Guild Wars 2

I understood that GW2 isn’t WoW and there is no end game raiding or anything, but the universal goal of obtaining gear that looked great is the same, so I define end game as having a goal to work towards. And in this case, the lack of.

Look at the greatswords, now look at the staves, now look back at the greatswords. Sadly, your staff isn’t like my greatsword, but if you re-roll to a warrior or guardian, you could have a greatsword like mine. As an Elementalist, I am extremely displeased at my choices for a weapon that stands out. Every staff is a stick or metal pole with a single ornament that is barely visible or faintly glowing, and if it’s not then it’s a death or ghastly inspired Necro-themed scythe or skull. Large melee weapons will always look shinier, I’ve played casters in every MMO and I can tolerate that, but at least there is given in WoW for example to make caster maces and staffs look cool and appealing, to give an equal amount of effort to both. Look at how many Mystic Forge greatswords there are, versus staffs.

Google image search the word “WoW Staff” and you’ll see what I mean. Pick any one of them and they will blow the GW2 Staffs out of the water hands down. I understand the art style is fundamentally different, but you can be more flexible and creative, surely. Make the staves a little bulkier, add more particles, change the themes, there are a thousand and one creative options, you can design a greatsword for every element or attribute, why not do the same for a staff? At the end of the day, I think you should look at the creation and think- " Would I like to sit in Lion’s Arch with this equipped or not?" Most of the staffs in this game are skinny, thin, barely visible, and very ordinary, and in the end a huge turn off for investing time and effort.

I enjoyed the game up until the part where I started looking for an endgame weapon only to find nothing but the aforementioned lackluster gallery and envy towards guardians and warriors. I sincerely wish for this to receive attention in the near future.

/endrant

Unfortunately I have to agree with you in regards to the lack of conceptually appealing pieces for anything that is not a melee oriented weapon. One of my favorite weapons as a ranger is the Warhorn, yet Howler is a miserably disappointing legendary when all it does is a howling animation with skill use; throw in a moon during dark and night areas. When you look at the list of unique weapon skins you can create at the MF, you begin to realize how abysmal the non melee options truly are. You have swords on fire, with glowing runes that emit dusty light, IDS, a stygian blade even. What are the casters given? A bottle of (liquid) Courage. Sure that is humorous and everything, but unless Anet implements a possibly racially offensive Drunken Fist outfit to match it, I doubt many will be willing to invest time and effort into grabbing these items. In short, I am with you wholeheartedly that they need to step things up for the other weapons to become more aesthetically appealing.

some staves have nice skins,

http://www.gw2db.com/items/weapons/staffs

just have to find them

EDIT:
the best looking staff in game

http://www.gw2db.com/items/54402-gargoyle-scythe

@ Lalangamena.3694

I think you missed the OP’s point here, since it is clear that they have indeed looked into a variety of weapons, not simply melee weapons alone.

Highly.8347:

Every staff is a stick or metal pole with a single ornament that is barely visible or faintly glowing, and if it’s not then it’s a death or ghastly inspired Necro-themed scythe or skull.

The fact that you even suggested a “Gargoyle” themed staff means you did not bother to read the opening paragraph. If they were remotely interested in, or even impressed by skins such as Bifrost, then they would not even be here submitting such a post to begin with.

Lalangamena.3694:

some staves have nice skins,

http://www.gw2db.com/items/weapons/staffs

just have to find them

EDIT:
the best looking staff in game

http://www.gw2db.com/items/54402-gargoyle-scythe

I’ve spent the past 3 days looking at galleries and previewing them myself, and I can conclude they all indeed look terrible, and I’ve temporarily settled with the Ebonhawke Staff. Unfortunately, that is not a staff skin for a staff, but a scythe skin that goes on a staff. Many of us want a real staff skin, and not to rely on staves to look like something they’re not.

