Warrior Balance Requests Omnibus

[The Boz.2038]

The point of the interval is to break super-symbiotic procs from Whirlwind Attack. Number of attacks vs timed works better at not punishing the Warrior when being kited, CC'd. Cooldown starts only once the 8th attack hits.

[Lan Deathrider.5910]

@The Boz.2038 said:The point of the interval is to break super-symbiotic procs from Whirlwind Attack. Number of attacks vs timed works better at not punishing the Warrior when being kited, CC'd. Cooldown starts only once the 8th attack hits.

Ah. So a warrior could precast it? Not sure if that would be healthy. When traited it would be on a 6.4s CD already, so you would be able to almost perma maintain it anyway. I get what you mean by the interaction with Whirlwind Attack, that would instagib other players. It would also carry over on weapon swap mechanically, which means it would greatly benefit things like Volley, Whirling Axe, Flurry, Flaming Flurry, Dagger Storm... I can see some very powerful combinations, almost to the point where we are talking about an elite worthy skill on a 8s CD, 6.4s when traited.

It would push people towards OH dagger and OH axe as viable weapon sets though, and with the interval+delay it may not be overpowered.

[The Boz.2038]

Precast, yeah, but cooldown only starts once you hit all 8 attacks. So you can't have them back-to-back. You hit your last attack? Your next HB is available in 8/6.4 seconds.The other weapon skills don't work, it specified GS attacks. If you switch weapons, it doesn't go away, just lies there dormant until you switch back.

[Lan Deathrider.5910]

@The Boz.2038 said:Precast, yeah, but cooldown only starts once you hit all 8 attacks. So you can't have them back-to-back. You hit your last attack? Your next HB is available in 8/6.4 seconds.The other weapon skills don't work, it specified GS attacks. If you switch weapons, it doesn't go away, just lies there dormant until you switch back.

Ah, much more balanced then. If that is the case I'd suggest removing the delay but keep the interval. I would say that that if you switch weapons that it should go on full CD, so you use it or lose it.

[frareanselm.1925]

Maybe its may opinion but while the life force of necro is stored forever and disapears very slow when DS is active... Warrior's adrenaline is lost super quick even when its not used, I dont think this is very fair, in comparison, what you think?

[Grand Marshal.4098]

@frareanselm.1925 said:Maybe its may opinion but while the life force of necro is stored forever and disapears very slow when DS is active... Warrior's adrenaline is lost super quick even when its not used, I dont think this is very fair, in comparison, what you think?

Well, warrior also has the disadvantage of requiring to enter close quarters combat to gain adrenaline, unlike the necro who can generate life force from afar, but generally necros have less means of generating life force than warriors have adrenaline. I believe things are pretty balance with how adrenaline diminishes. Perhaps it could persist for a bit longer, but I don't think it would make much of a difference.

[Lan Deathrider.5910]

It used to last much longer after a fight and decayed much slower, but it was too much for other classes to handle and was nerfed to the current state early on the game's history. This was the same update that updated Arcing Slice to it's current form if I recall. Old Arcing Slice was garbage.

[Myror.7521]

One of my highest wish for pve and pvp is just made sword offhand variable ..... let it be like block only for one press and then a skill that not give adrenalin but let the enemy bleed. (So let it work like the ranger gs block evade punish skill)

[Grand Marshal.4098]

@"Pati.2438" said:One of my highest wish for pve and pvp is just made sword offhand variable ..... let it be like block only for one press and then a skill that not give adrenalin but let the enemy bleed. (So let it work like the ranger gs block evade punish skill)

I don't use experimental builds on pvp, due to hte lack of attribute combinations. But I had similar wishes recently, so I started roaming with a Dire/Rabid Berserker in WvW. Balthazar runes ofc, sigils depends on if I need cleanses, dodges or more might.

Utilizing Berserker (bottom, mid, mid), Arms (top, bottom, mid) and Discipline (mid, either of the 3 depending on if I need damage, want to use a banner, or need some extra cleanse, and again either of the 3, heightened focus less than burst mastery and axe mastery).

