Guild Wars 2

It’s all about the initiative regen buff. That alone made thieves as a whole ridiculously strong in some of their builds (not only PW, people).
By adding +33% init regen, you effectively and greatly increased their room for mistakes as all of their weapon attacks are spammable. Now all thieves ignore initiative regen traits becouse they don’t need them anymore; and focus on other buffs/utilities through traits (ex. trickery line), making that initiative regen buff even more of an indirect buff.
This is only going to get worse with double sigils unless something is done to remedy this.

Shameless offtopic request: remove hundred blades and put a movable attack while your are at it. kkthxbai.

Hahahaha! The sarcasm on some of these posts is killing me!

I’m going to be fair though:

47. Combat fluidity and responsiveness.

48. No stat disparity. (No looks or gear which is still grindy).

49. Even though it clearly has some balance issues, the combat actually has some depth to it.

50. This one is subjective, but I think the combat (again) is fun and engaging, all it needs is a solid, non-disruptive duel feature (getting to actually have a single duel in that 1v1 arena is incredibly hard and frustrating) and another game mode, the combat has a lot of (hopefully not wasted) potential.

There you go, even with some repeated points, I’ve tried to be as positive as I could.

The initiative regen buff made trickery S/P thieves incredibly strong, I’m surprised it took this long for people to realize it.

What a pity. At least the Guardian notes were really great (besides the Overpowered EM change).
Torch now being useful as a condi cleansing weapon to myself? Finally good and balanced, it has a long cast time, a long channel time and relatively poor damage compared to AA.

Zeal trait line finally being made good, viable, attractive… Adding some bonuses to focus CD reduction trait is good, bunker guardians don’t go 20 points into zeal anyways, so it’s a clear buff to those that go DPS.
Discarding the crappy Kindled Zeals trait and giving guardians much needed soft CC but on a 30 point trait? Brilliant.
Merging Spirit Weapon traits, something guardians were complaining about for like months now? Too good to be true. Also, the Impervious Spirits trait makes great sinergy with the new Cleansing Flame and would allow for some great counterplay, just within the build.

I was looking forward to undust my DPS Guard, meh.
(I miss my Spirit Weapon Guardian from beta so much T.T).

Nikkinella.8254:

The ele community seems to have alot of haters in general. We’re the crappiest class and yet fighting among ourselves……sad.

Wait there. This myth has to die. Elementalists are far from the crappiest class. They perform well on every aspect of the game with the exception of sPvP, and even then some Ele builds are starting to see some tourny play as of late, also, in that sPvP context, don’t blame the class, but the meta in which Eles just slightly underperform.

This class is a key component in any zerg group, it’s a very cappable and competent solo roamer and a top PvE DPS and support profession.
You all seem to talk purely from a WvW perspective, so it seems very advantageous of you to call this class weak in this part of the game, when it really isn’t.
I know we all like to fish for buffs on these forums to our favourite class while disorting and twisting our arguments here and there, but… come on.
Also, I know you are giggling at the fact that these future buffs made purely for sPvP porpuses are going to directly affect your min-maxed pimped up ascended dressed WvW ele too, I know I am.

With that said, regarding the video:

I really enjoyed it… but… there are three things that could help the viewer if you’re up to that: the lack of variety and the personal skill of your opponents was a little off-putting. Also, the build you play is a little too mistake friendly, just swap to water and half the conditions are gone and half of your HP is back up, this definetly helped you cover many of the mistakes you made; I urge you to play something riskier but more rewarding and you may become even better!

That thief didn’t even have the vigor boon up or the Hastened Replenishment trait, and he could have also tried weapon swaping to another shortbow, sword/dagger, or dagger dagger and do a 3 spam with Quick Pockets and energy sigil (also, Feline Grace!)…

Fast Hands is what made me choose one over the other. It was easy for me.

Warlord.9074:

Skills
2. Barbaric Rage ( 3 hit Frontal Cleave with this animation) "/ \ / " Animation. You can move while channeling. Does damage similar to landing all 3 #1 skills. But a burst.

This is what Hundred Blades (100b) should be like imo. Also, it should be stronger than 3* #1, if not, what would be the point of the skill then? Maybe with greatly increased damage against burning/vulnerable foes?

Warlord.9074:

3. Infernal Rush (Rush skill similar to Ranger Swoop but instead of the bird animation have a fire animation) Hits the target with 5 stacks of burning damage. Range 1200

If you want a hybrid CC/mobility weapon with decent damage on top, a 1200 range charge-like skill is a little too much (Ranger’s Swoop is 1100), I’d put it at 900 range at best, depending on CD.

