SidewayS.3789

Well let aside the dT build,because that build have in mind speed running. Aside of CMs or bosses have shorter phases, i always run SYG,might+quickness mantra+ bow/regenartion mantra for cleansing and of course as elite Feel My Wrath. Or let's just say the final boss on volcanic, i drop SYG for Wall of Reflection. That's the main thingy of a hfb, you must adapt according to the fights, don't just follow 1 build and go with it, because it won't cut it. You are playing with pugs, not a static or a speed clear group, and pugs are doing mistakes no matter how hard you are trying to play HFB, but if you keep them alive in the "OH SHIIIT" situations, everything it's good. I am a fractal god HFB, and i am playing this class for the past 2 years, so let's just say i have some experience with it.

You,as a HFB you must provide perma quickness, and stability on attacks where the boss/mobs are doing knockbacks or at least aegis when these attacks happens.

> @"Mouse.7382" said:

> I run PUG CM everyday on NA. Some days I can complete them, others I cannot. Has been that way for me since always (I have a dedicated guild for fractals, but my times are all over the board, so I dont do static guild groups at all).

>

> I will agree with you (when I dont form the group), the groups that require the most 'kill proof' always seem to be the hardest to complete.

>

> When I forma group, I always ask the same. 'CM's + T4's. Need HB/ALC/BS/DPS. I play the last dps spot (thief), but switch to dps mirage for CM 100. I find the PUG ppl that join my groups, know their stuff well enough to complete with minimal issues.

Yes, it seems everyone likes to be carried no matter the role that they are playing.

> @"Cyninja.2954" said:

> As more and more veteran players leave the game due to lack of challenging content, the amount of experienced players drops.

>

> To be fair though, running with a static can make regular CM groups seem amateurish. You have to remember that the spectrum on ability even with still success is still high.

>

> On EU and only running occasional CMs with PUG groups, mostly due to guild members being available or me just not running daily CMs any more, I can safely say:

> - the range in ability on heal firebrands is huge. Some will aegis, stab, condi cleanse and do their share of might uptime with tome+staff blasts, proper rotation of weapon sets, etc. Basically carrying the group through anything which can go wrong. Others you just realize they are not utilizing the class even to50% of it's potential (and I have had situation where I just asked the HFB to go dps and would take over)

> - the range on dps players too is huge. Not only performance wise, but in ability to react to other players mistakes or even in just avoiding damage IF needed. There is a huge difference in being able to play down the content versus actively noticing other players skills used, positioning, and intervening when something goes wrong. The amount of players who won't move 1mm in order to step into a green on arc is astonishing

> - the vast majority of players has completely lost the ability to run this content without a healer any more. HFB or any type of healer is by now the baseline, where as before this was mostly a CM thing. Again in all fairness: some of the recent fractals and instabilities are also to blame for this behavior and change in setup

>

> This is just the result of an aging player base which sees more and more segregation. Skilled players form statics, run with guildies or simply stop running the content due to burnout (or just run their dailies and are done with it). Meanwhile newer players with less experience move up but lack the experience of veteran players to teach them.

>

> Interesting enough, an old raid lead of mine returned to the game after a 2.5 year break. He enjoys fractals and raids and gets back into that content. Suffice to say, I was rather impressed when he used a very old school elementalist skip in uncategorized to skip old tom (yes, I am aware of all the regular skips used but this one I had not seen for over 3 years and tbh, had completely forgotten about myself since I never ran elementalist in the past). That's knowledge lost to newer players and if it wasn't for sites like discretize or other fractal guilds/guides, would probably be lost entirely as time marches on.

That's exactly the thingy, i have spent the last 2+ years with a static, whom we runned daily CMs+T4 like a piece of cake, but now that i am forced to go on pugs, i see a big big gap between players,. Usually i play HFB/QFB or Alac (at least to cover one support group) but when sometimes i wanna play dps, i see all sorts of players with big KP, just failing some basics elements, like low Alac, low might uptime,quickness and all the boons. A few days ago i asked if the HFB can run signet (traited) since we kinda had 2 good dps players, i was called retard and toxic... I dunno,maybe it's my experience but i will take your point, some part of the vets (like my static) left the game and now we can see those who just press some buttons and likes to be carried and those who have knowledge of their classes. Overall i say it's pretty sad, that the "5 players end content" it's going this way.

