About the Soulbeast as well as PoF pets. Vol 3

[anduriell.6280]

Having fun with this reworks so i will write another text wall about how i could visualize the Soulbeast in a fairer and more interesting mechanics. The soulbeast dilemma is not easy to explain as the specialization can do an specific task very well (spike single players) but it does not have much to offer  in any other areas. This will be to see if we can alleviate that. 

 

 

The specialization, current state versus ideal design

Currently the specialization is suffering from an very serious  unidimensional illness, the PoF specialization is so focus into strike damage that does allow very little build variety. This makes playing soulbeast very monotonous and basic with very little room for experimentation or find new strategies. It limits not only its gameplay but also what the specialization interacts with external systems limiting even more their role in the game and sometimes even appear extremely unfair against other players in those specific situations were the profession excel. 

 

Ideally Soulbeast could retain it's burst damage identity by expanding their traits and inherent mechanics opening the profession to more freedom in their builds without breaking current systems. A traitline rework would be needed but the utility and weapon skills would not need much touching. Same could be said to beastmode special skills, as those depend upon the companions themselves and if ay have been reworked as suggested in the following thread so short CD beastmode skills would not exists in the current iteration. 

 

Soulbeast and interactions with other traitlines. 

Soulbeast currently feels locked down into 2 traitlines ( Beastmastery  and Wilderness Survival ) and thus to fulfill the unidimensional role assigned to produce spike damage those traitlines provide the needed added damage and sustain. Using any other traitline feels like gimping the gameplay as no other traitline can offer as much as those two. That  feels extremely limiting and constrained making all the soulbeast builds basically feel the same when playing against or with them. 

In the following thread is suggested the stats and additional speed to be removed from the traitline and be added to the companions as baseline as means to remove the dependency of that traitline. At the same time Soulbeast would need to have means to access to some of those stats lost as to avoid plain damage modifiers which have been proven problematic to balance. 

Archetypes and why they do not work as current concept.

From the imposition of the trade off of not being able to swap pets during combat the archetype concept lost all real importance.  As archetypes are irremediably linked to specific companions the archetype design is moved to the background giving more importance to companion's skills in beast mode. This makes the build to be built around the pet skills instead  chose the right pet for the player's chosen build. 

This  pushes the specialization to become even more basic limiting the choices to the companions which gives the best results in the overall content and that is showing having most soulbeasts limited to play with just one pet removing all choice from the player hands. 

 

As such Archetypes references should be switched from referring the pet to be about the Soulbeast Archetype. Archetype will not longer be about the pet but the Archetype the Soulbeast chooses to be. 

As such archetypes will be picked in the traitline instead be linked to the pets as it will explained in the next point. This will allow more freedom to the player so it can experiment with different pets while retaining the archetype they want to play with.  

 

Soulbeast traitline, meaningful choices. 

 

Right now the traitline has some problematic concepts, it has access to too many plain damage increases and at the same time it does not provide any build defining traits. This push players to pick the same traits at the end as the choices do not seem that relevant to the type of build the player wants to experiment. To solve that a rework of the traitline will be needed.

 

•  Dagger Proficiency and  Elevated Bond  would need not change. 

Adept

This group will define the interactions the player will have with the external systems. This choice will be meaningful as means to shape the experience the players have when interacting with different in game situations. 

• Leader of the Pack : the trait is reworked to only apply the sharing stances as 100% duration to allies. Increased the radius to 450.  Stances will have a normalized duration of 8 seconds (more in the Stances point). Sharing stances is a very powerful effect as such this trait would not need anything else added into it. 
• Live Fast :  This trait will increase the offensiveness of the profession as such it would include the effects of the minor Furious Strength. This will be a nerf for some builds as the player has to pick this trait instead being baseline to the soulbeast. It is no free damage anymore. 
• Unstoppable Union: Since the nerf to this trait it feels underwhelming as the limitations to work only "when entering beast mode" is too constraining. Instead it will have an iCD of 10 seconds (to fit with the Beastmode CD and not feel clunky) and it will apply the effect "when entering or leaving beastmode".  As this trait will not break stun anymore the effect from Eternal Bond will be added with an iCD of 180s (or 300s if so). This is as although it does not break stun it should offer a second chance when the ranger is in beast mode. This will play well with the protection and condition removal if it's available and would make the trait desirable as self sustain and in line with the original trait design. 