Otherwise, I can see (on paper) the sinergy of the skills already, good job!

Lordrosicky.5813:

Khenzy.9348:

Also, the increased cast time on Pin Down is a BUFF, I can actually fake cast it now instead of wasting it on a sudden block/dodge/blind/skill queue and not being able to cancel it.

No

Correct, I should have specified, it’s a buff to MY playstyle.

Also, the increased cast time on Pin Down is a BUFF, I can actually fake cast it now instead of wasting it on a sudden block/dodge/blind/skill queue and not being able to cancel it.

MachineManXX.9746:

Guess I’m a noob, but what exactly are Necro Minion Master Botters? and how would you know when you see one?

They move in strange ways/paths (for several reasons actualy), they randomly dodge in combat, they perform a very scrypted and clear not optimal or ‘on the fly’ cycle of skills (very easy to tell), they usually have random nicknames such as “Addkkrtyer” “Rtyufgjasmg”, etc., etc.

You just have to know how the program makes the character behave, then they become even easier to spot.

I’ve seen lots of these MM necros as of late too.

We should be discussing how annoying is when they fill your screen with AI, just like with MM Necros, Spirit Rangers, and even Engineer’s elite or bomb/granade spam… that would be a more legitimate complaint. Some games get way overun by AI and particles that it becomes impossible to play properly at that point.

The only thing keeping PU Mesmers in check is the stealth decap change made many patches ago. They will definetly have to be adjusted if any new game mode arises that favors their playstyle though.
I also find the premise of ‘let your AI do the damage while you run around using defensive moves when needed’ an incredibly lame design choise, this is more of a personal opinion.

Enzo.2784:

My friend managed to make PvP Runic Blade aka Infinite Light from a Phoenix token and a Arcane Crystal. Though he went through 3 sets of T2 cultural for tokens.

Omfg. I have to get that sweet looking sword now. OMW! Wish me some luck!

I don’t really know what’s all the fuss about, Warriors are actually fairly manageable.

I find granade and bomb spam Engineers the worst contenders, they make team fights incredibly one sided and the build itself is the lamest thing in this game.

I think something like P/D + D/P, perplexity runes and a mix of condition and direct damage with 10/0/30/0/30 would make for and incredibly strong 1v1 build (possibly one of the strongest), although of very little use for much else.

Cavalier trinkets, some parts Assassin’s to get a couple extra s on crit chance, Berserker everything else. 20k HP+3k armor+3200 attack and 40 to 50 crit chance (+20 with fury) with around 90% to 100% crit. damage is more than enough to zerg or solo.

I think dueling in the open world is incredibly fun. If you find annoying to be spammed by duel requests, they just add an option to deny all incoming duel requests and solved.

^That’s assuming too much I think. We’ll just have to wait and check that on our own.

If the numbers I’m reading are correct, the Mesmer heal sounds pretty OP.

JonPeters.5630:

The reason we went with heal skills first is that we actually believe this is the highest impact area for build diversity.

1) it is a small pool to begin with so adding to it increases choice by a large %
2) it sees a lot of use
3) it heals you which is pretty important

As time goes on we will also introduce traits, utilities, elites, and potentially other stuff.

Jon

Agreed, the two most impacful chages you can make to vastly improve build diversity and viability are adding new Healing skills (or improving current ones), which proved to be key in the case of the Warrior profession (see Healing Signet, the most significant and impacful change that vastly increased Warrior build diversity and viability as a whole), and improving (or adding new) Weapon skills, which was proven by the Sword/Dagger Thief’s significant effectiveness and performance increase after the changes and improvements to Flanking Strike.

The other contenders are obviously Utility skills, Traits and Elite skills, but those two I already named are above these in my opinion.

Any competent Shadow Arts P/D condition Thief counters this particular Mermer build, it’s far from their most difficult match up actually.

It’s a very ‘trolly’ and frustrating spec to fight against, I’m not sure what the devs were thinking on this one.

Longbow and Cleansing Ire are you counter to P/D Thieves. With sneak attack hitting so many times you’ll be farting adrenaline to spam that mother kittener away. You can tank and camp them on your fire field all day long if you have just enough sustain. They need to be on melee range to deliver any significant punishment to you.
If a Thief does not want to die, they most likely wont, but that applies to almost all thives though.

