Game updates/January 2026

January 2026 updates
Thursday, 22 January 2026 Wednesday, 21 January 2026 Tuesday, 13 January 2026
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Update - January 22, 2026 - Competitive Balance Hotfix

Elementalist

Evoker

•  Zap: Reduced the damage coefficient from 0.15 to 0.11 in PvP only.
•  Lightning Blitz: Reduced the damage coefficient per hit from 0.1448 to 0.122 in PvP only.
•  Hare's Agility: Reduced the blur duration from 2 seconds to 1 second in PvP only.
•  Elemental Procession: Increased the cooldown from 75 seconds to 90 seconds in PvP only.
•  Stone Heart: Lowered the duration on entering from 2.5 seconds to 1 second when specialized in Earth Attunement in PvP only.

Mesmer

Troubadour

•  Lively Lute: Reduced the damage coefficient per hit from 0.4 to 0.35 in PvP only.
•  Flustering Flute: Reduced the damage coefficient per hit from 1.0 to 0.6 in PvP only.
•  Syncopate: Reduced the damage coefficient from 0.75 to 0.45 in PvP only.
•  Fortissimo: Reduced the attribute increase per instrument from 4% to 2.5% in PvP only.

Thief

Antiquary

•  Chak Shield: Reduced the base barrier per pulse from 394 to 196 in PvP only.
•  Exalted Hammer: Reduced the base healing from 1,300 to 660 and reduced the protection duration from 3 seconds to 2 seconds in PvP only.
•  Holo-Dancer Decoy: Reduced the taunt duration from 3 seconds to 1 second in PvP only.
•  Skritt Scuffle: Increased the cooldown from 50 seconds to 75 seconds in PvP only.
•  Magpie's Defense: Reduced the base barrier from 2,600 to 1,640 in PvP only.
•  Enterprising Aristocrat: Reduced the base barrier from 783 to 207 and the barrier base multiplier from 0.1 to 0.05 in PvP only.

Necromancer

•  Lesser Signet of the Locust: This skill now has a 15-second cooldown.

Guild Wars 2 Wiki Notes

• Build: 194,363

Update - January 21, 2026

Bug Fixes

• Fixed a server crash.
• Fixed an issue that prevented the Kurzick Weapon Chests from being opened.

Guild Wars 2 Wiki Notes

• Build: 194,290

Late Notes - January 13, 2026

World Polish

• Fixed an issue that allowed hostile creatures to pull players away from the magic mirror targeting minigame in Twisting Hollows.
• Fixed an issue in the Skimmer-Net Scramble adventure that prevented nets from being destroyed when targeted with the skimmer's Water Jets skill.
• Fixed an issue that prevented the Not Even a Scratch achievement from being completed if it had already failed once.
• Fixed an issue that prevented several freebooter recruiters from being interacted with again after they were defeated.
• Fixed an issue that prevented the Skimmer-Net Scramble adventure from granting the correct temporary Mastery access if the nearby event "Recover valuables stolen by the freebooters!" was active at the same time.

Profession Skills

Mesmer

•  Deafening Drum: Fixed an issue that caused this skill to go on full cooldown when interrupted.

Update - January 13, 2026

Note to users of third-party programs: The game may not launch or work properly after we release a new build if you use a third-party program, due to possible incompatibilities. ArenaNet cannot offer support if a third-party modification breaks, interferes with, or prevents you from playing Guild Wars or Guild Wars 2. Our policy regarding third-party programs can be found here.

Open World

General

• Added a UI option to hide the nameplates for other players' minions, pets, and similar summons.
• The Not Even a Scratch achievement has been reworked. Players must now prevent at least one event NPC from taking damage rather than preventing all NPCs from taking damage.
• Fixed an issue that allowed non-event enemies to be lured into the "Keep the Hullgardeners comfortable while they work on their tans" event area, preventing players from obtaining the Not Even a Scratch achievement.

Items

• Several reward boxes obtained from the WvW and PvP reward tracks now use the new vendor UI, allowing several of these boxes to be opened at once.

