Game Update Notes: August 28, 2018

08/28/2018—August 28 Release Notes

New Wardrobe Feature: Novelties

Novelties have been added as a new tab in the wardrobe in the Hero panel.

Over 50 useable items, from musical instruments to chairs to kites, can now be added to the wardrobe.
Novelty items now have a right-click context menu that will add them to the player’s wardrobe, similar to other item types.
View the wardrobe in game to see everything that can be unlocked!
Novelties come in four types (Chairs, Musical Instruments, Held Items, and Toys), and one of each type can be slotted for use in the wardrobe, just like selecting different mount skins.
A new button has been added to the right side of the skill bar. Like the mount button, right-clicking will let the player select their active Novelty type. Left-clicking activates the item.
The button itself and each category can all be optionally bound to hotkeys.
For more information, see the blog at www.guildwars2.com.

World Polish

Frostgorge Sound: Fixed a bug that could cause a stall in the “Escort the explosives-laden dolyaks to the Barrowstead” event.

Fractals

Party UI in fractals will now show agony resistance instead of Mastery level.
Mistlock Instabilities will no longer show on the skill bar. Instead, they will appear in the objective UI.
The exploding traps in the Cliffside fractal have had their hit boxes and effects improved.
When players swap characters and reenter the same fractal, they will now appear in the defeated state.
Fractal Weapon Crates and Gold Fractal Weapon Crates will now properly display as exotic rarity.

Raids

Fixed an issue that could cause Samarog to be invulnerable while pouncing on a player.

Personal Story

Tower Down: Fixed a bug that could cause Demolitionist Tonn to become unresponsive at the end of the chapter.

Items

Superior Rune of the Defender: This rune has had its icon updated.
The Phospholuminescent Infusion has had its maximum scaling reduced.
Unbreakable Choir Bell: The tradeable version of this item is now a container. Opening the container will give players an account-bound version of the bell that can be stored in the Novelties section of their wardrobe.

Profession Skills

General

General Options: Fixed a bug affecting some abilities that could result in unnatural targeting when using the Ground Targeting: Instant option coupled with the Allow Skill Retargeting option.
Warband Support: Updated this skill to dismiss allies already summoned by this skill before calling in new ones.
Barrier is now displayed in light-blue text when applied. Additionally, granting and receiving barrier is now displayed in the combat log.

Elementalist

Aura skills now transmute the skill’s coinciding aura to deliver an area effect (at a radius of 240). These skills have independent 10-second cooldowns and can be used whenever the appropriate aura is applied to the elementalist.
Fire Shield—Transmute Fire: Convert the flame aura into a fiery blast, granting might to allies and damaging foes.
Shocking Aura—Transmute Lightning: Convert the shocking aura into a disruptive explosion, stunning nearby enemies.
Frost Aura—Transmute Frost: Convert the frost aura into a replenishing blast, healing nearby allies and damaging foes.
Magnetic Aura—Transmute Earth: Convert the current magnetic aura into an earthen shockwave, granting protection to allies and damaging foes.
Lava Font: The damage of this skill has been increased by approximately 10%.
Flame Burst: This skill will now report “Out of Range” when players target foes outside of the skill’s maximum range.
Eruption: The damage of this skill has been increased by 20%.
Call Lightning: Lightning-strike damage has been increased by 88%.
Quantum Strike: Lightning-strike damage has been increased by 29%.
Riptide: In PvP only, healing per level has been reduced by 24%, and healing power contribution has been reduced by 44%.
Earthen Vortex: The cooldown of this skill has been increased from 10 seconds to 12 seconds in PvP only.
Pyro Vortex: Lingering damage has been increased by 32%.
Aeromancer’s Training: This trait now grants a 180 ferocity bonus rather than a precision bonus.
Raging Storm: In addition to granting fury on critical hit, this trait causes fury to grant up to 240 ferocity.
Superior Elements: The cooldown of this trait has been reduced from 10 seconds to 4 seconds in PvE only.
Elemental Polyphony: This trait now grants up to 120 ferocity instead of precision.
Elements of Rage: This trait now grants precision based on 13% of the elementalist’s vitality instead of their ferocity.
One with Fire: This trait has been renamed Smothering Auras, and its functionality has changed. When applying an aura to the elementalist or an ally, Smothering Auras removes one condition. Detonating an aura removes two conditions from nearby allies. Fire auras have a 33% increased duration.
Lightning Touch: This skill now grants 2.5 seconds of fury for each foe struck, in addition to its other effects.
Grinding Stones: This skill now reduces incoming physical damage by 25% while active, in addition to its other effects. Increased the cooldown from 15 seconds to 18 seconds.
Plasma Burst: Increased damage by 100%. Increased the cooldown from 12 seconds to 15 seconds. Increased casting time from 0.25 seconds to 0.75 seconds.
Mud Slide: This skill now knocks down foes in a 180 radius at the end of the dash, in addition to its other effects. The knockdown impact can be blocked.
Cleansing Fire: The number of conditions cleansed has been increased from 3 to 5.
Burning Fire: The skill activated by this trait has been renamed Lesser Cleansing Fire. Fixed a bug in which this trait listed the incorrect amount of burning in its tooltip.
Magnetic Grasp: This skill has been replaced by Magnetic Leap. Magnetic Leap now immobilizes the struck foe for 2.5 seconds. Decreased Magnetic Leap damage by 66%. Increased the cooldown from 12 seconds to 18 seconds.

