Game Update Notes: May 8, 2018

Living World

Updated the description of the Endless Olmakhan Tonic to clarify that it transforms characters into an Olmakhan sand elemental.

General

Some of the icons the player can select on the world map or compass have changed. When holding shift and left-clicking, the options are now a red circle (the default), a sword, a shield, a caution sign, and a red X.
Fixed an issue in which the Mini Griffon Mount was not properly included in the loot tables on silver and gold reward chests for expert and master griffon adventures.
Dive Master Astora has arrived in Lion’s Arch with a proposal for adventurers who are interested in pursuing sunken treasure.
Added achievements for sunken chests.

Items

Fixed a bug that caused deadeyes to animate incorrectly if they dodged when kneeling while transformed by a combat tonic.
Added swim-speed infusions for upgrading aquatic headgear.
Added a new ascended breathing apparatus with a unique skin.

Mounts

Skimmer: Increased the water-hovering movement speed of this mount by about 21%.

Profession Skills

General

Take Root: Fixed a bug that prevented seed turrets from dying when their caster was defeated.
Resistance: This boon now converts to 3 seconds of chill when it is corrupted.
Confusion: This condition has been reworked and will now inflict more damage to nonplayer enemies than players instead of being split between game modes.
Critical-Hit Chance: Fixed a bug that displayed this value as 1% less than it was on the Hero panel.

Elementalist

Impale: The damage of this skill is no longer split between game modes and will now use the higher 28% damage increase in all modes.
Ring of Earth: The bleeding application of this skill is no longer split between game modes and will now apply 3 stacks of bleeding in all modes.
Lightning Touch: The damage of this skill is no longer split between game modes and will now use the higher 50% damage increase in all modes.
Drake’s Breath: The burning duration is no longer split between game modes and will now use the higher 4-second duration in all modes.
Shatterstone: The damage of this skill is no longer split between game modes and will now use the higher 66% damage increase in all modes.
Static Field: The cooldown of this skill is no longer split between game modes and will now use the lower 30-second cooldown in all modes.
Stone Resonance: The barrier application of this skill is no longer split between game modes and will now use the higher 10% barrier increase in all modes.
Lesser Stone Resonance: The barrier application of this skill is no longer split between game modes and will now use the higher 10% barrier increase in all modes.
Ashen Blast: The damage of this skill is no longer split between game modes and will now use the higher 43% damage increase in all modes.
Steam Surge: The damage of this skill is no longer split between game modes and will now use the higher 50% damage increase in all modes.
Meteor Shower: The internal cooldown of this skill has been removed when used against PvE targets, and its initial damage has been increased by 23%. Damage will now decline by 10% for each subsequent hit, capping at a minimum value equal to 10% of the initial impact’s damage.
Glyph of Storms: The recharge time of storms will now be based on the player’s attunement.
Tempest Defense: Reduced the damage increase from 20% to 10% against disabled foes.
Boil: The cooldown of this skill has been reduced from 10 seconds to 8 seconds.
Steam: This skill now has a radius of 180 and inflicts 5 rapid attacks on enemies. Damage per attack has been increased by 50% of the skill’s previous base attack. The cooldown has been reduced from 25 seconds to 15 seconds.
Lava Chains: The cooldown of this skill has been reduced from 30 seconds to 20 seconds. This skill now inflicts 1 stack of burning for 6 seconds in addition to its strike damage.
Heat Wave: The cooldown of this skill has been reduced from 40 seconds to 20 seconds. This skill now applies strike damage and inflicts 3 stacks of burning for 4 seconds each.
Water Missile: Increased the damage of this projectile by 100%.
Ice Globe: This skill no longer passes through targets and instead detonates upon impact with the first target it hits.
Ice Wall: The height and depth of this trap has been increased by 100%. This trap can no longer be detonated by the elementalist. Its detonation now triggers when enemies successfully cross its threshold, causing the trap to inflict damage and chill enemies within its radius. The detonation radius has been increased from 320 to 360, and the chill duration has been increased from 2 seconds to 4 seconds.
Undercurrent: This skill now heals in an area around the elementalist in addition to its current effects. Its damage has been increased by 100%.
Tidal Wave: This skill no longer delivers damage along a path. Instead, the ending attack deals increased damage based on how long the skill has been active.
Electrocute: The cooldown of this skill has been reduced from 12 seconds to 8 seconds. It now dazes enemies if they are currently using a skill.
Air Bubble: This skill now inflicts damage over time if the attack successfully hits. Its cooldown has been reduced from 35 seconds to 25 seconds.
Lightning Cage: The cooldown of this skill has been reduced from 35 seconds to 30 seconds.
Rock Blade: The physical damage of this skill has been increased by 200% for each strike.
Rock Spray: The cooldown of this skill has been reduced from 12 seconds to 10 seconds. The physical damage of this skill has been increased by 11%.
Magnetic Current: This skill no longer pulls the elementalist to the target. Instead, it now launches a large projectile that reflects all projectiles in its path back to their casters.
Rock Anchor: The cooldown of this skill has been reduced from 35 seconds to 30 seconds.
Murky Water: The radius of this skill has been increased by 100%. Physical damage is now inflicted on each pulse, and its cooldown has been reduced from 40 seconds to 30 seconds.
Lightning Flash: This skill can now be used underwater.

