Is the #2 Earth skill with sword efficace enough, or is it irrelevant ?

Hi folks !

The main purpose of this thread is to discuss about the #2 Earth skill with the sword, Earthen Vortex.

Positive points :

• Blast finisher, works pretty well with the access of multiple fire fields, and a small water field.
• Low CD (10sec), you'll be able to use it every time you attune to earth
• 1sec dodge, combining with the low cd, it's a skill that offers a nice sustain

Negative points :

• Can't move when casting, which prevents you to follow your target
• Low radius, which means low chance to hit the target if it's not chilled / crippled / immobilized or cc'ed.
• Damage (including condition damage) is average for a 10sec CD skill, but not being able to move makes this skill (and thus, the damage) pretty inaccurate.

Currently :People can just step back and avoid most of your Earthen Vortexes. Due to the 3/4sec cast time this skill is pretty much used to blast in water or fire fields, evade something, and that's it. I'll use the terms used by Karl McLain, the weaver is supposed to be "dangerous in combat", and I feel like this skill is actually preventing you to get closer to your opponent, and forces you to use something else in order to catch up the distance. So you're not dangerous in combat cause you're letting your opponent escape.Against a melee class, it bother me just a little, cause they can step back (Melee classes don't do it everytime, but it's such an easy move to do, and doesn't require using endurance), but when facing a 900 range scourge, or other classes, I feel like I should avoid to use this skill at all cost if I don't want to fall behind.

Now, let's talk about how to balance this skill a bit, there are few obvious solutions that come to me : (From better to worst)

• Remove the fact you can't move
• Increase the radius
• Cripple at the very beginning of the cast

Now let's analyze those solutions :

• Actually (and yes it's a L2P issue) you can easily cut the cast of this skill by moving, you'll evade until you move, won't benefit the blast finisher, conditions or the damage. It's also a strange mechanic considering it's 100% better if you complete the cast (cause you're evading at the same time). Changing this skill and making Weaver able to move during the cast would still force you to not move if you want to blast in a field, and to move out of a field if you want to chase a foe. The gap between the weaver and a potential range class will not grow anymore to benefit the range class, and could make the skill more accurate while forcing the opponent to use endurance instead of just step backing.

• Increase the radius of the aoe is the 2nd best choice, and would force the opponent to dodge if he doesn't want to take the damage, against a ranged class, it would be the same problem, so let's just look at the #4 Earth skill with dagger off hand, It's the same problem, but Earthquake has a better range (240). While I think this skill should definitly be a close range aoe skill (same as the Dragon Hunter's Wings of Resolve, but with a 300 range and 240 radius) it has a better radius and, at least, forces the opponent to dodge. Still, being anable to move as a melee class is bad, but if we can at least force them to dodge, it would be better.

• Cripple at the very beginning of the cast is a solution, but the skill wouldn't touch classes with resistances, and will let the skill be a 100% defensive skill.

I think it really need changes, and I'm looking forward to what you guys think about this skill.Be kind with my english, Me no english.

Thanks for reading !

I like to see it work like a small leap that lets others go back though it much like the scorge ports.

Fine as it is: damage, evade, conditions and blast finisher. Plus perfect synergy with water 2 and core part of the Weaver defensive rotation.No need to change it at all.

To be honest, all Sword #2 Skills are well designed. Fire #2 is underpowered, but it can be easly fixed by increasing the damage and field duration.

Earth #2 should be a targeted leap, it would allow to add pressure or disengage- giving better mobility to chase or escape.

Makes the skill less clunky and more useful.

Your question seemingly gives the reader a fair chance to vote on efficace or irrelevant. Then the choices offered are completely biased only towards being irrelevant.

I have no issue with earth 2. There are more urgent matters imo.

Edit: that said, it would be fun if allowed to dig a tunnel and use the holes as portals. a whack-a-mole playstyle.

@Azel.4786 said:Earth #2 should be a targeted leap, it would allow to add pressure or disengage- giving better mobility to chase or escape.

Makes the skill less clunky and more useful.

Yeah this. It would fit the animation too, you go down into the earth, evade, and burrow forward a bit towards your target and the come up to the surface again.

I would vote for "The skill is fine as it is" but apparently that isn't an option.Being a blast-finisher and an evade alone make this skill better than a lot of other sword skills. Any damage or conditions are nice-to-have extras, but the skill would still be good even completely without damage.

Yeah I totally forgot to write that sorry, had an event to do tonight with plenty of people and was thinking of something else.That makes sense to have the choice "keep this as it is"

Also I tried to explain this skill as much as possible, did I fail ?It's based on feeling I have during fights, when I keep missing the target before chasing him cause he puts 5 meters between him and I.

I wanted to have some feedbacks, I remember long time ago when the #4 hammer skill was like Earthen Vortex and then they decided to make it usable while moving.https://wiki.guildwars2.com/wiki/Staggering_Blow

I wonder why they changed that, and why a weapon with ultra low range like the sword has this kind of mechanic. If it was a 300radius, why not, but it's mainly defensive, and with a melee weapon you want to be defensive while closing the gap between you and your foe so you can strike back.

As it is right now, it's just made for stall a bit, but you won't benefit this skill against a range class. It's just gonna put pressure after you're done with your Earthen Vortex and will be even further than before.

It's fine as is, it's a really low CD blast finisher with a really quick cast time, in fact so short that I don't think being able to move during it would even have any visible affect. You pop in and out of the ground practically instantly.