Guild Wars 2

1vZerg. Plenty of risk there.

Asomal.6453:

Read it again
/15chars

Ha.

Nat.4029:

Mochann.5298:

Nat.4029:

I recently returned back to GW2 and I’m enjoying myself for the most part, until I do something in the Personal Story that is. My character is so bland it makes me want to strangle them. Show some LIFE! Get angry, sad, anything! Who was directing these voice actors?

“Ok, I want you to deliver these next lines with absolutely no emotion whatsoever. YES! That’s perfect!” -Voice Director

The world is beautiful and the exploration and gameplay have always been fun to me, but DANG that story stuff stinks. The human actors are especially cringeworthy. The only reason I find myself playing the story is for the XP only. And you have to play through your personal story to do anything (story-wise) later in the game. Correct? It’s been a while.

You playing a Norn Female by any chance?

I have before, yes. The majority of my experience comes from the female human story though.

Can’t speak for Norn, but I enjoyed the Asuran one.

Dawdler.8521:

PU is required in WvW mostly due to Thieves. Blaim them, not the Mesmer. If the Thieves didnt have any stealth, Mesmers wouldnt have any need for stealth either and still be a competetive 1v1/roaming class.

In zergs it doesnt matter, no one care what spec you got as long as it doesnt die (and stealth doesnt really matter that much there). Hell it doesnt even matter in PvP (I’ve never seen a Mesmer run PU), damage/shatter builds are always better because there arent any perma-stealth insta-kill Thieves coming after you that you need all your own stealth to counter with.

Frankly, you can’t outstealth a thief, and any attempt to do so merely delays the fight. If the thief is impatient and inexperienced, his attempt to rush you down will fail, and lead to his death. If, however, he merely waits in stealth for you to leave stealth, the mesmer’s stealth changes nothing.
I always laugh a little inside when, after popping Shadow Refuge, the mesmer immediately uses Mass Invisibility. I mean, really? Your 6s of stealth don’t match my 15, buddy. Just a waste of a very nice cooldown.

This for WvW balance, or PvP?

“I am calling it right now, she is from the future. She knows Braham (and well, mind you) but he does not yet know her. She knows a lot about scarlet, and wants to learn from her. Her golem is more advanced than any golem we have seen, even mr sparkles.
In a world where we have already made a machine that opens doorways into other realities, having someone make a time machine is not out of order.”

“And her name is ‘Time-y.’ "

-A theory from Reddit.

They don’t want people from the other server listening in on their movements. That said, they’re offering a service. If you don’t want to use that service, then don’t. It’s very simple.

Guardian. It’s a support class that is strong in almost all group compositions. Excellent for PvE, PvP, and WvW.

Thanks for reminding me; I look forward to it.

5. Thief. The key factor to success or failure is reaction time, which is based upon instinct and experience. The better you are, the more damage you can avoid and the more you deal.
This is less true in PvP, where you are limited to a single spot over which to fight and around which are unavoidable AoEs, but regardless a good thief is aware of the map positions/situations, and with his mobility can make great use of that. This again depends upon instinct and experience.
This is why bad thieves are absolute nonentities, and good ones are tangible forces.
edit:
-not unlimited, but pretty high.
-not true for all builds, but a decent proportion.

FuriousPop.2789:

run daily frac runs and next thing you know is your slots overrun with rings to which you cant do much besides hoard or destroy.

should let us salvage them for frac relics at least or trade for other ascended trinkets

Oh, if only we could salvage ascended rings for ascended mats… if only.
It wouldn’t even affect the market if they salvaged for empyreal or dragonite.

But to answer the question: Evon Gnashblade, without a doubt.

Paulytnz.7619:

I would have to say probably that one asura in LA who says something about selling some lame item for 20 gold “when it was only worth 10 gold the day before”. That scamp must be mega mega rich.

