Mounts. How gamechanging do you think they'll be?

imo gliding was a gamechanging update to the game and I'm thinking mounts will be the same. All the maps are going to feel smaller but in return all those who haven't gotten alts out to get waypoints will be able to get them much easier. In events like Tequatl I'm expecting to see hordes of mounts when running back from the battery defenses and the another horde running around when the Karka Queen spawns. I'm expecting to see mounts in HoT when running through or to events. Having mounts with speed buff, the ability to leap gaps and leap up is going to change how people feel about those maps and how fast they can get to events. There's always the possibility that ANet will add mounts to WvW to territories the players have captured. What changes do y'all think mounts will bring to PvE and do you think they should be added to WvW?

Edit. And the changes to weapons used (weapons that give a speed boost), traits, sigils and runes. All speed boosts will be affected by mounts.

Well, they did say that there would terrain where specific mounts and their associated skill would be needed (likely akin to how wallows or leyline gliding was needed for certain exploration in HoT). And they've said that some new puzzles will require the use of multiple mounts for their assorted skills, in order to be completed. So, all in all, I'm probably of the same option as you, Flesh.

But, they're also the 'new shiny' so they are going to be everywhere. Even WvW, with time.

Yeah, the new maps might have jumping puzzles that require mounts to cross gaps and leap up. That should be interesting.

I'm really curious if they're going to be added to WvW, and how.

I'm eager to see what open world builds are going to look like if mounts remove the "necessity" of running with +25% signets/armor or perma-swiftness. I realize some thought it to be an opportunity cost in build creation, but that cost was usually in missed events, not in combat ability. So yeah, being able to remove the appendix skill/traitline cluttering up some of my builds is going to feel good.

As for WvW, it was a huge shock that gliding made it there. The extra mobility gliding can grant in defending a territory means the difference between a long wipe recovery or regrouping for a quick counter-assault. (Assuming the usual glob v glob doesn't simply overpower an army...) Swiftness casting and movement time is much more important to WvW, and mounts with speed boosts would impact that hard.

They won't be right away. If they were, Anet would have said something by now.

Unlike gliding, I don't think it'd be as useful if mounts were limited to just potions you control, but that would be one way around concerns like high leaping over walls. Another option would just be invisible walls that only pertain to mounts or only affect direction one way (ie, you can jump onto / over / off the wall from the inside of the tower, but you can't jump onto / over the wall from the outside).

Game changing? Nothing change. They are just a means for exploring CD.

No idea why there are so many hyperbole threads as if the mounts will totally change how gw2 is being played.You mount them, you jump/glide through terrains. Use 1 mount combat skill to initiate, have some fun with dyes, races and enjoy the awesome movement mechanic(no sarcasm its pretty good).

That's literally all you can do with them.

I know I'm going to rethink all my builds and my weapons. I value speed in PvE very highly and I have +25 speed boosts runes on many chars as well as using weapons that give a speed boost. This means I'll be able to swap out all those runes and drop focus on Mesmer, warhorn on ranger, remove and change out +25 speed boost signets. I'm going to be trying out different weapons and skills now that I can do so without sacrificing speed. For me, after so many years playing it's going to be quite a shakeup for my chars' builds.

@Rauderi.8706 said:I'm eager to see what open world builds are going to look like if mounts remove the "necessity" of running with +25% signets/armor or perma-swiftness. I realize some thought it to be an opportunity cost in build creation, but that cost was usually in missed events, not in combat ability. So yeah, being able to remove the appendix skill/traitline cluttering up some of my builds is going to feel good.Yeah. As a solo player, I can't tell you how much I'm looking forward to ditching that warrior horn for good. And of course it'll also be great for brand new characters (assuming they'll gain access to mounts right away like gliders).

I'm not giving up my speed boosts just because of mounts. It affects your movement speed in combat as well and i'm probably not going to use my mount everywhere.I really don't like the standard movement speed. It feels like slurping around like a snail.

