Xei Han.8736

Unpopular opinion, I'm sure, but... This was probably the single best opportunity to provide a focus as an elite weapon, and you blew it! Would have added to the character without feeling like a mesmer copy, and would give you 5 new skills instead of the typical 2 for off-hand. Probably the only elite spec where getting an off-hand wouldn't feel like lost potential. Oh well, I don't expect many to agree with me, but that's my two cents.

Virtuoso is the only new spec that I haven't tried...for one simple reason: optic overload. Please tone down the visuals on this one.

This is honestly a pretty hard one to like. So many flaws and missteps. Get rid of F5. There is no good reason you couldn't have reused the mechanic from the previous two ele-specs, where you simply hit the attunement (F1-4) a second time. Edit: Considering the synergy between auras and combo fields, and the implication that hammer is for melee, why not just have the Jade Sphere move with the ele instead of targeting an area? There is zero incentive to recall your Jade Sphere if you're going to lose all remaining power. Either preserve the power or get rid of the recall option. On that topic, why does the Jade Sphere even lose power over time? Until now, mechanics that lose power have been reserved for features that either use only a portion of the power or where the effect improves. Things like a necromancer's Life Force are only depleted while being used. Suggestion: instead or reinventing the wheel, get rid of F5 and reuse the druid's astral force meter to track accumulated catalyst. Maybe change the meter's color with your current attunement. Elemental Empowerment is a wasted trait. The only way it becomes useful is if you devote yourself to the whole trait line (middle row of traits) and focus on disable/immobilize, because you need Vicious Empowerment to reach 10 stacks. I actually kept forgetting that the Augment skills existed. Totally underwhelming, especially when you have to be in a specific attunement and be standing in the right spot to get their full effect. Too many conditions, too little payoff. I feel like there's a disconnect with Immutable Stone. It grants an aura based on attunement, but you have to be attuned to earth to activate it in the first place. It only lasts 1.5 seconds, so it's unlikely that you'll switch attunements before it absorbs its one hit. A poorly considered skill.

During Dragon Stance, check out skills 4 & 5 (Triggerguard and Flicker Step). #4 gives you aegis without canceling the stance. It's not amazing, but it's saved me a couple times. Also, use Flow Stabilizer for the stability - 5s is pretty good if activated right before entering the stance. @BeardRex.6739 It was a toggle when I played it. Unless there's a bug? Didn't release unless I hit actions 1-3.

Bladesworn seems like one of the more solid specs for EOD so far. It doesn't have a ton of frills, which fits well for warrior. There's a good combination of standing your ground and mobility, so it makes for pretty fun melee combat. My biggest complaints are actually on the pistol as a sidearm. Dragon's Roar (skill 5) has a ridiculously short range—shorter even than your ability to close with your enemy using Gunstinger (skill 4), which is still shorter than almost any comparable skill. Plus, one of the main benefits of skill 4 is that it reloads skill 5, but skill 5 is so short that you are practically within melee range before you can use it. The easiest solution is to extend both of their ranges to 450; that puts them on par with the low end of similar existing skills (most of which have ranges of 600 or more). Given that pistol doesn't need to be equipped to use the Gunsaber, I really don't see anyone using pistol in its current form. Edit: I see a few people commenting on switching F1 and F2. Didn't click with me why it was happening, but I kept sheathing the Gunsaber when I meant to go into Dragon Trigger mode. And them I'm stuck waiting for the cooldown before I can draw it out again. Very annoying. BUGS: Found two issues, one cosmetic. When using Dragon Slash—Boost (skill 2) in a cave, I ended up inside the wall. (We used to see this with Unrelenting Assault a lot.) Cosmetic issue seemed to happen when activating Dragon Trigger during cooldown. If the animation started while there was enough Flow but didn't complete before Flow dropped below the threshhold, the Bladesworn ended up with two Gunsabers: one wielded, one sheathed.