User:Shinymeta

Balance patch preview - June 27, 2023

Hi everyone, Welcome to the preview for the June 27 balance update! As always, the goal of previewing these changes is to gather your feedback before the live release. We'll be following the conversation and making further adjustments as needed.

Thanks,

Cal "cmc" Cohen

Skills and Balance Lead As we mentioned in the last studio update blog, the primary goals for this update are:

• Improving the feeling of moment-to-moment gameplay for many boon support builds. We want these builds to have more flexibility in their utility skill choice and not be required to activate a particular utility type on cooldown to provide quickness or alacrity.
• Introducing alternate playstyles for some specializations.
• Tuning up some underutilized weapons and solidifying their roles within their professions.
• Removing additional skill-type-specific recharge-reduction traits and rolling the reduction into baseline skills where it makes sense to do so. The goal of these changes is to give players more flexibility in trait selection.

General

• To make them more reliable in endgame PvE content, all effects that benefit when the player strikes from the flank or from behind now always apply their benefits when striking defiant foes.
•  Confusion damage has been adjusted as follows in PvE only:
  • Damage over time: Increased the base damage from 11 to 18.25. Increased condition damage scaling from 0.03 to 0.05.
  • Damage on skill activation: Reduced base damage from 49.5 to 16.34. Reduced condition damage scaling from 0.0975 to 0.0325.

Elementalist

Catalyst's quickness isn't provided by utility skills, but we felt like it could still benefit from a usability improvement. We've updated Spectacular Sphere to grant quickness from any jade sphere instead of only the air sphere, which should give catalyst players a bit more flexibility with their skill rotations. We've also made some improvements to tempest damage builds with an update to Tempestuous Aria, as well as some general improvements for offhand dagger and for the weaver in PvP.

Notes for PvP/WvW

Core

•  Frost Aura: Reduced cooldown from 25 seconds to 20 seconds in PvP only.
•  Cleansing Wave: Reduced cooldown from 30 seconds to 25 seconds in PvP only.
•  Churning Earth: This skill no longer pulses cripple and bleeding while charging, and now performs a short leap before striking the ground. Reduced total casting time from 2 seconds to 0.8 seconds. Reduced attack radius from 360 to 240. Reduced power coefficient from 2.25 to 1.75 in PvP and WvW. Reduced total bleeding stacks from 12 to 8 in PvP and WvW. Reduced cooldown from 30 seconds to 25 seconds in PvP and WvW.
•  Signet of Earth: The passive effect no longer grants toughness and instead reduces incoming strike damage. Reduced cooldown from 25 seconds to 20 seconds in PvP and WvW.
•  Glyph of Elemental Harmony: Reduced cooldown from 25 seconds to 20 seconds in PvP and WvW.
•  Arcane Brilliance: Increased base healing from 3,560 to 4,840. Reduced bonus healing per strike from 20% to 10%. Reduced cooldown from 25 seconds to 20 seconds in WvW.
•  Arcane Prowess: This trait now grants fury instead of might in PvP and WvW.

Tempest

•  Tempestuous Aria: This trait no longer causes shouts to inflict weakness, and it now also grants the tempest a bonus to outgoing damage for a period of time after applying an aura to an ally.

Weaver

•  Twin Strike: Fixed an issue that prevented this skill from applying the intended amount of burning in PvP.
•  Cauterizing Strike: Increased burning stacks from 1 to 2 in PvP only.
•  Twist of Fate: Reduced ammunition count from 2 to 1 in PvP only. Reduced cooldown from 75 seconds to 30 seconds in PvP only.

Catalyst

•  Energized Elements: This trait now grants might instead of fury in PvP and WvW.

Core

•  Fire Grab: Increased the attack angle from 60 degrees to 90 degrees.
•  Updraft: Increased radius from 180 to 240.
•  Churning Earth: This skill no longer pulses cripple and bleeding while charging, and now performs a short leap before striking the ground. Reduced total casting time from 2 seconds to 0.8 seconds. Reduced attack radius from 360 to 240. Reduced power coefficient from 3.5 to 3.0 in PvE. Reduced total bleeding stacks from 12 to 10 in PvE.
•  Written in Stone: This trait no longer reduces the recharge of signet skills, and it now grants an aura to the elementalist after using a signet skill.

Notes for related skills:

•  Signet of Restoration: Reduced cooldown from 25 seconds to 20 seconds.
•  Signet of Fire: Reduced cooldown from 15 seconds to 12 seconds in PvE only.
•  Signet of Earth: The passive effect no longer grants toughness and instead reduces incoming strike damage. Reduced cooldown from 25 seconds to 15 seconds in PvE.

•  Arcane Lightning: This trait no longer reduces the cooldown of arcane skills.

Notes for related skills:

•  Arcane Brilliance: Increased base healing from 3,560 to 4,840. Reduced bonus healing per strike from 20% to 10%. Reduced cooldown from 25 seconds to 20 seconds in PvE.
•  Arcane Power: Reduced cooldown from 45 seconds to 35 seconds.

•  Inscription: This trait no longer reduces the cooldown of glyph skills, and it now always grants resistance in addition to its previous effects.

Tempest

•  Tempestuous Aria: This trait no longer causes shouts to inflict weakness, and it now also grants the tempest a bonus to outgoing damage for a period of time after applying an aura to an ally.

Weaver

•  Shearing Edge: Increased projectile speed.
•  Gale Strike: Increased float duration from 1.25 seconds to 2 seconds.