Fractals

• Increased the total fractalline dust rewards from the Weekly Fractal Quickplay achievement and split its rewards to give a partial reward upon each fractal completion.

Profession Skills

Below are additions and changes to the balance preview notes we previously shared. The changes below supersede the preview notes. You can see the original balance notes here. ↓

General

•  Technobabble: Reduced the daze duration from 3 seconds to 1 second.

Engineer

•  Glass Cannon: Reduced the damage increase from 10% to 5% in WvW only.
•  High Caliber: Reduced the critical-strike-chance increase from 15% to 10% in WvW only.
•  Hematic Focus: Reduced the critical-strike-chance increase from 10% to 5% in WvW only.
•  Conduit Surge: Reduced the burning stacks from 2 to 1 in PvP only.
•  Devastator: Increased the cooldown from 20 seconds to 25 seconds and reduced the burning stacks from 3 to 2 in PvP only.

Scrapper

•  Object in Motion: Reduced the damage increase per effect from 5% to 3% in WvW only.
•  Applied Force: Reduced the additional power per might stack from 15 to 10 in WvW only.

Amalgam

•  Defensive Protocol: Protect: Increased the cooldown from 25 seconds to 30 seconds in PvP only.
•  Defensive Protocol: Cleanse: Increased the cooldown from 25 seconds to 30 seconds in PvP only.
•  Gaseous State: Increased the cooldown from 30 seconds to 40 seconds in PvP only.
•  Double Helix: This trait now increases the cooldown of Evolve in WvW and PvP.

Guardian

Luminary

•  Sovereign of Light: Reduced the power coefficient from 1.7 to 1.5 in PvE only. Reduced the base healing from 773 to 508 in PvP only. Reduced the base healing from 1,289 to 773 in WvW only. Reduced the healing coefficient from 0.7 to 0.5 in WvW only.
•  Empowered Armaments: Reduced the strike damage bonus from 15% to 10% in PvE only.
•  Luminary's Blessing: Reduced the damage reduction from 7% to 5% in WvW only. Reduced the base healing from 591 to 296 in WvW only. Reduced the healing coefficient from 0.15 to 0.1 in WvW only.
•  Radiant Armaments: Reduced the bonus outgoing healing from 15% to 10% in WvW only.
•  Illuminating Inspiration: Reduced the recharge amount from 3 seconds to 2 seconds in WvW only.
•  Valorous Stance: Increased the recharge time from 30 seconds to 40 seconds in WvW only.
•  Radiant Resolve: Reduced the base healing from 1,625 to 985 in PvP and WvW. Reduced the healing coefficient from 1.4 to 1.0 in WvW only.
•  Dazzling Hammer: Reduced the power coefficient from 0.75 to 0.3 in PvP only.
•  Luminous Staff: Increased the cooldown from 15 seconds to 20 seconds in PvP only.
•  Gleaming Blade: Increased the cooldown from 20 seconds to 25 seconds in PvP only.
•  Lucent Thrust: Reduced the strike power coefficient from 0.9 to 0.5 in PvP only.
•  Effulgent Stance: Reduced the base barrier from 2,980 to 2,053 in PvP only.
•  Stalwart Stance: Increased the cooldown from 30 seconds to 40 seconds in PvP only.

Mesmer

Chronomancer

•  Well of Calamity: Increased the pulse damage coefficient from 0.5 to 0.75 in WvW and PvP.

Troubadour

•  Call and Response: Fixed an issue that caused afterimages to deal more damage than intended.
•  Raconteur: Reduced the base healing from 980 to 660 and the healing power scaling from 0.6 to 0.4 in WvW and PvP.
•  Symphonic Resonance: Reduced the outgoing healing increase from 10% to 5% in WvW and PvP.
•  Life of the Party: Reduced the Crescendo quickness duration from 4 seconds to 2 seconds in WvW only.
•  Altered Chord: Reduced the harp base healing from 2,610 to 1,970 and the healing power scaling from 1.0 to 0.5 in WvW and PvP.
•  Tale of the Second Scion: Reduced the ally healing power scaling from 1.0 to 0.5 in WvW and PvP.
•  Harmonious Harp: Reduced the healing power scaling per pulse from 0.25 to 0.15 in WvW and PvP.

