Guild Wars 2

LilBiM.3581:

Modified Ammunition
Targets with Vulnerability receive 2% more damage per stack of vulnerability (condition / power). If your target is above 50% HP, 15% chance on hit to inflict Weakness for 4 seconds. If your target is below 50% HP, 15% chance on hit to immobilize for 2 seconds.

So you think +50% damage on top of the +25% from vuln is balanced? And then you add more effects on top of that. Engi was lucky to keep this trait when everyone else lost theirs in favour of a crit chance buff (Necro – Target the Weak). Just no.

With the name of the first installment of the new season revealed (Out of the Shadows) we can pretty much confirm that the new season will be about the White Mantle resurgence. With any game we know that in the end the good guys will defeat the bad guys but the success of the bad guys can be measured in how much damage they cause.

On this note I hope that the White Mantle or Lazarus the Dire end up bringing ruin to Divinity’s Reach and killing Queen Jennah, thus extinguishing the royal line and bringing about Lazarus’ promised revenge from 250 years ago.

White Mantle Justiciar Armour

Personally I would say do the Ls2 achievements for the Sinister trinkets. Even if you start raiding they will last you for a long while. However if you are really that opposed to doing LS2, just go with Rampagers (considering they are the same as Sinister but with precision as the main stat – more crits for more bleed trait proc).

Muchacho.2390:

Honestly i dont think that dps is the problem of gs. The problem is that due the slow nature the gs damage skills (gravedigger/autoattack) need setup but the setup skills grasping darkess/death spiral dont really help to ensure that those skills hit.

Grasping darkness is even more clunky then most other pull skills, and the grasping darkness into gravedigger combo doesnt really work because the window between those two skills is to large. The chill on grasping darkness also doesnt really help with this.

And for death spiral it is mainly a pve setup skill and doesnt help at all in landing a grave digger. Which is fine i guess but i wish it would give gs some sort of mobility (e.g. swiftness or a short teleport/leap)

So my suggestion for gs would ether to make it faster (also auto and gravedigger) or improve the setup skills (death spiral and grasping darkness) in such a way that if you dont avoid those skills is becomes really hard to avoid the followup damage skills.

That seems to be the recurring theme within the “buff Greatsword” crowd. I hope Anet hears us and takes note.

Insidion the Insane.9752:

Anchoku.8142:

Every single skill on greatsword is AoE, just like staff. It is not supposed to compete with dagger, which was, until recently, a single target power weapon and is still very much so despite the added 1-target cleave. Dagger dps 1v1 has to be higher than greatsword or it would need a buff very badly.

Daredevil staff does more DPS than thief dagger while hitting more targets, but God forbid reaper GS auto does more DPS than necro dagger auto even tho the former is significantly harder to chain because of all the cast times and aftercasts. Got it.

+1

Anet won’t change the Watchwork bonus or give it to any other pick. Stop asking. They know that the best course of action is to do nothing.

Anchoku.8142:

Greatsword was designed to be Necromancer’s power-cleave in PvE. Don’t expect it to be good in all game modes. It is best for spinning until you get dizzy and slowly working break bars with chill and claws.

There’s a difference between being good in all game modes and being usable in all game modes. And even in pve, it’s not that great. I mean Dagger auto attack damage is higher than Greatsword which is just embarrassing. Anyone that thinks Reaper Greatsword is in a good place at the moment is just kidding themselves.

Target the Weak was +2% damage per condition back before the specialization system. One of my least favourite changes in gw2 history.
That said Curses was pretty much a hybrid line before, given that the go-to power dungeon build utilized it.

Sarrs.4831:

Lahmia.2193:

That doesn’t address the main issue with Reaper Greatsword though, which is how slow it is.

A thing we have to keep in mind about reaper greatsword’s speed (or lack thereof) is that it isn’t an ‘issue’, it’s an explicit feature of the weapon. It’s supposed to be heavy and slow, and that has drawbacks and advantages. I’m somewhat disinclined to believe that ANet will really want to strip what is supposed to be the defining feature of the weapon.

The drawbacks far outweigh the advantages though. Also consider that the only place this weapon has any real strength is in Open world pve, and it doesn’t really matter what you bring there.
To quote Lightsbane.9012:

i’ve always found it immensely disappointing that anet would allow thematics to get in the way of something being efficient.
if the theme of something prevents it from being useful, then the theme is also useless.

