May 2 Balance Update Preview

[Rubi Bayer.8493]

Hi, everyone,

Welcome to the preview for the May 2 balance update! This is a smaller update focused on addressing some outliers in the current state of the game while we wrap up our next major profession balance update, which is currently slated for June 27.

As always, the goal of previewing these changes is to gather your 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

Elementalist

Fresh Air catalyst is a build that we've been addressing over the last few updates in PvP, but it's still a strong build in WvW. We've brought over a few more of the recent PvP adjustments to bring down its power.

We've also updated Stone Heart to introduce a window of vulnerability and make earth-based tempest builds slightly easier to bring down in PvP.

Core

• Signet of Water: Increased healing attribute scaling from 0.7 to 1.3.
• Dragon's Tooth: Reduced power coefficient from 1.5 to 1.33 in WvW only.
• Stone Heart: Critical-hit immunity is now granted for a period of time when entering and exiting Earth Attunement, instead of always while attuned to earth.

 Tempest

• The effects of channeling tempest's overload skills now occur more quickly if the elementalist also has quickness.

Catalyst

• Fortified Earth: Reduced base barrier from 3,000 to 1,254 in WvW only. Increased cooldown from 25 seconds to 30 seconds in WvW only.
• Elemental Celerity: Adjusted recharge amount from 100% recharge to 25 seconds of recharge in WvW only.

Bug Fixes

• Wildfire: Fixed an issue that prevented projectiles from interacting properly with the combo field created by this skill.
• Undercurrent: Fixed an issue that prevented this skill from sinking enemies as intended.
• Static Field (Lightning Hammer): Fixed an issue that caused this skill to occasionally stun noncombatants.
• Overload Fire: Fixed an issue that prevented this skill from creating Combo Finisher: Whirl the correct number of times.
• Fiery Whirl: Fixed an issue that prevented this skill from creating Combo Finisher: Whirl the correct number of times.
• Soothing Mist: Fixed an issue that prevented the elementalist from being healed when the effect was refreshed.

Engineer

The focus for engineer in this update is improving the effectiveness of condition-based holosmith builds. We've also brought down a couple of overtuned damage sources in WvW, namely Photonic Blasting Module and Grenade Barrage.

 Core

• Incendiary Ammo: Reduced cooldown from 40 seconds to 20 seconds in PvE only.
• Grenade Barrage: Reduced power coefficient from 0.5 to 0.4 in WvW only.

Holosmith

• Corona Burst: This skill now inflicts 2 stacks of burning for 5 seconds when striking an enemy in PvE only.
• Photon Blitz: Increased burning duration from 1 second to 3 seconds in PvE only.
• Photon Blasting Module: Increased burning from 5 stacks for 4 seconds to 7 stacks for 6 seconds in PvE only. Reduced power coefficient from 5.0 to 3.5 in WvW only.

Bug Fixes

• Throw Mine: Updated the skill description to clarify that the second mine produced by this skill when the Gadgeteer trait is equipped will only drop after the first one has landed.
• Gadgeteer: Fixed an issue that prevented the overcharged version of Rocket Boots from having its cooldown reduced when the skill is used underwater.

Guardian

On the PvE side of things, we've brought down the damage potential of a few overperforming builds: condition-based firebrand and alacrity willbender. Power-based dragonhunter builds still aren't performing at the level they need to be to compete with other damage builds, so we've improved a few of their key skills and traits.

We've also made a few more improvements to firebrand in PvP with the goal of making it a competitive option in the support role.

 Core

• Sword of Justice: Reduced ammunition recharge from 20 seconds to 15 seconds in PvE only.

 Dragonhunter

• Big Game Hunter: Increased damage bonus from 15% to 20% in PvE only.
• True Shot: Reduced cooldown from 6 seconds to 4 seconds in PvE only.
•  Firebrand
• Tome of Justice: Reduced passive burning duration from 2 seconds to 1 second in PvE only.
• Permeating Wrath: Reduced burning duration from 2 seconds to 1 seconds when using the firebrand elite specialization in PvE only.
• Legendary Lore: This trait now grants might when using a tome of justice skill instead of increasing the burning duration. Increased regeneration duration from 3 seconds to 4 seconds in PvP only. Increased protection duration from 2 seconds to 2.5 seconds in PvP only.
• Epilogue: Ashes of the Just: Reduced stacks from 3 to 2 in PvE only.
• Unrelenting Criticism: Increased trigger chance from 33% to 100%. Increased bleeding duration from 3 seconds to 4 seconds in PvE only.
• Chapter 4: Shining River: Reduced page cost from 2 to 1 in PvP only.
• Epilogue: Unbroken Lines: Increased toughness from 200 to 300 in PvP only.
• Portent of Freedom: Increased stability duration from 1 second to 2.5 seconds in PvP only.

