Weapon skills - on any class - whats working for you and what still is not post PoF.

Hey everyone.

I've been playing since the launch of GW2 an there has always been weapon skills on pretty much every class that are pretty much just not used, for alot of different reason I'd imagine. I know there are also also of weapon skills everyone uses - great sword much? -, since the release of the new elite trait lines I though it would be a good time to see what people think is working and whats not and why. Start with whats good if its a weapon you couldn't or couldn't have used before.

Warrior:

• The hammer has some neat additional effects with spell-breaker now

• The shield is slightly more useful than before, but was always okay

• The great sword is still great, and kinda mandatory as a gap closer still

• Axe skills still give good burst and are a decent choice

• Bow gets no benefit from Spellbreaker, but its good with Beserker so its fine.

• Torch gets no benefit from Spellbreaker, but its good with Beserker so its fine

• Warhorn is the same as pre PoF.

• I like the Daggers but there underwhelming.

• Maces are still bad, even though they could potentially be nice with Spellbreaker. Rarely used in the entire games life so far.

• Rifle still doesn't have synergy with the elite specs, only ranged burst available but is rarely used. No compelling reason to use it.

• Still no one handed gap closer meaning that even if warriors wanted to leave the great sword - which they don't because of its dps - they couldn't, so expect the same old build variety but just with boon stripping and interrupts on their weapon switch for Spellbreaker.

Elementalist:

• The staff is still the go too weapon, the range is just too good for survivability never mind the damage, aoe, or what not.

• The scepter is a little bit more viable now if your going a condition build, Or short spike burst for PvP / WvW

• The focus is still the go to off hand the very little survivability weapon skills Elementalist have they tend to take.

• Sword is probably the biggest let down of the weaver in the sense that it suffers from every problem the daggers have, Mild dps but poor survivability. Most people would probably prefer the daggers still since it benefits mobility much more. Kind of still torn about them, so I could still change my mind.

• Daggers still suffer low survivability, which means the trade off from the staff or scepter make it unlikely to be used. Its just not enough dps to justify being to close to a target as a caster most of the time.

• Lack of defensive weapon skills - or a good skill trade off - are kind of a problem for Ele's in melee range so expect to see mainly Staff or possibly scepter builds until someone finds a good way to get good synergy for melee distance.

Thief dagger 4. Its just stupid skill :D

@sokeenoppa.5384 said:Thief dagger 4. Its just stupid skill :D

Actually before the Condi Nerf in sPvP you could use dagger 4 and then condi burst and if they cleanse fast enough they will cleanse the cripple and leave the high damage condis for a bit longer.

Uh

Sword #2 (Savage Leap) on Warrior is pretty much the epitomal gap closer in the game. Eviscerate on Axe and Aura Slicer on Dagger also count, although to a lesser extent. GS also has horrid DPS, it's a Burst Weapon.

Can a SB even equip a torch ???

Necro axe is still completely pointless.

@RedSPINE.7845 said:Can a SB even equip a torch ???

No, that's a berserker weapon only for warriors.

Then I think the fact a SB gets no benefits from equipping a torch is pretty intended.

Ranger:Dagger 5Torch 4Both blunt single target skills with no real utility.

Axe and sword mainhand are still not optimal.One is a clwar condi weapon with a power AA which makes them hybrid.The other one is clear power and has a condition skill build into it.Improving on the hybrid concepts could improve at least the feeling of them while playing.

As much as I love Gs Mesmer there is one thing that irks me...

Mirror Blade: Gives vulnerability, grants might, creates a clone, bounces 3 times, is unblockable

Mind Stab: removes a boon...yay

Although Mirror Blade is a great skill, it's absolutely overloaded with effects! Either spread them out across the rest of Mes gs skills or just find some way to make mind Stab seem more interesting

Mirror blade is not overloaded, but mind stab could use a little work that's true.

Engineer rifle power scaling is still awful compared to other classes. Compare similar weapons' autoattacks, all with at least 1200 range and 0.75s cast times:

• Ranger Longbow: Long Range Shot 347 (0.9)
• Dragonhunter Longbow: Puncture Shot 327 (0.85)
• Deadeye Rifle: Deadly Aim 327 (0.85)

Then we have Engineer Rifle, which is terrible and Warrior Rifle, which is even worse.

• Engineer Rifle: Hip Shot 274 (0.65)
• Warrior Rifle: Fierce Shot 255 (0.605)

Engi Rifle is also unique in that its main CC skill is also a self-cc, which adds a ton of risk these days, as everyone tends to run cc-cancel traits like Last Stand. If you Overcharged Shot, and your target has Last Stand proc, you're gonna have a bad time when they follow up with their own cc while you're knocked down and burst you dead.

That said, I think I'd prefer if all the other weapons were balanced down to Engi/Warrior levels.

