Game updates/May 2023

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May 2023 updates
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Update 2 - May 25, 2023[edit]

Bug Fix[edit]

Guild Wars 2 Wiki Notes[edit]

  • Build: 146,298

Update - May 25, 2023[edit]

  • Fixed an issue that prevented players from continuing the Full Circle story chapter if they chose Canach as their dinner companion before completing the Guild Wars 2: End of Dragons story. Players must now unlock Club Canach before inviting Canach to dinner.
  • Fixed an issue that caused sylvari characters' eyes to appear darker than expected when using the High shader quality setting.
  • Fixed a server crash.
  • Fixed multiple issues that prevented players from progressing the Emotional Release story chapter of "What Lies Within."

Guild Wars 2 Wiki Notes[edit]

  • Build: 146,253

Update 2 - May 23, 2023[edit]

Bug Fix[edit]

  • Fixed a server crash.

Guild Wars 2 Wiki Notes[edit]

  • Build: 146,161

Update - May 23, 2023[edit]

What Lies Within[edit]

In the depths of Gyala Delve, a lurking evil has poisoned the Jade Brotherhood and twisted the commander's memories against them. Regroup with Rama, Yao, Taimi, and Gorrik to devise a plan to strike back and force the mysterious ravenous wanderer into the open. Confront your memories, gather your weapons, and harness what lies within.

General[edit]

Profession Skills[edit]

Mesmer[edit]

Ranger[edit]

Guild Wars 2 Wiki Notes[edit]

Update - May 3, 2023[edit]

Bug Fixes:[edit]

  • Fixed a server crash.
  • Swapping between the discovery and recipes tabs in the crafting menu now properly updates and initializes.

Guild Wars 2 Wiki Notes[edit]

  • Build: 145,101

Update 2 - May 2, 2023[edit]

Bug Fix:[edit]

  • Fixed an issue that incorrectly disabled some time-controlled content.

Guild Wars 2 Wiki Notes[edit]

  • Build: 145,091

Update - May 2, 2023[edit]

Items[edit]

Profession Skills[edit]

The balance changes shown in the April 21 preview are now live, with the following updates:

Guardian[edit]

Willbender
  • Phoenix Protocol.png Phoenix Protocol: This trait no longer increases the duration of resolve, in PvE only.

Ranger[edit]

  • Stalker's Strike.png Stalker's Strike: Reduced cooldown from 15 seconds to 12 seconds in PvP only.
  • Crippling Talon.png Crippling Talon: Increased bleeding from 3 stacks for 6 seconds to 4 stacks for 9 seconds in PvP only.

Revenant[edit]

Vindicator
  • Forerunner of Death.png Death Drop: Increased power coefficient from 3.0 to 3.75 in PvE only.
  • Nomad's Advance.png Nomad's Advance: Increased power coefficient from 3.5 to 4.0 in PvE only. Reduced energy cost from 15 to 10 in PvE only.

Warrior[edit]

Berserker
  • Smash Brawler.png Smash Brawler: This trait now grants 15% (5% in WvW) increased critical-strike chance while in berserk mode in addition to its current effect.

Guild Wars 2 Wiki Notes[edit]

  • Build: 145,038

Balance update preview[edit]

Hi, everyone,

Welcome to the preview for the May 2 balance update! This is a smaller update focused on addressing some outliers in the current state of the game while we wrap up our next major profession balance update, which is currently slated for June 27.

As always, the goal of previewing these changes is to gather your feedback before the live release. We'll be following the conversation and making further adjustments as needed.

Thanks,
Cal "cmc" Cohen
Skills and Balance Lead

Elementalist[edit]

Fresh Air catalyst is a build that we've been addressing over the last few updates in PvP, but it's still a strong build in WvW. We've brought over a few more of the recent PvP adjustments to bring down its power.

We've also updated Stone Heart to introduce a window of vulnerability and make earth-based tempest builds slightly easier to bring down in PvP.

