Guild Wars 2

timmyf.1490:

This discussion brings up something I think should be a rule: your character decisions and build should not determine your ability to progress or the paths you choose through (non Personal Story) content.

On the contrary I think it should — otherwise your build decisions are essentially meaningless and have no impact (other than the cool factor of various skill effects or “look mom I’m using a long bow!”).

If you go with a glass cannon build, you should feel the impact of that decision (i.e. some encounters are hard if not impossible due to the lack of survivability).

The skill system in GW2 was designed to eliminate “bad builds” (originally put forth by ANet during development). That doesn’t mean it prevents “inappropriate” builds for specific situations. It is a lot harder to make a junk build than in GW1, so they succeeded imho.

On the flip side, I don’t feel like I have as many build options available to me as in GW1. I had a whole page of builds saved on my Monk alone. So many that I had to get detailed in my naming convention or I’d forget what the builds were a couple months down the road.

John Smith.4610:

I think there are some interesting points here. While I would say GW2 has a fantastic free market style economy, that’s incredibly efficient blah blah blah… It is valid to say, while the economy may be efficient, is a free market economy the best choice for an MMO? There isn’t anyone in the world qualified to give a definitive answer to the question. What I can say is that the free market design that GW2 uses is MUCH more effective than a barter system in keeping players engaged and happy as an aggregate. No system will ever please everyone, but this system works very well from my point of view as a designer and economist and as a person who wants to play a great game, and the statistics that I have access to agree with that.

Please note I don’t mean to imply that other systems aren’t or can’t be effective, I only mean to say that I think the system we have is very well executed and is itself effective.

I do think the system is very effective. The only thing I would pick on is the “efficiency” in the current system. I think time-limited durations would introduce efficiency into sell orders (shifting the market power a bit more towards the buyers). Also a small fee for buy orders would cut down on the current “noise” introduce by flippers.

Example: Spent an hour last night trying to order one Dire Orrian Pistol. Every time I put in a buy order for one pistol, some nub upped it by 1c for an order of 5. It’s clear the only reason that order existed was for flipping (the margin an Dire Orrian Pistols is quite high). This went on and on until I finally made a buy order that ruined his margin (i.e. 85% of the lowest active sell order). You can view this as a functioning free market, or you can view it as “flippers ruining the TP experience”. Symantics, but my experience was frustrating.

EDIT: In my example it was a single player because his old post of 5 items would vanish every time he up’d it by 1c. Either he was watching Dire Orrian Pistols or he had an “app” which alerted him to my higher buy order. I lean towards an app because flippers focus on many different items to remain profitable.

erroch.8061:

Devata.6589:

With buying gems you are not supporting the game you are helping to destroy it. And I will not explain why again.

Explain in the current model how you financially support the game without buying gems please.

You can’t beyond box sales — which is a problem. We will continue to get more gem store fluff unless the current model is changed. I have not, and will not, push RL cash into the gem store — ever. I will give RL money for expansions (but at this point I would have to see what the expansion offers as my faith in the franchise is shaken).

juno.1840:

An item that removes the upgrade from a weapon or armor piece without destroying either. There are times I want to move a rune from one armor set to another, a sigil from one wep to another, or an infusion from one character to another.

This item should not result in the upgrade item being character-bound. Worst case the upgrades would remain account bound, preferably no binding at all above the default binding for the upgrade item.

I would be willing to pay up to 100 gems per use for such an item, but I wouldn’t pay more. Something like 400 gems for a 5-use special salvage kit… maybe this:

http://wiki.guildwars.com/wiki/Perfect_Salvage_Kit

Just to be clear my request will not modify the binding of gear. It maintains the binding on the “upgrade” items like runes, sigils, gems (orbs), and infusions. Those don’t have bindings except for the infusions (which I requested those remain account bound with the use of the proposed item).