Engineer

Overcharged Shot: The range of this skill has been increased from 600 to 1200. Fixed a bug that allowed this skill to hit enemies from farther than intended.
Gyro Skills: These skills now display their explosion damage in the combat log.
Thermal Vision: Reduced the condition damage increase of the effect granted by this trait from 10% to 5%.
Prime Light Beam: The cooldown of this skill has been split between game modes. It has been increased from 60 seconds to 75 seconds in PvP only.
Prismatic Singularity: The cooldown of this skill has been split between game modes. It has been increased from 30 seconds to 45 seconds in PvP only.
Spectrum Shield: The cooldown reduction for being above the heat threshold has been split between game modes and reduced to 25% when in PvP only.
Holo Leap: The damage of this skill has been reduced by 17% in PvP only.
Elixir H: The casting time of this skill has been reduced by 0.25 seconds.
Toss Elixir U: When used underwater, the radius of this skill has been increased from 240 to 360, and the tooltips have been clarified.
Elixir Gun—Glob Shot: The velocity of this skill has been increased by 70%.
Bomb Kit:
- Smoke Bomb: This skill now counts as an explosion when used with related traits.
- Glue Bomb: This skill now counts as an explosion when used with related traits.
Shredder Gyro: This skill now scales its damage with the engineer’s attributes. The damage per strike has been reduced by 25%, and the number of strikes has increased from 6 to 12.
Blast Gyro: This skill now scales its damage with the engineer’s attributes.
Orbital Command: The damage inflicted by this trait has been increased by 44%.

Guardian

Wave of Wrath: This skill has been reworked into a ranged multipart autoattack.
- Bolt of Wrath: Fire a bolt that damages foes.
- Searing Light: Fire a projectile that explodes on impact, damaging enemies in a radius of 120.
- Seeking Judgment: Fire a homing projectile that explodes on contact, damaging enemies in a radius of 180.
Orb of Wrath: This skill has been reworked into a ground-targeted ranged attack and has been renamed Holy Strike. Holy Strike marks an area for judgment, rapidly healing allies and then blasting foes in the area. This skill has a radius of 240 and an 8-second cooldown.
Orb of Light: This skill has been reworked into a ground-targeted ranged attack and has been renamed Holy Strike. Holy Strike marks an area for judgment, rapidly healing allies and then blasting foes in the area. This skill has a radius of 240 and an 8-second cooldown.
Empower: Might duration has been increased from 10 seconds to 12 seconds. This skill is no longer split between game modes and will now use the 100% increased base healing value from PvP in all game modes.
Mighty Blow: The damage dealt by this skill has been increased by 20% in PvE only.
Signet of Courage: Reduced the passive healing multiplier on this skill by 70%, and reduced the passive base heal value by 75%. The passive healing will now pulse every 3 seconds instead of every 10 seconds.
Perfect Inscriptions: Clarified the tooltip to include the duration the signets’ passive effects are shared with allies.
True Shot: The damage of this skill has been increased by 10% in PvE only.
Defender’s Dogma: Blocking attacks now reduces the cooldown of Spear of Justice by 3 seconds (to a limit of no more than once every 3 seconds) in addition to its current effect.
Shield of the Avenger: Increased the shield dome duration from 4 seconds to 5 seconds.
Bow of Truth: Increased the radius of this skill by 50%.
Sword of Justice: This skill now applies cripple for 3 seconds in addition to its other effects.