Willbender

• Phoenix Protocol: In PvE only, this trait now reduces the duration of resolve by 1 second instead of increasing it by 2 seconds.

Bug Fixes

• Hammer of Wisdom: Fixed an issue that displayed an incorrect number of targets when the Eternal Armory trait was equipped.
• Roiling Light: Fixed an issue that prevented the swiftness granted by this skill from being displayed in the tooltip.
• Battle Presence: Fixed an issue that caused this trait to remain active when Tome of Resolve was not in use.
• Symbol of Vengeance: Fixed an issue that prevented players from using skills after casting this skill and swapping weapons.
• Power for Power: Fixed an issue that prevented this trait from increasing the damage of flames created by Flowing Resolve and Crashing Courage.
• Indomitable Courage: This trait will now properly stun break allies when casting Crashing Courage. The allied stability portion of this trait has been moved to the initial cast of Crashing Courage.
• Whirling Wrath: Fixed an issue that prevented this skill from creating Combo Finisher: Whirl the correct number of times.

Mesmer

The main outlier we wanted to address for mesmer is staff/axe mirage. We made an adjustment to Chaos Vortex back in November with the goal of reducing the overall damage output of the build while providing alacrity, but it didn't quite have the impact that we wanted. For this update we've brought down the alacrity duration to require these builds to invest more in boon duration.

Core

• Phantasmal Duelist: Reduced cooldown from 20 seconds to 18 seconds in PvP and WvW.
• Magic Bullet: Reduced cooldown from 25 seconds to 20 seconds in PvP and WvW.
• The Prestige: Increased the number of conditions removed from 1 to 2 in PvP and WvW.
• Phantasmal Mage: Reduced cooldown from 30 seconds to 25 seconds in PvP and WvW.

Chronomancer

• Chronophantasma: Reduced daze duration from 1.5 seconds to 0.25 seconds in PvE only.
• Well of Calamity: Increased pulse power coefficient from 1.0 to 1.3 in PvE only. Reduced final power coefficient from 3.0 to 2.1 in PvE only.
• Gravity Well: Increased pulse power coefficient from 0.8 to 1.1 in PvE only. Reduced final power coefficient from 3.0 to 2.1 in PvE only.

Mirage

• Chaos Vortex: Reduced duration of alacrity granted by clones from 1 second to 0.5 seconds in PvE only.

Bug Fixes

• Blade Renewal: Fixed an issue that caused this skill to improperly remove distortion at the end of its cast.
• The Prestige: Fixed an issue that caused this skill to reveal the user upon ending.
• Phantasmal Warden: Fixed an issue that prevented this skill from creating Combo Finisher: Whirl the correct number of times.

Necromancer

Power-based reaper is another damage build that we looked at for this update, and we've brought up the damage of a lot of its key skills to make it a more competitive pick.

We've also increased the rate at which harbinger shroud accumulates blight in PvE to slightly reduce the reliance on elixirs for blight generation, and potentially introduce more flexibility in utility skill choice.

Core

• Rending Claws: Increased power coefficient from 1.0 to 1.2 in PvE only.
• Unholy Feast: Increased power coefficient from 0.88 to 2.0 in PvE only. Increased threshold for second strike from 25% to 50% in PvE only.
• Unholy Burst: Increased power coefficient from 0.88 to 1.0 in PvE only.
• Soul Grasp: Increased power coefficient from 0.2 to 2.0 in PvE only. Increased base healing from 440 to 1,003 in PvE only.
• Spinal Shivers: Increased power coefficients from 2.0/2.375/2.75/3.125 to 2.5/3.0/3.5/4.0 in PvE only.
• Wail of Doom: Reduced cooldown from 24 seconds to 20 seconds in PvP and WvW.
• Locust Swarm: Increased life-siphon healing from 37 to 55 in PvP and WvW.

