A couple things bother me about this change:
- The intention of removing perma-Retal from the metagame is understandable. However, I don’t think doubling the recharge on Symbol of Wrath is the most elegant or useful way to go about it, unless their intention was also to reduce Greatsword functionality. Symbol of Wrath is a mainstay of Guardian damage and Guardian combos. It’s not going to be quite a problem in PVP (which is where perma-Retal tends to make the most difference) because Symbols are so static and limited in size. In PVE, though, Symbol of Wrath has group utility in the form of combo fields, and is also the one powerful link between Greatsword and Zeal (which includes Greatsword Traits and Symbol traits). Without a reliable symbol in Greatsword, Zeal isn’t really an attractive Trait line for Greatsword.
This right here. If Anet wanted to fix the perma-retal of Symbol of Wrath, they could have done it differently than completely nerfing the amount of damage we do with the skill as well (by not allowing us to use it as often). They are taking the one weapon we have that does effective damage in PvE, and nerfing it. The greatsword was always about damage anyway, not support, and now they’re taking away the damage from it as well. If this keeps up, greatsword will be rendered completely useless. Fail Anet, fail.
1. Reduce the cooldown on Whirling Wrath, and also reduce the cooldown on Leap of Faith even further if Symbol of Wrath is to remain as is. We currently just lost A LOT of PvE damage because of this nerf, something that guardians were already lacking in to begin with.
2. Change the retaliation aspect of Symbol of Wrath and put everything else about it, back to the way it was. Something like, reduce the duration of retaliation to 2 seconds of the total symbol time or something.
I mean seriously Anet? If this is how you’re going to handle balance changes in GW2, you will lose all credibility with your community. My above two suggestions are common sense when it comes to this change. I guess Anet is severely lacking in the common sense department with the dev team.
I request that Symbol of Wrath have it’s cooldown reduced DRASTICALLY, and then just change the way the retaliation aspect of it works. Don’t nerf the whole kitten skill (damage and all) just because of the retaliation aspect. The Anet devs who thought up of this change must have had their heads up their kitten
Spamming Symbol of Wrath was only remotely effective against dumb AI in PvE. So why in the hell did they nerf it!?!?
Not sure what you mean by dumb AI. Retaliation was effective against a lot of enemies.
I meant as in the AI was stupid enough to stand in it. In PvP, players move out of symbols when they see one laid down. So not only were symbols somewhat useless in PvP, they are now even more so (at least for greatsword).
I used Symbol of Wrath as one of my main sources of damage in PvE, and now it’s cooldown is way to freaking long. The retaliation aspect of the skill was secondary to me. And if it was that big of a deal, then change the retaliation part of the skill, not the kitten cooldown!
What the kitten Anet? You rearrange the greatsword skills and then increase the recharge on Symbol of Wrath to 20 seconds? WHY?! WHY!? What the kitten was the point!?