Guild Wars 2

Behellagh.1468:

The cap is so nibble to death by cats (thank you Londo) isn’t a viable way to defeat a boss.

Why is that a problem anyway!?

Given the hp and other things a boss has, even a full berserker build will have to “nibble it to death”. How often a berserker build can one- two- or three-shot a boss to death?

I think you can go all the way with condition damage with decent survivablity whilst if you go all the way with power – that is power and precision and ferocity – you will sacrifice on survivability. That means you have to dodge, duck, dip, dive and dodge, and heal relatively frequently in between damage dealing. That means you are still nibbling the boss anyway little by little over a period of time.

Both power and condition builds are viable in solo boss fight. The imbalance is when you starting to add more of each into the scene.

I have levelled three characters to 80 in the past month. Since then I have been trawling the forum for suitable builds for my preferred playstyles. Indeed everytime I read anything about condition builds, there were always suggestions to play a berserker power build instead.

I originally wanted to start a thread but since the OP sums up the problem rather well, I will just carry on in here. Condition cap hinder the effectiveness of a condition build. The only limit to a power build is how often a player can score a successful direct hit; the limits to a condition build (considering only bleeding, torment, confusion, buring and poison) are not only how often a player can score a successful direct hit (which is limited by either 25 for and/or 9 at a time) but also other players frequency in doing so (which then becomes collectively limited by either 25 and/or 9). The damage potential of a team of power build players is the summation of the damage potential of all of them; the same cannot be said of condition players.

I have therefore been thinking and have come up with similar suggestions as the above posts. For conditions that stack in intensity can stay as is but a new machanism after reaching that cap is needed. I have thought of two ways of doing it. First, the whole 25-stack turns into 1 stack of mega condition, which intensity and duration are arbitarily fixed – probably an average of a normal 25 stack, which can be worked out by some data-mining. A mega condition can be stack too if a second stack of 25 is applied fast enough. So essentially the aim of the game of a condition build is to stack mega condition. Depending on the outcome of some experimentations, if stacks of mega condition reach their stacking cap, the whole full stack can then turns into a superior stack of such condition.

The second way is to release all the damge of that current 25-stack once the 25th stack is applied. So the aim is to have the previous 24 stacks last long enough and the 25th stack is essentially a burst with the summation of the full 25 stacks at once. Or to look at it this way: power build deals front-loaded burst damage; condition build deals rear-loaded burst damage. That said, sometimes a full stack of certain conditions can easily be achieved, which makes the intervals between the rear-loaded burst often, which in turn makes certain condition build far too damging. Depending on some experimentations, it may be that in that cases a higher than 25 stacks may be needed in order to acheive some balance.

For conditions that stack in duration, the first idea of converting a full stacks of “standard-to-mega-to-superior” can also be applied in here. But for poison, since it has a secondary role of reducing healing potency by 33%, the second idea of “rear-burst-after-the-final-stack” may not be suitable.

These are by no mean a quick and easy solutions. Fine-tuning and adjusting are still need to be made in order to prevent being imbalanced. Nevertheless since the current stacking cap has presented the players with some annoying problems, some improvement is certainly needed.

I cannot decide whether to use a sword or a main hand dagger with pistol for a general PvE build.

Can someone give me some advice and opinion on those two as a main hand weapon with pistol?

Thanks!

This one, is it?

I don’t understand: ANet has been producing aesthetically pleasing and matching armour and weapon skins regularly. None of which goes well with the hobosack.

No matter how much you invest in improving your look at level 80, you are always stuck with a piece of ugly costume that looks as though you are still in the tutorial zone (unless you choose not to use some of the power, which is absurd).

Anyway, why can’t ANet devote just a fraction of time to do something about the ugly sack? Making the display of it an option would be a brilliant start indeed.

cephiroth.6182:

They once said™ that the secondary profession system was causing the most balancing trouble. That trouble was the reason why we wouldn’t have a secondary profession in GW2 anymore.

Was the secondary profession in GW1 causing a major issue in balancing?

