Guild Wars 2 Game Release Notes

Game Update Notes: October 2, 2018

10/02/2018—October 2 Release Notes

Living World

  • New Novelties Category: Tonics
    • Transformation tonics have been added to the Novelties section of the Equipment tab in the Hero panel.
    • Over 80 endless transformation tonics can now be stored in the Novelties section.
    • A new, optional key bind has been added to the Miscellaneous section of the Control Options tab, allowing players to quickly use an equipped tonic.
  • Updated the Jahai Bluffs World Map to include the inaccessible terrain in the middle section of the map.
  • Added the ability to put the Sun’s Refuge Portal Scroll into the Season 4 Portal Tome.
  • Fixed an issue that allowed some dialog to be heard across the entirety of Jahai Bluffs.
  • Changes to the “Defend the Chantry’s entrances against the Branded” event in Jahai Bluffs include the following:
    • The boundary for this event now excludes the Reclaimed Chantry Waypoint in order to prevent unintended enemy scaling.
    • Fixed a bug in which allied squads would sometimes keep following players after they were dropped off.
    • Killing Branded now gives increased renown credit.
    • Decreased the amount that the event scales for each player to account for players being spread out across the three entrance locations.
    • Slightly decreased the default number of enemies that appear during the event.
  • Raised the event boundary for the “Defeat the Branded generals” event in Jahai Bluffs so that it only includes players who have climbed the three garrison towers to fight the generals.
  • Changes to the deadeye priestess encounter include the following:
    • Reduced the damage of the deadeye priestess’s Dagger Storm skill.
    • Slightly reduced the overall health of the deadeye priestess.
    • Once another player reaches one of the deadeye priestess’s tower locations, defeated players will now be revived and moved to that tower.
    • Fixed an issue in which using Feedback and other reflect skills after the first phase of the encounter would prematurely put the deadeye priestess into the close-range phase.

General

  • Fixed a bug that caused sand portals to be unusable for a few seconds after players mounted jackals.
  • Fixed a number of bugs with the walking animations for various transformation tonics.
  • Costume Brawl Toys: Removed a duplicate Time Out skill from the skill bar when the costume brawl is active.
  • Costume Brawl Toys: Dropping a costume brawl toy bundle now properly removes players from the costume brawl.
  • Fixed an API profession classification on Continuum Shift.

Fractals

  • Fixed a bug in the Deepstone fractal that prevented the spectral flames counter from properly resetting during the encounter with the Voice.

Profession Skills

Elementalist

  • Transmute Lightning: The cooldown of this skill has been reduced from 25 seconds to 10 seconds as originally intended.
  • Transmute Frost: Fixed a bug in which this skill appeared when the elementalist was not attuned to water.
  • Transmute Fire: Fixed a bug that caused this ability to appear when the elementalist was not attuned to fire.
  • Tidal Surge: The time between casting this skill and knocking back targets has been reduced by about 0.5 seconds.
  • Heat Sync: The number of targets this skill affects has been increased from 5 to 10.
  • Overload Fire: The duration of might has been increased from 12 seconds to 16 seconds per pulse in PvE only.
  • “Flash-Freeze!”: The cooldown of this skill has been reduced from 30 seconds to 25 seconds in PvE only.
  • “Aftershock!”: The cooldown of this skill has been reduced from 45 seconds to 35 seconds in PvE only.
  • Unravel: This skill now grants boons based on the primary attunement the elementalist unravels to. It grants 5 seconds of vigor for water, 5 seconds of fury for air, 5 seconds of protection for earth, and 5 stacks of might for 5 seconds for fire. In addition, using this skill now fully recharges all the weaver’s attunement skills.
  • Superior Elements: The critical chance of this trait has been split between game modes and will now grant a 10% critical chance in PvE and a 15% critical chance in competitive modes.

