Why not make the 3rd chain skill for sword be the double lightsaber slash from some of the alpha videos? That would solve the issues of cleaving, arc, projectiles, and it’d look pretty boss too.
There’s two things that zealots defense needs. One, it needs to allow slow movement rather than rooting you. And two, it needs to hit up to five targets in a line.
As for sword needing a symbol, I could see putting it on flashing blades, honestly. Teleport to your target and sear a symbol on the ground that pulses blind.
“Argue for your limitations and, sure enough, they’re yours.” ~ Illusions (Richard Bach).
They announced from the very beginning that you’d have to be in the specialization to use the new weapon. I’m a bit surprised the specialization is simply an added elite spec line, though that does make it easier to do the swap-in-swap-out they described. But as the new weapon is part of the “identity” of the elite spec, it makes sense to me that it would be restricted to using with that spec.
Yes, and it was a bad idea from the beginning. Heck, it was a bad idea pre-launch when they pigeon-holed weapons into specific roles. It was a bad idea to abandon the first trait system they revealed and go with the tiered nonsense we got instead.
“Argue for your limitations and, sure enough, they’re yours.” ~ Illusions (Richard Bach).
I’d like to keep an open mind, but at first glance these changes do seem to more greatly limit build diversity. Most of my characters have traits spread out over 4 or sometimes 5 lines. Yeah, some of the useless traits are going to be going away, but their example of water magic doesn’t really impress me. I wouldn’t put more than 2 points into it, but that’s not a possibility anymore.
I also think it’s a poor design choice to limit the new weapons that each class will get to the elite specialization. It’s bad enough that weapons currently are restricted to a role/build. Keeping the new weapon linked to the specialization does not enhance diversity or experimentation. Each weapon set should be equally viable in all situations, regardless of build.
“Argue for your limitations and, sure enough, they’re yours.” ~ Illusions (Richard Bach).
Base run speed should be increased by 25% in pve. If it’s such a huge balance issue in wvw and pvp, leave them as they are now.
I think it should be done to free up some design space. Given the limited number of utility slots and how lackluster most signets are, and how necessary the +25% runspeed is, it makes sense to revamp most signets to be actually useful, and I think the best way to do this is to make base run speed for everyone +25% of where it currently is.
“Argue for your limitations and, sure enough, they’re yours.” ~ Illusions (Richard Bach).
So with this change leveling up new characters and alts will become even more of an exercise in tediousness than it already is. It’s a bad move, Anet. If you’re going to revamp the trait system, go all the way and iterate from your alpha ideas where each weapon set and skill type had its own set of traits that you could equip independently of each other.
Also, some of the traits they revealed just sound bad. Read the wind? Arrows from ranger longbow should already travel at double the speed they do currently, it shouldn’t be locked behind a grandmaster trait.
“Argue for your limitations and, sure enough, they’re yours.” ~ Illusions (Richard Bach).
The ‘+’ in front of your “+25%” and “+1” in points 12) and 16) need a space in between them. Just change the ‘+25%’ to ‘+ 25%’ and the ‘+1’ to ‘+ 1’ and the underline will go way.
Thanks!
“Argue for your limitations and, sure enough, they’re yours.” ~ Illusions (Richard Bach).
Guardian changes:
1) All weapon sets should have a symbol.
2) Sword: Flashing Blades: Remove the direct damage component and lay a high damage symbol on the ground. Keep the blind.
3) Sword: Zealot’s Defense: Allow slow movement while the skill is active. Increase base damage by 10% and allow it to damage all targets in a line (up to 5).
4) Scepter: Smite: Change to Symbol of Smiting – Create a mystical symbol on the ground that damages foes and grants might to allies. (1 or maybe even 2 stacks per tick)
5) Scepter: Add a chain skill to skill #1. Make the third skill in the chain inflict weakness and be a projectile finisher.
6) Mace: Reduce the cast time of Faithful Strike from 1 second to 3/4.
7) Hammer: Reduce cast time of Symbol of Protection from 1 1/4 to 1.
8) Shield: Reduce cooldown on both skills by 10-12 seconds.
9) Shield: Shield of Judgement should have increased damage and be a blast or whirl finisher.
10) Staff: Detonating orb of light should be a blast finisher.
11) Staff: Wave of wrath could use some increased damage, maybe 5%.
12) Signet of Wrath: Replace increased condition damage with + 25% run speed.
13)Many traits need to be consolidated and many useless or highly situational traits need to be reworked.
14) There are far too many traits concerning symbols. Consolidate them. Writ of the Merciful and Writ of Exaltation, etc. Spirit weapon traits can be similarly consolidated.
