Guild Wars 2

Originally posted by Bobathar:
“no soft or hard enrage timers allow players to disregard dps maximization and autoattack their way to victory. "

As a dagger/dagger necro, my auto-attack does more damage than any other skill on my bar but my wells, which have timers on the upper side of 30 seconds. There might well be other classes with the same thing going on.

Enrage timers are a mechanic that is used to encourage the trinity in games where there is a clear delineation between tank, healer and DPS. Guild Wars 2 is not that game.

I have arthritis in my hands and will never be as good at the manual dexterity challenges like the death swarms in TA and laser security field in CoE as someone who does not. I’ve run these several times each with guild members, and have not yet been able to pass them as others get through before I can, and turn them off.

I do indeed take armor off to do them, as armor does nothing to help and I’d rather not spend the silver on a learning process that I may never have the chance to master.

As to dungeon loot, every champion, boss, and mini-boss should drop a rare. This would give a chance of finding something useful (for people in greens), allow for salvage for ectos for crafting, or provide fodder for the forge.

You just might have a future as a joke writer for ANet!

Grenades used on land thrown towards my target, as is done underwater.

It is selfish to only want level 80’s in your runs. These people are doing this for their own convenience. It is also selfish to expect people to include you if you are not level 80.. You expect others to cater to your wants. I see no real difference here.

This phenomenon is caused by developers. They build reward mechanics into their games that require people to re-do dungeons (sometimes, many times) for the rewards. Without these rewards, people play through once and are done, and start clamoring for more to do.

When you are on the 15th run-through, the novelty is gone and prolonging the experience is not desirable. When you are on your first run, speed-running interferes with enjoyment. Each group should seek the like-minded for their dungeon runs. Oh, wait, that’s what the level-80 runners ARE doing.

Sorry, OP, I cannot concur.

The high-level game (Orr, Frostgorge, Dungeons, PvP and whatnot) are heavily focused on control and conditions in addition to damage. The signet build is lacking in counters for most of those. The 4 or 5 signet build does have condition removal if you select Signet of Stamina, but it provides no group benefits and has no other counters (e.g., stability, stun removal).

If the range was going to be 900, it should have been the SHORT bow. Just saying.

I’d like to like the longbow, but I just can’t. Its only real value is providing an option for ranged AoE for a warrior. As for condition builds with sword, I find I’m better off with rifle in the other slot, since its auto-attack stacks bleeds.

Just let us put standard utility skills in the 10 slot, and rework the 80% of the elites that are not worth using.

In the beta weekends, there was a “hint” that fighting higher level mobs would give you a chance at better loot. IME in game this still happens. I’ve gotten a higher percentage of green/gold drops fighting mobs at +2 to +3 from me (mostly greens, but the occasional gold, also — my L46 ele got a gold bow from a +2 Alpine Stalker tonight).

Flamez.5390:

How much does an average lvl 80 waypoint cost?

Cost is based on distance. To travel from the northern edge of Frostgorge Sound to Cursed Shore is somewhere around 4.5 silver. Mapping to the closest waypoint (e.g., on dying) is around 1.5 silver. The cost for repairing one 80 exotic armor piece is 1.64 silver, so waypoints cost more unless you are traveling not very far at all.

As to just running everywhere, this can get complicated in places where the mob density means fighting something every 35’. That can take a long time to get anywhere, but there’s always training a large group of mobs onto someone else by running by them, like a lot of kittens do.

Thanks very much for all the hard work. This is an awesome resource.

Ideally, dropping a combo field allows allies (and oneself) to then use powers labelled as Combo Finishers through the field to gain additional effects (like burning if you drop a Ring of Fire). Look at tooltips to see which combo finishers you have as an Ele. Then, when allies drop white circles on the ground around you, use the finisher to get a combo. You can also drop your combo fields for allies to take advantage of.

striker.3704:

that’s just a work around though. That doesn’t change how the elite has no synergy with minion masters or your traits.

Maybe so, but since most of the elites in all of the professions stink anyway, getting some use out of one is not a bad thing. Flesh Golem is on the list of stinkers because of its attacking random stuff but not attacking mobs I’m actually fighting anyway.

Slot Plague underwater, but use it only when the minions are all or mostly dead. Spam the blind, buying time for your minions CD’s to finish.

I have not noticed any major changes in mob behavior or effectiveness. That said, there are a few mobs that hurt more than others. Some of the imps can take half your health in one hit if you don;t dodge their swoop attack.

Items like crests and jewels have a minimum level, which applies to the item they are added to, not just the player.

Originally posted by Mammoth
“You’re confusing optional with mandatory. If you had to do lyssa to get the gear to do the easy events in cursed shore, that would be a problem.”