Sword with Torch and Axe with Sword to maintain the extra expertise on swords from Arms at all times. I mainly use Mending for cleanses and heal, Headbutt for quick CC and adrenaline gain, Frenzy for the damage increase, Sundering Leap usually as an opener and Banner of Strength or whatever pther utility I feel like will be of use.

I did not expect this to work this well. The sword offhand needs changes, but it has actually saved me from condi pistol thieves, because the pistol 3 is a ranged attack and does not end Riposte early. The flaming field from the torch cleansing + me throwing axes to cripple and then sword 4 to inflict torment (plus burn from projectile finishers) can be very useful too.

I don't think we will ever see riposte becoming a "minor shield" tho. Even if it would make sword very viable. Current block can save ffrom lethal hits, but definitely not in a pvp set. Then again, sword being a condi weapon and only Berserker having the capability of being played as condi is even worse for sword. As berserker is practically unviable in pvp, unless a glass cannon one shotter with support guard and tempest in mid node.

[Grand Marshal.4098]

Any coold ideas on how to improve Reckless Dodging (yeah looking at you Bound lol)?

It feels rather weak. I would never use it offenssively in WvW or PvP, so perhaps I'm missing something. Should Strength add more vigor/endurance gain to promote a Reckless Dodging gameplay aside from the suggestions made in other threads?

Like, I get why Might on dodge is pretty big, countless roamers have been running such food, but then again, should the co-efficient go up? Should it increase the area of effect? Should we evade a bit longer of a distance to make sure it hits? It's unblockable so that's that too.

[Lan Deathrider.5910]

@Grand Marshal.4098 said:Any coold ideas on how to improve Reckless Dodging (yeah looking at you Bound lol)?

It feels rather weak. I would never use it offenssively in WvW or PvP, so perhaps I'm missing something. Should Strength add more vigor/endurance gain to promote a Reckless Dodging gameplay aside from the suggestions made in other threads?

Like, I get why Might on dodge is pretty big, countless roamers have been running such food, but then again, should the co-efficient go up? Should it increase the area of effect? Should we evade a bit longer of a distance to make sure it hits? It's unblockable so that's that too.

Reckless Dodge is good for clearing blind. It used to hit harder, but warrior is not allowed to have nice things.

Strength adds plenty of endurance gain from mmr and building momentum.

To clarify further, Building Momentum gives 15 endurance per foe hit by a burst. So, if you hit 5 foes, that is 75 endurance, 1.5 dodges, refunded. If you had MMR, used a greatsword, and all hits were crits, you'd get back 85 endurance, almost two complete dodges.

[Sobx.1758]

@Grand Marshal.4098 said:improve Reckless Dodging (yeah looking at you Bound lol)?

It feels rather weak.

Like, I get why Might on dodge is pretty big, countless roamers have been running such food, but then again, should the co-efficient go up? Should it increase the area of effect? Should we evade a bit longer of a distance to make sure it hits? It's unblockable so that's that too.

So when you were looking at bound, did you notice how the area/distance/coefficients are the same in both? But the animation on bound is better, no doubt about that :p

[Lan Deathrider.5910]

@Sobx.1758 said:

@Grand Marshal.4098 said:improve Reckless Dodging (yeah looking at you Bound lol)?

It feels rather weak.

Like, I get why Might on dodge is pretty big, countless roamers have been running such food, but then again, should the co-efficient go up? Should it increase the area of effect? Should we evade a bit longer of a distance to make sure it hits? It's unblockable so that's that too.

So when you were looking at bound, did you notice how the area/distance/coefficients are the same in both? But the animation on bound is better, no doubt about that :p

And bound is a leap finisher, and gets used with oh pistol for de facto stealth on dodge.. Maybe Reckless Dodge should be as well, but then that would allow Warriors to clear immobilize on a dodge, and gain stability when dodging if they took certain traits. Hardly game breaking mind you given the scope of shenanigans available across the classes, like stealth on dodge...

[Grand Marshal.4098]

@Sobx.1758 said:

@Grand Marshal.4098 said:improve Reckless Dodging (yeah looking at you Bound lol)?

It feels rather weak.

Like, I get why Might on dodge is pretty big, countless roamers have been running such food, but then again, should the co-efficient go up? Should it increase the area of effect? Should we evade a bit longer of a distance to make sure it hits? It's unblockable so that's that too.