IIRC, it is something like:
“So, how much can I do you for?”
“20 gold for centaur spearheads”
“20? Yesterday they were 10!”
“Today, 20.”
Also, I believe it is a Skritt, because if I again recall correctly,
“You can’t believe the Skritt-heads I have to deal with day-in and day-out. No offense.”
and
“If one more farmer tries to sell me rotten vegetables, I’ll scream. More stone-carvings?”
“No.”
Hmm, I spend a lot of time there, come to think of it.
The real question is, of course, how it could ever be 10 the day before, when yesterday they said exactly the same thing.

I would rather fight a warrior I feel gratified in beating than an underpowered one which makes me hesitate with pity on that final backstab. I remember when warriors were like that, and I much prefer how it is now.
I also think it is important to be clear on what aspect of the game we’re discussing, as the competitive balance varies. E.g., WvW balance means equal opportunity for classes to kill each other, whereas PvE balance means an equal opportunity for classes to kill mobs. These are two entirely different things.

Konig Des Todes.2086:

• The thumpers’ purpose is still unknown. The three-headed wurm and its ilk in the new meta event was an unintended side-effect.
• I’m not seeing a creature being pointed at by the drill.
• Her motive is stated to be unknown still, actually. Or was stated to be in the “things to come” update back after Wintersday was released.
• The Thaumanova Reactor was not to use energy, per se, but study it. And if it is intended to be a precursor of using the same energy as the Marionette… then the Marionette is using dragon energy (or would it be chaos energy? Thaumanova used both).
• NOTHING says that Tequatl “shifted alliances”. In fact, all indication states that dragon minions are quite incapable of doing such – and even after Zhaitan’s death, his minions still hold fanatical devotion to Zhaitan (as seen in Arah explorable mode).

- Unintended side-effect… goodness, it’s almost as if you agree with me!
- Question marks do serve a function.
- “So much makes sense now. The Pale Tree, the Nightmare Court, Caithe and Faolain…it’s all part of a grand design. But I see the flaws in that design. My people don’t have to take what we’re given, or be what we were “born to be.” No people do. We can change the rules…well, I can. And I’m going to.”"
Very much like Milton’s Satan- she wants to bring down the current, oppressive order – and with that, presumably, free the Sylvari.
-Nuclear reactors don’t merely study energy, they use it. Likewise, the goal of the Thaumanova reactor would likely be to harness it.
I therefore theorize that Scarlet intends to use dragon energy to fuel the explosion of her Marionette, having used her clockwork minions to create thumpers that draw upon this energy.
-I don’t know what happened to Tequatl, but we do know it has something to do with the Living Story. Beyond Scarlet, there has been no living story. Create another connection if you like, this is merely a proposal.

Konig Des Todes.2086:

Wow Requiem. That’s so full of theories stated as facts I don’t know how you got it all like that.

*Theories stated as theories. Nothing more. You’d have to be incredibly presumptuous to imply otherwise.

So, the thumpers are drawing something, or some-things, from underground, and coalescing at Lion’s Arch.
Note also the drill, again pointing to an underground creature.
So Scarlet, once the creature, creatures, or magical energy have gathered underneath Lion’s Arch, will lower her marionette down into the depths, explode it (perhaps explode it using the gathered magical energy) and with it, bring forth.. what devilry? A dragon?
The entire purpose of the Scarlet invasions, then, were to find these magical lines, plant thumpers onto them, and draw a path to Lion’s Arch.

edit; Questions:
1. Why four "x"s?
2. What is she summoning?
-motive: she wants to free the Sylvari
– means: she has a huge bomb, which will draw upon the huge reserves of magical energy (the Thaumanova Reactor being a failed attempt at using such energy)
-goal: Mordremoth? Would summoning Mordremoth “free” the Sylvari from the Pale Tree?