They moved it because Warhorn is considered a power weapon but when revamping the traitlines, they wanted Curses to be a condition line, so it didnt really fit thematically.

Zefrost.3425:

What do you guys think of this change to Soul Eater? (Let’s be real, the siphon was just thrown in there because they didn’t know what else to do)

Greatsword skill recharge 20% faster
Greatsword skills have a 50% increased critical hit chance against chilled foes.

Works well for quite a few reasons but my main driving factor is hydromancy sigil + sigil of agility (quickness) weapon swapping to greatsword and then using gravedigger = yes plz.

Other than that, it will work for the auto attacks (which still need adjustment) grasping darkness, it could help spectral grasp to suck less if its tracking also gets fixed… etc.

That doesn’t address the main issue with Reaper Greatsword though, which is how slow it is.

Gw1 was hardly a balanced game though. Maybe when only prophecies existed but after that it spiraled out of control.

Unfortunately it is far easier to moan about what is wrong than to suggest things to make it better. However I would agree getting rid of all those nasty instant traits (enemy suffers from x when you stun you etc.)

It’s a mechanic I’ve hated since day 1. Also that marks don’t trigger on inanimate objects.

Zenith.7301:

Anchoku.8142:

Lahmia.2193:

Anchoku.8142:

Soul Eater needs help, too. I am thinking that something like “bleeds generate life force” and set the amount per stack small but significant when using a scepter build.

No more buffs to condi necro please. It already kittens on power necro enough as it is.

True, corruption Necromancer is Meta-necro in PvP and raids. Necromancer could use a buff that only improves condition spike damage but may tone down bleed stacking so it is not so lax versus mobs with low health.

Condition damage is lame in roaming – very lame.

Power necro is just a warrior with slower animations, less damage/spike/cc, and crappier defenses.

It doesn’t help that Warrior’s can gain double the damage modifiers the Necros can have. Currently Necros have the second lowest damage modifier total (Mesmer being the lowest). Additionally Reaper is one of two Elite Specs that didn’t receive any damage modifier traits (no surprises that Chonomancer is the other one).
Edit: so much for us being the selfish DPS class.

Shadelang.3012:

Having the effect of nightfall for example be centered around the reaper AS he moves. A mobile and growing blind field would actually help alot and lend a GS reaper more weight in the front line as well as offer some more reliable defense.

Oh baby, I love that idea. And many professions already have mobile fields as it is.

8973 hours, no pre drops (I don’t forge toss though).

How about making it a legit condi weapon? I mean Guardians already have Greatsword for high burst dps and Hammer for high sustained dps. Give it short duration burn on auto or something.

Erasmus.1624:

Lahmia.2193:

gavyne.6847:

Lahmia.2193:

gavyne.6847:

At the moment I wish they would buff staff more than anything else, because it’s still a go to ranged weapon for us that’s lacking in every way possible when compared to any other class’ ranged weapons.

Clearly you don’t play WvW much. Don’t tread on my staff.

I don’t? lol… If you think staff is powerful then I have a bridge to sell you. It’s an OK utility ranged option at best, something we’re still for the most part forced to use because it’s our only ranged option. By no means it’s powerful.

I never said it was powerful. I’m saying it has its place. Sure you could buff it but that would only bring about inevitable nerfs given anet’s record of “balance”.

People use “buff” when they either want to (or should) mean “rework.” Staff has a place, but that place is so uninspired and boring that it’s more of an insult to its existence than it is a real home for it. I’ve posted my alternative to “autoattack + 4 circles” plenty already. There are ways to make a fair necro staff with plenty of unique utility and support without sacrificing its ability to tag mobs or deny area.

We all know Anet’s record of more unique skills like Grasping Shadow or the old Ranger sword auto attack. Both unique, both utterly terrible.

What did you have in mind for staff though?

Anchoku.8142:

Soul Eater needs help, too. I am thinking that something like “bleeds generate life force” and set the amount per stack small but significant when using a scepter build.

No more buffs to condi necro please. It already kittens on power necro enough as it is.

kurfu.5623:

Darigen.2309:

…

If you make such stuff obtainable again it removes the feeling of having something special that rewarded you for taking part in an unique event. Where is the point of event related stuff, if you can get it even without those events it was designed for? For many people such items are special keepsakes. Especially because they aren’t obtainable anymore and related to a part of the story of tyria they experienced months or years ago and will never come back again. Most people that complain about such items not being rereleased weren’t even part of the fight against the Toxic Alliance, the fight for Lions Arch, etc.. Why would you give such items to anyone who doesn’t have even a small bit of memories about how they earned them during these times? They would become just pointless stuff.

