Unblockable attacks pass through shields

Hey everyone, I am still new at roaming and I still have to acquire many knowledge of all the professions.

But today while I was roaming with my guardian using sword-shield I just fought a soulbeast, I popped my shield5 at some point to avoid to get bursted down by him using longbow, and with my surprise he was still able to hit me and kill me with arrows through my shield.

It is the first time ever happened, he was running the skill to make unblockable attacks for sure, but shield5 is not an aegis, it doesn't block, it absorb projectiles, so why the hell they made it possible to pass through anyway?

I can understand on warrior shield5, it's a block skill and appears the note " block, block, block..." so if an attack is unblockable it still hit you.

Same thing for my dragonhunter F3 skill, it is a block, and unblockable pass through that obviously.

So why in the world absorb is treated the same as block being 2 different things?

So what if a ranger shoots with unblockables against a smoke screen or wall of reflection? It pass thought those as well?

Maybe for you guys it's normal and I am weird, but discovering it today for the first time made me so incredulous.

Well. You see. A long long long time ago in GW there were two ways to avoid damage. Evade and Block. Eventually ANET balance team determined that both performed the same function (there weren't dodge rolls in that game) so they simplified everything to just Block. Making the counters to block just as intuitive. This philosophy was not passed onto GW2 (I wouldn't apply it to "dodge" of course).

Sorry bebe. D:

@whoknocks.4935 said:

So what if a ranger shoots with unblockables against a smoke screen or wall of reflection? It pass thought those as well?

Yes, you need to evade, invuln, LoS,blind, or something like that. Dont try to reflect the opening burst of a Dead Eye for example, chances are high it comes with basi.

Wiki should help you.https://wiki.guildwars2.com/wiki/Call_of_the_Wildhttps://wiki.guildwars2.com/wiki/Lesser_Call_of_the_Wildhttps://wiki.guildwars2.com/wiki/Unblockable

And http://en.gw2skills.net/editor

https://wiki.guildwars2.com/wiki/Unstoppable_Union

I understand what you are getting at, OP. Such as the way the skills are worded - especially "Absorb". Especially when things like SpellBreaker's Full Counter says it absorbs an attack - yet unblockables will still hit for [0] and trigger the counterattack - unless the unblockable also came with a CC - which will still do [0] damage, but not trigger the counterattack.

Notes

• The dome actually destroys projectiles; it does not reflect, nor does it block.
• The dome cannot absorb unblockable missiles.

https://wiki.guildwars2.com/wiki/Shield_of_Absorption

@ OP:You are right. Technically shield5 is not a block (it is a projectile destruction), but it shares the same mechanic when it comes to how the skill deals with unblockables.

Reapers face the same problem when they use Death's Charge (projectile destruction). Soulbeasts can knockback a charging reaper. That's literally a GG then for the reaper.

@"KrHome.1920" said:Notes

• The dome actually destroys projectiles; it does not reflect, nor does it block.
• The dome cannot absorb unblockable missiles.

https://wiki.guildwars2.com/wiki/Shield_of_Absorption

@ OP:You are right. Technically shield5 is not a block (it is a projectile destruction), but it shares the same mechanic when it comes to how the skill deals with unblockables.

Reapers face the same problem when they use Death's Charge (projectile destruction). Soulbeasts can knockback a charging reaper. That's literally a GG then for the reaper.

Even guardian sword3 zealot's defense which DESTROYS projectiles can't do anything you still get it.

They should just call them indestructible attacks or projectiles then xD

I understand unblockable not on projectile, like warrior has. He can attack through aegis and shields.

But if a shield absorb or a skill destroys projectiles, it.should do that and not being cheated by unblockable projectiles, it does make no nonse for me.

Especially unblockable CCs I find them pretty cheap and a stupid mechanic that doesn't require any skill.

When i land my guardian shield5 to knockback and interrupt i actually have to notice if the guy has no stability or aegis to pull it off.

But all the others unblockable CCs are way easier to pull off, one example is staff necro unblockable marks.

But yeah this is another story.

You are absolutely right. There shouldnt be any counterplay to the large amount of projectile hate thats present in the game on top of all the other damage mitigation which also works on projectiles.

