Garbinger's grandmaster traits [suggestion]

[Zergs.9715]

Grandmaster traits should revolve around Blight mechanic not the Shroud. Basically once you reach certain Blight threshold you get the effect of the chosen trait. Sort of like carapace!
Why? Because I prefer my two weapon sets and utilities over constantly rushing to get back into shroud and constantly looking at the 1-5. Also it would be cool. I want to swing my greatsword while I'm pulsing strike damage in a majestic 180 radius.

I think this would this would let some fresh air into fart filled room that is Harb's gameplay.

Thank you.

[Methuselah.4376]

45 minutes ago, Zergs.9715 said:

Why? Because I prefer my two weapon sets and utilities over constantly rushing to get back into shroud and constantly looking at the 1-5.

Sure, let's rework traits because you personally don't like the playstyle of the elite they're attached to. If you don't like shroud hopping, change to Scourge or just use a different profession. But outside of Scourge, shroud hopping is THE class mechanic. 

[Dadnir.5038]

21 hours ago, Zergs.9715 said:

Grandmaster traits should revolve around Blight mechanic not the Shroud. Basically once you reach certain Blight threshold you get the effect of the chosen trait. Sort of like carapace!

So you're basically asking the traits to stay the same but with a blight treshold added on top in order to have the effect... You want garbage designed traits to be even worse... Marvelous!

Edited September 21, 2023 by Dadnir.5038

[Nimon.7840]

On 9/20/2023 at 12:22 PM, Methuselah.4376 said:

Sure, let's rework traits because you personally don't like the playstyle of the elite they're attached to. If you don't like shroud hopping, change to Scourge or just use a different profession. But outside of Scourge, shroud hopping is THE class mechanic. 

I don't think harbinger is a matter of shroud. And I don't disagree, that shroud hopping is THE class mechanic/play style.

The big problems harbinger has:

1. Three dead power traits, because shroud is way to condi focused

2. There's no different play styles -> overall poor trait design. Nothing really changes how you play harbinger and the grandmaster traits are the prime example. They are all just a different kind of aura. There's nothing like a mech for example that changes between melee or ranged play style. Yes in instanced content that's basically trivial, since you are always stacking at the boss, but for PVP modes? 

[Uete.3805]

Harbinger's been needing a greatmaster rework for a while. If they want to keep the "aura" style, I wish they'd change them greatmaster traits to Orders (in a callback to gw1 necro). That way each greatmaster could provide different group utility:

• Order of Pain: Your power is increased. When entering shroud grant an unblockable crit attack to nearby allies. Every 3 seconds, grant your allies Painful effect (extra attack, always crits, think aoe impossible odds effect).
• Order of the Frenzied: Every 3 seconds, AoE quickness and fury.
• Order of Apostasy: Your condi dmg is increased. When entering shroud grant a corrupting attack to nearby allies. Every 3 seconds, grant your allies Apostate effect (extra torment, similar to wallow venom effect).

I'm nostalgic for Orders. Otherwise, I would change the current damaging traits:

• Cascading corruption: Aura removes 1 boon on top of current effects or change it to Cascading undeath: Your power is increased. Summon a Spike horror when critting while in shroud (3 sec internal cooldown). Spike horrors are also summoned when using shroud 5. (Spike horrors would be animated spiked bodies like those in the shourd 5 animation and would disappear or explode upon leaving shroud).
• Doom approaches: Increase the radius and damaging conditions based on the blight threshold:
  • Under 10 blight: small AoE and torment.
  • Between 10 and 19 blight: medium AoE torment and small AoE poison.
  • At 20+ blight: big AoE torment, medium AoE poison, smal AoE burning.

[XECOR.2814]

Even though your suggested changes are trash, the garbinger really needs better power and condi grandmasters. 

This AOE Tick in 180 radius gm traits have been criticized since the first time people experienced it in beta.

Nobody likes it, and nobody even playes the power gm trait.

I think that should be a good enough reason to change it functionally.

And while at it change the elixir first major trait too. Right now it only give vulnerability on elixir hit lol.(before it used to slow and reduce cd too).

[Uete.3805]

I've been using a lot of Mallyx revenant lately and just realized that it's so satisfying mainly due to the Elite aura: It's flashy (making you a demon), it visually shows when you are proccing its effect and you get to see the actual affected area.

Maybe the problem with Harbinger's grandmaster is also an aesthetic one. With some mechanical improvements and a new coat of paint it might work mostly as it is right now.

Regarding the power GM trait specifically, I think another good option would be for it to modify how the shroud works ala Sandstorm Shroud in Scourge: Heavily reduce the amount of condis it provides to increase its power coefficient. Or maybe it would work even better if you got an spectral pistol (kind of a will-o-wisp entity) that shot your target whenever you hit them based on your blight level (you get 1 will-o-wisp at 10+ blight and 2 at 20+ blight).

TLDR: Make each GM aura visually distinct and allow power GM trait to provide less condis and more raw damage or more hits with extra projectiles from will-o-wisp-like helpers.

[Jobber.6348]

On 9/20/2023 at 5:34 PM, Zergs.9715 said:

Why? Because I prefer my two weapon sets and utilities over constantly rushing to get back into shroud and constantly looking at the 1-5. Also it would be cool. I want to swing my greatsword while I'm pulsing strike damage in a majestic 180 radius.

Then why play a class that specifically revolves around their 2nd weapon set mechanic. Necromancer has always been characterized by their Death Shroud mechanic and you want to not use it. Go play Revenant or something then.