Guild Wars 2

Staggs.9372:

This indicates how the druid was thought up. They didn’t want a class that could heal, they wanted a class that could heal in long boss encounters. I really don’t get why they make it decrease like that. It wouldn’t be broken to have it not decrease while out of combat since you’d still have to generate it again once you got out of it. However it would make it so you can use it on something else than long boss fights or mob farm rushes.
Plus the only way to get in this form right now in PvP is with both Troll Onguent and Staff. And that won’t win you the fight since the staff’s damage is really low, and the healing is mostly done to targets between you and your opponent so you’re probably dead before you hit that F5 and it works.

It’s a shame that they didn’t scrap (pun intended) the design of astral force completely. After seeing it in ONE Beta once I saw the system’s flaws, they built it and didn’t.

The form should either be perma or function like necro death shroud and tune the heals accordingly. There are NO ranger lines that synergize with Druid meaning they made this spec very recently and the lack of work shows.

Astral force is exactly what’s wrong with the Druid. Generation is slow and disappears once earned in seconds to unlock time gated abilities also on a timer, and with CDs.

Enjoy, the class is terrible.

I wasn’t planning on buying HoT but my wife bought it for me so I guess that makes me a buyer. She did not buy one for herself and she plans on playing once in awhile and doing guild missions.

GW2 gave away what I paid for so I wouldn’t have bought HoT I’d have played the core game as my wife intends to but we’re trying out other MMOs because I don’t think this game is worth my full attention anymore.

Honestly I feel like this is BWE4. There’s no way if they tested this system in betas it would have made it to the live game.

I have 8 level 80 characters (welcome my latest revenant) and I tried Druid on my 100% mapped ranger and only was able to unlock half of the spec, making it unplayable. Now I hate the design of the Druid, I think Anet screwed that one up. Since it’s such a chore to unlock it, I won’t bother with the spec.

Does this make sense to anyone? Show us something, let us try it, then release the game with us expecting to be adventuring on our new toys and then tell us we need to complete the content on our old specs to unlock the new one?

mistsim.2748:

right now I’m just running around spamming staff #1 with quickness, marauder stats, and 25 stacks of might between myself and my smokescale. I occasionally go into avatar to daze, heal and get my stealth.

Pretty much my experience with the Druid. 1 spam.

LughLongArm.5460:

Because We have in and out of CA traits. So they dont want you to enter CA clear all condies use CA 4 get out of CA get stealth and super speed(u still have 50% CF) Use TU(= 50% CF) and do this combo once more.

All of that can be balanced but they used the necro mechanic without balancing the class around it.

jcbroe.4329:

I’ll go ahead and start off by saying, while I feel the Druid is well designed and functions well, I’m still left feeling underwhelmed.

I disagree with this. The specialization is poorly designed and they’ve made it unplayable since the one beta we got to use it in. I don’t like building force I hate watching it vanish out of combat, and I don’t see the point of locking the form behind resource generation in the first place.

I’m extremely unhappy with the Druid.

Astral force generation is nearly impossible without a staff and a staff alone. You can maintain what you have for the most part while on another weapon but ONLY if you’re doing damage. If you leave combat, all of the force dissipates in seconds.

CA has a cool down and a timer for the form, and skills have timers, WHY? What’s the point of making the form any different from how necro DS works? Tune the healing accordingly fix the elite and I’ll have another look but for now, this mastery track will NEVER be completed, I hate the specialization.

Can’t build astral force without staff and it vanishes before your eyes in seconds if you don’t use it. Fail.

This was my worry about HoT that it would alienate the people who’ve paid for GW2 and treat them like FTP players if they didn’t buy the “upgrade”.

Laosduude.1690:

Do people even play games to build up their characters anymore? Guess not, lets get everything on a silver platter.

Well we did buy the platter.

Doug Whisper.2465:

I don’t understand. Does it mean builds specialized in condition damage can generate dps even higher than the ones focused on non-condition damage? Or does it suppose that there should be a gap between the dps from condition damage and non-condition ones and currently the gap is not wide enough?

