Vigilant Walrus
Member
maybe its like an indicator that shows you how much you have tracked the progress towards that? reward track thing?
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maybe its like an indicator that shows you how much you have tracked the progress towards that? reward track thing?
Noisy Ninj4
Member
Start running explorable dungeons so you can get level 80 gear for cheap. Plus, you'll level super fast.
Could be a spot to click to switch trait lines.
The chances that ArenaNet gets the traits relatively balanced within a tier seem better with fewer to deal with at once. With the choice being so much more narrow, I do think we're less likely to have duds simply because they know the options are so limited.
I'm hoping today we see a lot of traits made baseline. I would also be happy if runes lost their stat component, clearing the way for the "PvP Model" to go game wide and allowing Runes to pick up some trait-like effects. I'm beyond hoping we'll ever get a trait line-less system at this point, though.
Oh, I know "more health" is a big deal and being up a full tier is a substantial change, but that doesn't save it from being a boring, passive, "under the hood" effect. Changing values on a spreadsheet is not satisfying, in my opinion, and traits should change things mechanically (grandmaster traits even moreso). Getting to the end of the trait line and just getting a flat stat increase may be useful, but it has all the excitement of filing my taxes.
In a perfect world, absolutely. But there's slim chance of that happening.
Ah, you guys make me realize I have a love for breakpoints in design. When it's just 10% to have 10% more it's boring, but when that 10% turns you into something you weren't, I end up wanting to keep it.
Like how Unsuspecting Foe works, giving you such a high breakpoint that you could make builds you couldn't before with the big stat boost. Force of Will doesn't have a conditional attached, but I was fine with that as conditionals attached to defensive boosts are hard to use without making the defensive boost unviable. Its main balancing point was the very fact that it was a grandmaster trait, forcing you to go in a slightly different direction that you normally would with a guardian. It was also placed in a trait line that was often invested into for its healing power or support but had a number of options that could be used offensively and the other grandmasters in the line weren't matching that as well.
One thing I hope to see in today's livestream is that they focused the traitlines more. Each trait line in Guild Wars 2 was optimally for two different build directions, but minor traits were often focused on just one, or had their synergy split. One example is the old Death Magic line on Necromancer, where until 2014 had its minors focused entirely on minions. Or Arms from the Warrior and Curses from the Necromancer, which are their condition damage lines, but their minors seem slightly more concerned with doing more direct damage in the end.
There are five lines per class. They should be focused on Direct Damage, Condition Damage, Defensive Abilities, Support Abilities, and their Class Mechanic line. Focus the minor traits in each line so that we do those things well. Then branch out and use a few major traits for synergies. So the Direct Damage line might also have traits to help Support by creating Might and Fury. Support Ability line can increase the damage of the boons you're already generating for yourself and allies. And if you're a Warrior, your Adrenaline line will already help with doing more damage. Another direction is a juggernaut type of build, where you take Defensive Abilities and Adrenaline traits to quickly build adrenaline and then use them for more passive bonuses like Berserker's Power or Heightened Focus that are lost if you lose Adrenaline for some reason that could be found in the new elite specialization line, or just Cleansing Ire.
On a side note, people feel like it's a bug that Berserker's Power doesn't give its bonus to Burst Attacks. That is, the adrenaline is spent before the damage is done. I always felt like that was intended. What do the rest of you think?
Also, stat compensation. Everyone is getting about 500 points more from the extra baseline stats, so say a PvP Amulet only needs about 200 more points total (not per stat) to compensate if you go by raw points. Realistically, those points were more focused but if you ignore that then the ranges of burst to bunker get lowered (which I can live with, lol). But still, there are multiple ways one can go about this...
Like how Unsuspecting Foe works, giving you such a high breakpoint that you could make builds you couldn't before with the big stat boost. Force of Will doesn't have a conditional attached, but I was fine with that as conditionals attached to defensive boosts are hard to use without making the defensive boost unviable. Its main balancing point was the very fact that it was a grandmaster trait, forcing you to go in a slightly different direction that you normally would with a guardian. It was also placed in a trait line that was often invested into for its healing power or support but had a number of options that could be used offensively and the other grandmasters in the line weren't matching that as well.