Catalyst

•  Spectacular Sphere: This trait now grants quickness when deploying your jade sphere in any attunement, in addition to the boons currently granted. Quickness duration reduced from 5 seconds to 2 seconds.

Engineer

Mechanist's penalty for being too far from its mech is something that we've been keeping an eye on since it was added to the game. We think there's room for improvement, and in this update, we're changing the penalty from a mech stat reduction to an increased cooldown for the mech command skills. We believe that this change will make the penalty more visible and easier to understand. Scrapper is also getting an adjustment to how it applies quickness, with Kinetic Accelerators now triggering when successfully finishing a combo with a leap or blast finisher.

Notes for PvP/WvW

Core

•  Med Blaster: Reduced range from 600 to 450. The number of boons that affect this skill has been limited to 4 in WvW and PvP. Improved the visual effect of this skill to better match its radius.
•  Fumigate: Reduced cooldown from 20 seconds to 16 seconds in WvW only.
•  Super Elixir: Increased the base pulse healing from 163 to 204 in WvW. Increased the pulse healing coefficient from 0.05 to 0.1 in WvW only. Reduced the number of pulses from 11 to 5 in WvW only. This skill is now unblockable.
•  Power Wrench: This trait no longer reduces the cooldown of tool-kit skills. Increased the elite skill recharge from 1 second to 3 seconds in PvP and WvW.
•  Throw Mine: Reduced cooldown from 30 seconds to 24 seconds in PvP and WvW.
•  Elixir B: Reduced cooldown from 30 seconds to 25 seconds in PvP and WvW.
•  Lesser Elixir C: Reduced cooldown from 100 seconds to 80 seconds in PvP only.

Scrapper

•  Speed of Synergy: Reduced ally superspeed from 3 seconds to 2 seconds in WvW only. Reduced personal superspeed from 7 seconds to 4 seconds in WvW only.

Core

•  Med Blaster: Reduced range from 600 to 450. Improved the visual effect of this skill to better match its radius.
•  Power Wrench: This trait no longer reduces the cooldown of tool-kit skills.

Notes for related skills:

•  Pry Bar: Reduced cooldown from 15 seconds to 10 seconds in PvE only.
•  Gear Shield: Reduced cooldown from 20 seconds to 15 seconds in PvE only.
•  Magnet: Reduced cooldown from 20 seconds to 15 seconds in PvE only.

•  Gadgeteer: This trait no longer reduces the cooldown of gadget skills.

Notes for related skills:

•  A.E.D.: Reduced cooldown from 30 seconds to 24 seconds.
•  Personal Battering Ram: Reduced ammunition recharge from 25 seconds to 20 seconds in PvE only.
•  Rocket Boots: Reduced ammunition recharge from 20 seconds to 16 seconds.
•  Slick Shoes: Reduced cooldown from 40 seconds to 30 seconds in PvE only.
•  Utility Goggles: Reduced cooldown from 30 seconds to 24 seconds.

•  HGH: This trait no longer reduces the cooldown of elixir skills.

Notes for related skills:

•  Elixir H: Reduced cooldown from 25 seconds to 20 seconds.
•  Toss Elixir H: This skill is now unblockable. Reduced cooldown from 25 seconds to 20 seconds.
•  Elixir B: Reduced cooldown from 40 seconds to 25 seconds in PvE.
•  Toss Elixir B: This skill is now unblockable. Reduced cooldown from 25 seconds to 20 seconds.
•  Elixir C: Reduced cooldown from 25 seconds to 20 seconds.
•  Toss Elixir C: This skill is now unblockable. Reduced cooldown from 20 seconds to 16 seconds.
•  Elixir R: Reduced cooldown from 30 seconds to 24 seconds.
•  Elixir U: Reduced cooldown from 40 seconds to 32 seconds.
•  Toss Elixir U: This skill is now unblockable. Reduced cooldown from 40 seconds to 32 seconds.
•  Elixir X: Reduced cooldown from 105 seconds to 85 seconds.
•  Toss Elixir X: Reduced cooldown from 90 seconds to 60 seconds.
•  Lesser Elixir B: Reduced cooldown from 30 seconds to 24 seconds.
•  Toss Elixir S: This skill is now unblockable.
•  Elixir Shell: This skill is now unblockable.
•  Super Elixir: This skill is now unblockable.

Scrapper

•  Kinetic Accelerators: This trait has been reworked. Apply boons to nearby allies when you successfully combo with a blast or leap finisher. Your function gyro is now a blast finisher.

Holosmith

•  Prime Light Beam: Fixed an issue that caused burning from this skill to be applied multiple times per pulse to larger enemies.

Mechanist

•  Mechanical Genius: This trait has been reworked. Instead of the mech incurring a stat-reduction penalty, command skills now take longer to recharge if activated while the mech is farther than a range of 360 away from the engineer.
•  Mech Core: Barrier Engine: Base barrier and healing power coefficient from the automatic pulses are no longer split between modes and will use the PvP and WvW values for PvE as well.
•  Barrier Burst: The base barrier granted by this skill has been increased from 260 to 454 in PvE only. The healing power coefficient has been increased from 0.2875 to 0.575.

