The Mid-June "Super-Update": Predictions - Guild Wars Guru archive powered by Guild Wars Legacy

Zinger314

Debbie Downer

Join Date: May 2006

N/Me

03 Jun 2007 at 05:20 - 1

The mid-June super-update, which Gaile has been hearlding for way too long (since April, IIRC), that will be a huge hook for all players, and possibly as big an impact as the Hard Mode update itself.

I see it as ArenaNet's last attempt to salvage PvE before GWEN. PvE is unappealing due to lack of motivation to play Hard Mode, by either unfair enemies or crappy loot. The update better give PvErs a reason to PvE...it's very pointless, ATM.

And the update was said to be "within two weeks" of May 27th, i.e. it will be next week. Of course, with ArenaNet ETAs, you never know. I expect to see a relevant Weekend Event as well (probably double Sunspear points again).

Anyways, here's a recent Gaile Blog summary from GWO which details some of the additions this update will provide. From that log, and my own observations of random Gaile postings, here's what's going to be in the super-update.

Mesmer Fixes: Gaile posted a long Dev Update about how the Developers will fix the Mesmer in PvE by fixing the scope, i.e. the role, of the Mesmer. How they will fix the Mesmer in PvE, and not break them in PvP, I do not know. I bet that ArenaNet's fix for the Mesmer would be to make the Sunspear Skill alloted to Mesmers so super-duper powerful that every PvE party will be forced to have a Mesmer. Gaile also said that the fixes will bevery subtle and on a trial basis...which implies, in ArenaNet terminology, that they are super-broken.
Soul Reaping: Gaile said that there will be updates (plural) to the Soul Reaping mechanic; atleast "two changes," apparently. How can there be two changes? You fix it, or you don't. If ArenaNet's solution is to simply remove SR Energy gain from Spirits, which players have been saying, I'll simply laugh.
Sunspear PvE Only Skills: Oh, yeah, the supposed big PvE fixer-upper. These skills were supposedly to have been released during Hard Mode...so if ArenaNet needed 2 months to balance these skills, they are either ungodly overpowered, or just plain useless. I think it'll be the former; would anyone use them if they were useless? Of course, that'll lead to the more "cookie-cutter" mentality that you must use the skill, as is with Lightbringer's Gaze...ho hum. We'll see.
Skill Balance: Since the May Championship is over, ArenaNet will do a skill balance. Rangers won't receive a Bow Attack Skill revamp, just a few general changes. Of course, you know that these Skill Balance changes will cause the PvE community to whine that their obscure farming builds has been nerfed. Just a general trend.

That's all I can seem to gather. ArenaNet occasionally surprises with extra features within updates. But it's clear that this is the last significant update before other online gaming opertunities will be...considered.

wetsparks

Desert Nomad

Join Date: Nov 2006

03 Jun 2007 at 05:42 - 2

Just as long as they fix, I mean give, the hero/henchman AI so that they scatter from AoE like the monsters I will be happy. I dont expect the PVE only skills to be to impressive. They will be either copies of existing skills like Searing Flames or something before it got hit by the nerf bat and be so uber powerful that you have to have it to get into a group or so incredibly useless that if you have them on your skill bar you will be kicked out of your group.

Soul reaping they will probably implement the fix that they wanted to implement earlier but knew that the community would wine so they hit it with the current band aid so that they will look good for when it actually does come out we will be happy with it.

And I hope the dont do to much to change the mesmer. Just change some skills so that they do more direct damage like [skill]energy burn[/skill] instead of conditional stuff like [skill]backfire[/skill] or [skill]empathy[/skill].

As to the skill balance, its not only the PVE people that will complain. All the groups that abuse the gimmick builds in PVP will complain the loudest because they will actually have to use an honest build now.

Neo Nugget

Site Contributor

Join Date: Jan 2006

R/

03 Jun 2007 at 05:44 - 3

Minis
- The so-called "Asian Miniatures" are not exclusive to Asia any longer.
- We have a lot of idea about ways to share them, starting with the Brand the Bosses contest.

I think i might enter that lol.

Bryant Again

Hall Hero

Join Date: Feb 2006

03 Jun 2007 at 05:47 - 4

I'm really not feeling to good about these Mesmer "fixes"...