One thing I hope to see in today's livestream is that they focused the traitlines more. Each trait line in Guild Wars 2 was optimally for two different build directions, but minor traits were often focused on just one, or had their synergy split. One example is the old Death Magic line on Necromancer, where until 2014 had its minors focused entirely on minions. Or Arms from the Warrior and Curses from the Necromancer, which are their condition damage lines, but their minors seem slightly more concerned with doing more direct damage in the end.
There are five lines per class. They should be focused on Direct Damage, Condition Damage, Defensive Abilities, Support Abilities, and their Class Mechanic line. Focus the minor traits in each line so that we do those things well. Then branch out and use a few major traits for synergies. So the Direct Damage line might also have traits to help Support by creating Might and Fury. Support Ability line can increase the damage of the boons you're already generating for yourself and allies. And if you're a Warrior, your Adrenaline line will already help with doing more damage. Another direction is a juggernaut type of build, where you take Defensive Abilities and Adrenaline traits to quickly build adrenaline and then use them for more passive bonuses like Berserker's Power or Heightened Focus that are lost if you lose Adrenaline for some reason that could be found in the new elite specialization line, or just Cleansing Ire.
On a side note, people feel like it's a bug that Berserker's Power doesn't give its bonus to Burst Attacks. That is, the adrenaline is spent before the damage is done. I always felt like that was intended. What do the rest of you think?
Also, stat compensation. Everyone is getting about 500 points more from the extra baseline stats, so say a PvP Amulet only needs about 200 more points total (not per stat) to compensate if you go by raw points. Realistically, those points were more focused but if you ignore that then the ranges of burst to bunker get lowered (which I can live with, lol). But still, there are multiple ways one can go about this...
appletoasty
Member
Can I just say how fucking beautiful it looks
*sigh* dreamy
Speaking of redesigned traits/skills panel, this is a good chance to add missing information to the skills tab. Chain skills only show the first attack in the chain in the weapon skills tab and there's no way to see what will happen to your weapon skills when you use a transform skill or equip a kit.
Wooden Potatoes put out a decent trait speculation video using something I didn't notice about yesterday's blog post: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XT4EwdFVj14
I can't help but feel like they're going to keep Force of Will, but it will also likely become a grandmaster minor trait.
I can't help but feel like they're going to keep Force of Will, but it will also likely become a grandmaster minor trait.
Have you done any more dungeons after we took you through AC p1? We should show you some more.
I've been posting a lot of words today. I'm a lot more excited about this than I exoected. I guess I didn't fully expect us to get info on specilizations until after some type of WvW beta. And yesterday's articles got me super hyped as well. I'm waiting for the other shoe to drop I'm going to be out all day and won't be able to post about it for a while but plan to watch the live stream off my phone.
In the mean time, I ended up dreaming up some concept descriptions of possible elite specilizations.
PARAGON - New weapon: Staff
Your burst skills are replaced with two Roars, dependent on your main and off hand. Roar to knock down your foes or provide your allies Quickness!
CHRONOMANCER - New Weapon Shield
Shatter your illusions to cast Retaliation, Taunt, Slow or Quickness to enemies or allies. Literally control the flow of battle!
EXORCIST - New Weapon: Longbow
Regular Guardian F1 changed to do something else. Exorcist F1-3 cause burning (or more damage if target is already burnt) along with some other condition. Smite your foes with holy fire!
SKULL KNIGHT
Activate Death Shroud to amplify your current skills. You still weird your weapon while in Death Shroud and get additional effects paid with Life Force.
Okay, work starts soon so maybe I'll be able to take my mind off this for a little while.
In the mean time, I ended up dreaming up some concept descriptions of possible elite specilizations.
PARAGON - New weapon: Staff
Your burst skills are replaced with two Roars, dependent on your main and off hand. Roar to knock down your foes or provide your allies Quickness!
CHRONOMANCER - New Weapon Shield
Shatter your illusions to cast Retaliation, Taunt, Slow or Quickness to enemies or allies. Literally control the flow of battle!