I would use such a product in two ways:

1. Remove expensive runes from karma armor (which cannot be salvaged by a BLSK)
2. Move infusions from an ALT I’m no longer playing, to a new ALT that I am playing

Marcus Greythorne.6843:

juno.1840:

To be clear — I don’t want more Tequatl. I want smaller scale, instanced, difficult content requiring coordinated team play.

A comparison from the current market: any of the LotRO raids (4 teams of 6) in Orthanc. Those were hard requiring many attempts to master.

I want them to go away from instanced content. BUT I also want something similar as you: content for small groups.

This doesn’t have to contradict each other imho. Sure, if you put a huge timer on a homepage, people would swarm such szenarios. If these are found via exploration though, and they are random events in the world, I think people would be excited. I feel that we need such events as rewards for exploration.

A problem here is that the event is not on your time schedule but the server’s. In addition you create a scenario where you compete with other players. Look at any of the events that get zerg’d now… you are competing for (1) tags, (2) server space — i.e. overflow.

Dungeons can fill the role I describe (instance, high quality, challenging content for small teams) — i.e The Deep.

I saw the post about selling your gains from those challenging instances (also like The Deep). As you earned the reward so you should be able to profit from it. That’s also a motivator for some players to keep running the difficult content. Yeah players with coin can simply buy it off of the TP but maybe that’s ok (they can do it already with legendaries).

Xia.3485:

The gem store in GW2 isn’t a problem. The lack of new armor sets outside the gem store is the problem.

That’s the same as saying “the gem store is a problem”. Why do you think there’s a lack of new armor oustide the gem store? Why would ANet create a situation where the new armor sets are in the gem store?

• light bulb moment *

Unfortunately I think horizontal progression is gated behind “time played” instead of “player skill”. Look at all the high-end rewards in this game, you can obtain all of them through grind.

I want more of “The Deep” from GW1, and less of Champ farm trains.

To be clear — I don’t want more Tequatl. I want smaller scale, instanced, difficult content requiring coordinated team play.

A comparison from the current market: any of the LotRO raids (4 teams of 6) in Orthanc. Those were hard requiring many attempts to master.

EDIT: These challenges would have their own rewards (similar to The Deep from GW1). Those rewards would not be available through any other game channel. Sounds like GW1 in a way?

ellesee.8297:

try this
http://gw2skills.net/editor/?fcAQJAqalIq6dX3SiF1LJyoCdGoC5lIF6nl95xbxWQIA-j0BB4iBkWAk+AITtIaslWFRjVdDTHjIqWKAYmGB-w

-great damage and excellent survivability
-party support with vuln stacking, condition removal, and heals
-amazing mobility with permanent swiftness/rocket boots/acid bomb
-if you need/want more crit, substitute pieces of dire for rabid until you get the crit you want.

edit: 100% condition duration version if interested
http://gw2skills.net/editor/?fcAQJAqalIq6dX3SiF1LJyoCdGoC5lIF5nl95xbxWQIA-j0BBohBkWAkEBITtIaslWFRjVdDTHjIqWKAYWWB-w

Very impressed with this build. I tried it yesterday with the Dire and Rabid gear and it’s a lot of fun. I always thought of grenades as a power weapon but with those on-crit traits I get some very nice conditions ticks for fire and bleed.

I modified the build slightly with a Sigil of Accuracy instead of Energy. I also have a couple Rampager items (pistol and accessory) to help boost the crit chance (to proc more fire and bleeds). On the whole it’s what you specified though.

I’m mixed on the elixir gun. I think I would be better off using my pistols instead of the elixir gun. Do you have any strategy as to when the elixir gun would be used effectively in WvW? I’m guessing large group for the condi removal and the small heal.

An item that removes the upgrade from a weapon or armor piece without destroying either. There are times I want to move a rune from one armor set to another, a sigil from one wep to another, or an infusion from one character to another.

