Original Guild Wars Skill Balance Potential Update Followup @Isaiah Cartwright.8569

First of all, not sure what category to put this in, so please feel free to move it to whatever appropriate category. Thanks. =)

Hi Izzy, ArenaNet, and the GW1 community,

This is a followup to our brief discussion during the recent Q&A event about the Original Guild Wars regarding the state of the meta and possible solution(s).

In an ideal world, I think a solution would be in 3 parts. (1) A update to the skills, to open up the meta. (2) a ban wave on the botters, maybe do a bit of monitoring, even it's just for a short period of time, and just do a ban wave. And (3), lower the price of the game. This is listed in order of priority.

I have discussed the subject with many members of the PvP community, and while the statements I make are my opinion, I try to represent fairly the interests of the PvP community in general.

Regarding the state of the meta, I think that almost everyone dislikes the current 3 monk backline with a damage runner meta. This developed after the last update ArenaNet made to the game, where they did a rework to Dervishes, and Elementalists. It developed because the sustained damage resulting from the buffs to these two damage classes outweighs the amount of healing and protection two monks and a healer flag runner are able to compensate for. This is the first, and of course only, time the meta has ever shifted to this kind of setup, and I don't think it was the intention of the update, and I don't think it's faithful to the original design for GvG. It's also very awkward and clunky because these 3 monks only use skills from just 2 attribute trees.

In my opinion (and of course in hindsight things could always have been better), I think the meta was kept a little narrow throughout the game by nerfing skills a little too much, or in come cases a lot too much.

I can't really guess as to the intentions of the updaters and their vision. I know that there were both reason, and value to these updates. For example, I know that some new players felt like going in to PvP was too much of a "roll of the dice" because of the huge amount of skills, and of course all the counters as well. I am curious about the vision of the designers and updaters, and would love if you could speak to that.

However, I think at this point in time, the meta deserves to be opened up a bit.

There are so many options here, and everyone has a different vision for what would be best. However, I think that almost everyone agrees on a lot, or at least each strong vision doesn't conflict with anyone else's, for the most part. For example, I know someone who spent a lot of time writing a document on how Dervish and Elementalist skills could be slightly nerfed and actually balanced to get their damage balanced in a such a way to improve the meta and play of GvG. Personally, I think that bringing back Heal Party, Light of Deliverence, and Smiter's Boon, could really open up the possibility of a 2 monk backline with a more active and fun flag runner and improve the state of the 3 monk at stand awkwardness.

I know that a lot of people have ideas.

I think that a skill update could really improve the state of the game. I also know that the world in fact is not ideal, and that ArenaNet might not want to do a banwave, or lower the price of the game, or maybe even a skill update.

I felt like the Q&A event was too brief. And I'd love to get more feedback from ArenaNet about what is on table.

Thanks so much,

Cheers.

re: https://en-forum.guildwars2.com/discussion/41187/how-did-the-skill-balancing-work#latest

Also, I'm not sure if the GW2 forums are the best format for this, but whatever works. =) I tried sending you a PM but wasn't able to here in the forums. Feel free to suggest another format.

There's so much to potentially discuss about this, and I have so many questions. Re-reading the previous post on the Q&A event, you discussed a "chaos" that occurs in the meta when there is a skill update. You also mentioned a "20%" rule. In Guild Wars, I think there was a lot of chaos, because of the huge number of skills. However, a lot of skills were outside of the "20%" meta which sounded like you wanted to be the most viable skills. The damage over 120 (per second?) being logged. Potential solutions to the "defense wins games" theory. Etc.

@Isaiah Cartwright.8569

Cheers.

Also, I'm not sure if the GW2 forums are the best format for this, but whatever works. =) I tried sending you a PM but wasn't able to here in the forums. Feel free to suggest another format.

There's so much to potentially discuss about this, and I have so many questions. Re-reading the previous post on the Q&A event, you discussed a "chaos" that occurs in the meta when there is a skill update. You also mentioned a "20%" rule. I'd love to hear your philosophy behind your 20% rule. In Guild Wars, I think there was a lot of chaos, because of the huge number of skills. However, a lot of skills were outside of the "20%" meta which sounded like you wanted to be the most viable skills. The damage over 120 (per second?) being logged. Potential solutions to the "defense wins games" theory. Etc.

@Isaiah Cartwright.8569

Cheers.