November 29 Balance Update Preview

[Tarusto.2941]

Made a feedback / suggestion on thief forums about Deadeye and its knee

 

 

[Firebeard.1746]

How about to balance mech while making it tractable to play, you add a toggle button that basically tells the mech to only fight within the range that's specified in mechanical Genius. Basically I'm advocating an improvement to the AI where the mech is still pretty fire and forget, but only does stuff when you're in range. I'm really concerned about AI management. I think an improvement or change to its AI is due if you make that change. this would also make heal mech tractable to play in encounters like boneskinner

[lblazer.5381]

6 hours ago, MaLong.2079 said:

I like the range nerf to thief. Please do the same to ranger too. Only engi mortar should have a 1500 range because it is very slow (rate of fire and projectile speed) and it is an ELITE skill kit that has nothing but mortar skills when equipped.

Why is the 300 distance thing added to Mech only? Why not to ranger's pets too? And clones? and minions? etc.?

I am hoping to see more changes related to play and counter play soon.

maybe dev should change mortar range desc, at 1500 range how can they be still be pulled a lot  by 1200 pulls while the mortar farthest aoe circle barely hits anything

[Saleos.8975]

Okay, so...

Overall the update seems good as it 'revives' a few underrated professions to a somewhat playable state (in theory) and it's been a while since I didn't get another headache from reading patch notes because of some unexpected (or stupid) nerfs and changes. Thanks for that, truly.

 

I can understand why not all of the current issues were adressed - it's just impossible to fix everything at once, that's fine, but...

Why didn't you touch the bladesworn? 😄 I mean, damage-wise a good bladesworn right now is cut above everyone else (in most cases in raids/fractals) because of it's insane burst potential. I'm not saying it should be simply nerfed. On the contrary - it's currently in a pretty much healthy state, where you can dish out big numbers (as well as a freaking a lot of CC) if you have a good reaction, know encounter and profession mechanics.

It's a good thing, that a skilled players are rewarded for their efforts, but maybe some love for other currently 'high-risk-no-reward' professions would be good too? (like elementalist)

 

In case someone doesn't get the idea of how the bladesworn being played right now - I'll just leave it here:

 

Speedrunning or not - I'd say many players will learn to play bladesworns after this patch (myself included, even if I don't really like warrior's play-style and theme).

 

P.S. I really like elementalist playstyle, but you need a lot of effort just to be at the same 'usefullness level' to your group as most of the other professions, and it's freaking hard to play the catalyst dps-piano in cases, where you need to watch out for a lot of other encounter mechanics. So people usually switch to other professions, just because they have an opportunity to use some utility skills or have more dps in case of making mistakes or moving around doing encounter mechanics.

Reverting nerfs made to catalyst won't make them playable. Elementalists need their core mechanics to be revised. Like, for example, giving them the option to chose only 2 active attunements instead of having 4 at once. Maybe in that case ele players can adjust their playstyle, and anet can balance ele skills and burst potential to an appropriate level without making them piano-style dps with no window for mistakes or using utilities...

[Za Shaloc.3908]

Since you stated you are trying to look at underused weapons, please consider taking a look at Herald's shield.

While it is acceptable when traited in PvP, I don't think the weapon is quite where it should be across all game modes. I would personally like to see it be pushed more in the direction of a healing/supportive weapon. It's partially there already, but shield 4 suffers from an overly complex mechanical design that makes it very unreliable to use *as an allied healing tool* in any sort of non-stacked PvP setting. I think simplifying its mechanics would be a good start. It could also potentially benefit from a charge system, or perhaps another source of quickness or boon extension (what it used to do). Shield 5 could also benefit from some sort of allied supporting feature, whether it be extending the healing (and thus cleansing when traited) in a PBAoE radius, or perhaps a flipover skill that "bursts" the block into a supportive effect.

Edited November 13, 2022 by Za Shaloc.3908

[iriyabran.6218]

Some QoL changes for scepter but nothing that matters that much.

Water trident change is just horrible for the already clunky support tempest.

Tempest is still a horrible dps choice and has been for too long.

As support it's also still incredibly frustrating to apply alacrity.

 

Catalyst gets -dmg trait reversed which shouldn't have happened in the first place.

Yet to see how hammer 3 change affects dps but if it's calculated to compensate the lack of burst activation then it's still not a great dps choice for the effort it requires. Other classes do better with a braindead rotation.

Maybe at least quickalist could be an ok choice now?

The only neat thing is getting some aegis on earth sphere but since it's part of a rotation it's not really gonna be a useful on demand skill. It's gonna be an aegis which you get randomly when you don't need it.

Weaver untouched even when the power build is weak and it's a super selfish dps class that can't even use a CC on demand without completely destroying it's rotation as a condi because you don't really go into air and water unless you weave yourself.

Most of our utilities are embarassing in pve. Cantrips and even our blink is hilarious compared to other blinks. What are you afraid of? Elementalist being able to move fast in open world PvE?

 

This patch feels like a "be greatful that we didn't completely bash your face in again". I still don't see a reason to log in and play my favorite class even when I WANT TO. Because in the end it leaves me frustrated and annoyed and that's not the feeling I want when I play something for enjoyment.

 

It's literally been years. When will ele be in a spot where it's not a burden to the squad and I get side-eyed in high end pve? But most importantly my biggest disappointment is that I don't get why we get treated this way.

 

Edited November 13, 2022 by iriyabran.6218

[Gaiawolf.8261]

5 hours ago, Batalix.2873 said:

 

No profession needs an espec as diverse as FB or Mech to the point of obviating (a) the other two especs and (b) most other especs.

 

FB isn't "diverse". It's "unfocused" and "over equipped". If it did no weapon damage at all or were encouraged to use a unique healing/support axe, then it might be something approaching "good" design; it still has a literal library of options for group support that I guarantee would not make it unviable. There are so few comparables to pure healers like Druid in this game they would still be very competitive for that niche.

