Essence Manipulation Mastery

[Donari.5237]

https://www.guildwars2.com/en/news/developing-essence-manipulation/

Very interesting. I'm still wondering some specifics, like how long you hold onto a stack as you build it up. I'm guessing from the write up that you get the short effect on orb pickup but the stack persists until you are at 30 and choose to use it. I'm also guessing you can't build up multiple stacks of different types, if only because the mechanics of choosing which blast to use might not fit into the GW2 UI.

Does using your blast use it up entirely? So you spend time building up to 30, then you have 15 minutes to blast something but can only do it once in that 15 minutes? Or do you have 15 minutes to blast everything in sight limited only by cooldowns? Do you lose stacks on downed? On defeated? When zoning?

[Adzekul.3104]

Please please please ensure there is ABSOLUTELY no way these can be used in competitive game modes!

Very happy the designer took the time to explain the design process and what the skills do before they launch, and I am looking forward to using these in PvE content, but let's not have any emergency patches because clever players have figured out how to abuse the skills in PvP or WvW and/or QA never thought to check.

[Vince.1695]

" Communicating the system to the player is key, because it can be very complex, so you’ll discover information about it through achievements, icons, props, enhancements, open-world dialogue, and NPC conversations."

Seems legit, introducing a complex system although the player base is still unable to cope with buffs, cc bars & dodging and more. I wonder how that'll turn out. According to the past we'll see a brute force by "exp zerker" and/or calling out in map chat with toxicity included. Also: Inb4 "Strike mission - 250 LI/Dhuum KP".

[Randulf.7614]

Multiple mastery lines = BIG win for me.

[Ashantara.8731]

@Adzekul.3104 said:Please please please ensure there is ABSOLUTELY no way these can be used in competitive game modes!

Highly unlikely, since it is map-specific (it requires the enemy to have such a weakness to use it on, and I doubt they have the resources to redo all maps... let alone rebuild fight mechanics in non-open world content). Therefore, I assume we will only get to see this mechanic come to life on Icebrood Saga maps (and beyond... maybe).

[Balthzar.3807]

From reading the provided information I am really happy to see some new content that is complex and adds to game play. Thanks to all the developers that have worked on it. really looking forward to playing out this.

[Einlanzer.1627]

Yeah this looks really interesting and really happy to see positive movement on the communication front.

[Naxos.2503]

It was an interesting read, and an interesting concept. It's only soured by what I consider a huge red flag : masteries are once again cantoned to maps. Something expansions via glider partially or mounts very specifically did not.This was one of the point on which I was waiting on them to elaborate for their comment of "Expansion grade content". This isn't.

[Ayrilana.1396]

@"Naxos.2503" said:It was an interesting read, and an interesting concept. It's only soured by what I consider a huge red flag : masteries are once again cantoned to maps. Something expansions via glider partially or mounts very specifically did not.This was one of the point on which I was waiting on them to elaborate for their comment of "Expansion grade content". This isn't.

We don’t need more power creep.

[Ayrilana.1396]

I’m also a bit concerned about this:

Gain a 1.5-second skill cooldown reduction when picking up an essence.

So a single essence will remove 1.5 seconds on all of your cooldowns? Any internal cooldown on that?

There’s the potential for this to be a bit overpowered in situations where you fight a ton of enemies. It seems as if it’d be similar to how advantageous firebrands are in fights with a lot of enemies that allow you to reset your tome skills when they die.

[maddoctor.2738]

This part has me excited for future Strike Missions:

Players who’ve fully trained Essence Manipulation should be able to take down tough enemies—including champions and Strike Mission bosses—with fewer than the recommended number of allies.

But you could solo the first Strike Mission easily... so that probably, hopefully, means the next Strike Missions will be actual content not like the first one. We'll know in a few days I guess.

[XatraZaytrax.2601]

@"Vince.1695" said:" Communicating the system to the player is key, because it can be very complex, so you’ll discover information about it through achievements, icons, props, enhancements, open-world dialogue, and NPC conversations."

Seems legit, introducing a complex system although the player base is still unable to cope with buffs, cc bars & dodging and more. I wonder how that'll turn out. According to the past we'll see a brute force by "exp zerker" and/or calling out in map chat with toxicity included. Also: Inb4 "Strike mission - 250 LI/Dhuum KP".

Well according to devs we are too stupid to understand the fall damage trait, so they had to get rid of it. Is there any hope we can grasp this?

[Fueki.4753]

@maddoctor.2738 said:But you could solo the first Strike Mission easily...Many people can't do that. Not everyone is part of the top 5% of the player base.

@Randulf.7614 said:Multiple mastery lines = BIG win for me.From the way I read it, 3 of the 4 lines are basically just the same though.I wonder how big that map will be, fitting enough mastery points in there.

[Vince.1695]

@Fueki.4753 said:

@maddoctor.2738 said:But you could solo the first Strike Mission easily...Many people can't do that. Not everyone is part of the top 5% of the player base.

But you won't tell me the current Strike Mission is fun for you...I mean every group of 6+ players with brain is able to get all 3 chests easily. So, with 10 it'll be braindead as before. Atm Strike Mission is: Find group, go in, press buttons pray for rng and get out. There's not even a little bit of charme that dungeons have/had, fractals or raid have. Not a single bit.

@maddoctor.2738 said:This part has me excited for future Strike Missions:

Players who’ve fully trained Essence Manipulation should be able to take down tough enemies—including champions and Strike Mission bosses—with fewer than the recommended number of allies.

