Game updates/20070809

Favor of the Gods Changes
To ensure that all territories share in the Favor of the Gods together, we have made several modifications to the Favor system.
 * The Favor of the Gods has been changed from a territory-based PvP reward system to a globally based PvE reward system.
 * Players can now earn world favor in one hour blocks. These blocks are earned when 20 individuals have achieved the maximum rank in several specific titles. Players who obtain maximum rank in these titles while the world holds favor will extend the one hour block by an additional 3 minutes.
 * The following maximum level title tracks count toward achieving Favor of the Gods: Survivor, Defender of Ascalon, Legendary Cartographer, Legendary Guardian, Legendary Skill Hunter, Legendary Vanquisher, Sunspear, Lightbringer, Kurzick, Luxon, Lucky, Unlucky, Gamer, Drunkard, Treasure Hunter, Wisdom, Sweet Tooth, Hero, Gladiator, Champion, and Commander.
 * Once an individual has achieved the maximum rank of one of the titles mentioned above, players in specific outposts (see below) will receive a message informing them how close the world is to receiving the gods' favor, which title was achieved, and the name of the player who achieved it. The outposts that will broadcast this message include: Temple of the Ages, Zin Ku Corridor, Chantry of Secrets, Lion's Arch, Kaineng Center, Kamadan, and the Great Temple of Balthazar.
 * When the world holds the Favor of the Gods, players can type /favor to display the length of time left before the Favor of the Gods expires. Typing this command when the world does not have the gods' favor displays how many more players must achieve the maximum rank in a title before the world once again earns favor.
 * The Hall of Heroes message no longer references the Favor of the Gods.

Skill Updates
We will be evaluating the following changes over the course of the next week. Additional adjustments may be made during that time period.

Assassin

 * Black Spider Strike: increased Energy cost to 10.
 * Dark Prison: decreased recharge time to 30 seconds.
 * Death's Charge: decreased recharge time to 30 seconds.
 * Expose Defenses: increased recharge time to 25 seconds.
 * Golden Phoenix Strike: decreased Energy cost to 5.
 * Shadow Prison: decreased duration to 1..10 seconds.

Dervish

 * Attacker's Insight: functionality changed to: "For 20 seconds, your next 1..3 attack Skills cost 5..20 less Energy."
 * Enchanted Haste: decreased recharge time to 15 seconds.
 * Featherfoot Grace: decreased recharge time to 15 seconds.
 * Grenth's Fingers: decreased recharge time to 10 seconds; increased Cripple duration to 5..15 seconds.
 * Meditation: decreased recharge time to 8 seconds.
 * Rending Touch: decreased recharge time to 5 seconds.

Elementalist

 * Arc Lightning: decreased recharge time to 6 seconds.
 * Blinding Surge: decreased Blindness duration to 2..8 seconds.
 * Blurred Vision: decreased Energy cost to 10; decreased casting time to 1 second; decreased recharge time to 12 seconds; decreased duration to 4..10 seconds.
 * Chilling Winds: decreased Energy cost to 5.
 * Glyph of Elemental Power: increased duration to 25 seconds; increased number of Spells affected to 10.
 * Glyph of Energy: decreased recharge time to 10 seconds.
 * Glyph of Renewal: decreased recharge time to 10 seconds.
 * Rodgort's Invocation: decreased casting time to 2 seconds; decreased recharge time to 5 seconds.

Mesmer

 * Arcane Echo: decreased recharge time to 20 seconds.
 * Cry of Frustration: decreased recharge time to 15 seconds.
 * Drain Enchantment: increased Energy cost to 15; increased casting time to 2 seconds; decreased recharge time to 20 seconds; increased Energy gain to 15..25.
 * Echo: decreased recharge time to 10 seconds.
 * Illusionary Weaponry: decreased recharge time to 25 seconds.
 * Panic: decreased duration to 5..20 seconds.
 * Spirit of Failure: increased Energy cost to 15.
 * Signet of Illusions: functionality changed to: "Your next 1..2 Spells use your Illusion attribute instead of its normal attribute."
 * Spirit Shackles: decreased duration to 5..20 seconds.

Monk

 * Aegis: decreased Energy cost to 10; decreased area-of-effect range to earshot.
 * Blessed Light: decreased recharge time to 3 seconds.
 * Guardian: increased duration to 2..7 seconds; increased block rate to 50%.
 * Judge's Intervention: decreased recharge time to 8 seconds.
 * Remove Hex: decreased casting time to 1 second; increased recharge time to 8 seconds.
 * Shield of Regeneration: increased recharge time to 8 seconds.