 

Whereas, sorry FBs, but your axe attacks are kinda boring and don't give off much burning vibes at all. I enjoy more of the core guardian weapons than I do FB Axe, which feels like it vaguely considered being about moving/zoning enemies/allies and then gave up and did straight damage. It's ambivalent and boring

Guess we'll just have to disagree what makes a class fun and engaging to play in the game. I've played them all except rev and a few scattered specs across other classes. FB and mirage are my two favorites by far. Some really dynamic tools in each kit that I often feel are missing when playing some other specs. Mech, conversely, plays nothing like FB and was not very rewarding to play.

I agree axe is a somewhat boring weapon for FB, though I love the pull and symbols in general, which is partly why I so value the tools the tomes offered. I'm also not vibing with the idea of a lorekeeper with access to powerful magic gleaned from books, relying too heavily on just whacking things with a blade over and over again. I hear some interesting feedback about adding a hybrid/condi component to scepter which could make that weapon more viable. I hope the devs notice and look into that. Otherwise, I fear this rework will force me to camp axe even more. We'll see.

Edited November 13, 2022 by Gaiawolf.8261

[Bluevan.9248]

I dont get mirage staff change. Is the idea to get 1s alacrity with ambush vortex from each staff clone so you rotate clones more often? Coz if so its fine, but if its just plain reduction from 2.5s to 1s from vortex then its sad nerf without a big reason behind it. Can we see many mirage alac staff players around? Chrono and sword buffs are highly appreciated. 

Mech change is probably for pvp mostly since mech alone create too big impact against glass cannon builds and in some situations downed mechanist can easily win the fights. Not sure if this is a huge change for competitive pve since you are packed close together most of the time.

Deadeye stealth and 1500 range is very annoying in wvw, so i appreciate range change for this game mode and not sure it can be a game changer in pve apart from the sniper feeling which is irrelevant for performance ofc.

Edited November 13, 2022 by Bluevan.9248
2

[Donutdude.9582]

Disappointed w' FB and Deadeye changes.

Tomes will now feel clunky to use and the range reduction of rifle abilities for the convenience of the Kneel changes are not worth the sacrifice.  At all.

Good thing I am enjoying my Willbender and my recently-discovered hammer Warrior (appreciative of the Fierce Blow and other changes for Defiant enemies).

Guess I'll put my FB in the cupboard, unless a QFB is desperately needed for a meta.

[nthmetal.9652]

12 hours ago, Gaiawolf.8261 said:

Firebrands still have 5 pages, now shared across all tomes, that regenerate at 1 page per 8 seconds.
Archivist still bumps it up to 8 pages, allowing them to start combat with more and stock more overall.
Loremaster increases page regeneration to 1 page every 6 seconds.
Also Swift Scholar regenerates 1 page for every 3 consecutive tome skills used, so now it makes no sense to open a tome for only 2 skills, or 5, since an extra one would be 'free.'

Where do you take this information from? If this is true, I do see some issues upcoming in WvW,but it should be easy to tweak numbers in case this actually turns out to be a problem. In WvW you actually do need to be able to burst stab, otherwise there will just be more ping pong. Also once more such changes emphasize the advantages of having simply the bigger group size, making it less fun and harder to play as a smaller group. 

[nthmetal.9652]

12 hours ago, Gaiawolf.8261 said:

 

Edited November 13, 2022 by nthmetal.9652
Can be removed, duplicate post

[Gaiawolf.8261]

33 minutes ago, nthmetal.9652 said:

Where do you take this information from? If this is true, I do see some issues upcoming in WvW,but it should be easy to tweak numbers in case this actually turns out to be a problem. In WvW you actually do need to be able to burst stab, otherwise there will just be more ping pong. Also once more such changes emphasize the advantages of having simply the bigger group size, making it less fun and harder to play as a smaller group. 

Explained in the livestream.
Firebrand Tome/Trait Rework 11-22
https://imgur.com/a/fN1RkPB

[Zulu.6143]

This is massive change. I am really looking forward to how the fb changes will work. Thank you so much for putting it together. This is wonderful, as in the past only newer spec were worked on. Now the team is working on everything, keep it up. 

[eldrevo.1746]

First of all, I'm really excited about the Firebrand changes! Slightly concerned about potential obscurity with things like inner timings  / cooldowns on things like page generation, virtue active and passive triggers -- you know, stuff that has no clear visual tracking. But looking forward to try the changes anyway, and especially welcome some long awaited trait diversity. Could only wish Dragonhunter traits were next to update ^^

Speaking of which, happy to see buffs to Dragonhunter (especially some more love to Longbow) and many other DPS specs. Would agree with the others who asked for more drastic and bold buffs, but even babysteps are fine and welcome by me.

And then we get Deadeye... Adding movement to Kneel and removing the old annoyance of any CC cancelling it is all great, piercing Death's Judgement is also great but could've been made only better with same treatment to Three Round Burst, extra movement option on 4 is cool, but seriously, what has the range nerf to do with it? Does it look like a character moving at 25% speed would cover those 300 units so it was needed to be cut? If a mobile long-range weapon is an issue, why is Ranger Longbow a thing, almost uncontested at being the longest range weapon with literally no mobility drawbacks for these 10 years? Sure, deadeye is annoying to fight against in competitive, but I doubt those 300 extra range will make a difference in the world where everyone has a ton of mobility skills and projectile hate by now. And removing it just hurts both the QoL of the spec that already suffers in this department and also the fantasy of being a sniper spec. Please revert the range nerf, it won't be as bad.

And speaking of Kneel, do you think that walking animation in kneel state answers GW2's (very high) standard of character animation? I know it's not like you have free animation budget on balance patches but can we possiblt see at least some patchwork crouch walking animation in future? That'll be great to have! And of course, such animation could be reused for a lot of purposes later anyway.

tl;dr

• Firebrand rework looks great, but new virtue interactions look overcomplicated and hard to track
• Power builds DPS buff is awesome but sometimes feels like changes can be bolder
• Deadeye tuning is great but pls revert range nerf and think of adding piercing to Rifle 3
• Kneel walking animation doesn't look anywhere close to GW2 standards. Pls make a proper crouch walk animation

[ollbirtan.2915]

Yet more proof how out of touch the "balance" team is with the player base and the game.  Lack of understanding of the game  and why certain classes were initially designed this or that way. "Design manifesto" kitten.