There are few “alright” staffs in game. I personally like (and have) Crossing (http://wiki.guildwars2.com/wiki/File:The_Crossing.jpg) . Somewhat decent with “PhysX effects” :-D

That’s the problem, we should not have to settle with mediocrity, of just being “alright”, when there are jaw dropping amazing greatsword varieties. And once again, the Crossing is a darker death themed weapon with a lantern and hand.

http://images.mmosite.com/photo/2009/02/27/wowa255AJ88J4D043.jpg
http://www.livetowin.zaidink.com/images/news/2008/february/grandmagisterstafftorrentv2.jpg

These staffs aren’t legendary or anything, but run of the mill stuff obtained from standard raids. I know people from GW2 hate being compared to WoW since the media hype was “WoW Killer” (which is completely untrue, they cater to two different crowds) but GW2 can learn from WoW’s design philosophy that kept people happy with aesthetics for years.

Staffs should be given the same attention to detail as the larger broader weapons by creating intricate designs on the handle and hilt, there should be ornaments and protrusions at the tip and end to give it shape, and a few levitating objects with mystical elements are acceptable given the nature of the weapon. I am by no means asking GW2 to adapt WoW’s cartoonish style artwork, merely highlight what makes them please the players and try to apply it to their own game. I understand that WoW churns out much more content at a faster pace and has more experience with creating good looking equipment given the amount they’ve had to produce, but it doesn’t mean ANet can’t mature from the things the industry has taught us as a whole.

Highly.8347:

Look at the greatswords, now look at the staves, now look back at the greatswords. Sadly, your staff isn’t like my greatsword, but if you re-roll to a warrior or guardian, you could have a greatsword like mine./endrant

You get points for using Old Spice.

Other than that, I am rather perplexed by all of this. We’re talking cosmetics, and voluntary ones at that. Not only do you not have to go for it, but you’re asking for them to please you as an individual?

Because let’s face it, if you asked every single player, you would find at that there is no Legendary skin that is not disliked by at least one person. And that’s the problem: it’s subjective.

So some of the people doing the design work decided to put in a few weapons that looked all shiney and, according to most people, hilarious? I think that’s a job well done, actually. After all, just as there are bound to be people who dislike Twilight and Sunrise (not counting those who do because of their popularity or cost), there’s bound to be someone who would go for the most hilarious, most out-of-place weapon possible.

You make a point about the quantities of Greatsword skins against Staff skins, but take a look at the classes that use those weapons. Four classes for both, of which two are shared. Now take a look at the Staff-only and the GS-only classes. Ranger and Warrior against Necromancer and Elementalist. I can guarantee you that the former is much more numerous.

Olba.5376:

Highly.8347:

Look at the greatswords, now look at the staves, now look back at the greatswords. Sadly, your staff isn’t like my greatsword, but if you re-roll to a warrior or guardian, you could have a greatsword like mine./endrant

You get points for using Old Spice.

Other than that, I am rather perplexed by all of this. We’re talking cosmetics, and voluntary ones at that. Not only do you not have to go for it, but you’re asking for them to please you as an individual?

Because let’s face it, if you asked every single player, you would find at that there is no Legendary skin that is not disliked by at least one person. And that’s the problem: it’s subjective.

So some of the people doing the design work decided to put in a few weapons that looked all shiney and, according to most people, hilarious? I think that’s a job well done, actually. After all, just as there are bound to be people who dislike Twilight and Sunrise (not counting those who do because of their popularity or cost), there’s bound to be someone who would go for the most hilarious, most out-of-place weapon possible.

I believe you may have misunderstood my argument, I have not once mentioned legendaries in GW2, and I personally believe they are not meant for everyone and different strokes for different folks. What I am saying is that the general staff pool is shallow, generic, homogeneous, and lackluster and not given equal attention as the general variety of melee weapons with greatswords being the most obvious comparison. Optional cosmetics of the highest tier should be optional for individuals to aim to achieve, yes, but what we have here is a lack of good looking staffs at the non-legendary level.

I actually like the overall look of staffs in this game a lot, and don’t find them lackluster at all. I actually like the overall simplicity and “compact” aspects of the staffs, which you mention specifically as things you dislike. To me, it makes sense that the staffs would be thin and light, considering they’re only being used to focus magic, and not to attack directly. No reason to make a casting tool big and bulky.

Not to say that every staff is amazing or anything, there are good ones and some that aren’t so good, but overall I’m happy with them.

I think my only compaint about the staff skins in general is that there aren’t as many staffs with particle effects attached to them as I personally would prefer. I tend to associate magic with glowy particle effects. They don’t all have to be giant glowing balls or anything, but even some faint glow effects would be nice. Just as a random example, I think the basic staff skin (the wood staff with the yellow crystal) would look a lot better if the crystal glowed.

