Guild Wars 2

Follow up on the Trait-Line Stats
From what I have got out of the blog post:
Power, Precision, Toughness, Vitality → Integrated into the base stats and Items.
Profession specific → 50% base; 50% upon selecting the elite-specialization as a traitline.

Q: What happens to the rest (Boon duration, condition duration, Ferocity, Compassion?

five core specializations
Just for clarification: Means the last trait line will still be selectable in combinations with an elite-specialization? F.e. you can be a druid specializing in Beastmastery.

a single elite specialization
In the blog post you wrote: “For now, characters will only be able to equip a single elite specialization.” Just for clarification: You will only be able to select one elite specialization at a time, but (in time) you will be able to select one out of multiple specializations? You can’t have two or three elite specializations selected at the same time, can’t you?

Just a quick question: Are you fighting against other teams?
Since there are so many objectives on the map, it really feels like communication and tactic are really important. Maybe that’s the reason you are winning, and due to your team constellation?

Was it a blowout match, where you won very fast?

No.

Just take a look at options and you’ll see, what you can change. Whatever is not included there, can’t be changed.

Zarathustra.1458:

How about building it into harmonious mantra’s, if you still have one charge left you gain a charge for mantras on your bar every 15s.

Even if it would only works out of combat, I’d take it!

brannigan.9831:

Teutos.8620:

[…]end up at about 50% win ratio[…]

Will never get to the point with ture 50% match probability in every match. Not large enough player base not enough people grouping. To have that you would have to have an unlimited supply of players of all skill levels and ranges and group sizes in queue at any time. Never mind the fact that sometimes the game says its 50% and its not because while the team MMRs are similar how they got there is wildly different. One team with two really good players and three bad ones would probably lose to a group of five decent players yet the MMRs are comparable. People have to get it into there heads that while this system can surely be improved it will never be that close to perfect especially if they continue with the merged queues.

I disagree. With a low number of games played, you are right, but after you played a few dozen games, you should end up with 50%. The chance, that a bad player ends up on your opponents team are higher, than on yours (if you consider yourself a good player tho).
But regardless of my personal opinion, I’d love to hear you point on topic.
How does your opinion now influence the ladder?
How should the ladder get changed in consideration of your opinion?

Josh Davis.6015:

a ladder algorithm where an emphasis is placed on winning games, rather than just playing games.

This change still does not go in the right direction. The ladder should reward players with a high MMR and not just for spending time.

With the Matchmaking system, you SHOULD have around 50% win chance IF you are matches correctly.
That leaves the following scenarios:
1.) Players rated too low (maybe just started in ranked; maybe farmed looses in the previous season) will have higher win chance than 50% →he get’s rewarded for playing, after that the will become a #2 player (see below).
2.) Players correctly rated, maybe getting a bit better over time → around 50% win chance → the more he players, the higher he is placed. It still does not matter which MMR he has. (as long as there are enough players around him to play with and against, to not get farmed from players with a higher MMR)

Tl.DR.: Ladder is still only for farming, we need an influence of the MMR.

I always hated the terminology…

PvP Rank from Hot-Join Rank-Farms is referring to the bar at the bottom of your screen. F.e. your current PvP Rank on the screen is 48.

You get the Llama from having a high rank on the PvP ladder, that’s the “Play Ranked Arena” button. If you have a lot of time, just go there and play. Does not matter how good you are, the current PvP ladder is also just a farming spot.

I don’t think, I would use it. Just think about every little flamer on the map chat, that you now have to block instantly, because he is shouting in your ear…

Nevhie.6079:

D. More sustain
D1. Phantasm Defender = Cut damage taken for ur P

No, don’t use the Defender, he is currently useless.

Arikyali.5804:

And second question: what about players that simply AFK without leaving the match, after gaining a few points? Someone once told me you can report them for ‘botting’ (they’re going afk, not putting effort, yet still reaping the rewards). But I’m unsure if this is correct.

