Game updates:May 2010

May 2010 updates

• Thursday 27^th of May (talk)
• Wednesday 26^th of May (talk)
• Tuesday 25^th of May (talk)
• Monday 24^th of May (talk)
• Friday 21^st of May (talk)
• Thursday 13^th of May (talk)
• Thursday 6^th of May (talk)
• Monday 3^rd of May (talk)

Update - Thursday, May 27, 2010

Krytan Happenings

Emboldened by public response to the royal bounties, Princess Salma is moving forward with attacks on the White Mantle, stepping up the profile of the targets. Adventurers are urged to do their part in freeing Kryta from the grip of the Unseen Ones' agents.

Skill Changes

• Crippling Anguish (PvP): reduced Energy cost to 10; reduced Health degeneration to 1...5; removed 50% attack speed reduction.
• Mind Wrack: Energy loss is now triggered only by your non-hex Mesmer skills.
• Overload: increased recharge to 12 seconds; now recharges 80% faster if the target was using a skill.

Miscellaneous

• Rebalanced the rewards for escorting Courier Falken.
• Rebalanced the rewards for completing Wanted by the Shining Blade quests.
• Escorting Courier Falken now has different rewards in Normal and Hard Modes.

Update - Wednesday, May 26, 2010

Bug Fixes

• Fixed a bug that allowed Power Leak to interrupt all skills instead of only spells and chants.
• Fixed a bug that caused some Necromancer minions to be the wrong size.

Guild Wars Wiki notes

• Since this update, players who log in when his or her account is terminated will be "reaped" by Dhuum. Dhuum first began appearing in this manner when over 3,700 accounts were banned for botting or match manipulation.

Update - Tuesday, May 25, 2010

Bug Fixes

• Restored previously altered War in Kryta unique weapons to their intended stats.

Update - Monday, May 24, 2010

Bug Fixes

• Fixed a bug that placed inaccurate map markers after completing Wanted by the Shining Blade quests.
• Fixed a bug that allowed players to add and change upgrades on War in Kryta unique weapons.
• Fixed a bug that prevented Justiciar Marron's name from appearing correctly.
• Fixed a bug that caused Lesser Flame Sentinels in the Burning Isle guild hall to lose Health too quickly.
• Fixed a bug that removed Discord (PvP) from the game.
• Fixed a bug that caused the duration of Calculated Risk (PvP) to scale incorrectly.
• Fixed a bug that caused Sliver Armor to deal armor-ignoring damage instead of earth damage.
• Fixed a bug that caused Symbolic Celerity to affect signets used by foes and allies.
• Fixed a bug that caused Syn Spellstrike [Illusion Henchman] to use Migraine instead of Migraine (PvP).
• Fixed a bug that caused Tannaros [Punishing Henchman] to use Empathy instead of Empathy (PvP).
• Fixed a bug that caused Vincent Evan [Air Henchman] to use Blinding Surge (PvP) instead of Blinding Surge.
• Fixed a text bug in the concise description for Keystone Signet.
• Fixed a text bug in the German descriptions for Psychic Instability and Psychic Instability (PvP).

Guild Wars Wiki notes

• War in Kryta unique weapons that dropped prior to this update could still be upgraded. This was fixed in the May 25, 2010 update.

Update #3 - Friday, May 21, 2010

Bug Fixes

• Fixed a bug that caused the Guild Lord to have the improper amount of health.
• Fixed a bug that removed the PvP version of Signet of Judgement.[sic]

Update #2 - Friday, May 21, 2010

Guild Wars Wiki notes

• Stealth update, or went undocumented before update 3.

Update - Friday, May 21, 2010

Skill Balance

For more information on these changes, please see the Developer Updates page.

Fast Casting

• Fast Casting: functionality of this attribute changed to: "Fast Casting decreases the activation time of your Spells and Signets. (No effect for non-Mesmer skills with an activation time less than 2 seconds.) In PvE, each rank of Fast Casting decreases the recharge time for your Mesmer Spells by 3%."

Activation Time Cap

• Items and skills that improve skill activation time can no longer stack higher than 25%. Single effects that improve skill activation over 25% can exceed this cap. (Fast Casting is not included in this cap.)

PvE & PvP Changes

Assassin

• Seeping Wound: increased Energy cost to 15; increased recharge to 12 seconds; reduced movement-speed decrease to 33%.