Reaper

• Shouts' damage bonus for melee range increased from 50% to 100% in PvE only.
• "Chilled to the Bone!": Reduced cooldown from 36 seconds to 30 seconds in PvE only.
• Gravedigger: Increased power coefficient from 3.0 to 3.6 in PvE only.
• Nightfall: Increased power coefficient from 1.05 to 1.15 in PvE only.
• Soul Spiral: Increased power coefficient from 0.6 to 0.7 in PvE only.
• Life Rend: Increased power coefficient from 0.9 to 1.4 in PvE only.
• Life Slash: Increased power coefficient from 1.25 to 1.6 in PvE only.
• Life Reap: Increased power coefficient from 1.7 to 1.8 in PvE only.
• Infusing Terror: Increased damage reduction percentage from 20% to 66% in PvE only.
• Deathly Chill: Adjusted bleeding from 2 stacks for 8 seconds to 4 stacks for 4 seconds in PvE only.

Harbinger

• Harbinger Shroud: Increased blight stacks per second from 1 to 2 in PvE only.
• Voracious Arc: Reduced blight threshold from 10 to 5.
• Elixir of Ambition: Increased stacks of each condition from 1 to 3 In PvE only. Reduced cooldown from 90 seconds to 60 seconds in PvE only.

Bug Fixes

• Twisted Medicine: Clarified in the trait tooltip that this trait hits 4 additional targets instead of 5.
• Death Spiral: Fixed an issue that prevented this skill from creating Combo Finisher: Whirl the correct number of times.

Ranger

Fervent Force is a trait that we've been considering bringing down for a while now, and in this update we're making a slight adjustment to its cooldown reduction in order to bring down the damage output of builds that utilize it. We'll be keeping a close eye on how these builds perform going forward and will make additional adjustments as needed.

Core

• Hunter's Call: Increased power coefficient per strike from 0.1 to 0.12 in PvP and WvW.
• Call of the Wild: Increased might stacks from 6 to 8 in PvP and WvW.
• Stalker's Strike: Reduced cooldown from 15 seconds to 12 seconds in PvP and WvW.
• Crippling Talon: Increased bleeding from 3 stacks for 6 seconds to 4 stacks for 9 seconds in PvP and WvW.

Druid

• Natural Mender: Increased astral force generation from 5 to 8 in WvW only.

Soulbeast

• Eternal Bond: Increased base healing from 584 to 701.

Untamed

• Fervent Force: Reduced cooldown reduction from 4 seconds to 3 seconds in PvE only.

Bug Fixes

• Fortifying Bond: Fixed an issue that caused this skill to display an incorrect might value in certain game modes.
• Grace of the Land: Fixed an issue that prevented might from being applied to downed players.
• Two-Handed Training: Removed an erroneous internal cooldown indicator.
• Fixed an issue that prevented soulbeasts from remerging at the end of zip lines.

Revenant

Condition-based alacrity renegade is another build that slightly overperforms in PvE, while power renegade builds aren't up to par. We've brought down the condition damage and bumped up the power damage of some renegade skills to bring these builds more in line with other options.

In PvP, condition-based revenant is a build that we've been bringing up slowly over the last few balance updates. It's starting to see a bit more play, but it's still not quite up to the level of other builds and we've made a few more improvements for it in this update.

Core

• Fiendish Tenacity: Increased base healing from 165 to 196 in PvP only.
• Echoing Eruption: Reduced ammunition recharge time from 12 seconds to 10 seconds in PvP only.

Herald

• Facet of Nature: Reduced maximum number of targets from 10 to 5 in PvE only. 

Renegade

• Citadel Bombardment: Burning duration decreased from 1.5 seconds to 1 second in PvE only. Increased power coefficient from 0.452 to 0.6 in PvE only.
• Icerazor's Ire: Increased power coefficient from 0.3 to 0.35 in PvE only. Reduced cooldown from 12 seconds to 10 seconds in PvE only.
• Soulcleave's Summit: Life-siphon damage coefficient increased from 0.04 to 0.1 in PvE only.

Bug Fixes

• Vindicator: Fixed an issue that caused dodge skills that deal damage to occasionally use weapon strength for damage calculations.
• Draconic Echo: Fixed an issue that caused this trait to reduce the recharge duration of facets that were already on cooldown when energy was depleted.

 

Thief

Thief is generally in a good spot, and we didn't see any major outliers that needed to be addressed with this update. We're working on some larger adjustments for the next update in June, including the goal of significantly improving specter support builds and introducing a quickness build for deadeye.

Signets of Power is a trait that we reworked in the last balance update that didn't quite hit the mark. We want to be cautious with repeatable initiative sources like this, but we feel like there's still room to tune it up.

Core

• Signets of Power: Increased initiative gain from 1 to 2.

Bug Fixes

• Weakening Charge: Fixed an issue that prevented this skill from creating Combo Finisher: Whirl the correct number of times.
• Well of Sorrow: Fixed an issue that prevented this skill from being affected by quickness.

