Game updates/October 2019

October 2019 updates
Thursday, 31 October 2019 Wednesday, 30 October 2019 Tuesday, 29 October 2019 Wednesday, 16 October 2019 Tuesday, 15 October 2019 Saturday, 12 October 2019 Thursday, 3 October 2019 Wednesday, 2 October 2019 Tuesday, 1 October 2019
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Update - October 31, 2019

Bug Fixes

• Fixed a bug that could prevent utility skills from functioning after joining an ongoing PvP match.
• Fixed a client crash.

Guild Wars 2 Wiki Notes

• Build: 100,141

Update 3 - October 30, 2019

Bug Fixes

• Fixed a server crash.

Guild Wars 2 Wiki Notes

• Build: 100,120

Update 2 - October 30, 2019

Bug Fixes

• Fixed a server crash.
• Fixed a server crash related to certain revenant builds.

Guild Wars 2 Wiki Notes

• Build: 100,114

Update - October 30, 2019

Bug Fixes

• Fixed an issue in which the revenant's legend-swap cooldown was shorter than expected when out of combat.
•  Debilitating Arc: Fixed an issue that prevented players from rolling backward when they used this skill while in the air. The initiative cost of this skill has been increased from 4 to 6 in PvP only.
• Fixed an issue that caused the Extra Life event's donation amount to be displayed incorrectly in game.
• Fixed a client crash that occurred when players attempted to paste a chat link not related to Build Templates in a Build Storage Space or a Build Template tab.
• Fixed a server crash.

Guild Wars 2 Wiki Notes

• Build: 100,081

Update 2 - October 29, 2019

Bug Fix

• Fixed a server crash.

Guild Wars 2 Wiki Notes

• Build: 100,075

Late Notes - October 29, 2019

Profession Skills

Thief

•  Deadly Ambition: The internal cooldown of this trait has been increased from 5 seconds to 10 seconds in PvP only. The stacks of poison have been decreased from 2 stacks to 1 stack in PvP only.

Update - October 29, 2019

Build and Equipment Templates

Equipment Templates

• Players can now make use of Equipment Templates, which enable players to switch between full sets of equipment at the press of a button.
• Equipment Templates can be found within the Equipment tab of the Hero panel.
• Each character will start with two Equipment Template tabs. Up to four additional tabs can be purchased in the Black Lion Trading Company Gem Store, giving players the choice to have as many as six tabs.
• For more information about Equipment Templates, please read through our helpful guide and watch the related tutorial videos.

Linked Equipment

• Items can be equipped in more than one Equipment Template.
• Items that have been equipped in at least one template will display a link in the upper-left corner of their icon.
• Players can customize their legendary equipment with a different set of selected attributes in each Equipment Template.
• Legendary upgrades can also be customized separately in each Equipment Template.

Build Templates

• Players can now make use of Build Templates, which enable players to change between full sets of skills, specializations, and traits at the press of a button.
• Build Templates can be found in the Build tab in the Hero panel.
• Each character will start with three Build Template tabs. Up to three additional tabs can be purchased in the Black Lion Trading Company Gem Store, giving players the choice to have as many as six tabs.

• For your convenience, all existing characters will have the first three Build Templates prepopulated with the skills, specializations, and traits from PvE, PvP, and WvW—one for each game mode.
  • This feature is completely for your convenience. Please feel free to use these Build Templates however you choose!
  • Note: Newly created characters will start with three empty Build Templates.

• For more information about Build Templates, please read through our helpful guide and watch the related tutorial videos.

Build Storage

• Build Storage Spaces allow players to store a copy of a Build Template and apply the contents to a Build Template or a different character later.
• Build Storage is shared between all characters on an account, enabling players to copy a build from one character to another.
• Every account will start with one Build Storage Expansion with a set of 3 spaces, and up to seven additional Build Storage Expansions can be purchased in the Black Lion Trading Company Gem Store, for a total of 24 spaces.

Build Links

• Build Templates can be shared as chat links with other players.
• Builds can be shared between players of any level, making it a great way to help out new players!
• If a player shares a chat link containing a build with the same profession of the character you're playing, you can apply it directly to a Build Template and use it right away.
• Links to builds for professions that you are not currently using can be copied into Build Storage for you to use later.
• Chat links can be copied into or out of Guild Wars 2.

Build Inspection

• A new panel has been added to the game that allows players to view the details of a build without using a Build Storage Space or Build Templates.
• Players can inspect builds that are from Build Storage, from one of their own Build Templates, or from shared chat links.
• The Inspect panel can be opened by clicking on a build chat link or by right-clicking on a Build Template or Stored Build in your Hero panel.
• From the Inspect panel, you can copy the viewed build to your clipboard, store a copy in Build Storage, or apply it directly to a Build Template if you share the same profession.

World Polish

Caledon Forest

• Fixed a bug that caused Wardenhurst Waypoint to disappear while the "Help the Wardens defend Wardenhurst" event is active.

Items

• Updated the collection hints for Last Rites and Carapace of Chaos to clarify that players must be under the ghostly aura of a Halloween food item when Tequatl or the Shadow Behemoth is defeated to progress the collection.
• Increased the duration of the ghostly aura given by Strawberry Ghosts and Omnomberry Ghosts.

Profession Skills

General

• Superior Rune of Antitoxin: Fixed a bug that could cause this rune to remove more conditions than intended. Fixed a bug that could cause this rune to trigger when conditions expired naturally.

