Alacrity: Time for a Change

[SuperduperMLGbsns.9345]

Tl;dr the comments

 

My first intention is that you have killed the Chrono in raids with the change of the Alacrity into a boon and gets full replaced by Rev in terms of dmg, easiness (is that even a word?) to play, and buff uptime.

 

As a main chrono player Im absolutely not amused since I hate rev since this class was released.

[Astralporing.1957]

> @"Nukkuu.6591" said:

> > @"Knox.8962" said:

> > Just some numbers for reference since there are a lot of people claiming they always have 100% alacrity uptime already.

> >

> > Alacrity Uptimes (50th Percentile) - Per GW2Raidar

>

> Balance shouldn't be based around the lowest common denominator, it should be on the 90th percentile.

>

> Also, you might wanna look at that MO and Xera P1 numbers which show that when static on the boss even the lowest 50th percentile has at least 73% uptime. Those other uptimes are artificially skewed low because of split phases on the bosses, boss movement and other mechanics. It's the same reason we don't have golem level DPS on bosses.

>

> So anyone higher than the lowest common denominator already had 90+% alacrity uptime in the moments when it mattered, when you're on the boss and have a solid rotation.

So, suddenly half of the raiding population is _the lowest common denominator_ now? I don't think you actually know what that term means.

 

[Knox.8962]

> @"Astralporing.1957" said:

> > @"Nukkuu.6591" said:

> > > @"Knox.8962" said:

> > > Just some numbers for reference since there are a lot of people claiming they always have 100% alacrity uptime already.

> > >

> > > Alacrity Uptimes (50th Percentile) - Per GW2Raidar

> >

> > Balance shouldn't be based around the lowest common denominator, it should be on the 90th percentile.

> >

> > Also, you might wanna look at that MO and Xera P1 numbers which show that when static on the boss even the lowest 50th percentile has at least 73% uptime. Those other uptimes are artificially skewed low because of split phases on the bosses, boss movement and other mechanics. It's the same reason we don't have golem level DPS on bosses.

> >

> > So anyone higher than the lowest common denominator already had 90+% alacrity uptime in the moments when it mattered, when you're on the boss and have a solid rotation.

> So, suddenly half of the raiding population is _the lowest common denominator_ now? I don't think you actually know what that phrase means.

>

 

Maybe he's the lowest common denominator for statistics....

 

> @"SuperduperMLGbsns.9345" said:

> Tl;dr the comments

>

> My first intention is that you have killed the Chrono in raids with the change of the Alacrity into a boon and gets full replaced by Rev in terms of dmg, easiness (is that even a word?) to play, and buff uptime.

>

> As a main chrono player Im absolutely not amused since I hate rev since this class was released.

 

Early napkin math looks like you may end up with _better_ alacrity uptime with this change.

[SuperduperMLGbsns.9345]

> @"Knox.8962" said:

> > @"SuperduperMLGbsns.9345" said:

> > Tl;dr the comments

> >

> > My first intention is that you have killed the Chrono in raids with the change of the Alacrity into a boon and gets full replaced by Rev in terms of dmg, easiness (is that even a word?) to play, and buff uptime.

> >

> > As a main chrono player Im absolutely not amused since I hate rev since this class was released.

>

> Early napkin math looks like you may end up with _better_ alacrity uptime with this change.

This also applies to every class. Remember Rev has more dps and grp heal as well from the current perspesctive

 

 

[Astralporing.1957]

> @"Knox.8962" said:

> Early napkin math looks like you may end up with _better_ alacrity uptime with this change.

Depends. Lot of problems with reaching high alacrity/quickness uptime in non-high end groups are not a result of mesmer failing to output of those boons stably enough, but a result of players simply not standing in wells, for example.

 

 

[Knox.8962]

What I'm saying is, you will likely have _BETTER_ access to alacrity as a Chrono because of the boonification.

 

See [here](https://en-forum.guildwars2.com/discussion/26751/mesmer-quickness#latest) for more details.

[TheSlothArmada.6709]

Title is bad pun

 

Like these changes :(

[ravenite.6041]

As an average (chrono) player, I'm partially afraid of these changes. I run T4 fractals daily with pugs, and you never know what you're going to get - unless it's some meta. But even then, avoiding mechanics and staying out of stupid sometimes hinder me from managing to get into my Well of Action since I had to roll out from bad due to not anticipating it. That combined with sometimes missing the sweet 4s quickness, _ IF_ you manage to catch the shield nr 5, Tides of Time, due to the wave spazzing out and going wherever, contribute to hard uptime management as a solo (average - god, I'm far from an expert but still enjoy) mesmer. Not to mention doing the weapon swap at the wrong time and missing the proc from Sigil of Concentration at the right time for the extra 33% boon duration. I'd really like if the quickness provided by ToT would stay. The quickness provided is better than nothing when/if missing the well.

