Guild Wars 2

Looks great, especially the IC move and the buff to Menders Purity. I was kind of expecting to see Critical Infusion and Prismatic Understanding toned down also, but I guess there’s still time for that.

Meh it’s just another thing that divides opinions in WvW. For me personally WvW is just an extension of the PvE world that allows for PvP so I’m happy to see more PvE stuff added periodically. I find it rather funny when I down someone and then /sit and watch them being finished off by say, the Veteran Warg or standing back and watching someone fail with their attempt at soloing a camp, confused as to why they didn’t dodge more.

With this new Toxic Alliance stuff most of it is out of the way so it never really factors in, but I do like the event on EB that’s in the dredge cave. It’s quite funny bumping into a bunch of zerglings in there and leading them around the toxic pollen. Nobody seems to slot that new heal skill so their easy prey whilst the Elite Toxic Krait munch on them. I used to do a lot of Dark Souls PvP so I’m used to actively luring people into situations where NPC aggro creates funny encounters and I’m glad GW2 allows me to do the same thing.

I think it’s about time Anet started to celebrate their Minis. At present they’re such forgettable, throw-away items that are very rarely used and are mostly just obtained by those eager to fill up those empty greyed-out bank slots. I find that quite dull and kind of sad because some of the Minis are really rather cool. There are a couple of things that I think would improve the mini system and get more people interested in obtaining and using them:

1) A Minipet interface on the Hero panel – having to carry around an invisible bag just so we don’t unequip and deposit our active Mini every time we want to use a core feature of our inventory panels is really rather irritating. A more elegant solution would be a separate Mini equip panel that works in a similar way to the current Finisher equip panel allowing us to view our complete minipet collections and swap them out easily on the fly.

2) Minipet games – let’s start doing fun things with our minipets! Minipet costume brawl, Minipet racing, Minipet dance contests. What better way to show off are favourite minis than seeing how far we can catapult them over that big ol’ Krait Obelisk?!

Basically I’m just looking for some improvements on the presentation and management of minipets as they’re really not that appealing to use or purchase at present.

Also, can we get more cats with hats please.

Please please please let there be a new story dungeon complete with 3 new explorable paths inside that obelisk.

Also there are plenty of pretty areas still left in the game. The north of Caledon Forest is still a stunning place to visit if you just feel like looking at something pretty.

Most erroneous accusation of coordinated double teaming I think I’ve ever seen. But I still love that this thread exists.

This has been such a fun matchup for late night and early morning roaming/small group sieging. Thanks to the FSP and AG night crews for the good fights. I look forward to the rest of the week

Yesterday I spent quite a long time waiting in a queue to get into my server’s (Gandara) borderland. When I finally got in it actually briefly loaded me into Elona Reach’s borderland which is part of an entirely different matchup. Eventually I was sent to Gandara Borderland, but it was pretty odd.

I’ve not seen this before so I thought it was worth posting on here in case there’s a conflict which may be contributing to the bugged queueing system. I’d hate to find that my wait was being increased because I was sharing a queue with players from another server in an entirely separate matchup. There were other people in my guild who queued after me, but got in before me…

I love that the mechanic exists, but agree there should be some limit on how many times it can occur. I actually think it would be more exciting if there was a finite amount of times that the Lord could be ressed. Instead of sending in Warriors endlessly one after another safe in the knowledge that you can pretty much always secure that res, there would be the pressure of knowing that you only have, say, 5 attempts to get it right and you need to force the enemy out of your structure during one of those attempts. I think it would just add a little more flavour to the whole thing.

A new dungeon with multiple paths would be great. Also maybe something to do with the Elder Dragons as I’m pretty bored of Scarlett and would love to get the main story going again in some form.

Also it would be nice if Anet actually went out of their way to address the many imbalanced and broken skills/traits that are plaguing WvW/sPvP.

That image…..double-teaming of FSP confirmed! bwahahahahahahahahaaaaaa

Space.8053:

Shocks! Spills! Surprises! This league has it all folks!

Underworld Vs Gunnar’s Hold Vs Abaddon’s Mouth [DE]
Gandara Vs Far Shiverpeaks Vs Aurora Glade
Miller’s Sound [DE] Vs Desolation Vs Fort Ranik [FR]

Whos your pick for this week? Which matchup thread will have the most drama for onlookers to laugh at?

Without a doubt – Gandara Vs Far Shiverpeaks Vs Aurora Glade.

