Shattered Aegis Nerf

[Valentine.2156]

Why you gotta do your boys dirty Anet, there was no reason to take it before over symbolic avenger and now even the fun factor is drastically reduced.

[Stand The Wall.6987]

its now useless. cant have a balance patch without some completely unnecessary nerfs.

[Celestia.9128]

> @"Stand The Wall.6987" said:

> its now useless. cant have a balance patch without some completely unnecessary nerfs.

 

Bruh, how else can you give the interns some meaningful hands-on experience? /s

[otto.5684]

I have no fucking idea why Anet nerfed this trait. It is of no use in PvE and in sPvP it was pretty niche and relatively weak.

[Arcaedus.7290]

Not a good nerf, but keep in mind that similar traits on other classes received the same nerf, so it is fair.

[Valentine.2156]

> @"Arcaedus.7290" said:

> Not a good nerf, but keep in mind that similar traits on other classes received the same nerf, so it is fair.

 

Id be more receptive if SA did somethinf other than damage. Spitefuls a big boon corrupt, glacial hammer chills and was obviously too strong. The one thing SA does it doesnt really do anymore, and its a grandmaster trait.

[Threather.9354]

> @"otto.5684" said:

> I have no kitten idea why Anet nerfed this trait. It is of no use in PvE and in sPvP it was pretty niche and relatively weak.

 

I watched some corespec EU GvG tournament around last summer and it was won by some team running Shattered Aegis on the commander. He ended up top damage in his group. The trait would be little too strong when enemy stands together in any WvW related content if minstrel firebrand dropped out of meta.

[otto.5684]

> @"Threather.9354" said:

> > @"otto.5684" said:

> > I have no kitten idea why Anet nerfed this trait. It is of no use in PvE and in sPvP it was pretty niche and relatively weak.

>

> I watched some corespec EU GvG tournament around last summer and it was won by some team running Shattered Aegis on the commander. He ended up top damage in his group. The trait would be little too strong when enemy stands together in any WvW related content if minstrel firebrand dropped out of meta.

 

That does not count as evidence to support that it this trait was outperforming by any stretch. There are no meta dps builds for guardian in PvP and even among the useable builds this trait is bRely ever used.

 

It is nothing more than Anet doing the blind “overall nerfs” to all skills of specific category without any understanding or consideration of how it impacts classes and builds. It is lazy work.

[Caysadia.7405]

ARENANET IS UNFAIR, MIKE O'BRIEN IS IN THERE, STANDING AT THE CONCESSION, PLOTTING OUR OPPRESSION

 

[Etterwyn.5263]

Anet can't change functionality between game modes. They can only tweak numbers. Disabling crits prevents Guardians from being 2 legged nukes in WvW. It's situational, yes, but can be devastating when used properly.

 

Now considering that Aegis is a 1-hit wonder, a 2 second ICD would probably have fixed a lot. Then the Guardian couldn't just spam all his Aegis skills in rapid succession.

[Kuya.6495]

They nerfed all auto damage traits. If you had read their explanation you would have known that already. They said auto damage traits aren't good for gameplay so they would bring them all in line. It didn't matter whether the trait was good or not.

 

Stop being drama queens.

[Lonewolf Kai.3682]

The funny thing is that trait was being used as an active means to damage, not passive, or at least used by me that way. :D

[otto.5684]

> @"Kuya.6495" said:

> They nerfed all auto damage traits. If you had read their explanation you would have known that already. They said auto damage traits aren't good for gameplay so they would bring them all in line. It didn't matter whether the trait was good or not.

>

> Stop being drama queens.

 

We lost a build. A somewhat useful trait is being demoted to obsolete. And we are being drama queens? How about Anet not being friggin lazy and stop doing these blanket changes without understanding what the hell the traits are and how do they fit into various builds. Metabattle is public info you know. If they do not know they should at least put an effort to check it out...

 

I am not against change, but this is not change. This is just making something useful obsolete.

[Valentine.2156]

> @"Kuya.6495" said:

> They nerfed all auto damage traits. If you had read their explanation you would have known that already. They said auto damage traits aren't good for gameplay so they would bring them all in line. It didn't matter whether the trait was good or not.

>

> Stop being drama queens.

 

Im asking for clarification specifically because I read the changes. A skill like spiteful shroud for example is simple. You press 1 button and damage comes out. SA though? You have to apply the aegis and then get hit. It feels like the functionality was lazily added as an afterthought when you can go several seconds without your aegis being procced.

[Etterwyn.5263]

> @"Valentine.2156" said:

> > @"Kuya.6495" said:

> > They nerfed all auto damage traits. If you had read their explanation you would have known that already. They said auto damage traits aren't good for gameplay so they would bring them all in line. It didn't matter whether the trait was good or not.

> >

> > Stop being drama queens.

>

> Im asking for clarification specifically because I read the changes. A skill like spiteful shroud for example is simple. You press 1 button and damage comes out. SA though? You have to apply the aegis and then get hit. It feels like the functionality was lazily added as an afterthought when you can go several seconds without your aegis being procced.