Guardian

Support firebrand is a build that we've been improving in PvP over the last few balance updates, but it hasn't reached the level it needs to. In this update, we're improving the strength of Mantra of Lore's initial charges to make firebrand's condition removal slightly more reliable. The shout cooldown reduction from Pure of Voice being rolled into the skills' baseline will also allow firebrands to better utilize Force of Will while still being able to equip shout skills. Guardian is also getting cooldown reduction added to many other utility skill types, including signets, meditations, consecrations, and traps. We're excited to see how this increased flexibility affects guardian builds going forward.

Notes for PvP/WvW

Core

•  Signet of Resolve: Reduced cooldown to 25 seconds in all game modes. Reduced base healing from 8,150 to 7,286 in PvP and WvW.
•  Hammer of Wisdom: Reduced ammunition recharge from 30 seconds to 24 seconds in PvP and WvW.
•  Monk's Focus: This trait no longer reduces the cooldown of meditation skills. Increased base healing from 1,470 to 1,720 in PvP and WvW.
•  Litany of Wrath: Reduced cooldown from 30 seconds to 24 seconds in PvP and WvW.
•  "Stand Your Ground!": Reduced cooldown from 30 seconds to 24 seconds in PvE and WvW and from 60 seconds to 48 seconds in PvP.
•  "Feel My Wrath!": Reduced cooldown from 30 seconds to 24 seconds in PvP and WvW.
•  Hallowed Ground: Reduced cooldown from 60 seconds to 48 seconds in PvP and WvW.
•  Purging Flames: Reduced cooldown from 35 seconds to 28 seconds in PvP and WvW.

Dragonhunter

•  Procession of Blades: Reduced cooldown from 25 seconds to 20 seconds in PvP and WvW.

Firebrand

•  Opening Passage: Increased the number of conditions removed from 1 to 2 in PvP only. Increased ammunition recharge from 12 seconds to 18 seconds in PvP only.
•  Clarified Conclusion: Reduced the number of conditions converted to boons from 5 to 3 in PvP only.

Core

•  Perfect Inscriptions: This trait no longer reduces the cooldown of signet skills.

Notes for related skills:

•  Signet of Resolve: Reduced cooldown to 25 seconds in all game modes.
•  Bane Signet: Reduced cooldown from 30 seconds to 20 seconds.
•  Signet of Judgment: Reduced cooldown from 25 seconds to 20 seconds.
•  Signet of Wrath: Reduced cooldown from 25 seconds to 18 seconds.

•  Eternal Armory: This trait no longer reduces the cooldown of spirit weapon skills.

Notes for related skills:

•  Bow of Truth: Reduced ammunition recharge from 25 seconds to 20 seconds.
•  Hammer of Wisdom: Reduced ammunition recharge from 25 seconds to 20 seconds in PvE.

•  Monk's Focus: This trait no longer reduces the cooldown of meditation skills.

Notes for related skills:

•  Litany of Wrath: Reduced cooldown from 25 seconds to 20 seconds in PvE.
•  Contemplation of Purity: Reduced cooldown from 40 seconds to 32 seconds.
•  Judge's Intervention: Reduced cooldown from 40 seconds to 32 seconds.
•  Merciful Intervention: Reduced cooldown from 40 seconds to 32 seconds.
•  Smite Condition: Reduced cooldown from 20 seconds to 16 seconds.

•  Pure of Voice: This trait no longer reduces the cooldown of shout skills.

Notes for related skills:

•  "Receive the Light!": Reduced cooldown from 30 seconds to 24 seconds.
•  "Advance!": Reduced ammunition recharge from 40 seconds to 32 seconds.
•  "Hold the Line!": Reduced cooldown from 25 seconds to 20 seconds.
•  "Save Yourselves!": Reduced cooldown from 50 seconds to 40 seconds.
•  "Stand Your Ground!": Reduced cooldown from 30 seconds to 24 seconds in PvE and WvW.

•  Master of Consecrations: This trait no longer reduces the cooldown of consecration skills.

Notes for related skills:

•  Hallowed Ground: Reduced cooldown from 45 seconds to 36 seconds in PvE.
•  Purging Flames: Reduced cooldown from 25 seconds to 20 seconds in PvE.
•  Sanctuary: Reduced cooldown from 50 seconds to 40 seconds.
•  Wall of Reflection: Reduced cooldown from 25 seconds to 20 seconds in PvE only.

Dragonhunter

•  Hunter's Premonition: This trait no longer reduces the cooldown of trap skills.

Notes for related skills:

•  Purification: Reduced cooldown from 30 seconds to 24 seconds.
•  Fragments of Faith: Reduced cooldown from 45 seconds to 36 seconds.
•  Procession of Blades: Reduced cooldown from 20 seconds to 16 seconds in PvE.
•  Test of Faith: Reduced cooldown from 30 seconds to 24 seconds.
•  Dragon's Maw: Reduced cooldown from 50 seconds to 40 seconds.

Firebrand

•  Weighty Terms: This trait no longer reduces the mantra charge-recovery times. Increased pages granted from 1 to 2.

Mesmer

Mirage evasion has been a major pain point in competitive modes for a long time, and it was something we wanted to address in this update. Mirage will now have 100 endurance in PvP and WvW but will no longer be able to dodge while immobilized or under the effects of crowd control. We believe that this is a good middle ground between the current version of Mirage Cloak and a potentially larger rework, and we'll be keeping a close eye on how it plays out. We've also made some adjustments to virtuoso dagger to improve the reliability of its damage in competitive modes.