The engage in combat ability of the raptor was more useless to me, so i didn't really use it during the demos. I don't know what the other mounts abilities will be, but if everything is melee related, i'm most likely not going to use it.

But other than that, i think mounts will be just a different way of approaching terrain and will cover long distances in less time, which is a good thing.

As others have said, the special mount abilities such as leaping and whatnot are cool, but I think most of us are looking forward to ditching clutch passive movement speed traitlines, signets, runes or weapons more than the mounts themselves. It basically amounts to gaining flexibility, utility and/or DPS for almost every class. Freedom.

Well, it'll be game changing immediately for me, because my necromancer can finally ditch that Signet of the Locust she's been hanging onto since she was created.

My only trepidation is on how my behaviour may change while on older core maps. Currently when I run from A to B and see an event or a defeated player, there's a period of time before my brain says, "Yeah, you want to go over there" (don't worry, the period is much shorter in the latter). These distractions are one of the things I love most about GW2.

With mounts offering the speed that they do, I fear I may bypass these moments without my brain queuing up that they were even there.

Time sink cause low WP.Instead of teleport somewhere you'll have to reach the place by mount/s.

I actually can't wait to use the mounts in the core maps, in Orr especially. Those dizzying heights we've not been able to get upto (unless you void jump, if you do that).HoT metas will also be a different kettle of fish too.

Getting rid of speed boosting runes/sigils/traits/signets is going to be the best though.

I didn't realise so many people used speed boosts regularly. I do occasionally, but only when I really need it and when I'm on a character where I can activate one easily, like switching to Signet of the Hunt on my ranger or Air on my ele.

I guess that is one advantage of mounts however - I'll be able to move faster (and across/over more terrain) on characters where I don't have easy access to a speed boost.

But I think after the newness wears off they might not be as common as some people are expecting. I can think of several places where the size and the turning circle could make them less useful than a speed boost, or even running at normal speed - caverns for example or the narrow paths in Lornar's Pass just north of the Priory. I don't think it's a coincidence that they were released alongside an expansion set in Elona, which has lots of wide open spaces.

They'll still be very useful (and fun) of course, just not necessarily all the time.

I'm looking forward to returning to HoT with mounts. One thing that bugged me on those maps was getting to the events. (run run run run run. oh god. It's up above. where's that pathway. run run run [event is over]) :#

One thing I'm going to do for funsies is take a level 2 char and see if I can unlock every wp in vanilla Tyria using mounts and also on the HoT maps. It will be interesting if I have full wp unlock on a low level char.

@Just a flesh wound.3589 said:I'm looking forward to returning to HoT with mounts. One thing that bugged me on those maps was getting to the events. (run run run run run. oh god. It's up above. where's that pathway. run run run [event is over]) :#

One thing I'm going to do for funsies is take a level 2 char and see if I can unlock every wp in vanilla Tyria using mounts and also on the HoT maps. It will be interesting if I have full wp unlock on a low level char.

And then when you have all map WP unlocked and less WP overall ( compared to core and hot maps ) you'll need more time with mounts than without.

@Shirlias.8104 said:

@Just a flesh wound.3589 said:I'm looking forward to returning to HoT with mounts. One thing that bugged me on those maps was getting to the events. (run run run run run. oh god. It's up above. where's that pathway. run run run [event is over]) :#

One thing I'm going to do for funsies is take a level 2 char and see if I can unlock every wp in vanilla Tyria using mounts and also on the HoT maps. It will be interesting if I have full wp unlock on a low level char.

