saerni.2584

No longer grants any stolen skill at all from Cantrips after the update to adjust damage/fix the Steal Time related bug.

Easy path to quell anger here is 6 legendary runes unlocked lets you claim an item to help craft a legendary relic. Im assuming same number of runes (matched to armor pieces) plus a new slot. So you won't lose any runes or waste having a full set, however you do lose functionality (but with potential for greater flexibility in a new system letting you swap different relic effects but select your rune stat combo). 6 (not a full seven) should be enough to at least grant partial progress towards the relic. Or unlock a relic related collection required for a legendary relic. It would be bad form to strip major functionality out of runes with no compensation (even if that still requires spending more gold to get to legendary relic).

Welp, clearly the animators were not properly instructed to make a duck waddle animation. I, for one, need this for a Charr DE and will be endlessly sad until this is implemented in game. In all seriousness, a new animation would be nice in the long run.

I'll admit morbid curiosity about the interaction between superspeed from SA and Silent Scope with the Kneel changes. The fastest waddle we've ever seen...

As someone who has played P/D Deadeye: Stealth access would be improved though making the stealth on dodge accessible on all weapons. Also making SA's Hidden Thief have stealth access on Steal again (which as a single source wasn't a huge duration issue but helpful in getting a Stealth attack off in the context of Deadeye's Mark).

Just saying if they want to "improve Deadeye" there's some suggestions they could take that don't involve cutting range.

First impressions on the patch preview: Deadeye pierce on DJ should be extended to Malicious Sneak Attack (pistol). Deadeye has more issues than just whether the stealth attack on Rifle pierces. The range decrease on rifle kneel isn't needed even in the context of minimal movement. Range is offset by projectile speed (longer range means more time to dodge the projectile), so giving some movement back isn't really a good automatic reason/opportunity to cut range. Boosts to dagger are positive even if limited to PvE. Specter Shroud mitigation boost helps address issue with Shroud HP but does nothing for helping alacrity Specter or Heal Specter be better to play game-play wise. There are several issues at the traitline level that are being left unaddressed due to other professions traits/mechanics receiving more attention in this proposed patch. Many more changes are needed than the ones being offered here.

I will be adding more items, including Daredevil this weekend, based on what people post. But I'm one person so if people want to post in the format I'm using it would be very helpful.

Absolutely. I will get you an invite.

@Carnifex.3275 I didn't because overall Daredevil is in a good spot design-wise, and there weren't any specific changes I could personally recommend. However, I'm open to including Daredevil specific ideas and animation lock issues are a potentially good design suggestion. It takes a village to suggest things here as I'm only one Thief. I'd also note that there's a big question mark on less used weapons and melee vs ranged as far as what the damage numbers should ideally be. I mostly targeted Shortbow because there are some more obvious design pain points. But that doesn't mean that people shouldn't post if they think a DPS weapon set is lacking and specific skills being boosted is the way to do that. And, with the balance preview coming tomorrow, I'd expect our conversation in this thread to be somewhat shaped by what they've decided to do. After that it's between us and Anet to imagine the possibilities.

Thanks @ZeroTheRuler.7415. I've added in a brief item from what I recall of your suggestion. If you have additions to it just let me know. I also added a "Quality of Life" tag to the OP.

Thief has gotten suggestions implemented though. The entire SA rework recently had years of Thief feedback backed into it. As did the reworks to Deadeye post Path of Fire. We won't get everything we ask for. But we aren't quite as ignored as you may think.

Bugs and General Issues There are a number of bugs and other issues that, if fixed, would improve the current implementation of Thief and its Elite Specializations. Deadeye's Mark. Certain targets in PvE can't be selected by this ability. Octovine is a notable and inconsistent (depends on what side of the Octovine you are on) example. This is a Path to Target issue that should be looked at closely given this impacts both old and new content alike. Automatic Allied Targeting. There is a toggle for this in settings for regular targeting. This needs to be made a secondary toggle for allied targeting so we can select if we want to use the feature.

Specter Traits, Utilities, and Scepter Shadow Shroud HP Scaling. Issues: 1) The reduction to 0.69 health scaling resulted in the Shroud being slightly too squishy to be usable. Suggestions: 1) The number should be bumped up to 1.0 scaling and then balance re-evaluated. Explanations: This would make subsequent balancing on the skills side easier as the Shroud would have reasonable sustain in balance with Vitality. Citations: Diversity Consume Shadows. Issues: 1) This trait is both too strong for the Adept tier and, with the “wait until you get the full effect” stacking buff, feels clunky. Suggestions: 1) Enter/Exit Shadow Shroud: Converts up to 10% of Shadow Force to Heal up to 5 Allies (360 radius). Excess healing is converted to Barrier. While in Shadow Shroud: Convert up to 5% of Shadow Force to Heal up to 5 Allies (360 radius). Excess healing is converted to Barrier. Interval 3 seconds. Gain 1 stack of Shadow's Relief (Increased Outgoing Healing 10%, Interval 3 seconds, while in Shroud). *Heal conversion is 50% of Shadow Shroud HP consumed with 0.33 scaling for Healing Power. Explanations: 1) This promotes using the Shroud as a healing source while promoting the synergy of using it to pulse out Barrier/Rot Wallow Venom. Citations: PB, Diversity Second Opinion: Issues: 1) Given that Consume Shadows is also a heal oriented trait, the focus on Healing Power in this trait feels both weak and discordant (need a separate reason to actually take this trait and not the other, better, healing trait). Suggestions: 1) Second Opinion now also includes: Enter/Exit Shadow Shroud applies Barrier to Allies (360 radius) 2) Remove the Scepter based Healing Power bonus, for Power Budget reasons. Explanations: 1) This trait needs a rework. In its current form it cannot compete for the exact same role as Consume Shadows. One missing area is a way to increase Barrier access/application to your group outside of Shadestep, while also being able to quickly respond to an incoming damage spike. Citations: PB, Diversity Note on Alacrity application: Issues: It has been noted that Alacrity application, even on a boon duration heavy build, requires spamming a large number of Wells on cooldown. This leads to spam play rather than smart play. There have been a number of suggestions on how to improve this design to promote "fun" gameplay. Solutions: 1) Alacrity on Enter/Exit Shroud. AND/OR 2) Alacrity on Siphon. Explanations: 1) Tying Alacrity to a few profession skills (either the F1 or the Enter/Exit Shroud mechanic will reduce the need to spam and open up this as a normal part of a rotation in game-play. Citations: PoP, Diversity, "Fun."