Yes. Sinister engineer with near perfect rotations are the highest PVE DPS in the game. Given the complexity required to pull off the rotation it’s only in PVE ’s stationary targets in long fights (short ones direct damage is higher and is MUCH easier).

In PVP and WvW DPS doesn’t actually matter it’s the burst that condis can do that have players calling for a nerf even though direct damage does has and always will have burst.

TheLastNobody.8319:

Nerf burning to 12%,, buff bleeding to 8%, buff torment to 10% when moving.

Nerfing burning is a no no. It’s not burning that’s the issue it’s the application of the condition namely by guardians as elementalists were just dealt with.

The stacks of confusion are still one condition. If you’re getting owned by Condis alter your build and playstyle to address it. Direct damage has been OP since launch its time the condition builds caught up.

Having said that, guardian burning needs addressing as the elementalist was. PVP is easier to balance but WvW nerfing would effect PvE so I hope that’s not touched.

Jasher.6580:

This is the only thing preventing me from wanting to level alts.

1st NO kittening way. I’ve done 100% on 3 of my 8 characters, one of my guildies has done it 11 times. If you don’t want to, don’t do it.

2nd You can have 80s without having 100% map completion, I have 5 without and I’ll do the others in the future, when I want to.

3rd Elite specializations require it so this is never happening thankfully.

zaced.7948:

Aidenwolf.5964:

zaced.7948:

Conncept.7638:

Ashen.2907:

Conncept.7638:

Nexons majority acquisition of NCSoft stock.

When did Nexon increase their holdings of NCSoft from their purchase of 15% to the 51% you claim?

Picked up that huge wealth of finance knowledge from 1990s business dramas did you?

You don’t have to have 51% of a company to be majority shareholder, you have to have a larger portion than any other shareholder. And 15% is actually a huge portion in most businesses these days, as most businesses have hundreds of different investors.

nexon still wasn’t majority shareholder. that was ncsoft themselves.

That’s not how corporations work. Nexon never needed to become the majority shareholder they simply needed to rival the current chairman’s shares (which they did) and have the board vote them in.

i know. i just corrected that even if his definition of majority shareholder was right nexon wasn’t. not more and not less. there was no implication of how a corporation works or how the boards voting goes down. please take my words as they are and don’t try to interpret anything else into them.

Wasn’t reading anything into what you wrote, you simply don’t need to be the majority shareholder to take over the company. If Nexon was able to get others to vote them in they would control NCSoft as a non majority shareholder which they attempted.

The pressure applied to NCSoft’s chairman led to an expansion in GW2, WS going FTP (GW2 as well which I hate) and a refocus on profits across the board which held off the takeover.

Unable to gain control of NCSoft Nexon sold out of their investment at a high earnings point which is what this quarter will be (anyone thinking this quarter won’t be the second or third highest in GW2 history is deluded).

When he died Steve Jobs owned .5% of Apple, hardly a majority.

zaced.7948:

Conncept.7638:

Ashen.2907:

Conncept.7638:

Nexons majority acquisition of NCSoft stock.

When did Nexon increase their holdings of NCSoft from their purchase of 15% to the 51% you claim?

Picked up that huge wealth of finance knowledge from 1990s business dramas did you?

You don’t have to have 51% of a company to be majority shareholder, you have to have a larger portion than any other shareholder. And 15% is actually a huge portion in most businesses these days, as most businesses have hundreds of different investors.

nexon still wasn’t majority shareholder. that was ncsoft themselves.

That’s not how corporations work. Nexon never needed to become the majority shareholder they simply needed to rival the current chairman’s shares (which they did) and have the board vote them in.

Behellagh.1468:

Nexon sold off their entire interest in NCSOFT last week.

http://www.businesskorea.co.kr/news/industry/12519-bad-romance-ncsoft-nexon-divorce-after-whirlwind-4-years

So please no more “Nexon is pulling ANet’s strings” conspiracy theories. Nexon never had any influence on NCSOFT, much less ANet.