Notes for PvP/WvW

Core

•  Illusionary Membrane: Reduced incoming damage reduction from 10% to 5% in PvP only.
•  Chaotic Persistence: Reduced concentration and expertise from 250 to 150 in PvP only.
•  Illusionary Defense: Reduced damage reduction per stack from 2% to 1.5% in PvP only.
•  Bountiful Disillusionment: Reduced vigor duration from 8 seconds to 5 seconds in PvP only.

Mirage

•  Mirage Cloak: This trait no longer reduces the mirage's endurance in PvP and WvW.
•  Imaginary Axes: Reduced clone torment duration from 4 seconds to 2 seconds in PvP and WvW.
•  Split Surge: Reduced might stacks from 2 to 1 in PvP only.
•  Elusive Mind: This trait now removes conditions when gaining Mirage Cloak instead of when dodging. Reduced the number of conditions removed from 2 to 1 in PvP and WvW.

Virtuoso

•  Jagged Mind: Increased bleeding duration from 1 second to 3 seconds in PvP and WvW.

Core

•  Signet of Humility: Reduced cooldown from 120 seconds to 60 seconds in PvE only.
•  Null Field: Reduced range from 1,200 to 900.
•  Temporal Curtain: Reduced range from 900 to 600.
•  Auspicious Anguish: This trait now has an internal cooldown when you become disabled. There is no internal cooldown when you gain distortion.
•  Escape Artist: This trait has been reworked. It now applies distortion to phantasms when they are summoned.

Chronomancer

•  Stretched Time: This trait has been reworked. Flow of Time affects nearby allies. Grant alacrity to nearby allies when you summon a phantasm.
•  Seize the Moment: This trait no longer causes Tides of Time to grant quickness and instead grants quickness to nearby allies when you summon a phantasm.
•  Well of Senility: Reduced cooldown from 25 seconds to 20 seconds in PvE only. Increased pulse power coefficient from 0.7 to 1.5 in PvE only. Increased the number of boons removed from 2 to 3 in PvE only.
•  Well of Action: Reduced cooldown from 25 seconds to 20 seconds in PvE only. Increased pulse power coefficient from 0.7 to 1.5 in PvE only. The final pulse of this skill now grants alacrity instead of superspeed.

Mirage

• Mirage can no longer dodge while immobilized or under the effects of crowd control.
•  Chaos Vortex: Reduced clone bleeding and torment duration from 8 seconds to 4 seconds.
•  Elusive Mind: This trait now removes conditions when gaining Mirage Cloak instead of when dodging.

Virtuoso

•  Bladesong Distortion: Reduced distortion duration per blade from 1 second to 0.75 seconds in PvE only.
•  Bladeturn Requiem: This skill no longer blocks incoming attacks.
•  Bladecall: If the original target of the skill is in range, the returning blades will now lock on to that enemy. If not, the blades will return to the player as normal.
•  Unstable Bladestorm: This skill is now a ground-targeted spell instead of a projectile. The spell strikes enemies in range in addition to firing projectiles at nearby enemies.
•  Twin Blade Restoration: This skill will now always cleanse conditions when healing. The first blade will now always grant aegis, and the second blade will always grant vigor.
•  Psychic Force: Reduced cooldown to 25 seconds in all game modes.
•  Blade Renewal: Reduced channel duration from 3 seconds to 2 seconds.
•  Psychic Riposte: This trait will now always grant one blade and the unblockable effect when dodging. Reduced the number of blades granted when evading or blocking an attack from 3 to 2.

Necromancer

Scourge has always been intended to be a viable support option, but the lack of quickness or alacrity has held it back in endgame content outside of specific cases. That won't be an issue anymore, as we've adjusted Desert Empowerment to be that source of alacrity. With scourge support likely becoming more viable in general use, we felt that its reviving power was just a bit too high and have made some adjustments to bring it more in line. We'll be keeping a very close eye on alacrity scourge's performance and will follow up as needed.

Notes for PvP/WvW

Core

•  Devouring Darkness: Increased cooldown from 10 seconds to 18 seconds in WvW only.
•  Plague Signet: Reduced cooldown from 45 seconds to 35 seconds in PvP and WvW. Reduced the number of conditions transferred from 5 to 4 in PvP and WvW.
•  Signet of Spite: Reduced cooldown from 40 seconds to 30 seconds in PvP and WvW. Reduced the duration of cripple, blind, and weakness to 4 seconds in PvP and WvW. Adjusted the duration of bleeding, poison, and torment to 8 seconds in PvP and WvW.

Scourge

•  Sadistic Searing: This trait no longer reduces the cooldown of punishment skills. Increased burning duration from 2 seconds to 4 seconds in PvP and WvW.
•  Trail of Anguish: Reduced cooldown from 50 seconds to 40 seconds in PvP and WvW.
•  Ghastly Breach: Reduced cooldown from 90 seconds to 72 seconds in PvP and WvW. Reduced duration from 4 to 3 seconds in WvW only.
•  Path of Corruption: This trait now increases the cooldown of Nefarious Favor by 50% in WvW only.

Harbinger

•  Elixir of Promise: Reduced cooldown from 25 seconds to 20 seconds in PvP and WvW.
•  Elixir of Anguish: Reduced cooldown from 30 seconds to 25 seconds in PvP and WvW.
•  Elixir of Bliss: Reduced cooldown from 40 seconds to 32 seconds in PvP and WvW.
•  Elixir of Risk: Reduced cooldown from 25 seconds to 20 seconds in PvP and WvW.
•  Elixir of Ambition: Reduced cooldown from 90 seconds to 72 seconds in PvP and WvW.

