Guild Wars 2

Just to start off: this is not a troll attempt, nor is it (in my view) much of an exaggeration.

Warning: wall of text ahead.

With HoT coming and the proposed changes to traits, skills and gear, GW2 as it is today will disappear. Rather than simply introducing new content, the devs have chosen to rework pretty much every aspect of build design.

Traits

Traits have been changed in several ways: they no longer give attributes, you are now forced to take major traits in their designated tiers, and the traits themselves have been culled, merged and re-arranged.

Let’s take a look at how many you get per ‘specialization’ (read: trait line): you now get 9, where before you had 13. Now there were MANY useless or exceedingly niche traits that could definitely be safely removed without much fuss, so this reduction in total number is likely a good thing. However, keep in mind they have also said they are introducing new traits as well. So not only are you dropping 2 traits on each of the adept and master tiers right off the hop, but some other current traits may have been replaced with new ones.

New traits are a good thing, but considering the list of sweeping changes, they will also be a lot of new information. Devs have explicitly stated they intend to keep many of the current builds viable, but I can’t help but think this is lip-service — not because they aren’t keeping key-traits, but rather the trait changes in conjunction with the OTHER changes they are implementing will almost certainly uproot currently established meta-builds (which I, personally, like).

Also, as a side note: there were several builds that went into 4 lines or even all five. These builds are now impossible to use.

Skills

Some of those removed or replaced traits will have their effects tacked onto existing skills. While it was vague whether this meant solely utility skills or whether this included some select weapon skills and such, this is another big change. Skills currently held to be strong may have some competition (which is good) from skills currently considered niche or underpowered. Additionally, the ‘elite specialization’ (which I personally think is a poor term as it denotes a higher level or efficacy than the ‘base/core’ specializations but that’s a different topic) will give you access to 6 new skills — that’s 54 entirely new skills to learn across all classes, in addition to re-learning however many of the current skills that got a facelift.

Gear

With moving attributes off of your trait lines (which I approve of, at least in theory — traits should be important by themselves) you will almost certainly need to make new gear to optimize your build. Even if you are close, the limit of having 3 different stats per piece of armor will likely mean you numbers will be a little wonky — maybe only a little, maybe a lot depending on your current build. Now exotics are easy to get, but Ascended gear is more expensive be a large margin, and there isnt’ an alternative way to get it (currently).

Conclusion

Combining all these factors, there is a LOT of new information to learn. In a way its a great thing, it will breathe new life into a stagnant meta — but at the same time it is pretty brutal to do it all at once. Perhaps its cleaner and you garner less outrage overall (rather than adding a world-changing tweek every 6 months or so), but it remains a near total overhaul of current systems.

Reducing/changing the major traits, forcing a trait to stay in its tier, an unknown number of drastically altered core skills, and 54 NEW skills is tonnes of change. You will be pretty much re-learning how to play gw2. Are you ready?

Yes I am, and it looks really interesting.
It is almost like getting a GW3

I think it is one of those things I wont really understand fully until it goes live.

I’m in two minds about major changes like these. If it’s a big overhaul, it removes some of the connection you build with your toon and one can only hope such changes don’t come with every expac as that would be exhausting. I remember Lotro killed its playerbase when it did the same thing.

However, it could be a positive change and that will remain to be seen until we can play with it. AT least it is hand in hand with a ton of new content which will offset the below of any overhauls.

I am nervous about seeing my hard work in making builds I have enjoyed for 3 years go kaboom, but hopefully these will be unfounded.

I’m not excited about it. From what I hear, the changes are much more radical than I anticipated. Trying to relearn all this AND do new (supposedly harder) content is going to be interesting at least.

The only thing im really concerned about are the traits. It seems like theyre dumming down the whole system, merging many traits and making sure important things are always available. On a whole this is probably better but i enjoyed changing my build to accommodate different things and the give and take between going for more dps or more utility or survivability (mesmer and ele mainly).

Obtena.7952:

I’m not excited about it. From what I hear, the changes are much more radical than I anticipated. Trying to relearn all this AND do new (supposedly harder) content is going to be interesting at least.

I couldn’t listen to the stream but someone on reddit said that this new system was coming out before the expansion.

Obtena.7952:

I’m not excited about it. From what I hear, the changes are much more radical than I anticipated. Trying to relearn all this AND do new (supposedly harder) content is going to be interesting at least.

That is probably why the new system will be implemented before the HoT release, so people can get used before the new content.

I am ready! (I also am possibly going to start playing my Engi, because it looks cool).

The thing is while they’re changing things around, they’re not making them more complex, just different. LotRO lost me when my only played alt, a Minstrel, got completely changed in the Isengard patch. With 40 hotkeys to deal with, and having just barely figured out some good rotations, I logged in to find everything hugely revamped. I had learned what I had by leveling up, one new skill at a time. Suddenly handed 40 new ones? I was lost, and I left.

Here, ok, I’m paying attention in advance. But still … it will just be easier to comprehend the set of options as they are all nicely in one panel. (It may help that I’m not a theory crafter and thus don’t care about precision balancing to maximize effect, I just want to use fun skills).

Trying to reserve judgement until it goes live, but I have no interest whatsoever in re-learning the game or adapting to any changes to the trait or skill system. My bottom line is whether it’ll make stuff significantly more difficult to kill. Hoping this isn’t the case.

Not really excited. I liked the “player experience” an the trait system as it was at the launch of the game. I don’t really understand why to re-work it all the time – anet says “easier” and “better” but I rather see it as dumber and dumber, more and more restrictive.
For me the game went downhill like one year ago.. with the past two “feature packs”

It has potential to be good, but the experimentation of the living story, the last trait revamp and the NPE have already given me a basis for where my expectations should rest at.