Ranger

•  Slash: Increased the damage coefficient from 0.45 to 0.5 in PvP and WvW.
•  Slice: Increased the damage coefficient from 0.6 to 0.66 in PvP and WvW.
•  Enduring Swing: Increased the damage coefficient from 0.866 to 0.95 in PvP and WvW.
•  Maul: Increased the damage coefficient from 1.36 to 1.5 in PvP and WvW.
•  Swoop: Increased the damage coefficient from 0.91 to 1.0 in PvP and WvW.

Revenant

•  Abyssal Chill: Reduced the torment duration from 6 seconds to 4 seconds in PvE only.

Conduit

•  Hex-Eater Vortex: Reduced the torment duration from 5 seconds to 3 seconds in PvE only.
•  Twin Moon Sweep: Reduced the bleeding and confusion durations from 8 seconds to 4 seconds in PvE only.
•  Release Potential: Mesmer: Reduced the torment stacks from 4 to 2.
•  Bolstered Bonds: Reduced the condition damage increase with Legendary Demon Stance from 150 to 75 in PvE only.
•  Mistfire: Reduced the burning stacks from 2 to 1 and the burning duration from 8 seconds to 6 seconds in PvE only.
•  Enhanced Embodiment: Increased the Cosmic Wisdom extension from 1 second to 5 seconds in PvE only.

Thief

Antiquary

•  Meticulous Custodian: This trait no longer grants increased stacks of beneficial artifact effects.
•  Enterprising Aristocrat: Reduced the initiative gain from 2 to 1 in WvW and PvP.
•  Possessive Hoarder: Increased the radius from 240 to 360.
•  Chak Shield: Reduced the initiative refund from 100% to 50% in WvW and PvP.
•  Holo-Dancer Decoy: Reduced the cooldown reduction from 50% to 33% in WvW and PvP.
•  Exalted Hammer: Reduced the base healing from 2,560 to 1,300 in WvW and PvP.
•  Forged Surfer Dash: Reduced the burning of additional bombs from 6 seconds to 3.5 seconds in PvE only. Reduced the burning of additional bombs when the Meticulous Custodian trait is equipped from 8 seconds to 4.5 seconds in PvE only. Reduced the power coefficient of additional bombs from 2.4 to 1.2 in PvE only. Reduced the power coefficient of additional bombs when the Meticulous Custodian trait is equipped from 2.8 to 1.4 in PvE only.
•  Mistburn Mortar: Reduced the burning inflicted by additional strikes from 3 seconds to 2.5 seconds in PvE only.

Warrior

Paragon

• Fixed an issue that caused the active chant skill icon to shrink if recast.

Guild Wars 2 Wiki Notes

• Build: 193,778
• Fractalline Dust (5) was added as a reward to Daily Fractal Rush.
•  Grenade Kit: Grenades now respect the auto attack setting.
•  Elite Mortar Kit: Mortar rounds now respect the auto attack setting.
•  Modified Ammunition: Reduced the damage increase from 2% to 1% in PvE and from 1.5% to 1% in WvW.
•  Signet of Humility: Reduced the defiance damage from 600 to 350 in PvP and WvW.
•  Spectral Grasp: Added skill facts for pull and defiance break.
•  Possessive Hoarder: This trait now works outside of combat.
•  Unstable Skritt Bomb: Removed erroneous self-launch skill fact and replaced the launch skill fact with one for knockback.
• Archive video of the balance preview stream
• The wiki version of the balance patch preview notes can be found below.

January 13 Balance Update Preview

Hi, everyone, Welcome to the preview for the January 13 balance update! 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, The Skills and Balance Team

General

• Minimum defiance damage has been reduced from 100 to 25.

Elementalist

Weaver's land spear dual attacks are receiving some major updates. Each of them will now augment the weaver's next outgoing strike to deal additional damage in an area around the enemy while also inflicting additional conditions or granting benefits to the user. Catalyst's Staunch Auras trait has also been reworked to lean in more into the specialization's combo theme, creating a powerful personal effect when you finish a combo.

