User:8765/Nerf Buff List

Nerf This Buff That
Skills on this list are on here for a variety of reasons. Some simply deal too little damage, some are not efficient, others simply too conditional to use. However, since the beginning of this list dates back more than a year (probably approaching two years), the flaw that has propagated is not including explanations. Now this list is too long to re-add all the explanations. Specific explanations will be added over time, but this list is not yet complete and may never reach completion. So, use your best judgment when evaluating the skills changes.

First and foremost:
 * Remove automatic critical hits from hits against moving targets. Replace with the following:
 * Axe: Hit becomes un-blockable.
 * Sword: Hit ignores +armor. (armor from shield, weapon, skills, but not base armor)
 * Hammer: Hit gives 1 extra adrenaline, 66% chance.
 * Daggers: Hit deals double damage.
 * Scythe: Hit has a bonus 20% armor penetration
 * Stoneskin gauntlets only affect attack skills and all warrior skills. End shock/gale wars for good (which also allows such skills to be rebuffed).
 * Return the enemy target window to such that it no longer shows the casting bar. In other words, all you see is the skill icon pop up. It seriously takes minimal skill/reflex to interrupt a 2-second cast spell with a ranger using a longbow. 1-second spells can be easy too, though generally requires a recurve bow and either read the wind or favorable winds, or simply going point-blank. It should actually take skill to interrupt.
 * Change 15>50 mods to 15>80 (+15% dmg when HP over 80%). There's virtually no drawback to using a 15>50 mod versus a enchanting or stance mod. If you're over 50%, you're probably attacking anyways, and if you're below 50%, either you'll take defensive action (ie kiting) or you get healed rather promptly. 15>80 runs the risk of being linebacked, thus rapidly reducing your offense. It would make stance/enchant mods more desirable for their reliability. We could just give stance/enchant mods +20% dmg, but that just furthers power creeping, and will cause considerable issues with pve mods.
 * Adjust the following conditions:
 * Blind is now a 75% miss chance
 * Deep wound now reduces healing by 10%

Update Notes
The PvE/PvP split kinda invalidates many of the skill changes. Plus other updates have improved on previously weak or OP skills. I'll be focusing on skills that are weak overall, and still updating relevant skill descriptions to 0..12..15 scale. --07:01, 31 August 2008 (UTC)
 * So I've noticed more skill balancing pages on user pages, and I'll mention 2 things: 1, if you recognize a lot of skills on their list, they're not addressing the underused skill problem. Is Ether Lord on their list? What about Gryphon's Sweep, Pure Strike? There's many forgotten skills, and they are forgotten for a good reason. 2, if some skill is "glued" to your bar, every PvX skill bar, and everyone else's skill bar, it better be on the nerf list. Similar to the forgotten skills, there's a good reason why everyone uses that particular skill. --07:14, 13 September 2008 (UTC)
 * Purely for viewing convenience, I'm converting the increase/reduce/set changes for the energy, activation, and cooldown properties of the skills. Additionally, there will be direct links back to the skill page. Skill description changes will still only reflect changes. Changes in damage values and the like will have green numbers now. At the same time, I'll be going through all the skills, yet again. --19:28, 22 October 2008 (UTC)
 * So I've heard power creeping is bad. There is so many underused skills such that it makes this list appear like power creeping. What seems to be common among the skill choices is that one particular skill is so much more versatile than other similar skills, that those similar skills are pretty much ignored entirely. In other words, some skills serve a very specific purpose, yet there are some "universal" skills that can do the same job (in some cases just as well and all that jazz). Anyways, a.net has seemed to slow down on their skill balancing (perhaps izzy is getting Gray Davis'ed?), but it's still quite a long task to keep my balancing list up to date. --00:02, 15 January 2009 (UTC)

Rng

 * , add "Escape ends if you hit with an attack skill."
 * Reduce dmg to
 * Reduce dmg to, reduce burning duration to sec
 * Scale disabled duration to sec
 * Add "You have -40 armor while activating this skill."
 * Add "You have -40 armor while activating this skill."

