Guild Wars 2

All I can tell you is that when we completed the defend event, the witch spawned immediately. I suppose that could have been sheer coincidence, although I read the wiki as suggesting the defend was a pre-event that would block the witch if it failed.

So my advice came from actual in-game experience, today, post-patch. YMMV.

How do you judge if the “host” (bad choice of word, btw) is kicked for legitimate or illegitimate (griefing) reasons? Once you starting defining “proper” kicks from improper kicks, Anet heads down the slippery slope of adjudicating group dynamics — an area that they have (wisely) stayed away from.

spoj.9672:

Yeah cause im sure the people joining those groups are going to go along with that….. People can do that now, but they dont because they know its stupid and will never work rofl.

Whether it works or not, its still a drain on server resources.

a) The first person to enter a dungeon is not a special snowflake. b) No one owns a group or an instance. c) Server resources need to be reclaimed as efficiently as possible. All of these considerations support the current system.

spoj.9672:

Why? If hes leeching. The end result of you leaving or kicking him is exactly the same. You get removed from the instance. Theres no need to grief him just because you are a bitter kitten. The best solution would be to make the instance save even if the host is kicked from the party. So the host keeps his instance and the others get kicked out.

Then people will make dungeon instances — hundreds of them — post on LFG, and then A.F.K. hoping that others will finish the path for them. Wasteful and stupid.

Oxxy.7068:

Then by all means please show me how AH is better than other traits, and how the earth ins’t round. I’ll be waiting.

Stop trying to change the debate to suite your position. This isn’t a thread about whether AH is the best trait. It’s about viable damage-centric builds that use AH, as indicated by the thread title “A DPS Build that uses AH?”

Sutcliffe.5491:

If u dun maximize AH procs, then u are better off going into honor for selfless daring if u need heals and survivability.
Yes u lose critical damage, but the traits there are more beneficial to a group as compared to valor. Eg empowering might, superior aria, pure of voice. Trade offs lol.

You pretty much missed the point of my statement. You don’t need to maximize AH procs because in a damage-centric build, the primary benefit of AH is to top off your health (i.e., keep it above 90%) to maximize Scholar rune uptime. We’re not really discussing healing or survivability builds in this thread, as indicated by the title.

Sutcliffe.5491:

Failed comparison. U are directly comparing a 10 point trait vs a 30 point trait directly which is illogical at all.
U are giving up 100 power/10% damage mod/10% condition duration for +10% crit dmg/100 toughness/AH. U dun have to give up the full 30 in valor to put 10 in zeal. U just have to give up the last 10 points.

Perhaps I fail to understand your explanation, but its not about comparing the AH trait to the Fiery Wrath trait. I was pointing out what you (probably) have to give up in order to have a DPS-centric AH build that doesn’t compromise on group support. With that information, someone can decide if the trade-off makes sense for them, their playstyle, and their content.

Also, you might want to edit your post. According to some in this thread, even a single point in Valor earns you the “filthy casual” title.

Oxxy.7068:

AH heals you everytime you apply a boon, right? Right. So, to make good use of that wonderful trait we’d have to:

• Use hammer as main weapon to trigger the healing 5x per symbol pulse, assuming your party is at melee range with you.
• Use S/F and shouts.

Nope. Don’t assume that the goal of a build with AH is to maximize AH procs. Dishing boons is always a good thing, but of course you don’t have to run any particular weapon set to get the benefits of AH. We’re not min/maxing here. For example, greatsword is a perfectly viable weapon too: more damage at the expense of fewer AH procs. Trade-offs.

Oxxy.7068:

So, assuming you want to run Hammer, because you know how consecrations are important, you’d run something like: 15/15/30/x/x, either master of consecrations or superior aria or vigor on critical + buffs on virtues. You are simply dishing less party wide protection (and dps) in order to get yourself AH, and IF you trait for longer lasting symbols you’d be hitting like a wet noodle, scholar runes uptime would hardly help your dps in that case.

All you’re saying is that AH isn’t a min-max build. You can’t maximize damage and boons in the same build, with or without AH. We all know this, so you can stop saying it over and over.

