Feedback:User/Guild Wars 3 perhaps/Weapon Skill Tiers

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Go here to see a list of my other GW2 suggestions and discussion contributions.


Awhile back I had made a suggestion to have skills build in effectiveness as well as unlock new skills through repeated use rather than having to use a skill point system to purchase them from a trainer or earn them as part of a quest reward.


Shortly after, ArenaNet announced that weapon skill acquisition would follow a similar model; a weapon's skills are now learned by fighting with a particular weapon.


Whether this change was due to my suggestion or simply a case of synchronicity is irrelevant. What matters is this new skill acquisition paradigm was to put into place and I applaud ArenaNet for doing so. However, I have some concerns regarding how the system has been implemented and will follow up with my suggested improvements. I will use necromancer weapon skills in my examples since that is the profession who's skills I'm most familiar with; but this suggestion is meant to apply to all professions' weapon skills.


As it stands now, a player's main hand slot #1 weapon skill is already fully unlocked and usable at level 1. As the player adventures through Tyria fighting enemies, their other main hand weapon skills display progress bars which slowly fill from left to right as the weapon is used. Eventually, the progress bar fills and that particular weapon skill is now unlocked and usable by the player.


This method of unlocking weapon skills through repeated use I have no problem with. What I do have issues with are the speed with which these unlocks occur and the lack of variety once the skills have been unlocked.


Addressing the first issue of speed, the weapon skills unlock far too quickly. Perhaps this is done in the beta events so players have an opportunity to test out all of the weapon skills although the player is still of fairly low level. ArenaNet may then slow down the unlock progression within the actual game at launch. Regardless, I can hear readers already complaining, "What do you expect!?!? You want us using only our slot #1 weapon skill until level 30!?!?" My answer is, "No, I don't. I fully agree that the other weapon skill slots should unlock fairly quickly so as to keep a player interested as well as give them the skills they will need to defeat increasingly difficult enemies."


My concern with the speed of unlock is that by approximately level 10 (if not sooner), all of a player's weapon skills will have unlocked. Now what do you do for the next 70 levels until level 80? Granted, we can't expect to keep unlocking skills forever. But using the exact same weapon skills will begin to get old really fast because their only variance will be the amount of damage they deal. Aside from that, the skill animations, activation times, cool downs, and effects they cause are all identical from level 10 (or whatever level you manage to unlock all of your weapon skills) through level 80. I understand the need for some consistency in the weapons skills; but a balance needs to be struck between consistency and variation to avoid boredom.


Humans beings have the capacity for adaptation; what was new and engaging yesterday becomes passé and boring by tomorrow. If we didn't, we'd never get out of bed in the morning because the feel of bed sheets against our skin and the patterns of spackle on the ceiling would be such a new experience every day that it would hold our attention 24/7. No, we adapt so we can survive; so we aren't continually re-devoting the same amount of time and energy to an activity we've already experienced. The price we pay for adaptability, though, is habituation and - if the situation doesn't change - boredom.


What's my solution? Continue with the current system of weapon skill unlock progression; even continue with the current speed of unlock. Now, add a twist to it. Make the capabilities of a single weapon skill have their own progression which needs to be unlocked with repeated use. I'll use the necromancer slot #1 main hand dagger skill for illustration:


Here's how the skill chain exists now at level 1 all the way up to level 80 (the only difference being the amount of damage it deals):


  • Necrotic Slash (slash your foe twice) → Necrotic Stab (strike your foe again) → Necrotic Bite (slash your foe again and gain life force)


One of my suggestions for adding some progression and variation to the same skill (this is for illustration purposes only; I'm not suggesting the levels I list here are necessarily the best unlock points):


  • At level 1 the necro has access to Necrotic Slash; but it only slashes once instead of twice.
  • At level 5 (or whatever testing reveals to be an appropriate level) or after X successful hits with Necrotic Slash, the necromancer gains access to Necrotic Stab.
  • At level 10 (or whatever testing reveals to be an appropriate level) or after X successful hits with Necrotic Stab, it upgrades to striking twice instead of Necrotic Slash striking twice. This is because if we had unlocked a double strike for Necrotic Slash at level 5, the necro would be performing 4 hits per two activations of the skill from level 5 to level 10. Once Necrotic Stab was earned at level 10, the necromancer would have then been reduced to only 3 hits per two activations of the skill chain "Necrotic Slash → Necrotic Stab"; which is counter-intuitive.
  • At level 15 (or whatever testing reveals to be an appropriate level) or after X successful hits with Necrotic Stab, the necromancer gains access to Necrotic Bite.