Core

•  Well of Blood: This skill now applies regeneration with every pulse.
•  Ritual of Life: Reduced revive percentage from 7% to 2% in PvE only.
•  Overflowing Thirst: This trait has been reworked. Gain life force when you strike an enemy with a dagger skill.
•  Life Siphon: This skill is no longer channeled and will instead perform a single attack. Enemies struck by the initial attack will be dealt damage over time, and the user will be healed when damage is dealt.
•  Life from Death: This trait no longer revives allies and now increases outgoing healing.
•  Banshee's Wail: This trait no longer increases outgoing healing.
•  Transfusion: This trait now only teleports downed allies when initially activated. Reduced the revival pulse from 2% to 1% when used with the scourge elite specialization in PvE only.
•  Unholy Feast: This skill now removes boons instead of converting them into conditions.
•  Spiteful Spirit: This trait now removes boons instead of converting them into conditions.
•  Enfeebling Blood: This skill no longer converts boons into conditions.
•  Lesser Enfeeble: This skill no longer converts boons into conditions.
•  Signets of Suffering: This trait has been reworked and causes signet skills to remove boons from affected foes.

Notes for related skills:

•  Signet of Vampirism: Reduced cooldown from 30 seconds to 24 seconds.
•  Plague Signet: Reduced cooldown from 25 seconds to 20 seconds in PvE.
•  Signet of Spite: Reduced cooldown from 60 seconds to 40 seconds in PvE.
•  Signet of the Locust: Reduced cooldown from 30 seconds to 25 seconds in PvE only.

Scourge

•  Desert Empowerment: This trait has been moved to the grandmaster tier, replacing Feed from Corruption. The barrier from this trait will now only apply around the shade and will affect 5 targets. This trait now also grants alacrity to allies when you grant them barrier.
•  Sandstorm Shroud: This skill now pulses barrier to allies near the scourge before it detonates.
•  Abrasive Grit: This trait no longer causes Sand Flare to grant barrier to allies. In addition to its previous effects, this trait now grants might when you apply barrier.
•  Sand Flare: This skill now grants a reduced amount of barrier to nearby allies.
•  Sand Cascade: Reduced the base barrier of this skill at level 80 from 1188 to 996 in PvE only. Reduced the healing attribute scaling from 2 to 1.24 in PvE only.
•  Manifest Sand Shade: Reduced shade duration from 20 to 8 in PvE only.
•  Sadistic Searing: This trait no longer reduces the cooldown of punishment skills.

Notes for related skills:

•  Trail of Anguish: Reduced cooldown from 25 seconds to 20 seconds in PvE.
•  Ghastly Breach: Reduced cooldown from 75 seconds to 60 seconds in PvE.
•  Desiccate: This skill now also grants fury to nearby allies. Increased might from 5 stacks for 8 seconds to 8 stacks for 9 seconds. Reduced cooldown from 20 seconds to 16 seconds.
•  Serpent Siphon: This skill has been reworked. It will now send a serpent to a target area that will detonate upon arrival. Allies in the area will gain barrier, regeneration, and aegis. Enemies will be poisoned and one of their boons will be converted into torment. Reduced cooldown from 25 seconds to 20 seconds.

Harbinger

•  Bolstering Brew: This trait no longer reduces the cooldown of elixir skills. Increased vulnerability stacks from 5 to 7.

Notes for related skills:

•  Elixir of Ignorance: Reduced cooldown from 30 seconds to 24 seconds.

Ranger

Spirits won't be granting alacrity moving forward, and we've taken this opportunity to do a larger pass on the skill type. Spirits will now trigger a smaller effect when summoned, slam the ground for a more powerful effect, and finally grant boons for a shorter period of time. Druid was the natural place to slot in an alacrity build, while we decided to give untamed access to quickness. Nature magic is also getting a larger set of changes with to solidify it as a support trait line. Rounding out the ranger changes are some improvements to sword and introducing a condition damage build for druid.

Notes for PvP/WvW

Core

•  "We Heal As One!": Reduced cooldown from 30 seconds to 24 seconds in PvP and WvW.
•  "Protect Me!": Reduced cooldown from 30 seconds to 24 seconds in PvE and from 40 seconds to 32 seconds in PvP.

Soulbeast

•  Instinctive Engage: This skill is no longer an ammo skill. Increased the damage to 1.5 in WvW and PvP. Increased the quickness from 1.5 to 2 seconds in WvW and PvP. This skill now slows and poisons enemies.

