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A Level 60 GWFs Assessment of Powers DEVS PLEASE READ
chudovishye
Member Posts: 0 Arc User
I've played the GWF since open beta was launched weeks ago. Though I've been having fun with the class, even at level 60 in epic dungeons and some really tough PvP sessions, there is still A LOT that needs to be done. Here, after much experience, is my assessment with the various powers available to the GWF, in order from what appears first to what appears last in the "tree". Devs, please consider my comments and the truth they present, this is built on real experience using the class in good parties, bad parties, good runs, bad runs, the works. Primary issue I have with many of the current powers is, as everyone should know, DAMAGE. The GWF, is by definition of how AD&D defined the base fighter class decades ago, DAMAGE. Without this, it's just silly, even an experienced player will find it very difficult to work because of its appearance as a tank but its performance as an elderly Revolutionary War vet living in an iron lung (hint, that means it lacks purposeful damage). I'm currently playing with a GS of 9.4, gearing up to be around 10.5 soon with good enchants, and the Ancient Castle set I picked up (no, I didn't pay money for it). It's the only class I play, I have no others.
All of you, before commenting, PLEASE READ THE FOLLOWING CAREFULLY AS THIS IS FROM A BUILD I USE FOR BOTH PVP AND PVE!!!. Refer to here for the GWF power set in case you're not familiar with the class and want some reference: http://nwcalc.com/gwf?b=cn4:2hwcg:5m9s,1000000:60000:60000:60000&h=0
Reaping Strike: Practically worthless. Damage is reasonable, though not where you'd expect it. Big problem is the charge time. A literal waste of time because of this. You could be dishing out 2-3 WMS swings and probably 6 WS swings in the time it takes you to charge for one swing of RS. This makes it painfully obvious it's coming in PvP. Very easy to dodge. I laughed at GWF who went one on one with me two nights ago and they pulled this out. Needless to say, it was their end. Remove or lessen the charge time, or scrap it altogether. Needs more damage if you keep the charge time the same, otherwise only slight charge if you up the damage. The time you waste with the charge in PvE makes it useless. Spend your time instead stacking with WS.
Sure Strike: This is fine up until level 10, and then it's a joke. A complete joke if you're using this at 60. Single-target damage is laughable and it's too slow. Increase damage on this one. At least 70% of the GWFs I've killed at 60 PvP use this stupid power. Ask me why my GWF vs GWF PvP at level 60 is now 26-0 unique kills and this is behind almost every one of those wins. A death sentence to any party in PvE. A bulls eye in PvP.
Not So Fast: Lots of potential here. I used this as one of my primary powers until roughly level 55. The circular attack space is perfect in both PvP and PvE, and the slowdown effect very useful, especially one on one vs TRs. However, its damage is low in comparison to later skills, which makes it eventually obsolete. Easily negated with certain skills, and because of low damage the slowdown effect isn't worth it in epics. Too many adds I need to attack to worry about slowing 20% of them at best.
Spinning Strike: One of the biggest jokes in the game. My vote for worst daily in the entire system that is Neverwinter. It's obvious, has terrible attack range (easy to move out of the way or far away from it), and the damage it does is basically a joke of a defiant god. I actually saw a GWF using this in 60 PvP a week ago. They must be insane. Just another pug showing everyone how bad the GWF can be behind a player without knowledge. If you keep this one in a later patch, do something with it, or get rid of it. So worthless, I didn't even use it at the start of the game more than once or twice. This was after the first mini-boss used it on me and I realized how <font color="orange">HAMSTER</font> it was.
Mighty Leap: Quite useful, up until around level 45. After that, its damage is too low to make it worth it. It's wonderful for jumping people who try to run away in PvP, or for getting quickly out of tight spots in PvE, but the damage needs a boost. By 60 it's not worth using much, unless I want to get into a PvP spawn. That's the only time I still use it. Please don't remove that, totes legit, not an exploit! Damage buff would be nice overall, on top of a general buff for the class as a whole.
Restoring Strike: One of the few powers that's essentially fine as-is. As most GWFs powers, though, could use some more damage. However, I will say it's allowed me to one on one many, I repeat, many CWs, TRs, and even a DC or two using Astral Shield. Also was my saving grace and wild card in one match where two TRs and one DC were on me. All three died, I only went down from a CW tossing <font color="orange">HAMSTER</font> at me from behind. It's one of the few early ones I still use at 60, and one of my core powers when I play PvP or PvE.
