User:The Sins We Die By/Top Priority Skills/Archive3

Top Skill Priorities

I'm using a system that I am currently developing to score skill power. I rate them as Minor 1, Major 2, and Superior 3. Anything that is regularly higher than 3.5 should be nerfed. Anything below 1 should be buffed. Simple. My system.

ANET LEARN TO STOP SCREWING WITH SKILLS TOO MUCH.

A slight tweak is all that is needed sometimes.

Nerfs

1)Hexway **

2)Ranger Interrupt Skills *

3) Searing Flames *

4) Mind Blast *

5) Palm Strike *

6) Zealous Vow *

7) Ether Prism *

8) Glyph of Renewal *

9) Wounding Strike *

Nerf

1) Hexway.

• Visions of Regret Seriously? Penalize people for using their bar 50% of the time? And adjacent AoE...
• Backfire Really now... Monks have to lose 200 health (VoR + Backfire) if they want to use any of their spells? So instead they help their team by doing nothing and watching their team degen + pressure out. That's cool...
• Wastrel's Worry Ok...so now players get to either take 85 dmg for using a skill or 95 ever 3 seconds for doing nothing... And I can sometimes use this as a cover hex! wow how awesome is that...
• Soul Leech Oh cool Backfire with 50% less downtime...
• Spiteful Spirit Wait this is VoR with 2/5 of its dmg!? Ooohhh, it can be upkept on 2 people and triggers on attacks and skills...right
• Spoil Victor Wow awesome! I don't need skill to play i can cast passive effects like this to make people who are better than me easier to beat bcs they can't target ppl with less health unless they want to lose 1/6 of their health bar. Oh Oh Oh and I can upkeep it on two people!!! Yeah...
• Empathy Wow totally awesome with a 40/40 set I can basically make two targets deal as much damage as they do with attacks to themselves too! Even if they miss...
• Insidious Parasite See Empathy with 1 maintainable target + Health steal.
• Lingering Curse Passive Suffering + Backline is 33% less effective. Yup I don't have to think to use this skill, ADDED to bar...
• Faintheartedness Oh cool 3 degen and 50% less effective front and midlines. BECAUSE it can be maintained on 3 targets! Yay more passive non-skillful win...
• Parasitic Bond Oh cool I can cover all my hexes instantly AND get healed for 100 at the same time! Yay for no skill required bars...
• Diversion Potential shutdown of half a players bar for 40> seconds, guarenteed shutdown of a player on cast or as the diversions build up, yup this is easy mode.
• Shame Players fails at their next spell for 6 seconds, or they cast and lose energy to cast 3 spells. Wow I can cast this when someone is close to dying without having to think any beyond that I R SKILLED.

Oh I can't forget the best part about hexway It's only counters are Hex Eater Signet(somewhat), Convert Hexes (on two people), and Peace and Harmony (plus another hex removal or two). Actually there is one more counter, I guess if a team put 5 single hex removals and played perfectly they would stand a chance. But once you shutdown a teams backline you can watch them waste away...

2)Shutdown Spam with no penalty. Does anything else really need to be said?

3)(100 Dmg + Burning) * Area AoE = Enough Said

4) +1 Energy From Regen + 3 Net Return + 2 Fire Attunement + 1 AoR = 10 Reasons players think skill spamming is good

5)60 armor ignoring unblockable damage + Infinite Cripple on target + Dual Strikes every other second = "I R 1337 BCS I SPAM (-) MOAR THAN U SPAM (+)"

6)WE as a skill for any attack oriented class.

7)Invincibility to spike every 15 seconds and +14 energy. Oh look I can heal without energy issues Restoration line here I come!

8)Infinite hex shutdown chains. Begs the question, is it this skill or the hexes that are OP? The answer is both, but this combination is over the top.

9)Deep Wound + Bleeding to Cover Every 4 seconds. I thought guild wars was about showing how people's "skill will be legendary" not spamming 100 health loss, 20% healing redux, and 3 degen on top.