Demented Sheep.1642:

Secondary power set? I assume they meat the fact that you multi class. basically you wound have your starting class and then you could pick a another class after a certain point and you end up with there skills and some of their attributes but not their primary one. For example you could be an Elementalist/Monk

Guild Wars 1 had that from the start and that was how it was designed to be but I don’t think such a system would work in Guild Wars 2. It doesn’t seem to have been designed with that in mind and they would have to rebalance everything.

Thanks. That is similar to how I understand it.

Nevertheless, it would interesting to see it in this game.

DusK.3849:

2014: Why aren’t people reading about games before they buy them?

I think most of them did anyway.

The problem is that, I believe, enjoyment and excitment have the tendency to subside after a while. For example I did enjoy the game when I first played it in beta; and I am still enjoying it although not to the same degree. I nonetheless would not mind a little reinvigoration that would bring new enjoyment and excitment to this game.

Character progession is one key things that is likely to achieve that; and even bring new players in. It also shows the devs are still committed to the game.

There are normally two ways of doing it: a) new contents but with the same old characters playing it; or b) new charaters – i.e. new powers, new professions, new power combos etc. – but with the same old contents. There are of course c) all of the above but that is rarely seen. ANet is not doing so bad with a) new contents. But very disappointing in b) new characters.

If ANet can keep up with a) but start to work on b), that would really improve the game.

The key is simply: Diversity.

By the way, I once read something about having subclasses within a class. What happened to it?

Horizontal progression with a more diversified playstyle will be a good start. That may be in terms of more skills, more traits, combining power or even playstyle between classes, more zones, more professions, etc..

Most of the time, when I am running with a zerg or a pug, I can count all variable builds for each class in two hands. I may be wrong, but I still think diversity is a way forward.

I wish the preview page can show a weapon being wielded properly; may be with an attack animation, nevermind whether the holder is indeed a class that can use the weapon in demonstration. I just want to see how it is being hold and being used.

I have never played Guild Wars 1. I might have downloaded it once long ago and made a character there but in turth I have never played the game.

I heard from a friend who played it said you could choose a secondary power set in that game. I tried to find out more from the GW1 wiki page. But I just cannot understand what it was about – may be simply because I have never once played that game properly before.

Even though I have some vague ideas about what it is, but can someone tell me something more specific about it please? Can that machanism be implemented in Guild Wars 2? Just to make things more interesting, I suppose.

Many thanks!

Staff looks ok… just rather unassuming. I think it would look slight better if the bird or at least the wings on the top are made bigger.

I saw someone running around with the hammer yesterday. I was a Norn female at a distance and I could not catch up to see it properly.

Is it really the biggest hammer in game?

Which one you think is the prettiest?

I happen to have 3 Lion tickets. I am thinking to use them all on the Phoenix Skins.

I want to like the Greatsword one but unfortunately it is shaped like a giant pxxis. I want to like the Longbow version too but it feels like too much details.

So far, the shield one looks good to me. It was the first one that caught my eyes.

Any suggestions?

Thanks again.

I suppose those moas and deers count too.

So time to go find a those yellow mobs at different zones…

Mattmatt.4962:

Assassin was and still is crap.

http://www.reddit.com/r/Guildwars2/comments/1li5q3/breakeven_points_of_power_vs_precision_mathtable
(Minus 100 to your IG crit damage)
You’ll see that there is NO set up realizable IG where power should be traded for precision/ferocity

Sorry, what is “IG” crit damage?

Thanks. But why yellow mobs?

So how about the dredge cave in the Norn starting zone? There are plenty of yellow mobs sitting around… Would it be a good place to use one of those exp boosters?

Guanglai Kangyi.4318:

nearlight.3064:

I’m not sure how well I can help with the support side, since this game is designed to have support primarily through boons rather than healing. But with DPS, ele staff DPS can be some of the best in the game if you know what you’re doing.

I think the build is 6/4/2/2/0 or some permutation of that involving persisting flames and +damage traits (the vuln stacking minor in air can work as well).

