Guild Wars 2

Jinks.2057:

I have a suggestion:

Don’t have the most imbalanced matchup return for a 13th week. T5 NA rematch is so stupid.

Hey Jinks… good news! It should be a lot more balanced because a lot of the players are taking the week/month/summer/eternity off.

Jinks.2057:

UPDATE title…….same matchup ROFLMAO

forgot to say: I TOLD YOU SO

For the record… I initially agreed with Jinks. However, I think I did it on tkittenay forums.
Admittedly, I was lulled into to thinking that a 94% chance of a different matchup was a good bet.

I had some good fights against both AR and BP while solo roaming and “small grouping” on EB BL. I won’t say goodbye because we’ll likely be seeing each other soon given the partially randomized matchups (I.e, if not this next week, soon after).

Thanks for the fights, and happy hunting.

Nice video.

Whenever I try to run Illusionary Elasticity (staff bounce) with Decoy, I seem to get dropped out of decoy stealth a lot. I think the extra staff bounce is doing damage and triggering the “revealed” debuff. I recently decided to drop the extra bounce trait, but I miss having it.

Any tips for using those two together.

Groonz.7825:

This part has to be wrong, right?

3.4 – Shatter Cat Mist

…

MH Sword for leap and immunity
OH Focus for pulls, speed and condition clensing.
Staff core of the build,

I don’t recall the focus having any function to remove conditions nor does the traits used in the build have anything related to affecting the focus.

Light Field (Focus #4) plus Whirl Finisher (Focus #5) = Cleansing Bolts. You drop the Phantasm first and then put the field on top of the Phant. It takes a little practice, but isn’t too difficult.

The main problem is that I’m always using Focus #4 for other utility purposes, so it’s often not up.

Evilzara.6378:

Tier 4 = Ebay/Yaks bend/Stormbluff Isle = Winner Ebay
Tier 5 =AR/Darkhaven/Crystal Desert = Winner CD
Tier 6 = BP/Sorrows Furnace/ Northern Shiverpeaks = Winner BP

That’s how it’ll look like if the scores stay like they currently are. I’m excited we might vs NSP and SF again.

Edit: The winners are just in my opinion, I don’t mean to offend anyone.

I’m not offended, but I think you’re off base. I don’t know anything about SI, but unless something has changed at Yaks, they outnumber EBay. They can also field a lot of players that are strong tactically. In other words, they have the legitimate “double whammy”.

While I do think that we’ve improved quite a bit as a server through the AR/BP/EB matchup, I have no doubt that Yaks and SI have been improving, as well. We’re going to be doing everything we can to keep up a good fight if/when we hit T4.

Peace (or “War”?)

It has very limited utility. However, it is a 100% projectile finisher. You note that you are interested in WvW. Even in small group fights, there are often a lot of fields lying around.

Otherwise, it’s a waste of initiative.

Coloxeus.3480:

Faeyd.5094:

When I run it it’s always as a second set and open with D/D blossoms and trops then switch (geomancy sigil for 3 extra stacks) and then the usual P/D rotation. Makes it more interesting as this set gets boring fast on it’s own.

oh i did’t know geomancy can do 3stacks of bleeding! thnx for the info… im new on that condition build. i usually play D/P, S/D and D/D

Thanks for the videos. I use P/D in WvW, mostly because I can’t motivate myself to get all new gear. It’s nice to have something new to watch.

One thought on geomancy sigils: the main disadvantage of geomancy is that it drops you out of stealth. This is not that big a deal, and you can work around it. Personally, when slotting an “on swap” sigil, I prefer the energy ones. Against good players, I’d rather have the extra defense out of stealth. When playing bad players, it doesn’t matter what sigil you choose… geomancy helps kill them a little faster, but they’ll die regardless of your choice.

Regarding Pistol 2 and 3… with Quick Recovery, this build is going to have lots of extra initiative (when you’re landing your CnD’s). This means you can have room to use your other attacks. While Pistol 2 is largely worthless, it’s still a 100% projectile finisher. There are times to use that. I find that Pistol 3 has some nice defensive utility when you’re “revealed”. Obviously, when you start missing your CnD’s you’re going to have to save your initiative.

My two cents.

Thanks Jand…. I’ll give it a shot.

I just got a new computer with Windows 8. I currently play GW2 on a computer with Windows 7. I have the original DVD media.

I’ve searched the forums and read several posts about people installing GW2 on a new computer without doing the full download. The method, as I understand it, is something like:

1. Start the installation from the original DVD;
2. Cancel out once the download starts;
3. Copy over key files (e.g., the large *.dat) directly to the new computer.
4. Start up GW2 and let it run its file authentication.

