Guild Wars 2

If the only choice is to leave the community that I know, then I’ll just leave the game.

I don’t see why so many of you are so callous about this. A lot of people had a good thing going, logging in and having fun with people and situations they knew. That’s been destroyed by these changes.

Community matters – these server transfers have wrecked the communities that have built up over time. People can’t play with their guilds, familiar faces can’t get in, etc.

Sure, you can leave your guild and transfer solo to a new server, but the community lost is irretrievable.

I know this is hindsight on my part (I didn’t pay attention, just played the game), but the combination of achievements and transfers have really destroyed something precious, IMO.

-Jeff

I thought we learned this type of thing on the playgrounds in elementary school – you don’t enter a game and ask everyone to change the rules to suit your tastes. You just play, or don’t.

-Jeff

TobyTucker.5317:

Seigfried.5938:

I take it all back when I said WvW needs to be rewarding. PVE’rs will do anything, even things they dislike, for stupid achievement points. I hate people playing the game just for rewards and have nothing to contribute to the server. Guilds can’t raid because of this pugfest.

What are these ‘raids’ you speak of and why do feel that you and your guild should be entitled to do them and no one else?

No need to be so harsh. I think he was saying how much fun he was having before the update, and now he can’t have fun. I definitely empathize – I can’t get in either.

I don’t see why you’re restricting people to fighting with their servers, and in their tiers. Why not mix everyone up – just fill out 3 sides randomly until you max out, then start a new map? These aren’t intended to be server-pride maps, just a place to have big fights while you wait, so why not make them even fights and not bother with the server thing?

I don’t play as much as you all, but I was able to stop a thief from stealthing to get his free stomp, and he just stood there for a moment while my pet pounded him (obviously confused). He tried to get away, but enough people came up to finish him fast.

I like the skill. :-)

Thank you for this thread. I’ve been levelling a ranger through casual pve and wow, and seen much that you’ve summarized very well.

I really wish they’d buff birds – I think they’re cool, but they really don’t do much damage like they should.

-Jeff

I’ve put together a wvw ranger build for 80 using shouts:

http://gw2skills.net/editor/?fMMQRAsf3YnAVkFcXQWBhaZAp9ITsEM5VYWcPGlOJET5TbgtVA-jECBYiDimWAmEAk8IQZQFRjtupIas6ZER1qbYxAwE-w

I’m 70ish right now, and playing something pretty close, and found my survivability to be very strong, except conditions (esp immobilize) are a pain. I’m still missing empathic bond, and I’m not eating my lemongrass soup yet (I wait for 80 before I equip myself seriously), but I’m still wondering if that will be enough at 80.

Since all my shouts give me regen, and guard can theoretically keep regen up permanently, would it be reasonable to switch dwayna runes for melandru runes? I’m concerned, because in practice I’m certainly not using guard the moment it comes up in a fight, so I know I’ll miss some regeneration.

Bonus question: I’ve really lost as to what pet to use in this build. I’ve tried a bunch, and settled on ranged pets for now as I think they bring the most DPS to the table against the human bunny rabbits that you find in WvW. But I’m also looking at the forum-favorite dog&wolf, and maybe the chill pets.

-Jeff

I think many of you are way, way overstating the problems with Rangers. I recently re-tooled my lvl 50 ranger (I have 3 other 80s, this was just a side-thing) as a melee-ranger, and I’ve suddenly been shining in small group WvW. That’s up-levelled, without many traits, and still learning the buttons. Sure, I’m not much in a zerg, but I can go yak-tipping and play in the ruins far better than my staff-elementalist.

The one thing I’d like to see is the pets re-tooled for WvW (leaving PvE abilities untouched). Let the birds fly up and down a keep wall and attack; make the drakes resistant to AoEs so they can fight zergs; let the moas carry supply. Stuff like that, so the pets have major, distinct roles in WvW.

-Jeff

I’m not saying mesmer’s are OP’ed, I just am looking for some tips. I’m never able to pin down a mesmer one on one – it’s just a series of phantasms/ghosts/clones/whatever-they-are-called that slowly wear me down.

What’s the trick that I’m missing?

P.S. From many characters, not just one class.

Why would you want to limit people to only one role? This game lets people support groups in numerous ways, I love it for that.

To many in this thread – it’s not a “PvE” vs “WvW” thing. The OP is pointing out that the WvW is affected far more by server population than PvE. It might be better to have fewer WvW servers, separate from the PvE servers, so people can PvE where they want and still get a decent WvW match.

