Feedback:User/Wicca/Exterminate Power Creep

Introduction
As far as I know, Anet has always envisioned this game to be balanced. That every professions should have their own unique strengths and weaknesses. That there should be diversity in this game. The problem is, none of the above is apparent in the game at all. The reason behind this is the ridiculous buffs made to skills in the past that have not been undone. The power creep that has been introduced into this game is still here and it needs to be taken care of. These skills have poisoned the environment in PvE and has negatively impacted the mentality of High-End PvE. These skills are just so powerful that they have become mandatory in many builds and their excessive use has led to the playerbase believing that these skills are good for the game and that they take skill (which they most certainly do not). Anet has been gradually undoing some of the power creep that has made it's way into the game and I'm here to list those skills that still need to be looked at. This is in regards to skills used in PvE and speedclears.

Balance?
Balanced means. ..
 * Being more than one way to achieve something
 * Having drawbacks to powerful skills
 * All professions have their place and none outclass the other
 * Diversity - there should not be that one thing that is better than everything else
 * Requires skill to maximize efficiency

The Targets
So what skills are power creeped and are in need of a nerf? I will give a brief explanation as to why they need a nerf. Refer to the list of what makes something balanced which will make it easier to understand why the skills below are unbalanced. I will provide some possible solutions but don't take my word for it :) What Anet has done is split the pre-Feb 2010 version of shadowform into two skills, removing the drawback in which you lose health and also add health regeneration so that your health will never go below 50%. So it is actually the same as before but with no drawbacks. It is also maintainable . . . pretty obvious that this is imbalanced.
 * Possible fix: Increase the casting time for shadowform and increase it's recharge (60 second recharge will promote skillful use of the skill and bypass the over-powered effects of consumables). Shroud of Distress should not provide any health regen and if it must, then it should end upon using a skill so that players will use it more wisely.

These pretty much all go together. They: deal big aoe damage, interrupt, are fast-casted, low-energy and have short recharges. With no/weak drawbacks that can be ignored.
 * Possible fix: Complete fucntionality change to some like Panic and Keystone Signet (but not another over-powered one) and recharge nerfs to the rest. Unnatural needs a damage nerf aswell.

Big damage, no drawbacks. Destructive was Glaive can pretty much be spammed. SoS creates 3 spirits of pain with no energy cost and is maintainable. The absurd power of these two skills are painfully obvious, it boggles my mind how Anet could let these two make it into the game. I mean, 5 second recharge for Glaive? 5 seconds for a skill that deals over 100 dmg??? With a 3/4 cast-time? Is there any other skill in the game that deals 100+ dmg with such a small recharge, is spammable and used in high-end PvE? No.
 * Possible fix: Huge recharge increase for both skills. 20/30 seconds for Glaive and 60 seconds for SoS (or drastic reduction in its duration). Increase cast time for Glaive too please.

Coupled with Shelter, it maintains Protective spirit on all allies within it's range at a fraction of the energy cost of casting protective spirit on everyone. Remember when I said that professions should not out-class other professions? There you go. Being able to keep spirits like shelter and union up constantly and overiding the drawbacks of both skills points to Soul Twisting in desperate need of a nerf.
 * Possible fix: The 15 second recharge allows permanent maintaining of spirits. Recharge must be increases (45 seconds or possibly 60 seconds). The insta-recharge should not be for the next 3 spirits because with a recharge of 15, you can pretty get on and pop those spirits back up again. The skill should only activate on you next spirit (only 1).

See: Shadowform
 * Possible fix:Up the recharge (45 seconds or 60 seconds if consumables remain in their current state) or add the clause: "You cannot use spells"

This has made monks obsolete and give way too much energy and health.
 * Possible fix: I'm going as far as saying that this skill needs a complete change. As long as it give energy and health, ele healers will be superior to monk healers.

Instant resurrection and has a healing buff. It can be used too well with prot skills to nullify to need of healing prayer skills.
 * Possible fix: Remove the additional heals or make it apply to healing prayer skills only.

Self-explanatory really. 90% of the game can be completed with relative ease with 3 copies of this skill. Now that we have 7 heroes, completing most aspects of this game is possible even without discord. It wouldn't hurt anyone to nerf this skill once and for all. The ultimate bomber skills. Has too much synergy with Mark of Pain and makes High-End PvE a cake walk.
 * Possible fix: Vow of strength should do what it's name suggest. One possible change is: "If you strike more than one foe, you deal +10/+20 damage to foes affected". Hundred blades goes too well with whirlwind attack. It should only trigger on the initial hit, not on each and every adjacent foe.

Used a lot by Shadowform sins and Obsidian Flesh eles. Needs either a damage nerf, recharge nerf or a complete change. Additional 100 armor on all allies within earshot. Are you kidding me??? It's painfully obvious that this is over-powered.
 * Possible fix: Either reduced duration or up the adrenaline cost. I'd even suggest a complete functionality change. Instead of armor, give some other benefit like a speed boost or something.

A pre-emptive nerf to this skill is also necessary. If the above changes to shadowform are made, people will start bringing this skill to drastically reduce the recharge of shadowform.
 * Possible fix: It should require an attribute investment into deadly arts in order to work. At 3 in deadly arts, it should only last 1 second. It should also stack. 30% reduction only if you invest 9 or more into deadly arts.


 * Finally . . . CONSUMABLES. These have destroyed PvE and has made everything a walk in the park. All the skill required in PvE was killed with the introduction of these "Nobrainables". The Essence of Celerity, Armor of Salvation, Grail of Might and the Rock Candies need to be nerfed to hell. Personally, I want them permanently removed as they've done nothing but hurt the game as a whole.

Conclusion
For the good of the game, these skills need to be changed. Power Creep is bad. These skills are prime examples of power creep and they need Anets attention immediately. Please, for the love of all that is good, make this game require skillful play rather than the face-roll that it is at the moment.