When is the next balance patch?

[Link.1049]

So I'm giddy that the next patch is going to be a doozy... but when is it coming? I thought it was supposed to come after season ends, but others say it's going to be several more months.

[Za Shaloc.3908]

Probably mid-January since the season ends on the 1st. They stated explicitly that the most recent "balance patch" would not interfere with the normal cadence. Pretty sure the prior balance patch came out late though, so you never know.

[Link.1049]

They need an enormous balance patch. Like to the foundations balance work. You're saying the January patch is gonna be minor?

[Morwath.9817]

Ooo, Quaggan thinks it would be smart to drop patch right after season ends (not gonna happen, because of holidays), then test it during between season time and do some adjustments before another seasons goes live.

[Za Shaloc.3908]

@Link.1049 said:They need an enormous balance patch. Like to the foundations balance work. You're saying the January patch is gonna be minor?

No I wasn't implying that at all, just saying that the last condition balance patch didn't really address a lot of the current balance issues. Time will tell how major the next patch would be, but it will probably be similar to previous post-season balance patches.

[Crinn.7864]

@Link.1049 said:They need an enormous balance patch. Like to the foundations balance work.No we don't need a foundations rework. Massive reworks always causes more problems than they solve. Problem solving should always be done at the most localized level possible.

What should be done in January:

1. ) Scourge nerfed
2. ) Mirage nerfed
3. ) firebrand needs it's support tapped

That's all we need. We don't need massive overhauls. We don't need a total rethink of conditions. We don't need a complete redoing of defensive mechanics.

When your care gets a flat tire, you replace the tire, you don't rebuild the entire car.

[Link.1049]

They designed a new car... it's failing it's crash tests.

1) Scourge Necro Major Nerf2) Delay Ranger Major Nerf3) Rev buff4) Spellbreaker, Nerf but balance with Delay Ranger since this is the only counter currently5) Holosmith Nerf6)Guardian... actually in a decent spot7) Thief... it's not a patch if thief hasn't been nerfed8) Fresh Air Ele- nerf

[Aedaryl.3195]

@Link.1049 said:They designed a new car... it's failing it's crash tests.

1) Scourge Necro Major Nerf2) Delay Ranger Major Nerf3) Rev buff4) Spellbreaker, Nerf but balance with Delay Ranger since this is the only counter currently5) Holosmith Nerf6)Guardian... actually in a decent spot7) Thief... it's not a patch if thief hasn't been nerfed8) Fresh Air Ele- nerf

Firebrand are actually the best support and OP, why don't nerf it ? Why nerfing fresh air ? It's the only burst build running 11 645 hp with no stleath, no perma evade, mediorce mobility and low armor.

[Link.1049]

Firebrand are actually the best support and OP, why don't nerf it ? Why nerfing fresh air ? It's the only burst build running 11 645 hp with no stleath, no perma evade, mediorce mobility and low armor.

You say it the best... it's OP...meaning over powered. Fresh air has average mobility, and built right can still tank while doing enormous amounts of damage (lightning strikes can 1 hit/2 hit down just about anyone). Just assuming you're trying to be funny :P.

[Aedaryl.3195]

@Link.1049 said:

Firebrand are actually the best support and OP, why don't nerf it ? Why nerfing fresh air ? It's the only burst build running 11 645 hp with no stleath, no perma evade, mediorce mobility and low armor.

You say it the best... it's OP...meaning over powered. Fresh air has average mobility, and built right can still tank while doing enormous amounts of damage (lightning strikes can 1 hit/2 hit down just about anyone). Just assuming you're trying to be funny :P.

I hope you are not joking, lightning strike can't 1/2 shot, even in full damage traits + full berzerk gear : the 1/2 shot come from plasma beam or earthen synergy or phoenix + arcane blast + 2 electric discharge + lightning strike.

You can't build tanky and 1/2 shot people.

If I'm wrong show me in video the tanky FA oneshotting people with lightning strike.

[Zietlogik.6208]

Next balance patch? I am still waiting for the first one...

[Jacobin.8509]

All they do in balance patches is buff PVE which means scourge will get even better.

[Razor.6392]

@Link.1049 said:6)Guardian... actually in a decent spot8) Fresh Air Ele- nerf

I wouldn't put it past ANet to do something like this. Thanks for the laugh Link!

Btw he plays rifle deadeye, no wonder he wants FA nerfed.

[Burnfall.9573]

@Zietlogik.6208 said:Next balance patch? I am still waiting for the first one...

[Angeels.3269]

Two weeks between the pvp season ending and the next one beginning. Expect it sometime then.

Focus should be:

Scourge: toning down corrupts and cover conditions.

Firebrand: toning down healing, make it support through boons so other support classes like tempest can see use in comps.

Mirage: tone down spike damage/shift damage to choreographed attacks.

Holo: add 1/2s ‘arming time’ to dodge roll mines.

Druid: halve duration of stone signet and stealth duration on exiting CA, reduce effectiveness of Troll Ungent. Shift some healing from personal to group.

Rev: add an additional condition removed on legend swap and make shiro heal shards unblockable

Spellbreaker: is fine, can be counterplayed in its current state. Add 1s ICD to grandmaster top trait to reduce effectiveness of bubble in WvW (but still be a really strong tool as it needs to be).

Ele: buff tempest support to be more in line with other support classes. Buff Sword on Weaver further.

Thief: aside from deadeye being a mess, honestly in a fine spot.

[Chapell.1346]

Every patch is a dang slap into entire Men and you wish another one that catered around Lass? No, you wont getting any or even tiny bit of my legacy.