Avalanche of Steel: Not too bad for the dailies, obviously better than Spinning Strike, but basically pointless later in the game. I stopped using it as soon as I got to Crescendo. The damage is reasonable, but could use a slight buff, stress on slight otherwise it would be quite unfair to a group in PvP. Useful for the mass takedown, but, however, it's easy to dodge. You can control the AOE as you jump into the air, but this control only lasts a few brief moments, so it's a cinch for most players to get to the edge of the AOE and move out of the way. I suggest giving more speed to the control over the AOE, keeping the timing the same. I never use this at 60, especially in PvP.
Slam: One of the few GWF powers I'd say could stay as it is, with no changes. Great damage to groups in PvE or PvP. One of the reasons for this is you still attack even if you're stunned or knocked prone. It won't stop, and that makes it one of the most useful powers for the GWF. Great mass damage effect, keep this one as it is. Haven't had it glitch, either, so that's good. Can't be negated from what I've seen, also good.
Takedown: Personally, I don't use this, and I don't like it. It's okay in PvP if used correctly, but I have yet to see a GWF beat me with it. You can get the same effect from Flourish with a double-stun if you use the right feats, so I find this one useless due to that, especially for one big reason, distance. This is another reason I stopped using Mighty Leap, because Flourish covered its function with more damage to boot. Takedown has decent damage, and is very difficult to avoid, however, so it's got that going for it. But against big bosses in PvE, forget it. Pointless because the GWF pauses for a brief moment after the target is on the ground, and that's its downfall for me.
Bravery: I've heard some argument about the GWF and deflect, and if you're going that route this would make sense, but I don't use it. The GWF's movement is flawed at its foundations, and I'd rather use one of the yellow power blocks for something useful. It's buffs are too negligible for advanced levels to make it worth it.
Steadfast Determination: Complete waste of power points. I noticed NO difference when I used this, I get Unstoppable within a few brief moments in mass add groups in PvE epics, so much that I'm going Unstop like once every 4-6 seconds or so. I tried it again after reaching 60 to see if it made it even faster, but seriously noticed no difference whatsoever. Perhaps it's bugged?
Wicked Strike: Very nice, but even with buffs this still desperately needs a damage boost. I can do great with it, and it's a good combo with WMS, but it's slow, so I really only use it when I get Unstoppable going, otherwise I primarily stick to WMS for single targets. In large PvE add groups, WS is my go-to attack. But, it's still painfully slow. I would suggest base speed somewhere between where it is now and Unstoppable. That would make it very useful and properly create the add-control level the GWF really needs overall. Then, it probably wouldn't require a damage boost at all if it was given a little more speed.
Roar: The damage increase is somewhat welcome, but not nearly where it needs to be. 15% for each rank would be better, because I find it a waste of a keylock power otherwise. If a group isn't around you when you use it, it doesn't do what you need to a single enemy. Makes more sense to have straight, single-opponent powers armed instead, because without a group around you the determination gain is worthless. No real suggestions to fix this one, other than increasing the percentages, but even then it doesn't seem worth it.
Weapon Master: Good in theory, but needs a boost. Only a total increase in crit chance to a max of 7.5% AFTER stacks at rank 3? Are you kidding? If you have crit pretty high, it can be useful, and it is, in fact, one of the few earlier powers I still use at 60, but it requires good crit damage and chance already in place to make it worth your while. A total buff at rank three of at least 10% would make the most sense, but somewhere around 15% is probably ideal, depending on overall class buff, if it comes.
Daring Shout: Never use this in its current incarnation. The time for the buff against opponents is a joke. The Determination build laughable. Does not indicate to players how much damage resistance is even being given, but I can tell you it seems like so low a percentage that I might as well be using Spinning Strike as my main attack. Make it clear what it's doing, buff the **** out of it, or otherwise remove it.
Flourish: Pretty sure this one can stay as-is. Good damage, with proper feats later it can double-stun, which breaks AOE of enemies, even bosses! That's right, don't touch this one! For the love of god don't! Even has good distance if you use it right, which is what negated Mighty Leap for me (mentioned earlier).