15) Does anyone take Revenge of the Fallen or Binding Jeopardy? I’m sure someone can come up with good ideas to replace these.
16) Symbolic Exposure should apply cripple, not vulnerability (+ 1 for whoever had that idea first)
17) Valor trait line: Mace of Justice should be moved to adept tier.
Here’s a question: Why do so many people want to add fury to our skills? Sure, the increased crit chance is nothing to sneeze at damage wise, but the only effects that benefit from crits are vigorous precision and empowering might. Even low crit chances can proc these effects regularly.
edit I don’t know why some of my points are underlined. I didn’t do it, and I can’t seem to undo it.
“Argue for your limitations and, sure enough, they’re yours.” ~ Illusions (Richard Bach).
I would have preferred the first iteration of the trait system that Anet started to reveal before the game went into the beta weekends. Each weapon set had its own set of traits to choose from that didn’t conflict with the traits of any other weapon set. There were also two passive lines for each class that had traits for utility skills. This was also back when you were given attribute points to distribute freely on level-up.
This was an interesting and promising system for customizing your character. It wasn’t perfect by any means, but if Anet had continued iterating with that basic assumption, it could have turned into something great.
Instead we now have very limited talent lines (not even trees) with a jumble of traits divided by tiers in an illogical manner. Too many traits are clearly better than others, many weapon sets are not supported well by traits, and most classes have very few viable builds.
“Argue for your limitations and, sure enough, they’re yours.” ~ Illusions (Richard Bach).
Wouldn’t it have made more sense for anet to bring other classes’ minions/summons in line with guardian spirit weapons? I never had problems with them aggroing things I didn’t want to attack. I never had any real issues with pathing or terrain problems, and I certainly never had any issues with them not attacking what I wanted them to.
Seems to me that spirit weapons were in a good place, if only situationally useful.
“Argue for your limitations and, sure enough, they’re yours.” ~ Illusions (Richard Bach).
The original conception of traits back before the betas was interesting and seemed like it would allow for real customization. Too bad they didn’t stick with it and went for the rather lackluster system we have now instead.
“Argue for your limitations and, sure enough, they’re yours.” ~ Illusions (Richard Bach).
I like these ideas. A flashing blades that leaves a symbol that ticks blindness would be incredibly useful and I think it could be tuned to not be op.
Smite should have been symbol of smiting from the start. I think symbol of smiting giving might to allies or cripple or weakness to enemies would be in line with the other scepter skills.
“Argue for your limitations and, sure enough, they’re yours.” ~ Illusions (Richard Bach).
Agreed, at least about holding weapons and being able to dye the previews. Some weapons, in particular torches and focii, have effects only when they’re held. It’d be nice to preview those. Similarly, many weapons clip through armor when just worn at the side.
“Argue for your limitations and, sure enough, they’re yours.” ~ Illusions (Richard Bach).
Wholeheartedly agree with this suggestion. There are several armors from GW1 that I would love to see. Although, I’d prefer a more faithful conversion, as I think the shoulder pieces of the armors in the shop are far too large compared to their original style.
Although that does bring into question which version of the armor would be converted. I’d love for vabbian warrior armor to make a comeback, but others may prefer another class’s vabbian armor. And the same goes for other armors, too.
“Argue for your limitations and, sure enough, they’re yours.” ~ Illusions (Richard Bach).
@punny:
1) damage isn’t the issue, usability and synergy are the issues.
2) If you’re referring to engineer, rifle has several good close range skills, not to mention they have several kits that work well in melee and mid-range.
“Argue for your limitations and, sure enough, they’re yours.” ~ Illusions (Richard Bach).
There are only a few minor changes that need to be made to sceptre for it to be a viable ranged weapon.
1) The projectile speed needs to be increased. The first skill needs to be a chain skill. Damage/damage/condition. Not sure which condition. Burning would be the thematic choice, but we already do enough burning. Maybe weakness.
2) Smite needs to be changed into Symbol of Smiting, so it can take advantage of a number of traits. Each tick needs to do damage and give allies might. Give us a bit of an offensive boost for a change.
3) This skill is pretty good, although I think it could do with 5 stacks of vulnerability rather than 3.
“Argue for your limitations and, sure enough, they’re yours.” ~ Illusions (Richard Bach).
I tend to think that fixing the scepter is all we really need. Orb of wrath should have a projectile speed similar to the mesmer’s ether bolt, and it wouldn’t hurt to make it a chain skill, either. Smite should be replaced with Symbol of Smiting that damages enemies and gives might to allies per tick. Chains of light wouldn’t be so bad if its duration were increased by 1 second.
“Argue for your limitations and, sure enough, they’re yours.” ~ Illusions (Richard Bach).
