Ventari Tablet needs to be a backpack

Tablet is awful for wvw play and is completely clunky in other game modes too. The need to have the tablet manually controlled makes most rev players not even want to touch it… This game was built with fast paced movement oriented combat in mind, and it makes zero sense why the tablet was designed this way in the first place…

Devs, do you all want more build diversity and to move away from the “unhealthy zerker meta” more? Then please fix this so playing support can be fun, fast paced and viable in all game modes.

I don't like the idea of a backpack table, when i play support i use a ranged build. if the table become a backpack i will have to play as front line and i will be probable more exposed to direct damage. i preffer heal 5 teammates from backline that 4 teammates + me.

It might be difficult to get used to how it controls. But it's great the way it is.In case some people didn't know, the tablet is like a secondary character. You can control it while doing other things with your character. You can control the tablet while reviving someone or when being knocked down. It's hard to learn how to control two characters at once, but it's beautiful that the game has this mechanic.

@Oshi.9324 said:I don't like the idea of a backpack table, when i play support i use a ranged build. if the table become a backpack i will have to play as front line and i will be probable more exposed to direct damage. i preffer heal 5 teammates from backline that 4 teammates + me.

If you play support with ranged build which weapons are you using because all the "support" weapon are melee

You leave my tablet alone. Having to micromanage it was a huge selling point of Ventari for me, feels totally different from any other abilities in the game and I love it.

@LightningWolfTigerBear.6725 said:You leave my tablet alone. Having to micromanage it was a huge selling point of Ventari for me, feels totally different from any other abilities in the game and I love it.

It's interesting, if clunky, play. I definitely wouldn't mind if it leashed when you outranged it, though.

@lagrimabendita.8763 said:

@Oshi.9324 said:I don't like the idea of a backpack table, when i play support i use a ranged build. if the table become a backpack i will have to play as front line and i will be probable more exposed to direct damage. i preffer heal 5 teammates from backline that 4 teammates + me.

Hammer has some small support potential. Life steal field which blocks projectiles is not much, but not nothing.

@lagrimabendita.8763 said:

@Oshi.9324 said:I don't like the idea of a backpack table, when i play support i use a ranged build. if the table become a backpack i will have to play as front line and i will be probable more exposed to direct damage. i preffer heal 5 teammates from backline that 4 teammates + me.

The hammer skills have 1200 range.

@Ardent Heretic.8216 said:

@LightningWolfTigerBear.6725 said:You leave my tablet alone. Having to micromanage it was a huge selling point of Ventari for me, feels totally different from any other abilities in the game and I love it.

That was my thought, too...have pet type commands, where you can tell it to move to a spot and stay or to follow you when you are on the move.

It's unlikely that ANET will ever change the tablet mechanically but I'ld be happy if Ventari got the "Scourge" treatment and allow healing in an AOE around you as well as the tablet.

And I 3rd on choosing hammer(in WvW). You take it for the CC on hammer 5 and range defense with hammer 4. Most importantly, you take it to start building energy from 1200 range where with staff, you have to be in melee. When the blobs crash, having 100 energy can mean the difference between a wipe and a complete roll.

So, because you cant handle the tablet, you want those who can actually handle it to suffer? Ventari tablet is extremly strong because it can output 14k heals every 2 sec plus alacrity on RANGE.You just need to put the tablet move skill on an easy to reach keybind and done. Stop changing sth only because you didnt figure out yet how its used.

@Oshi.9324 said:I don't like the idea of a backpack table, when i play support i use a ranged build. if the table become a backpack i will have to play as front line and i will be probable more exposed to direct damage. i preffer heal 5 teammates from backline that 4 teammates + me.

Exactly this. The game already has a PBAE healer (Tempest) and a ranged click-to-target healer (Druid). Double up on either of those implementations seems unnecessary as long as we have other ways.

Currently the table has 2 states: Being active and in the world, and being disabled. I like the idea of replacing this disabled state with a "table as backpack" state. Ventari would still function the way it functions now, but after using the elite skill or walking out of range, you can still use your skills. The effect is only centered around the Revenant until you send the table somewhere using skill 6 again.

That way you can still play backline healer, but you can also use your skills while on the move.

I would guess this is also what OP meant when he suggested the backpack, but people immediately misunderstood and feared a nerf. Replacing the state in which the Revenant has no table in the world and thus is locked out of all his skills with a backpack, meaning centering the skills around the Rev, is not a nerf but a buff. Ventari's long range functionality would remain untouched.

@Aury.1367 said:So, because you cant handle the tablet, you want those who can actually handle it to suffer? Ventari tablet is extremly strong because it can output 14k heals every 2 sec plus alacrity on RANGE.You just need to put the tablet move skill on an easy to reach keybind and done. Stop changing sth only because you didnt figure out yet how its used.