Balancing Changes

Assassin

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Critical Strikes. Added bonus. If critical strikes is 8 or higher whenever you critical deal +5 damage. Temple Strike 10 15 - Elite Offhand Attack. Must follow a lead attack. This attack deals +1...13...16 damage on strike, always criticals, and target foe's skills are disabled for 2 seconds. Golden Skull Strike 5 12 - Elite Offhand Attack. This attack deals +8...20...23 damage on strike, if you are under the effects of an enchantment target foe's spells and attack skills are disabled for 2 seconds. Caltrops 5 ¼ 12 Reduce Crippled duration to 2...8...10 Palm Strike - 1) Add Conditional "If this skill follows a dual attack it is disabled for 15 seconds." 2)Change to Attack Skill NOT DAGGER ATTACK 3)Scale Damage 5...41...50, Set Cripple Duration to 3 Seconds. Assault Enchantments 5 6 - Elite Skill. Your next dual attack removes enchantments on strike. If an enchantment is removed in this way you strike for 1...13...16 more damage. Assassin's Remedy 5 2 8 - Cure yourself of Poison, Disease, and Bleeding at Critical Strike 3, Blind and Weakness at Critical Strike 8, and Crippling at Critical Strike 13. This skill can not be interrupted. (Get rid of the PvP version) Deadly Paradox - 10 12 - Stance. Your attack skills are disabled for 3 seconds. For 0...12...15 seconds your assassin, non-dagger attack, skills recharge 33% faster. You attack 33% faster while wielding daggers. (Don't let this get bugged to where you can activate it with daggers then use a bow or something for the IAS.) Exhausting Assault 10 ½ 10 - Dual Attack. (No pre-req lead/offhand/dual) Target foe's action is interrupted. If a skill was interrupted this skill strikes for critical hits. If that action was casting a Spell target foe suffers from Exhaustion. Disrupting Stab 5 1 8 - Lead Attack. Interrupts an action. If a skill was interrupted in this way, and critical strikes is 8 or higher, it is disabled for 20 seconds. Impale 5 ½ 15 - Touch Skill. Must follow a dual attack. Deals 5...57...70 piercing damage and deep wound for 5...17...20 seconds. Crippling Dagger 1/2 Shadow Refuge 1/4 Dash For 3...4...4 seconds move 50% faster. Attribute Critical Strikes Example Roles (This profession is currently not reliable in gvg, it also has not had balanced functionality) Major roll is Damage supported by crippling, knockdown, plus damage, deep wound, dual strikes, cancels/unsustained IAS, unsustained IMS. Minor roll is Disruption supported by interrupts, exhaustion, disabling, and knockdown. Optional rolls supporting by skill set are damage spiking and pressure through degen.