EXORCIST - New Weapon: Longbow
Regular Guardian F1 changed to do something else. Exorcist F1-3 cause burning (or more damage if target is already burnt) along with some other condition. Smite your foes with holy fire!
SKULL KNIGHT
Activate Death Shroud to amplify your current skills. You still weird your weapon while in Death Shroud and get additional effects paid with Life Force.
Okay, work starts soon so maybe I'll be able to take my mind off this for a little while.
Nemesis121
Member
ha, Anet won't do shit i had to learn about combo fields and how they work and when they do them from the internet, Anet has failed to teach it's gamers the basic combat knowledge from day 1, don't think they will start now..
Absolutely, if the numbers are large enough they become build defining. Stat-based traits aren't bad in principle.
Apologies for parsing your words- I agree it's intended but I find it illogical. You discharge your adrenaline to perform the attack, so you should be full of adrenaline and hence its benefits at the moment of attack. But given the new adrenaline mechanic, you actually discharge your adrenaline during the wind-up, so at the moment of attack it's all gone, and thus I get why it works the way it does.
Those who care most about PvP are most hyped for theorycrafting new builds; makes sense to me.
appletoasty
Member
Specializations AMA going live soon: http://www.twitch.tv/guildwars2
www.twitch.tv/guildwars2 It's on now!
Core trait changes coming out before HoT!!! (but not elite specializations)
Miscellaneous intro notes:
- Significantly improved traits make 1/3 choice at each tier OK (acknowledges would be bad if traits weren't improved)
- Engineer traits so different the explanation would require a Powerpoint presentation
- Trying to put every skill into a category, e.g. Ele's Tornado elite will be a Cantrip
Miscellaneous intro notes:
- Significantly improved traits make 1/3 choice at each tier OK (acknowledges would be bad if traits weren't improved)
- Engineer traits so different the explanation would require a Powerpoint presentation
- Trying to put every skill into a category, e.g. Ele's Tornado elite will be a Cantrip
UltimateIke
Member
FIRST ELITE SPEC NEXT WEEK, NOT DRUID
WARRIORS UNITE
WARRIORS UNITE
I'm trying to take notes but they started going really fast and I experienced some interruptions.
Ele
(fire)
- fire aura on fire attunement, first minor trait
- burning duration + burn on crit, adept
- conjurer, adept
- 7% power into condi damage, adept
- more damage and cd reduction, master
- improved fire auras, master
- cleansing fire + might on cantrip, master
- fire fields duration + fury when blasting + lava font, gm
- pyromancer's puissance, gm
- blinding ashes with reduced ICD, gm
(air)
- zephyr's boon, adept
- one with air, adept
- 7% healing into ferocity, adept (will likely change)
- boon on glyph + glyph CD, master
- ferocity in air attunement + air cd, master
- tempest defense, master
- bolt to heart, gm
- fresh air, gm
- lightning rod, gm
(earth)
- take less damage from melee range, gm minor
- armor of earth
- serrated stones
- elemental shielding
- %toughness into condi damage, master
- rock solid, master
- ???
- diamond skin
- written in stone + signed CD
- stone heart
(water)
- ???
- ???
- stop, drop, roll, adept
- soothing disruption + cantrip cd, master
- ???
- damage >90% + water CD, master
- cleansing water, gm
- powerful aura, gm
- bountiful power, gm
(arcane) (intentionally nerfed and attuenment CD mostly baked in)
- endurance on arcane skill + arcane CD
- renewing stamina, adept
- arcane abatement, adept
- arcane resurrection (+ revive speed), master
- elemental contingency, master
- arcane shield, master
- evasive arcana, gm
- elemental surge, gm
- elemental attunement, gm
(bonus)
- they may work windborne dagger back in
[my commentary: moving bolt to heart and elemental attunement to grandmaster tier are nerfs]
Ele
(fire)
- fire aura on fire attunement, first minor trait
- burning duration + burn on crit, adept
- conjurer, adept
- 7% power into condi damage, adept
- more damage and cd reduction, master
- improved fire auras, master
- cleansing fire + might on cantrip, master
- fire fields duration + fury when blasting + lava font, gm
- pyromancer's puissance, gm
- blinding ashes with reduced ICD, gm
(air)
- zephyr's boon, adept
- one with air, adept
- 7% healing into ferocity, adept (will likely change)
- boon on glyph + glyph CD, master
- ferocity in air attunement + air cd, master
- tempest defense, master
- bolt to heart, gm
- fresh air, gm
- lightning rod, gm
(earth)
- take less damage from melee range, gm minor
- armor of earth
- serrated stones
- elemental shielding
- %toughness into condi damage, master
- rock solid, master
- ???
