Black Storm.6974

Yes, that is what I meant to say. Specific combinations of skills seem to always give the same results when repeated. Different combinations ok skills can give different results. The results even seem to be different from account to account, or following conditions I don’t understand, since different testers had different results.

Now that I’m better observing, conditions have their icons displayed in an order that has nothing to do with the casting order. I’d say that from my testing with the Plaguelands combo the Conditions got transferred from right to left, instead, with the CPC combo from left to right. Other combinations on skills had different results, but the results are always consistent repeating the same combination. I don’t really understand how it works and why it is appears to not be the same for everyone.

Yes, with the Plaguelands combo Bleeding and Torment always got transferred, while Poison always remained on my character, no matter the casting order of the three skills.

On my account, the combo BiP/Plaguelands/BiP always transferred Bleeding and Torment (from today testings), no matter when (during the cast or after the cast of the second BiP) Desert Shroud was casted to transfer Conditions. I have specified from today testing cause I have the feeling that in the past Bleeding used to remain on my character, but I’m not entirely sure.

From my testing, it seems to transfer Conditions following an order of priority, where self applied Bleeding and Torment had priority over self applied Poison (through Plaguelands). I can say that because changing the order of application of the conditions on myself didn’t change the results. I have also tried the combo BiP/CPC/BiP. In that case selfapplied Poison, Weakness and Cripple always had priority over selfapplied Bleeding and Torment, which remained on my character.

I have tried Scourge a bit since it got buffed, but I can’t play it, really, it is such a skill spam. I have to pay attention all the time to very short cooldowns and spam every skill as soon as available, eventually paying also attention to delay some skill for Dhumfire (but even without doing that, it is a pain to play). The changes I’d propose to make the gameplay of Scourge less frenetic: 1. Change Manifest Sand Shade to no longer add Torment application to the other Shade skills. 2. Change the interaction between Shade skills and Traits so that only Manifest Sand Shade count as Shroud skill 1. Eventually set related traits to give different duration and number of stacks to Scourge (compared to core Necro and Reaper), changing the description of the traits accordingly. Not having any reason to spam F2 and F3 (instant cast skills) every few seconds will make the gameplay much more enjoyable for almost everyone. Support skills will be used to support instead of being spammed to damage enemies while casting other skills.

The combo is only done once in the video, as opening combo.

Isn’t the transfer random like the cleansing?

I would really appreciate a rework of Dhumfire too, for some of the reasons you stated. Internal cooldown management is also one of the main reasons why I can’t play Condition Scourge. I hope the new trait can benefit both core Necromancer and the Elite Specializations. I’d add that, since Dhumfire is important to allow Reaper Shroud to do Condition damage, the new trait should maintain this feature (or it could be designed into Reaper itself). Anyway, part of me think a mistake was to make every F skill of Scourge count as Shroud skill 1 when activating traits.

There is also another problem that needs to be addressed. There is a total imbalance now between Scourge and Reaper (also considering what ArenaNet usually says about the balance of Necromancer). Scourge is now a far better damage dealer, it has higher and reliable DPS, he can even do that while ranged (Reaper instead have to risk melee all the time and use more dodges, GW2 used to reward melee with more damage and it was a good design). Scourge do not lose any damage when taking damage from enemies (unlike Reaper which lose a lot of damage when hit in Shroud). As a Condition spec Scourge is also far more effective during the Exposed phase. Scourge also got great AoE damage and range. I’m sure that, despite the ramp up time of conditions, Scourge Condition will easily out DPS Power Reaper in almost every scenario, even in Fractal. One could think Scourge needs the enemies to stand still otherwise it loses damage, but that is even more true for Reaper. Scourge Condition also got great sustain while just focusing on dealing damage (and not having to stay always melee also helps that sustain), he can even be healed by allies all the time. It doesn’t sacrifice any damage for that sustain. Scourge also provides allies support, even passively while just trying to do as much damage as possible.

It is even worse in PvE since the last balance patch. Scourge is now a far better damage dealer, it has higher and reliable DPS, he can even do that while ranged (Reaper instead have to risk melee all the time and use more dodges, GW2 used to reward melee with more damage and it was a good design). Scourge do not lose any damage when taking damage from enemies (unlike Reaper which lose a lot of damage when hit in Shroud). As a Condition spec Scourge is also far more effective during the Exposed phase . Scourge also got great AoE damage and range. I’m sure that, despite the ramp up time of conditions, Scourge Condition will easily out DPS Power Reaper in almost every scenario, even in Fractal. One could think Scourge needs the enemies to stand still otherwise it loses damage, but that is even more true for Reaper. Scourge Condition also got great sustain (and not having to stay always melee also helps that sustain), he can even be healed by allies all the time. It doesn’t sacrifice any damage for that sustain. Scourge also provides allies support, even passively while just trying to do as much damage as possible.

Reaper is perfectly fine in “full zerk”, if you want far better sustain and Shroud uptime you can simply choose Signets of Suffering (trait) instead of Awaken the Pain, Signet of Undeath (utility skill) instead of Well of Darkness, Signet of Vampirism (heal skill) instead of Blood Fiend, don’t forget Signet of Spite. It will be much better for group PvE content (you lose very little damage and gain a lot of sustain and extra life force), compared to mixing stats. For Open World I still prefer to rely on skills and traits compared to mixing stats, I never felt the need to have a second equipment set for power damage, it would just fill an Equipment Template slot I could use for something else.