Core

•  Pounce: This skill replaces Monarch's Leap. Deliver a leaping strike and gain vigor when striking an enemy. This skill deals increased damage to targets that are movement impaired or disabled.
•  Serpent Strike: This skill has been moved to the third slot and has been reworked. You will now leap to your target while evading, applying poison and cripple on hit. This skill will immobilize instead of cripple if the target is movement impaired or disabled.
• Spirits have been reworked. A spirit will now grant an initial effect when summoned, slam the ground for a secondary effect, and then grant boons to nearby allies for a period of time.
•  Farsighted: Increased the minimum damage bonus from 5% to 10% in PvE only.
•  Strider's Strength: This trait replaces Strider's Defense. Gain power and gain additional power when wielding a sword. Gain might when evading an attack.
•  Rejuvenation: This trait now triggers when using a beast skill instead of when being struck.
•  Wellspring: This trait no longer grants quickness and instead grants regeneration to nearby allies when you use a healing skill.
•  Evasive Purity: This trait no longer has an internal cooldown.
•  Spirited Arrival: This trait now grants might instead of vigor.
•  Windborne Notes: This trait will now also heal allies to whom you grant regeneration.
•  Lingering Magic: This trait now increases the effectiveness of regeneration you apply in addition to its previous effect.
•  Protective Ward: This trait has been reworked. Cast lesser "Guard!" when you swap pets.
•  Invigorating Bond: This trait now uses the ranger's healing power, heals allies around the ranger, and grants protection and vigor to allies.
•  Nature's Vengeance: This trait has been reworked. Spirits will slam the ground a second time before disappearing.
•  Trapper's Expertise: This skill no longer reduces the cooldown of trap skills.

Notes for related skills:

•  Healing Spring: Reduced cooldown from 30 seconds to 24 seconds.
•  Spike Trap: Reduced cooldown from 45 seconds to 25 seconds in PvE only.

•  Resounding Timbre: This trait no longer reduces the cooldown of command skills.

Notes for related skills:

•  "Sic 'Em!": Reduced cooldown from 35 seconds to 28 seconds.
•  "Protect Me!": Reduced cooldown from 30 seconds to 24 seconds in PvE.
•  "Search and Rescue!": Reduced cooldown from 60 seconds to 48 seconds.

Druid

•  Grace of the Land: This trait now grants alacrity instead of might.
•  Rejuvenating Tides: This skill now grants might to nearby allies in addition to its previous effects.
•  Natural Convergence: This trait[sic] now grants might to nearby allies every pulse.
•  Blood Moon: This trait replaces Primal Echoes. Daze nearby foes when you become a celestial avatar. Bleed foes you immobilize or disable.
•  Natural Balance: This trait replaces Natural Stride. Deal increased damage and take reduced damage for a period of time after entering or exiting Celestial Avatar.
•  Eclipse: This trait replaces Ancient Seeds. Your celestial avatar abilities inflict conditions on enemies.
•  Glyph of Alignment: Increased bleeding duration from 8 seconds to 10 seconds in PvE only.
•  Glyph of Equality: The non-celestial version of this skill now applies stability in PvE only.
•  Natural Mender: Increased astral force generation from 5 to 8 in PvE only.
•  Cosmic Ray: Increased radius from 120 to 240.
•  Lingering Light: This trait no longer grants increased outgoing healing after exiting Celestial Avatar, and it instead reduces the recharge of Celestial Avatar every time another player is healed by a celestial avatar skill.

Soulbeast

•  Spiritual Reprieve: Reduced casting time from 1.5 seconds to 1 second. Reduced cooldown from 40 seconds to 35 seconds.
•  Instinctive Engage: This skill is no longer an ammo skill. Reduced the cooldown in PvE to 12 seconds, matching WvW and PvP. Increased the damage to 2.0 in PvE. This skill now slows and poisons enemies.

Untamed

•  Rending Vines: Reduced cooldown from 15 seconds to 10 seconds in PvE only.
•  Enveloping Haze: Reduced cooldown from 25 seconds to 20 seconds in PvE only.
•  Unleashed Power: Reduced internal cooldown from 15 seconds to 9 seconds in PvE only.
•  Savage Slash: Increased power coefficient from 2.0 to 2.2 in PvE only.
•  Deft Strike: Increased power coefficient from 1.5 to 2.2 in PvE only.
•  Relentless Whirl: Increased power coefficient from 0.546 to 0.7 in PvE only.
•  Multishot: Increased power coefficient from 1.2 to 2.0 in PvE only.
•  Restorative Strikes: This trait no longer passively converts strike damage to healing, and it instead converts strike damage to healing when you or your pet unleash. Increased protection duration from 2 seconds to 3 seconds.
•  Let Loose: This trait replaces Fervent Force. Grant boons[sic] to nearby allies when you use an unleashed ambush skill. Recharge your unleashed ambush skill when you swap weapons.

Revenant

Herald's quickness application is being moved to Elevated Compassion and tied to maintaining upkeep skills. In its place, Draconic Echo will now cause facet passive effects to grant additional bonuses to the herald. Vindicator is also getting some adjustments in WvW to bring it more in line with other support builds.

Notes for PvP/WvW

Core

•  Banish Enchantment: This skill now has a 5-second cooldown in WvW only.
•  Battle Scars: Increased base healing from 58 to 68 in PvP only.

Vindicator

•  Saint's Shield: Reduced base barrier and healing from 582 to 300 in WvW only. Reduced healing attribute multiplier from 0.33 to 0.2 in WvW only.
•  Tree Song: Reduced number of conditions removed from 5 to 3 in WvW only.
•  Urn of Saint Viktor: Reduced base pulse healing from 708 to 450 in WvW only.

Core

•  Aggressive Agility: This trait no longer removes immobilization, and it instead grants resistance.
•  Demonic Defiance: This trait will now also remove a damaging condition when it triggers.
•  Forced Engagement: Reduced number of targets from 5 to 1. Increased range from 600 to 900.

Herald

•  Elevated Compassion: This trait now grants boons to nearby allies while six or more points of upkeep are in use, in addition to its current effect.
•  Draconic Echo: This trait no longer grants boons when using a consume skill and instead causes facet passives to grant an additional bonus to the herald.