 

Proper Chronos can be hard to find, from what I've gathered. They're hard to master, and the gear can be quite expensive. I remember the grind for crystalline ore in order to be able to buy a single Superior Rune of the Leadership after ages, or doing even more grinding in WvW to get one. Thankfully, Superior Rune of Firebrand is a lot cheaper than that and works just as fine, even if you need more stats invested into concentration to compensate.

 

Another thing that comes to mind is how useless I sometimes feel in certain fractals with a lot of ads spawning, like in the Swampland. There's not time to spawn clones/phantasms before the ads are all killed by others, and I'm kind of just... flailing around. I even sometimes have issues contributing with DPS (or maybe it's the druids) in the phase of CM Siax the Corrupted, in which designated targets, Echoes of the Unclean, will need to be taken down in time before the party wipes. Hopefully the changes to phantasms will help in that but it remains to be seen.

 

**tl;dr: ** A kind of a newbie afraid of these changes, chronos are hard to master as is and gear is expensive. People may stay clear from the class depending on how the changes affect the class overall.

[Mal.1670]

Interesting, Chill will have an opposite boon to match skill recharge duration. This also opens up the option for existing skills to have the new boon, like how Torment was gradually added to vanilla skills, cool stuff.

[Adril lino.2903]

> @"Robert Gee.9246" said:

> > @"Sephylon.4938" said:

> > Since alac is becoming a boon, will other classes gain access to the alacrity boon as well or will it still be chrono and rev that can give alac?

> We don't plan to add alacrity to other professions at this time.

>

> > @"TwilightSoul.9048" said:

> > I'm wondering about Quickness uptime for Chronomancer now since they replaced Quickness on Tides of Time with Alacrity

> I am guessing you are talking about uptime for a raid group and not personal quickness uptime? When we checked current raid builds we found that quickness uptime was already higher than 100%. Removing it from Tides of Time should still allow full uptime, though it may be a little more difficult to run without Time Warp now.

>

>

I don't agree with that, tides of time was one of the main quickness source for 10 ppl , like if u had 2 chronos 2 tides of times goes for 10 ppl, now we will lack in quickness for sure cause u can't take Timewarp in most of the LFG grps , cause there lack in CC, what is also a bad design of the new classes, Heavy CC is rare in raids , only the Druids and Chrono had it. So now we are forced to take timewap and hope that all do CC if they even can handle it. Also whats about power Builds for Chronomancer? Currently we can change for evry single situation/Raid Boss our gear and traits, as example: For mursaat overseer i could play Illu/deul for also doing dps as chronomancer with full zerk gear and scholar runes , whats now? are we now foreced to go full commander gear and don't deal any dmg or palying with 2 ministrel chronos?? or going with full exo gear and platinum doubloon again? how alacrity will stack?

 

 

And is there a new Stat combo planned for chronomancer focus? Like Power/Precision/Ferocity/Concentration? cause that would help alot not to feel useless, otherwise

if chronomancer doing less than firebrand, he will be replaced in raids (renegade for alacrity and quickness firebrand). I rly hope that you guys done a good job...... and i don't hope it end up like the necro .....

[BrokenGlass.9356]

> @"lagrangewei.8516" said:

> from the way this is word it is clear that this is a lame attempt to fix something they broke.

> and the fix is clearly worst then the problem.

>

> 1. you mess up the uptime because of changes to Phantasm.

> 2. despite it being an alaracity nerf, you CONTINUED to nerf base alaracity without giving anything to compensate it.

> 3. then, you mess with quickness for no kitten reason just because you can't balance your changes.

>

> PLS RESIGN, you are clearly incapable of game design. ;)

>

> every decision made here it not to address a problem but to create one, which end up needing more change to address. this is not how you balance a game, this is how you break it.

>

> now the problem express is well understood by the developer, since if uptime cannot be maintain, just make the existing skill more powerful, you don't mess with even more skill with the potential to break even more balance. especially since you have already decide to nerf alaracity, then the impact of those skill being to powerful is less of a concern, why would the skill not be balance to provide the incentive to make their useless again after the power they grant are nerf from 33% to 25%? the goal is simply to reduce the overall power of alacrity to which the reduction has already address, you could just wholesale extend the duration of all alacrity just as the solution we have with barrier, why make it more complicated then it need to be?

