Official Feedback Thread about Build and Equipment Templates

[Bezerker.2379]

I mean... it removed pvp and wvw saved builds. This is bad.

It removed the ability to swap weapons quickly to cast a buff if any of them are legendary. (Every legendary unequipped loses stats. So unequipping a legendary offhand to swap in say a warhorn to cast swiftness then go back to the legendary means you equip a statless sigilless weapon.

That's. Game. Breakingly bad.

[Biermeister.4678]

Guild Wars had over 500 Profession based skills Primary and Secondary with 8 slots with 7 attribute slots Templates were good for the game modes in the old gameGuild Wars 2 has 5 weapon based skills and 5 utilities and 3 attribute slots with 1 Profession the old system of separating PvE and WvW/PvP workedNot needed in the game

[DaedHead.4586]

Thank you Anet! Build templates are everything I had hoped for. Having two per character is great, I only have one character with 3 builds and the price to get that third tab is reasonable. But I gotta say my favorite part is that the equipment tabs actually hold the equipment you put in them, freeing up much needed inventory space. Thank you so much for that. I was afraid it would just swap your equipped items with stuff in your inventory. This way is so much better. Thank you!

[Hellmasker.1649]

Over 40,000 AP and 15,000 hours later, I kinda don't wanna play anymore because of this update.ArcDPS had it figured out and you guys completely and utterly failed the part of the community that actually has any use for build templates. Speaking of which, you didn't give us "templates." You gave us persistent builds. That constantly change and save as they're tweaked, which COMPLETELY NEGATES the point of a template.I am beyond disappointed.Honestly, scrap em and try again. Or let us use ArcDPS's.

[Starfyre.5743]

How do I save infusions across all my templates? I have 2 Winters Heart Infusions that I want to use at the same time, but across all templates. When I extract it, it auto saves it as empty ... graaaarggghhhhh :s

[Zenya.7651]

I agree with Hellmasker.1649. I loved being able to easily swap from a Heal Druid to a Condi Druid to a Power SB to a Condi SB with a click. This system is overly complicated and really stinks. Very disappointed and disenchanted. Give me Arc back.

[Kalaina.8245]

My only must have is to have things automatically swap when I enter/exit WvW. I don't want to need to remember to swap my build every time. In the existing system, just have it save the last used tab.

A nice-to-have would be being able to bind swap build template N and swap gear template N to the same hotkey. I will almost always be using them together, and overloading the hotkey like that seems like a straightforward way to allow this to happen.

A disappointment with the current system which I don't expect to change is that I'd rather that my build templates didn't update automatically when I change traits and skills. I'd like to have to go into the templates UI and click a specific button to update them.

A system where I can set my main build up on a hotkey (let's say Num1), then swap something out for a given situation, or just to try it out, and then hit Num1 later to go back to normal without having to remember, screenshot, or jot down my traits and skills before swapping was one of the major appeals of the idea of build templates for me. We can sort of do this with the account-wide build storage, but I don't see why character-specific build templates can't do it, too.

[Cranky wo Coffee.5914]

Did anyone actually check out the third party program that so many were using?already paid money for more bag space to carry all my equipment and now you want me to pay more money to store that equipment in a new fancy "equipment template", paying twice for storage is just foolish.You only give us 2 equipment templates when the professions have core traits (+weapons) and two elite specializations trait lines with a unique class weapon?Oh, we can buy more but that is pretty lousy, not to mention 3 game modes. You literally made the game pay to play for each and every trait line ... even though I already paid for them.

[Ragi.7291]

3 strats of monetization, many too many, too expensive.

To have the possibility to save at the time of build that we want on our own PC without paying.

This is who's funny in your game changed build / trait, why you make it pay!

Do something to make legendarys more attractive because the price and time it takes whereas now you can have the same thing with an exotic 1po and 500 gems.

separate PVE, WvW and PVP

We absolutely do not use the same equipment, build/trait in these 3 game modes!

It would be nice, like before the maj.