Maybe this may sound as a rant, but it's not. It's just my observation after i spent daily pugging CMs+T4 (since my fractal static). I am not talking about their dps, but when i join on those 250+ old KP, it seems the players have never did the old ones. No mechanics, boon covering its sub optimal, almost zero to none CC even though the BS had m/m equipped but pfftt let's camp axes... I am a veteran fractal player, and i pugged a lot till i had my static, but HOLY MOLY, as far as I remember, the pugs weren't THAT bad. These points of mine are after i spent pugging 3 weeks every day doing CMs+T4. I dunno if it's just me, or i had some really really bad luck, but to be honest I have found more exp players on normal T4 rather than CMs+T4 groups.

> @"Asum.4960" said:

> > @"Jilora.9524" said:

> > > @"Asum.4960" said:

> > > > @"Jilora.9524" said:

> > > > > @"Nairolf.7024" said:

> > > > > > @"Jilora.9524" said:

> > > > > > Yes this change hurts newer players when they get up to CM but the newbies aren't bring rocks and planks in t1-t4. It would only be required later when they pass all the tests and get allowed into the high tier groups then they would be told hey you can't join unless you bring these rocks.

> > > > > > It ain't hurting newbies and I doubt any of you CM players gaf about how this may hurt newbies in the future. You rock hoppas just want it reverted to easy mode but the fake concern is cute

> > > > >

> > > > > It's not a fake concern : I like to solo dungeons and cc cons where usefull for that. I like to help new players in lower fractals tier and cc cons where usefull there too.

> > > > >

> > > > > If it's OP then just balance it. Don't remove things nor make them useless...

> > > > >

> > > > >

> > > >

> > > > Ok maybe your concern was real but this was like the 5th but but new players will suffer. Maybe you while helping lower tiers bring these cons to help you help them but I doubt there's teams of pugs in lower levels throwing rocks. It affects the cm runners the most because it was easier with cons but they will adjust and new players w/o these cons will learn by progression and might get to a point when they hit 98 and just can't get over the hump to cms and won't have the but hey you can all buy 50 rocks to get over the hump which was really dumb anyway. Not all content is meant for everyone. They just closed a loophole that allowed some to do content higher then their skill and rightly so

> > >

> > > Theoretically I agree that people should just have to learn how to CC, and I also personally think consumables were a hassle to use in most scanarios.

> > > That said, one thing to keep in mind is that maybe about <0.5% of the whole playerbase is skilled enough to clear this content, and even many of those have been carried by others with consumables and such.

> > >

> > > Out of (last I checked) 6000 people with DwD, how many are left being able to clear the content well without consumables? 1000-3000 players in the whole game across all regions who didn't just buy it or got carried by other's partially with consumables?

> > > Good luck pugging that. This content just got a whole lot less accessible.

> > >

> > > Considering all my guilds, communities and statics quit as well, changes like this especially makes me not want to come back to the content myself, especially since it likely means having to be a kitten and repeatedly kick people who can't CC over and over in a grueling and fairly toxic process until finding some of the very few people who can clear the content well (or giving up in frustration), rather than just being able to bite the bullet and whipping out some consumables to carry and being able to move on.

> > >

> > > If you think (new and carried old) players will suddenly just learn how to do it and improve because they have to, rather than just butting their heads against a wall and wipe and give up, then you have a very different experience with pugging and trying to coach new players than I do.

> > >

> > > The amount of actual high end players who take pleasure in actually learning, adjusting and improving and can crush this content fairly easily like us is a lot smaller than you may think, which isn't surprising considering how little content catering to those players to attract or keep them around we had over the years.

> > >

> > > For people who still have their statics around, yea sure, who cares (on a personal level). But in terms of actually pugging and life of the content as a whole, these recent changes have been a pretty big oof.

> >

> > Yeah but should we really be able to easily pugs cms. I mean ya you need huge improvement from t2-t3 t3-t4 and them cms. Go run t2 or 3 with pugs trying for the fractal weekly and you see just how bad the population is. Now you can easily get carried thru t3 but once t4 hits then cms you basically can't play lol ima play any class for fun which you can thru those tiers you almost have to start swapping to the 4 or 5 carry type classes. So, new players will have to find decent players and start forming statics just like most of you have done. It's just the talent pool to chose from is lower. I like to play what I like not conform and many players are the same way but in order to go to cms you need t adjust improve join a guild maybe or start a static now which I see no issue in doing. Some players joining pugs throwing rocks to beat content again allowed players to not learn and get carried by consumables or consumable and better players. It thins the herd an already thin herd. Adjust or skip harder content. At least now theres no extra cheese involved.