Meaning no disrespect, this reply does not make sense to me. Perhaps I did not explain my point well enough. Grind is often engaged in for rewards. If GW2 is not about grind and not about rewards, you’d think people would gravitate towards more complex, more challenging events for the fun involved. Since that is not what I’m seeing, I question what the game’s community really wants. Maybe a majority of peoples’ idea of fun is getting rewards?

I see no lag in GW2, on high settings, even in events with 50+ players where there are so many particle effects that I cannot even see the boss. There may be some sort of issue with your ISP if your system is at recommended specs and you are still getting lag.

Down-leveling was a great idea. If only it worked as advertised. As it is, the drops are not scaling well, and the higher-levels in lower level zones are very noticeable due to how much damage they are pumping out.

I’ve gotten several “different” looking armor pieces from either story quests or karma vendors. For instance my warrior is wearing a karma chest-piece from the Cursed Shore Melandru Temple vendor that looks great, and my thief is wearing a studded coat that is waist length in front (with coat-tails only on the sides and rear) that I got from a 30-40 ish story quest and will be transforming stats onto as I go. I always preview the armor pieces at Karma vendors, as I never know what I might find.

As far as single target DPS, rifle warrior with Precision spec or ranger short bow with a condition spec.

GW2 may be the game that is not about grind. However, if that is what the majority of its players want, why does almost no one on my server do the Malchor’s Leap Lyssa Event, instead choosing to do the easy events in Cursed Shore over and over? The Risen Priestess has been in position for almost two weeks now.

My hypothesis is that they are after rewards in the form of Karma, drops and gold, and that the Lyssa event is too long and difficult for not much return. Maybe my server is an anomaly. If so, please state which server(s) have control of the Lyssa shrine. I’d like to get the skill challenge done so I can complete the zone.

gg willikers.4015:

And on that topic, all the dungeon armor sets look exactly the same to me when I preview them off the vendors, is this just a bug or what?

Those vendors have more than one tab. Look in the lower one for the L80 Exotic gear, which looks different.

I have 2 80’s, three 40 somethings, and 3 lowers. So, no. The second 80 earned a lot of XP from crafting (jewelry) and doing dungeons with the guild. Three runs in a dungeon and gain almost two levels. The highest 40 has no craft and has only been in a dungeon once, so advancement for this character has "felt’ slower.

This type of behavior was bound to make it into GW2, as it has in every other game. The best thing to do is to join with others who enjoy what you enjoy, and leave the speed runs to those who enjoy that. Once they speed run themselves through all their goals, they’ll be moving on, anyway.

Artorous.8573:

I could care less about the conditions, although I hate pulls. It doesn’t matter how they are facing, like I said they seem to be the only mob, ranged or not, that agro from the distance. Applies to both Land and Water. Have yet to come across any other Risen that agro at the distance and chase you the distance they chase. They seem to be the only mob that doesn’t do any form of condition application but I hate being followed half the map when everything else gave up months ago.

I experimented today and proved my hypothesis about their facing to be false. The Acolytes do have CC, they have an immobilize.

coglin.1496:

BrunoBRS.5178:

i think the biggest issue is how the risen can easily knock you back/down/pull/chill/cripple. sometimes you’ll get pulled 3 times before you’re allowed to move again.

it makes straits of devastation the most painful area in the game to navigate. i’m so glad i’m done with that area, because i’m never coming back to it.

How is this a problem ?
I slap 7 for my condition removal and roll on.

I mean seriously, It appears you are complaining about having difficulty in an end game zone while solo. Either group up and play a massive multi-player game with multiple players or add counters to the issues you complain about. If you are unwilling to do either, then you have no right to complain.

The ubiquitous yank, shove, knockdown, cripple and whatnot are in game because ANet learned from GW1 that people will run through areas rather than fight through them. ANet implemented all these impediments to “encourage” people to fight mobs rather than avoid them. These mob abilities do NOT make fighting the mobs harder, so leave the difficulty card in the pack. It does make the mobs more annoying, however.

As to Acolyte aggro: it might have something to do with mob facing. I saw one yesterday aggro onto me from 3 mobs away. The two closer mobs were also Acolytes, but those two were facing away, whereas the further one was facing me. I’ll keep an eye out to see if this was an anomaly or a feature.

Many games have this phenomenon. It’s all about their convenience. That’s their privilege. However, it’s too bad that some people don’t give a rat’s kitten about anyone else.

Thunderpork.4281:

Meeooww.3742:

Don’t push your beliefs into others. Other players might feel the opposite way you feel.

Is he pushing his beliefs onto us, though? I think you’re overreacting a little.