Engineer

Homing Torpedo: This skill no longer pierces targets. Its damage has been increased by 40%, and the speed of the fired missile has been increased by 33%.
Scatter Mines: The number of mines fired by this skill has been increased from 3 to 5. Its damage has been redistributed across the same area of effect, dealing the same total damage if all mines strike their target. Reduced the recharge from 12 seconds to 10 seconds. The total vulnerability applied when striking with all mines has been increased from 9 stacks to 10 stacks for 5 seconds.
Retreating Grapple: This skill has been reworked and renamed Capture Line. Capture Line has a 12-second cooldown and inflicts bleeding while it pulls a target toward the player.
Timed Charge: Reduced the recharge of this skill from 18 seconds to 15 seconds. The stacks of burning it inflicts have been reduced from 2 to 1, and the duration has been increased from 4 seconds to 10 seconds. This skill now causes a blast finisher upon detonation rather than a projectile finisher.
Net Wall: Reduced the recharge of this skill from 20 seconds to 18 seconds, and increased its velocity by 50%. It now deploys its immobilizing net as soon as it strikes a foe, inflicting a small amount of damage.
Poison Dart Volley: This skill is no longer split between game modes and will now use the lower 8-second cooldown in all modes.
Glue Shot: The cooldown of this skill is no longer split between game modes and will now use the lower 20-second cooldown in all modes. The range of this skill has increased from 700 to 900.
Net Shot: This skill now inflicts damage in addition to immobilization, and its recharge has been reduced from 10 seconds to 9 seconds.
Blunderbuss: Reduced the recharge of this skill from 10 seconds to 9 seconds.
Overcharged Shot: Reduced the recharge of this skill from 15 seconds to 14 seconds.
Jump Shot: Reduced the recharge of this skill from 20 seconds to 18 seconds.
Static Shock: The stun duration of this skill is no longer split between game modes and will now use the higher 2-second stun duration in all modes.
Throw Mine: The damage of this skill is no longer split between game modes and will now use the higher 11% damage increase in all modes.
Box of Nails: The cooldown of this skill is no longer split between game modes and will now use the lower 8-second cooldown in all modes.
Magnet: The cooldown of this skill is no longer split between game modes and will now use the lower 20-second cooldown in all modes.
Mortar Kit: The base damage and cooldowns of all Mortar Kit attacks are no longer split between game modes and will now use the higher 25–33% damage increase with lower cooldowns in all modes.
Purge Gyro: The cooldown of this skill is no longer split between game modes and will now use the lower 20-second cooldown in all modes.
Detection Pulse: The radius of this skill is no longer split between game modes and will now use the greater radius of 1,200 in all modes.
Defense Field: This skill now grants 3 stacks of stability for 6 seconds on up to 5 targets within range upon its initial use, and it now blocks missiles instead of reflecting them.
Rocket Boots: This skill can now be used underwater. Its tooltips and description have been updated to reflect this change.
Slick Shoes: This skill now inflicts slow in addition to its other effects when used underwater.
Med Kit: This kit has been reworked:
- Med Blaster: Increased the healing-power multiplier by 500% on the blaster’s base heal. Increased the healing-power multiplier by 80% on its heals per boon. Base healing has been decreased by 33%.
- Throw Bandages: This skill has been replaced with Bandage Blast, which fires 5 bandages in an arc ahead of the player, healing and granting regeneration to any allies they strike.
- Throw Stimulant: This skill has been replaced with Cleansing Field, which creates a temporary water combo field and removes conditions every second that allies are within the field.
- Throw Accelerant: This skill has been replaced with Vital Burst, which heals allies in an area around the player.
- Throw Antidote: This skill has been replaced with Infusion Bomb, which throws a bomb that grants several boons to allies when it explodes.
Hidden Flask: Reduced the recharge on Lesser Elixir B from 40 seconds to 30 seconds, and reduced the duration of the boons it grants from 10 seconds to 8 seconds. Fixed a bug in which Lesser Elixir B granted less might than intended.
Reactive Lenses: The skill triggered by this trait has been renamed Lesser Utility Goggles to differentiate it from the Utility Goggles utility skill.
Sun Edge: Removed an unused skill fact about bonus damage.
Adaptive Armor: Fixed a bug in which this trait granted barrier before the inflicting strike was applied, preventing barrier from stacking. Increased the healing-power contribution to the barrier granted by this trait by 150%.
Health Insurance: This trait has been reworked and now grants a 10% increase to healing effectiveness at all times, and a 10% increase to healing effectiveness for allies when using Med Kit.
Pinpoint Distribution: Reduced the condition damage granted by this trait from 150 to 100 at level 80.
Medical Dispersion Field: Increased the amount the player heals allies from 20% to 50% of the amount the player is healed.

