Sensible and Measured Warclaw Feedback (from someone who was previously against the mount)

[Lonecap.4105]

First off, I just want to say that I was one of the staunchest anti-Warclaw posters on this forum prior to it being added. I had really bad visions of how it would affect the game. Some of these things I predicted haven't came to pass, and some are worse than anticipated.

Let me then go on to say that I think the Warclaw and the latest patch has been great. Really. I feel excited about WvW again, seeing the maps filling up was quite special (although this won't last forever, I'm still confident it'll inject new life long term), and I'm happy my favourite game mode is getting some love. The new lounge area is further icing on the WvWcake. Overall my feelings are really positive and that's saying something considering how skeptical I had felt.

Now then, things aren't all perfect. The mount feels actually quite well balanced, HOWEVER... there are some issues with the mount that are currently making it too strong and hurting WvW. These are two things only and this is how I would change them:

Major Issue #1The stomp. Having a stomp on the engage is overkill. Currently entire blobs can be wiped out from the domino effect the mount stomping creates. Often players don't even get to use abilities outside of the mount engage+stomp, and many players don't even have time to tag enemy players due to how fast fights are ending.

Major Issue #2The CC immunity. The mount already has decent health and three dodges. However I concede that no CC immunity on the mount would make it too easily dismountable. The solution here would be to implement a break bar for the mount. That would mean players could still break through enemy lines but it would place greater importance on dodging the CC rather than straight up ignoring it.

[GDchiaScrub.3241]

Ahh goood. Goooooood. You have no issues with that leap too. For I LOVE passing the need to take down T3 walls when jumping over them is easier. Truely brings a tear of reflection to my eye. Yes! Ogrewatch and gliding all over again.

D:

[Warkind.6745]

I think lowering the health pool significantly would be a healthier change. Lots of people are saying this counters ganks, but from my experience with the mount you'd still have to run something with pretty high power burst to catch up to the Warclaw after it's exhausted its dodges and still have the cooldowns to deal 12k damage.

I wish I could be less cynical about the thing, but I saw so many of the mount problems predicted by the community come to pass yesterday that it's impossible for me not to wonder how they all slipped through the cracks.

[Turkeyspit.3965]

@GDchiaScrub.3241 said:Ahh goood. Goooooood.

Getting a creepy Palpatine vibe here. Intended? :worried:

[Brohan.6490]

I think I'm going to finally quit gw2 wvw, this mount has ruined everything, class and build doesn't matter anymore, just large numbers and the warclaw engage ability. What a disaster.

[Blockhead Magee.3092]

I'm waiting until the folks who just want the mount and not intend to stay leave wvw and then get a new assessment. My first impression of the game play with the new mount is that its not nearly as fun (for me). Characters that could disengage and run away can do that even faster than before. Less fighting if you're not a zerglet . I'm sure the reported wall bypassing is going to get addressed so that's only a temporary annoyance. The mount should not be able to do any damage to players. No stomp, no dismount damage.

[Illconceived Was Na.9781]

@Blockhead Magee.3092 said:I'm waiting until the folks who just want the mount and not intend to stay leave wvw and then get a new assessment.This is what I try to do with every destabilizing patch: wait for the fuss to end before leaping to drawing conclusions.

The Warclaw definitely changes WvW, but of course, it was meant to. Whether that ends up making the mode more fun or less... I think it's too soon to tell.

[Farout.8207]

@Brohan.6490 said:I think I'm going to finally quit gw2 wvw, this mount has ruined everything, class and build doesn't matter anymore, just large numbers and the warclaw engage ability. What a disaster.

I'm honestly just about there myself. So far I'm not liking the damn thing at all. Nothing more than a PVE cash grab at the expense of the WvW game mode. Hopefully they tone it down and fix all the bugs soon or I'll more than likely move on as well. Six years was a pretty good run.

[Lonecap.4105]

@GDchiaScrub.3241 said:Ahh goood. Goooooood. You have no issues with that leap too. For I LOVE passing the need to take down T3 walls when jumping over them is easier. Truely brings a tear of reflection to my eye. Yes! Ogrewatch and gliding all over again.

D:

Thing is, that ISN'T an issue with the mount. You've been able to do sword leaps and stuff in Anza and other places since WvW immemorial. Literally just fix the walls and it's not a bug anymore.

[Lonecap.4105]

@Warkind.6745 said:I think lowering the health pool significantly would be a healthier change. Lots of people are saying this counters ganks, but from my experience with the mount you'd still have to run something with pretty high power burst to catch up to the Warclaw after it's exhausted its dodges and still have the cooldowns to deal 12k damage.

I wish I could be less cynical about the thing, but I saw so many of the mount problems predicted by the community come to pass yesterday that it's impossible for me not to wonder how they all slipped through the cracks.

It's simply a matter of strategy. You chase someone running away. You're both on Warclaws. You follow them. You use your dashes to outpace them and they use theirs to get away - once you've counted the three dodges you can then dismount engage AHEAD of them and follow up with burst. It's actually fine, you just ALSO need to use the mount strategically.

[GDchiaScrub.3241]

@ProverbsofHell.2307 said:

@GDchiaScrub.3241 said:Ahh goood. Goooooood. You have no issues with that leap too. For I LOVE passing the need to take down T3 walls when jumping over them is easier. Truely brings a tear of reflection to my eye. Yes! Ogrewatch and gliding all over again.

D:

Thing is, that ISN'T an issue with the mount. You've been able to do sword leaps and stuff in Anza and other places since WvW immemorial. Literally just fix the walls and it's not a bug anymore.

Yes, it isn't an issue because it's equal! Now everyone with a mount can do it besides a few classes with leaps. An issue/bug would be like a scrapper's gyros will scale up to the 2.7k power when mounted or maybe even the new necro shroud (haven't tested that).

D:

[Eudaimonia.8695]

Remove the first skill and reduce radius on the second one. The mount should be for transport and utility only.

[Warkind.6745]

@ProverbsofHell.2307 said:

@Warkind.6745 said:I think lowering the health pool significantly would be a healthier change. Lots of people are saying this counters ganks, but from my experience with the mount you'd still have to run something with pretty high power burst to catch up to the Warclaw after it's exhausted its dodges and still have the cooldowns to deal 12k damage.

I wish I could be less cynical about the thing, but I saw so many of the mount problems predicted by the community come to pass yesterday that it's impossible for me not to wonder how they all slipped through the cracks.

It's simply a matter of strategy. You chase someone running away. You're both on Warclaws. You follow them. You use your dashes to outpace them and they use theirs to get away - once you've counted the three dodges you can then dismount engage AHEAD of them and follow up with burst. It's actually fine, you just ALSO need to use the mount strategically.

Battle maul certainly is not going to pull you ahead of a running opponent unless you're already in their hitbox, which really isn't when most people start running. In theory maybe this prolonged song and dance of counting dodges and making gradual gains works out; in practice I can assure you that it's not so simple.

[Stand The Wall.6987]

@GDchiaScrub.3241 said:An issue/bug would be like a scrapper's gyros will scale up to the 2.7k power when mounted

ZOMG pre cast blast gyro then mount leap in!FOR THE PASS!!!

[Helicity.3416]

The extent to which the CC-immunity + triple dash makes it hard to dismount someone is completely nuts, never mind if you are unlucky enough to play something that isn't a braindead ranger.