Maybe not balanced down quite that far, but a lot still needs to be toned down that's true

@coro.3176 said:Engineer rifle power scaling is still awful compared to other classes. Compare similar weapons' autoattacks, all with at least 1200 range and 0.75s cast times:

• Ranger Longbow: Long Range Shot 347 (0.9)
• Dragonhunter Longbow: Puncture Shot 327 (0.85)
• Deadeye Rifle: Deadly Aim 327 (0.85)

Then we have Engineer Rifle, which is terrible and Warrior Rifle, which is even worse.

• Engineer Rifle: Hip Shot 274 (0.65)
• Warrior Rifle: Fierce Shot 255 (0.605)

Engi Rifle is also unique in that its main CC skill is also a self-cc, which adds a ton of risk these days, as everyone tends to run cc-cancel traits like Last Stand. If you Overcharged Shot, and your target has Last Stand proc, you're gonna have a bad time when they follow up with their own cc while you're knocked down and burst you dead.

That said, I think I'd prefer if all the other weapons were balanced down to Engi/Warrior levels.

I have to disagree with you on the last point. I would like them to buff warrior rifle because we need a power ranged weapon on warrior. The fact that longbow, a condition based weapon can do more damage is baffling.

Warrior rifle needs to be changed. Increase the attack speed or buff the auto damage. Change rifle 2 into a cone shaped AoE. The closer you are the more damage to one player or you can shoot it from distance and hit up to 5players causing vulnerability on hit. Rifle 3 can remain the same as a decent damage and our main adrenaline generator. Rifle 4 can stay the same if you need to kite. Rifle 5 should be changed into a skill similar to engineer rifle 5. My biggest change would be to remove the mobility restriction on rifle burst. Instead you should be able to move while shooting for 75% of the damage it does now. If you cast it completely without moving you should be awarded a 50% damage boost.

@Malicious.3716 said:Warrior rifle needs to be changed. Increase the attack speed or buff the auto damage. Change rifle 2 into a cone shaped AoE. The closer you are the more damage to one player or you can shoot it from distance and hit up to 5players causing vulnerability on hit. Rifle 3 can remain the same as a decent damage and our main adrenaline generator. Rifle 4 can stay the same if you need to kite. Rifle 5 should be changed into a skill similar to engineer rifle 5. My biggest change would be to remove the mobility restriction on rifle burst. Instead you should be able to move while shooting for 75% of the damage it does now. If you cast it completely without moving you should be awarded a 50% damage boost.

You're basically asking for the engineer's Blunderbuss on your 2.

Ranged weapons can already be pretty oppressive even with their current low scaling. The counterplay to a glass cannon ranged class pew-pewing should be to close distance, jump on them and turn the tables. Put pressure on them so they have to disengage.

With Warrior, for example, you can't really do that because Endure Pain, Balanced Stance, their auto-procs (Defy Pain, Last Stand), and Warrior's naturally high armour + HP + sustain mean you will never win a damage race and you won't be able to cc them.

So when buffing these underperforming weapons, they need to be careful to leave room for counterplay.

@coro.3176 said:Ranged weapons can already be pretty oppressive even with their current low scaling. The counterplay to a glass cannon ranged class pew-pewing should be to close distance, jump on them and turn the tables. Put pressure on them so they have to disengage.

With Warrior, for example, you can't really do that because Endure Pain, Balanced Stance, their auto-procs (Defy Pain, Last Stand), and Warrior's naturally high armour + HP + sustain mean you will never win a damage race and you won't be able to cc them.

So when buffing these underperforming weapons, they need to be careful to leave room for counterplay.

Other ranged professions have their own invulnerabilities/kiting methods.

@coro.3176 said:Engineer rifle power scaling is still awful compared to other classes. Compare similar weapons' autoattacks, all with at least 1200 range and 0.75s cast times:

• Ranger Longbow: Long Range Shot 347 (0.9)
• Dragonhunter Longbow: Puncture Shot 327 (0.85)
• Deadeye Rifle: Deadly Aim 327 (0.85)

Then we have Engineer Rifle, which is terrible and Warrior Rifle, which is even worse.

• Engineer Rifle: Hip Shot 274 (0.65)
• Warrior Rifle: Fierce Shot 255 (0.605)

Engi Rifle is also unique in that its main CC skill is also a self-cc, which adds a ton of risk these days, as everyone tends to run cc-cancel traits like Last Stand. If you Overcharged Shot, and your target has Last Stand proc, you're gonna have a bad time when they follow up with their own cc while you're knocked down and burst you dead.

That said, I think I'd prefer if all the other weapons were balanced down to Engi/Warrior levels.

Don't forget Revenant hammer bolt with 383 (0.95) and 5 targets granted it's a 1s cast time...but it still hits like a truck.