Steel Blitz: Keep it as it is. I still use this at 60, but I tend to switch it out for PvP in favor of another skill. I use this primarily in PvE for that extra edge, and trust me, it's clear it's there. THIS is what I call an obvious buff with good percentages. Keep it.
Weapon Master Strike: This should be the go-to at-will for EVERY GWF. No question. The from-behind strike is useful, enabling you to do a variety of things after the first strike hits (switch to flourish to start a chain of hits on a single target, use WS for more damage). Wonderful for its reduction of damage resistance. However, what's with the reduction in overall WMS damage for every target over one!? WTF?!!! Please remove that element. This is why I switch to WS for large groups and use WMS primarily for one, two targets at most unless I'm in Unstoppable mode. Like most things, slight damage buff would make it better. But this is something that can be done to the class as a whole, which means other than the reduction in more than one target for damage, it could remain the same. That piece should and must be removed. A travesty.
Come and Get It: Really like the concept of this one, but it's worthless. How much is the damage buff at first rank, though? It's not stated. Please make it clear. It's obvious there is some change when you use it, no question. However, it's rendered easily, easily beyond belief, useless by a simple fact. Stunning and/or knocking over the GWF as they charge this skill (and the charge is as obvious as Reaping Strike), removes the buff. The time it takes you to get out of the stun or stand is the entire time this power lasts. Are you kidding me? I noticed this, thankfully, facing enemies as simple as Hexers! Wow... Good for the buff, but bad because of this. My recommendation is to make the GWF invulnerable to everything for the entire length of the buff. Otherwise, scrap it.
Savage Advance: I wanted to like this one, and it could be great for DCs when you have a whole other group of PvP enemies on you, but the damage just isn't there, like at all. Based on how much it does it should have been what you had in place of Spinning Strike early on, and that says all you need to know about it. For a daily, it's somewhat embarrassing.
Steel Defense: VERY useful, especially in PvP, which is primarily where I use it. The invulnerability is just what the GWF needs at times. Keep this one as it is.
Battle Fury: Potentially useful, but not as a keylock skill. Never, in fact. Better to use it for a skill that does straight damage because until the GWF gets a damage boost overall, it has little function. That's all I'll say for now until I see the future alterations, if they happen.
Punishing Charge: I take that back, this may, in fact, be the biggest joke in the game. Though I agree it can be useful as a stand-by in place of sprint, especially if you're out of stamina, I'd rather waste my time tying up the PvP group around me as the rest of my party wails on them instead of using it to run away. That works too, trust me, sometimes the GWF needs to be willing to die. What makes it such a joke is the level of damage it deals. I mean, we already have a hard time, did you have to make the damage comparable to the first weapon we start with in the game at an advanced level!!!?? I never see GWFs using it, even the worst of those I've played with, for a reason. Sure, you can run out of the way, but you'll get killed anyway, so stay and fight. Needs a significant damage buff to make it anything worth anyone's time, otherwise figure out a way to make the sprint more efficient and scrap it entirely. This, to correct myself, is my vote for WORST THING IN THE ENTIRE GAME.
Indomitable Battle Strike: My saving grace, and one of my mains. Don't change it. The damage is good, and with an overall GWF buff would be even better. Can deal damage to more than one enemy if you aim it up right, please don't change that. This makes it great for PvE and PvP. It could make us a great single-target DPS machine in epics, if, and only if, you listen to the players on the overall problems with the GWF. Otherwise, great power as it currently is. Any GWF who avoids it is just trying to be different for the sake of it.
Crescendo: Great potential here. The damage is still something of a joke to me, but it's useful for its stun ability that follows if you're going one on one or want to deal an overkill shot. However, to a smart PvP opponent or a lucky monster, it can be negated. Shouldn't be like that. This attack should lock on the opponent and make the GWF invulnerable until it's over and the target has stood (possibly), but at least right after the damage has been done. It also has distance, which some people don't realize. This is one, however, where I've noticed lots of glitching. If it's broken I'll often seen glitched animations from the attack for a few minutes after, as well as other players. They'll ask WTF was that several times, as you hear the sound of the attack and see the animations randomly around the playing field. FIX THAT.