Voltaire

Academy Page

Join Date: May 2006

Chicago-ish

Everlasting Sacred Path [ESP]

A/

03 Jun 2007 at 05:51 - 5

Quote:

Originally Posted by Zinger314

[*]Sunspear PvE Only Skills: Oh, yeah, the supposed big PvE fixer-upper. These skills were supposedly to have been released during Hard Mode...so if ArenaNet needed 2 months to balance these skills, they are either ungodly overpowered, or just plain useless. I think it'll be the former; would anyone use them if they were useless? Of course, that'll lead to the more "cookie-cutter" mentality that you must use the skill, as is with Lightbringer's Gaze...ho hum. We'll see.

Well I'm tempted to think that because they decided to delay such (major?) feature, it has a better chance of being properly balanced than if the skills were just hastily shoved out the door. Seems more logical. Then again, who's logical these days?

Spazzer

Jungle Guide

Join Date: May 2006

USA

Team Asshat [Hat]

Mo/E

03 Jun 2007 at 05:56 - 6

Here's to hoping for inscribable weapons for all chapters, and the "rebalancing" of unconditional weapons.

fenix

Major-General Awesome

Join Date: Aug 2005

Aussie Trolling Crew HQ - Event Organiser and IRC Tiger

Ex Talionis [Law], Trinity of the Ascended [ToA] ????????????????&#

W/

03 Jun 2007 at 06:04 - 7

I can see what it'll be. 3-4 skill changes per class, damage upped on Mesmer skills no one ever uses, PvE-only skills put in. That'll be it, and everyone will get angry and ragequit.

Former Ruling

Grotto Attendant

Join Date: Oct 2005

Cedartown, Georgia

R/

03 Jun 2007 at 06:27 - 8

The sunspear skills will either be Lightbringer Signets or Lightbringer Gaze worthy, I agree with you. (That is, Useless, or a Staple on your bar).

I doubt the skill balances will be anything that isn't predictable.

-Loki-

Forge Runner

Join Date: Oct 2005

03 Jun 2007 at 07:21 - 9

1. Sunspear skills are going to be interesting, but nothing worthy of being classed 'PvE only'. Most like they will be like the rebirth signet. A fun change to an existing skill.

2. Mesmers won't get their PvE buff, the developers will have come to the decision that there's nothing wrong with Mesmers in PvE.

3. Skill balance will break the game more than fix it.

4. Soul Reaping change will be announced as a huge, sweeping change to Soul Reaping that no one ever expected... and will be no energy from spirits.

mazey vorstagg

Wilds Pathfinder

Join Date: Aug 2006

Nodnol

Meeting of Lost Minds

E/Mo

03 Jun 2007 at 07:31 - 10

Well said Kakumei.

About LB gaze. It may be powerful but I didn't use it at all when I played through NF with my other three chars. Only my mesmer used it as an uber-ed up power spike.

As for the mesmer changes I think they will be good, it's not like every skill a-net has made recently has been bad. The dervish and ritualist (and the new NF skills) and all good, balance and work very wel.. I'm happy with them. I think the mesmer skills need to keep up the conditional stuff and not go direct damage. Afterall, direct damage is an eles job not a mesmers. We must hope they don't end up like the smiting monk, a bad elementalist, which no one plays.

Furthermore, I have a feeling the higher ranked SS skills will be powerful indeed. I hope though that they has maybe two all prof skills.
E.g Call to Arms ( a shout) and
Battle Tactics ( a stance skill)
then there should be prof specifici skills perhaps from lvl 9 or 10 which are really quite powerful. Obviously not elite standard though. For example
Ele- Storms of Istan
Warrior- Kormir's Strike
Dervish- Cloak of the Sun
Paragon- Sunspear
Necro- Ghosts of the departed
Ranger- Jungle trap
Monk- Battle cure
Mesmer- Focused Frenzy
Rit- Truthful was Kormir
Sin- Blades of Sol

you know, that kind of thing.

majoho

Forge Runner

Join Date: Jul 2006

Denmark

03 Jun 2007 at 07:37 - 11

Quote:

Originally Posted by fenix

and everyone will get angry and ragequit.

Doesn't that happen whenever ANY change is made

Hehe...

Well I hope the mesmer 'issue' will be dealt with, it seems as if they've given up on making the changes they talked about.

lemming

The Hotshot

Join Date: May 2006

Honolulu

International District [id???]

03 Jun 2007 at 08:06 - 12

Quote:

Originally Posted by wetsparks

Just change some skills so that they do more direct damage like [skill]energy burn[/skill]

Still remember what happened last time we had a big unconditional direct damage? Wa says hi.

