Vapor Form

[Gorani]

"Vapor Form" revisited 31st of October 2012. About two weeks ago Vapor form was changed and some of its really bad parts have been altered Lets take a new look at the skill:

Vapor Form

Current GW2wiki description (31st October, 2012) : Assume a mobile, vaporous form, returning to a downed state when the effect ends. Duration: 5 s

Slot	Type	Icon	Skill		Traits affecting the skill
Downed	Form		Vapor Form	20	Icy Mist - Deal damage and inflict Chill and Vulnerability to nearby foes while in Mist or Vapor Form.

Change-log (since March 2012)

• Started out with a 45 second recharge.
• Did not mention the "return to downed state" in older descriptions.
• The description does not explicitly mention the immunity to direct damage.
• Moved from Slot #3 to #2 and is available instantly after being downed.

Skill assessment

• After the update to Vapor Form the skill switched places with Grasping Earth and is now at the #2 spot on the downed skill bar.
• When you go into the downed state, this skill is now instantly available.
• The very short duration of 5 seconds and the slow speed of your movement does not allow you to get anywhere, when facing a AI melee foe or a player that is aware of your downed state. But, you can doge in Vapor Form, to get some distance between you and the foe. In PvE this is advisable pretty much from the second you got downed, especially, when you have a summon still up or friends around.
• Against ranged foes, there is almost no way to escape, as they can usually keep up with the dodge.
• PvP usage requires some timing, but gives you a fighting chance now. It can be good move not to use it right away (using the damage skill first). As soon as the (melee) opponent uses his finisher stomp, hit Vapor Form and dash away. As the stomp roots your foe, you can get away when you are able to dodge twice. Depending on how long it took the enemy to come close, you can trigger Grasping Earth now for Bleed & Immobilize. It is hard to escape more than one enemy this way.
• "Investing trait points into the "Icy Mist" trait just for "Vapor Form" sounds like a bad idea, because it works just on two skills ("Vapor- & Mist Form") and the chance to actually activate the skills to get the benefit of Chill & Vulnerability is so small. Other traits are far better to spend points on." - This assessment still is valid after the update.
• Improvement could still be made, e.g. by getting rid of the downed penalty to health points you get when entering the skill twice. You can still kill yourself by using this skill three times in a row. No other profession has that "feature".

Spoiler

Archive

Skill assessment before October 22nd

• It is the slot #3 skill in downed form, which usually means it is some "get away skill" for the profession, while #1 & #2 are damage and condition skills.
• When you go into the downed state, this skill does not become available right away, but enters a recharge cycle, which reduces your chance to activate it, before you get defeated a lot.
• In PvP, the chance to keep "downed alive" for such a long time is slim to none.
• The very short duration of 5 seconds and the slow speed of your movement does not allow you to get anywhere, when facing a melee foe. It just follows you and kills you off after the immunity has run off after 5 seconds. Unlike the "stealth" mode the Thief gets, the AI is aware that you are just buying some time and will follow you instead of breaking off.
• Investing trait points into the "Icy Mist" trait just for "Vapor Form" sounds like a bad idea, because it works just on two skills ("Vapor- & Mist Form") and the chance to actually activate the skills to get the benefit of Chill & Vulnerability is so small. Other traits are far better to spend points on.
• Compared to other professions, the #3 skill is underpowered (compared to those that are overpowered, e.g. Thief or Mesmer).
• "Vapor Form" is a great candidate for improvement before GW2 gets released in August, if the OP downed skills like e.g. "Smoke Bomb" are not brought down to a moderate level (which should be the preferred option).
• Improvement could be the removal of the initial recharge cycle, a general reduction of the recharge timer to perhaps 15 or 12 seconds or a swiftness boon when entering the vaporous form, so you get at least a chance to get out of damage range of melee foes in PvE (or in PvP where your foes must at least follow you).

[Redean]

I didn't think that Vapor Form was that bad. It allowed me to escape some deaths in PvE at least. In PvP I do agree that it is pretty useless though as you just get killed as soon as it wears off. It would be a lot better like you say if it was faster and had no initial cooldown.