So when you were looking at bound, did you notice how the area/distance/coefficients are the same in both? But the animation on bound is better, no doubt about that :p

Mostly brainstorming for ideas. I don't rly care to have Bound on Warrior lol. But it's a very nice mechanic which as Lan said can clear blind, but at the rate blind can be spammed nowadays you can easily still be blinded after dodging and hiting someone.

[Sobx.1758]

@Lan Deathrider.5910 said:

@Sobx.1758 said:

@"Grand Marshal.4098" said:improve Reckless Dodging (yeah looking at you Bound lol)?

It feels rather weak.

Like, I get why Might on dodge is pretty big, countless roamers have been running such food, but then again, should the co-efficient go up? Should it increase the area of effect? Should we evade a bit longer of a distance to make sure it hits? It's unblockable so that's that too.

So when you were looking at bound, did you notice how the area/distance/coefficients are the same in both? But the animation on bound is better, no doubt about that :p

And bound is a leap finisher, and gets used with oh pistol for de facto stealth on dodge.. Maybe Reckless Dodge should be as well, but then that would allow Warriors to clear immobilize on a dodge, and gain stability when dodging if they took certain traits. Hardly game breaking mind you given the scope of shenanigans available across the classes, like stealth on dodge...

Sure. I just responded to someone that for all I understood somehow thought those values are higher on bound, but might have easly misunderstood, that's all.Like with most of other things, I'd start with the question: does it really need to be buffed? Maybe. Maybe not. It already compliments mmr from the same spec and somehow I doubt "it feels weak" to someone based solely on not being a leap finisher. When I mentioned animation, it wasn't exactly a joke either -the animation can give a better/more satisfying feeling for a skill even when it's not really "stronger" considering the stats.

[Lan Deathrider.5910]

@Sobx.1758 said:

@Lan Deathrider.5910 said:

@Sobx.1758 said:

@"Grand Marshal.4098" said:improve Reckless Dodging (yeah looking at you Bound lol)?

It feels rather weak.

Like, I get why Might on dodge is pretty big, countless roamers have been running such food, but then again, should the co-efficient go up? Should it increase the area of effect? Should we evade a bit longer of a distance to make sure it hits? It's unblockable so that's that too.

So when you were looking at bound, did you notice how the area/distance/coefficients are the same in both? But the animation on bound is better, no doubt about that :p

And bound is a leap finisher, and gets used with oh pistol for de facto stealth on dodge.. Maybe Reckless Dodge should be as well, but then that would allow Warriors to clear immobilize on a dodge, and gain stability when dodging if they took certain traits. Hardly game breaking mind you given the scope of shenanigans available across the classes, like stealth on dodge...

Sure. I just responded to someone that for all I understood somehow thought those values are higher on bound, but might have easly misunderstood, that's all.Like with most of other things, I'd start with the question: does it really need to be buffed? Maybe. Maybe not. It already compliments mmr from the same spec and somehow I doubt "it feels weak" to someone based solely on not being a leap finisher. When I mentioned animation, it wasn't exactly a joke either -the animation can give a better/more satisfying feeling for a skill even when it's not really "stronger" considering the stats.

My response itself was only half serious. Reckless Dodge is 'okay' as it is right now, particularly since it is unblockable. Could it have a higher coefficient as part of a package of changes to raise overall Warrior DPS, which is overwhelmingly viewed as too low at the moment, sure. Does it need a leap finisher on it? No. Does it need more damage or more might? That can be debated. But like I said, if it came along with some other general DPS boosts on a class that this far into the Meta is doing overall subpar damage then I can see Reckless Dodge getting a boost. Maybe not all the way back to the 1.5 scaling, but certainly at least to 0.75 from the current 0.5.

[Lan Deathrider.5910]

One thing that strikes me about warrior sustain, is that everything compounds as you are actively engaged with more and more foes, but only if you are able to hit those foes all at the same time.

Reckless Dodge: gain might per foe it, doubled with FGS and MMR which leads to 20 endurance regained and ~80*20 HP healing.MMR and FGS together are in the same boat, you get more healing and endurance the more you can cleave.Building Momentum, again its 15 endurance PER foe.

