August 20 patch notes.

[Angesombre.4630]

Yes, but if the target is moving now, it'll completely mess things up, because skill 5 is small and it has a small delay between the moment you land and the moment it hits.

[Buran.3796]

  I'm 217 ranked matches into this season (one of my longest runs), plus the unranked ones, and I'n not seing spears AT ALL.  And barely any Rev of any kind.

   Arazoth said that despite the nerfs the class and hammer was fine, but I don't think so: if you take a look at the meta (SB, Necros, Chrono, DE ), every spec in use has viable ranged weapon to put ranged pressure on targets. Rev no longer has any option: hammer not only does now significatively less damage (and any Vidi attack, in general) but also lost half of the Field of the Mist uptime and got a 25% nerf in Phase Smash cooldown. Short bow is crap unless you're plat tier 2 or more, since Sevenshoot and Scorchrazor doesn't track towards foes in the sides or the rear so unless you're a genious at positioning and being aware of the environment people will easily negate any use of them.

   So all we have is pure mele  variants which won't work against the versatile meta which can fight at any range, and condi builds which are 2-3 tiers behind the condi builds in the meta.

[Jobber.6348]

3 hours ago, Buran.3796 said:

  I'm 217 ranked matches into this season (one of my longest runs), plus the unranked ones, and I'n not seing spears AT ALL.  And barely any Rev of any kind.

   Arazoth said that despite the nerfs the class and hammer was fine, but I don't think so: if you take a look at the meta (SB, Necros, Chrono, DE ), every spec in use has viable ranged weapon to put ranged pressure on targets. Rev no longer has any option: hammer not only does now significatively less damage (and any Vidi attack, in general) but also lost half of the Field of the Mist uptime and got a 25% nerf in Phase Smash cooldown. Short bow is crap unless you're plat tier 2 or more, since Sevenshoot and Scorchrazor doesn't track towards foes in the sides or the rear so unless you're a genious at positioning and being aware of the environment people will easily negate any use of them.

   So all we have is pure mele  variants which won't work against the versatile meta which can fight at any range, and condi builds which are 2-3 tiers behind the condi builds in the meta.

I straight up went back to Herald. People may meme on Herald but they're the only rev spec that actually received a massive W in the form of Glint TN Cleansing. Can actually duel condi/hybrids on node now because you can actually sustain well enough with the help of Staff. 
 

Hammer was overnerfed. I'm sick of weapons nerfed because they refuse to nerf Vindicator's 25% sustained strike damage buff. This used to be Herald too. This used to be Renegade too. Always always the darn Especs causing balancing issues and weapons take the shot to the knee and when Especs are finally nerfed, no reverts. No justice. This is like, a Revenant problem in general too because Anet doesn't even know how the class works half the time. 

Edited September 5 by Jobber.6348

[Shagie.7612]

wot
the corr/retri (or salv tbh) condi roamer vindi build is really good lol

actually drives me insane that somehow vindicator is the optimal elite for a condi build too though
like setting effectiveness within the meta aside, why is it the superior power, condi, support, sidenoder, roamer, teamfighter, whatever build?

the game has enough depth for that to NOT be the case, and it's not the case for multiple other classes

Edited September 5 by Shagie.7612

[Jobber.6348]

26 minutes ago, Shagie.7612 said:

wot
the corr/retri (or salv tbh) condi roamer vindi build is really good lol

actually drives me insane that somehow vindicator is the optimal elite for a condi build too though

That's because Vindi like Herald are built as platforms. They have great buffs, heals and boons just by breathing. 

But he's talking about sPvP though. In sPvP Spear really is seen alot lesser. I've been playing a Core Spear build and it's kinda meh when you can spike much harder with Power Herald or Power Vindicator (swords build). In sPvP where there are stat amulet limiting people, Power burst builds are alot more viable than expected than a Condi focused build which Spear offers more than a Hybrid weapon due to its ridiculously mediocre Power coefficients on their Autos and Spear 2. Only Spear 3 (if people walk into the mines), Spear 4 and Spear 5 does actually decent Power damage but even then not good enough to actually make people shake in their boots. 

The popular Spear Vindi build in sPvP right now is Tyrant Alliance Mallyx. It's great as a ganker and disrupts fights very very well but weak to getting focused, which is a huge risk because you need to be in rather midrange to have most effect with Mallyx. 
 

