Guild Wars 2

Walked into an epidemic yesterday. Downed in 1 tick. If I had a light field though…

That being said, good change to help against Condi sustain but not bursts.

Does anyone know if Lightning Assault procs ancient seeds just by itself or does it require damage after the fact?

Please add the Lightning Reflexes and Spike Trap changes to PvE and WvW.
I actually have a build that I opt out of these 2 skills simply because of their CDs. Running a short CD venom/flame trap and the functionality of QZ just override any need/desire for those 2 skills.

Yes, this suggestion came about as a means to counter pin snipe.

Could people try to hide their rank so they can “stomp roamers”. Maybe. If people think low level ranks are easy picks than they are not doing it right, as alt accounts would also pose the same threat. I treat every duel/engage while roaming with the mindset that they are just as skilled as me.

While it would not be a priority high on the list of changes/balance WvW needs, I can see no real negative consequences to it either.

I posted 2 different ideas simply because they both came to mind. The second can be redundant and the first would be the one I recommend but I figured both could be possibilities hence posting them.

Hey ANet WvW team.

It would be a really good quality of life change to be able to hide your WvW rank (Invader could be the default display just as it was before ranks were introduced)

Another suggestion would be to be able to change it to a rank you have already unlocked. I.e any rank below your current one

Anyway, just a quality of life change I think most would enjoy.

Thanks, Draeyon.

While there are ways to lessen pin snipe, if they added a option to hide your WvW rank, that along with tonics would go a long way.

I don’t particularly mind a single person being able to contest a keep but the change to just having to get a guard in combat was not a good one.

On the topic of tower contesting, I would actually want them to rework the watchtower tactic to only mark enemies after a certain threshold is reached such as more than 5 people around the tower. That one tactic gutted the ability’s of small havok teams more than any other change since HoT

Wolfric.9380:

I did just read gold wit 4 or 5 wins in placement matches ?
I won 6 of my placement matches and had been placed low silver ?
They were more or less random and it felt like half of the people didn´t know how to PvP. And now i can´t get out of silver. My win rate in mostly solo Q is just a bit over 50% but it feels that 4 out of 5 oponents i encounter are easy to fight :-(.

Ye, that is how it went.
That is why I was asking if there was any information as too how the placement matches work. Any factors other than your win/loss ratio.

Just a few questions from a relatively new person to pvp (dont worry, I will be back to WvW once I get the ascended rewards I cant get there).

How does the ranking system work?
If for instance you lose more than you win during those first 10 games, is that the sole defining criteria that is used to give you your ranking? Does individual performance play any factor into how you are placed?

I won 4 (or 5, cant remember) games of the 10 and was placed in gold division.
I am now sitting at around 1150 silver and its probably about where I should. (At least half of that drop was from decay I think).

Would I be wrong in saying that how people are ranked plays a big part in the problems that have arisen from this current season?
Would a few more ranking games and/or individual performance factors improve the criticisms that people have of the current system?

And personally, I think the rewards should stay.
It incentivizes people to actually play pvp.
Granted, alot of people will quit when they have what they want but I would imagine it will also bring new blood into the game mode that will stick around after the season has finished?

Deniara Devious.3948:

Draeyon.4392:

Ye, your probably right.
Another way that actually will time-gate the armor (meaning it cant be Ktrained/farmed to get) would be to add a weekly (or monthly) achievement. Player kills, keep captures/defense etc. Tokens awarded upon completion. Obtaining a full set of armor should take roughly 3-4 months or so. Weapons a month each (1h 2 weeks, 2h 4 weeks). It makes a single piece achievable in the short term but a full set requires people to come back to WvW (if they choose to only obtain the armor in this way).

Your suggested rate is way too slow. Currently some people have gotten 5 pieces of ascended armor from mere 10 hours of spvp. Why WvWvW ascended rewards should be over 20 times slower?

WvWvW needs significantly improved rewards. The easiest way for developers would simply add new items for WvWvW vendors e.g. ability to buy ascended backpiece, ascended weapons and ascended armor + fractal related things (e.g. Glob of Coagulated Mists Essence) using proofs of heroics and/or badges of honor and/or laurels and/or gold.