At least the ArenaNet Developers themselves told us to report them for botting, but I agree, we should have more report options or a small text to add to the report. I think that would help out the support far better.

SYPHA.9283:

LMFAO. as a matter of fact, I don’t spent more time in GW2 at all. Smite is a much better designed game.

So you are saying, that you don’t spent time in GW2 BUT still encounter Hacks on a daily base here?

Do you have to spread lies here? Just go to your beloved Smite.

Feel free to look me up in the pre Dez leaderboards, where you were actually ranked my match making. Since I haven’t found you there, I know how great you are.

Every situation I was accused of hacking was during the daily in Hot-join. I don’t spent more time there. Maybe you should try that too.

btw: If you write with caps lock, nobody is taking you seriously. Try to use some of the formatting options if you want to put emphasis on something.

SYPHA.9283:

You are wrong. I witness hacking on a daily basis. I too have played the game since beta am rank 80 and am quite sure i know the diff between hacks and skills. Being ive played every class. Hacks are a very serious and real problem and it grows daily.

You don’t show me any proof of that. Your “just cauz I said so” does not change anything.

From my perspective the chances are way higher, that you are just a bad and clueless player and mistake a good skill use for a hack, than that there are actual that many hackers that you witness them on a daily basis.

FYI: You can configure and even disable the tabs in gmail.

SYPHA.9283:

Actually you are quite wrong. Hacking in PvP has become quite prevalent. Usually after ANET gives a 50-75% discount you see hacking from the new players for a good 6 months.

I’ll refer you to my list from above. Most of the time the situation people refer to “hacking” has other causes.

From my personal perspective I very rarely recognize someone as hacking, but that may also be due to the fact, that I’m not ranked at the entry level.

Hacking in SPvP is very unusual; You chance to meet someone is very rare. Things like flying or speedhack are more a problem in WvW.

Most of the time you’ll meet either:

• Players that are Lagging; that lets them port around a few steps. Most common issue here is players that appear to be kicked down an edge, but appear back above. Or a downstate player you can’t finish or rez because it tells you he is out of position.
• Bugs: Currently there is an invisible bug. Not sure how it is caused. Few days ago I met an invisible warrior. In hotjoin on Foefire you might spawn in the wrong base.
• A profession skill you just don’t know: I got accused of hacking for using Worm and Spectral Walk on my Nekromancer. Another time in Hotjoin testing a condition burst build and just obliterating someone.

You need to wear at least Chest, Legs and Boots otherwise you are loosing ‘armor’ value (=the pieces every character already has from the creation). The itemlevel of those pieces does not matter.

ZeftheWicked.3076:

I don’t see me writing word “humble” in it at all for that matter, in case you’re short on arguments:>

The brought the best (and probably only) argument that is, for that kind of suggestions:

→ I would prefer development-time to spent somewhere more useful.

We all know, that resources are limited otherwise, it would be no problem to fulfill every request. Your suggestions are maybe for some players nice to have, but there are too many far more important (must-have) matters, that needs to be addressed first.
(F.e. let us start with not having the camera options reset after joining spectator mode).

Majsan.5870:

Is it bad that I never signed up for the newsletter (Because I didn’t know about it at all until today) and I still got the invitation?

That is actually good news for me. Maybe I didn’t got the HoT newsletter confirmation since I am already registered to the normal gw2 newletter.

Jade Arkadian.9280:

Teutos.8620:

Jade Arkadian.9280:

Yes, I just did a test with another email address, and it sends you a confirmation mail once you request the subscription.

Do you have to click a link in the confirmation email?

Of course you have

Perfect, than I can’t prove, that I’m “a loyal gw2 player” since every other email would not be linked to my gw2 account.

@ANet: I’m using firstname.secondname @ gmail.com and I don’t get your Newsletter information!

Jade Arkadian.9280:

Yes, I just did a test with another email address, and it sends you a confirmation mail once you request the subscription.