>

> what trigger me is not the balancing as there are worst balancing issue in the game, what trigger me is the rationality of these changes are entirely irrational, the objective of balance patch is to solve problem, not create more problem to which you have to rebalance, if this is the method of operation for anet balancing, the game will become less and less balanced as these changes will take time for it impact to be understood, studied and balance again. given the amount of resources anet has put into balancing in the past, i am not convinced anet has the resource and determination to make the changes worthwhile. I hope you guys have resources for the problem that would follow because it going to be a big pile of choya juice to deal with for the 2018 seasons. GL.

 

You act like the game isn't up and running. The game is a house of cards. Changing phantasms was an issue on a bottom layer of that house of cards, meaning that they had to rebuild on the framework.

 

You can't just change the size of one gear in a watch, then not change the other gears that interface with that gear.

 

Phantasms are an old complaint of the mesmer community for the last 5 years. So, you personally may find this the height of *ineptitude*, but that just makes you *blind* and *confused* in the wake of the changes.

 

I do guitar repairs for a living... And I'm damn good it. But when some fourm-reading-mouth-breathing-hobbist tells me how to do my job... I just smile on the inside as my imagination treats me to the image of 'shhhhh!ing' thier slowly dying corpse as I strangle them with thier own entrails. A bit like doctors must feel when you give them your web MD diagnosis.

 

So... Are you a game designer? Didn't think so....

[SuperduperMLGbsns.9345]

> @"Knox.8962" said:

> What I'm saying is, you will likely have _BETTER_ access to alacrity as a Chrono because of the boonification.

>

> See [here](https://en-forum.guildwars2.com/discussion/26751/mesmer-quickness#latest) for more details.

 

How much alacrity do you even need?

https://dps.report/amZh-20180129-104311_mo

 

Can be reached on other bosses as well or at least over 90%, depending on mechanics/stacking

I need dmg, not more alacrity

[Knox.8962]

> @"SuperduperMLGbsns.9345" said:

> > @"Knox.8962" said:

> > What I'm saying is, you will likely have _BETTER_ access to alacrity as a Chrono because of the boonification.

> >

> > See [here](https://en-forum.guildwars2.com/discussion/26751/mesmer-quickness#latest) for more details.

>

> How much alacrity do you even need?

> https://dps.report/amZh-20180129-104311_mo

>

> Can be reached on other bosses as well or at least over 90%, depending on mechanics/stacking

> I need dmg, not more alacrity

We don't have anywhere near enough data to talk about what damage will look like after this change. We can talk about quickness and alacrity, which is what a lot of people seem to be freaking out about.

 

For reference:

 

Chrono alacrity output at 99, 90, and 50 percentiles respectively. These skew slightly high because the chrono frequently gets 1.5x duration, but these should be close enough to compare.

 

* Matt - 90.7%, 75.6%, 54.0%

* SH - 93.7%, 85.9%, 69.6%

* MO - 98.2%, 92.3%, 75.7%

* Samarog - 83.6%, 71.5%, 58.0%

* Gors - 85.5%, 76.3%, 60.9%

 

Having access to more alacrity is good on basically any boss with more movement than MO (which is basically all of them).

[eldrjth.7384]

What if quickness as a group boon is tied more to the thieves kit than mesma, since thieves themselves currently do not provide many group buffs. It fits the thieves skill-set more than it does mesma since a lot dmg comes from autos and thematically speaking it fits too since thieves are the fast and nimble class.

 

Also maybe initiative generation for thieves could be increase either under the effects of alacrity or quickness, since initiative could be considered a cooldown mechanic or charge limiter and the attacks that use initiative are comparable to high auto-attack dmg.

[Astralporing.1957]

> @"Knox.8962" said:

> What I'm saying is, you will likely have _BETTER_ access to alacrity as a Chrono because of the boonification.

>

> See [here](https://en-forum.guildwars2.com/discussion/26751/mesmer-quickness#latest) for more details.

 

Unless they nerf the baseline to compensate for assumed 100% boon duration bonus. Also, see below.

 

> @"Knox.8962" said:

> Having access to more alacrity is good on basically any boss with more movement than MO (which is basically all of them).

Not when getting more alacrity (if we get more of it),which is already close to being capped on average runs, is going also to cost us some quickness (which _isn't_ close to being capped on average runs).