A call to remove waypoints is indeed pushing beliefs. The OP believes he would enjoy the game more if waypoints were gone. When you don’t want the waypoints removed, then the other person’s desire to have them gone would indeed conflict with your desire to have the waypoints available.

Personally, I do not believe that removing waypoints would increase the number of people doing things in various areas. People do things because they want to, and don’t because they don’t want to. If people are forced to run through zones, they will run through zones, without stopping to smell the virtual flowers, feel the virtual raindrops or do DE’s. Or worse, they would stop playing.

Leave the waypoints. Exercise choice in using them. I waypoint infrequently. When I do, it is because I don’t want to fight a mob every 35’ to get to where I want to go.

I don’t get sick from GW2 map. but I know what you mean. I had to shelve Morrowind because the camera was too jumpy, and I got vertigo from playing it.

1) doing a heart quest somewhere in Charr territory, attack one Ogre, get knocked into another (plus pets), then two more wander in from the magical land of instant respawn; rally four times in one fight.

2) trying to do the Temple of Union event in Malkor’s with only two others. The Champion boss is nearly dead, but fears me, and I run off the edge of the temple platform. It’s a loooong way down so I have plenty of time to contemplate going splat, and fall into … water!

3) Every time I view a vista, or stop to look at the game world.

When the statues of the gods are active, there are harmful environmental effects (meteor showers, mesmer fields of can’t-do-anything, and the barbed coils of constant cripple and bleed). These were not much of an issue for the first month or so, as plenty of people were doing the events to take the temples back. Now, at least on my server, no one is doing these events and the effects have persisted since the last reset.

Any one have any thoughts about these aspects of Orr? Love them, like them, dislike them, hate them with a passion, thoughts, suggestions, etc.?

Chrollo.2173:

Sometimes just the spawn rate is ridiculous. I had just finished grinding a few dynamic events in Cursed Shore when I ended up in Bloodtide Coast to try to fill out my daily enemy variety. I was swimming around in the water all kitteny as I destroyed everything when I got to an underwater event where I had to destroy generators. I started to do so when suddenly I realized that there were like…7 inquest mobs around me. I was able to kill a bunch but even more appeared around them…and I died which was quite embarrassing for me having just retaken the portal entrance to Arah…

I know that event. The mob density and spawn/respawn there is insane. The game is designed to allow for movement in combat, but any movement at all is guaranteed to draw added aggro. Not to mention that grenades are OP, and 1/3 to 1/2 of the mobs are grenadiers. That event alone was sufficient to make me think that extermination of the Asura species is a viable option. Now, if only they would stay dead.

Give a large amount, say 2-3K Karma, for doing story mode, but you can only get it once per day.

I’m very much a map completionist, and I do most every DE I come across while doing so. Lately, some of them are failing because I am doing them solo. This is in the 30-50 zones.

Imo there is nothing wrong with the rewards for map completion. However, the “rewards” for other content might not be rewarding enough. Even in Orr, I find that “hard” events like the Lyssa event in Malkor’s or the Champions in the water are unattended, whereas the easy events (drake eggs, chicken coops) get completed all the time.

My experience with UW combat has been a mixed bag. I like it (mostly) on warrior, hate it on Ele, meh on Necro. My warrior can just go into melee most of the time and own things with harpoon. The elementalist weapon skills seem to have turned the ele into more of a CC character, whereas on land they’re more of a damage dealer. With Necro, I find myself using pets for utility since wells don’t work UW, and my weapon skills are kind of unexciting (for instance, why does the necro pull with harpoon disable my skills as well as interrupt the mob, whereas warrior’s pull does not?).

As to the leashing/invulnerability bug, yeah that is really annoying, since in most of the cases the mob is going to re-aggro, and sometimes the leashing occurs so close to its “home” spot.

So, what three things about the Necromancer class bother you the most?

Mine are:

1: The Jagged Horror that spawns if you have 5 points in Death Magic. The thing is nigh useless, its health loss numbers floating up the screen are annoying, and I have taken to playing without sound because it seems every time it dies (which thankfully happens soon after it spawns, I would hear, “I hand-raised that minion!” I’d give my eye teeth for choices (even just two per trait) for the 5 point traits.

2: Minions that will not attack, unless of course it is a target I don’t want them going after.

3: The slooooow attack speed of the staff.

DeeJay
“I just want to add that this “feature” is a big part of what makes underwater combat so tedious.

It seems like the vastly excessive mob density and respawn rates seem to have increased further underwater.

This really needs to be looked at because it’s hell of annoying."

Add to that the underwater mobs that chase you, suddenly leash, then come right back while you are fighting three others. Also, the ones that go invulnerable and leash to their “spot” (which is ten feet away!), then reset and come back. Yeah, UW combat can be a pain. This is a shame. When you can maneuver, and when mobs stay dead long enough for you to grab your loot, UW combat can be a blast.