Yes, but they can ONLY get those 5 pieces for the whole season.
My suggestion was a permanent addition to WvW.
And adding a new currency should be the way it is done so as to not promote Ktraining for the loot

Threather.9354:

Deniara Devious.3948:

Draeyon.4392:

I think the best way to introduce ascended armor into WvW (i made a post about it but it didnt attract any attention) is to add a new currency to reward tracks.
Specifically, the WvW reward tracks (Hero Weapon, Triumphant Armor and Gift of Battle).
Then add a new vendor with the armor/weapons available.
New Currency + Badges

Adding new currencies doesn’t make sense. One should be able to buy ascended using existing currencies, mainly proofs of heroics and badges of honor.

Actually adding new currencies is the only option. People will start from the same spot and dont have to waste their heroics or badges on ascended armor as they’re meant for HoT stuff +siege + foods.

I am not sure what’s the optimal way to obtain the currency, I dont think passive playstyle like reward tracks is the solution. There’s so many ways to abuse the reward tracks including botting, ruins and dolyaks. Maybe just make them wallet currency inside Rankup chests so they’re related to wxp. Another option is to get some randomly from killing enemies and keep/tower lords but this one seems little hard to balance around considering the activity hours in different tiers.

Ye, your probably right.
Another way that actually will time-gate the armor (meaning it cant be Ktrained/farmed to get) would be to add a weekly (or monthly) achievement. Player kills, keep captures/defense etc. Tokens awarded upon completion. Obtaining a full set of armor should take roughly 3-4 months or so. Weapons a month each (1h 2 weeks, 2h 4 weeks). It makes a single piece achievable in the short term but a full set requires people to come back to WvW (if they choose to only obtain the armor in this way).

I think the best way to introduce ascended armor into WvW (i made a post about it but it didnt attract any attention) is to add a new currency to reward tracks.
Specifically, the WvW reward tracks (Hero Weapon, Triumphant Armor and Gift of Battle).
Then add a new vendor with the armor/weapons available.
New Currency + Badges

Ye, this map was going to fail since the open beta. They shot themselves in the foot by creating a new map and then getting player feedback after the point of no return. I have no idea how much input alpha testers had but this was a dead map since the beta and is a dead map now (save reset).

If there is ever a new map for WvW, alpine borderlands and EBG should be the templates for it.

Hey,
just throwing out ideas to improve the reward system in WvW, all ideas are welcome.

First and foremost, add karma back to WvW.

Now for my main idea.
Add a new currency to WvW related to a new WvW reward vendor.
Currency to be added to all WvW related reward tracks with varying degrees. More loot in a reward track, less currency and more currency at the expense of less loot (loot equates to champ bags, mats etc.).
Currency is also gained by high tier objective captures and defense, as well as low rng drop from everything in WvW.

I would first ask for ascended chests be a reward but if that is a line in the sand the devs do not want to cross than ascended mats.

Other rewards could be:
*stones/oils/crystals (and their bountiful/furious/toxic counterparts)
*various food
*siege
*tokens for keep/tower/camp tactics
*new skins as they so desire

Essentially this vendor would be the be all end all reward vendor for in game items that are commonly used in WvW as well as aesthetics.

I know I am far reaching with this but any suggestions are better than none.

Feel free to add on.
If not, then this thread will reach the nether of the forums commonly known as page 2+

lol, they never could learn to balance Druid and all Ranger related content post HoT.

What they should have done was switch Celestial Shadow with Lingering Light.
Druids have to choose between Celestial Shadow and Ancient Seeds.

Druidic Clarity despite what people may think is not over powered.
Anyone who cant time their condi bomb or deal consistent condi pressure is not playing condi right.

In summary,
Swap Celestial Shadow with Lingering Light.
Revert CA timer to 10seconds.
Balance Achieved, good work team.

That is all.

Vegeta.2563:

McKenna Berdrow.2759:

Endless Kodan Tonic will have a 5 second cool down and will not be useable while in combat.

I can understand 5 second cooldown, but whats the point in making a COMBAT tonic not usable in combat.

She clarified in another post down,
you cant activate the tonic in combat, but you can put on the kodan tonic outside of combat and go into combat with it on.

Sweet, good to know that we will still be able to have a tonic transformation during combat. Pin snipe is atrocious.