 

 

[LordOtto.2650]

Change alacrity into a boon?! Wtf?! You know what will happen in WvW?!

[SuperduperMLGbsns.9345]

> @"Knox.8962" said:

> > @"SuperduperMLGbsns.9345" said:

> We don't have anywhere near enough data to talk about what damage will look like after this change. We can talk about quickness and alacrity, which is what a lot of people seem to be freaking out about.

>

> For reference:

>

> Chrono alacrity output at 99, 90, and 50 percentiles respectively. These skew slightly high because the chrono frequently gets 1.5x duration, but these should be close enough to compare.

>

> * Matt - 90.7%, 75.6%, 54.0%

> * SH - 93.7%, 85.9%, 69.6%

> * MO - 98.2%, 92.3%, 75.7%

> * Samarog - 83.6%, 71.5%, 58.0%

> * Gors - 85.5%, 76.3%, 60.9%

>

> Having access to more alacrity is good on basically any boss with more movement than MO (which is basically all of them).

 

Where do you get these funny numbers?

Just did a ranom run on a twink acc and they didnt even stack well. Samarog is a boss that is almost as static as MO with the exception for the 'lovers'

mechanic

https://dps.report/2oDD-20180203-010449_sam

 

You can reach 90% with a good group. There and almost anywhere else (Xera is another thing and uptime on KC drops alot over time since stacking in mid doesnt require a full buff set)

 

[Daniel Handler.4816]

> @"Robert Gee.9246" said:

> > @"Sephylon.4938" said:

> > Since alac is becoming a boon, will other classes gain access to the alacrity boon as well or will it still be chrono and rev that can give alac?

> We don't plan to add alacrity to other professions at this time.

 

When fighting a Reaper can other professions gain or bestow perma alacrity just by converting the chill spam?

or

When fighting a Chronomancer can other professions apply perma chill just by corrupting the alacrity spam?

 

Also, does alacrity have a cap? Can Chronomancers still make use of Flow of Time in simultaneous shatters without overwriting stacks?

 

Thanks

 

[Knox.8962]

> @"SuperduperMLGbsns.9345" said:

> > @"Knox.8962" said:

> > > @"SuperduperMLGbsns.9345" said:

> > We don't have anywhere near enough data to talk about what damage will look like after this change. We can talk about quickness and alacrity, which is what a lot of people seem to be freaking out about.

> >

> > For reference:

> >

> > Chrono alacrity output at 99, 90, and 50 percentiles respectively. These skew slightly high because the chrono frequently gets 1.5x duration, but these should be close enough to compare.

> >

> > * Matt - 90.7%, 75.6%, 54.0%

> > * SH - 93.7%, 85.9%, 69.6%

> > * MO - 98.2%, 92.3%, 75.7%

> > * Samarog - 83.6%, 71.5%, 58.0%

> > * Gors - 85.5%, 76.3%, 60.9%

> >

> > Having access to more alacrity is good on basically any boss with more movement than MO (which is basically all of them).

>

> Where do you get these funny numbers?

> Just did a ranom run on a twink acc and they didnt even stack well. Samarog is a boss that is almost as static as MO with the exception for the 'lovers'

> mechanic

> https://dps.report/2oDD-20180203-010449_sam

>

> You can reach 90% with a good group. There and almost anywhere else (Xera is another thing and uptime on KC drops alot over time since stacking in mid doesnt require a full buff set)

>

 

Those numbers are from GW2Raidar's Global Stats

Boon output per boss

Take a Chrono's boon output and divide by 5 to get the uptime for the party they were in.

 

It should look [like this](https://ibb.co/iXRuER)

 

Your pug group was somewhere between 50th Percentile and 90th Percentile. That makes your pug slightly above average. I'm not sure what you're trying to demonstrate with this.

 

> @"Astralporing.1957" said:

> > @"Knox.8962" said:

> > What I'm saying is, you will likely have _BETTER_ access to alacrity as a Chrono because of the boonification.

> >

> > See [here](https://en-forum.guildwars2.com/discussion/26751/mesmer-quickness#latest) for more details.

>

> Unless they nerf the baseline to compensate for assumed 100% boon duration bonus. Also, see below.

>

> > @"Knox.8962" said:

> > Having access to more alacrity is good on basically any boss with more movement than MO (which is basically all of them).

> Not when getting more alacrity (if we get more of it),which is already close to being capped on average runs, is going also to cost us some quickness (which _isn't_ close to being capped on average runs).