It seems that a lot of people not on the forums agree with the OP, at least on my server. It is possible to go into many zones and see people ignoring the “kill Champion X event.” In Orr, I mostly see people camping the mass mob zerg events, while Champion events in outlying corners of the map are unattended.

Except that for most of the elites, they are not ultimate abilities, or super-moves, they are just trash. If these skills were the elites in GW1, I would have left them off my bar and taken something useful in their place. In GW2 I don’t have that option — and I wish to kitten I did.

Necro elites

Flesh Golem: Plus: takes damage very well, hits fairly hard. Minus: only attacks the things I am attacking about 30-40% of the time; also, attacks things that I am not attacking about 30% of the time.

Plague: transform that locks out all my other abilities; mostly useful to apply conditions, does no other damage, but does have more health and is tougher than I am. This one is not bad.

Lich Form: Not sure about this one. Also a transform so trading 14 other skills for 5, 4 of which have longish cd’s, meaning that they will be available only 1-2 times during Lich Form’s duration. The auto-attack sometimes seems to do more damage than my weapon would, and sometimes not. Not as tanky as Plague.

In other professions and the racials, most everything else I’ve tried has either had problems working as described, or is completely underwhelming.

Probably the most useless I’ve tried was Avatar of Melandru. This was an awesome Elite in GW1, but here it transforms you into an Oakheart, with 5 skills. Only one does any damage (the auto-attack, which has pathetic damage and is slow). The stability would be useful if only I could do something effective besides just take damage while using it.

There are still areas in Orr where the increased influx of players hasn’t gotten to. I was running around in the extreme SW of Cursed Shore today. There were two DE’s with Champions (group events) and no one was there. The mob density is such that there is a mob every 30-50 feet (this is underwater). Fighting one means fighting 2-3. Moving around at all (in a game designed to have evasion be your main source of defense) usually means aggroing something else. I haven’t had much trouble elsewhere in Orr, but I won’t be going back there alone again.

ANet wanted the game to be about doing things because they are fun. However the majority of folks, at least on my server, seem to be doing the same Orr events over and over because there are a lot of people, meaning the event is done quickly. ANet’s game design was predicated on the idea that people would pursue fun. However, my view is that in practice people are pursuing the path of least resistance to their goals.

Playble: most, Norn, least, Asura.

Non-Playable: most: Kodan; least: Risen.

When it’s a spawn point leashing thing, and the mob runs back to its spawn/patrol point, I wish it would lose aggro also. But, nope, gets "home’ then races back to right where it was when it went invulnerable and commences to fight again. That one is all kinds of annoying.

I also agree. HB costs, iirc, as many skill points as Healing Spring. It’s effectiveness should measure up. Also, the only time in group play I’ve seen folks cluster in a static area is when they don’t need the healing because they are not taking damage.

The elementalist dagger cone can at least be seen, and is thus easier to target by strafe plus turning. However, the game does not necessarily need more visual FX. The warrior shouts that heal (with trait) are AoE radius FX. Maybe HB should be a shout?

I do know that the skill is not on my bar and is likely to remain so, as long as it works as it does.

So many of the item vendors, especially the Karma ones, feature items with +healing. I agree the stat needs to be made more useful, eliminated or replaced.

Seconded.

I spent 21k karma at the vendor in LA at the end of the pirate jumping puzzle for an item I couldn’t use when I clicked on one I did want, but for some reason that click didn’t take. The cutlass I wanted even looked highlighted, but I got a short bow instead.

Has there been an MMO published in the post-WoW era that did not generate complaints of “not enough to do?” I get by with comparing GW2 to a SP RPG because it only cost me the box price. Such games usually last 40-50 hours. So far in GW2 I have played 400 hours. I’m not even close to done on my main. Even those who accomplished all their “goals” are complaining that they only got 100 hours of enjoyment out of the game.

It’s also possible to stack the same stats on crafted exotics, so sets make sense. If you like an armor piece’s look and not the stats, the intent is for you to spend money to get a L80 transformation stone to superimpose the look on stats you do like. Since each vendor has three choices for stats, it is still possible to mix and match.

I’m with Revenant. It’s nice that some people don’t care about rewards, but some people do.

GW2 does have “better-stat” gear at 80, but only until you get full exotics. Exotics can be gotten with gold and Karma. I’ve not seen one drop, except from high-level zone completion rewards, but maybe someone else has. Running in lower level zones, it will take a lot longer to get the Karma or gold to gear a character than it does if in the higher level zones. My 80 (in lower level zones) rarely gets any level 80 Blue drops, never mind gold ones. “The whole game is endgame” implies that would not be the case.