•  Ether Renewal: This skill now also recovers some endurance each pulse.
•  Inscription: This trait no longer grants resistance when using a glyph and instead grants resistance when attuning to air. The resistance duration is decreased when the Fresh Air trait is also equipped.
•  Bountiful Power: This trait has been reworked. Gain charges when switching attunements. At 5 charges, gain quickness and increased strike damage for a duration.

Weaver

•  Frostfire Ward: This skill now also causes your next strike to deal additional damage to enemies around your target and remove conditions from you.
•  Galvanize: This skill now also causes your next strike to deal additional damage to enemies around your target.
•  Fiery Impact: This skill now also causes your next strike to deal additional damage to enemies around your target and inflict burning and bleeding on those enemies.
•  Elutriate: This skill now also causes your next strike to deal additional damage to enemies around your target and inflict chill and vulnerability on those enemies.
•  Soothing Burst: This skill now also causes your next strike to deal additional damage to enemies around your target and heal you.
•  Shale Storm: This skill now also causes your next strike to deal additional damage to enemies around your target and inflicts blind and cripple on those enemies.
•  Pyro Vortex: Increased the burning on the initial strike from 1 stack for 2 seconds to 2 stacks for 6 seconds in PvP and WvW. Reduced the burning from the pulsing strikes from 2 seconds to 1 second in PvP and WvW.
•  Shearing Edge: Increased the number of bleeding stacks from 3 to 4 in PvP and WvW.
•  Natural Frenzy: Reduced the cooldown from 15 seconds to 12 seconds in PvP and WvW.
•  Riptide: Reduced the cooldown from 18 seconds to 15 seconds in PvP and WvW.
•  Twist of Fate: Increased the superspeed duration from 1.5 seconds to 3 seconds.

Catalyst

•  Staunch Auras: This trait has been reworked and renamed to Elemental Synergy. Gain an additional bonus when finishing a combo, based on your current attunement. This bonus can trigger once per attunement per interval.
  •  Fire: Gain might.
  •  Water: Heal yourself.
  •  Air: Gain endurance.
  •  Earth: Gain stability.

Engineer

The engineer updates are focused on adjusting a number of underperforming traits. Firearms will see some major shifts with the introduction of two new damage-focused grandmaster traits, while alchemy will get some additional tools for supporting your allies.

•  Box of Nails: This skill is no longer an ammunition skill and now always inflicts immobilize on the first pulse.
•  Pry Bar: Increased the number of targets from 1 to 3.
•  Net Shot: Increased the missile velocity.
•  Overcharged Shot: Increased the missile velocity.
•  Backpack Regenerator: This trait has been reworked and renamed to Blast Zone. Create a blast finisher when you use your healing tool belt skill.
•  HGH: This trait now also grants fury in PvE only.
•  Chain Reactivity: The larger barrier generated by the third successful trigger will now also be applied to allies at a reduced amount.
•  Optimized Activation: Increased the vigor duration from 2 seconds to 4 seconds in PvE only.
•  Kinetic Battery: This trait now also grants increased strike damage when it triggers.
•  Adrenal Implant: This trait now also reduces the recharge of your tool belt skills when you dodge. Reduced the endurance regen rate from 50% to 25%.
•  Serrated Steel: This trait also causes critical strikes to inflict bleeding and has moved to the adept minor slot.
•  Modified Ammunition: This trait has moved to the grandmaster minor slot.
•  Sharpshooter: This trait has been reworked and moved to the slot previously occupied by Modified Ammunition. Bleeding scales with power instead of condition damage, but at a reduced rate.
•  Equal and Opposite Reaction: This trait has been moved to the alchemy specialization, replacing Purity of Purpose.
•  Heavy Metal: This trait fills the slot previously occupied by Equal and Opposite Reaction. Your critical strike chance and critical damage is increased against enemies below the health threshold. This begins against enemies below 75% health and increases further against enemies below 50% and 25% health.