Steel Grace: Lots of argument I read about this one, but I have to say, I like it, and it does do something noticeable. I use this primarily in PvP, it really helps when fighting more than one CW and it's extremely useful against TRs. I'd say, keep it as is, useful to me, and I noticed a difference with it on, regardless of what I've read here and heard in-game.
SPECIAL: UNSTOPPABLE: I put this one here even though you get it early. Sadly almost forgot about it! WTF? THIS, my friends, is the hallmark of the GWF in its current incarnation. DON'T TOUCH THIS AT ALL. FOR THE LOVE OF GOD LEAVE IT ALONE! Unstoppable allows the GWF to become IMMUNE temporarily to certain things, enter AOEs, break AOEs, the works. It's awesome. A must have for any GWF. Of course, we all know the current problem with it, the Tab glitch. It functions on Tab, and I just had a PvP match with a guild buddy GWF who lost his Tab capability. Apparently, as I've heard, it deals with being struck and stunned while activating it, making Tab inoperable IN GAME ONLY until you relog. FIX IT. Lost two PvP matches because of this, thankfully hasn't had an effect in PvE yet.
All of you, before commenting, PLEASE READ THE FOLLOWING CAREFULLY AS THIS IS FROM A BUILD I USE FOR BOTH PVP AND PVE!!!. Refer to here for the GWF power set in case you're not familiar with the class and want some reference: http://nwcalc.com/gwf?b=cn4:2hwcg:5m9s,1000000:60000:60000:60000&h=0
Reaping Strike: Practically worthless. Damage is reasonable, though not where you'd expect it. Big problem is the charge time. A literal waste of time because of this. You could be dishing out 2-3 WMS swings and probably 6 WS swings in the time it takes you to charge for one swing of RS. This makes it painfully obvious it's coming in PvP. Very easy to dodge. I laughed at GWF who went one on one with me two nights ago and they pulled this out. Needless to say, it was their end. Remove or lessen the charge time, or scrap it altogether. Needs more damage if you keep the charge time the same, otherwise only slight charge if you up the damage. The time you waste with the charge in PvE makes it useless. Spend your time instead stacking with WS.
Sure Strike: This is fine up until level 10, and then it's a joke. A complete joke if you're using this at 60. Single-target damage is laughable and it's too slow. Increase damage on this one. At least 70% of the GWFs I've killed at 60 PvP use this stupid power. Ask me why my GWF vs GWF PvP at level 60 is now 26-0 unique kills and this is behind almost every one of those wins. A death sentence to any party in PvE. A bulls eye in PvP.
Not So Fast: Lots of potential here. I used this as one of my primary powers until roughly level 55. The circular attack space is perfect in both PvP and PvE, and the slowdown effect very useful, especially one on one vs TRs. However, its damage is low in comparison to later skills, which makes it eventually obsolete. Easily negated with certain skills, and because of low damage the slowdown effect isn't worth it in epics. Too many adds I need to attack to worry about slowing 20% of them at best.
Spinning Strike: One of the biggest jokes in the game. My vote for worst daily in the entire system that is Neverwinter. It's obvious, has terrible attack range (easy to move out of the way or far away from it), and the damage it does is basically a joke of a defiant god. I actually saw a GWF using this in 60 PvP a week ago. They must be insane. Just another pug showing everyone how bad the GWF can be behind a player without knowledge. If you keep this one in a later patch, do something with it, or get rid of it. So worthless, I didn't even use it at the start of the game more than once or twice. This was after the first mini-boss used it on me and I realized how <font color="orange">HAMSTER</font> it was.
Mighty Leap: Quite useful, up until around level 45. After that, its damage is too low to make it worth it. It's wonderful for jumping people who try to run away in PvP, or for getting quickly out of tight spots in PvE, but the damage needs a boost. By 60 it's not worth using much, unless I want to get into a PvP spawn. That's the only time I still use it. Please don't remove that, totes legit, not an exploit! Damage buff would be nice overall, on top of a general buff for the class as a whole.
Restoring Strike: One of the few powers that's essentially fine as-is. As most GWFs powers, though, could use some more damage. However, I will say it's allowed me to one on one many, I repeat, many CWs, TRs, and even a DC or two using Astral Shield. Also was my saving grace and wild card in one match where two TRs and one DC were on me. All three died, I only went down from a CW tossing <font color="orange">HAMSTER</font> at me from behind. It's one of the few early ones I still use at 60, and one of my core powers when I play PvP or PvE.