It’s going to be messy and I will laugh so hard.

tanztante.6532:

To lighten up the matchup, i outdid myself and made a photo-romance novel.
Yet something didn’t go as planned, but see for yourself

:P

What a big meanie! I would have stripped right down to my undies and swam in that gold with you

I really get where you’re coming from OP. It is pretty frustrating that your personal WvW reward is tied so closely to serendipity, but then so much of GW2 is reward by participation as opposed to reward by effort and/or displays of skill, so it’s rather fitting really. If you really want to ensure optimal WvW rewards then you should transfer to a server with a large WvW contingent, otherwise just enjoy WvW as you always have and think of the season rewards as a convenient bonus to your usual activities.

Pre-season I experienced little to no lag unless I really felt like getting stuck in during an SM three-way at prime time. Now it’s just horrible and for the first time ever I had to stop playing WvW on Monday at around 12pm (GMT) because I was experiencing so much lag. You know what I was doing at the time I had to log out? Solo-roaming on my home borderland. That lag – it gets you wherever you are.

The one achievement that really stands out as being a bit silly is the ruins capping achievement. It’s encouraging people to run around in circles capturing ruins when their server already has Bloodlust. This is made even more frustrating by the fact that there are people doing this whilst other objectives on the same map are in dire need of attention: objectives that will actually count towards how well your server does.

I don’t really mind this happening during the less busy times in WvW, but when there’s a massive queue full of budding everyday WvWers that can’t get in because there’s 10 or so achievement hunters capturing ruins, it does begin to grate and have a detrimental effect on the dynamics of WvW.

I’m sure this has been brought up before, but would it be possible to have it so every person in the party sees their character during cutscenes in the Arah story rather than the party leader? It’s not particularly satisfying having the climax of your personal story hijacked by another player.

What on earth happened to Abbadon’s night crew?! We used to get golem rushed constantly pre-season to the point of insanity and now there’s just…nothing.

It’s fun that AM and Gandara are very competitive at the moment though. Looks like the battle for 2nd place will be as interesting as the battle for 3rd

People just have different goals in WvW. A large proportion of people who play the game are driven solely by reward systems, so it’s only natural for a large part of the WvW populace to hold the same values. It can be frustrating, but it’s just something you have to live with unfortunately.

The best advice I can give is to play at times when WvW populations are generally at their lowest, with a strong WvW focused guild group who enjoy strategy and defence. I get to do this a lot on my Server.

They should have just placed the new Tequatl in a separate instance that large organised groups can select to do, keeping the old Tequatl in the rotation of world bosses for new players to enjoy casually.

Actually Anet, you can still do this. It would certainly make it easier to organise the large raid groups necessary to take on Tequatl. Basically use the same system you use for dungeons, only allow 100+ people to participate.

Gold:
1. SFR
2. Viz
3. Piken

Silver:
1. Desolation
2. Abbadon
3. AG or Gandara or GH or MS (the battle for third place is going to be great)

Bronze:

1. DL
2. RoS
3. FoW or RoF

Ah the PvErs be gone within a few weeks once they’ve got their WvW meta complete. I just hope a few of them stay around and try to help over the course of the season.

Yep keep getting sent to random sPvP matches as a spectator instead of Southsun Survival.

If you really want to be able to 1v1 a good PU Mesmer successfully, just go for the Warrior hard-condi counter build with -60% condi duration, Healing Signet, Cleansing Ire, Berserker Stance and Dogged March. I’ve been playing as a scepter/torch + staff condi Mesmer since February (pre- torment and pre-PU buff) and this one Warrior build is impossible to kill unless they’re really really bad. I always give it a go just to see how long I can survive but end up having to retreat when I realise they’re health really isn’t going to go below 75%.

If you’re mostly zerker though, well, you’re kind of easy target for a condi-Mesmer.

Probably the best part of the leagues is the fact that so people are going to want to get involved in WvW to net those achievements and qualify for their season reward. The first couple of weeks are going to be hectic and all kinds of silly entertaining. Can’t wait.

Emanuel.9781:

Simonoly.4352:

Outside of the forum drama there’s not really much hate for Greatsword. I think some mean things were said and a few people got their knickers in a twist, but hey nobody died so I think everything’s going to be okay.

Use it if you enjoy it – it really doesn’t matter. If someone has a go at you for using it a dungeon, just leave and find another group. Dungeons aren’t particularly difficult nor are they ever complicated, so I imagine most people could care less what weapons you use.

I wouldn’t worry about it. Carry on pew pewin with dem laser beams

Prime example of not helpful/detrimental info. You’re basically saying “play how badly you want and dont care about efficiency, the rest will carry you. If they don’t/kick you, try finding another group to carry you”. This is the mindset that makes pug-ing borderline unbearable sometimes(for most people).

Greatsword is a situational weapon and should not be used unless you really NEED it.
Same goes for staff.