Elementalist

• Blinding Flash: increased recharge to 6 seconds.
• Blinding Surge: increased recharge to 6 seconds; increased blind duration to 3...7...8.
• Mirror of Ice: changed duration to 36...55...60 seconds; duration is no longer affected by Energy Storage.

Mesmer

• Arcane Conundrum: added the following functionality: "When this hex ends, you gain 1...6...7 Energy."
• Aneurysm: added the following functionality: for each point of Energy gained by the target foe, all adjacent foes lose 1 Energy (maximum 1...24...30).
• Chaos Storm: changed functionality to: "Spell. Create a Chaos Storm at target foe's location that lasts for 10 seconds. Each second, foes adjacent to this location take 5...21...25 damage and lose 0...2...2 Energy."
• Clumsiness: reduced recharge to 8 seconds.
• Complicate: changed functionality to: "Spell. If target foe is using a skill, that skill is interrupted and disabled for target foe and all foes in the area for an additional 5...11...12 seconds."
• Cry of Frustration: increased damage to 15...63...75.
• Energy Surge: reduced Energy cost to 5; reduced recharge to 15 seconds.
• Fevered Dreams: increased recharge to 10 seconds; the Dazed condition is now applied both at the time this hex is cast—if the target has 2 or more conditions—and whenever the target receives 2 or more conditions.
• Hypochondria: reduced recharge to 7 seconds; updated description to reflect its actual behavior.
• Ineptitude: reduced recharge to 15 seconds; now also hexes adjacent foes.
• Keystone Signet: changed attribute to Fast Casting; reduced recharge to 15 seconds; changed functionality to: "Elite Signet. All of your signets except Keystone Signet are recharged. For 20 seconds, the next 0...5...6 times you use a signet that targets a foe, all other foes adjacent to your target are interrupted and take 15...51...60 damage."
• Leech Signet: reduced recharge to 20 seconds.
• Mantra of Inscriptions: reduced duration to 5...21...25 seconds; reduced recharge improvement to 10...34...40%.
• Mantra of Persistence: reduced duration to 5...21...25 seconds, reduced Energy cost to 5; reduced hex duration increase to 10...34...40%.
• Mantra of Recall: increased recharge to 30 seconds.
• Mantra of Recovery: reduced recharge to 15 seconds.
• Mind Wrack: changed duration to 5...33...40 seconds; increased damage to target at 0 energy to 15...83...100; added the following functionality: "Whenever that foe is the target of one of your Mesmer skills, that foe loses 1 Energy and takes 5...21...25 damage per point of Energy lost."
• Overload: increased recharge to 4 seconds; changed functionality to: "Spell. Target foe takes 5...33...40 damage. If that foe is using a skill, you deal +5...41...50 damage to that foe and all adjacent foes."
• Panic: reduced Energy cost to 10; increased recharge to 15 seconds; changed functionality to "Elite Hex Spell. For 1...8...10 seconds, target foe and all nearby foes are hexed with Panic. When a foe hexed with Panic successfully uses a skill, all other nearby foes are interrupted."
• Phantom Pain: reduced Energy cost to 5; increased Health degeneration to 1...3...4.
• Power Lock: reduced Energy cost to 5.
• Power Return: increased recharge to 7 seconds.
• Shatter Enchantment: reduced recharge to 20 seconds.
• Signet of Disruption: reduced recharge to 15 seconds.
• Signet of Distraction: reduced recharge to 15 seconds.
• Signet of Weariness: changed functionality to: "Signet. Target foe and all nearby foes lose 3...7...8 Energy and suffer from Weakness for 1...8...10 seconds."
• Soothing Images: increased recharge to 8 seconds.
• Spirit Shackles: increased recharge to 8 seconds.
• Sum of All Fears: reduced duration to 1...8...10; increased speed reduction to 33%.
• Symbolic Celerity: increased duration to 36...55...60; increased Energy cost to 15; increased recharge to 30; changed functionality to: "Enchantment Spell. For 36...55...60 seconds, all of your signets use your Fast Casting attribute instead of their normal attributes."
• Tease: changed functionality to: "Elite Spell. If target foe is using a skill, that foe and other foes in the area are interrupted and you steal 0...4...5 Energy from all foes in the area."
• Wastrel's Worry: now also deals its damage to all adjacent foes.
• Web of Disruption: reduced Energy cost to 5.

Necromancer

• Spoil Victor: reduced duration to 3...13...15.