Edited September 5 by Jobber.6348

[Shagie.7612]

Just now, Jobber.6348 said:

But he's talking about sPvP though. In sPvP Spear really is seen alot lesser.

So am I? lol it literally won the last MAT and you'll probably still see it in the next one.

It's pretty good idk else to say

[Jobber.6348]

Just now, Shagie.7612 said:

So am I? lol it literally won the last MAT and you'll probably still see it in the next one.

It's pretty good idk else to say

It's just seen lesser, it's a fact and not meant to disprove anything. It's really just seen lesser. Maybe people haven't got around it, maybe people don't like JW expansion as a whole and didn't buy it yet to get at Spears. The PvP community are all about "Okay will buying this expac give me actual meta options for my main class" and they simply don't see it in Spear that can't be achieve with current weapons. 

And even lesser people play MAT vs playing Ranked. Could be you're the only guy playing it in MAT and no one plays it in Ranked too. 

[Shagie.7612]

7 minutes ago, Jobber.6348 said:

The PvP community are all about "Okay will buying this expac give me actual meta options for my main class" and they simply don't see it in Spear that can't be achieve with current weapons. 

it does tho lol
it's better than power vindi now and infinitely better than any other condi build (mostly because shortbow is garbage)

8 minutes ago, Jobber.6348 said:

Could be you're the only guy playing it in MAT and no one plays it in Ranked too. 

like every single high rated rev is currently playing some variation of condi in ranked too on both NA and EU?

i don't think it's seen less at all, i see plenty in my own matches and plenty of people switched from fotming on hammer vindi to spear

[Jobber.6348]

27 minutes ago, Shagie.7612 said:

it does tho lol
it's better than power vindi now and infinitely better than any other condi build (mostly because shortbow is garbage)

like every single high rated rev is currently playing some variation of condi in ranked too on both NA and EU?

i don't think it's seen less at all, i see plenty in my own matches and plenty of people switched from fotming on hammer vindi to spear

Maybe different server. Sometimes trends take time to catch on. 

[arazoth.7290]

4 hours ago, Shagie.7612 said:

Actually drives me insane that somehow vindicator is superior whatever build?

• Because on vindi aside the F-skills having not that much to go on with, they make it up how well made alliance stance is instead/versatile like rev overall is. And the cost on energy meld for useage is cheap or non existant if traited incomparison to renegade or even slightly on herald. So vindi has the edge because of this atm

• Renegade doesn't makes up enough with kalla stance, also the summons can't be placed everywhere like shades/well from necro can ect... . Then the renegade F-skills are really expensive and should have no energy cost + overall more utility even on citadel bombardement, I don't mind if it would give citadel bombardement little bit lesser damage then.

• Herald glint skills and F-skills aren't bad but feel like mediocre. I personally wouldn't buff glint stance, but rather focus on improving the F-skills upkeep/consume part.

+ Herald traits improved like for example these 2 could use some

"Core Value should also buff the upkeep part and not only consume part"

"Elder's respite" instead of the regen on 50% proc it does now along with the 20% increased regen making your regen boon apply to downed state allies as additional revive healing, they also receive 20% less donwstate damage if regen is active on them.

 

 

[arazoth.7290]

4 hours ago, Shagie.7612 said:

So am I? lol it literally won the last MAT and you'll probably still see it in the next one.

It's pretty good idk else to say

nvm I read you won

Edited September 5 by arazoth.7290

[arazoth.7290]

On 9/5/2024 at 12:02 AM, Buran.3796 said:

Arazoth said that despite the nerfs the class and hammer was fine

•Power vindi roamer: 

Alliance stance/shiro stance

- Devastation traits: 1-1-2

- Invocation traits: 3-2-3

-vindi traits: 1-2-1

berserker amulet/rune of the eagle/relic of the sunless.

Hammer/GS => sigils of energy + Sigil of cleansing(gs) + Sigil of seperation (hammer)

•Power herald roamer:

Glint stance/shiro stance

- Devastation traits: 1-2-2

- Invocation traits: 3-3-3

-Herald traits: 3-2-2

berserker amulet/rune of the eagle/relic of the sunless.

