Speed of Sand is the worst trait in the entire game and I can prove it.

[Waffles.5632]

Here we go.

https://wiki.guildwars2.com/wiki/Speed_of_Sand

Speed of Sand is a Minor Grandmaster trait that provides 66% movement speed for 3/4ths of a second when a Mirage gets Mirage Cloak. (I.E when they dodge)

Keep in mind Mirages dodge in place unlike normal dodging. This 66% movement speed buff was so they could "dodge out of aoes" which, is a fine concept but it is not a fine Minor Grandmaster trait.

 

Let us compare other Minor Grandmaster traits;

Berserker - https://wiki.guildwars2.com/wiki/Fatal_Frenzy

Spellbreaker - https://wiki.guildwars2.com/wiki/Attacker's_Insight

Bladesworn - https://wiki.guildwars2.com/wiki/Guns_and_Glory

Willbender - https://wiki.guildwars2.com/wiki/Righteous_Sprint

Chronomancer - https://wiki.guildwars2.com/wiki/Time_Marches_On

Reaper - https://wiki.guildwars2.com/wiki/Cold_Shoulder

Soulbeast - https://wiki.guildwars2.com/wiki/Twice_as_Vicious

Renegade - https://wiki.guildwars2.com/wiki/Brutal_Momentum

Vindicator - https://wiki.guildwars2.com/wiki/Empire_Divided

Deadeye - https://wiki.guildwars2.com/wiki/Iron_Sight

Holosmith - https://wiki.guildwars2.com/wiki/Laser's_Edge

 

Now double check willbender again, you see how it's a MINOR MASTER. Yes I did that on purpose. Here is actual Willbender Minor Grandmaster: https://wiki.guildwars2.com/wiki/Lethal_Tempo

 

As you can see, most Minor Grandmaster traits offer valuable utility or 10-15% damage buffs. Mirage literally gets the -base line- dodge speed as it's Minor Grandmaster. 🤧

If you look at Patch Notes for Speed of Sand link you will see Speed of Sand used to give superspeed. I propose Anet make Speed of Sand grant 2-3 secs of AOE superspeed in PvE and 1sec of personal superspeed in PvP/WvW. This will make Speed of Sand fun again because Mirages can make everyone Sonic for PvE, and can be Sonic in PvP/WvW for zoom zooms.

Thank you for your time.

 

Edited February 8 by Waffles.5632

[AshkyLicious.4729]

Superspeed needs to come back again in this trait, since 66% speed boost isnt enough for a Mirage to actually bring themselves out of big AoE attacks (esp. in modes like WvW). I think 3 sec of superspeed should go for for both PvE and WvW, while it can be shorter for PvP.

I like the "shared superspeed with allies in PvE" part of your idea alot, would def make this trait much more interesting. 

Id like to add one more bonus in this trait aswell, and that should be a damage boost to all of the Mirage's and it's clones attacks. This bonus activates when dodging and stays for some seconds on the Mirage and it's clones. This should bring us one step closer to having a impactful special dodge again, cuz we're def not there rn with all the nerfs we recieved to our dodge in the past.

[Geronmy.3298]

I've been saying this since i picked the spec a year ago. It should be baked into baseline and create a new minor to replace it that is actually impactful.

 

But i also like the idea of aoe superspeed. If Anet finally stops bullying mirage and make rifle at least viable on it it might also make it better as a healer than without it.

Edited February 9 by Geronmy.3298

[mirage.8046]

I'd advocate for more superspeed on a mobile espec, so yes yes and yes to this idea! Mesmer in general needs its own reliable superspeed with all the mobility creep there is nowadays. 😔

[Beddo.1907]

*Go for the Eyes, Wilting Strike and Beastly Warden has entered the room*

[Geronmy.3298]

2 minutes ago, Beddo.1907 said:

*Go for the Eyes, Wilting Strike and Beastly Warden has entered the room*

Do these simply not work at all or work as intended? Because if not bugged they are miles ahead of speed of sand.

Starting from the fact that you can choose not to take them.

[Waffles.5632]

Speed of Sand doesn't actually buff or add anything.

It simply makes it so Mirage Cloak can move the same distance as a normal dodge. (Notice how Vindicator doesn't need a trait for this btw)

It is literally a zero value trait.

There is no comparison.

The fact that it occupies a grandmaster minor slot is just insult to injury.

I have shown the evidence, I now rest my case.

 

Edited February 9 by Waffles.5632

[Beddo.1907]

1 hour ago, Geronmy.3298 said:

Starting from the fact that you can choose not to take them.