Mesmer

Illusionary Counter: This skill now summons two clones instead of one if the mesmer successfully blocks a strike.
Counterspell: In addition to its previous effects, mesmers will summon a clone to attack the first enemy struck by this skill.
Confusing Images: The animation length of this skill has been increased from 2 seconds to 2.25 seconds. The damage has been increased by 25% per strike, and the number of strikes has been increased from 6 to 7.
Null Field: This skill has received a new underwater effect for greater visibility.
Chaotic Transference: Reduced the condition damage based on the mesmer’s toughness from 10% to 7%. This trait now also grants 13% of the mesmer’s concentration as expertise.
Critical Infusion: The vigor duration of this trait has been reduced from 5 seconds to 3 seconds in PvP and WvW.
Nomad’s Endurance: The vigor duration of this trait has been reduced from 3 seconds to 1.5 seconds in PvP and WvW.

Necromancer

Strength of Undeath: The damage increase from this trait has been increased from 5% to 10%.
Death Perception: The critical hit chance increase of this trait has been reduced from 50% to 33% while in a shroud. This trait now additionally grants up to 300 ferocity at level 80.
Reaper’s Onslaught: This trait now grants quickness while in Reaper’s Shroud instead of the previous 15% increased attack speed.
Summon Blood Fiend: This minion will now grant life force upon death and regenerate health when out of combat.
Summon Bone Minions: These minions will now grant life force upon death and regenerate health when out of combat.
Terror: This trait now inflicts the increased condition damage regardless of whether the target has other conditions. The base damage inflicted has been increased 25%, and the effect of condition damage has been increased by 37.5%.
Furious Demise: The duration of fury granted by this trait has been increased from 5 seconds to 8 seconds. This trait now also grants up to 180 precision.
Lingering Curse: The condition damage gained from this trait has been increased from 150 to 200. This trait also changes Feast of Corruption into a new, area-affecting version called Devouring Darkness.
Ritual of Life: This trait is now split between game modes and will now revive at 4% in PvP and WvW.
Spiteful Talisman: Fixed a display bug in which this trait showed a 5% damage increase instead of a 10% damage increase.
Dread: The damage received by enemies inflicted with fear has been increased from 20% to 33%.
Gluttony: In addition to its previous life force gain increase, this trait now grants the necromancer a stack of might for 6 seconds when they gain life force.

Ranger

Spirits: Fixed a bug that would cause spirit skills to go on cooldown twice when activating their secondary sacrifice skills.
Worldly Impact: The damage inflicted by this skill has been reduced by 16%.
Leading Swipe: The damage of this skill has been increased by 5%.
Serpent Stab: The damage of this skill has been increased by 10%.
Deadly Delivery: The damage of this skill has been increased by 76%.
Crippling Talon: The aftercast of this skill has been reduced by approximately 0.5 seconds.
Flame Trap: This skill will now burn on both of the initial strikes, instead of just one.