Core[edit]
  • Signet of Water.png Signet of Water: Increased healing attribute scaling from 0.7 to 1.3.
  • Dragon's Tooth.png Dragon's Tooth: Reduced power coefficient from 1.5 to 1.33 in WvW only.
  • Stone Heart.png Stone Heart: Critical-hit immunity is now granted for a period of time when entering and exiting Earth Attunement, instead of always while attuned to earth.
Tempest[edit]
  • The effects of channeling tempest's overload skills now occur more quickly if the elementalist also has quickness.
Catalyst[edit]
  • Fortified Earth.png Fortified Earth: Reduced base barrier from 3,000 to 1,254 in WvW only. Increased cooldown from 25 seconds to 30 seconds in WvW only.
  • Elemental Celerity.png Elemental Celerity: Adjusted recharge amount from 100% recharge to 25 seconds of recharge in WvW only.
Bug Fixes[edit]
  • Wildfire.png Wildfire: Fixed an issue that prevented projectiles from interacting properly with the combo field created by this skill.
  • Undercurrent.png Undercurrent: Fixed an issue that prevented this skill from sinking enemies as intended.
  • Static Field.png Static Field (Lightning Hammer): Fixed an issue that caused this skill to occasionally stun noncombatants.
  • Overload Fire.png Overload Fire: Fixed an issue that prevented this skill from creating Combo Finisher: Whirl the correct number of times.
  • Fiery Whirl.png Fiery Whirl: Fixed an issue that prevented this skill from creating Combo Finisher: Whirl the correct number of times.
  • Soothing Mist.png Soothing Mist: Fixed an issue that prevented the elementalist from being healed when the effect was refreshed.

Engineer[edit]

The focus for engineer in this update is improving the effectiveness of condition-based holosmith builds. We've also brought down a couple of overtuned damage sources in WvW, namely Photonic Blasting Module and Grenade Barrage.

Core[edit]
  • Incendiary Ammo.png Incendiary Ammo: Reduced cooldown from 40 seconds to 20 seconds in PvE only.
  • Grenade Barrage.png Grenade Barrage: Reduced power coefficient from 0.5 to 0.4 in WvW only.
Holosmith[edit]
  • Corona Burst.png Corona Burst: This skill now inflicts 2 stacks of burning for 5 seconds when striking an enemy in PvE only.
  • Photon Blitz.png Photon Blitz: Increased burning duration from 1 second to 3 seconds in PvE only.
  • Photonic Blasting Module.png Photon Blasting Module: Increased burning from 5 stacks for 4 seconds to 7 stacks for 6 seconds in PvE only. Reduced power coefficient from 5.0 to 3.5 in WvW only.
Bug Fixes[edit]
  • Throw Mine.png Throw Mine: Updated the skill description to clarify that the second mine produced by this skill when the Gadgeteer trait is equipped will only drop after the first one has landed.
  • Gadgeteer.png Gadgeteer: Fixed an issue that prevented the overcharged version of Rocket Boots from having its cooldown reduced when the skill is used underwater.

Guardian[edit]

On the PvE side of things, we've brought down the damage potential of a few overperforming builds: condition-based firebrand and alacrity willbender. Power-based dragonhunter builds still aren't performing at the level they need to be to compete with other damage builds, so we've improved a few of their key skills and traits.

We've also made a few more improvements to firebrand in PvP with the goal of making it a competitive option in the support role.

