Devoneaux.6302

> @"SlippyCheeze.5483" said:

> I only have one, sadly negative, thought based on what usually comes up in these discussions:

>

> > > @"The New One.6319" said:

> > Any thoughts as to how we fix this in our community?

>

> This is a people problem, so we can't technology it away. We have to figure out how to get people who never read the forums to understand why they are unwelcome and/or how to fit in, and similar people to help understand how to effectively and nicely communicate that to people who genuinely *don't* know what they are doing wrong.

>

> It's hard. I wish I could believe in a technology solution for it, but ... never seen a technology solution fix a people problem. :(

You could administrate it away though, adding in a technically optional certification process with a series of instanced single player challenges analogous to fight mechanics with a final level bringing it all together, allowing players to certify themselves on a per-fight basis.

Not sure any of this would be particularly welcome or desired but who's to say how effective it'd be?

> @"Cifrer.6013" said:

> I gotta ask, wouldn't it be easier to just rework the reward tables to make the dungeons more attractive content again? People don't play them because they don't typically get anything worthwhile out of it.

You could, but then the question becomes why have two sets of content that fulfill the same goal and compete for attention (Fractals and Dungeons) its pretty much the same experience but less rewarding and less streamlined.

> @"CptAurellian.9537" said:

> > @"yann.1946" said:

> > I wonder if the hurt it would do to the current dungeonpopulation would be worth it?

>

> The answer is most likely a resounding "no". Not due to the state of the dungeon population, but due to the craptons of work that would have to go into all the dungeons' spaghetti code and other stuff required for such a rework. The likelihood of such single player challenges being broadly accepted by the community isn't high enough to justify that effort.

But would it be cheaper and easier than creating this same idea but from the ground up? Realistically all they need is the art and sound assets.

> @"Sublimatio.6981" said:

> but you can already solo almost all paths easily. whats to recycle? they would only need to remake the mechanics that require more than 1 person

I mean I think its fair to say dungeons werent designed specifically to be solo content, so I mean remake them with that in mind specifically with new gimmicks that rotate on a weekly basis? Its just more content made out of content that's already existent so presumably this would be an easy way to recycle dead stuff into new interesting stuff.

Pretty much the title. Dungeons seem to have a problem of not occupying any useful niche, their role in the game having been taken over by newer content since their creation. To answer this, I feel dungeons should be remade into single player challenges, maybe with rotating weekly rule sets and rewards based on how fast you clear them. Thoughts?

> @"Regon Phoenix.8215" said:

> > @"Devoneaux.6302" said:

> > I'd prefer something more focused explicitely on buffing your teammates rather than another damage elite spec. Something with shouts and a torch perhaps?

> >

> > Also "Executioner" would imo be a better name than Maniac

>

> To be honest, i too would like to have support/tank spec for thief focused on helping others out, something like a field medic - lightly armed doctor. But i don't think that would happen, and another new take on damage dealer is way more likely.

Sawbones...Gains a torch for cauterizing wounds. =P

> @"Alatar.7364" said:

> > @"Scud.5067" said:

> > I thought this was intentional. I use it to strike, apply weakness, and pass through to gain distance when up close.

> >

> > To land closer I use it further away.

>

> It used to be there by design, but fortunately Devs changed it in one of the updates so that the skill won't go through so you hit all 3. Yet, this bug is present for quite some time.

Seems to me it would have been smarter to just slightly extend the hitbox of the skill, butwhatdoIknow?.jpg

> @"Sir Vincent III.1286" said:

> > @"Patkus.9178" said:

> > I've been getting into PvP and WvW with Thief a lot. A guildie told me to try out S/D Thief and it was great, but I kinda started missing the 3 evades plus the Unhindered Combatant trait.

>

> That is weird because if I would use S/D with DD, I would pick Bounding instead of Dash. The only real reason is that you can do Flanking Strike->Bound->Larcenous Strike with the 10% damage boost. Dash puts you too far from the target most of the time.

>

> The two things I like about DD when using S/D are Channeled Vigor and Bandit's Defense. The former is the best heal skill in my opinion and the latter is the best stun break. You can't find those in Core builds.

>

OMG I totally forgot channeled vigor exists!

For my part I am partial to Trickery/SA/DD because I'm a special snowflake who has to do things different.

I specialise in boon ripping and stealth attacks with S/D

You'd be surprised how much passive damage reduction you get from this build (20% with Weakening Strikes and Rending Shade/an additional 10% with Unhindered Combatant) combined with Trickery allows you to stealth weave (For an additional 25% damage reduction from Resilience of Shadows) And while I am aware that as a Thief I may not ever have the full durability of a warrior/guardian 45-55% damage reduction on top of stacked vitality is nothing to shake a stick at

Skills are dependant on the situation but I generally go between HiS or Signet for my healskill, and Signets of might or agility, Bandit's Defense, and Haste. Ultimate skill is again dependent on my situation.

With this build I obviously sacrifice damage for boon control and survivability, but the damage is within acceptable levels for solo content and the survivability means you won't die just because someone shook a stick at you in pvp. Can't confirm how successful it'd be in a raid tho, depends on if you need a boon ripper or not.

> @"saerni.2584" said:

> RS is one of our best anti boon abilities.

So move it to T1 perhaps since there'd be a spot open there.

Edit: I also would agree that leeching venoms would make more sense in DA than SA and could maybe trade places with the traps(I think?) cdr.

I'd prefer something more focused explicitely on buffing your teammates rather than another damage elite spec. Something with shouts and a torch perhaps?

Also "Executioner" would imo be a better name than Maniac

Also if you don't need to worry so much about straight utility, you can be a credit to your team by just boosting their damage and healing through your venoms. its always nice when you manage to get all of your venoms on your entire team just before they go ham on a boss. <3

SA works fine for what I use it for. I like to use both it and Trickery keep my enemies in pvp debuffed and the steal cooldown reductions work well with stealth on steal, giving you reliable stealth from any distance on close to a 20 second CD.

If I had to think of one change i'd make it'd probably be to RS, since boon stripping can already be covered by another tree/weapon combo, it'd be better if RS were replaced with say a passive where once every 40 seconds when you stealth attack successfully you automatically re-enter stealth. A powerful ability justified by how far at the end of the tree it is. I would further buff SR by rolling SE into it and then replace SE with something new, and would change CiS to either torment or confuse nearby enemies in addition to its current effects.

In essense I think Shadow arts can be made more appealing by making its meh end talents more attractive, the rest of the kit more or less works fine.

For my part I've been having fun with an axe/horn and Greatsword build. It strikes a good balance between burst damage, aoe and healing for allies with shouts. Its not your typical soulbeast build but I enjoy my time with it.

For my part I've been having fun with an axe/horn and Greatsword build. It strikes a good balance between burst damage, aoe and healing for allies with shouts. Its not your typical soulbeast build but I enjoy my time with it.