Possible hex ideas

A few people have floated around ideas for an elite spec that uses hexes, and I think its pretty cool. Here's a few ideas that I think would be pretty fun hexes that, from my understanding, would bring us closer to the feel of GW1 mesmer in being able to control the battlefield. If you have other ideas, please post them too

• Dodging now requires 75 endurance until the hex wears off. Possibly also cripples you when you dodge
• Apply 1 (or even 2) stacks of confusion to the hexed target when they attack (per skill usage, not per hit). Could be up to 5 stacks in PvE to account for enemies slower attack speed
• If your hexed target uses a heal skill, all other skills go on 3-5 second CD (or have 5 sec added to their CD if they are already on CD)

I will update this with any new ideas I get, right now I'm having trouble coming up with ones that would be good for PvE, as these are PvP oriented.

@OriOri.8724 said:A few people have floated around ideas for an elite spec that uses hexes, and I think its pretty cool. Here's a few ideas that I think would be pretty fun hexes that, from my understanding, would bring us closer to the feel of GW1 mesmer in being able to control the battlefield. If you have other ideas, please post them too

• Dodging now requires 75 endurance until the hex wears off. Possibly also cripples you when you dodge
• Apply 1 (or even 2) stacks of confusion to the hexed target when they attack (per skill usage, not per hit). Could be up to 5 stacks in PvE to account for enemies slower attack speed
• If your hexed target uses a heal skill, all other skills go on 3-5 second CD (or have 5 sec added to their CD if they are already on CD)

I will update this with any new ideas I get, right now I'm having trouble coming up with ones that would be good for PvE, as these are PvP oriented.

Sad part is that the cd one I totally see being ignored for thieves because thieves not only get to be immune to the effects of chill, but to interruption and mesmer's already existing grandmaster as well.

But good ideas, thought I doubt they'll see the light of day because Spellbreaker is already massively complained about as a shutdown duelist class, and people hate mesmer even more so.

Issue is that skills have to be PvE viable as well, as in not completely useless in this gamemode. Endurance and Healing Skill specific abilities kinda screw with that.

From my understanding, the reason that thieves get to ignore power block is because it was unintended for it to affect auto attacks, which must just be coded into the game as attacks with 0CD. And since all of thieves attacks have 0CD, their weapon attacks had to become immune to it. But since power block was able to affect auto attacks at one time, it will be able to affect thieves as well (though I agree its bullshit that chill doesn't affect initiative regen, nor does power block affect thieves 2-5 -_-)

I also, sadly, know that this will likely never be implemented, but I do think they would be incredibly fun skills to use, though I already know I would hate to have them used against me.

I'm all up for hexes/debuffs, and I like your ideas, but how would hex 1 and 3 function in PvE? Mobs do not use endurance nor heal skills, so these would probably need totally different effects in pve, I guess?

Yea I'm not quite sure how they would fit in PvE at all. They would definitely have to be changed in PvE to have different effects.

I think Hexes need to be implemented as the "trigger once" type, having anything which lasts until duration expires would be a nightmare (due to no removal).

I think that a trigger once type of thing will either be too weak to provide any actual battlefield control, or very strong. I'm also imagining that the hexes are short duration effects (think about 5 seconds long for the ones I listed in the original post) with CDs balanced so that the stronger hexes have pretty low uptime on any single target.

Trigger once hexes would be meh. If they were to be implemented this way, it's better not to implement them at all.

I've been thinking of an Elite Spec which replaces Shatters with "Hexes". These would be toggled on, and would then apply a special "Hex" debuff on enemies we or our illusions hit. They don't stack in duration or intensity.

(Mind Wrack) Paranoia: Pulse damage around yourself, hits allies.(Cry of Frustration) Trauma: Using a skill applies Confusion to yourself.(Diversion) Panic: Become Dazed when this Hex ends.

These would only last 3 seconds and built to punish enemies for certain behaviors. In order: zerging, spamming, and ill-timed action.

Diversion, Shame, Mind Wrack, Ineptitude, Clumsiness, Mistrust, Guilt were all one trigger hexes and some of our most powerful. A lot of GW1 hexes are able to be implemented with conditions anyway, Crippling Anguish is basically cripple and bleed stacks for example (what made it important in GW1 was hex removal being on a longer CD and more expensive generally than condi removal), Empathy and Backfire are now just confusion stacks.

We do not have Hex Removal in this game, so I would be careful of adding any persistant effect with a duration (even at 5 sec). The difference may even be largely psychological but compare "on next attack receive 5 confusion" and "each attack for the next 5sec adds 1 confusion" you will see massive outcry over the 2nd one because it feels in escapable and you are locked down for 5sec (even if the amount of confusion is largely the same).

Persistant hexes in a game with no removal would piss people off, it is too late to add them now given the direction the game went.

Exactly, the one trigger ones were exceptionally powerful. And I don't think that Anet would actually give mesmer skills that are that powerful, especially in PvP.

