In general, I'm happy with this update. I'm particularly happy with the shift in monks to more healing, less prot, and no hybrid. However, I have two major complaints:
1. Nerf to Splinter WTF?!?!? It was a total non-factor in PvP -- when did you EVER get 4+ targets in the same spot? And it was powerful in PvE, but not nearly as powerful as, say, Ursan. Why take away one of the few ways for a ranger to pack offensive power in PvE for ZERO gain in PvP balance while leaving PvE unbalanced in many other respects? It just makes no sense at all.
2. Mhenlo. Overall, I like the LoD nerf. Getting us out of the state where a prot bar with 2 or 3 heal skills was good enough to cover two roles is a very good thing. I'm going to miss LoD for a couple of end-game bosses, but otherwise I can live without it. But Mhenlo is stuck with this newly-crap skill for life. Keep the nerf, but please, please, please change Mhenlo to WoH.
NEW SKILL Updates-
Chthon
BLOODGOAT
I kind of like this new buff to Word of Healing. Really allowed me to sit down and think about how I could change one of my farm builds for better/worse.
I really have to beg the question though... with the buff to Healer's Boon, why is Aura of Faith still elite? It looks like rubbish in comparison, now at least.
[skill]Aura of Faith[/skill]
1 second cast... 10 energy... and depending on your investment into DF (although for my build it's always max) you may only be hitting 50% max.
[skill]Healer's Boon[/skill]
1/4 second cast... 5 energy... and it's pretty much like Aura of Faith and Holy Haste forced into one with the exception that it lasts ~10 seconds less than either of the aforementioned skills.
I also find it a bit interesting that LoD == Heal Party now with the exception that LoD costs only 5 energy, not 15. I hardly find this meriting of the brand, Elite. Either buff LoD back to 1 second or make it another common, non-elite skill. GoLE + Heal Party > LoD.
I really have to beg the question though... with the buff to Healer's Boon, why is Aura of Faith still elite? It looks like rubbish in comparison, now at least.
[skill]Aura of Faith[/skill]
1 second cast... 10 energy... and depending on your investment into DF (although for my build it's always max) you may only be hitting 50% max.
[skill]Healer's Boon[/skill]
1/4 second cast... 5 energy... and it's pretty much like Aura of Faith and Holy Haste forced into one with the exception that it lasts ~10 seconds less than either of the aforementioned skills.
I also find it a bit interesting that LoD == Heal Party now with the exception that LoD costs only 5 energy, not 15. I hardly find this meriting of the brand, Elite. Either buff LoD back to 1 second or make it another common, non-elite skill. GoLE + Heal Party > LoD.
Nyree
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Originally Posted by Hott Bill
People remember, this is a test week, sometimes they roll-back the nerfs. GIVE IT TIME!
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Originally Posted by Chthon
1. Nerf to Splinter WTF?!?!? It was a total non-factor in PvP -- when did you EVER get 4+ targets in the same spot? And it was powerful in PvE, but not nearly as powerful as, say, Ursan. Why take away one of the few ways for a ranger to pack offensive power in PvE for ZERO gain in PvP balance while leaving PvE unbalanced in many other respects? It just makes no sense at all.
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BlackSephir
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Originally Posted by Feathermoore Rep
However, Splinter Barrage nerf is a big deal and it isn't. It really only affects heaving farming/vanquishing in pve. As for pvp...i havent pvp'd, other than RA or AB, in months so i can't really comment on what it does for the game. |
Turtle222
Glimmer of light spam anyone?
wow ...i can see the wammo's already.
Conjure nightmare - about time - this is THE mesmer skill to kill.
wow ...i can see the wammo's already.
Conjure nightmare - about time - this is THE mesmer skill to kill.
Nyree
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Originally Posted by BlackSephir
NPCs at VOD see wut u did thar
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lennymon
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Originally Posted by Kaida the Heartless
Rangers had godmode and still have godmode, which brings me to my next point.
Why do rangers have godmode? Selfheal, mitigation stance, rediculous armor, and interupts. Which of these can we mimick? |
Aww, that's nice...
