solo open world play and how it gets worse and worse the higher level areas become, with eod and it's breakbar madness being the worst so far.

[kharny.3284]

So I enjoy playing mostly solo and just doing heropoints and gathering/map completes with my army of alts.

This used to be very doable with really any basically somewhat logically constructed build in berserker gear without too much issues all the way up to orr and even mosty doable in the later expansions with some issues with hero points being hard to solo especially in HoT.

Now though with so many things practically requiring to break the shield, it gets really difficult to do as a lot of "basic/easy" specs might not have enough to break a bar before it regens.

Not to mention that both HP and damage of mobs seems to have scaled up more than before, so some less durable builds(deadeye thief and some mesmer/ele builds) die even if you pull a mob or 2 too much, let alone elites.... It's kind of sad that my ranger can solo practically anything below a champion and even some champions easily, while my elementalist might as well be called "downed rotation build"...why is so much time spent on massive metas in every map, but small individual events that can be solo'd/duo'd and balance of specs to be useable in open world is taking such a backseat?

[Goettel.4389]

I know it's the kitten obvious thing to say and might look like a cheap shot (not meant as such), but it is an MMO. Do you really expect all content to be solo friendly?

[kharny.3284]

mmo just means it has a lot of players online, not that you have to play with them all the time, this game has always been really solo friendly before and it saddens me that it's getting less so with every expansion.

[AliamRationem.5172]

Is there some rule that says you must use berserker gear to solo everything?  If you want to be invincible and still take things down quickly both ele and mes have builds for that.  Maybe it isn't as easy as just slapping on the same set of gear for every purpose, but a lot of players really like that about the open world game here.  There were plenty of complaints about the days of "go zerk or go home", you know?

That isn't to say you can't go glass if you want to, but there are plenty of more durable options that can still get the job done quickly and efficiently if you'd like a bit more margin for error.

[kharny.3284]

yet every metabattle build seems to be "go zerk or go home" though?

mostly because offensive stats scale so much better.

Edited March 8, 2022 by kharny.3284

[Erise.5614]

26 minutes ago, Goettel.4389 said:

I know it's the kitten obvious thing to say and might look like a cheap shot (not meant as such), but it is an MMO. Do you really expect all content to be solo friendly?

Yes. MMOs should get more solo friendly with every year because it's a huge audience.

Here's an hour long explanation by an industry expert about why players may want to play an MMO solo and why devs should support it:

 

[Tachenon.5270]

43 minutes ago, Goettel.4389 said:

I know it's the kitten obvious thing to say and might look like a cheap shot (not meant as such), but it is an MMO. Do you really expect all content to be solo friendly?

 

I first noticed this with Dragon Stand in HOT, but in several of GW2's open world events we're obviously meant to be a bunch of solo players soloing alongside each other, because all too often if one of us stops soloing long enough to help a downed/dead fellow soloer, we're punished by being downed/killed, too. Seems like its look out for number one -- or else! Which seems bass-ackwards to me, but what do I know. I'm just a filthy casual trying to have a good time, not looking to go pro. 🙂

Edited March 8, 2022 by Tachenon.5270

[AliamRationem.5172]

10 minutes ago, kharny.3284 said:

yet every metabattle build seems to be "go zerk or go home" though?

mostly because offensive stats scale so much better.

That's simply false.  I'm a contributor to metabattle.  The people who run that site work hard to share builds for all styles of play.  I refer you to the open world section: https://metabattle.com/wiki/Open_World 

Here's a sample of one of my favorite open world builds.  This build and variations of it are included in the open world section of metabattle.  It's also pretty much the same build Roul from Snowcrows (you know, those guys with all the raid benchmarks on their site?) likes for open world condi weaver.  So, it isn't just metabattle that has made the effort to move beyond "go zerk or go home".

The solo play options are there for you.  Players even come up with so-called "LI" (low-intensity) builds for players who aren't wizards on the keyboard.  Even elementalist has builds like this that kick butt in solo play!

 

[Sobx.1758]

1 hour ago, Erise.5614 said:

Yes. MMOs should get more solo friendly with every year because it's a huge audience.

Gw2 is already solo friendly, which doesn't mean every bit of content should be easly soloable.

Edited March 8, 2022 by Sobx.1758

[MechanicalMind.9126]

2 hours ago, Goettel.4389 said:

 Do you really expect all content to be solo friendly?

 

No just mostly open world stuff. And honestly i think i would rather call it.. not needing too much of an organized group friendly rather than "solo friendly". Think auric basin. 

