ArenaNet:Skill feedback/Miscellaneous/Fixing Effect Stacking

Note: As of September 2, 2009 this page is no longer active. If you have suggestions for Guild Wars skills please go to Feedback:Main to learn how to submit suggestions that ArenaNet can use.

Shard's Issue - 23:29, 29 September 2008 (UTC)

Issue

Stacking copious amounts of enchantments/hexes on people is degenerate, as very few, usually weak skills are able to deal with it in any tangible way. This was seen with enchantment stacking in blockway, and since the game's release with hexway. Both builds were/are very overpowered and defined the metagame at the time because the only counter to them was to run them.

Solution

Only the top two hexes on an enemy do their effect. This still allows for combos between the skills, without it leading to a "put VoR, backfire, SS, shame, and wastrels worry on one person so they either die or they die." This also makes the current hex removals much, much more viable, as they are pretty shitty at the moment.

Only the top three enchantments do their effect. This allows for some passive buffs to be active on someone (like conjure or watchful intervention), and allows enough room for temporary utility enchantments. If that character needs temporary protections, they lose function of some of their older utility for a short time, until the prots are stripped or they run out.

The older hexes and enchantments will still be there, they just won't have an effect until the ones on top are removed or run out (however, their durations will still count down). This will keep skills like Mystic Healing unchanged in function.

Downsides

People who suck at the game might quit or cry because they won't be able to win.

Upsides

Bad teams won't be able to run this bullshit anymore.

People will have to actively pay attention to their hexes and their enchantments.

Overly defensive builds will not be as viable.

Hex removals will be viable against hexes (finally).

People stacking utility / buff enchantments with passive defense will not be able to be godly and invincible at the same time.

PvP will take skill once again. *sob*...I'm so happy *tear*