I expect once I get mounts I won't be doing much walking so i'll definitely have more time with mounts than without, no matter how many wps are unlocked. ^.^

@Celldrax.2849 said:

@Rauderi.8706 said:I'm eager to see what open world builds are going to look like if mounts remove the "necessity" of running with +25% signets/armor or perma-swiftness. I realize some thought it to be an opportunity cost in build creation, but that cost was usually in missed events, not in combat ability. So yeah, being able to remove the appendix skill/traitline cluttering up some of my builds is going to feel

good

.Yeah. As a solo player, I can't tell you how much I'm looking forward to ditching that warrior horn for good. And of course it'll also be great for brand new characters (assuming they'll gain access to mounts right away like gliders).

[clutches Warrior warhorn] My precious....

And I say that partially because I think I may have helped prevent it from getting nerfed some time ago. :smirk:I'm glad it does other things, but I'll mostly be glad if I don't have to have Discipline for Warrior's Sprint anymore. (them Fast Hands tho...)

@Just a flesh wound.3589 said:I'm looking forward to returning to HoT with mounts. One thing that bugged me on those maps was getting to the events. (run run run run run. oh god. It's up above. where's that pathway. run run run [event is over]) :#

One thing I'm going to do for funsies is take a level 2 char and see if I can unlock every wp in vanilla Tyria using mounts and also on the HoT maps. It will be interesting if I have full wp unlock on a low level char.

Good luck with it! (First ranged unit you run into is going to murder your poor kiddo, though :P)

And yes, HoT versus Springer. Bring it on.

@Just a flesh wound.3589 said:I'm looking forward to returning to HoT with mounts. One thing that bugged me on those maps was getting to the events. (run run run run run. oh god. It's up above. where's that pathway. run run run [event is over]) :#

One thing I'm going to do for funsies is take a level 2 char and see if I can unlock every wp in vanilla Tyria using mounts and also on the HoT maps. It will be interesting if I have full wp unlock on a low level char.

Please don't forget to tell us how it goes! I'm very interested to hear how far you get, and what causes your inevitable demise.

@Danikat.8537 said:

@Just a flesh wound.3589 said:I'm looking forward to returning to HoT with mounts. One thing that bugged me on those maps was getting to the events. (run run run run run. oh god. It's up above. where's that pathway. run run run [event is over]) :#

One thing I'm going to do for funsies is take a level 2 char and see if I can unlock every wp in vanilla Tyria using mounts and also on the HoT maps. It will be interesting if I have full wp unlock on a low level char.

Additionally, I'm curious to see what level she ends up at after unlocking all those waypoints.

@Endless Soul.5178@Danikat.8537

Ok. I'll probably update this thread rather than making a new thread. I'm planning to keep going even if I get killed, however I think I got a pretty good chance of getting through the maps unkilled. Most ranged mobs are pretty slow and that speed boost with strategic leaps forwards might be enough to keep ahead of attacks. The main problem might come if I get boxed in by terrain with mobs around. I ran a level 15 through Verdant Brinks and part of Auric Basin (Mordrem Snipers and the Pocket Raptors were my bane there). I'm thinking the mount will allow me to get pass those two mobs.

Sounds good, Fleshy!

I'll also be interested to see how that goes!

My concern with using mounts to move around is the extra key taps involved. I know that sounds silly, but if every time I decide to harvest a node or swap to a new mount to deal with a new terrain issue I have to move my hand all over the keyboard, I'll find it rather clunky and end up not using the mounts for shorter range stuff even if they'd speed me up. I do have some unused mouse side buttons that I might be able to set to the four mount calls. However, they are unused because my thumb can't easily hit them while maintaining my palm grip and using mouse move (and said mouse move means I can't swap mounts via UI clicks without stopping moving). And I'll still have to find keyboard real estate to use for mounts and also figure out if I can assign a mouse button to a double key press, eg I have shift-R currently set to summon the raptor and may be using other shift-keys for the other mounts. I don't think that would break the macro rule since mount summons can just as easily be assigned to a single key, if one has any single keys left to use.

If gliding wasn't a thing, it would be pretty game-changing. With gliding already in-game...it's not much of one.

They'll be fun, but as far as gamechanging...no so much.