Smokescale F1 cast time

[tryplex.3820]

Hey, i am mainly a wvw roamer / pvp player. I don't even wanna talk about why they removed the knockdown on F1, which is obviously a big nerf especially for untamed.

But what i don't get is why the new F1 comes with 3/4s cast time. It almost never hits, even when it has a bigger range than for example wolf F1. An enemy player can simply walk away from it. The new F1 is just useless most of the times (also in soulbeast).

Just for Comparison (on my wvw untamed roaming build):

Smokescale F1:  3/4s Cast time; 8s CD; 927 damage; 240 Range; 3s Cripple

Wolf: 1/4s Cast time; 8s CD; 1.498 damage, Range 180; 5s Cripple

As u can see wolf F1 outperforms smokescale F1 by a lot. The bigger range doesn't come up for its slow activation time (for moving targets, so enemy players).

If Smokescale F1 would also be 1/4s cast time, this skill would at least be kinda decent for the untamed combo (weapon/pet swap + GS 2 + pet F1) and also reliably hit the target. Tbh idk if the damage and cripple time also need an increase, because the smokescale kit is still strong, but as for now the F1 skill is useless most of the times. In soulbeast you can/have to set it up to hit, but outside of it, it barely hits a moving target. Btw does it have the same cast time as tail swift from the drakes which does more than double the damage (on longer cd).

So overall i think devs should look into that skill again.

[Dadnir.5038]

Still, even with the nerf, you'd rather take smokescale over any canine, right?

How do you even the field between canine and smokescale if smokescale have the "better" skill design and the same numbers than canine?

The overall strength of the pet is balanced through the performance of all 4 of it's skills. Even with canine's F1 having higher performances than smokescale's, I do believe smokescale still have the edge over canine thanks to both smoke assault gap closer and smoke cloud strategic usefulness. Even when it come to the AA, smokescale's is still way better than canine's.

[tryplex.3820]

Yeah Smokescale kit is still top tier, we don't need to argue about that. And as i wrote, i don't want more damage or other buffs on it, i just want them to look on the cast time.

Because it is just frustrating using a skill which probably won't hit.