AN Open Letter to ArenaNet Regarding Ursan Blessing

Mad King Corn

Banned

Join Date: Dec 2006

Unbelievable! For anet to nerf ursan alone will mean pissing off a very large playerbase, let alone changing all of EOTN skills. I think that would be enough to guarantee that almost no one buys GW2 except a few elitest snobs!
Anet may not have the brightest skill balancers, but they are not totally retarded either.

Torabo

Frost Gate Guardian

Join Date: Sep 2007

A/

Quote:
Originally Posted by HawkofStorms
/signed
@ the OP... the reccent "impartial" poll on this site showed UB was the least popular of all of a.net reccent design decesions... with less then 35% approval rating.
Because a poll on one site out of many makes for a good statical reading of the entire player base?

I know! maybe we should do a poll here to find out how many players don't participate in polls, voice opinions, visit fan sites/forums or even know about the wikis... because that will be REAL 'impartial' and 'accurate'

upier

upier

Grotto Attendant

Join Date: Mar 2006

Done.

[JUNK]

No, thank you.
The only reason why I got the PvE skills is so that I can use them outside of that crap-hole that is GWEN.

I don't bother playing in GWEN because it's shit.
I do like the skills though.
So if the skills become expansion-bound there is ABSOLUTELY NO reason whatsoever to advocate the purchase of GWEN EVER to anyone again.

Showtime

Showtime

Forge Runner

Join Date: Sep 2005

WTB Q9+5e Bows/Q8 14^50 Weapons

R/P

Not signed

I don't farm much anymore, but one of the hardest parts of team farming was waiting for the right players, right type of players, players using right type of skills, etc... Now if i want to go to fow, uw, or doa, I can go as an ursan or play a different build with the right type of team. But I do not have to wait 2 hours for a certain type of necro or a specific type of tank.

An Ursan team can be formed in a few minutes and everyone basically knows what they're getting into. With hard area pugs, you almost never know what you got til you are down there. Even in ursan teams there are people who play wrong. They over aggro, attack the wrong things, go the wrong way, don't work with the team, etc. Some of those same people would try to join other types of partys if ursan was not there and they would make the other players fail. They can't help being stupid, but it's not fair to rest of the team. Ursan spares you uber non ursans of that. Especially after spending 2 hours setting up a team, and then going 2 hours through some area just to watch leeeroy do his thing.

The last part is that many people would just stop playing if they had to master a new build for every area. Take it any way you want, but you need ursan cuz it keeps crowds in DoA, ToA, etc. Without crowds certain farmers would get richer, but there would be far less activity there and teams would be much harder to make. Ursan mostly works as a team build and that is what the developers wanted and that's what they got. IT WILL NEVER BE NERFED!

So instead of crying, why don't you make a just as effective team build that is flexible enough to use different types of characters.

BlackSephir

BlackSephir

Forge Runner

Join Date: Nov 2006

A/N

Isn't it funny that AN nerfed a farming build that made ecto prices go down, while left a build that made pve elite areas hm winable even for people who shouldn't leave pre?

Torabo

Frost Gate Guardian

Join Date: Sep 2007

A/

Quote:
Originally Posted by BlackSephir
Isn't it funny that AN nerfed a farming build that made ecto prices go down, while left a build that made pve elite areas hm winable even for people who shouldn't leave pre?
Not Really, since the nerf failed, and resulted in narrowing farming options of SF builds TO pretty much just the UW farm.

Now imagine an Ursan 'Nerf' that had the same type of effect.......

kostolomac

kostolomac

Jungle Guide

Join Date: Apr 2008

Serbia

Me/

/not signed
SF is a solo farming build which is highly effective , UB is a team farming build , which a bit less effective , but due to the fact that the team is actually made of 8 humans , the fail rate at pugs is high. And the bonus fact that pug forming is now easier and encouraging people to play with other people.
If eotn skills are made only useable in their areas (norn skills in norn etc,) , I would like to see that happen to all pve skills , no SY! in FoW or NF.

Ate of DK

Ate of DK

Wilds Pathfinder

Join Date: Oct 2005

Netherlands

None but Fools [nuts]

You can still farm ecto's with a perma-SF assassin. Who said they nerfed the Chaos Planes anyway? They made some changes to decrease effectiveness... which doesn't equal "destroyed Chaos Planes farm". Check your traders for ecto prices.