PvE-Only Changes

Mesmer

• Accumulated Pain: reduced Energy cost to 5; reduced recharge to 12 seconds; increased damage to 15...63...75.
• Calculated Risk: increased duration to 3...20...24 seconds; reduced Energy cost to 5; reduced recharge to 7 seconds; changed functionality to: "Hex Spell. For 3...20...24 seconds, target foe's attacks do +10 damage, but there is a 50% chance that the damage from each attack will be done to that foe instead. (Maximum 15...100 damage.)"
• Crippling Anguish: reduced Energy cost to 5; reduced recharge to 12 seconds; increased Health degeneration to 1...7...8; changed duration to 5...17...20; added the following functionality: target foe attacks 50% slower.
• Cry of Pain: increased recharge to 15 seconds.
• Empathy: added the following functionality: target foe deals 1...12...15 less damage with attacks.
• Enchanter's Conundrum: reduced recharge to 10 seconds; increased casting penalty for enchantments to 100...180...200%; changed functionality to: "Elite Hex Spell. For 10 seconds, target foe casts enchantments 100...180...200% slower. If target foe is not under the effects of an enchantment when this hex is applied, that foe and all adjacent foes take 10...82...100 damage."
• Energy Drain: increased recharge to 30 seconds.
• Energy Tap: increased recharge to 30 seconds.
• Ether Nightmare: increased recharge to 25 seconds.
• Frustration: reduced recharge to 7 seconds; this skill now deals double damage whenever a skill is interrupted.
• Illusionary Weaponry: added the following functionality: you have +5 armor for each Illusion Magic skill you have equipped.
• Mantra of Signets: reduced cost to 5 Energy; reduced recharge to 20 seconds; changed functionality to: "Stance. For 10...34...40 seconds, you have +3 armor for each signet you have equipped. Whenever you use a signet, 5...49...60 Health."
• Migraine: increased Health degeneration to 1...7...8; reduced recharge to 12 seconds; changed functionality to: "Elite Hex Spell. For 5...17...20 seconds, target foe suffers -1...7...8 Health degeneration and takes 100% longer to activate skills."
• Mirror of Disenchantment: reduced Energy cost to 5; reduced recharge to 15 seconds.
• Mistrust: reduced recharge to 12 seconds; increased damage to 30...114...135.
• Psychic Instability: increased recharge to 12 seconds; changed functionality to: "Elite Spell. Interrupts the target foe's action. If that action is a skill, that foe and all nearby foes are knocked down for 2...4...4 seconds. (50% failure chance with Fast Casting 4 or less.)"
• Shared Burden: reduced Energy cost to 5; reduced recharge to 15 seconds; increased slow percentage to 50%.
• Shatter Delusions: reduced recharge to 6 seconds; now deals damage to adjacent foes.
• Signet of Clumsiness: reduced recharge to 8 seconds; changed functionality to: "Signet. If target foe is attacking, that foe and all adjacent foes are interrupted and take 15...51...60 damage. Any foes using attack skills are knocked down."
• Spiritual Pain: reduced Energy cost to 5; reduced recharge to 7 seconds; changed functionality to: "Spell. Target foe takes 15...63...75 damage. All hostile summoned creatures in the area of that foe take 25...105...125 damage."
• Stolen Speed: increased recharge to 12 seconds; changed functionality to: "Elite Hex Spell. For 1...8...10 seconds, spells cast by the target foe and all adjacent foes take 100% longer to cast. Spells targeting these foes that are cast by you or your allies take 50% less time to cast."
• Unnatural Signet: reduced recharge to 10 seconds; changed functionality to: "Signet. Target foe takes 15...63...75 damage. If that foe is under the effects of a hex or enchantment, foes adjacent to your target take 5...41...50 damage."
• Wandering Eye: reduced Energy cost to 5; increased recharge time to 12 seconds; increased damage dealt to 30...94...110.

Common Skills

• Mindbender: reduced spell activation time decrease to 20%.

Consumable Items

• Blue Rock Candy: reduced skill activation time decrease to 20%.
• Pumpkin Pie: reduced skill activation time decrease to 15%.
• Red Rock Candy: reduced skill activation time decrease to 25%.

PvP-Only Changes

Elementalist

• Ward Against Melee (PvP): merged with PvE version; this skill now functions the same in PvE and PvP.

