Guild Wars 2

Currently, after the Megaserver feature rollout last patch, when a player types something into /map chat in PvE, anyone on the map can view it. While this is a good idea in principle, it breaks down the barriers between server culture and identity, making one server seem much like any other server (with the exception of WvW). In addition to that, /map reaches not only all players on the map from your server, but also all players on the map from other servers, some of which may not understand your language and/or be annoyed by it.

The proposal is relatively simple: currently, in PvE, the /team chat command has no functionality. Why not enable /team chat so it acts as a server-specific /map chat, that can only be seen by members of your server?

This proposed new PvE functionality of /team chat allows for the following actions, which are currently impossible under the current functionality of /map:

+ Server-specific guilds (e.g. those that do any amount of WvW as a guild) may now recruit from members of the same server without the need to spam others/filter members from different servers

+ Server culture may potentially be retained through the ability to only communicate with server-mates

+ Players reached by this chat channel can be assumed to understand the language you use (e.g. Vizunah Square (FR) players are assumed to understand French, and so on)

+ Roleplaying (which may predominately located on specific servers, e.g. Tarnished Coast/Piken Square) may now occur without excessive interference from people outside of your server (though /say may provide just as good a channel due to its localized nature)

Any thoughts on the benefits/downsides of enabling /team for PvE to serve as a server-specific /map chat channel?

JonPeters.5630:

The change to sword damage from 5% to 10%. I’ve seen a lot of talk that maybe it is not really needed. The fact was this was a lackluster trait and this is a lackluster change to it. I would love to do the right thing here and have a change that MH sword wants rather than just 5% more damage.

Thoughts?

Jon

Although the extra damage isn’t terribly great, it’s already a buff to the primary DPS weapon used in PvE/dungeon meta, so I would imagine the buff is still appreciated.

However, I again would reiterate that if you’re buffing damage on 1-H sword to give more options for power guardians, only buffing one option (the meta option for power dps at that) is counterproductive for expanding direct damage options in terms of viable weaponsets when going pure damage. I really think that adding bonuses similar to whatever you decide to do for 1-H sword should be afforded to the other primarily-offensive weapons such as GS and Scepter (ie buffing their respective traits as well for damage). I wouldn’t argue for too much of a damage buff to hammers, as they seem to play a more defensive role in combat with a control role in mind, as opposed to the offensive nature of sword, GS and scepter.

And to reiterate a major request from other guardians in this thread, we need some traitable soft-CC option. This would enhance power builds by somewhat negating our decreased mobility relative to other classes—especially if it were a reason to trait into Zeal.

I would like to see better access to soft CCs for the Guardian—either better access to Chill or Cripple through skills or traits. (For example, like a new trait that causes a cripple or a chill on the first (or more) pulse(s) of a symbol.)

If the end goal is to give power guardians more options for damage, then I would also like to ask if a similar (but not necessarily the same) % damage buff be applied to Zeal VII: Zealous Blades to give power dps guardians more than one good weapon option to go when aiming for damage.

(Granted, the healing part of Zealous Blades is meant to help the Guardian have more sustain, but I don’t feel it’s cause for dps-minded guardians to choose a GS over the Sword/Focus builds, especially with the new +10% damage on Radiance X: Powerful Blades, when doing things like dungeons or PvE.)

JonPeters.5630:

Guardian:
Tanky and supportive guardians are in a strong position in many gametypes. We do feel that damage guardians are not as powerful as they could be. While we don’t want guardians to be as strong offensively as some of the other classes (given their powerful defensive abilities) we opened up more offensive guardian builds.

Two things I wanted to comment on:

First, when trying to enhance damage guardians, there are alternatives to simply upping the damage numbers—for example, by allowing Guardians better access to soft CC (in the form of Cripple or Chill, as has been mentioned before).

This would have the dual purpose of ensuring that Guardians won’t be as strong offensively using the metric of potential DPS, and it would enhance what we already have by allowing us to stay on top of the target and fight in melee range for longer, (somewhat) alleviating the need for extra mobility (which we as Guardians lack). In fact, there could be an alternative trait in a lesser-used trait line (such as Zeal) so that symbols pulse for cripple or chill on the first pulse (or more, depending on balancing needs).

Secondly, I am curious why there exists the emphasis on sword dps (the extra +5% damage on swords from Radiance X: Powerful Blades) and not a similar increase in the greatsword trait (Zeal VII: Zealous Blade) when the current PvE dungeon meta (and to some extent general PvE) already emphasizes sword use with focus for blinding potential.

If improving direct damage options for Guardian is the goal, would it be worth considering giving extra damage to more of the offensive weapons such as the greatsword (and potentially other weapons) as well, so that players have a choice other than sword for direct damage builds? (I understand that the 25hp/hit healing from Zealous Blade is meant to give an extra bonus for the Guardian Greatsword in lieu of damage, but even the 2% scaling with Healing Power for some sustain seems far weaker than the proposed +10% damage from Powerful Blades.)

What I’m asking is: could Zeal VII: Zealous Blade gain some extra damage to improve it in a similar fashion to the +10% damage on sword?

A fix for this is to ensure that you have a full mailbox with mail from players—two friends had this problem last night, and once they deleted all NPC in-game mails and we gave him a full mailbox, they both got the achievement.

It’s random. Sometimes you get unlucky and he spams this multiple times in a row, but if you keep trying, the RNG will have him take breaks in-between his buffs, which you can take advantage of.

Just did it 30 minutes ago.

Although the progress is not shown on the achievements UI, if you read all 20 books in one sitting (e.g. without zoning, going to character selection, or logging out), you’ll get the achievement.

The Achievement states “in a single day” but what it really means is “without leaving the zone”.