Ranger

• Counter[sic]: Fixed a display bug with the duration of the blocking effect.

Black Lion Trading Company Gem Store

New Items and Promotions

• New Equipment Template Expansions are available in the Upgrades section of the Gem Store for 500 gems each.
• New Build Template Expansions are available in the Upgrades section of the Gem Store for 300 gems each.

• New Build Storage Expansions are available in the Upgrades section of the Gem Store for 500 gems. Each Build Storage Expansion comes with three spaces.
  • For a limited time, players can receive a free Build Storage Expansion item. This is only available to players with Core, Heart of Thorns™, or Path of Fire™ accounts.

• A new Build and Equipment Expansion Package is available in the Gem Store for 2,000 gems. The package includes 2 Build Template Expansions, 2 Equipment Template Expansions, 1 Build Storage Expansion, 5 Heroic Boosters, and 1 Makeover Pack.
• For a limited time, the Noble Count Outfit and Lunatic Guard Outfit return to the Style category of the Gem Store for 525 gems each.
• For a limited time, the Permanent Scarecrow Finisher and Permanent Mad King Finisher return to the Style category of the Gem Store for 500 gems each.

Bug Fixes

• Fixed an issue in which effects on the Seven Reapers weapon set would clip through player characters.
• Fixed an issue in which effects on the Searing Chain Gloves would not dye properly.

Guild Wars 2 Wiki Notes

• Build: 100,052
• Tooltip for Counterattack (called "Counter" in the patch notes) hasn't been fixed to show the block duration.

Update - October 16, 2019

Bug Fix

• Fixed an issue that caused some of the visual effects and weapon-stowing animations for the Seven Reapers Longbow and Seven Reapers Short Bow to display incorrectly.

Guild Wars 2 Wiki Notes

• Build: 99,835

Late Notes - October 15, 2019

Bug Fix

• Grothmar Valley guild decoration tokens are once more appropriately added to guild storage when they're used, in addition to counting toward the Picante achievement when they're purchased.

Update - October 15, 2019

Living World

Halloween

Once again, the gates of the Mad Realm have opened, and Kryta's most infamous monarch, Mad King Thorn, has returned to hold court in Lion's Arch! Loyal vassals of the king are strongly encouraged to enjoy the festivities: meet the denizens of the Mad Realm in events across Kryta; tour the Mad Realm itself in the Mad King's Labyrinth and the fearsome Mad King's Clock Tower; compete with your fellow mortals in Lunatic Inquisition, Reaper's Rumble, and the Mad King's Raceway; attend to the king's whims in his notorious pastime of Mad King Says; or match wits and blades against royalty in Ascent to Madness.

Willing adventurers are encouraged to meet with Magister Tassi of the Durmand Priory in Lion's Arch for an exciting research opportunity. The Lunatic Court is also seeking to confirm disturbing rumors from Elona—adventurers who have met Palawa Joko face-to-face in the Living World Season 4 episode "Long Live the Lich" may debrief with Brigadier General Kernel in Lion's Arch.

The Lion's Arch Captain's Council wishes to remind its populace that they are not affiliated with the Krytan monarchy and cannot guarantee the safety of any citizens who choose to dabble in dangerous realms, mad or otherwise.

• The Halloween Rituals (Annual) meta-achievement has been updated with a long-awaited new reward, the Pumpkin Crown! Earn your own crown by completing a variety of Halloween activities and showing your affection for the majestic Mad King Thorn. Last year's meta reward, the Mini Haunted Candle, can now be purchased at Halloween vendors if you missed it.
• A new item has been added to streamline travel to Halloween activities: a reusable Invitation to the Mad Realm will be included in your festival mail. Just use it to be immediately whisked to the Mad King's Labyrinth, or use it while in the Mad Realm to retreat to Tyria. If you misplace your invitation, you can purchase a replacement from Sarettokk in Lion's Arch.
• Two new weapons have been released from the Mad King's vaults: earn the Carapace of Chaos shield and Last Rites greatsword by completing new collection achievements. These achievements can be completed year-round.
• A new weapon set has arrived hot from the forges of the Mad Armory: the Royal Flame weapons are a fiery take on an antique Ascalonian design. Your choice of weapon is available as a rare drop from Trick-or-Treat Bags. As a show of benevolence toward his subjects, Mad King Thorn has also allowed a one-time guaranteed choice of weapon for those who open numerous Trick-or-Treat Bags during Halloween.
• The Mad King's Raceway has been refurbished in the off-season and is now open! Two new races featuring the spry springer and nimble jackal have been added, and the returning Roll into Madness roller beetle track has been rebalanced with fewer gravestones, higher fences, and updated achievements, including a new achievement for completing the extreme challenge time! Show off your honed drifting to earn the new Ghostly Racing Scarf, or you can purchase one at a Halloween vendor—your trusty mounts will never know the difference.
• The mount race in the Mad King's Labyrinth has been updated with new checkpoint visuals and its own adventure. Show off your best times, but mind the Labyrinth's occupants!
• The Grand High Viscount of Candy Corn and Skeletal Lich have had their maximum health slightly reduced, and they now offer increased rewards when defeated.
• New weekly vendors have arrived in Lion's Arch for the duration of the festival, trading limited supplies of rare goods for Candy Corn Cobs.
• Two new seasonal cooking recipes have been added.
• New items have been added to Halloween vendors and Trick-or-Treat Bags.
• New Halloween-themed guild decorations have been added.
• Festival collection achievements have been moved to their own category in the Collections section, Festival Collections.
• Candy Corn can now be consumed in bulk (if you dare).
• Many minor bugs have been fixed to ensure a festival that is more fun than ever for all visitors to the Mad Realm.