Not sure if your the right person to ask McKenna (if your still reading this), but an endless version of the Potion of Ascalonian Mages would be an excellent reward for WvW (in case Kodan is too hard to fix)

I actually really like Dadnur’s Evoker elite spec idea. It could be the having your cake and eating it too espec for Rangers.

Too long to quote, so hyper link
https://forum-en.gw2archive.eu/forum/professions/ranger/Petless-Ranger-Please-Yes-this-again/first#post6405846

Pets while in Unity are projections of themselves. They cant damage and you receive a boost to damage as compensation.

F2 skills now activate from the ranger
This allows for better positioning/timing but is also easier to counter if not used right.

Some F2 Unity skills would probably be nerfed but hey, more access to on demand stealth, damage immunity, buff stacking, condition application/removal not to mention seeing the ranger perform the Fire Wyvern F2 would be amazing.

Would suggest that you not add things like pet swapping as a GM minor, it should be baseline. Ranger has had quite a few traits that should have been baseline from the beginning. (Old GM signet trait, Fortifying Bond which still is not baseline)

I’m not sure if the GM Wrathful Unity is worded right, do you mean the Ranger gets a damage increase or did I miss a part of the Unity concept?

Aside from the GM traits (I just dont think they would make it seeing as they are doing the job of other traitlines, save the vitality boost), I really like this idea. If not all of it, I would hope that parts of this concept could make its way into a ranger elite spec.

Why is it that every druid ever picked this GM trait for WvW and PvP?
Overpowered? Debatable.

Or maybe…
Lets have a look at the other 2 GM traits.

Lingering Light (12s ICD): Healing an ally causes their next attack to heal them and blind their target.
Blind 4 seconds, At 1000 Healing power, 800 heal.

Grace of the Land: Allies you heal with celestial avatar abilities gain increased damage.

One was nerfed to oblivion and never chosen again. The other can only be used reliably when allies are standing still due to the CA mechanics.

Provide me a reasonable alternative for Ancient Seeds. Then we can talk about balance.

That actually sounds very interesting. That swarm mechanic though, it would only be good if they address the current issues Ranger pets have but they could bring in both at once

Said it before, I’ll say it again.

Remove linkings.
Bring back the Battlegroups concept.

No more overstacked servers.

Just checked the T1 scores. No surprise there. BG stomping on everything.
If BG is ever opened again, then it is clear there is no overall goal to balance WvW at all.

With regards to JQ.
No organized ocx guilds.
They just lost FOO to BG for SEA.
WvW dont raid much anymore and I am not sure about Ge.
Its safe to assume that any sea JQ has is usually 1 commander leading pugs/militia around so no organized sea guilds either.

If you are going to shake up WvW servers, don’t go half way. Like others have said, go full force and bring back the battle groups idea. No one will transfer to these new worlds unless a mass exodus happens in which case one server isn’t stacked anymore but a new one is.

Hey, just looking for other people’s opinions of Condi Ranger and SB after the recent Patch.

Currently running this build
http://gw2skills.net/editor/?vNAQNAsYVjEqQLL2uCerAVLWMEM4s6XNt20BCWtAmAworBUiKPD-TVyCABTcCAA4BAMmSww3fwuDBAWK/eRfgPq/owRAgUA3tAA-w

Hope to run this with some trailblazer in place of dire

http://gw2skills.net/editor/?vNAQNAsYVjEqQLL2uCerAVLWMEsmOQwqFAnV/qpVmAworBUyzqA-TVSHQBsQ9nOoPIAnAgadIAe2+DJU5HAOCAZUJoAeAAkCAi1AA-w

With the build I currently run, roaming in WvW is pretty good. Only real trouble seems to be chronomancers and alot of that stems from not playing that e-spec alot. And maybe a good Dragon Hunter.

What are other people’s thoughts, is the crit chance better for Condi application and life steal food (for AF gain) or would a strait dire/trailblazer build be better for the sustain and Condi duration it can provide?

Any thoughts welcome.

Thanks, Draeyon.

