Sword Nerfs? (Nvm heard it was actually a buff)

[Kam.4092]

Why? Where is the skill split balance you promised?

 

Theorycrafters and benchmark players said it was a buff with the aftercast fix.

 

It’s a 7% Sword DPS increase apparently

[Ariurotl.3718]

They reduced the aftercast on Wave, so I'm guessing they're compensating so that the AA chain DPS stays roughly the same.

[Kam.4092]

> @"Ariurotl.3718" said:

> They reduced the aftercast on Wave, so I'm guessing they're compensating so that the AA chain DPS stays roughly the same.

 

Hoping it’s mostly because of Big Game Hunter now doing 20% instead of 10%. I guess Sword will do less cleave now on add fights

 

 

[kasoki.5180]

This feels like a joke. They took a weapon that already has no place in PvE and nerfed it. I would somehow understand if they nerfed damage for PvP only, but this feels just bad.

 

Like, why...?

[Ariurotl.3718]

I don't really understand what they mean by "attack point has been slightly increased". The hell is "attack point"? Did they make it narrower, wider, longer, shorter?

[Kam.4092]

> @"kasoki.5180" said:

> This feels like a joke. They took a weapon that already has no place in PvE and nerfed it. I would somehow understand if they nerfed damage for PvP only, but this feels just bad.

>

> Like, why...?

 

Sword is used over Scepter on targets that move a lot, and add fights. It’s used a lot over Scepter. Just because Scepter is used as the main weapon in benchmarks doesn’t make it always the best. If a target can stay in the Scepter Symbol, and doesn’t move, then Scepter is best. If it moves out of Symbol a lot, and there are adds, then Sword is better. Also Sword is great at heavy movement fights with the teleport.

 

Sword is a great weapon. It’s just beat by Scepter on stationary targets. I don’t understand the nerfs, and can only see how maybe the nerfs were a trade off for Big Game Hunter buff.

 

 

[otto.5684]

> @"Kam.4092" said:

> > @"kasoki.5180" said:

> > This feels like a joke. They took a weapon that already has no place in PvE and nerfed it. I would somehow understand if they nerfed damage for PvP only, but this feels just bad.

> >

> > Like, why...?

>

> Sword is used over Scepter on targets that move a lot, and add fights. It’s used a lot over Scepter. Just because Scepter is used as the main weapon in benchmarks doesn’t make it always the best. If a target can stay in the Scepter Symbol, and doesn’t move, then Scepter is best. If it moves out of Symbol a lot, and there are adds, then Sword is better. Also Sword is great at heavy movement fights with the teleport.

>

> Sword is a great weapon. It’s just beat by Scepter on stationary targets. I don’t understand the nerfs, and can only see how maybe the nerfs were a trade off for Big Game Hunter buff.

>

>

 

Scepter is better than sword in almost every situation in PvE except against small hit box targets that move, but move slowly.

 

While it seems it is an overall buff, the damage is more contingent now on the third hit in the chain, and sword is meh in PvE anyway. It needed more than slight buff that is a nerf outside of completing the AA chain.

[Ariurotl.3718]

Just checked and the chain feels much smoother now. Still no idea about the "attack point".

[Inogine.9075]

Mm, not a fan. Been using a sword/board build for a long time with my guardian. It never had great DPS in PvE to begin with but it was passable and now it's kinda garbage. Hmm, thanks Anet.

[Kam.4092]

> @"otto.5684" said:

> > @"Kam.4092" said:

> > > @"kasoki.5180" said:

> > > This feels like a joke. They took a weapon that already has no place in PvE and nerfed it. I would somehow understand if they nerfed damage for PvP only, but this feels just bad.

> > >

> > > Like, why...?