ANet has always been, since years before the first Guild Wars, a 100% owned NCSOFT company with it’s own officers, none of whom came from NCSOFT.

ANet is the master of their own fate, always been. Assign any poor decisions they made in your opinion to ANet itself and not some shadowy figures overseas.

Bought out with HoT cash. The reason living story season 3 became an expansion perhaps. (That’s a theory).

Make no mistake any developer who is a subsidiary is not in control of their destiny.

You state no influence from Nex that’s ridiculously wrong (see gem store).

Obtena.7952:

People that make posts like this have not separated the difference between grinding out content and playing the game. Until they do, there is no discussion here worth having. If some of the elements are objectionable to you, then not doing those things is worth more to you than owning the loot it leads to; simple. If that game model doesn’t work for you, you should consider quitting.

Ohoni, you should have never had any hope; your model for rewards doesn’t fit the concept of GW2 as a game. Anyone that thought crafting the precursor was going to be ‘better’ than how you get it now was being delusional. Many of us told you this years ago. JS now confirmed it. Stop lying to yourself.

Lying is a strong term but one I’m more likely to direct at Anet where precursor crafting/hunt are concerned.

Pre crafting was a MAJOR addition to this expansion and the number one addition I wanted. I’ve been waiting for it since launch and since it was announced as in the works since 2013 (with the original game not Xpac).

Do I mind grinding for a pre? No, I expected one, but a massive gold sink and grind? Kitten.

Hype
Raids
New Specializations
Revenant
New Zones

Hate
Not ONE New dungeon
Removing the only sure gold reward in game (dungeons).
The admission that they’re trying to make people stop running dungeons.
No New fractals and yet they want that to be the New dungeon focus.
The fact that even with a paid Xpac GW2 is still gem store driven.
No changes to RNG
Key Farm nerf
FREE TO PLAY

Sanguinem.4932:

They’re doing it for inflation. If they wanted to drive people away from dungeons they could just as easily over-incentivise other content. The issue is that dungeons give gold magically, as if it just grew on an underground, spectral tree with graveling burrows under it. If you want your precious 100g to stay valuable you need this gold nerf, as otherwise the f2p players and their farming will make everything skyrocket. This is a bit of an extreme irl example of hyperinflation but… https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Germany_Hyperinflation.svg

I would bet that dungeon runners don’t buy gems with gold. Anet don’t care about the cost of falsely manipulated super rare items on the TP (see last Halloween and the 100 Greatsaws game wide). So removing liquid gold imo is only to move players to a game mode where players are shown to be gem store consumers.

Chrono.6928:

Sincerely all thieves, engis and mesmers, but mostly thieves/engis.

Rest in pieces quip. You are amusing but you don’t have that wow factor.

ps: love the axe and staff too! Now just make some cool staffs for thieves that actually look melee-ish, and a cool legendary shortbow and everything will be perfect.

My Quip is sexy I just wish it’s effects and all legendaries had their effects carry over when you have a kit eQuipped.

P.S. I’m glad you like the new one, but I prefer mine.

Agrotera.1254:

That’s fine and I understand the reason for them not being able to use a Guild bank, well up to a point anyways. My point is if they can’t access a Guild bank then why let them make a Guild.

I finally talked my friend into playing and neither of us noticed that he couldn’t access a Guild bank. He created a Guild to make it easier to pass things between his 2 characters without jamming up his warehouse. Now, after I have spent laurels to help him upgrade his architecture we both realize it was all for nothing.

Why not put a level restriction on it, like LA and WvW. Let them access it once they hit a certain level?

If your friend wants to use it make him buy the game that we all did. It’s Free to Play the whole game already now you want to give everything away? No thanx.

Free to play in a B2P game… And they want more…

Vayne.8563:

If you earn enough real currency you can buy virtually currency by buying gems and selling them. But that is part of the point. This game is at least partially funded by people selling gems to get gold.

How do you recommend Anet replace that lost profit, OP?