Do you have to click a link in the confirmation email?

Should we have gotten a confirmation mail or newsletter?

Edit: Post now out of context since thread creator deleted his post. He was concerned about the PvP-matchmaking since he had a loosing streak.

Played three games today, three good games. Can’t complain about anything.

If you lost every game yesterday, your mmr will have taken a huge hit. If you know meet more newbies, the system seems to work fine…

If you want to go over your build or playstyle, we can meet ingame and talk a bit – just to make sure – the problem is the system and not you.

BTT:

In the newest version of this system, we’re putting a much stronger focus on wins, with less weight given to the sheer number of games played over a period of time.

So what exactly did you change?

First I would love to hear Noscs opinion on the state of the Necromancer.

Yes, I think Necro needs some adjustments, but I don’t think he is the worst state of all professions.

Suggestions:
1.) Allow Necromancer to get healed in Deathshroud. Either increase Lifeforepool or Health.
2.) Every Necromancer should start with at least 10% Lifeforce after spawning in PvP.

I have no played 3 games with necromancer and I’ll share my experience with you:

Bhawb.7408:

I’ve been hearing of quite a few issues with Flesh Wurm’s teleport, mainly that you can no longer summon it somewhere where you couldn’t teleport to it

This is true, it takes some time to get used to, but this mechanism now guarantees us, that we don’t place the wurm where the teleport will not work. So I think this is the best solution to do this.

and if you are out of range it won’t teleport you (before you would just get 1200 distance, even if the wurm itself was further away).

No, this is not correct.
Out of range will still teleport you in the direction.
And if you place the wurm somewhere, where from your current position you can’t reach him, it will still teleport you in the direction.

Laraley.7695:

I went to try only a few of them but so far the only one that didn’t work was at Keep when you try to port from below.

It worked for me. Maybe still a bit sensitive where you stand, and where you put your mouse cursor.

Phoebe Ascension.8437:

Are you kidding me? I just tried shadowstepping in divinities reach, all spots that usually worked (especially stairs), are now off limits ‘no valuable target area’. All of them. Only superior flat terrain seems to work anymore. I really hope you are correct, cause as it seems now, it’s a 90% nerf to the vertical locations to teleport nerf (not talking about flat terrain situations).

Well, since this is the PvP Forum, I have only tested the PvP maps

If you want more details:
On Kyhlo I only found 1 spot to not work, which worked prior the update: If you are starting from the blue side, and you heading directly towards the clocktower (not left to the homenode, and not right to the treb) you were able to teleport onto the wall, which, at least I, was no longer able to do so.
The teleport from the blue side onto the clocktower has moved a bit, but it is still working.
Other teleport spots haven’t changed.

Foefire & Temple:
I was able to use every teleport location prior the patch known to me, and even more.
On Temple: You still can’t teleport to the top of the east highground. But, you can teleport right on top of the stairs, which is pretty much the highground.

Skyhammer:
Doesn’t look like anything got changed. Found a bug next to B: The teleport is used when you try to reach the small lodge (both north and south of point B, both facing west), but it actually doesn’t teleport you there.

Titles says it all. Really great changes, really love them! Thanks ArenaNet!

For all who haven’t tested it yet:
For Shadowstep / Blink / Lightning Flash:
1.) You only get ported and the cooldown only triggers if you are actually able to reach the target location.
2.) A lot of locations are now easier to reach. Every missed the teleport to the highground of the keep in Nifhel? No more! It is reachable from all directions!

For Infiltrator Strike / Judge’s Intervention / Flashing Blade / Signet of Infiltaton:
1.) You can still use them out of range, to teleport in the direction of the target. Cooldown only triggers if you are able to do so.
2.) They still don’t need line of sight. So the rumor weren’t true.

Palador.2170:

Are you sure on that? I’m pretty sure it’s counted for me before, several times.

