Staff Poll

[Verdict is Vengence.6912]

"Staff Poll" - Get it? Because a staff is like a pole and this is a "poll" 😆

Now, let's get down to business. I am not in the camp of warriors that wanted support staff and actually wanted a pure combat staff instead. But I know there are those who wanted a different playstyle and different role other than dps for warrior. So, I understand.

Now that we're here, how's support staff so far?

[Lan Deathrider.5910]

Well, staff 3 needs to use PO rather than rush as the base animation, and to give it's boons/healing even if targeting an enemy. Staff 5 has a bug on the block that needs fixing. Some people feel that spamming Staff 3 off CD rather than as an emergency save for someone to maintain protection is bad, and it kind of is. Others feel that there is not enough stability for the role, which is a fair criticism. There is also a severe lack of finishers, that needs to be addressed as well.

• Let Staff 3 apply healing and boons regardless of target
• Use Phantom Onslaught as the base of Staff 3 and not Rush.
  • There are several bugs right now with the current animation, but using PO as the base instead of Rush may fix all of those so I am not listing them.
• Fix the block cancel bug on Staff 5
• Add protection to F1. Possibly stability for other allies on F1.
• Staff 2 needs a blast finisher.
• Staff 3 needs a leap finisher.
• Staff 5 needs a blast finisher on the flip over.

Things that I want to see, purely from a "this is good, but this would be even better" viewpoint:

• Make Staff 2 900 range
• Make Staff 4 900 range
• Make the offensive and support radius the same, using the current support radii.

It is good though. Once the actual bugs on Staff 3 and 5 are fixed it will be a good weapon. Easily a good weapon to carry in the off set even if you aren't running support just for the mobility, the block, and the healing. Staff 4 ->H5->H4, Staff4->Axe4, Staff4->GS2, Staff4->D4->SW3... There are so many combos that can start off of that pull.

[HeliosMagi.9867]

Certainly a diamond in the rough. It has some rough edges that need smoothing out, but I can seem myself regularly playing Heal Warrior with it once it's refined a bit more.

At the bare minimum, it needs these changes:

1. A source of Adrenaline generation. Staff is really starved for Adrenaline on Berserker because there are no support-focus Adrenaline generated traits. The best way I found to make it work in the beta is to run Burst Mastery + Signet of Rage, which isn't ideal because you give up access to a 5-man Rez from Battle Standard. IMO a good place to add it would be to make Berserker's Eternal Champion trait grant adrenaline when granting boons to others in PvE in addition to its current effects.

2. The ally-targeting stuff on Staff 3 needs to go. It should outputs its boons and healing to allies regardless of what I have targeted. I would take this a step further and move the Protection from Staff 3 onto 2, so that we can save 3 for on-demand healing and aegis instead of spamming it off-cooldown for protection. And of course, changing the base animation from Rush to Phantom Onslaught would also be a good idea.

In addition, I would also like to the base Vigor on Warhorn 5 extended by 2-5 seconds, since even with Alacrity and 100% Boon duration you never build up more than a small buffer, and it's very easy to drop Vigor uptime in the heat of combat. Similarly I'd like sources of group Swiftness and Vigor added to Bladesworn, as since it can't weapon swap it has no access to Swift and Vigor at all.

[Jzaku.9765]

It's Warrior's only weapon with Modern skill design. Even if you don't like the fact that it's support focused, it literally has an aoe pull, a block, unblockable buff, and 2 movement skills on it. It'll be good relative to Warrior's other weapons no matter what. 

[Azure The Heartless.3261]

1 hour ago, Jzaku.9765 said:

It's Warrior's only weapon with Modern skill design. Even if you don't like the fact that it's support focused, it literally has an aoe pull, a block, unblockable buff, and 2 movement skills on it. It'll be good relative to Warrior's other weapons no matter what. 

absolutely. it's more useful than just raw damage greatsword for these reasons alone.

