What I would have done - Thoughts on Guard Traits/Skills

[kroof.5468]

Heyo everyone,With the new Balance Patch on the horizon, I was a bit disappointed that underwhelming traits and unused skills are still going to go fairly untreated, so I wanted to treat them myself (for my own sanity and creativity ; - ; ). These are just a few fan-changes, but I hope to hear what you all have to say about these or other skills.Video Link for further discussion and explanations:

VALOR:Focus Master -> Holy MentalityStrength of the Fallen -> Strength of the ProtectorMonk's Focus

HONORWrit of Persistence

VIRTUESGlacial Heart -> Brilliant Heart

DRAGONHUNTERHunter's Fortifications

SHELTER AND HALLOWED GROUND

[crazyhusky.2985]

Here the changes I would make to Dragonhunter. Some of these are a bit drastic but I feel Dragonhunter itself needs a few things.

Hunter's FortificationReceive less damage when you have a condition on you. Remove conditions when blocking attacks and gain resistance, deal more damage when you have resistance or protection.Damage Reduced: 10%Conditions Removed: 1Damage 10%

(Everything in the game gives conditions these days, this trait has never been updated, so changing the trait to be when you have a condition on you, rather when you don't makes more sense. also this has to compete against the Big hunter trait so it needs a way to grant extra damage)

BulwarkShield of Courage gains increased radius and duration. When aegis ends you gain barrier. (Cooldown 25 secs)Duration Increase: 2 secondsRadius Increase: 33%Barrier 20%

Defender's DogmaGain increased maximum health and Blocking an attack causes Justice to reach its maximum charge, it also reduces the cooldown of Spear of Justice.Recharge Time Reduced: 3 secondsReataltionHealth increase Percent: 15%(DH needs more HP)

Heavy LightAll Longbow skills now cause Bleeding,Justice's passive effect now bleeds enemies as well.Inflicting cripple or slow or damaging a crippled or slowed foes also inflicts bleeding.

(I think the way to make longbow better or more viable would be to give a different type condition that guardians typically don't have access to, allowing them to play either burn DH or bleed-burn combo DH. If not bleeding then give it poison, it suppose to hunting dragons after all, and you typically poison or wound a large creature to slow it down.)

Big Game HunterGain retaliation upon striking a foe with the Spear of Justice, Striking an enemy while it is tethered by your Spear of Justice inflicts vulnerability and increases damage dealt. Tether duration is increased.Retaliation - 4 secondsDamage Increase: 15%Vulnerability (10s): 1% Incoming Damage, 1% Incoming Condition DamageDuration Increase: 66%

(Retaliation has been a big part of Power Dragonhunter in raids and other PvE areas FOR A LONG TIME, the problem is it that most common builds of DH don't allow it to get much or any Retaliation. As strange as it Dragonhunter itself DOESN'T have any Retaliation within itself, So putting it on a trait that Power DH already uses would help it a lot.)

[otto.5684]

I don’t like any of these.

If I rework anything, it will probably be virtues line. Then some DH traits.

[kroof.5468]

@crazyhusky.2985 said:Here the changes I would make to Dragonhunter. Some of these are a bit drastic but I feel Dragonhunter itself needs a few things.

Hunter's FortificationReceive less damage when you have a condition on you. Remove conditions when blocking attacks and gain resistance, deal more damage when you have resistance or protection.Damage Reduced: 10%Conditions Removed: 1Damage 10%

(Everything in the game gives conditions these days, this trait has never been updated, so changing the trait to be when you have a condition on you, rather when you don't makes more sense. also this has to compete against the Big hunter trait so it needs a way to grant extra damage)

BulwarkShield of Courage gains increased radius and duration. When aegis ends you gain barrier. (Cooldown 25 secs)Duration Increase: 2 secondsRadius Increase: 33%Barrier 20%

Defender's DogmaGain increased maximum health and Blocking an attack causes Justice to reach its maximum charge, it also reduces the cooldown of Spear of Justice.Recharge Time Reduced: 3 secondsReataltionHealth increase Percent: 15%(DH needs more HP)

Heavy LightAll Longbow skills now cause Bleeding,Justice's passive effect now bleeds enemies as well.Inflicting cripple or slow or damaging a crippled or slowed foes also inflicts bleeding.

(I think the way to make longbow better or more viable would be to give a different type condition that guardians typically don't have access to, allowing them to play either burn DH or bleed-burn combo DH. If not bleeding then give it poison, it suppose to hunting dragons after all, and you typically poison or wound a large creature to slow it down.)

Big Game HunterGain retaliation upon striking a foe with the Spear of Justice, Striking an enemy while it is tethered by your Spear of Justice inflicts vulnerability and increases damage dealt. Tether duration is increased.Retaliation - 4 secondsDamage Increase: 15%Vulnerability (10s): 1% Incoming Damage, 1% Incoming Condition DamageDuration Increase: 66%

(Retaliation has been a big part of Power Dragonhunter in raids and other PvE areas FOR A LONG TIME, the problem is it that most common builds of DH don't allow it to get much or any Retaliation. As strange as it Dragonhunter itself DOESN'T have any Retaliation within itself, So putting it on a trait that Power DH already uses would help it a lot.)

I don't think the bleeding is necessarily needed - as DH is predominant a power spec. I do think improvements to LB traits should be better, though. Hunter's Fortification still seems a bit meh, and just overloading effects on the trait may not be the way to go. I do enjoy your other recommendations!

[kroof.5468]

@otto.5684 said:I don’t like any of these.

If I rework anything, it will probably be virtues line. Then some DH traits.

Virtues is fair when it comes to its trait functionality, and I don't think it needs a major overhaul. What may require a major overhaul would be core virtues themselves. These aren't necessarily PRIORITIZING changes, just things I'd perhaps like to see.

[otto.5684]

@kroof.5468 said:

@otto.5684 said:I don’t like any of these.

If I rework anything, it will probably be virtues line. Then some DH traits.

Virtues is fair when it comes to its trait functionality, and I don't think it needs a major overhaul. What may require a major overhaul would be core virtues themselves. These aren't necessarily PRIORITIZING changes, just things I'd perhaps like to see.

No virtues line is not working well. It is not used in PvE, at all. Dps runs radiance/zeal and FB or DH. Support or heal does not pick it up either.

PvP only viable build is symbol FB. Does not use virtues either. Sure, you would run it as DH Or core dps. But why play these in the first place. They suck.

Ya, core virtues need updates, but that does not mean virtues line will be viable.