You can probably run less zerker for world bosses but for dungeons zerker is ideal. I’m not sure of the rotations myself, but I know that blasting and keeping lava font up all the time to give your party might and fury is important.

6/2/2/2/2 or 6/2/4/2/0. 6/2/2/2/4 if you need vigor to survive in a pug. Taking 4 in Air is pointless unless you’re planning on going at least 5 points in for Weak Spot.

So Fire all the way and then mix and match depending on the situation

I did not say anything about support primarily through healings. Boons are fine. I just do not know how best to make the most of them for myself and others…

Hello,

I am trying to level my elementalist in the Pavilion while it is still available. I normally use D/F for PvE run, which after some 30 – 40 levels I am getting rather good with them. But using a dagger against some bosses (Shurakk, aaaarrggh those bloodly birds!) has been very difficult indeed. I could use a scepter but I want to be more team friendly. So I have started to use staff again.

I am honestly not good with a staff. Can anyone give me some tips and advices on how to make the most of it, please? Again, I want to be a bit more on the support side.

Thanks!

Kaiser.8504:

You cannot have 75% of both because of stat distributions across gear.

That’s all I can say.

Why?

But nevermind that anyway, for arguement’s sake.

I understand that berserker – that means power – build makes PvE contents easier. That’s why most (speed run) dungeons perfer berserker.

I also understand that conditions are not that effective comparing to power in PvE.

But how about a hybrid build? Would a hybrid that, for example, does 75% of a full power set up (factored in crit chance and crit damage as well) and 75% of a full condition set up be better than a full power set up?

I am no good at mathematics. Can someone shed some light on it please?

Many thanks!

I don’t find the info on cooking on wiki is very helpful. I am stuck at level 193 and I do not know how to level any further.

Need help.

The real question is therefore: do we want to have the option to pvP in the open world?

I say why not! Make the most of the map. Add another layer of game play. And if I suggestion is to be taken (see my earlier post), there will be another area of end-game game play too.

There will be no ganking if one chooses to opt out. For that he can go on his merry way while others choose to opt into pvP can do whatever the killings they want without interferring those opt-outs.

Again, no seperated server; just an on/off switch to alter one’s game preferences. Those remain on the pvE mode will be just as usual; whereas those switch to pvP, they can hit mobs and other pvP enabled players leaving those pvE players unharm.

That is, the pvEers will see the open world as it is now; nothing will change for them from their points of view. For the pvPers, they will see the pvEers as it is now – i.e. non-damageable entities; but they will see other pvPers as a tagetable entities, like mobs. That is all.

See, no ganking and no camping, unless one chooses to opt-in for pvP; then that is his problem.

… is Berserker the answer to all PvE contents…?

No need for a seperate pvp server; just an on/off switch to get into the pvp mode is enough

I want to like Archeage but the graphic and the combat put me off. The rest is rather interesting though.

I like open world pvp too. I think it would make the world even more dynamic and add another layer of game play, for instance one has to look over one’s shoulders when doing a mission.

But by default, everyone should start with a pvE mode unless otherwise changed. For those who want to pvP on a pvE map, they have to switch to pvP mode. Even then they can only engage other players who is also on pvP mode (that would avoid, for example, the problem of vista or resouce camping if one just switch back to the pvE mode).

That is the simpliest way to do it.

The game does not design to have an open world pvp in mind outside the mist. So in order to have a more complex setup of a open world pvp in the current pvE areas, much need to be added or changed.

For instance, pvP mode enabled players can side with enemy NPCs to defeat other players and gain favour from those NPCs. But in order to be consistant with one’s personal story, this sort of things have to be done after one completes his/her personal story (and then may be a cross over story to switch side?). By then, I suppose, say, a Sylvari can choose to side with the Nightmare court; Charr, the Flame Legion; Asura, Inquest; etc.. That would open up another area of end-game game play.

But much need to be added in order to support that. I would very very very much LOVE to see it happen though.

So, only elementalist and engineer benefit the celestial set most.