Avalanche of Steel: Not too bad for the dailies, obviously better than Spinning Strike, but basically pointless later in the game. I stopped using it as soon as I got to Crescendo. The damage is reasonable, but could use a slight buff, stress on slight otherwise it would be quite unfair to a group in PvP. Useful for the mass takedown, but, however, it's easy to dodge. You can control the AOE as you jump into the air, but this control only lasts a few brief moments, so it's a cinch for most players to get to the edge of the AOE and move out of the way. I suggest giving more speed to the control over the AOE, keeping the timing the same. I never use this at 60, especially in PvP.
Slam: One of the few GWF powers I'd say could stay as it is, with no changes. Great damage to groups in PvE or PvP. One of the reasons for this is you still attack even if you're stunned or knocked prone. It won't stop, and that makes it one of the most useful powers for the GWF. Great mass damage effect, keep this one as it is. Haven't had it glitch, either, so that's good. Can't be negated from what I've seen, also good.
Takedown: Personally, I don't use this, and I don't like it. It's okay in PvP if used correctly, but I have yet to see a GWF beat me with it. You can get the same effect from Flourish with a double-stun if you use the right feats, so I find this one useless due to that, especially for one big reason, distance. This is another reason I stopped using Mighty Leap, because Flourish covered its function with more damage to boot. Takedown has decent damage, and is very difficult to avoid, however, so it's got that going for it. But against big bosses in PvE, forget it. Pointless because the GWF pauses for a brief moment after the target is on the ground, and that's its downfall for me.
Bravery: I've heard some argument about the GWF and deflect, and if you're going that route this would make sense, but I don't use it. The GWF's movement is flawed at its foundations, and I'd rather use one of the yellow power blocks for something useful. It's buffs are too negligible for advanced levels to make it worth it.
Steadfast Determination: Complete waste of power points. I noticed NO difference when I used this, I get Unstoppable within a few brief moments in mass add groups in PvE epics, so much that I'm going Unstop like once every 4-6 seconds or so. I tried it again after reaching 60 to see if it made it even faster, but seriously noticed no difference whatsoever. Perhaps it's bugged?
Wicked Strike: Very nice, but even with buffs this still desperately needs a damage boost. I can do great with it, and it's a good combo with WMS, but it's slow, so I really only use it when I get Unstoppable going, otherwise I primarily stick to WMS for single targets. In large PvE add groups, WS is my go-to attack. But, it's still painfully slow. I would suggest base speed somewhere between where it is now and Unstoppable. That would make it very useful and properly create the add-control level the GWF really needs overall. Then, it probably wouldn't require a damage boost at all if it was given a little more speed.
Roar: The damage increase is somewhat welcome, but not nearly where it needs to be. 15% for each rank would be better, because I find it a waste of a keylock power otherwise. If a group isn't around you when you use it, it doesn't do what you need to a single enemy. Makes more sense to have straight, single-opponent powers armed instead, because without a group around you the determination gain is worthless. No real suggestions to fix this one, other than increasing the percentages, but even then it doesn't seem worth it.
Weapon Master: Good in theory, but needs a boost. Only a total increase in crit chance to a max of 7.5% AFTER stacks at rank 3? Are you kidding? If you have crit pretty high, it can be useful, and it is, in fact, one of the few earlier powers I still use at 60, but it requires good crit damage and chance already in place to make it worth your while. A total buff at rank three of at least 10% would make the most sense, but somewhere around 15% is probably ideal, depending on overall class buff, if it comes.
Daring Shout: Never use this in its current incarnation. The time for the buff against opponents is a joke. The Determination build laughable. Does not indicate to players how much damage resistance is even being given, but I can tell you it seems like so low a percentage that I might as well be using Spinning Strike as my main attack. Make it clear what it's doing, buff the **** out of it, or otherwise remove it.
Flourish: Pretty sure this one can stay as-is. Good damage, with proper feats later it can double-stun, which breaks AOE of enemies, even bosses! That's right, don't touch this one! For the love of god don't! Even has good distance if you use it right, which is what negated Mighty Leap for me (mentioned earlier).
Steel Blitz: Keep it as it is. I still use this at 60, but I tend to switch it out for PvP in favor of another skill. I use this primarily in PvE for that extra edge, and trust me, it's clear it's there. THIS is what I call an obvious buff with good percentages. Keep it.
