Guild Wars 2

So I’m here spamming lfg fractals 5 again, with the two other guildies that are on (so, actually lf2m fractals 5). And not only can I not get a response, I’m seeing many lfg for levels above and below ours. If we take a group below our level, we’re in the same situation tomorrow. Hardly anybody is willing to help out on a lower level than what they’re currently on, for the same reason I am hesitant to run a lower level again. I’ve already run levels 1-4 three or four times in hopes the group would attempt the next level.

My problem is, I’ve been in this situation going on five days. Tonight I’ve tried the gw2lfg site (to no avail) in addition to 45-50 minutes of /map spam. This is posing serious difficulty to allowing me to participate further in game content, simply because we’re only a few days in and I’m already feeling left behind. So, are there any tools I am missing on how I/we can progress beyond level 5?

Also have acrophobia, to a fair extent. Funny how it translates to video games, too. Hands get sweaty, feet go numb, I usually let my team know ahead of time that I might need a moment to catch up. My guild thinks it’s funny as hell. I am more comfortable with water or nothing below instead of land. Thankfully mine starts to let up after a dozen or so runs.

I gotta say, I tried out this build in spvp (free gear swapping!) today, and I love it. There’s plenty I have to work on; timing on distortion, faster clone bursts, better utility decisions, better attack choices and patterns vs different professions and builds. I’m honestly worried about my pocketbook should I change over from my usual setup.

Got torn up by staff necros with their massive ground targets, flesh wurm and necro-forms, though.

I’m using [sword,scepter]/focus + staff myself. I run 0::0::20::30::20, usually using the manipulation cd, staff cd, focus cd and phantasm cd traits. The rest of the traits I’ll slot around as necessary, but my utilities are typically also null field, feedback, and blink.

When taking care of trash, or I know that a boss needs some controlling, I use the sword to help hinder movement. If it’s a single-target encounter I’ll use my scepter, which I prefer. Staff is around for general support and kiting capability, as well as a solid switch during my longer cd periods (or I can swap over and be able to use a 3 clone shatter in about 5-6 seconds). With the speed boost, retreat, and blink, I’m quick to move for encounters like the dredge facility (btw, how do you 3-man the switches? I’m assuming portal, but that seems inefficient). The focus skills and feedback keep many ranged attacks at bay. I wish null field was a faster recharge, but it works for me well enough in the majority of cases that I have to purge conditions/boons in an area.

I’m currently in a condition focused armor set, so I still feel as if I hit like a wet noodle using the sword, but it’s still more damage than scepter auto-attack, and by the time I have enough clones to shatter for aoe on the scepter my group has the mob down. I love the svanir shaman, when I time the confusion correctly he takes 1,800 damage for every one of those ice shards he summons, which looks to me as if it’s about twice a second.

I like Carighan’s idea on the ground target. Let us choose where to place the phantasm, and have it attack our current target. I think even if they treated it like a pet (I play asura, and the golems I summon attack my target), it would be a much happier medium than losing the entire opportunity as it stands. Still make the LOS check, but lose the blind/evade/dodge/aegis end of it [preventing summoning].

I’ll be interested to see how DH tactics start evolving from our matchup vs FA so far. I didn’t even see HoD during my time out tonight (FA cut us off from them in EBG).

I’m sure this coming week will demonstrate “necessity is the mother of invention”

http://gw2skills.net/editor/?fgAQNAW7dlwziqXVTmGa9IhJFEH5new8mvcUKuu3B;TEAg0A

This is a build that I just ended up with; I actually really like the flexibility it provides. It has made [most of] TA a joke for me, and it great fun when pushing against a zerg in W3.

I use my scepter/focus or staff about equally now, dependent on the situation. If I want a bit higher non-condition damage output, I bring out the former and can swap Temporal Enchanter for Malicious Sorcery. Then I latter for more defensive type or area effect engagements and change Phantasmal Haste to Illusionary Elasticity, since the staff will give me greater range to engage and Phase Retreat on a 5s cooldown.

The first thing I love about it is that it allows me to shut down most projectiles (exceptions include larger creatures with a mortar-like projectile). With Feedback lasting about 7s on a 32s cooldown, and Temporal Curtain lasting about 5s on a 20s cooldown, I can avoid most attacks in the first 15s. That works on PvE mobs that are not chasing something through the effect, and usually works in W3 in zerg type engagements; sometimes it works in smaller engagements, most people roll out of feedback so I’ve learned to roll into it myself. I’ve also found Temporal Curtain is more useful when escaping because any ranged snares and roots bounce off of it after I’ve gone through.

It also gives me plenty of avoidance tools. With Blink on a 20s cooldown and Phase Retreat on a 5s cooldown, I can escape large area effects if my endurance is too low to otherwise. If it’s a non-projectile based engagement I can toss in Illusionary Counter on a 10s cooldown as well if I’m quick about it. I need to work on my spacing of the abilities so that I get better all-around coverage between dodging, Blink, Phase Retreat and Illusionary Counter still. I get hit too much.

Using a condition damage build, doing my final tweaks, but at about 24-25k hp. My real weakness has been direct damage over conditions, but that’s in part thanks to my groups. Friends tend not to have weakness or protect, but plenty of cleansing and regeneration to help me mitigate damage when Null Field is down. Honestly I use Null Field more for ripping boons than cleansing conditions.

The keeps do still leave alot to be desired for the time being. I’d agree that the walls are at the very least the starting point. The LOS blocking should/needs to be the first thing to go.

I actually don’t have a problem with aoe hitting the wall the way it does, but perhaps giving a distance penalty would be appropriate. I might suggest having anything cast at a z-axis above the character’s location be subject to spherical distance, while those being used below be subject to a more cylindrical distance (limited horizontal range when firing up, but not below). Of course, that may cause more problems use than other methods available.

I think the last thing is to provide a defensive benefit aside from the range benefit I suggested. Perhaps something like a 25% obstruction rate for abilities who originate below the the wall on the z-axis. I’d even go to 50%, but I think that would be just plain OPd.

I was certain to avoid this race based on the previews I had seen before beta. Then one final weekend a friend wanted to try one, and I rolled a little Asuran warrior to play with him. The dodge lured me in… a closer look at the creation made me see how adorable they can look.

The sarcasm is great. The “You’re dumb” comment is by far my favorite to hear. Watching them land after jumping is wonderful. But the one detail that made me literally shout with pure glee, much to the dismay of my guildies in vent, was when I noticed that….

Your ears perk up in combat.

Made my day like you wouldn’t believe. It took me so long to even notice it, I was 80 before actively looking for it. Plus, how can you think of killing this in WvW? (granted, a bit of an older pic)