Personally, considering that Scourge has support built in much more than Reaper, while also being durable and having a DPS which is not severely punished when taking damage (unlike Reaper), I hope ArenaNet will consider adjusting numbers a bit to make sure that Reaper can be better for DPS.

Most people I met don’t care at all about Dragon’s Breath Buns, they just start from 99 with Ascended food (which is good for both CMs and T4) and Sharpening Stone, then they eat the Scarlet Potion for Ark, and do all 99 bosses with it and swap to Sharpening Stone again for T4 dailies. Which is two less swapping. What you described is: Buns (Mama) > Ascended food (other CM + T4). Scarlet Potion (Nightmare CM) > Sharpening Stone > Scarlet Potion (Ark) > Sharpening Stone (T4s) What I do is: Ascended food (CMs + T4). Sharpening Stone > Scarlet Potion (Ark + Nightmare CM) > Sharpening Stone (T4s)

I’ll explain that to you. The lfg stating 98/99CM doesn’t stop anyone from joining and using a group to make 98 (cause maybe that person have already completed 99) and leave. The convention of starting from 99 increases the probability that if someone have already completed one of the two Fractal, it will be 99. So, by following the convention I am increasing the probability to avoid people who would leave the group after one Fractal. The same is true for T4 dailies, doing them from higher to lower reduces the chances to occur into people who uses the others to do one of the Fractals and leave. What I’m describing happened many times to me, and so I (as many others) have learned that is better to follow the convention when looking for people in the lfg.

I really hope they can revert that change too

Personally, I would not rage but I would also avoid playing with pugs that want to start CMs from 98. It is not only about the optimisation of the usage of potions and about the habit of starting from 99 (things I also appreciate), but also the problem that in my experience, most people who want to start from 98 have already completed 99, but they don’t tell you that, so after 98 they leave and you have to start looking for people again. I appreciate the convention of completing Fractal in a specific order (from higher to lower) because it makes easier to avoid people who have already competed a Fractal and would leave the group, and that doesn’t only apply to CM, but also to daily T4 + Recommended.

I have played GW2 for over 15k hours, I am not a casual player and I have no interest in PvP. Also, repeating things, perfecting the performance and making sure that everything goes as I expected, is what I like the most about the combat and it is what makes content “never get old” to me.

I’ve just used to like swirling it into the air. Also, I hate that message that pop to tell I can’t use a skill, it is really disturbing. I know that this change has its advantages, but I wish that kind of thing could be optional, something I can disable in the in game settings. I prefer being free to use skills when I want.

I wasn’t talking about you

I voted no, cause I think it would mostly frustate people using the report function. The expectation of an answer could also make more difficult for “the reporters” to stop thinking about it and move with their life (often “the reporter” tends to be “overly attached”). Too many people report others thinking they are seeing bots or afk farmers, even if they are not. About Verbal abuse and some other behaviour instead, in the policy you can read that the behaviour history of the offender also count, so we can expect our report to not always lead to an action against the reported account. ArenaNet is the one with “the ability” and “the right” to decide what action to take and if there is any action to take, the player is not. I am not saying anyone wrote the opposite.

I hope they won’t implement the target requirement on Axe skill 2, it would be just annoying for me

I don’t really like the changes to the Exposed phase and I think would be better letting it at 50% for both Power and Condition damage. Most groups are not able to rapidly CC and phase a Fractal boss, and in these groups, people with power builds, can not properly take advantage of the Exposed phase, their burst won’t be aligned and waiting to burst is a DPS loss already. Now, with Power damage being less effective and Condition damage far more effective during the Exposed phase the situation could be like that: Power DPS players want to instant CC, but it will be even more of a problem, cause Condition players want to wait until they stack enough ticks. That will punish even more Power DPS, while Condition DPS won’t be affected at all, they will just get what they need, while also having a far higher damage boost during the exposed phase. I don’t see people talk about that often, but Conditions already have the advantage, in high level Fractal, to ignore the high toughness many enemies have (which increase with Fractal levels). In addition to that, their damage can ignore the Protection boon on the enemies. Conditions will simply become the far easier, ignorant way to clear Fractals in pugs and any other group who is not very efficient (and I am not taking into account Condition Firebrands thinking at the “efficient groups”, nor thinking at the “inefficient groups”).

I’m on GW2 cause most rewards can be earned with Gold/Gems, which can be earned by playing whatever content I enjoy. Almost everything tied to achievement or specific content is something I will probably never be able to get, I get no satisfaction pursuing them, only frustration. Anyway, GW2 is not meant to keep us playing all the time, ArenaNet never wanted that from us, they wanted players to feel free to take breaks without worry, they wanted us to be able to play whatever we enjoy and get rewards, and to have “forever” access to everything with one purchase.

Havn't logged into the game in the while but i thought i would ask : Does the passive heal on vampirism trigger every second inside shroud as well? Yes (the healing is triggered every second while in Shroud, and the damage too), as long as you have the trait (Signets of Suffering) equipped. It is very useful.