Guild Wars 2

McKenna Berdrow.2759:

In the next release, a 6th pip is being added to the provision master ability line that allows you to buy HoT recipes, sigils, and runes from the heroics notary vendor.

Good news to hear!

Just a quick question, are there any plans for HoT asc trinkets (and other stats only available through raids) to be introduced either in a WvW capacity or simply a laurel/guild commendation addition?

I sort of understand the OPs opinion in that we need to congregate all the OCX population to the top 2 tiers (I only say ocx as that is where I play, though most people are probably there already). Just not enough people to spread out any further and even 2 tiers is pushing it.

How would unlocking all linked servers (the lesser population server) with a lower transfer cost (even free) but not specify which server they will be linked to go? (and then lock them once they’ve switched)

Also, aside from forced relocation or complete breakdown and restructure of wvw servers, you won’t get population balance.

Why can’t they just add like 2 new amulets, rings and accessories with a select stat option with all stat combos and update any backpiece that has that option to do the same?

The reason I say all and not just HoT is because some vanilla stat sets can’t be acquired for asc rings/amulets/backpiece (e.g. sentinels, dire) unless you raid

edit: also, mean just add these new items to existing methods (laurels, fractals, Guild Comms)

I know celestial is golden,
but if I don’t have the charged quartz, what stats would people recommend for armor and weapons? I can get celestial trinkets though.
Links to a build would also help immensely.

Thanks,
Draeyon.

Was anyone there for the DBL beta? After the first 3 hour event, the maps went dead. Literally 100+ man queues disappeared.

It just can’t generate the same player activity.

Baldrick.8967:

Draeyon.4392:

Like many have posted already, scoring being scaled to population (or lack there of) would be the best option presented.

I don’t like the idea of certain hours (timezones) contributing more to the score than others.

I disagree strongly with it being the best option.

If you score for action rather than passive ticks like it is now, then the population differences at different times of day are mitigated, and huge over night swings can no longer happen. See my earlier posts.

Any sort of ‘multiplier’ is a terrible idea which would lead to gaming of the system as well as a lot of ‘salt’.

R.I.P

Misread the first post, I thought the multiplier ideas were a certainty instead of a possibility.
Would rather not have it but if they forced it into he game, having it be based on population differences instead of a locked prime time would be the better of the 2.

Like many have posted already, scoring being scaled to population (or lack there of) would be the best option presented.

I don’t like the idea of certain hours (timezones) contributing more to the score than others.

@set
Ye, strength runes are the long term goal (if I stay interested in this idea), but dropping 30-40g on a build I may only play for a week isnt something I would do.

and that acro idea is something I will definitely try out.
Had SA for emergency stealth (steal) and stealth regen.
What acro traits would you recommend? Was thinking 3-1-1 or 2-1-1

@anvil
In WvW, I dont think I could drop bow. I have tried that before and its just not good.
Thanks for the input though.

http://gw2skills.net/editor/?vZAQNAqaVn8lClOhVOBePB8PhFkiaO+r/+nrBCgFwLHuheA-TlCEwAMVmh4BA84IAsVJYiTAAL1fcq0I2+Dd0HA4QAQKgAHDA-w

Hey, havnt played thief for a while but was rolling this last night in wvw.
Aside from dropping p/p (it’s trolley and I love it), are there any improvements to be made to a build like this?
Thanks for any feedback to come,
Drae.

Oh and it’s a backline havoc/semi roaming type of build.

Deep Sea Dragon expansion with Largos.
Make underwater combat relevant.

Ranger:
Frontline Support
Hammer + Stances

Invoking a stance causes an AoE effect that gives party wide effects (also effects the pet or requires the pet be alive for best effect).

Can only envoke 1 stance at a time (so they can give good buffs), with a M or GM trait that allows for 2 stances active at a time.
Oh and stances have an active effect as well.

Don’t know how to envoke the class mechanic, maybe F5 changes based on the current active stance/s that gives a special effect to the ranger and/or pet.

For ranger, I would like to see a specialization focused on pet functionality tied into a frontline/melee spec.