Hey guess what? I’ve got great news for you! You get to keep all that stuff that you earned! No one is taking anything away from you.

How about we add a “hipster button” that basically turns skins or effects that other players are using into default skins, if you are also using them. Therefore when you a 5 man party all with Nevermore, you can feel that your Nevermore is still unique as the other players skins are now visually different.

gavyne.6847:

Lahmia.2193:

gavyne.6847:

At the moment I wish they would buff staff more than anything else, because it’s still a go to ranged weapon for us that’s lacking in every way possible when compared to any other class’ ranged weapons.

Clearly you don’t play WvW much. Don’t tread on my staff.

I don’t? lol… If you think staff is powerful then I have a bridge to sell you. It’s an OK utility ranged option at best, something we’re still for the most part forced to use because it’s our only ranged option. By no means it’s powerful.

I never said it was powerful. I’m saying it has its place. Sure you could buff it but that would only bring about inevitable nerfs given anet’s record of “balance”.

gavyne.6847:

At the moment I wish they would buff staff more than anything else, because it’s still a go to ranged weapon for us that’s lacking in every way possible when compared to any other class’ ranged weapons.

Clearly you don’t play WvW much. Don’t tread on my staff.

They could always change Relentless Pursuit. Maybe remove the Shroud part and add +25% movement speed whilst wielding a Greatsword.
As for Decimate Defenses, yeah its mainly to use in conjunction with Soul Eater. They could always move Soul Eater to 3rd tier in place of Reaper’s Onslaught, meaning you would have to take Death’s Perception (Soul Reaping) to get that +50% crit chance with RO. As you have probably guessed, I am a fan of Greatsword but not Reaper’s Shroud.

dzeRnumbrd.6129:

I really think stealth should be a boon so it can be corrupted or stripped.

That would mean it would be subject to + Boon Duration. Perma stealth would be easy. Bad idea.

Critical Lag.9075:

I think you can get it even if teq isnt on. Check this thread on reddit https://www.reddit.com/r/Guildwars2/comments/4in2vt/having_trouble_getting_the_juggernaut_iii_the/ its for juggernaut but i think it works for dusk as well, unless it was patched.

The undertow bit still works, I didn’t have any of the collections going though.

Odokuro.5049:

GS #2: Can we say, “Small radius”? You basically have to be toe-to-toe with someone for them to even stand a chance of getting hit, the wind up again is slow for this attack, that it needs a larger range, because beyond using it when your target is low, it really has no use pre-50%.

The radius is the same as the first pulse from Nightfall (170) though the animation would suggest a shorter range. Though yes I do agree it needs to be slightly faster with lower aftercast.

I loved the change to the Gift of Battle acquisition. Before it seemed so trivial to get, you could legitimately get it without ever stepping into WvW (Achievement point chests).

I just want them to remove the giant kitteny bomb that we hold when using Bomb kit. That thing made me stop playing Engi.

This is pretty much a case of “if you don’t play all the game modes, you won’t get things as fast.”

Kyvrn.4209:

Lahmia.2193:

So long as they make the BL skins purchasable from the TP, I’d love the idea.

Of course! The privateer was a one time thing I hope.

The amount of backlash they received from it should make sure it was. It really kittened me off though, as I wanted the axe for my revenant.

So long as they make the BL skins purchasable from the TP, I’d love the idea.

Another thing about Soul Eater is how bad it is compared to the other Greatsword traits:

Zealous Blade — Attacks with your greatsword deal extra damage and heal you. Greatsword abilities have reduced recharge.

Forceful Greatsword — Gain might on a critical hit with a greatsword or spear. Greatsword and spear skills deal more damage and recharge faster.

Two-Handed Training — Greatsword and spear damage is increased, and those skills recharge faster. Greatsword and spear attacks have a chance to grant fury on hit.

Imagined Burden — Whenever you or a clone uses Spatial Surge, you gain might. All of your other greatsword skills inflict cripple. Reduces recharge time of greatsword skills.

Soul Eater — Reduces recharge on greatsword skills. Gravedigger steals health if it hits.

The other four have varied levels of strength (Forceful Greatsword being the strongest) but all have 3 added effects. Usually a skill recharge reduction, a damage buff and a bonus effect. Soul Eater only has the recharge reduction and a rather pathetic bonus effect.

