of his tomes spells are useless. Mantras are optional but the tomes can’t be traded in other skills obviously.

I’d really like to have it generally but it wasn’t really that needed until now.

You’re ignoring the fact that most of the guardian’s weapons are either melee or close range. Core guardian is included in that. So unless you’re playing dragon hunter, chances are you want to get into melee range as quickly as possible and you’ll want to be able to stick to your enemies. Even dragon hunters do most of their dps in melee range (that bonus at longer range is not going to help you catch up to the damage you can do with sword, hammer or greatsword).

Also, aside from dragon hunter, guardian has no reliable disengage or displacement tools. Sure, you could point out merciful intervention, but that requires an allied target, and if your ally happens to be in a bad position, or in melee range with you, then that’s useless.

So yes, I do think mobility is needed and always has been needed. It’s been something guardians have asked for for a long time, and I think with firebrand, it’s even more necessary than before considering how close range most of the skills are. But even if that wasn’t the case, I’d still ask for it, because I see no reason why guardians should be the only class in the game to have such poor mobility or displacement options. The fantasy of being the last one in the fight might have worked when the game launched, but it has evolved since then and things that might have looked good on paper four years ago, just don’t hold up by today’s standards anymore.

I don’t ignore the fact that guard mostly uses meele weapons. It’s just mace and hammer are definetly no weapon to hunt an enemy if you don’t use any hammer traits that chills enemies! Also it got a 1200 atack and a ring where you can trap others. They are designed to hold a spot.
Sword got a blink and 3 skills of the greatsword use 600 range. With a leap and a pull. So mobility is there. In two ways.

And obviously you do most damage in meele range. If that wouldn’t be the case they were useless in every way. Also in pvp you don’t want to be in meele range instant if you can kite the enemy in 600-1200 range. And if you are in meele range you got as much disengage skills as the warrior. A leap and 2 blinks on sword and JI if there are other enemys in a range where you can click on their characters.
I do agree with you FB needs mobility. Swiftness, superspeed,leaps,teleports,… But only because of it’s tomes. Not because of the utilities or the axe.

Ezrael.6859:

Axe – Needs to play more like main-hand Dagger Elementalist

Core Cleave, Bleeding Edge, Blazing Slash – all changed to 300 range

Symbol of Vengeance – becomes a 450 range leap that drops the symbol at your feet when you land.

Blazing Edge – Stays 600 range but uses the ammo system and has 2 charges.

I also would be happy if axe gets something between 200-300 range. The animation clearly shows that, too. But that isn’t really so necessary in my opinion.
The leap sounds like a good idea but then the cd of the skill needs to go up for ~50%.

Two 600 pulls with 6 stacks buring sounds a bit to strong for me. I think the biggest problem was that the skill was buggy. The axe pull the enemys in front of you. So if you target an enemy to your left it will not pull him. Also if he stands a bit higher or lower than you, the skill also does nothing.

Brutaly.6257:

One of the mantras (damage ones) should be a 600 teleport that could be used three times and also adding swiftness to allies. Considering the limited range on mantras and tomes it neccessay to be able to move around, especially in wvw/pvp where its close to impossible to predict enemy movements and sometimes the allies as well.

This alone would solve so many issues with the FB in its current iteration.

If you take away the damage of the skill than it could be done. If not guardian gets a enormous pimped sword 2 blink.

Delgotta.3817:

this is from a pure pve perspective, I run a pure support tank on my guardian, (valor, virtues, honor with mace-shield)

the heal scaling needs to be buffed, alot. mace 1,2 and the heal provided by pure of heart out performs tome of restoration in both overall healing and ease of use. meditations outperform mantras and give me zero reason to use them . as a front line support, using the heals or support is not an option because of the cone effect.

replace mantra cone effects with a pbaoe, but make it a 3 second pulse. this can either be centered on the guardian or by placing a non movable mark on the ground similar to symbols.

as far as tomes, these should replace our utility skills, NOT our weapon skills. at least then, it makes combos possible when using our weapons, like the axe pull, then the tome of justice attacks. as a front line support, loosing my weapons is not an option for me.

the cooldowns need to be removed, but have the pages slowly replenish as per the ammo system, but have all tomes share the pages. this will allow us to switch tomes, create combos and still have a restrictive resource management.

as it is, firebrand should be using staff and scepter and be a rear or mid line support. it has no reason to be on the front line at all.

Taking away the cooldowns from the tomes would break the F1-F3 traits completely so it won’t happen until anet reworks the guardian completely in its traits.
They can reduce them to the level of core guard or DH but that’s it.

Using tomes as utilities could be something anet can put on their testing list. At least ToR and ToC so you’re not punished if you don’t use all pages because damage is more important at that moment than support.

Tenrai Senshi.2017:

It would be better just to make it a base 25% movement speed, with no requirements. I’d say the same about any other movement speed traits.

DH got F2 jump and is designed to fight in range (bow, 1200 range pull, 14% more damage when far away).
Core guard doesn’t need to be in 130-300 meele range as his virtues have a 600 range.
FB needs to be in meele range or 80% of his tomes spells are useless. Mantras are optional but the tomes can’t be traded in other skills obviously.

I’d really like to have it generally but it wasn’t really that needed until now.

