Virtuoso pre-beta poll

[Yoci.2481]

The traits and F-skills are an insult. The dagger skills are... okay-ish in some PvE content. The immobilize utility is interesting, but that's about it. At least for my playstyle this spec offers too little, especially compared to Harbinger/Willbender or whatever they are called.

[Daniel Handler.4816]

I think we will be able to get by defensively with our core skills/traits. 

 

But I am still very concerned that this spec is designed to be core power shatter 2.0. And once we get nerfed out of 1 shotting potential, a few counteracts and core will not be enough to stay alive. 

Edited August 17, 2021 by Daniel Handler.4816

[Curunen.8729]

5 hours ago, Xaylin.1860 said:

I got a somewhat different opinion on this topic. Yes, specs should offer a variety of builds. However, some mechanics and designs simply favor one game mode over the other. With the 3rd e-spec on the horizon I feel way more comfortable with specs clearly leaning into one direction even if they don't hit the sweet spot for me personally. Because I got alternatives. Serving too many expectations at once usually either ends in something being overpowered or in concepts being watered down.

 

A very easy example: Mobility is mostly irrelevant in PvE. A spec captitalizing on movement through their class mechanic, like Willbender, will innately be less appealing in those scenarios (unless it's just an add on to base). No reasonable way around that unless you inflate numbers somewhere.

 

Back to Mesmer: While I multiclass a lot, Mesmer remains my main. And it has been very discouraging how the class developed from an interruptiv trickster with unique support abilities into this dumpster fire. Both, Chronomancer and Mirage were conceptually appealing but don't really come with a new class mechanic (or a new mechanic that isn't properly integrated). Virtuoso on the other hand is a huge mess conceptually and I'm afraid it will end up even worse than the other to specs. I do greatly appretiate that we finally get new Shatters and the cloneless playstyle keeps me interested. But that's about it. Why does it have to compete with pChrono (here I'd say rework Chrono)? And why does it have to compete with cMirage while being a copy of Duelling (here I'd say work on base Mesmer and don't push Virtuoso into a condi or hybrid role). In the end, it doesn't really provide a new playstyle as far as we can see. It's mostly quality of life.

 

Still looking forward to the beta today 🥳🥳🥳

This a good point - certainly specs should have strengths and weaknesses in different game modes, such that for the most effective play one spec may be preferable to another in a given mode.

 

For me it should be a fairly continuous range of options, that within certain tolerances it is possible to adapt any spec to a mode through build choices - especially as all specs have access to core skills/traits.

Eg say willbender isn't optimal for something in pve (I don't know just hypothetical), maybe through selecting suitable gear/skills/traits/etc one could play a certain role at (completely arbitrary number) "80%" effectiveness compared with a different spec, on guardian or another class.

 

Outside of competitive pvp tournament play or groups wanting to go for records in instanced pve or training some optimal comp for organised gvg, for all other scenarios I believe there is allowance for a range of efficiency where every spec could be adapted with acceptable success.

 

I think some of the issue is where the general community perspective is that one should play the best option for something, when the game itself doesn't necessitate that outside of a few specific competitive scenarios (eg those mentioned above).

 

But I do agree maybe too idealistic and not realistic enough - it is acceptable that some specs are primarily designed for one mode over another in terms of optimal play.

 

Heh, also looking forward to play the beta - though not able until tomorrow.

[MrAmputatoes.6031]

For PvP, there is no reason to play Virtuoso over Mirage or even core for a power build. The change from instant effect shatters to projectiles is a hard punishment with no payoff. 

 

The traits are uninspiring and honestly, the entire condition line 3 should be reworked entirely as there isn't enough bleed to make it even worthwhile. Dagger skills are strange.... 1200 range but all need to be in melee to be effective? Its just a worse version of Greatsword with 2X the projectile denial.

With the cast time of every shatter and the lack of IP, this spec is clunky and slow. It also has no survivability. Why remove the distortion from F4? Its now a channeled block that procs things like static aura, and full counter because of the spinning blades. 

 

One more thing: all skills that are projectiles don't actually count as projectile finishers, not even the 20% chance kind. Why? Did internal testing show that getting 90% of you kit reflected back with the added benefit of being a finisher to strong to fight against?

 

 

[Hot Boy.7138]

On 8/16/2021 at 11:15 PM, Hot Boy.7138 said:

I've been playing mesmer for 9 years. This is the first time I've ever felt like there's too much pink. In the virtuoso demo, it was just way too pink and bloomy. The effects weren't attractive at all to me. It didn't look detailed at all. It was ugly to me. Maybe if they update the effects i'll be more into it. But as of right now, aesthetically, virtuoso doesn't look good to me.

Changed my mind. After playing virtuoso, I like it a lot. it's dope. I like it a lot for PvE. Wouldn't take many changes to make it awesome. 

[Justine.6351]

Seems like a spec with a lot of different damage buttons and not much else. I think that's ok. I am just not sure it's a mesmer thing. The problem is how long can it hold onto that damage once the omega nerfs come in due to the complaint threads. Rofl the elite alone is going to shred a lot of bad players.

[SkinnyT.5382]

I'm a mesmer main and I loved the Virtuoso game play. It felt like I didn't have to do as much set up. Granted that the f1-4 skills really are nothing new other than the animations and it being projectiles now. With that said I wish the chronomancer was updated to be similar. But with actually unique shatters.

[Hot Boy.7138]

Bladesong cast times gotta go tho