Hammer+S/S=> sigils of energy + Sigil of cleansing(Sword) + Sigil of seperation (hammer)

• condi support vindi:

Alliance stance/centaur stance

-retribution traits: 1-2-2

-Salvation traits: 3-2-1

-Vindi traits: 2-2-3

Sage amulet/rune of the druid/relic of the flock

mace/shield + spear(or shortbow without Janthir) => Sigils of transference + Sigils of energy

•Condi duelist/teamfighter with off support vindi:

Alliance stance/centaur stance

-Corruption traits: 1-1-2 (Corruption:1-1-1 without janthir)

- Salvation traits: 3-2-1

-Vindi traits: 2-2-2

sage amulet/rune of the traveler(DO NOT TAKE LYNX)/Relic of the blightbringer

Mace/shield+spear (shortbow without janthir)=> Sigils of doom + Sigils of energy

•Condi teamfighter with off support renegade (less then above one), has more pressure:

Kalla stance/centaur stance

-Corruption traits: 1-1-2 (corruption traits without janthir 1-1-2 same)

- Salvation traits: 3-2-1

-Renegade traits: 3-3-1

sage amulet/rune of the traveler(DO NOT TAKE LYNX)/Relic of the blightbringer

(Mace/shield without janthir) shortbow+spear => Sigils of doom + Sigils of energy.

(core + herald condi builds not tested enough after expansion drop to link here which build)

 

I am not sure if relics are expansion required otherwise without janthir => twin generals relic.

 

Edited September 8 by arazoth.7290

[Jobber.6348]

6 hours ago, arazoth.7290 said:

•Power vindi roamer: 

Alliance stance/shiro stance

- Devastation traits: 1-1-2

- Invocation traits: 3-2-3

-vindi traits: 1-2-1

berserker amulet/rune of the eagle/relic of the sunless.

Hammer/GS => sigils of energy + Sigil of cleansing(gs) + Sigil of seperation (hammer)

Wait, why Assassin's Presence when you already run Invocation?
I hope this entry's a legit mistake. 

Also Sunless Relic is ... meh. Its targeting is horrible because unlike other Elite Skill trigger Relics, it summons the pool on the nearest enemy. If you're going off Spear of Archemorus for the Elite cast, you should go with Citadel instead for the confirmed stun which grants you immense counter pressure upon entering Alliance. A cheap pocket CC is usually what Revenant as a whole lacks and Citadel used with Spear is not only potentially deadly but helps give you the breathing room you need. 

[arazoth.7290]

27 minutes ago, Jobber.6348 said:

Wait, why Assassin's Presence when you already run Invocation?
I hope this entry's a legit mistake. 

Also Sunless Relic is ... meh. Its targeting is horrible because unlike other Elite Skill trigger Relics, it summons the pool on the nearest enemy. If you're going off Spear of Arche

28 minutes ago, Jobber.6348 said:

Wait, why Assassin's Presence when you already run Invocation?
I hope this entry's a legit mistake. 

Also Sunless Relic is ... meh. Its targeting is horrible because unlike other Elite Skill trigger Relics, it summons the pool on the nearest enemy. If you're going off Spear of Archemorus for the Elite cast, you should go with Citadel instead for the confirmed stun which grants you immense counter pressure upon entering Alliance. A cheap pocket CC is usually what Revenant as a whole lacks and Citadel used with Spear is not only potentially deadly but helps give you the breathing room you need. 

morus for the Elite cast, you should go with Citadel instead for the confirmed stun which grants you immense counter pressure upon entering Alliance. A cheap pocket CC is usually what Revenant as a whole lacks and Citadel used with Spear is not only potentially deadly but helps give you the breathing room you need. 

invo no mistake bc you want that perma critic % uptime for the entire time critics, this goes also well with sunless relic making this a heavy hitting one. Quickness makes sunless relic double so fast, using  jade winds right timings is mostly a guaranteed kill. You can use sunless relic also defensivly, letting them decide to take that big damage or staying on you or not. Sunless relic placement you have to be aware too, right placements where and in which situations like above matter a lot. Know when you're going to cc somebody, using this relic or knowing when to use it in fights where enemies aren't going to leave likely. This relic has done the trick vs many while roaming, high and low rated ppl fell. If I say from this amount of testing for many months and it still working, then it works. If the person is going to use it in every way wrong and can't learn to use it, then take something like that new relic of stormsinger. But try to learn relic of sunless it's a lot better and quite OP, it really makes you able to get faster kill as roamer and from time even if you join teamfight right moment and timing of ur skills you can kill 2-3 at once. It also works wonders vs ppl in downstate, getting that pressure to kill them if their allies try reviving and very likely their allies die too.