Engineer

  • Fragmentation Shot: Increased the duration of bleeding inflicted by this skill from 4 seconds to 5 seconds.
  • Poison Dart Volley: Increased the duration of poison inflicted by this skill from 6 seconds to 7 seconds.
  • Static Shot: Increased the duration of confusion inflicted by this skill from 4 seconds to 5 seconds.
  • Blowtorch: Increased the duration of burning inflicted by this skill from 5 seconds to 6 seconds.
  • Chemical Rounds: Reduced the condition duration increase on pistol skills from 50% to 33%. This trait now grants +120 condition damage.
  • Juggernaut: This trait now increases the duration of all might applied to you by 20%, in addition to its previous effects. Baseline might duration applied by this trait has been reduced from 15 seconds to 12 seconds.
  • Over Shield: This trait now increases the effectiveness of protection on engineers by 20%, causing protection to reduce damage by 40% instead of 33%.
  • Power Wrench: This trait no longer increases tool kit damage or turret repairs. This trait now reduces the recharge time of the engineer’s elite skill by 3 seconds when they dodge, in addition to its previous 33% tool kit recharge reduction.
  • Short Fuse: This trait now grants fury when engineers strike a foe with an explosion.

Guardian

  • Sword of Wrath: The damage of this skill has been reduced by 18%.
  • Sword Arc: The damage of this skill has been reduced by approximately 10%.
  • Sword Wave: The aftercast of this skill has been reduced by about 0.25 seconds. Its attack point has been slightly increased.
  • Symbol of Punishment: The random damage of this skill has been reduced by 25% in PvE only. Steady pulsing damage remains the same.
  • True Shot: This skill will now use a 4-second cooldown and a 10% higher damage value in WvW, matching the PvE version.
  • Symbol of Energy: The aftercast of this skill has been reduced by 0.25 seconds.
  • Zealous Blade: This trait no longer heals the guardian when they strike while wielding a greatsword. It now heals significantly more whenever the guardian combos in a light field.
  • Soaring Devastation: In addition to its other effects, this trait now grants an increased 25% movement speed when Wings of Resolve is not on cooldown.
  • Mantras: Fixed a bug in which mantras were not respecting party and squad prioritization.
  • Mantra of Liberation—Portent of Freedom: Boon duration has been reduced from 5 seconds to 3 seconds in PvP and WvW.
  • Mantra of Liberation—Unhindered Delivery: Boon duration has been reduced from 8 seconds to 5 seconds in PvP and WvW.
  • Empowering Might: Increased the duration of might granted by this skill from 5 seconds to 8 seconds, and increased the radius from 240 to 600.
  • Big Game Hunter: The damage increase this skill causes to tethered targets has been increased from 10% to 20%.

Mesmer

  • Fixed a bug in which certain skills that break enemy targeting would stop the mesmer’s autoattack.
  • Continuum Shift: Fixed an API profession classification on this skill.
  • Signet of Inspiration: Normalized the duration of boons applied by this skill to 3 seconds. Might and swiftness are exceptions to this rule and remain at durations of 20 seconds and 5 seconds respectively.
  • Illusionary Inspiration: This trait now causes mesmers to heal all nearby allies whenever they summon an illusion. Competitive-mode healing effectiveness is 50% of PvE.
  • Confounding Suggestions: This trait no longer converts dazes into stuns. It now increases daze duration by 50% and stun duration by 25%. It is no longer split between game modes.
  • Well of Recall: Reduced the recharge time from 35 seconds to 30 seconds. Reduced the alacrity duration from 5 seconds to 4 seconds.
  • Temporal Enchanter: This trait has been removed from the game.
  • Blurred Inscriptions: This trait has been moved to the Inspiration specialization at the Grandmaster tier to replace Temporal Enchanter. Its functionality has been updated. It now grants distortion when using signets and gives all signets improved functionality when active:
    • Signet of the Ether: Grants increased healing.
    • Signet of Domination: Strips 5 boons.
    • Signet of Illusions: Summons 1 clone.
    • Signet of Inspiration: Hits 10 targets instead of 5 targets.
    • Signet of Midnight: Cures 5 conditions from the player.
    • Signet of Humility: Applies 10 stacks of vulnerability.
  • Egotism: This is a new Master tier Domination trait that replaces the slot left open by Blurred Inscriptions. It increases outgoing damage by 10% against foes with lower health than the mesmer. This trait is now split between modes and increases damage by 5% in PvP and WvW.
  • Elusive Mind: The exhaustion duration of this trait is now split between game modes and has a 6-second duration in PvP and WvW.