Minor Master

• Fresh Reinforcement : The same as  Fortifying Bond should be baseline to core ranger to enforce the interactions between the player and the companion this trait should be baseline to the specialization. It is trait which allows any role to be played as such it does not limit the scope or build the player wants to achieve. 

Major Master

Major masters will interact with lesser versions of the stances as means to provide a meaningful choice and promote an specific build the player want to experiment. This will impact how the soulbeast feels when playing with the specialization. 

• Second Skin : This trait would also trigger Lesser Bear Stance(1) when a condition threshold has been reached. This will provide extra sustain against  conditions  giving the player an smoother experience. 
• Essence of Speed: This trait will be reworked to provide a 30% movement speed boost. Additionally  it will cast Lesser Moa Stance(2) when the ranger reaches a boon threshold.  This will allow the soulbeast to move faster and be more boon heavy providing an faster experience. 

Predator's Cunning : This trait will additionally cast Lesser Vulture Stance(3) when hitting a target with no poison. This trait is meant to be designed for damage oriented builds providing that self sustain and extra damage in form of conditions and a health steal. 

Minor Grandmaster

• Oppressive Superiority : This minor will shape the damage oriented profession as it will provide a boost to damage but only when the target is in lower health than the player. As Twice as Vicious is replaced this trait will provide a total of 15% extra damage instead the current 10%. This should open a fun dynamic where the player always tries to keep the upper hand while at the same time reducing the number of different multipliers which has proven to be problematic.

Major Grandmaster

This traits will shape the Soulbeast archetype  providing a defining utility which the build can rely upon. Archetypes will not longer provide additional stats or effects as those will be provided by the stances as it will be explained in the Stances point. 

• Deadly : This archetype will provide access to Primal Impact . This skill is represented with the mechanic from Worldly Impact but additionally it will cause heavy bleeds and vulnerability on the targets hit by the skill. The CD will be increased to 35 seconds to balance the impact of the skill. 
• Stout : This archetype will provide access to Unflinching Lash. That skill will be represented with the mechanic from Prelude Lash but additionally will provide a 2 seconds immunity to strike damage. The CD will be increased to 35 seconds. Current iteration of Prelude lash does not provide any support which makes the skill to be less efficient as it allows pulled players to burst the ranger. 
• Supportive : This archetype will provide access to Renew Life . This skill will be represented with the mechanics from Spiritual Reprieve but additionally it will cleanse up to 2 damaging conditions on each friendly affected by the skill. The CD will be reduced to 35 seconds.  This skill with the added condition removal should become more rewarding even after the loss of the additional 25% healing.  

 

Stances, small rework to provide great service. 

 

Stances are very strong utilities yet they are not used in favor of survival skills because the effects provided do not fully connect with the traitline or the effects are too short/minor to be considered. Also the varied durations makes the stances to be difficult to time for enemies and make some of them too oppressive. As such a bit of standardization in duration would help a lot in balancing the effects. 