When you go into one of these game modes, the one keeps the build/trait and stuff you used when you played in this game mode.

Big problem with angony infusions that disappear with legendarys. Have fun

[Menadena.7482]

Gathering tools can not go into a template?

[Waldrun.8493]

• 6 slots per character isn't enough builds for many players just for PvE, let alone all 3 gamemodes
• Monetizing them per slot is a shameful gouge of the players that needed build templates the most and defeats the purpose of them. I sure don't feel free to use a bigger variety of builds when there is a paywall to climb over for each new build I want to use more conveniently.
• Because we aren't actually saving anything for gear "templates" and have such limited space, having to change a setup when all slots are used means overwriting an existing one and then having to manually change it back....
• Forcing us to buy inventory space to store our gear setups is a slap in the face of everyone with legendary gear and those who already bought bag space from you to store their equipment.
• Having the slots so limited and monetized means they are worthless for storing relatively minor build variants, I can spend thousands of gems for full slots and still have to do manual adjustments all the time.

Most of the people who wanted build templates wanted something similar to arc templates (or what existed in the first GW that was extended to swap equipment) but you guys just had to go with an inferior and extremely limited slot system instead so you could do this shameful cash grab. I want to pay for an actual expansion (CONTENT), not spend hundreds of dollars worth of gems on a QoL feature that is inferior to a free mod that you forced to be discontinued. But of course nothing will change because most people don't care about or understand how this screws over the your most dedicated players. Thanks for nothing.

[Leap Of Faith.8263]

Templates are looking good for me personally.Real smooth transition.Well polished.Reduced and cleaned up my inventory which was filled with similar looking items with different stats. Now so much free space in my inventory makes me uncomfortable lol.

I tried the template system on my Mesmer who has a legendary armour and a few legendary weapons.I got 2 extra equipment slot and 1 build template slot on it with total of 4 of each kind.4 builds are WvW condition roam, WvW support, WvW power shatter, PvE chrono boon support.1 Pve build does the job for most part in fractals, dungeon, meta events. Minor changes in 1 or 2 traits i can do manually, dont need a slot of that. Even quick sigil swaps for a few encounters i do manually like before so thats ok.Few friends suggested that buying a character slot is cheaper than 2 equipment and a build slot and its true. Id say that i like to stay on 1 toon for the convenience of it, changing toons when map has a que or full is a big no. Or going back to a couple of loading screens (even with ssd) and running back is a no for me.And then for the fashion wars, i like to keep my shiny infusions on 1 toon.

Build sharing seems nice. Made thing easier to share build with guildies.Price seems fine, if s build is really that important/long term then using gold/gem to buy slot is worth it. Its not so hard to farm gold either, 4-5 days in a festival and there you have a new slot.

I cant find use of build storage yet, just storing extra, future, past, theory crafted builds probably..?

It will take time to get used to the system, its not even 12hrs since its out. Took a while to figure just the basics out.Giving 3 build slot and 2 equipment slot is a bit triggering lol. Keep the same numbers with both lol.

In all super quick build swap + saving loads of similar looking inventory are marvellous.Yet to fiddle more with the system to find drawbacks with my play style to be explored.

Thank you Team Anet.

[Palador.2170]

(Note: I have never used Arc for templates or anything else.)

For the longest time, I've been just buying new character slots and making new characters to use a different kind of build. Given the cost and functionality of these "templates", I believe that's still the best way to go.

For characters that have multiple sets of gear (admittedly, usually only for visual reasons), I've bought extra bag space and used invisible bags. Given the cost and functionality of these "templates", I believe that's still the best way to go.

I'll make some use out of what I've gotten as a base with this update, but I feel it would be foolish to pay what you're asking for more slots. I'm a casual player that often throws money into the game for gems to get items, and sometimes to convert into gold. And this? It feels like I'd be wasting my money. I'm sorry, but I think you've been wasting your time developing this.

[Linken.6345]

@Menadena.7482 said:Gathering tools can not go into a template?

