12.12 patch note

[zealex.9410]

> @"ReaverKane.7598" said:

> So wait, the top tier dps class got buffed while everything else got nerfed?

> That's kind of the opposite of balance Arena net...

> And now i have to go around looking at which boss skills are unblockable cause can't distort allies anymore...

 

Top tier dps in what mode exactly? Because it wasnt in pve.

[zealex.9410]

> @"OriOri.8724" said:

> I'm happy. I don't understand the mantra changes, because what's holding them back is the ridiculously clunky aspect of them. But hey, its still buffs.

>

> Inspiring distortion........ I don't even know what to say honestly. Yes, it could be abused in WvW. In PvE the devs showed they did not have a problem designing encounters around it. But such a savage nerf to it, I don't get it.

 

Not around it. Newer encounters had key mechanics basically ignore it.

[Wandering Mist.2973]

It will be interesting to see if Chrono tanks in raids take something else instead of Inspiration, since distortion sharing was the main reason for taking that trait line in the first place.

[Xstein.2187]

> @"Wandering Mist.2973" said:

> It will be interesting to see if Chrono tanks in raids take something else instead of Inspiration, since distortion sharing was the main reason for taking that trait line in the first place.

 

Its still probably needed for Illusionary Inspiration.

 

[Wandering Mist.2973]

> @"Xstein.2187" said:

> > @"Wandering Mist.2973" said:

> > It will be interesting to see if Chrono tanks in raids take something else instead of Inspiration, since distortion sharing was the main reason for taking that trait line in the first place.

>

> Its still probably needed for Illusionary Inspiration.

>

 

Is that trait really that useful when chances are you will already have all the buffs on the whole raid anyway? I'd rather take the increased damage from either the illusion or duelling line personally.

[NICENIKESHOE.7128]

Had to ask this since I never tested aegis on those mechanics. But what raid bosses mechanics can be distort but not block? I can think of VG green, Gors goo, Samarog friends etc on top of my head but can't quite remember Sloth dirty dog, Cairn agony, MO minion explode.

[pico.6402]

I can't play today but cananyone check changes to enemies with defiance bar. I mean can we hit with power block even if defiace is active/deaktive?

[Aylaine.1036]

The distortion nerf is harsh, but was needed. Being able to bypass whole mechanics wasn't exactly balanced and people knew that. They've just been used to doing it for so long. xD

 

Other then that...this balance patch is weird. All the naysayers were wrong. Like all of them. Can't wait to see their replies in here later.

[Zenith.7301]

Distort share being gone is fine. No one class should remove responsibility from others to react to a raid mechanic.

 

I do wish they'd revamp aegis to in PvE absorb the next 2-3 attacks since the single strike is often erased by pulsing damage or casual damage, so its usage to avoid larger spikes is unreliable.

 

But then again guardian is far better at aegis provision so they'd just bring guardian for that.

[Wandering Mist.2973]

> @"Aylaine.1036" said:

> The distortion nerf is harsh, but was needed. Being able to bypass whole mechanics wasn't exactly balanced and people knew that. They've just been used to doing it for so long. xD

>

> Other then that...this balance patch is weird. All the naysayers were wrong. Like all of them. Can't wait to see their replies in here later.

 

Yeah, apart from a couple of bug fixes that trait hasn't been touched since it was introduced in 2015.

[Curunen.8729]

Inspiring Distortion - LOL! xD what the hell? Good job I've ditched Inspiration.

 

OMG I'm loving the phantasmal seeking axe and Imaginary Axes buff though. ;) Wow and I was already loving axe, now it's even more amazing! :D

[Syprus Soulslayer.1640]

^ This, plus the buff to mantra of the resolve ;)

[Cyninja.2954]

Overall very good changes besides distortion.

 

Let's be realistic though, there was only 2 ways to deal with this. Either make it affect 10 people and reduce chrono spots to 1 (and make raid content way to easy) or nerf it. Leaves chronos with 2 spots still. Can't say I'm to unhappy, chrono had to carry way to hard already. This way I can relax a bit more when tanking.