> > Next move to further separate skill level is anet will block mechanic skips so even if you 100-20 on the 1st mechanic it resets to 75 and you must do each mechanic not bypass stacking 7 sb or power chronos etc. That's raids tho.

>

> Considering we are speaking about less than 0.5% of the playerbase (depending on how many people are not on efficiency likely much lower) being able to clear the content, I don't know if saying people can easily PuG CM's is applicable, even with things like CC consumables.

> And while I absolutely recommend statics and communities, especially to newer players trying to learn, I don't think making LFG just pretty much useless and unviable to form groups with that can clear the content is a good idea. LFG, at least imo, shouldn't just be an advertising platform for sellers - but be a viable way to form groups regardless of skill level, with a proper way for each player to filter according to their own.

> You are saying that "the talent pool to choose from just is lower" very flippantly, when it's already been critically low for years now and needed to go in the opposite direction, especially after literally years of no new content.

>

> Imo what Fractals needed is a proper official KP system, like progressing Title achievements, giving out new Titles at something like 1-5-10-20 clears for people to matchmake with.

> Things like the consumable "unintended clunky gameplay" could have much better been solved by making them a Novelty which players can slot in and use via hotkey without having to have the inventory open, etc.

>

> There were so many options though to make this content more accessible, which was the goal with these changes and which the content desperately needs if it should warrant further development due to having a healthy population, without taking away all the fun intricacies that made Fractals unique and fun, and actually helped people to matchmake more accurately to avoid toxicity due to different players with different skill levels and expectations clashing.

>

> Yet Anet instead is both dumbing the game down, making it less interesting for Veterans, continually taking away from the high end experience, while at the same time making the content far less accessible and more toxic for new and less proficient players.

>

> That's just a bad move on all fronts, and the only ones celebrating or crying for those changes in the first place are those who have no idea about the community of that content and the content itself, which unfortunately somehow seems to include the devs.

>

> Fractals where fun and unique because of all the cheese you could do in that content, it rewards player creativity, dedication, knowledge as well as proficiency and gives them agency.

> Stripping all that away for a bland clinical experience that only 0.1% of the player base can do is helping no one, and I say that even as someone who is in that 0.1%.

>

> It always goes: Anet introduces a problem -> players find an imperfect solution to the problem -> Anet takes away the solution because it's not perfect/is unintended -> players are stuck with the problem -> Anet never goes back to actually address the problem and players grow frustrated/leave due to not having access to any solutions anymore, no matter how good or bad.

>

> That's just not sustainable, as the numbers show.

This happens when you are not playing your game (as devs). It's the main problem from the start, like hello? If you don't even know your own game, how the hell can some dev can do some changes (good ones in their eyes) when they have no idea how this content works,to begin with. And this is not the first time when they are doing this,BUT a lot of vets out there are starting to say "enough its enough". I have been into many fractals guilds,and they all died. I mean if Anet wants fractals to be always with a foot in the grave, so be yet, but i am tired of this BS, and it's not only about consumables, but every decisions they made regarding the fractals.

If Anet thinks we will accept newbies in CMs, since they don't even know what CC means, its actually the other way around. Imaging being such a clueless company KEK. Now i want some devs from Anet playing 100CM...Oh wait they still click their skills ...

I am dying of laughing... I have no idea what is happening at Anet HQ, but these guys are the MOST clueless devs i have ever seen in my 20+ years carrier of a MMO player.

Well like everyone said, it does look great, i did CM last night (DoD) but that's it. I won't see me putting more time into this CM. Waste of time,and imagine this CM with some nasty instabs.

> @"phokus.8934" said:

> I don’t care who Revenants get but I’d love to use a scepter.

Same here. I don't want a GS because it means we will suck AGAIN at range (let's face it aside of WvW, hammer sux big time) and Shorbow on Renegade its ok as a power or condi too, BUT since we lack Power DPS i would prefer Scepter but to work exactly like on Guardian. As you all know, the scepter on guard can pe used as a Melee wep/range and aside of some situations, it does have higher dps than sword. So yes, i want scepter as on our new elite spec,but to work melee/range so we could have SOMETHING worth carrying.

@"Teratus.2859" : you want to know a magic trick? Create your own LFG. Ez ! Now go back to your game and try my magic trick. You said raiders are toxic, but reading your comments its you (and other players like you) who are wayyyyyyy toxic than the others. End of story/thread imo.

/////// Nvm...

Get used with it. There were this big and shiny first, and then they nerfed them to egg shells. Now,i'm happy that they reverted auras to what they were in the past.