Ok fair point.

[Leo G.4501]

2 hours ago, Waffles.5632 said:

Speed of Sand doesn't actually buff or add anything.

It simply makes it so Mirage Cloak can move the same distance as a normal dodge. (Notice how Vindicator doesn't need a trait for this btw)

It is literally a zero value trait.

There is no comparison.

The fact that it occupies a grandmaster minor slot is just insult to injury.

I have shown the evidence, I now rest my case.

 

What would you give up for that super speed?

[Geronmy.3298]

3 hours ago, Waffles.5632 said:

 

It simply makes it so Mirage Cloak can move the same distance as a normal dodge. (Notice how Vindicator doesn't need a trait for this btw)

 

 

This also only applies if you're facing the same direction you want to move. You do move slower moving to the sides or backwards, so is actually worse.

[oscuro.9720]

7 hours ago, mirage.8046 said:

I'd advocate for more superspeed on a mobile espec, so yes yes and yes to this idea! Mesmer in general needs its own reliable superspeed with all the mobility creep there is nowadays. 😔

While I agree with the post, the minor is useless and needs a buff, I disagree with the sentiment that super speed should replace it. Less creep in boons and mobility would be preferable to me. Granted I don’t play mirage, but the game needs less super speed not more rn imo. 

[Leo G.4501]

1 hour ago, oscuro.9720 said:

While I agree with the post, the minor is useless and needs a buff, I disagree with the sentiment that super speed should replace it. Less creep in boons and mobility would be preferable to me. Granted I don’t play mirage, but the game needs less super speed not more rn imo. 

From the sound of it, that's not enough lol

I've played my share of Virtuoso and Mirage but I always noticed that the stuff Mesmer does get is often stacked. The way I see it, lots of things have been reigned in (to the detriment of utility and uniqueness) so getting that toning down retracted is probably tougher than new changes.

Also, this comparing traits across professions the OP is doing is just strawmen. That's not how the game is balanced.

[Matoro.9708]

Idk, modern game design is about taking away basic functionality then making you pay to have it back, isn't that more fun?

[DanAlcedo.3281]

The worst trait in the game right now is Crack Shot from Warrior. And it's not even close. 

Historicaly it's the old version of Brave Stride. That one was one of the worst traits I have ever seen in gaming. 

[Geronmy.3298]

5 hours ago, DanAlcedo.3281 said:

The worst trait in the game right now is Crack Shot from Warrior. And it's not even close. 

Historicaly it's the old version of Brave Stride. That one was one of the worst traits I have ever seen in gaming. 

Speed of Sand is still worse, you can choose something better than Crack Shot because it's a major.

[Triptaminas.4789]

On 2/9/2024 at 11:28 PM, Waffles.5632 said:

Speed of Sand doesn't actually buff or add anything.

It simply makes it so Mirage Cloak can move the same distance as a normal dodge. (Notice how Vindicator doesn't need a trait for this btw)

It is literally a zero value trait.

There is no comparison.

The fact that it occupies a grandmaster minor slot is just insult to injury.

I have shown the evidence, I now rest my case.

 

*mic drop*

[Gesbo.6420]

I was actually thinking about this a couple of days ago myself. Wanted to make a list of all the useless mesmer traits like desperate decoy and infinite Forge and dune cloak ( granted those are being changed in March, not to great extend but oh well) 

 

Speed of Sand though, hands down the worst grand master minor or minor all together. Given the fact that mirage has to be like the thief version of the mirage (what will bender is for guardian) it really needs some polish to be less clunky and quicker. Super speed is a good idea. Give us back the third jaunt and shave the cooldown in competitive and I'll be a happy mesmer 

Like I'm not being funny, most eillbender utility skills are 20 sec cd in competitive all mirage ones are 30+.

I went further into the rabit hole:

Rolling light is on 25 sec cooldown and breaks stun, blinds, grants resistance and also grants you access to another skill.

Sand through glass also breaks stun, drops a mirror but is on 30 sec cool down. I guess you can argue that mirror is another skill but that would not excuse the longer cool down and less functionality...

Edited February 17 by Gesbo.6420

[Leo G.4501]

Once you put your envy aside and start looking at your own professions traits again, I guess we're back to square one. I don't think the Dune Cloak trait change is strong BUT just how much speed do you think it would add once you start taking that into account with your proposal?

Having traits that mostly modify a particular skill would seem rather elegant in the past...now they have to tack on a bunch of team boons too? 