>

Alacrity is typically well lower than quickness uptime. More numbers from GW2Raidar:

 

Cairn

* Quickness - 64.82%

* Alacrity - 50.91%

 

MO

* Quickness - 90.27%

* Alacrity - 73.09%

 

Samarog

* Quickness - 69.15%

* Alacrity - 55.52%

 

Deimos

* Quickness - 63.22%

* Alacrity - 39.31%

[Daniel Handler.4816]

> @"Karl McLain.5604" said:

> > @"nman.3714" said:

> > Can you please clarify the Improved Alacrity trait. The way its worded, the effects are unclear. > @"Gaile Gray.6029" said:

> > > A message from Robert Gee, Guild Wars 2 Systems Team

> > > we've updated the Chronomancer trait "Improved Alacrity" which now increases the potency of alacrity while decreasing the duration of incoming alacrity for the chronomancer only.

> >

> > Does the increase in the potency of alacrity effect the entire party, or just the chronomancer?

> >

> >

>

> Improved Alacrity's increased potency and decreased duration affects only the chronomancer, where any instance of alacrity going into the character will receive this treatment so long as you have this trait.

 

Dear Karl,

 

Are Ventari/Kalla renegades also receiving a similar trait now that the potency has gone down? The condi-support build for raids never needed to give 100% alacrity (even though it could) because they had enough uptime to be helpful while having okay dps. This change seems like a direct nerf to that playstyle.

 

We can't run boon duration gear without compromising Razorclaw's Rage. We can't run Herald and Renegade. We can't spam natural harmony more times without wasting massive amounts of energy. We will stop being a viable pick.

 

Please save this build. I don't want to play Condi druid.

 

Sincerely,

Kentigem

 

 

[Drecien.4508]

Scourges welcome this change. We love to convert more boons. nom nom nom

[SuperduperMLGbsns.9345]

> @"Knox.8962" said:

> > @"SuperduperMLGbsns.9345" said:

> > > @"Knox.8962" said:

> > > > @"SuperduperMLGbsns.9345" said:

> > > We don't have anywhere near enough data to talk about what damage will look like after this change. We can talk about quickness and alacrity, which is what a lot of people seem to be freaking out about.

> > >

> > > For reference:

> > >

> > > Chrono alacrity output at 99, 90, and 50 percentiles respectively. These skew slightly high because the chrono frequently gets 1.5x duration, but these should be close enough to compare.

> > >

> > > * Matt - 90.7%, 75.6%, 54.0%

> > > * SH - 93.7%, 85.9%, 69.6%

> > > * MO - 98.2%, 92.3%, 75.7%

> > > * Samarog - 83.6%, 71.5%, 58.0%

> > > * Gors - 85.5%, 76.3%, 60.9%

> > >

> > > Having access to more alacrity is good on basically any boss with more movement than MO (which is basically all of them).

> >

> > Where do you get these funny numbers?

> > Just did a ranom run on a twink acc and they didnt even stack well. Samarog is a boss that is almost as static as MO with the exception for the 'lovers'

> > mechanic

> > https://dps.report/2oDD-20180203-010449_sam

> >

> > You can reach 90% with a good group. There and almost anywhere else (Xera is another thing and uptime on KC drops alot over time since stacking in mid doesnt require a full buff set)

> >

>

> Those numbers are from GW2Raidar's Global Stats

> Boon output per boss

> Take a Chrono's boon output and divide by 5 to get the uptime for the party they were in.

>

> It should look [like this](https://ibb.co/iXRuER)

>

> Your pug group was somewhere between 50th Percentile and 90th Percentile. That makes your pug slightly above average. I'm not sure what you're trying to demonstrate with this.

 

Stats with Deadeye before Dare Devil and no listed Soulbeast are definitely a trustful source. God why did I even try it..

You also forgotten my main point: if Rev simply gets enough Alacrity and Quickness together Chrono will die as it is the only reason why this class has a reason to be played.

[Knox.8962]

> @"SuperduperMLGbsns.9345" said:

> > @"Knox.8962" said:

> > > @"SuperduperMLGbsns.9345" said:

> > > > @"Knox.8962" said:

> > > > > @"SuperduperMLGbsns.9345" said:

> > > > We don't have anywhere near enough data to talk about what damage will look like after this change. We can talk about quickness and alacrity, which is what a lot of people seem to be freaking out about.

> > > >

> > > > For reference:

> > > >

> > > > Chrono alacrity output at 99, 90, and 50 percentiles respectively. These skew slightly high because the chrono frequently gets 1.5x duration, but these should be close enough to compare.

