Does anyone else think that combat abilites suck in this game?

[Karizee]

Obviously Bove, you prefer other MMO's combat styles. Nothing wrong with that, i understand.
For me, GW2 fight style has been a breath of fresh air from the chores they were in other games.
"Fun" is subjective, and not easy to explain.

The first beta weekend I played I didn't know that you could cast while moving. So I kept stopping to cast spells and was getting clobbered. Then I saw another Elemenalist running by casting as she went and I was like Whaa...? And that was it, I was off!

I think some people take to this game like a fish to water and others, well, maybe they are too entrenched in old habits or just don't care for this kind of playstyle.

Personally, I love it

[rhandric]

I keep hearing this "situational" word over and over. I think we went through the whole conversation about that earlier, there's nothing "more involved" about turning on auto-attack and then hitting your "situational" button when it comes off cooldown.

And that's the disjunction, if you're hitting it on cooldown then you're not using it situationally. Sure, on some fights, situational abilities can be strung together and used off cooldown, but if you use an ability that, for example, knocks your target down, when they're just standing there with their basic attack, and then a couple seconds later they use a powerful ability ,you just wasted that knockdown.
Sure, it may not apply to every class, or every weapon/toolkit/attunement...but that's entirely determined by what you're using and how the skillset is designed (plus utilities are entirely situational).

[Kakokun]

I do have issues with the combat in this game, mainly PvE wise. It feels very slow and automatic like 90% of the time.

Most bosses are just spam the slot 1 ability while you look out for that 1 ability the boss has that you need to dodge, if it even has that type of ability. Most of the challenges in dungeons come from trash pulls. If that's it then I don't see much of a bright future for GW2 PvE.

[Fencers]

The thing is games such as WoW or EQ are suppose to be exciting due to the statistical crunch & dice rolls. Not character movement, physically dodging, etc. Supposedly, you are playing these games for the excitement of that gameplay model.

Moving a character around the world in GW2 is supposed to be exciting in of itself with minimal under the hood dice rolling. Supposedly, you are playing for that gameplay model.

The action of standing still casting fireball & running in circles casting fireball- are predicated on entirely different gameplay models.

Not sure how many could come to play & invest time into games [regardless of genre] and yet be oblivious of the gameplay model. Which isn't opinion- gameplay is objective. Enjoyment, is the subjective bit. But why would anyone care about the latter? It's pointless.

[Himora]

No, this is flat out false for many professions and weapons choices. The on by default auto-attack is the highest and most consistent means of damage. Such that many skill rotations in Guild Wars 2 are intended to bolster the auto attack.

For example a mainhand sword Ranger or Warrior are doing it right by letting their auto-attack run. They lose damage by using other abilities.

Wrong. please stop spreading misinformation.

@OP, i think the abilities & combat structure is fine for the most part, the only problem i have is lack of holy trinity, i miss
beating HC raids spamming 2 heals & using 1 macro, now that took alot of skill.

[Fencers]

Wrong. please stop spreading misinformation.

It isn't. Auto attack is the primary means of delivering damage by design and intent within the game. Many weapon kits bolster the auto attack. Combat is largely positional in encounters.

Please, think through game design.

[Fencers]

I remember a developer stream before release where he was playing a Mesmer fighting an ettin or something. He specifically showed and commented on the auto attack system in GW2 and how it was intended to be used. Going so far as to show how various abilities can be placed on auto attack, some were more optimal than others, etc and so on.

Auto-attack in GW2 is not the same as in other games.

GW2 auto fire is not "grey" or white damage as we used to call it back in the day. It's important damage here.

[Durzlla]

I remember a developer stream before release where he was playing a Mesmer fighting an ettin or something. He specifically showed and commented on the auto attack system in GW2 and how it was intended to be used. Going so far as to show how various abilities can be placed on auto attack, some were more optimal than others, etc and so on.

Auto-attack in GW2 is not the same as in other games.

GW2 auto fire is not "grey" or white damage as we used to call it back in the day. It's important damage here.

It can even go on your heal if you REALLY want to... My friend does that ok the profs that don't have a signet of malice/signet of w/e the eles have (IE get healed per skill use) because he doesn't like havin to manage his heal... Is it optimal? Hell no, is it viable? Surprisingly yes...

[Pickynerd]

It's not wrong at all. For many classes/weapons, auto-attack is either the highest DPS ability or high enough to get by if that's all you do.

If all you do is solo, single target, low level content (since the game starts off easy), you may have a point. However if you think auto-attack is the instant win button you are wrong. I have a 80 warrior, 57 ele, 55 thief an 18 eng and an 18 necro. I use my number 1 ability to start an attack, and as a filler the rest of the time I am working off of other skills, and utilities. Good luck in WvW with spamming 111, good luck in a dungeon spamming 111, and any where else beyond level 20.