No they are expluded.

[Knight In Shining Armor.17]

@weskay.9217 said:Wait, why is this even something players should need to pay? This is usually a basic feature on any MMO. Guild Wars 1 has a very easy-to-use build manager and allowed unlimited customization for no cost. Why tf is this something that you're charging players with? Wow.

All this. This is just excessively greedy. This should have shipped with the game at launch. This is a kitten move. A cash grab. They have taken something that was included and unlimited in GW1 and withheld and charged extra for it.

[Gunslinger.7031]

Okay, I should clarify some things.

First, you don't have 2 equipment templates, you only have one. The first tab is an active screen that changes as you change equips ; think of it as the equipment screen pre-patch.

Second, the3 traits+skills loadouts =prepatch 1 wvw/ 1 pvp/ 1 pve traits+skills loadout.1 active equipment screen = pre-patch 1 active equipment screen (tab 1)1 equipment loadout = pre-patch 1 wvw gear loadout (tab 2)

This is the reason why the 3rd tab of the equipment template isnt given to you free since pvp had no traditional gear loadout prepatch. Meaning you got diddly squat except more buttons to click (traits+skills and gear loadouts) when entering wvw.

Of course, Anet gave 3 more traits+skills loadouts from the gemstore but they arent as useful as the equipment loadout since it's the more time consuming process and the more important of the two.

[Fir.7932]

@KrHome.1920 said:

@Fir.7932 said:500 gems for gear slot?!?!?!?!??! Are you crazy? Do you know how many builds I have made and play weekly with Legendary gear?!?!?Just use only template slot 1 and change your gear like you always did. No money invest needed, no messing around with options you don't need.

The overexaggerating in this thread is ridiculous.

If you don't want to use the templates, then nothing changes except one thing: builds are not saved for each game mode anymore. And this is something easy to fix.

What makes you think I ever changed my build by hand? Do you even realise how obnoxious would it be, to swap Legendary stats, runes, infusions, traits and skills multiple times a day by hand? It takes you like 5 minutes each time (if you remember everything in your build), in some raids you have to do it after every encounter if you actually want some diversity in the gameplay (which, after 7 years of playing with the lack of end game content you really do, trust me). The template addon, that was made by fans was making this game enjoyable . It was removed because Anet were supposed to have their own solution, but the only thing they have is actually a way how to squize a bit more money out of a dedicated players.

I can clearly see, that you don't have multiple characters with multiple builds, because you have no idea how incredibly relevant this is for the players like me. Removing real templates from this game just makes everything people like me were enjoying unpleasant and for most of us, this is game breaking. I haven't play for 2 weeks, since templates were taken down and I hate it, because I love the game, but there's just nothing to do, since almost all of my builds are gone.

You maybe enjoy diferent kind of content, so you don't care about this stuff, I understand and respect that, but you need to understand, that there are people who just enjoy theorycrafting, min-maxing their stats and optimizing their builds which was now taken away from us.

[Melech.4308]

This is coming from a non-altoholic and who always plays PvE, only plays WvW when I need a gift of battle, never PvP, and who never used ArcDps

I actually like it, it’s a welcome addition since I can swap builds in one second. I struggled at first with why there was no way of changing both build and equipment templates in one key binding, but I just bound one build template to a set of keys and one equipment template to another; sure there’s a loss of 200 - 300 milliseconds compared to just having one key binding to change but it’s not that big a deal for me.

Pricewise, I cannot complain given my usage of having to switch between 3-4 in PvE. It’s convenient but convenience comes with a price; if I don’t like it, no big deal, just need to live with manual switching. But I do like it, so I don’t mind paying their asking price for it.

[zealex.9410]

The good:Insta switch with a key bind.

The bad:Build templates and build storage are paid, this system was free in gw1 and should be free here, gear templates to me make sense to ask for money (that or bundle all 3 for a lower price).Shared templates for all gamemodes instead of unique ones for each and you have to switch your build when u enter a diff mode (degrade from base system before)Nothing was done based on the feedback given.