It’s well played P/P acrobatics blind spammer Thieves you should be afraid of. But those tend to be either very glassy or go with Perplexity Runes (which were reciently nerfed) and condition damage. Thieves are all about juking their dodges and timing bursts to kitten them up.

Glassy S/D thieves can be a threat too. But with the Dec10 nerf to sword, not so much anymore.

I love your where your change to 100b goes.
I always thought Warriors should have some kind of channeled skill where you perform a series of strong but slow and telegraphed greatsword hits, a skill which you can use while on the move, of course.
100b doing so much damage but being static and needing so much set up, greatly narrows its uses and therefore build diversity; also, I don’t know where’s the fun in watching your character stay there performing an animation while not being able to control it. Or just focusing an entire build to set up a single weapon skill, that’s not particularly fun to me.

I’d go as far as to say: Why don’t they implement a skill like that where the channel time increases depending on your adrenaline levels, therefore increasing the number of hits (and damage).

You would then move Arcing Slice to 100b’s current place and adjust it accordingly.

Your extact idea of a shorter movable channeled 100b with similar damage would be grossly overpowered though.

Also, I would slightly increase the auttoattack damage, but I wouldn’t touch anything else on the greatsword, maybe fixing Rush’s targeting issues, but it wouldn’t be a priority, that skill has lots of uses already.

I’m pretty sure a skilled tanky condi damage P/D+D/P 0/0/30/20/20 Thief with incredibly high Vigor and Regen Uptime with Perplexity Runes, has virtually no hard (and maybe even soft) counters at all. They can dispatch a PU Mesmer in a f2f fight.
Only well timed long duration stuns can put them down once Shadowstep is on CD, but good luck on that with ridiculous dodge uptime, extreme Kite potential on P/D and high uptime on blind on D/P.

Next meta, Tempest Defense+Powerful Aura Eles are going to be key components on any team like Guardians are now.
Guardian’s Stand Your Ground will be as mandatory as ever (Mantra of Concentration and Toss Elixir B not so sure).
The new condi resistant shatter Mesmers will see their rise.
Strong condition classes such as Spirit Rangers, Engineers and Necros will still remain as viable as ever (DPS alternatives not so much).
Burst rifle Engies may see their rise to quickly take down these new Eles.
GS/LB Warriors with (very)high stability uptime may possibly see a come back. Hambows will still be viable.
Thieves are a big ?

Well, those are my guesses.

Yup! Bring Perpexity Runes and destroy the slightest bit of balance you already have.

Butnaked.9287:

gs is the worst pvp weapon. All that crap your trying to do with immob is fine in theory but in practice its a different story.
1)bolas are crazy inconsistent
2)your never gonna get a full 100blades on someone unless they went to the bath room
3)the burst skill is by far the most useless warrior ability. We already have great up time on fury without it and it does crap dmg. your better using ur burst on ur 2nd weapon which in ur case is the lb(100 times better move).

only thing gs is good for is mobility and that’s exactly what your gonna need to do with it, run away.

I just can’t answer this massive hyperbole with a strait face.
You definetly don’t have perma fury on that build and you are better of saving your signet for a full condi cleanse or a clutch full boon in need situation. It can crit for 2.5k in stage 1, it’s decent enough for an additional attack on your rotation, you have enough adren to spam Longbow F1 on CD too. TB works just fine on melee range and also where Leg Specialist is going to help you land it. You speak as if everyone has unliimited blinds, blocks, cleanses or whatever, or as if you are not with other team mates.
I don’t know, I’m playing a deliberatly nerfed Hammer (no Merciless H. Nor UF) build and this one against top PvP players and I’m doing just fine, Maybe I’m this special unique illuminated player that just does everything right, who knows.

I’m not sure why Greatsword is so badly criticized.
You can have a build like this: http://gw2skills.net/editor/?fIAQJARTjkOxwtOqQMxBE0DNsK2C1D7oOijUBxA-ToAg0CtIKSVkrITRyisFNsYJC

Which I think it’s perfectly viable. You can even use Arcing Slice for perma fury on this build as you have quite a bit of adrenaline gain (it also hits kind of hard too). You start with Longbow to force condi cleanses with Pin Down, Fun of Fire and/or Combustive Shot, you should also force some dodges and a soon heal use with Arcing Arrow included. You then switch to Greatsword for a BladeTrail (Leg Specialist)>Throw Bolas>Hundred Blades combo for a safer kill. If you make your enemy play on your terms evading blocks, blinds and forcing teleports and other means to set up your 100b+TB combo you should be fine.
If 100b fails, you always have a potential 7 immob inside 3 adren Combutive Shot>Arcing Arrow>Greatsword Autos>Whirlwind which is just as devastating.
You have it all, sustain, antiburst (Defy Pain), mobility, prolongued pressure, burst pressure, condi prevention, condi cleanse and even hard CC (immob).