 

[Buran.3796]

16 hours ago, Shagie.7612 said:

So am I? lol it literally won the last MAT and you'll probably still see it in the next one.

It's pretty good idk else to say

   Yes and no.

  It won in the NA, but was the only Rev in the 4 best teams, and Team USA lost, which is highly unusual, and could be related to the expansion being just a week old, son tons of moving parts and things to check.

   In the other hand, no single user of spear rev in the EU MAT, only a couple of Heralds and a Vindi wich didn't reach the semis.

   So overall, a single spear Rev amongst the 40 best players in EU + NA, and we can't be sure if the build is really legit or  TA became too confident, etc. And in my experience in ranked EU, I saw 1 sepear Rev in the first week of the JW release, and then nothing.

   Hammer Vindi is not utterly trash, but as Homage put in his more recent video, while the Vindi nerfs made sense, butchering the hammer for all the specs (including the underperforming ones) didn't. And that's for ranked; in ATs won't get a slot if doesn't have a solid build. I think that currently Rev has none.

[Jobber.6348]

6 hours ago, arazoth.7290 said:

invo no mistake bc you want that perma critic % uptime for the entire time critics, this goes also well with sunless relic making this a heavy hitting one. Quickness makes sunless relic double so fast, using  jade winds right timings is mostly a guaranteed kill. You can use sunless relic also defensivly, letting them decide to take that big damage or staying on you or not. Sunless relic placement you have to be aware too, right placements where and in which situations like above matter a lot. Know when you're going to cc somebody, using this relic or knowing when to use it in fights where enemies aren't going to leave likely. This relic has done the trick vs many while roaming, high and low rated ppl fell. If I say from this amount of testing for many months and it still working, then it works. If the person is going to use it in every way wrong and can't learn to use it, then take something like that new relic of stormsinger. But try to learn relic of sunless it's a lot better and quite OP, it really makes you able to get faster kill as roamer and from time even if you join teamfight right moment and timing of ur skills you can kill 2-3 at once. It also works wonders vs ppl in downstate, getting that pressure to kill them if their allies try reviving and very likely their allies die too.

 

Didn't know Quickness had that interaction with Sunless.

Assassin's Presence still weird to me however. You should have plenty of Fury via Scavenger and occasional Riposting.

Edited September 6 by Jobber.6348

[arazoth.7290]

39 minutes ago, Jobber.6348 said:

Didn't know Quickness had that interaction with Sunless.

Assassin's Presence still weird to me however. You should have plenty of Fury via Scavenger and occasional Riposting.

plenty but there are from times dead spots and this make it a lot easier to keep the high pressure.

And yea i tested it with sunless relic, 2 seconds compared to 4 can make a difference for aoe burst

[Buran.3796]

  I've been lucky last 10 matches with hammer Vindi and got mostly wins;; not like mean much since I'm stuck around gold 1 but at least I'm having fun and not dying much...

   Ranked at Season 42

   

  Unranked in Jantir Wilds:

This one again in ranked, and with the 4th spear Rev I saw in near 230 matches!:

 

Edited September 6 by Buran.3796

[arazoth.7290]

6 hours ago, Buran.3796 said:

  I've been lucky last 10 matches with hammer Vindi and got mostly wins;; not like mean much since I'm stuck around gold 1 but at least I'm having fun and not dying much...

   Ranked at Season 42

   

  Unranked in Jantir Wilds:

This one again in ranked, and with the 4th spear Rev I saw in near 230 matches!:

 

Go to options => combat/movement => ground targeting: instant.

 

[Buran.3796]

 Just saw the monthly 3 v 3 tournament from Teapot's stream. Sone toughs:

* Winner team was essentially Rank 55, running two variants of Spellbreaker and a support mesmer. Runner up were essentially French Wurms with double Spellbreaker and support Vindicator. Both teams dominated in the run towards the final but the final itself was extremely one sided. Wurms tried SB + spear Herald + support Vindi in the last round to try up their damage but wasn't enough.

* Spellbreakes was by far the most played spec, even with a team running 3 of them and placing amongst the 8 best. But full Spellbreaker doesn't work as well as running two and using a good support to bring cohesion.