What if Hexes could be removed with Stun Break (not Stability, tho)?

@Dondagora.9645 said:What if Hexes could be removed with Stun Break (not Stability, tho)?

That is a really interesting idea and would give you a lot more flexibility in what you can add. Currently only one stun breakable CC can be on you at a time so need to think abouthow you want to play around that - would they over write, stack and stun break removes everything or stack and stun break removes 1 CC and 1 hex?

Worth thinking about though, I'd go with 1 CC & 1 hex gets removed.

Of course some hexes could be powerful as one triggers (e.g., OriOri's 3rd hex), but other ones would just have much more flavour if they were duration based. For example, OriOri's 2nd hex I'd find very boring if it was a one trigger. And with Dondagora's suggestion, they would have an actual counterplay anyway.

Also, I have some ideas about the hexes mentioned in the OP, because they obviously need to be split between PvP and PvE:

1)PvP: Hex your target and cause it to use 50% more endurance to execute a dodge roll. If the hexed target has Vigor, the boon has no effect. Duration: 3 secs?PVE: Hex your target. Every 3 secs, the target is inflicted with damage (power based) and daze. Increase target's incoming daze and stun duration by 50%. Duration: 6-9 secs?*This way, the hex would deal with endurance bars in pvp and break bars in pve. A bar wrecker.

2)PvP: Hex your target. It will be inflicted with confusion (2 stacks) each time it uses a skill. Duration: 3 secs.PvE: Hex your target. Apply confusion (1 stack) to the target every sec. Apply additional confusion (2-3 stacks) each time the target uses a skill. Duration: 6 secs?*This hex would punish spam in PvP. The more skill spam, the stronger punishment. Due to short duration and potential removal through stun breakers, I don't find it too op. In Pve, it needs some sustained confusion on top because otherwise the hex would be very unreliable.

3)PvP: Hex your target. If the target uses its Heal skill while being affected by the hex, it will receive 3/4 of the healing and increase the cd of all recharging skills by 5 secs. Duration: 2-3 secsPvE: Hex your target. Inflict the target with vulnerability (3 stacks) and slow on set time interval (3 secs). Your attacks against the hexed foe deal additional damage (5-10%) and siphon health.*Couldn't really translate the PvP effect into PvE, so I just made it some nice debuff I'd like to see in this game, lol.

Not sure if these suggestions are good or not, I just got kind of creative and thought I'd share.

Anyway, hexes and debuffs are such a broad topic. Please, give us some elite spec that focuses on them. :wink:

A hex that deals damage everytime foe gains a boon.A "Web of Disruption" type of hex, interrupts when applied and when ends.A hex that cleanse condis on foes but deals damage for each condi removed(edit: or condis expire x% faster but when they end deal y damage)

Ahaha a hex that makes conditions tick twice as fast on enemies would be nasty. Sure, they'd expire twice as quickly, but you'd get twice as many ticks every second. I love it! But that's definitely too powerful, even for PvE that would be ridiculously OP unless it had stupidly low uptime (like 3 seconds on a 50 sec CD or something I guess).

@Lincolnbeard.1735 said:A hex that deals damage everytime foe gains a boon.A "Web of Disruption" type of hex, interrupts when applied and when ends.A hex that cleanse condis on foes but deals damage for each condi removed(edit: or condis expire x% faster but when they end deal y damage)

This is very like some old GW1 ideas, like aneurysm or shatter delusions. However GW2 already suffers from condi spike damage so maybe not until they sort that out.

I like the idea of hexes like in gw1. Confusion and torment kinda give us the feeling of the old hexes already.

Also thought about skills that deactivate your opponents weapon skills or heal+utility+elite for like 3 seconds. But that doesn't have to be a hex for me. Could work like a weaker form of daze, so people can still use stunbreaks to get rid of it.

But generally I think hexes will be like if x happens y will also happen.

Likewhen your opponent uses a utility skill he will be dazed after for a second.When the hexed targets receives a boon he will also get a stack of torment.I could also imagine stuff like incoming healing is reduced by 50%

But either they won't be so super strong or only does stuff like applying conditions/dazes or you need counter play so one can remove a hex.

And a remove would only really makes sense if there is a larger access to hexes.Maybe like already mentioned stunbreak to remove a hey could work don't know.

Also people need to be possible to check what hexes are on them so they can avoid trigger them. And in my opinion the condition and boon bar is already to much. Already yet you have to watch to your bar all time to notice the amount of conditions stack so you don't waste a condo remove for a single stack of burning but for like 5+ stacks.So if they bring hexes they need to make a cleaner interface for the recognition. Maybe also fuse some conditions and boons together to remove the amount at all.

Ohh shit so much text, but that were my thoughts :lol:

H E X E SYour F1-4 skills have 2 activations. The first activation is the Hex itself which casts a debuff on a target area (Radius 240. Number of targets: 5) for 7s which causes a variety of effects depending on the shatter used. An enemy can only be affected by one hex at a time until the duration runs out OR if the hex is shattered off.