General

• Updated the order of achievements in the Side Stories category.
• Interacting with the grand chest in the Vault of the Khan-Ur will now only consume keys that have not yet been deposited in a console.

Mounts

• Skimmer deceleration when transitioning from water to land has been smoothed.

Items

• Rune of Rage: Fixed a bug that caused the 4-piece bonus of the Major and Superior versions of this rune to grant fury and go on cooldown when leaving combat.
• Rune of Resistance: Fixed a bug that prevented elite skills that transform the player from granting resistance.

Profession Skills

Elementalist

•  Meteor Shower: Fixed a visual bug that could cull meteor landing effects before they were complete.
•  Signet of Air: Fixed a bug that prevented this skill from gaining the benefits of the Written in Stone trait if used without a target.

Engineer

•  Impact Savant: Fixed a bug that prevented vitality from being affected by this trait in PvP and WvW. It will now correctly decrease vitality by 180 in all game modes.

Guardian

•  Zealot's Defense: Increased damage by 20% in PvE.
• Tome of Courage— Epilogue: Unbroken Lines: Fixed a missing tooltip about this skill granting aegis.

Mesmer

•  Chaos Armor: Fixed a bug in which the effect granted by this skill was incorrectly called Chaos Armor instead of Chaos Aura.

Necromancer

•  Manifest Sand Shade: Fixed a bug that prevented the effect of this skill from lasting more than 10 seconds in PvP and WvW when not traited with Sand Savant. The effect will now last for the increased duration of 15 seconds in PvP and WvW.

Ranger

• Juvenile Wyvern Pets: Fixed a bug that prevented the wind effects from displaying during the use of the Wing Buffet skill.

Revenant

•  Protective Solace: Clarified the description of this skill to indicate that it blocks missiles but does not destroy them.
•  Elemental Blast: Fixed a bug that allowed this skill to be used underwater to hit foes at a range that was greater than intended.
•  Gaze of Darkness: Fixed a bug that prevented this skill from inflicting vulnerability and blindness on visible enemies.
•  Inspiring Reinforcement: Fixed a bug that caused this skill to have a range that was longer than intended. It will now correctly affect a range of up to 900. The targeting on this skill has also been lined up to better represent the area affected.

Warrior

•  Shrug It Off: Fixed a bug that prevented the version of "Shake It Off!" used by this trait from counting as a shout for the purposes of Vigorous Shouts.
•  Vigorous Shouts: Fixed an issue that caused this trait to heal for less than the listed amount. Fixed an issue that caused this trait to have incorrect information in the combat log.
•  Call of Valor: Fixed an issue that caused this skill to have incorrect information in the combat log.
•  Sight beyond Sight: Fixed a bug in which this skill displayed a radius of 900 instead of the actual radius of 600.

Black Lion Trading Company Gem Store

New Items and Promotions

• The new Skeletal Wings Backpack and Glider Combo is available in the Style category of the Gem Store for 700 gems.
• A new set of Seven Reapers weapon skins is available from Black Lion Weapons Specialists for 1 Black Lion Claim Ticket each. Black Lion Claim Tickets are available from Black Lion Chests.
• To celebrate Halloween, one free Hallows Fortune Fireworks bundle is available in the Toys category of the Gem Store with a limit of one per account.
• For a limited time, the Ghostly Outfit and Mad King's Outfit are available in the Style category of the Gem Store for 700 gems each.
• For a limited time, the Candy Corn Gobbler Pack is available in the Utility category of the Gem Store for 300 gems. Each pack comes with a Candy Corn Gobbler and 15 pieces of candy corn.
• For the duration of Halloween, weapon skins from the Gargoyle Weapon Collection are available from Black Lion Weapons Specialists for 2 Black Lion Claim Tickets each.

Black Lion Chest

• The Black Lion Chest has been updated to the Mad Mayhem Chest and can be previewed for a full list of its contents.
  • The Evon Gnashblade Trick-or-Treat Bag has been added as the guaranteed item for the duration of the Mad Mayhem Chest.
  • The new Searing Chain Gloves skin is available as an uncommon drop for the duration of the Mad Mayhem Chest.
  • The Golden Talon longbow skin returns as an uncommon drop for the duration of the Mad Mayhem Chest.
  • The Mad Realm Weapon Collection is now available as an uncommon drop for the duration of the Mad Mayhem Chest.
  • The Shadow of the Mad King weapon set and the Blood and Madness weapon set are now available as rare drops for the duration of the Mad Mayhem Chest.
  • Unused versions of the Glyph of the Forester and Glyph of the Watchknight are available as rare drops for the duration of the Mad Mayhem Chest.

• The items available in exchange for Black Lion Statuettes have been updated. Black Lion Statuettes are redeemable by using the statuette itself or by redeeming one at any of the Black Lion Chest Merchants located in every major city.
  • An additional selection of dye kits has been added.
  • The exclusive Grasping Phantom Glider, Mini Spooky Mounts Pack, and Envoy Scythe Staff skin are currently available.
  • Additional items including the Toxic Mantle and Toxic Gloves skins, Soul River Glider, Phoenix Glider, and Bubble Glider, and a selection of travel toys have been added.