Assuming I understand this correctly (which I may not), will this same process work if I am copying large files between the two different Windows operating systems?

This would save me a lot of time, given my somewhat slow internet connection. Any info or advice is appreciated.

Jinks.2057:

Ralathar.7236:

Jinks.2057:

Ebay doesn’t have queues during the week either…….

We’re not some server that is busting at the seams w/ people believe it or not

On reset night EBG is always qued and it ques during the week intermittently, it’s certainly not uncommon to see EBG que on a weekday. Our home BL also ques on reset night and during the week it’ll que if it starts looking bad. Other than that we only tend to get ques on other BL’s if we actively have one of our big guilds doing something there, because once we get something going typically another big guild or pugs realize it and suddenly switch over to help.

This is all during prime-time of course. We don’t que much ever outside of primetime unless out primetime crew is staying up really late. But Ebay certainly does que during the week fairly regularly during primetime even if it’s not consistent, mostly focused on EBG, and for generally short amounts of time.

The only queue i’ve experienced during the week is the night of the WXP patch.

But since you said it it must be true…..

I’ve never seen one either. It’s good to know that we are able to post those numbers.

Zepher.7803:

Can we please start a new thread come reset? the whole Q A thing is ridiculous.

Yes. Please. I don’t care what the other tiers want…

fritanga.1623:

Evilzara.6378:

fritanga.1623:

I have been away for a few days now… I am confused about what is going on by reading this forum. From what I am reading, BP and AR are teaming up to fight EB. By reading the comments, one would think that either BP or AR is winning, but the score is telling me otherwise. In fact, I only see the score margin between BP and AR opening up more and more while the margin between BP and EB remains basically the same? so who is helping who in this?

I have to say I am most disappointed to see AR fall so far this week. They were doing so well the previous weeks and are now getting stomped by BP. Sad times indeed.

Ebay has been PvDing us.

How is that even a reply? I mean WvW is about capturing towers to get the highest points. Of course they are. PvD is the game. So because EB is PvD you get to use AR as whipping boys for your benefit? I don’t understand your answer, but apparently AR is satisfied with it.

As I said, I used to think much higher of AR until they began to kitten themselves to BP and take the huge sacrifice they are making in Points and Ranking that they are so that BP can come out 2nd place.

My sense is that Zara is positing that EBay is keeping things close by taking undefended towers/keeps (or at least taking more undefended towers/keeps than our opponents)… I do not think the implication is that one is supposed to win without taking towers/keeps.

Regardless, the towers that I’ve helped take for EBay over the last couple of days have had player defenders. In fact, I don’t recall taking one without defenders. Of course, I cannot speak for all locations and time zones.

Tobias Steele.2071:

matthen.5024:

Evilzara.6378:

The only reason Ehmry didn’t do well in tier 4 before was because of Yaks/Maguuma. Now that both of them are in tier 3, I think Ehmry can easily win tier 4.

It seems that you have a lot of faith in us… or is that sarcasm? I can’t see your face (or hear your voice for that matter).

My goal is to put up a good fight in T4, assuming we can get out of this deadlock. Based on my last experience in T4, I think that’s a reasonable goal. Easily win? That sounds extremely unlikely.

Do you have a night crew? If not I highly doubt you will beat t4 and up. As far as I know the only server to ever do that with na only and be successful is sor.

I know. That was why I was surprised with EZ’s post. However, beating T4 is very different than putting up a good fight…. which was the goal I stated.

IMO: There are too many theories out there about EBay’s performance in a “new T4”. There is only one way to find out, and something will need to change for us to see it in the near future.

Evilzara.6378:

The only reason Ehmry didn’t do well in tier 4 before was because of Yaks/Maguuma. Now that both of them are in tier 3, I think Ehmry can easily win tier 4.

It seems that you have a lot of faith in us… or is that sarcasm? I can’t see your face (or hear your voice for that matter).

My goal is to put up a good fight in T4, assuming we can get out of this deadlock. Based on my last experience in T4, I think that’s a reasonable goal. Easily win? That sounds extremely unlikely.

I mostly play PvE and WvW. I’ve never had a problem with MH mace in PvE. WvW is a different matter. After reading this thread, I spent a full session in WvW running MH mace to see how it felt. I got a couple of chuckles from friends.

I think the biggest single change that would help MH mace in WvW would be to make the burst (F1) skill close ground like axe’s evicerate (F1). It would help with some of the in-combat movement limitations currently plaguing mace. I also don’t think it would be OP in PvE, as mobs are usually just coming at you anyway.