Core[edit]
  • Sword of Justice.png Sword of Justice: Reduced ammunition recharge from 20 seconds to 15 seconds in PvE only.
Dragonhunter[edit]
  • Big Game Hunter.png Big Game Hunter: Increased damage bonus from 15% to 20% in PvE only.
  • True Shot.png True Shot: Reduced cooldown from 6 seconds to 4 seconds in PvE only.
Firebrand[edit]
  • Tome of Justice.png Tome of Justice: Reduced passive burning duration from 2 seconds to 1 second in PvE only.
  • Permeating Wrath.png Permeating Wrath: Reduced burning duration from 2 seconds to 1 seconds when using the firebrand elite specialization in PvE only.
  • Legendary Lore.png Legendary Lore: This trait now grants might when using a tome of justice skill instead of increasing the burning duration. Increased regeneration duration from 3 seconds to 4 seconds in PvP only. Increased protection duration from 2 seconds to 2.5 seconds in PvP only.
  • Epilogue- Ashes of the Just.png Epilogue: Ashes of the Just: Reduced stacks from 3 to 2 in PvE only.
  • Unrelenting Criticism.png Unrelenting Criticism: Increased trigger chance from 33% to 100%. Increased bleeding duration from 3 seconds to 4 seconds in PvE only.
  • Chapter 4- Shining River.png Chapter 4: Shining River: Reduced page cost from 2 to 1 in PvP only.
  • Epilogue- Unbroken Lines.png Epilogue: Unbroken Lines: Increased toughness from 200 to 300 in PvP only.
  • Portent of Freedom.png Portent of Freedom: Increased stability duration from 1 second to 2.5 seconds in PvP only.
Willbender[edit]
  • Phoenix Protocol.png Phoenix Protocol: In PvE only, this trait now reduces the duration of resolve by 1 second instead of increasing it by 2 seconds. Superseded by release version of changes.
Bug Fixes[edit]
  • Hammer of Wisdom.png Hammer of Wisdom: Fixed an issue that displayed an incorrect number of targets when the Eternal Armory trait was equipped.
  • Roiling Light.png Roiling Light: Fixed an issue that prevented the swiftness granted by this skill from being displayed in the tooltip.
  • Battle Presence.png Battle Presence: Fixed an issue that caused this trait to remain active when Tome of Resolve was not in use.
  • Symbol of Vengeance.png Symbol of Vengeance: Fixed an issue that prevented players from using skills after casting this skill and swapping weapons.
  • Power for Power.png Power for Power: Fixed an issue that prevented this trait from increasing the damage of flames created by Flowing Resolve and Crashing Courage.
  • Indomitable Courage.png Indomitable Courage: This trait will now properly stun break allies when casting Crashing Courage. The allied stability portion of this trait has been moved to the initial cast of Crashing Courage.
  • Whirling Wrath.png Whirling Wrath: Fixed an issue that prevented this skill from creating Combo Finisher: Whirl the correct number of times.

Mesmer[edit]

The main outlier we wanted to address for mesmer is staff/axe mirage. We made an adjustment to Chaos Vortex back in November with the goal of reducing the overall damage output of the build while providing alacrity, but it didn't quite have the impact that we wanted. For this update we've brought down the alacrity duration to require these builds to invest more in boon duration.

Core[edit]
  • Phantasmal Duelist.png Phantasmal Duelist: Reduced cooldown from 20 seconds to 18 seconds in PvP and WvW.
  • Magic Bullet.png Magic Bullet: Reduced cooldown from 25 seconds to 20 seconds in PvP and WvW.
  • The Prestige.png The Prestige: Increased the number of conditions removed from 1 to 2 in PvP and WvW.
  • Phantasmal Mage.png Phantasmal Mage: Reduced cooldown from 30 seconds to 25 seconds in PvP and WvW.
Chronomancer[edit]
  • Chronophantasma.png Chronophantasma: Reduced daze duration from 1.5 seconds to 0.25 seconds in PvE only.
  • Well of Calamity.png Well of Calamity: Increased pulse power coefficient from 1.0 to 1.3 in PvE only. Reduced final power coefficient from 3.0 to 2.1 in PvE only.
  • Gravity Well.png Gravity Well: Increased pulse power coefficient from 0.8 to 1.1 in PvE only. Reduced final power coefficient from 3.0 to 2.1 in PvE only.
Mirage[edit]
  • Chaos Vortex.png Chaos Vortex: Reduced duration of alacrity granted by clones from 1 second to 0.5 seconds in PvE only.
Bug Fixes[edit]
  • Blade Renewal.png Blade Renewal: Fixed an issue that caused this skill to improperly remove distortion at the end of its cast.
  • The Prestige.png The Prestige: Fixed an issue that caused this skill to reveal the user upon ending.
  • Phantasmal Warden.png Phantasmal Warden: Fixed an issue that prevented this skill from creating Combo Finisher: Whirl the correct number of times.

Necromancer[edit]

Power-based reaper is another damage build that we looked at for this update, and we've brought up the damage of a lot of its key skills to make it a more competitive pick.

We've also increased the rate at which harbinger shroud accumulates blight in PvE to slightly reduce the reliance on elixirs for blight generation, and potentially introduce more flexibility in utility skill choice.

