Game Update Notes 2026-02-05

Update, February 5, 2026

We have two updates today. One is a skill update and the other is that we are going to start rolling out the Steam-based in-game store.

The first is a special surprise. As some of you know, as a studio we've avoided skill balance updates because doing a good job takes a lot of time, concentration, and knowledge of the complete database of skills.

It turns out a former ArenaNet staff member, Isaiah Cartwright, still had all the knowledge in his head to make balance changes, and, on his own initiative, volunteered to do a balance pass for us! Our strategy was to data mine the least popular skills and improve many of them which increases the number of viable skill options. That way the main ‘meta’ of the game remains the same (well, mostly) and the net effect is that the game has more useful skills. Richard Foge partnered on this update to help roll it out. Here are the details:

Balance pass - February 2026

Warrior

• Rage of the Ntouka - Effect duration reduced to 8 seconds, reduced recharge on adrenal skills to 3 seconds.
• "I meant to do that" - Adrenaline gain upper end increased to 1..6.
• "You will die!" - Target health threshold increased to 90%.
• Headbutt - Reduced recharge to 15 seconds, daze changed to flat 5 seconds.
• Charging Strike - Increased upper bounds of next successful melee hit damage to 10..90.

Ranger

• Spirit changes
  • Winter - Cast time 3s, duration upper bounds increased to 30-240s, range increased to 3500.
  • Edge of Extinction - Cast time 3s, duration upper bounds increased to 30-240s, range increased to 3500.
  • Greater Conflagration - Cast time 3s, duration upper bounds increased to 30-240s, range increased to 3500.
  • Fertile Season - Cast time 3s, duration upper bounds increased to 15-90s, range increased to 3500.
  • Symbiosis - Cast time 3s, duration upper bounds increased to 30-240s, range increased to 3500.
  • Predatory Season - Cast time 3s, duration upper bounds increased to 30-240s, range increased to 3500.
  • Frozen Soil - Cast time 3s, duration upper bounds increased to 30-180s, range increased to 3500.
  • High Winds - Cast time 3s, duration upper bounds increased to 30-180s, range increased to 3500.
  • Muddy Terrain - Cast time 3s, duration upper bounds increased to 30-180s, range increased to 3500.
  • Lacerate - Cast time 3s, duration upper bounds increased to 30-240s.
  • Equinox - Cast time 3s, duration upper bounds increased to 30-240s.
  • Tranquility - Cast time 3s, duration upper bounds increased to 30-120, range increased to 3500.
  • Conflagration - Cast time 3s, duration upper bounds increased to 30-240s, range increased to 3500.
  • Famine - Cast time 3s, duration upper bounds increased to 30-180.
  • Brambles - Cast time 3s, duration upper bounds increased to 30-240s.
  • Toxicity - Cast time 3s, duration upper bounds increased to 30-180s, range increased to 3500.
  • Quicksand - Cast time 3s, duration upper bounds increased to 30-180s, range increased to 3500.
  • Roaring Winds - Cast time 3s, duration upper bounds increased to 30-180s
  • Infuriating Heat - Cast time 3s, duration upper bounds increased to 30-120s, range increased to 3500.
  • Pestilence - Cast time 3s, duration upper bounds increased to 30-180s, range increased to 3500.

• Famine - Increased damage for running out of energy to 20..70.
• Splinter Shot - Increased range of the block effect to "in the area".
• Practiced Stance - Increased upper bounds of Preparations duration increase to 30..300%
• Marksman's Wager - Reduced cast time to 1 second.
• Arcing Shot - Increased upper bounds of damage to 10..35, reduced recharge to 3 seconds.
• Marauder's Shot - Decreased energy cost to 5, increased damage to 25..55, non-attack skills disabled for 5 seconds.

Monk

(Monk elites are so good we need to buff other elites to see any play)

• Divert Hexes - Reduced energy cost to 5.
• Mark of Protection - Reduced cast time to 0.25 seconds, reduced recharge to 15 seconds.
• Pacifism - Reduced effect duration to 4..8 seconds, reduced recharge to 15 seconds.
• Amity - Reduced effect duration to 4..12 seconds, reduced recharge to 20 seconds.
• Word of Censure - Increased damage to 30..130, increased target health threshold to 50% for recharge penalty.
• Boon Signet - Increased "next healing or protection spell that targets an ally heals for additional health" to 20..100, reduced recharge to 6 seconds.
• Scourge Sacrifice - Reduced energy cost to 5.
• Smiter's Boon (PvP) - Reduced effect duration to 4 seconds.

Mesmer

• Feedback - Reduced cast time to 1 second.
• Ignorance - Reduced energy cost to 10.
• Fevered Dreams (both versions) - Reduced energy cost to 5, reduced cast time to 1 second.
• Hypochondria - Reduced cast time to 0.25 seconds.
• Hex Eater Vortex - Reduced energy cost to 5 energy, reduced cast time to 0.25 seconds, increased conditional AoE to "in the area"
• Persistence of Memory - Reduced energy cost to 5.
• Confusing Images - Reduced cast time to 1 second.
• Shared Burden (all versions) - Increased size of AoE to "in the area".
• Mantra of Signets - PvP now has the armor bonus that the PvE version has, making them the same.