This item should not result in the upgrade item being character-bound. Worst case the upgrades would remain account bound, preferably no binding at all above the default binding for the upgrade item.

I would be willing to pay up to 100 gems per use for such an item, but I wouldn’t pay more. Something like 400 gems for a 5-use special salvage kit… maybe this:

http://wiki.guildwars.com/wiki/Perfect_Salvage_Kit

Centaurs + Mirror works nice, especially with a PU build because you have the +boon duration. This also synergizes well with the trait that removes two conditions on heal.

Mirror is rather enjoyable in WvW due to the reflection it provides (which can prevent more damage than any of our healing skills could actually heal — making the Mirror heal that much more effective).

Lastly the 15s cooldown means it’s almost always available when you need it (even when blowing it perpetually for swiftness between combat sessions).

I would like travelers runes but they are expensive and you will take a hit to power (serious hit compared to centaurs). The +bleed duration is nice with sharper images (assuming that actually works).

SKILLS
For horizontal progression I’d like to see more skills of all types (heal, utility, and elite). In addition more weps (which is really the same as more skills tbh).

The goal of the skills is to provide more build variation. I think a worthy goal is making the various GW2 roles completely viable across all professions. This is not “make all professions the same”… not even close (so don’t waste time on that point). All professions could be excellent at “support” but with different mechanics. This is difficult from a design point of view, but that’s what makes good games great.

This would be my #1 item for horizontal progression.

I do hope for weeklies instead of dailies because I can spend less time in the game without “falling behind” on the time-gated currencies. I think it could also send a message to ANet when they see their daily log numbers fall (assuming they fall which I think they will).

This begs the question “Why play at all if I don’t want to log in daily?”. It’s a good question everyone should ask themselves. For me it’s because I have friends that still play the game and I like that social aspect (which is game independent — we could be playing any other game to obtain that satisfaction). I log in every Friday and Tuesday for WvW nights. That’s about it until there’s something else to do which captures my attention.

Based upon how much Chris pumped up CDI and LS and how it’s all working beautifully, I conclude there will not be an expansion in 2014 — or ever until ANet decides it needs to do something drastic to recover player population.

Rin.1046:

- More versatile and viable builds
– More exciting, action oriented, feeling combat
– Less gimmicky/kitten builds

The above 3 plus the mobility it provides makes GW2 a much better system for my preferred playstyle.

I’d argue the opposite. The GW2 skill system is designed to limit build combinations. That was a problem in balancing GW1 (according to the devs) — the amount of build possibilities is staggering when considering the dual classing and total available skills. The GW2 system is also design to make bad builds not possible (maybe your use of the term “viable”), but that doesn’t mean there are more in GW2 vs GW1.

The combat is more action oriented, but I would not agree with more exciting. I never have a “gasp” moment when my team is successful… as in we surmounted some serious challenge with well coordinated play. Seriously it’s mostly button mashing with little regard to what your team is doing. Yeah you can pull of some brilliant manuevers with team coordinate but it’s not really necessary to succeed, so why bother (and most players dont because they’ve never learned to, and it’s not necessary).

As far as gimicky builds go, there’s a lot of gimicks in GW2. Stealth and clones top the list (and those are core mechanics!). If I dig deep enough into GW1, I guess you can call a R/N Touch build gimicky but I don’t think that even compares to clone/stealth spam, and it was hardly dominant in PvP. If you think monks are gimicky then you are off-base since that’s the core of the trinity present in every MMO (and GW1 monks were better because you could go prot instead of heal if you wanted).

In short the depth of GW1 was amazing. GW2 does not have those strengths — it’s more arcade-y feeling with some glitter.

Harper.4173:

It seems he believes taking things away from the game will make it more skill based – that is not the case. Even with vigor dodges are still limited and you still have to make them count. A player that dodges just for the heck of it will find himself going down quickly.

I honestly don’t understand why this mechanic would be changed.

Seriously?