Thief

In addition to moving alacrity off of wells, we wanted to improve specter's ability to play a support role in larger group situations. Ally-targeted scepter skills will now grant their effects in an area around the target, and Shadestep has been reworked to allow Shadow Shroud skills to affect multiple allies around the tethered target. We're also introducing a quickness build for deadeye. Fire for Effect will cause every stolen skill to become Steal Time, which now grants quickness in an area. We've also bumped up daredevil's staff damage while reducing the damage of the more powerful stolen skills to make the build more consistent.

Notes for PvP/WvW

Core

•  Upper Hand: Reduced internal cooldown from 5 seconds to 4 seconds in PvP and WvW.

Daredevil

•  Channeled Vigor: Reduced cooldown from 30 seconds to 24 seconds in PvP and WvW.
•  Bandit's Defense: Reduced cooldown from 30 seconds to 24 seconds in PvP and WvW.

Deadeye

•  Binding Shadow: Reduced cooldown from 30 seconds to 25 seconds in PvP and WvW. This skill now immobilizes marked targets instead of knocking them down.

Core

•  Improvisation: This trait now reduces the cooldowns of all utility skills by a certain percentage when you steal, instead of recharging a random skill.
•  Fluid Strikes: This trait has been reworked and renamed Fluid Strikes. It now grants the thief a damage bonus for a period of time after using a movement skill or completing a shadowstep.
•  Pain Response: This trait has been reworked. It now removes a damaging condition from the thief when completing a dodge roll.
•  Guarded Initiation: This trait has been reworked. It now grants the thief resistance when using a movement skill, with a 5-second internal cooldown.
•  Swindler's Equilibrium: This trait now recharges Steal by 1 second per trigger, with a 1-second cooldown.
•  Assassin's Reward: Increased base healing per initiative spent from 102 to 151.
•  Detonate Plasma: This skill now deals damage to nearby enemies and no longer grants quickness.
•  Throw Magnetic Bomb: Reduced power coefficient from 1.5 to 0.7.
•  Throw Unstable Reagent: Increased power coefficient from 1.5 to 2.0.
•  Throw Cursed Artifact: Reduced power coefficient from 0.5 to 0.4. Reduced bleeding, torment, and confusion stacks from 5 to 3.
•  Time in a Bottle: Reduced duration from 5 seconds to 3 seconds.

Daredevil

•  Bound: Increased power coefficient from 1.75 to 3.5 in PvE only.
•  Staff Strike: Increased power coefficient from 0.75 to 1.0 in PvE only.
•  Staff Bash: Increased power coefficient from 0.8 to 1.2 in PvE only.
•  Brawler's Tenacity: This skill no longer reduces the cooldown of physical skills.

Notes for related skills:

•  Bandit's Defense: Reduced cooldown from 20 seconds to 16 seconds in PvE.
•  Fist Flurry: Reduced cooldown from 20 seconds to 16 seconds.
•  Impairing Daggers: Reduced cooldown from 18 seconds to 15 seconds.
•  Impact Strike: Reduced cooldown from 30 seconds to 25 seconds.

Deadeye

• Stolen Skills: Stolen skills now grant their beneficial effects in a radius around the caster. Reduced casting time by approximately 25%.
•  Steal Time: Increased quickness duration from 3 seconds to 5 seconds in PvE only.
•  Steal Resistance: Increased resistance duration from 3 seconds to 5 seconds in PvE only.
•  Malicious Intent: Increased malice gain from 1 to 2 in PvE only.
•  Fire for Effect: This trait no longer requires a target to grant boons to allies. Additionally, equipping this trait guarantees that the stolen skill will be Steal Time, regardless of the target's profession.
•  Shadow Flare: Reduced cooldown from 30 seconds to 20 seconds in PvE only. This skill now only damages once when used instead of pulsing.
•  Shadow Swap: This skill now causes an additional strike to occur at your original location when used.
•  One in the Chamber: This trait now also increases the damage of stolen skills, in addition to its previous effects.
•  Binding Shadow: Reduced cooldown from 30 seconds to 20 seconds in PvE. This skill now immobilizes marked targets instead of knocking them down.

Specter

• Ally-targeted scepter skills now also grant a lesser effect to additional allies in a radius around the target.
•  Second Opinion: This trait now grants condition damage instead of healing power when equipped and while wielding a scepter.
•  Shallow Grave: This trait has been reworked. It now causes Siphon to transfer conditions to a targeted enemy or remove conditions from the specter and their targeted ally.
•  Traversing Dusk: This trait no longer grants alacrity to allies when using a well skill.
•  Shadestep: This trait has been reworked. It now spreads the beneficial effects of your shadow shroud skills to allies around your tethered target, and it additionally grants boons to yourself and those allies when you use a shadow shroud skill.

Warrior

With quickness being removed from banners, we wanted to introduce both a quickness and an alacrity build to warrior elite specializations and have done so for berserker and bladesworn, respectively. We'll be keeping an eye on how these builds perform relative to their counterparts and will make follow-up adjustments as needed. We've also tuned up rifle and off-hand dagger to make them more effective options.