 

The condi changes seem brutal. Might make mirage good again.

 

Overall interesting changes I'd say. The barrier change is huge.

[Sephylon.4938]

I find it curious that ineptitude wasn't included with the changes of interrupts vs defiance bars.

[Xstein.2187]

> @"Wandering Mist.2973" said:

> > @"Xstein.2187" said:

> > > @"Wandering Mist.2973" said:

> > > It will be interesting to see if Chrono tanks in raids take something else instead of Inspiration, since distortion sharing was the main reason for taking that trait line in the first place.

> >

> > Its still probably needed for Illusionary Inspiration.

> >

>

> Is that trait really that useful when chances are you will already have all the buffs on the whole raid anyway? I'd rather take the increased damage from either the illusion or duelling line personally.

 

TBH, I don't know what the leeway is for quickness on chrono. However, Illusionary Inspiration theoretically can give your allies an extra 6 seconds of quickness roughly every 22.5 seconds with perma alacrity and 100% boon duration (obviously theory is hard to get perfect in reality). It all depends on maintaining permanent quickness on your allies, which is always going to be the most important part. Meanwhile, SoI also doesn't require your allies to stand in wells (they should, but just in case something goes wrong). Additionally, if not inspiration, domination with blurred inscriptions gives a 20% reduced cool down to SoI. There are just a lot of things to consider before jumping on the 'try to put in more dps bandwagon'.

 

[psizone.8437]

> @"reikken.4961" said:

> This is insane. Condi mesmer--the burstiest condi class in the game, arguably even above necro (which is more sustained)--was actually buffed. In a patch meant to reduce condi burst. Someone at anet is trolling hard.

>

> I expected like, ineptitude reduced to 1 stack for 10s, like what everything else got. But no. Axe burst increased. End list. ???

 

Yeah, seems like they forgot what the balance patch was for this time around.

 

Expect to see more Condi Mirages in WvW and much more complaints until the next balance patch.

[ReaverKane.7598]

> @"zealex.9410" said:

> > @"ReaverKane.7598" said:

> > So wait, the top tier dps class got buffed while everything else got nerfed?

> > That's kind of the opposite of balance Arena net...

> > And now i have to go around looking at which boss skills are unblockable cause can't distort allies anymore...

>

> Top tier dps in what mode exactly? Because it wasnt in pve.

 

I'll direct you to https://qtfy.eu/guildwars/benchmarks-11-07-17/

 

[Damio Roncartia.7041]

> @"ReaverKane.7598" said:

> > @"zealex.9410" said:

> > > @"ReaverKane.7598" said:

> > > So wait, the top tier dps class got buffed while everything else got nerfed?

> > > That's kind of the opposite of balance Arena net...

> > > And now i have to go around looking at which boss skills are unblockable cause can't distort allies anymore...

> >

> > Top tier dps in what mode exactly? Because it wasnt in pve.

>

> I'll direct you to https://qtfy.eu/guildwars/benchmarks-11-07-17/

>

 

HA. Someone hasn't been paying attention at all.

Some reading for you.

[Dethl.2875]

> @"ReaverKane.7598" said:

> > @"zealex.9410" said:

> > > @"ReaverKane.7598" said:

> > > So wait, the top tier dps class got buffed while everything else got nerfed?

> > > That's kind of the opposite of balance Arena net...

> > > And now i have to go around looking at which boss skills are unblockable cause can't distort allies anymore...

> >

> > Top tier dps in what mode exactly? Because it wasnt in pve.

>

> I'll direct you to https://qtfy.eu/guildwars/benchmarks-11-07-17/

>

 

no offense dude but you're going to get dumpstered using old benchmarks

the phant build is still boring and up there but 40k clone build is dead as a doornail

[Cyninja.2954]

> @"ReaverKane.7598" said:

> > @"zealex.9410" said:

> > > @"ReaverKane.7598" said:

> > > So wait, the top tier dps class got buffed while everything else got nerfed?

> > > That's kind of the opposite of balance Arena net...

> > > And now i have to go around looking at which boss skills are unblockable cause can't distort allies anymore...