Take Reaper’s Onslaught and Decimate Defenses. Augury of Death for only one shout is worth it if that shout is “Rise” which it is (when hitting 5 foes, it basically means you can almost keep up the minions permanently).

Daddicus.6128:

Makes some sense. I played a full-on minion set for the last 24 hours. I seem to have stayed alive a lot better (although the levels were only in the 80s, not the 90s).

Does precision apply to condition damage?

The two main reasons for precision on a condi build are Barbed Precision (Curses minor trait) gives a 33% chance to bleed on crit and Superior Earth sigil (60% chance to bleed on crit).

Lalainnia.3598:

Norn or sylvari imo. As for racials Norn racials are can be pretty useful can think of one instance in the asura fractal the heat room as a norn reaper with bear form can make it without the cooling rod I believe.

You can solo the heat room as a necro without the norn form and 0 rods.

=Greatsword=

Gravedigger – Reduce cast time to 1 second. Reduce aftercast.

Death Spiral – Add a 600 range leap and combo finisher: leap.

Grasping Darkness – Will now stop when hitting an obstruction or edge and activate the pull from that location.

=Reaper=

Soul Eater – Change trait. Reduce Greatsword skill recharge by 20%. Increase attack speed on Greatsword by 10%. Whilst wielding a Greatsword your attacks siphon health (75/60).

Decimate Defenses – Move to grandmaster in place of Reaper’s Onslaught.

Cold Shoulder – Reduce Damage taken to 7% from chilled foes. Add a damage increase of 7% to chilled foes.

Reaper’s Onslaughter – Move to master in place of Decimate Defenses.

A few ideas I have suggested before.

While dungeon meta elitism has long disappeared, minions are generally not a great idea due to their disruption of stacking. However for fractals they are ideal, especially in higher tiers where they absorb a lot of damage.

I wouldn’t expect them to make all the changes. Just a few ideas I came up with when I had too much time on my hands. The Lich form change would be great for necro support but a nerf to the currently gimmicky use of #4 Mark of Horrors on the Viper Horror build. As would putting a timer, rather than degeneration, on Jagged Horrors.

Feel free to criticize or compliment the changes I have suggested. Some of the ideas, like Lich form and plague, were from other players I have talked to. Others like the Reaper traits and Greatsword skills are ones I am particularly enthusiastic about. Hopefully someone at Anet reads this and gains a few ideas on the future of my favourite profession.

=Necro/Reaper changes=

=Skill Types=

Corruptions – Conditions inflicted on self via Corruptions will now be inflicted on target foe instead. Skills that do not target a foe inflict no conditions.

-Traits-

=Spite=

Death’s Embrace – Change health threshold to 50%.

Unholy Fervor – Change to +1% damage per vulnerbility stack.

=Curses=

Chilling Darkness – Remove ICD.

Master of Corruption – All bonus self inflicted conditions are inflicted upon target foe.

Terror – Now increases fear duration by 50%.

=Death Magic=

Putrid Defense – Add foes are inflicted with poison (1 stack for 3 seconds) when they hit you. ICD 5 seconds for individual targets.

Beyond the Veil – Increase protection duration to 5 seconds.

Death Nova – Jagged horrors created will no longer degenerate health over time, but will automatically die after 60 seconds.

=Blood Magic=

Mark of Evasion – Decreased ICD to 4 3/4 seconds. Increase bleed stacks to 3.

Quickening Thirst – Remove reduced recharge effect. Add siphon health (41/39) on critical hit whilst wielding a dagger.

Blood Bond – Change to inflicts Lesser Signet of Vampirism when you hit a foe with 4 or more stacks of bleeding.

=Soul Reaping=

Speed of Shadows – Increase movement speed modifier to 33%.

Fear of Death – Remove increased fear duration. Gain 4% life force when you inflict fear.

Strength of Undeath – Move to where Vital Persistnace was. Change to you deal +10% damage while in shroud. Shroud skill recharge is decreased by 15%.

Vital Persistance – Move to where Strength of Undeath was. Change to Max Life force is increased by 15%. Life Force drains 50% slower in shroud.

=Reaper=

Relentless Pursuit – Change to reduce duration of immobilize, cripple, chill inflicted on you by 50%. Remove all 3 conditions when you enter shroud.