Hex of Nightmares: Your target(s) are hexed for 7s. The damage you deal to them deals additional critical damage. If the hex runs its full duration, it deals heavy damage to the foe(s) inflicted.Mind Wrack: Using Mind Wrack will shatter the Hex of Nightmares off your foes, causing them to take heavy damage.

Hex of Weariness: Your target(s) are hexed for 7s. Your foes attacks cause them to be inflicted with a stack of confusion lasting for 6s. If the hex runs its full duration, they are dealt damage and inflicted with weakness for 3s.Cry of Frustration: Using Cry of Frustration will shatter the Hex of Empathy off your foes, causing them to take damage and are inflicted with weakness for 3s.

Hex of Disenchantment: Your target(s) are hexed for 7s. Boons on them and applied to them have their duration reduced by XX% and damage done to them is increased by x% per boon on you. If the hex runs its full duration, they are dazed for 2s and have 3 boons removed from them.Diversion: Using Diversion will shatter the Hex of Disenchantment off your foes, causing them to be dazed for 2s and lose 3 boons.

Distort Reality: For 7s you distort reality all around you, mirroring disables, XX% of damage and half the duration of conditions back to its source. If the effect runs its full duration, you gain Distortion for 1s.Distortion: Using Distortion will end Distort Reality early but grant you an additional 1s of Distortion.

"The reason why I added the two effects is because of our illusion and shatter mechanic so".

Pretty sure conditions were designed to replace hexes, not that they compare.

Confusion = empathy/backfire type skillsBurning/Bleeding = general degenerate skillsPoison = healing denial skillsTorment = movement punishmentBlind = next skill failsCripple = general snareChill = increased skill CDSlow = slower skill activationWeakness = reduced damage (reduced endurance regen, often forgotten)Immobilize = heavy snare

If anything they will add new conditions. But who can say, they might be able to squeeze in a few hexes like Tseison suggested.

I'd like to see [Panic] return. It's essentially the same thing as full counter.. in fact I'd not be surprised to learn that FC is Panic with small mods. This skill would also be useful on mobs in PvE.

Unfortunately, some of the most useful GW1 hexes revolve around energy management.I suspect that's why you're going with hexes that trigger on dodge. Perhaps a skill that causes knockdown upon dodge? Such hexes stopded healing and enemy skill use by denying energy. So what if there were a hex that lasts 3 seconds and can be removed like a condition. If the target uses a slot skill during this time, all slot skill go on full cooldown?

[scourge Healing] might work.. It's a Monk spell but it causes targets to take damage when healing themselves or others.

Another thought: a Hex that damages the target upon auto attack or upon use of slot skill. The auto attack hex would be useful PvE and PvP.

@Tseison.4659 said:H E X E SYour F1-4 skills have 2 activations. The first activation is the Hex itself which casts a debuff on a target area (Radius 240. Number of targets: 5) for 7s which causes a variety of effects depending on the shatter used. An enemy can only be affected by one hex at a time until the duration runs out OR if the hex is shattered off.

Hex of Nightmares:

Your target(s) are hexed for 7s. The damage you deal to them deals additional critical damage. If the hex runs its full duration, it deals heavy damage to the foe(s) inflicted.

Mind Wrack:

Using Mind Wrack will shatter the Hex of Nightmares off your foes, causing them to take heavy damage.

Hex of Weariness:

Your target(s) are hexed for 7s. Your foes attacks cause them to be inflicted with a stack of confusion lasting for 6s. If the hex runs its full duration, they are dealt damage and inflicted with weakness for 3s.

Cry of Frustration:

Using Cry of Frustration will shatter the Hex of Empathy off your foes, causing them to take damage and are inflicted with weakness for 3s.

Hex of Disenchantment:

Your target(s) are hexed for 7s. Boons on them and applied to them have their duration reduced by XX% and damage done to them is increased by x% per boon on you. If the hex runs its full duration, they are dazed for 2s and have 3 boons removed from them.

Diversion:

Using Diversion will shatter the Hex of Disenchantment off your foes, causing them to be dazed for 2s and lose 3 boons.

Distort Reality:

For 7s you distort reality all around you, mirroring disables, XX% of damage and half the duration of conditions back to its source. If the effect runs its full duration, you gain Distortion for 1s.

Distortion:

Using Distortion will end Distort Reality early but grant you an additional 1s of Distortion.

I like the notion here.. if the hex is not removed before it expires. So the hex is a condition, if you let it go it's full duration there is a strong secondary effect. That's very mesmerish

They’re going to give us facets instead of hexes but call them hexes.

@phokus.8934 said:They’re going to give us facets instead of hexes but call them hexes.

Oh god, please no. :o

Especially if they come with the ugly visual effects that facets have.