Nope, what I’m simply saying is “play how you like, if a group does not like how you play, find another group instead”. Believe it or not some players care not for efficiency as all they want to do is play the game in a way they enjoy. It’s an MMORPG so you’re going to be constantly exposed to people of various skill and levels of participation, so it’s both unreasonable and unrealistic to expect every person you meet to prescribe to the same mentality as yourself (especially if it’s a pug group). I know a few people who stick almost exclusively to ranged weapons (including Mesmer Greatsword) due to various issues ranging from wobbly internet connections to problems with their eyesight. What horrible spongers!

If you don’t want to play with Greatsword Mesmers in dungeons, don’t play with Greatsword Mesmers in dungeons. If you want to play with fellow Mesmers that strive for nothing but efficiency, find and play with those people instead. There’s room for everyone.

Outside of the forum drama there’s not really much hate for Greatsword. I think some mean things were said and a few people got their knickers in a twist, but hey nobody died so I think everything’s going to be okay.

Use it if you enjoy it – it really doesn’t matter. If someone has a go at you for using it a dungeon, just leave and find another group. Dungeons aren’t particularly difficult nor are they ever complicated, so I imagine most people could care less what weapons you use.

I wouldn’t worry about it. Carry on pew pewin with dem laser beams

This could be easily avoided by Anet putting time-frames on their release posters. So, for example, Blood and Madness might say “October 15-29, 2013” allowing players to see when the meta will end and also when to expect the next update.

So I wasn’t going mad, I honestly just assumed that that ominous looking shroud had always been there. I hope to see more little finds like this in the run-up to other patches, because honestly it’s the anticipation and speculation of a new update that will keep people logging in.

iorlas.6721:

deso tanked to get into silver they have more than enough to push for top spot,watch em all come outa the woodwork once the league starts.

It’s already happening. Deso switched their WvW back on this week.

For WvW it was a well needed and very fair bug fix. Just kind of silly that it took so long for Anet to correct it.

Krispera.5087:

Pentzski.4620:

So, who else noticed how broken the mesmer falling trait is right now?

Now that you mentioned… Went to see the trait and tried on a Risen…
Oh, let’s see, now people can abuse more efficiently with the Sky Hammer map abuse !

Holy kitten is that broken. Quick, everyone get into WvW and start dive bombing those zergs

Take all weapons in with you and just switch as needs demand. I personally like sword/sword with sword/pistol or sword/focus (projectile reflect) but there are situations where staff can be quite useful, mostly for playing defensively when you need to res someone. I use Greatsword the least as most dungeons are within small enclosed spaces where maintaining the full distance of Spatial Surge isn’t really possible. Also main-hand sword will be stripping boons whilst stacking vulnerability and doing a greater dps, so stick with that as much as possible.

Good D/P Thieves should never die unless they over commit. On my Mesmer 1v1 I can get D/P Thieves to retreat with another pressure, but the high stealth uptime gives them more than enough time to reset and come back. I imagine condi/stealth Mesmer builds can be a real headache for D/P Thieves.

Mostly I see good D/P Thieves trolling small groups, in those circumstances Moa Morph is your friend. Morph, burst, done – remove the irritation.

I find it much harder to see what skills an Asuran Mesmer is channeling more than any other race to the point where I roll my eyes when I see one on the horizon, knowing that I’m going to have to work harder reacting to and dodging channels etc. I took this to be one of the main reasons I see so many Asuran Mesmers: like you all know that I personally find it harder and you want to punish me. I’ve played as a Mesmer long enough now to know to always expect the unexpected, therefore reacting to character animations is just how I play.

So yeh, go with Asura. shakes fist

Oh hai Deso. You seem to have not got the memo that spamming emotes at everything you kill isn’t fashionable anymore. Go and grab yourself some disposable siege blueprints and make headstones for your defeated foes instead. You guys are so BWE

I just really wish Anet would turn the interrupt bonus into a Grandmaster Mesmer interrupt trait to replace the rather lacklustre Chaotic Interruption. It would still need some limitations though, like perhaps only working when the interrupt is caused through a daze or something. I think an ICD might cause some issues for AoE interrupt skills so I would avoid that. As for the rune set itself, just put the chance to proc confusion on crit as the number 6 bonus. Still makes for a really good runeset.

At first I was dismayed when I came up against this crazy Warrior build in WvW, but now I just find it kind of funny. It’s pretty obvious that Healing Signet is going to get nerfed and Warrior mobility is going to get some limitations put on it so Warriors can’t fly around like pre-ride-the-lightning-nerf Eles only with massive health bars and heavy armour (poor Thieves). But hopefully Anet don’t go too far as it’s quite fun hiding behind these new Warrior guys

The butterflies are the best part. If anything we need MORE butterflies. Maybe a class specific finisher where the Mesmer sprouts a pair of butterfly wings before nuking the downed target with a swarm of butterflies….. BUTTERFLIES!!!!!

