May 2 Balance Update Preview

[andrewlcl.8176]

1 hour ago, Bunny.9834 said:

Yup. So far this balance team has produced more dead traits and skills. Created no new gameplay. 

 

Shadow Meld is also still waiting for a rework. I am still finding opportunities to use it, but I didn't think they would gut it and leave it. 

[Bunny.9834]

48 minutes ago, andrewlcl.8176 said:

Shadow Meld is also still waiting for a rework. I am still finding opportunities to use it, but I didn't think they would gut it and leave it. 

That could take 3 years like the those 300s passive traits. 

[xellink.7568]

On 4/22/2023 at 9:17 AM, Tails.9372 said:

Well you know what they say: "everything is relative". It all depends on how exactly A-Nets balance team defines "thief being in a good spot".

Which is basically an admission that they don't have any idea how bad the 2 ini per signet use (with an average CD of about 20 seconds per signet for PvE) actually is but just for comparison M7 gets you easily 2-3 ini per second on a consistent basis. They massively overestimate how impactful ini reg traits actually are. As long as the players can't do things like sustaining "spamming Head Shot" you're generally fine and getting there would actually be a lot harder than they make it out to be.

 

It is already somewhat spammable with siphon though. But they shouldn't fix siphon. Siphon is in a good spot. 

[Stx.4857]

My thief was my first character and my main for a long time until I made an engineer in path of fire. 
 

I now have played all classes at max level and even though I don’t have much experience with some of them, my thief just feels by far the weakest.  
 

-same single target damage as other classes

-lower aoe than other classes (much lower)

-DPS specs have no boon utility

-Support spec is mediocre 

-Much squishier than other dps

 

 

”Good spot”

[Infusion.7149]

Specter needs massive amounts of UI improvement to work as a boon support (such as locking an ally).
Deadeye quickness seems to be on the table, but realistically I do not see it catching on.

[DeceiverX.8361]

On 4/21/2023 at 2:38 PM, Nomad.4301 said:

All Anet seemingly looks at in terms of "balance" is how much a spec does in PvE on (presumably) static target dummies.

You new around here?

Been this way since they allowed DPS meters.

[Doggie.3184]

13 hours ago, Infusion.7149 said:

Specter needs massive amounts of UI improvement to work as a boon support (such as locking an ally).
Deadeye quickness seems to be on the table, but realistically I do not see it catching on.

As long as Rifle has no AoE not many are gonna want to use it. They will just continue to play Mech instead as it's the superior choice with or without Thief AoE buff. Pretty much same state as Specter too, single target is so dumb they certainly didn't bother doing that with Ele and Ranger ally-target healing (and everyone else's Scepter damage).

Edited April 25, 2023 by Doggie.3184

[draxynnic.3719]

1 hour ago, Doggie.3184 said:

As long as Rifle has no AoE not many are gonna want to use it. They will just continue to play Mech instead as it's the superior choice with or without Thief AoE buff. Pretty much same state as Specter too, single target is so dumb they certainly didn't bother doing that with Ele and Ranger ally-target healing (and everyone else's Scepter damage).

Kinda wish they'd made Shadow Sap into an AoE. Most specters just spam skill 3, maybe with the odd stealth attack mixed in, but AoE on skill 2 would create a situation where you might favour 3 for single target and 2 for groups.

[Strider.7849]

On 4/24/2023 at 4:58 PM, Infusion.7149 said:

Specter needs massive amounts of UI improvement to work as a boon support (such as locking an ally).
Deadeye quickness seems to be on the table, but realistically I do not see it catching on.

Judt dropping my thoughts on that: Giving quickness to deadeye is going to nerf the spec. Right now it brings pretty solid and reliable damage. If it could share quickness they would hard nerf the dps output of the spec to be in line with other support/dps - somewhere in the range of 8k+ is my prediction.

[Infusion.7149]

7 hours ago, Strider.7849 said:

Judt dropping my thoughts on that: Giving quickness to deadeye is going to nerf the spec. Right now it brings pretty solid and reliable damage. If it could share quickness they would hard nerf the dps output of the spec to be in line with other support/dps - somewhere in the range of 8k+ is my prediction.

It could be that the DPS trait is mutually exclusive with the quickness trait, similar to just about every quickness provider that exists currently. My guess is it will be on Be Quick or Be Killed (the most obvious one) or possibly Fire for Effect , in place of M7 (Maleficent Seven).

Power rifle deadeye runs M7, so does dagger deadeye, pistol+dagger condition deadeye, and kite deadeye.

[xellink.7568]

On 4/25/2023 at 3:22 AM, Stx.4857 said:

My thief was my first character and my main for a long time until I made an engineer in path of fire. 
 

I now have played all classes at max level and even though I don’t have much experience with some of them, my thief just feels by far the weakest.  
 

-same single target damage as other classes

-lower aoe than other classes (much lower)

-DPS specs have no boon utility

-Support spec is mediocre 

-Much squishier than other dps

 

 

”Good spot”

 

Spectre is the strongest side noder/roamer in the game. No player should ever beat you in a 1 on 1.  - according to hardstuck.

 

Spectre has Alac plus barrier plus very decent DPS when on full ritualist. 

[draxynnic.3719]

15 hours ago, xellink.7568 said:

 

Spectre is the strongest side noder/roamer in the game. No player should ever beat you in a 1 on 1.  - according to hardstuck.