But thats my opinion, and you’re of course entitled to your own opinion. If you don’t like the designs there’s nothing wrong with that. But implying that greatswords get “more attention” and the staffs are just just thrown together is a bit far, I think.

I also have to say that I actually think I notice staffs on peoples’ backs a bit more than greatswords, personally. I think its because the staff head sits up higher and visible from both sides (where greatswords are only really visible from behind).

Highly.8347:

That’s the problem, we should not have to settle with mediocrity, of just being “alright”, when there are jaw dropping amazing greatsword varieties. And once again, the Crossing is a darker death themed weapon with a lantern and hand.

http://images.mmosite.com/photo/2009/02/27/wowa255AJ88J4D043.jpg
http://www.livetowin.zaidink.com/images/news/2008/february/grandmagisterstafftorrentv2.jpg

These staffs aren’t legendary or anything, but run of the mill stuff obtained from standard raids. I know people from GW2 hate being compared to WoW since the media hype was “WoW Killer” (which is completely untrue, they cater to two different crowds) but GW2 can learn from WoW’s design philosophy that kept people happy with aesthetics for years.

Those linked staves are hideous.

Okay, maybe not hideous but extremely uninspired.

The in-game staves I like are the Memory of the Sky (the winged one), the Toy Staff, the Winter staff skin and the one with the spectra chain hanging from it (never found the name of that one), particularly because they actually have a design aesthetic they are shooting for, unlike those WoW staves (I did an image search for WoW staff as well and the all look the same and boring) which all look like inexplicably glowie thing(s) on a shaft. It’s like when someone was designing them, they asked themselves ‘how can I put some glowie trinket on a shaft that looks different from the last glowie trinket on a shaft I made before’ and accidentally made repeats so put ugly ornate cresty looking things around the glowie trinket. Simple is beautiful, remember that.

If I were suggesting ideas for new staves?

Plant Staff- Verdant Staff doesn’t look plant-like at all. Make one that looks like a living vine with leaves/flowers falling from it when you cast.

Monk Staff- Simple shaft with one of these attached (http://s686.beta.photobucket.com/user/hitokirikuro/media/Monkstaff.jpg.html). The rings move when you move, and there’s that signature jingle when you cast something with it equipped.

Anointed Staff- Just a golden staff with various embroidered designs along it but it produces a warm light behind the character when wielded.

Night Watchman’s Staff- Just a staff with an oil lamp hanging on the end. Lights itself at night.

What I don’t want (but wouldn’t be opposed to them adding some) is random glowie orb inside/on some overly designed crest stuck on the end of a shaft with no rhyme or reason why except ‘MAGIK!’

Your take that simple is beautiful is your opinion, but other people may want fancy and ornate. GW2 has basic buster swords and claymores, as well as spectral flaming blades to cater to both types of folks who want simplistic clean weapons or flashy ones, but only minimalist staffs, which I evidently can not stress enough is the inequality I’m trying to highlight. I don’t particularly care what type of staff Anet adds, I just want them to provide the diversity to let the player choose.

I understand the frustration of the OP, Simply put their is a major lack of aesthetically appealing “Staves” and other weapons. This can also be said about Armor, but I feel that its just because the game is young. And eventually we will see the content team roll out more Skins.

This is not a Staff issue.

It is a All weapons but Long/Greatsword issue.

As a Warrior, it is sad to see how little effort went into most of the Maces, for example. Axes too, to a lesser degree. Most of the effort was put into the two sword types.

Martin The Brave.8731:

I understand the frustration of the OP, Simply put their is a major lack of aesthetically appealing “Staves” and other weapons. This can also be said about Armor, but I feel that its just because the game is young. And eventually we will see the content team roll out more Skins.

Agreed, I’m stockpiling resources and crossing my fingers that there will be something worthwhile in the near future for me to pursue. The next few waves of new content GW2 receives will be an indicator on how much ANet has listened to the players and feedback.

This staff, nuff said and fixes the whole problem if you add this.

That’s the stupidest staff I’ve ever seen…

Enchantments adding particles?