Guardian Hammer is useless

[GoingMenthol.7281]

On 8/10/2021 at 6:12 PM, GoingMenthol.7281 said:

Aura of Faith

Symbol of Protection is no longer a light field, becomes an ice field

Hammer 2 blasts can be used for frost aura (from auto attack ice field) or condition cleanse (from Hammer 5 light field)

- Defensive weapon, user provides protection and frost aura to team against strike damage, or condition cleanse when needed

- Can work with Radiance skill tree for an aura build?

 

Did anyone else notice that the Catalyst is a hammer based profession that has a focus on auras and chill when in water attunement? I guess this design rework for guardian hammer is off the table now 😞

[Loules.8601]

6 hours ago, GoingMenthol.7281 said:

 

Did anyone else notice that the Catalyst is a hammer based profession that has a focus on auras and chill when in water attunement? I guess this design rework for guardian hammer is off the table now 😞

Hope to see hammer rework in any possible (good) variation

[GoingMenthol.7281]

The more I think about how ele is getting a hammer, the more I realise that Conjure Lightning Hammer already has the quality of life improvements we've been asking for

We complain the auto is too slow

- Lightning hammer (LH) auto is 1/2 second cast time on all auto skills

- LH skill 2 grants quickness for 3 second on hit, making the auto even faster

We complain that hammer doesn't have decent gap closers

- LH skill 2 is a 600 leap on an 8 second cooldown

We complain about banish throwing the target away with no real way to chase after

- LH skill 3 gives 3 seconds of superspeed on hit

- LH 3 also launches at a distance that LH 2 can reach

We complain the ward is too small to catch people in (180 radius) as the cast takes a while

- LH skill 5 is 240 radius (it's also a 2 second stun, better than the ~1 second knockback as it keeps targets controlled for longer or because it lowers the breakbar more than the ward)

Other notable parts of Conjure Lightning Hammer

- Gain an extra 75 Ferocity and 180 Precision when wielding

- Lasts for 30 seconds when picked up but the 2nd hammer that lands where you target can be picked up after the first expires, effectively you can permanently have a LH

- Auto chain ends with a blast finisher and aoe blind

- Auto is 150 range instead of 130 (don't know why)

- Auto is faster to complete (2.82 seconds to complete the auto chain          compared to 3.45 seconds with guardian hammer)

- Skill 2 is a leap (good for auras) and hits 3 targets, not 5 targets like guardian hammer

- Skill 3 is single target, like Banish

- Skill 5 locks you in place, like Ring of Warding

- When traited, get a free fire aura on conjure and another when you or an ally pick up the 2nd hammer (and then you can share the aura with all your friends)

- When traited, reduce cooldown of LH skills. Guardian hammer doesn't have that (it will increase cooldown of hammer 2 by 2 seconds, that's it)

- The only unique skill that LH has that guardian hammer doesn't is a randomly hitting PBAoE instead of a range projectile immobilise

And this doesn't factor in the Catalyst hammer in water attunement having a close range, chill applying theme that guardian hammer was half-heartedly made out to be

 

Proposed changes to guardian hammer (power)

Skill 1 - Reduce cast time of Symbol of Protection to 1/2 or 3/4 seconds

Skill 2 - Increase range from 300 to 600, increase cooldown to 6 seconds

Skill 3 - Gain 1 second swiftness for each enemy hit

Skill 4 - Reduce launch from 750 to 600

Skill 5 - Either allow movement when casting or increase the radius to 240

Trait - Glacial Heart is removed, Writ of Persistence now includes the following:

- Grants 3 second quickness  when your symbol hits a foe (10 second cooldown). Reduces hammer cooldown by 20%

 

Proposed changes to guardian hammer (condition)

Skill 1 - Hammer Swing and Hammer Bash now deal 1 burn for 1 second. Symbol of Protection has 1/2 second cast and now also pulses burn. Reduced strike damage

Skill 2 - Reduced strike damage. Range increased to 600. Inflicts burn. Increase cooldown to 6 seconds

Skill 3 - No longer immobilises. Inflicts 1 second of taunt on hit

Skill 4 - Reduced strike damage. Hits 3 targets. Inflicts weakness for 3 seconds

Skill 5 - Now becomes a ground targeted, 600 range skill. Radius stays the same

Trait - Glacial Heart - Remove Glacial Blow. When wielding a hammer, gain 240 vitality. When you disable a foe, unleash an ice field for 3 seconds that pulses 1 second chill to enemies and 1 second of quickness to allies (cooldown 10 seconds)

Edited September 20, 2021 by GoingMenthol.7281

[Loules.8601]

At least - we need even little attention from Anet on this thread.

I think that hammer could be interesting weapon for PvP - not so much dps, but good utility and some CC to compensate guardian shortcomings. Hope to see WB + hammer combo - without top-notch dps, but very mobile and sticky. And you can charge at your foe, launch him - and shadowstep to them again 😄