I will be very surprised if Abbadon don’t win the first season. They have the largest night presence of all the Silver league servers and can quite easily golem rush and flip anything they want.

However, Desolation had a suspicious decline into Silver league. It’s widely known that some WvW groups on their server intentionally tanked their rating to get into Silver league, yet at the same time they’ve also had quite a few people leave. So who knows what will happen with them.

I’m just looking forward to matches with AG and MS again.

In smaller encounters Moa Morph is your friend. As a Mesmer I almost always camp the Lord’s corpse with Arcane Thievery ready to strip that stability and Morph dem Warriors. Call target on the morphed Warrior and burst them down.

During larger encounters though, there is very little you can do and seeing as much of WvW is now made up of Warrior melee trains, it becomes almost impossible to prevent. It would probably be a good idea to remove the banner ressin’ of Lords, or at least give Lords a downed state of their own, so Warriors have to use their banners opportunistically, instead of just spamming it on a corpse.

I currently run a 0/20/30/0/20 build. Don’t really miss the condi-cleanse of torch, and am loving the increase in dps. I recommend giving it a go.

The interrupt bonus is so ridiculously OP that I encourage people to try it out. It’s hilarious and shouldn’t be missed.

Interrupt skills in GW2 are not opportune enough in nature to legitimise the strength of this rune bonus.

Yamsandjams.3267:

Simonoly.4352:

All we really need is AoE Moa Morph…

No, what is really needed is Quaggan Morph.

You’re onto something there. Although Quaggan are quite adorable, so we do run the risk of inflicting a 10 second squeee on ourselves. /coocuddle

All we really need is AoE Moa Morph…

Very good. You get a cookie for that one.

Yes I will. I pretty much ignore the number 6 rune bonus, which is the part of the rune set most likely to be nerfed. I’m much more into the on-crit proc + confusion duration.

Bacon.4918:

Overall, this build is probably the strongest build I’ve ever played in the sense that if you die it is really on you, so many deceptions and stealth abilities with boons kiting is too easy meanwhile you are putting out stupid AOE condition pressure.

I consider one of the major cons of the condi/stealth builds compared with necro/engi condi builds is the distinct lack of AoE condi pressure. If using staff you have a chance to proc poison, but then everything else is PBAoE (Cry of Frustration, clone death traits, The Prestige). Most opponents seem to move out of the range of any possible clone death conditions as they naturally kite during battle. There is the beam affect of confusing images but it’s not the most efficient multi-target condition source. Everything else is single target, making it insanely powerful for duels (no point duelling with this build, it’s too strong for that), great for 1vX survivability (especially if you sacrifice some condi damage for centaur or traveller runes), but pretty lacklustre in group fights compared to necro/engi.

Try doing some 1v3-5s. It’s fun seeing how long you can stay alive before someone puts enough pressure on you at the right time to cause you to blow all your GTFO cards ;-)

This is hilarious. Me thinks someone had a little bit too much to drink at last nights Anet office party.

Generally though, why you would want to actively discourage and criticise GvGs? They are organised community events just like any other and therefore Anet should be publicising and supporting them as fully as anything else. All this anti-GvG stuff just comes across as bitter and mean spirited.

Mek.2947:

I have one question though. Does debilitating dissipation apply conditions when the clones shatter due to being replaced by new ones, or is it only when a player/mob kills it?

It is both. Any form of clone death (clone replacement, enemy kills clone, clone’s target dies) causes Debilitating Dissipation to proc.

PU is a really strong trait, probably too strong. I’m expecting at least the Aegis to be removed and replaced with another boon, possibly swiftness. Stealth + protection is already really good, Stealth + Aegis is too much.

I really enjoy my condi/stealth build in WvW, but I refuse to duel with it because, like most Mesmer builds it’s a nightmare for people to duel against. I once had a 1v1 with another condi/stealth Mesmer and it was quite possibly one of the most boring duels I have ever had.

As for 1v2 or 1v3, it has very good survivability, but compared to necro and engi, condition application is relatively slow and mostly single target. I find it’s very easy for 2 or 3 decent players to put enough pressure on a condi/stealth Mesmer to force them to blow all their stealth/stun breakers leaving them vulnerable. Also, chances of the condi/stealth Mesmer also having access to increased movement speed are very low, so they probably won’t be able to catch you or run away.