There are builds that have amazing dodge up-time. As I mentioned, dodge is equivalent to invulnerability. If a build is pushing 25% or more invulnerability, the system is broken.

Nobody is arguing dodge, just vigor (except for those who can’t read the OP topic).

I stick by my position that it’s a lazy mechanic in its current state which is you don’t have to play harder, just dodge more…

Syeria.4812:

Essence Snow.3194:

The issue was/is clearly evident when it simply is not possible for a player to go out and collect the required mats themselves

I’m so sick of this ridiculous, false, ignorant, constantly repeated, often disproven, entirely baseless, lying, worthless comment.

I have more than enough mats for crafting a full set of ascended (non-cloth) armor. None of these mats were purchased on the AH. All of them were earned through normal play. The same is true for my two ascended weapons I’ve already crafted (and I have more than enough mats for another probably 6-10 of them). Repeating the same lie over and over won’t magically make it true.

You don’t really represent the player base Syeria — to have all those materials on hand already, you must have also bought lots of gems to store them. You would have to be playing since beta, playing often, and salvaging everything (even before luck was introduced).

I’ve been playing since beta, salvage everything since luck was introduced, and I sell nothing. I’ve never accumulated 10,000 silk (closer to 5000). I play about 15 hours which is high considering other family commitments.

If anything, your post sounds more baseless and untrue than the others.

Also many players here can’t read. The OP said remove vigor, not dodge.

There’s way too much vigor and as a result dodging in the game. It’s ruining the combat mechanics.

If you want more defense you should be forced to slot some defensive utilities or become smarter in your play. Dodge spamming is fairly unintelligent and essentially creates periods of invulnerability.

You see tons of QQ on Mesmer’s Blurred Frenzy when it was invulnerability — this is no different. Some classes are achieving 25% invul or higher simply by mashing dodge.

Dodge should remain as a combat mechanic, but it should be constrained in its availability, and that should be normalized across all professions.

Azure Prower.8701:

One thing I don’t miss from Guild Wars 1. The combat was utterly dull.

I couldn’t disagree more. It seemed to require much more thought than what we have now. More teamwork as well.

I miss my boon-prot monk… and my bonder… and my WoH monk… and pretty much every one of my monk builds…. sigh…

Ashabhi.1365:

I see a lot of people asking for an expansion.

I get where you’re coming from. New, permanent content is always a good thing, even though the implementation might be a bit off.

Here’s the problem:

Let’s say ANet gives us an expansion. For Example, let’s say Elona. So, we all take our level 80’s to Elona, and run through the content in a month, then we all head back to LA to hang out and cry about dead zones, nothing to do, and how bad GW2 is.

I really don’t want that kind of expansion. I remember once you “won” over the big baddies in GW1, the rest of the time we stand in the hubs looking for something to do. Don’t say it didn’t happen, because I was there. It happened all the time. If you weren’t in one of the big-time GvG guilds, then the content got old, and the grinding for racial and faction reps got tedious. Saying it was glorious is just rose-colored glasses.

Now, on the other hand, let’s say ANet gives us decent Living Story updates with lingering permanent changes to the world, including, but not limited to new areas, and new skins, et al. Add some challenging content in the existing world to go along with the new stuff as well. I think that’s something worth doing.

The thing is that the concept of the Living Story is a good one, but the implementation has been rather haphazard. Some were good, some not so much, but you can’t say there wasn’t something new to do ever two weeks or so, no matter who you are. Choosing not to do it doesn’t mean it wasn’t there.

If they were to update the LS every month instead of every 2 weeks, and give us quality over quantity, I would take LS updates over an expansion any day of the year.

Very well said.

In GW1 my guild 8-manned The Deep often. This was fun for the challenge (it was suppose to be a 12-man dungeon), as well as the end-chest drops. It was the only place to obtain Kanaxai weps which sold for lots.

I have yet to find anything that gives that level of satisfaction.