Improvements and Updates

• For a limited time, miniatures from the Scary category are available for 1 Black Lion Miniature Claim Ticket each.
• Additonal containers can now be previewed in the Gem Store.

Guild Wars 2 Wiki Notes

• The two new seasonal recipes are for Soul Cake and Saint Bones.
• The gap over the gate to Recon Cove that allowed jumping over the door with Bond of Faith has been blocked.
• Build: 99,785

Update - October 12, 2019

Bug Fix

• Fixed a server crash.

Guild Wars 2 Wiki Notes

• Build: 99,752

Update - October 3, 2019

Bug Fix

• Casino Coin: Fixed a bug that could cause the consumption of casino coins to grant less than the intended amount of experience.

Guild Wars 2 Wiki Notes

• Build: 99,592

Update - October 2, 2019

Bug Fix

• Updated the Gem Store banner for the Legionnaire's Chair.

Guild Wars 2 Wiki Notes

• Build: 99,572

Update 2 - October 1, 2019

Bug Fix

• Fixed a client crash.

Guild Wars 2 Wiki Notes

• Build: 99,552

Late Notes - October 1, 2019

Living World

• Fixed a bug during the "Pass the flame from torch to torch to transport it to the upper brazier" event that allowed players to get the Sacred Flame Wielder effect before picking up a torch.
• The "A Concert for the Ages" meta-event will now award Iron Legion Keys only after successful completion of the concert.

General

• The game clock can now show Tyrian time. Go to the General Options tab of the Options panel and select Tyrian Time from the In-Game Clock dropdown.
• The command /time shows the current Tyrian time.
• The command /emotelist shows which emotes are unlocked.

Items

• "Recovered" Charr Artifacts now have increased rewards: an additional piece of charr-themed gear, one of the four legion keys, and double the chance of receiving a Visage of the Khan-Ur.
• Fixed a bug that caused the Icebrood Saga reward tracks to reset daily.

Black Lion Trading Company Gem Store

Bug Fixes

• Fixed a bug in which Knife Tail skritt could appear in PvP matches. The ability to rally has been removed from these skritt.

Update - October 1, 2019

World Polish

• Optional dialogue in the chapter Coming Home now appears in the chat log.
• Seimur Oxbone will now provide chef vendor services in the home instances of players who have unlocked the Gourmet Training collection.
• Fixed a bug that destroyed ascended herbs growing in players' home instance gardens after they harvested nodes in the same location in another player's garden.
• Fixed a bug that caused repaired Brand Stompers in Grothmar Valley to still appear as broken after players left and returned to the map before completing the entire collection.
• It is now possible for players to complete the Khan-Ur's Right Hand achievement if they have already looted the chest in the same day. Progress is now granted upon approaching the final chest with the required conditions met.

• Maximum scaling has been adjusted for several microevents during A Concert for the Ages. This generally increases difficulty, but it also gives more opportunity for participation.
  • The events most affected are the "Repair the faulty wires!" and "Stop the amp from blowing!" events.
  • Leaps occur faster in the "Catch the leaping charr!" event to increase difficulty.
  • Pyrotorrick can now pick up more people because not enough players were getting chucked.
  • The cooldown between shots has been reduced for launching fireworks in the "Hit the firework targets!" event.

• Transitions between hype tiers in A Concert for the Ages now adjust by the appropriate value for the completed/failed event instead of a set transition value.
• The public version of Strike Mission: Shiverpeaks Pass now requires at least 5 players to be in the map before they can progress forward.

General

• Added a checkbox to the Customize window for equipped items to apply the currently displayed stats and legendary rune choices to all valid items.
  • Valid items for stats are equipped legendary items, separated into groups of armor, weapons, and trinkets.
  • Valid items for legendary rune choices are legendary runes slotted in equipped armor.

• Text searches in the Customize window now search all displayed text in list view.

Items

• Casino Coins: A Consume All option has been added to this item.
• Spirit Banner: Fixed a visual bug with this banner that displayed all potential effects rather than the three being granted.

Profession Skills

General

When we originally created the alacrity and barrier effects, they were intended to be profession specific, but we've changed this stance after seeing how the game changed and evolved over time. While the original effects were visually iconic to their initial professions, it was a good time to update them with a look that could fit any profession.

• Barrier: Updated the visual effects of this effect to be less profession specific.
• Alacrity: Updated the visual effects of this effect to be less profession specific.
• Special Forces Training Area: Conditions on the Preview Holo-Golem will no longer be removed by player skills.
• Low-Health Traits: Updated traits that activate when the user drops below a specified health threshold so that they behave more consistently.

Items

•  Superior Rune of Antitoxin: This rune no longer removes additional conditions from allies cleansed by the player. Instead, it removes an additional condition from the player whenever a condition is removed from the player.

Elementalist

In this update, we're following up on some of the tempest changes from the previous update. Speedy Conduit has been a lackluster trait for a while, so we're combining it with Harmonious Conduit and creating a new trait that grants concentration. Imbued Melodies is being removed—we felt it wasn't very interesting while also being unnecessarily restrictive by being tied to the warhorn. Its replacement, Transcendent Tempest, provides an effect that is unique among other grandmaster traits, which we hope will provide a more meaningful choice when compared to the other options.