Guardian

Virtue of Resolve: Healing-power scaling is no longer split between game modes and will now use the higher 87% healing-power increase in all modes.
Trident: The auto-attack for this weapon now performs three attacks:
- Light Ball: Fire a sundering ball of light that damages foes. This attack inflicts vulnerability for 6 seconds upon impact.
- Detonate Light: Fire a ball of light that detonates upon impact to heal allies and damage foes. This skill inflicts vulnerability for 6 seconds to any enemies it strikes.
- Judgment of Light: Fire a barrage of bouncing light missiles that damage enemies and heal allies.
Purify: This skill now detonates upon impact. Physical damage has been increased by 150%, and burning duration has been increased from 5 seconds to 8 seconds.
Pillar of Light: This skill is now a symbol and has been renamed Symbol of Light.
Refraction: This skill no longer requires the player to remain still while casting.
Weight of Justice: This skill now repeatedly delivers physical strikes to the target and no longer deals condition damage. The effect will stop if the target uses a stun break.
Spear of Light: Fixed a bug in which this skill traveled 50% farther than intended. Its damage has been increased by 66% when within a 300-range distance of the target.
Zealot’s Flurry: Reduced the overall casting time of this skill from 1.5 seconds to 1 second.
Brilliance: Physical damage has been increased by 100%.
Spear Wall: This skill is now a symbol and has been renamed Symbol of Spears. The symbol no longer pushes the guardian backward and instead activates a spear wall a short distance in front of the guardian. It now deals damage in a full sphere with a radius of 180 (that’s upgradable through traits) instead of the previous rectangular area of effect.
Leap of Faith: The damage of this skill is no longer split between game modes and will now use the higher 14% damage increase in all modes.
Binding Blade: The condition-damage aspect of this skill is now affected by Zealous Blade.
“Receive the Light!”: Fixed a bug in which the tooltip numbers for the self-healing pulse did not display properly, and fixed a bug that prevented this skill from healing more than 4 allies. Reduced the base heal by 20% and increased the healing-power contribution by 300%; reduced the base heal value to allies by 20% and increased the healing-power contribution by 200%.
Mantra of Solace: Fixed a bug that caused this skill’s charges to improperly represent the actual charges remaining. Fixed a bug that prevented the cooldown of this skill from triggering when going from 2 charges to 1 charge.
Sword of Justice: This skill is no longer split between game modes and will now use a 20-second cooldown in all modes.
Bow of Truth: The ammunition recharge of this skill is no longer split between game modes and will now use the lower 25-second cooldown in all modes.
Hammer of Wisdom: The ammunition recharge of this skill is no longer split between game modes and will now use the lower 25-second cooldown in all modes.
“Feel My Wrath!”: The quickness duration of this skill is no longer split between game modes and will now use the higher 8-second duration in all modes. Its cooldown remains split between modes at 45 seconds in PvE and 35 seconds in WvW and PvP.
Zealous Blade: The bonus damage of this trait is no longer split between game modes and will now use the higher 10% damage bonus in all modes.
Healer’s Retribution: Increased the duration of the retaliation granted by this trait from 5 seconds to 8 seconds. This trait will no longer trigger when Mantra of Solace is cast; the player will continue to gain retaliation when using the subskills.
Strength in Numbers: Reduced the toughness granted by this trait from 150 to 100 at level 80.

Mesmer

Siren’s Call: Increased the projectile speed by 50%.
Blinding Tide: This skill now inflicts vulnerability in an area around the player’s target in addition to blindness. Its cooldown has been reduced from 12 seconds to 8 seconds.
Spinning Revenge: This skill has been reworked and renamed Imminent Voyage. It now grants allies chaos armor if they are within a 600 radius, and it creates a clone at the player’s position before they retreat.
Illusion of Drowning: The damage inflicted by this skill has been increased by 33% and now affects up to 5 enemies in an area around the player’s initial target. Fixed a bug that prevented the anchor effect from disappearing when the target broke out of stun.
Feigned Surge: Increased the damage of this skill by 200% and clarified the text in its tooltips. The mesmer now charges at their targeted enemy, striking up to 5 enemies along the way before summoning a clone upon reaching the target.
Slipstream: This skill has been reworked. Allies who pass through its area of effect gain 8 seconds of superspeed, and enemies are immobilized for 3 seconds. Its area of effect has been significantly increased.
Vortex: Clarified the tooltips for this skill and increased its damage by 33%.
Null Field: This skill can now be used underwater, creating its field at the player’s location.
Imaginary Axes: The torment duration of this skill is no longer split between game modes and will now use the higher 5-second duration in all modes.
Axes of Symmetry: This skill has regained its confusion-inflicting function. Confusion remains split between game modes and will inflict 6 stacks for 3 seconds in PvP and WvW, and 3 stacks for 8 seconds in PvE, with each clone inflicting one stack of the condition.
Signet of Ether: The cooldown of this skill is no longer split between game modes and will now use the lower 30-second cooldown in all modes.
Illusion of Life: The cooldown of this skill is no longer split between game modes and will now use the lower 75-second cooldown in all modes.
Continuum Shift: The cooldown of this skill is no longer split between game modes and will now use the higher 105-second cooldown in all modes.
Compounding Power: The damage bonus per stack of this effect is no longer split between game modes and will now use the lower 2% damage bonus per stack in all modes.
Restorative Illusions: The healing aspects of this trait are no longer split between game modes and now use the following PvP numbers and scaling: healing-power scaling has been increased by 285%; base healing has been reduced by 62% with no illusions, 50% with 1 illusion, 42% with 2 illusions, and 36% with 3 illusions.
Mirage Advance: This skill can now be used underwater.
Chronophantasma: Resummoned phantasms now do 50% less damage in PvP and WvW.