@LinseyMurdock

off topic, but would a new right click option “Send to Bank” be something that’s worth implementing?
Would solve some peoples suggestions that are not directly crafting materials.
E.g. Tomes of Knowledge, Sigils, Runes
Items would take the first available bank slot or stack onto already existing items. (as crafting materials already do)

They should make it so that res skills affect all NPCs bar the tower/keep lords. Camps I am unsure of but if your wasting a skill slot on a revive skill, it should have some functionallity even without friendlies around.

Against a zerg, pointless. Against a havok group and it could make all the difference.

How about unlocking the starting waypoint on a map account wide when a character achieves 100% for that particular map?

Jeknar.6184:

Kefro, did you forgot your server have an overstacked SEA population? Ofc it problably don’t look full during NA when SEA is sleeping…

Is it still 2015?

That overstacked JQ SEA meme doesnt really translate to current activity levels.

Well, there actually is the benefit of not having to recruit guilds or have any gold costs when you get a server link.
Free players to bolster your population with absolutely no work, who wouldn’t take that?

Im on JQ btw, hopefully any of the 4 servers above us dont get linked if we dont get one again

Towers that can attack/defend keeps (towers elevated so that they cant be hit by keep as easily).
Add a new tower siege treb that is specifically designed to do just that.
Works same as cannons, mortars and oil.

Would suggest some other way for towers be useful but nothing comes to mind.

And yes, simple is better.

StickerHappy.8052:

Draeyon.4392:

If the next ranger elite does indeed get MH Dagger which is condi based, would like it to apply poison on auto attack. No bleeding AA like almost every other condi weapon ever.
Then throw in some evades/movement skills/teleports/stealth. You know the good stuff and job well done ANet.

Before that, please Buff poison master and refined toxins. Then we’ll takj

I have wanted them to combine both of those into a single Master or GM trait since forever. e.g. Master: +25% poison damage (for both ranger and pet) and a poison application from either of the previous traits.

#MakeRangerPoisonAgain

If the next ranger elite does indeed get MH Dagger which is condi based, would like it to apply poison on auto attack chain 1 and 2. 3rd can be another condition. No bleeding.
Then throw in some evades/movement skills/teleports/stealth. You know the good stuff and job well done ANet.

Lahmia.2193:

I’d be willing to be that Ancient Seeds is going to get a cooldown nerf.

And then all Druid GMs can be useless.

Seriously though,
I would like to see Celestial Shadow increased to 4 seconds in duration and swapped with Lingering Light

And for the poison traits in WS to be merged. If they create a Singal GM trait, the Master one could be something like using a heal skill grants x affect.
E.g. condition removal, pet revival, Boon application

Yes, whenever this poll comes out, voting 1 up 1 down. Makes a week’s effort give meaning and also allows for servers to push up (or others down) even with some coverage imbalance.

Hey,
was absent from the game for a while, came back recently.

Does anyone have builds that seem to work really well for WvW zerging and/or roaming?

I can usually theorycraft some, but figured other perspectives would be good before a gold sink or farming is done.

Thanks, Draeyon.

It doesn’t change night capping at all.
The skirmish change simply limits the amount of score/ppt that can be gained during times where there is server imbalance.
Essentially, no server can gain more than 50% of the score now.

Server imbalances still exist. A bandaid fix could be to lockout all servers a week before server linkings change, try to aquire a rough idea of server populations as well as recent transfers and link accordingly.

Not really a future pet but would like to see a light field and dark field incorporated into new pets F2 abilities. (Ethereal as well unless Reef Drake could be reworked to have its underwater combo field become one for land as well).

That way, Ranger would be the combo field master (with access to all combo fields in the game).

I died to a stealth thief once.
Whenever havoking, I now carry stealth disruptors and 10 supply so I can cheese the cheese.
Suffice it to say, never died again.

Basically, all this change did was reduce the impact of population imbalance, not the underlying issue of population imbalance itself.
Stacked servers still dominate.

Also, would a different scoring ratio help alleviate the problem where servers play for 2nd (usually only an issue during seasons)?
E.g. 4-3-2 instead of 3-2-1

Carry around stacks of candy corn.
Once victory is achieved, spam it until your character throws up in detest of their cheese builds or cheese tactics.

Or in honor of fallen foes, throw a piece of siege with a fire field to give mighty warriors the funeral pure they deserve.