[Salt Mode.3780]

Again to those who don't understand why that trait sucks is because it is hindered by cripple/chill, super speed ignores those 2 ailments, now considering mirage dodge is stationary this trait was to "compensate" the distance of a normal dodge to avoid aoes and what not. A normal dodge with cripple/chill will still get the distance, however, mirage with cripple/chill will not. In other words they made a normal dodge with shiny visuals and split the distance into a trait. So yes this trait is utterly useless and it's already proven that ANET is biased against Mesmers...it was evident with the pvp discord that is o so exclusive with Devs "discussing" what needs to be balanced. 

Edited February 18 by Salt Mode.3780

[ZephidelGRS.9520]

18 minutes ago, Leo G.4501 said:

Once you put your envy aside and start looking at your own professions traits again, I guess we're back to square one. I don't think the Dune Cloak trait change is strong BUT just how much speed do you think it would add once you start taking that into account with your proposal?

Having traits that mostly modify a particular skill would seem rather elegant in the past...now they have to tack on a bunch of team boons too? 

The trait DID give Superspeed originally, before it was taken away for whatever reason. 

Party boon Superspeed might be a bit too much, but asking for its original version to be restored isn’t that unreasonable. 

Regarding the upcoming Dune Cloak, it only works with power Mirage, specifically Sword. Considering that power Mesmers lack the aggro-tanking nature of the Clones of condi variants, and Sword having to be in face-to-face close combat with little defense, it’d be a healthy synergy. 

[Geronmy.3298]

1 minute ago, ZephidelGRS.9520 said:

The trait DID give Superspeed originally, before it was taken away for whatever reason. 

Party boon Superspeed might be a bit too much, but asking for its original version to be restored isn’t that unreasonable. 

Regarding the upcoming Dune Cloak, it only works with power Mirage, specifically Sword. Considering that power Mesmers lack the aggro-tanking nature of the Clones of condi variants, and Sword having to be in face-to-face close combat with little defense, it’d be a healthy synergy. 

And don't forget that you can also dodge backwards and to the sides the same distance as facing forwards. Mirage Cloak doesn't have that luxury.

[Leo G.4501]

16 hours ago, Salt Mode.3780 said:

Again to those who don't understand why that trait sucks is because it is hindered by cripple/chill, super speed ignores those 2 ailments, now considering mirage dodge is stationary this trait was to "compensate" the distance of a normal dodge to avoid aoes and what not. A normal dodge with cripple/chill will still get the distance, however, mirage with cripple/chill will not. In other words they made a normal dodge with shiny visuals and split the distance into a trait. So yes this trait is utterly useless and it's already proven that ANET is biased against Mesmers...it was evident with the pvp discord that is o so exclusive with Devs "discussing" what needs to be balanced. 

So you're saying Mirage cloak is useless and has no unique advantages?

16 hours ago, ZephidelGRS.9520 said:

The trait DID give Superspeed originally, before it was taken away for whatever reason. 

Party boon Superspeed might be a bit too much, but asking for its original version to be restored isn’t that unreasonable. 

Regarding the upcoming Dune Cloak, it only works with power Mirage, specifically Sword. Considering that power Mesmers lack the aggro-tanking nature of the Clones of condi variants, and Sword having to be in face-to-face close combat with little defense, it’d be a healthy synergy. 

Yeah, I read the patch notes. There were quite a few changes that affected mirage negatively.

I'm not against giving the trait something but you basically outline what I'm talking about: yeah, power mirage will get more out of the trait because of the negatives you point out. It's like they give up something for it...

16 hours ago, Geronmy.3298 said:

And don't forget that you can also dodge backwards and to the sides the same distance as facing forwards. Mirage Cloak doesn't have that luxury.

Use Action cam? Turn your camera? Or did they ever fix that thing were Action Cam strafing is faster than free cam?

Also, I think you guys are gaslighting. Apparently Mirage Cloak has NO luxuries? It's just a random nerf so you can use ambush skills? It's like downplaying Mirage Cloak as bad and Speed of Sand just makes Mirage Cloak not a nerf.

[Geronmy.3298]

1 minute ago, Leo G.4501 said:

Use Action cam?

 

Self report.

No need to argue anymore.

[Leo G.4501]

1 minute ago, Geronmy.3298 said:

Self report.

No need to argue anymore.

Don't care. Try arguing in good faith instead.

[Geronmy.3298]

1 minute ago, Leo G.4501 said:

Don't care. Try arguing in good faith instead.

Telling someone to use action cam as a solution is not arguing in good faith lmao.

Edited February 18 by Geronmy.3298