> >

> > Sword is used over Scepter on targets that move a lot, and add fights. It’s used a lot over Scepter. Just because Scepter is used as the main weapon in benchmarks doesn’t make it always the best. If a target can stay in the Scepter Symbol, and doesn’t move, then Scepter is best. If it moves out of Symbol a lot, and there are adds, then Sword is better. Also Sword is great at heavy movement fights with the teleport.

> >

> > Sword is a great weapon. It’s just beat by Scepter on stationary targets. I don’t understand the nerfs, and can only see how maybe the nerfs were a trade off for Big Game Hunter buff.

> >

> >

>

> Scepter is better than sword in almost every situation in PvE except against small hit box targets that move, but move slowly.

>

> While it seems it is an overall buff, the damage is more contingent now on the third hit in the chain, and sword is meh in PvE anyway. It needed more than slight buff that is a nerf outside of completing the AA chain.

 

Sword is in a good place as is. It has its uses. Scepter has its uses too. I think Guardian Scepter is great as is too. Both these weapons have a spot in PvE.

 

I really hope they revisit Longbow, and Hammer eventually.

 

 

[otto.5684]

> @"Kam.4092" said:

> > @"otto.5684" said:

> > > @"Kam.4092" said:

> > > > @"kasoki.5180" said:

> > > > This feels like a joke. They took a weapon that already has no place in PvE and nerfed it. I would somehow understand if they nerfed damage for PvP only, but this feels just bad.

> > > >

> > > > Like, why...?

> > >

> > > Sword is used over Scepter on targets that move a lot, and add fights. It’s used a lot over Scepter. Just because Scepter is used as the main weapon in benchmarks doesn’t make it always the best. If a target can stay in the Scepter Symbol, and doesn’t move, then Scepter is best. If it moves out of Symbol a lot, and there are adds, then Sword is better. Also Sword is great at heavy movement fights with the teleport.

> > >

> > > Sword is a great weapon. It’s just beat by Scepter on stationary targets. I don’t understand the nerfs, and can only see how maybe the nerfs were a trade off for Big Game Hunter buff.

> > >

> > >

> >

> > Scepter is better than sword in almost every situation in PvE except against small hit box targets that move, but move slowly.

> >

> > While it seems it is an overall buff, the damage is more contingent now on the third hit in the chain, and sword is meh in PvE anyway. It needed more than slight buff that is a nerf outside of completing the AA chain.

>

> Sword is in a good place as is. It has its uses. Scepter has its uses too. I think Guardian Scepter is great as is too. Both these weapons have a spot in PvE.

>

> I really hope they revisit Longbow, and Hammer eventually.

>

>

 

I think sword needed more buff in PvE. It is okayish, but too limited and rarely ideal. Ya, I was hoping for a Hammer change in PvE.

[mes.4607]

I was ready to rage. Is this really a "buff"? How is it in PvP?

[Arcaedus.7290]

> @"mrauls.6519" said:

> I was ready to rage. Is this really a "buff"? How is it in PvP?

 

Hard to say exactly. You do less damage on the first two auto attacks and the third is the same but has less after-cast (or so it seems) meaning you can repeat the chain much quicker (overall dps increase) or more quickly transition into another skill but successfully spamming auto attack chain even 2x in a row on someone is a rarity so I'd call this a a slight nerf.

[mes.4607]

> @"Arcaedus.7290" said:

> > @"mrauls.6519" said:

> > I was ready to rage. Is this really a "buff"? How is it in PvP?

>

> Hard to say exactly. You do less damage on the first two auto attacks and the third is the same but has less after-cast (or so it seems) meaning you can repeat the chain much quicker (overall dps increase) or more quickly transition into another skill but successfully spamming auto attack chain even 2x in a row on someone is a rarity so I'd call this a a slight nerf.

 

Sigh. Sword DPS wasn't even power creeping. This should have purely been a QOL change.

[Arcaedus.7290]

> @"mrauls.6519" said:

> > @"Arcaedus.7290" said:

> > > @"mrauls.6519" said:

> > > I was ready to rage. Is this really a "buff"? How is it in PvP?