My point is, Warriors have other fine and viable alternatives besides wielding a Hammer (which will still be fine afterpatch).

Two of my posts:

Warrior

JonathanSharp.7094:

We just posted this:

Keep in mind that we can still change/tweak some of these things, so please don’t freak out. We’d love to hear your feedback! We’re currently playing with these changes and already making some small tweaks as we speak.

Now that you are moving traits around.

About Warrior:
I always wanted to play a 3 physical utility skill Warrior with Stomp, Bulls Charge and Kick. Why don’t you move Physical Training to the Adept line so I can match this trait with Distracting Strikes? Both traits make an awesome sinergy, so I’d would love to be able to take one of the grandmaster traits from the Strengh line along side these two (I’d definetly take Berserker’s Power for ultrastrong Physical utility skills!).

Physical training in the Adept line would also match all the other utility skill improvement traits in the other Adept Warrior lines.

I’d move Short Temper to the Master Line and in addition to its current effect: Your first attack cannot be blocked (30s CD).

What do you think?

Guardian

By the changes, they seem to want full DPS Guardians to play something like this: http://gw2skills.net/editor/?fUAQNAR8dlUgqCnGSOEf4ESmiC8AtUIQHU1j45e8QA-TsAg0CtIATBmDMDYSwsgNsYVyuAA

Precast SoW>JI>WW… etc. Instakill, stability/blind stomp and get out.

I honestly don’t like this approach, I expected a heavy armor apparently selfsustainable holy (and shiny!) Warrior with few hard CCs but being one who withstands a battle for a while and wittles you down with fierce but powerful strikes with more slower paced and tactical manouvers; not this insta damage spike getin-getout squishy DPSer, it feels like a thief with no stealth and heavy armor (wtf?). I just don’t like how that feels on a Guardian.

That support GS/Staff build running around is far from a DPS build.

Why did Warriors became all I wanted in a Guardian?

PS: Kindled Zeal is still going to be absolute kitten btw. (lel ~+230 condi. dmg.).

By the changes, they seem to want full DPS Guardians to play something like this: http://gw2skills.net/editor/?fUAQNAR8dlUgqCnGSOEf4ESmiC8AtUIQHU1j45e8QA-TsAg0CtIATBmDMDYSwsgNsYVyuAA

Precast SoW>JI>WW… etc. Instakill, stability/blind stomp and get out.

I honestly don’t like this approach, I expected a heavy armor apparently selfsustainable holy (and shiny!) Warrior with few hard CCs but being one who withstands a battle for a while and wittles you down with fierce but powerful strikes with more slower paced and tactical manouvers; not this insta damage spike getin-getout squishy DPSer, it feels like a thief with no stealth and heavy armor (wtf?). I just don’t like how that feels on a Guardian.

That support GS/Staff build running around is far from a DPS build.

Why did Warriors became all I wanted in a Guardian?

PS: Kindled Zeal is still going to be absolute kitten btw. (lel ~+230 condi. dmg.).

JonathanSharp.7094:

We just posted this:

https://forum-en.gw2archive.eu/forum/game/gw2/Dec-10th-Balance-Preview/

Keep in mind that we can still change/tweak some of these things, so please don’t freak out. We’d love to hear your feedback! We’re currently playing with these changes and already making some small tweaks as we speak.

Now that you are moving traits around.

About Warrior:
I always wanted to play a 3 physical utility skill Warrior with Stomp, Bulls Charge and Kick. Why don’t you move Physical Training to the Adept line so I can match this trait with Distracting Strikes? Both traits make an awesome sinergy, so I’d would love to be able to take one of the grandmaster traits from the Strengh line along side these two (I’d definetly take Berserker’s Power for ultrastrong Physical utility skills!).

Physical training in the Adept line would also match all the other utility skill improvement traits in the other Adept Warrior lines.

I’d move Short Temper to the Master Line and in addition to its current effect: Your first attack cannot be blocked (30s CD).

What do you think?

By what he said, they are mostly going to move traits around.

JonathanSharp.7094:

I think the description needs to be worked on. Already talked w/ the other balance guys about this, we’ll look at it again!