* Support Vindi seems legit and the strongest Rev itaration in the current meta. Is hard to say how compares to support Mesmer, bith have strenghts and weakness, but both eclipse the alternatives in PvP at this moment. Support Firebrand is good but in extreme attrition fights as were most of the fights the long cooldowns of some abilities puts then below Mes and Rev.

* There were some build variety: Reaper, Willbender and other Herald and Vindi spear builds were present. Overall they did well and, for example, Reaper proved being extremely powerful in temfights. But none of the have the ability to sustain themselves in the way Spellbreakes can, so 2 SB + 1 support is the strongest current meta in 3 v 3.

   I guess that in Conquest the best 4th slot would be filled by the fastest decapper/+1 you can get, which usually means Daredevil or Deadeye. Mobility is crucial in Conquest, but happens that currently both the main teamfighters (Spellbreaker) and even support professions have good mobility, good self sustain and both mele and ranged damage (sup Vindin is an exception, since was running scepter + shield & staff). The final slot can be filled by either a 3rd SB or any other good teamfighter or a recond +1/roamer. Necros and Eles provide strong cc in teamfights, but oftenly have some weakness in terms of mobility.

  * ANet's Roy ran a trio of Dragonhunters which stacked Shield of Courage (F3), Cleansing Flames and other defenses to meme some of the teams they fought. The problem was that in order to gain sustain they gave up most of the traps, so their burst were weak. As soon as they faced serious teams they melt. 

 * Thieves barely had pressence in 3 v 3; Engies were weak, overall. Barely any Ranger. 

  I would say that Warrior's spear were quite strong (not sure if they are overperforming due SB trailines or the weapon, they have great base abilities); Mesmer, Guardian and Rev spears seems decent. The rest doesn't seems to have much impact. In part is due most are designed towards PvE,  In that regard is clear why Warrio's spear works: it provides good range, two ccs, a movement skill with evade frames and a decent burst.

   Would I need gto make room for a support Vindi build? kitten, I didn't want to 😂!

[Jobber.6348]

3 hours ago, Buran.3796 said:

I would say that Warrior's spear were quite strong (not sure if they are overperforming due SB trailines or the weapon, they have great base abilities); Mesmer, Guardian and Rev spears seems decent. The rest doesn't seems to have much impact. In part is due most are designed towards PvE,  In that regard is clear why Warrio's spear works: it provides good range, two ccs, a movement skill with evade frames and a decent burst.

It's Spellbreaker. 

Spellbreaker offers them alot of damage via their Insight minor and coupled with high boon rip capability, Full Counter and Burst resets with Full Counter as well as general tankiness of the spec, they sacrifice very little while being able to do alot of burst damage. Spellbreakers are hella overtuned and even Warrior mains have been talking about it for awhile now and as expected when Spear came out, Spellbreakers were made even stronger due to the fact that previously they had to risk something by fighting in melee. Now there's no risk at all, they just blow you up from range while shrugging off all your attacks and allowing Defense Heal over Time to sustain them. 

Anet really needs to hammer down Spellbreaker but we all know what's gonna happen: they nerf the wrong thing instead and ruin the fun for other Warrior specs. 

[Angesombre.4630]

As Roy plays a guardian, it's understandable that he's generally pampered.

[arazoth.7290]

8 hours ago, Buran.3796 said:

 Just saw the monthly 3 v 3 tournament from Teapot's stream. Sone toughs:

* Winner team was essentially Rank 55, running two variants of Spellbreaker and a support mesmer. Runner up were essentially French Wurms with double Spellbreaker and support Vindicator. Both teams dominated in the run towards the final but the final itself was extremely one sided. Wurms tried SB + spear Herald + support Vindi in the last round to try up their damage but wasn't enough.

* Spellbreakes was by far the most played spec, even with a team running 3 of them and placing amongst the 8 best. But full Spellbreaker doesn't work as well as running two and using a good support to bring cohesion.

* Support Vindi seems legit and the strongest Rev itaration in the current meta. Is hard to say how compares to support Mesmer, bith have strenghts and weakness, but both eclipse the alternatives in PvP at this moment. Support Firebrand is good but in extreme attrition fights as were most of the fights the long cooldowns of some abilities puts then below Mes and Rev.

* There were some build variety: Reaper, Willbender and other Herald and Vindi spear builds were present. Overall they did well and, for example, Reaper proved being extremely powerful in temfights. But none of the have the ability to sustain themselves in the way Spellbreakes can, so 2 SB + 1 support is the strongest current meta in 3 v 3.

