Guild Wars 2

Sceptre buff would be nice, so that we can use it as a Tempest.

Wildfire is the same as any other fire field for might stacking.

Um…is this serious? I cannot tell…

If you are serious, then I will say it is perfectly fine to like it. But your damage will most definitely NOT be fine. Especially air overload’s.

SchmendrickTheMagician.8247:

Stability on Overloads is great, but it REALLY needs to be a minor trait otherwise the other 2 master traits will NEVER see play.

This. It is mandatory.

Alphard.6529:

Tomiyou.3790:

10% increased damage after overloading is a fantastic idea.

It just needs to last longer.

It is pretty kitten stupid that the only way to keep reasonable up-time on this buff is to constantly Attunement swap. Runs counter to the entire spec.

20 second attunement cooldowns are WAY TOO LONG.

My thoughts after playing:

- Overload cooldown is far too long. 20 seconds is extreme.
- Stability while overloading needs to be a baseline minor. Even in PvE, you get knocked out too easily.
- Still too many horrible traits, like Latent Stamina.
- Shouts need to all be instant and all grant auras.
- Also Aftershock has far too long a cooldown, at 50 seconds.
- Air Overload is very weak due to only hitting 3 targets.
- Fire Overload can stack damage well on a stationary target, but anything moving avoids much of it. Maybe give it a bigger radius.
- Lightning Orb is absolutely horrible. Just, wow.
- Wildfire has issues, but has no target cap and can put out some massive AoE damage.
- Feel the Burn is AWESOME, and is how all shouts should feel.

Also, what is up with the starting camera angle?

Karl McLain.5604:

Bam!
Thanks everyone in advance for your constructive feedback. Please keep in mind that we’re getting close to day zero and that the smaller the change, the more likely we’ll be able to discuss and action that feedback. This isn’t the end, however. We’ll continue to make changes, when necessary, after HoT releases, as well.

Thanks!
-Karl

Like how you ‘fixed’ the sceptre?

Anyway, downloading BWE3 now. Will test to see if burning PvE is still viable.

The mic drop was amusing, but entirely unprofessional and out of place. They are announcing a nerf to THEIR OWN GAME, and feel the need to mic drop? Basically comes across as an insult to elementalists.

posthumecaver.6473:

I have feeling devs really want only one single viable build to balance pro profession.

Everybody hates D/D but they are not even trying to give us an alternative.

Staff for PvE, dagger for PvP, and death to everything else. Including the tempest.

A power damage buff on Flamestrike, a CONDITION skill?
A minor buff to Shatterstone, which does absolutely nothing?

Why not try to make Flamestrike a viable skill? Cast time reduction? Letting it burn in an AoE or spread minor burning?
And where are the buffs to Arc Lightning and Stone Shards? Both skills are horrendous, yet they were untouched.

Anet did not even TRY to fix the sceptre, which is incredibly lame.

scerevisiae.1972:

Jordo.5913:

Tempest is getting the short end of the stick

That’s because it sucks. We’ve had a close range support spec for 3 years already. On top of the bad concept, the implementation is also bad to the point where there’s almost no reason to use the spec mechanic. Even the animations look silly.

Spot on. Unless something major happens to the spec, Tempest is going to suck.

Deimos Tel Arin.7391:

i got a better idea, please balance the skills based on sPvP, and not the other way around.
as it should be.

certain skills doing too much damage in PvE ?
increase the life of the mobs.

done.

not gut the skill in sPvP.

Then all other skills, for all classes, will be doing too little damage.

You really have not thought this out…

Belial.9350:

Axialbloom.8109:

It seems a condition PvE ele will never be a thing as long as PvP dominates balance

Wait, you think PvP is the reason ice bow got nerfed?

…
…
…
Seriously? I am talking about Burning. Anet killing off the final used conjure (other than the greatsword for escape only) was because of PvE.

Fire burns!

Best trait name ever.

So now every single conjured weapon sucks…

So why are they even in the game?

It seems a condition PvE ele will never be a thing as long as PvP dominates balance

Mini Crinny.6190:

Please note that this was only a preview of the balance updates, on tuesday we will be able to see what else they have buffed and nerfed.

Anet’s balance ‘previews’ are pretty much always 99% of the changes.

The opposite is also true for the all the fire stuff nerfed. They killed off all hope of a PvE condition spec

You do far more damage with Lightning Whip than Lightning Orb…

Lightning Orb should fire an orb that sits in the air, zapping everything in its radius. Like a evil disco ball.