Even with a change to the burst, however, I don’t think mace would be a popular alternative to sword or axe unless it also had a 4-8 second cripple attack. Not sure where cripple could fit, but it strikes me that putting it somewhere on the autoattack chain would be seriously OP when used in conjunction with the “leg specialist” trait… although admittedly, I think the spear has cripple in the autoattack (but who cares about aquatic combat?).

Other potential changes that seem interesting, but wouldn’t address MH Mace’s fundamental limitations: (a) make the mace 2 blocking skill a “stun break”; and (b) extend the range on the mace 3 daze.

That’s my two cents for what it’s worth (2cp?)… although I’m not certain that the Devs give these kinds of threads serious thought.

I sometimes run mainhand sword in WvW for the mobility it offers. My main complaint with sword is that it is boring to play in combat. Hammer, axe, shield, greatsword, and even a spec’d warhorn all seem to have much more interesting combat dynamics.

fellyn.5083:

And movement skills have nothing to do with mace so there is no need to discuss that anywhere.

Well. I assume that you started a thread because you wanted comments. This is exactly why I use sword over mace outside of PvE. If that doesn’t have something to do with mace, I’m not sure what it relates to.

Reslinal.2359:

Unlike the arrowcart change which the effect need to be wait and see, I do think this change is bad. This change combined with arrowcart change pretty much just encourages whole map zerg ninja tower/keep before 30 seconds up, which is horrible.

I think this post sums it up nicely.

Ross Biddle.2367:

Your low toughness is REALLY going to hurt you in WvW.

How much toughness should he shoot for?

Elochai.1280:

Ahh all the comments complaining about the confusion nerf. For all the times you told others to l2play. Guess what, l2play. Kthxbi

Wow. I didn’t realize that all the mesmers who were against the “confusion nerf” were also guilty of taunting others with “l2play” comments. Perhaps it was just some of them?

I think a lot of the anxiety that you are reading is derived from players who are frustrated by the prospect of having to grinding new gear… not so much from having to change traits or playstyle. Not wanting to grind-farm is not really a “l2play” issue.

I think you guys are looking at this the wrong way. I just got my mesmer to 80, and I am trying to figure out what kind of build I want to run. This change has really helped me make my decision.

Think about it. The new confusion is going to do a lot more damage to all those players who are currently just waiting out the confusion condition. With the damage reduction, opponents are going to be much more likely to attack right through it…

j/k

testpig.5018:

Dovgan.8605:

@Kalkz The screen shot posted is clearly tampered with. That’s EBay BL and I see some cleverly Photoshopped in blue structures. As we all know thanks to test pig, AR doesn’t go there.
I do like the recommendation from them that AR hit an area that will help secure BP getting a wider lead on AR. Those are brilliant tactics if we are trying to get a BP win.

AR finally engages ebay..(even tho they took it from a keep that was previously owned and downgraded by BP). But if they stay in ebay, it’s all good, it’s how the fight is supposed to work with 2nd and 3rd place servers hitting the 1st place server.

This is the first time AR has done this. good job AR, you finally are not playing for 3rd, instead, you are playing smart.

How do you get from third to first without overtaking “second”?

I agree with those who say you can pretty much solo level with any class in PvE. Most of my leveling was done solo in PvE. I leveled a warrior, thief, mesmer, and necro, in that order. All worked fine. Pick the class the fits the way you like to play.

For thief, while I’d try out all the different weapon combos out as you level… make sure to get really comfortable with the shortbow. Most thieves will either being using it, or at least carring one around, at level 80.

Good luck.

Scorci.3250:

why people have to derail thread ¯\(‘¬’)/¯

Derail? I don’t think this thread even made it to the track…

CookMETEnder.7582:

Right as your shot goes off, jump.
I always do that for F1 and #3 Longbow

Lol. I try that, too.

Awesome drawing! Thanks. I’ll try that.

I have one heck of a time using my longbow when I’m standing on top of a castle wall. Too often when targeting opponents on the ground, I find myself hitting the “top corner” or lip of the wall. I don’t have any problems damaging opponents on the ground when using my mesmer or thief.

Any tips?

I don’t have any problems with this build, but I think you should make it clear that Bull’s Charge is a knockdown… and not a stun. As a result, while it baits/burns stun breakers, it will not trigger the +50% crit of Unsuspecting Foe. Someone should correct me if I’m wrong here.