• All stances will have an standard duration of 8 seconds. Because of the changes to leader of the pack the personal duration will not be extended. Also because the full duration can be shared with allies it is adequate to reduce some of the long durations (like OWP or Moa). All other stances will be shortened at least by 1 second except bear. 
•  
• Additionally Stances will provide an stat boost when not in cooldown and the soulbeast is in beast mode. This is a to provide an additional effect over other utilities. Those stats will be boosted ina percentage as not to provide free stats, but to be used to empower the build the player is using. 
• Bear Stance : This stance will additionally provide a -33% Incoming Damage reduction. It is also very confusing with different stance durations and CDs deppending on the game mode. Current effect does not provide any significant effect against strike damage and paired with the small heal and long CD for a heal (30 seconds)  make the stance to feel undepowered compared to other forms of healing. If this heal it is supposed to perform it's role it will need also to affect the strike damage somehow. In beastmode it will provide an additional 7% vitality. 
• Dolyak Stance : This stance has too many effects making it mandatory in all gamemodes expect in PvP where the cooldown makes the skill not worth it. This is not good from a build and balance perspective as it makes the specialization heavily dependent in that particular skill. Damage reduction is removed from the stance. Cooldown is normalized to 40s in all gamemodes. While in beastmode this stance will add an 7% toughness. 
• Griffon Stance : This stance will also break stun instead providing might on dodge. No other changes. This stance will add a 7% precision when merged.  
• Vulture Stance : This stance will  additionally cause bleeds and cripple  instead providing might. Current dessing does not accomplish the objective to  cause a condition spike as applying only one condition can be easily cleansed / ignored. This change will accomplish 2 objectives: to provide some cover conditions while also provide means to chase / keep the enemy in range. This stance will increase condition damage in a 7% when in beastmode(4)
• Moa Stance : This stance needs the most rework. It has been proven problematic in competitive modes as it boost boons output too much. As such a change is required. Moa stance instead extending the outgoing boon duration, it will extend any existing and future boon application on the bearer by 2 seconds. Similar to how current Essence of Speed works but for the players affected by the moa stance. This means up to 5 players can be affected by this stance reducing the boon spam potential greatly as it will only impact the user with the active effect. Also being a plain increase has better balancing potential than using a percentage of current concentration. It still provides a great service but it limits it's spamming potential. This stance will provide a 7% additional concentration(4)
• One Wolf Pack : This stance has been proved too oppressive in some scenarios while at the same time the cast time makes the skill to feel very clunky as it does not allow to be cast while performing the burst which leads to too many situations where the skill is wasted or a lost opportunity.

As such the cast time will be removed to work in a similar fashion to vulture stance. 

Additionally the One_Wolf_Pack_(effect) will have lower base multipliers. (nerf the damage)

It will provide additional might for each direct hit on targets and while the stance effect is active might effectiveness is improved (might grants 40 stats to power and condition damage).

This should reduce the initial impact of the skill while creating momentum as providing more counterplay. Because the duration is 4 seconds shorter the soulbeast will need to properly plan the burst instead casting the skill on CD. 

The skill will cause an splash damage around the target up to an additional 2 foes which will not provide additional might or trigger the stance, doing less damage to  each of the targets the more are impacted.

The splash damage is to provide some cleave as ranger in general lacks that ability while at the same time providing further counter play as the target can share the damage with his allies if close enough. 

This stance will provide a increased 7% ferocity when in beastmode and not in cd.

 

What about dagger 

Dagger apparently was designed with PvE in mind as such i don't have any rework or suggestions. It is working fine in that gamemode. 

 

What will this accomplish for the Soulbeast. 

It will reduce the constant pressure the specialization has due all the multipliers while being able to keep some of the burst damage by selecting the right traits. The builds will be open up as now thanks to the lesser stances soulbeast has access to additional effects to adapt and create a build. Because of archetypes be chosen by the player independently from the pet companion the player will feel less constrain when picking companions as it will be able to keep the defining archetype skill of their choice. 

 

Pets from Path of Fire and playing nice with the beastmode. 

Path of Fire brought many interesting pets, unfortunately those do not play nicely with the soulbeast and their beastmode mechanic which reduces greatly their use. This small rework should make them more enticing and at the same time have better interactions with the external game mechanics. 

• Fanged Iboga : This pet has the inconvenient of having very short beastmode skills which create an spammy feeling about the beastmode skills and make them feel less relevant. At the same time it has no sustain and is very glassy with no mbility  which makes the pet less than ideal in most situations. 

This pet becomes a ranged offensive pet, with basic attack of Crippling Anguish. This attacks causes 1 stack of each condition instead current effects and has an iCD of 2 seconds (yes it attacks very slowly) , Narcotic Spores as burst and Consuming Bite as F3. Consuming Bite is changed to additionally heal the Iboga for each different condition the target has on them and it has an icd of 20 seconds.  This pet will become an slower ranged attacker to balance the condition output yet have better survivability with the consume conditions, such taking full advantage of the F2 skill. 