So, they didn't learned their lesson in the first place? Well well welll...Last time,half of their devs have left, now what will happen when they will blow all the monies? Shut down of Anet? It seems so...When you are doing twice, the same mistake, and almost costed the whole company, and you try again...LUL LUL LUL

Because you didn't bind her as a skin on your account. So, right click on the axe and choose "Unlock Skin".This will made your weapon,account bound and unlocked on your collection

> @"Fueki.4753" said:

> I'd really like more dungeons.

> The game needs more casual instanced content (and no, Strikes aren't).

I do hope you are joking, or you forgot to use /sarcasm. Strikes are like, imo, Tier 1 Fractal bosses. They are the casual instanced content as you can get. Lower than that, its pressing 1111111111 in Open World at meta events.

Yes, she is Ashley from Mass Effect. I recognized her voice in the first seconds. And of course when she is saying "Commander" i got goosebumps.

What IF, the "Mother" Kralkatorrik said about its the "Steve"? Deep SEA Dragon...As we know, water represent the element of life (metaphorically speaking). Maybe DSD its the creator of all EDs, since her domain will be the biggest of all (The Unending Ocean). I mean even the devs told us that, Kralkatorrik's last word was not something random like "LuL iz ded". And let's not forget, that Kralkatorrik crashed in the ocean (along side with all those inslands brought from Domains of the Gods). Just my opinion.

It simple actually. They want to milk every penny from this game. Aside of this "Saga" i doubt they have a vision about this game. So they "hot pancake" now its the Build Templates, who will try to squeeze as muuuuuch as they can get from peoples. I mean,we've seen that their priority is Gemstore and monetization. Guild Wars 2 could have been so much more than an average AT BEST, compared with today's MMOs.

The devs are pretty much in air,when its about WvW. They don't know what to do with this mode, but since NCSoft came here in hot, all whats left about this game, will turn into a "cash cow", by milking the last players who are spending their time on this game.

Yes, they increased the rate drop from 0,01 to 0,02. TADA !!!!!!! Doubled the chance :astonished:

> @"Ultramex.1506" said:

> I'm more interested in how PvE players will react when the legendary amulet come to WvW first.

Well let's see. Aurora + Vision = 100 % Open world PvE. Coalescence = 90% PvE Raid and 10% Open World. I do hope, we will get at least the other ring or the amulet specific for WvW. Or they should follow the same route as they did with Legendary armor , upgraded from ascended.

I think someone (a dev) put some zeroes before the "," number chance of dropping.

> @"Ayrilana.1396" said:

> > @"SidewayS.3789" said:

> > > @"Ashantara.8731" said:

> > > > @"Kahrgan.7401" said:

> > > > I could theoretically play for the next 10 years and never get it. Thats not a good thing.

> > >

> > > Or you could buy the box off the Trading Post...

> >

> > Sorry to burst you bubble of a white knight, but the box with those helms can't be trade it. Its account bound.

>

> You sure?

>

> https://wiki.guildwars2.com/wiki/Visage_of_the_Khan-Ur

>

> https://www.gw2tp.com/item/91924-visage-of-the-khan-ur

When i posted, there wasnt a single drop. Still the drop rate its lower i guess, than the Chak Egg infusion

> @"Ashantara.8731" said:

> > @"Kahrgan.7401" said:

> > I could theoretically play for the next 10 years and never get it. Thats not a good thing.

>

> Or you could buy the box off the Trading Post...

Sorry to burst you bubble of a white knight, but the box with those helms can't be trade it. Its account bound.

> @"CrimeDog.5614" said:

> > @"SidewayS.3789" said:

> > > @"CrimeDog.5614" said:

> > > > @"Nury.3062" said:

> > > > Rytlock dies saving his son(because of Bangar) and somehow Logan is around to go on a rampage and kill Bangar in revenge! What do you think? Too generic?!

> > >

> > > Your post title is a disgrace to the wonderful, spoiler free community we have here at GW2 by revealing such a major plot point to all the community in your post title. I can't believe it. Thanks for spoiling the story for me and everyone else!!! ANet, where are your moderators to immediately stop something like this! Thanks for ruining my day. I'll NEVER visit the forums again because of this. Been a loyal GW2 player since beta and never have I been so upset at someone for their lake of consideration for other players and their enjoyment for the story.

> >

> > You forgot to use /sarcasm off. :astonished:

>

> Wait, so this whole rytlock thing isn't true? I didn't even read the post, all I saw was the title and immediately lost my mind.

No, Rytlock doesn't die or anything of it. In his post, he's speaking of maybe a future for Rytlock.