Some traits are downscaled twice, and can be abused when upscaled twice

[Tulki.1458]

There's an issue with some traits and effects in the game that apply attribute bonuses.

 

This is a bit weird to explain, but some traits will apply attribute bonuses that scale with effective level. For instance, Thermal Vision (https://wiki.guildwars2.com/wiki/Thermal_Vision) grants bonus expertise when slotted.

 

The amount of expertise provided is based on your effective level, up to 150 at effective level 80.

 

However, this stat bonus is applied before your character is downscaled, which means that it becomes substantially less effective if you're using it in any zone below your character's real level.

 

For instance, if you were to take that same trait into Ascalonian Catacombs, you would get a level 35 version of it which grants 66 expertise. Seems fine, but then this already-reduced amount gets further downscaled and the actual bonus ends up being only 11 (or 2.56% condition duration...)

 

Some traits get applied properly after downscaling instead. It seems like traits that appear on your buff bar get applied properly, and ones that don't end up scaling twice.

 

The traits that scale twice can also be somewhat abused in WvW if you're upscaled to level 80.

[Tulki.1458]

Looks like this bug also applies to the Blademaster trait for warriors: https://wiki.guildwars2.com/wiki/Blademaster

It also affects the necromancer's Last Rites trait: https://wiki.guildwars2.com/wiki/Last_Rites

[Ayrilana.1396]

Did you take a level 35 character with the traits and test it against a level 80 character down-scaled to level 35? Did you ensure that all other items that could increase the stat were removed from both characters when comparing so that you were looking solely at what the traits were adding?

[Tulki.1458]

Yes, I've tested these on low level characters and level 80 characters. Level 80 characters are disproportionately downscaled, and lower level characters are disproportionately upscaled.

 

As an example, I took a level 21 warrior with that Blademaster trait into WvW. When you are level 21, Blademaster will give you +952 expertise and +952 condition damage, instead of 120.

 

Here's an image of the base character: https://i.imgur.com/irZSEqD.jpg

Here's the exact same character with blademaster slotted: https://i.imgur.com/lX1jfsw.jpg

As a result, a trait that should be giving me 8% condition duration is instead giving me almost 64%, because I'm getting the level 80 version which is then upscaled because I'm level 21.

 

If you equip level-appropriate gear on a lower level character and plug in traits that are bugged and double-scale, you can abuse your way to normally impossible stats. If I did this on necromancer, I could abuse Last Rites to gain 1200 healing power, or 3600 healing power when below 50% health. There's no way you can have that much healing power under normal circumstances.