•  Signet of Air: This skill can now be activated to break stuns without a target. Activating the skill while out of range of a target or without a target while not under control effects will put it on interrupt cooldown.
•  Glyph of Renewal (Renewal of Fire): Reduced the amount of invulnerability granted when reviving the elementalist from 5 seconds to 1 second.
•  Burning Rage: Reduced the burning duration from 5 seconds to 4 seconds.
•  Speedy Conduit: This trait has been removed. Its functionality has been combined with Harmonious Conduit, and it has been replaced with Gathered Focus.
•  Gathered Focus: This new trait takes the master tier, minor trait slot, and it grants 120 concentration plus an additional 120 concentration while the elementalist is above 90% health.
•  Harmonious Conduit: This trait no longer increases damage after completing an overload. Instead it grants swiftness in addition to stability. It has also changed positions with Invigorating Torrents.
•  Invigorating Torrents: This trait has switched positions with Harmonious Conduit. Its functionality is unchanged.
•  Imbued Melodies: This trait has been reworked, and its name has been changed to Transcendent Tempest. This trait reduces the time it takes to attain a singularity by 33% when switching elements and increases outgoing damage and condition damage by 7% for 7 seconds after an overload completes.

Engineer

When the scrapper's profession ability was changed to an F5 skill, the tool belt skill from Sneak Gyro, Detection Pulse, was replaced. That skill was sorely missed as it provided useful and skilled counterplay if well timed. As the profession mechanic needed to remain on the F5 key, we looked elsewhere and saw that Purge Gyro, an inherently defensive and utility-centric ability, had a tool belt skill that did not fit its intent. Scrapper is also getting a bit of a tune-up with its hammer skills and a reduction to the vitality loss of the Impact Savant trait, which was leaving them a bit squishier than we intended for a bruiser style of play.

•  Equalizing Blow: Increased damage by 9%.
•  Electro-whirl: Increased damage by 9%.
•  Rocket Charge: Increased damage by 10%.
•  Shock Shield: Reduced recharge from 20 seconds to 18 seconds.
•  Thunderclap: Increased damage by 6%. Reduced recharge from 24 seconds to 20 seconds.
•  Corona Burst: Reduced might gained in WvW to the same amount as granted in PvP. Reduced the damage of this skill by 20% in PvP and WvW.
•  Holographic Shockwave: Reduced range from 600 to 300.
•  Function Gyro: Increased damage by 100%. Increased land radius to 240 and underwater radius to 360. Added clarification to skill description to clarify that function gyros are destroyed when their skill is interrupted. Reduced recharge from 30 seconds to 25 seconds.
•  Shaped Charge: This trait now increases damage by 0.5% per stack of vulnerability instead of by a flat amount.
•  Solar Focusing Lens: This trait now also grants 2 stacks of Afterburner when deactivating photon forge. Increased stacks granted from overheating from 5 to 6.
•  Chemical Field: This skill has been replaced by Detection Pulse as the tool belt skill for Purge Gyro.
•  Detection Pulse: This skill replaces Purge Gyro's previous tool belt skill, Chemical Field. The radius of this skill has been reduced from 1200 to 900, and its targeting has been improved in large group settings.
•  Purge Gyro: The tool belt skill for Purge Gyro has changed from Chemical Field to Detection Pulse.
•  Sneak Gyro: Increased the cooldown of this skill from 45 to 60 seconds in WvW.
•  Med Kit: This kit can now be used underwater.
•  Med Blaster (Med Kit): Increased healing to match tooltip.
•  Cleansing Field (Med Kit): Fixed a bug that caused this skill to remove more conditions than intended.
•  Elixir U: Fixed a bug that could cause this skill to give endurance.
•  Supply Crate: Fixed a bug in which the Healing Turret created from this skill would not overcharge.
•  Health Insurance: Updated description and tooltips to accurately reflect the functionality of this trait. This trait increases incoming healing by 10% and increases outgoing healing by 20% while using Med Kit.
•  Mechanized Deployment: Fixed a bug that caused this trait to grant less than the listed 15% recharge reduction.
•  Mass Momentum: Increased stability duration from 3 seconds to 5 seconds.
•  Impact Savant: Reduced the vitality loss from this trait from 300 to 180.

Guardian

Firebrand prevalence in group content has been quite strong as they offer significant support options to the point that they were crowding out other builds. In particular, Tome of Courage had a bit more power than was healthy, so we've sought to tweak that down while retaining its overall playstyle by removing some of its boon generation. We're also reducing scepter damage and increasing sword damage in PvE as the best melee damage option should not be a ranged weapon.

•  Orb of Wrath: Reduced damage by 10% in PvE only.
•  Symbol of Blades: Removed the double strike that occurs when the symbol is first created. Increased damage of each strike by 20% to compensate. Overall damage is unchanged.
•  Zealot's Defense: Increased PvE damage by 20%.
•  Sanctuary: Increased number of enemies that can be knocked back by this skill before it expires from 10 to 20. Decreased duration from 6 seconds to 5 seconds. Decreased recharge from 75 seconds to 60 seconds.
•  Tome of Resolve—  Chapter 2: Radiant Recovery: The existing split of cleansing 2 conditions in PvP has been brought to WvW as well. This skill continues to cleanse 3 conditions in PvE.
•  Tome of Courage—  Chapter 2: Daring Challenge: This skill now grants retaliation for 3 seconds instead of aegis.
•  Tome of Courage—  Epilogue: Unbroken Lines: This skill no longer grants retaliation. The existing split of a 15-second cooldown in PvP has been brought to WvW as well. This skill retains a 12-second cooldown in PvE.
•  Purging Flames: This skill no longer reduces the duration of incoming conditions. Instead of removing 3 conditions from allies when cast, it now removes 1 condition from allies and 1 additional condition every second the skill persists. Fixed a bug that prevented this skill from being properly extended when Master of Consecrations was equipped.
•  Eternal Armory: Changed burning from 2 stacks for 2 seconds to 1 stack for 4 seconds.
•  Stoic Demeanor: This trait now inflicts burning for 5 seconds in addition to inflicting slow. Reduced the internal cooldown from 5 seconds to 3 seconds. Cooldown is now determined per target instead of globally.