I’d more like to have a 25% speed buff when using the tomes as you should spike and support with them.
Having 25% swiftness with axe only would make other meele weapons inferior to axe.

Healer’s Retribution (major adept) in radiance only applies radiance on charging the heal mantra but not on activating one of the 3 charges.

Xaylin.1860:

RabbitUp.8294:

You miss the point I was making. Firebrand is entirely melee focused, when guardian is not. So, the mobility is not worse, but the necessity for mobility is higher.

How is this going to be a reasonable comparison if you’re taking 5 traitlines and x weapons versus ONE elite specialization?

If the necessity was higher, what is wrong with taking the respective utilities or weapons which are already available? Again, what you seem to be asking is to have the mobility be included in the Firebrand.

How is this a downside of the Firebrand rather than baseline Guardian? It is a trade-off when compared to DH. It is not a limitation when compared to core Guardian because Firebrand got access to just the same stuff. Instead of saying ‘Those additional skills require me to be close… I need mobility.’ why not say ‘I got more options when being close!’?

If you’re looking for a mobile class Guardian just isn’t the thing. Firebrand obviously doesn’t change this. However, gaining more close combat capabilities doesn’t innately dictate the necessity for more mobility.

Well you can use F1 on core guard without a problem with scepter on range but F1 on FB only works in meele range. So you need mobility, cripple, chill, or imobilize. Also Anet realized that and added 3 traits which are compared to the other ones not good enough.
F2 and F3 does’t have that limitation of course.

Xaylin.1860:

Almost all melee weapons are at 130 range. People make it sound like this is an unbearable situation on frequent occasions (on all classes) but it never kept melee weapons from being relevant. Using a melee weapon doesn’t automatically mean you are the first in line in large scale. And in small scale it doesn’t mean you can’t turn around or about face.

If you don’t like the Axe or feel it is undertuned, fair point. There might have to be adjustments. But good news for you: It is not the only weapon a Firebrand has access to. It’s the same on the Warrior forum where people get stuck on not liking Daggers while neglecting all the other weapons they already got.

You are totally right there and I exaggerated there too much. But as you said, the condi weapon for a condi designed specialisation lacks in mobility. #2 takes to long to cripple the enemy.
Thats’s why I also play FB with scepter and sword, healing mantra, 3 mediations and quickness elite skill. And it works really well but isn’t really fun as you only spam #1 in F1.

I just wanted to point out what does harmonize with the new mechanics using only what is new and what doesn’t. Also this is just pvp where DH should be the better choice because it’s mostly a single target class.

Xaylin.1860:

All the arguing about range on Tomes and Mantras: It’s a design choice, really. Saying those don’t work att all is like saying Shield #4 has no application in the game. It just isn’t true. And as others said: Making Mantras AoE or too long ranged would harm Shouts. The effects are just fine and some are pretty powerful.

Firebrand obviously wasn’t designed to be a full range caster – even though it would have fit the theme of Tomes, no debate there – nor to be the one leading the charge. It is best somewhere inbetween. You either like it or you don’t.

Axe is 130 range so the only teammates you hit are dagger players when they stack in you. Every other meele is behind you.
So you need to turn around or attack the enemy from the back lonely.

-Activating tomes instant or at least 1/4s
-Reducing the cooldown of the tomes like F1 25s, F2 30s, F3 40s.
-Also buffing the healing output with ToR would be nice to see. #5 and spammimg #1 heals not as much as many auto attacks. As anet switched away last year from bunker builds to more damage you also need some burst heals.
-Some traits need little buffs as the only possible way to play FB right now is 3-3-3. Everything else is stupid. Even if your minor traits say you need quickness.
-Change or add ways to gain quickness as the FB depends on this boon far more than any other class.
-Without reliable sources of swiftness the axe’s range is far too short and needs to be at 200+. Even the animation hints to that.
-Last, the support mantras need to go 360° and the offense ones 180° or a bigger range.

I started with tomes but the rest needed to be said by me.

jief.2509:

Alteran.9510:

The main problem with mantras is that you won’t hit any friend of your party.
The enemy is in front of you but all your allies stand next or behind you. So how do you want to give them aegis, stability, condition cleanse, quickness,…?

They don’t need more range, they need to be a 360 AoE.

Turn your character and get as many as you can? I see a lot of people bringing this up and there are other games that have this mechanic and this is what you do, back up a little and turn then go back to dps.

Of course you can do that. Chasing your teammates without having a single bit of speed. Someting guards lacks since 2012.

The main problem with mantras is that you won’t hit any friend of your party.
The enemy is in front of you but all your allies stand next or behind you. So how do you want to give them aegis, stability, condition cleanse, quickness,…?

They don’t need more range, they need to be a 360 AoE.

Got the same problem.
Win10 Laptop
Intel i7 and Nvidia

As far as I tested that problem is because of an corrupt Intel Driver because when I use an old one (7/23/15 Win 7,8,8.1 driver), everything runs smooth. But when my PC uses a new one (everything with Win10 in it`s description) it bugges.
I solved it with using the old driver, but since 1 week, it’s not possible to use the old one anymore. Win10 says no.

So the only thing that works now is playing the game in Windowed Fullscreen

TLDR; Go to settings > Graphics> Windowed Fullscreen.