Ryu_ookami

Frost Gate Guardian

Join Date: Nov 2007

Frogs From Hell

W/N

why does EVERYONE keep going on about ursan being a team build and shadowform being a solo build do you honestly think that ANET would not have nerfed shadow form if the perma sins were going down in teams to clear the chaos plains.

Those has nothing to do with solo farming or team farming. It had to do with people whining CONSTANTLY that the hundreds of ectos that they had in storage were now worthless.

Which was a good thing I was glad ectos were down to 3k as Z-Keys were starting to take the role of ectos and people were trying to get the Z Title Track.

Which meant that all the people who had brought ectos from dodgy websites were stuck with them and yes, in the short term it was affecting the economy but if they had left it a few more weeks the fuss would have died down and it would have started to level off at a nice level with Z-Keys being sort after more.

Esan

Esan

Jungle Guide

Join Date: Jul 2007

Wars

Instead of clogging Guru up with yet more grandstanding open letters, post to Regina's talk page or to Izzy's talk page. Anet have given you amazing access to the very people who can effect the changes you seek. The Guru readership consists of players, not Anet devs, and players cannot help you.

If your goal is just to soapbox, though, you're doing great.

Stuart444

Stuart444

Krytan Explorer

Join Date: Aug 2007

Alexandria, Scotland

The Charter Vanguard [CV]

W/

Quote:
Originally Posted by Skye Marin
SF and Ursan are two completely different things. One was an overly effective solo farming build, and the other is one part of an efficient team build that requires human players to co-operate to succeed.

If your main concern is finding a PuG in a high end area that doesn't want a specific build, then your solution doesn't solve anything. The next most efficient build will just take its place. If your main concern is that Ursan stagnates creative build making, then a duration nerf might be justified, so that Ursan becomes just one part of a player's skill bar, instead of the focus.
QFT, this I actually very much agree with

now please close this, the amount of ursan QQ threads is ****ING STUPID, not complaining, its OLDER THAN JESUS now (these threads that is) >_>

now, I will say one thing, At least with Ursan, any class can use it, without ursan, its just the usual crap you see people looking for, there is always going to be a particularly build you need for UW, but Ursan allows every class to get into UW groups.

If you had one of the usual classes that get asked to perform a specific job in a UW PUG (ie terra tank) then chances are, you will still fail because PUGS fail 99% of the time. EVEN URSAN fails, because they (not all) tend to rush in and have no paitence and because of that they get killed before the monk can heal them.

In other words, a NOOB who has Ursan at even Norn Rank 10 couldn't do UW because he rushs in and gets killed/over aggro/etc.

The moral of the story is, if you don't want to use ursan, or you want to complete UW with a higher success rate, go with guildies/real life friends.

/end rant

Elite God

Elite God

Academy Page

Join Date: Jun 2007

The Island Below Shing Jea Monastary

Forever Knights

R/

I don't like it, but it doesn't mean its not helpful...

MAYBE, and ONLY MAYBE, if they allow Ursan in Elite Areas (Slaver's, DoA, UW, FoW, EoTN)

Then I'll be fine...

EDIT:

But honestly, the reason I like Ursan, is that it brings people together into groups, sure you might have a noob, but its fun, instead of 2 humans with 6 heroes.

Robbert Monga

Frost Gate Guardian

Join Date: Mar 2008

to OP

Too late... damage is already done and cannot be reverted. PvE has become UvE and nothing you can possibly do as a skilled player can overshadow bunch of nubs doing the same thing in half time by spamming 2 attacks and a shout.
All the titles that I though of as being cool (guardian, vanquisher, etc) are now worth squat. All the rare items I might have wanted are now part of a standard build for evey pitty show off.
The only point to nerf ursan now is just to have some laugh at all the QQ from ursaners.
PvE is done, burried and forgotten. Move on.

kratimas

kratimas

Wilds Pathfinder

Join Date: Dec 2005

Order of the Setting Sun

R/

All right SF done, back to the endless QQ Ursan threads -- way to get the ball rolling OP

Quote:
All the titles that I though of as being cool (guardian, vanquisher, etc) are now worth squat.
Don't worry, none of the titles were cool and were never worth squat long before Ursan came out.