Mesmer

Chaotic Interruption has been reworked as a trait that offers a dynamic and skillful form of play by giving savvy players a means to use their abilities to recharge weapon skills. Some chronomancer tweaks are also in to offer another means of granting group quickness and to clean up some functional redundancy between Delayed Reactions and Lost Time.

•  Illusion of Life: Reduced the amount of time a resurrected ally is invulnerable from 5 seconds to 1 second. This skill should now target more effectively in group situations.
•  Power Spike (Mantra of Pain): This skill now requires mesmers to face their target and respects line of sight.
•  Power Lock (Mantra of Distraction): This skill now requires mesmers to face their target and respects line of sight.
•  Chaos Storm: This skill now always dazes on the first strike but can no longer randomly daze on other strikes. This change also applies to Lesser Chaos Storm. Added a skill fact to show Chaos Storm's duration.
•  Chaotic Interruption: This trait has been reworked. When interrupting a foe, it now recharges one of your currently recharging equipped weapon skills by 5 seconds. This trait has a 1-second internal cooldown.
•  Delayed Reactions: This trait no longer grants alacrity but now triggers on any control effect rather than only on interrupts. Added a 3-second cooldown per target.
•  Stretched Time: This trait has been reworked. It now grants 3 seconds of alacrity to the mesmer when applying slow to a target. This effect has a 3-second cooldown.
•  Seize the Moment: This trait now applies quickness in a 240 area-of-effect radius around the mesmer and can hit 5 targets (including the mesmer).

Necromancer

The Death Magic specialization has had a significant rework this update, revolving around a new effect and various means of gaining additional defense while bringing together a more cohesive set of playstyles. The scourge elite specialization has also undergone a significant change such that its shade skills will only fire around them when they do NOT have a shade up. If they do have a shade present, then those skills will happen around their summoned sand shades. Alongside this change, the scourge and each sand shade now affect an increased number of targets by default, which can be increased further through the use of the grandmaster trait Sand Savant. This change leans into the dependence a scourge has on their unique elite specialization mechanic, shades, and opens up the specialization to future potential improvements across its kit. This change creates a choice between whether scourges expose themselves to some melee risk but charge in to affect foes around them, or whether they hang back and summon a shade near their foe and are unable to affect themselves with shade abilities (unless they also place one on their own location). We'll be keeping a close eye on the results of this change and making adjustments accordingly.

• Scourge: Shade skills no longer affect the area around the scourge while they have a shade present in the world. Increased the number of targets affected by shade skills from 3 to 5.
•  Manifest Sand Shade: The duration of sand shades in WvW and PvP has been increased from 10 seconds to 15 seconds.
• Minion Summoning Skills: Fixed a bug that could allow minions to persist after the skill was unequipped.
•  Oppressive Collapse: This skill now requires line of sight.
•  Feast of Corruption: Reduced damage by 20% in PvP and WvW. The existing split of corrupting 2 boons in PvP has been brought to WvW as well. This skill continues to corrupt 3 boons in PvE. This skill now queues behind other skills rather than interrupting them.
•  Devouring Darkness: Reduced damage by 20% in PvP and WvW. The existing split of corrupting 2 boons in PvP has been brought to WvW as well. This skill continues to corrupt 3 boons in PvE. This skill now queues behind other skills rather than interrupting them.
•  Grasping Darkness: Fixed an issue that could cause the claw effect to pop out of existence before the skill completed. Removed misleading legendary projectile effects from this skill due to it not being a projectile.
•  Blood Bond: Fixed a bug that caused this trait to heal the necromancer when it activated.
•  Sand Savant: Increased the number of targets affected by the larger shade from 2 to 5 so that it now affects up to 10 targets.
•  Death Magic: This trait line has been reworked. Many traits now revolve around a new effect called Death's Carapace that increases toughness by 20 for each stack up to a maximum of 30 stacks. Death's Carapace stacks are applied for 10 seconds from all traits except Flesh of the Master.
  • Minor:
    •  Armored Shroud: This trait now gives 5 stacks of Death's Carapace when entering shroud.
    •  Soul Comprehension: In addition to its previous effects, this trait now also grants 1 stack of Death's Carapace for each kill the necromancer participates in.
    •  Beyond the Veil: This trait has been reworked. It now reduces condition damage by 10% while the necromancer has at least 10 stacks of Death's Carapace.
  • Adept:
    •  Flesh of the Master: Instead of granting armor for each minion, this trait now causes the necromancer's minions to grant them 2 Death's Carapace stacks as long as the minions are alive.
    •  Putrid Defense: This trait has changed positions and its functionality has changed. It now causes poison to deal 15% more damage and grants 1 Death's Carapace stack when applying poison.
    •  Shrouded Removal: This trait has changed positions. In addition to its previous effects, it now grants 3 Death's Carapace stacks when a condition is removed.
  • Master:
    •  Necromantic Corruption: This trait is unchanged.
    •  Dark Defiance: This trait is unchanged.
    •  Deadly Strength: This trait has been reworked. It now causes Death's Carapace to grant an additional 10 power per stack.
  • Grandmaster:
    •  Death Nova: Updated skill facts and description. Updated attack name from Lesser Poison Cloud to Poison Nova in order to indicate that it has different behavior from Corrosive Poison Cloud. Fixed an issue that caused this trait to use the minion's stats instead of the necromancer's. Fixed various issues that caused this trait to behave inconsistently with certain minions. Increased damage by 60% in PvE only.
    •  Corrupter's Fervor: This trait has been reworked. It now grants 1 Death's Carapace stack when applying any condition. Additionally, at 25 Death's Carapace stacks or above, the necromancer gains pulsing protection for 3 seconds every 3 seconds.
    •  Unholy Sanctuary: This trait is unchanged.