Miral

Jungle Guide

Join Date: Apr 2005

Hell. AKA Phoenix, AZ

The Gear Trick [GEAR]

W/A

03 Jun 2007 at 08:09 - 13

Quote:

Originally Posted by fenix

Fixed. Again.

i actually see a lot more complaints coming from pvp than pve. which is kinda sad since pvp is just skills and equipment and everything else is what you make of it, whereas pve has actual content to complain about...

RbX

Academy Page

Join Date: Mar 2006

Devils Dark Destiny

W/E

03 Jun 2007 at 08:20 - 14

I am still waiting for the "hero/hench scatter" button to at least minimize aoe damage in HM.. anyone doing Kaineng City in HM?

Kook~NBK~

Grotto Attendant

Join Date: Mar 2005

A little chalet outside Drok's

Natural Born Killaz

03 Jun 2007 at 08:21 - 15

Quote:

Originally Posted by Miral

i actually see a lot more complaints coming from pvp than pve. which is kinda sad since pvp is just skills and equipment and everything else is what you make of it, whereas pve has actual content to complain about...

The funny thing is, there isn't anything to complain about. Yet.

I'm very interested in seeing what changes they make to the Mesmer class. I hope they don't screw up the domination line.

P.S. There is nothing wrong with Empathy and Backfire, unless you're using them on the wrong foes!

Cacheelma

Desert Nomad

Join Date: Jun 2005

The Ascalon Union

Me/Mo

03 Jun 2007 at 08:42 - 16

I'd say Zinger is very optimistic when she says the mesmer fixes will make EVERY single team wants mesmer OR that the PvE-only skills will be overpowered.

Being a fanboi of Anet, my predictions would be:

1. Increase the duration of Chaos Storm to 15sec, decrease energy cost to 10e. That's mesmer fix for you.

2. Class-specific, PvE-only skills are all gonna be something similar to the Celestial skills in Factions, but a lot less powerful AND has recharge time.

3. Soul Reaping, you say? The 2 changes would be: Decrease the range of Soul Reaping Effect AND decrease the time interval to 4sec (yeah).

4. Skill balances is gonna be as usual (READ: some small tweaks to follow a week later because, well, some ridiculous changes you notice are...bugs).

prism2525

Forge Runner

Join Date: Nov 2005

Among dead bodies.

The Republic of Sky Pirates

E/

03 Jun 2007 at 09:02 - 17

Quote:

Originally Posted by Zinger314

Of course, you know that these Skill Balance changes will cause the PvE community to whine that their obscure farming builds has been nerfed. Just a general trend.

I'd better hurry and go farming before Anet (or was it anerf?) bats into oblivion Mystic Regereration...

Longasc

Forge Runner

Join Date: May 2005

03 Jun 2007 at 09:13 - 18

Neurasthenia or Hysteria, that is the question.
Jumping to conclusions, pessimist approach and something that puzzles me:

You need a reason to play GW???

I am sceptical of PvE only skills and their balancings in general, too. But your problem is that you are super-bored with GW yet still cannot stop to bother with it.

I will now return to my dark cave and cry a river - I already fear the bad things that will happen in GW2.

Just... relax...

olly123

Krytan Explorer

Join Date: Apr 2006

sh*tvill england

tgc

Mo/

03 Jun 2007 at 09:16 - 19

ohhh this sounds good come on 15th june :P, i think SR will b decreased to 3 secs and id like to see jagged changed to

cast 1 recharge 10 5e

with the same effect as curently but u cant cassed jagged on a jagged minion, so no endless supply of minions form 4 bodies but still a nice move imo

Skuld

Furnace Stoker

Join Date: Sep 2005

Thousend Tigers Apund Ur Head [Ttgr]

A/

03 Jun 2007 at 09:18 - 20

Mesmers are fine, its PvE that is the problem. Dumb monsters with huge amounts of HP and no brains means its usually best just to nuke everything to death. PD/Hex Eater Vortex and Shatter Hex are handy in the end-game areas where SF does 24 damage ;D

ca_aok

Krytan Explorer

Join Date: Sep 2006

Xen of Onslaught

E/Me

03 Jun 2007 at 11:43 - 21

Quote:

I bet that ArenaNet's fix for the Mesmer would be to make the Sunspear Skill alloted to Mesmers so super-duper powerful that every PvE party will be forced to have a Mesmer. Gaile also said that the fixes will bevery subtle and on a trial basis...which implies, in ArenaNet terminology, that they are super-broken.