Warrior

For this update, we focused on improving power-based berserker builds in PvE. We've also made improvements to warrior's support tools in PvP, as well as tuning up some bladesworn skills and traits in both competitive modes.

Core

• Charge: Reduced cooldown from 20 seconds to 15 seconds in PvP only. Reduced swiftness duration from 20 seconds to 15 seconds in PvP only.
• Call of Valor: Increased barrier attribute scaling from 1.2 to 1.5 in PvP only.
• Vigorous Shouts: Increased heal attribute scaling from 1.0 to 1.15 in PvP only.
• Martial Cadence: Increased quickness duration from 2 seconds to 3 seconds in PvP and WvW.

Berserker

• Smash Brawler: This trait now grants 15% increased critical-strike chance while in berserk mode in addition to its current effect.
• Decapitate: Increased power coefficient from 2.5 to 3.0 in PvE only.
• Arc Divider: Increased power coefficient per strike from 1.5 to 1.7 in PvE only. Reduced power coefficient per strike from 0.705 to 0.6 in WvW only.

Spellbreaker

• Attacker's Insight: Reduced power, precision, and ferocity per stack from 35 to 30 in WvW only.

Bladesworn

• Gunstinger: Increased ammunition from 1 to 2 in PvP and WvW. Reduced cooldown from 18 seconds to 15 seconds in PvP and WvW.
• Dragonspike Mine: Reduced cooldown from 35 seconds to 25 seconds in PvP and WvW.
• Unshakable Mountain: Increased base barrier from 801 to 1,003 in PvP and WvW.
• Artillery Slash: Reduced ammunition recharge time from 10 seconds to 8 seconds in PvP and WvW.
• Tactical Reload: Reduced cooldown from 60 seconds to 40 seconds in PvP and WvW.

Bug Fixes

• Whirlwind Attack: Fixed an issue that prevented this skill from creating Combo Finisher: Whirl the correct number of times.

[Dorian.8542]

Specter needs a damage increase and still cant target the main orbs during the base capture events in gyala delve with endless night. I dont know if this extends to all channeled skills but using endless night results in a no line of sight error which means the hitbox for the orb is below the ground

[soul.9651]

If condi alac ren is overperforming then nerf condi alac ren dont touch the condi dps ren.... Look at the kitten ritualist gear instead.

[Nomad.4301]

1 hour ago, Rubi Bayer.8493 said:

Thief is generally in a good spot, and we didn't see any major outliers that needed to be addressed with this update.

I guess specter doesn't count as a "Thief" then. Been waiting since launch to actually use it as a support as was (apparently) intended. I hope whatever changes they have planned for the June patch are big ones because a few % adjustments are not going to be enough to get me to play it again, even if they increased its healing by 100% the mechanics and clunkiness are just too much for me to bother over any other dps/support options. 

Edited April 21, 2023 by Nomad.4301

[Kilty.4906]

I love seeing all these bugs being fixed. If possible, could you look into this one: 

 

[Korbin.7134]

Sorry this: "For this update we've brought down the alacrity duration to require these builds to invest more in boon duration." is a joke. Halving the alacrity on mirage staff ambush attack after already nerfing it earlier by linking might/alacrity gain to clone count?

 

My boon duration is +85% and I could barely keep up alacrity even in those rare circumstances something was strong enough in PvE to survive for a few seconds while I had 3 clones out. That's with dodging pretty much nonstop and cleaving trash mobs to proc sigil of stamina.

 

Also, I hate that you've pigeon-holed staff mirages into needing multiple clones out for ambush attacks to be effective. It forces you into IH and clone-generating skills.

Edited April 21, 2023 by Korbin.7134

[Ulysses.2058]

Playing this game is still suffering.

[GuriGashi.5617]

Imagine doing close to nothing for PvP balance. Actual joke patch

Edited April 21, 2023 by GuriGashi.5617

[VulcanPyroman.8571]

1 hour ago, Rubi Bayer.8493 said:

Mirage

• Chaos Vortex: Reduced duration of alacrity granted by clones from 1 second to 0.5 seconds in PvE only.

Ooph RIP, this seems a bit harsh. Bye bye Staff-Staff

[OuterOcean.2418]

Is berserker smash brawler change just for PvE?

[aspirine.6852]

Condition Holo? Who the hell asked for that?

[KnightEd.4965]

9 minutes ago, Nomad.4301 said:

I guess specter doesn't count as a "Thief" then. Been waiting since launch to actually use it as a support as was (apparently) intended.