Guardian

This update is focused on the zeal specialization, moving the Symbolic Avenger trait to the minor slot to make room for a new grandmaster damage trait. We've also updated Zealot's Resolution with a more reliable trigger and introduced a new defensive option in the master tier. Virtue of Courage and Shield of Courage will both always break stun for the guardian to reduce their reliance on the Virtues specialization for their survivability.

•  Virtue of Courage: This skill now breaks stun.
•  Zealot's Resolution: This trait now triggers when striking an enemy that is under the health threshold instead of when you are struck below the health threshold.
•  Symbolic Avenger: This trait has moved to the grandmaster minor slot, replacing Symbolic Power.
•  Furious Focus: This trait has moved to the grandmaster tier slot previously occupied by Symbolic Avenger and has been reworked. It now increases the player's strike damage and movement speed while under the effects of fury and creates a Lesser Symbol of Blades when activating the first Virtue skill.
•  Renewing Splendor: This trait fills the master tier slot previously occupied by Furious Focus. Heal yourself when you create a light field or finish a combo in a light field.

Dragonhunter

•  Shield of Courage: This skill now breaks stun.
•  Symbol of Energy: The projectile fired by this skill is now unblockable.

Mesmer

Mesmer's changes for this update are focused on readjusting where chronomancer's power lies. Improved Alacrity is an iconic chronomancer trait that houses a significant part of both the power fantasy and strength of that elite specialization. Improved Alacrity's functionality is being rolled into a minor trait so that chronomancer has a larger trait variety while keeping the feel of its gameplay. To adjust for this power increase, we're also lowering their crowd-control potential and adjusting other traits.

•  Signet of Humility: Reduced the cooldown from 60 seconds to 45 seconds and reduced the defiance damage from 600 to 350 in PvE only.
•  Phantasmal Sharpshooter: Reduced the ammo count from 2 to 1 in PvE only.
•  Mental Collapse: Reduced the stun duration from 3 seconds to 2 seconds in PvE only.
•  Illusionary Inspiration: Reduced the outgoing healing modifier from 15% to 5% in PvE and WvW and from 10% to 5% in PvP.

Chronomancer

•  Well of Precognition: Increased the cooldown from 30 seconds to 60 seconds in PvE only.
•  Well of Senility: Reduced the daze duration from 3 seconds to 2 seconds in PvE only.
•  Gravity Well: Reduced the knockdown duration from 3 seconds to 2 seconds.
•  Danger Time: This trait no longer increases critical strike damage against enemies afflicted with slow and instead grants a critical strike damage bonus when you inflict slow on an enemy.
•  Improved Alacrity: This trait has been removed and replaced by Time Bomb. Enemies struck by Time Sink are affixed with a time bomb. Time bombs increase your strike damage dealt to the target and explode when they expire.
•  Time Marches On: This trait no longer reduces the duration of incoming movement-impairing conditions and now increases the effectiveness of alacrity on you.

Necromancer

For this update, necromancer's changes are focused on the spite specialization and greatsword weapon. We're shuffling some traits in spite, and new effects aim to provide different ways to play with the specialization. Greatsword changes will increase personal survivability in order to incentivize more greatsword use by damage builds and less by supports in WvW.

•  Spiteful Renewal: This trait has been moved to the blood magic specialization and renamed Blood Renewal, replacing Blood Bond.
•  Malicious Swarm: This trait fills the adept tier slot previously occupied by Spiteful Renewal. Cast Lesser Signet of the Locust when you use your healing skill.
•  Awaken the Pain: This trait has been moved to the master minor slot, replacing Death's Embrace, and it no longer causes might to grant less condition damage.
•  Spiteful Fortitude: This trait fills the master tier slot previously occupied by Awaken the Pain. Gain vitality based on your power. Gain life force when you strike an enemy below 50% health.
•  Dread: This trait now grants a short bonus to outgoing strike damage when inflicting fear on an enemy and no longer reduces the recharge of the third death shroud skill when killing an enemy.
•  Death Spiral: This skill no longer grants life force and instead steals life from enemies that it strikes. Reduced the power coefficient from 1.8 to 1.6 in PvP and WvW. Reduced the aftercast by 0.2 seconds.
•  Nightfall: This skill will now only convert boons to conditions and blind enemies on the initial strike. Reduced the pulse interval from 2 to 1. This skill now also grants protection to the necromancer and grants life force to the necromancer every interval if they are inside the area.
•  Grasping Darkness: This skill now also grants quickness to the necromancer if it strikes an enemy.