Mes

 * Decrease dmg to
 * Reduce duration to sec
 * Reduce disabled time to
 * Change to "If target foe is casting a Spell or Chant, that Skill is interrupted and you gain Energy equal to 200% of that skill's energy cost, maximum energy." (This skill should reward good mesmer players, not people who use mesmer heros)
 * Reduce duration to sec
 * Change to "If target foe is casting a Spell or Chant, that Skill is interrupted and you gain Energy equal to 200% of that skill's energy cost, maximum energy." (This skill should reward good mesmer players, not people who use mesmer heros)
 * Reduce duration to sec

Monk

 * Reduce heal to
 * Reduce heal to
 * , change to "Touched ally loses Conditions and..."
 * Change to "...from next 8 attacks or Spells."
 * : Change duration to sec
 * 1) (PvP): Change to "After 2 seconds, target ally is healed for  Health."
 * Reduce to earshot range
 * (all NPCs now recognize this as aoe and will flee from it)
 * Reduce dmg to
 * Reduce range to nearby
 * Reduce range to nearby
 * Reduce range to nearby
 * Reduce range to nearby

Ele

 * Change to "...your next Spells cost 15 less Energy to cast."
 * Reduce burning duration to
 * Reduce number of spells to
 * Reduce blind duration to sec
 * Reduce blind duration to sec

Necro

 * Reduce duration to sec
 * 1) Reduce removed count to
 * Reduce energy gain to
 * 1) Reduce removed count to
 * Reduce energy gain to
 * Reduce energy gain to
 * Reduce energy gain to

War

 * Scale disabled duration to sec
 * Reduce adrenaline gain to
 * Scale disabled duration to sec
 * Reduce adrenaline gain to
 * Reduce adrenaline gain to

Sin

 * Change to "Your next 1...8...10 hits with attack skills..."
 * Reduce dmg to
 * Reduce dmg to
 * Reduce dmg to
 * Change to: "... Target foe becomes Poisoned for 5...17...20 seconds and if that foe is suffering from a hex that foe is knocked down."
 * 1) (both PvE & PvP):  Complete functionality change: "Elite Enchantment Spell. Lose all Energy. For  seconds, you take 25% less damage from all sources. For each point of energy lost, you take an additional 1% less damage and you run 1% faster (maximum 50% faster)."
 * 1) (both PvE & PvP):  Complete functionality change: "Elite Enchantment Spell. Lose all Energy. For  seconds, you take 25% less damage from all sources. For each point of energy lost, you take an additional 1% less damage and you run 1% faster (maximum 50% faster)."

Rit

 * Change to "target other ally"
 * Change to "target other ally"
 * Change to "Target ally is healed for 20...96...115 Health. If a spirit was within earshot, that ally also loses 1 condition."
 * Reduce to earshot range
 * Change duration to sec

Paragon

 * Reduce duration to sec.

Derv

 * Change to "For 20 seconds, you have maximum Health. When this Enchantment ends, you are healed for  Health."
 * (+30 dmg every 4 sec AND probable healing simply outclasses other +dmg scythe attacks)
 * Change to "Lose 1 Enchantment. If an enchantment was lost, you deal + damage and inflict a Deep Wound for seconds." (The enchantment loss is completely irrelevant to this skill, other than it might remove an attack buff enchantment)
 * Change to "Skill"
 * Change to "Lose 1 Enchantment. If an enchantment was lost, you deal + damage and inflict a Deep Wound for seconds." (The enchantment loss is completely irrelevant to this skill, other than it might remove an attack buff enchantment)
 * Change to "Skill"

Rng
Wild
 * , change to "Create a level 1...8...10 Spirit. Spells cast within its range that cause Exhaustion, cause double the Exhaustion instead. All other spells now cause 1 point of exhaustion. This Spirit dies after 15 seconds."
 * Increase dmg to
 * Increase dmg to
 * Increase dmg to
 * Increase dmg to
 * Increase dmg to
 * Increase dmg to
 * Increase dmg to
 * Increase dmg to

Beast
 * (skill rework) Change to "For 10 seconds, you and your pet's next attack deals damage."
 * increase range to earshot
 * Increase duration to sec, add "and you deal  damage with attacks..."