This is incorrect, Gaile has stated that Sunspear skills will not be profession specific.

pamelf

Forge Runner

Join Date: Aug 2006

Australia

Lost Templars [LoTe]

Me/Mo

03 Jun 2007 at 11:53 - 22

I for one am looking forward to the update! I like seeing what new things get changed. It's something different. And it's good it's for PvE, since I find PvP so ungodly boring that I only bothered to play it for 2 months about 2 years ago, so changes to that don't effect me at all.

zakaria

Lion's Arch Merchant

Join Date: Jan 2006

03 Jun 2007 at 12:02 - 23

You forgot Auction Houses, Anet may surprise us with this

..who knows !

-Loki-

Forge Runner

Join Date: Oct 2005

03 Jun 2007 at 13:05 - 24

Quote:

Originally Posted by Longasc

I am sceptical of PvE only skills and their balancings in general, too. But your problem is that you are super-bored with GW yet still cannot stop to bother with it.

PvE balance, lol.

Zinger314

Debbie Downer

Join Date: May 2006

N/Me

03 Jun 2007 at 13:31 - 25

Quote:

Originally Posted by ca_aok

This is incorrect, Gaile has stated that Sunspear skills will not be profession specific.

The Sunspear skills are profession specific; the linked Gaile chat summary clearly states it.

The GWEN PvE-only skills, however, are not profession-linked.

XvArchonvX

Forge Runner

Join Date: Nov 2005

R/

03 Jun 2007 at 15:06 - 26

Quote:

Originally Posted by Skuld

Mesmers are fine, its PvE that is the problem.

Qft. I'm still waiting for an elite mission that consists of a few smart enemies rather than waves of stupid, but strong mobs.

Dutch Masterr

Wilds Pathfinder

Join Date: Aug 2006

Long Island, NY

Elite Knights [SWAT]

W/

03 Jun 2007 at 15:08 - 27

MESMERS DO NOT NEED A FIX...LEARN TO PLAY THEM!

I went through all three campaigns on my mesmer, and it was not only the most fun (in my opinion), but it worked great!

Whats the problem?!

DFrost

Krytan Explorer

Join Date: Jul 2005

Ultima Thule

Legacy of Echovald [Echo]

P/

03 Jun 2007 at 15:17 - 28

Quote:

Originally Posted by Dutch Masterr

MESMERS DO NOT NEED A FIX...LEARN TO PLAY THEM!

I went through all three campaigns on my mesmer, and it was not only the most fun (in my opinion), but it worked great!

Whats the problem?!

People know how to play them. The problem isn't that a mesmer couldn't finish campaigns and have fun while doing it. The problem is that there aren't very many situations where a PUG has a strong reason to pick a mesmer instead of, for example, yet another SF ele.

Series

Banned

Join Date: Aug 2006

03 Jun 2007 at 15:25 - 29

Quote:

Originally Posted by Cacheelma

3. Soul Reaping, you say? The 2 changes would be: Decrease the range of Soul Reaping Effect AND decrease the time interval to 4sec (yeah).

Quick! Delete this before Anet reads it!

zwei2stein

Grotto Attendant

Join Date: Jun 2006

Europe

The German Order [GER]

N/

03 Jun 2007 at 15:30 - 30

Quote:

Originally Posted by Dutch Masterr

MESMERS DO NOT NEED A FIX...LEARN TO PLAY THEM!

I went through all three campaigns on my mesmer, and it was not only the most fun (in my opinion), but it worked great!

Whats the problem?!

But that is the problem.

Mesmers require extensive knowldge of the game mechanics and player skill alike to be efficient.

If profession requires that, pretty much everyone will doubt that player (knowing generall gw population.) behind mesmer will have what it takes.

If you have to choose between potentionally bad player, will you choose one with character of profession where little can go wrong or the one with profession that is based on having good player out there.

Its assassin over again - nothing wrong with class or its power, but lots of wrong with players playing it and PUGs.

Liberations

Lion's Arch Merchant

Join Date: Nov 2006

Azeroth (shhh)

Ryders of the Sword [FrNd]

E/

03 Jun 2007 at 15:32 - 31

Zinger is so pessimistic and full of self contentness... It's nauseating. I'm sorry for the attack but just give it a rest. Pessimism, like Optimism, is very contagious. You're only hurting the community by being rude and negative all the time.

I try not to bother with over thinking about these changes. I'm going to decide for myself how these will work out because everyone else is behind a false, unmovable wall of anger.