Ranger

Beastmastery has historically been a specialization balanced around the soulbeast elite specialization. Our goal for changes to ranger in this update is to improve both its gameplay fantasy and viability for non-soulbeast rangers. Additionally, many of the bonuses to greatsword from the Two-Handed Training trait are being rolled in to the weapon to make it more useable in builds without beastmastery.

•  Slash: Increased the power coefficient from 0.8 to 0.88 in PvE only.
•  Slice: Increased the power coefficient from 1.0 to 1.1 in PvE only.
•  Enduring Swing: Increased the power coefficient from 1.6 to 1.76 in PvE only.
•  Maul: Reduced the cooldown from 8 seconds to 6 seconds in PvP only. Increased the power coefficient from 2.0 to 2.2 in PvE only.
•  Swoop: Reduced the cooldown from 12 seconds to 10 seconds in PvE and from 18 seconds to 15 seconds in PvP. Increased the power coefficient from 2.18 to 2.4 in PvE only.
•  Counterattack: Reduced the cooldown from 15 seconds to 12 seconds in PvE and from 30 seconds to 25 seconds in PvP.
•  Counterattack Kick: Increased the power coefficient from 2.25 to 2.5 in PvE only.
•  Hilt Bash: Reduced the cooldown from 25 seconds to 20 seconds in PvE and PvP. increased the damage multiplier from 2.25 to 2.5 in PvE only.
•  Pack Alpha: Increased the attribute increase from 150 to 300 in PvE only. This increase does not apply to merged soulbeasts.
•  Loud Whistle: Increased the strike damage bonus from 10% to 15% in PvE only. This increase does not apply to merged soulbeasts.
•  Two-Handed Training: This trait has been reworked and renamed Bestial Rage. Gain might and fury when you disable a foe.
•  Natural Healing: This trait has been moved to the adept tier, replacing Potent Ally.
•  Honed Axes: This trait has been moved to the master tier, replacing Natural Healing. This trait no longer grants extra base ferocity to merged soulbeasts.
•  Resounding Timbre: This trait has been reworked. It now causes you to copy boons from yourself to your pet when you use a command skill. If you are a merged soulbeast, extend the duration of boons on yourself instead.
•  Go for the Throat: This is a new grandmaster trait, replacing Honed Axes. When you strike an enemy with a Beast skill, cast Lesser "Sic 'Em!" on them.
• Reduced the cooldown of pet swapping with a defeated pet from 60 seconds to 35 seconds in PvE and PvP.

Untamed

•  Savage Slash: Increased the power coefficient from 3.0 to 3.3 in PvE and from 1.1 to 1.21 in WvW and PvP.

Revenant

Conduits have gained improved access to team support capabilities with several reworked traits. Found Purpose grants boons to allies whenever Numinous Gift is triggered, and Shared Wisdom grants boons to allies when Legendary Entity Skills are used. In addition, trident skills now gain new bonuses while Legendary Entity Stance is the active legend.

•  Mistsfire: This skill now inflicts slow on enemies struck while Legendary Entity Stance is equipped.
•  Portal Fire: This skill now inflicts slow on enemies struck while Legendary Entity Stance is equipped.
•  Rift of Pain: This skill now creates an ethereal combo field if Legendary Entity Stance is equipped.
•  Reckoning Blast: This skill now inflicts slow on enemies struck while Legendary Entity Stance is equipped.
•  Torrential Mists: This skill now inflicts slow on enemies struck while Legendary Entity Stance is equipped.