Edited March 8, 2022 by MechanicalMind.9126

[Gibson.4036]

2 hours ago, kharny.3284 said:

yet every metabattle build seems to be "go zerk or go home" though?

mostly because offensive stats scale so much better.

If you're looking through the open world builds on metabattle, they typically all have a "trailblazer" or "marauder" version that notes "significant increase in survivability for a small loss in damage".

Note that you can even mix these up. When I start an unfamiliar profession/spec, I often start with the pure damage stats in trinkets and weapon, and the more defensive in armor. Over time as I get used to the build I replace out the armor to damage.

[Lupini.6938]

2 hours ago, AliamRationem.5172 said:

The solo play options are there for you.  Players even come up with so-called "LI" (low-intensity) builds for players who aren't wizards on the keyboard.  Even elementalist has builds like this that kick butt in solo play!

 

SJidebar:  As a 64yo granny, I **love** the LI builds.  Big deal if it takes me 10 hits to kill something instead of 8, at least I survive it!

[Gibson.4036]

Also note, on 

2 hours ago, kharny.3284 said:

yet every metabattle build seems to be "go zerk or go home" though?

mostly because offensive stats scale so much better.

Also note on metabattle builds typically have a section specifically devoted to telling you which of your skills have CC for those breakbars you mentioned.

For soloing, don't miss the food section, which will generally have some options for sustain, and the alternate runes and alternate utility skills sections, which will give you options to have more CC or sustain.

Finally, at the top of metabattle build pages there is a little list of what the point of the build is. Look for builds that specifically list "sustain" as one of their goals.

Edited March 8, 2022 by Gibson.4036

[Lupini.6938]

Build talks aside, the defiance bars are a bit overkill. 

I get that every new expansion has had "Oh crap, these guys are tough" reactions at the start.  Just mention "pocket raptors" and everyone shudders.  We adjust.  But I've had to review every character of 4 (different professions) to now have at least one additional CC/break bar skill on them; more if they are squishier and won't survive cool downs as well.  My ranger is running with both pets that can CC currently.

Perhaps we'll also get used to that, but it does seem to be forcing  that defiance bar down our throats a lot more.  One intersection in Echovold, and everything coming at me was a vet with a defiance bar.   I said out loud to myself  "This is just lazy design."

[Peterson.5172]

actually i've found eod enemies easier than pof, but they apply a lot of conditions which is annoying, especially weakening.

HP mobs are a bit harder than pof but since it's all channel, you can skip them using stealth.

https://wiki.guildwars2.com/wiki/Ash_Legion_Spy_Kit

[AliamRationem.5172]

1 minute ago, Gibson.4036 said:

Also note, on 

Also note on metabattle builds typically have a section specifically devoted to telling you which of your skills have CC for those breakbars you mentioned.

For soloing, don't miss the food section, which will generally have some options for sustain, and the alternate runes and alternate utility skills sections, which will give you options to have more CC or sustain.

Finally, at the top of metabattle build pages there is a little list of what the point of the build is. Look for builds that specifically list "sustain" as one of their goals.

Another note on CC for open world.  There is a consumable skill called electromagical pulse earned from an Icebrood Saga mastery skill called the United Legions Waystation.  If you're struggling with CC, this can make your life much easier. It's also very helpful on large scale events to boost your CC contribution as well as for tagging enemies.

Here's a clip using this mastery to handle CC on a champion so I can just focus on taking it down quickly.  But even my weaver, which has its CC spread across multiple attunements and has only one "big" CC available can handle breakbars on champions like this just fine without taking any additional CC utilities or traits.  This is just a nice option that's available to make your life easier in solo play.

[Sobx.1758]

18 minutes ago, Lupini.6938 said:

Build talks aside, the defiance bars are a bit overkill. 

I get that every new expansion has had "Oh crap, these guys are tough" reactions at the start.  Just mention "pocket raptors" and everyone shudders.  We adjust.  But I've had to review every character of 4 (different professions) to now have at least one additional CC/break bar skill on them; more if they are squishier and won't survive cool downs as well.  My ranger is running with both pets that can CC currently.

Perhaps we'll also get used to that, but it does seem to be forcing  that defiance bar down our throats a lot more.  One intersection in Echovold, and everything coming at me was a vet with a defiance bar.   I said out loud to myself  "This is just lazy design."

I don't think it's exactly a case of lazy design, it's a way of rewarding more flexible builds instead of the ones that "just slot whatever deals most dps". If anything, constantly rewarding maximizing dps in vacuum and nothing else is what would seem more lazy to me. To each their own though.