I also miss the trinity — yeah it was hard to pug but that testifies to the team work required. Right now it’s mostly button mashing.

Protoavis.9107:

Aberrant.6749:

You still make 43s over mat cost so there is some profit there. Deldrimor steel ingots give you more though (59s)

http://www.gw2spidy.com/ is a wonderful place.

Which is pretty tiny compared with at release they were generating a couple gold profit since silk, linen, wool, were far far cheaper.

According to gw2tp.com, the profit is more like 4g, not 40s.

http://www.gw2tp.com/recipes?name=bolt+of+damask&profession=0&levelmin=0&levelmax=500

apocalyps.7106:

juno.1840:

If they make it so you can leave and go back to where you were previously, it would destroy the demand for the convenience consumables like bank access, BLTC trader, merchant,

those beeing cheaper than 1000 gems ….it will destroy them ?
not every casual player can afford 1000 gems for this convenient item.

in that case, they need to nerf borderlands too

If you can’t afford 1000 gems for this convenience item, then chances are you are not buying the consumables either. In the long run 1000 gems once is cheaper than repeatedly buying the consumables.

drum roll… material down-grade via MF. Can’t claim it as someone else already posted it.

However after thinking about it, the cost of gossamer is not different enough to make down grade profitable unless you get 1-to-N in the conversion (instead of N-to-1).

law.9410:

I would have to disagree. laurels from daily’s are great for ppl without time to play that much.

It’s great when the laurels are a “backup” to other in-game currency systems.

Good Example: ascended jewelry (backup to not grinding fractals)

Bad Example: ascended recipes (no alternate method to obtain)

When laurels are the only currency for something, it’s bad. Although I believe ANet loves them because it encourages everyone to log on every day (otherwise you fall behind in that currency).

This is why I’ve put ZERO dollars towards the gem store. My expense in this venture is the original $60 box price (which was high compared to everything that wasn’t Diablo 3).

The only way I’ll invest anything into the future of GW2 is for an expansion, and at this point I’m not even sure I’d do that.

Nabrok.9023:

Aeonblade.8709:

Nabrok.9023:

Aeonblade.8709:

I would not be surprised if they have been working on it since the game’s release tbh, I don’t see any company shooting themselves in the foot by not making expansions in this day and age.

The content that comes in an expansion, certainly. The actual box? No.

It’ll come packaged as living story, not a retail expansion.

That’s not an expansion.

Exactly, there will not be an expansion. There will be content that you might traditionally associate with an expansion, and it’ll be delivered through living story updates.

You’re a bit like a broken record in this topic Nabrok. If you think that LS is on par with a true expansion, I’m not sure what you’re smoking. Also the amount of “permanent” content you list is trivial (Tequatl, really?).

Yes it is “free”, and advertised as such — it’s also a great example of “you get what you pay for”.

The only reason you have LS at all is because ANet believes it’s more profitable than making an expansion (i.e. less developmental expense versus projected revenue).

Look at any of the GW1 expansions (although EotN was the only one truly sold as an expansion). They are excellent with everything you crave. LS doesn’t even come close.

Sergoros.4398:

I dont like how im being kicked from the terrace every time im doing character select. I left my char near crafting station and I want him to remain there. Not so convenient -_-.

Side effect of “temporary” terrace passes. Otherwise you get the temp pass (world drop), park and alt, and never leave. Although “never leaving” is quite a restriction.

If they make it so you can leave and go back to where you were previously, it would destroy the demand for the convenience consumables like bank access, BLTC trader, merchant, etc.

I don’t think you’ll see that feature as it chips away at profits.

Also discounts and other things can be seen as “pay to win”. You’d hear a lot of complaining at that point. If ANet does implement something like that, then the ANet of the GW1 era has truly died.

I’d like this feature as well, but for different reasons. My GW2 client crashes at least once per day (yes I’m on the latest nVidia drivers). Inevitably it’s during a world event (maw, claw, karka queen, whatever). By the time I get back into the game the event is over, or I’m in overflow. Either way I lost out on the reward. Sad face.