Every new "balance update" feels more like a round of bingo. Just a random example - I personally don't like thieves but even to someone biased to thieves like me, the deadeye 1500 to 1200 range nerf seem completely outrageous and, to put it mildly, not thought through well.  And don't get me started on FB "balance". Have the devs ever heard of something called "class identity" and "diversity" that they say they promote? Well the 1500 to 1200 range nerfs are taking away deadeye's spec identity. 

Do the devs actually understand how core traits interact with each other and elite specs? All I see is more nerfs which leads to homogenized playstyle and boring gameplay. Keep it up if you want to alienate more of your players. 👍

Edited November 13, 2022 by ollbirtan.2915

[Izzy.2951]

When doing this update are you guys having in mind the overcreep? i mean if  you keep buffing things like hell, all the content is gonna get easier and easier. Maybe tuning down other things sometimes is better!

[Gehenna.3625]

1 hour ago, Gaiawolf.8261 said:

Explained in the livestream.
Firebrand Tome/Trait Rework 11-22
https://imgur.com/a/fN1RkPB

That leaves questions about Renewed Justice and Swift Scholar though. I wonder what they're going to do with RJ considering that Tomes will no longer have a CD. I mean RJ now lowers the CD of tomes on kills, I think that part has to be updated.

And SwS grants quickness on equipping or stowing and after the change will also grant one extra page after using 3 consecutive skills from a given tome.

I guess it will be that quickness can only be granted every 8 seconds as it is now, but will it still need a trigger I mean I can imagine that after 8 seconds you can then switch to another tome and back. It just seems a bit odd that you'd have to change from one tome to another, without even casting another spell and then gl back to your main tome, just to have the extra quickness again.

In which case, I would probably like to see a CD timer somewhere in the UI of SwS's 8 second CD on the Quickness trigger.

Also interestingly both of these traits will now return pages, at least for DPS, since RJ only applies to Tome 1. There's a lot to think about here.

[Calen Elee.8452]

Thank you ArenaNet for gradually getting me out of the desire not to play GW2 in each patch...

On 11/11/2022 at 3:51 PM, Double Tap said:

Hi, everyone,

 

We're back with another balance preview, this time for the upcoming November 29 update. As always, the goal of previewing these changes is to gather feedback before the live release. We'll be following the conversation and making further adjustments as needed.

Thanks,

Cal "cmc" Cohen
Skills and Balance Lead

November 29 Balance Update Preview

General
Sigil of Absorption is a longtime outlier in World vs. World, largely due to a bug with its cooldown (or lack thereof) when used against players. We're still planning a larger pass on boon applications and boon removal in WvW for a future update, but Sigil of Absorption was something we wanted to address sooner rather than later.

• Sigil of Absorption: Fixed an issue that prevented this trait from having an internal cooldown when used against players.

Elementalist
Scepter is a weapon that sees some play in PvE, but it struggles to find a place in competitive modes as a lot of its skills are less reliable or simply lacking in power. We've tuned up a lot of the weaker skills in the kit with the goal of solidifying scepter as an effective damage-dealing weapon.

Catalyst was hit hard by the last update to PvE, and we're making a few changes to bring it back up, removing the damage penalty from Spectacular Sphere and giving a bit more damage to Empowering Auras. We've also updated the behavior of the hammer's third-slot weapon skills to make the strikes more consistent and remove the difference in effectiveness between hitbox sizes.

On the PvP side, Earth Shield gets some defensive shaves, primarily targeting two of the most potent builds in the meta: catalyst and tempest. We've also made some minor improvements to condition-based weaver, a build that has fallen out of the meta in recent months.

Last up is a slight improvement to tempest's healing in WvW as we continue to work toward a more diverse set of support options.

Core

• Dragon's Tooth: This skill now attaches to the target instead of being ground targeted. Using this skill with no target will cast a stationary spell at the user's location. Increased cooldown from 6 seconds to 8 seconds in PvP and WvW.
• Phoenix: This skill now inflicts an additional stack of burning against enemies that are already burning. Reduced burning stacks from 2 to 1 in PvE only.
• Ice Shards: Reduced aftercast by 170 milliseconds.
• Shatterstone: This skill now inflicts chill instead of vulnerability and strikes enemies on the initial cast in addition to the explosion. Reduced explosion time from 1 second to 0.67 seconds. Reduced power coefficient from 1.66 to 1.0 in PvE, and from 1.5 to 0.6 in PvP and WvW.
• Water Trident: This skill is no longer ground targeted, and instead it fires projectiles at the target and up to 2 nearby enemies. This skill no longer heals allies, and instead it heals the caster when striking an enemy. This skill now deals increased damage to chilled enemies. Increased ammunition from 1 to 2. Increased power coefficient from 0.5 to 1.6 in PvE and from 0.5 to 1.25 in PvP and WvW.
• Lightning Strike: This skill now strikes up to 2 additional enemies near the target and inflicts vulnerability. Increased power coefficient from 1.2 to 1.5 in PvE only.
• Blinding Flash: This skill now strikes up to 2 additional enemies near the target and inflicts weakness against vulnerable enemies. Increased ammunition from 1 to 2.
• Rock Barrier: This skill now grants barrier and resistance to the user in addition to its other effects.
• Hurl: Reduced delay between projectiles from 0.5 seconds to 0.2 seconds.
• Dust Devil: This skill is now ground targeted and creates a spell that pulses three times. Enemies in the area are blinded by the initial strike, and bleeding enemies are crippled when struck.
• Tectonic Shift: Reduced barrier pulse from 778 to 506 in PvP only.
• Fortify: Increased cooldown from 30 seconds to 50 seconds in PvP only.
• Stormsoul: The bonus damage from this trait will now always affect defiant foes.
• Evasive Arcana: Fixed an issue that prevented this trait from triggering Flame Burst while dodging.