Dervish

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Wounding Strike - 5 1.75 6 Eremite's Attack (PvP) - 5 1 6 Mystic Sweep (PvP) - 5 1 6 Aura Slicer 5 10 - Scythe Attack. If you strike a foe neither attacking nor activating a skill target loses 1 enchantment and takes +10...22...25 damage. Farmer's Scythe 5 1 8 - Scythe Attack. If you swing at a foe who is adjacent to another foe target foe and adjacent foes are knocked down for 1...3...3 seconds and take +5...17...20 damage. Victorious Sweep - Scale damage 5...17...20. Scale healing 10...50...60. Onslaught - 5 15 Skill. 3...17...20 seconds, You attack and move 25% faster while under the effects of an enchantment. Zealous Vow - 5 ¼ 12 Enchantment Spell. For 2...16...20 seconds, you have -3 Energy regeneration, and you gain 1...6...7 Energy every time you hit with an attack. Pious Renewal - 5 ¼ 7 Spell. Lose 1 enchantment, gain 0...24...30 health and lose 1 hex and 1 condition, if an enchantment was removed in this way you gain 2 times the amount of Mysticism bonus. Conviction (PvP) - 5 12 Stance. For 1...4...5 seconds you gain 10 armor. While not attacking you gain 24 armor. Attribute Mysticism Featherfoot Grace - 5 ¼ 12 Enchantment Spell. For 3...15...18 seconds you move 25% faster, and Conditions expire 50% faster. When this enchantment ends you lose 4 energy. Pious Assault - 5 12 - Melee Attack. Remove one of your enchantments, if an enchantment was removed in this way lose 5 energy. Regardless deals +5...17...20 damage and inflicts a Deep Wound 5...17...20 seconds. Example Roles (This profession is currently not reliable in gvg, it also has not had balanced functionality) Mysticism - 10+1+1, Scythe Mastery - 12+1, Wind Prayers - 8, Healing Prayers 2. Mysticism - 9+1, Scythe Mastery - 12+1+1, Wind Prayers - 9, Restoration Magic 3 Major roll is damage supported by crippling, deep wound, sustained IMS given 20% mod, and balanced IAS/cancel (notice featherfoot grace + pious fury are similar to frenzy + rush). Minor roll is survival supported by medium heals, minor hex/condition control, sustained IMS given 20% mod, and armor buff. Optional rolls supported by skill set are minor pressure supported by bleeding degen and minor disenchantment of enemies. Anomaly.Something many people don't realize is the beautiful design of the +25 health dervishes have. Radiant Insignias can be used on the chest and leg pieces to make them have the base health and energy of casters would while wearing Survivor Insignias. Likewise, armor buffing insignias can be used in the body and chest pieces for a likely chance at damage reduction on attacking builds. Elementalist Press [hide] to Collapse --> Searing Flames - Scale Burning Duration 1...3...4, Scale Damage 8...75...88 Mind Blast - Scale Energy Return 1...4...5, Increase Recharge to 3 Seconds. Ether Prism - 1) Make into enchant spell with an activation time of 1, scale energy return like offering of spirit 8...15...17 and keep 3 seconds of receiving 0 damage. 2) Change Damage Immunity to Recieve Half Damage, Scale Energy Gain 5...12...14 Glyph of Renewal - 5 1 15 Fire Storm (PvP) - 5 2 6 - Spell. Deals 1...7...9 fire damage each second (10 seconds). Hits foes adjacent to target's initial location. Breath of Fire (PvP) - 10 2 12 - Spell. Deals 1...5...6 fire damage and causes burning for 0...1...1 second each second (5 seconds). Hits foes adjacent to target's initial location. Searing Heat Teinai's Heat (PvP) - 10 2 15 - Spell. Deals 5...17...20 fire damage each second (5 seconds). Hits foes near target's initial location. End effect burning for 1...7...8 seconds. Savannah Heat (PvP) - 10 2 10 - Spell. Deals 2...8...10 fire damage and causes burning for 1...4...5 seconds each second (5 seconds). Hits foes near target's initial location. Churning Earth (PvP) - 15 2 20 - Spell. Target foe is knocked down if moving. Deals 10...22...25 damage each second (5 seconds). Hit's foes adjacent to target's initial location. Causes knock down to foes moving faster than normal. You are Exhausted. Maelstrom (PvP) - 15 2 20 - Spell. Deals 10...22...25 damage and interrupts spells each second (5 seconds). Hits foes adjacent to target's initial location. You are Exhausted. Mesmer Press [hide] to Collapse --> Visions of Regret - 1)Invent New Mechanic 2)3 Charges then end, Scale Damage 0...60...75 (5 per attribute level) 3) When this skill ends it is disabled for 5 seconds minus 1 second for each time it triggers on foes. Wastrel's Worry - Scale Damage 15...75...90 (base dmg 0 + 5 for each attribute level), Increase recharge to 2, Increase Cast Time to 3/4 Backfire - Scale Damage 40...100..115 (base damage 40 + 5 for each attribute level). When this skill ends it is disabled for 4 seconds minus 1 second for each time it triggers on target foe. Empathy - When this skill ends it is disabled for 5 seconds minus 1 second for each time it triggers on target foe. Diversion - Scale Recharge Penalty 0...36...45 (3 seconds per attribute level) 2)If this skill does not end early it is disabled for 5 seconds. Monk Press [hide] to Collapse --> Divine Favor. Since this only works with monk spells and that seems like it won't change, make DF effect all who receive monk spell benefits. Aegis, Heal Party, Healing Burst, Heaven's Delight/Divine Healing, Empathic Removal, Heal Area, etc. It's not like that slight buff would counteract powerful passive health loss effects by much, but it would help a little and give the monk more of an edge as compared to other professions that heal. Life Sheath 5 ¼ 7 - Enchantment Spell. For 3 seconds target ally takes only 1/2 damage and loses 0...2...3 conditions on cast then 0...2...3 when this skill ends. Patient Spirit - Scale healing 25...95...110 Boon Signet 3/4 7 Blessed Light 5 ¾ 5 - Remove a Hex and Condition from target other ally. If a condition is removed target is healed for 1...32...40. If a hex is removed target is healed for 1...32...40. This skill gains double Divine Favor Bonus. Necromancer Press [hide] to Collapse --> Spoil Victor - 1) Decrease Recharge to 8 Seconds, Scale Duration to 1...13...16 (base 1 + 1 per attribute level). 2)When this skill ends it is disabled for 10 seconds minus 3 seconds for each time it triggers on target foe. Parasitic Bond - Scale Duration to 2...14...17 (base 2 + 1 per each attribute level), Decrease Scale Healing 10...70...85 (base 10 + 5 for each attribute level), Increase Recharge to 4 Seconds Lingering Curse - Scale Duration to 1...13...16 (base 1 + 1 per each attribute level), Decrease Degen to 1, If this skill only effects 1 foe it is disabled for 5 seconds. Suffering - If this skill only effects 1 foe it is disabled for 5 seconds. Faintheartedness - Scale Duration to 1...13...16 (base 1 + 1 per each attribute level), Scale Decrease Attack Speed 5...41...50% (base 5 + 3 for each attribute level) . If this skill does not effect an attacking it is disabled for 5 seconds. Weaken Knees 5 1 14 - Hex Spell. For 5...17...20 seconds, target foe suffers 0...2...3 Health degeneration and loses 5...17...20 health while moving. If this skill targets a moving foe it recharges 50% faster (Change to health loss so direct damage reduction can't protect against movement punishment i.e dark escape, ether prism, shield of absorbtion, shielding hands, etc) Consume Corpse 10 3 0 - Spell. Exploit a random corpse. You teleport to that corpse's location and gain 25...85...100 Health and 5...17...20 Energy. For 1...10...12 seconds at the location adjacent to the target targets can not be rezed. (I think a good idea would be to alloy rez skills to activate fully, but to change the 0% health a target would be rezed for to 0. That way interesting dynamics would arise, such as rez sigs would be burned, rebirth would work, and Naomi would not work. However, death pact signet might become bugged. Of course there's always the simple way of making skills fail on dead targets in the AoE.) Necrotic Traversal 10 3 0 - Spell. Teleport to a corpse's location. Inflicts Poisoned condition (5...17...20 seconds). Affects all nearby foes. Exploits a fresh corpse. For 1...13...16 seconds at the location adjacent to the target targets can not be rezed. General necromancy well suggestion. Make wells all have a self targetting casting time of 4 seconds with an if condition where they cast in 2 seconds on corpses within spell range, Minimum 10. Start by making this change without worrying about or changing hero mechanics as wells don't have a huge impact on PvE and it allows programmers to change the hero behavior when they can get to it. Paragon Press [hide] to Collapse --> Barbed Spear - Increase Adrenaline to 3 (4 would be better but 3 you don't have to consider PvP/PvE split due to QQ), Scale Bleeding 2...14...17 (Compare to Sever Artery) "Help Me!" 10 - For 1...6...7 seconds you receive 25% more benefit from healing and foes adjacent to you take 1...13...16 more damage from attacks "The Power Is Yours!" 