Too many things are sold via laurels already — and it’s the most time gated currency in the game. Please, no laurel ideas.

I vote that laurels get removed and replaced with something still time gated, but obtainable based upon effort (like dungeon tokens). Want more, just run more dungeons. There’s a theoretical daily cap and it eliminates the current laurel mechanic.

I saw a post somewhere else (probably Vol’s) and it occurred to me we should all be stocking upon Gossamer!

Why?

I challenge someone other than Vol to identify the reason

Vol.7601:

juno.1840:

Vol.7601:

juno.1840:

I guess I’ll just keep wasting storage space on scraps instead of bolts. I don’t trust things not to change based upon previous experience in GW2.

EDIT: however saying “it won’t change” in this case would provide stability instead of shock, don’t you agree? In fact, not saying anything may actually be worse…

Has there been a sudden change in the past for quantities required for refinement?

Also, I reckon the majority of the game population do not actively keep in mind a change in material requirements. People buy based on current need and prices. They don’t buy based on what can or will happen in the future involving X item.

So if Anet wants stabilility, they are best to say nothing at all. Saying something, even “it won’t change” sets a dangerous precedent for other requests for information, leading players to assume that if Anet does not acknowledge, something is coming up.

Yes there have been changes in refinement quantities. Are you being rhetorical or are you too deeply immersed in TP flipping to pay attention to crafting?

Neither. Are you biased in saving/making gold at the expense of the silk economy? Because by your tone it seems you will never take “no” for an answer for future silk changes.

My question is for an answer — not a specific answer.

I would take “no” for an answer on future silk changes. However I would like ANet to be upfront about it (as in before patch notes). Otherwise players who convert scraps to bolts could take a hit.

Based upon how the market for silk is reacting, I do expect changes. Until I hear from ANet, I think I’ll just keep my silk as scraps and use some of my alts as mules.

Wyrden.4713:

naa it would be too easy to use and give an advantage to proffessions w blink in my opinion, it would lessen the skill it takes in this game, i am against it

The skill comes from deciding when to use it and where you want to blink to — not the mechanics of button/mouse mashing. The brain did it’s job already, the game is holding the player back from greatness.

Changing skills to be easier to use is a great thing.

EDIT: An analogy is chess — you win by deciding on good moves, not physically picking up your pieces and moving them from A to B better than someone else.

Here’s the same from another website:

http://www.gw2tp.com/recipes?name=bolt+of+damask&profession=0&levelmin=0&levelmax=500

It will remain elevated while a profit can be made crafting Damask. Even if someone has crafted all their ascended armor, they can still craft Damask for profit.

I stopped selling my Damask a week ago because I think I’ll get more profit if I sell it later. So far that is proving correct as Damask has been trending upward (over 1.5g in the last week).

EDIT: I think ANet underestimated the demands upon silk and damask. It’s used for every armor crafting profession. Or maybe they didn’t and they just wanted to create some starved markets… no clue really.

Vol.7601:

juno.1840:

I guess I’ll just keep wasting storage space on scraps instead of bolts. I don’t trust things not to change based upon previous experience in GW2.

EDIT: however saying “it won’t change” in this case would provide stability instead of shock, don’t you agree? In fact, not saying anything may actually be worse…

Has there been a sudden change in the past for quantities required for refinement?

Also, I reckon the majority of the game population do not actively keep in mind a change in material requirements. People buy based on current need and prices. They don’t buy based on what can or will happen in the future involving X item.

So if Anet wants stabilility, they are best to say nothing at all. Saying something, even “it won’t change” sets a dangerous precedent for other requests for information, leading players to assume that if Anet does not acknowledge, something is coming up.

Yes there have been changes in refinement quantities. Are you being rhetorical or are you too deeply immersed in TP flipping to pay attention to crafting?