Revenant

Herald: Dragon stance can now be invoked underwater.
Echoing Eruption: This skill now inflicts 3 seconds of weakness upon striking a foe.
Bolstered Anguish: This trait has been replaced with Demonic Resistance. Demonic Resistance reduces damage by 20% while resistance is active on the player. Gain vitality based on 10% of the revenant’s condition damage in PvE and WvW. Gain vitality based on 15% of the revenant’s condition damage in PvP.
Facets: These skills are now labeled as facets in their tooltips, and their associated active skills are now labeled as consume skills.
Phase Traversal: The energy cost of this skill has been reduced from 35 to 30 in PvE and WvW.
Facet of Nature: This skill has been reworked and now grants allies an enhancement based upon the legend the revenant is currently channeling.
- Jalis: Grant nearby allies damage reduction.
- Mallyx: Transfer damaging conditions from nearby allies onto the revenant every few seconds.
- Shiro: Grant allies life stealing when they strike enemies.
- Ventari: Heal nearby allies every few seconds.
- Glint: Increase the duration of boons applied to nearby allies.
One with Nature: This skill has been replaced with True Nature. The effects of True Nature are based upon the legend the revenant is channeling.
- Jalis: Grant stability to nearby allies.
- Mallyx: Transfer conditions from the revenant to nearby enemies.
- Shiro: Strip boons from nearby enemies.
- Ventari: Cleanse conditions from nearby allies.
- Glint: Increase the duration of boons on nearby allies.
Gaze of Darkness: The recharge time of this skill has been reduced from 20 seconds to 15 seconds in PvE and WvW. This skill is now labeled as a consume skill.
Elemental Blast: The damage inflicted by this skill has been increased by 15%. This skill is now labeled as a consume skill.
Burst of Strength: This skill now grants 15% increased damage for 5 seconds upon use. This skill is now labeled as a consume skill.
Chaotic Release: The superspeed applied by this skill is now applied to the revenant as well as their allies. The casting time has been reduced from 1.25 seconds to 0.75 seconds. The recharge time of this skill has been reduced from 45 seconds to 20 seconds in PvE and WvW. This skill is now labeled as a consume skill.
Infuse Light: This skill is now labeled as a consume skill.
Spirit Boon: This trait will now always display the associated boons granted by elite specialization legends in its tooltip instead of only when those specializations are equipped.
Forceful Persistence: This trait has been replaced with Rising Tide, which grants 7% increased damage while the revenant’s health is above 90%.
The herald specialization line has been heavily reworked. Below are the new traits available to the specialization:
- Minor Traits:
- Crystal Harbinger: This trait remains unchanged.
- Draconic Fortitude: This trait has replaced Vigorous Persistence. Draconic Fortitude grants 10% more maximum health.
- Reinforced Potency: This trait has replaced Envoy of Sustenance. Reinforced Potency grants 1% increased damage per boon affecting the revenant and 120 concentration at level 80.
- Adept Traits:
- Elder’s Respite: This trait has replaced Swift Gale. Elder’s Respite causes the regeneration a revenant applies to heal for more and grants the revenant regeneration when their health falls below 50%.
- Core Value: This trait has replaced Radiant Revival and improves the effects of True Nature skills.
- Rising Momentum: This trait has replaced Hardening Persistence as an adept tier trait and grants the revenant a 5% increased movement speed for each point of upkeep they are using. The movement speed granted by this trait stacks with all other movement speed increases.
- Master Traits:
- Shared Empowerment: This trait has been moved from the center line to the top line of the specialization. The number of targets Shared Empowerment can affect has been increased from 5 to 10.
- Shining Aspects: This trait heals the revenant upon use of a consume skill.
- Hardening Persistence: This trait has been moved from the adept tier to the master tier. Hardening Persistence has been changed to grant a 1% damage reduction instead of toughness for each active energy upkeep point the revenant is spending. It also causes shield skills to cleanse conditions from affected allies.
- Grandmaster:
- Elevated Compassion: This trait has replaced Elder’s Force and causes the revenant to heal their allies when they grant allies a boon.
- Draconic Echo: Facet passive effects target additional allies. After using the consume skill, the revenant continues granting the passive facet effects for a short duration.
- Forceful Persistence: This trait has replaced Enhanced Bulwark. Forceful Persistence increases outgoing damage by 13% while the revenant has an active upkeep skill when not channeling Glint. While channeling Glint, it increases outgoing damage per active facet by 4% in PvE and 3% in PvP and WvW.

Thief

Lead Attacks: Fixed a bug that would cause this trait to grant the wrong number of stacks with skills that have initiative costs that are split between game modes.
Scorpion Wire: This skill now has a maximum ammunition of 2 with a recharge time of 1, and it will restock 1 ammunition every 20 seconds.
Impairing Daggers: Poison duration has been increased from 8 seconds to 10 seconds. Slow duration has been increased from 3 seconds to 5 seconds.
Dagger Storm: This skill now grants evade while casting in addition to its other effects. Its cooldown has been increased to 90 seconds.
Resilience of Shadows: The damage reduction from this trait while in stealth has been increased from 25% to 33%.
Rending Shade: The damage reduction against foes that don’t have boons has been increased from 10% to 15%.
Spider Venom: Poison duration has been reduced from 6 seconds to 4 seconds in PvE only.

Warrior

Rousing Resilience: The duration of bonus toughness granted by this trait has been reduced from 8 seconds to 4 seconds in PvP only. Healing per level has been reduced by 20% in PvP only.
Aimed Shot: The damage of this skill has been increased by 33%.
Volley: The damage of this skill has been increased by 25%.
Brutal Shot: The damage of this skill has been increased by 100%.
Hammer Shock: The damage of this skill has been increased by 15%.
Signet of Might: When activated, this signet now additionally gives 10 stacks of might for 6 seconds in PvE and WvW and 5 stacks for 6 seconds in PvP.
Signet of Stamina: When activated, this signet now additionally gives 50 endurance in PvE and WvW and 25 in PvP.
Signet of Fury: When activated, this signet now additionally gives bonus precision and ferocity for 4 seconds.
Dolyak Signet: When activated, this signet now additionally heals for a small amount.