I’m missing the argument here. So what? Many people refer to “kits” as “the profession mechanic”.

Who cares? Does the label really bother you that much?

-Jeff

It’s not just for queues, it’s for bad matchups too. People in bad matchups who want a fight can join the mercenary queue as well.

Thanks. Let’s re-iterate and summarize.

1) The queue randomly puts you into a different tier than your home server.
2) The queue randomly assigns you to one of the two currently underpopulated sides.

You have no control. If you leave WvW, you are back in your home server.

I’m not suggesting that this the perfect solution to all problems. I’m saying that it will help get some players into fights, and help some servers get a bit of a population push.

-Jeff

I’ve seen engineer builds that can take thieves … but the thief can always run. I’ve played elementalist builds that can escape any thief (and others reported the same). Both of those builds are fun to roam with as a result.

Beyond that, no. Assuming skill, level, gear of equal level, a thief is the best single-target combatant, and can always reset the combat if things don’t go well.

-Jeff

Not making this complicated – a queue for people who just want to fight, and don’t care what side. The queue should put people into tiers other than their own, where the fighting is reasonably close and active, and put them on weaker sides.

This will allow people on servers with queues to fight rather than wait, and give some outnumbered servers a fighting chance.

Scorael.8952:

Btw Tornado retains boons and other buffs so a strategy is to activate Magnetic Wave before Tornado to get projectile reflect. You may also stack other boons such as swiftness to get a swift tornado or one with protection. My guildmate once stealthed me and I walked into a WvW zerg before using Tornado for some fun havoc.

So if I run an aura build, I can stack protection, fury, swiftness, and an aura for the duration of the tornado?

Monsoon.2589:

You do not see a problem with Anet requiring you to complete a pvp JP to get a PVE meta achievement?

Its not a PvE meta achievement. Its simply an achievement requiring activity in both spheres. Your re-branding effort is a failure.

I think there’s a difference between building a character and playing a character.

I have an 80 war, ele, and engineer. The engineer is hard to build, but pretty easy to play with practice. The ele is easier to build, but is hard to play well (very rewarding if you do). The warrior is straight-forwarded to build, with a range of builds that are easy to difficult to play in practice. The first two are generally self-sufficient if you want them to be…warriors seem to thrive in groups.

-Jeff

edit: this is in WvW…not straight-up pvp

Good points all, esp considering I often use incendiary ammo on my rifle to lead, and follow-up later with a rocket kick. That’s many burns, and I see your point that maximizing those can generate more damage than 1 extra burn every 10 seconds.

To be honest, bag-count really gets to me. That’s why I stayed with the FT to begin with; one day I switched just for grins, and after an hour or two defense of our garrison with many desperate struggles around the lord, I had so many bags that I fell in love. :-) At some point, I really don’t care about the numbers as much as the results…if that’s a question of style, so be it, so long as it works.

-Jeff

Yes, incendiary needs a crit, but flame jet ticks 10 times. You don’t need a high precision to virtually guarantee a crit.

The mortar needs to outrange an arrow cart for it to be worthwhile. It’s too easily destroyed and has too long of cooldown otherwise.

http://gw2skills.net/editor/?fcMQFAUl0p6dX7SrF1LJxIFce0gUA47KSh+b8nCsF-jkgAEJQNXEN2YAYC-w

This is what I’ve settled on for WvW. Rune of the Centaur for zerg-speed, lemongrass soup for conditions. Rocket boots and googles because they rock, and a flame thrower for more control and when things get tight.

-Jeff

The 2% per condition one could be useful in PvE when something has 6+ conditions stacked on it. I would not spec for that, though.

Back to topic, thanks for the replies. I thought this one was rather weak.

I’ve been playing with flamethrower builds in WvW, and combined napalm specialist with incendiary powder. I’m not impressed with this as a grandmaster skill; a little extra duration is rather useless, given the amount of condition clears that people have, and the fact that I keep re-applying anyways with incendiary powder.

Is there any use for napalm specialist? I really don’t see much of a point to it. If you’re focused on burns, you’ll have lots of duration anyways.

nakoda.4213:

@OP; I’ve been posting/promoting FT centered advice since February. Apparently this buff suddenly made a kit/spec I’ve been using since forever now become viable.