Tempest

• Elemental Bastion: Increased heal attribute scaling from 0.4125 to 0.8 in WvW only.

Weaver

• Shearing Edge: This skill now inflicts bleeding in addition to its other effects.
• Twin Strike: Increased burning stacks from 1 to 2 in PvP only.
• Flame Uprising: Increased burning duration from 4 seconds to 6 seconds in PvP only.

Catalyst

• Hardened Auras, Empowering Auras, Staunch Auras, and Elemental Epitome: These traits will now only trigger when the catalyst grants an aura to themselves, rather than when gaining an aura from any player.
• Flame Wheel, Icy Coil, Crescent Wind, Rocky Loop: These skills now strike enemies once per second instead of using a projectile. Increased power coefficient from 0.001 to 0.25 in PvE only.
• Spectacular Sphere: This trait no longer reduces outgoing damage and causes Earth Sphere to grant aegis instead of resistance in PvE only.
• Empowering Auras: Increased damage bonus per stack from 2% to 3% in PvE only.

Engineer
For this update we focused on tuning up both power and condition damage builds for holosmith in PvE, neither of which were competitive picks. We've also made an adjustment to the mechanist to better reward players who are able to position well. We do like that mechanist is a viable option for a lower-intensity playstyle, but we see it as slightly overperforming relative to where we want those builds to be.

We've also tuned up a few skills for scrapper in PvP. We're being a bit careful as we've seen the result when scrapper's defenses are too potent, but we would like to reestablish scrapper as an effective bruiser.

Core

• Box of Nails: The first pulse of this skill will now immobilize enemies affected by crowd control or a movement-impairing condition. Increased ammunition from 1 to 2.
• Rifle Burst: This skill now fires one piercing projectile before the grenade instead of two. Increased piercing projectile power coefficient from 0.3 to 0.4 in PvE only. Grenade power coefficient increased from 0.4 to 0.6 in PvE only. Increased skill animation speed; total animation duration remains the same as previous version in PvE only.

Scrapper

• Electro-whirl: Increased power coefficient from 0.68 to 0.75 in PvP only.
• Bypass Coating: Reduced cooldown from 35 seconds to 25 seconds in PvP only.
• Medic Gyro: Reduced cooldown from 30 seconds to 25 seconds in PvP only.

Holosmith

• Cauterize: This skill now removes additional conditions when used while above 100% heat.
• Particle Accelerator: This skill now gains bonus damage while above 50% heat and additional bonus damage while above 100% heat, in addition to its previous effects.
• Prismatic Singularity: This skill now gains bonus damage on the explosion portion of the attack when used above 100% heat, in addition to its previous effects. Increased explosion power coefficient from 0.5 to 1.2 in PvE only.
• Flash Spark: This skill now grants additional light aura duration when used above 100% heat.
• Blade Burst: This skill now deals bonus damage when used above 100% heat, in addition to its previous effects.
• Spectrum Shield: This skill now grants additional duration when used above 100% heat, in addition to its previous effects.
• Coolant Blast: This skill now grants additional duration to Cooling Vapor and Frost Aura when used above 100% heat, in addition to its previous effects.
• Laser Disk: This skill now gains additional damage when used above 100% heat, in addition to its previous effects.
• Hard Light Arena: This skill now grants allies the full duration of boons when used above 100% heat, in addition to its previous effects.
• Prime Light Beam: This skill now gains additional field strike damage and burning duration when used above 100% heat, in addition to its previous effects.
• Corona Burst: Increased power coefficient per hit from 1.2 to 1.5 in PvE only.
• Holographic Shockwave: Increased power coefficient from 0.96 to 1.8 in PvE only.
• Sun Edge (PvE only): Increased damage bonus while above 50% heat from 10% to 20%. Increased damage bonus while above 100% heat from 20% to 30%.   
• Sun Ripper (PvE only): Increased damage bonus while above 50% heat from 10% to 20%. Increased damage bonus while above 100% heat from 20% to 30%.   
• Gleam Saber (PvE only): Increased damage bonus while above 50% heat from 10% to 20%. Increased damage bonus while above 100% heat from 20% to 30%.   
• Refraction Cutter: Increased projectile power coefficient from 0.275 to 0.4 in PvE only.
• Solar Focusing Lens: Increased burning duration on enemies from 2 seconds to 3 seconds in PvE only.
• Photonic Blasting Module: Increased burning from 2 stacks for 2 seconds to 5 stacks for 4 seconds in PvE only.

Mechanist

• Mechanical Genius: Combat attribute bonuses to the mech are now reduced by 50% if the engineer is more than a range of 360 away from the mech for a certain amount of time.

 
Guardian
Firebrand is a specialization that has access to a few too many tools with minimal investment. Tomes are a large component of this, as the utilities of Tome of Resolve and Tome of Courage are easily accessible even for damage-focused builds. Our goal for this update is to increase the opportunity cost of accessing these tools, and to that end, pages will now be a shared resource that builds over time. Firebrands will now need to more carefully decide how they spend their pages, whether they want to focus on damage, support, or a mix of both.

We've also made some improvements to dragonhunter and willbender as we tune up underperforming damage builds in PvE.

Core

• Binding Blade: Increased pulse damage power coefficient from 0.2 to 0.3 in PvE only.
• Sword of Wrath: Increased power coefficient from 0.666 to 0.75 in PvE only.
• Sword Arc: Increased power coefficient from 0.725 to 0.8 in PvE only.
• Sword of Justice: Increased power coefficient per strike from 0.72 to 0.8 in PvE only.