Weapon: Hammer (or if new weapons introduced, Lance/Halberd)

I liked the idea of a beastmaster spec with 2 pets out at the same time.
F1-F5 (and the pet aggro/passive button) are buttons that control pet actions

F1: Attack/Retreat (Pets passive by default but aggro if YOU get into combat and fall damage shouldnt count).

F2: Selected skills for both pets, could have different skills such and Canine Fear+Immob or combine 1 effect to have greater impact.

More pets added and something to partner with Smokescale and Bristleback at least (a new shark as well).

F4 is changed from pet swap to a pet heal (all pet swap traits function with it the same) that heals the pets for 50% health. (20s CD if both pets alive, 35s if 1 is defeated, 50s if both are defeated).

F3 and F5: either 2 new skills based on animal family or F5 is a new skill and F3 performs the pet family skill (Canine knockdown, Bird swiftness etc.)

Passive/aggro button could be an assignable target button or a scatter/gather command to try to avoid big AoEs.

Hammer skills:
1-4 do AoE cleave damage to 5 targets with at least 1 CC attack.

1. could be an attack that changes based on the pet family you have chosen

F5/F3 and Hammer 5 could be good ways for pets that are not used to receive needed buffs if pet balancing issues are not resolved.

No idea about traits and how pet attributes get balanced but ye, my idea for a ranger spec.

Soon.5240:

Jaytee.9513:

Rallying from from kills should be a buff given to outmanned servers as well as increased supply carrying capabilities…..

How to determine who is an outmanned server?

Look at over all PPT scores apply accordingly. A server loosing by a large margin is definitely undermanned and should get this boost to try and even the odds, its funny how the developer has not instilled any population balancing system to create more even matches……

It to me is the main issue with this game and all other things would fall into place if they can get a grip on this issue.

Yup. This is THE issue. Until it is addressed, WvW will remain frustrating.

As I’ve said to my Guild, I’d rather lose by 1,000 then win by 100,000.

They should have the outmanned buff for servers that are lacking like before and have a hidden buff that no one can see for a server that is outmanning everyone. The people with the outmanned buff only rally 1 person but the people with the hidden buff rally more (3-5 people maybe).

Those look like some good changes.
If one of the devs is reading this thread, a suggestion.
Can you make upgrades not autostart?
Keep them free but make it so someone has to actually talk to an npc to kick off the next upgrade.
Would go a long way along with the dolyak change so a server doesnt get free upgrades for doing nothing.

What if they converted WvW seasons into this faction gametype only?
Would make WvW seasons competitive and relatively balanced.
It would also desensitize servers/players from stacking solely for seasons.
Also, since it is not based on the current server glickos, matches would be really fresh and random.

Just a thought anyway.

edit:
Would also love it if a 100man team from a faction had the option to check a timezone box so that they could be paired with players from the same timezone (it would be boring as hell if 2 factions had all NA and the last had 100 NA, 100 OCX/SEA and 100 EU)

http://gw2skills.net/editor/?vNAQNAR8YnUqAVsiNsAWsAUtglOBDelWT3pOBuAQh7pFEqWYlMtzA-TJxHABD8EACf/htLDAwFBAA

Been testing this build for the past couple days but havnt been able to go up against the "vets’ due to my tier and mmr so take my experience as such.

Anyway, works out great as a mid point tank with some dps (dps mainly from pet but with enough might, even non crits hurt) with good mobility.

Don’t know if I should swap out smokescale for either raven or wolf but those would be my choices.

Peoples thoughts?

I like the idea of a WvW reward track but my idea would be to add it as a participation check for a ticket reward system. The track gives out whatever loot and some tickets as the last tier reward. If you complete the track in a matchup, you are able to be rewarded tickets which scales based on how your server places. Ticket vendor would actually sell good rewards such as ascended weapon/armor chest (random stat each week), WvW only skins (new ones, for both armor and weapons), new HoT insignias, runes and sigils (only the ones which can’t be TPed, for HoT players only ofc) and some sort of rotation for random recipes/skins. Oh and the reward track would either only be obtainable once a week or subsequent runs of it would give worse rewards (no ticket farming).

Not sure how to not promote zerging but hey, nothings done that for the past 3 years, May as well make WvW rewards good to get players in there.

Edit: Oh and a WvW ascended backpack with selectable stats as a reward.