^
Sorry to come out offtopic everyone, but Jonathan, can you cleanse you PM inbox? It’s full right now! Thanks!

It was a good PvP patch. kkthxbai.

1- Balance. By far.

Rewards that don’t affect gameplay? Don’t care.

A potentialy unbalanced new game mode? See point 1- above.

A 40 seconds CD bulls charge and an 8 seconds Earthshaker is enough for me. You just have to be smart enough on how to use these.

^That’s good feedback guys, appreciated. I’ve been reading other threads and it seems the most popular choise for WvW is Melandru, even though I find a full condi cleanse on the signet higly valuable in sPvP, in WvW with food things may be different.

My brother who evidently plays a Warrior, wants to play a Hammer/Longbow build in WvW, he mostly plays duo roam with me or small group squad roaming (with the very occassional zerg play), he rarely solo roams as well. His condition cleansing should not depend on me as I usually play different classes (Ele, Guardian and Thief mostly…). So for this enviroment and this particular build, what runes would you suggest him to take?

I (sort of) made him these two builds:

With Melandru runes:

http://gw2skills.net/editor/?fIAQJASTjkOxwxOqQMxBE0DNsK4iTBlQ9wO2w4A-j0CB4ODRjWOIkIRL5ZIrJQRsMqIasabYaXER1mzDr2gGyiGRGAmFA-w

With Lyssa runes:

http://gw2skills.net/editor/?fIAQJASTjkOxwxOqQMxBE0DNsK4iTBlQ9wOqj4A-jEDB4ODRjWOIkIRL5RYN7BJBKiVRFRjVbDT7aR1qYAWzJygeY1SBwkwI-w

It’s think it’s the typical build (also I like rounded numbers…).

So again, Lyssa or Melandru runes?

Thanks for reading!

If I may add after all of these posts, I’m totally against rewards on the Living Story that are not purely aesthetic (achievement reward chests), that, or don’t make it temporary content anymore.

Nice post and all, we know you love us (and our seldom valuable feedback), you tend to say it in all of your posts (too much ‘thank you’ doesn’t feel natural to me also). In all honesty, I like your ‘living world’ approach, but, one of the most impotant aspects of a game is not its amount of content, it’s the ease of play while looking good; your game promotes cooperative play (mostly zerg play). The problem lies on the game been built on an archaic directx 9 engine, is poorly optimized and just doesn’t perform well on average systems while mntaining good visuals, it’s basically way below industry standards, the promoted zerg paly (as I call it) makes this even worse. We all know optimization is an ongoing process, but it’s an issue often overlooked in these kinds of posts.
Any words on this regard Mr. Whiteside?

Most of us know how to be respectful and provide somewhat valuable feedback, many of us .are very experienced forumites, this post seems like a reaction to a forum outrage (almost like. damage control), so most of these ‘teachings’ could be applied to yourselves as well, Jonathan Sharp’s post on the sPvP forum no further.

What about Torch’s 5 skill, Cleansing Flame, working on the Guardian casting the skill too (with proper adjustments where needed)?? You no longer need Pure of Voice or Absolute Resolution… on a DPS weapon! you can now push towards a fully DPS trait set up (and other utility skills included!).

tadah! you now have more build diversity. They should learn from their own changes, improving weapon skills to gain, again, build diversity!… Flanking Strike anyone? <—- without overdoing it though!

Amins.3710:

CONDI GUARDIAN 4TW!!!! ZOMG, WE CAN DO IT>..

Just not sure how…..

Just Imagine something like this:

http://gw2skills.net/editor/?fUAQRArf8dlYgKCnESIEfIFSuArHEECVQVPin6xDxFA-jkDB4LDimCMQEBhO/RQMFSZtEMaFRgVRBpYCVVLRKbYqYC1GzER1W0YSBAxCA-w

There may be more optimal build obviously (I just made that above in a couple of minutes to prove my point).

With what I said above, with an improved torch you’d have condi removal, if Zealot’s Flame gave swiftness or something (or flashing blade no longer requiring a target or whatever…) you’d have mobility, reducing Signet cast times to make them more reliable… If Guardians had an additional damaging condition, let’s say: Kindled Zeal trait, in adition to it’s current effect, you now apply 3 stacks of Torment for 5 seconds whenever you blind your opponent (yeah it would make Renewed Justice OP but it’s just an example); you could make some competitive condi Guards for sure.

My point is, Condition Guardians are not that far off imo. Let’s hope for some clever balance choises on future patches.

I’ll throw my bone in here as well.