Edited March 8, 2022 by Sobx.1758

[Just a flesh wound.3589]

I like to use food such as Mango Pie that gives me 80 health per sec.  It’s not a whole lot but sometimes that slight amount of continuous healing will make a difference in a fight. In addition different NPCs sell bundles that can be used. For example you can buy rocks that causes knock down and 200 Defiance Bar damage and in some story fights I’ll use a summonable Fire Elemental for extra damage. 

Edited March 8, 2022 by Just a flesh wound.3589

[KeoLegend.5132]

Everything but META is soloable. Even Champions. 

Get yourself the correct gear prefix and tryagain

[AliamRationem.5172]

1 hour ago, Lupini.6938 said:

Build talks aside, the defiance bars are a bit overkill. 

I get that every new expansion has had "Oh crap, these guys are tough" reactions at the start.  Just mention "pocket raptors" and everyone shudders.  We adjust.  But I've had to review every character of 4 (different professions) to now have at least one additional CC/break bar skill on them; more if they are squishier and won't survive cool downs as well.  My ranger is running with both pets that can CC currently.

Perhaps we'll also get used to that, but it does seem to be forcing  that defiance bar down our throats a lot more.  One intersection in Echovold, and everything coming at me was a vet with a defiance bar.   I said out loud to myself  "This is just lazy design."

There are more elites in EoD than in PoF/HoT and elite units generally have a defiance bar.  However, the defiance bar is no stronger than it is on veteran units from previous expansions.  I did a quick test to be sure.  It looks like 500-600 health, which can easily be taken down with a good hard CC, a light daze, and a bit of soft CC conditions or even more easily with just a springer opener + hard CC.

Elite units do have more health, however, and if you notice many mobs in EoD have either protection or resolution which reduce power or condition damage by 33%.  Since these guys probably have around 200k health, which is significantly more than most veteran units they'll take more work to bring down than you're used to.  Utilizing the defiance bar as well as boon strip (if you have it - poor weaver!) can help and this is probably the idea behind including these guys.  They want players to pay attention to this kind of stuff and incorporate it into their gameplay.

[AliamRationem.5172]

1 hour ago, Just a flesh wound.3589 said:

I like to use food such as Mango Pie that gives me 80 health per sec.  It’s not a whole lot but sometimes that slight amount of continuous healing will make a difference in a fight. In addition different NPCs sell bundles that can be used. For example you can buy rocks that causes knock down and 200 Defiance Bar damage and in some story fights I’ll use a summonable Fire Elemental for extra damage. 

The new jade tech masteries are significant as well.  If you (general you, not you personally!) haven't noticed them yet, they're the offensive/defense jade tech protocols you see all over the place.  They require one jade charge and will grant a buff for 10 minutes (you can stack it up to long duration).  With both buffs active you gain +150 to power, condition damage, toughness, and vitality.  This is on top of the extra vitality gained from the jade bot core which is up to 235 for a T10 core, so nearly 4k additional health for free from EoD masteries!

In addition, these buffs grant quickness, alacrity, fury, and 5x might upon entering combat.  So make sure you're utilizing these as well as your mount engages like springer/raptor for CC and the previously mentioned electromagical pulse if you have it.  These can make a big difference in open world!

 

[LucianDK.8615]

breakbars are healthy for the game, everyone should know what the mechanic does and why we have cc skills.

[Pinkeh.4207]

I found it very difficult to solo on my thief. Not having as much trouble on the guardian. The overall enemies in EoD feel spongier than the previous expansions and cc seems to be more important. 

[wayneericgouin.9371]

5 hours ago, kharny.3284 said:

yet every metabattle build seems to be "go zerk or go home" though?

mostly because offensive stats scale so much better.

Yeah but it's a site maintained by and used for 5% of the player base who actually care about the meta. 

[AliamRationem.5172]

39 minutes ago, wayneericgouin.9371 said:

Yeah but it's a site maintained by and used for 5% of the player base who actually care about the meta. 

You're welcome to your own opinions, but not your own facts.  You can visit metabattle yourself and confirm that this is not the case.  They are not pushing any sort of "meta".  They offer a wide variety of builds for all classes, game modes, and styles of play with each and every one featuring advice on how you might adapt the builds to your own preferences.

Of course, this has been explained to you before in other threads.  I guess the people over at metabattle must have pissed in your cornflakes one morning, huh?