As I just gave them more money their profit isn’t my concern they’re overboard on money grabbing

Not releasing a box means less reviews for Metacritic to draw from and also digital sales through Anet increase the amount they make from each sale. So I doubt Anet will be looking to sell boxed versions.

Carighan.6758:

Valento.9852:

They’re going to nerf materials output from salvaging, that includes cloth, ore and wood. This just strikes me as the final blow to the economy, and a HUGE middle finger to those who purchased infinite salvage items from their Gem Store.

Definitely.

Is personal insult, this.

Specifically targeting you.

In fact, if I were you, I’d cancel my subscription.

If this game had a sub most wouldn’t be here. This arguement I see quite a lot on here and it’s irrelevant to anything related to Guild Wars.

Infinite salaving kits are still useful they’re just less so.

I’ve spent 3 years unlucky in Guild Wars 2 as RNG is unfairly “random” but I could always count on salvaging. The stingy drop rates in this game were defended because GW2 didn’t have an expansion model and “they need to make money by driving gem sales” even though we bought the game. Now we’ve bought an expansion that’s ratcheting up the “scarcity”, why did I bother.

Rastel.9157:

So,….having played the updated build i linked. firearms, Tools and alc…here is my experience:

I AM hard to kill….I often drop fast when focused but there are alot of automated deffences or heals it seems…and i get invinsible etc..and rocket boots lets me get away…

The healing turret i use and its quite good i must say,…

BUT kitten i miss the range I used to have a long time ago….what was it 1050? I realy feel like 900 is too short a range but uhwell…at least I can survive being focused..

I dont feel particullary strong dps wise, but I Guess one have to choose between glass cannon or survivability in www.

I tried to play With flamethrower as a kit…but i end up getting extremly confused and hitting all kinds of buttons….so i think i will stick With my elixir B and use the dual pistols…

rocket boots is a life saver….healing turret is too…elixir B is very strong and elixir S is also a life saver…

I Wonder….How does a P/P thief compare to my P/P enginner? Prob more dmg but FAR less survability? Cause tbo..I dont utilize the engineer skills to realy warrant an engineer….i choose it because of dual guns tbo;)…would I do better as P/P thief?

PP thief is inferior to Condi PP engi, everything is in a long enough fight, but that’s only if you use the kits. Thief PP is not something I ever use on my thief because it’s inferior to every other weapon set. I get wanting to use pistols I love my Quip but you can’t be effective in any game mode if you’re tied to one weapon for sentimental reasons.

The 3 classes that use pistol.
Mesmer- I almost never use pistol
Thief- PD DP I almost always use a pistol but never 2
Engineer- PS PP are my favorite engi weapons but I do also run rifle because it’s great.

I know you’ve said you’re coming back to the class but I’d suggest learning Engineer. Run Kits. Run Turrets. Run Elixirs. Run Rifle. Run every spec, every armor. This is an advanced class but if you want to play a simplified version go Flamethrower burn spec.

You don’t play engineer and discard 75% of what the class has to offer. Perhaps a guardian? I know you suggested thief but that’s not an easy mode class.

Knighthonor.4061:

Neither LongBow or ShortBow should not be Mandatory for PvP imo.

I would like a balance option of weapons in SPvP.

Currently, the Bows beat out every weapon in SPvP for Ranger options.

My Condi build (which is borderline broken OP) never has and never will use bows. S/Wh A/D beats bows.

Rastel.9157:

Hi,

I dont know how to link my build, but I use dual pistols as an engineer and have done since i started playing.

I saw that both my increased range and my coated bullets are gone!!!..what do we use now?

I dont realy swap alot to kits so i play dual pistols 99% of the time. I use the med pack kit thing for faster running, but in combat i never use anything else than pistols…

what are the "go to " build for dual pistol cond engineers?

And i ONLY play www

Not swapping into a kit is limiting your options and your effectiveness a great deal. But if you’re sure then look at HGH elixir static discharge as it’s the only thing that meets that criteria. WvW only you’ll likely use Rabid gear and givers pistols but you really should be using kits.