Just like I said in the main thread:

Focusing on Consecrations is a good move, some of them like Consecrated Ground and Purging flames were uderused, improving or reworking underused or underpowered skills is a good move most of the time, all things considered.
With that said, it’s nice to have Instant Meditations without traits finally, but I’m not so sure about adding more damage to Meditation builds is what these DPS Guardian builds actually need to gain more viability. These guardian types, unless carrying reliable swiftness or Greatsowrd are just a sitting duck with relatively poor condition protection (with aminly damage focused traits) and little to no soft CC to avoid kites, it also has no disengage nor roaming capabilities. It sorely needs field movement/roaming. Maybe making Merciful intervention ground targeted would be a good move, with the huge CD it would still be balanced, the skill would see more use and would be more reliable, it would also provide clutch disengage and a small boost to field movement out of combat. (You already know my other suggestions in this regard Jonathan).
Improving mobility through weapon skills and utilities should be a good move. Fury, outside of providing a little more flexibility in gear choises or added damage, it does very little to improve the lacking perks that are holding down DPS Guardians in my opinion.

Basically, as DPS:

—Guardians have Damage (mostly burst), situational hard CC, and burst healing with medium sustain.

—Guardians lack long term sustain, reliable condition protection (unless specifically spced), no disengage, no roaming capabilities, no out of combat mobility whatsoever (unless pingeonholed into Greatsword), no soft CC therefore easily kited, we don’t hold points well don’t assault points well either, and have minimal side support.

Guardians lack all the fundamental perks needed to roam, disengage, assault point, defend far/close point, bunker or sustain, it’s easily kiteable and has poor ranged pressure. All of that could (potentially) be solved with this suggested here (just an idea): https://forum-en.gw2archive.eu/forum/professions/guardian/Some-few-changes-I-d-like-to-see/first#post2610205

Or with just what I said above.

It’s all on field mobility and reposition where you can juke in or out, turtle, delay CDs, mitigate damage, escape or simply run away. Remember Guardians tend to be bursty, like Thieves.

…continues here

Engineer

Elixirs are in a good place right now, and also make for decent and viable builds but gaining random boons was often a chore and even gamechanging sometimes. Gaining reliable on demand stealth and stability is both a QoL and a buff. A very good change that will make many Engies happy.
Turrets will recieve a much much needed change, such iconic skills should definetly have a place in the meta, hopefully we could see turret point holder Engies in the near future, or causing some choke point maihem in WvW. Some improvements to direct damage benefitial skills such as Utility Googles or Throw mines could make or break the awaited return of DPS Engies or just to see something else other than all Condition Engies.

Elementalist

The Unsteady Ground change alone could bring back Staff eles to sPvP again, all the added support it’s just added bonus. As I always said, the greatest way to bring build viability to the table is improving weapon skills first and foremost, as clearly seen with Flanking Strike. I always felt Staff was always close to sPvP viability, it’s already strong in WvW also.
A conjure weapon focused Ele is a beast of a build in the making, buffed and traited conjured weapons are definetly going to be really really strong. If Elementalists werent so dependant on either weapon skills or utilities to provide either damage or survivability, this particular build (or utility skills) could be, potentially pretty beastly indeed. I honestly think you are on the right track on this one. If conjures ever change in use similar to Engineer kits (maybe with a CD?), the full viability should be set!

Mes

Mantras were always a favourite of mine, and always needed a little push to reach viability. The main problem holding them back is definetly the cast times, too long for how fast paced the game currently is. I suggest to reduce their cast times from 2¾s to 1½, but increase all the cast times from instant to ¼ of a second, several instant casts can be tricky to balance when it comes to counterplay so it would be an improvent on that regard as well. Yes, no longer usable while CCed, but much more usable while incombat, it would be a fair balance. Area stability and area condi removal are both extremetly strong (ask Guardians if not), and that is a huge boost to support. Good changes

Necromancer

Our beloved dark/blood mages could be on the rise. A selfsustainable life leeching Necromancer is a goal they attempted to reach since beta just by reading the patches. If these changes are as good as they sound, some life leech lovers will definetly rejoice. Life force improvents are always welcome.
Necromancers always had a lot of build diversity: Minions, Wells, terrormancers, and now life force focused, direct damage and the always strong condimancers, or hence a mix of most of them. They always kind of lacked on their bloodline, and you are buffing just that. Just like Warriors, Necromancers are in a very good place right now.

All very good stuff to come, definetly in the right direction. It would have been nice to see some of the nerfs (besides FS), but I’m grateful you’ve given us this preview nonetheless!

