Guild Wars 2

Bean Muncher.5197:

I think Kick shouldn’t lunge towards your foe. I mean, c’mon, 2 out of 3 parts of the auto-attack chain disable dodging? I would be perfectly fine with the chain if only the leap disabled dodging, but right now the sword feels too clunky to me.

Completely agree. Using 1h sword makes us so incredibly immobile. One thing that is handy is that we can pretty much stay on top of a target because its basically a moving attack.

Vox Hollow.2736:

I tend to think it’s the HP mechanic that’s killing the range, not that the range itself that is lacking. I’m pretty sure 900 is the biggest range AOE buffs have.

I think the Passive Buffs are fine range-wise.

It’s about those active effects that have terrible AoE range. Perhaps the actives should just hit the Ranger’s Target, à la pet mechanics.

How about that?

Spirit AOE Actives (in the case of Frost, Sun, and Stone) need to be 200% larger area.

Stone is fine. But a blind that only hits things within two feet of it is fairly useless (without GM trait, even worse).

Needs to be said here, just needs to be :

“Technology that is sufficiently advanced is indistinguishable from magic.”

Perhaps then this is an issue indeed of not selecting a target, but what more should I do than clicking on said target and engaging. And this happens even in one on one fights.

Being mobile seems to throw the sword off-balance.

Should I just stay still in order to avoid this?

Two things first:
I play an Asura Ranger (perhaps the severity of this issue is limited to this Race, but on a Slyvari Ranger I played as well, the problem also existed).
I don’t know if this has already been mentioned on the forum, if so, apologies.

Right! This is a problem I have been experiencing on my Ranger. The problem is that the combination of the Sword1 combo attacks (“Pounce” specifically) create bizarre movement patterns that cause Sword3, and at times Dagger4, to miss entirely.

Because of the nature of the flanking movement of these attacks, they will at times maneuver me awkwardly far from my target. This happens while standing still, and even more often if I happen to be moving during the combat.

Pounce has me jumping all over the place if fighting multiple targets, and then Sword3 not only removes me from combat, but misses entirely.

As a note for a future patch on the Ranger (or hopefully a rework of some elements) I would suggest that the Sword1 combo has “Pouce” reworked. If we are already in close combat, the movement of this simple sword attack is overkill and frenetic IMHO.

Is anyone else having this problem? And if so, how can I avoid this issue?
Any advice would be appreciated.

Cheers!

Delofakitten.4231:

Mantras are too limited in versatility to provide what other utilities can without traits and thus less so with traits even given their unrestricted timing usages once charged. Coupled with the difficulty in charging them from time to time and we have a situation with Mantras.

An example, the comparison between Null Field and Resolve.

Null Field

• Removes Conditions (allies)
• Removes Boons (foes)
• Combo Field

Resolve

• Removes Conditions (self)
• Multiple usages
• Low cool down

The cool down of Null Field while longer is also connected to a powerful effect that takes place over several seconds in which can be used for a variety of different other effects because it’s a combo field. Resolve can’t boast that, has only one application and doesn’t even affect everyone around you or your enemy at all. In summary, untraited Null Field is hands down stronger than untraited Mantra of Resolve, partly because it’s usable when you generally need it while providing more opportunities in which to use it as well while being usable most of the times you need to use it. Mantra of Resolve while usable more often has less opportunities in which to use it.

Think about it, you can add to Resolve (when specced for it) a damage increase, the fact that it is not rooted (foes could easily run out of a Null Field, and it constricts you if you want to get the full effect) and a lower cooldown.

Mantras have some more going for them than it seems.

Pyroatheist.9031:

Because they have exceedingly long charge times and too few base uses. The traits that affect mantras are all over the place and in the wrong trees for their effects many times. The trait that allows the number of mantra uses to become anywhere near significant is 30 points into a tree with an absolutely and completely useless 25 minor trait bonus. The only viable uses for mantras are extremely specific and niche builds that don’t actually utilize the mantras for their normal purpose, such as the mantra heal build for the aoe heals, or using the heal mantra to proc healing rune skills rapidly, or using the 4% extra damage per mantra to make a pure long range glass cannon nuker that never actually uses the mantras.

In general, if you show me any build that has mantras that are supposed to actually be used for their normal intended purpose, I can make you a build that will do it better without mantras.

Mate, pardon me for the apparently useless comment on the aesthetic aspect of Mantras, I hope it didn’t offend you too badly.

To come back to your last statement, I think you haven’t taken a close enough look at the benefits of interupt bonuses within the Domination tree. Specced correctly, a MantraMesmer can make any class regret casting a skill.

Also: the charge time on Mantra of Pain balances well with the damage two charges of the ability can do. You can cast Power Surge during a channeled ability, like GreatSword 1. You can unload great damage using this method.

Open your mind to Mantras, they can kick kitten

The Mantra is unique to the Mesmer, it’s a limiting, but powerful mechanic. I do think that they need to be buffed, but perhaps not in a utility or dps sense. I think the damage of Mantra of Pain needs a buff for the work you have to do for it, but that has been said often enough.

It’s no secret, Guild Wars 2 has excessive particle effects and these make the game beautiful and dazzling. However, one thing that I have noticed (or rather not noticed) is that all the Mantra abilities are barely noticable. It is at the point that I actually do not know if I cast the spell in the heat of battle. It is hard to tell if the spell worked or not when it is covered up by everything.

It feels like the mantra spells are covered up by everything, and in my opinion they deserve more! I know it’s a small point, but I feel there could be more done to make Mantras interesting.

Let me know if you agree!

I saw a post on this earlier this month and found it very interesting, but worded confusingly. I thought I would bring it up again, and try to get a Dev to react!

Currently, the Mesmer has a nice illusionist vibe going on, what with clones popping up and shattering on a whim. I understand the need to have our clones look just like us, it gives us a unique level upon which to combat our enemies, and I applaud ArenaNet on this.

The Phantasm, however, is wholly different in style. It looks different with its purple glow, and is a real damage dealer. I think that it is with these beings that the Mesmer can get a more sinister vibe. We weild powerful magic; and like our illusions, that magic may seem to be all butterflies and roses, but hide something more deadly. So why not give the phantasm a more vicious appearance, kind of like the concept art released of the deulist I attached (the same was done by the previous post).

What is hinted at there is a real illusionary demon, and I want it.

Hear me out: the phantasm can be given real style and ferocity, letting it be more than the glittery purple clone it is now. Keep the color and effect, but make them tall and slender, or multi armed and frightening. Use a model already in existence, but throw on a new skin. It should just be the same model for all phantasms, just weilding different weapons. All I ask for is an expansion on what we currently have at our disposal, a small aesthetic change that will make our profession more vibrant and play into some lore, perhaps?

Comments, counter-arguements, thoughts?
Cheers!

Does anyone agree with me?

It comes out of the blue for me, and kind of pulls me from the drama of it. Its like a ferocious yelp that comes from a guy that was just gasping for air in the downed state. I don’t know where he would get the air in his lungs to scream so loud.

Thanks!

I really appreciate the game’s take on Humans in GW2. So often in fantasy the Humans are newest of the races, and they are the leading power which is pushing older races aside. In Tyria, Humans are the race of decline, similar to an Elven archetype often seen in games like this. I think it gives excellent perspective to a Human character of any type.

The finest stories of success come from the depths of challenge and misfortune. Decline is a very interesting starting point for any character’s background.

Once again, I find it unique that Guild Wars 2 has Humans as its falling race.