 

Again you have to look at the competitive scenario. Two zergs meet, and a x/shield Meditation Guardian is frontlining or midlining. First time he is hit, SA triggers then Communal Defenses gives AOE aegis. Everyone who gets his Aegis can now trigger SA when hit. Then you have shield 4 for more aegis, insta-cast virtue for more AOE aegis, Retreat for more AOE aegis, and Mace 3 for AOE aegis if that's the mainhand.

 

Shattered Aegis' damage can grow exponentially depending on the size of the group and their positioning. That's why it got toned down.

[Valentine.2156]

> @"Etterwyn.5263" said:

> > @"Valentine.2156" said:

> > > @"Kuya.6495" said:

> > > They nerfed all auto damage traits. If you had read their explanation you would have known that already. They said auto damage traits aren't good for gameplay so they would bring them all in line. It didn't matter whether the trait was good or not.

> > >

> > > Stop being drama queens.

> >

> > Im asking for clarification specifically because I read the changes. A skill like spiteful shroud for example is simple. You press 1 button and damage comes out. SA though? You have to apply the aegis and then get hit. It feels like the functionality was lazily added as an afterthought when you can go several seconds without your aegis being procced.

>

> Again you have to look at the competitive scenario. Two zergs meet, and a x/shield Meditation Guardian is frontlining or midlining. First time he is hit, SA triggers then Communal Defenses gives AOE aegis. Everyone who gets his Aegis can now trigger SA when hit. Then you have shield 4 for more aegis, insta-cast virtue for more AOE aegis, Retreat for more AOE aegis, and Mace 3 for AOE aegis if that's the mainhand.

>

> Shattered Aegis' damage can grow exponentially depending on the size of the group and their positioning. That's why it got toned down.

 

Lets do some quick maffs here. Lets say your running the most selfish SA build possible and your commander humors you. Your running Virtues Zeal and Radiance giving you perma crit and 24% or so in damage modifiers (unscathed 20% will never proc due to the nature of SA). If you run retreat you have 20 aegis applications, 25 if you run valor medis instead but then you lose out on damage modifiers.

 

Lets say you push an unsuspecting group and your running communal. Your aegis is somehow not overwritten by any of your FBs, none of your aegis is blocked, your enemy has no protection, and you do a whopping 3000 with each mystic rebuke (ive never hit more than 2000 in a zerg.). Best case scenario if all your stars align your dealing 375k damage with all your aegis procs which is pretty good, but numbers like those are almost impossible. Literally absolutely everything has to be going in your favor, and if you achieve damage like that youre going to be winning the fight regardless.

 

Lets go for a more realistic analysis. You deal 1400 damage per aegis after protection is accounted for. A 1/3 of your procs is blocked by random aegis. A 1/5 of your applications is overwritten by pre existing aegis on your allies. Your previous 25 aegis is now reduced to 12, hitting for 1.4k each, for 84K damage in total, much more in line with the numbers I usually get. All this in return for sacrificing every ounce of your utility, and you still deal less damage than a rev or scourge while being forced into melee range.

 

I firmly believe the trait was overlooked in the instant damage trait pass. For a grandmaster it did pitiful damage before the patch, and now its downright laughable. Its applications in every gamemode have sunk to absolutely 0. I really hope Anet looks over the skill or reworks it completely. Its one of the few GMs ingame that is just completely useless at the moment.

 

[Etterwyn.5263]

If it was already pitiful before, and even in best case scenario a Rev was a better option, why are you so upset with it getting nerfed?

 

Same thing with Strength in Numbers. 50 less toughness is meaningless, but Anet nerfed all the AOE other passives too so it wasn't left untouched.

[Valentine.2156]

Id rather a trait be viable 5% of the time rather than 0% of the time. All other traits nerfed didnt have an entire playstyle dedicated to them except glacial heart, which was arguably in need of a nerf. Its killing a fun niche build for no reason.

[otto.5684]

> @"Etterwyn.5263" said:

> If it was already pitiful before, and even in best case scenario a Rev was a better option, why are you so upset with it getting nerfed?

>

> Same thing with Strength in Numbers. 50 less toughness is meaningless, but Anet nerfed all the AOE other passives too so it wasn't left untouched.

 

It was not strong, but it was useable in at least 2 builds in PvP. Right now it is 100% dead. Not sure how can be viewed in anyway but negative. And Anet should be called out for being lazy.

[InsaneQR.7412]

> @"otto.5684" said:

> I have no kitten idea why Anet nerfed this trait. It is of no use in PvE and in sPvP it was pretty niche and relatively weak.

 

They just nerfed it for consistency not for need. The dmg should be improved. And the trait itself could trigger some additional proc of aegis too.

[GDchiaScrub.3241]

It was good in GH gvgs...where you couldn't move much to pirate ship.

 

D:

[Leo G.4501]

> @"Kuya.6495" said:

> They nerfed all auto damage traits. If you had read their explanation you would have known that already. They said auto damage traits aren't good for gameplay so they would bring them all in line. It didn't matter whether the trait was good or not.

>

> Stop being drama queens.

 

I guess we need to get rid of traps or severely Nerf them.

 

I don't understand this mentality of slowly removing variety of styles. Are we not allowed to catch someone off guard with a set up, basically an innocuous offense as a defense?