Can you tunnel farm with 111?

[rhinomatic]

My warrior is sword/sword. I use 2 if the enemy is trying to get away. I use 4 to start the fight and again only if it gets out of range. Other than that, it's all auto-attack. It does a lot of damage and stacks bleed like there's no tomorrow. Why would I want to interrupt that?

I've only used the 5 ability once before realizing I'd never actually need it, and I can't even remember what the 3 ability is. A snare maybe? May be useful in PvP. I don't even use the burst ability because I get 12% bonus damage for having a full endurance bar.

Auto-attack ftw.

[Kelimbror]

My warrior is sword/sword. *snip* Auto-attack ftw.

I'm 2H Greatsword and I don't play this class like that at all. Auto attack is my least damaging attack, which goes to show that all these statements are dependent on the weapon set you are using and how you are traited. My 2 and 3 will hit for far more, especially if there are multiple mobs present.

[Fencers]

If all you do is solo, single target, low level content (since the game starts off easy), you may have a point. However if you think auto-attack is the instant win button you are wrong. I have a 80 warrior, 57 ele, 55 thief an 18 eng and an 18 necro. I use my number 1 ability to start an attack, and as a filler the rest of the time I am working off of other skills, and utilities. Good luck in WvW with spamming 111, good luck in a dungeon spamming 111, and any where else beyond level 20.

Can you tunnel farm with 111?

I've done all the dungeons, zones and meta events on a ranger, warrior, elementalist, guardian, mesmer and necromancer. Auto firing #1 is still an important part of damage delivery for many kits.

You can't spam 1111. It fires automatically by default.

You can't use auto fire as a filler for most weapon kits- the other skills all have CD. Logically speaking, you can't spam #2 with a 20 second cooldown. Or even a 5 second CD. It's impossible. There is an inherent limiter.

Only a thief can get away with ability spam off default #1. To which thieves are purposefully limited by Initiative to prevent such a thing. Why do you think initiative even exist? Like, what process of game design leads one to believe otherwise? Because it is non-existent in Guild Wars 2.

This counter argument is not an argument at all. It is as previously stated; false. As in it couldn't possibly be true.

Auto attack is no bad thing in GW2. It's not the same as white swinging a sword in Eq of whatever. Don't contextualize GW2's auto fire in that manner.

My warrior is sword/sword. I use 2 if the enemy is trying to get away. I use 4 to start the fight and again only if it gets out of range. Other than that, it's all auto-attack. It does a lot of damage and stacks bleed like there's no tomorrow. Why would I want to interrupt that?

I've only used the 5 ability once before realizing I'd never actually need it, and I can't even remember what the 3 ability is. A snare maybe? May be useful in PvP. I don't even use the burst ability because I get 12% bonus damage for having a full endurance bar.

That's actually the highest DPS kit for a warrior. Made even strong by 5x signets which you don't actually use. I been a fan of the build since beta and it has yet be surpassed by any other kit.

There's a handy spreadsheet for looking at the auto fire #1 damage on goggle docs via Reddit.

https://docs.google.com/spreadsheet/...3NXJWb1E#gid=0

[Valeron]

I'm more of a fan of double axe than double sword on my warrior. Although I will say that the 5 skill on axe/axe usually gets me into more trouble than it's worth to use.

[Roose]

The abilities feel like LoL, just better control and graphics. That was my impression, and it is not a good thing.

I also loathe that auto attack is considered an ability. Likely the biggest reasons I have not made it past level 15 on any class.

[Newbryn]

Am I the only person here who actually disable the auto attack?

[Fencers]

Am I the only person here who actually disable the auto attack?

I turn it off for certain skills so I can have more control. Admittedly, it's not totally necessary that I do so. Just drives me crazy to be rooted by the auto-fire default.

Stuff like Engineer flamethrower #2 on auto-fire is a nice time saver, for example.

[Valeron]

Am I the only person here who actually disable the auto attack?

If I'm going to play predominately a melee playstyle then I will turn it off.

[Newbryn]

If I'm going to play predominately a melee playstyle then I will turn it off.

Ya I play mostly melee the game feels much better without it, I personally hate it when games play themselves.

[barackopala]

The abilities feel like LoL, just better control and graphics. That was my impression, and it is not a good thing.

I also loathe that auto attack is considered an ability. Likely the biggest reasons I have not made it past level 15 on any class.

And then i remember most people are sitting on 1200-1600 elo, claiming the game is EZ HUEHUE, then looking at some 2500 friends and just seeing nightmares.

[Glytch]

Am I the only person here who actually disable the auto attack?

the only skill worth keeping auto attack on is crossfire

actually, you could make a case for mes GS and air scepter but not much else