But that is all recuperating from damage already inflicted/dodged.

But we don't have any passive defenses that scale per foe to complement these.I'd love to see a trait, either a minor or a master, that grants damage reduction for some number of seconds per foe hit. This could replace Defy Pain's current effects for example.

Defy Pain: When you hit with a burst attack take 7% less damage for 3s. Stacks in intensity per foe hit up to 3 times. I'd also make one of those few damage reduction traits that stacks additively with other sources rather than multiplicatively.

[DKRathalos.9625]

So since the forum now accessible again what do you guys think about the upcoming warrior nerf?

[Lan Deathrider.5910]

May 11th notes from the news release with my commentary in Italics:
Warrior

Berserker has been in a great place with strong support, power, and condition builds that are successful in all content. However, Spellbreaker lacks the kittenmage it needs to keep up, and the line between banner support and kittenmage-oriented builds is very blurry, showing that possible alternatives to the Discipline specialization were unkittenerforming. With this upkittente, we’re making improvements to Tactics to make it a more viable alternative to Discipline, and we’re improving Spellbreaker’s kittenmage capability. We’re also lowering the base target cap of banners to 5 players, with the choice for support builds to utilize the Doubled Stankittenrds trait to raise the target cap to 10. All banners are now gaining light combo fields, giving all warrior specializations some access to condition cleanse combos.

Berserker needs love. It has no place in high level Competitive play. The need to remove the toughness penalty and make Burst of Aggression refresh on using a Primal Burst.

 

They ARE addressing the elephant in the room that Discipline needs viable alternatives while also ignoring the 500 lb gorilla that is fast hands. They single out Tactics for the viable alternative, but leave out Arms and Defense.
 

Rifle is also receiving an improvement pkitten, improving its ability to combat multiple targets and giving it more utility as a ranged power weapon in general mission and open-world play.

Rifle

• Fierce Shot: This attack now pierces but no longer grants bonus adrenaline against vulnerable targets. Instead, it grants 1 stack of might for 5 seconds to the warrior when hitting a vulnerable target.
•  

This is a good change. You can now might bot on rifle. This also brings with it sustain via MM and MMR.

•  
• Crack Shot: Instead of granting bonus adrenaline when Fierce Shot hits, this trait now causes Fierce Shot to deal 10% bonus kittenmage in addition to its previous effects.

 

This is a good change. Rifle needs more DPS.

 

• Aimed Shot: This skill has been removed.
• Volley: This skill has moved to slot 2 on the weapon.
• Explosive Shell: This new skill takes slot 3 on rifle, previously occupied by Volley. This attack shoots a large shell at the target that explodes on contact with an enemy. The explosion creates a cone-shaped blast that fires through the target, striking foes behind them and inflicting the crippled condition and vulnerability.

 

They do not state any other changes to Volley other than the slot. Okay. Explosive Shell is just Aimed Shot in an AoE with a new animation, but with no other numbers listed. I HOPE that it is higher kittenmage, and that it follows the ammo system they gave to rifle.

They seem to be pushing towards warrior rifle being an kittenault rifle. In that vein they should remove Kill Shot. Put in its place somethign likt:
Concussive Shell: Fire a shell that kittenzes foes for 1s/1.5s/2s and deals kittenmage. Deals Kill Shot Tier 1 level kittenmage. 0.25s cast time.

Yeah, its kind of a mini Gunflame, but Gunflame is more brutal than this, and the Primal Burst all sort of follow that theme, more brutal versions of the core bursts. This would also give Spellbreaker a ranged weapon that meshes well with it's traits.

 

Banners

• Reduced the number of allied targets affected from 10 to 5. The Discipline trait Doubled Stankittenrds now increases the number of allied targets from 5 to 10.
• Banners no longer cause blast finishers. They now create a light combo field that persists for 5 seconds after the banner is summoned.

 

This is them just forcing people to take the trait. The light field is interesting. It gives more access to condi cleanse and the new boon for condi kittenmage mitigation. I'd say its on balance and neither a nerf or a buff.

 

Strength

• Peak Performance: Reduced the additional strike kittenmage applied for a period of time after using a physical skill from 15% to 10% in PvE only.

