I don't feel like I'm having fun on any class.

[rune.9572]

1. Every time I get enough experience on a build I enjoy, it's obliterated by an update. I'm tired of "profession changes" treadmill, at this point I'd take gear treadmill over it.
2.  I can't play group content with classes that follow aesthetics I like because they're not wanted in groups due to performing worse than other classes, which makes me feel like I'm dragging others down by wanting to play what I like.
3.  I feel like I'm forced to change my way of playing every 3 months.
4. Game updates feel like they're just changing things for the sake of it to give players something to do, under the guise of "balance update" with no real sense of direciton.

 

React.

Edited August 26, 2022 by rune.9572
markdown when

[Polar.8634]

What classes you mean? I suppose you talk about PvE. Most classes got buffed in PvE. And those which got little nerfs are still around the top 

[rune.9572]

All of them. Doesn't mater if it's pve meta slave build or my own cute one off surprise wvw build you've never seen that leaves you asking "wtf was that". All of them get randomly nuked by constant change treadmill and because of this I don't feel attached to any playstyle anymore.

Edited August 26, 2022 by rune.9572

[Mell.4873]

8 hours ago, rune.9572 said:

All of them. Doesn't mater if it's pve meta slave build or my own cute one off surprise wvw build you've never seen that leaves you asking "wtf was that". All of them get randomly nuked by constant change treadmill and because of this I don't feel attached to any playstyle anymore.

It is not that bad, most content in the game outside Raids and CM Strikes you can bring almost anything (well 10k+ DPS)

I mean for the longest time a played a Chronomancer Healer in Fractals. People thought it was weird but they never complained (unless we couldn't clear content)

Edited August 26, 2022 by Mell.4873

[Borked.6824]

Just stop being flavor of the month.  Nobody actually cares.  My beloved thief has been staff DD for over a year without shame.  I haven't even swapped his gear template in months for PvE content.  He'll be staff DD for a few years more because I said so.

[Valisha.8650]

It's not just you. A lot of us feel the same way. 90% of builds are either boring, overnerfed, require 300 apm (looking at you untamed), aesthetically dull or have some other hindrance akin to these aforementioned.

[Ashen.2907]

4 hours ago, rune.9572 said:

1. Every time I get enough experience on a build I enjoy, it's obliterated by an update. I'm tired of "profession changes" treadmill, at this point I'd take gear treadmill over it.
2.  I can't play group content with classes that follow aesthetics I like because they're not wanted in groups due to performing worse than other classes, which makes me feel like I'm dragging others down by wanting to play what I like.
3.  I feel like I'm forced to change my way of playing every 3 months.
4. Game updates feel like they're just changing things for the sake of it to give players something to do, under the guise of "balance update" with no real sense of direciton.

 

React.

1) You are of course entitled to your opinion. 

2) What are you playing that is not accepted in group content? I play group content a lot and Ive seen every class and spec represented.

3) With the exception of the most recent series of changes, where subsequent patches were changes to previous patches in the series due to player feedback, you are VASTLY overstating the rate of profession changing patch releases.

4) I don't disagree.

Edited August 26, 2022 by Ashen.2907

[Voyant.1327]

5 hours ago, rune.9572 said:

1. Every time I get enough experience on a build I enjoy, it's obliterated by an update. I'm tired of "profession changes" treadmill, at this point I'd take gear treadmill over it.
2.  I can't play group content with classes that follow aesthetics I like because they're not wanted in groups due to performing worse than other classes, which makes me feel like I'm dragging others down by wanting to play what I like.
3.  I feel like I'm forced to change my way of playing every 3 months.
4. Game updates feel like they're just changing things for the sake of it to give players something to do, under the guise of "balance update" with no real sense of direciton.

 

React.

You've managed to summarize the results of poor balancing pretty effectively. It has a stranglehold on the game. June completely wrecked balance and now they've got to recover from that poorly designed and implemented strategy compound over years of nerfs/missteps.