*ranger flex*. This update may even begin to see some rangers branching out and trying something besides splinter barrage. I'm willing to throw down cash that not even close to half of the monk changes will last the week. As usual. But you are 200% right on Kaida, people should consider a self reliance skill or even two. I think the reason folks don't run them as much anymore though is due to the sheer power that more DPS gives in PVE (that and the overpowered monk bars already). There's no need for anything else usually. DPS which by the way isn't what a ranger is doing in godmode.
BlackSephir
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Originally Posted by Nyree
That means that the problem is the NPC AI not the skill.
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Nyree
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Originally Posted by BlackSephir
Maybe, but it's easier to get your nerf-stick than fix broken AI. Am I rite?
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Red Sonya
Sooooooooo happy to see rangers got nerfed an are finally in the whiners corner. It's been wayyyyyy too long since ranger really took a beating in the nerf department over necros. So I just wanna LOLOLOLOLOLOLOL
Gotta love the monk buffs though, they just made my farming life soooooo much easier now thanks Anet.
Gotta love the monk buffs though, they just made my farming life soooooo much easier now thanks Anet.
visitor
Nice liking the change to conjure nightmare
HawkofStorms
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Originally Posted by zwei2stein
QQing was because of guild battle NPCs, because of their horrendoulsy stupid positioning which made AOE nuke simple way to deal with them.
AI runs out of AOE, sure, but AI with 480 health will not run away until its too late /5s which takes ai to react is too late with 2-3 casters wanding them with splinter/ since they just lost 2/3 of their hitpoints and are cheap targets for various "finish him!" tactics. So, anet fixed Splinter instead of teaching AI to "l2p" (good positioning guys, good positioning ...) There is nothign wrong with QQing about something you cant influence regardless of your skill. Thou, there is a lot wrong with anets reaction. |
bobrath
I doubt this was a nerf to Barrage on the Splinter Weapon. Sounds more like it was being used on any weapon during VoD to quickly decimate the cluster. I'm willing to accept that the combination of of Barrage with Splinter was powerful.... so:
Change Splinter to an Elite?
Cause Splinter to do a percentage of damage of the attack (5-50%)?
Increase the recharge time?
Change Splinter to an Elite?
Cause Splinter to do a percentage of damage of the attack (5-50%)?
Increase the recharge time?
EPO Bot
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Originally Posted by BLOODGOAT
I kind of like this new buff to Word of Healing. Really allowed me to sit down and think about how I could change one of my farm builds for better/worse.
I really have to beg the question though... with the buff to Healer's Boon, why is Aura of Faith still elite? It looks like rubbish in comparison, now at least. [skill]Aura of Faith[/skill] 1 second cast... 10 energy... and depending on your investment into DF (although for my build it's always max) you may only be hitting 50% max. [skill]Healer's Boon[/skill] 1/4 second cast... 5 energy... and it's pretty much like Aura of Faith and Holy Haste forced into one with the exception that it lasts ~10 seconds less than either of the aforementioned skills. I also find it a bit interesting that LoD == Heal Party now with the exception that LoD costs only 5 energy, not 15. I hardly find this meriting of the brand, Elite. Either buff LoD back to 1 second or make it another common, non-elite skill. GoLE + Heal Party > LoD. |
pkodyssey
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Originally Posted by Burning Blade
Was HP nerfed before? I remember the last time I played it it was something around 150HP per cast at Healing Prayer 16.
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lennymon
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Originally Posted by Red Sonya
Sooooooooo happy to see rangers got nerfed an are finally in the whiners corner. It's been wayyyyyy too long since ranger really took a beating in the nerf department over necros. So I just wanna LOLOLOLOLOLOLOL
Gotta love the monk buffs though, they just made my farming life soooooo much easier now thanks Anet. |
Glad yer happy, but see, here's the thing... Rangers didn't get a nerf at all. Ranger's who think they are nukers got the nerf!
I'm actually quite happy with where ranger's are as a ranger primary. The actual ranger skill changes do what to ranger? possibly hurt solo trapping... that's about it. Luckily Gwen gave us dwarven stability and we don't even need the damned spirits anymore.
Trapping is better than it ever was, there're more options for every possible ranger build imaginable and yet.... splinter nerf makes 'rangers cry' no...
Imo, Monks got a little too buffed, look for almost every one to get reverted. GO PROT!
Spazzer
People complaining about Weaken Armor's usefulness clearly never used it before this buff.