 

The kittenmage bonus is a trap anyway /shrug

 

• Great Fortitude: This trait now increases ferocity by 10% of vitality.

 

Better than what was there but in no way competes with Forceful Greatsword. A buff but a meaningless one. Someone running Soldiers, Marauders, or Sentinels gear may be interested in taking it though.

 

Defense

• Cull the Weak: Increased kittenmage bonus from 7% to 10% in PvE only.

 

This is not what Defense needed. It needed the 300s traits reworked. These MAY be in the official release, but most likely not. I hope that in the EoD prepatch that they get fixed.

 

• Spiked Armor has been renamed Hardened Armor.

Tactics

• Marching Orders: Reduced internal cooldown to gain Soldier’s Focus from 15 seconds to 10 seconds.

 

Buff. Martial Cadence might be worth taking now.

 

• Leg Specialist: Increased kittenmage bonus from 7% to 10% in PvE only.

 

Buff, and it should be brought over to WvW at least. MAYBE into PvP as well.

 

• Roaring Reveille: Increased duration of the resistance boon granted to the warhorn skill Call of Valor from 2 seconds to 3 seconds.

 

Buff.

 

• Warrior’s Cunning: Reduced health threshold for bonus kittenmage from 90% to 80%.

 

Buff. You'll get more mileage out of it now.

 

Discipline

• Warrior’s Sprint: Increased kittenmage bonus from 7% to 10% in PvE only.

 

Buff, but the other traits need more love in order to compete with it.

 

• Doubled Stankittenrds: Reduced bonus effect from banners from 100% to 50%. This trait now additionally increases the maximum number of allied targets on banners from 5 to 10.

 

I am no man's slave. The 100% increase kept you from loosing DPS to maintain banners. This pushes you into more of a support roll, but we have no MH support weapon. So go GS, FGS, and Tactics and at least also be a might bot. Take FGJ and Sword/horn and also cover fury, swiftness, and vigor while you are at it.

 

• Axe Mastery: This trait no longer grants additional ferocity for a second equipped axe.

 

This WAS out of line with similar traits and I am surprised it made it past the Feb. 2020 patch. A nerf, but one that was kind of needed I suppose.

 

Spellbreaker

• Sun and Moon Style:
  • Fixed a bug that could cause trait bonuses to be temporarily lost after recovering from the downed state.
  • The main-hand kittengger bonus has been reworked to deal an additional 10% strike kittenmage to foes with no boons.

 

A buff, but not an easily maintained one. Other clkittenes fart out boons faster than a Spellbreaker can strip them in the current meta.

•  
• Attacker’s Insight: Each stack of the Insight effect now grants an additional 50 power, precision, and ferocity at level 80 in PvE. Each stack now grants an additional 35 power, precision, and ferocity in PvP and WvW. Previously each stack granted 45 power and ferocity.

 

A good buff in PvE. Spellbreaker should be able to compete power kittenmage wise there now. The reduction from 45-->35 in PvP/WvW wasn't needed. Spellbreaker needs more kittenmage there and I do not think an extra 8% crit chance justifies loosing 50 power and 50 ferocity.

• Full Counter: The attack portion of this skill now correctly triggers if the spellbreaker is in mikittenir, allowing the skill to end correctly.

Edited April 30, 2021 by Lan Deathrider.5910

[Dao Jones.6720]

I’m intrigued by the Rifle changes and largely indifferent to the rest. Most of the changes were to traits that will remain skippable even after the changes. I suppose the DPS improvements to Spellbreaker aren’t bad, IF you’re using D/X. (I use a GS, so oh well. *shrug*.)
 

I’m chuckling at the salty Warrior nerf brigade already crying a little this patch. Most of these changes seem largely irrelevant or slightly beneficial, barring the change to Banners. Doesn’t seem like Warriors took much of a hit in this patch, and maybe even came out slightly ahead.

Edited April 30, 2021 by Dao Jones.6720

[Lan Deathrider.5910]

8 minutes ago, kitteno Jones.6720 said:

I’m intrigued by the Rifle changes and largely indifferent to the rest. Most of the changes were to traits that will remain skippable even after the changes. I suppose the DPS improvements to Spellbreaker aren’t bad, IF you’re using D/X. (I use a GS, so oh well. *shrug*.)
 