Unless there have been many posts removed I’m not seeing bile filled hate Halloween posts. I’m seeing players asking if this event has had any work put into it over the past year, which has not been answered other than to say you’re working on an expansion. I know you are I bought it begrudgingly.

AgitatedFox.5287:

Aomine.5012:

AgitatedFox.5287:

Aomine.5012:

CandyHearts.6025:

AgitatedFox.5287:

Swagger.1459:

AgitatedFox.5287:

Swagger.1459:

The more I read about Revenant, the less excited I am about Ranger and Druid.

It’s cool to have a bow and pet for aesthetic reasons, but everything Revenant seems to be far superior from what I’m reading. Along with the option to be a better sustained healer, Revenant also other goodies to support their team. I get the feeling that Revanant will completely outshine Ranger in every aspect and game mode.

Of course Revenant will be a better sustained healer. Druid isn’t a sustained healing spec. It’s burst.

Just saying that the complete package seems far superior from what I read. Sure, burst healing my be better, but what else does Ranger have to offer to be competitive? Doesn’t seem like much else besides the pretty flower and rainbow unicorn arrows on the screen and a couple neat pets… Idk, hope I’m wrong.

I point you Here

If we can just get spirits to follow us, we’re pretty much set for support.

I really wish we could have them follow us again. A lot of the time the buffs go to waste because of battle relocation.

Funny they allowed moving boon-bot = Revenant, yet doesn’t allow ranger to carry moving spirits to grant buff to the team lol.

Double standard for ranger like always.

Nope, just different professions doing different roles and having different abilities.

More like disallowing and stealing the mechanic from a class and attached to another class they deemed superior.

How does this help Irenio make the Druid better? It doesn’t so post your negativity to your own thread.

Positive outlooks lead to positive outcomes.

Positivity hasn’t sorted rangers out in 3 years not has negativity. Positive outlooks affect nothing they only make you happy personally. This is a beta class discussion I wish everyone to give their feedback, positive or negative, none of it will change the class enough this late in development.

Making spirits move again fits the Druid, spirits are the only ranger skills that do.

dancingmonkey.4902:

There is not only one condition build. What game aspect we are refering to would be helpful to be honest. Because you generally build differently for PvP then WvW then PvE. But yes, I think they are fun.

This is why engi is fun as a class, it’s the most versatile without a doubt. Engineer is in my opinion the highest skill cap class and Condi is my favorite but I love Power too, ooh and lockdown is great and I have a hybrid healing bunker that’s sick… Yes Condi is fun it’s an engi and Engineers are fun to play.

Condi is the highest boss fight DPS if you land perfect rotations give it a go, you’ll love it.

Excellent review Lewis. As my all time favorite class in any MMO is also the Druid (you know the one from that popular MMO) I would love to see the GW2 Druid take lessons from that class to build this one.

Celestial Avatar (tree form or boomkin) is a stance. Simplify the mechanic so they can work on what needs fixing, namely the nature of the specialization. If CA is a pure healing stance then we need a 2nd stance for damage (boomkin). We’re never getting shape shifting but the healing and caster damage of the other Druid makes that class useful in many game modes and based on last weekend’s experience we’re not far from having that here. If Anet are serious about rangers at all, be bold and get it done.

I’d guess many who enjoy this Druid never played the other because this one’s not in the same league.

I despise raid timers which is why I don’t play FFXIV but I think with tuning they can allow for non speed run groups to complete the raids while preventing fully safe Soldiers and Nomads geared groups from completing the instance. While I hate them, I recognize that GW2 is a nightmare to balance with the amount of evades and immunity and healing available.

CandyHearts.6025:

Hammerguard.9834:

Druids have almost double the feedback than the second highest (Scrapper). I wonder how much of this they can get through. :/

Irenio is op. He gots this. xD

Based on scrapper and this, we shall see.

Archon.6480:

Well, I certainly wouldn’t mind having great healing and a nice high damage spike here or there. I think Druid can give us this.

