Sigil Elements vs What They Do

Background

Coming off the back of the crafting mismatches, it became apparent that the sigil element (Control, Enhancement or Pain) isn't always consistent with what the sigil actually does.

I imagine the designers have hummed and hawwed over the sigils quite a lot already, so I decided to draw up logical categories from an outside-of-the-design-team perspective—because sometimes fresh eyes can be useful.

Method

What I will do is take the 3 sigil elements of Control, Enhancement and Pain, and divide up all the functionalities between them in a way I think is logical. I will make a note of edge cases.

Then I will draw up a list of sigils I would expect to be in that element and see how that compares to the live game. Sigils that I expected to be in an element but currently belong to another one will be in italics. A short reason for my placement will go afterwards.

Okay let's begin!

Element: Control ~ modifies the player's status and outgoing effects

Encompassed sigil funtionalities:

• applies a non-damaging condition (a debuff)
• +% condition duration of any kind (i.e. all debuff mods)
• +% outgoing cc
• +% outgoing healing
• direct heal (not lifesteal or regen)
• direct endurance recovery (not vigor)
• clears or transfers conditions
• recharges skills
• strips boons

Excluded edge cases:

• lifesteal (Pain)

Expected Sigils:

• Absorption
• Agony (Enhancement) +bleed duration
• Chilling (Enhancement) +chill duration
• Cleansing
• Debility
• Demons (Enhancement) +torment duration
• Energy
• Frailty
• Frenzy
• Generosity
• Hobbling (Enhancement) +cripple duration
• Hydromancy
• Ice
• Incapacitation
• Malice (Enhancement) +condition duration
• Mischief
• Nullification
• Paralysation
• Peril (Enhancement) +vulnerability duration
• Purity
• Rending (Enhancement) inflicts non-damaging condition
• Renewal
• Restoration
• Smoldering (Enhancement) +burning duration
• Stamina
• Transference
• Venom (Enhancement) +poison duration
• Water

Notes: condition duration mods are split between Control (e.g. Debility) and Enhancement in the live game. I expected debuff mods to fit better under Control, as they apply to enemies.

Element: Enhancement ~ buffs the player directly

Encompassed sigil funtionalities:

• beneficial modifiers (not damage, conditions, cc)
• stat stacking
• applies temporary stats
• applies boons
• +% boon modifiers

Excluded edge cases:

• +% damage or condition damage mods (Pain)
• +% all condition duration mods (Control)
• +% mods to outgoing cc and healing effects (Control)

Expected Sigils:

• Accuracy
• Agility
• Battle (Control) applies boons
• Benevolence
• Bloodlust
• Bounty (Control) stat stacking
• Celerity (Control) applies boons
• Concentration
• Corruption
• Cruelty
• Life
• Luck
• Momentum
• Perception
• Rage
• Ruthlessness (Control) applies boons
• Severance (Control) applies temporary stats
• Speed (Control) applies boons
• Strength
• Stars (Control) stat stacking

Notes: quite a few of these have ended up in Control, although as they apply boons or stats they'd be better off as Enhancements.

Element: Pain ~ inflicts or directly modifies damage

Encompassed sigil functionalities:

• +% damage or condition damage mod
• anything with a direct damage or lifesteal packet
• anything that applies damaging conditions

Excluded edge cases:

• +% duration for damaging conditions (Control)

Expected Sigils:

• Air
• Blight
• Blood (Control) lifesteal packet
• Bursting (Enhancement) +% condition damage mod
• Centaur Slaying
• Demon Slaying
• Destroyer Slaying
• Doom
• Draining (Control) lifesteal packet
• Dreams aka "Nightmare Court Slaying"
• Earth
• Elemental Slaying
• Fire
• Force (Enhancement) +% damage mod
• Geomancy
• Ghost Slaying
• Grawl Slaying
• Icebrood Slaying (Control) +% damage mod
• Impact
• Justice aka "Outlaw Slaying"
• Karka Slaying
• Leeching (Enhancement) lifesteal packet
• Mad Scientists aka "Inquest Slaying"
• Night
• Ogre Slaying
• Smothering aka "Flame Legion Slaying"
• Sorrow aka "Dredge Slaying"
• Serpent Slaying aka "Krait Slaying"
• Torment
• Undead Slaying
• Wrath aka "Sons of Svanir Slaying"

Notes: the lifesteals are split between Control and Enhancement in the live game, and the same goes for a few of the damage mods.

As there are so many sigils I probably missed some in my first pass, so I may edit this post with any updates.

edit 1: added Absorption, Draining, Rending & Ruthlessness from WvW.