Necromancer

  • Life Blast: Reduced the aftercast of this skill by 0.25 seconds.
  • Dark Path: The bleeding this skill inflicts has been modified from 3 stacks for 5 seconds to 2 stacks for 8 seconds.
  • Life Transfer: The damage of this skill has been increased by 70% per pulse.
  • Tainted Shackles: The torment duration per pulse has been increased from 10 seconds to 12 seconds. The immobilize duration has been increased from 1.5 seconds to 2 seconds. The final impact’s damage has been increased by 25% and will now inflict torment in addition to immobilize.
  • Spinal Shivers: The base damage and bonus damage of this skill have been increased by 50%.
  • Devouring Darkness: Fixed the line-of-sight check on this skill. Foes inside the area of effect can now block or evade the attack.
  • Nefarious Favor: Fixed a bug that prevented this skill from respecting party and squad prioritization.
  • Sand Cascade: Fixed a bug that prevented this skill from respecting party and squad prioritization.
  • Chill of Death—Lesser Spinal Shivers: The damage of this trait has been reduced by 30% in PvP and WvW.
  • Quickening Thirst: This trait no longer grants movement speed when the necromancer is using a dagger. It now grants increased movement speed when the necromancer’s health is above 75%.

Ranger

  • Call of the Wild: Increased the radius of this skill from 750 to 900.
  • Ambidexterity: The condition damage gained from this trait is now split between game modes. It now grants a base of 80 condition damage (120 in PvP and WvW) and an additional 80 condition damage (120 in PvP and WvW) when the ranger wields a torch or dagger.
  • Clarion Bond: The skill triggered by this trait, Lesser Call of the Wild, has had its radius increased from 750 to 900.
  • Honed Axes: The ferocity gained from this trait is now split. It now grants a base of 120 ferocity and an additional 120 ferocity when rangers are wielding an axe.
  • Lead the Wind: The attack speed when using the longbow is no longer increased. Piercing is now applied to harpoon gun skills, in addition to the current piercing functionality. Gain swiftness when using a projectile combo finisher.
  • Strider’s Defense: This trait no longer requires rangers to wield a sword to gain quickness when evading.
  • Two-Handed Training: This trait no longer has a 50% chance to grant fury when striking with a greatsword or spear. Rangers now gain fury whenever they disable a foe.
  • Windborne Notes: This trait now grants regeneration to allies within a radius of 900 of the ranger’s target, and it heals the ranger once they’ve gained the regeneration effect.

Revenant

  • Facet of Nature: Reduced the energy cost of this skill from 3 to 2 in PvE and WvW.
  • Incensed Response: The stacks of might that this trait grants have been reduced from 5 to 2 in PvP.
  • Targeted Destruction: The damage increase that this trait grants has been increased from 7% to 10% in PvE.
  • Nefarious Momentum: This trait has been renamed Notoriety. In addition to its previous effect, it now causes might to grant revenants more power and less condition damage.
  • Righteous Rebel: The trait’s condition damage reduction has been reworked. Rather than granting a 33% reduction at maximum stacks, it now grants a 7% reduction per stack. This trait now causes Orders from Above to affect up to 10 targets.
  • Vicious Lacerations: This trait now grants its boon when revenants critically strike, in addition to when they strike with a sword skill. The number of maximum stacks has been reduced from 5 to 3, and the damage increase per stack has been increased from 2% to 3%.

Thief

  • Double Strike: This skill is no longer split between PvP and WvW and will now use the lower 8% value in all game modes.
  • Wild Strike: This skill is no longer split between PvE and competitive modes and will now use the lower 7% value in all game modes.
  • Dagger Storm: This skill no longer grants the thief stability.
  • Skirmisher’s Shot: The aftercast of this skill has been slightly increased.
  • Double Tap: The initiative cost of this skill has been increased from 4 to 6 in PvP and WvW.
  • Three Round Burst: The initiative cost of this skill has been increased from 4 to 6 in PvP and WvW.
  • Thrill of the Crime: The might applied by this trait has been increased from 1 stack for 10 seconds to 3 stacks for 10 seconds.
  • Sundering Shade: This trait now grants the thief 6 seconds of fury upon successful stealth-attack hits.
  • Invigorating Precision: The healing based on critical damage has been reduced from 15% to 10%. The healing percentage of this trait is now increased by an additional 10% when the thief is under the effects of fury.