Emotional bad:You split them system into 3 diff thimga just to charge for it 3 times...

[LucianTheAngelic.7054]

@Bezerker.2379 said:I mean... it removed pvp and wvw saved builds. This is bad.

It removed the ability to swap weapons quickly to cast a buff if any of them are legendary. (Every legendary unequipped loses stats. So unequipping a legendary offhand to swap in say a warhorn to cast swiftness then go back to the legendary means you equip a statless sigilless weapon.

That's. Game. Breakingly bad.

^^This. THIS IMPLEMENTATION IS UTTER TRASH IF YOU HAVE LEGENDARY WEAPONS. It's nonsensical. Regular gear swapping was better than this buggy, not well thought out, hyper monetized shit show.

Honestly lost all faith in Anet and GW2 with this. Will be spending $0 and probably uninstalling/not playing much if at all going forward.

[Bellefon.1259]

The terms “build” and “template”, as Anet is using them, aren’t matching common understandings. Many commenters have already caught on to this.

Using the UI as a discussion point, Anet should have merged the “Build” tab with the “Equipment” tab to expand their current definition of build beyond just skills and traits, to also include equipment. (Rename a new tab for the nine other non-equipment categories sitting in the Equipment tab.)

This enhanced build tab would now match most people’s idea of a complete build. On the right, three static game mode tabs that continue to dynamically adjust to your current mode (as before this update) —> PvE / WvW / PvP. These aren’t saved, as they aren’t now, thus not “templates,” which is tripping people up.

Have something you like? Now save it to “Build templates” on the left (“Build template storage”), or apply saved build templates to your character’s mode tabs on the right.

I’m aware this doesn’t address all the complexities (like legendaries, or the new equipment storage), but:

• it’s conceptually easier to understand;
• it would continue to automatically switch builds to modes (e.g., my most recent of my three PvP builds is loaded for me upon entering PvP lobby);
• it simplifies the hotkeys to include full build templates for the three modes; and
• it simplifies the monetization, thus lessening the cash-grab perception, by just selling extra template storage, instead of monetizing three (confusing) components, two of which aren’t actually templates.

[WALD.2903]

THANK YOU GUYS!

[thrag.9740]

They are absolutely amazing if your a player who plays less than 6 builds and literally never tweaks anything about any of those builds. So for example, if your a thief who has a mobility build for open world gathering and then another build for fighting, they are fantastic.

Unfortunately, I think the players who most wanted build templates have been failed by this system. Players who raid, wvw, and pvp a lot, I don't think it is good for them. I really wish you guys had just made an official version of arcdps+buildtemplates, wrap it in a nice gui with the guarantees of first party support, and charged me a flat 10-20$ for it.

[Menadena.7482]

@Linken.6345 said:

@Menadena.7482 said:Gathering tools can not go into a template?

No they are expluded.

Was any reasoning given? Say I am using one of the special S3/S4 tools that has half the charges of a normal tool. I had hoped we would be able to use this to keep a spare set handy.

[Asum.4960]

@Fir.7932 said:

@KrHome.1920 said:

@Fir.7932 said:500 gems for gear slot?!?!?!?!??! Are you crazy? Do you know how many builds I have made and play weekly with Legendary gear?!?!?Just use only template slot 1 and change your gear like you always did. No money invest needed, no messing around with options you don't need.

The overexaggerating in this thread is ridiculous.

If you don't want to use the templates, then nothing changes except one thing: builds are not saved for each game mode anymore. And this is something easy to fix.

What makes you think I ever changed my build by hand? Do you even realise how obnoxious would it be, to swap Legendary stats, runes, infusions, traits and skills multiple times a day by hand? It takes you like 5 minutes each time (if you remember everything in your build), in some raids you have to do it after every encounter if you actually want some diversity in the gameplay (which, after 7 years of playing with the lack of end game content you really do, trust me). The template addon, that was made by fans was making this game enjoyable . It was removed because Anet were supposed to have their own solution, but the only thing they have is actually a way how to squize a bit more money out of a dedicated players.