> > > >

> > > > * Matt - 90.7%, 75.6%, 54.0%

> > > > * SH - 93.7%, 85.9%, 69.6%

> > > > * MO - 98.2%, 92.3%, 75.7%

> > > > * Samarog - 83.6%, 71.5%, 58.0%

> > > > * Gors - 85.5%, 76.3%, 60.9%

> > > >

> > > > Having access to more alacrity is good on basically any boss with more movement than MO (which is basically all of them).

> > >

> > > Where do you get these funny numbers?

> > > Just did a ranom run on a twink acc and they didnt even stack well. Samarog is a boss that is almost as static as MO with the exception for the 'lovers'

> > > mechanic

> > > https://dps.report/2oDD-20180203-010449_sam

> > >

> > > You can reach 90% with a good group. There and almost anywhere else (Xera is another thing and uptime on KC drops alot over time since stacking in mid doesnt require a full buff set)

> > >

> >

> > Those numbers are from GW2Raidar's Global Stats

> > Boon output per boss

> > Take a Chrono's boon output and divide by 5 to get the uptime for the party they were in.

> >

> > It should look [like this](https://ibb.co/iXRuER)

> >

> > Your pug group was somewhere between 50th Percentile and 90th Percentile. That makes your pug slightly above average. I'm not sure what you're trying to demonstrate with this.

>

> Stats with Deadeye before Dare Devil and no listed Soulbeast are definitely a trustful source. God why did I even try it..

> You also forgotten my main point: if Rev simply gets enough Alacrity and Quickness together Chrono will die as it is the only reason why this class has a reason to be played.

 

Deadeye has a .01 representation for Deimos. That means 1 out of every hundred Deimos kills has a DE. Presumably those are in groups doing the pirate ship strat.

 

Chrono has .67 power chronos and 1.29 support chronos per deimos kill. That means you're getting nearly 2 chronos per kill on average. That's a much better data set to work with.

 

Feel free to go [poke around the site](https://www.gw2raidar.com) for data.

[Feersum Endjinn.4179]

Along with all these changes and also the changes to regen for the minstrels, this will probably be me out of the game. I main chrono and don't play or enjoy other classes anywhere near as much. Oh well ANet, I'd say its been fun, but with all your nerfs, not so much..

[Yasi.9065]

Where should I start... theres so many misconceptions here ;)

 

Lets start with Chrono alacrity uptime and gw2raidar logs. Arcdps doesnt "pause" during invul phases, hence why every boss except MO has below 90% alacrity uptime. So can we please stop compairing apples and ... cars... and focus instead of what is achievable alacrity uptime during dmg phases?

 

Chrono alacrity, main source is... especially on commander/minstrel gear... shield phantasms. 2 shield phantasms and you are golden. So, the only difficulty is atm rotating your phantasms in a way to not loose those shield phantasms.

Rev alacrity, main source is... well, tablet utility skill... so, you spam that, you are golden. Imo a bit easier than keeping an eye out for your phantasms, but still NO rocket science.

Renegade alacrity, main source is command skill. Press on cooldown and manage energy. Also, no rocket science.

 

So, saying stuff like "alacrity is way more difficult to apply on a chrono and thats why chrono will be replaced by rev/renegade" is kinda really really ridiculous, if you think a bit about it. Quickness, now, thats another matter in most situations, and imo fb has an easier time to upkeep that then chrono. But thats just my subjective view. Even quickness 100% is still not rocket science, neither for chrono, nor for firebrand.

 

I see this change positive for now. It removes one more special buff, which I approve heartily off, and at the same time keeps the effect in a way that it now can be countered in WvW/PvP.

 

On tuesday we will see the hard data, but Id be quite surprised if chrono couldnt still maintain 100% alacrity, just now with a new rotation. Im a bit scared anet will cap alacrity at 5 (like quickness) and force chronos/renegades/revs to go 100% boon duration, which would suck tbh, at least until we finally get a good dps variant of harriers.

For chrono, Im slightly hopeful and excited for new rotations that dont revolve around having to upkeep 1-2 shield illusions anymore.

 

Its a big meta change, thats for sure. So far, the majority of all balance changes was towards less restrictive comps in raids, so Im hoping Anet keeps it that way and lets both variations get 100% uptime... chrono and ren/rev + fb. And who knows, maybe the new minstrel chrono rotation is actually interesting and gets to replace the off-healer, or even main-healer ;)