Oxxy.7068:

Now, if you want to run S/F, it gets funnier: You can’t have fiery wrath, lasting consecrations and superior aria together, because you have to put at least 25 points into Radiance, not only that you’d have to use at least two shouts to make use of that wonderful trait, purging flames and WoR? Pffft, your group is too pro and doesn’t need both.

Correct, you have to give up Fiery Wrath (imho). In exchange for 30% crit-damage, toughness, trickle heals, and more Scholar up-time. Trade-offs.

And in my experience, seldom are the encounters where a single Guardian needs to have both WoR and Purging Flames in a single fight. One or the other tends to be more suitable, still letting you take two shouts. But if there is an encounter where you need both, you can take both … at the expense of fewer AH procs. Not the end of the world. You can even take SotA as well. (You are aware that you can change utilities anytime as long as you are out-of-combat, right?)

Oxxy.7068:

You’re basically getting nothing if compared to other setups, aside from some defense that is arguably worse than perma vigor.

Toughness, trickle healing, 30% crit damage, and more Scholar uptime isn’t nothing. It may not be the min/max choice, and it may not be your choice, but it is a viable choice nonetheless.

Oxxy.7068:

You said it was a good trade off. It ins’t. But hey, great argument right there, you really proved me wrong.

Actually, what I said is that it is a trade-off. Which implies both advantages and disadvantages. Whether its a “good” trade-off or a “bad” trade-off depends on a lot of other factors, e.g., content, group composition, skill level.

So yes, you are wrong. And, you’re even wrong about what you were wrong about. Think about that for a moment.

Oxxy.7068:

Still less damage and utility than 25 in virtues (according to dub, 20% less damage).

No one said AH was a min/max build. You seem to be arguing with yourself here, so I’ll leave you to it.

Oxxy.7068:

Healing signet is a healing skill, not a trait, using it will not affect utility or dps, in most cases it will boost it (via precision per unused signets). On the other hand, AH requires 30 points into a bad trait line.

A trait line that gives 30% crit damage, so more damage.

Bottom line is there are pluses and minuses to using AH, even in DPS-centric builds. The only people who are wrong are those who deny that fact.

Oxxy.7068:

Using AH to keep scholar runes up is the same as using signet heal, over kill. You’ll heal more than needed and will lose both dps and utility in the process. Not really a smart choice when you think about it.

Actually its more like Warriors using Healing Signet over Healing Surge for the same purpose. There’s a trade-off involved, but not necessarily a bad one.

durend.6237:

Can someone please explain to me, what is the point of a build that takes AH as well as Unscathed Contender? What is the point of a trait that helps you only when you are not getting hit in a build centered around healing itself from damage.

Unscathed Contender is a suckers bet. Other than completely scripted single-enemy encounters, there’s just no way to reliably avoid a stray random hit or aoe in normal PVE. And re-applying aegis just to boost your damage is costly and selfish (as opposed to using your aegis to benefit the group).

As I’ve pointed out previously in this thread, the only DPS-related justification for AH is to support maximum uptime for the damage boost of Scholar runes. While it may provide less-than-optimal maximum damage under spreadsheet conditions, it will give a non-trivial increase to your Scholar uptime. Unfortunately, its just too random to quantify and therefore isn’t recognized by the math heroes in this thread.

Finish in the top 10 scorers to get credit. You can’t idle your way through a game and still advance the ticker.

Actually, the darkest decision I found in the personal story is the “hidden” option to kill or pardon Pyzor. You've already defeated him, he's down on the ground ... and you're allowed to skewer him through the chest nonetheless.

It’s the only time I felt like my character was allowed to do something morally ambiguous, if not outright evil.

Not at all a fan of Radiant Fire in this build, but you’d be hard-pressed to find a better Master tier alternative. So ironic that the minor traits in Radiance are infinitely better than any of the selected traits (other than RHS, if you use S/F).

Sutcliffe.5491:

I really wish we could sticky a thread regarding why AH is not a ‘desirable trait’ as every other week, i see one of these threads about AH coming up and people keep arguing the same things over and over again

The reason being that the arguments against AH aren’t nearly as compelling or obvious as their proponents seem to think. The same things are being said again and again because because a small class of forum posters seek out these threads here and in the Dungeons forum for the purposes of advocating their positions as undeniable fact.

