Re-investigate Weakness (and more maybe)

[GDchiaScrub.3241]

As per scroll over tool tip (the thing players actually see) and not wiki: "Weakness (seconds): -50% Endurance Regeneration, 50% Fumble (Restricted)"

Where else in this game is "Fumble" described in a concise manner within the game? Honest question. Let me know...otherwise it's just jargon compressing extra information as it stands now. What does Restricted mean to the player? Like VIP? The description isn't intuitive at all.

Wiki: "Endurance regeneration decreased by 50%. 50% of hits are Glancing Blows (50% damage). Stacks duration."

50% of hits are Glancing Blows (50% damage) = 50% FumbleGlancing Blows is more jargon and visual clutter (damage pops up as "glancing"). Less visual clutter the better in my book!

If the goal is for weakness to reduce attack damage...then just reduce damage by a flat amount and be done with it (this may reduce computation calculations). Like -25% -33% -50% or -500 to All Stats. This also opens the door for it being more useful in PvE than just defiance bar situations.

Furthermore, this condition affects power based builds more than condition damage (not that I am a fan of ferocity anyway). (I am aware of resistance which I dislike as well. Focusing on weakness first).

Lastly...the energy regeneration reduction. Why? Feels like Weakness is trying to do vastly different things in that regard. Put this on Cripple if you want it to be competitive with Chill.

It should be noted that the original Weakness for GW1 had a similar problem of affecting physical damage far more harshly than spell damage. The condition counter to physical based builds was Blinds or Weakness whereas spell casters only had counters with Daze (which was OP in that game). The change to Weakness later on in that game gave a -1 to stats to make it impact spell casters more too.

While people will complain about Scourge spamming Weakness, it has always been there as procs and combo finishes. Irony is Necro (again) staff 3 + 4 applies Weakness, and their curse trait can auto proc it. This is regardless of class specific stuff. Warrior has been capable of spamming it in smaller situations...thief can do it for short bow (don't recommend) and venoms...blah blah blah.

Instead, I'd prefer a condition versus condition comparison.

Thoughts?

! P.S. Almost forgot. The first scroll over "Tooltip" is in reference to when viewing skills that apply weakness (something easily read before combat). The wiki "Tooltip" is the one that is seen scrolling over applied Weakness during combat (something less easily done...during combat). Don't blame me for mismatching tool tips. D:

[Rauderi.8706]

It'd be nice if Defiance bosses would take the Weakness and just not lose Defiance from it (or if they were immune then lose Defiance, but that should be the exception).Also, the component that reduces endurance regeneration should factor into PvE encounters. Critters with special dodges or evades should have an additional dodge variable that gets muddled with when Weakness is applied.

[reikken.4961]

Well, like I said in the other thread. Weakness itself is a fine and good condition to have in the game. Just like immobilize a good thing to have in the game. The only issue here is that weakness is thrown around too freely. It is almost as powerful as immobilize, so it should be almost as limited. And it needs to be something you have to deliberately apply.

Like having weakness on combo field+finishers is fine (though the duration is up for debate), since that is usually pretty deliberate. Like if I'm playing necro and use staff 3+4 to get weakness, I'm using two skills, and notably burning my main condi clear, just to get the weakness. But on the other hand the ridiculously extreme amount of weakness applied by the Weakening Shroud trait is not fine. You get permanent weakness uptime from that, and without even doing anything differently.

And I agree that weakness should affect condi just as much as power. My suggestion is having weakness reduce the duration of outgoing conditions by 50% or so.

[GDchiaScrub.3241]

@reikken.4961 said:Well, like I said in the other thread. Weakness itself is a fine and good condition to have in the game. Just like immobilize a good thing to have in the game. The only issue here is that weakness is thrown around too freely. It is almost as powerful as immobilize, so it should be almost as limited. And it needs to be something you have to deliberately apply.

Like having weakness on combo field+finishers is fine (though the duration is up for debate), since that is usually pretty deliberate. Like if I'm playing necro and use staff 3+4 to get weakness, I'm using two skills, and notably burning my main condi clear, just to get the weakness. But on the other hand the ridiculously extreme amount of weakness applied by the Weakening Shroud trait is not fine. You get permanent weakness uptime from that, and without even doing anything differently.

And I agree that weakness should affect condi just as much as power. My suggestion is having weakness reduce the duration of outgoing conditions by 50% or so.

Staff combo isn't really something I'd intentionally do for weakness. It's something that gets spammed and just happens in a WvW setting (yes, before PoF scourges and HoT reapers were a thing). That's the thing. Weakness isn't intentionally applied most of the time. Just tacked onto things. Not even needing to mention its relevance (or lack of) in PvE...

[reikken.4961]

Well I wouldn't know for wvw. But in pvp necro staff 4 isn't something you just throw out for no reason. It is a very important condi clear. and yes, the main reason I'm using it if I'm not clearing condis with it is to combo for weakness

[GDchiaScrub.3241]

@"reikken.4961" said:Well I wouldn't know for wvw. But in pvp necro staff 4 isn't something you just throw out for no reason. It is a very important condi clear. and yes, the main reason I'm using it if I'm not clearing condis with it is to combo for weakness

A bit off topic but yes, for smaller fights (like GvGs even) save your staff 4 for clear usually. If you're using a staff on Necro.

WvW probably allows for more Weakness spam given the larger numbers of course. The same should hold true for PvE. Only that the effects of this condition isn't noticeable against NPCs. I have never heard the command "Weakness! Weakness! Weakness!" as a legitimate strategy for encounters.

I'd like to think it'd go without saying that duration across the board would be adjusted if Weakness is changed to accommodate all modes (not just PvP). Y'know, they were willing to fiddle with confusion...so why not Weakness?