@schloumou.3982 said:You are absolutely right. There shouldnt be any counterplay to the large amount of projectile hate thats present in the game on top of all the other damage mitigation which also works on projectiles.

I don't get your sarcasm.

Can you explain?

Projectile destruction/block is extremly stong in WvW for group fights you can basically chain winds of disenchantment and guardian shields and literally be 100% invulnerable to projectiles all the time, unblockable is the only small counterplay to this but blocks are massivelly stronger than unblockables currently since 1 single shield can block 100+ projectiles, if anything there should be more unblockable atacks for classes like elementalist or revenants to balance this out a little bit.

I understand your frustration for solo roaming imo but you just got outplayed by a build that hard countered yours, it happens in GW2 or any other MMO hard counters exist to create variety and mutiple different tactics instead just running 1 meta (most efficinet tactic avaliable), without hard counters all the roamers would be running the exact same build you are, where would the fun on that be?

@Rampage.7145 said:Projectile destruction/block is extremly stong in WvW for group fights you can basically chain winds of disenchantment and guardian shields and literally be 100% invulnerable to projectiles all the time, unblockable is the only small counterplay to this but blocks are massivelly stronger than unblockables currently since 1 single shield can block 100+ projectiles, if anything there should be more unblockable atacks for classes like elementalist or revenants to balance this out a little bit.

I understand your frustration for solo roaming imo but you just got outplayed by a build that hard countered yours, it happens in GW2 or any other MMO hard counters exist to create variety and mutiple different tactics instead just running 1 meta (most efficinet tactic avaliable), without hard counters all the roamers would be running the exact same build you are, where would the fun on that be?

Or y'know. Reflects just block 50 or w.e. then have an end effect. That way less server data/clutter all around without straight up nerfing this currently uncapped damage source. Woopy...game balance.

To make it even more confusing for new players, an unblockable projectile can be blocked by cata or shield gen bubbles... for some reason...

Unblockable attacks are fine IF THERE IS COUNTERPLAY.

This means (generally) putting them on a skill with a long animation and an obvious tell.

Unblockable effects that get added to skills are less fair (eg. Basilisk Venom, Malicious Reprisal, Unstoppable Union).

This is bad because the opponent can only tell that the attack will be unblockable if they happen to have the attacker targeted and are paying close attention to their status bar. This is near-impossible in a large fight like WvW or even in a PvP teamfight. Furthermore, you can combo that unblockable effect with an instant skill, giving your opponent no chance to avoid it or defend themselves no matter how good their reaction time.

@Rampage.7145 said:Projectile destruction/block is extremly stong in WvW for group fights you can basically chain winds of disenchantment and guardian shields and literally be 100% invulnerable to projectiles all the time, unblockable is the only small counterplay to this but blocks are massivelly stronger than unblockables currently since 1 single shield can block 100+ projectiles, if anything there should be more unblockable atacks for classes like elementalist or revenants to balance this out a little bit.

I understand your frustration for solo roaming imo but you just got outplayed by a build that hard countered yours, it happens in GW2 or any other MMO hard counters exist to create variety and mutiple different tactics instead just running 1 meta (most efficinet tactic avaliable), without hard counters all the roamers would be running the exact same build you are, where would the fun on that be?

Invulnerable... the shield just last 4 seconds and you are still able to receive melee and conditions on you, if absorb projectiles, it should do that.

On other skills like the firebrand tome shield which can reflect too projectiles if not wrong I know it's something very strong because it gets placed on the ground and the people can still attack.

But if use shield5 to absorb, the only thing I do, defending myself. I don't see it that overpowered.

The holosmith elite is unblockable but it's hella easy to dodge. If a ranger pops the unblockable and do the pew pew combo there is nothing I can do.

@whoknocks.4935 said:

@Rampage.7145 said:Projectile destruction/block is extremly stong in WvW for group fights you can basically chain winds of disenchantment and guardian shields and literally be 100% invulnerable to projectiles all the time, unblockable is the only small counterplay to this but blocks are massivelly stronger than unblockables currently since 1 single shield can block 100+ projectiles, if anything there should be more unblockable atacks for classes like elementalist or revenants to balance this out a little bit.

