As a Guardian main since beta, these are my thoughts after playing Firebrand.
The Good:
-Pretty visual effects (if a bit overwhelming at times)
-Overall fire damage is good (to the point it will likely get nerfed)
-Team quickness uptime is good (possibly a trait bug – see below)
-Mantra skills are instant cast with a small 1s ICD after the initial cast which helps to counteract the lack of instant virtues
The Bad:
-300 range frontal cone attacks. This times 1000. The positioning requirement feels like garbage mixed with the 130 range axe. These skills should be either circular PBAoE 300+ range (ideally) or 180° frontal with 450 range. I understand you wanted to differentiate them from Mesmer mantras in some way, but this is not the way.
-Pages and mantra charges make you play the UI. I was sitting there constantly looking at my skill bar tracking the white rings and page counts instead of playing the game and enemies.
-Tome CDs + Page Limit + Tome Skill CDs + Tome Skill Cast Times is severely flawed. One or several of these systems need to change.
-Symbol of Vengeance (Axe skill 2) provides no boon. It should (ideally) provide quickness in some form (Per pulse might be too good; maybe make it apply the boon once on initial cast).
-Axe bleed damage is very mediocre, even with throwing everything at it I can in sPvP (including the on hit trait and Sigil of Agony). This essentially puts it in a weak cover condi role. It’s duration needs to be massively buffed.
-The third mantra skill bonuses feel too weak to justify their use over letting them recharge ammo, especially on the elite. 5s swiftness and 2 extra stab stacks on the elite skill for 25s extra CD and having to recast the mantra? Nope.
-Liberator’s Vow lacks synergy with Quickfire. Their cooldowns should be in line.
-Loremaster’s “Retain Virtues passives while they are on cooldown” should be a GM Virtues trait, NOT a Firebrand GM trait. This deserves to go to base Guardian.
-Slow as a Grandmaster trait is lackluster. Slow as a condition is lackluster in general.
-I’d like to see Legendary Lore changed. It should provide something more substantial than simple boons/1 stack of burning at the major trait slot. Something like “+% outgoing healing while in Tome of Resolve” and “Allies affected by your Tome of Courage spells receive -% condi damage for x seconds” for example.
The ?:
Stalwart Speed currently applies quickness per stack of Stability. Unsure if this is intended (likely not).
TLDR: Overall this elite spec feels bad to play. Wonky positioning requirements, constantly playing the UI instead of the game, and slow gameplay, which is ironic for a spec designed around quickness.
P.S. Another major suggestion for Guardian and the game in general is to change the way regen works. It should prioritize the stacks with healing power over duration. Skills like Symbol of Faith (Mace 2) get overwritten by longer duration regen and severely limits our ability to do any substantial healing output.
P.P.S. – Fix staff
(edited by BushidoBlade.1389)