Dragonhunter

• Heavy Light: This trait now gives a 10% damage increase when striking defiant foes, in addition to its previous effect. These bonuses do not stack.
• True Shot (PvE only): Increased power coefficient from 2.44 to 3.2. Increased cooldown from 4 seconds to 6 seconds.
• Hunter's Ward (PvE only): Reduced cooldown from 40 seconds to 20 seconds. Increased power coefficient of initial hit from 0.25 to 0.75. Increased power coefficient of final hit from 2.2 to 2.5.
• Spear of Justice: Increased power coefficient from 0.6 to 0.8 in PvE only.
• Dragon's Maw (PvE only): Reduced cooldown from 75 seconds to 50 seconds. Increased power coefficient from 2.4 to 3.6.
• Big Game Hunter: Increased bonus tether duration from 66% to 100% in PvE only.
• Hunter's Ward: Reduced ring duration from 5 seconds to 3 seconds in WvW only.

Firebrand

• The page mechanic for firebrand tomes has been reworked. Pages are now shared across all tomes and refill at a set interval instead of when summoning a tome.
• Page costs and cooldowns have been adjusted to the following:
  • Justice
    • Chapter 1: 1 page, no cooldown
    • Chapter 2: 1 page, 8 seconds
    • Chapter 3: (PvE) 1 page, 10 seconds; (PvP/WvW) 2 pages, 15 seconds
    • Chapter 4: 2 pages, 15 seconds
    • Epilogue: 2 pages, 20 seconds
  • Resolve
    • Chapter 1: 1 page, no cooldown
    • Chapter 2: (PvE) 1 page, 4 seconds; (PvP/WvW) 1 page, 8 seconds
    • Chapter 3: 1 page, 8 seconds
    • Chapter 4: (PvE) 2 pages, 10 seconds; (PvP/WvW) 2 pages, 15 seconds
    • Epilogue: (PvE) 2 pages, 20 seconds; (PvP/WvW) 3 pages, 25 seconds
  • Courage
    • Chapter 1: 1 page, no cooldown
    • Chapter 2: (PvE) 1 page, 4 seconds; (PvP/WvW) 2 pages, 8 seconds
    • Chapter 3: (PvE) 2 pages, 15 seconds; (PvP/WvW) 2 pages, 20 seconds
    • Chapter 4: 2 pages, 20 seconds
    • Epilogue: 3 pages, 25 seconds
• Chapter 1: Searing Spell: This skill now inflicts vulnerability in addition to its current effects.
• Chapter 4: Scorched Aftermath: Increased burning and bleeding duration from 2 seconds to 5 seconds in PvE only.
• Chapter 2: Radiant Recovery: Increased the number of conditions removed from 1 to 2 in PvP and WvW.
• Epilogue: Eternal Oasis: Increased number of conditions converted to boons from 2 to 5 in PvP and WvW.
• Chapter 1: Unflinching Charge: This skill now grants protection instead of stability.
• Swift Scholar: This trait now also refunds one page after using three consecutive skills in a single tome.
• Stoic Demeanor: This trait has been reworked. Retain the Tome of Courage passive effect while it is on cooldown. Grant boons to nearby allies when you disable, immobilize, or slow an enemy.
• Quickfire: This trait now also retains the Tome of Justice passive effect while it is on cooldown.
• Loremaster: This trait has been reworked. Retain the Tome of Resolve passive effect while it is on cooldown. You generate pages more quickly.

Willbender

• Heaven's Palm (PvE only): Reduced cooldown from 45 seconds to 20 seconds. Increased power coefficient from 1.0 to 3.0.
• Lethal Tempo: Increased bonus damage per stack from 1% to 2% in PvE only.
• Tyrant's Momentum: Increased damage increase per stack from 2% to 3% in PvE only.

Mesmer

One of our goals for mesmer is to address the performance of the staff/axe mirage build, which we feel doesn't have to sacrifice quite enough for the boon uptime it provides. We've moved some of the boon application to the clones' staff ambush, which will force the mirage to choose between higher boon uptime with staff clones or higher damage output with axe clones.

We've targeted some improvements to chronomancer's power damage builds in PvE, bumping up the damage of some sword skills, wells, and Chronophantasma. We've also slightly reduced Continuum Split's duration in PvP after seeing the performance of chronomancer following its restored access to distortion.

Core

• Mind Slash: Increased power coefficient from 0.8 to 1.0 in PvE only.
• Mind Gash: Increased power coefficient from 0.8 to 1.0 in PvE only.
• Mind Spike: Increased power coefficient when striking enemies with boons from 1.0 to 1.5 PvE only.

Chronomancer

• Chronophantasma: Increased resummoned phantasm damage from 75% to 100% in PvE only.
• Well of Calamity: Increased power coefficient of initial strikes from 0.5 to 1.0 in PvE only.
• Gravity Well (PvE only): Reduced cooldown from 90 seconds to 60 seconds. Increased power coefficient for pulsing strikes from 0.6 to 0.8. Increased power coefficient for the final strike from 2.4 to 3.0.
• Continuum Split: Reduced duration from 1.5/3/4.5/6 to 1/2/3/4 in PvP only.

Mirage

• Chaos Vortex: Clones using this skill will now grant the same boons in an area of effect around the mesmer instead of around the clones themselves. Reduced alacrity duration from 2.5 seconds to 1 second. Reduced might stacks from 8 to 2.

 
Necromancer

Power reaper is another damage build that we've sought to improve in PvE, bringing up some of its less potent skills in Reaper Shroud and giving it a bit more consistent pressure while out of shroud.

On the competitive side, we've adjusted a few less used utility skills. Corrupt Boon is a skill that saw significant reductions after it gained a second ammunition and hasn't seen a ton of play since then. We've removed the extra charge in PvP and bumped up the number of corrupts to make the skill a more potent threat.

Core

• Corrupt Boon (PvP only): Reduced ammunition from 2 to 1. Increased number of boons converted into conditions from 2 to 5. Increased cooldown from 24 seconds to 30 seconds.
• Spectral Armor (PvP and WvW): Reduced duration from 8 seconds to 6 seconds. Reduced cooldown from 45 seconds to 30 seconds.
• Signet of Spite: Reduced cooldown from 60 seconds to 40 seconds in PvP and WvW.
• Signet of the Locust (PvP and WvW): Increased healing per target struck from 500 to 800. Reduced cooldown from 30 seconds to 25 seconds.
• Soul Barbs: Increased duration from 10 seconds to 15 seconds in PvE only.