Quote:
All the rare items I might have wanted are now part of a standard build for evey pitty show off.
So, if you wanted them does that make you a pitty show off too?

Bulletdodger

Bulletdodger

Academy Page

Join Date: May 2008

Ex Yugoslavia [ExYu]

R/

/not signed
I like the new SF change , but leave UB alone.
Those who advertise that UB destroys creations of new builds is nuts. UB pugs still have a big fail rate at every elite areas (sometimes even at normal areas) , some players think that without ursan there would be variative teams , but in the end there will be another build that everyone will use and those elitists will still be unhappy because of the new build that allows ppl to complete elite areas , than we will have instead of "URSAN LFG" " LFG -insert build here- ".
Those who QQ about ursan are either bored with the game or have no ideas for new builds. UB isn't indestructible , it's just boring to play.
There are many other unbalanced skills ( such as WS , the Avatars , SY! , TNTF, etc.).
Many think that UB is the disease that kills guild wars , those unbalanced skills that we overlook in the QQ are a far bigger threat .

Onyx Blindbow

Onyx Blindbow

Krytan Explorer

Join Date: Nov 2007

Here & There

Blades of Burning Shadows - GoDT

N/

the title of this thread should simply be changed to :-

Thread #5000 to QQ about <insert skill here>

Turbobusa

Forge Runner

Join Date: Jan 2006

By the Luxon Scavenger

The Mentalists [THPK]

N/

Do people write "open letter" to give a false impression of exposing things calmly and reasons?
Because all I see is a "nerf it please" thread with no other argument than exposing things that you assume UB has done, with no real consequence of the nerf and no answer to that.
If you are to expose what should be done you should show what it is going to do, and why. In its thinking ANet factors both consequences and reasons for nerf. Not suggesting anything also serves no purpose as ANet is already well aware of what the community (at least on guru) think is the problem.

jsshah1

Ascalonian Squire

Join Date: Mar 2006

E/N

Like many other people I have paid for the game. Like many other people I may not have been able to fully explore/enjoy the game had it not been for ursan. I play an elementalist, I would probably have gotten into an elite area group if I wanted to but with ursan I do not have to spend 30-40 mins looking for one.

You complain about the economy but clearly me being able to afford a tormented weapon is not stopping you from getting one is it? I for one was quite happy that the price of ectos dropped as they did. Clearly if people were willing to just sit on piles of cash, they are not going to use it any time soon so they can just sit on smaller piles of cash. If they were going to use the cash, everything will be relatively cheaper any ways so it wont make much of a difference on the ammount of stuff they can buy.

If ursan gets nerfed I will go back to playing my nuker build, sure things will be longer to finish and items will be more expenive, you will probably find somthing else to complain about... I hear the sabway necro hero builds are quite powerful as well.. maybe that needs a nerf.

The forth fly

The forth fly

Krytan Explorer

Join Date: May 2008

england

Mo/

i wish people would stfu about ursan,i dont like playing mesmers remove them,i dont like ranger FoW armor ban it,you RED ENGINE GORED ENGINE GORED ENGINE GORED ENGINE GO

Shadowhaze

Shadowhaze

Nothing, tra la la?

Join Date: Oct 2007

/not signed

As others have said, it's more of a team thing and it also cuts the time of waiting around forever and getting a team together. And again as said, if you don't like it, don't use it.

Jetdoc

Jetdoc

Hell's Protector

Join Date: Jul 2005

The Eyes of Texas [BEVO]

D/A

Isolating GW:EN's PvE only skills for use just in GW:EN is a bad idea, IMO. There's already a good amount of confusion as to the PvE vs. PvP skill separation, and to take that a step further and say that now there are additional skills that you cannot use would just be silly, IMO.

There are many other suggestions out there to temper the power of Ursan that are more palatable than this one.

Stockholm

Stockholm

Desert Nomad

Join Date: Feb 2006

Censored

Censored

R/

Quote:
Originally Posted by Jetdoc
Isolating GW:EN's PvE only skills for use just in GW:EN is a bad idea, IMO. There's already a good amount of confusion as to the PvE vs. PvP skill separation, and to take that a step further and say that now there are additional skills that you cannot use would just be silly, IMO.