> >

> > Hard to say exactly. You do less damage on the first two auto attacks and the third is the same but has less after-cast (or so it seems) meaning you can repeat the chain much quicker (overall dps increase) or more quickly transition into another skill but successfully spamming auto attack chain even 2x in a row on someone is a rarity so I'd call this a a slight nerf.

>

> Sigh. Sword DPS wasn't even power creeping. This should have purely been a QOL change.

 

Agreed.... even in the case that you catch someone crippled, out of cooldowns and you have fury/might on and are auto-attack spamming, you're not really doing that much damage with sword. Don't know why they made this nerf.

[mes.4607]

> @"Arcaedus.7290" said:

> > @"mrauls.6519" said:

> > > @"Arcaedus.7290" said:

> > > > @"mrauls.6519" said:

> > > > I was ready to rage. Is this really a "buff"? How is it in PvP?

> > >

> > > Hard to say exactly. You do less damage on the first two auto attacks and the third is the same but has less after-cast (or so it seems) meaning you can repeat the chain much quicker (overall dps increase) or more quickly transition into another skill but successfully spamming auto attack chain even 2x in a row on someone is a rarity so I'd call this a a slight nerf.

> >

> > Sigh. Sword DPS wasn't even power creeping. This should have purely been a QOL change.

>

> Agreed.... even in the case that you catch someone crippled, out of cooldowns and you have fury/might on and are auto-attack spamming, you're not really doing that much damage with sword. Don't know why they made this nerf.

 

I wonder if the new soaring w/e is worth taking over the trap trait. Probably not... lmfao. I was so excited reading the notes but

[kharmin.7683]

Sorry, this was all my fault. I just started playing my dragonhunter again over the past several weeks (OPvE)and I guess me using sword caused an alert to go off at HQ that someone was actually using it, so my guess is that once they noticed, then they figured they'd have to nerf it.

[Flintbrow.7985]

I mean nobody really uses sword for it's dps, but for the teleport, blind, fury and super low cooldown symbol. I like it WAY more than the scepter in PVP/WvW.

[Deimos.4263]

I use both sword and scepter so I don't see why it's an either/or situation.

[mes.4607]

Sword AA chain does feel smoother

[RabbitUp.8294]

Scepter was also nerfed in the same patch, so you can't examine the changes in a vacuum. The damage between the two weapons was closer than some people here think, especially for condi builds. This change is not only a straight dps buff, but also a VoJ buff, since a faster attack chain means more attacks over time.

 

And don't forget sword has superior utility. The value of the shadowstep is obvious, but especially in pve, where one would be most concerned about dps anyway, having a dps build provide permanent and reliable fury is quite valuable.

[FtoPScrub.5476]

Sword Nerfs need to be reverted in sPvP. Remove or keep the aftercast reduction, it doesn't matter, just revert the % nerfs. There was no reason to go through with this in sPvP. You're screwing over DH more than anything else since 1H sword is your only melee weapon.

[Arcaedus.7290]

> @"FtoPScrub.5476" said:

> Sword Nerfs need to be reverted in sPvP. Remove or keep the aftercast reduction, it doesn't matter, just revert the % nerfs. There was no reason to go through with this in sPvP. You're screwing over DH more than anything else since 1H sword is your only melee weapon.

 

Slightly agree with you... but honestly I don't think it's as bad as you think. Actually completing the attack chain and going into another one, and you already almost make up for the damage lost in this nerf. Also, if you complete the attack chain, you can much more easily queue up sword 2 or 3 which is minor but a nice improvement. Liked it better how it was before, but this has its perks.

[Ariurotl.3718]

Does anybody have any idea what the "attack point" is and how it was increased?

[Rhyse.8179]

> @"Ariurotl.3718" said:

> Does anybody have any idea what the "attack point" is and how it was increased?

 

Consensus so far is that it applies it's damage sooner in the animation.