•  Jacaranda: This pet feels mostly fine, a deffensive melee companion, with AA, Call Lightning as burst and Photosynthesize as defensive / F3. Photosynthesize would work much better if it would be an AoE effect around the pet/soulbeast in a short radius up to 5 friendlies. Jacaranda's Embrace would work better if instead a projectile it would cast an skill similar to Vine_Surge  which would cast the roots if the target is hit. It would make the skill more visible and less clunky. 
• Rock Gazelle : Fine no changes here. 
• Cheetah : Offensive feline pet. It would use the basic template with the AA, Savannah Strike would replace the close gap with a nerf to base damage  and  Stalk as F3. As F2 it would be reworked to provide additional damage on the next  few hits. As such it can be used in conjunction with the close gap to increase the damage. 
• Sand Lion : This pet feels like it offers nothing of relevance for most players. This pet should be reworked to use the basic template and stats from canines (smokescale). AA, close gap and knocdown by pouncing the target as F3.  Blinding Roar as F2 additionally will leave a Dark field after the cast. This should provide a new type of combo field for the ranger to play with. 

 

 

1)(2)(3) Lesser Bear Stance,Lesser Moa Stance, Lesser Vulture Stance are lesser versions of the stances which will not provide the initial cast effects and have shorter duration (4 seconds). This effects will provide only the stance active effect but are  susceptible to the Leader of the Pack sharing which makes the trait more enticing over the other traits in the same bracket. All the lesser stances may have a 30s icd

(4) As those stats start from 0 it may be possible the percentage needs to be higher, pending on balance.

 

 

Edited August 25, 2021 by anduriell.6280
iboga feels spammy more formatting, OWP addtional stat and comments, sidenote (4)

[Swagger.1459]

So let’s just completely ignore the fact that the Soulbeast was supposed to be a hybrid condi melee spec, and just do all these other random things that don’t make this a better condi melee spec. 
 

And this…

 

“Dagger apparently was designed with PvE in mind as such i don't have any rework or suggestions. It is working fine in that gamemode.”

Sure, let’s completely ignore how poorly daggers perform outside of stationary critters in pve and not make any suggestions to make those weapons better in other modes. 
 

You keep trying to make Soulbeast something it’s not (remember you wanted to make it a better support  and heal spec than Druid?), while ignoring all the real issue with its design. 

[anduriell.6280]

1 minute ago, Swagger.1459 said:

So let’s just completely ignore the fact that the Soulbeast was supposed to be a hybrid condi melee spec, and just do all these other random things that don’t make this a better condi melee spec. 
 

Well with my changes you get your hybrid spec, vulture stance and lesser vulture stance will provide you with the conditions core totally lacks.  I know is a long text wall but try to read it, it will be fun i promise.

1 minute ago, Swagger.1459 said:

And this…

 

“Dagger apparently was designed with PvE in mind as such i don't have any rework or suggestions. It is working fine in that gamemode.”

Sure, let’s completely ignore how poorly daggers perform outside of stationary critters in pve and not make any suggestions to make those weapons better in other modes. 
 

i am not opening that can of worms, dagger is obiously a pve weapon and soulbeast has better alternatives for pvp. Not all weapons need to be good in every single game mode.

1 minute ago, Swagger.1459 said:

You keep trying to make Soulbeast something it’s not (remember you wanted to make it a better support  and heal spec than Druid?), while ignoring all the real issue with its design. 

Anything is better support than druid even current soulbeast. But i am open to discuss What do you think is the real issue with its design?

[Swagger.1459]

1 minute ago, anduriell.6280 said:

Well with my changes you get your hybrid spec, vulture stance and lesser vulture stance will provide you with the conditions core totally lacks.  I know is a long text wall but try to read it, it will be fun i promise.

i am not opening that can of worms, dagger is obiously a pve weapon and soulbeast has better alternatives for pvp. Not all weapons need to be good in every single game mode.

Anything is better support than druid even current soulbeast. But i am open to discuss What do you think is the real issue with its design?