On a side note saying Icy Mist is a bad trait because it will hardly ever get used isn't entirely true if you bring the trait (forget the name) that procs mist form when you get low on health. That way you can keep inflicting chill and vulnerability when things get hairy, assuming you bring a close range build. If the mist form that gets procced also counts as casting a cantrip you could possibly make it even better with a few cantrip traits as well. Although this is entirely theory based, the actual effectiveness of this would have to be seen. I'll be sure to give it a go come BWE #3

[Gorani]

On a side note saying Icy Mist is a bad trait because it will hardly ever get used isn't entirely true if you bring the trait (forget the name) that procs mist form when you get low on health. That way you can keep inflicting chill and vulnerability when things get hairy, assuming you bring a close range build. If the mist form that gets procced also counts as casting a cantrip you could possibly make it even better with a few cantrip traits as well. Although this is entirely theory based, the actual effectiveness of this would have to be seen. I'll be sure to give it a go come BWE #3

Objection noted, but I am not sure that there is a trait that grants you Mist Form when low on health. There is "Final Shielding", which creates a "Arcane Shield" at 25% health, and "Earth's Embrace", which grants "Armor of Earth".
Could you name that trait please? Did I miss a change?

[Redean]

Hmm I actually can't find it. Maybe my mind was playing tricks on me?

Any how about this for making Icy Mist worthwhile:
Bring Icy Mist, either Cantrip Mastery or Soothing Wave and Soothing Disruption.
You utilities would be Mist Form, Any other Cantrip (perhaps Lightning Flash for a quick getaway or Cleansing Flame for some damage and condition removal) and Signet of Water if you have Soothing Wave, otherwise any other utility of your choice.

So now those 30 points into water have made it a lot easier to escape fights since Mist form chills and grants regneration and vigor. You also have a 'backup cantrip' to fall back on should you find yourself in need when Mist Form is on CD. Lastly the chill on Vapor form may give you that extra distance to escape attackers.

[Skyy High]

I remember that trait as well Redean, but maybe it was removed?

[Tsukasa Kusanagi]

Downed State Updates

• Discharge Lightning: small buff, that gives us a better chance of killing an opponent
• Grasping Earth: next buff! adding the bleed makes it useful on foes at range too (as melee foes are close enough to just wack you anyway)
• Vapor Form: Very good. Now we actually have a chance to escape! Get downed, Vapor Form move away from foe using dodge. Keep then at bay with Grasping Earth if you timed that one right. We have to check if the "self downing" is still in place, which prevented the use of Vapor Form more than twice.

This is a mixed bag. Everyone loves bleeds, but the easy interrupt is annoying.

[Gorani]

This is a mixed bag. Everyone loves bleeds, but the easy interrupt is annoying.

Well, they have not removed the Immobilized, haven't they? I did not pay attention when I was downed in WvW today. Vapor Form now being accessible at the moment of the down has made a big difference already. We still have no way to interrupt at stomp, but we can dash away pretty fast now.

[Tsukasa Kusanagi]

Well, they have not removed the Immobilized, haven't they? I did not pay attention when I was downed in WvW today. Vapor Form now being accessible at the moment of the down has made a big difference already. We still have no way to interrupt at stomp, but we can dash away pretty fast now.

That's actually a really valid point. I just got evanescent and fled today, and since the baddie had bleeding I rallied before I landed. Assuming you're right, this is great for melee, anyway.

[Gorani]

Overhauled the skill assessment. Discuss the new version now.

Gorani

[Redean]

Having Vapor Form instantly available is much better. Basically it allows me to drag out downed fights a lot longer and buy myself more time or even find a safe spot to heal up if I am so lucky. Grasping Earth is still not quite up to par, if can either gain an area effect or stun then I really think our downed skills will come on par with other professions.

As it stands the update to Vapor Form and Grasping Earth has made our downed state better than it was although I feel we still aren't quite on par with other professions.