Mordremoth:
-Nightmare court: the one for which the Krait wait, and the reason for their alliance
-Tequatl: has shifted alliances to Mordremoth.

edit: For the people taking this thread seriously: please don’t.
It is usually possible to customize to your appearance when you consider every combination, racial and otherwise. Everything from a gorgeous blonde to a pot-bellied dwarf, really. There are a lot of options, and I recommend you visit all of them before returning here. However, if you limit yourself to a certain race, such as a Sylvari (but I didn’t want these leafy things), an Asura (why can’t I make myself 9 feet tall? Ridiculous!), or a Norn (stupid game, I just want to be an average height) you’ll run into issues.
The point here is that there are “REAL” options – but everyone isn’t like you. There are muscular people, there are fat people; there are tall people, and there are short people. I don’t blame you for not finding all the options on your first go, as there are a lot of them, but please fully educate yourself on your possibilities before complaining about them.
If you want a fat, squat human who spits, kittens and other deplorable acts of depravity and debauchery… well, see the attachment below.
Despite all this, however, I must unfortunately concede that it is impossible to appear as a 12-fingered ape or a toe-talented ogre – in which case, you have my envy, as your piano skills must be remarkable.

Axialbloom.8109:

Liadri was the epitome of bad design.

Elaborate, or your statement is worthless.

I run dungeons daily as a thief. Not been kicked once. Same for fractals.
Two days ago I ran a 29 fractal with 3 thieves. It went amazingly well; exceedingly quick without a wipe.
In short, the class is fine; it’s the player that matters.

edit: this is NA.

Merely my prediction:

1.Wurm: Mordremoth
2. Marionette: Primordus

1.Wurm:
“There’s a rumble in the jungle”
“Great Jungle Wurm”

2. Marionette:
-Thumpers, and “dragon-energy” technology
-marionette on chains to be lowered into the depths.

To continue the thread throughout the living story:
1.Nightmare Court: Jungle
2.Thumpers: Primordus
1.Tequatl: Jungle
1.Twilight: Jungle

The Metronome:
2. “Thump, thump, time to jump… There’s a secret deep below to find… A fire is rising…”

From news:
" ‘I will interpret both of your statements as ’Expansion incoming’. ~Tilion
Lewis B ‘Oh not at all. Better than that!’ "

Thoughts?

Hitman.5829:

The thief can remove 2 conditions each time he goes in stealth, if and only if at least 10 points are spend in shadow arts.

1. 1 condition.
2. Learn the meaning of “if and only if.”

This means that a thief can remove 2 conditions every 3-4 seconds since they are constantly in stealth.

3. 1 every 3s… if stealthed (constantly in stealth? I don’t even…)

But that is not the end of the story.

oh boy!

Thieves have access to:

• infiltrator strike on the sword #2 skill, which allows the thief to remove any condition any time he wants.

4. If you use s/x, which has become less and less attractive with each successive nerf.

• Hide in shadows (the healing skill) that removes burning poison and bleeding (and 2 more condition because they have shadow embrace treated.)

5. 2 condi removal on a 30s cooldown? Oh, goody!

• Shadow step which removes 3 condition and 3 more condition removed when shadow return is activated.

6. Doesn’t work that way at all. No condi removal on Shadow-Step, but on the Shadow Return – which means that if you use it as a condi-removal, it’s a 3 condis /50s.

• Shadow refuge which can remove up to 6 condition (because they can last in stealth for 15 seconds which means that one condition is removed upon entering stealth + 5 conditions removed in the 15 seconds of stealth.)

7. So you agree that 2 conditions/3s in stealth babble you wrote earlier was nonsense?

By just spending 10 points in survival, the thief can have access to an incredible survival build.
Keep in mind the following:

• Shadow step will also break stunts TWICE.

8. So you’re implying that you’d be stunned, teleport 1200, and then be immediately stunned again to allow it to be used as a stunbreaker twice. Really?

• Infiltrator strike will return to original place confusing the attacker, if you are immobilized, just use infiltrators return so your attacker cannot get to you.

9. If a thief still uses sword. Regardlesss, there is a cast time. Bring the pain onto that thief.

• Shadow refuge 15 seconds of WTF where Is the thief. (the condition removal skills recharging, him gaining initiative/health).

Now the thief can use the remaining 60 points to make a powerful damage build.

The solution is simple:

If the thief wants to have a survival build, then change the shadow embrace trait to grand master. That will force them to spend 30 points in survival.

So really, your whole complaint centers on condition removal? Gosh, take a look at warriors, guardians, rangers, engineers… actually, take a good look at all the professions. Even the mesmer, renowned for its low condition removal, could take the Mender’s Purity trait (oh no, an overpowered Adept trait!) and cure 4 (potentially 6) condis every 10s with Mantra of Recovery. So if you are going to complain, at least educate yourself beforehand.