[Knighthonor.4061]

kitten I like Support Warrior now! that was fun in WvW last night

[VoiceOfUnreason.5976]

• Staff 2 should be what applies the boons and healing upon landing
• Staff 2's landing should be a blast finisher
• Staff 3 should only have the enemy targeting
• Make staff 3 a leap rather than using the code for Greatsword's rush. It's bad and feels bad.
• Make staff 5 auto-cast its second part and the end of the spin.
• Make staff 5's second part a blast finisher.
• Add a trait that gives adrenaline when applying boons to or healing allies.

Edited December 1, 2023 by VoiceOfUnreason.5976

[Paradoxoglanis.1904]

Its OP in pvp. Need big nerfs.

[oscuro.9720]

I voted for B (or the second option)
Give damage, and it will be a legitimate alternative to GS (or a compliment), and give Warrior some really fun stuff to play with outside support. I can’t say much about its support, I don’t have friends to play with so I can’t test the healing. 

Fantastic to see a well received weapon. The design is clear, intentional, and specific to warrior and it really shows. 

Edited December 2, 2023 by oscuro.9720

[Crimthan.9308]

15 hours ago, VoiceOfUnreason.5976 said:

• Staff 2 should be what applies the boons and healing upon landing
• Staff 2's landing should be a blast finisher
• Staff 3 should only have the enemy targeting
• Make staff 3 a leap rather than using the code for Greatsword's rush. It's bad and feels bad.
• Make staff 5 auto-cast its second part and the end of the spin.
• Make staff 5's second part a blast finisher.
• Add a trait that gives adrenaline when applying boons to or healing allies.

This.

Especially making staff 3 a leap rather than slow dash based off of GS....

[anbujackson.9564]

Its decent. 

I dont see it played in non open world PvE content though. The other classes are just way better and dont have to deal with a mixed up traitline like tactics. 

Its kind of sad that you need to overload a weaponkit with effects because the class in general lacks too much benefits. Just like they need to keep buffing numbers because the class mechanic isnt that great compared to others.

[WingSwipe.3084]

On 12/1/2023 at 7:28 PM, Azure The Heartless.3261 said:

absolutely. it's more useful than just raw damage greatsword for these reasons alone.

Utility alone is going to make it a contender in the PVP scene, that speaks ill of the greatsword.

[DeanBB.4268]

You spelled that wrong. Should be

Staff = Pole.

[Myror.7521]

Personaly i think staff as it was was totaly solid and does not need Changes BUT it was hella buggy. staff 5 cancel itself after 1 Block and staff 3 sometimes does not hit the targed or needed ways too long to get the effects done (rush to enemy/teammate but while beeing exactly on the targed it Drops the effekt after like 2-3 Seconds been locked in the Animation ^^)

[Loboling.5293]

I think most of the staff is good, but a few replacements and rehires would do wonders...😄

[draxynnic.3719]

I think it's likely to end up in a similar position to revenant staff. Healing warriors will naturally want to have it, but it's also going to be attractive on DPS builds thanks to the utility and sustain it brings. Staff on one set and something fairly aggressive like axes, daggers or greatsword on the other is probably going to be a common combination as long as it doesn't get overnerfed.

[Lucius.2140]

 

On 12/1/2023 at 1:26 AM, Verdict is Vengence.6912 said:

"Staff Poll" - Get it? Because a staff is like a pole and this is a "poll" 😆

Now, let's get down to business. I am not in the camp of warriors that wanted support staff and actually wanted a pure combat staff instead. But I know there are those who wanted a different playstyle and different role other than dps for warrior. So, I understand.

Now that we're here, how's support staff so far?

Is like a healing banner of old.

Side note: THEY SHOULD NOT HAVE CHANGED THE BANNERS.

[TugboatSteve.3607]

The healing numbers alone are another category of weapon compared to anything else, which feels weird.

There's no other choice.