   I guess that in Conquest the best 4th slot would be filled by the fastest decapper/+1 you can get, which usually means Daredevil or Deadeye. Mobility is crucial in Conquest, but happens that currently both the main teamfighters (Spellbreaker) and even support professions have good mobility, good self sustain and both mele and ranged damage (sup Vindin is an exception, since was running scepter + shield & staff). The final slot can be filled by either a 3rd SB or any other good teamfighter or a recond +1/roamer. Necros and Eles provide strong cc in teamfights, but oftenly have some weakness in terms of mobility.

  * ANet's Roy ran a trio of Dragonhunters which stacked Shield of Courage (F3), Cleansing Flames and other defenses to meme some of the teams they fought. The problem was that in order to gain sustain they gave up most of the traps, so their burst were weak. As soon as they faced serious teams they melt. 

 * Thieves barely had pressence in 3 v 3; Engies were weak, overall. Barely any Ranger. 

  I would say that Warrior's spear were quite strong (not sure if they are overperforming due SB trailines or the weapon, they have great base abilities); Mesmer, Guardian and Rev spears seems decent. The rest doesn't seems to have much impact. In part is due most are designed towards PvE,  In that regard is clear why Warrio's spear works: it provides good range, two ccs, a movement skill with evade frames and a decent burst.

   Would I need gto make room for a support Vindi build? kitten, I didn't want to 😂!

playing pure support vindi is only good in a premade team and with ppl you can rely on who do enough pressure to the enemy team.

Pure vindi sup weakness, it has no pressure on enemy extra aside some cc which gets nullified if enemy has stability. chrono support has atleast some more counter pressure on enemy team and also bc of chill, slow condis + reflect.

And from experience I am going to tell 2 spbs + 1 chrono support could have been defeated by 2 renegades by that build I linked + that condi support vindi build. Now you have 2 real hybrids + a support with also extra help in cc/condi damage. Would have been perfect for 3v3 premades arena. I am 100% sure from experience that even with current meta spellbreaker+ chrono support wouldn't have won that...

Edited September 8 by arazoth.7290

[Jobber.6348]

1 hour ago, arazoth.7290 said:

playing pure support vindi is only good in a premade team and with ppl you can rely on who do enough pressure to the enemy team.

Pure vindi sup weakness, it has no pressure on enemy extra aside some cc which gets nullified if enemy has stability. chrono support has atleast some more counter pressure on enemy team and also bc of chill, slow condis + reflect.

And from experience I am going to tell 2 spbs + 1 chrono support could have been defeated by 2 renegades by that build I linked + that condi support vindi build. Now you have 2 real hybrids + a support with also extra help in cc/condi damage. Would have been perfect for 3v3 premades arena. I am 100% sure from experience that even with current meta spellbreaker+ chrono support wouldn't have won that...

I've tried a "support" Vindi in sPvP which is basically a Karakosa Blaster.

I won't say it's perfect but it's definitely alot of on-node pressure if you care to try it. Having like 4 Blind Blasts back to back is seriously no joke with EtD. You will use Centaur to Blast Cleanses mainly but a huge amount of your healing is from blasting either with Spear 5 or Mace 3. Spear 5 also resets itself doing Spear things so you have even more blasts. 

Oh yea also swap Mallyx for Jalis if you need less CC and more Stability. You know when you'll need it, when you face a whole buttload of Catas and Necros on the enemy team. In that matchup, going Retribution instead of Invocation is alot more valuable for Dome of the Mist Dark Field combos. Also remember, Spear 4 drops a Dark Field as well. 

I play these just for the funsies and it's really funny to just stand on mid and blast. 

Edited September 8 by Jobber.6348

[Buran.3796]

3 hours ago, Angesombre.4630 said:

As Roy plays a guardian, it's understandable that he's generally pampered.

  He was not part or Anet staff until years later of the GW2 release. Unlike CmC, which brought us the "5 ele PvP meta", I don't think that his biases had impacted  Guardian that much. The main feat of Guardian is being designed as a support class, which is a crucial role in MMOs, and that's why overall Guardian remained relevant in most game modes for so long. It could be argued that ANet is also biased towards Thief in PvP, but the thing is that in a game mode revolving around capturing nodes around the map, high mobility specs will always have a role.