- diamond skin
- written in stone + signed CD
- stone heart
(water)
- ???
- ???
- stop, drop, roll, adept
- soothing disruption + cantrip cd, master
- ???
- damage >90% + water CD, master
- cleansing water, gm
- powerful aura, gm
- bountiful power, gm
(arcane) (intentionally nerfed and attuenment CD mostly baked in)
- endurance on arcane skill + arcane CD
- renewing stamina, adept
- arcane abatement, adept
- arcane resurrection (+ revive speed), master
- elemental contingency, master
- arcane shield, master
- evasive arcana, gm
- elemental surge, gm
- elemental attunement, gm
(bonus)
- they may work windborne dagger back in
[my commentary: moving bolt to heart and elemental attunement to grandmaster tier are nerfs]
Ele mains am cry
UltimateIke
Member
They sound like they are hinting at poison stacking intensity and not duration.
Damn it, Ash.
Damn it, Ash.
We'll take the nerf bat on the chin and rise up stronger than ever.
helloresolven
Member
My mesmer weeps in the corner at this thief talk 
.
.
What about mesmers?
They haven't covered them yet.
Feline Grace change sounds interesting, triggering from all evasion abilities rather than just dodge... especially with this Endless Stamina change. I really like the Acrobatics Tree so I'm looking forward to trying these out. Edit: Holy crap at Don't Stop. That's cool.
They have a schedule they showed earlier, I think Mesmers were one of the later ones. Warriors were last.
What about mesmers?
They have a schedule they showed earlier, I think Mesmers were one of the later ones. Warriors were last.
Have they confirmed it's warrior? Because I think it's more likely they will show a class that is more advanced in development, like mesmer or engineer, versus those we've seen nothing off like warrior or thief.
Ha, keepaway thief builds will become omega-level trollospheres if that functions the way I'd interpret it.
Got an engagement party tomorrow night that will almost definitely go past all of missions, so my apologies if I don't show. Peeps just cannot stop getting married and stuff, it's just wrong I say!
Got an engagement party tomorrow night that will almost definitely go past all of missions, so my apologies if I don't show. Peeps just cannot stop getting married and stuff, it's just wrong I say!
Thief
(deadly arts) -now poison and condition focused
- dagger strikes can poison, adept (hint at mechanics other than stacking duration)
- mug, adept
- drop needle trap on healing skill, adept
- stealing reduces trap CD by 10s, master
- panic strike with 20s CD, master
- power while revealed, master
- poison duration and damage, gm
- improvisation + used stolen items twice, gm
- executioner, gm
(critical strikes) - deliberately toned down to not be required
- increased crit damage to low health foes, master minor
- side strike, adept
- signets of power+ signet cd, adept
- increased dual wield crit chance, adept (may change)
- crits can cause vuln, master
- gain vit based on precision, master
- ankle shots + pistol damage to crippled foes, master
- ricochet, gm
- hidden killer, gm
- invigoration precision, gm
(shadow arts)
- merciful ally + revive speed, adept
- smoke screen on down + deception CD, adept
- shadow's embrace, adept
- shadow protector, master
- descent of shadows + blinding powder on steal, master
- leeching venoms + might on venom activation, master
- cloaked in shadow, gm
- shadow's rejuvenation (health and initiative), gm
- venomous aura + venom CD, gm
(acrobatics)
- gain vigor upon successful evade, master minor
- effects of vigor enhanced, gm minor
- fleet shadow, adept
- pain response, adept
- ???