HawkofStorms
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Originally Posted by Spazzer
People complaining about Weaken Armor's usefulness clearly never used it before this buff.
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Ivan Darklord
Maybe the Splinter Weapon Nerf was meant for solo Rts (Rt/W) in UW, only 1 group of 3 at a time now 
Not sure though...maybe it's still effective, and whats with Ancestral Rage? I don't get why they made it an enchant and then removed it as an enchant. why? O.o
Not sure though...maybe it's still effective, and whats with Ancestral Rage? I don't get why they made it an enchant and then removed it as an enchant. why? O.o
Ecklipze
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Originally Posted by Kaida the Heartless
Rangers had godmode and still have godmode, which brings me to my next point.
Why do rangers have godmode? Selfheal, mitigation stance, rediculous armor, and interupts. Which of these can we mimick? How many bars contain damage mitigation of some sort? None. We've been relying on Aegis and Defensive Anthem as our legs, screw crutches. Granted, Aegis has been working it's magic for a long while now, it's just become much more of a "necessity" recently. How many bars contain selfheals? Healsig is trash thanks to the gain in player skill, but the point being that it worked when it was up with the meta. Our ele's used to carry Healing Breeze, etc. All of this is in addition to what I've already mentioned above. Interupts are a strong but less mimickable part of the equation, as is the ranger armor, but do you see where I am comming from? |
Rangers do have better survivabilty, but they are in no way as invincible as you describe.
Such a rant would lead me to think you have no real idea about rangers in general, or have even played one, thus making your opinion on them being overpowered, or "having godmode" as you eloquently put it, void.
Chthon
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Originally Posted by Bale Nightsorrow
Maybe the Splinter Weapon Nerf was meant for solo Rts (Rt/W) in UW, only 1 group of 3 at a time now
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If it is about people using it on NPC's during VoD in guild battles, then
(1) So what? If someone wants to bring a skill that's useless for the entire match just to clean up if they reach VoD, let them I say. If you still think it's a problem, punish their skill choice by not starting VoD so soon.
(2) The "correct" solution to this problem is to fix the NPC AI, not to nerf 1 skill. There's all sorts of other AoE that will wipe out the NPC's just as well.
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| Not sure though...maybe it's still effective, and whats with Ancestral Rage? I don't get why they made it an enchant and then removed it as an enchant. why? O.o |
englitdaudelin
Yay to change to Ancestor's rage--If it's no longer an enchantment...will we still see the 1 second delay?
Boooooo to change to Splinter weapon--a little Splinter nerf? Now only 3 adjacent foes are affected? It sounds like it could affect the use of splinter barrage, splinter / cyclone axe, splinter/100 blades, and the like.
*sniff. Now I have to be careful with aggro.
Nice monk buffs.
Boooooo to change to Splinter weapon--a little Splinter nerf? Now only 3 adjacent foes are affected? It sounds like it could affect the use of splinter barrage, splinter / cyclone axe, splinter/100 blades, and the like.
*sniff. Now I have to be careful with aggro.
Nice monk buffs.
smrandom
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Originally Posted by Chthon
If it is about people using it on NPC's during VoD in guild battles, then
(1) So what? If someone wants to bring a skill that's useless for the entire match just to clean up if they reach VoD, let them I say. If you still think it's a problem, punish their skill choice by not starting VoD so soon. (2) The "correct" solution to this problem is to fix the NPC AI, not to nerf 1 skill. There's all sorts of other AoE that will wipe out the NPC's just as well. |
I would assume that fixing AI is easier said that done. In any event, some GvG maps make that kind of suggestion just impossible.
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street peddler
pretty sure splinter weapon nerf was for gvg matches, it was way too good at VoD.
A_Muppet
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Originally Posted by Spazzer
People complaining about Weaken Armor's usefulness clearly never used it before this buff.
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stretchs
Splinter weapon was indeed becoming a very popular skill in GvG, be it by dual trees slashing into the unremovable wards or standing close to the almost uncounterable paragon shouting. It makes a team spread out more and possible isolate a member more than one would want to. Or as many have said during vod splinter would obliterate npc's like there were presear n00bs.
As for LoD, as much as I hate to see the healing from it go away I did think it deserved some hate. It was the only elite run no the heal bar and always was run. Anytime one elite is the only one brought for a particular build you have to look at it somehow being imba. The 2 sec cast may be a bit much, but a nerf is/was definitely needed. There needs to be shakeup in current "meta" anyway.