Weapon Master Strike: This should be the go-to at-will for EVERY GWF. No question. The from-behind strike is useful, enabling you to do a variety of things after the first strike hits (switch to flourish to start a chain of hits on a single target, use WS for more damage). Wonderful for its reduction of damage resistance. However, what's with the reduction in overall WMS damage for every target over one!? WTF?!!! Please remove that element. This is why I switch to WS for large groups and use WMS primarily for one, two targets at most unless I'm in Unstoppable mode. Like most things, slight damage buff would make it better. But this is something that can be done to the class as a whole, which means other than the reduction in more than one target for damage, it could remain the same. That piece should and must be removed. A travesty.
Come and Get It: Really like the concept of this one, but it's worthless. How much is the damage buff at first rank, though? It's not stated. Please make it clear. It's obvious there is some change when you use it, no question. However, it's rendered easily, easily beyond belief, useless by a simple fact. Stunning and/or knocking over the GWF as they charge this skill (and the charge is as obvious as Reaping Strike), removes the buff. The time it takes you to get out of the stun or stand is the entire time this power lasts. Are you kidding me? I noticed this, thankfully, facing enemies as simple as Hexers! Wow... Good for the buff, but bad because of this. My recommendation is to make the GWF invulnerable to everything for the entire length of the buff. Otherwise, scrap it.
Savage Advance: I wanted to like this one, and it could be great for DCs when you have a whole other group of PvP enemies on you, but the damage just isn't there, like at all. Based on how much it does it should have been what you had in place of Spinning Strike early on, and that says all you need to know about it. For a daily, it's somewhat embarrassing.
Steel Defense: VERY useful, especially in PvP, which is primarily where I use it. The invulnerability is just what the GWF needs at times. Keep this one as it is.
Battle Fury: Potentially useful, but not as a keylock skill. Never, in fact. Better to use it for a skill that does straight damage because until the GWF gets a damage boost overall, it has little function. That's all I'll say for now until I see the future alterations, if they happen.
Punishing Charge: I take that back, this may, in fact, be the biggest joke in the game. Though I agree it can be useful as a stand-by in place of sprint, especially if you're out of stamina, I'd rather waste my time tying up the PvP group around me as the rest of my party wails on them instead of using it to run away. That works too, trust me, sometimes the GWF needs to be willing to die. What makes it such a joke is the level of damage it deals. I mean, we already have a hard time, did you have to make the damage comparable to the first weapon we start with in the game at an advanced level!!!?? I never see GWFs using it, even the worst of those I've played with, for a reason. Sure, you can run out of the way, but you'll get killed anyway, so stay and fight. Needs a significant damage buff to make it anything worth anyone's time, otherwise figure out a way to make the sprint more efficient and scrap it entirely. This, to correct myself, is my vote for WORST THING IN THE ENTIRE GAME.
Indomitable Battle Strike: My saving grace, and one of my mains. Don't change it. The damage is good, and with an overall GWF buff would be even better. Can deal damage to more than one enemy if you aim it up right, please don't change that. This makes it great for PvE and PvP. It could make us a great single-target DPS machine in epics, if, and only if, you listen to the players on the overall problems with the GWF. Otherwise, great power as it currently is. Any GWF who avoids it is just trying to be different for the sake of it.
Crescendo: Great potential here. The damage is still something of a joke to me, but it's useful for its stun ability that follows if you're going one on one or want to deal an overkill shot. However, to a smart PvP opponent or a lucky monster, it can be negated. Shouldn't be like that. This attack should lock on the opponent and make the GWF invulnerable until it's over and the target has stood (possibly), but at least right after the damage has been done. It also has distance, which some people don't realize. This is one, however, where I've noticed lots of glitching. If it's broken I'll often seen glitched animations from the attack for a few minutes after, as well as other players. They'll ask WTF was that several times, as you hear the sound of the attack and see the animations randomly around the playing field. FIX THAT.
Steel Grace: Lots of argument I read about this one, but I have to say, I like it, and it does do something noticeable. I use this primarily in PvP, it really helps when fighting more than one CW and it's extremely useful against TRs. I'd say, keep it as is, useful to me, and I noticed a difference with it on, regardless of what I've read here and heard in-game.