Sorry my bad, just tested it, and it worked. (Maybe got fixed at the introduction?)

Akikaze.1307:

Solution: you should have taken the volunteer switch team option instead of waiting for the system to auto balance you.

It counts for the win regarding the amount of rank point you receive, but it does not count for the daily profession win.

Great idea! I would love to see Scarlet coming back as an available legend!

We will have to wait and see (unless some of you has good contacts to china).

From my take, it looks like you can, after the patch, spam Blink onto unreachable locations without getting on cooldown. Only if the Blink actually works, it is going on cooldown.

ZeftheWicked.3076:

Stability stomps are getting fixed.

They are not, look at the numbers after the change.

PierPiero.9142:

and you forgot f3 from mesmer

You mean F4

BTT: For a safe-stomp or safe-Rez (like warbanner) people have to dedicate an ability to do so. F.e. if you want to safe the elixer-s CD for the stomp, you are not having this stunbreaker to survive / if you have to use it to survive, you won’t have it as a safestomp.

Everyone has a counterplay. Two players rezzing is faster than one stomping. Stealthing a target also avoids the stomp. Warbanner can be interrupted.

The existence of those mechanics are not a problem, but we could discuss about the cooldown and cast time.

Cerpin.9152:

Don’t you guys think that the upcoming stability changes might give us a new niche ?

No.

One of those fight-deciding moments are f.e. a warrior trying to throw a banner.
Without stability, you just need to put any CC on him. Every profession has access to some sort, but I would still rank thief with ‘Head Shot’ on #1.

Currently with stability: You have to remove the stability first. The best profession to do so, is still thieve with traited steal since it also interrupts the warrior.
After that the next one in line is necromancer with Corrupt Boon and a follow up fear.
On 3rd place are we mesmers with ‘Shattered Concentration’ and a followed up CC.

Now, how would this situation look like after the stability change?
The battle standard has a 2 second cast, and the warrior has 5 stacks of stability. The easiest way would still be the above mentioned boon remove.
With reaction time I hard think a single player will be able to put more than 2 CCs on the warrior, but a whole team COULD work together to bring down the 5 stacks, but it is still unlikely.

In most other situation, which is not so crucial for a team fight, you will still wait, till the stacks of stability are running out, before you use your CCs.

I think the profession who will benefit the most from the stability change is going to be the engineer. With a full knockback build he might be faster to neutralize a capture point.

brannigan.9831:

I am on this board a lot and you are one of these guys that twist themsevles into a pretzel defending just about everything A-net does.

Maybe because I actually have fun playing the game AND I’m actually winning enough Maybe I’m good enough to carry some matches regardless bad teammates; maybe it is not the case, and I just don’t focus on the games I lost; anyway, I am having fun

The vast majortiy of rank 80 players are way ahead of your average newb to pvp.

I have fought enough players, that I know, that rank 80 means nothing.

Is the matchmaking perfect? Not at all. I have reported to Justin enough extremely uneven matches.

Still: (at least for me) it seems to be in a good place AND my statements are still true: MMR takes some time to place you; Rank has absolutely nothing to do with skill.

TyPin.9860:

thief, but I am not sure…

Thieves are actually quite fine. They can sill spam Disabling Shot or Flanking Strike combined with Withdraw and Roll for Initiative.

Henrik.7560:

Mesmer sword 3 or staff 2 shouldn’t drop it

Just for clarification:
F4 Distortion drops the orb.
Sword #3 Swap drops the orb.
Staff #2 Phase Retreat drops the orb.
Distortion on signet ‘Blurred Inscriptions’ drops the orb.
Mirror Images drops the orb.
(and obviously Blink, Stealth and Portal).

Mesmer can do alright if they have traveller runes

And a profession using traveler runes AND have a movement skill are getting double the benefit since they increase the traveling distance too.