What weapon theme was the Deadeye designed around? What weapon theme was Reaper designed around? And the themes go on… 
 

So the obvious answer to Soulbeast is to make it a better power spec with better support, and forget everything else. 
 

Feel free to look at post history if you want to know what my design thoughts are. 
 

 

[anduriell.6280]

21 minutes ago, Swagger.1459 said:

So the obvious answer to Soulbeast is to make it a better power spec with better support, and forget everything else. 

 

38 minutes ago, Swagger.1459 said:

You keep trying to make Soulbeast something it’s not (remember you wanted to make it a better support  and heal spec than Druid?), while ignoring all the real issue with its design. 

i need you to explain to me why you keep contradicting yourself. I am not sure if you are actually trolling, this posts arent even 15 mins apart.

What is it? Better support or not?

[Trejgon.9367]

1 hour ago, anduriell.6280 said:

What is it? Better support or not?

I may be wrong in this of course, but the "just make it better power and support" bit may have been attempt at mockery of your suggestions, not his idea on what should be done.

Can't be sure.

As for the suggestions on design - can't really say, didn't play soulbeast even remotely enough to comment on anything mentioned within wall of opening post.

[anduriell.6280]

4 hours ago, Lord Trejgon.2809 said:

I may be wrong in this of course, but the "just make it better power and support" bit may have been attempt at mockery of your suggestions, not his idea on what should be done.

Can't be sure.

As for the suggestions on design - can't really say, didn't play soulbeast even remotely enough to comment on anything mentioned within wall of opening post.

You may be right, but in that case is written very poorly.  
 

Well it does not matter, mine are only suggestions and I don’t work at Anet, so there is no point to get all worked up.
 

It would be cool if the comments would be to add to the idea or discuss the caveats thou. 

[Lazze.9870]

17 hours ago, Swagger.1459 said:

So let’s just completely ignore the fact that the Soulbeast was supposed to be a hybrid condi melee spec, and just do all these other random things that don’t make this a better condi melee spec. 

 

Well, that is what it currently does best in PvE when it is allowed to forgo bringing spotter and spirits...

 

One thing they should have fixed from the start was to make Furious Strenght affect both power and condi damage. This is one of those classic Anet decisions where they already have precedent for something (in this case rev has had the exact same trait since before PoF), and then completely ignores it when it makes perfect sense for ranger.

Edited August 25, 2021 by Lazze.9870

[Arrys.7145]

Some thoughts;

 

1) be easier if you did a master list of powers lost moved and gained following the wall of text to try and figure out whats may have moved or be reincorporated.   You sort of gave us the blueprint for a machine I think you have a vision of how that machine runs in your head.     So in that regard-

 

Be helpful if you clearly explained what you believe the changes actually would enable the soulbeast to do in terms of expanded gameplay opportunity.  How does it open up additional base traitlines (Really does it fix spirits? doubt it)  I respect you have a multi dimensional model in your head of how and why it meshes better as that was or sounds like your design objective.   Be nice to analyze to that vision and if it is achieved vs just what do I think it does to the builds I play which may not be all good.  

 

Now as I translate and read what you wrote currently into my perspective of how the game plays and all the bias' that entails it's clear we see the game and play it differently.  But open mind.  I've been using vulture on a vaxxinator build sort of fun to play definitely not top of power spectrum but usable hadn't quantified how much of its killing power was vulture vs sharpened or strike damage.  Long CD but the build can drop targets.

