Weapon Throw (PvP skill) becomes useless with early experience

[Vektrat]

This is the PvP skill supposed to counter the sprint-fest for heavy DPS classes who are bound to get kited (DRG and MNK).

Weapon Throw
Delivers a ranged attack with a potency of 50.
Additional Effect: 20% chance of inflicting Heavy when dealt from behind for 6s.
Additional Effect: Removes Sprint effect when dealt from behind.

Enhanced Weapon Throw: Shortens recast time to 60 seconds.
Enhanced Weapon Throw II: Extends duration to 12 seconds.
Enhanced Weapon Throw III: Increases effect potency to 40%.

This is probably the most sought PvP skill for us altogether with most (if not all) of the enhancements.

Yet this skill becomes useless with little PvP experience, because the running target can run sideways (strafing) making it impossible for the following melee to gain angle and get a "behind" position, whilst the runner doesn't receive any running penalty, rendering this skill a bare ranged hit of potency 50.

Even if the runner makes mistakes or has some instants where he seems to be facing the opposite way from you, thanks to the delay it still becomes a pain to get a "from behind" hit to experienced players.

I think at least one of the two "behind" additional effects (remove sprint?) should be non-positional for the skill to be decent.

I also believe the skill description is wrong and should be "inflicts Heavy with a potency of 20%"?

[Someonewithclap]

As a SCH, this skill should probably just innately induce heavy and remove sprint without the positional requirements and 20% chance.

[QCrimson]

You can always use it with impulse rush.

[Vektrat]

You can always use it with impulse rush.

If you are a DRG, not a MNK, and still makes Weapon Throw useless on itself, requiring to pop two insanely long CD PvP skills to get the benefit that should come from just one. (I don't even know if this works on PvP skills, but I suppose coming from a DRG it does).

[schnipsel]

useless skill every,

100% waisted 3 kp it work 2/10 times cuz everybody walk with sidestep to see what is behind him.

[Subucnimorning]

At first glance I thought this ability should not have the positional requirement at all, its just too luck based with too long of a cd to have that kind of requirement.

[Soulfire]

I use a controller and can't even run sideways. (Unless first-person view does it and I just can't see it, but it's first-person.) So when I was looking through the patch notes I saw that being a poorly made skill from the get-go, knowing keyboard users have the ability to strafe. It should still have a positional requirement, but on account of its purpose being to be used on a moving target and the manner in which players can move, especially players using a specific control scheme, it should work from both the flank and rear.

[YuriRamona]

This is probably the most sought PvP skill for us altogether with most (if not all) of the enhancements.

Yet this skill becomes useless with little PvP experience, because the running target can run sideways (strafing) making it impossible for the following melee to gain angle and get a "behind" position, whilst the runner doesn't receive any running penalty, rendering this skill a bare ranged hit of potency 50.

Even if the runner makes mistakes or has some instants where he seems to be facing the opposite way from you, thanks to the delay it still becomes a pain to get a "from behind" hit to experienced players.

I think you're really overestimating healer/caster ability/skill to strafe effectively. It takes a fairly high APM and a re-working of habits to switch from the PvE mentality of forward motion to being OK with sidestepping and kiting around obstacles. Even if they are experienced in doing so, they are taking a fairly huge hit to their field of vision and situational awareness because they are focusing on strafing effectively.

[Trezoa]

I didn't even realize this strafing thing. Please do something about Sprint and/or this ability.

[Warthain]

I think you're really overestimating healer/caster ability/skill to strafe effectively. It takes a fairly high APM and a re-working of habits to switch from the PvE mentality of forward motion to being OK with sidestepping and kiting around obstacles. Even if they are experienced in doing so, they are taking a fairly huge hit to their field of vision and situational awareness because they are focusing on strafing effectively.

do you actually think anyone will buy that? instead of pressing forward, you press forward+ another direction if this is something that requires huge ammount of skill to do, there must be something wrong with you really.