I think the sunspear skills will be fine. I couldn't give about Necros and Mesmer because those are the only two classes that I never play, even before whatever nerf they had. Also, bring on the skill balances. People should stop whining. They're essential to keep things ok. Some may be mistakes, but others are just ways to stop gimmicks that aren't needed.

ValaOfTheFens

Jungle Guide

Join Date: Sep 2006

Warrior Nation[WN]

03 Jun 2007 at 15:44 - 32

I predict that no one will satisfied with any of the updates.*lol* There'll likely be buffs and nerfs in the wrong professions. The Sunspear skills will only be available to people with NF so a number of people will be unaffected by that update. I'm not certain about what they can do to Mesmers to make them more playable in PvE. Mine is doing just fine but I guess a buff wouldn't hurt. Whatever they do to SR isn't going to satisfy people. We're all expecting them to cut energy from Spirits and maybe half it from minions. But what will they do about the timer? Hopefully they'll cut it in half but that's probably too optimistic.

Neo Nugget

Site Contributor

Join Date: Jan 2006

R/

03 Jun 2007 at 16:05 - 33

Any word on if the pve sunspear skillz req a specific rank to be able to use them?What im hoping is that you can get them early, but they become more powerful as you get more points, like the sunspear rezz.

Spazzer

Jungle Guide

Join Date: May 2006

USA

Team Asshat [Hat]

Mo/E

03 Jun 2007 at 16:06 - 34

Quote:

Originally Posted by ca_aok

This is incorrect, Gaile has stated that Sunspear skills will not be profession specific.

Wow, man. Do you play the game?

Spazzer

Jungle Guide

Join Date: May 2006

USA

Team Asshat [Hat]

Mo/E

03 Jun 2007 at 16:08 - 35

Quote:

Originally Posted by zwei2stein

Mesmers require extensive knowldge of the game mechanics and player skill alike to be efficient.

We are talking about pve right?

Anything that doesn't do AOE damage is a liability. Sorry, mate, but you're just not that cool.

Evilsod

Banned

Join Date: Mar 2006

England

Lievs Death Squad [LDS]

03 Jun 2007 at 16:26 - 36

This update is gonna be fun. If Anet can't seem to figure out that the Marksmanship line needs some sorting out i can't see how they'll manage to get anything else right in this update.

These PvE skills better frigging not be Celestial skill ripoffs. Sorry, but Celestial Storm and Storm of Swords completely shit all over the partywide 75% evasion the Ranger gets... and the other crappy ones like the Assassins, summon a few minions... which is only good with Storm of Swords, same goes for the Necromancers.

Navaros

Forge Runner

Join Date: Apr 2005

Mo/Me

03 Jun 2007 at 16:34 - 37

I predict the Sunspear skills have been getting nerfed to smithereens for the months since they were first announced until the time they are released. After all, "balanced" really amounts to "nerfed, written politely".

Hard mode is way, way unbalanced against the player hence to nerf the Sunspear skills to be "balanced" would not be a good idea. The Sunspear skills should be unbalanced in order to balance out the unbalanced mobs of Hard Mode.

Really hope that the Sunspear skills aren't totally useless like Lightbringer Signet is, but it wouldn't surprise me if they are.

Every time i lag

Banned

Join Date: Jan 2007

Belgium

Murder Death Sadists Of Doom [MDSD]

E/Me

03 Jun 2007 at 16:43 - 38

aslong as they fix soul reaping lol

gasmaskman

Krytan Explorer

Join Date: Jun 2006

None, I don't play anymore.

Mo/W

03 Jun 2007 at 16:44 - 39

I wonder how many people will sell their winning minis for the brand the boss contest...

yesitsrob

Elite Guru

Join Date: Sep 2005

Manchester, England

SMS/Victrix

03 Jun 2007 at 16:55 - 40

Quote:

Originally Posted by Skuld

Mesmers are fine, its PvE that is the problem. Dumb monsters with huge amounts of HP and no brains means its usually best just to nuke everything to death. PD/Hex Eater Vortex and Shatter Hex are handy in the end-game areas where SF does 24 damage ;D

So correct. It's worrying in a way - since if they buff mesmers to be good in PvE chances are they'll simultaneously make Eurospikers on speed.

Based on past experiences, I'm going to take a wild guess that the skill balance will be very bad. Things will get ridiculously over buffed, hexes probably won't be dealt with, the nerf to recall will be more pathetic than the last, Searing Flames won't even be looked at and Paragons will continue to make your team invulnerable (they do this in pve too but people think they suck in pve? it's not the paragons that suck at pve, friends.)

I hope I'm wrong.