On 8/24/2021 at 6:26 AM, anduriell.6280 said:

Vulture Stance : This stance will  additionally cause bleeds and cripple  instead providing might. Current dessing does not accomplish the objective to  cause a condition spike as applying only one condition can be easily cleansed / ignored. This change will accomplish 2 objectives: to provide some cover conditions while also provide means to chase / keep the enemy in range. This stance will increase condition damage in a 7% when in beastmode(4)

 

You said this and I thought you know vulture plus sharpened and LB 2 applies a decent stack but whats that really do compared to say the mindless damage of a flame trap.  So I figured I'ld check on a  heavy target dummy and flame trap 7807 condition damage over 8 ticks +1048 application tick damage for a total of 8855.  Using a LB 2 into a warhorn 4 application of vulture to same heavy in same armor configuration but switched from skirmish to WS to bonus poison vs bonus traps (Plus had poison duration rune but no fire duration runes;) -  Over 13 ticks 8313 damage and I could only get that also using zephyr.  No Zephyr - 6585 in poison damage.  So you are correct quite underwhelming as is even limiting to two weapons to apply quickly.   Clearly better off moving to a multi trap build and dragonhunter or trapper for controllable on demand damage or escapability than keeping vulture in play.

 

So you have a point things may feel like they play somewhat viably but as usual abilities that share from the ranger to others are underperforming in terms of individual benefit to the ranger.   Giving us longer duration is one thing but it is underwhelming so I agree with you the answer lies in increasing benefit for the ranger individually.  (Suspect that only happens in any real world scenario by removing sharing) b

 

WS is an important tree but thats a reflection of ease of defensive use and weakness of other base ranger traitlines more than any inherent fault in Soulbeast.  I personally think soulbeast improves the other lines by the flexibility the pet utilities add to let us fill in annoying lack of skill gaps.  Birds give you all the movement bene's of GS freeing up weapon choice.  Can take a stout for significant damage mitigation on active buttons or go root heavy etc.... Soulbeast utilities provide nice bandages for gaps in base ranger play and lack of trait line synergy so in some ways it doesn't expand ranger a ton.  

 

Play it trap, sic em, boon it's just a little better than base I think.  Of course that could be better itemization more than anything from my first impressions of the game.  So interested in your vision of how the your design plays and synergizes and which changes enable those synergies.

[anduriell.6280]

4 hours ago, Arrys.7145 said:

 So interested in your vision of how the your design plays and synergizes and which changes enable those synergies.

The specialization would synergize with core exactly the same way as before there aren't any new core mechanics added, they are just reworked be more consistent, dependable and easier to understand.  With other players this new soulbeast could synergize much better as now it offers a clear opportunity to share something. It would not change any meta but players which enjoy being supportive of their allies would get something. 

 

• This new design simply gives the players more choices when picking the gameplay style they want to enjoy in the game but at the same time picking something means they will sacrifice something else. When building a trait system is important to provide the impresion the player is always missing something as that makes the build theorycrafting not to go stale. 

 

In the case of the soulbeast i chosen to provide a 2 dimensional no exclusive design taking advantage on how the UI is designed. 

as such the player may pick:

• Offer more support to allies.
• Have access to more sustain.
• Be more punishing. 

 

From those 3 lines the effects are separated in groups of 3 so the player can play mix and match. They could go pure in one design (Live Fast-Predators cunning-Deadly for a bursty build) or play mix and match, but in any case the Soulbeast will always sacrifice something by picking something else. 

 

By baseline the Soulbeast would do some small additional damage in specific situations (by the minor Oppressive Superiority ) so the role as offensive specialization is suggested but it is not enforced so the player always feels the freedom of choice.  

•  

[Ayahuasca.1045]

If you want sustain on Soulbeast just get a stout pet ( f3 4 sec Invulnerability and a Utility skill (protect me,lighting reflexes etc). 

Support is Druid and will most likely be, decent healing, 25 might. I (my opinion) don't like a support soulbeast.If you want some sustain and healing,get WS 2-2-2. Get the Jacaranda, f3 is 4k 5 man heal  2-3k f2 is  personal heal + 2 condi cleanse ( this is PVE only).

Edited August 26, 2021 by Ayahuasca.1045

[Arrys.7145]

12 hours ago, anduriell.6280 said:

The specialization would synergize with core exactly the same way as before there aren't any new core mechanics added, they are just reworked be more consistent, dependable and easier to understand.  

 OK got it no thought went into how this would synergize with the other ranger trait lines despite that being the premise for the need for improvement.

 

Really just a how to make soulbeast traitline stronger independent of any thought of what that does in the larger context.,  Understand the frame of reference now.  