Notes for PvP/WvW

Core

•  Fierce Shot: Increased power coefficient from 0.403 to 0.46 in PvP and WvW.
•  Explosive Shell: Reduced cooldown from 6 seconds to 1 second. Reduced ammunition recharge time from 15 seconds to 8 seconds. Increased power coefficient from 0.5 to 1.09 in PvP and WvW. Reduced cripple duration from 5 seconds to 3 seconds in PvP and WvW.
•  Berserker Stance: Reduced cooldown from 40 seconds to 25 seconds in PvP only.
•  Balanced Stance: Reduced cooldown from 50 seconds to 40 seconds in PvP only.
•  Stomp: Reduced cooldown from 30 seconds to 24 seconds in PvP and WvW.
•  "Shake It Off!": Reduced cooldown from 30 seconds to 24 seconds in PvP and WvW.

Berserker

•  Arc Divider: Reduced the number of strikes from 3 to 1. Reduced the casting time from 1.86 seconds to 0.8 seconds. Reduced total power coefficient from 2.112 to 1.82 in PvP.

Spellbreaker

•  Winds of Disenchantment: Lowered the duration from 5 seconds to 4 seconds in WvW only.
•  Break Enchantments: Reduced the number of boons removed from 2 to 1 in WvW only.

Core

•  Crack Shot: This trait no longer reduces the cooldown of rifle, longbow, and harpoon gun skills.

Notes for related skills:

•  Fan of Fire: Reduced cooldown from 6 seconds to 5 seconds in PvE only.
•  Arcing Arrow: Reduced ammunition recharge time from 10 seconds to 8 seconds in PvE only.
•  Smoldering Arrow: Reduced ammunition recharge time from 20 seconds to 16 seconds in PvE only.
•  Pin Down: Reduced cooldown from 25 seconds to 20 seconds in PvE only.
•  Volley: Reduced cooldown from 5 seconds to 1 second. Reduced ammunition recharge time from 12 seconds to 10 seconds in PvE only.
•  Explosive Shell: Reduced cooldown from 6 seconds to 1 second. Reduced ammunition recharge time from 15 seconds to 8 seconds.
•  Brutal Shot: Reduced cooldown from 8 seconds to 1 second. This skill will now cause you to evade backward immediately and fire a shot at the end of the roll.

•  Flurry: You can now move while channeling this skill. Reduced the overall number of hits and animation time. Increased bleeding duration per hit from 4 seconds to 6 seconds. Increased power coefficient per hit from 0.2222 to 0.33.
•  Soldier's Comfort: This trait now also grants protection.
•  Martial Cadence: This trait will now grant stability instead of quickness in PvE only.
•  Peak Performance: This trait no longer reduces the cooldown of physical skills.

Notes for related skills:

•  Mending: Reduced cooldown from 20 seconds to 16 seconds in PvE only.
•  Bull's Charge: Reduced cooldown from 30 seconds to 24 seconds.
•  Kick: Reduced ammunition recharge to 20 seconds in all game modes.
•  Stomp: Reduced cooldown from 40 seconds to 32 seconds in PvE.
•  Throw Bolas: Reduced ammunition recharge from 20 seconds to 16 seconds.
•  Rampage: Reduced cooldown from 120 seconds to 90 seconds.

•  Signet Mastery: This skill no longer reduces the cooldown of signet skills.

Notes for related skills:

•  Signet of Fury: Reduced cooldown from 20 seconds to 16 seconds.
•  Signet of Might: Reduced cooldown from 25 seconds to 20 seconds in PvE only.
•  Signet of Stamina: Reduced cooldown from 35 seconds to 30 seconds.
•  Signet of Rage: Reduced cooldown from 60 seconds to 40 seconds in PvE only.

•  Vigorous Shouts: This trait no longer reduces the cooldown of shout skills.

Notes for related skills:

•  "To the Limit!": Reduced cooldown from 30 seconds to 24 seconds.
•  "Fear Me!": Reduced cooldown from 60 seconds to 48 seconds.
•  "For Great Justice!": Reduced ammunition recharge from 25 seconds to 20 seconds.
•  "On My Mark!": Reduced ammunition recharge from 25 seconds to 20 seconds.
•  "Shake It Off!": Reduced ammunition recharge from 25 seconds to 20 seconds in PvE.

•  Doubled Standards: This trait now grants resolution instead of quickness.

Berserker

•  Flaming Flurry: Reduced the number of hits from 8 to 6. Reduced casting time. Increased power coefficient from 0.25 to 0.33. Increased burning duration from 2 seconds to 5 seconds.
•  Arc Divider: Reduced the number of strikes from 3 to 1. Reduced the casting time from 1.86 seconds to 0.8 seconds. Reduced total power coefficient from 5.1 to 2.5 in PvE.
•  Blood Reaction: Increased the base precision-to-ferocity conversion to 10%. This trait now converts 10% of power to condition damage. These bonuses are still doubled in berserk mode.
•  Bloody Roar: Reduced the increased damage provided from 25 to 20% in PvE only.
•  Heat the Soul: This trait has been reworked. This trait will now grant boons to nearby allies when you strike an enemy with a burst skill.

Spellbreaker

•  Break Enchantments: Increased the number of boons removed from 2 to 4 in PvE only.
•  Wastrel's Ruin: This skill now removes boons when striking an enemy.
•  Bladestorm: This skill now grants barrier when striking an enemy.

Bladesworn

•  Daring Dragon: This trait has been reworked. Dragon Slash has a lower maximum charge level and consumes more flow per charge, but its damage per charge has been increased. Grant alacrity to nearby allies when you use Dragon Slash.

References