Scholar runes give their damage bonus only when you’re above 90% health.

Small, trickle heals help ensure that you stay above 90% health.

AH gives small, trickle heals.

Therefore, AH helps enhance your damage if you use Scholar runes.

Computer Programming 101: Don’t write new code when you can copy old code. Even when the old code doesn’t really fit your current task.

+1.

I’ve heard about the Mad King’s Clocktower since I started playing early this year. Time and time again, I was told that it was creme de la creme of jumping puzzles; the graduate course of leaping skills.

So I commit the effort, and I finally finish it, and then …. nothing. No achievement, no nothing. So disappointing.

Why does no one point out that AH helps ensure maximum damage from 6/6 Scholar runes? I don’t think its at all selfish to keep my health bar in the zone that increases my damage output and uptime.

Guanglai Kangyi.4318:

For the record, I just did an AC run … with me on staff ele.

You took an ele into AC and had a smooth run. Wow! Your system is amazing.

Its hilarious that instead of learning how to play well in PUG groups of varying skill and gear levels, so much energy gets spent attempting to devise schemes to achieve the perfect dungeon run from random players. Its “play how I want to” at its finest. Thanks for the chuckles.

From your picture, I see one guy who took issue with you killing the mob, and I didn’t see him say anything particularly offensive or egregious. Maybe you should grow some thicker skin before filing reports or making forum threads. No one should be bullied in game, but a little “live and let live” would let the devs focus on more important things than your easily bruised sensibilities.

Galtrix.7369:

I got a group together one day for AC when I was level 40ish. Everyone else was level 80. They all said they wanted to kick me, but did nothing about it. Everything went perfectly fine in AC, everything was going smooth and I never died, but everyone else in my party got downed at least twice. 2 minutes later, I get a kick and a nice whisper saying, “Don’t come back until you’re level 80”. I sent them a nice message saying, “L2P”. Needless to say, I added them to my friends list so I could plan revenge one day.

I leveled to 80, got a commander title, world completion, and I made a build that let me farm CoF extremely quickly, so quickly in fact, that I actually had people lining up in a queue to join my party for CoF farm runs. So I’m farming one day, and lo and behold, 2 guys that kicked me from AC showed up begging for a run. I let them in. I whisper the other members of the party explaining what happened to me and I tell them my plan. We get to the final boss, and I vote to kick them both when the boss was at 10% health. I got some pretty mean whispers, but all I said was, “Remember me? Now don’t kick lowbies or they may own your life one day”.

I don’t know what’s more sad: that you did this, or that you’re apparently proud of it. Someone needs a hug.

Dirame.8521:

I think the bow for the Guardian should work like the Bow from The Immortals where the bow shot pure light energy therefore it wasn’t affected by gravity or wind. It just fires in a straight line.

I can already see the skills now.
Skill 1; Arrow of Light; Fire an Arrow made of pure light energy

Skill 2: Blinding Shot; Fire an arrow that explodes at the target’s location blinding them and all nearby foes for 3 seconds

Skill 3; Trailblazer; Fire an arrow at your target that leaves a trail of fire behind it. This fire cleanses a condition from all allies that pass through it.

Skill 4; Unyielding Arrow; Fire an arrow that sticks to your target. This arrow applies torment and bleeding that lasts 6secs every second for 3 seconds.

Skill 5; Triple shot; Your next 3 attacks fire 2 additional arrows.

Not bad conceptually, though your Skill 4 is off target. Guardians are “holy” and I suspect we will never get bleeding or torment.

What we really need is at least one daze/stun/interrupt. And a blast finisher. Definitely a blast finisher.

Also, boss only throws gears at ranged targets. If your group is stacking on the boss to avoid gears in the field, be sure you don’t have a stray illusion out there on which the boss will drop a gear.

OP: I faced the same concerns you did about two weeks ago when I needed to start running dungeons to complete a legendary. I’ll share some observations from my experiences.

