68 replies to this topic

[Xenobius]

Quote

Arenanet did not take your cut and dry, tank and spank MMO and re-skin it.

Sometimes I wish they did.
Because instead, they chose to go with the most chaotic, haphazard, and frustrating system I've ever seen.
You see, the very concept of "tank and spank", or rather, predictable mob behavior allows for planning and execution in many more ways than one. Current GW2 system allows for what, graveyard zerging most of the time?

Quote

New game, new mechanics, and you have to learn them.

I'd rather say, lack of mechanics.
The main principles of GW2 PvE combat can pretty much be described by "don't stand in fire" and "run away when anything looks in your general direction". Because both aggro and most AoE abilities are quite random, there is hardly any way to predict who gets to be "it" the next second, so your best/safest bet is to have as much space between you and the target at all times, and for melee characters it's just not an option, even traited for Toughness/Vitality with "CC" utilities. I'd say it isn't "innovative", it's just poorly done and/or poorly balanced.
Heck, even Tera, being lackluster in so many areas, managed a much better combat system which included active rolling, attack blocking, positioning and whatnot. In GW2, as it stands now, you have a choice between kiting or graveyard runs (sometimes a mix of both), with survival-oriented builds being favorable for most situations. I sure hope it's not "working as intended"...

Edited by Xenobius, 16 September 2012 - 11:15 PM.

[sakura az]

Soki, on 10 September 2012 - 05:23 AM, said:

Dagger/Dagger; Dagger/Pistol for Explorables of TA, AC, and Arah here.
No substantial problems whatsoever.

I hate to be -that person-, but
Learn to play.

I'm agreeing, I've had very few issues playing a mostly melee thief in both story and explorable dungeons.  You've got plenty of tools on your skill bar and the ability to move out of the way, by simply paying attention and moving or with dodging.  It is seriously a learn how to play your character better issue rather than a game problem.  just one instance, the boss at then end of the bottom most exploratory CM route is incredibly melee friendly,  It's ranged characters that are punished in that particular fight.

[LOCOMOFO]

Xenobius, on 16 September 2012 - 11:09 PM, said:

Sometimes I wish they did.
Because instead, they chose to go with the most chaotic, haphazard, and frustrating system I've ever seen.
You see, the very concept of "tank and spank", or rather, predictable mob behavior allows for planning and execution in many more ways than one. Current GW2 system allows for what, graveyard zerging most of the time?



I'd rather say, lack of mechanics.
The main principles of GW2 PvE combat can pretty much be described by "don't stand in fire" and "run away when anything looks in your general direction". Because both aggro and most AoE abilities are quite random, there is hardly any way to predict who gets to be "it" the next second, so your best/safest bet is to have as much space between you and the target at all times, and for melee characters it's just not an option, even traited for Toughness/Vitality with "CC" utilities. I'd say it isn't "innovative", it's just poorly done and/or poorly balanced.
Heck, even Tera, being lackluster in so many areas, managed a much better combat system which included active rolling, attack blocking, positioning and whatnot. In GW2, as it stands now, you have a choice between kiting or graveyard runs (sometimes a mix of both), with survival-oriented builds being favorable for most situations. I sure hope it's not "working as intended"...

Sounds like you haven't played with a coordinated group with a good understanding of tactics and knowing how to play their roll in the team.  If your only strategy is kiting and dying, then no wonder you're frustrated.

[Alaroxr]

Dungeons are fine for melee.

Yesterday I played through Crucible of Eternity explorable on my (and 4/5 of our group) first time, sticking in melee more than 75% of the time. All of my gear is 100% damage based, and my traits are mostly oriented for damage. I died 5 times total.

The main boss is Subject Alpha, which you fight three times. His main function is mass AoE that is focused around him. Hard to get more anti-melee than that.

I thought it was the most fun I've had in a dungeon yet. It was challenging, but even more fun because of it.

----------

I'm an above average player, but I'm not a "god", and I don't have amazing gear either.

Edited by Alaroxr, 17 September 2012 - 03:12 AM.

[Wifflebottom]

I'm a mesmer and played AC explorable today with sword/sword; Greatsword. I died but not a lot, about the same amount as the rest of the group. Melee seemed fine, just dodge and use abilities that keep you from getting hit (Blurred frenzy/riposte<3)

[lithiumlights]

From reading through whats posted so far I think most people are speccing for just straight out one area (eg DPS). Unless you have proper dedicated supports in your team then otherwise doing that is suicide. My suggestion is to respec a little bit into survivability as staying in the fight nets you more average DPS than going in . burst . dying or going in burst then retreating to heal up. I know that im a warrior but im completely specced into the cleric section (gems=pwr,tgh,healpwr). I can solo face tank most groups of 3 in every explorable dungeon while still maintaining good dps (hammer. axe/shield). Not too say you can tank straight up but if I was a dps build no hope. Dont think DPS, TANK, HEAL think DPS+HEAL, TANK+DPS etc.....

Let the insults fly towards me, like I welcome the MOBS in GE AC exp mode in the trap area... LETS GET IT ON!!

[Barbieslayer]

I can see where the op is comming from.  Warriors have heavy armour that's not as thick as it could be and have little in the way of self heals.  I find I always have healing signet equiped just for low level regen but when you have an "Oh dear" moment, it's not enough of a solid heal and you lose the regen, more or less sidelining you.

After my first run through AC I decided to go hammer and mace/sword combo (just because the riptose and block from the mace seemed a better deal than a shield at the time) and it worked quite well.  But I did open up my inventory a couple of times to switch to a ranged weapon.

It would be nice to be able to tank a bit of damage, as the warrior is a heavy armour class and our ranged, controle and heal options are a bit limmited.   But I woulden't say the dungeons are broken...  But I do have 30 in defence and even around Orr, I wonder how I end up out of my depth (and running away like a little girl).  I miss the toughness bonus that applied at over 90% hp, it seems kind of lack-luster now..

TLDR, I get where the op is comming from.

[dss_live]

Both my mesmer and my thief will have to disagree. USing D/D on thief and S/P on mesmer, i've never had any issue in melee. For some bosses, melee is great even.

[Fox_LWW]

melee guardian glass canon build, i hardly get downed at all, here's a clue:

you still outdamage the ranged people if you are in melee 50% of the time. Keep moving, dodging and just get out of melee whenever you take damage, then go back in right away. Blind also helps allot.