Necromancer

Crimson Tide: This skill now fires a projectile at enemies rather than delivering a direct attack. The projectile strikes the target twice over a short duration upon impact, inflicting bleeding for 2 seconds with each impact. This skill is now used with other necromancer trident attacks.
Feast: This skill now fires Crimson Tide at nearby enemies in addition to its previous effects.
Foul Current: The range of this skill has been increased by 100%, and it now places its generated field on the target it strikes instead of along the skill’s traveled path. The field duration increases based on how long the necromancer has been traveling. In addition, Crimson Tide is continuously cast on the targeted foe while the skill is active.
Sinking Tomb: This skill now casts Crimson Tide on its target every 0.5 seconds.
Frozen Abyss: This skill now casts Crimson Tide on all targets within its maximum range each time it pulses.
Cruel Strike: The damage of this skill has been increased by 38%.
Wicked Strike: The damage of this skill has been increased by 42%.
Reaper’s Scythe: The damage of this skill has been increased by 30%.
Wicked Spiral: The damage of this skill has been increased by 33%.
Dark Spear: This skill no longer pulls the necromancer and instead shadowsteps them to their target to deliver a bleeding attack in a 240 radius that’s separate from the initial spear strike. The spear strike’s damage has been increased by 38%.
Life Siphon: The cooldown of this skill is no longer split between game modes and will now use the lower 10-second cooldown in all modes.
Dark Pact: The cooldown of this skill is no longer split between game modes and will now use a 15-second cooldown instead of the 25- and 20-second cooldowns it previously used.
Minions: Fixed a bug in which necromancers could summon more minions than intended.
Signet of Vampirism: The cooldown and base healing of this skill are no longer split between game modes and will now use the lower 30-second cooldown and the higher 25% base heal in all modes.
Well of Blood: The healing aspects of this skill are no longer split between game modes and now use the higher 15% base heal and higher 75% pulse heal in all modes.
Spectral Grasp: The cooldown of this skill is no longer split between game modes and will now use the lower 35-second recharge in all modes.
Signet of the Locust: The damage and healing of this skill are no longer split between game modes and now use the higher 54% damage and higher 29% healing in all modes.
Nourishing Rot: This trait has been renamed Nourishing Ashes and now grants life force when the player inflicts burning in addition to when the player corrupts a target or removes a boon.
Well of Suffering: The cooldown of this skill is no longer split between game modes and has been reduced from 35 to 30 seconds in PvE.
Blood Is Power: This skill now has 2 charges with a 1-second cooldown between uses. Reduced the stacks of might granted from 10 to 5, and increased the duration of might from 10 seconds to 20 seconds in PvE. This skill’s might remains unchanged in PvP and WvW.
Well of Power: This skill now grants 8 seconds of might per pulse to allies who remain within its area of effect, in addition to its previous effects.