 

Spectre has Alac plus barrier plus very decent DPS when on full ritualist. 

I'd want to see a date of that particular line. It certainly used to be true, but spectre sustain in sPvP has been nerfed hard, and I don't think hardstuck updates all of the text with every balance update.

[xellink.7568]

On 4/28/2023 at 12:13 AM, draxynnic.3719 said:

I'd want to see a date of that particular line. It certainly used to be true, but spectre sustain in sPvP has been nerfed hard, and I don't think hardstuck updates all of the text with every balance update.

 

I will say it now that a lot of side noders and roamers, eg. Condi Spellbreaker, Mesmer Duelist have no chance against a Spectre 1v1. Even that piece of kitten scepter catalyst prenerf might find a bit of resistance.

 

I think one of the conditions for victory is whether your match up is good and if you have thousand needles on that node. I think it's really hard to lose a 1v1 if none of your skills are on cooldown. i.e. the initial fight.

 

If the match up is bad, there's still a chance it can be countered by a clutch elite skill. Ultimately the goal is have mobility to score points and decap. That's what thieves are good at. Spectre just makes dueling much much easier. 

[Leo Schrodingers Cat.2497]

On 4/26/2023 at 7:51 PM, xellink.7568 said:

 

Spectre has Alac plus barrier plus very decent DPS when on full ritualist. 

Thief barely makes use of alacrity. You're better off rocking power or celestial if you're trying to one v one on a side node. And use the trait for something else.

 

If you're using ritualist, stick with a group because you won't kill someone who's patient enough to keep you busy for another player to show up, or if they come back for you with a buddy. If they are confident in their ability, they can burst you hard through your shroud and hp.

Edited May 1, 2023 by Leo Schrodingers Cat.2497

[Antycypator.9874]

Quote

Thief is generally in a good spot,

 

Haha, good joke.

Where is Power Daredevil? It exist only as a meme spec in PvE.

 

 

[andrewlcl.8176]

11 hours ago, Antycypator.9874 said:

 

Haha, good joke.

Where is Power Daredevil? It exist only as a meme spec in PvE.

 

 

Are we talking about d/p power Daredevil? Because that thing can murder players in WvW while being slippery enough to survive, and come back to do it again and again. 

[Ysesper.3047]

13 hours ago, andrewlcl.8176 said:

Are we talking about d/p power Daredevil? Because that thing can murder players in WvW while being slippery enough to survive, and come back to do it again and again. 

Obviusly, no, the post clearly says PvE where pDD is at 34.5k, literally the same DPS as some quickness builds

Edited May 4, 2023 by Ysesper.3047

[senftube.6081]

Thief is so hilarious UP in 2v2. What a joke CMC said "Thief is in a good spot" xDDDDDDDDD 🤡

[xellink.7568]

On 5/2/2023 at 1:28 AM, Leo Schrodingers Cat.2497 said:

Thief barely makes use of alacrity. You're better off rocking power or celestial if you're trying to one v one on a side node. And use the trait for something else.

 

If you're using ritualist, stick with a group because you won't kill someone who's patient enough to keep you busy for another player to show up, or if they come back for you with a buddy. If they are confident in their ability, they can burst you hard through your shroud and hp.

Sorry that statement was PvE. The line above was PvP 

 

I thought it was self explanatory as there is no ritualist for spvp

Edited May 7, 2023 by xellink.7568

[Voraxen.2035]

On 4/24/2023 at 12:10 AM, andrewlcl.8176 said:

Shadow Meld is also still waiting for a rework. I am still finding opportunities to use it, but I didn't think they would gut it and leave it. 

This is the real injustice. A freaking elite skill on an elite spec that only gives you 4 seconds of stealth on a 45 second cooldown. You know how I know they suck at this? Shadow Meld change for spvp, what a joke of a 'balance' choice. AND THEY"RE NOT FIXING IT BECAUSE THIEF IS IN A GOOD SPOT!!!

[Lithril Ashwalker.6230]

On 5/7/2023 at 2:34 PM, Voraxen.2035 said:

This is the real injustice. A freaking elite skill on an elite spec that only gives you 4 seconds of stealth on a 45 second cooldown. You know how I know they suck at this? Shadow Meld change for spvp, what a joke of a 'balance' choice. AND THEY"RE NOT FIXING IT BECAUSE THIEF IS IN A GOOD SPOT!!!

"good spot" lies

[Carnifex.3275]

"Thief is fine, no outliers". 

Meanwhile DE pulling 42k~ bench and power Daredevil (a nerfed version of Vindicator) 34k~. Even the traits are kind of similar to Vindicator except Vindicator does like 39k. 🤣

Lots of players actually expected for pDD to be buffed in the same patch as reaper/dh cuz it was long overdue. Sadly we got forgotten. And them mentioning specter and quickDE makes me think even next patch wont address pDD either.

Edited May 12, 2023 by Carnifex.3275

[Felices Bladewing.3914]

„thief is in a good spot“ or in other words the Master of Mediocrity.

Long gone are the days of the king of single target burst or the lord of movement.

giving out all roles to each profession instead of revisit the core reasons the different professions where created in the first place with all their unique advantages and disadvantages is for me the first indication of a fatal balance error.

maybe they already drove themselves into that corner by creating e-specs that are just there because they needed one not because they are offering something new while fitting the profession.