[Razor.6392]

@"AngelsShadow.7360" said:Two weeks between the pvp season ending and the next one beginning. Expect it sometime then.

Focus should be:

Scourge: toning down corrupts and cover conditions.

Firebrand: toning down healing, make it support through boons so other support classes like tempest can see use in comps.

Mirage: tone down spike damage/shift damage to choreographed attacks.

Holo: add 1/2s ‘arming time’ to dodge roll mines.

Druid: halve duration of stone signet and stealth duration on exiting CA, reduce effectiveness of Troll Ungent. Shift some healing from personal to group.

Rev: add an additional condition removed on legend swap and make shiro heal shards unblockable

Spellbreaker: is fine, can be counterplayed in its current state. Add 1s ICD to grandmaster top trait to reduce effectiveness of bubble in WvW (but still be a really strong tool as it needs to be).

Ele: buff tempest support to be more in line with other support classes. Buff Sword on Weaver further.

Thief: aside from deadeye being a mess, honestly in a fine spot.

My changes would be the following:

Scourge:

• Ghastly breach: Range reduced to 240 from 300.
• Punishment skills: No longer inflict cripple.
• Trail of Anguish: Stability stacks increased to 2.
• Shade skills: Now have a 1/4 seconds cast time.

Mirage:

• Elusive Mind: Now has a 5 seconds ICD.
• Jaunt: Condition stacks lowered to 1 from 3.
• The Prestige: Burning stacks lowered to 2 from 3. Duration increased.
• Mirage Thrust: Now cripples instead of dazing.

Holosmith:

• Minesweeper: No longer activates under the effects of Elixir S.
• Photon Forge: Damage reduced by 15% across the board.
• Self Regulating Defenses: Has been removed.

Revenant:

• Soothing Bastion: Now additionally removes a condition per Crystal Hibernation pulse.
• Herald: Activating a facet removes a condition from nearby allies.

Ranger:

• Celestial Avatar: Stealth on exiting removed.
• Celestial Avatar: Cooldown increased to 18 seconds in pvp.

Warrior:

• Defy Pain: Has been removed.

Guardian:Idk wtf they do just nerf their healing ty.

Thief:

• Kneeling has been sped up by 100%, as well as the delay between subsequent actions right after kneeling.
• Cancelling Kneel (Free Action) now grants 1.5 seconds of superspeed.
• Sniper Cover: Range has been increased to 1600.
• Rifle: Damage while not kneeling has been increased by 15% in all game modes.
• Death's Retreat: Initiative cost reduced to 4.
• Shadow Flare: Reduced cast time to 1/4 from 3/4 and now uses mesmer portal's pathing.
• Death's Judgment: Damage reduced by 15%.
• Death's Judgment: Now splashes for 40% of its damage to nearby targets (180 range).

Elementalist:

• Final Shielding: Removed.
• Arcane Fury: brought back.
• Raging Storm: Grant 1s of quickness when you disable a foe.
• Lightning Flash: Now stunbreaks, maximum amount of targets increased to 3.
• Cleansing Fire: Cooldown reduced to 30 seconds from 40.
• Evasive Arcana: Updated Cleansing Wave to remove 2 conditions.
• Woven Stride: Remove a condition on superspeed application. Gain regeneration on swiftness application.
• Invigorating Strikes: Additionally heals for 25% of the damage inflicted with dual skills.
• Harmonious Conduit: Removed.
• Speedy Conduit: Additionally grants Fury.
• Hardy Conduit: Additionally grants 1 stack of stability.

[Angeels.3269]

Holo forge damage is fine when you consider the massive animations that come with them, the real complaints you see stem from people that can’t dodge holo leap and get hit for 4-5k. Auto damage is comparable to Rev sword so it’s not brokenly OP. The real problem is the mines, which is why a quarter/half second interval for them to become active would be a much better solution.

As long as all passive damage negations are removed it’s not a problem for them to go, but it needs to be consistent.

I notice you don’t mention a change to Stone Signet - this really needs to happen. Endure pain is halved in its duration in PvP at just two seconds untrained; stone signet is a massive six seconds. In fact Anet has already made efforts towards this with the passive lasting just 2 1/2 seconds, though under your suggestion that passive would go too.

Since the change that the increased deaths judgement is only applied to the marked target you really do have to be stupid to not be able to avoid it - it’s also very telegraphed and the thief is always revealed when using it. This skill shouldn’t be nerfed.

Rev should be weak to condis, like engi is; but your suggestions are way too over the top. Two removed at the end of crystal hibernation, and one on shield four would be more in line with engis Condi removal.

[Galaa.8475]

i read that there will be no more "balance" patches because it is ruining the playability of the classes in the rest of the game just to please a very small percentage of players in the pvp aspect of the game. i was shocked to discover that it was posted that most of the money coming into the game was from the pve side and casual player base and that alnet is tired of trying to please the pvp players (that will never happen of course) with "balance" patches and driving the rest of the money players away.

[witcher.3197]

@Morwath.9817 said:Ooo, Quaggan thinks it would be smart to drop patch right after season ends (not gonna happen, because of holidays), then test it during between season time and do some adjustments before another seasons goes live.

They'll do the opposite, postpone doing work till last minute and then throw something out the day the next season starts.

That's what usually happens.

[Mr Godlike.6098]

It would be the best if they give us patch early then anet could check what will happen on UGO's and and At Monthly to see how meta will react...and like Quaggan said then adjustments. On tournaments most easily you can see what's most broken, visible class representation...less time on testing on devs side.