Ranger

Stab: The damage of this skill has been increased by 25%.
Jab: The damage of this skill has been increased by 27%.
Evasive Strike: This skill has been renamed Toxic Strike and no longer evades attacks. Instead, it now applies 1 stack of poison for 6 seconds on enemies it strikes. Its damage has been increased by 25%, and the ranger is now allowed to move while using the skill. The aftercast has been reduced by 0.2 seconds.
Swirling Strike: The damage of this skill has been increased by about 120%.
Dart: This skill has been renamed Surging Maw, and its ending strike will now inflict bleeding based on how long the ranger has been moving.
Counter Throw: The damage of this skill has been increased by 33%, and it will now cripple enemies for 6 seconds upon landing a successful hit.
Counterstrike (Kick): The damage of this skill has been increased by 16%, and it will now stun the target instead of pushing them away. The player can now move while executing this skill.
Man O’ War: This skill now strikes up to 8 times on a target, immobilizing them on the final attack, and it now functions like ammunition. Up to 2 ammunition recharges every 25 seconds with 4 seconds between uses. The ranger can now move while executing this skill.
Splinter Shot: The physical damage of this skill has been increased by 120%.
Coral Shot: The physical damage of this skill has been increased by 1,150%.
Feeding Frenzy: This skill’s damage-per-pulse interval has been reduced from 0.5 seconds to 0.2 seconds, allowing it to rapidly deal damage.
Mercy Shot: This skill’s base damage has been increased by 25%. Additional damage at each health threshold has been increased from 50% of the base damage to 75% of the base damage at all levels.
Ink Blast: This skill now inflicts cripple for 2 seconds and minor damage per pulse in addition to its previous effects.
Hornet Sting: The damage of this skill has been increased by 12%.
Monarch’s Leap: The damage of this skill has been increased by 14%.
Instinctive Engage: The damage of this skill is no longer split between game modes and will now use the higher 66% damage increase in all modes with a 0.5 second cooldown between uses.
Cosmic Ray: Reduced the healing of this skill by 30%.
Seed of Life: Reduced the healing of this skill by 35%.
Lunar Impact: The heal scaling of this skill is no longer split between game modes and will now use the lower 20% reduced heal scaling in all modes.
Rejuvenating Tides: Reduced the healing of this skill by 40%.
Ricochet: The damage of this skill is no longer split between game modes and will now use the higher 15% damage increase in all modes.
Healing Spring: The condition-cleansing aspect of this skill is no longer split between game modes and will now use the increased removal of 2 conditions per pulse in all modes.
Lightning Reflexes: The cooldown of this skill is no longer split between game modes and will now use the lower 30-second cooldown in all modes.
Quickening Zephyr: Reduced the cooldown of this skill from 50 seconds to 45 seconds.
Water Spirit: Increased the chance that the ranger is healed when they strike a target from 75% to 100%.
Stone Spirit: Increased the chance that the ranger is granted protection when they strike a target from 75% to 100%.
Storm Spirit: Increased the chance that the ranger inflicts vulnerability when they strike a target from 75% to 100%.
Sun Spirit: Increased the chance that the ranger inflicts 2 burning stacks when they strike a target from 75% to 100%, and reduced the burning duration from 3 seconds to 2.5 seconds.
Frost Spirit: The chance that the Spirit of Frost effect will increase strike damage dealt to a target has been increased from 75% to 100%. The damage increase has been reduced from 10% to 5%.
Spike Rain (Soulbeast): Fixed a bug in which the projectiles that were fired from this skill could miss stationary targets.
Bird—Quickening Screech: Fixed a tooltip error that displayed a range instead of the proper 480 radius.
Wyvern—Lightning Assault: Fixed a bug in which this skill hit with its control-effect function multiple times on the same target when launching them.
Frost Trap: The damage of this skill has been increased by 25%.
“Sic ‘Em!”: Reduced the cooldown of this skill from 40 seconds to 35 seconds.
Call of the Wild: Reduced the durations of fury, swiftness, and might granted by this skill from 15 seconds to 10 seconds. Might granted by this skill has been increased from 3 stacks to 6 stacks.
Windborne Notes: Reduced the duration of Call of the Wild’s regeneration from 10 seconds to 6 seconds.
Spider—Poison Gas: Fixed a bug in which the poison field could not reach its target if the ranger was too far away.
Verdant Etching: Reduced the healing of this trait by 35%.
Grace of the Land: Increased the duration of might granted by this trait from 8 seconds to 12 seconds, and decreased the stacks of might granted from 3 to 2.
Lingering Light: This trait no longer grants its effects when healing an ally. It now grants its effects when entering celestial avatar form. While in celestial avatar form, outgoing healing to allies is increased by 50%.
Spotter: Reduced the precision granted by this trait from 150 to 100 at level 80.
Two-Handed Training: The damage bonus of this trait is no longer split between game modes and will now use the improved 10% damage bonus in all modes.
Loud Whistle: This trait now grants the soulbeast increased damage if they have merged with their pet.

Revenant

Updated the border thickness of the icons for the Ventari and Glint enhancements. They now have the same border thickness as the other legends.
Spear of Anguish:_ _This skill’s damage has been increased by 33%, and its range has been reduced from 1,200 to 600 with the threshold ranges being 0–300 and 300+. Torment duration has been increased from 3 seconds to 4 seconds at minimum, and 5 seconds to 8 seconds at maximum. The way distance affects this skill is now reversed, inflicting the higher torment duration at close range.
Rapid Assault: This skill now has a 5-second cooldown with a cost of 5 energy. Its damage has been increased by 87%.
Venomous Sphere: The velocity of this skill’s primary missile has been reduced by 22%, and its pulse interval has been reduced from 1 every 0.5 seconds to 1 every 0.25 seconds. The range of secondary attacks has been increased from 300 to 360.
Igniting Brand: The impact damage of this skill has been increased by 25%.
Rift Containment: The pulse damage of this skill has been increased by 32%.
Mistsfire: This new skill fires a single projectile that inflicts conditions based on what legend is active.
Portal Fire: This new skill fires multiple projectiles at the opponent from Mists rifts around the revenant.
Rift of Pain: This new skill saturates the target, creating a chilling area around them with a field type that is based on which legend the revenant is attuned to upon casting the skill. Allies in the affected area gain beneficial effects.
Reckoning Blast: This new skill releases a blast of Mists energy that heals allies and knocks enemies back. Inflict conditions that are based on the player’s current legend each time a target is struck.
Torrential Mists: Releases the Mists from the revenant’s aura. Has a chance to inflict conditions that are based on the active legend.
Jalis: This legend can now be used underwater.
Inspiring Reinforcement: This skill affects a spherical area around the player when used underwater. The damage of this skill is no longer split between game modes and will now use the higher 50% damage increase in all modes.
Facets: Fixed a bug in which these skills could be used outside of the herald specialization.
One with Nature: Fixed a bug that displayed a range for this skill in addition to its radius.
Shattershot: The damage of this skill is no longer split between game modes and will now use the higher 30% damage increase in all modes.
Sevenshot: Reduced the casting time of this skill from 0.75 seconds to a little over 0.25 seconds.
Spiritcrush: Reduced the casting time of this skill from 0.75 seconds to a little under 0.5 seconds. Timings have been slightly altered so that the descending arrows serve to telegraph the attack, but the damage now occurs faster. The damage of this skill is no longer split between game modes and will now use the higher 233% damage increase in all modes.
Breakrazor’s Bastion: The energy cost of this skill is no longer split between game modes and will now use the lower 5-energy cost in all modes.
Razorclaw’s Rage: Reduced the casting time of this skill from 0.75 seconds to 0.5 seconds, and significantly reduced its aftercast.
Icerazor’s Ire: Reduced the casting time of this skill from 0.75 seconds to 0.5 seconds, and significantly reduced its aftercast. The damage and energy cost is no longer split between game modes and will now use the higher 25% damage increase and lower 20-energy cost in all modes.
Darkrazor’s Daring: Reduced the casting time of this skill from 0.75 seconds to 0.5 seconds, and significantly reduced its aftercast.
Soulcleave’s Summit: The aftercast of this skill has been significantly decreased. Energy upkeep is no longer split between game modes and will now use the lower 8-energy upkeep cost in all modes.
Assassin’s Presence: The ferocity granted by this trait is no longer split between game modes and will now use the lower 150 value.
Pain Absorption: The energy cost of this skill is no longer split between game modes and will now use the lower 30-energy cost in all modes.
Banish Enchantment: The number of boons that are corrupted is no longer split between game modes and will now use the higher 3-boon corruption count in all modes.
Soothing Stone: The condition cleanse for this skill is no longer split between game modes and will now use the higher 5-condition cleanse in all modes.
Forced Engagement: The energy and cooldown of this skill is no longer split between game modes and will now use the lower 10-energy cost and higher 15-second cooldown in all modes.
Vengeful Hammers: The energy upkeep of this skill is no longer split between game modes and will now use the lower 6-energy cost in all modes.
Rite of the Great Dwarf: The energy cost of this skill is no longer split between game modes and will now use the lower 40-energy cost in all modes.
Jade Winds: The number of vulnerability stacks this skill inflicts is no longer split between game modes and will now use the higher 6 vulnerability stacks for 6 seconds in all modes.
Pulsating Pestilence: This trait now transfers, instead of copying, up to 3 conditions from the player to nearby enemies when swapping legends.
Heroic Command: This skill is no longer split between game modes and will now use the lower 10-energy cost in all modes.