I would say we just last week or so learned they're doing something else, but beyond not nerfing out of hypothetical overperformance in idealistic settings... We still don't have a real clear vision or understanding, which further exasperates the issues. 

June was expected to be the rework of traits that is long overdue to fix the previous balance teams massive failures in achieveing balance. Its always been lopsided which gives you the favoritism appearance of say Firebrand/Mechanist. Whether it was a malicious abuse of power or not doesn't really matter, its how it'll appear especially without a clear vision.

Balance approach is simple like any other thing:

- chart out boons/ccs/and other 'altering' state mechanics & set an equivalence score. Make sure each class adds to the same level, not the same skills persay just same value in rating, tweak accordingly.

- rework from the ground up, not top down. The core of classes has been thrown off completely. You've gotta start with fixing the root/foundation first otherwise the cracks will always come back. Just like a driveway.

- checks and balances, clear vision, strong communication, and follow thru. Players need to feel that they're not just playing with someone elses toys in their sandbox, so each spec deserves equal representation or a "Dev Mesmer"/"Dev Engineer" etc. Ideally it would be people who enjoy those playstyles and multiple if so. There needs to be an identity of what they're working towards so players can critique and help in that direction. We need to be in the loop (play testing/feedback), and the actions have to match the expectations created. (Unlike June)

They have their work cut out for em, but it is the area that is central to players happiness/enjoyment of the product in ALL game modes (can't keep ignoring WvW/PvP and expect them to trust whats being said)

 

[Bunny.9834]

I have to say in 10 years of playing this game, there’s finally somebody in the dev team that actually listens to the forums and are acknowledging the issues or problems. 

The whole Mirage nerf not happening because the devs realized only a few people can pull the build off and therefore shouldn’t punish all of us is a big positive step. 

There’s still work to do like with FB and Mecha but I understand why they’re so careful with these nerfs because they are the most popular, favored, golden children. 

 

[Mell.4873]

I would prefer these types of nerfs over anything that games like ESO ever did. They nerf classes by removing core mechanics and make every class play the exact same. 

Here all we get is a tweak on the number so the build still exists and it is just not Meta anymore.

Edited August 26, 2022 by Mell.4873

[oscuro.9720]

If you are not having fun on any class, perhaps you need a break from the game? 

[Obtena.7952]

Not sure what you want ... game doesn't satisfy you? Don't play it. 

[Ruisenior.6342]

7 hours ago, Bunny.9834 said:

There’s still work to do like with FB and Mecha but I understand why they’re so careful with these nerfs because they are the most popular, favored, golden children. 

  I can't talk for mechanist, but this year firebrand is taking some big hits. They started nerfing mantra of solace heal, then they nerfed the cooldown reset on kill of the f1, later they nerfed all guardians fire damage and the list goes on.

  At this point you should stop this meme cause firebrand in terms of dps or solo play is mediocre, where it shines is on group content cause its core design.

[SoftFootpaws.9134]

Run Berserker gear or similar, max out your power, then crit cap (swapping out some power if you need to), and put the rest into ferocity. Take %damage runes and sigils, and take all the traits in your build that increase damage. Try to take utilities that increase damage as well. Eat some damage food.

 

You can now join any group as DPS and irregardless of class or weapon will do at least 10k.

 

If you want to play custom builds with all kinds of weirdness there's open world, and dungeons and lower-tier Fractals if you want group content. Also there's a great many hybrid builds which are still welcome in group content as long as you provide something significant to the group (healing, alacrity, quickness, or even just damage numbers that are acceptible).

 

Its really, really not that hard, especially low intensity (LI) builds have massive impact now. It sounds more like you just don't like the game, and it isn't for you.

Edited August 27, 2022 by Mariyuuna.6508

[Bunny.9834]

2 hours ago, Ruisenior.6342 said:

 At this point you should stop this meme cause firebrand in terms of dps or solo play is mediocre, where it shines is on group content cause its core design.

So what exactly is your point? Guardian still has Willbender and DH for DPS. Why should Firebrand also be top DPS while doing EVERYTHING ELSE?  