10 - Shout. Lose all energy, however much energy you lose target ally gains that much energy. "Stand Your Ground!" 10 0 25 Shout. (1...8...10 seconds.) Party members in earshot gain +24 armor when not moving. End's early on effected allies if they are knocked down. Mending Refrain 10 2 10 Ranger Press [hide] to Collapse --> Magebane Shot - Increase Recharge to 10 Seconds, Add Conditional "If you Interrupt A Spell Gain 2 Energy" Escape 10 Distracting Shot 5 ½ 10 - Bow Attack. Interrupts an action. Interruption effect: interrupted skill is disabled for +20 seconds. Hits for only 1...13...16 damage. If this attack does not interrupt a skill it is disabled for 2 seconds. Savage Shot 10 ½ 5 - Bow Attack. Interrupts an action. Interruption effect: deals +13...25...28 damage if action was a spell. If this attack does not interrupt a skill it is disabled for 2 seconds. Ritualist Press [hide] to Collapse --> Spawning Power. Change Boon of Creation because it will be pointless with this suggestion, it's terrible that it's not already added into spawning power's functionality already and wastes a skill slot. "For every 2 ranks in Spawning Power you gain 1 energy rounded down for each foe within spirit range (max 4 energy) when you create a creature and 5 health for each rank whenever you create a creature." This should be added to the already weak functionality of the attribute. The resulting effects of this would be current ritualist builds using spirits would be rewarded for successful casts of a spirit. Health gain for a successful cast during immobility is a justifiable reward. During splits ritualists will find the energy return to have minimal effectiveness. While this would be promoting degenerate spirit spamming in 4 man arenas there are plenty of counters to spirit spamming such as nuking, interrupts, and knockdowns. Not to mention their inherent lack of health. Empowerment 10 3 30 - Binding Ritual. Create a level 1...11...14 spirit that lasts for 15...39...45 seconds. Allies in range gain 20...44...50 maximum health, 5 to maximum energy, and with spawning power of 8 or higher +1 to all attributes. Shelter 10 5 45 - Binding Ritual. Create a level 1...10...12 Spirit that lasts for 5...41...50 seconds. Enemy projectile attacks on party members have a 50% chance to miss and with spawning power of 8 or higher non-attack Projectile skills fail against allies within spirit range. (include meteor) Restoration 10 3 45 - Binding Ritual. Create a level 1...10...12 Spirit that lasts for 30...54...60 seconds. Whenever a party member within spirit range would take fatal damage that ally's health is reduced to 1 and does not suffer from health degeneration. This spirit recieves damage for each point of damage over what would have been fatal to a party member. (Swap effects and elite status with preservation, just for the sake of names matching effects). Preservation 10 3 25 - Binding Ritual. Create a level 1...13...16 Spirit that lasts for 90 seconds. Every 6 seconds, this Spirit heals one non-Spirit ally within earshot for 10...94...115 Health. This Spirit dies after 90 seconds. Note With spawning power of 8 or higher this skill prioritizes healing allies that are under 80% health, but heals randomly between allies under 80%. Displacement 10 3 45 - Binding Ritual. Create a level 1...9...11 Spirit that lasts for 45...93...105 seconds. All non-Spirit allies within its range have a 75% chance to block incoming attacks, but only while under 50% health when spawning power is 8 or higher. Every time an attack is blocked in this way, this Spirit takes 45 damage. Energetic Was Lee Sa 10 1 20 - Item Spell. For 5...29...35 seconds while you hold her ashes you have +5 Armor and a 20% chance to