Conduit

• Release Potential: All Release Potential skills now use the same weapon-type scaling when calculating damage, regardless of the weapon type equipped.
•  Boundless Knowledge: This trait has been reworked and renamed to Shared Wisdom. This trait now grants boons to allies around you whenever you use a Legendary Entity Skill, depending on which skill was used.
•  Perpetual Wisdom: This trait has been renamed to Found Purpose. This trait no longer causes Cosmic Wisdom to be active indefinitely or reduce passive energy regeneration; instead, in addition to its previous effect of triggering Numinous Gift when you swap legends, it also grants boons to allies around you whenever you trigger its effects.
•  Twin Moon Sweep: While Legendary Centaur Stance is equipped, this skill now removes conditions from allies around you and a fragment, instead of just yourself. The number of conditions removed no longer increases based on enemies struck.
•  Numinous Gift: The boon granted by Legendary Assassin Stance has been changed from quickness to fury in all modes. The boon granted by equipping Legendary Entity Stance has been changed from fury to quickness in in all modes.
•  Beguiling Haze: Increased the radius from 120 to 180.

Thief

We've gotten feedback that certain defensive artifacts did not work well as actual defensive tools. As a result, we've retooled several of these artifacts to have improved defense and support capabilities and increased their radius to improve their ability to affect several allies or enemies at once. The Enterprising Aristocrat minor trait has also received a small tweak to improve personal survivability by reducing incoming strike and condition damage while the antiquary has barrier.

Antiquary

• Artifacts: All artifacts now use the same weapon-type scaling when calculating damage, regardless of the weapon type equipped.
•  Metal Legion Guitar: Increased the radius from 180 to 240.
•  Exalted Hammer: Increased the radius from 180 to 240. This skill now additionally grants protection to nearby allies.
•  Chak Shield: Increased the radius from 180 to 240. This skill now additionally grants barrier to nearby allies each pulse.
•  Holo-Dancer Decoy: This skill now additionally pulses might to nearby allies and grants additional might and fury to allies when it self-destructs.
•  Zephyrite Sun Crystal: Increased the radius from 180 to 240. This skill no longer breaks stun. This skill now blinds opponents that are struck and removes conditions from nearby allies. The passive ability of this skill has been changed to, "When you use a weapon skill that costs initiative, remove conditions from yourself."
•  Enterprising Aristocrat: This trait additionally grants you barrier after using an artifact skill, and you take reduced strike and condition damage while you have barrier with this trait equipped.
•  Possessive Hoarder: Barrier granted by this trait has been changed to grant the barrier from Magpie's Defense and Enterprising Aristocrat to nearby allies instead.

Warrior

Fast Hands has historically been a trait at the core of many warrior builds. Warrior was overly reliant on taking the Discipline specialization to gain access to this, stifling other options. Warriors will now have a reduced weapon swap cooldown as a profession feature—no longer gated behind a trait. Staff has also been a go-to weapon for all warriors in competitive modes, despite being intended as a support weapon. Featuring multiple movement skills, healing, and a block, this weapon provided too much self-defense. The blocking skill, Bullet Catcher, is being removed while we increase defensive options for warriors outside of staff.

• Warriors will now always have a five-second weapon swap cooldown.
•  Bladetrail: This skill now immobilizes enemies instead of crippling them. Reduced the casting time from 0.72 seconds to 0.6 seconds. Reduced the aftercast from 0.28 seconds to 0.15 seconds. The projectile fired by this skill now travels faster.
•  Line Breaker: This skill no longer applies aegis in PvP and WvW.
•  Bullet Catcher: This skill has been removed and replaced by Defiant Roar.
•  Balanced Stance: Reduced the recharge time from 50 seconds to 40 seconds in PvP and WvW.
•  Fast Hands: This trait now grants swiftness when swapping weapons in combat instead of reducing the weapon-swap cooldown.

Berserker

•  Savage Instinct: Increased the duration from 1 second to 1.25 seconds in PvP only.
•  Dead or Alive: Increased the base healing from 1,200 to 1,680.
•  Eternal Champion: Increased the stability duration from 2 seconds to 3 seconds in PvP only.

Spellbreaker

•  Featherfoot Grace: This skill now also grants protection.
•  Slow Counter: This trait has been reworked and renamed Resilient Counter. Full Counter grants resistance.
•  Revenge Counter: This trait has been reworked and renamed Resolute Counter. Full Counter heals and removes conditions from you.