There are many other suggestions out there to temper the power of Ursan that are more palatable than this one.
IF thats they way, then Sunspear skills should only be used in NF, and Kursik and Luxon skills only used in Factions etc etc,

Kusandaa

Kusandaa

Forge Runner

Join Date: Jul 2006

N/Mo

Quote:
Originally Posted by Stockholm
IF thats they way, then Sunspear skills should only be used in NF, and Kursik and Luxon skills only used in Factions etc etc,
Bull's eye. I had never really seen it this way actually, but you raise a very interesting point.

Although I don't like the idea myself, it's the only logical step if they nerf Ursan by allowing it only in EOTN areas. So if you limit Ursan to Norn areas, might as well limit Luxon and Kurzick skills in their RESPECTIVE territories.

See how it doesn't make sense?

People are barely there anymore, except for the vanquishers, people who are still questing there or doing missions - I'm not counting HFFFers at Lutgardis/Boreas and that PvP mission which I forgot the name of.

IMO, leave Ursan the way it is. Ursan groups STILL manage to fail WITH cons (horrible!) and therefore isn't as effective as SF... I guess it balanced the economy - ectos were relatively stable, armbraces were more affordable yet remained seemingly expensive, but it gives the opportunity of people who don't have the time, don't wanna waste their time OR have no skills (most people's argument, I had to consider somehow... >_>) to get the items they wanted.

To the people who whine that your weapons and titles are worth nothing anymore... question why you got them at first. For personal satisfaction or e-peen boosting? My guess is the second.

be the master

Pre-Searing Cadet

Join Date: Jul 2008

R/

/signed

Although I don't think this will work, these are my arguments:

1. Of course ANET knows about the overpowered UB, they made the skill themselves and know everything about the consequences. It's all done so EOTN will be sold much better.
2. The people using UB don't understand, that when it keeps on going like this, the gold items will slowly colour colourless. So when everyone goes UBway, the UBway-ers will be having no income aswell.

Combining these two facts means: ANET will keep having profit by selling EOTN. But when the profit ends, there will be no use anymore for having an overpowered UB. So the game gets rebalanced again. And if the UB farmers get no profit, they will stop.

So it's all about profit. Be patient and time will do its work. Although these topics will make people realize the fact that UB is nerfed, which will fasten the process of balance.

BTW: I'm Dutch so my English isn't perfect, as you maybe have noticed.

shoyon456

shoyon456

Desert Nomad

Join Date: Jul 2006

D/

Quote:
Originally Posted by Sin City Gamer
Additionally, if a player either does not have access to UB, or refuses to use it for whatever reason, pick-up groups in these aforementioned Elite Areas will simply pass a would be teammate by.
Right, and if I tried to get into a group with you as a derv/sin/rit (not para if you know ANYTHING about pve) you would probably kick me at first sight. Even if you wouldn't, most groups would.

Ursans Blessing nullifies the holy trinity and "elite groups" that only look for a specific class for elite areas. If you don't want to use ursan that's your choice, don't ruin it for us.

Quote:
Originally Posted by Kusandaa

To the people who whine that your weapons and titles are worth nothing anymore... question why you got them at first. For personal satisfaction or e-peen boosting? My guess is the second.
I absolutely agree. The titles I have earned thus far were for personal satisfaction and it saddens me that people do not feel the same.

Dronte

Dronte

Grotto Attendant

Join Date: Sep 2006

LOL. Whats gonna be the next after ursan? Somehow ppl cant be satisfied at all.

Stuart444

Stuart444

Krytan Explorer

Join Date: Aug 2007

Alexandria, Scotland

The Charter Vanguard [CV]

W/

Quote:
Originally Posted by Kusandaa
To the people who whine that your weapons and titles are worth nothing anymore... question why you got them at first. For personal satisfaction or e-peen boosting? My guess is the second.
This is the saddest part of all, Guild Wars is just an online game and yet people feel the need to get the best things possible in the shortest time possible to boost their e-peen.

Anything I get is for personal satisfaction, as you put it. ie, later on tonight, I plan on getting some elite armor (i have materials and money for it) from Marhan Grotto, and why am I getting the armor? because I thought it looked cool. Not cause I want to go around saying "I JUST BOUGHT ARMOR FOR 75k, I AM RICH WHAHAHA" but because I thought it looked nice.