I can clearly see, that you don't have multiple characters with multiple builds, because you have no idea how incredibly relevant this is for the players like me. Removing real templates from this game just makes everything people like me were enjoying unpleasant and for most of us, this is game breaking. I haven't play for 2 weeks, since templates were taken down and I hate it, because I love the game, but there's just nothing to do, since almost all of my builds are gone.

You maybe enjoy diferent kind of content, so you don't care about this stuff, I understand and respect that, but you need to understand, that there are people who just enjoy theorycrafting, min-maxing their stats and optimizing their builds which was now taken away from us.

I feel you. I got 8k Gems in prep for this system, hoping Anet would by some tiny chance take some of the feedback into consideration, at least give us save/load functionality, maybe add 3-6 more slots and not charge us tens of thousands of gems/hundreds of euros/dollars to unlock a fraction of the slots we actually need to still enjoy the game, playing the same old content but at least with fun new builds to swap between.

I have been holding out the last two weeks after Arc Templates got taken down even though it was an incredibly frustrating experience, and then they drop this, which arguably is worse than what it was even a day ago, at least if you are someone who plays multiple gamemodes, especially PvE endgame, and doesn't have 50 characters to cover every build/gamemode, but instead invested into multiple sets of Legendary Gear and plenty inventory space for all frequently played characters.

Now I don't feel like logging in anymore at all.

Even aside the fact that the game keeps disconnecting me every time I try to utilize the templates, which then also rerolls my account, resetting all my progress/changes I made since logging in last, this system is just downright awful and so massively overpriced it's embarrassing.

After being with this game since the first beta weekend over 7 years ago, and 7 years with GW1 before that, it might actually be time to step away for me, at least for a time, unless they make some fundamental changes here, including addressing the limitations, functionality as well as pricing.Not that I have any hope for that.It's going to make money, for now, and that's all that matters, it seems.

It's truly disheartening to see such an incredibly fun game with so much potential be so squandered over and over again at every point and turn by incompetency, unwillingness to take feedback, and more and more greed as well.

As it is right now, the game is just not in an enjoyable state for me. The flexibility and ease of swapping with Arc was a huge part in what kept me interested all these years, especially after getting all those now pretty useless Legendary Sets done, along with great people in statics and the fantastic gameplay loop.But losing that, having to deal with this constant inconvenience of having to fiddle with builds and gear and loadouts, along with the stale old content we've been playing for years now without anything new on the horizon in terms of Fractal CM's, or at this point even Fractals or Raids in general, is just too much.

This could have been a great boon for the game, but as (unfortunately by now) usual corporate greed had to ruin it.I said it plenty times an I'll say it again, I don't mind paying for quality content/additions to the game, but expecting me to pay hundreds of euros/dollars to just have slightly less purposefully designed inconvenience is beyond insulting.

This should have come with 6-9 base slots, and/or account wide unlocked further slots for ~200 Gems, or something like a 3 Pack for 300-500 Gems, up to a limit of at least 12-20, along near unlimited account storage for free, as that's just chatcodes.On top of that, both gear and build slots needed to be actual Templates, providing a save/load functionality.

Otherwise, what is the point of the system at all? People who need the system are just going to circumvent it with chat codes and multiple characters, which those type of players who are okay with that probably already have, or quit out of frustration with the constant inconvenience of swapping, and those who don't need it aren't going to pay for it anyway.

I really don't know with this one, and how such a massive misstep made it into the live game.

All you had to do was more or less copy Arc's functionality, bring it natively into the game with a fancier integrated HuD and not get too greedy with the monetization.Instead you took zero lessons from what made Arc so great in terms of functionality and ease of use, ignored any and all consumer feedback and employed a monetization scheme that would make Activision/Blizzard and Ubisoft run with shame, and turn EA green in envy.