It could’ve if the specialization was done like this.

Druid 2.0

Celestial Avatar – Is a Major Grandmaster trait in the Druid line requiring Staff only (no weapon swap) and the form (CA) is a stance that is activated/deactivated with the F5.

Avatar of Nature – is a Major Grandmaster trait in the Druid line requiring Staff only (no weapon swap) the form (NA) is a stance on/off F5 and gives access to powerful nature attacks.

Harmony – is a Major Grandmaster trait that functions as Druid is now (weapon swap allowed) but adds the choice of both forms though not as poweful at either.

Very quick review of the Scrapper because I won’t be using it at all.

Hammer is great, it’s got some serious potential.

Gyros are bad. They shouldn’t need an enemy to activate and I prefer my old turrets, so I lost something good and got this instead? No ty. Elite turret is good for PVE.

The spec won’t replace condi for me, that’s my review.

MadOtaku.8532:

Simple, don’t be that guild leader who is too tight to buy the ex-pack and cause everyone trouble. Be it you do it for attention or cause you don’t have money to waste either one you end up being “That guy”.

He/she can play the game that was paid for as long as the servers have power. Anet risk splitting the play base with HoT try not being that guy on the forums.

SkiTz.4590:

Aidenwolf.5964:

I have always enjoyed healing in MMOs but am not pleased with the current Druid’s CA temporary form, I think they missed the plot there. I can understand if another ranger dislikes the elite spec as they never wanted to party heal though. Imagine seeing every other class (even guards) get cool new solo specializations while you, the Ranger the master of solo play lore wise, get the Druid announced which in other MMOs is a shape shifting God with DPS heals or support and when you test it, it’s a part time healbot with no damage.

I enjoy healing so I think Druids can be perfected eventually but another ranger who doesn’t want to heal? They got nothing, and I can see why that would make them angry.

If you asked a lot of Ranger mains “why did you create and main Ranger?” , very few if any would say “we’ll, I hoped to become an awesome healer one day!”

Luckily, theres other classes in this game to play, and they have elite specs that don’t require to be carried by teammates…..

Outside of Raids, Where on Tyria am I going to need a healer anet?? (speaking strictly PvE here..)

PvE wise, outside of raids, I fail to see where druid would be “useful”….80% of this elite spec, its weapon , and its unique mechanic revolve around HEALS…. thats too much….

In raids druids won’t be carried they’re the ones carrying but outside of raids you’re 100% correct. The class offers nothing I’d use outside of a 10 man or more (WvW)

Thanks as always for destroying Hobo Sacks (I love you for that really). I have one more wish though and it’s a big one. Please add legendary effects to kits, at least the aura and/or foot fall.

Legendaries aren’t cheap, they’re meant to be a status symbol and on my engineer my Quip is invisible more than half the time. I love Quip, free Quip, please.

The OP came onto the engi forum, added “beta” to the title (to indicate something beta related) then said slick shoes were OP? They’re the same as always perhaps since no one is running a gadget build now, even less than they’ve ever been, and they’ve ALWAYS been avoidable.

Little red circles on the ground, avoid those, or have stability and srun breaks or just port away.

I have always enjoyed healing in MMOs but am not pleased with the current Druid’s CA temporary form, I think they missed the plot there. I can understand if another ranger dislikes the elite spec as they never wanted to party heal though. Imagine seeing every other class (even guards) get cool new solo specializations while you, the Ranger the master of solo play lore wise, get the Druid announced which in other MMOs is a shape shifting God with DPS heals or support and when you test it, it’s a part time healbot with no damage.

I enjoy healing so I think Druids can be perfected eventually but another ranger who doesn’t want to heal? They got nothing, and I can see why that would make them angry.

CrimsonNeonite.1048:

Tried it out in WvW, seems alright, decent heals, switched between Staff and LB and mixed Zerker and celestial for DPS, doubt clerics will be viable or needed as it is, so that seemed better off without zealots gear.

Just didn’t have enough time to try it fully though and theorycraft , it does seem quite polished at least.