In the end this is just a game and you shouldn't take it so ****ing seriously (not aimed at anyone inparticuler on here btw, just a general thought)

mazza558

Lion's Arch Merchant

Join Date: Mar 2006

R/

How about:

[Ursan Blessing] All damage skills are now attacks, and deal physical damage.

This means that Ursan is still powerful but can be countered easier (blind/block)

Stuart444

Stuart444

Krytan Explorer

Join Date: Aug 2007

Alexandria, Scotland

The Charter Vanguard [CV]

W/

Quote:
Originally Posted by mazza558
How about:

[Ursan Blessing] All damage skills are now attacks, and deal physical damage.

This means that Ursan is still powerful but can be countered easier (blind/block)
hmm, well I'm don't exactly care if Ursan gets nerfed but that is a good idea imo, but ONLY if all attacks aren't armor ignoring like Ursan Strike.

in a way, Ursan Strike is the main thing that makes Ursan overpowered, perhaps also remove the knockdown in the Ursan Rage skill.

but I don't mind eitherway if it gets nerfed or not, but what I just said imo is a reasonable nerf.

doudou_steve

doudou_steve

Lion's Arch Merchant

Join Date: Dec 2007

Canada

Guildless QQ

W/

Ursan are for those who wants to fill up their HoM with titles quickly before GW2 is out. It's for those who dosent care about challenge, tactics, that blah blah "that makes guild wars UNIQUE" and dosent have a lot of time to spend on computers. If you want "challenge" go PvP, you'll never find challenge in pve because mobs are not humans. If you QQ about ursan because no pugs want to accept you, PUG/PVE with your guild godammit!


Like Chris Crocker would say: LEAVE URSAN ALONE!!!!!

Orange Milk

Orange Milk

Desert Nomad

Join Date: Mar 2006

Ganking, USA

Retired

R/

Can this be changed to the "QQ Inn" instead of Riverside?

Look, they've yet to nerf Chaos Storm they aren't gonna Nerf Ursan.

Don't like Ursan, don't use it, who cares. I hates it, I don't use it and no one cares.

/not signed

LOL@ Poster above "fill ur HoM QUICK before GW2 arrives", yes, hurries mid 2010 is almost here!!!!

fgarvin

fgarvin

Jungle Guide

Join Date: Sep 2005

Quote:
Originally Posted by MirkoTeran
/signed as it needs to be nerfed. Hard.
Why?

Team use only.
PvE only.
Without Con sets, it's not THAT effective.

Really people, find something better to do with your time.

Mr. Undisclosed

Mr. Undisclosed

I phail

Join Date: Mar 2007

Phailville

D/

I think we have enough open letters now, calling it an open letter to be like the first Open letter is just an attempt to mask the massive QQ post. Seriously just stop, I think anet knows most of guru want ursan nerfed.

doudou_steve

doudou_steve

Lion's Arch Merchant

Join Date: Dec 2007

Canada

Guildless QQ

W/

Quote:
Originally Posted by Orange Milk
Can this be changed to the "QQ Inn" instead of Riverside?

Look, they've yet to nerf Chaos Storm they aren't gonna Nerf Ursan.

Don't like Ursan, don't use it, who cares. I hates it, I don't use it and no one cares.

/not signed

LOL@ Poster above "fill ur HoM QUICK before GW2 arrives", yes, hurries mid 2010 is almost here!!!!
What i meant is it will take less time to complete the title, so you can max much more.

DivineEnvoy

Lion's Arch Merchant

Join Date: Sep 2005

Me/P

Can the first page of Riverside on Guru ever exist without the word Ursan in any of the threads?

When it comes to this game, from all these time, I find that most people would like to have fun. Then there are some other people who care about skills and what not. And we have those people who wish to keep high-end areas exclusive to themselves.

Many people always demanded changes to Ursan; at the same time, they claim that they are the voice of the people who wish to have a game about skills and balance. Is that really the case? How many suggestions to change Ursan have any of you seen that really lived up to that kind of standards? On the other hand, look at this thread, and look at other Ursan threads, how many of these suggestions are about disable Ursan for Hard Mode, decrease the drop rate when Ursan is used, or even not allowing titles to be earned if Ursan is used? What can these suggestions really accomplish? High-end areas continue to be exclusive to some people of the population?