Core[edit]
  • Rending Claws.png Rending Claws: Increased power coefficient from 1.0 to 1.2 in PvE only.
  • Unholy Feast.png Unholy Feast: Increased power coefficient from 0.88 to 2.0 in PvE only. Increased threshold for second strike from 25% to 50% in PvE only.
  • Unholy Feast.png Unholy Burst: Increased power coefficient from 0.88 to 1.0 in PvE only.
  • Soul Grasp.png Soul Grasp: Increased power coefficient from 0.2 to 2.0 in PvE only. Increased base healing from 440 to 1,003 in PvE only.
  • Spinal Shivers.png Spinal Shivers: Increased power coefficients from 2.0/2.375/2.75/3.125 to 2.5/3.0/3.5/4.0 in PvE only.
  • Wail of Doom.png Wail of Doom: Reduced cooldown from 24 seconds to 20 seconds in PvP and WvW.
  • Locust Swarm.png Locust Swarm: Increased life-siphon healing from 37 to 55 in PvP and WvW.
Reaper[edit]
  • Shouts' damage bonus for melee range increased from 50% to 100% in PvE only.
  • "Chilled to the Bone!".png "Chilled to the Bone!": Reduced cooldown from 36 seconds to 30 seconds in PvE only.
  • Gravedigger.png Gravedigger: Increased power coefficient from 3.0 to 3.6 in PvE only.
  • Nightfall.png Nightfall: Increased power coefficient from 1.05 to 1.15 in PvE only.
  • Soul Spiral.png Soul Spiral: Increased power coefficient from 0.6 to 0.7 in PvE only.
  • Life Rend.png Life Rend: Increased power coefficient from 0.9 to 1.4 in PvE only.
  • Life Slash.png Life Slash: Increased power coefficient from 1.25 to 1.6 in PvE only.
  • Life Reap.png Life Reap: Increased power coefficient from 1.7 to 1.8 in PvE only.
  • Infusing Terror.png Infusing Terror: Increased damage reduction percentage from 20% to 66% in PvE only.
  • Deathly Chill.png Deathly Chill: Adjusted bleeding from 2 stacks for 8 seconds to 4 stacks for 4 seconds in PvE only.
Harbinger[edit]
  • Harbinger Shroud.png Harbinger Shroud: Increased blight stacks per second from 1 to 2 in PvE only.
  • Voracious Arc.png Voracious Arc: Reduced blight threshold from 10 to 5.
  • Elixir of Ambition.png Elixir of Ambition: Increased stacks of each condition from 1 to 3 In PvE only. Reduced cooldown from 90 seconds to 60 seconds in PvE only.
Bug Fixes[edit]
  • Twisted Medicine.png Twisted Medicine: Clarified in the trait tooltip that this trait hits 4 additional targets instead of 5.
  • Death Spiral.png Death Spiral: Fixed an issue that prevented this skill from creating Combo Finisher: Whirl the correct number of times.

Ranger[edit]

Fervent Force is a trait that we've been considering bringing down for a while now, and in this update we're making a slight adjustment to its cooldown reduction in order to bring down the damage output of builds that utilize it. We'll be keeping a close eye on how these builds perform going forward and will make additional adjustments as needed.

Core[edit]
Druid[edit]
  • Natural Mender.png Natural Mender: Increased astral force generation from 5 to 8 in WvW only.
Soulbeast[edit]
Untamed[edit]
  • Let Loose.png Fervent Force: Reduced cooldown reduction from 4 seconds to 3 seconds in PvE only.
Bug Fixes[edit]
  • Fortifying Bond.png Fortifying Bond: Fixed an issue that caused this skill to display an incorrect might value in certain game modes.
  • Grace of the Land.png Grace of the Land: Fixed an issue that prevented might from being applied to downed players.
  • Two-Handed Training.png Two-Handed Training: Removed an erroneous internal cooldown indicator.
  • Fixed an issue that prevented soulbeasts from remerging at the end of zip lines.

Revenant[edit]

Condition-based alacrity renegade is another build that slightly overperforms in PvE, while power renegade builds aren't up to par. We've brought down the condition damage and bumped up the power damage of some renegade skills to bring these builds more in line with other options.

In PvP, condition-based revenant is a build that we've been bringing up slowly over the last few balance updates. It's starting to see a bit more play, but it's still not quite up to the level of other builds and we've made a few more improvements for it in this update.

