Hopefully smokescale won't get a nerf

So it's obvious bird, deer and cat will be getting nerfs for ranger. Can we please keep the smokescale the same for wvw. It's the only pet for soul beast in wvw and if it gets nerfed fuck knows what I should play. My main power mirage got deleted, holo is only good for cc chain and the ranger I sometimes roam with in wvw will die if smoke scale gets destroyed. Keep the pvp changes separate from wvw please.

I think the power from pets should be shifted to ranger. This way, you don't have to worry about pets not dealing enough damage, and they honestly deal a bit too much for how badly telegraphed they are.

@DonArkanio.6419 said:I think the power from pets should be shifted to ranger. This way, you don't have to worry about pets not dealing enough damage, and they honestly deal a bit too much for how badly telegraphed they are.

So... soulbeast?

@shadowpass.4236 said:

@DonArkanio.6419 said:I think the power from pets should be shifted to ranger. This way, you don't have to worry about pets not dealing enough damage, and they honestly deal a bit too much for how badly telegraphed they are.

Which got nerfed for doing too much damage!

@asterix.9614 said:So it's obvious bird, deer and cat will be getting nerfs for ranger. Can we please keep the smokescale the same for wvw. It's the only pet for soul beast in wvw and if it gets nerfed kitten knows what I should play. My main power mirage got deleted, holo is only good for cc chain and the ranger I sometimes roam with in wvw will die if smoke scale gets destroyed. Keep the pvp changes separate from wvw please.

I've been writing this when I'm able to. I can't even believe people are feeling that pets are OP. It's just absolutely bizarre considering how weak in reality they are. If those pets are nerfed, literally the only pet we have is smoke which aside from its utility - hits almost like a wet noodle now. At the same time I don't want to continue to be locked into one pet only.

If the devs actually balance stealth in the next one or two balance patches then yes it does not deserve another nerf. However, if they don't then it most certainly does. Smokescale didn't even need any damage nerfs. It only needed adjustments to F2 (smoke cloud). This is the main reason smokescale over performs relative to all other pets.

@GUFF.5692 said:If the devs actually balance stealth in the next one or two balance patches then yes it does not deserve another nerf. However, if they don't then it most certainly does. Smokescale didn't even need any damage nerfs. It only needed adjustments to F2 (smoke cloud). This is the main reason smokescale over performs relative to all other pets.

So you think smoke assault don't take any part in players choice when they chose smokescale? I mean, a convenient gap closer that deal damage, grant up to 5 might and have an evade frame... I struggle to see any other pet skill in game that have as much value as this one, but if you think that the 5 second smoke field that do nothing more than being a smoke field is the issue... Sure, I'm ready to believe you...

All in all, the combination of takedown, smoke assault and smoke cloud make the smokescale one of the best pet that you can use in game. It's true for core and druid because it give you a nice source of stealth and a pet that will reliably stick to your foe. It's even more true for soulbeast because, let's face it, no other pet give a skill that's even close to the combination of takedown and smoke assault in term of utility. (the closest thing is the merged devourer, with the equivalent of takedown and a skill that only have an evade of half the evade of smoke assault yet a CD barely lower than smoke assault. The skill kit is just that much better than other pets.

From my point of view, the only thing that need a nerf is smoke assault and it's a nerf in term of utility. No more might on hit and reduce range to 450 from 750 to match revenant's unrelenting assault's range (apply to both pet skill and soulbeast beast skill).

@Strider.7849 said:

@asterix.9614 said:So it's obvious bird, deer and cat will be getting nerfs for ranger. Can we please keep the smokescale the same for wvw. It's the only pet for soul beast in wvw and if it gets nerfed kitten knows what I should play. My main power mirage got deleted, holo is only good for cc chain and the ranger I sometimes roam with in wvw will die if smoke scale gets destroyed. Keep the pvp changes separate from wvw please.

So 4k auto attacks from AI are perfectly fine while the actual player can do whatever they want? Cool.

@Dadnir.5038 said:

@GUFF.5692 said:If the devs actually balance stealth in the next one or two balance patches then yes it does not deserve another nerf. However, if they don't then it most certainly does. Smokescale didn't even need any damage nerfs. It only needed adjustments to F2 (smoke cloud). This is the main reason smokescale over performs relative to all other pets.

Yes, I think it is the main reason the majority of Rangers choose this pet.