But you could solo the first Strike Mission easily... so that probably, hopefully, means the next Strike Missions will be actual content not like the first one. We'll know in a few days I guess.

I understand this more like 10 player groups will still breeze through it without any hurdles at all and ambitious players have to put self-restrictions on them to experience any challenge comparable to solo/duoing dungeons/fractals with records or low-manning raids. Sorry, but this is a cheap excuse for me and explicitly shows that they gutted resources for said content. That's not content, that's cheap.

[Trise.2865]

I think we're missing the bigger picture here.Essence = Ki. Monk class confirmed!

[Vyrulisse.1246]

I really wish they'd stop piling new systems on top of everything. Their combat system is good enough and fantastic but they seem deathly afraid of having people actually use it so all these gimmicks get piled on top of it.

[Hashberry.4510]

This sounds pretty interesting, happy to see it.

[Naxos.2503]

@Ayrilana.1396 said:

@"Naxos.2503" said:It was an interesting read, and an interesting concept. It's only soured by what I consider a huge red flag : masteries are once again cantoned to maps. Something expansions via glider partially or mounts very specifically did not.This was one of the point on which I was waiting on them to elaborate for their comment of "Expansion grade content". This isn't.

We don’t need more power creep.

I'm not necessarily asking for That particular mastery to be usable in other maps. I'm asking for A mastery that is. I have accumulated countless masteries that see little to no use.

[Wielder Of Magic.3950]

I am still unsure how these new masteries are going to work.The blogpost talks about a rock-paper-scissors approach.In the actual game of the same name however, you can only pick one.How is this translated into the game when it comes to these masteries?Do these masteries become characterbound and picking one means I cannot train the other two on that character?Or can I train them all but do I have to pick one of the three to become active?Or is it as simple as you can train it all and have all of them active at once with the right one kicking in depending on the enemy you are fighting?I am confused.

[coso.9173]

reminds me a bit of the aegis system in secret world. hopefully it'll be well received, unlike that one.

[miraude.2107]

I'm leery because reading that post reminded me of the Siren of Orr mastery, something I did NOT want to see repeated again in game, especially if this is going to be map specific. I'll see how it pans out when it is live and I can fiddle with it but it feels like a mechanic like this...well, belongs in a raid.I understand they couldn't make it something like the Central Tyria/HoT/PoF mastery lines because this is, in a way, optional content but this just feels like it's gonna be a mess for old and new players alike along with seeing a giant uptick in AFK farming and frustration over failed events being blamed on players for not 'training the right one first.'

[Dante.1508]

Sounds great on paper, until the maps die.. then the "team" stuff become unplayable....

@Jayden Reese.9542 said:

@"Wielder Of Magic.3950" said:I am still unsure how these new masteries are going to work.The blogpost talks about a rock-paper-scissors approach.In the actual game of the same name however, you can only pick one.How is this translated into the game when it comes to these masteries?Do these masteries become characterbound and picking one means I cannot train the other two on that character?Or can I train them all but do I have to pick one of the three to become active?Or is it as simple as you can train it all and have all of them active at once with the right one kicking in depending on the enemy you are fighting?I am confused.

U can train all but you gather orbs from 1 type of the 3 enemy for a 15m buff vs the other is how I read it

Sounds like three new grinds to "collect" stuff because we "need to" to pass the content with a 15min buff, really 15min why? And all this is suppose to be fun..

[Jojo.6140]

Meh, i dont like the idea. If it were just for permanently buffs you receive via the mastery system it would be finde, but having it temporary sounds like a major pita. I hope its not mandatory for content, like "oh you wanna do the meta? Well, have fun farming 30 mobs beforehand for the buff". Would also mean that you cant quickly jump in in an activity. Changing characters? Have fun farming 30 mobs again.

[Hashberry.4510]

Well, 'jump to map, hit boss, collect gem, jump to next map' is getting kind of tired. I mean, I like meta trains too, but its gotten a bit too much when players hop in at the last second, then gripe if the meta fails.

[Dante.1508]

@Jayden Reese.9542 said:

@"Dante.1508" said:Sounds great on paper, until the maps die.. then the "team" stuff become unplayable....

@Jayden Reese.9542 said:

@"Wielder Of Magic.3950" said:I am still unsure how these new masteries are going to work.The blogpost talks about a rock-paper-scissors approach.In the actual game of the same name however, you can only pick one.How is this translated into the game when it comes to these masteries?Do these masteries become characterbound and picking one means I cannot train the other two on that character?Or can I train them all but do I have to pick one of the three to become active?Or is it as simple as you can train it all and have all of them active at once with the right one kicking in depending on the enemy you are fighting?I am confused.

U can train all but you gather orbs from 1 type of the 3 enemy for a 15m buff vs the other is how I read it

Sounds like three new grinds to "collect" stuff because we "need to" to pass the content with a 15min buff, really 15min why? And all this is suppose to be fun..

Honestly I think that part is to eliminate leeches like hit octo 4 times afk collect loot. I feel like it''ll be 3 lil icons with a counter and maybe goes up to 99 1 for ea mob you kill so you can have 45m of buffs 4 1 area or to loot the chests in that area. The map might be like dragonfall split up into 3 sections and the meta will req ppl to get there early to farm mobs to prep in one section and go kill boss in another but it's all a guess. No one will be able to show up afk hit boss once collect. Well see if it's an entirely new mastery line or if we can use pof extras we got too.

How do you get there early if you aren't American? Sound really not thought out on a world scale.