Reaper

• Chilling Nova: Reduced cooldown from 8 seconds to 3 seconds in PvE only.
• Nightfall: Reduced cooldown from 25 seconds to 20 seconds in PvE only.
• Dusk Strike: Increased power coefficient from 1.0 to 1.2 in PvE only.
• Chilling Scythe: This skill now reduces the recharge of Gravedigger when striking an enemy.
• Death's Charge (PvE only): Increased power coefficient of initial strikes from 0.125 to 0.25. Fixed an issue that prevented the damage of the initial strikes from being listed on this skill's tooltip.
• Executioner's Scythe (PvE only): Increased power coefficient against targets at or above 50% health to 3.0. Increased power coefficient against targets below 50% health to 4.0. Increased power coefficient against targets below 25% to 5.0.

Scourge

• Feed from Corruption: The following boon applications from this trait have been adjusted in WvW only:
  • Might: Reduced stacks from 3 to 1.
  • Protection and resolution: Reduced duration from 4 seconds to 2 seconds.
  • Regeneration: Reduced duration from 8 seconds to 4 seconds.
  • Stability: Reduced from 2 stacks for 5 seconds to 1 stack for 3 seconds.
  • Vigor: Reduced duration from 6 seconds to 3 seconds.

Ranger

Untamed is one of the specializations that struggles the most against defiant enemies, as a lot of its kit is built around capitalizing against targets that are crowd controlled. As part of a larger pass, we've adjusted these skills to always inflict their bonuses against defiant enemies to make them more reliable in endgame PvE content. We've also made some improvements to the non-Unleashed side of the hammer kit to improve its defensive capabilities. Fervent Force is a trait that we're likely to bring down in a future update, but we want to improve other options for untamed before doing so.

In PvP, we've brought down the drake family's Chomp damage, primarily targeting the burst potential that it brings to untamed builds.

Rounding out the ranger updates are some improvements to druid's healing in WvW. We've seen more druids being played since the October update, but we think it could still use a slight bump to solidify its place as a viable support pick.

Core

• Chomp (Drake Family): Reduced power coefficient from 0.65 to 0.455 in PvP only.
• Predator's Onslaught: The bonus damage from this trait will now always affect defiant foes.

Druid

• Astral Wisp: Increased heal attribute scaling from 0.1 to 0.2 in WvW only.
• Ancestral Grace: Increased heal attribute scaling from 1.0 to 1.5 in WvW only.
• Ancient Seeds: This skill will now trigger against defiant foes in addition to its previous effects.

Untamed

• The following skills now also apply their bonus effect against defiant enemies:
  • Venomous Outburst
  • Rending Vines
  • Enveloping Haze
  • Unleashed Wild Swing
  • Unleashed Savage Shock Wave
• Perilous Gift: This skill no longer prevents lethal damage, and instead it prevents all incoming strike and condition damage for its duration.
• Relentless Whirl: Increased stability from 1 stack for 2 seconds to 2 stacks for 3 seconds.
• Wild Swing: This skill now grants barrier when striking an enemy.
• Overbearing Smash: This skill now grants barrier when striking an enemy that is using a skill. Reduced cooldown from 15 seconds to 12 seconds in PvP and WvW.
• Unleashed Overbearing Smash: Reduced cooldown from 15 seconds to 12 seconds in PvP and WvW.
• Savage Shock Wave: The first strike of this skill now applies weakness instead of immobilize. The second strike of this skill now applies immobilize instead of weakness. This skill now grants protection to the user. Reduced casting time from 1 second to 0.75 seconds. Reduced cooldown from 18 seconds to 15 seconds in PvP and WvW.
• Unleashed Savage Shock Wave: Reduced casting time from 1 second to 0.75 seconds. Reduced cooldown from 18 seconds to 15 seconds in PvP and WvW.
• Thump: Reduced cooldown from 25 seconds to 20 seconds in PvP and WvW.
• Unleashed Thump: Reduced cooldown from 25 seconds to 20 seconds in PvP and WvW.
• Restorative Strikes: This trait now also grants protection when you or your pet unleash.
• Debilitating Blows: This trait now applies poison instead of vulnerability and slow instead of weakness when disabling a foe based on your current state in PvE only.
• Ferocious Symbiosis: Increased damage bonus per stack from 3% to 4% in PvE only.

Revenant

Vindicator has continued to be a powerful force in PvP after the most recent set of changes, and we're making a few additional reductions in this update. We see vindicator as doing a bit too much damage when investing heavily in defensive traits, so we've shaved down a few skills to create more of a decision point between damage and defense. We've also reduced the stability from Reaver's Rage and removed the ability to dodge while immobilized with the goal of making vindicator slightly easier to bring down.

The last set of changes didn't have quite enough impact on condition-based revenant builds in PvP, and we're following up with a few more adjustments to improve their damage output and free up a bit more energy while in Legendary Demon Stance.

We've focused on improving damage builds for both herald and vindicator in PvE, improving the potency of sword off hand, Legendary Assassin Stance and Legendary Dragon Stance, and the Luxon side of Legendary Alliance Stance.

Core

• Shackling Wave (PvE only): Increased power coefficient of initial strike from 1.0 to 1.2. Increased power coefficient of additional strikes from 0.35 to 0.4.
• Deathstrike (PvE only): Increased power coefficient of initial strike from 0.33 to 0.45. Increased power coefficient of final strike from 2.0 to 2.67.
• Impossible Odds: Increased power coefficient on secondary strikes from 0.55 to 0.65 in PvE only.
• Jade Winds: Increased power coefficient from 1.5 to 3.0 in PvE only.
• Seething Malice: Increased condition damage from 120 to 240 in PvP only.
• Banish Enchantment: Reduced energy cost from 30 to 25 in PvP only.
• Call to Anguish: Reduced energy cost from 30 to 25 in PvP only.
• Rising Tide: Reduced health threshold from 90% to 75% in PvE only.