Ask yourself, if they took away smoke cloud from the pet would you still choose it? I would wager no.

Stealth is simply way too powerful to overlook. It can be used for defensive purposes but also to set up devastating offensive tactics.

@GUFF.5692 said:Yes, I think it is the main reason the majority of Rangers choose this pet.

Ask yourself, if they took away smoke cloud from the pet would you still choose it? I would wager no.

Stealth is simply way too powerful to overlook. It can be used for defensive purposes but also to set up devastating offensive tactics.

It's not like any other pet can replace that stealth, so even disregarding the replacement F2, it would guaranteed still be a top pick due to its combination of other skills and ability to stick to moving targets better than most other pets.

@Lazze.9870 said:

@GUFF.5692 said:Yes, I think it is the main reason the majority of Rangers choose this pet.

Ask yourself, if they took away smoke cloud from the pet would you still choose it? I would wager no.

Stealth is simply way too powerful to overlook. It can be used for defensive purposes but also to set up devastating offensive tactics.

I don't agree.

I guarantee most rangers would lose a lot more of their fights without smokescale F2. It carries bad builds and bad rangers simply because there is not enough counter play in regards to stealth right now. Take smokescale F2 away and watch those rangers flop.

Like I said before, they balance stealth like they should then no problem. They don't, then we still have a problem.

@Blocki.4931 said:

@Strider.7849 said:

@"asterix.9614" said:So it's obvious bird, deer and cat will be getting nerfs for ranger. Can we please keep the smokescale the same for wvw. It's the only pet for soul beast in wvw and if it gets nerfed kitten knows what I should play. My main power mirage got deleted, holo is only good for cc chain and the ranger I sometimes roam with in wvw will die if smoke scale gets destroyed. Keep the pvp changes separate from wvw please.

Been fine for years now

Funny how "Pet damage" is the only thinkg rangers have going for them anymore now and suddenly it's "OP"

Almost as if this is all part of petty personal grudges and not based on balance at all

@Substance E.4852 said:

@Blocki.4931 said:

@Strider.7849 said:

@"asterix.9614" said:So it's obvious bird, deer and cat will be getting nerfs for ranger. Can we please keep the smokescale the same for wvw. It's the only pet for soul beast in wvw and if it gets nerfed kitten knows what I should play. My main power mirage got deleted, holo is only good for cc chain and the ranger I sometimes roam with in wvw will die if smoke scale gets destroyed. Keep the pvp changes separate from wvw please.

Almost as if everything else in the game got nerfed but this AI, which you cannot possibly outplay, did not get touched much if at all.

@Blocki.4931 said:

@Substance E.4852 said:

@Blocki.4931 said:

@Strider.7849 said:

@"asterix.9614" said:So it's obvious bird, deer and cat will be getting nerfs for ranger. Can we please keep the smokescale the same for wvw. It's the only pet for soul beast in wvw and if it gets nerfed kitten knows what I should play. My main power mirage got deleted, holo is only good for cc chain and the ranger I sometimes roam with in wvw will die if smoke scale gets destroyed. Keep the pvp changes separate from wvw please.

"can't outplay"

We're just making shit up now?

@GUFF.5692 said:

@Lazze.9870 said:

@GUFF.5692 said:Yes, I think it is the main reason the majority of Rangers choose this pet.

Ask yourself, if they took away smoke cloud from the pet would you still choose it? I would wager no.

Stealth is simply way too powerful to overlook. It can be used for defensive purposes but also to set up devastating offensive tactics.

Not enough counterplay to stealth? You have auto reveals in WvW from sentries, towers, traps, etc. You have a lot of classes with reveals on skills, and literally one hit brings you out of stealth. I can sort of understand your argument on a thief that's able to rapidly re-apply stealth, however ranger???? You have a short stealth on longbow which is meant to reposition (reflect it and you get the stealth instead) and you got smoke scale. That's it. Unless you're also one of those people who think druid is OP which is... Just lmao at this point. I honestly can't believe how people like yourself think that removing smoke scale stealth would make the class fold in on itself. People take the smoke scale because it can stick to a moving target, it has CC, and its got decent sustain.