Marks
 * Change to "... you strike for damage and your target is interrupted. If that action was a spell, you strike for an additional  damage."
 * Increase dmg to, increase energy gain to
 * Increase dmg to
 * Increase dmg to
 * Increase dmg to
 * Increase dmg to
 * 1) (PvP): Increase armor penetration to 20%
 * 1) (PvP): Increase armor penetration to 20%
 * 1) (PvP): Increase armor penetration to 20%

Exp
 * (skill rework) Change to "When a creature within range takes fire damage, that creature gains one strike of adrenaline, but begins burning for seconds."
 * (skill rework) Change to "Your next bow attack skill costs no energy, cannot be blocked, and deals damage."

unl
 * Remove after-firing delay
 * Increase to 33% move

Mes
Ill
 * Change to spell. "For 8 seconds, target foe suffers from Blind, Cracked Armor, Crippled, Dazed, Deep Wound, and Weakness. This skill is disabled for seconds."
 * Change to "For 5 seconds, you have a % chance to block attacks. Whenever you block an attack this way, you lose 1 Energy or Distortion ends."
 * Change to "For 5 seconds, you have a % chance to block attacks. Whenever you block an attack this way, you lose 1 Energy or Distortion ends."
 * Change to "For 5 seconds, you have a % chance to block attacks. Whenever you block an attack this way, you lose 1 Energy or Distortion ends."

Dom
 * Increase dmg to
 * Increase energy degen to -4
 * Change to "If target foe is casting a spell, target foe takes damage."
 * , change to "...adjacent to this location suffer damage and loses  energy each second."
 * Change to "For 10 seconds, whenever target foe uses an elite skill, that foe loses Energy."
 * Change to "For 10 seconds, whenever target foe uses an elite skill, that foe loses Energy."
 * Change to "For 10 seconds, whenever target foe uses an elite skill, that foe loses Energy."

Insp
 * Increase range to "foes in the area"
 * Increase duration to sec

FC
 * Change to "...that foe is knocked down for 3 seconds."
 * Change to "...whenever a Spell you cast is interrupted, all your spells are instantly recharged."
 * Change to "For seconds, your next  signets activates instantly."
 * Change to "...whenever a Spell you cast is interrupted, all your spells are instantly recharged."
 * Change to "For seconds, your next  signets activates instantly."

unl
 * Change to "Target foe and all adjacent foes lose all Enchantments."

Monk
Prot


 * (Skill rework) "Elite Enchantment Spell. For  seconds, all party members within earshot take 0 damage from Holy Damage, and gain +24 armor against all other sources. All your non-Protection Prayers skills are disabled for 10 seconds."
 * Change to "For seconds, adjacent foes cannot attack or use spells that target your party members. For each foe, Amity ends if that foe takes damage."
 * Change to "...target foe cannot attack or use spells that target your party members. ..."
 * Change to "For 12 seconds, target ally has a % chance to block attacks from Enchanted foes."
 * Increase heal to
 * Increase heal to
 * Increase heal to
 * Increase heal to

Smite
 * Change to "For seconds, whenever target ally would be knocked down by a foe, that foe is knocked down instead."
 * , increase damage to
 * Add "Deals double damage to summoned creatures."

Heal
 * Change to 15% healing reduction
 * Increase energy gain to
 * Change to "Target ally is healed for and adjacent party members are healed for, nearby party members are healed , and all party members in the area are healed for ."
 * Increase duration to 60 sec
 * Increase heal to
 * Increase heal to

DF
 * change to "All party members lose hexes. For each unique hex removed, this Spell takes an additional  seconds to recharge."
 * Change to "While you maintain this enchantment, your Monk spells heal for +15...51...60% more Health. When this enchantment ends one random other party member is resurrected with 25% health and zero energy. If a party member was resurrected, your skills are disabled for seconds."
 * Restore heal to
 * Increase heal to

unl
 * Change to "Resurrect all dead party members within earshot. ..."
 * Increase to +3 health regen and +2 energy regen
 * Increase to +3 health regen and +2 energy regen
 * Increase to +3 health regen and +2 energy regen

Ele
Air
 * Increase dmg & conditional dmg to
 * Add 25% armor penetration
 * Increase dmg to
 * Increase duration to sec
 * Restore to 3 sec kd, change to "...(50% failure chance with Air Magic 7 or less.)"
 * Restore to 3 sec kd, change to "...(50% failure chance with Air Magic 7 or less.)"

