[Feb. 14 Balance Patch] Hammer teleportation is welcomed - though perhaps misplaced.

[Virtuality.8351]

The Feb. 14 Balance patch is going to introduce a new teleportation mechanism for Guardian's Hammer #2 and #4 skill:

Banish: This skill now marks the enemy for 5 seconds. Mighty Blow will consume the mark to teleport to the target.

 

This will address the issue and frustration when Guardians launch their target with Banish, they have to walk up some distance to it, just so that they can hit it again.

 

However, I'd like to propose an alternative solution here.

 

• Rather than adding the teleportation mark to Banish, increase Mighty Blow leap distance to 600 and slightly reduce Banish launch distance to 600, so that Guardians can just leap and hit their blown-away target.
• Meanwhile, let Mighty Blow consume the teleportation mark still, but add the teleportation mark to Zealot's Embrace instead.

 

The problem with Zealot's Embrace, as discussed a few years go, has always been that even if the 1200 range projectile successfully hits and immobilizes its target, as long as the target is about 600 units away, there is hardly any chance for Guardian to capitalize on the 2-second immobilized time frame due to lack of mobility. Adding the teleportation mark to Zealot's Embrace would provide better synergy and make the 1200 full projectile range actually useful.

 

This proposal will also make Hammer significantly more competitive in PvP scenarios, providing better in-and-out of combat mobility for Hammer Guardians to engage and pursue their opponents, at a slight cost of the launch distance of Banish.

 

Let me know what you think about this idea!

 

Edited February 4, 2023 by Virtuality.8351

[Kraav.8136]

The mark/teleport is a welcomed addition to the Banish skill. That being said, there needs to be one additional thing added. Marking your target with Banish immediately resets the CD of Mighty Blow/Glacial Blow.

 

 

[Stand The Wall.6987]

yes, mighty blow leap distance needs to be bigger. this proposed change to hammer by anet doesn't do anything if the weapon is still too slow. it wouldn't matter if guard wasn't so slow, but it is.

[Saiyan.1704]

Glacial Heart trait (virtues) damage change was a huge mistake imo... (2020 change 0.5 damage coefficient to 0.1)

Hammer used to deal additional damages when Glacial Heart actually bursted upwards of 900+ aoe, giving hammer an overall strong burst when you needed it. The burst was so useful that Hammer was considered meta.. eons ago. They reduced the damage of Glacial Heart's burst.. so much that Hammer has been out of commission ever since that change. It's really as simple as that. We have been asking for Hammer to do more ever since that nerf.

All that said "Quicker hammer Auto Attacks" is 100% a quality of life item that we've been asking for, pretty much since release. Same for the awkward Banish which is excellent by nature, but wasn't practical when you couldn't reach the very target you wanted to banish :3
These are excellent QoL changes but I would really  like to see more changed to our traits such as Glacial Heart (virtues) increasing hammer damage by (thinking conservatively) 10% at the very least. Or increase damage to Zeal at the cost of a team oriented stunbreak & cleanses in Virtues.