Necromancer

 * Faintheartedness: decreased duration to 3..24 seconds.
 * Meekness: decreased duration to 5..30 seconds; decreased recharge time to 15 seconds.
 * Plague Sending: functionality changed to: "Sacrifice 10% maximum Health. Transfer 1..3 negative Conditions and their remaining durations from yourself to target foe and all adjacent foes."
 * Plague Signet: decreased recharge to 4 seconds.
 * Plague Touch: functionality changed to: "Transfer 1..2 negative Conditions and their remaining durations from yourself to target touched foe." Plague Touch is now attributed to Curses.
 * Poisoned Heart: functionality changed to: "All adjacent foes are Poisoned for 5..15 seconds. For 10 seconds, you suffer -5..-2 Health degeneration."
 * Price of Failure: increased Energy cost to 15; decreased damage to 1..46.
 * Reckless Haste: decreased Energy cost to 10; decreased casting time to 1 second; decreased recharge time to 10 seconds; decreased duration to 4..10 seconds; increased miss chance to 50%.
 * Rip Enchantment: functionality changed to: "You lose 30..10% Health. Remove one Enchantment from target foe."
 * Shadow of Fear: decreased duration to 5..30 seconds.

Paragon

 * Awe: decreased recharge time to 10 seconds.
 * Signet of Aggression: increased the strikes of adrenaline you gain to 2; decreased recharge time to 5 seconds.

Ranger

 * Equinox: decreased casting time to 3 seconds; decreased recharge time to 15 seconds.
 * Escape: decreased recharge time to 12 seconds; decreased duration to 1..8 seconds; increased run speed to 33%.
 * Famine: decreased casting time to 3 seconds; decreased recharge time to 15 seconds.
 * Flame Trap: increased damage to 5..20.
 * Greater Conflagration: decreased recharge time to 15 seconds.
 * Infuriating Heat: decreased casting time to 3 seconds; decreased recharge time to 15 seconds.
 * Lacerate: decreased Energy cost to 10; decreased activation time to 3 seconds; decreased recharge time to 15 seconds.
 * Point Blank Shot/Zojun's Shot: decreased Energy cost to 5; increased damage to 10..40.
 * Punishing Shot: decreased recharge time to 5 seconds.
 * Run as One: decreased recharge time to 15 seconds.
 * Storm Chaser: decreased recharge time to 20 seconds.

Ritualist

 * Ancestors' Rage: This skill now causes Exhaustion.
 * Anguish: decreased Energy cost to 10; decreased recharge time to 20 seconds. This skill now causes Exhaustion.
 * Defiant Was Xinrae: decreased Energy cost to 5; decreased recharge time to 5 seconds; increased duration to 5..15 seconds. This skill now causes Exhaustion.
 * Disenchantment: decreased Energy cost to 10; decreased recharge time to 20 seconds. This skill now causes Exhaustion.
 * Dissonance: decreased Energy cost to 10; decreased recharge time to 20 seconds. This skill now causes Exhaustion.
 * Gaze of Fury: decreased recharge time to 20 seconds.
 * Recovery: Fixed a bug that caused the effect to stay even after the Spirit had died.
 * Sight Beyond Sight: decreased recharge time to 15 seconds.
 * Spirit Burn: decreased recharge time to 6 seconds; decreased damage to 5..50; decreased conditional damage to 10..40.
 * Spirit Rift: increased casting time to 2 seconds.
 * Splinter Weapon: decreased duration to 20 seconds.
 * Vital Weapon: decreased duration to 5..35 seconds.
 * Wanderlust: This skill now causes Exhaustion.
 * Wielder's Strike: This skill now causes Exhaustion.
 * Xinrae's Weapon: decreased Energy cost to 10; decreased recharge to 10 seconds. This skill now causes Exhaustion.

Warrior

 * Berserker Stance: decreased recharge time to 20 seconds.
 * Crude Swing: functionality changed to: "Attack all adjacent foes. Each foe you hit is struck for 1..20 damage. You have -40 armor while activating this Skill."
 * Flourish: decreased recharge time to 8 seconds; increased Energy gained per recharging attack Skill to 2..7.
 * "For Great Justice!": decreased Energy cost to 5; increased adrenaline gain to 100%.
 * Savage Slash: decreased Energy cost to 5.

Victory or Death Changes

 * Victory or Death now occurs at 18 minutes.
 * The Guild Lord now walks to the flag stand at 20 minutes.
 * The Guild Lord no longer deals 300% damage to non Guild Lord NPCs.
 * Guild Battle NPCs now deal 200% damage to Guild Lords.
 * Guild Battle NPCs now march out of the Guild Hall in three waves. The first wave arrives at the flag stand at 18:45, the second wave arrives at the flag stand at 19:00, and third wave (Bodyguards and Knights) arrive at the flag stand at 19:15.
 * Automated Tournaments have been updated to reflect the Victory or Death changes.

Miscellaneous

 * Made preparations for the Dragon Festival Redux weekend event.
 * Reset Territory Changes for all accounts.
 * The Kurzick Necromancers found in Fort Aspenwood now equip the skill "Rising Bile" instead of "Death Nova." This change was implemented to prevent an exploit that allowed Kurzick players to lure Necromancers away from the gates they guard.
 * Removed the “Add Key” button from the account edit UI. You must now add keys by using the “Create Account or Add Access Key” link on the login screen.
 * Updated the “Mission Pack Promotion” screen in the Guild Wars In-Game Store to contain more details about the promotion.