My experience with the 'new' PvP so far.

So, with the season about to end, I thought I would just kind of give a subjective (and hopefully a few objective) points on the PvP experience of now after going through much of this season and all the changes.. (As much as I could.)

I've been casually playing ranked games on my support scourge or core support engie. So far with my 100 + games or so, I've been sort of just chilling in mid-plat for much of the season. I haven't had much time to climb as I would like given I'm medical first respond during this epidemic. This time has been very stressful for me, as for many others. I hope you've all been trying to stay healthy and doing well.

I locked myself in the PvP mists since probably 2013-4'ish, left a lot during late HoT and PoF (Experienced the powercreep and left) and coming back, it feels better. I feel like I made a post on this before but, playing an /almost/ full support feels a lot better than it has before. I low-key miss the meme build I made; A glass support firebrand which was able of giving 100% uptime on quickness, might and mass condi clear so I could watch my friends shred, but this meta, in terms of power balance i think it's MUCH healthier than it has been in a while. Also, this might be just me, but I'm so happy now to see some core builds/meta's popping out. Even though some need to be fixed more, I'm glad core has more of an identity and a place.. With my support necro, I've been able to bunk points, secure revives and help people push. The game's slower pace (but still needing attention to detail) has been a really cool change. Like, I've had more matches time out than compared to ye' old land slide losses or victories I would get 2/3 times back in the day. Like, I even lost matches where my team won more team fights. It's been cool to see a shift like this.

There are a /few/ problems I've had; Some attributed to my lack of skill but the most frequent one I noticed was conditions and crown control chains, but those to me have been more annoying or frustrating than a straight death sentence like it used to be. But, that could be because I'm usually running a necro with a big hp pool and am spec'd to crowd purge condi bombs. But, I can understand how they're a lot more frustrating for other characters.Also, a bit of constant toxicity towards me playing bunker (and in general) Well, mostly supports. Many who fight me would say that I only play it cause I have no skill. But, there's been a constant few string of disgruntled players upset about the slower pacing of the game and how it's allowing for more mistakes, more counter play and HONESTLY, for more people get better by making mistakes.

I feel like the old meta and power creep drew in a crowd who prefer fast kills and think that means better/more skill.. Rather than manipulating enemy rotations, having forethought on skill usage/teamplay or constructive communication.

Again, this is mostly subjective. But, I feel like I've been here long enough for some of my rambling to be true. Regardless, I really REALLY hope that things don't go back cause so far, I feel like a slower, more skill AND /team/ oriented PvP is what guild wars was about and is healthier. I think a slower battle will help teach newer players how to do what and even give veteran players things to watch out for aside from just the thoughtless "I'm a one man army. I see, I burst, I stomp" rotation. IMO.

TLDR - The universal power coefficient nerf was still a god sent IMO | Stop getting mad at me for ressing my team. The ground is dirty. | Things aren't perfect but, IMO i think it's better and hope things go in this direction in the future

Anyway, I'm jaded from work. Felt like rambling. Don't know if people will read this, but thanks if you do. Let me know ho your experience has been in this meta so far?

I mean everyone wanted less power creep, and the patch aimed to reducing the power level and it succeeded in doing so.

But it’s how they did it which was frustrating. They kinda just removed a lot of build options from viability, by just lowering numbers, even on skills that were already useless to begin with.

A lot of the issues in the game stem from mechanics and synergy of traits/skills/weapons (and also lack thereof). Simple number changes across the board arnt real solutions, and neither is just removing those options...cause these solutions end up creating more problems.

Lastly just because you feel something to be true, doesn’t make it true nor does experience hold weight when trying to mount your position. It’s fine to proclaim your thoughts. But just because your the pope doesn’t mean a god exists.

Advancement and true understanding come from empirical analysis...numbers, math...testing...logical reasoning...this sort of thing

@"JusticeRetroHunter.7684" said:I mean everyone wanted less power creep, and the patch aimed to reducing the power level and it succeeded in doing so.

But it’s how they did it which was frustrating. They kinda just removed a lot of build options from viability, by just lowering numbers, even on skills that were already useless to begin with.