> >

> > Top tier dps in what mode exactly? Because it wasnt in pve.

>

> I'll direct you to https://qtfy.eu/guildwars/benchmarks-11-07-17/

>

 

Outdated benchmarks for the win. God I hope you jumped on the mirage hype train based on that benchmark.

[Zoser.7245]

> @"Xstein.2187" said:

> > @"Wandering Mist.2973" said:

> > > @"Xstein.2187" said:

> > > > @"Wandering Mist.2973" said:

> > > > It will be interesting to see if Chrono tanks in raids take something else instead of Inspiration, since distortion sharing was the main reason for taking that trait line in the first place.

> > >

> > > Its still probably needed for Illusionary Inspiration.

> > >

> >

> > Is that trait really that useful when chances are you will already have all the buffs on the whole raid anyway? I'd rather take the increased damage from either the illusion or duelling line personally.

>

> TBH, I don't know what the leeway is for quickness on chrono. However, Illusionary Inspiration theoretically can give your allies an extra 6 seconds of quickness roughly every 22.5 seconds with perma alacrity and 100% boon duration (obviously theory is hard to get perfect in reality). It all depends on maintaining permanent quickness on your allies, which is always going to be the most important part. Meanwhile, SoI also doesn't require your allies to stand in wells (they should, but just in case something goes wrong). Additionally, if not inspiration, domination with blurred inscriptions gives a 20% reduced cool down to SoI. There are just a lot of things to consider before jumping on the 'try to put in more dps bandwagon'.

>

 

The Inspirin Distorsion is a big nerf and quickness can be shared by other professions that hit a lot harder while tanking too. Now is to be seen if only alacrity is enough to maintain the Chrono's spot or be replaced. Mirage wasn't meta or wanted in half or more of the raids even being OP with the bug, so now, even with the buff of the axe that are good changes for other game modes it will no affect the raid composition... less if some nerfs to others open that spot. I still need to read the other professions change to watch if something could affect us indirectly too... Barriers! I'm sad for the scepter because I'm fan of that weapon but nothing to do with it aside test it, compare if with staff, adapt the build if necessary, etc. I'm curious about the axe changes, I'll test it later together with the scepter.

 

Aside for the Chrono and raids, plus the scepter, we should be happy with the changes. Time to test them in our and other professions too.

[NICENIKESHOE.7128]

> @"ReaverKane.7598" said:

> I'll direct you to https://qtfy.eu/guildwars/benchmarks-11-07-17/

>

 

In case you haven't notice, the patch at 28/11/2017 reduce the 40k mirage to 25k dps if you're still playing the same build. Some people played around the traits/builds and manage to generate 30k on this forum I think?

 

Anyway I'm actually surprised the dev actually buffed the axe by 1.5-1.75x to bring it back up. Has anyone tested if it reaches 33-34k now?

 

Also axe trait is very underused in PvP/WvW. Sword is used instead in every meta build for mobility and survival, and even less people trait for axe due to how much survival you can get from desert distortion. So I really don't get all the complaining on the buff, seems like people who complain are those who don't really play the class.

[tartarus.1082]

As a primarily pvp Mesmer, I gotta love the portal update.

 

But I'm kinda salty they didn't modify the condi bursts like they did with everything else. At the very least they should've looked at the burn application of torch. I mean if you line things up right you can blast like 9 stacks alongside everything else.

 

Although resolve buff is gonna be bliss ???

[NICENIKESHOE.7128]

Also, not to shit on qT or their believers. They did a terrific job on establishing raid meta, but qT mentioned on their website they kinda lose drive to play GW2 and will update less. Probably why their benchmark is still outdated. I recommend checking Snow Crows as they're putting more effort now on mentioning what build is outdated etc.

[apharma.3741]

Re-posting this here because people have/will ask questions about why confusion wasn't addressed etc.

 

> @"Karl McLain.5604" said:

> The primary design for confusion is 'burst'; it's expected to deliver a lot of stacks at once for low duration, punishing skill usage for a short while and then falling off quickly. Due to this difference in nature, we chose to leave it alone in this patch.