SPECIAL: UNSTOPPABLE: I put this one here even though you get it early. Sadly almost forgot about it! WTF? THIS, my friends, is the hallmark of the GWF in its current incarnation. DON'T TOUCH THIS AT ALL. FOR THE LOVE OF GOD LEAVE IT ALONE! Unstoppable allows the GWF to become IMMUNE temporarily to certain things, enter AOEs, break AOEs, the works. It's awesome. A must have for any GWF. Of course, we all know the current problem with it, the Tab glitch. It functions on Tab, and I just had a PvP match with a guild buddy GWF who lost his Tab capability. Apparently, as I've heard, it deals with being struck and stunned while activating it, making Tab inoperable IN GAME ONLY until you relog. FIX IT. Lost two PvP matches because of this, thankfully hasn't had an effect in PvE yet.
Post edited by chudovishye on
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Comments
- Weapon Master is actually +10%. I don't know if this is a bug or if the ToolTip is wrong.
- Punishing Charge, if used on a group of mobs, can fill your Daily.
Ah, probably a bug in the ToolTip, I was going primarily on that because I don't have the game open in front of me. Verify that and I'll fix it. Good point on charge, except that with the right skills and using Unstop every few seconds in mobs, like I do, I get dailies at arguably the same speed. Not worth wasting a good, single-attack key slot on something so pathetic. Plus, you're really only in mass mobs where it would matter during a boss fight, so even then the damage boost would be necessary. You don't have me convinced.
For instance, take Student of the Sword paired with Not so Fast and Allied Opportunity and you've got a little something special.
Or WS with Group Assault.
Feat combos and Gear make this class.
Not trying to convince you. = )
Just pointing out for the reader so they understand what may or may not be known to them. You can charge daily pretty fast... IF... you're the one being attacked. That is so not always the case for us. = )
When I was still trying to tank as a GF I found a good way to establish aggro on multiple packs was to Roar>Slam>IBS>Slam>Charge>Slam>Repeat. It was the only way I could manage any semblance of threat whilst wearing actual tanking gear as a Sentinel.
It worked fairly well.
Takedown - One of my favorite pvp skill. It's the only way i can ever take out TR and CW. Takedown + Intomidable weapon strike (if it crits there's one dead TR/CW). The only problem here is the range.. you need to be almost on top of the target to hit.
I agree, but please pay attention, this thread is specifically about the POWERS alone, not including gear. It's without question the overall class needs a buff, something between now and what it was before open beta would be reasonable. I know gear, I have good gear, I have better coming, but that's a different issue. We don't want this to be D3, do we? We want base powers to matter.
Well, no, not exactly. Reaping would still be what it is, WS strikes three times in succession. They could at least drop the charge rate by half and make it manageable, it communicates what it is too readily for PvP. And in PvE it wastes time. Yeah, that's why I don't use Takedown and prefer Flourish. The double stun you get from it equals 100% chance of stunning your opponent, it breaks AOE in the middle of it happening, no joke, and it has distance, which is critical due to our lack of mobility.
Come at me in game bro. Your system make sense there, but man, some of those feats in Sentinel sound like absolute ***.
Slam has a minuscule target cap, I think the damage is fine, duration is fine, target cap is not.
Every ability the GWF uses has a minuscule target cap of five targets. There are probably some exceptions, but I don't feel like reading through a dungeon parse to really count out the difference. The five target limit really makes the CW shine since it seems like they are better able to bypass that limit over the GWF, which probably accounts for their popularity as a double-stack dungeon winner.
Perma Arcane Singularity anyone? Anyone?
Have yet to see a GWF running Permaslam but I bet it's doable. Probably the best way to play GWF in end-game if it is possible.
Some are. I don't remember names (I'm horrible with names) but I take 5/5 Deflect Feat, 5/5 Def Debuff Feat, 5/5 +dmg to Marked, 5/5 Weapon Master Buff and Capstone. Then 5/5 at Will buff and 5/5 Encounter Defense Debuff from Destroyer. Stack 4/4 Titans, reflect armor enhancement, plague fire, 3 radiants with 4 Tenebrous, Regen & Lifesteal on rings, waist, neck & knot. Ice Axe.
