Feedback:User/Malchior Devenholm/Raid Dungeons in GW2

Dungeon Raids in Guild Wars 2
Several players in the Guild Wars 2 guru have expressed their desire for a Dungeon Raid system in Guild Wars 2, which would require 20+ people to complete (akin to WoW).

Now, what the players do not want is the boredom of a Tank-and-Spank gameplay to run through these Raids. Neither do they want 20+ people all together at the same time, effectively turning the raid into a damagefest.

Instead, I propose the idea to create PvE Raid Dungeons that would require using effective PvP tactics to progress through the raid. The skill>time model has always been the core focus of Guild Wars, so what better way to introduce this system into a Raid model than by using established PvP tactics and mechanics that have never failed Guild Wars. This could even serve to teach PvErs the tactics that would be required of them should they want to transfer to Structured PvP. The Raids would only offer these tactics in a familiar PvE environment against specifically tooled enemy AI instead of human players who could adapt to different builds or tactics on the spot.

Raids could require either two teams of 8 players each or three teams of 8 players each. And instead of all 16 or 24 people running through the raid together, they could be divided amongst the raid to accomplish different objectives seperately.

To accomplish these objectives, groups would have to deal with a more advanced AI than anywhere else in the game. The AI of the mobs could be tooled to snare or blind melee players, knockdown player healers, kite player melee characters, organize a spike on a single player character. It would take strong tactics, not just a strong build, to overcome each mob.

One group of 8 could run through the front door and be a distraction to the mobs; another group could enter from the back door to ensure the enemy can not escape; the third group could enter from the side and specifically focus on eliminating enemy sentry or guard stations. Only after a certain number of objectives are completed would the group then join up together at the end for the massive boss fight that everyone craves.

But in order to prevent this boss fight from turning into a damagefest, Arenanet could approach it tactically. Add in mobs that would add with the boss that would either need killing first or kiting around the area with snares, add a way the boss would heal himself which would have to be interrupted. Other possible tactics appear throughout Guild Wars PvP, and all of these could be implemented in some way.

I even thought up the idea that these Guild Wars style raids (or Dispatch Missions as I prefer to call them) would not be secluded caves or dungeons that very few people either knew about or ventured near. Moreso, these Dispatch Mission areas should prove to be areas of establishment for enemy generals, and the player characters along with NPCs would have to establish a base of operations near the raid area before forming Dispatch Parties to assault the general himself. This would allow Arenanet to add a series of quest and/or event requirements before granting players the ability to enter a specific Dispatch Mission.

To review, my idea proposes a Raid System in Guild Wars that would entail


 * PvP tactics to progress in the Dispatch Mission
 * A division of the main Dispatch to accomplish multiple objectives before assaulting the enemy general
 * A final boss fight that uses the superior tactics and skill system of Guild Wars
 * Raid areas reminiscent to enemy strongholds, not secluded caves where a strong monster may be hiding
 * The need to complete a series of quest and/or event requirements before establishing a base of operations from which to attack the enemy stronghold

I hope you enjoyed my suggestion and see it's possible functionality as a way to implement Raid Dungeons into Guild Wars 2.