Yeah, well, maybe that’s ArenaNets way to increase build diversity. Like skyhammer where it is best to play max tanky with pushes, pulls and fears.

Personally I think the following abilities should be the first to get changed accordingly:

• Mirror Images: When using Mirror Images you are getting teleported a small step around, causing you to loose the orb.

• Super Speed: Increases your movement to max speed even when you are carrying the orb. Combine this with any movement skill, and you are faster than light. F.e. Rocket Boots to shoot you over the halve map; or combined with the Fiery Greatsword.

• ’Monarch’s Leap’ leaping distance

• Combination of Withdraw, Roll for Initiative and Disabling Shot

Crossplay.2067:

I still find mantras too clunky for use and Anet keeps ignoring any and every idea to change them.

I felt the same the first time I used them; now I can’t go back from them anymore.

Stoaga.8190:

You cant possibly play enough to be rank 80 and then suck at the game as much as a brand new pvper such as myself

Sure they can.
Consider:
Player A normally plays speed run dungeons/roaming a lot in WvW, and has a lot of experience in GW2, but he has not played PvP a lot, therefore his PvP Rank is very low, but he still might be a good player there.

Player B has played a PvP, and has a high PvP rank, BUT that was 1 year ago, so this old experience does not help him a lot.

Player C has played a lot of Hot-Join or participated in rank farms. He has a high PvP rank, but has almost non experience.

Player D has a lot of PvP experience and a high PvP rank, but he is just bad…

most of the time i get matched with higher ranks and they do not suck, hence i get kitten d.

That is a problem. Please consider, that the MMR takes time to place you in the right position, as does it for everybody else.

Please let us know, if the problem exists, once you have played more games.

From what I have seen in the demos: I’m going to love it!

But well, to be sure, I have first to play it numerous times

Yes, MMR exists in both ‘Play’ and ‘Compete’; not in ‘Practice’.

The MMR system has to first place you right, with a lot of new players it might have a difficult time to do so. Your matches should get better.

On a side note: PvP Rank has nothing to do with how good you are; it only indicates how experienced you are.

Piper halliwell w.6578:

Daily mesmer winner is is once every two or three weeks……..

Just imagine the community outcry if they would have to play mesmer more often:
“So hard qq I always loose qq”

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Randomness

Double your armor means you’ll receive half the damage.

So if someone hits you for 1.000 damage @2600 armor, they would only hit you for 500 damage @5200 armor.
armor*2 => damage / 2

2600*1,27=3302 => damage / 1,27
So if someone hits you for 1.000 damage @2600 armor, they would only hit you for 787 damage @3300 armor.
In words: You increase your armor by 27%, therefore you opponents hit you for 27% less.

3302*1,575=5200,65 => damage / 1,575
So if someone hits you for 787 damage @3302 armor, they would only hit you for ~500 @5200 armor.

Cynz.9437:

I honestly would argue if thief is even that important in current meta, we have seen plenty of teams that won matches in tourney that didn’t even have thief on team….

And still, thieves are still found on almost every top team.

There is no point in arguing why that is the case, and there is no point in arguing what will be once HoT goes live.

The specializations are going to have a huge impact on the meta. Without having more information we can’t really argue what will happen.

The only thing we can actually discuss at this point how we feel about vertical mobility. Is it currently in a good place? What improvements would like to see OR is it better to take out most of it?
How does vertical mobility impact every map? Which positions are good as they are, which should get changed / added / removed?

ZeftheWicked.3076:

won’t masteries provide us all with means of vertical travel?

Masteries are for PvE only. FYI: You are here in the SPvP section of the gw2 forums

Bubi.5237:

Guyz, if we think we’ll get only 1 weapon..
Then give us double-shieldz~
Mainhand and offhand shieldz, for da win!

VOTE FOR FUN, VOTE FOR DOUBLE SHIELDZ!

Yes! I want double shield!

We are the master of deception.
You think I can’t deal damage using two shields? Get rekt!