I don’t usually post on the forums, but the changes you propose for my class concern me greatly.
1. Initiative Change
I don’t really consider the thieves initiative regeneration to be a big enough issue honestly. It’s true that the base regeneration seemed quite slow to me, true, but that felt fair. In addition, we had traits that can increase the regen. + the infiltrator’s signet. But that is just my opinion, if the change is welcome by the majority, why not, but I find it unnecessary.
2. Infiltrator’s Return
I am strictly opposed to this. I admit that before, when the skill was a stun-breaker, it was overpowered in PvP. But against a stun locker (and there are a lot in PvP) who root you in one place and you just have to take it all in, it was a skill that gave the chance to back off. And you are still stunned when you go back, so I don’t think that this ability is over powered. I agree that the spamming of the skill to continuously immobilize the target is bad, but frankly, I’ve never/very rarely seen this being used like that, since this is not viable as it eats your initiative way to fast. And the addition of a cast on these type of skills (I’m thinking of Destroy Shadow Trap) renders them much less usable, again in PvP. You might say that the addition of a 1/3 sec cast is not much, I’ll say that it’s A LOT. How many times I’ve gotten killed during the cast on the Destroy Shadow Trap is mind-boggling. Granted, the skill takes a 1.5 sec cast, much more then a 1/3 sec cast, but I truly think that every little second counts.
3. Infusion of Shadow
I actually encourage this change, it is necessary. There was a lot abuse of the perma-stealth build (D/P 2+5 Combo) in MvM and I’m glad that this is finally addressed.
4. Flanking Strikes
Don’t really have an opinion on this, and you’ve already said that you will not move the trait after all.
5. Vigorous Recovery and Bountiful Theft
Now first of all, correct me if I’m wrong, but the boon transfer to your allies is broken on Bountiful Theft. Either that, or the radius of the transfer is ridiculously small. Because I’m just not seeing this part of the trait work, and when I steal boons from the target, an ally is just 20 from the enemy and does not get the stolen boons. And shouldn’t the thief get the stolen boons as well as the allies? I’m just saying.
As for the vigor nerf, I’m glad you came back on the original intended reduction. 2-3 sec reduction is ok, 5 secs on Bountiful theft just seems wrong.
As for the rest, I don’t really have any comments to make. My only wish is that you buff some utility skills for the thief, like the poisons or the traps, because no-one uses those skills, and no-one will use them as they are now.
Thank you for taking in account our opinions and excuse me for my mediocre English : /