Blockway is retarded, as many of the people are here whining that damage is too great. QQ. This isnt stand around and let people fling their weapons, this is Guildwars. Note the WAR part of that, people die, that is part and parcel, many of the changes are to remove the friggin horribly boring matches that you watch on "tv' No kills to vod, someone might have ganked a couple npc and hope your vodway build beats the other. MEH, just silly to see all the QQ about 1 skill ruining the game blah blah.
Magebane is actually not as bad as many people are QQ about either being unblockable. With the current blockway getting int's have also become increasingly difficult. Be it guardian, sod (fair the well during last nerf) Aegis, DA etc. So more offense = faster matches, more tactics instead of get in trouble, spam LoD, rinse repeat. You will probably see more hex pressure builds with the loss of LoD or at least a HP runner to help balance it out as LoD was great at counteracting partywide degen.
As for LoD, as much as I hate to see the healing from it go away I did think it deserved some hate. It was the only elite run no the heal bar and always was run. Anytime one elite is the only one brought for a particular build you have to look at it somehow being imba. The 2 sec cast may be a bit much, but a nerf is/was definitely needed. There needs to be shakeup in current "meta" anyway.
Blockway is retarded, as many of the people are here whining that damage is too great. QQ. This isnt stand around and let people fling their weapons, this is Guildwars. Note the WAR part of that, people die, that is part and parcel, many of the changes are to remove the friggin horribly boring matches that you watch on "tv' No kills to vod, someone might have ganked a couple npc and hope your vodway build beats the other. MEH, just silly to see all the QQ about 1 skill ruining the game blah blah.
Magebane is actually not as bad as many people are QQ about either being unblockable. With the current blockway getting int's have also become increasingly difficult. Be it guardian, sod (fair the well during last nerf) Aegis, DA etc. So more offense = faster matches, more tactics instead of get in trouble, spam LoD, rinse repeat. You will probably see more hex pressure builds with the loss of LoD or at least a HP runner to help balance it out as LoD was great at counteracting partywide degen.
Kaida the Heartless
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Originally Posted by Ecklipze
Rangers do have better survivabilty, but they are in no way as invincible as you describe.
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Martin Firestorm
Healer's boon may be a nice elite for an alternate hero build to the usual WoH build now, even with the WoH buff. It wasn't an option before since the heroes are so lame at maintained enchantments, but HB plus heal party with some typical heal skills like dwayna's kiss and words of comfort could be a good hero bar.
Nyree
After some tests with splinter + barrage, i don't have too much to complain anymore. It still works wonders with barrage as 4 arrows triggers the splinter wich means you can hit, at least, 12 foes at once. It's only bad if the group is very large. Splinter Barrage margonite farm might be is dead now but the skill combo still works fine.
Chthon
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Originally Posted by smrandom
Splinter is not useless during a match. Among other things, it blows up mid and backliners who enjoy camping in wards under layers of passive defense.
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splinter = adjacent
If those mid/back-liners camping in the wards are getting themselves hit with splinter, then they deserve to die more than the skill does.
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| I would assume that fixing AI is easier said that done. |
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| Your suspicions are wrong. It had to do with a stupid telespike build being used in all PvP areas. It was an exploit of an otherwise fine skill (damage numbers were a little eyepopping, though). There was a collateral effect that involved Dervishes, but that wasn't the reason for the change. |
Grammar
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Originally Posted by Sleeper Service
considering its pretty much demanded on the bar of pug monks and the AoE, mass condition, traps effects going on in pve....lets be friends and say everyone got shafted.
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1. The reason LoD is demanded on monk bars is because the state of the game right now in both PvP and high end PvE absolutely DEMANDS it. Period. The game has progressed much too far in the last year or so for year-old, pre-Nightfall monk builds to still function given the current state of the game. From increased melee pressure, to carzy AoE spells, to crazy dungeon traps, the game simply demands LoD.
2. Everybody loses here, not just monks. That's what makes this nerf so much bigger than every other nerf out there (since the game was released IMO), it hurts everybody. I'm sick of all the "it's about time monks and their precious LoD were nerfed!" comments I've seen. Try thinking a little harder about it...
Do you play Warrior?