Edit: Oh, the WvW reward track would also have diminishing returns on track gain so zerging is at least put off a little. Defending an objective and player kills would give track credit as well (defense would give most).

It would have helped immensely if they actually tested the changes (nerfs) instead of knee-jerk reacting to things that seem powerful on paper (or against a PvP dummy) but we’re probably slightly overtuned. At least that is how I perceived the “balancing” for ranger/druid.

Druid will be used as healer/tank for raids (healer mostly) and ranger can fill the condi role (engi does have greater dps but from my experiences, rangers can get their rotation off a lot easier).

Making them salvageable could give just the runes back (with a black lion salvage for guarantee) + a couple liquid karma containers.

Im pretty sure CA will mainly be used for the full Condi clear/stun break (if you have it traited). CA 3 + 5 can proc ancient seeds and CA 4 will be a good quick heal in coordinated team fights. You shouldn’t camp CA for the full 10s duration, 5s is plenty. This would be different with a healing spec in PvP though.

Someone please think of the action camera!

Question! Why should it matter how fast we gain AF? There is still a 10s icd. Or did the devs think AF use should only be optimal with staff use?

Just going to run the dungeon meta build but run vipers armor with berserker or balth runes, carrion weapons (dont have vipers weapons yet) and trade I think beastmastery for druid. If they fix AF so that quickdraw procs, double water field should be plenty.

Why was the Supply Capacity Upgrade placed as the last Aura upgrade?
It is probably the most common buff seen in WvW prior to HoT and yet it is locked behind a wall of gold and/or grind and I dont see why it should be the case considering the buff scales better the less people you have.
What I mean by that is a larger WvW group will usually have more than enough supply to build whatever siege they want without the extra +5 supply where as the smaller your group is, the more important the +5 supply becomes.

So my question/suggestion is why is it placed last? It should be the 1st aura that a guild can unlock.
So could the auras be rearranged to place the Supply Capacity +5 buff first?

They need to up the aetherium cap and balance the upgrade costs based on the time it takes to produce. The mine upgrades should just be for high tier stuff and if you want upgrades completed faster.
I.e a very basic arena should be capable without too much of a grind. Add arena size, capacity and structures as things that would require more people/farming.

Hey,
is it possible to make unlocking/taming a pet account bound?
Would only affect people who have multiple rangers but figured I would ask anyway.

Thanks, Draeyon.

Havnt been able to test this myself and was wondering if someone else has.

Do sigils like Water and Renewal and Runes like Flock, Water and Monk proc AF gain from the heals that they provide?

Thanks, Draeyon.

Hammerguard.9834:

Draeyon.4392:

Would like to point out that the elec Wyvern’s static field does nothing as well. No damage, no stuns, just a field to combo through.

The Wyvern’s skill does something beneficial for you and itself in addition to it’s field. The Smokescale’s skill only helps itself in addition to it’s field.

I wasn’t saying that the field shouldn’t blind because the electric field doesnt do anything. More pointing out that both fields don’t really do anything (except the smoke field makes the Smokescale invlun when it is in it).
I would love damage/stun/vuln procs added to the electric field and a 1s blind (pulses every second) on the smoke field but not if it gets nerfed to compensate,
Anyway, those are my thoughts on the issue.

Would like to point out that the elec Wyvern’s static field does nothing as well. No damage, no stuns, just a field to combo through.

Yay! ty.
We now have our on demand stealth/blind/pet invuln. (blind from projectile finishers, we have plenty of them).
For future reference, better control of utility from pets (combo field prime example) along with some decent defense or offense makes a good pet. And please fix the bristleback F2 bug.

Edit: decent damage is more to do with damage that hits the target, not just a high damage skill (if it can’t land the hit, there’s no point).

Question! Why does the Smoke Assault need to do less damage if it swaps back with the Smoke field? Wasn’t is already nerfed by 50%?

Oh and I support the field on F2.

Next Expansion: Full Underwater maps fighting the Deep Sea Dragon.
Have some land somewhere to include gliding.
Largos new playable race.
New elite specs with new underwater weapons.
Couple of underwater PvP maps.
New guild hall for an underwater arena.
And just for some eye candy to draw people in, there will nautical combat as well, I.e players will be able to make ships to fight stuff.
Done.