half the casting and recharge times of spells. Drop effect: Gain 1...7...9 Energy and Gain 40...100...115 Health. Boon of Creation 10 ¾ 4 - Spell. Heal target ally or spirit for 30...150...180 Health. If target was a spirit gain 7 energy. Attribute: Spawning Power Xinrae's Weapon - Reduced life steal to 15...51...60 (vengful). (If this skill must stay as a vengful weapon offshoot) Brutal Weapon 10 1 20 - Weapon Spell. (10...38...45 seconds.) Attacks deal +2...11...13 damage. No effect while target ally is enchanted by a Smiting Prayer or Elementalist Skill. Warmonger's Weapon 10 2 25 - Weapon Spell. For 3...9...10 seconds, if target ally attacks a foe who is not attacking, that foe is interrupted. Weapon of Quickening 10 2 10 - Weapon Spell. For 1...13...16 seconds target ally attacks, moves, and casts spells 20% faster. Dulled Weapon 5 1 12 - Hex Spell. For 1...4...5 seconds, target foe and all adjacent foes deal 5 less damage with attacks and cannot achieve a critical hit. Ritualist suggestion. In regard to weapon spells they have always been considered irremovable, which I think is a fine mechanic since it is so limited. However, there is in fact 1 way to remove a weapon spell and that is quite simply to cast another weapon spell on a target already under the effect of 1. This makes it impossible for teams to remove from opposition as there are no weapon spells that can target an enemy. So, my suggestion is this. Take Dulled Weapon, the only spell with weapon in its name that isn't a weapon spell, and try it out as a weapon spell that only targets foes. This adds the dynamic of a limited removal of benificial weapon spells to opposing teams. I would suggest using my variant of Dulled Weapon above, simply because the effect is simple, its not as long lasting, and the AoE is much smaller than the current version. To make it easy to tell whether a weapon spell is desired or not, give dulled weapon its own image in game vs Example Roles (The ritualist has been overpowered and underpowered. The hope is to make area control matter with effects that mean something without being overpowered) Warrior Press [hide] to Collapse --> Primal Rage 5 8 - Stance. For 1...9...11 seconds you move 25% faster and while under the effects of a condition attack 33% faster. Every time you sucessfully strike you suffer from cracked armor for 2 seconds. You take double damage. Whirling Axe 5 "Coward!" 5 Viable Hex Removal Press [hide] to Collapse --> Spotless Mind 5 ¾ 12 - Enchantment Spell. Remove hex from target other ally. If a hex was removed in this way for 1...8...10 (9@14) seconds that ally loses 1 hex every 5 seconds. Holy Veil 5 1 12 -1 - Enchantment Spell. If target ally has 2 or more hexes that ally loses one, hexes cast on target ally take twice as long to cast. When this enchantment ends remove hex from ally. OR Enchantment Spell. While you maintain this Enchantment, any Hex cast on target ally takes twice as long to cast and ends 50% sooner. When Holy Veil ends, one Hex is removed from target ally. Convert Hexes 10 - Change conditional to be all inclusive. (At least include mesmer hexes) Reverse Hex 5 ¾ 10 - Enchantment Spell. For 4 seconds whenever target ally would be the target of a hex the hex applies onto the caster instead. 50% chance to fail with protection prayers of 7 or less. Remove Hex 6 Signet of Removal 1 5 - Remove 1 condition and 1 hex from target ally. If a hex was removed a second condition is removed. Withdraw Hexes 10 1 5 - Removal all hexes. Effects nearby allies. Increase recharge by 3 for each hex removed. Expel Hexes - Spell. Remove two hexes from target ally. For 3 seconds the next hex to target ally fails and Expel Hexes ends. Shatter Hex 10 Viable Protection Prayers Press [hide] to Collapse --> Life Sheath - Suggestion under "Balancing Changes" Convert Hexes - Suggestion under "Viable Hex Removal" Reverse Hex - Suggestion under "Viable Hex Removal" Reversal of Fortune - 5 ¼ 2 Enchantment Spell. For 8 seconds, the next time target ally would take damage, that ally gains 1.5 times that amount of Health instead, maximum 15...67...80. Shielding Hands - 10 Scale duration or set it to 6-7 seconds to avoid farm builds capitalizing on it. Extinguish - 10