For those wanting to start an MMORPG in 2020, there are some good titles to choose from. However, MeinMMO editor Alexander Leitsch struggles with many games. The culprit is Guild Wars 2 – mainly due to its combat system.
MMORPGs have been a part of my daily life since 2006. In recent years, I have tried out many games, including WoW Classic. I fell a bit in love with it during the Corona period, mainly because of the leveling phase and the frequent “need to form groups”.
However, my subscription there has since expired. The main reason for this is the combat system. While I greatly appreciate tab-targeting, I find it lacks dynamism.
Since 2012, one title has spoiled me for many other MMORPGs: Guild Wars 2. For me, it offers one of the best combat systems in the genre and regularly causes me to abandon other games.
However, he has also played SWTOR, Black Desert, ESO, and numerous other MMORPGs. WoW, on the other hand, was only really engaged with upon the Classic release.
Dodging roles and constant movement are so good
What makes the combat system special? Guild Wars 2 relies on classic tab-targeting. You select a target and then attack automatically. You don’t need to aim perfectly, unlike with an action combat system.
At the same time, the combat offers much dynamism. Only with very few skills do you need to stand still. In all other cases, you can also move while casting spells.
Moreover, Guild Wars 2 features an active dodging role tied to a stamina bar. As long as you have stamina, you can use the dodge at any time by double-tapping the direction keys WASD.
The combat system additionally offers some tactical aspects, including the Stubbornness bar for CC, which must be destroyed on bosses before they can be controlled, and combo fields.
The combo fields trigger a minor effect when a player uses a so-called “finisher”. These are specially marked abilities. For instance, shooting through a fire wall with arrows can burn enemies behind it. Veterans will know these fields mainly for allowing the “Might” buff to stack high.
Every character has healing: Another special feature of Guild Wars 2 is that the MMORPG was originally released without a Holy Trinity. There were no classic tanks or healers.
Although this changed somewhat with the Heart of Thorns expansion, so that some classes have a slight advantage in tanking or healing, the old system is still recognizable. Each class has at least one slot for healing skills.
Even if you are out alone, you don’t need to worry about simply dying thanks to the dodging role and this skill.
Downstate and the return to life: If your hit points in Guild Wars 2 drop to 0, you do not die automatically. Instead, you first enter the so-called Downstate. In this state, other players can revive you, similar to Borderlands or New World.
However, Guild Wars 2 also provides skills in the Downstate that allow you to defeat enemies, which immediately brings you back to life, or to slowly heal yourself.
Even if there are no allies nearby, the Downstate is not a death sentence, which makes Guild Wars 2 one of the best MMORPGs for solo players.
An optional action mode: If you are not a fan of tab-targeting, you can also activate the optional action camera in Guild Wars 2. This ensures that you must aim precisely with your weapon to hit with skills. Additionally, you can switch to first-person for more immersion and action.
Other MMORPGs still have strong combat systems
Over the years, I have played many MMORPGs and also found titles that had really good action combat, such as Black Desert or TERA.
But in the end, I always returned to Guild Wars 2, where I personally feel most comfortable with the mix of action and tab-targeting.
However, one game gives me hope again: Ashes of Creation. This MMORPG plans a hybrid system of tab-targeting and action combat. This could be something that might appeal to me again.