Thief

Deadly Strike: The damage of this skill has been increased by 66%.
Stab: The damage of this skill has been increased by 30%.
Jab: The damage of this skill has been increased by about 27%.
Poison Tip Strike: The damage of this skill has been increased by 20%. Its poison duration has been increased from 2 seconds to 6 seconds, and its aftercast has been reduced by 0.1 seconds.
Flanking Dive: This skill no longer inflicts vulnerability and instead deals bonus damage if the target is attacked from the side or from behind. Movement has been changed so that if the thief is not in melee range or is behind or to the side of the target, the thief will now charge straight forward instead of strafing around the enemy.
Nine-Tailed Strike: Increased the damage of this skill by 32%, adding 1 stack of vulnerability for 9 seconds for each hit, and increased the number of attacks from 8 to 9. The following Break Stance sequence skill now allows the thief to spend 2 more initiative to immediately activate the attack portion of the skill.
Tow Line: Increased this skill’s cripple duration from 3 seconds to 5 seconds. It now pulls the target to the thief if the missile successfully hits, and then grants the thief stealth. After hitting an enemy, this skill becomes Hooked Spear for the next 8 seconds.
Hooked Spear: For the cost of 3 initiative, this new skill delivers a melee strike to enemies around the thief, applying 1 stack of bleeding for 10 seconds each time the skill hits.
Shadow Assault: The duration of this skill has been reduced by 50%, resulting in less evasion time but more rapid damage. Its initiative cost has been reduced from 7 to 5.
The Ripper: The damage of this skill has been increased by 325%.
Piercing Shot: The damage of this skill has been increased by 120%.
Deluge: The damage of this skill has been increased by 17%.
Escape: The projectile damage of this skill has been increased by 33%, and pulses of the poison clouds will now deal physical damage at half the original damage per pulse in addition to poison. Its poison duration has increased from 2 seconds to 4 seconds per pulse.
Disabling Shot: The damage of this skill has been increased by 75%.
Ink Shot: This skill will now grant stealth to the thief if they have struck the target before shadowstepping to the missile. Fixed a bug in which this skill dealt 25% less damage than intended.
Infiltrator’s Strike: The immobile duration of this skill is no longer split between game modes and will now use the higher 1.5-second immobile in all modes.
Cloak and Dagger: The initiative cost of this skill is no longer split between game modes and will now use the lower 5-initiative cost in all modes.
Shadow Strike: The torment this skill inflicts is no longer split between game modes and will now use the higher 4-stack torment in all modes.
Skelk Venom: The base healing per hit of this skill is no longer split between game modes and will now use the higher 25% base heal increase in all modes.
Hide in Shadows: The base healing of this skill is no longer split between game modes and will now use the higher 15% base heal increase in all modes.
Assassin’s Signet: The cooldown of this skill is no longer split between game modes and will now use the lower 20-second cooldown in all modes.
Signet of Shadows: The cooldown of this skill is no longer split between game modes and will now use the lower 20-second cooldown in all modes.
Smoke Screen: The cooldown of this skill is no longer split between game modes and will now use the lower 25-second cooldown in all modes.
Dagger Storm: The cooldown of this skill is no longer split between game modes and will now use the lower 60-second cooldown in all modes.
Blinding Powder: This skill can now be used underwater.
Thieves Guild: Reduced the cooldown of this skill from 180 seconds to 120 seconds, and reduced the duration that allied thieves assist the player from 30 seconds to 24 seconds in PvE and WvW.