Do you play Ranger?
Do you play Mesmer?
Do you play Necro?
Do you play Elementalist?
Do you play Monk?
Do you play Assassin?
Do you play Ritualist?
Do you play Dervish?
Do you play Paragon?
If you answered yes to any of the previous questions, you've just been nerfed. LoD/prot hybrid monks are what's been keeping your asses alive all this time amidst ever increasing crazy-ass damage. They're loss is your loss too.
The game is in a state of chaos right now. I've spent (wasted?) my entire day off tinkering with builds in PvE and PvP. WoH still sucks and is not the answer, HB + HP still sucks and is not the answer, ZB/GoH still isn't the answer, full prot isn't the answer, there simply is no answer. Nothing works nearly as good as needed, no, demanded by the current state of the game.
The only solution that I see is to start changing the state of the game so we can survive without LoD. Obviously, a whole crap-ton of nerfs and changes are needed on ANet's part, but there are still some things that we can do to change the way we play.
For example, I like the post in this thread where someone mentioned bringing back self-heals and damage mitigation. I added Restful Breeze to my Ele and Ranger's bars (best squishy self-heal in the game
), put wards on my SF heros, and added Watch Yourself back to my DS Warrior's bar (oh how I missed that skill ).Rest assured though, the days of "just let the monks worry about it" are over.
Painbringer
Why was Healing breeze increased? 18 seconds with 20 % mod is awesome but why bump?
Spazzer
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Originally Posted by A_Muppet
Now it's only really good for use against the tougher classes, because few people bring skills that rely on Cracked Armour as a requirement (such as Body Blow)
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Now that it throws a condition, it's easy to spread. In PvE, most enemies--including the casters--have more than 60 armor. Most enemies can't remove conditions. Remember that Body Blow is a more powerful non-elite version of Eviscerate that can be used with any melee weapon and is cheaper. There are also many other skills that take advantage of Cracked Armor.
Weaken Armor is at least more effective now in PvE, partly thanks to the fact that its Cracked Armor lasts forever.
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Originally Posted by Painbringer
Why was Healing breeze increased? 18 seconds with 20 % mod is awesome but why bump?
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HawkofStorms
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Originally Posted by Grammar
You hit the 2 key points right (in bold):
1. The reason LoD is demanded on monk bars is because the state of the game right now in both PvP and high end PvE absolutely DEMANDS it. Period. The game has progressed much too far in the last year or so for year-old, pre-Nightfall monk builds to still function given the current state of the game. From increased melee pressure, to carzy AoE spells, to crazy dungeon traps, the game simply demands LoD. |
ProgTes
Seen some pretty good posts and arguments here, but the main point still remains that they gave an insane buff to all the Wammo's out there. Meta will be Healing Breeze/Mending Bonders, Warriors with insane self heal and Ele's with conjure element, a wand, and frenzy. Mark my words.
BenjZee
I have played and i have to say i am liking the new changes to monk skills. I didnt mind them before though
as much as WoH being allowed to heal yourself being good...wasnt the whole balance behind it not to heal yourself? LOD i have never really used so i cant state my opinion...yes you heard me a monk that never uses it
Hey Andrew...how you doing?
as much as WoH being allowed to heal yourself being good...wasnt the whole balance behind it not to heal yourself? LOD i have never really used so i cant state my opinion...yes you heard me a monk that never uses it
Hey Andrew...how you doing?
Blackhearted
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Originally Posted by HawkofStorms
Wrong. People have just gotten lazy and LoD has become a crutch. Its never "impossible" to do something in this game. That statement alone kills your credability. Another flavor of the month will be developed by a player for you to copy soon enough, don't worry.
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ProgTes
Well... WoH just screams use me, use me! And if you don't like that, try the Healer's Boon/Heal Party combo. Add in Heal Other and you got yourself a new LoD infuser
Blackhearted
Word isn't a replacement for LoD as it's a single target heal, not a party one. And the HB/HP(+glyph) combo is kinda bad cause you have to waste almost half your bar to do what a single (former) elite skill was capable of.
Spazzer
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Originally Posted by Blackhearted
Word isn't a replacement for LoD as it's a single target heal, not a party one. And the HB/HP combo is kinda bad cause you have to waste almost half your bar to do what a single (former) elite skill was capable of.
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