/shrug

I’m a casual player – I’ve run a static discharge and a grenade spec in WvW for quite some time. I’d seen posts about FT, most bashing, yours and a few others promoting.

One day prior to this patch i got in a mood and switched to a flamethrower/elixer gun build, and was amazed to find how effective flamethrower was. Reading these forums you mostly just get the numbers (if that). But the flamethrower is a much, much handier weapon then grenades, which take effort to target, take time to fall, and telegraph their targeted area. The flamethrower is point and click.

It’s insanely effectively with zergs. As long as you avoid the point of the zerg (yes, if 20 people come at you then you most likely die <g>), you can do tremendous damage nipping at the flanks of the group. I was much more effective doing this at close range with the FT than at long range with grenades.

Besides…it’s a freakin’ flamethrower! Who can’t appreciate that? :-)

-Jeff

To all of our enemies who just fought (10:30ish EST) at JQ garrison, that was one epic fight.

Thanks everyone – I mean it. That’s the stuff I play this game for.

-Jeff

Specterryu Quipter.8412:

They could just triple the range that RB knocks you back…

This. I don’t care about the damage, just knock me back further.

This skill is useful for escaping, just make it put you far enough away.

-Jeff

I mostly play WvW, but I assume that sPvP experience is highly useful here.

For a relatively new engie…what skills, traits, gear is the best for dealing with thieves? I used overshot (rifle 4) to stop a thief from killing a yak, and it worked great (rest of group got him). I’m still deciding on my ultimate build, though, so I’m wondering what other good choices are out there.

After levelling an l80 ele & war, I saw those nature’s ninja vids and decided to give it a try. Around lvl 16 I finally got enough skill points to equip guard, and from there I went into WvW.

While I wasn’t as effective as the guy in the vid, I did fine with the pet. I killed people in keeps, I killed siege. I was much more active in a siege than my warrrior, and much safer than an elementalist (who’s great in siege, but can get caught).

I have really no clue why all the pet hate. The pet works, you just have to use the buttons.

Anybody know if the charzooka elite skill was affected by the buff to bundles? The patch notes mention engie and ele, not sure if they were limited to that though.

I’ve come around to the belief that the biggest issue with thieves in WvW is culling. It turns 5s stealth to 8s, etc. They probably should just halve all stealth durations in WvW until culling is dealt with.

-Jeff

Pet switching should spawn the pet AT the opponent, not at you. The cooldown should stay at 15 sec even on pet death.

This has to be a joke. I use this aspect of pet switching constantly to save my pet from dying. It’s awesome….heck, it’s borderline broken it’s so useful.

Lvl 18 – Jaguar right now. I mostly WvW at this point, and the Jaguar gets me kills that I have no right to get.

I’m going to work a bit with the drakehound soon – immobilize is absolutely key in WvW.

In solo PvE? I suppose the lakittenail devourer. Gets in the least amount of trouble, and it’s tough.

-Jeff

I just saw Vera last night. That was awesome.

“Shiny. Let’s be bad guys.”

http://wiki.guildwars2.com/wiki/User_talk:X08/mace

Wouldn’t you know it, just found this.

The mists is a good idea too, thanks.

-Jeff

Either my search-phoo is slipping, or there really isn’t a lot of interest in maces.

Are there any cool mace skins that don’t require dungeon-running? I want something beyond the round ball on a stick.

-Jeff

edit: apparently the other spelling for “phoo” is a kitten-word. :-)

For PvE at lvl 20, I really think the advice in this thread (d/d, s/d, learn to move and dodge) is the best long-term advice.

For the short term, put 10 points into water, take the trait that gives you regen with cantrips, go dagger/focus, and stay in water most of the time. REMEMBER TO ESCAPE, HEAL, AND COME BACK FAST if things get scary.

-Jeff

P.S. I leave the heal to your tastes. The key here is that the regen from your cantrips stacks over the healing from lvl 5 water, so as long as you don’t wait too long to use the cantrips you can be fairly tanky.

Warrior- I love the GS and I think I could come to love the armor look.

Get a stun of some kind (e.g. off-hand mace/shield) and go to town.

I have a lvl 80 elementalist that i enjoy. I’ve been levelling my 57 warrior almost exclusively through wvw. He’s a lot of fun if you remember that he’s entirely different. Pick a build that you like and roll.