Er, perhaps shatter, our core class mechanic?

Thief is great fun. Exceedingly quick gameplay.

1. Stay away from the powder
2. Stay away from his backstabs.
3. Have patience.

It’s quite simple: I won’t have the armor that I worked for. That will be taken away. As such, the only fair option would be to exchange that armor for another that I choose. It’s still an inconvenience, of course -I will no longer have the stats I considered the best- but at least it will be an inconvenience solely in balance/playstyle preferences, and not an inconvenience of tremendous grinding.

Turtle Dragon.9241:

Requiem.8769:

How about an aura effect that pulses blinds around the thief for ~3s; as in, a literal “cloak of shadows”?
This would have no problems with revealed, yet provide a brief period of safety for the thief.

But this does not keep Stealth as a mechanic. The dev already explained they want to keep the Stealth as part of this trait. The compromise would be dropping Black Powder at 25% health, the Thief can Leap/Blast through at will to initiate the Stealth. With a cooldown of course.

That works, I just would like to be able to run away when I’m at 25%, and still experience the benefits. But sure, that would still be a nice improvement to the current LR.

The Lost Witch.7601:

We could have an animation that shows stealth is coming.

Perhaps a cloud of blinding smoke that shows an AoE ring, and ‘blasts’ into AoE stealth a second (and a half?) later. This should give you the time to disengage?

Unfortunately, if you are in a situation where Lr procs, stealth one second later usually will not help you.

How about an aura effect that pulses blinds around the thief for ~3s; as in, a literal “cloak of shadows”?
This would have no problems with revealed, yet provide a brief period of safety for the thief.

edit:
The current issue I have with LR is that, when I am low on health and trying to stealth, LR procs as I CnD, revealing me and putting me in a far worse situation than I would have been.

Relevant questions:
1. Who is the voice?
2. Was the wurm the objective, or a side-effect? (Presuming Scarlet’s omniscience, an unavoidable one?)
3. What is the purpose of the giant Marionette?

1. The mysterious E?
2. A champion of Mordremoth, awakened?
3. The only purpose I see for having something like a marionette is for vertical ventures, i.e. to go down below or high above. Seeing, however, the recent activity surrounding the thumpers,

Thump, Thump. Time to jump

There’s a secret deep below to find

a fire is rising

I would guess that indeed, a dragon from below is coming.

A playstyle mechanic that I would love to see introduced would be something akin to the “gambit” system from the LotRO’s Warden. Quite unique, complex, and engaging. High/risk reward playstle.
For those who don’t know, certain base skills (1,2, or 3) could be used in sequence (1,2,3 or 3,2,1 or 2,1,3 or 111 or 222 or…) to create a gambit, which would create a unique, powerful skill. This required the player to plan what type of gambit he would want early on, and the longer the gambit (123123123 for example) the more powerful the effect. Even from a mere 4 sequence gambit, we have 3^4 potential skills, making it an extremely complex and nuanced class. As for the playstle itself, play centered on predicting, continuing, and completing these gambits, and counterplay revolved around disrupting completion of the gambit.
So I suppose, very similar to that, a “Spartan” sort of class with spear and shield, with high mobility, sturdy AoE heals/CC, and decent damage.

edit:
The unique class mechanic could be, perhaps, group mobility. Right now, in combat, the most notable (and commonly noted) mechanics are DPS, Healing, and CC, but there remain other relatively minor ones (e.g., stealth). Now, the class-specific enhancement I propose for the warden is in mobility. The only skill that currently exists along these lines is the Mesmer’s portal. My idea for the warden would be to have skills which can transport groups both through dramatic speed increase (think, 2x to 3x the potency of swiftness) and teleportation (“veil” portals, run through one veil and come out another). This certainly would be a most unique, engaging, and complex addition to GW2 combat.

You’re not trying to rework thieves. You’re trying to make them into warriors. Instead of “fixing” their core class mechanic (stealth), you’re neutering it and making changes elsewhere.