Core[edit]
  • Fiendish Tenacity.png Fiendish Tenacity: Increased base healing from 165 to 196 in PvP only.
  • Echoing Eruption.png Echoing Eruption: Reduced ammunition recharge time from 12 seconds to 10 seconds in PvP only.
Herald[edit]
  • Facet of Nature.png Facet of Nature: Reduced maximum number of targets from 10 to 5 in PvE only.
Renegade[edit]
  • Citadel Bombardment.png Citadel Bombardment: Burning duration decreased from 1.5 seconds to 1 second in PvE only. Increased power coefficient from 0.452 to 0.6 in PvE only.
  • Icerazor's Ire.png Icerazor's Ire: Increased power coefficient from 0.3 to 0.35 in PvE only. Reduced cooldown from 12 seconds to 10 seconds in PvE only.
  • Soulcleave's Summit.png Soulcleave's Summit: Life-siphon damage coefficient increased from 0.04 to 0.1 in PvE only.
Bug Fixes[edit]
  • Vindicator.png Vindicator: Fixed an issue that caused dodge skills that deal damage to occasionally use weapon strength for damage calculations.
  • Radiant Revival.png Draconic Echo: Fixed an issue that caused this trait to reduce the recharge duration of facets that were already on cooldown when energy was depleted.

Thief[edit]

Thief is generally in a good spot, and we didn't see any major outliers that needed to be addressed with this update. We're working on some larger adjustments for the next update in June, including the goal of significantly improving specter support builds and introducing a quickness build for deadeye. Signets of Power is a trait that we reworked in the last balance update that didn't quite hit the mark. We want to be cautious with repeatable initiative sources like this, but we feel like there's still room to tune it up.

Core[edit]
Bug Fixes[edit]
  • Weakening Whirl.png Weakening Whirl: Fixed an issue that prevented this skill from creating Combo Finisher: Whirl the correct number of times.
  • Well of Sorrow.png Well of Sorrow: Fixed an issue that prevented this skill from being affected by quickness.

Warrior[edit]

For this update, we focused on improving power-based berserker builds in PvE. We've also made improvements to warrior's support tools in PvP, as well as tuning up some bladesworn skills and traits in both competitive modes.

Core[edit]
  • Charge (warrior skill).png Charge: Reduced cooldown from 20 seconds to 15 seconds in PvP only. Reduced swiftness duration from 20 seconds to 15 seconds in PvP only.
  • Call of Valor.png Call of Valor: Increased barrier attribute scaling from 1.2 to 1.5 in PvP only.
  • Vigorous Shouts.png Vigorous Shouts: Increased heal attribute scaling from 1.0 to 1.15 in PvP only.
  • Martial Cadence.png Martial Cadence: Increased quickness duration from 2 seconds to 3 seconds in PvP and WvW.
Berserker[edit]
  • Smash Brawler.png Smash Brawler: This trait now grants 15% increased critical-strike chance while in berserk mode in addition to its current effect. Superseded by release version of changes.
  • Decapitate.png Decapitate: Increased power coefficient from 2.5 to 3.0 in PvE only.
  • Arc Divider.png Arc Divider: Increased power coefficient per strike from 1.5 to 1.7 in PvE only. Reduced power coefficient per strike from 0.705 to 0.6 in WvW only.
Spellbreaker[edit]
  • Attacker's Insight.png Attacker's Insight: Reduced power, precision, and ferocity per stack from 35 to 30 in WvW only.
Bladesworn[edit]
  • Gunstinger.png Gunstinger: Increased ammunition from 1 to 2 in PvP and WvW. Reduced cooldown from 18 seconds to 15 seconds in PvP and WvW.
  • Dragonspike Mine.png Dragonspike Mine: Reduced cooldown from 35 seconds to 25 seconds in PvP and WvW.
  • Unshakable Mountain.png Unshakable Mountain: Increased base barrier from 801 to 1,003 in PvP and WvW.
  • Artillery Slash.png Artillery Slash: Reduced ammunition recharge time from 10 seconds to 8 seconds in PvP and WvW.
  • Tactical Reload.png Tactical Reload: Reduced cooldown from 60 seconds to 40 seconds in PvP and WvW.
Bug Fixes[edit]
  • Whirlwind Attack.png Whirlwind Attack: Fixed an issue that prevented this skill from creating Combo Finisher: Whirl the correct number of times.