Here are some trait ideas I think would make the specialisation better:

- Add the 1 stack of stability to Hardy Conduit
- Change Speedy Conduit to grant superspeed while overloading, and a boon based on your attunement when finished. This would let it compete with the Arcane tree.
- Scrap Latent Stamina. It does not fit the Tempest.
- Change Unstable Conduit to give the aura at the start of the Overload, so that it gives more needed defense.

Now move Stability to a minor, buff the damage radius of Fire Overload (while keeping the Burn application and duration), and we might just be able to piece together a condition build.

I hate that trait. Locks you into fire, when I want to be in water for conjures. It needs to be made baseline.

Bandit.8279:

Axialbloom.8109:

Valento.9852:

I guess some people complaining about Overload Fire damage nerf doesn’t get that overloads shouldn’t necessarily rival direct damage base ele already has. Think it through…

I believe YOU should think it through. If the Fire Overload, WHICH ONLY DOES DAMAGE, does not even match normal damage, then it is USELESS.

Do not underestimate the burn application and whirl finisher. If used correctly Fire Overload is still pretty strong.

Yes, it should be a condition build. But he probably nerfed the burn as well, which completely kills it.

Jski.6180:

light.2597:

srsly that all ? .. just look at the other specialization changes then talk! .. let Roy work in tempest ! ..

Adding stab to overloads is a big deal for both the ele and tempest class due to how little is lost from ele becoming a tempest.

There is a lot lost. Longer attunements and the loss of a superior trait line.

Valento.9852:

I guess some people complaining about Overload Fire damage nerf doesn’t get that overloads shouldn’t necessarily rival direct damage base ele already has. Think it through…

I believe YOU should think it through. If the Fire Overload, WHICH ONLY DOES DAMAGE, does not even match normal damage, then it is USELESS.

I did an AoE burn build in the beta weekend. But it looks like they nerfed it

Why is the Stability trait not a minor? It is mandatory to actually use the overloads, which means the other two traits in that line might as well not exist.

And why the Fire Overload nerf? It plus the reduced cooldown warhorn trait were actually making PvE conditions viable for the first time ever, and you just killed them both.

BIGHARSHNESS.3510:

It’s a place holder. It’s a beta. In the last POI episode they explained that the new combat music will be more complex based on how fights escalate and dissipate.

That is very good news. Thank you.

I recommend refocusing the Tempest onto condition damage.

Anyone else have an opinion on this issue?

I am aware of that, but it is not really a fix. I want to hear the existing music, not have it overwritten by something else.

A way to disable combat music would be best, so that the zone’s music keeps playing.

The Heart of Thorns soundtrack is amazing. So can we please have some way to disable the (mostly average) combat music that kicks in when we initiate combat? That would be fantastic.

SkiTz.4590:

The hell are you talking about OP?

Ele’s have ridiculous amount of applications for burning.
Guardian might have slightly more but thats kitten near there only condi lol.

Burning is pretty much ele’s only condition as well.

MiniEquine.6014:

dietzero.3514:

They are not all soldiers…why do you think that? The Vigil are all soldiers, sure, but the other two? No.

Now Dragon hunters? Yes. Everyone in the pact is a Dragon hunter, because that is the very purpose of the pact, and that is what everyone is striving for. From the scholars back at the Priory, to the Whisper spies scattered everywhere. All Dragon hunters.

P.S Guardian says: ‘ME SPECIAL DRAGONHUNTER!’

Never mind, you’re being difficult on purpose and are simply refusing to acknowledge definitions of words at this point. I will no longer respond to you if it’s with regard to our post chain.

They’re not though? Your stated definition of “soldier” did not include builders, scientists, researchers, spies (which, admittedly, could still fall under the definition at a push) all of whom are part of the pact. I believe that was the point they were trying to make?

People seem to be very dismissive in this thread. Passionately so.

On a personal note my feelings towards the name extend as far as “slight interest” and with the current lack of any real information I’m willing to wait and see where Anet are going to take this before getting all hot and bothered.

Having said that I don’t main a Guardian. I may feel differently if they call a class I do play something… ludicrous.

RabbitUp.8294:

The Pact are soldiers, they fight a war against the dragons. Do we call our soldiers hunters in real life?

When they go hunting – Yes. Yes we do.