I understand your frustration for solo roaming imo but you just got outplayed by a build that hard countered yours, it happens in GW2 or any other MMO hard counters exist to create variety and mutiple different tactics instead just running 1 meta (most efficinet tactic avaliable), without hard counters all the roamers would be running the exact same build you are, where would the fun on that be?

The problem with the ranger unblockable attacks is that they look like regular attacks and you can't tell they're unblockable until you've already tried to block them and failed. In that time, probably 0.5-1 seconds have passed, you've eaten half or more of their burst (say, Rapid Fire) AND burned a defensive cooldown. You now have to dodge the rest or die. Now, if you had the ranger targeted, maybe you could have seen the unblockable icon on their bar and made better decisions, but we can't have every player targeted at all times. Quite often we need to make decisions based on just the animations. (Eg. a 2v1 against you and you have the other player targeted.)

Unblockable effects like that erode trust in the animations and game mechanics and IMO should be removed.

@whoknocks.4935 said:

@"Rampage.7145" said:Projectile destruction/block is extremly stong in WvW for group fights you can basically chain winds of disenchantment and guardian shields and literally be 100% invulnerable to projectiles all the time, unblockable is the only small counterplay to this but blocks are massivelly stronger than unblockables currently since 1 single shield can block 100+ projectiles, if anything there should be more unblockable atacks for classes like elementalist or revenants to balance this out a little bit.

I understand your frustration for solo roaming imo but you just got outplayed by a build that hard countered yours, it happens in GW2 or any other MMO hard counters exist to create variety and mutiple different tactics instead just running 1 meta (most efficinet tactic avaliable), without hard counters all the roamers would be running the exact same build you are, where would the fun on that be?

Again kid, think outside your bubble world for a second imagine a WvW fight group that runs 8 guardians all of them use shield what do you think happens there???? oh yeah that group is invulnerable to projectiles with 160% uptime how is that balanced??? think for a second about all the possible outcomes of your "ideas" before posting stupid stuff

All they'd have to do to fix ranger unblockables is to make it similar to revenant- only a certain number of attacks are unblockable.

To the people complaining about how reflects would ruin WvW- if they're running that that many guards just to have reflects, then just run in and kill them. If reflects are still a problem, maybe Anet should actually balance their game then.

As much as i would like to see destroy projectiles working vs unblockables i look at classes like weaver who staff duel skills are nothing but projectials and you feel it hard in wvw. If you do intend to make unblockables not effect destroying projectiles maybe making some projectiles undesirable (maybe un-refectable too) but still blockable.

@Rampage.7145 said:

@whoknocks.4935 said:

@Rampage.7145 said:Projectile destruction/block is extremly stong in WvW for group fights you can basically chain winds of disenchantment and guardian shields and literally be 100% invulnerable to projectiles all the time, unblockable is the only small counterplay to this but blocks are massivelly stronger than unblockables currently since 1 single shield can block 100+ projectiles, if anything there should be more unblockable atacks for classes like elementalist or revenants to balance this out a little bit.

I understand your frustration for solo roaming imo but you just got outplayed by a build that hard countered yours, it happens in GW2 or any other MMO hard counters exist to create variety and mutiple different tactics instead just running 1 meta (most efficinet tactic avaliable), without hard counters all the roamers would be running the exact same build you are, where would the fun on that be?

Man, you must be a frustated fat nerd to call me kid and act rude like that.

Please go somewhere else if you want to be rude, kid.

@whoknocks.4935 said:

@Rampage.7145 said:

@whoknocks.4935 said:

@Rampage.7145 said:Projectile destruction/block is extremly stong in WvW for group fights you can basically chain winds of disenchantment and guardian shields and literally be 100% invulnerable to projectiles all the time, unblockable is the only small counterplay to this but blocks are massivelly stronger than unblockables currently since 1 single shield can block 100+ projectiles, if anything there should be more unblockable atacks for classes like elementalist or revenants to balance this out a little bit.

I understand your frustration for solo roaming imo but you just got outplayed by a build that hard countered yours, it happens in GW2 or any other MMO hard counters exist to create variety and mutiple different tactics instead just running 1 meta (most efficinet tactic avaliable), without hard counters all the roamers would be running the exact same build you are, where would the fun on that be?

