So, how do we like August 23 balance changes?

[maxwelgm.4315]

My personal benchmark as specter has gone down (with allies) from 39.8k to around 37k  (not saying this is THE benchmark, just how much I lost). I could not find any way to improve the existing rotation to account for the AA buffs (it did not compensate the decrease in venoms). I don't think it was OP before, and now it's kind of meh really, it's on par with pMech and that's assuming permanent alacrity and allies, so maybe just play pMech even more instead 😞

[Lathun.7913]

A little sad they nerfed venoms without compensating any main hand pistol skills, as my main build is P/D Deadeye. I mostly play solo too so I would have liked if they actually shifted some damage from venoms onto the core skills.

[caveman.5840]

is it worth coming back to play thief or does anet still suck at balance patches ?

[Einlanzer.1627]

On 8/13/2022 at 5:32 PM, Stx.4857 said:

I'm happy with the changes to death blossom, and the damage boosts to deadeye and dd passives. 

 

I'm very disappointed with the coefficient increases to sword, which is my favorite weapon.  They actually buffed DD staff MORE than sword, and staff was already ahead so...   yeah, really bummed.  I was looking forward to sword getting a buff.

 

I found this odd also, but I do think the Infilstrator Strike buff is significant enough to make Sword feel way better in practice than it did before. 

Edited September 15, 2022 by Einlanzer.1627

[Doggie.3184]

On 9/13/2022 at 3:42 PM, caveman.5840 said:

is it worth coming back to play thief or does anet still suck at balance patches ?

Unless the new Balance Lead CMC saves us from all the personal bias plaguing the balance decisions all these years then there's very little reason to play the class over others 

One thing that still hurts more than anything is I just want "Ricochet" back. It was very rude for them to just delete every pistol trait and then go and pass the best one onto Necromancer as a baseline feature. We're the Thief yet everyones stealing from us and doing our job better.

[Leo Schrodingers Cat.2497]

I mean its a start. Kinda nice they finally realized that the top percent is not who you balance to.

Edited September 16, 2022 by Leo Schrodingers Cat.2497

[Valisha.8650]

On 9/13/2022 at 9:42 PM, caveman.5840 said:

is it worth coming back to play thief or does anet still suck at balance patches ?

After the announced shroud nerf? Do not come back.

[LyraOrpheo.8450]

Depends, do you play a specific game mode or all of them? For WvW/PvP I can't say, but for PvE you'll want a Ritualist set with Carrion trinkets to make up for the lost shadow force now that its been cut in half, the barrier you'll give with Viper will be very negligible compared to the high vitality build and at a DPS cost that you'll barely even notice in real fights.