Structured Player vs. Player

The final four weapons have been added to the Obsidian weapon set. Both the Obsidian Weapon Box and the Mistforged Obsidian Weapon Box have been updated. These new weapons have also been added to the League Vendor. The new weapon types include the short bow, warhorn, rifle, and axe.

World vs. World

General

The final four weapons have been added to the Obsidian weapon set. These new weapons have been added to the Skirmish Supervisor. The new weapon types include the short bow, warhorn, rifle, and axe.

BLACK LION TRADING COMPANY GEM STORE

New Items and Promotions

A new Emblazoned Dragon Throne is now available in the Toys category of the Gem Store for 600 gems.
A new Dragon Emblem Kite is now available in the Toys category of the Gem Store for 250 gems.
For a limited time, a new set of Equinox weapon skins is available from Black Lion Weapons Specialists for 1 Black Lion Claim Ticket, found in Black Lion Chests. Keys are available in the Utility category of the Gem Store for 125 gems each.
For a limited time, the Exo-Suit Mounts Pack is 40% off in the Style category of the Gem Store for 1,200 gems.
For two days only, all musical instruments are 50% off in the Toys category of the Gem Store.
A new Novelty Selection Box with a choice of an item from the Toys category of the Gem Store is available at no cost for two weeks only. Limit one per account. This is only available to players with Core, Heart of Thorns™, or Path of Fire™ accounts.
The Customer Appreciation Package with one Black Lion Chest and one Black Lion Chest Key returns for the anniversary at no cost for one week only. Limit one per account. This is only available to players with Core, Heart of Thorns, or Path of Fire accounts.

Improvements

The Black Lion Chest has been updated to the Sixth Anniversary Chest and can be previewed for a full list of its contents.
- The new Mini Brown Springer Kit has been added as the guaranteed item. Use the Mystic Forge to unlock the whole family of springer kits.
- The new Springer Kit Backpack is available as an uncommon drop for the duration of the Sixth Anniversary Chest.
- The new Mini Exo-Suit Mounts Pack is available as an uncommon drop for the duration of the Sixth Anniversary Chest.
- The Storm Dagger remains available as an uncommon drop for the duration of the Sixth Anniversary Chest.
- The Black Lion Exclusives Chest returns as a rare drop for the duration of the Sixth Anniversary Chest. The chest has been updated with 16 exclusive items from the Black Lion Chest.
- Gallant Weapon Collection and Scientific Weapon Collection weapon skins are available as uncommon and rare drops respectively for the duration of the Sixth Anniversary Chest.
- Unused versions of the Glyph of the Tailor and Glyph of the Leatherworker are available as rare drops for the duration of the Sixth Anniversary Chest.
The items available in exchange for Black Lion Statuettes have been updated. Black Lion Statuettes are redeemable by using the statuette itself or by redeeming one at any of the Black Lion Chest Merchants located in every major city.
- A new selection of town clothes outfits have been added.
- The exclusive Wild Magic Backpack Glider Combo, the Svanir Gauntlets, and the Celestial Compass Skin have been added.
- Additional items including the Profane Light Armor Skins, Krytan Medium Armor Skins, Primeval Heavy Armor Skins, and Mad Scientist’s gathering tools have neem added.
Gathering tools can now be previewed from the Gem Store and Account Vault or by right-clicking on the tool.

Late Notes: August 28, 2018

08/28/2018—August 28 Release Notes

Living World

Fixed an issue that prevented the Taking All Their Secrets achievement from advancing.

General

Fixed a crash that occurred when players previewed gathering-tool skins through links in the Chat panel.

Raids

Missiles will now collide with the bridge in front of Sabetha.
Fixed a bug that periodically caused the golems in the Special Forces Training Area to face players.

Bug Fixes:

Fixed an issue in which interacting with the Emblazoned Dragon Throne in the Black Lion Vaults progressed the Chairs of the World achievement.
Revenant—Phase Traversal: Fixed a bug that caused this skill to have a cooldown that was much higher than intended in PvP.
Fixed a bug in which placed toy gadgets sometimes don’t get cleaned up when a player leaves the map.
Reduced the number of placed toys that can be in a small area.