- gain resistance when attacking with full health, master
- successful evade while wielding sword reduced steal CD by fixed amount, master
- hard to catch, breaks stun and refills endurance on disable, master
- quick pockets, gm
- ???
- sometimes evade projectiles while swift, gm
(trickery)
- caltrops on dodge, adept
- flanking strikes grant haste, adept
- thrill of crime, adept
- ???
- tricks remove condis, master
- torment on interrupt, master
- regain initiative on heal, gm
- sleight of hand + steal cd, gm
- confusion on steal, gm
(deadly arts) -now poison and condition focused
- dagger strikes can poison, adept (hint at mechanics other than stacking duration)
- mug, adept
- drop needle trap on healing skill, adept
- stealing reduces trap CD by 10s, master
- panic strike with 20s CD, master
- power while revealed, master
- poison duration and damage, gm
- improvisation + used stolen items twice, gm
- executioner, gm
(critical strikes) - deliberately toned down to not be required
- increased crit damage to low health foes, master minor
- side strike, adept
- signets of power+ signet cd, adept
- increased dual wield crit chance, adept (may change)
- crits can cause vuln, master
- gain vit based on precision, master
- ankle shots + pistol damage to crippled foes, master
- ricochet, gm
- hidden killer, gm
- invigoration precision, gm
(shadow arts)
- merciful ally + revive speed, adept
- smoke screen on down + deception CD, adept
- shadow's embrace, adept
- shadow protector, master
- descent of shadows + blinding powder on steal, master
- leeching venoms + might on venom activation, master
- cloaked in shadow, gm
- shadow's rejuvenation (health and initiative), gm
- venomous aura + venom CD, gm
(acrobatics)
- gain vigor upon successful evade, master minor
- effects of vigor enhanced, gm minor
- fleet shadow, adept
- pain response, adept
- ???
- gain resistance when attacking with full health, master
- successful evade while wielding sword reduced steal CD by fixed amount, master
- hard to catch, breaks stun and refills endurance on disable, master
- quick pockets, gm
- ???
- sometimes evade projectiles while swift, gm
(trickery)
- caltrops on dodge, adept
- flanking strikes grant haste, adept
- thrill of crime, adept
- ???
- tricks remove condis, master
- torment on interrupt, master
- regain initiative on heal, gm
- sleight of hand + steal cd, gm
- confusion on steal, gm
Quickness is a boon! BOON DURATION GO
It's that time of age. Past 30, everyone gets da married
also they need "DA BABAYS"
It's that time of age. Past 30, everyone gets da married
also they need "DA BABAYS"
helloresolven
Member
"While a thief is alive, all enemy mesmer's are dead." -- Helseth's Demise , lol.
symbols have a chance to burn enemies? YESSS
G U A R D I A N T I M E B O Y S
Zealous Scepter - Gain might when your justice passive effect triggers while wielding a scepter. AWESOME
Binding Jeopardy - Immobilizing or blind a foe also applies vulnerability to them (merged traits)
Zealous Blade - Greatsword stuff merged
Expeditious Spirit - ALL summoned weapons traits in one
Shattered Aegis - damage foes is now grandmaster
Symbolic Avenger - deal more damage to enemies in symbols (20%)
SYMBOL GUARDIAN WILL BE A THING YESSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSS
G U A R D I A N T I M E B O Y S
Zealous Scepter - Gain might when your justice passive effect triggers while wielding a scepter. AWESOME
Binding Jeopardy - Immobilizing or blind a foe also applies vulnerability to them (merged traits)
Zealous Blade - Greatsword stuff merged
Expeditious Spirit - ALL summoned weapons traits in one
Shattered Aegis - damage foes is now grandmaster
Symbolic Avenger - deal more damage to enemies in symbols (20%)
SYMBOL GUARDIAN WILL BE A THING YESSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSS
UltimateIke
Member
They started the show saying Engi is so in "flux" that it's not even far enough along to show the core specs in-game. I doubt they'll suddenly have the elite ready.
Warrior needs to stop being talked about last. Now is that chance.
helloresolven
Member
Everything stacks now!
- Status