"We're working on some larger adjustments for the next update in June, including the goal of significantly improving specter support builds" Dog it's literally in the next sentence.

[Felices Bladewing.3914]

„Thief is in a good spot“

Are we playing the same game?

Lets see what June brings

Edited April 21, 2023 by Felices Bladewing.3914

[Lucinellia.9247]

I do like the contradiction between "Thief is generally in a good spot" and "goal of significantly improving specter support builds".
 

Which is it Anet?

Hopefully the Thief changes for June can be good. Deadeye has been crying out for Fire for Effect to provide Quickness since inception and heal Specter desperately needs proper Protection and Regen application. 

[soulknight.9620]

Well that was an incredibly dissapointing waste of time to read these balance "changes". 

See you in two months! 

[Veprovina.4876]

Mirage already can't provide Alacrity in PvE and now you're nerfing it? Wow...

 

[Phage.9203]

Incoming changes to Revenant in PvP?
Sounds good, can't wait to be able to play more than 1 viable build in that mode as someone who likes Vindicator.

[stormemperor.3745]

Can you ducking add fury to power reaper for once?

IT IS THE ONLY BUILD IN ENTIRE GAME THAT CANNOT PROVIDE ITS OWN FURY.

Every other build shits out fury like crazy, even condition reaper.

Thanks,

[Lan Deathrider.5910]

There are some PvP only changes that should also be in WvW.

Cool deal on the Smash Brawler change. That is going to be nice to play with.

The nerf to Arc Divider in WvW is a poor choice. Don't do that. The stat reduction on Attacker's Insight in WvW is also a bad decision. Hopefully your June patch brings some love to the Spellbreaker traitline.

Also, when is the Rush tracking bug going to be fixed? It still goes in the completely wrong direction half the time.

[Razor.9305]

1 hour ago, Rubi Bayer.8493 said:

Facet of Nature: Reduced maximum number of targets from 10 to 5 in PvE only. 

I appreciate that this skill is being kept in line with the game in general, but I think the passives per legend were only viable when applied to a large amount of targets. With how weak most of the Facet of Nature passives and their active counterparts are, it would be great to have another look at this skill.

A possibility could be to return to the original One With Nature skill that applies multiple boons and have True Nature always apply the same passive buff. I think that would be generally accepted in all game modes and would make Herald feel closer to what it was originally. Appreciate if you could give this one a thought!

[Nitro.4732]

Quote

Fixed an issue that prevented soulbeasts from remerging at the end of zip lines.

 

Can you please stop punishing players in instanced content when you have no choice to use zip-lines.  (and other mechanics)

Examples:  KO strike mission travelling between platforms, Dhuum Greens.

These just make you want to avoid doing mechanics as a soulbeast.

[Seraphis Zurvan.6839]

15 minutes ago, Korbin.7134 said:

My boon duration is +85% and I could barely keep up alacrity even in those rare circumstances something was strong enough in PvE to survive for a few seconds while I had 3 clones out. That's with dodging pretty much nonstop and cleaving trash mobs to proc sigil of stamina.

Then you aren't playing it correctly. Staff/Staff Mirage does not need any boon duration to upkeep 100% Alacrity. In-fact, it goes well beyond 100% uptime.

 

This nerf changes little but may require some ritualists pieces. That's it. It was to mainly target Staff/Axe Mirage, which could also do over 100% Alac uptime and do very heavy DPS.

[Lan Deathrider.5910]

12 minutes ago, OuterOcean.2418 said:

Is berserker smash brawler change just for PvE?

When they do not specify a mode, it is almost 100% of the time for all modes.

This is going to be a nice change.

[Seraphis Zurvan.6839]

9 minutes ago, Veprovina.4876 said:

Mirage already can't provide Alacrity in PvE and now you're nerfing it? Wow...

Then you aren't playing it correctly. Staff/Staff Mirage does not need any boon duration to upkeep 100% Alacrity. In-fact, it goes well beyond 100% uptime.

 

This nerf changes little but may require some ritualists pieces. That's it. It was to mainly target Staff/Axe Mirage, which could also do over 100% Alac uptime and do very heavy DPS.

[Tulki.1458]

Does the ArenaNet team still know that a quarter of the engineer's core skills are turrets? Because those still haven't changed since before the first expansion. I mean come on, renegade legend skills are basically turrets but with proper design put into them. What's the deal here? At this point it seems like they're being deliberately avoided for some reason.

Is there a hard technical reason why they can't be changed?

Edited April 21, 2023 by Tulki.1458