Mesmer

• Accumulated Pain (PvP): reduced energy cost to 5; reduced recharge to 15 seconds.
• Calculated Risk (PvP): increased duration to 3...10...12 seconds; increased recharge to 12 seconds, changed functionality to: "Hex spell. (3...10...12 seconds.) Target foe deals +10 damage. Whenever target foe hits with an attack, there is a 50% chance the damage will be redirected to that foe (maximum 10...60)."
• Crippling Anguish (PvP): increased health degeneration to 1...7...8; changed duration to 5...17...20; added the following functionality: target foe attacks 50% slower.
• Enchanter's Conundrum (PvP): increased casting penalty for enchantments to 100...180...200%; changed functionality to: "Elite Hex Spell. For 10 seconds, target foe casts enchantments 100...180...200% slower. If target foe is not under the effects of an enchantment when this hex is applied, that foe and all adjacent foes take 10...100 damage."
• Empathy (PvP): split for PvP; retains original functionality.
• Energy Drain (PvP): merged with PvE version; this skill now functions the same in PvE and PvP.
• Energy Tap (PvP): merged with PvE version; this skill now functions the same in PvE and PvP.
• Frustration (PvP): split for PvP; retains original functionality.
• Illusionary Weaponry (PvP): split for PvP; retains original functionality.
• Mantra of Inscriptions (PvP): merged with PvE version; this skill now functions the same in PvE and PvP.
• Mantra of Signets (PvP): reduced cost to 5 energy; reduced recharge to 20 seconds; changed functionality to: "Stance. For 10...34...40 seconds, whenever you use a signet, you gain 5...49...60 Health."
• Migraine (PvP): reduced recharge to 12; increased health degeneration to 1...7...8; reduced duration to 3...10...12 seconds; changed functionality to: "Elite Hex Spell. For 3...10...12 seconds, target foe suffers -1...7...8 Health degeneration and takes 100% longer to activate skills."
• Mirror of Disenchantment (PvP): split for PvP; retains original functionality.
• Mistrust (PvP): increased damage to 10...90...110.
• Psychic Instability (PvP): increased recharge to 12 seconds; changed functionality to: "Elite Spell. Interrupts the target foe's action. If that action is a skill, that foe and all adjacent foes are knocked down for 2...3...3 seconds. (50% failure chance with Fast Casting 4 or less.)"
• Shared Burden (PvP): split for PvP; retains original functionality.
• Shatter Delusions (PvP): now deals damage to adjacent foes.
• Signet of Clumsiness (PvP): reduced recharge to 12 seconds; changed functionality to: "Signet. If target foe is attacking, that foe and all adjacent foes are interrupted and take 15...51...60 damage. Any foes using attack skills are knocked down."
• Spiritual Pain (PvP): reduced Energy cost to 5; reduced recharge to 20 seconds; changed functionality to: "Spell. Target foe takes 15...63...75 damage. All hostile summoned creatures in the area of that foe take 25...105...125 damage."
• Stolen Speed (PvP): increased recharge to 12 seconds; changed functionality to: "Elite Hex Spell. For 1...8...10 seconds, spells cast by the target foe and all adjacent foes take 100% longer to cast. Spells you cast that target these foes take 50% less time to cast."
• Unnatural Signet (PvP): reduced recharge to 20 seconds; changed functionality to: "Signet. Target foe takes 15...63...75 damage. If that foe is under the effects of a hex or enchantment, foes adjacent to your target take 5...41...50 damage."
• Wandering Eye (PvP): increased recharge to 12 seconds.

Skill-Related Changes

• Hard Mode no longer affects monsters' activation speed for skills with default activation times under 2 seconds.
• Monsters in the Underworld, Tomb of the Primeval Kings, and Fissure of Woe now have innate health regeneration in Hard Mode only.
• Monsters in the Underworld, Tomb of the Primeval Kings, and Fissure of Woe now have reduced health totals in Hard Mode only.
• Improved the durability of King Frozenwind and his Ice Elemental allies in the quest "Servants of Grenth."
• Improved the skill bars of King Frozenwind and his Ice Elemental allies in the quest "Servants of Grenth."
• Reduced the number of Skeletons of Dhuum in the quest "Servants of Grenth."
• Reduced the number of Terrorweb Dryders in the quest "Four Horsemen."
• Improved the skill set used by Mindblade Specters in the Underworld.
• Improved the skill set used by Spectral Vaettir in Jaga Moraine.
• Improved the skill set used by Wind Riders in the Maguuma Jungle.

