Darknicrofia.2604

It would be S tier if it functioned like Facet of Light, but it requiring a channel and can be interrupted is just nonsense when the basis of the skill is to prevent damage.

...wtf are you talking about? This kit would have no damage if off hand sword doesn't do damage, right now offhand sword needs *MORE* damage, or quicker damage, on top of its current utility. And staff is strictly a support weapon, this is a duelist spec "I like everything else" told me all I needed to know, you don't even play this class do you.

They have a pistol attack that hits 6 targets and pierces and inflicts torment/poison on everything. We have a sword 4 dual attack animation that takes longer than all 6 pistol shots and is melee ranged.

As it stands now, the only way I'm taking the Elite skill is if the new WillBender runes are hilariously OP like Trapper runes where we get Stealth and Superspeed after every Physical Skill use.

Rev Sword skills 3-5 is better than anything on WB/Guardian sword kit save maybe Symbol of Blades. kitten our Sword 3 skill still roots us in place to cast melee ranged projectiles that do only damage, wtf.

So going back to HoT launch where Rev, or more specifically power Herald was introduced as the assassin/quick execution spec, there were plenty of combos you could set up that required no more than 2-3 skills that could burst down a single target in PvP. Phase Traversal into Sword 2 into Sword 3, Legend Swap, Weapon Swap to Staff 5. Quick Simple combo that had chase, CC on top of high damage on top of built in defense (Sword 3 and Staff 5). Where is the WB combo that gives us even a fraction of that? Traiting into Glacial Heart and using a Hammer? That's just a worse version of the Valk Hammer Core Guard from a couple of years ago. None of the skills are fluid enough to be able to chain together in a 2-3 second window consistently or offer next to no quality of life that a dueling spec needs like having a built in defensive effect that negates instant counter pressure or having soft cc built-in in the the kit. And no the Elite skill doesn't count. Revs didn't need to use Jade Winds to blow a high CD elite skill just to initiate a combo.

It doesn't need to be good in PvE, the fact that its better in PvE right now than PvP just highlights how badly designed the Virtue procs are thematically. Right now its a PvP spec that's going to be bad at PvP because of its clunky animations and lackluster traits.

Offhand Sword needs a functionality rework, not just numbers buff. For being a fluid duelist, why does every single skill have a clunky aftercast and animation lock? Hell Focus feels more of a fluid offhand kit than Sword.

100% this, you should feel stronger fighting 1v1 or 1v2 than being a yolo Dynasty Warriors 1v1000 fodder mob tagging machine with Virtue Procs.

The heal skill absolutely needs to be instant cast like the Herald heal skill, otherwise its a joke.

And for a supposed "Quick Execution" class, you really have no means of actually chasing down and finishing off a target that is running away from you that has any sort of active defense and a stunbreak. Resistance on Shadowstep is great for preventing cripples/blinds etc but if they just keep running away and can throw up a block or two you really have no means of getting more than 1 or 2 hits in before they keep running. This spec REALLY needs access to an easy form of cripple, chill or continuous tracking attacks like Rev Sword 3.

Every virtue needing 5 attacks to trigger is just not good and runs into the same design flaw of Permeating Wrath where its nearly useless in small scale but completely OP in large encounters. Maybe give them once every 2 attack trigger but have an internal ICD per target struck so the gameplay isn't so drastically different depending on how many targets you're attacking.

These 3 specs are nothing close to what Anet revealed with Scourge, Mirage and Firebrand. Hell, the first iteration of Scourage Shades affected I think 10 targets when traited w/ Big Shade.

The aegis would block the JI which would allow the elite to hit. But I'm also underwhelmed by the elite, RF just looks so much better, esp if combined w/ Deathless Courage, basically 11 seconds of invuln.

I mean in WvW if you're fighting an amount of people for the virtues procs to really matter you're better off using a FB anyways.

I know relying on Runes is bad and could pigeon hole the build into another "Trapper runes carry DH" meta but if we get a good Rune of the Willbender effect it could cover up a lot of the spec's current weakness. Something like +Power, +Ferocity and condi removal on Physical Skill use.

I actually don't think off hand sword will be all that much better than Focus, depending on how hard the Sword 4 hits, there's enough mobility skills between the Virtues and Utilities. If its just about bursting, if Sword 4 isn't better than Focus 5, I'd rather keep the Focus for the extra blocks and set up the JI + Stun combo into Focus 5 and sword or GS burst.

The resistance on shadowstep trait is amazing and probably better than any of the GM traits they've shown. between JI, Sword 2 and the new Courage, you can fight for like a good 10 seconds having total immunity to kitten like blind/weakness etc.

Entirely pointless, just use Lesser Smite Condition and/or CoP, there's like 8 disengage skills on WB, if you're getting too pressured, dash away and CoP. Start thinking less like a Guard and more like a Thief, the mobility IS the defense.

I mean just wear Marauder gear like Guards have been doing since Marauder was a stat.

The good news is whatever new elite spec Guards get in EoD will probably be OP as f@ck for 6 months to a year before they turn it useless, but by then some meme FB interaction mechanic will probably revive FB in PvP with a gimmick nonsense build like spirit weapon burn DH.

FB in pvp was dead long before this mantra change.

Its a response to template loading abuse in raiding, like having DHs spam 40 traps before swapping to a condi build.

So? DH is just as trash as Kalla in pvp, doesn't have anything to do with FBs being strong.

Thief play in general is about doing what annoys opponents the most. If they're focused on killing you, avoid them and go for decaps. If they're defending caps and not trying to fight you, snipe them in team fights or gank them in +1s