I’m chuckling at the salty Warrior nerf brigade already crying a little this patch. Most of these changes seem largely irrelevant or slightly beneficial, barring the change to Banners. Doesn’t seem like Warriors took much of a hit in this patch, and maybe even came out slightly ahead.

That is kind of my feelings on the matter. The Axe trait did not follow the same pattern of other such traits, it was due for that kind of nerf. The Banner changes don't bother me because I am no man's slave. The light fields offer some utility though. They'll have to reduce the banner CDs though for those fields to be useful.

Spellbreaker got a PvE kittenmage buff, but a net kittenmage Nerf in WvW/PvP.

Rifle does look interesting, but I'll wait and see what the numbers are on Explosive Shell.

[Grand Marshal.4098]

Rework for s ome spellbreaker stuff, since it recently got "buffed"...

 

Natural Healing: Reduce the heal to 5k with the same CD. This skill will now strip boons from foes around you (1 boon for up to 5 targets with a 360 radius) and heal you for each boon stripped (500 per strip for a total of 2.5k additional healing). 

 

Break Enchantments: Increase power coefficient to 0.8 in WvW and add 200% dmg increase.

 

Imminent Threat: With the Resolution change, I'd advocate for the removal of the Taunt in favor of applying weakness to foes around you (time for another utility outside "Fear Me" to do some weakness, will also promote picking defense more for Cull the Weak. Same CD etc, increase radius to 500 (that Taunt barely lands rn with that radius). 

 

Featherfoot Grace: Same but with 7 seconds of resistance.

 

Sight Beyond Sight: What we suggested earlier in the thread, providing crit attacks for a short duration and immunity to blind/then removal to blind.

 

Traits: Fuse Guard Counter with Revenge Counter, if not adding resolution to Revenge Counter.

 

Replace Guard Counter with Abandonment, Meditations gain 10% reduced recharge, grant 3 stacks of might (5 sec, up to 5 allies) and regenaration (2 sec for self only).

 

Similarly for Berserker: 

 

Rework Last Blaze. Rage skills burn foes (current) and prolong Berserk Mode for more (Wild Blow 4s->5s, Sundering Leap 5s->6s, Shattering Blow 3s->4s, Outrage 5s->6s, Headbutt 2s->3s). Gain protections (3s, 6s CD) on using a Rage Skill.

 

Savage Instinct: This trait will now also apply 3 sec of resistance on Berserk activation and deactivation (6sec resistance uptime, 3 during B Mode, 3 while it's on CD). 

 

So 2 nice contender traits for Zerkers as well, who may prefer rage skill gameplay without going condi, but with no massive punishment for not choosing the stunbreak and dmg mitigation on Berserk mode (protection makes up for it imo).

 

 

[CalmTheStorm.2364]

Thoughts on Arms (and Arms-related things):

First off--Hi!  I'm new to the form, so please forgive me if I repeat anything that has been said already.  Didn't have the time to read 13+ pages of posts 🙂

 

Secondly, thanks for putting together this thread and for all the thought that you all have put into it.  Some really great suggestions from what I've seen thus far, and I hope Anet is listening.

 

On to Arms...

 

Love the trait line, but is really hard to make viable since Discipline is nearly mandatory and Berserker is Warrior's best bet for any condi/hybrid build.  Going Arms in this setting makes you pure glass, which isn't viable unless you're playing with a well-coordinated group to support you.  So, my suggestions revolve around adding some form of sustain to Arms.

 

I think the healing form most consistent with the trait line is some sort of damage-to-healing.  I propose the following:

 

Rework Unsuspecting Foe:

IMO, this trait is practically useless, especially since you'd have to choose it over Sundering Burst or Blademaster, both of which are far superior.   So I propose replacing it with a trait does one of the following:

1.) heal for 7% of critical damage (basically Sun-and-Moon Style but for all weapons)

OR, even more interesting,

2.) heal for 10% of all dmg while under the effects of Fury.