I have done some simple mathematics using the Build Editor. The celestial set (exotic) only does about 67% average damage and 57% condition damage when comparing to a full berserker (exotic) and a full carrion set (exotic) respectively.

Interesting…

It won’t help even if I was being attacked. Then I asked it to do his charge and knockdown, it did, then stop doing anything again.

My necro is getting to level 80 soon and I am deciding whether to build it as a fearmancer or a chillmancer for general PvE content. I am also thinking of have a spare set of healing gear ready for WWW.

So does any one have any experience with the above 3 builds? How do they perform in PvE and WWW?

Many thanks!

Hello all,

I was doing some crafting some exotic armour yesterday and I noticed that one of the component, charged quartz crystal, is relatively harder to gather enough – it has a time limit of ONE A DAY. Than it got me thinking, I like the all roundedness of the celestial set but generally speaking which profession(s) in what build(s) benefits it most?

People talk a lot about the berserker set these days. I have a power ranger that uses berserker; a hybrid mesmer mixed rampager and carrion; and a dire condimancer. But how about the celestial set? I personally do not seem to have come across that often.

So, at zeroth second, it is the actual damage an attack that hits. So in the case of Blood Curse, it would be the 118 damage (base) that hits. At the first second, the actual bleeding damage begins to count, which will be the first tick. And then so on until the forth second.

So that is the case?

Hi all,

When I was doing a build on a build editor, suddenly I thought of a question that I am not sure about the answer:

If a skill that apply a condition for x seconds, how many time would that condition be applied to the target?

For example, the first scepter skill of necromancer, Blood Curse, it applies a 4-second bleed to the target. I know it should tick once every 1 second, so 4 ticks in total: first second, tick; second second, tick; third second, tick; and forth second, tick. BUT does it tick when the attack first hit the target? That is at the zeroth second?

Thanks!

My math is not that good. Can someone help me to balance between power, precision and ferocity, please?

Many thanks!

Aaaah, I understand now. Thanks for the analysis!

I see. But I thought condition is harder to play… since you have to monitor the stacks, reapply if needed, and survive long enough for the condition to be effective.

Mostly group – big zerg or guild group. I am not very good at 1v1 but do solo roam a bit when it is quiet.

I am using gs/staff on a 4/4/0/0/6 shatter build as well. But I am using rampager gear instead, trying to make some sort of power/condition hybrid. I always have enough clones for shattering and it is both offensive during bursting phase and defensive during shatter cool down. But I do not have enough ferocity which makes it a bit of a problem. I think I have 60%+ critical chance and only 166% critical damage. That is slightly imbalanced that I am going to change later. (I cannot remember how much power I have now).

Is it going to work?

I am thinking to take Miam the Disillusioned instead of the more common iPersona. I like iPersona very much indeed: F1 and 2 can be use for offensive purpose; F3 and 4 defensive – particularly F4 when I need that brief moment of distortion to stay alive. I am hoping to give MtD a try nonetheless. Then that would make all shatter skills do more condition damage on top of confusion and F3 and 4 can double up as offensive skills as well while F1 and 2 still on cool down.

Any suggestion on that set up?

I normally run with Disenchanter as a condition cleasner for it being on a relatively short cool down; and can also be double up as a shatter folder. The annoying thing is that it needs a target but that is fine most of the time.

So, any advice or suggestion will be most welcomed.

Many thanks!

Can someone suggest a control 1st support/damage 2nd build?

Thanks!

Hello all,

Just got my ranger to 80 today and I am not sure how to build it up from there. I am thinking of a general build for PvE, dungeons or may be fractuals for the time being. I may refine it once I get more experience with the class. I occasionally just do join a random zerg for some wvwvw action too.

So far I have got something similar to this: http://gw2skills.net/editor/?fNAQNBhYDZkRlCWbZhr1A7B16AIgTAWdw7u9bf6KUiE

The idea is to let the pet do most of the damage before I swap them off. I am using Jaguar for its F2 ability. As to the second pet, I am currently using Salamander Drake for tanking but depending on the situation, I may use other pets. I swap pet and weapon as often as possible taking advantage of a few traits.