This is NOT an exclusively PvP assessment. It's for both PvE and PvP, which is how I have my character built. A simple switch of two skills does it.
Are you sure about that cap? I'm going to pay attention next time I use it.
I was with you until Ice Axe. WTF.
No, it really is purely PvP. Read through what you wrote again, and then tell me you aren't coming from a 100% PvP stance in some of your critiques on abilities.
I mean, this is your very first one:
So PvE monsters can read and dodge the animation? You loosely state that you can swing WS 6 times during RS's charge? 2 or 3 WMS swings do 13k+ damage to a single-target? That's all news to me. Last time I checked RS takes as much time as 3 swings of WS and does far more damage in it's one swing than WS does in three for a Destroyer. You even related a little PvP story for over half of the information in this one entry. It's a waste of time in PvE to get a giant gain on Determination? In one charge of RS I have enough to pop Unstoppable in PvE.
You're not wrong about PvP, but you didn't even make a case for PvE RS one way or the other. I'd go down the list and make multiple examples, but the fact I didn't need to go past your first entry should be telling to you.
Ummm, are you telling me how my character plays as I play it? Yeah, no. My build is for PvE and PvP, I make mention of both if you'd read the whole **** thing for once. You keep focusing on **** frikken RS, when I'm VERY clear in that quote above. Maybe not enough for you. Let me reword it.
RS in PvE is worthless because of the time spent in charge. Done. Now enjoy it if you get hit right while it's charging. Yes, it is a waste, you'll die in the process. How many T2s have you completed using RS without cleric coverage, hmm?
I only quoted Reaping Strike because it was the very first one. Since that apparently pissed you off, here's the second one in line:
The only reason I didn't highlight the first part is because it's true in both. How much of each paragraph is PvP? Roughly 70%.
I'm not trolling you or anything, you make a lot of great points about PvP. It just looks like you threw away some of the PvE skills and never looked back because they are PvE skills. Daring Shout being a glaring example, since DS will pop Unstoppable on it's own versus a large pack of mobs. The only reason to use it is for the Determination gain as a Sentinel, but whatever. You're blind to your own prejudice. I'm probably not much different.
How many T2's have you completed without a cleric is my question. Probably zero.
Though I could have mentioned PvE perhaps more, I was just giving general explanations of the faults of these powers. PvE in most of my comments is mentioned indirectly. I stress PvP sometimes because that's where I usually see mistakes. I understand what you're saying, but with DS I'm wasting a skill slot on something that could be straight damage, which could be a lifesaver, and once was for a party I was in in Spellplague. Final strike to the boss using Restoring Strike, which is really the only space I'd put it in. I'd also consider DS if I wasn't getting sick Unstop stacking in ANY mob I face. I activate it once ever 4-8 seconds, tops. So I don't need DS.
Forgot to answer this. Though I can count it on my hand, two.
I'm going to guess both of them were Pirates and probably both glitch speed runs. And like I said you're not always wrong you're almost completely right, but certain skills do not play into the damage role of the Instigator or the Destroyer. They are obviously intended for Sentinel.
If viewed purely as a DPS/PvP class than you're right, but there is a third tree even if everyone believes it under performs. I'm just trying to provide a little bit of counterpoint to some of your wilder claims about PvE usefulness/non-usefulness.
Have to agree here, sorry to say. I really like my character, but with an overall class buff she'd be really good. Workable now, but workable is not where most players would want to strive to reach. Sounds like you need a good guild man, join us, you'll see the name in the sig below. We have one or two other good GWFs that play well, tonight doing some T2 Spider Temple runs.
There are some cool looking feats in Sentinel, but the rest of them, man, just no... I'd have to take the time to level it to try it out, but I really don't want to put the work into that. I might waste some AD in the future just to see, but I doubt I'd stick with it. Again, I'm just trying to give an overall understanding of what I find wrong with the powers. Of course, it's using reference to my personal build and path, but in terms of general issues, I think what I say is glaringly obvious to most GWFs, good players or not. No. One was almost pirates, actually, another was. The one I couldn't do involved me, one TR, one CW. CW went up on the wall, I ran around and dealt with the archers as the TR ran and then hit the boss. He was too shaky, though, and kept digging in all the time when he needed to back off and take his time. Other one was Spider Temple.
It has to come, I just wish I knew why they went from one extreme to the other.