 

Both approaches are true to the Arms trait line philosophy of giving Fury and increasing critical hits, so I think that makes sense.  Also consistent with Berserker philosophy of hard-core dedication to damage.  Berserker has poor access to Fury, though, so you'd have to be sure to run For Great Justice, etc, to ensure high Fury up-time.

 

This would also be really powerful for Core and SB, as they can use GS for Arcing slice to generate high Fury up-time without sacrificing Utility skill slots.

 

Also, Rework Healing Signet: 

Should no longer give resistance but 5s each of Protection and Resolution.  

Traited with Arms' Signet Mastery, this offers high up-time of both boons while synergizing with the above sustain option from Fury/critical damage to healing for some powerful sustain.

Would also synergize well with the Defense trait line, since Resolution gives 10% damage reduction with Hardened Armor.

 

Riposte (Sword 5):

Would love to see it hit all foes around the player when proc'd.  Kinda like a block that turns into an Arcing slice that damages and bleeds all surrounding enemies.  Would probably be most useful in PvE, but extra cleave is useful in all game types.

 

Looking forward to hearing your thoughts!

[Lan Deathrider.5910]

37 minutes ago, CalmTheStorm.2364 said:

Thoughts on Arms (and Arms-related things):

First off--Hi!  I'm new to the form, so please forgive me if I repeat anything that has been said already.  Didn't have the time to read 13+ pages of posts 🙂

Hi! Its a lot by now for sure...

37 minutes ago, CalmTheStorm.2364 said:

Secondly, thanks for putting together this thread and for all the thought that you all have put into it.  Some really great suggestions from what I've seen thus far, and I hope Anet is listening.

 

On to Arms...

 

Love the trait line, but is really hard to make viable since Discipline is nearly mandatory and Berserker is Warrior's best bet for any condi/hybrid build.  Going Arms in this setting makes you pure glass, which isn't viable unless you're playing with a well-coordinated group to support you.  So, my suggestions revolve around adding some form of sustain to Arms.

 

I think the healing form most consistent with the trait line is some sort of damage-to-healing.  I propose the following:

 

Rework Unsuspecting Foe:

IMO, this trait is practically useless, especially since you'd have to choose it over Sundering Burst or Blademaster, both of which are far superior.   So I propose replacing it with a trait does one of the following:

1.) heal for 7% of critical damage (basically Sun-and-Moon Style but for all weapons)

OR, even more interesting,

2.) heal for 10% of all dmg while under the effects of Fury.

Something we suggested is for Sundering Bursts to heal for 50 hp per vulnerability stack you inflict. Unsuspecting Foe has had other things suggested for it.

37 minutes ago, CalmTheStorm.2364 said:

Both approaches are true to the Arms trait line philosophy of giving Fury and increasing critical hits, so I think that makes sense.  Also consistent with Berserker philosophy of hard-core dedication to damage.  Berserker has poor access to Fury, though, so you'd have to be sure to run For Great Justice, etc, to ensure high Fury up-time.

 

This would also be really powerful for Core and SB, as they can use GS for Arcing slice to generate high Fury up-time without sacrificing Utility skill slots.

 

Also, Rework Healing Signet: 

Should no longer give resistance but 5s each of Protection and Resolution.  

Traited with Arms' Signet Mastery, this offers high up-time of both boons while synergizing with the above sustain option from Fury/critical damage to healing for some powerful sustain.

Would also synergize well with the Defense trait line, since Resolution gives 10% damage reduction with Hardened Armor.

Not a bad suggestion.

37 minutes ago, CalmTheStorm.2364 said:

Riposte (Sword 5):

Would love to see it hit all foes around the player when proc'd.  Kinda like a block that turns into an Arcing slice that damages and bleeds all surrounding enemies.  Would probably be most useful in PvE, but extra cleave is useful in all game types.

 

Looking forward to hearing your thoughts!

Hmm.. so turn Riposte into an AoE+bleed?

[CalmTheStorm.2364]

12 minutes ago, Lan Deathrider.5910 said:

Hmm.. so turn Riposte into an AoE+bleed?

Basically.  The skill stays essentially the same (block until attacked in melee range), but then the counter attack hits everyone around the player instead of the single enemy who attacked.  Does that make sense?