Earth
 * Change to "...foes deal earth damage and deal less damage."
 * change to 100% block melee attacks
 * Change to "...from all sources except lightning, and loses armor versus lightning."

Fire
 * Change to "... If you have more energy than target foe, that foe and all foes in the area take an additional fire damage and are set on fire for  seconds. This Spell causes Exhaustion."
 * Set duration to 30 sec
 * Change dmg to
 * Change additional dmg to

Water
 * Increase dmg & conditional dmg to
 * change to "For seconds, non-Spirit allies in this area take % less damage from all sources."
 * Change to "For seconds, all your attacks and all attacks against you miss."
 * change to "For seconds, you gain + armor against physical damage and + armor against cold damage. Armor of Frost ends if you use any Fire Magic."
 * Change to 100% block arrows

EStorage
 * Return to unlinked attribute, change to "For 15 seconds, your next 2 Spells costs no Energy to cast and do not cause Exhaustion."
 * Increase duration to 12 sec, reduce health gain to
 * Revert to 2 health loss

unl
 * Change to "Remove 10 points of exhaustion from yourself. For each remaining point of exhaustion, you gain 1 Energy."

Nec
Blood
 * Increase conditional health steal to
 * Increase conditional health steal to
 * Increase conditional health steal to
 * Increase conditional health steal to

Curses
 * Increase life steal to
 * Remove Smiting Prayers restriction
 * Increase to -2 energy degeneration

Death
 * , remove "This spell instantly recharges if...", add "For each minion you control, this spell takes an additional 3 seconds to recharge."
 * Increase range to earshot
 * Increase range to earshot

SR
 * Increase dmg to

War
Tactics
 * Increase duration to sec
 * Change to "All foes within earshot that are moving are knocked down."
 * Increase duration to sec
 * Remove "if you hit" clause.
 * Remove "if you hit" clause.

Str
 * Remove "This Stance ends if you use a Skill."
 * Change to "... If your target is under the effects of an Enchantment, this attack cannot be blocked and deals double damage."
 * Change to "Gain strikes of adrenaline. The next time you use an adrenal Skill, that Skill recharges for 8 seconds."
 * Also causes knockdown to target foe.
 * Increase conditional dmg to
 * Increase adrenaline gain to
 * Increase conditional dmg to
 * Increase adrenaline gain to

Axe
 * Add "Cannot be blocked."
 * Change to "Swing three times at target foe. The first attack cannot be blocked. The second attack cannot miss. The third attack strikes all adjacent foes."
 * Change to "If this attack strikes a knocked down foe, you strike for damage and that foe suffers from Bleeding for  seconds."
 * Change to "You gain 2 strikes of adrenaline. If Furious Axe hits, you strike for + damage."
 * Change to "You gain 2 strikes of adrenaline. If Furious Axe hits, you strike for + damage."

Sword

Hammer
 * Now also causes daze for sec
 * Change to "Lose all adrenaline. If this attack hits, you strike for damage. If this attack hits a foe suffering from Weakness, that foe is knocked down and suffers a Deep Wound for  seconds."
 * Increase dmg to
 * Now also causes daze for sec
 * Change to "Lose all adrenaline. If this attack hits, you strike for damage. If this attack hits a foe suffering from Weakness, that foe is knocked down and suffers a Deep Wound for  seconds."
 * Increase dmg to

unl
 * Change to "If it hits, this attack interrupts the target's current action and that foe is Dazed for 15 seconds.
 * Increase duration to 8 sec

Sin
Crit
 * Change to "For seconds, every time you successfully make a critical hit, you remove one Enchantment from your target."
 * Change to "Must follow a dual attack. Target foe loses all Enchantments and takes damage for each enchantment removed."