Warrior

Brutal Shot: This skill has been renamed Puncture Shot. The tooltip for this skill has been updated to correctly reflect the existing immobilize-related effects.
Mariner’s Frenzy: Increased the damage of this skill by 30%.
Harpoon Pull: This skill has been renamed Barbed Pull. Its range has been increased from 600 to 1,200, and its cooldown has been reduced from 15 seconds to 10 seconds.
Tsunami Slash: Increased the range of this skill from 600 to 1,200.
Whirling Strike: Increased the damage of this skill by 33%.
Mariner’s Shot: Increased the damage of this skill at all three ranges by 50%, 33%, and 25% (closest to farthest ranges, respectively).
Knot Shot: This skill now has a backward evade upon execution.
Repeating Shot: Increased the damage of this skill by 200%.
Flurry: The damage of this skill is no longer split between game modes and will now use the higher 92% damage increase in all modes.
Hamstring: The damage of this skill is no longer split between game modes and will now use the higher 66% damage increase in all modes.
Savage Leap: The damage of this skill is no longer split between game modes and will now use the higher 33% damage increase in all modes.
Whirling Axe: The damage of this skill is no longer split between game modes and will now use the higher 20% damage increase in all modes.
Counterblow: The damage of this skill is no longer split between game modes and will now use the higher 14% damage increase in all modes.
Crushing Blow: The vulnerability stacks applied by this skill are no longer split between game modes and will now inflict 15 stacks of vulnerability for 6 second in all modes in addition to using the 25% increased damage values.
Tremor: The knockdown duration of this skill is no longer split between game modes and will now use the higher 3-second knockdown duration in all modes.
Healing Signet: The healing per second of this signet is no longer split between game modes and will now use the lower 10%-reduced healing values in all modes.
Mending: The cooldown of this skill is no longer split between game modes and will now use the lower 15-second cooldown in all modes.
Frenzy: The cooldown and might stacks of this skill are no longer split between game modes and will now use the lower 40-second cooldown and higher 10-stack might application in all modes.
“On My Mark!”: The vulnerability this skill inflicts is no longer split between game modes and will now inflict 15 stacks for 6 seconds in all modes.
Battle Standard: The cooldown of this skill is no longer split between game modes and will now use the lower 180-second cooldown in all modes.
Skull Grinder: The bleeding this skill inflicts is no longer split between game modes and will now use the higher duration of 4 stacks for 8 seconds in all modes.
Flaming Flurry: The damage per hit of this skill is no longer split between game modes and will now use the higher 92% value in all modes.
Blood Reckoning: This skill is no longer split between game modes and will now use the higher 30-adrenaline cost and increased 25% damage to healing in all modes.
Magebane Tether: This trait is no longer split between game modes and will now apply the 10% damage bonus to tethered targets in all modes.
Whirlwind Banner: Fixed a bug in which the skill fact for the number of this skill’s targets appeared twice.
Inspire: Fixed a bug in which the skill fact for the number of this skill’s targets appeared twice.
Empower Allies: Reduced the power granted by this trait from 150 to 100.
Adrenal Health: The health per second for each stack of this effect is no longer split between game modes and will now use the lower 19%-reduced health per second in all modes.

Elite Specializations

Deadeye

The deadeye specialization has had some of its mechanics changed. Please see our post on the official forums called “An Eye on the Deadeye” for more information on the goals and reasons for these changes.

General

Malice: Malice no longer generates over time. Instead, 1 malice is gained whenever the player hits their marked target with a skill that has an initiative cost, and they can gain an additional 1 malice if that skill critically hits. These gains can only occur once per skill use. Malice no longer increases damage to the player’s marked target.
Stolen Skills: These skills no longer scale their effects based on malice stacks.
- Steal Time: Increased the duration of quickness and slow from 2 seconds to 3 seconds.
- Steal Mobility: Increased the duration of immobile from 1 second to 1.5 seconds.
- Steal Precision: Increased the duration of fury from 6 seconds to 8 seconds.
- Steal Strength: Increased the duration of might from 8 seconds to 12 seconds.

Weapon Skills

Sniper’s Cover: This kneel skill has replaced Death’s Judgment in the 4th skill slot for rifles. It creates a projectile-destroying smoke field in the specified direction for 5 seconds.
Kneel: This skill no longer uses the ammunition system. The recharge remains at 0.5 seconds to prevent thieves from unintentionally reentering this mode after exiting from their kneel stance, and initiative regeneration is now increased while kneeling.
Free Action: This skill no longer removes conditions.