I agree with the recommendation to let the group know that you’re new to the dungeon. Do this until you feel comfortable that you know (a) the mechanics of the fights, and (b) where to go from encounter to encounter. Honestly, it will only take you a few runs of a path before you’ll understand it well enough.

Bad groups do happen, and mean players do exist. So what? If a run ends badly, move on and try again. If you made mistakes, learn from them and move on to the next try. If you have a bad experience with a particular player, don’t run with them again. This is all just pixels and flashing lights … no one actually dies.

Final tip: often the player who yells, complains, or criticizes is actually compensating for their own inexperience or their own mistakes. Players who call out other players for minor errors are frequently deflecting attention from their own misplay. The guys who who yell are much less pro than they pretend, in my experience.

mosspit.8936:

Maybe the lfg tool made it marginally easier for newcomers to join and somehow some of them don’t think its necessary to sound off and ignore advice. But in time, it should level out as ppl who currently enjoy dungeons should continue to do so.

I came to post exactly this. Indeed, I think the tool is exposing a vast range of new players to dungeons, who previously only did other content. This is a good thing. But there’s going to be a painful period while a lot of folks learn what experienced dungeon runners already know. Give it time — In short order, the population of players who regularly or periodically run dungeons is going be vastly increased.

If you need to transfer stuff without visiting the bank, and have a friend or guildie that you trust, there is another way too: mail the stuff to your friend, and then have them immediately send it back. The items can then be reclaimed from the returned mail by any of your characters.

rfdarko.4639:

It is my group, that’s why I have the option to accept or reject your offer to join. If I don’t like you, I’m going to kick you. I’ll kick you at the start, so we don’t waste each others time.

Since you, yourself, can be kicked it is by definition not your group. Your failure to grasp that is going to lead to much frustration.

Pandeh.5248:

Berner.7289:

mexay.3902:

People here are missing the point. It’s not about being ‘elitist’

It’s about people reading and allowing the group leader to accept invites. Plain and simple.

As soon as you use the LFG tool, its not your group and you’re not the leader. The sooner you learn that, the less whiny you’ll be on the forums.

Please add me in game. So I can join you’r Arah path 3 group, then I demand we do story, since it’s not your group.

Would you blindly say “Okay lets do story” ? No you woudn’t.

If 4 of 5 people want to do story — and you don’t — then maybe you should just politely leave and let them do what they want. Start a new LFG and try again. The “creator” of the LFG has no special rights or privileges, just as the “creator” of a group has no special rights or privileges.

mexay.3902:

People here are missing the point. It’s not about being ‘elitist’

It’s about people reading and allowing the group leader to accept invites. Plain and simple.

As soon as you use the LFG tool, its not your group and you’re not the leader. The sooner you learn that, the less whiny you’ll be on the forums.

Warriors survive well in PVE because they kill fast, reducing the opportunity to take damage. But at lower levels (15 according to your post) you don’t have all of the Warriors tools to maximize damage yet. Therefore you are a little bit squishy — not terribly so, but you will get stronger as you level up.

Guardians survive well in PVE because they have decent damage and good damage mitigation skills. They offer perhaps better survivability at lower levels, and stay strong as they level up. Later you can add more survival skills, or better, add more support skill to be a better team player when you group.

Also, you are new to the game. You are still learning the mechanics of the game, including mob behavior, dodging, skill rotations, dodging, combo fields, dodging, consumables, and dodging. Did I mention dodging? Do it, often.

The level 80, exotic rarity amulet “All Seeing” has bugged stats and/or tooltip. The tooltip shows:

11 precision
8 power
1% critical damage

whereas a level 80 exotic should have stats of 90 prec/64 power/5% crit chance.

I am unable to confirm whether the item stats are bugged, or whether this is merely a tooltip issue, because I do not want to soulbind the amulet pending a fix. Thanks.

Buy blues, use blues, sell blues. Repeat. The only cost to the player is the 15% trading post fee when selling, and that can be completely offset/ameliorated by placing buy orders.

Buying greens or yellows for leveling is a convenience, not a necessity. Blues are suitably effective at even level, and are easily affordable (especially as supplemented by drops and personal story rewards).