Soul Eater – Change trait. Reduce Greatsword skill recharge by 20%. Increase attack speed on Greatsword by 10%. Whilst wielding a Greatsword your attacks siphon health (75/60).

Decimate Defenses – Move to grandmaster in place of Reaper’s Onslaught.

Cold Shoulder – Reduce Damage taken to 7% from chilled foes. Add a damage increase of 7% to chilled foes.

Reaper’s Onslaughter – Move to master in place of Decimate Defenses.

-Weapon Skills-

=Axe=

Rending Claws – Now hits an additional 2 targets within 130 of main target.

Ghastly Claws – Now hits an additional 2 targets within 130 of main target.

Unholy Feast – Now counts as a combo finisher: blast.

=Dagger=

Life Siphon – Increased range to 900.

Dark Pact – Increased range to 900.

Deathly Swarm – No longer transfers conditions back to the caster if reflected. Can now travel midair.

Enfeebling Blood – Increase bleed stacks to 3. No longer corrupts a boon.

=Greatsword=

Gravedigger – Reduce cast time to 1 second. Reduce aftercast.

Death Spiral – Add a 600 range leap and combo finisher: leap. Now inflicts x3 hits instead but each hit inflicts 4 vulnerability and 4% life force.

Grasping Darkness – Will now stop when hitting an obstruction or edge and activate the pull from that location.

=Staff=

Necrotic Grasp – Remove piercing. Now hits up to 4 targets additional targets within 180 of the main target.

Mark of Blood – Increase bleed stacks to 3.

Chilblains – Change the combo field to ice.

Reaper’s Mark – Increase fear duration to 2 seconds.

=Warhorn=

Wail of Doom – Now counts as a combo finish: blast.

-Heal Skills-

Well of Blood – Now casts at your location.

Consume Conditions – No longer inflicts conditions on self.

-Utility Skills-

“Nothing can save you” – Instant cast time.

“Rise” – Add a cast time of 1/2 second.

Corrosive Poison Cloud – Increase duration to 10 seconds. No longer inflicts conditions on self.

Blood is Power – Now inflicts 4 stacks of bleeding for 20s.

Epidemic – Apply 3 stacks of vulnerability to your target then spread conditions on the target to all nearby foes.

Corrupt Boon – Apply 1 stack of poison to your target then transform 3 boons into conditions.

Spectral Grasp – No longer a projectile. Change the way the pull connects. Acts more like Engineer Magnet.

Signet of Undeath – Increase life force gain to 3%.

Well of Corruption – Reduce recharge to 35 seconds.

Well of Darkness – Reduce recharge to 35 seconds.

Well of Power – Reduce recharge to 35 seconds. Now applies stability to allies, within it’s radius upon cast, instead of just to the caster.

-Elite Skills-

Lich Form – Renamed “Unholy Power of the Lich”. No longer a transform. Grants a 3s buff every 3 seconds for 15 seconds. + 10% damage and condition damage, and pulsing stability (1). Add a green mist aura and effect circle for duration.

Plague – No longer a transform. Duration 20 seconds CD 180s. Grants a buff that reduces all damage and condition damage by 33%, and pulsing Stability (3) every 3 seconds. Additionally when you are hit, the attacker and 4 foes within 240 are inflicted with poison and weakness. ICD 5 seconds. Grants a plague aura effect for duration.

“Chilled to the bone” – Reduce recharge to 75 seconds.

No they do not proc it. Just tested in the Special Forces Training Arena. Minions do have a very low chance of crit but none of the few crits they did proc’d the bleed.

It would be great if anet could add an infinite Celeritas Spores effect to the arena.

The staff CD trait was made baseline as was the damage trait, then unblockable marks was merged with life force on mark.

Just no. LFGs like karka farming or the all day TML SW farm require it to not be removed after 5 minutes.

Decimate Defenses decimates the other major traits too.

Anet will never buff turrets again. Not after the cancer that was Turret tank engi meta in pvp.

I could finally make my thief into Oberyn Martell, equip Dragonfury, and then have him fight a Norn greatsword warrior.

I can safely say I solo’d a lvl 85 Urban Battleground fractal with a viper horror Necro.
As for the pug I’m not sure how he would be able to solo the southern laser room but the rest of the fractal is fairly easy to solo. Did he say what level it was at?

And the key to soloing (in my opinion) is lots of minions. They soak up damage like crazy.

Staff is a wvw zerg/tagging weapon. Leave it alone.