Warrior

  • Fierce Blow: In addition to its previous effects, this skill now deals increased damage when striking a controlled foe. Control effects include stun, daze, knock back, pull, knock down, sink, float, launch, taunt, and fear.
  • Backbreaker: In addition to its previous effects, this skill now knocks foes down for 1 additional second if the target is weakened.
  • Fan of Fire: The burning duration of this skill has been increased from 3 seconds to 5 seconds per arrow.
  • Smoldering Arrow: This skill now uses the ammunition system. Maximum ammunition is set at 3 with a recharge time of 20 seconds per charge. Time between uses has been set to 0.5 seconds.
  • Mending: This is now classified as a physical skill.
  • Impale: The projectile velocity has been increased by 66%.
  • Rip: The physical damage of this skill has been increased by 15%.
  • Riposte: The physical damage of this skill has been increased by 100%. The time to complete its attack animation and aftercast has been reduced by 0.25 seconds.

Structured Player vs. Player

– Weapon boxes from dungeon reward tracks now stack.

World vs. World

– Weapon boxes from dungeon reward tracks now stack.

BLACK LION TRADING COMPANY GEM STORE

New Items and Promotions

  • A new Black Lion Expedition Contract is available in the Upgrades category of the Gem Store for 1,000 gems.
  • For a limited time, the Infinite Unbound Magic Gathering Tools return to the Upgrades category of the Gem Store for 2,700 gems.
  • For a limited time, the Devil Horns, Wizard’s Hat, Furrocious Cat Ears, and Bunny Ears return to the Style category of the Gem Store.
  • A new Night Watch Stool is now available in the Toys category of the Gem Store for 400 gems.

Improvements

  • Costume brawl toys have been added to the Novelties section of the Equipment tab.

Bug Fixes

  • Costume brawl toys are now classified as rare.
  • Pirate Sword: Players are now properly removed from the costume brawl when they stop interacting with a built cannon.
  • Fixed a number of texture stretching and clipping issues with the Dreadnought Raptor Skin.

Bug Fixes:

  • Removed two tonics from the Novelties section that the world wasn’t ready for.
  • Fixed an issue that caused the Black Lion Expedition Board to send excessive mail when players traveled between maps under certain conditions.

Late Notes: October 2, 2018

10/02/2018—October 2 Release Notes

Living World

  • Heart of the Volcano: Fixed a bug that could cause some burning players to burn indefinitely.
  • From the Ashes: Points of interest will now appropriately unlock during the instance.

World Polish

  • Frostgorge Sound: Fixed a bug in which the Bloodstone-Crazed Shark vanished abruptly, causing the “Kill the Bloodstone-Crazed Shark” event to fail.
  • Jahai Bluffs: Fixed a bug that would prevent DERVs from reappearing in the “Destroy the Death-Branded Shatterer” event.
  • Jahai Bluffs: Fixed a possible stall in the “Console the Awakened loyalists” event.
  • Jahai Bluffs: Fixed a bug that could cause Vihn to vanish during a fight.
  • Jahai Bluffs: Champion enemies that are not Branded are no longer instantly killed when they are struck by Brandstorm lightning.
  • Lake Doric: Profession skills (including pets) are disabled while players are disguised as one of the White Mantle.
  • Mount Maelstrom: The Infinity Coil Commander will now appear during the “Hold the Infinity Coil” event, making it easier to complete the achievements that rely on defeating him. This event has been upgraded to a group event to reflect the Infinity Coil Commander’s difficulty.

Fractals

  • Fixed a bug that made some fractal account augmentations unattainable for some players.

Items

  • The Mini Enraged Twisted Nightmare now looks different than the Mini Twisted Nightmare.

Profession Skills

General

  • Fixed a bug that prevented the freeze effect applied by various player skills from being treated as a stun for the purposes of traits and sigils that extend stun duration.

Mesmer

  • Illusionary Counter: Fixed a bug that prevented the clones summoned by this skill from being equipped with the mesmer’s off-hand weapon.
    • Counterspell (Sequence Skill): Fixed a bug that prevented the clones summoned by this skill from being equipped with the mesmer’s off-hand weapon. Fixed an issue that could occasionally cause this skill to behave incorrectly.

Bug Fixes:

  • Engineer—Blowtorch: Fixed a bug that could cause this skill to inflict more burning at very close range than intended.
  • Guardian—Empowering Might: Fixed a bug that prevented the intended changes on this skill from releasing.