[Dadnir.5038]

Well... Some people don't like changes while other want things to change continuously. It's difficult to satisfy everyone.

[Ruisenior.6342]

4 minutes ago, Bunny.9834 said:

So what exactly is your point? Guardian still has Willbender and DH for DPS. Why should Firebrand also be top DPS while doing EVERYTHING ELSE?  

  What i claim is that Firebrand isn't a god like alot of people claims. Its good at his role (support), and probably the best well rounded class but not 'overpowered'. People wants Anet to match firebrand on his strengths with other classes and that is not possible, like a firebrand cant be a better duelist than a Catalyst on a pvp match to put an example.

  Firebrand can't be top dps if builded celestial (the build you claim that can do all), it can put good dps numbers builded full dps with a proper support at his side (it relies on perma quickness for this and builded dps cant get this boon 100% uptime), on a solo situation willbender is way better dps and on group content too (lethal tempo trait boost his dps alot).

[Polar.8634]

21 hours ago, rune.9572 said:

All of them. Doesn't mater if it's pve meta slave build or my own cute one off surprise wvw build you've never seen that leaves you asking "wtf was that". All of them get randomly nuked by constant change treadmill and because of this I don't feel attached to any playstyle anymore.

Since latest changes mostly buff stuff and not nerf,you probably are unhappy to that your build is not buffed as others were . That's not same as getting nerfed .

Regarding wvw i feel you as my main rev gets less and less viable options in that game mode too. But, it made me look for other professions more, and it was much fun lately to try out pmesmers builds and different ele. 

Since you like making interesting builds, just make more. And get lege gear for that sake.

[otto.5684]

In PvE, on the three main classes I play the dps builds have been the same for years. Sure, the performance dips every once in a while, but things are fairly consistent.

PvP is a kitten show. 

[Ryou.2398]

14 hours ago, Dadnir.5038 said:

Well... Some people don't like changes while other want things to change continuously. It's difficult to satisfy everyone.

No people do not enjoy there playstyles becoming more clunky, and less performing, everyone has favorite playstyles it has nothing to do with not liking change, its silly to assume all change is good.

[Labjax.2465]

Hopefully the recent acknowledgement of their balancing around the tippy top players not being a great approach and reversing the mirage nerfs is a sign they are improving in this way.

[Angesombre.4630]

If he could already listen to the remarks on the vindicator for example it has known several nerfs but not a single correction on these bugs... since the first beta version

Edited August 28, 2022 by Angesombre.4630

[Raizel.8175]

Can relate to this. The balancing in GW2 is simply whack. One of GW2s biggest weaknesses is that there is basically no class identity. I would really love to play some thematically amazing builds, but alas... they're weak. Why grief my own teammates with some weak build instead of playing ridiculously overpowered Mechanist?

[Ferus.3165]

there is nothing to discuss because this is the truth. There is no direction for anything. Any dps rotation feels random just like it's totaly random which class will be good and which class will be at the bottom of the barrel. Skills getting buffed or nerfed not by 5% or 10% but by huge amounts of several 100% or the damage gets taken away fully. Extreme differences occur even in open world where some classes are so braindead op and easy to play and littered with sustain and inbuild tankyness while having multiple times the solo dps of other classes with far less surviveability.

I mean the offensive and defensive jade tech protocols help quite a lot with reducing the power gap between classes but it is such a bandaid fix and super annoying to reapply this buff every 1-2 hours.

[Dadnir.5038]

17 hours ago, Ryou.2398 said:

No people do not enjoy there playstyles becoming more clunky, and less performing, everyone has favorite playstyles it has nothing to do with not liking change, its silly to assume all change is good.

You're looking at things from a self centered point of view. Fact is that this forum is full of nerf/buff/tweak/change threads and you don't nerf/buff/tweak/change anything without seriously impacting everyone's gameplay and the overall state of the "meta". The OP, as far as I read what he wrote, mainly complain about the fact that his "favourite builds" drop out of the meta every 3 months and he got to learn a new meta build as a result.