-Jeff

A few thoughts:

1) lvl 71+ exotic wpns are reasonable damage while you wait, and of course cost less;
2) http://dulfy.net/2012/09/08/gw2-templegod-karma-armor-sets/ = 42k karma each. You’re getting karma anyways from WvW, so use it. No dungeons required.
3) http://wiki.guildwars2.com/wiki/Mystic_weapons <- if you get 30 coins and some gold, you should be able to forge a mystic weapon.

I’m not exactly sure what you think a reasonable counter is, make it a boon and subject to boon removal?

Burning thieves leave a trail of smoke. They are still “stealthed”, have the stealth moves, but at least the 3 or 4 of us it takes to kill a thief can put our AoEs in the right place.

-Jeff

We’re talking about a class that can’t be killed if they don’t want to be (yes, X/d elementalist with cantrips is similar), has fantastic mobility which allows it to pick battles, and has huge burst damage.

It’s too much, too focussed in one package.

I do see two different ways to attack the problem, either allow one or two conditions (e.g. burning, cripple) to prevent stealth, or put a 60s cooldown on stealth. At least then a thief would actually have to commit to the fight.

-Jeff

The OP’s communication was perfectly clear – attacking his grammar is simply weak and dodges the issue.

Stealth + Burst Dmg = Broken

You got the equation wrong. Per the recently described class philosophies

Stealth + Single target damage + MOBILITY = BROKEN

I emphasize the mobility, as it’s huge in WvW, and not nearly as big a deal in PvE. In WvW, Mobility+Single target damage by itself, without stealth, would result in a powerful combo. Adding the natural ability for thieves to stealth, and then adding in the culling & lag that comes with WvW, is vastly overpowered.

Bottom line is either people leave, make a build entirely devoted to warding off thieves (not killing them, you can’t unless they let you), or accept being prey for fishbowl fighters.

-Jeff

Being totally serious – just don’t read those QQ posts. A lot of ’em are just people blowing off steam, some are more serious, but either way none of it is helpful.

I see zergs on all 3 sides, small ninja groups, and everything in between. I’ve watched us go from idiot mob to efficient machine with a very slight change in players. It’s all part of the game.

Just focus on your play, individual and team, and don’t worry about everybody else. Think about what you can do better, not what you hate, and you’ll have more fun.

-Jeff

Fun stuff.

Today I went into WvW, ran with a mid-sized group, sieging a castle, when suddenly they leaped out and cut me and a few others off from the main body. I backed away without a problem, but then a wolfpack (3 thieves) came up from a different direction and I figured I was toast.

I ran towards the main keep, and they caught up and attacked. I hit endure pain and kept running, but they immobilized me. I then yanked out hammer 4, hammer 3 , evades, heal…I threw everything I had into the mix. They finally downed me, but by then the main body came in and wiped them (and kindly kept me from dying).

As luck would have it, after a particularly dry day loot-wise, I got 3 loot bags from that. I was quite pleased. :-)

-Jeff

edit: through/threw. I hate words. :-)

I have no idea how a hammer would help matters, but thanks a lot for the ideas with the mace. I happen to like maces in fantasy game purely on style issues – sounds like I can get some use out of it here.

Braxxus – I think there was a bit of tongue-in-cheek in the remark. :-)

-Jeff

Ok – the rage is passing, but my question stands. What’s the SPvP option here? What weapons set do I want, what utilities are useful here?

The issue I have is that even if I hit (say) endure pain, heal, then do as you say, he’s starting with a 12K lead (I miscounted in the first post) – if I gear up better, it’ll still be in the 10k range.

Even if by a miracle I can close that damage gap, he’ll just hit his defenses and leave the fight, then come back and try again.

-Jeff

Seriously – i have nothing that could ever put out this kind of damage. I see thief stealth, I run. I use two evades, 1 heal, my signet of rage for speed.

What else could I do? There’s absolutely nothing I can do when he can start with 11,000 points of damage lead. (Steal, cloak and dagger, backstab)

Do I need two builds – one to run from thieves, one for everything else? At least with my elementalist i have a chance of escape (and if I go dagger/dagger, a slight chance of winning if the thief forgets to run).

-Jeff

The gyrations thieves go through to explain away their OP-ness is breathtaking.

Thieves have the best single-target burst in the game, the best mobility, and the best escapes. They get to pick their fights, start at a massive advantage (quite possibly winning if they picked the right time), and can leave the fight at whim if they aren’t happy.

Other than that, though, they are perfectly average and not OP at all.

-Jeff