A lot of the issues in the game stem from mechanics and synergy of traits/skills/weapons (and also lack thereof). Simple number changes across the board arnt real solutions, and neither is just removing those options...cause these solutions end up creating more problems.

Lastly just because you feel something to be true, doesn’t make it true nor does experience hold weight when trying to mount your position. It’s fine to proclaim your thoughts. But just because your the pope doesn’t mean a god exists.

Advancement and true understanding come from empirical analysis...numbers, math...testing...logical reasoning...this sort of thing

Yeah, I agree a lot of with what you said. Some viability has been been squashed but, I think with further testing and adjusting of skills and mechanics it'll get better. Again, maybe not perfect but perhaps in a better direction. Baby steps is fine with me.

Also, I get what you're saying but, I think you missed a lot of the context. I know that everything I said wasn't factual. That's why I used words like "I feel" and buffered it with "This is mostly subjective."

"Again, this is mostly subjective. But, I feel like I've been here long enough for some of my rambling to be true."

Advancement and true understanding also comes with proof-reading and validating other sides/Understanding why someone is probably saying the things they're saying. Aka having enough empathy/courage to ask them instead of making hasty inferences.

Understanding is more than just math, numbers and statistics, there's also communication. If you don't have that then it's not TRUE understanding, it's just one sided biased!

But just because you're the pope doesn’t mean a god exists.

; ^ )

I honestly preferred the old meta. But I think that's because you wind up with too much class stacking right now of things that abuse crowd control chains/conditions. You either run something with high sustain that pumps out constant cc, or you run something that has high sustain and pumps out condis. There isn't really much room for power builds outside of avoiding fights and side noding. Before, you could play a power build and carry a team. It's a lot more difficult to do now though.

And people complained about the old meta and power builds. They insisted that one shot burst builds lessened the gameplay. But is that really any different than going to a point and being knocked down, knocked back, dazed, stunned, feared, and pulled 8 times in a row?

I think I'd rather get one shot, die, and quickly return to the match than be cc locked for 3 minutes. Given the heavy decline in population I'm thinking there are quite a number of people who aren't really interested in this gameplay.

I also just think it's unhealthy for pvp in general. We're thinking from people that are used to the game and have seen multiple metas. A new player coming in, joins a match for the first time, and goes up against veteran players, playing any number of the cc spamming fotm builds, and spends the entire match not even being able to counter play or learn their class because they're getting chain cc'd every fight.

At least in the previous meta they could dodge or cleanse a bit and attempt to recover. Now the only option is just to avoid fighting completely and focus on rotating. Some people may enjoy that, but many people assume a player versus player gamemode is going to be about fighting, not map-watching and capture point strategy.

People talk about this meta allowing room for more build diversity, but all I ever see is necros, condi revs, and guards. Unfortunately, most necros I've been teamed up with seem to just get farmed at mid all match or play bunker builds that serve little add little value to a team fight because they're not build to pressure the enemy. Then they blame everyone else assuming that they're better because they were the last to die.

@"Rouien.5234" said:Also, I get what you're saying but, I think you missed a lot of the context. I know that everything I said wasn't factual. That's why I used words like "I feel" and buffered it with "This is mostly subjective."

Ya I know, I was trying to say that in the politest way possible.

Advancement and true understanding also comes with proof-reading and validating other sides/Understanding why someone is probably saying the things they're saying. Aka having enough empathy/courage to ask them instead of making hasty inferences.

Understanding is more than just math, numbers and statistics, there's also communication. If you don't have that then it's not TRUE understanding, it's just one sided biased!

True, and in a way I misspoke. When I said understanding I meant understanding of something to reach an objective truth. When we talk about reaching an objective conclusion, we can’t let subjectivity get in the way of factual analysis, and it’s this factual analysis that has brought us to the age of innovation...computers and technology etc... so this is what I really wanted to say here.

There are bunker builds that can just facetank damage and hold a node 1v1. Takes 0 skill because there's no risk of dying. The game was more fun before the february patch when things actually died. Nowadays, it doesn't matter how hard you outplay someone, you don't have enough damage to kill them.