Weapon-wise, I am happy with a greatsword and a warhorn so far. Sword is a good weapon but I kept missing on Serpent’s Strike (even on a standing still target), which is very very annoying. Is that something to do with the topology of the map?

Utility-wise, I use Signet of the Hunt just to run faster and that extra damage boost is rather handy during a fight. Lighting Reflexes is my stun break. I do not have a fixed option for the third slot yet.

As to gears, runes and sigils and accessories, I still have no idea yet.

Please advise…

Many thanks!

Thanks you all!

I was actually thinking only get 4 points into Beastmastery. The reasonale being those grandmaster traits are not that good. But then where to spend the rest of the 10 points?

I have been playing around with Markmanship and Skrimishing taking advantages of vulnerability, precision and critical hit (or ferocity now). But how big a different are those traits contributing towards the overall damage of the pets? How much extra does a pet crit for (+50%)?

The only stats that are available for pets are power, precision, toughness and vitality – all others are zero. So apart from boons, what else can affect, say, condition, crit, etc of a pet?

Alternatively, I can go down Natural Magic and be a spirit ranger, with again the role of DPS delegated to the pet. But I have not much experience with the spirits. How are they?

Any suggestions?

Hello all,

I am thinking of going all the way down the Beastmastery trait line maximising the potential of my pets. I am thinking of get one DPS and one either tank or support depending on the situation. Whereas as a ranger myself, I am leaning towards are more tanking or supportive play-style letting the pets being the main source of damage although I am still experimenting.

For pure DPS pets, I am not sure whether I should go with birds (particularly Hawk or Eagle with their longer bleed Lacerating Slash) or cats (Jungle Stalker with it Mighty Roar). Both cause vulnerability, which is good. It is said that cats as slightly tougher than birds but the data from wiki says they are the same. Also, I do not swap pets very often so I normally run with Master’s Bond. So which one seems better?

As to a tank pet, I am most likely running either drake or devourer since I am not really a bear person.

That is just a broad framework without taking into consideration of utilities or other traits in mind. But anyway any suggestions?

Many thanks!

So… it is better to heal as a Elementalist or as a Necromancer?

Also:
1) which is better at healing?
2) if they are both good at different ways of healing, what are the pros and cons of each class?
3) by the way, is there a way to be both healer and dps at the same time?

Many thanks!

I think iWarlock is good when the target has truck-load of conditions.

I tried staff on a shatter build once with traited cooldown. It was fun having clones every few second from Phase Retreat. But then I realised Mirror Blade does the same thing and a second faster and the reduce cooldown trait is in the Domination tree. So I decided to use GS as my main weapon these days.

That said, I would LOVE to incorporate staff into my general playstyle. I may experiement a 4/0/4/0/6 weird build later. I do not know what is the normal recharge rate on endurance but with vigor I counted that it was roughly 5 seconds or so. So I suppose I do try without Deceptive Evasion for a change and see how it works.

I have just leveled mine to 80 the weekend before the April Feature Pack. I was so thrilled. After a week of post-patch playing, I do not feel a significant different than before. As a shatter mesmer, yes, damage seems to be lowered a bit and vigor has become an issue (which made me rely more on Decoy and Mirror Imagines for clone production). Honestly I am not happy with the changes but I am still playing my mesmer.

I however have to say that I do not know how to build a mesmer any more. None of the builds stands out. Do not get me wrong, they are ok; but not attractive, or in some cases unique, to play one any more.

Hello all,

Which class has the best of both CC and DPS combined? I suppose that means having good and quite a number of CC skills whilst choosing to play in a more CC-oriented style will not affect DPS output by much.

Any thoughts?

Thanks!

hedition.7261:

Warrior is great and all but…I find them boring.

Warrior is a straightforward, no fancy machanic and easy to pick-up profession. I play an elementialist and a shatter mesmer, so for me warrior is a little on the easy side.

But that does not mean you should not give it a go and see it for yourself.