Deadeye Traits, Utilities, and Rifle Collateral Damage. Issues: 1) This will often trigger on an isolated enemy and therefore not do any damage, making it a worse choice than the alternatives in the same tier. This issue applies equally to PvE and PvP/WvW making it an unpopular/dead trait selection. Suggestions: (1) Collateral Damage now triggers an AoE damage pulse on Stealth Attack on the Marked target, potentially scaling with Malice. Explanations: (1) Damage around a marked target being attacked is more useful than to trigger an AoE only after the target dies. Citations: PB, Diversity Silent Scope. Issues: 1) Meld with Shadows (Shadow Arts) was recently changed to no longer grant an additional 1 second of Stealth duration, which means in competitive modes Silent Scope only provides 1 second of Stealth on dodge total. Shadow Arts traits built around Enter/Exit Stealth are thereby able to be triggered once every second, likely more than intended. Originally, with Meld with Shadows, there was actually time to line up a clear shot, today this is less functional. Suggestions: 1) Increase the duration of Silent Scope to 2 seconds of Stealth in competitive game-modes. Explanation: 1) This changes addresses a potential imbalance in the trait interactions between Shadow Arts and Silent Scope (Power Budget) and looks to maintain the Purity of Purpose of Silent Scope by allowing the same game play in all game modes. Citations: PoP, Diversity Maleficent Seven. Issues: This trait does too many things at once. Might and Fury combined with Initiative regeneration and two more points of Malice make the trait a major damage enhancement. Protection, Swiftness, Regeneration, and Vigor, however, are also significant boosts to personal sustain. This makes the trait out of balance with the other Grandmaster traits in terms of Purity of Purpose. Suggestions: 1) Remove Might, Fury, and Swiftness from Maleficent Seven. Explanations: 1) Might, Fury, and Swiftness should be the focus of the support oriented Fire for Effect (see below). With more Initiative regeneration, Maleficent Seven would still offer good sustained damage and would have to take other traits/skills/items (or use Rifle skills) to get Might/Fury. Swiftness can also already be applied by Rifle skills, which makes choosing Rifle skills more situational and less rewarding to spam. Citations: PoP, PB, Diversity Be Quick or Be Killed. Issues: This damage oriented trait is out shined by the current form of Maleficent Seven (see above/below). Building and cycling Malice with Maleficent Seven is always going to be better damage output, with 25 stacks of Might and Fury, even in shorter “burst” time frames. In terms of Quickness access, Deadeye's Mark applies Quickness but the animation of marking a target covers part of the duration of the boon (lower boon duration in competitive). “Steal Time” is the only Stolen Skill that offers the Quickness boon, requiring fighting a Mesmer or getting a lucky “One in the Chamber” roll. Suggestions: 1) Be Quick or Be Killed now also applies 1 second of Quickness when Stolen Skills are used at 5 malice. Reduce the duration of Quickness on Steal Time from 3 to 2 seconds. Explanations: 1) This increases Quickness access but requires cycling Malice and having Stolen Skills. The Deadeye would have more control over when Quickness is applied for more consistent ability to take advantage of the power/precision bonuses. This improves overall synergy and puts the trait on par with other Grandmaster traits. Citations: PB, Diversity Fire for Effect. Issues: This trait's suggested play-style is focused on spamming stolen skills and doesn't mesh well with normal Deadeye game-play (using Stolen Skills at maximum Malice). Suggestions: (1) Fire For Effect now makes Stolen Skills apply Might and Fury and Swiftness (x10 for 10 seconds) when used at 5 Malice. Explanations: (1) Deadeye Grandmaster traits all follow the general theme of using Boons to enhance the Deadeye. However, Fire for Effect does it without being oriented around normal Deadeye Marking/Malice game-play. The inclusion of Swiftness is to make the trait competitive, but not too strong, in providing boon support in a limited category (damage and basic mobility). Citations: PB, Diversity Shadow Flare. Issues: The projectile that applies the flare is rather slow and can be blocked/obstructed. Suggestions: (1) Increase the speed of the Shadow Flare orb projectile and make it unblockable (projectile, not the AoE damage pulse). Explanations: 1) This significantly improves the usability of the skill by making sure the projectile itself lands where it is intended to. Citations: Diversity Kneel. Issues: 1) Kneel remains clunky to use because normal movement keys do not break the Kneel. Suggestions: 1) Make jump break the Kneel. Explanations: 1) Making a jump break Kneel still requires the same number of actions as hitting the "5" skill. Making Jump act as a secondary way to trigger the animation for unkneeling would be a QoL improvement. Citations: QoL