Someone hasn’t seen page 13 yet.

Go back one page in this thread and have a look.

Healing/Support or Support with Heals

Rebalancing the healing to be more affected by gear is what I anticipated and I back the decision but why then is CA not a stance? We’ve had one weekend to see the class and it has potential but Anet what is your vision of Druid?

Is it a healer?
Is it a support class?
Is it just a hybrid?

If Celestial Avatar was a stance then being a heal geared Druid would make a lot of sense, but the Ranger is not a healer there is no synergy with Druid in the Ranger lines. Healing gear on a class whose only real healing comes from healing spring and an elite spirit long forgotten seems backwards. If CA were a stance, I could see it but unless on hit healing was added to traits… I don’t even know what Druids are.

Only was able to try it today but based on my experience which was…

Pug random10 man squad, no TS, no gear check, no class check. We wiped over and over again on the first guardian and this was… Awesome. These engagements are doable with coordination but not easy.

This is raiding, and I approve.

Kudos

Rising Dusk.2408:

Aidenwolf.5964:

DPS
Dedicated healer(s) (which are necessary for every raid in every game)
And yes, at least 1 tank

That leaves 60-80% of the raid in DPS gear.

This sounds exactly in line with what the winning groups ran then, except that the “dedicated healer” also does some DPS because “GW2 combat” and the tank just ran extra toughness but had an otherwise DPS build. That sounds perfectly fine to me and in no way conflicts with anything I’ve previously said.

Cool. And I like the design of the raids sans timer but it was likely necessary

Rising Dusk.2408:

Aidenwolf.5964:

It means the “raid” design didn’t compensate for the mitigation mechanics of GW2’s classes and yes, that is poor design.

I vehemently disagree, so I’m genuinely curious here; what do you actually want to see? Dedicated healers/tanks running Nomad’s gear? Every DPS class running Knight’s gear? What justification could you have for any of that?

Why would I want DPS in PTV? I’ll assume you’re calling me a madman because I disagree.

DPS
Dedicated healer(s) (which are necessary for every raid in every game)
And yes, at least 1 tank

That leaves 60-80% of the raid in DPS gear.

Since my words don’t make sense to you I’d ask what games you’ve raided in.

Rising Dusk.2408:

Aidenwolf.5964:

If 10 players can clear a raid in full DPS gear then the raids are poorly designed. I’m not saying that’s the case with GW2 raids I haven’t been able to get in yet (logging in now) but they are meant to be challenging and if you can face roll them, they aren’t.

You’re making the false assumption that if 10 players in DPS gear can beat a raid that means they ‘facerolled’ it. Au contraire, that means that they’re exceptional players far above the average gamer and compensated for the gear difference by playing perfectly.

Remember that GW2 has active defenses, and a berserker that runs active defense utilities instead of pure DPS utilities may actually do less damage than a guy in knight’s who can now run full DPS utilities. Every dodge is a DPS loss for most builds. There are so many factors, and what gear you wear really is based on your team compositions and build plans and is just one facet of the whole. Suffice it to say that just because it can be beaten (and we don’t even know if this is true yet) by 10 people in DPS gear doesn’t say anything about the actual difficulty of the encounter itself.

It means the “raid” design didn’t compensate for the mitigation mechanics of GW2’s classes and yes, that is poor design.

Rising Dusk.2408:

Berserker gear isn’t bad and will never go away in any of the raid wings. The only reason anyone has ever brought tanky stuff or healers to a raid ever in the history of MMOs is to provide minimal necessary support so that the DPS characters can perform their max DPS rotations unimpeded.

The very fact that people winning have one person in clerics and some people using toughness at all is indicative that gear diversity is being achieved. You don’t have to get rid of sinister or berserker gear to somehow create better encounters or better class diversity.

If 10 players can clear a raid in full DPS gear then the raids are poorly designed. I’m not saying that’s the case with GW2 raids I haven’t been able to get in yet (logging in now) but they are meant to be challenging and if you can face roll them, they aren’t.