Necromancer Scourge: For a long time, Scourge has been a strong elite specialization on the basis of its area coverage. With some of these changes we're looking to re-focus their gameplay around their unique elite spec mechanic, shades. These changes also open up space for improvements to the Scourge's kit in the future as the conversation has been dominated by Scourge's coverage. Scourge: Shade abilities only affect the area around you while you do not have a shade active in the world. This creates a choice of whether to be the focal point for your shade abilities by not summoning a shade or to place a shade at a distance and focus on your shade's positioning relying on distance as your safety. It also offers more distinct styles of gameplay where you may want to close with enemies and avoid having to place shades while being exposed in melee or placing a shade farther away to gain ranged offensive options at the risk of not having shade defensive benefits at your location (unless you place another shade beside you). To address the loss of some of the target cap, the number of targets affected by shade abilities will be increased from 3 to 5. Manifest Sand Shade: The duration of sand shades in WvW & PvP has been increased from 10 seconds to 15 seconds. Sand Savant: Increase the number of targets sand shade affect from 2 to 5, so that when traited you either affect up to 10 targets around you or have a single shade which affects up to 10 targets rather than the current incarnation where you've got a shade that affects 5 targets and you affect 5 targets near you. Oppressive Collapse: This skill will require line of sight on the activation. Sand Cascade: Reduce the base barrier granted by this skill by 33% in WvW & PvP, increase the healing power contribution by 20%, as the healing coefficient is already pretty strong. Sand Flare: Reduce the base barrier granted by this skill by 25% in WvW, increase the healing power contribution by 33%. Desert Shroud: Increase the base barrier granted by this skill by 10%, increase the healing power contribution by 15% and reduce the damage inflicted by this ability by 20% in WvW. Feast of Corruption: Reduce damage by 20% in PvP & WvW. The existing split from PvP of corrupting 2 boons is brought to WvW. This ability continues to corrupt 3 boons in PvE. Devouring Darkness: Reduce damage by 20% in PvP & WvW. The existing split from PvP of corrupting 2 boons is brought to WvW. This ability continues to corrupt 3 boons in PvE.

The standard shade bomb combo currently is f1, f2-f5. f1 has a .5s cast time while each of the others have a .5s delay, so pressing them one after the other lets the bomb all hit at the same time in the same place.

The new shade bomb combo will be f3, f1, f2/4/5. This allows you to place barrier on 10 allies around you, then deals all of the damage to targets at the shade location. Instead of making scourges decide between 10 target damage or 10 target support, this patch is just giving them both. You won't even miss the condi cleanse from f2 because applying barrier removes a condition, so with 2 scourges you have the exact same amount of condition clearing, 50% more barrier output, twice as much might application, and 50% more damage per bomb- even after the nerf to f5 and even though you aren't using f3 offensively any longer.

So glass scourge bomb is going from:

(Range-current)

1.5-2k per f1-4, 10k f5, per 5 targets= 16-20k each, 80-100k total

5x 1 corrupt= 5 corrupts

5x 1s fear

5x 2.5k barrier= 12.5k barrier

5x 2 condi cleanse= 10 cleanses

5x 2 might= 10 might

(Melee-current, if shade+you hit 10 allies AND 10 enemies, perfectly played scenario)

1.5-2k per f1-4, 10k f5, per 10 target= 16-20k each, 160-200k total

10x 1 corrupt= 10 corrupts

10x 1s fear

10x 2.5k barrier= 25k barrier

10x 2 condi clear= 20 cleanses

10x 2 might= 20 might

To:

(Range-new)

1.5-2k per f1+f2+f4, 8k f5, per 10 targets= 12.5-14k each, 125k-140k total (with conditions ~ 50% more damage)

10x 1 corrupt= 10 corrupts (200% current)

10x 1s fear (200% current)

10x 1.7k barrier= 17k barrier (36% more barrier)

10x 1 condition clear=10 condition clear (100% current)

10x 2 might=20 might (200% current)

OR

(Melee-new, now you just need 10 allies+enemies in 300 range making it easier to land)

1.5-2k per f1-4, 8k f5, per 10 targets= 14-16k each, 140-160k total (80% current)

10x 1 corrupt= 10 corrupts (100% current)

10x 1s fear (100% current)

10x 1.7k barrier= 17.5k barrier (70% of current)

10x 2 condi clear= 20 cleanses (100% current)

10x 2 might= 20 might (100% current)

.....Who on earth thought that was what the players wanted when we asked for sand savant nerfs? Sand savant does too much because it is 10 target. The solution to that is not 'make it vastly easier to land 10 target hits'.

Sure, the melee bomb from scourge is now 20-30% less effective than it was in a perfect scenario, but you made it significantly easier to do so the current melee shade bomb and new melee shade bomb will have almost the exact same output. At the tradeoff of making it 50% more effective at range? Was this the intent or...?