Buff Tank ability: Guard

[Faction69]

Taking it off the gcd is not just QoL, it's making the ability flat out better.

Yes, like the title says Buff Guard. Allow tanks to do their jobb so its less frustrating to guard party members.

I don't think the best ability in the game needs a buff.

[Dobzse]

I don't think the best ability in the game needs a buff.

Can you explain why you think guard is the best skill in game?
If it is the best skill how come tanks are the least played archetype from all 3.
Do you think that after they will overhaul healing and dps the most important tank skill should be left untouched ?

[Faction69]

I don't think the best ability in the game needs a buff.

Can you explain why you think guard is the best skill in game?
If it is the best skill how come tanks are the least played archetype from all 3.
Do you think that after they will overhaul healing and dps the most important tank skill should be left untouched ?

A permanent 50% dmg diversion that stays on while attacking (unlike detaunt) is obviously absurdly powerful. Splitting damage between two players, one of whom is incredibly durable, is so good in a game with powerful aoe healing that it doesn't really require any explanation. Without it any dps class falls over immediately regardless of how hard they're being healed. It is completely required for any functional group, out of all the abilities in the game it's the most game changing by far.

Tanks are underplayed if anything because 2H has been nerfed too much from live, this has nothing to do with guard and actually everything to do with things largely unrelated to it - offensive capability. It's boring to be a near pure support class even if it's effective and required. The way to fix this is not to lean even more into the one absurdly good thing about tanks.

[Valfaros]

I don't think the best ability in the game needs a buff.

Spoiler:

Can you explain why you think guard is the best skill in game?
If it is the best skill how come tanks are the least played archetype from all 3.
Do you think that after they will overhaul healing and dps the most important tank skill should be left untouched ?

Spoiler:

A permanent 50% dmg diversion that stays on while attacking (unlike detaunt) is obviously absurdly powerful. Splitting damage between two players, one of whom is incredibly durable, is so good in a game with powerful aoe healing that it doesn't really require any explanation. Without it any dps class falls over immediately regardless of how hard they're being healed. It is completely required for any functional group, out of all the abilities in the game it's the most game changing by far.

Tanks are underplayed if anything because 2H has been nerfed too much from live, this has nothing to do with guard and actually everything to do with things largely unrelated to it - offensive capability. It's boring to be a near pure support class even if it's effective and required. The way to fix this is not to lean even more into the one absurdly good thing about tanks.

I mean, it's not just that. The fact that almost all of the DPS can then be avoided contributes a lot to just how strong this ability is. Just think about a skill that buffs everyone's DPS against one target by 100%, and all you need to do is stand next to it. Sounds kind of overpowered, right? Guard is one of the reasons a premade is so far outmatching any PUG group.

However, it doesn't end there, by cutting the DPS in half. Guard stacks with other damage-reducing skills like Challenge and increased resistances, making this skill just busted in my eyes. It practically means that two enemy DPS cannot kill you if your guard stays next to you and you are getting healed.

Your argument is also very weak. Just because a class is strong does not mean it will be played. If it is boring to play, people won't play it.

In my eyes, Guard could be made more easily usable by, for example, indicating what addons already do through an effect like a green and red energy line. However, buffing it, like removing the GCD, should come together with decreasing its effectiveness.

[Dobzse]

I mean, it's not just that. The fact that almost all of the DPS can then be avoided contributes a lot to just how strong this ability is. Just think about a skill that buffs everyone's DPS against one target by 100%, and all you need to do is stand next to it. Sounds kind of overpowered, right? Guard is one of the reasons a premade is so far outmatching any PUG group.

However, it doesn't end there, by cutting the DPS in half. Guard stacks with other damage-reducing skills like Challenge and increased resistances, making this skill just busted in my eyes. It practically means that two enemy DPS cannot kill you if your guard stays next to you and you are getting healed.

Your argument is also very weak. Just because a class is strong does not mean it will be played. If it is boring to play, people won't play it.

In my eyes, Guard could be made more easily usable by, for example, indicating what addons already do through an effect like a green and red energy line. However, buffing it, like removing the GCD, should come together with decreasing its effectiveness.