Warrior

Good changes! Condi damage warriors are finally good, Damage dealing and also CC Warriors are in a good place as well, you are buffing just where they need buffing, defensive support.
As you already claimed, they are in a pretty decent place in all formats of the game currently.
You’ve been doing a great job with Warriors as a whole lately, maybe tuning down a little bit of their regen sustain while providing high damage and CC would be good too (which is all cumulative right now), but so far so good.

Guardian

Focusing on Consecrations is a good move, some of them like Consecrated Ground and Purging flames were uderused, improving or reworking underused or underpowered skills is a good move most of the time, all things considered.
With that said, it’s nice to have Instant Meditations without traits finally, but I’m not so sure about adding more damage to Meditation builds is what these DPS Guardian builds actually need to gain more viability. These guardian types, unless carrying reliable swiftness or Greatsowrd are just a sitting duck with relatively poor condition protection and little to no soft CC to avoid kites, it also has no disengage nor roaming capabilities. It sorely needs field movement/roaming. Maybe making Merciful intervention ground targeted would be a good move, with the huge CD it would still be balanced, the skill would see more use and would be more reliable, it would also provide clutch disengage and a small boost to field movement out of combat. (You already know my other suggestions in this regard Jonathan).
Improving mobility through weapon skills and utilities should be a good move. Fury, outside of providing a little more flexibility in gear choises or added damage, it does very little to improve the lacking perks that are holding down DPS Guardians in my opinion.

Ranger

I always said it, and I will always say it, improving and buffing pets directly buffs all possible Ranger builds. So buffing the main class mechanic is the smartest move to improve build diversity as pets can grant from support, to CC or even respectable damage/burst damage.
Concerning the Sick’Em change, I hope it’s just like how you’ve been doing with the Torment condition, slowly adding the revealed debuff to other skills from other professions. Stealth is a mechanic in serious need of a counter right now; a single skill from a single profession wont suffice, but it’s a good starting point to see how it does.
I also agree some Ranger weapon skills need some improvements or overall changes, Sword chain #1 comes to mind.

Thief

Venomous Aura allways had a lot of (mostly offensive) potential support. I always liked how traited venoms can heal, thus providing some help for the thief picking up venoms himself (Leeching Venoms). Said heals could also be improved, at least for the thief him/herself to make those venoms a more desirable choise for the thief. Now concerning defensive support, I think thieves have a lot of potential in terms of boon share, like Mesmers, but not quite, it would be from traits (trickery line?) and steal rather than utility skills.
Now with the Pistol, quite evidently, the better candidate for a rework is the infamous Body Shot. I suggested several months ago for it to be changed into a finisher, being it leap or a blast. A blast would definetly be more supportive, it would also raise P/P viability while comboing it with Black Powder providing the set that much needed escape option.

continues…

Scepter/Torch + Sword/Focus first, and then Greatsword + Staff.
Oh man, as a Scepter/Torch + Sword/Focus DPS Guardian, I feel we need a massive boost in out of combat mobility! Hence my second favourite set.

The next big balance patch will bring some juicy stuff for Guardians this time.

Edit: typo.

The sinergy of these runes within the Prismatic Understanding build (20/20/30) is incredible.

Jumper.9482:

This was suggested previously by another user, but I feel a good way to take it would be to make it a small radius (160-250ish) blast which burns nearby foes for a short duration. This would enable P/P and P/D another condition to punish players in melee range as well as blast a Black Powder for stealth, enabling Sneak Attack. Balance the initiative cost so that it is only effective situationally, using a black powder that was used to blind an important attack, for example. We wouldn’t want to see a boring 521 521 521 repeat rotation.

Wow! That’s a relatively old saggestion of mine, my feedback actually gets heard on forums (others may surely have suggested that too though!)!! That’s definetly reasuring even then! Although I suggested a PBAoE blast finisher but still keeping the vulnerability on target. I also suggested it to be a small leap backwards like Disabling Shot or Quick Shot and it being a leap finisher.
With that said, I would be very hesitant to add any other condition to weapon skills due to the spammy nature of initiative, I’d do it though utilities or traits to spice out build diversity.

I really like your unload suggestion: the bigger the number of conditions on target, the greater the damage. Spamming it is no longer optimal, so it opens up room for other skills in the rotation. Simple, elegant, easily coded and implemented; I like it!

Kasei.8726:

Great ideas.