Herald

• Elemental Blast: Reduced cooldown from 15 seconds to 12 seconds in PvE only.
• Burst of Strength (PvE only): Reduced cooldown from 15 seconds to 12 seconds. Increased effect duration from 5 seconds to 10 seconds. Reduced damage bonus from 25% to 15%. Damage bonus now applies to condition damage as well as strike damage.
• Chaotic Release: Increased power coefficient from 2.0 to 4.0 in PvE only.

Vindicator

• Vindicators can no longer dodge while immobilized.
• Spear of Archemorus: Reduced range from 2,000 to 1,200. Increased power coefficient from 3.5 to 5.0 in PvE only. Increased torment duration from 5 seconds to 8 seconds in PvE only.
• Scavenger Burst: Adjusted burning from one stack for 8 seconds to two stacks for 5 seconds in PvE only. Endurance gain increased from 5 per target to 20 per target in PvE only. Energy cost reduced from 20 to 15 in PvE only. Reduced power coefficient from 1.55 to 1.4 in PvP only.
• Tree Song: Energy cost reduced from 20 to 15 in PvE only.
• Battle Dance: Energy cost reduced from 20 to 15 in PvE only.
• Nomad's Advance: Energy cost reduced from 20 to 15 in PvE only. Reduced power coefficient from 2.3 to 2.1 in PvP only.
• Reaver's Rage (PvP only): Reduced power coefficient from 1.25 to 1.0. Reduced stability duration from 6 seconds to 3 seconds. Reduced daze duration from 1.5 seconds to 1 second.

Thief

Our primary goal for thief in this update was to improve the usability of deadeye in PvE. Rifle has a lot of potential as a damage-dealing option, but the stationary nature of Kneel made it difficult to reach this potential in real gameplay situations. We're updating Kneel to allow for some movement at a reduced speed to give a bit more flexibility during encounters.

We've also added a damage reduction to Shadow Shroud in PvE to compensate for the reduction in shroud health in the October update. We'll be keeping an eye on how this plays out and will make further adjustments to Shadow Shroud as necessary.

Wrapping up the thief changes are a handful of power damage improvements for daredevil and dagger.

Core

• Double Strike: Increased power coefficient from 0.3 to 0.4 in PvE only.
• Wild Strike: Increased power coefficient from 0.65 to 0.8 in PvE only.
• Lotus Strike: Increased power coefficient from 1.1 to 1.2 in PvE only.
• Heartseeker (PvE only): Increased power coefficient against targets at or above 50% health to 1.5. Increased power coefficient against targets below 50% health to 2.0. Increased power coefficient against targets below 25% health to 2.5.
• Cloak and Dagger: Increased power coefficient from 1.25 to 1.6 in PvE only.

Daredevil

• Impact Strike: Increased power coefficient from 0.75 to 1.75 in PvE only.
• Finishing Blow: Increased power coefficient from 2.0 to 4.0 in PvE only.

Deadeye

• Kneel: Increased initiative cost from 1 to 2. While kneeling, players can now move at a 75% reduced speed. Kneel is no longer canceled when you become disabled.
• Skirmisher's Shot: Reduced range from 1,500 to 1,200.
• Three Round Burst: Reduced range from 1,500 to 1,200.
• Death's Judgement: This skill now pierces foes not targeted by Deadeye's Mark. Damage dealt to unmarked enemies is reduced. Players can now move while using this skill. Reduced range from 1,500 to 1,200.

Specter

• Shadow Shroud: Added a 0.5-second cooldown to Exit Shadow Shroud after using Enter Shadow Shroud. Shadow Shroud now reduces incoming damage by 33% in PvE only.

Warrior

A handful of warrior's skill and trait bonuses will be applied against defiant foes. We've also made some adjustments to improve berserker damage builds in PvE, fixing an issue with Bloody Roar's bonus damage and making Outrage's berserk extension more reliable now that Headbutt no longer removes stability.

Enchantment Collapse is another boon-removal outlier that we wanted to address in WvW for this update, and we've increased the cooldown ever so slightly to reduce its effectiveness with Winds of Disenchantment.

Core

• Fierce Blow: The bonus damage from this skill will now affect defiant enemies.
• Banner of Tactics: This skill now breaks stuns on allies in addition to its other effects.
• Unsuspecting Foe: This trait now gives a 25% critical chance bonus when striking defiant foes, in addition to its previous effect. These bonuses do not stack.
• Merciless Hammer: The bonus damage from this trait will now always affect defiant foes.

Berserker

• Outrage: This skill no longer grants bonus berserk duration when breaking a stun, and instead it grants bonus berserk duration when an enemy is nearby. Reduced berserk duration when an enemy is nearby from 5 seconds to 3 seconds in PvE only.
• Scorched Earth: Increased power coefficient from 0.35 to 0.42 in WvW only.
• Bloody Roar: Fixed an issue that caused this trait to grant less increased damage than intended.

Spellbreaker

• Breaching Strike: This skill now deals bonus damage to foes without boons.
• Enchantment Collapse: Increased internal cooldown from 0.99 to 1.04 in WvW only.