Ranger

In this update, we're making a major change to sword skills in order to better improve their flow during combat. Monarch's Leap, Hornet Sting, and Serpent's Strike are all shuffling around into new slots, which should make the weapon a little easier to understand. We're also including some enhancements for the off-hand dagger, which has been a pretty weak weapon that hasn't kept up with the pace of the game very well. Finally, we're simplifying the greatsword's Counterattack skill and taking some power out of the chain-attack sequence. We hope these changes will make the weapon feel a little smoother while removing some of the frustrating random dodges that happen when fighting against it.

•  Long Range Shot: Reduced the minimum damage of this skill by 14% and the maximum damage by 11% in WvW only.
• Sword Chain-Attack Sequence: Updated icons for  Crippling Thrust and  Precision Swipe.
•  Stalker's Strike: Base damage of this attack has been increased by 200%. This attack now deals double damage and inflicts 2 additional poison stacks if it strikes a foe with a movement-impairing condition.
•  Crippling Talon: This skill now uses the ammunition system and has 2 ammo with a 15-second count recharge time and a 1-second recharge between uses. Reduced cripple duration from 6 seconds to 4 seconds. Reduced bleeding duration from 8 seconds to 6 seconds.
•  Hornet Sting: This sword skill has moved to weapon slot 3. It now recharges Monarch's Leap if it hits. Its recharge has been increased from 8 seconds to 15 seconds.
•  Monarch's Leap: This sword skill is now the primary skill in weapon slot 2. Using this skill flips it over to Serpent's Strike for 5 seconds. It now has an 8-second recharge.
•  Serpent's Strike: This skill is now the follow-up skill to Monarch's Leap. It no longer has a recharge.
•  Swoop: Fixed an issue that prevented the casting bar for this skill from matching the actual casting time of the dash.
•  Counterattack: Removed the Crippling Throw follow-up skill. This skill no longer automatically uses Counterattack Kick when blocking a foe within the range threshold. Instead, blocking any attack flips the skill to Counterattack Kick for 5 seconds. Increased the number of targets for Counterattack Kick from 1 to 3. Counterattack Kick now evades for its duration and activates faster.
•  Enduring Swing: This skill no longer evades for its duration. Its name has been changed to Enduring Swing. This skill now grants 15 endurance if it hits.
•  Quick Draw: Fixed a bug that prevented this trait from reducing recharge time.

Revenant

In addition to some changes to Coalescence of Ruin and Gaze of Darkness aimed at WvW play, we are also tuning up a few of Mallyx's Legendary Demon Stance skills from the last update as we felt they ended up on the weak side. Jalis's Legendary Dwarf Stance skills are also seeing some improvements aimed at making them more powerful and easier to use to better warrant the use of your energy.

•  Coalescence of Ruin: This skill no longer deals increased damage with successive impacts; it now always deals damage equal to what was previously the second-impact damage. Its damage remains split between game modes. Added a red warning rectangle visible to enemies.
•  Embrace the Darkness: Lowered the recharge from 10 seconds to 3 seconds.
•  Gaze of Darkness: This skill now reveals stealth enemies up to a range of 600, inflicting blindness and vulnerability.
•  True Nature (Assassin): Reduced radius from 600 to 360.
•  Call to Anguish: Decreased energy cost from 35 to 30. Reduced recharge from 5 seconds to 3 seconds. Increased radius from 240 to 360. Damage increased by 33%.
•  Inspiring Reinforcement: Increased pulsing stability duration from 1.5 seconds to 3 seconds. Increased initial stability duration from 2 seconds to 3 seconds. Increased the speed at which the road is built by 100%. Increased road length from 600 to 900.
•  Forced Engagement: Increased damage reduction from taunted targets from 20% to 33%. This skill now also throws chains at up to 4 additional targets within a range of 360 of the selected target.
•  Focused Siphoning: Increased base healing by 88% in PvE.
•  Elder's Respite: Added a 10-second internal cooldown to this trait.

Thief

The previous Shadow Arts update landed pretty well overall, but we think that the siphons ended up a little weak. We're tuning these up a bit, as well as touching up a few other traits that didn't feel quite right. In addition to these changes, we're updating Improvisation to recharge a random utility skill on the skill bar rather than a random utility skill type. This change is intended to lower the variance on the trait and to allow for more flexibility in utility selection. Finally, stolen bundles now use the ammo system in order to help with readability.