@Blocki.4931 said:

@Substance E.4852 said:

@Blocki.4931 said:

@Strider.7849 said:

@"asterix.9614" said:So it's obvious bird, deer and cat will be getting nerfs for ranger. Can we please keep the smokescale the same for wvw. It's the only pet for soul beast in wvw and if it gets nerfed kitten knows what I should play. My main power mirage got deleted, holo is only good for cc chain and the ranger I sometimes roam with in wvw will die if smoke scale gets destroyed. Keep the pvp changes separate from wvw please.

0 counterplay?https://www.twitch.tv/videos/591371955?t=03h28m49shttps://www.twitch.tv/videos/591371955?t=03h32m05s

Guess not.

@Eurantien.4632 said:

@Blocki.4931 said:

@Substance E.4852 said:

@Blocki.4931 said:

@Strider.7849 said:

@"asterix.9614" said:So it's obvious bird, deer and cat will be getting nerfs for ranger. Can we please keep the smokescale the same for wvw. It's the only pet for soul beast in wvw and if it gets nerfed kitten knows what I should play. My main power mirage got deleted, holo is only good for cc chain and the ranger I sometimes roam with in wvw will die if smoke scale gets destroyed. Keep the pvp changes separate from wvw please.

Oh yeah, I'm sorry. Let me just hard focus the pet while I hope that whoever else is not blind or stupid will ignore me. Please do remain ignorant thanks to your bias, thank you very much.

@Strider.7849 said:

@GUFF.5692 said:

@Lazze.9870 said:

@GUFF.5692 said:Yes, I think it is the main reason the majority of Rangers choose this pet.

Ask yourself, if they took away smoke cloud from the pet would you still choose it? I would wager no.

Stealth is simply way too powerful to overlook. It can be used for defensive purposes but also to set up devastating offensive tactics.

That's true about the sentries, towers, traps, etc. However, one could argue their effectiveness (most fights I get in are away from towers chasing other roamers). I also think you can't use them in this argument since those are just band aids covering poor game design regarding stealth mechanics in a pvp setting, specifically WvW.

Even in just the ranger profession there is not even close to parity as far as reveals are concerned when compared to stealth access while looking at both utilities and weapon skills. All we have is sic' em and the cool down is significantly longer than both smoke cloud and hunter's shot. Essentially, every 8 seconds you could stealth if you play it right on ranger especially with Soulbeast (with longbow equipped which is very common in WvW). Also remember, Sic' Em cannot be used after a target goes into stealth only before (must have target). It gets way worse with other professions/builds.

Power druid is basically extinct in WvW. Can't remember the last time I fought one. They are pretty much all condi now. It is very annoying to fight their immob spam since the effectiveness of ancient seeds went way up after the huge damage nerfs to attacks (takes much longer to hack your way out of them now), especially auto attacks. You can still use the walk out trick but any druid worth a kitten will keep cripple and/or chilled on you preventing that tactic. That's why I am seeing gank groups running multiple condi druids.

@GUFF.5692 said:

@Lazze.9870 said:

@GUFF.5692 said:Yes, I think it is the main reason the majority of Rangers choose this pet.

Ask yourself, if they took away smoke cloud from the pet would you still choose it? I would wager no.

Stealth is simply way too powerful to overlook. It can be used for defensive purposes but also to set up devastating offensive tactics.

You say you don't agree, but you're not bringing up any arguments to what I said at all.

Smokescale is an excelent pet even without the F2, relatively to a lot of the garbage/one-trick-pony pets the class currently has. That's a fact. If those rangers would flop without the stealth, they would flop with most other pets aswell.

@Lazze.9870 said:

@GUFF.5692 said:

@Lazze.9870 said:

@GUFF.5692 said:Yes, I think it is the main reason the majority of Rangers choose this pet.

Ask yourself, if they took away smoke cloud from the pet would you still choose it? I would wager no.

Stealth is simply way too powerful to overlook. It can be used for defensive purposes but also to set up devastating offensive tactics.

I can counter take down and smoke assault because I can see them coming. I can dodge take down and can counter smoke assault with other weapon/utility skills. This is why I do not rate these pet skills above smoke cloud.

The Smokescale damage was lessoned, along with bonded #3 smokescale skill. Both do less damage now. When you asked not to nerf Smokescale….well...too late.

What playing Ranger since 2012 has taught me... if you love something, if you like something, if you feel some what ok with something. Anet will nerf it. And nerf it again. And again.

Never grow to like anything as a ranger, embrace the nerf bat and become one with it. It makes the pain more bearable with each nerf <3 beer helps too.