I totally did “figure out” how to “handle the tablet”, but thank you!

Talking about removing the clunky nature of the current design and offering a better design!

I'll just point out there are already options for easier, PBAoE healers available to other professions. If you want that type of gameplay as a healer in wvw, go play an ele or maybe a firebrand because it sounds like that's what you're looking for. Healing/support from a distance with Ventari is a different playstyle from what most other professions offer; you are correct in saying it discourages some people, but there are also those who like it.

@Swagger.1459 said:

@Aury.1367 said:So, because you cant handle the tablet, you want those who can actually handle it to suffer? Ventari tablet is extremly strong because it can output 14k heals every 2 sec plus alacrity on RANGE.You just need to put the tablet move skill on an easy to reach keybind and done. Stop changing sth only because you didnt figure out yet how its used.

I was playing ventari healer in WvW since the boost. And yes it was clunky for a week. After you get used to it, you manage to find out some tweaks etc. You can get pushed, stunned etc. and still able to heal your melee blob which already is moving away. Healrevenant is the only true healer in this game, just practise more. Tabletmanagement is the key as well as timing. The design is ideal for a healer, due to the nature of the tablet movement and the heal when passing through you have an extremly high healing output. And changes towards off-tablet being a backpack would only result in nerfs and would be effected by CCs alot. You would have to redesign all ventari skills for this backpack stuff. And you really think anet is going to put in time into revenant?

A stunbreak on the tablet still would be sweet. It could be a group stunbreak arround the tablet plus the user of the tablet.The tablet destriction on the elite should be removed to and it should just reappear near the revenant.

if you cant managing the tablet go play ele or ranger or guard.this is the unique in this playstlye. although other improvement should be given to ventari.elite skill nrg go up to 30 while cleanse 6 conditions without losing all nrg.

@lagrimabendita.8763 said:

@Oshi.9324 said:I don't like the idea of a backpack table, when i play support i use a ranged build. if the table become a backpack i will have to play as front line and i will be probable more exposed to direct damage. i preffer heal 5 teammates from backline that 4 teammates + me.

What melee support skills are you relying on...? Staff's AA dropping healing orbs and cleansing with 4? The tablet out performs both of those from range... Or if you are really relying on no-energy-cost heals from your staff--a Superior Sigil of Water on a hammer accomplishes roughly the same healing as the orbs do. The only other support you'd really do is protection from shield 4, which is ranged.... Or some cc, which can also be accomplished from range (or from your tablet).

Only way tablet can work is in an organized squad preferably on TS/discord. Pugs run like headless chickens and dodge your tablet. I switched my nomads gear to my guardian to try out support firebrand and there's no contest. Firebrand support is far superior to ventari. You can give group aegis, pulsing resistance field and reliable AOE heals. Ventari beats firebrand in pure numbers but firebrand actually works when you want it to.

I've read about the complaints of the mantra cones and all I can say to these firebrands is, be happy it's not a clunky tablet. Ventari is fun in moderation but seeing people defend this "play style" is akin to some battered wife syndrome shit. It's like adding 400 ping to your connection. You command it to move somewhere. Wait. Wait. Oh the guy you were trying to heal dodged out of range. "Do you like the lag play style? Then play ventari! Don't like it? Play ele or guardian."

Revenant don't have many legends, weapons, and build diversity. Being okay with a shit legend is how were going the get more shit legends like kalla.

@BunjiKugashira.9754 said:Currently the table has 2 states: Being active and in the world, and being disabled. I like the idea of replacing this disabled state with a "table as backpack" state. Ventari would still function the way it functions now, but after using the elite skill or walking out of range, you can still use your skills. The effect is only centered around the Revenant until you send the table somewhere using skill 6 again.

That way you can still play backline healer, but you can also use your skills while on the move.

I would guess this is also what OP meant when he suggested the backpack, but people immediately misunderstood and feared a nerf. Replacing the state in which the Revenant has no table in the world and thus is locked out of all his skills with a backpack, meaning centering the skills around the Rev, is not a nerf but a buff. Ventari's long range functionality would remain untouched.

So that probably isn't what OP meant. But I like your suggestion. However it wouldn't be a buff, more of a quality of life change. They would likely raise the cost of the stowed skills to compensate for you not having to move it.

They could also make entirely new skills for the stowed tablet, almost like an engineer toolbelt.

I don't think they are going to do either anytime soon. Look how long it took them to change the animation on ranger's sword AA.

Have the tablet default to follow you and then ventari's will moves it to said location and if it moves out of range will leash back to you.