Treborlavok.3504:

The main stats/dmg of your chosen weapon would almost never need to be changed.

That may be true for the class you play, but there are several classes with build versatility that makes stat changing a tremendous perk. As a Guardian, for example, the ability to switch between Berserker, Valkyrie, and Clerics stats on-the-fly is pretty awesome.

They did state that they want all stat combinations in the game. To think that the monopoly on Sentinel’s stats would continue was therefore shortstighted. You gambled and lost.

playandchill.3908:

Dawn market reseted.

Np

If you call a single-day 30% increase “resetting”, then you are correct.

aeneq.1760:

Hey its logical really, most precursors sells to the highest buy order.

I highly doubt the accuracy of this statement.

ZudetGambeous.9573:

Well that pretty much tells us what has always seemed pretty obvious… inflation from this last month is the problem, not rich players trying to control the market.

Inflation, plus the relative scarcity of new drops, plus the high cost of relisting.

I’ve done the playhouse many times now, and this line of dialogue has stuck out for me too. I didn’t get the “childhood memory” vibe that you suggest, but it does sound like there’s some hidden meaning. At least I hope its that and not just bad writing.

Trixie.7614:

You don’t need a group for this dungeon. It’s incredibly easy. I think you can destroy the items now that you have the achievement.

Are you sure? I thought Vorpp said something about holding on to the Positional Relay Beacon for continued access to Scarlet’s funhouse…..

I fully support this idea, though I’m not colorblind. There is an incredibly nice person in my guild who is colorblind, and week after week he struggles with guild missions (particularly rushes and puzzles) because of the AOE indicators. It breaks my heart when I hear him in vent trying in vain to complete the events — and more often than not — withdrawing from participation. We go so far as to use an escorting player as a “seeing eye dog” to help him with the rushes and puzzles, but that’s not a real (or dignified) solution.

+1 to this suggestion.

Mad Queen Malafide.7512:

It would seem pretty obvious to me, that when you want to balance the necromancer… you ask necromancers for advise. And not warriors, guardians, elementalists etc.

Besides, the necromancer forum also has a mix of PVE and WvW necro-players, who might be able to warn you what effects a change might have for the class in other areas of the game.

I’m not even sure why we PVE/WvW players bother to discuss the class. The devs ignore us, and now the mods delete the largest balance discussion threads in the Necromancer forum. It appears that Anet not only doesn’t care about PVE/WvW balance, they don’t even want us discussing it in public. A sad, sad day.

It sickens me that the devs respond favorably to the spvp nerf demands while ignoring the far-more reasoned PVE and WvW complaints. The lunatics have taken over the asylum, and sadly, that’s not hyperbole.

Xhean.3452:

Ralathar.7236:

Yes wells stack right now and they are highly used in WvW groups because of this. They were used before the last patch but now they are used 10 times more thanks to the insane necro buffs including the ability to AOE immob with tainted shackles, especially considered tainted shackles takes no channel time and cannot be stopped while also allowing the necro to continue doing other things.

aiming for a nerf in this thread as well ay? You can still dodge it just as it was stated in your own thread about tainted shackles.

It’s like he’s trying to use the Epidemic skill to spread his dumb idea to 5 other threads as well.

DrArmature.4619:

So if it’s pretty certain that dagger is more dps then where does axe’s niche lie? It certainly isn’t from the boon removal, and with organized groups that vuln stack doesn’t make any difference. >.>

With the Axe Mastery trait, you can bump your axe damage into close competition with dagger. Dagger still wins thanks to the superior auto-attack, but it closes the gap considerably. Not to mention, axe has a pretty hard-hitting PBAOE on #3 — something not available with dagger main-hand.

More importantly, Axe Mastery will juice your Death Shroud damage as well, if you are wielding the axe when you enter Death Shroud.

Grenth open on Dragonbrand effective as of this post time.

They want people using Death Shroud more, so I’m predicting buffs in that area. Could be larger Life Force pool, or maybe faster Life Force generation, or perhaps something new. Just guessing.

Appears it will not be healing while in DS, however. Dev said they found it overpowered.