Necro

• Order of Apostasy - Reduced max health loss to 10..3%.
• Jagged Bones - Reduced recharge to 10 seconds, increased effect duration to 60 seconds.
• Spinal Shivers - Reduced energy cost on trigger to 8..3.
• Jaundiced Gaze - Reduced energy cost to 5, increased upper bounds of effect duration to 1..20.
• Ulcerous Lungs - Reduced energy cost to 10, reduced cast time to 1 second.

Elementalist

• Slippery Ground (PvP version) - Reduced recharge to 15 seconds.
• Ward of Weakness - Reduced energy cost to 5.
• Magnetic Aura - Increased upper bounds of effect duration to 1..8 seconds.
• Ward against Elements - Reduced energy cost to 10.
• Teinai's Prison - Increased upper bounds of effect duration to 1..8 seconds.
• Ether Renewal (PvP) - Increased effect duration to 10 seconds.
• Energy Blast - Reduced energy cost to 5.
• Swirling Aura - Duration changed to 3..7 seconds.
• Mind Freeze (PvP) - Increased upper bounds of conditional damage to 10..60.

Assassin

• Shadow Meld - Reduced energy cost to 5.
• Signet of Twilight - Reduced cast time to 1 second.
• Shroud of Silence - Increased upper bounds of effect duration to 1..6 seconds.
• Expose Defenses - Reduced energy cost to 5.
• Siphon Strength - Crit chance increased to 50%.
• Sadist's Signet - Health gain upper bounds increased to 10..45.
• Signet of Shadows - Recharge reduced to 15 seconds.
• Dark Apostasy - Energy loss changed to 10..3.
• Mark of Death - Healing benefit reduction increased to 50%.
• Hidden Caltrops - Non-assassin skills disable effect reduced to 3 seconds.

Ritualist

• Feast of Souls - Reduced energy cost to 5.
• Weapon of Renewal - Increased effect duration to 5..20 seconds.
• Wielder's Zeal - Reduced energy cost to 5, increased upper bounds of effect duration to 10..40.
• Wailing Weapon - Increased upper bounds of effect duration to 3..14 seconds, reduced recharge to 15 seconds.
• Dulled Weapon - Increased upper bounds of effect duration to 5..20 seconds, increased damage reduction of affected to 3..20 less damage.
• Restoration (PvP) - Reduced cast time to 3 seconds.
• Pure Was Li Ming - Reduced energy cost to 5.
• Doom - Increased upper bounds of lightning damage to 10..60.
• Ghostly Haste - Increased upper bounds of effect duration to 5..30 seconds.
• Weapon of Quickening - Cast time reduced to 1 second.
• Consume Soul - Cast time reduced to 0.25 seconds, upper bounds of health steal increased to 5..70, range increased to 'earshot'.

Paragon

• Song of Power - Reduced energy cost to 15.
• Purifying Finale - Cast time reduced to 0.25 seconds, recharge reduced to 5 seconds.
• Energizing Chorus - Adrenaline cost reduced to 3.
• "Make Your Time!" - Recharge reduced to 10 seconds.
• Song of Purification - Adrenaline cost reduced to 3, upper bounds of "skills used remove 1 condition" increased to 1..6 skills.
• Hasty Refrain - Increased upper bounds of effect duration to 3..15 seconds.
• Anthem of Guidance - Adrenaline cost reduced to 2.
• Inspirational Speech - Upper bounds of ally adrenaline gain increased to 1..8.
• Angelic Protection - Lower bounds of incoming damage per second threshold decreased to 250..80.
• Leader's Zeal - Upper bounds of energy gain increased to 2..4.
• Energizing Finale - Upper bounds of energy gain increased to 1..2.

Dervish

• Winds of Disenchantment - Reduced energy cost to 5.
• Arcane Zeal - Increased energy gain to 2, max energy gain floor increased to 2..7.
• Natural Healing - Reduced cast time to 1 second.
• Mystic Corruption - Reduced energy cost to 5, increased upper bounds of effect duration to 1..10 seconds.
• Ebon Dust Aura - Increased upper bounds of earth damage to 3..30.
• Featherfoot Grace - Condition expiration speed increased to 50%.
• Pious Restoration - Upper bounds of hexes lost increased to 1..3.
• Dwayna's Touch - Heal amount changed to 60 (flat), max changed to range 60..240.
• Test of Faith - Reduced adrenaline cost to 5, upper bounds of cold damage increased to 15..75.
• Signet of Pious Restraint (PvE version) - Recharge reduced to 10 seconds, conditional AoE increased to "in the area".
• Grenth's Grasp - Increased upper bounds of conditions transferred to 1..3.

60/60 Exploit

A bug in the PvP Equipment panel allowed for non-PvP items to be customized, and in some cases would apply item upgrades that were incompatible with the customized item. This resulted in items being created that couldn't be obtained through natural play (this includes what the community refers to as 60/60 items). This change fixes the bug, and a later update will remove invalid item upgrades from items previously created via the bug.

New Steam-based In-Game Store Rolling Out

We've built an in-game store that integrates with the Steam Wallet / Billing System. The code is shipping today but disabled. Over the next few days we'll be testing it on the live systems and then steadily increasing access to all Steam players. To use the new store, you need to log into the game via Steam (i.e., not with an email address). You'll know the store is enabled for you because a prompt will appear in the upper right corner of the character select screen. The new store is tightly integrated with Steam and does not support our first party site – players who login with an email address will still need to use the web store. During this testing phase you might see the store button but the store might be in 'maintenance mode'. You'll know right away if that's the case.