I suggested a time limit on sell orders months ago — expect a huge amount of negative feedback. However I still think the change would be HUGELY beneficial to the TP, shifting power to the buyers. I suspect the resistance to posting time limits comes from flippers (the TP becomes more efficient so less room for flippers to make money).

John Smith has said that time limits inhibit the use of the TP for “investments”. He failed to clarify that further when asked (as an investment can sit in your bank vault rather than in an indefinite sell order).

I guess I’ll just keep wasting storage space on scraps instead of bolts. I don’t trust things not to change based upon previous experience in GW2.

EDIT: however saying “it won’t change” in this case would provide stability instead of shock, don’t you agree? In fact, not saying anything may actually be worse…

Great video — I thought the combo explanations were excellent. I rarely setup Earth-2 as a blast because I have to start in earth (and normally I end in earth). I will try and focus on that a bit more based upon your video.

I love the staff, but I play like D/D — switching attunements all the time with Elemental Attunement. I need to retrain my brain

I was two-shotted in WvW yesterday by a thief from stealth. Of course he did have 5 guard power stacks, 25 bloodlust sigil stacks, and realm bloodlust buff .

I do love staff ele in WvW though. It’s so versatile and useful. However when I’m solo it’s a free bag for the other guy.

I want to craft up 1000’s silk bolts right now, which requires 3x scraps per.

I’m concerned that the recipe could be changed to 2 scraps per in the near future (say 2014 Q1 for example).

It would be great if a developer could provide some feedback so I’m not ripping my hair out later at pre-crafting my bolts now. This would also ensure some market stability which is also good.

I’m running a power based PU build with 0/20/30/10/10 distribution. Weps are GS and Sword/Torch. I’m using the Manipulation traits in order to improve Blink and Arcane Thievery. In addition it has -3% dmg taken per illusion and +3% damage dealt per illusion. Finally dodge clones because we can’t run without it, as well as Mender’s Purity to remove some conditions.

I run PVT armor, Zerk trinkets, and Assassins weps in order to achieve 3200 Attack Power, 40% crit chance, +60% crit dmg, 2500 armor, and 18.5k health.

I’m enjoying it a lot in WvW (runes are centaur along with Mirror in order to achieve near 100% swiftness and have condition removal on 15s c/d).

I slotted a traited Arcane Thievery today in WvW and it blew my mind (1200m condition/boon swap on 32s c/d). I would use it every time some clever opponent popped stability (yay free stability for me!). Made me giggle.

@Lys: Just load up the mesmer with conditions. The Cleansing Conflagration trait simply sucks for condition removal (and chances are they only have the iMage not on c/d anyway). That leaves utilities for condition removal and I guarantee they aren’t toting more than two — mostly likely only one.

Load the mez up with conditions, wait for the clear, do it again and now the mesmer is in quite a bit of hurt.

EDIT: Also the condition based PU builds are very slow killers so it’s not like you have to wipe them quick.

For me in WvW: Mirror + Runes of the Centaur + Mender’s Purity

I tried the signet in PvE and it’s ok but meshes poorly with Mender’s Purity.

Oh well — guess I’ll shelve this effort now then. I’m not in the mood to level up to 80, gear the toon out, and then find the build is crap.

Back to my mesmer PU build.

I was leveling up my necro with a life siphon build in mind, then found this old post. Does the community still feel this is accurate?

Should I shelve this effort now?

I’m not that interested in a condi necro — I’m looking for a viable life siphon option. Feedback welcome now that we’re a few months farther down this road.

I think “original WvW damage” was the key line in your post Dhampyr.

The cost in laurels is the big limiter. I would level your accidental toon to 500 in armorsmith rather than try and re-accumulate the laurels already spent.

In a perfect month you’ll make 39 to 41 laurels (emphasis on PERFECT). That’s just too valuable a currency to spend again.