Sigil Elements vs What They Do

[Cirian.8917]

Background

Coming off the back of the crafting mismatches, it became apparent that the sigil element (Control, Enhancement or Pain) isn't always consistent with what the sigil actually does.

I imagine the designers have hummed and hawwed over the sigils quite a lot already, so I decided to draw up logical categories from an outside-of-the-design-team perspective—because sometimes fresh eyes can be useful.

Method

What I will do is take the 3 sigil elements of Control, Enhancement and Pain, and divide up all the functionalities between them in a way I think is logical. I will make a note of edge cases.

Then I will draw up a list of sigils I would expect to be in that element and see how that compares to the live game. Sigils that I expected to be in an element but currently belong to another one will be in italics. A short reason for my placement will go afterwards.

Okay let's begin!

Element: Control ~ modifies the player's status and outgoing effects

Encompassed sigil funtionalities:

• applies a non-damaging condition (a debuff)
• +% condition duration of any kind (i.e. all debuff mods)
• +% outgoing cc
• +% outgoing healing
• direct heal (not lifesteal or regen)
• direct endurance recovery (not vigor)
• clears or transfers conditions
• recharges skills
• strips boons

Excluded edge cases:

• lifesteal (Pain)

Expected Sigils:

• Absorption
• Agony (Enhancement) +bleed duration
• Chilling (Enhancement) +chill duration
• Cleansing
• Debility
• Demons (Enhancement) +torment duration
• Energy
• Frailty
• Frenzy
• Generosity
• Hobbling (Enhancement) +cripple duration
• Hydromancy
• Ice
• Incapacitation
• Malice (Enhancement) +condition duration
• Mischief
• Nullification
• Paralysation
• Peril (Enhancement) +vulnerability duration
• Purity
• Rending (Enhancement) inflicts non-damaging condition
• Renewal
• Restoration
• Smoldering (Enhancement) +burning duration
• Stamina
• Transference
• Venom (Enhancement) +poison duration
• Water

Notes: condition duration mods are split between Control (e.g. Debility) and Enhancement in the live game. I expected debuff mods to fit better under Control, as they apply to enemies.

Element: Enhancement ~ buffs the player directly

Encompassed sigil funtionalities:

• beneficial modifiers (not damage, conditions, cc)
• stat stacking
• applies temporary stats
• applies boons
• +% boon modifiers

Excluded edge cases:

• +% damage or condition damage mods (Pain)
• +% all condition duration mods (Control)
• +% mods to outgoing cc and healing effects (Control)

Expected Sigils:

• Accuracy
• Agility
• Battle (Control) applies boons
• Benevolence
• Bloodlust
• Bounty (Control) stat stacking
• Celerity (Control) applies boons
• Concentration
• Corruption
• Cruelty
• Life
• Luck
• Momentum
• Perception
• Rage
• Ruthlessness (Control) applies boons
• Severance (Control) applies temporary stats
• Speed (Control) applies boons
• Strength
• Stars (Control) stat stacking

Notes: quite a few of these have ended up in Control, although as they apply boons or stats they'd be better off as Enhancements.

Element: Pain ~ inflicts or directly modifies damage

Encompassed sigil functionalities:

• +% damage or condition damage mod
• anything with a direct damage or lifesteal packet
• anything that applies damaging conditions

Excluded edge cases:

• +% duration for damaging conditions (Control)

Expected Sigils:

• Air
• Blight
• Blood (Control) lifesteal packet
• Bursting (Enhancement) +% condition damage mod
• Centaur Slaying
• Demon Slaying
• Destroyer Slaying
• Doom
• Draining (Control) lifesteal packet
• Dreams aka "Nightmare Court Slaying"
• Earth
• Elemental Slaying
• Fire
• Force (Enhancement) +% damage mod
• Geomancy
• Ghost Slaying
• Grawl Slaying
• Icebrood Slaying (Control) +% damage mod
• Impact
• Justice aka "Outlaw Slaying"
• Karka Slaying
• Leeching (Enhancement) lifesteal packet
• Mad Scientists aka "Inquest Slaying"
• Night
• Ogre Slaying
• Smothering aka "Flame Legion Slaying"
• Sorrow aka "Dredge Slaying"
• Serpent Slaying aka "Krait Slaying"
• Torment
• Undead Slaying
• Wrath aka "Sons of Svanir Slaying"

Notes: the lifesteals are split between Control and Enhancement in the live game, and the same goes for a few of the damage mods.

As there are so many sigils I probably missed some in my first pass, so I may edit this post with any updates.

edit 1: added Absorption, Draining, Rending & Ruthlessness from WvW.