With this suggestion, some variety has been added to the necromancer's slot #1 main hand dagger skill progression. To add a sense of accomplishment for the player, they would be informed of each progression point along the way through a message on the screen, an aura around the weapon, a glow or pulse of the upgraded weapon slot, etc.


Unfortunately, the weapon skills still unlock pretty quickly; back to boredom as we spam the same slot #1 skill ad nauseum from then until level 80. Now on to the second portion of my suggestion which addresses adding variety to the weapon skills themselves.


In addition to customizing a character's attributes, traits, and utility skills, I'm suggesting permitting a similar customization of the weapon skills. However, unlike the utility skills, this isn't a wholesale swap of a completely different skill set for the same weapon type. No, I'm still suggesting maintaining the continuity of the same weapon skill names, animations, icons, and base damage but adding slight variations on a theme which will complement the character's attributes, traits, play style, and "feel".


Going back to the example of the necromancer's slot #1 main hand dagger skill, let's put this suggestion into practice. Once the necromancer has unlocked the full progression of the standard "Necrotic Slash → Necrotic Stab → Necrotic Bite" chain, they will be given choices to customize additional effects of this weapon skill as they continue to level up. For example, the full progression was unlocked at level 15 per the example above. Once the necromancer has reached level 20 or made X successful hits with the entire chain, they will be presented new weapon skill options which complement their profession and the "feel" of that particular weapon (again, levels are presented for illustration purposes only; I'm not suggesting the levels I list here are necessarily the best unlock points):


  • At level 20 or after X successful hits with the entire skill chain the necromancer is given an option to:
  • add 1 stack of bleeding for X seconds to Necrotic Slash OR
  • increase the base damage of the "Necrotic Slash → Necrotic Stab → Necrotic Bite" chain by some small amount (maybe 2.5%).


  • At level 30 or after X successful hits with the entire skill chain the necromancer is given an option to:
  • add another stack of bleeding to Necrotic Slash OR
  • increase the duration of Necrotic Slash's bleeding time OR
  • increase the base damage of the "Necrotic Slash → Necrotic Stab → Necrotic Bite" chain from 2.5% to 5%.


  • At level 40 or after X successful hits with the entire skill chain the necromancer is given an option to:
  • add another stack of bleeding to Necrotic Slash OR
  • increase the duration of Necrotic Slash's bleeding time OR
  • increase the base damage of the "Necrotic Slash → Necrotic Stab → Necrotic Bite" chain from 5% to 7.5%.


  • At level 50 or after X successful hits with the entire skill chain the necromancer is given an option to:
  • add another stack of bleeding to Necrotic Slash OR
  • increase the duration of Necrotic Slash's bleeding time OR
  • increase the base damage of the "Necrotic Slash → Necrotic Stab → Necrotic Bite" chain from 7.5% to 10% OR
  • increase the amount of life force gain from Necrotic Bite from 5% to 7.5% OR
  • add life stealing upon a successful completion of a "Necrotic Slash → Necrotic Stab → Necrotic Bite" chain.


  • At level 60 or after X successful hits with the entire skill chain the necromancer is given an option to:
  • add another stack of bleeding to Necrotic Slash OR
  • increase the duration of Necrotic Slash's bleeding time OR
  • to increase the amount of life force gain from Necrotic Bite from 7.5% to 10% OR
  • increase the amount of life stealing upon a successful completion of a "Necrotic Slash → Necrotic Stab → Necrotic Bite" chain OR
  • add the chance (maybe 10%) to perform an additional hit (which criticals 100% of the time) upon a successful completion of a "Necrotic Slash → Necrotic Stab → Necrotic Bite" chain.


  • At level 70 or after X successful hits with the entire skill chain the necromancer is given an option to:
  • add another stack of bleeding to Necrotic Slash OR
  • increase the duration of Necrotic Slash's bleeding time OR
  • to add life force gain of 1% to Necrotic Stab OR
  • increase the amount of life stealing upon a successful completion of a "Necrotic Slash → Necrotic Stab → Necrotic Bite" chain OR
  • increase the chance (maybe from 10% to 15%) to perform an additional hit (which criticals 100% of the time) upon a successful completion of a "Necrotic Slash → Necrotic Stab → Necrotic Bite" chain.