•  Steal: Fixed a bug that could cause the shadowstep to fail in rare situations.
•  Swipe: Fixed a bug that could cause the shadowstep to fail in rare situations. Reduced recharge from 30 seconds to 25 seconds.
•  Hidden Thief: Fixed a bug that could cause this trait to activate even if Steal failed.
•  Leeching Venoms: This trait now immediately grants a stack of spider venom when the thief first enters stealth and every 3 seconds after.
•  Improvisation: Instead of recharging an entire skill category at random, this trait now recharges one of your equipped utility skills at random.
• Stolen Bundles: Stolen bundles now show their number of uses as ammunition.
•  Shadow Siphoning: Increased base healing by 62%.
•  Cloaked in Shadow: Increased base damage and the damage multiplier by 100%. Increased base healing by 100% and the heal multiplier by 60%.
•  Lead Attacks: Fixed a bug that caused this trait to grant less than the listed 15% recharge reduction.

Warrior

In this update, we're focusing on changes to the Tactics trait line and warhorn skills. We've removed the traits related to reviving allies in order to make room for new traits and improvements to old traits that focus more on ways warriors can affect allies while they are still in the fight. The new Tactics traits are focused around empowering allies through boons and effects, helping allies who are taking a beating, and a selection of warrior-enhancing battlefield strategies.

•  Charge: The icon for this skill has been updated. This skill now only removes movement-impairing conditions. It now increases the damage of affected allies' next 2 attacks by 25% (10% in WvW) for 8 seconds in addition to its previous effects. Increased swiftness duration from 10 seconds to 15 seconds. This skill is now a blast finisher.
•  Call to Arms: This skill has been renamed Call of Valor, and its functionality has changed. Removed an unnecessary unblockable skill fact. This skill now removes 3 conditions from affected allies instead of specific conditions. It also now applies barrier in addition to vigor.
•  Sight beyond Sight: Increased the radius of this skill to reveal stealth enemies within a radius of 600.
•  Burning Arrows: This trait has been removed, and its effects have been merged with Crack Shot in the Discipline line.
•  Crack Shot: Instead of granting bonus adrenaline for base harpoon gun shots, this trait now adds 3 seconds of bleeding to each shot.
•  Tactics: The Tactics line has been reworked. Several traits in this line now revolve around a new effect called Soldier's Focus, which grants bonuses when executing bursts.
  • Minor:
    •  Marching Orders: This new trait grants the Soldier's Focus effect every 15 seconds. This effect is expended when hitting with a burst to grant 3 stacks of might for 15 seconds to allies within a range of 300.
    •  Empowered: Moved from the adept tier. The effects are unchanged.
    •  Mending Might: Applying might to an ally heals the warrior.
  • Adept:
    •  Leg Specialist: In addition to its previous effects, this trait now also grants a 7% damage bonus against foes suffering from a movement-impairing condition. The cooldown on this trait is now calculated per target.
    •  Soldier's Comfort: This new trait heals nearby allies when Soldier's Focus activates.
    •  Roaring Reveille: This new trait increases the number of targets for warhorn skills from 5 to 10 and causes warhorn skills to grant an additional boon. It grants fury for Charge and resistance for Call to Arms. It also grants an additional 120 concentration.
  • Master:
    •  Warrior's Cunning: This new trait increases damage by 25% against foes with health above 90%. Additionally, it increases damage by 50% against foes that have barrier. These bonuses do not stack.
    •  Shrug It Off: This trait has moved, and its icon has been updated. In addition to its previous effect, it also causes the warrior to heal allies when removing damaging conditions from them.
    •  Empower Allies: In addition to its previous effects, this trait also increases the radius of Soldier's Focus to 600. Added a missing number of targets skill fact.
  • Grandmaster:
    •  Martial Cadence: This new trait causes Soldier's Focus to reduce the warrior's equipped weapon skill cooldowns by 3 seconds.
    •  Vigorous Shouts: This trait no longer grants adrenaline when using shouts. Instead, it grants healing power equal to 13% of power.
    •  Phalanx Strength: Increased might duration from 4 seconds to 5 seconds.

World vs. World

General

• Warclaw: Added a new skill called Lance. The skill is obtained by training it in the warclaw Rank and Abilities line. The skill allows you to throw a lance at a target. If the target is a mounted player, it will dismount both you and the target if it hits.

Black Lion Trading Company Gem Store

New Items and Promotions

• The new Legionnaire's Chair is available in the Toys category of the Gem Store for 600 gems.
• For a limited time, the Black Wings Glider Combo, White Wings Glider Combo, and Golden Feather Wings Glider Combo can be found in the Style category of the Gem Store for 525 gems each—a savings of 25%.
• For a limited time, the Devil Horns, Wizard's Hat, and Bunny Ears can be found in the Style category of the Gem Store for 140 gems each—a savings of 30%.
• For a limited time, the Furrocious Cat Ears can be found in the Style category of the Gem Store for 280 gems each—a savings of 30%.
• For a limited time, the Mist Stranger Axe Skin, Mist Stranger Shield Skin, and Suntouched Scythe Staff Skin are available in the Style category of the Gem Store for 600 gems each.

Bug Fixes

• Fixed an issue that caused the expansion requirement message to appear incorrectly when players who don't own Path of Fire™ viewed Gem Store items that require Path of Fire.
• Fixed an issue that caused the arms of the Mage Knight Outfit to appear stretched during certain emotes on female norn characters.

Guild Wars 2 Wiki Notes

• Build: 99,526
•  Flesh of the Master effect has been removed from the game.
• Specializations no longer maintain the selected traits when swapped with each other in the build panel.
• (Unreported) One charr cub's name changed.