Assumed u were a kid or new to MMORGPS since you showed ignorance about what hard counters work and why the exist not only in GW2 but in all games (to create variery avoid people playing a single class, build, etc), you also seem to ignore that the nature of WvW is not your private duel arena but a mass scale PvP battlefield so the balance is not done around 1 v 1 combat but around group combat, so i wanted to point out how bad what u are proposing was looking at if from that POV with hopes u would realize how stupid your post is in first place and delete it, my bad kid, didn't mean to be rude my apologies.

@Rampage.7145 said:

@whoknocks.4935 said:

@Rampage.7145 said:

@whoknocks.4935 said:

@Rampage.7145 said:Projectile destruction/block is extremly stong in WvW for group fights you can basically chain winds of disenchantment and guardian shields and literally be 100% invulnerable to projectiles all the time, unblockable is the only small counterplay to this but blocks are massivelly stronger than unblockables currently since 1 single shield can block 100+ projectiles, if anything there should be more unblockable atacks for classes like elementalist or revenants to balance this out a little bit.

I understand your frustration for solo roaming imo but you just got outplayed by a build that hard countered yours, it happens in GW2 or any other MMO hard counters exist to create variety and mutiple different tactics instead just running 1 meta (most efficinet tactic avaliable), without hard counters all the roamers would be running the exact same build you are, where would the fun on that be?

The balance is not done around 1vs1, so watch spellbreaker bubble and scourge aoes. That things are cancer (meta) wvw zerg battles and ruining wvw more than guardian shield5 able to absorb even unblockable projectiles will ever do.

Anet needs to redefine , Absortion, reflection, and blocks, doubt they will ever do this since how dumb and easy the game needs to be on offensive, due the poor quality of casual playes that need to be carried.

This is somethign that i always complained and others, Anet never care since would make game more dificult for bad players.

@whoknocks.4935 said:

@Rampage.7145 said:

@whoknocks.4935 said:

@Rampage.7145 said:

@whoknocks.4935 said:

@Rampage.7145 said:Projectile destruction/block is extremly stong in WvW for group fights you can basically chain winds of disenchantment and guardian shields and literally be 100% invulnerable to projectiles all the time, unblockable is the only small counterplay to this but blocks are massivelly stronger than unblockables currently since 1 single shield can block 100+ projectiles, if anything there should be more unblockable atacks for classes like elementalist or revenants to balance this out a little bit.

I understand your frustration for solo roaming imo but you just got outplayed by a build that hard countered yours, it happens in GW2 or any other MMO hard counters exist to create variety and mutiple different tactics instead just running 1 meta (most efficinet tactic avaliable), without hard counters all the roamers would be running the exact same build you are, where would the fun on that be?

Spellbreaker bubble sucks in 1v1 and scourge is terrible at roaming and 1 v 1 i don't see your point here? Meta will always be cancer to random pugs like you cuz just because it is meta for a reason, 10 well coordinated dudes running meta comp with wreck 30 bads running whatever stupid roaming builds they came up with, it is the nature WvW it has always been this way since day one, there will always be a Most Effective Tactic Available for team fights, and WvW groups will use it to deal with bigger numbers and whatnot, it is not cancer it is just the nature of the game mode. Currently soulbeasts using those piercing projectiles are a major annoyance to this META comps, and this is a good thing, a good counter tactic to the current META, what you propose will basically nullify this strategy effectively making WvW and the meta more cancerous. META in WvW is always evolving, there are always counter tactics u can use to beat the META and this forces the meta to shift, without this counter tactics the meta would be basically the same forever (and this is what u are proposing here don't know if you see it or not).

Tldr; I skipped some post but what Rampage.7145 said is true. The META shifted and roamers/players need to make adjustment accordingly. Imo if the SB is able to burst you down, it means both of you is running glass dps. Which in this case, whoever started the first strike have the upper hand.

Sharing my exp as a solo roamer (SB in this case). Not only limited to patch updates, I am required to tweak my roaming classes constantly depending on the server match-up, popular classes encountered etc and for class professions that priortize range, it really doesn't help with the heavy anti projectiles skills in game. In certain blob fights, its almost impossible to utilize range (hence the Scourge plague META, as most of their range skills are uneffected by this).