You’re going to get a lot of conflicting advice here. For me, 0/0/20/10/20 is the foundation of a WvW hammer build. You’ve taken that base. After that, I don’t have a lot to say with any certainty. I like your build, and it looks like it will work fine if it matches your play style.

However, I assume that you are posting it here because you want more specific feedback… so here it is:

1. Taking 30 in Tactics is an interesting suggestion, but it doesn’t help with the main weakness of the build (which is against opponents with stability). I’d still give this a try and see how it works. If your opponent doesn’t have stability, they are kittened.

2. IMO, choosing Berserker’s Power is a solid choice if you plan on spending a good portion of your fight with the GS in your hand. You will build adrenaline quickly, and do good damage.

3. I have never been a big fan of Empowered. You are going to be consistently seeing a 6% increase in damage. The remaining bonuses that result from the synergy with the Lyssa buffs are somewhat random. For example, you will basically be spamming SoR on CD, and not necessarily when you need the damage boost most. So… yes, it’s still good. But it’s not huge.

OPTION 1: I’d consider putting the 10 points for Empowered into Defense for “Last Stand” (I.e., a 10/0/30/10/20 build). This will help you save your utility stun breaks and controls until later in the fight. That can be huge.

OPTION 2: You could move the 10 points for Empowered into Arms to get Unsuspecting Foe (I.e, a 10/10/20/10/20 build). As you’ve already states, you’d be wasting some of the crit bonus, but it’s still a good trait at +30-40%… especially when it means you can RELY on the Earthshaker crit. Alternatively, it would free you to slot more Cavalier trinkets for a little extra Toughness.

OPTION 3: Run 0/20/20/10/20 and pick up Unsuspecting Foe and Forceful Greatsword. You will have guaranteed crits on Earthshaker, you’ll be able to slot more Cavalier Gear (due to all the extra precision), and you’ll have WWA on an 8 sec CD for better evades, more mobility, and more damage when your hammer is on CD.

Personally, I think I’m partial to Option 1. Option 3 is clearly the most aggressive, and it is an alternative way to boost your offense on both the hammer and GS. I don’t think any of these are clearly better than your current build… It boils down to personal preference.

Good luck.

I run hammer in PvE/WvW. It’s my favorite weapon in the game.

While I still haven’t settled on my build (since release?), I would generally suggest building up from:

20 Defense (to get “merciless hammer”)
10 Tactics (to get “leg specialist”)
15 Discipline (to get “fast hands”)

Merciless hammer is a no-brainer for a hammer build. Leg Specialist is important for locking opponents down in WvW so it’s harder for them to dodge your hammer. It’s also good when you choose a secondary weapon set that can also cripple. Fast weapon swapping is used to get the hammer out of your hands as fast as possible once your main hammer skills are on CD.

None of these are strict “requirements”, but they work well together. You still have 25 more trait points to grab more defense, more damage, more mobility, or shout healing.

Your mileage will vary. Good luck.

I was running in WvW using a 0/0/30/20/20 P/D build with apothecary armor. The stealth nerf wasn’t game breaking for me, but I do think that if I stick with P/D, I’m going switch into a carrion-based build. Not sure exactly what it’s going to look like yet, but I have some ideas. I just need to be able to exert more pressure.

That being said, the apothecary spec was probably always suboptimal… I just didn’t want to drop it after farming the mats.

My apologies in advance for the long post…

I’m trying to tweak this build to work with centaur runes (versus divinity) and without ascended gear. It is for one of my alts in WvW. Obviously, with these constraints, I will not be able to achieve the stats described by the OP.

Any advice on what stats/bonuses I could give up, while maintaining a viable build? I can put together combinations of level 80 rabid karma gear, centaur runes, coral(4)/chrysocola(2) trinket upgrades, and carrion weapons to get me to:

Condition Damage = 1150 (without “corruption sigil”), 1400 (with full corruption stacks),
Critical Chance = 41%
Power = 1300
Armor = 2500 (without staff bonus)
Health = 17600

This doesn’t include consumables, which obviously could augment some of the deficiencies in any given stat area, but again, won’t make it to the levels described by the OP. My calcs assume a 0/20/20/10/20 build, which provides situational access to either “glamour mastery” or “mender’s purity”.

I know this is a significant reduction in condition damage (which is listed at 1780 in the original post), but I don’t see how to get much more. Except for the centaur runes, every slot yields at least some condition damage.

In the end, I’m afraid of spending a bunch of karma and ending up with a build that can neither apply sufficient pressure, nor survives extended combat. Any thoughts or help would be appreciated.

Confirming this. Just noticed it and bugged it in game, as well.