Hey, don’t play PvP a whole lot, usually just some unranked with some friends.
What is the bunker build with Minstrel Amulet or at least peoples current variations of it?

Would like to point out that having the smoke field on f2 also provided an on demand pet invuln and that is not the case now. This was mega useful when doing content solo or in small man groups as it allowed the pet to tank for longer. Just my thoughts from using it in Maguuma.

These small changes seem to break a lot of the functionality of what they’re fixing.

Either way, the smoke field on f2 was the best choice for ALL game modes. Gives on demand stealth or a 5 sec invuln for the Smokescale. PLEASE CHANGE IT BACK. TY.

You would imagine that just using staff skills would generate the AF in 10 or so seconds since that is the CD for AF but nope.
Just going to run base ranger now.

Same, leveled my Rev in the tutorial zone as well and I only have the Mistward Headwrap collection unlocked.

Title.
Spent an hour running around the new maps randomly. Has anyone found any of the new pets yet?

edit: found the smokescale in Tangled Depths thanks to a guildie!!
Just south of the Teku Nuhock Waypoint there will be 2 Juvenile Smokescales.

I wouldnt mind having the option of having just waypoints unlocked on alts once you achieve map completion but keep the zone faded out until you visit.

Or something like a vendor that sells an acc bound consumable (could be like lvl 60+) that gives a character full map completion but obviously no exp, zone rewards or Gifts of Exploration would be given and you would need a character to have completed map completion to buy it

They have scaled the base healing of druid down by about 15-25% but upped the healing coefficients by about 45% so depending on the bosses, running healing gear may be optimal but I highly suspect that just running an extra druid with full zerk or sinister will be the meta for some raids especially with the changes to summons in PvE.

I hope changes to WvW are in the thought process at least. Ranger profession mechanic (pets) dying by AoEs I dogged/avoided simply because it doesn’t/can’t is really painful.

Power, Toughness and Condition Damage with Power as the main stat.
And for WvW as well as PvP.

1) +25 Vitality
2) +5% Boon Duration
3) +50 Vitality
4) Activating a Glyph grants 3 stacks Might to allies for 10s
5) +100 Vitality
6) Using an elite converts 3 conditions on allies into boons (30s icd)

If it is the case like Durzlla suggested, a rune involving glyph use would probably not be tied to the druid mechanic simply because it wouldnt function with the other classes that have them (Eles). It would probably be more like activating a glyph gives x boon to allies as a T4 or T6 bonus. I would also prefer a vitality stat on them to be honest. Any build wouldn’t say no to more health be it ranger or ele though I can see the case for healing power.

Edit: and gg I just read your 2nd post. Well I would still prefer a rune not tied to healing but I guess Druid is centered on it so focusing on a rune for that sake wouldn’t be too bad.
And you really ought to up the % to 10 for the whole set at least. You could put it on the 4th stat as 10% and add a boon duration to the 2nd but that would be just me.

Spirits: Remove the boon from the GM trait. Reintroduce both spirits unbound and actives proccing on spirit death.

Alternatively rework spirits to not be killable and balance around that.

I would prefer the rework as the buffs spirits provide don’t see all that great for something that can easily be cleaved to death.

edit: I know this is more for introducing better A.Is and stuff but would prefer a rework when it comes to spirits.

AsiaPac will only be affected by this change by having 1 full weekend day to play instead of 2. Currently WvW resets on Sat mornings, after the change it will be Sun mornings. This might actually help some people if they do stuff Saturday and have Sunday as their lazy day but I don’t want to speak for a broad playerbase so take this just as my own perspective.

Why are people defending this? Granted I always run around with supply and stealth traps now but this is broken. They added direct damage to a ranger trap that doesn’t even apply any damaging conditions (Frost Trap) yet removed it from thief traps that do?

Never got a response from this, any devs able to confirm/deny whether the level 80 exotic temple armor will become salvageable with HoT?

Smokescale: New Meta Pet
Fire Wyvern: Visual Effect Only
Wolf: Old Reliable
Raven: Blynding Styling
Owl: Chillin N Killin
Alpine Wolf: Chill Meta Op

For all others, I go lazy and just name them their F2 ability.