Bug Fixes

• Fixed a bug that caused Ebon Vanguard Assassin Support (NPC) to summon an incorrectly named Assassin.
• Fixed a bug that allowed characters with Shadow Form to exceed its damage cap with some skills.
• Fixed a bug that caused Sliver Armor to always deal damage to the same foe.
• Fixed a bug in the description for Symbol of Wrath by removing the reference to double damage.
• Fixed a bug that prevented Lawrence Crafton from using his custom skill.
• Fixed a bug that caused Shining Blade allies to occasionally use incorrect dialogue.

Miscellaneous

• Improved the visual feedback for some Mesmer skills.
• The AI now uses Koro's Gaze more intelligently.
• Added a skill icon for Snaring Web.
• Koro Sagewind now uses Vigorous Spirit instead of Resurrection Chant.

Guild Wars Wiki notes

• This update introduced a bug that removed Discord (PvP) and Signet of Judgment (PvP). Because of this, players were able to equip and use the PvE versions of these skills in PvP. Discord (PvP) and Signet of Judgment (PvP) were readded in subsequent updates.
• This update introduced a bug that changed Sliver Armor damage to armor-ignoring damage. This was fixed in the May 24, 2010 update.
• This update introduced a bug that caused Bone Horrors to be double size, and Flesh Golems smaller.
• This update added the Wanted by the Shining Blade quest giver.
• This update added skill animations to Accumulated Pain, Symbolic Celerity, and Recurring Insecurity.
• After this update, the War in Kryta versions of White Mantle and the Peacekeepers began dropping unique items.

Update #2 - Thursday, May 13, 2010

Bug Fixes

• Fixed a bug that caused multiple scenes to play simultaneously in the Talmark Wilderness.
• Fixed the incorrect description of the Fast Casting attribute.

Update - Thursday, May 13, 2010

Krytan Happenings

Lion's Arch was the site of excitement this past week as Princess Salma arrived to claim the throne. With the Lionguard now committed to the aid of the restored royal line, the people of Kryta wait to see what forces the Ebon Vanguard will contribute and whether it will be enough to secure victory in this civil war.

Bug Fixes

• Fixed a bug that caused Shining Blade allies to appear from odd locations.
• Fixed a bug that prevented Lieutenant Thackeray from warning players about their full inventory.
• Fixed a bug that prevented Necromancer Munne from warning players about their full inventory.

Guild Wars Wiki notes

• Even though the official page refers to this update as Thursday, May 13th, the build was actually released on Friday, May 14th.
• The description for Fast Casting was changed, but the actual function of Fast Casting was not. The text was reverted back to its original description in the following update.
• Lion's Arch now has a new NPC, the Lion's Arch Keep Gate Guard, near the Guild NPC that will open a new area showing a meeting between the Ebon Vanguard reps and Princess Salma.
• The Shining Blade camp will now have the said two present once the above dialogue is witnessed.
• The character selection screen now has a warning to alert people to remember their character names for logging in.
• There is now a Secret River Passage in Talmark Wilderness leading to a hidden area in Divinity Coast, the new Golemancer Lab.
• This update introduced a bug where Livia will sometimes get stuck in Talmark Wilderness after using the Secret Passage in Divinity Coast.
• NPCs from the Ebon Falcons will now spawn and assist players at random locations within Kryta.

Update - Thursday, May 6, 2010

Tyrian Events

The Shining Blade grows in strength daily, gathering allies and extending aid to travelers troubled by the White Mantle and their Peacekeepers. Krytans wait anxiously to hear the outcome of Princess Salma's appeals to the Ebon Vanguard. Meanwhile, the whole of Tyria waits to see when and where this conflict will reach its climax.

Automated Tournaments

• Updated the Automated Tournament map rotation.

Bug Fixes

• The AI now uses Splinter Weapon on minions.
• Fixed a bug that prevented stacking for some Piles of Elemental Dust received from Sacks of Random Junk.

Guild Wars Wiki notes

• Random appearances by Shining Blade members were added in Krytan instances (excluding Talmark Wilderness). The Shining Blade members will spawn at set locations, but which member(s) spawn is random. These Shining Blade members will join your party.
• There is a new dialogue in the Shining Blade camp.
• There is a new dialogue in the Ice Cliff Chasms (outside of Eye of the North).
• Previously acquired Piles of Elemental Dust will still have stacking issues, but all new piles from Sacks of Random Junk will be the same type and will stack.

Update - Monday, May 3, 2010

Bug Fixes

• Fixed a bug with miscellaneous dialogue in the North Kryta Province.