[Wild.1705]

It's hard not just being a lurker when you have school work to do, but I have had a few things to say in regards to this post. First of all, @anduriell.6280 I loved your Idea for https://en-forum.guildwars2.com/topic/100184-easy-way-to-fix-the-pets-vol-2/?tab=comments#comment-1441324 as I feel that there are many good Ideas that are practical and I can actually see ArenaNet actually implementing something like that in the future and having a roadmap like you provided may even give them inspiration. Some of your other posts like making signets only passive (which I haven't commented on yet) I'm not really a fan of. That being said, the one thing I do like about these posts is that it gets us talking and eventually we may find and Idea so solid that it becomes "mainstream" and can then perhaps be implemented. 

 

Disclaimers:

I don't have time to go over everything in this post but I liked 80% of the ideas here.

I do find however a number of comments made to be a bit short sighted.

I do not mean to offend or hurt anyone's feelings with this post.

 

On 8/24/2021 at 10:39 AM, Swagger.1459 said:

So let’s just completely ignore the fact that the Soulbeast was supposed to be a hybrid condi melee spec, and just do all these other random things that don’t make this a better condi melee spec. 

Combined with the changes of a pet rework I think that there would be more options to play Soulbeast as condition melee hybrid. Not going over everything but making Oppressive Superiority a minor would help damage as a whole, lesser griffon stance adds extra condition, and fusing the ferocious and deadly pet archetype into one singular archetype that you get to pick regardless of the pet species you picked are all things that would contribute to this end. 

 

On 8/24/2021 at 10:39 AM, Swagger.1459 said:

And this…

 

“Dagger apparently was designed with PvE in mind as such i don't have any rework or suggestions. It is working fine in that gamemode.”

Sure, let’s completely ignore how poorly daggers perform outside of stationary critters in pve and not make any suggestions to make those weapons better in other modes. 

I do agree with this. I like how dagger plays but in PVP it's just not that great as even with swiftness I feel like a barley land any hits. I DO NOT ROCOMMEND THIS but, just for the sake of throwing something out there, if dagger had 400% increase in damage and 400% increase in condition application and duration (in PVP and WVW only), without any other changes, it would be used. It may even be overpowered (someone run the numbers real quick). My point is,  dagger feels great in PVE and I even like it's feel in PVP. But, it doesn't feel impactful when I do get the hits I've been trying for. So I think this one may just be a numbers problem.

 

On 8/26/2021 at 5:08 PM, Arrys.7145 said:

 OK got it no thought went into how this would synergize with the other ranger trait lines despite that being the premise for the need for improvement.

 

Really just a how to make soulbeast traitline stronger independent of any thought of what that does in the larger context.,  Understand the frame of reference now.  

This was the comment that made me want to respond to this post in the first place. and shows the shortsightedness I was referring to earlier. @anduriell.6280 may have made the mistake of saying that the changes proposed would increase synergy between the core trait lines; which may have seemed as if direct changes would be made to connect Soulbeast abilities to other existing core traits. This is not the case as you have noticed. However, for @Arrys.7145 to say "Really just a how to make soulbeast traitline stronger independent of any thought of what that does in the larger context." Is ignoring the potential for these changes to actually make a MASSIVE impact on trait lines taken and thusly, build diversity. 

 

As an example, currently Beast Mastery is often taken for the increases to the pet's statistics. With the changes that @anduriell.6280 has proposed that would no longer be the case and instead would become a baseline. That alone would make the other specialization trees more compelling to pick up. Which would INCREASE THE SYNERGY between Soulbeast and the other chosen trainline. Wilderness Survival has almost all of the best defensive traits throughout the ranger specializations It feels as if you NEED to take it at times. But changes like making the pet Archetype not dependent on species of pet, and the combination of supportive and stout pets, and the proposed change to make Second Skin do a Minor Bear Stance, ALL contribute to making the Soulbeast one step closer to not taking Wilderness Survival. Which opens up new possibilities for working with other specializations, creating new opportunities for synergistic gameplay. 

Edited September 13, 2021 by Wild.1705