I like your suggestion with Cleansing Flame, but I think it should only remove conditions from the caster. 1) We have enough allied condition removal, more may be too much. 2) Targeting these types of skills on allies is a PITA (think Healing Breeze).

Flashing Blade I like your idea about Flashing Blade, but only if it continues to act the way it does now when it has a target. I don’t want it to just blinks us forward 600, when we have a target selected.

I’m almost always running Greatsword or Hammer, Staff, and Pure of Voice in WvW for the reasons stated. I’ve tried every build out there and while some are viable (and a lot more fun), this setup is just the most reliable in any given situation.

They need to do something for sure. When almost every decent build has 30 in Valor, something needs to be changed.

Yeah, of course, Flashing Blade would work just like it does now with a target selected.

Also, I think Cleansing Flame should still cleanse conditions from allies too (it already does just that!), I think a Guardian should never lose his/her support regardless of spec or weapon chosen.

timidobserver.7925:

I don’t think this is ever going to change unfortunately. I don’t think they could do anything to any trait line to make it more effective than 30 into valor for AH without making the profession completely unbalanced.

I proposed these changes with several builds in mind. Imagine that with 50% swifness uptime (with traited Torch) and an out of combat movement skill (new Flashing Blade), you shouldn’t need to spec into shouts (retreat, save yourselves), or use greatsword (leap of faith) or staff (symbol of swiftness), and now with more condition cleansing on weapon skills (new Cleansing Flame) you no longer need Pure of Voice or Absolute Resolution or even Meditations (or Purity). You can now “freely” spec into (finally) signets and feel viable spamming blinds while applying several stacks of vulnerability and setting up your bursts with a 4s immobilize with SIgnet of Wrath.

All of a sudden underplayed and underpowered specs like these would gain viability: http://gw2skills.net/editor/?fUAQRArd8flYgKCnEyKEfIFSuArHEEAhQVPwn6xDxFA-TwAgyCqIKSBmDMTRywshNKZVyWgpAA (+70% burn duration for 2 second burn duration on VoJ passive, change signets and amulet if desirable).

http://gw2skills.net/editor/?fUAQRArd8flYgKCnESIEfYFRuArHE0gFsSR80HugrCOE-TwAA1CnIwRhjDHDOScs4MEZJymgJBA (signet build with over the top condi cleanse, with 3 condis cleared every 10 secs, 1 or 2 with focus, 5 with torch and 1 with each signet used, along with great damage and pretty decent vit and toughness; you could even take 10 from Valor and put them into honor to get Selfless Daring and change Sigils of Battle for Sigils of Energy).

I could go on and on giving so many more examples, but you get the point.

Also, AH is extremely ineffective with Scepter/Focus and Sword/Torch as weapon sets, I wont deny the usefulness of Meditations and MF, but I wouldn’t consider these overused or mandatory for the newely added mobility like shouts or other weapon sets are right now.

The key changes would be the new out of combat or non target Flashing Blade and the Swiftness from Torch. Cleansing Flame, cleansing condis for the Guardian casting it should have always been there.

I’ll quote myself from a thread I reciently created:

Khenzy.9348:

Torch

Zealot’s Flame. In addition to it’s current effects, it now provides 10 seconds of swiftness on cast. CD increased to 25s.

Cleansing Flame. Conditions are now also cleansed from the guardian casting the skill. It now cleanses up to 5 conditions total, 1 on cast and 1 each second afterwards. CD increased to 25s.

Sword

Flashing Blade Changed funtionality and updated description to: Teleport forwards, striking and blinding nearby foes. It no longer needs a target to perform a 600 range teleport, similar to Mesmer’s Staff Phase Retreat skill.

Pros of these changes:

Relieve some of the pressure on having to carry a Staff and/or Greatsword for mobility and/or swiftness.

You no longer feel as pressured to take Pure of Voice+Soldier Runes and/or Absolute Resolution for condition removal.

All of this definetly opens up new build possibilities.

Thoughts?

I imagine Guardians as tough and selfsustainable fighters with the always available support on the side. They are not Warriors in the sense of having huge control in the form of cripples and several stuns. Offensive Guardians provide spiky damage through brief windows, so they need to withstand the fight for that in my opinion.
Providing some improved roaming capabilities should be agood start.

’Careful, if you tone down Spirit Rangers and Necromancers, you may see the sudden raise of condi Engies (with meta dominance like Necros now), which can be just as strong.

The Condition damage<=>Mitigation and Direct damage<=>Condition removal ratio needs adjustments in general, not just with these particular classes.