Daggers
 * Increase damage to
 * Increase damage to
 * Increase damage to

Deadly
 * Change to "For 30 seconds, target foe deals damage with attacks and all of your dagger attacks are critical hits."
 * , reduce self-spell disable to 10 sec

Shadow
 * , change to "For seconds, you cannot be 'blocked'"
 * , change to "For seconds, you cannot be 'blocked'"
 * , change to "For seconds, you cannot be 'blocked'"

unl

Rit
Restoration
 * Change to "... Every 5 seconds, this Spirit heals all allies within range for Health. This Spirit dies after 20 seconds."
 * Change to "... While you hold his ashes, you take half damage from all sources and cannot be interrupted."
 * Scale duration to sec
 * Change to 10% max health
 * Increase regen to
 * Increase heal to
 * Increase to "% longer"
 * Change to "If that ally is under the effects of a weapon Spell, that ally loses one Condition and is healed for an additional health."

Communing
 * Change to "For 20 seconds, you have base damage reduction while casting Binding Rituals."
 * Change to "For 20 seconds, you have base damage reduction while casting Binding Rituals."
 * Change to "For 20 seconds, you have base damage reduction while casting Binding Rituals."

Channeling
 * Increase adrenaline gain to %
 * Change to "... that foe and all nearby foes take damage and lose all adrenaline."
 * Increase duration to sec
 * Change energy gain to %
 * Reduce cd to 15 sec

Spawning
 * (the downtime really disrupts the flow, plus you have no room for other item spells anyways)
 * Change to "For 25 seconds, you gain energy regeneration for each spirit within range."
 * (skill rework) Change to "For 30 seconds, whenever target ally casts a Weapon Spell, that ally gains gain 1...4...5 Energy."
 * Set duration to 60 sec
 * Set duration to 60 sec
 * (skill rework) Change to "Destroy nearest spirit within range and heal target other ally for.
 * Increase regen to
 * Increase regen to

unl
 * Change to "Destroy target spirit. ..."

Paragon
Command
 * 1) "Help Me!": (beyond improving as is) Change skill to "Save Him!" For 5 seconds, allied Spells targeting target ally cast 5...41..50% faster and heal for 10...22..25% more health."
 * 2) "Find Their Weakness!": Reduce energy to 5
 * 3) "We Shall Return!": Change to "For 10 seconds, the next time party members within earshot use a resurrection Skill, that skill activates instantly, and their fallen allies return with 5...41..50% more Health and Energy."
 * 4) Song of Concentration: Reduce adrenaline to 6, reduce cd to 0
 * 5) Godspeed: Increase speed to 33% faster
 * 6) "Brace Yourself!": Change to "For 5 seconds, the next time target other ally would be knocked down, all nearby foes take 15...63...75 damage instead."

(Needs update)
 * 1) "Incoming!"

Leadership
 * 1) "Lead the Way!": Reduce energy to 5, increase cd to 10 sec
 * 2) "Make Your Time!": Reduce energy to 5
 * 3) Angelic Protection: Change to "... more than 150...70 damage per second ..."
 * 4) Natural Temper: Reduce adrenaline to 2

Motivation
 * 1) "The Power Is Yours!": Change to "All party members within earshot gain 0...1..2 energy, but you only gain half-energy from leadership."
 * 2) Energizing Finale: Reduce energy to 5, increase cd to 8 sec
 * 3) Lyric of Purification: Reduce cd to 10 sec
 * 4) Lyric of Zeal: Reduce adrenaline to 5
 * 5) Song of Power: Increase energy regen to 6, reduce cd to 15 sec

Spear
 * 1) Cruel Spear: Reduce adrenaline to 5 (outclassed by other elites and spear chucking is pretty lame)
 * 2) Stunning Strike: Change to "If this attack hits, you deal +5...25...30 damage and that foe is Dazed for 4...9...10 seconds."
 * 3) Unblockable Throw: Reduce adrenaline to 4
 * 4) Swift Javelin: Reduce cd to 4 sec
 * 5) Wearying Spear: Change activation time to 1/2 sec
 * 6) Wild Throw: Change to "If this attack hits, it deals +5...17...20 damage. If that foe was using a Stance, that stance ends and you strike for an additional 10...34..40 damage. This attack cannot be blocked." (This skill still retains the requirement of building adrenaline on a non-block target, but the bonus for hitting a stance target is greatly increased. It can still hit even if target is not using a stance, but you won't get the bonus damage)

Derv
Wind
 * 1) Rending Aura: Reduce energy to 5
 * 2) Vow of Piety: Change to "...all nearby allies are healed for 5...41..50 Health."