  • At level 80 or after X successful hits with the entire skill chain the necromancer is given an option to:
  • add another stack of bleeding to Necrotic Slash OR
  • increase the duration of Necrotic Slash's bleeding time OR
  • to add life force gain of 1% to Necrotic Slash OR
  • increase the amount of life stealing upon a successful completion of a "Necrotic Slash → Necrotic Stab → Necrotic Bite" chain OR
  • improve the chance to perform a critical hit with any of the "Necrotic Slash → Necrotic Stab → Necrotic Bite" chain skills.


By adding these options to the weapon skills, the player gains two advantages. First, they get to customize their weapon skills to their play style. For example, if the necromancer wielding the dagger above wants a character built around inflicting conditions, they can choose the option to add bleeding to their Necrotic Slash. If, on the other hand, they want to deal more raw damage, they can choose that option. Perhaps they desire a more Vampiric build and so choose to add life stealing to their dagger. Lastly, maybe the player wants to heavily utilize Death Shroud in their build; they'll choose the life force gain options. Secondly, these options stave off boredom by giving the player variety in their weapon skill choices as well as giving them goals to work towards in progressing their weapon skills.


To keep it balanced, within each weapon skill progression tier the options are mutually exclusive; much like the trait system, only one upgrade option can be chosen from each tier. However, options can be mixed and matched between tiers. For example, at level 20 the necromancer may choose to add bleeding to his Necrotic Slash. At level 30, he then chooses to increase the base damage of his dagger's "Necrotic Slash → Necrotic Stab → Necrotic Bite" chain. Doing so does not remove the bleeding option from Necrotic Slash that he chose at level 20.


Also, much like the trait system, there should be some sense of semi-permanence to the choices the player makes when upgrading their weapon skills. Though a mechanic should exist to allow players to undo their changes and re-trait their weapon skills, it should cost some gold or require obtaining a tome or speaking to a profession-specific weapon trainer rather than being a change that can be made on the fly at any time.


Bear in mind these upgrades to weapon skills affect the skill itself rather than a particular weapon. In other words, if a necromancer adds bleeding to Necrotic Slash, that bleeding applies to Necrotic Slash with any dagger they wield; not just the dagger they were holding when they traited this weapon skill upgrade. Furthermore, if they trade that dagger to another player, it doesn't inherit the ability to cause bleeding with Necrotic Slash; even if the player receiving the dagger happens to be a necromancer, as well. The weapon skill upgrades are abilities, talents, or weapon proficiencies (which might even be a good in-game title for this system; weapon proficiency) which apply to the player, not the weapon. This contrasts with Sigils which apply an upgrade to the weapon itself.


Of course, it would be really nice to see different animations for different weapon proficiencies. However, at this late stage in development, that's probably asking too much to go back and re-do the weapon skill animations. Perhaps with an expansion or patch, this could be added in. Again, nothing radical here; the intent is to still make a Necrotic Slash recognizable as a Necrotic Slash across all players. But the player who chooses to add bleeding to their Necrotic Slash may have a slight change or addition to the base Necrotic Slash animation to visually indicate that it is causing bleeding. I realize that if it bleeds, the target gains a "bleed" icon; but that is specific to the target after it has been hit by Necrotic Slash. I want a unique visual clue attached to the Necrotic Slash animation itself to indicate that it causes bleeding (or life stealing, or extra damage, or life force generation, etc.).


Lastly, this suggestion offers a benefit to players other than the one equiping these weapon proficiencies. In the current iteration of the game, if you've seen one Necrotic Slash, you've seen them all; you know how much damage it does, how quickly it recharges, what the animation looks like, what conditions or effects it inflicts, etc. Under my proposed system, it introduces an element of surprise or of the unknown. Yes, the necromancer attacking with Necrotic Slash will have a base skill animation identical to all other necromancers' Necrotic Slashes and, yes, an opponent will have a rough idea of how much damage Necrotic Slash deals.


However, that opponent can't be sure exactly which variation of Necrotic Slash it will be. It might be a Necrotic Slash that causes bleeding, perhaps one that does extra damage, or even a variant that life steals; you won't know by simply looking at the weapon. It won't be until the necromancer attacks with Necrotic Slash that you will see the variation or addition to the base skill animation to tell you which type of Necrotic Slash it is. Then the player under attack may be forced to think on-the-fly and change strategy and tactics in response to a variation of Necrotic Slash they weren't prepared for or could not anticipate in advance. This adds variety to the game and makes combat even more visceral rather than the habituated, bored response of, "Oh, a necro holding a dagger main hand. Looks like I'll be attacked by Necrotic Slash; the same Necrotic Slash I've seen a few thousand times already."


Thanks for reading.

Guild Wars 3 perhaps 19:40, 7 June 2012 (UTC)

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