With regards to resistance, change it so it only negates damaging conditions. Done.

For a Main Hand Dagger:

AA Chain (3 targets): Apply poison on first 2 attacks, apply torment (or confusion/burning) on 3rd.
Dagger 2: Apply AoE Cripple and 3 stacks of Poison (600 range, 5 targets)
Dagger 3: Teleport to an area and chill foes (900 range, 5 targets)

oh, and would only like to see it if they consolidate the poison traits in WS.

Is there a link to this overpowered druid build? (seriously)

Here I am still only skilled at using power LB/S+X (or GS)

oh, and I think ranger needs to be buffed, or nerf all other professions, either way.

Like the idea of the spec especially if it increases build diversity (for pvp and wvw anyway).

No new heal? Really want to see a ranger signet heal introduced at some point.
Something like
Signet of the Faithful
Passive: Heal your pet 10% every x seconds
Active: Your pet gives its vitality to you. You heal for half the % your current pet (pet at 100% = 50% heal). Your pet dies in the process. (not a single healing coefficient too be found, you want healing power? Go druid or a different heal!)

Also would love for some sort of AoE condi removal or resistance to be worked into the rangers next elite spec just because of the plethora of conditions atm.
e.g. A preparation for Hammer (or Greatsword) removes 1 condition from you, your pet and nearby allies on cooldown skill use. (or applies 1-2s of resistance).

Oh, and a pet centered elite spec would be good if they fix the existing pets (lackluster skills, bad overall damage/tracking, no dodge/evade of any kind).

Why cant the winning server move up and the losing server move down?
A server could than push to move out of a tier that they are deadlocked in, at least for a week.

It would also be alot more competition for the new server linking system to face as many different servers as you can instead of the same matchup for the whole linking duration.

OGDeadHead.8326:

Draeyon.4392:

GS4: Counter attack.
Can the auto activation of crippling throw be turned off for melee attacks (already works for ranged)

Except it doesn’t activate crippling throw in meele, but counterattack with knockback (should also be a knockdown).
I agree to some extent though at the same time I like the automatic nature of counterattack, especially vs a backstabbing thief.

Ah ye, that is correct.
Would still like it changed to a 2-3 second block though.
Maybe add a daze/stun to crippling throw instead?
Would go a long way for GS considering its relatively low damage.

For other traits/utilities.

Spirits need a serious rework.

Turn Signet of the Wild and “Strength of the Pack!” into instant cast stun breaks.

Reduce Sharpening Stones CD considerably or maybe add a Poison stack to each hit as well as the bleed? Would work in well with the Wilderness Survival Line.

Merge Refined Toxins with Poison Master. Have the poison application from refined Toxins combined with the increase to poison damage. Change health threshold to 75% since it is a GM trait and competing with condition removal. Leave ICD as is.

New master trait:
Ranger autoattacks have a chance to apply poison (20%, 2-3seconds, no icd).
or
Grant Resistance (2-3seconds) when x amount of conditions are on you. 15s ICD.

Change Empathic Bond to cleanse 2 conditions every 5 seconds.

Invigorating Bond: Halve the ICD or better yet, increase the healing coefficient to something like 2.0-2.5

GS4: Counter attack.
Can the auto activation of crippling throw be turned off for melee attacks (already works for ranged)

For 1 set yes, but you dont ever have only 1 character (not to mention upgrading to ascended eventually).

Anyway, timegating an exotic armor seems not very well thought out to me (especially when this game is really new player friendly) and I hope this gets a devs attention so something could be done to help.

Im sure there are plenty of ways that they could introduce celestial inscriptions/insignias acquisition without breaking the TP. If a recipe was introduced to make them with 125 quartz (in place of the 5 charged), I think that would be a fair balance.

Hey,
to any devs reading, is it possible to uncap charged quartz (or more alternatives to aquiring them) or to make alternate methods to aquiring celestial inscriptions/insignias (or gear)?
Through the wvw vendor, added as a dungeon/fractal reward?
Even just updating the crafting recipe to require 5 CQC or 125 Quartz (still the same cost, but removes the timegate effect).

Really hard for alt accounts (and by proxy new players) to get this stat and its just best in slot for quite a few builds.

Anyway, that is it.

Thanks, Drae.