 

 

Edited November 13, 2022 by Calen Elee.8452

[Artificer.3468]

I'm kinda sad that Pistol Whip and Unload didn't get any love honestly

[RAZOR.7246]

Just looking at those changes, I can safely say that it's not going to do anything at all to improve the current meta. Yet again, they've failed to understand that changing a few coefficients won't do anything to address the current problems with the combat system. If your classes are benching 40k on the golem and are still considered unviable in the meta, there's something fundamentally wrong with their playstyle, not their damage. People are still going to stick to Firebrands even with the nerfs because of the perception that other classes cannot perform the "heal/dpsquick" role at the same level. Other than herald, which is uncomfortable to play in certain scenarios because of the tradeoffs between stab and other defensive utilities, FB still remains the only class that can kitten out Stab and Aegis at will, even without their tomes. Mech is still easy to play so players are not going to switch off that just because they change the bot slightly. The real problem with Power Engineer builds is that Modified Ammunition is reliant on your group maintaining a lot of conditions which doesn't make sense for a power playstyle. Instead of addressing those kinds of issues, they're just doing lazy nonsense changes to coefficients on classes they clearly dont understand enough to be balancing. I get irritated when I see kitten changes like this. On pretty much everything else we're looking at coefficient changes. This is the exact same garbage they did not too long ago which did kitten all for the meta.  Your classes don't match the style of combat you are implementing which is why they are not viable in the meta. You need significantly improved mobility options, not randomly assigning coefficient values in the hope that some classes become viable. 

Edited November 13, 2022 by RAZOR.7246

[Antina.5973]

Firebrand, tomes:

Maybe instead of protection add some other boon on Tome of Courage, skill one, like superspeed, so it's actually a "charge" like name suggests and worth this one page. Or just make skill 1 in every tome free since they are super weak either way. T1-1 is weaker than axe autos, T3-3 is just some prot which is easy to access and some swiftness which is again easy to get elsewhere.

Edited November 13, 2022 by Antina.5973

[Gaiawolf.8261]

57 minutes ago, Gehenna.3625 said:

That leaves questions about Renewed Justice and Swift Scholar though. I wonder what they're going to do with RJ considering that Tomes will no longer have a CD. I mean RJ now lowers the CD of tomes on kills, I think that part has to be updated.

And SwS grants quickness on equipping or stowing and after the change will also grant one extra page after using 3 consecutive skills from a given tome.

I guess it will be that quickness can only be granted every 8 seconds as it is now, but will it still need a trigger I mean I can imagine that after 8 seconds you can then switch to another tome and back. It just seems a bit odd that you'd have to change from one tome to another, without even casting another spell and then gl back to your main tome, just to have the extra quickness again.

In which case, I would probably like to see a CD timer somewhere in the UI of SwS's 8 second CD on the Quickness trigger.

Also interestingly both of these traits will now return pages, at least for DPS, since RJ only applies to Tome 1. There's a lot to think about here.

Swift Scholar will only grant quickness when opening a tome, not closing it, but you raise an interesting point. Every 8 seconds you can open a tome and immediately close it to get the proc. Just, the instant open and close is a mechanical buff and probably needed now to work properly. Sure, but it's not thought out well, and removing the animation robs the theme and style for the mechanic. Sigh

Renewed Justice was stated as reducing cooldowns of "a handful of traits that interact with virtue cooldowns" and "active trait triggers" whatever that means, and also grant you "some pages." The only trait I know with a CD that interacts with virtues is Swift Scholar's quickness and Tenacious D anyway, and the latter is Tome 3, not Justice. No idea how traits with no CD, like Justice is Blind will interact with instant tomes on no CD either. Spammable blind? I don't think so. So... maybe these traits will get a CD for FB only? Madness. They really are rocking the boat with how rules apply to FB versus every other guard. Maybe RJ should just reduce recharge Tome 1 skills by a little bit instead of these weird traits that may or may not interact with just Virtue of Justice?

How would Tenacious D work anyway, if Tomes have no CD now? Reduce recharge on all Tome 3 skills? That would be cool.

Inspired Virtue, another trait with no CD that procs on active Virtue activation. Is there a new CD, again only for FB, that gets reset, but only for opening Tome 1? All tomes? ???

Renew Focus is another skill that would normally recharge virtue actives. Being an elite on a long CD, I would hope that mean refreshes all pages and resets cooldowns of all tome skills.

Did they really think these changes through when reworking how tomes work on a fundamental level? I supposed a blanket fix that makes us not have to relearn how traits work when switching between FB and DH or WB would be just say, these traits proc when using a Tome skill/page instead, of the relevant tome if applicable. Would be much easier to keep straight.

EDIT: 
Two things I just thought of.

1: Renewed Justice will return pages, but now pages are shared, so they can be used for Tome 2 and 3 too, I imagine. Can't see a way restrict that only to Tome with this mechanic.

2: Doesn't look like you have to switch tomes to proc Swift Scholar as is. Just open/close any tome or close/reopen same tome to trigger.

Edited November 13, 2022 by Gaiawolf.8261

[Mike.7983]

Deleted, to much of a mess

Edited November 13, 2022 by Mike.7983
Delete, tired of forums.

[Gehenna.3625]

7 minutes ago, Gaiawolf.8261 said:

Swift Scholar will only grant quickness when opening a tome, not closing it,

So what does "stowing" mean then? The text on the wiki literally says: "Equipping or stowing a Virtue grants you quickness."

Edit: Also the notes on the wiki for Renewed Justice state: "For Firebrands this trait lowers the cooldown of Tome of Justice by 20% and grants one page while in Tome of Justice."

Just for clarification.

Edited November 13, 2022 by Gehenna.3625

[Gaiawolf.8261]

36 minutes ago, Antina.5973 said:

Firebrand, tomes:

Maybe instead of protection add some other boon on Tome of Courage, skill one, like superspeed, so it's actually a "charge" like name suggests and worth this one page. Or just make skill 1 in every tome free since they are super weak either way. T1-1 is weaker than axe autos, T3-3 is just some prot which is easy to access and some swiftness which is again easy to get elsewhere.

I really like this idea in concept and fully endorse it. I disagree on the skills being weak, especially Desert Bloom. Spamming over 1K heals for free would need a heavy nerf. Probably the same for Searing Spell. If Unflinching Charge subs protection for stab, yeah, that's pretty weak and can stay, but I'd prefer a charge mechanic like speed better. Needless to say, these auto-attack/free skills could no longer proc Swift Scholar.

I would also love the caster feel this would add to the FB. Love it. Searing Spell as an alternative to camping axe? Bring it on!