Mysticism
 * 1) Pious Renewal: Increase duration to 20 sec, reduce cd to 1 sec (This allows this skill to be removed and immediately reapplied, which will benefit scythe skills that require an enchantment removal)
 * 2) Mystic Corruption: Reduce cd to 15 sec
 * 3) Eremite's Zeal: Increase cd to 8 sec, change to "... You gain 1..3..4 Energy for each nearby foe (maximum 5..17..20 Energy)."
 * 4) Mystic Vigor: Increase heal to 3..7..8

(not too sure)
 * 1) Meditation: Change energy gain to 0..8..10

Earth
 * 1) Ebon Dust Aura: Reduce cd to 12 sec
 * 2) Armor of Sanctity: Increase duration to 12 sec
 * 3) Mirage Cloak: Scale duration to 5...17..20 sec

Scythe
 * 1) Banishing Strike: Increase cd to 12 sec, change to "... If it hits a summoned creature, all nearby foes take 10...70..85 holy damage, and this skill recharges instantly."
 * 2) Twin Moon Sweep: Reduce cd to 4 sec
 * 3) Rending Sweep: Change to "... If you hit a foe suffering from a Hex, that foe loses 1 Enchantment and this attack cannot be blocked."
 * 4) Irresistible Sweep: Increase damage to +10...34..40
 * 5) Reap Impurities: Reduce cd to 6 sec

unl
 * 1) Winds of Disenchantment: Reduce cd to 10 sec
 * 2) Intimidating Aura: Reduce energy to 5

PvE Skills
Allegiance
 * Change to "For seconds, your elemental attributes are boosted by 2."
 * Change to "You and all adjacent foes are Blinded for 5 seconds. ..."
 * Change to "You and all adjacent foes are Blinded for 5 seconds. ..."

Sunspear
 * Change to "Lose your current glyph. For 10 seconds, your elementalist spells deal 100...200% more damage. This skill is disabled for 45 seconds."
 * Change to "...you and your pet attack 33% faster and deal 1...10 more damage with attacks."
 * Change to "Interrupt target foe's skill. If that foe was suffering from a Mesmer Hex, that foe and all nearby foes take 25...50 damage and an additional 5 damage from each rank of Fast Casting."

Deldrimor
 * Change to "For 3...5 seconds, all other party members within earshot cannot be knocked down."
 * Change to "For 3...5 seconds, all other party members within earshot cannot be knocked down."
 * Change to "For 3...5 seconds, all other party members within earshot cannot be knocked down."

Asura

Ebon Vanguard
 * Change to "If this attack hits, target foe takes 18...30 damage and is interupted. ..."
 * Add "If target is a Charr, that foe is knocked down"
 * Increase miss chance to 33%
 * Change to "If this attack hits, target foe takes 18...30 damage and is interupted. ..."
 * Add "If target is a Charr, that foe is knocked down"
 * Increase miss chance to 33%

Norn
 * Change to "next attack skill"
 * Set number of attacks to 5
 * Change to "cannot use skills"
 * Knockdown now affects all non-human foes hit.
 * Change to "cannot use skills"
 * Knockdown now affects all non-human foes hit.

Other Improvements

 * More PvP arenas and PvP-types (ie escort, 1-flag ctf)
 * Split AB into 12v12 FFA (factions-preview style), 4-4-4v4-4-4 (current style), and arranged 12v12 (alliance and guildmates, 1 party)
 * Split FA and JQ into 8v8 FFA (current style), and arranged 8v8 (alliance and guildmates, 1 party)
 * Energy bar in party window
 * Freely re-arrange member order in party window, without kicking/rejoining
 * Intra-Guild Storage w/ strict controls
 * Revamp the henchmen skill bars (namely prophecies and factions henchmen)
 * Restore the classic chest design, but all chests drop 8 items, but 1 person cannot get more than 1 item from the chest (some chests can still require a key)
 * "Library" storage for Storybooks
 * Auto-pickup loot command (items go straight to your character storage when dropped by monsters)