Nuithari.3728:

Please do not touch Elemental Surge
I love that trait!

It needs a serious buff.

BrunoBRS.5178:

cheshirefox.7026:

BrunoBRS.5178:

cheshirefox.7026:

soo many elementalists left this game already z__z
i don’t see this profession working in the least unless they reformulate the traitline stats like they did attunement recharge

the profession is in one of the best states right now, compared to others. multiple viable builds and roles in all game modes.

though that’s not to say it couldn’t be improved. overreliance on cantrips because most other utilities are bad, for example, could be fixed.

over-reliance on other professions because elementalist is bad… gotcha

lolwut. i guess those all ele dungeon runs with FGS (beating the world record of lupi kill), ele dominating the sPvP meta, and ele being one of the 4 professions that actually has a place in the WvW meta means they’re bad.

dude, seriously. you’re making yourself look bad.

FGS is OP, yeah. But eles do not dominate the sPvP meta, and eles have to stay in the zerg for WvW.

Also the major problem for eles is the many useless skills and traits, coupled with the lowest base stats. This completely limits what eles can actually go.

Roe.3679:

Bhawb.7408:

To put this in perspective, if they don’t clump them together, the last two professions to be covered will be done on September 5th, giving us just 4 days to give feedback and for them to respond. That just isn’t enough time.

That’s why I think the last 2 will be guardian and ele since they, IMO, are in good places and should see only buffs to underused things and other small tweaks both up and down on whatever skills.

Probably next are mesmer and necro so we can give some feedback.

Not sure about Guardians, but eles have A LOT of rubbish that no one uses.

Agreed. Our feedback will be (even more) meaningless for the last 2 professions at this rate.

I hope you are going to promote REAL trait diversity for Elementalists in this balance update.

The ones who use the most warriors.

Mayama.1854:

Wait til balance patch day, theirs a high chance that they will nerf the stats on celestial gear because it makes many might stacking specs to forgiving

Celestial gear needs a buff. It is different to the PvP Celestial amulet.

Bonfire needs a buff, but you are comparing it to a skill that needs a nerf.

They would have to severely nerf the badges given in Edge of the Mists. Well, they need to do that anyway.

Zaoda.1653:

tolunart.2095:

Zaoda.1653:

Behellagh.1468:

But it’s nice to open up your chocolate sampler and find out you won a new car.

Hmmm that’s like those scratch cards that say you can win $250,000 – but fail to mention that, should someone win that prize before all the tickets are sold, they’re not exactly going to tell you to stop buying tickets are they ;-)

Actually, I used to work at a store that sold scratch-off tickets, and if all the major prizes on a game were won, the lottery would contact the store and have them pull the remaining tickets and replace them with another game. So, yeah, they do tell you to stop buying tickets.

Not in New Zealand they don’t.

I also live in NZ. I cannot see them getting away with keeping them up after the major prizes are gone.

BrunoBRS.5178:

Axialbloom.8109:

coglin.1867:

Axialbloom.8109:

People are actually defending the ridiculously long balance cycle, that always changes NOTHING?

Some people are okay with the long cycle to allow time to make informed changes, yes. If you feel it never changes anything, then yes, I disagree with you. I do not always personally like the changes they make, but too many posters here are arguing from the perspective that their idea of balance is the only correct one.

And what has changed since the last update? Or the one before that, last dec?

are you really going to try and argue that the meta didn’t see a shift with the rune/sigil changes? really?

How did it shift? Warriors stacking more might is a meta shift now?

coglin.1867:

Axialbloom.8109:

People are actually defending the ridiculously long balance cycle, that always changes NOTHING?

Some people are okay with the long cycle to allow time to make informed changes, yes. If you feel it never changes anything, then yes, I disagree with you. I do not always personally like the changes they make, but too many posters here are arguing from the perspective that their idea of balance is the only correct one.

And what has changed since the last update? Or the one before that, last dec?

People are actually defending the ridiculously long balance cycle, that always changes NOTHING?

mtpelion.4562:

Uuni.3561:

Doing something is infinitely better than doing nothing. If you are a professional game developer it’s not a ‘wheel-o-nerf’ because you are supposed to have some idea of what the game you are balancing is about. And I didn’t tell them to disregard statistics either, you are just trying to give me flak for stuff I didn’t say

http://news.yahoo.com/comics/dilbert-slideshow/

Check out Sunday, August 10.

Maybe stop insulting him and read what he typed instead?