Leader Of The Pack (WvW)

[Haematic.4913]

Hi,

I've been trying to integrate Soulbeast into WvW comp.

I've tried tried three separate build types:

PoF Launch - DPS Melee + Stance Sharing (Scrapped)PoF 1st Balance Patch - Ranged DPS Sniping (Applicable)PoF 2nd Balance Patch - Support Melee + Stance Sharing (Trialing)

Along the way there have been bug fixes and buffs to the class, like stacking stance durations.

With the most recent balance patch I noticed that the Support Melee + Stance Sharing has a lot of value in the current meta.

However, being overly excited I wasn't seeing the results I wanted. For whatever reason I had thought it was 50% of the Ranger's Stance duration (not the base) when stances are shared.The duration(s) are very short for shared allies and although you can utilize the current duration(s) in very tight pockets, the ranger is left with an extremely long stance duration which places the rest of the party at an extreme disadvantage.

Do you think Leader Of The Pack / Stance Sharing should be buffed again? Perhaps make the stances shareable as a base, reduce cool-down of stances by 20% + increase party duration(s) by 50% with the GM trait?

[Eleazar.9478]

Yes, hell if they feel it will be too strong make it longer in WvW. I mean the whole stance thing screams wve but gets out booned by gaurds

But yes I really would like all of that. Bear stance could use a nice CD reduction if it's through traits than hey.

I was thinking commanders build with moa would give max boon duration while still focosed on dps stats. At least the stab uptime should be pretty good. 12s with moa.

[Justine.6351]

How they did the stances share trait is very well balanced. The buff to them is the duration stacking.

[Shadelang.3012]

Unfortunately the duration stacking requires multiple soulbeasts to be in a party with each other to matter. Otherwise there is no way you can actually TRY to use it. In an organized WvW comp its hard to justify the slot for ONE frontline soulbeast. Much less two. You have to think about what your giving up for taking those two slots.

Edit: to clarify being able to run frontline soulbeast is my dream. And I am spending ALOT of time trying to figure out comps where it would be worth it. But each time I run in to the issue of either kicking other classes that need those parties out. Or developing a comp entirely around the soulbeast. Neither of which im going to really be able to convince my drivers to do without being REALLY DAMN convincing and able to PROVE its better or atleast comparable to what were already running.

[Kovu.7560]

Let me know if you guys can find a way for this to pan out.

As it stands I've gone back to Druid for wvw, (and honestly mostly stick to necro there).The duration of the stances when granted to allies is far too short to justify utility slots, and the frontline dps of any ranger spec is too low to justify a spot in the comp. I'm not even sure it'd be worth it even if the stances had their full duration granted to allies when cast.

~ Kovu

[Drarnor Kunoram.5180]

Well, just a pair of Soulbeasts will share Moa Stance with 80% uptime on each (40% for others), so that's not bad.

[Kovu.7560]

Yes, let's commit two Soulbeats into one party for boon duration instead of one Herald. Fantastic suggestion.(It's not. On so many levels. Don't do it. Roll a druid if you're going to be on tag.)

~ Kovu

[Drarnor Kunoram.5180]

I never said it was optimal, just not bad. Dolyak Stance is the more important one to share out anyway. Those 3 seconds shared/Soulbeast, if used well, can let a push actually succeed.

Really, though, Soulbeasts are best used in a small squad rather than running in the zerg. They make fantastic havoc squad members and can join up with zergs to snipe out commanders or other targets (very good at taking out Scourges). And no, the prevalent projectile hate doesn't matter much, since Soulbeast has a good amount of time that they can ignore it all.

[Haematic.4913]

Yeah, back to druid pretty much.

The Soulbeast will remain in the box of memes until the next patch to buff stance sharing. :)

[Prophet.1584]

i've been running full stances with SoS and doing rather well with it in zergs. The one buff i'd like to see is for stances to be shared to 10 instead of 5. it won't have an effect on pvp and unbalance it but it'll have a nice effect on wvw. I run Bear Stance for cleanse, Dolyak for group stunbreak and One Wolf Pack + Vulture for DPS. I thought about using Moa but i've backed away because of all the corrupts.

[Rashagar.8349]

@"Haematic.4913" said:

The duration(s) are very short for shared allies and although you can utilize the current duration(s) in very tight pockets, the ranger is left with an extremely long stance duration which places the rest of the party at an extreme disadvantage.

I know I'm a bit late to the party but do you mind explaining what the "extreme disadvantage" you're talking about is? I didn't quite follow the logical flow of this point.

[Haematic.4913]

@Rashagar.8349 said:

@"Haematic.4913" said:

The duration(s) are very short for shared allies and although you can utilize the current duration(s) in very tight pockets, the ranger is left with an extremely long stance duration which places the rest of the party at an extreme disadvantage.

I know I'm a bit late to the party but do you mind explaining what the "extreme disadvantage" you're talking about is? I didn't quite follow the logical flow of this point.

If you are for instance in a drawn out fight where there is heavy crowd control, say, chill, immob, or cripple ... The ranger will have 9-seconds of chill, immob, and cripple immunity whereas the rest of their party will only have 3-seconds. If we look at traited ROTGD from Rev, they share the same DR and duration to straight damage and condi damage to their allies as they receive themselves.