This would be a very nice buff to spike thieves- I don’t think that’s what you had in mind.
It’s a terrible idea, but sure, as a burst thief I’d take this quite happily.

Reference here.
http://www.reddit.com/r/Guildwars2/comments/1utx8p/data_mining_vip_membership/

What are your thoughts on VIP Membership bonuses? Categorized into
-payment method (either subscription-based; time-based, or single-time purchase?)
-gameplay (how would this affect the gameplay?)
-sociality (how would this affect player v. player interactions?)

edit:

We just wanted to respond to the image that has been data-mined from the Edge of the Mists testing branch.

This is a testing branch. We conduct internal experiments for various territories on our testing branches. This particular experiment is not being tested for the West.

As always, keep in mind that we test a lot more than we ship, so data-mining is no guarantee of anything. If we have announcements to make about future content, we’ll make them through the usual official channels.

I didn’t buy GW1. I bought GW2. GW1 still exists, and I’m not playing it.

Ha! It’ll be a while for me.

Dustfinger.9510:

Ask and ye shall receive!
….
ArenaNets-Master-Plan-for-2013.html

Well, what type of content do you like? PvE PvP, or WvW?

Shatter mesmer, such as 20/20/0/0/30 or 20/30/5/0/0/15.

Regardless of class balance arguments, I’d cap it at 2 of each. I’d prefer one of each, but I don’t know how large a pool there is to draw from.

Can I have your stuff?

You tried hotjoin, ya? Try Solo Queue.

More constructively, thieves do destroy certain specs, and certain compositions. No denying that. So don’t use those. Any combination of AoE, CC, and survivability will ruin a thief’s plans.

Aaroneous.6190:

just one of those spoiled kids that would cry if they didn’t get whatever they want.

Hmm.

Here’s an equation you might find useful, also.
[% Power Source] * Power(1+[(Precision-822)/21](.5+Critical Damage)] +
[% Condi Source] * [Base Damage + (Factor*Condition Damage)]

What’s your spec?
Rifle SD builds, go Crit Damage all the way.
Most of the time, however (for engineers), I’d recommend condition damage.

More strategy would be excellent. There are two elements to any game:
1) Mechanics
2) Strategy
The mechanics involve the immediate, quick, and “skillful” play. For GW2, these are the fights themselves; the skill-choice, skill use, and skill combinations.
The strategy involves the over-arching theme of the game; an ever-evolving plan centering around several objectives, from which the player must choose which to pursue. Right now there are 3 objectives (points), and the occasional secondary objective (buffs, Creatures, etc). I find that the most exciting games come from maps with powerful secondary objectives. Why? Because more strategy is involved; deeper choice and risk making for a deeper experience.
This is not solely from a player perspective. For spectators, it is often impossible to see the precise mechanics of a fight – there are too many players to follow each individual skill use. They can, however, understand the slower, steadier strategy, and become engaged in it themselves. Each immediate objective and encounter -including the mechanics themselves- has purpose behind it. The mechanics, then, serve to complement these strategies, adding that element of chance, uncertainty and excitement, and the strategy becomes the general narrative.
So, what type of strategy would I like? Inherently, more objectives and more choices. This could be as simple as – multiple capping points, some of which cap for more than others. There could be buffs, NPCs alliances, bonuses – in short, some of the strategy of WvW shrunk into a quicker, smaller map.

Since the last patch I’ve had problems with lag as well. Only in sPvP. Continuous .5s to 1s lag every ~10s, and the occasional (every 10-20min) disconnect. After a frustrating hour of this, I left PvP and did my fractal dailies. No problems whatsoever. I then went to WvW, and even took part in a few zerg v. zerg battles- no problems there either. I checked my internet speed- 50mbps download, 40mbps upload. It’s something specific to sPvP.

Which build do you use?

Perhaps something like this:
http://gw2skills.net/editor/?fcQQFAUl0pqdH5STF17IxoHkW0dG0D7638KqQ+B-jECBYfAEEAJPFRjtQqIasabYaXAqYLq2auIa1SBwkyI-w