I think you are right. Let's try to hit two birds with one stone. let's say get it off the GCD reduce the dmg mitigation part, however If you as a tank start to take guard dmg then it makes the tank "angry" and the tank will start to deal more dmg (so they get a stacking buff of somekind). I'm not gona say numbers here but it should allow tanks to be more of a pain instead of what they are right now, boring.

[Faction69]

Spoiler:

Can you explain why you think guard is the best skill in game?
If it is the best skill how come tanks are the least played archetype from all 3.
Do you think that after they will overhaul healing and dps the most important tank skill should be left untouched ?

Spoiler:

A permanent 50% dmg diversion that stays on while attacking (unlike detaunt) is obviously absurdly powerful. Splitting damage between two players, one of whom is incredibly durable, is so good in a game with powerful aoe healing that it doesn't really require any explanation. Without it any dps class falls over immediately regardless of how hard they're being healed. It is completely required for any functional group, out of all the abilities in the game it's the most game changing by far.

Tanks are underplayed if anything because 2H has been nerfed too much from live, this has nothing to do with guard and actually everything to do with things largely unrelated to it - offensive capability. It's boring to be a near pure support class even if it's effective and required. The way to fix this is not to lean even more into the one absurdly good thing about tanks.

I mean, it's not just that. The fact that almost all of the DPS can then be avoided contributes a lot to just how strong this ability is. Just think about a skill that buffs everyone's DPS against one target by 100%, and all you need to do is stand next to it. Sounds kind of overpowered, right? Guard is one of the reasons a premade is so far outmatching any PUG group.

However, it doesn't end there, by cutting the DPS in half. Guard stacks with other damage-reducing skills like Challenge and increased resistances, making this skill just busted in my eyes. It practically means that two enemy DPS cannot kill you if your guard stays next to you and you are getting healed.

Your argument is also very weak. Just because a class is strong does not mean it will be played. If it is boring to play, people won't play it.

In my eyes, Guard could be made more easily usable by, for example, indicating what addons already do through an effect like a green and red energy line. However, buffing it, like removing the GCD, should come together with decreasing its effectiveness.

I'm not sure if you replied to the wrong person. My post was about how guard is extremely good, I agree with you.

[Omegus]

I don't think the best ability in the game needs a buff.

Can you explain why you think guard is the best skill in game?
If it is the best skill how come tanks are the least played archetype from all 3.
Do you think that after they will overhaul healing and dps the most important tank skill should be left untouched ?

It is the best ability in the game because it is mandatory for pvp to work. All damage and healing is balanced around guard. As an example: if you had a group vs group fight or warband vs warband (or anything else) where no one used guard, any non-tank would die immediately due to how much that ability affects survivability when combined with healing. It may not be the most fun ability, it may do nothing flashy, but it is the "best" skill in the game.

If you take it off the GCD then within a day you would have an add-on that could automating guard swaps. I know this, because I would write it. And it could not be blocked.

[Ysaran]

As said by @Omegus the problem with guard, with tanks actually, is that it is not showy/flashy. A DPS get kills, while a Healer can see big healing numbers and get thanked per the rezzes. Tanks see nothing. There is no parameter that measure the usefulness of your CCs and no one will thank you for your guard.

About the OP, I am against taking guard off GCD. Group fights, especially in 6v6 and capital, are already extremely long. Instant guard swap would just make them longer and more frustrating.

[sullemunk]

As said by @Omegus the problem with guard, with tanks actually, is that it is not showy/flashy. A DPS get kills, while a Healer can see big healing numbers and get thanked per the rezzes. Tanks see nothing. There is no parameter that measure the usefulness of your CCs and no one will thank you for your guard.

About the OP, I am against taking guard off GCD. Group fights, especially in 6v6 and capital, are already extremely long. Instant guard swap would just make them longer and more frustrating.

Maby we should add fireworks everytime a tank blocks/parries a guard (Omegus, modify Bloody mess to trigger flashy lights on guard instead of crits). Joke aside, Players seems to forget that guardswitching wasn't a thing back on live and it took 2 activations of guard to switch (1:st to take it off the old guard, then again to apply it on the new one)

[Dackjanielz]

The only thing id like to be able to do is guard friends who are not in my group so i can help save peoples lived better, but admittedly, balance wise this could be rough.

To my knowledge the cap limited is only 2 guards per target right?
you cant have 3 guys guarding a single person can you?

That might be enough to keep things in line perhaps.