Stealth Attacks

Cursed Bullet: This skill has been replaced with Death’s Judgment.
Death’s Judgment: This attack’s initiative cost has been removed, and it has moved to become the stealth attack for rifles. It is now unblockable and consumes all malice when the thief strikes their marked target. Reduced the casting time by about 0.25 seconds.
Malicious Backstab: This attack consumes all malice when the thief strikes their marked target, dealing 10% bonus damage per malice consumed.
Malicious Sneak Attack: This attack consumes all malice when the thief strikes their marked target, adding 1 stack of torment to each attack. Each attack gains 1 additional second of torment per malice consumed.
Malicious Tactical Strikes: This attack consumes all malice when the thief strikes their marked target, regenerating 10 endurance per malice consumed.
Malicious Surprise Shot: This attack consumes all malice when the thief strikes their marked target, causing the arrow to splinter and fire additional arrows at nearby foes based on the amount of malice consumed.
Malicious Deadly Strike: This attack consumes all malice when the thief strikes their marked target, dealing 10% bonus damage per malice consumed.
Malicious Ripper: This attack consumes all malice when the thief strikes their marked target, applying an additional stack of bleeding per malice consumed.

Utility Skills

Shadow Flare: This skill no longer scales damage with the amount of malice a thief has and instead deals 50% more damage to the marked target.
Malicious Restoration: This skill no longer scales the number of conditions removed with malice and instead transfers up to 3 conditions from the thief to their marked target.
Binding Shadow: This skill no longer scales condition duration with malice and instead removes 2 boons when it hits any target. The knockdown effect is now applied in addition to the immobile condition when the skill is used against a thief’s mark.
Mercy: Increased the initiative gain per malice consumed from 1 to 2.
Shadow Gust: Reduced the recharge from 40 seconds to 30 seconds.

Traits

Silent Scope: This trait has been reworked. Dodge rolls that are performed while wielding a rifle now grant stealth for 3 seconds. It has a 10-second internal cooldown that resets whenever the deadeye kneels, and it no longer replaces Kneel with Sniper’s Cover. The 20% critical-hit bonus while kneeling remains unchanged.
Fire for Effect: This trait now applies fury for 8 seconds to affected targets in addition to might.
Iron Sight: This trait has moved to the minor slot of the grandmaster tier, and it now increases damage to the thief’s marked target by 10% while decreasing damage from the marked target by 10%.
Collateral Damage: This trait replaces Iron Sight in the adept tier and causes a damaging area-of-effect attack to occur at the marked target’s location if the marked target is killed.
Unforgiving: This trait has been replaced with Payback.
Payback: This trait causes the thief’s utility skills to recharge by 10% whenever a marked target resets due to Renewing Gaze.
Revealed Malice: This trait has been reworked and renamed Malicious Intent. It now immediately grants 1 malice when the thief marks a target, and grants an additional 1 malice whenever a healing skill is cast.
Maleficent Seven: This trait no longer increases the malice-gain rate or heals the player. Instead, it now grants a large number of boons when the thief reaches maximum malice and 7 initiative.
Peripheral Vision: This trait has been replaced with Premeditation.
Premeditation: This new trait grants +180 concentration and increases the thief’s damage by 1% for each boon they possess.

Structured Player vs. Player

Players can no longer channel special objectives while under the influence of Mirage Cloak. This includes the meditation enhancements in Temple of the Silent Storm, the Sword of Reaping and Shield of Life in Eternal Coliseum, the orb in Spirit Watch, and the supply piles and Mists essences in Battle of Champion’s Dusk.

BLACK LION TRADING COMPANY GEM STORE

New Items and Promotions

A new Shrine Guardian Jackal Skin is available in the Style category of the Gem Store for 2,000 gems.
For a limited time, the Elonian Landscape Dye Kit and the Jormag Dye Kit return to the Upgrades category of the Gem Store for 125 gems each. More dye kits will return to the Gem Store throughout this week.
This is the last week to purchase the Fused Molten Sickle, Fused Molten Logging Axe, and the Molten Alliance Mining Pick. They are available in the Upgrades category of the Gem Store for 1,000 gems each.

Black Lion Chest

The Black Lion Chest has been updated to the Distant Visitors Chest and can be previewed for a full list of its contents.
- The Black Lion Material Bag: Istan has been added as the new guaranteed item.
- The new Exalted Gloves are available as an uncommon drop for the duration of the Distant Visitors Chest.
- The new Shrine Guardian Jackal Skin is available as an uncommon drop for the duration of the Distant Visitors Chest.
- The Celestial Compass Skin remains available as an uncommon drop for the duration of the Distant Visitors Chest.
- The Dwayna’s Weapon Collection and Shadow Weapon Collection are available as uncommon and rare drops respectively for the duration of the Distant Visitors Chest.
- Unused versions of the Glyph of the Unbound and Glyph of the Watchknight are available as rare drops for the duration of the Distant Visitors Chest.
The items available 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 Toy Combos have been added.
- The exclusive Griffon Hatchling Package and the Mini Dwayna’s Messenger have been added.
- Additional items including the Hawk Wings Glider Combo, quaggan backpack covers, and the Zodiac Armor sets have been added.

Bug Fixes

Fixed a bug in which computers reported that they did not have enough RAM.

MAC CLIENT

Added functionality to clean client cache files that were generated between builds