My point is, we shouldn't only judge people by only what they say, instead we should make our judgments based on what they say and what they are intending behind these words. While seemingly morally correct with those balance ideas at one point, some of these people wish to keep things exclusive to themselves; I don't think I need to point out what intentions are behind these rants.

Kusandaa

Kusandaa

Forge Runner

Join Date: Jul 2006

N/Mo

Quote:
Originally Posted by mazza558
How about:

[Ursan Blessing] All damage skills are now attacks, and deal physical damage.

This means that Ursan is still powerful but can be countered easier (blind/block)
The thing about Ursan is that any class can make use of it effectively. Now, it would just mean restricting its access to melee classes or classes with high armor; dervs, sins, warriors, paragons. IF, IF it would be still effective.

What I fail to understand is why people want it nerfed so bad. About the economy, it's only to keep e-peens length. About the no-skill thing, it's still about e-peen 'cause they see everyone who uses Ursan as no-skill-ers, thus makes them feel "better" than the others... although there IS a valid point of GW having a skill-based system underneath it all (level 20 cap, armor and weapons system).

My suggestion, to keep it effective but not overpowered... choose one of the following:

- Lower the damage dealt by the attacks: but don't tie it to a primary weapon attribute, this way non-melee classes can still be effective.
- Lower the health bonus, or remove it.
- Remove the armor bonus: the problem I see with this would be that they'd only take warriors and paragons.. and considering the PUG mentality, only warriors would be allowed as Ursans. So you go back to the good ol' class discrimination (which still exists - check UW Ursan groups, warriors only for most).
- Make the damage not armor-ignoring: Simple nerf yet makes it effective anyways. (EDIT: After re-reading the post I quoted, I think that's what was meant, and I agree to now that I've re-read x];;; )
- As I've seen previously, one-target KD. Ursan has this incredible ability of KDing a lot of targets at the same time.

This way, I'd say everyone would be happy. The people who want it to be less effective are pleased, the people who still want to use it are pleased as well, the QQing will FINALLY stop... for a short time, 'cause I know people would still find something to QQ at after.

MithranArkanere

MithranArkanere

Underworld Spelunker

Join Date: Nov 2006

wikipedia.org/wiki/Vigo

Heraldos de la Llama Oscura [HLO]

E/

What's with this 'OPEN LETTER' trend?

Ursan Blessing is being ALREADY addressed by Devs. People keep saying the same again and again, and all it comes to the same.
Some people like the using it, and some do not like others using it.

That's all. Now stop complaining about this and wait until they finish with it.

Stuart444

Stuart444

Krytan Explorer

Join Date: Aug 2007

Alexandria, Scotland

The Charter Vanguard [CV]

W/

Quote:
Originally Posted by MithranArkanere
What's with this 'OPEN LETTER' trend?

Ursan Blessing is being ALREADY addressed by Devs. People keep saying the same again and again, and all it comes to the same.
Some people like the using it, and some do not like others using it.

That's all. Now stop complaining about this and wait until they finish with it.
thats because people think they need to do things NAO, without considering that they probably have meetings about stuff like this, along with the implementing, not to mention working on GW2, and other stuff such as bug fixes and other stuff.

It's not like they can do things with a click of their fingers

Mr. Undisclosed

Mr. Undisclosed

I phail

Join Date: Mar 2007

Phailville

D/

Quote:
Originally Posted by MithranArkanere
What's with this 'OPEN LETTER' trend?

Ursan Blessing is being ALREADY addressed by Devs. People keep saying the same again and again, and all it comes to the same.
Some people like the using it, and some do not like others using it.

That's all. Now stop complaining about this and wait until they finish with it.
Well all the nubs saw that the first one was actually recognized by anet so they think they can get there way with other things if they put the words open letter in the thread title.

Stockholm

Stockholm

Desert Nomad

Join Date: Feb 2006

Censored

Censored

R/

To quote Pink Floyd:

Please, teachers (substitute with A-net) leave us kid's alone. We don't need no false control.