This really didn’t surprise me since they have done the same thing in the original GW.

It is interesting for the most part.

One of the major complaints about this game is that you don’t have the feeling of progression after max level. Anet set about to fix it.

I’m not so sure there was a good way to do it without changing core systems. But I’ve seen lots of major changes in MMOs over the years and they’ve someitmes been quite good. Sometimes bad too.

I’m not so worried about relearning the game if the game ends up better than it was.

My only concern is gear. Ascended armor, weapons and trinkets are not easily gained and are very specific for builds. I have always thought that GW2 put too much emphasis on gear stats rather than the builds themselves.
I am ready to learn new skills, builds and traits but what I AM NOT ready to do is grind, yes grind for new Asc gear that I already have.
If I have to ditch my Asc gear I am sadly afraid that I probably will not play HoT.
I am excited they are changing the core systems and allow progression but not at the expense of having to respec toons to have entire new gear. Exotics are fine but I will not grind Asc armor and weps again for new specs.

I’m not thrilled about having to relearn it all. I liked the system that was in place 2 years ago when it was much easier to get all the traits for my toons. Now, I just get the bare minimum that I need for DPS builds. No more. I bought two spare accounts to mess around with but I’m not doing anything with them until they put out this new trait aquisition system… I did like it before that if I wanted to, and could afford it, I could just bypass all the BS and get my traits with coin (and didn’t need 400g+ back then either).

It’ll keep us busy at least. But the new preferred meta will be posted in short order. Of course if it’s different from what you locked yourself in (hadn’t heard about repecs but I imagine gem shop if any) you are hosed.

I can see merits with the new system from an underlying feature standpoint. Of course everyone who got their cheese moved won’t be happy.

I’m ready. Although I think OP forgot to mention one of the good things – some traits are being merged, so while quite a few will be removed, some are being combined. People need to know this because it’s not all doom and gloom.

My only two worries with specialisations though are 1) what traits will be removed (rather than combined) and how it affects my current build/s, and 2) having to buy different armor stats now that our base stats are being upped and the bonuses from the trait lines (power/condition dmg etc.) are being removed so that what stats you get simply come from your armor and weapons. As it is, for my ele, I already receive some vitality, toughness and a few others just because I have points in those trait lines. Might have to invest in some more ascended armor now because of this update as I’ll probably be too berserkery now with little to no vitality and toughness once this rolls out.

Edit: forgot about my 3rd worry – not being able to put lesser traits into greater trait slots like the grandmaster one etc. (which doesn’t make sense in theory, because if you’re a grandmaster in, say, fire magic, you should be able to use any lesser trait in a higher trait if you so choose to) – this could see quite a few builds nerfed. Only time will tell I guess. I just hope the traits that are being merged compliment each other, so that every single trait you choose, will benefit you, rather than giving you one thing you DO want, but something else you don’t necessarily need.

Traits:

Just look at the current meta (DnT build guide for example), almost every build either has adept traits in the master slot or go into more than 3 trait lines. Removing the ability to do both these things means you essentially have to trust Anet to create good builds for you. But as we’ve seen, they have very limited understanding of their own game (particularly compared to the thousands of players), so good luck with that.

Skills:

Your skill choices are extremely limited. Your heal is generally set in stone in that there’s an obvious one that’s best. Your elite is set in stone. You need a condi clear/stun break. That leaves you with 2 skill slots. Moving traits to skills means the effects of those traits will never be seen again.

Gear:

One of the biggest dev mistakes was linking stats to trait lines. It’s good that’s gone. But where will condi duration or boon duration come from now? A condi build fully traited in the condi duration line will instantly lose 30% of its damage.

Conclusion:

play the way we want you to play is the new motto. From the effective killing of rune customization, to outfits, to the new trait system — it’s a pretty natural progression.

Lord Kuru.3685:

Conclusion:

play the way we want you to play is the new motto. From the effective killing of rune customization, to outfits, to the new trait system — it’s a pretty natural progression.

That’s been their motto all along… It was just their internal motto. That’s the only way any of the changes they’ve made over the 2+ years can make sense to those that are not … mentally challenged.

Similarly, I’d like a more freeform system, like what we had at around launch, or pre-release betas.

And if possible (personal wish): manually, independently allocating some stat points.

I’m excited. The trait merges, extra gm trait, and stat point changes should have a big impact on balance.

Nothing like the period straight after a big change like this. Lots of new builds to try.

I’m definitely excited! I’ve mostly just tolerated the current trait system because I never found it interesting. I don’t pay attention to “meta builds” (either in GW1 or in GW2) because I prefer to try things out myself. This update sounds fantastic.

I love when things change a lot. I know people dislike the fact that so much will change but I thoroughly enjoy it when stuff is completely changed up like this.

I’ll give it a shot. Two of my 80’s will come out ok if this works the way it sounds to me.
I’ll just burn the rest if it’s too much trouble to spec them out.

These changes are in line with the trend in this game to make alts less attractive to create and play. Exactly how this is helping the bottom line eludes me, but on the other hand, it’s not my paycheck in question.

I have 4 sets of armor on nearly everyone so I should not have a problem with gear.

And making exotic rings for everyone in thing other than zerker will not be a problem either.

Zaoda.1653:

I’m ready. Although I think OP forgot to mention one of the good things – some traits are being merged, so while quite a few will be removed, some are being combined. People need to know this because it’s not all doom and gloom.

Annnnnd my post does mention this:

Oberon Vex.1389:

Traits

Traits have been changed in several ways: they no longer give attributes, you are now forced to take major traits in their designated tiers, and the traits themselves have been culled, merged and re-arranged.

Nothing about this thread was meant to be disparaging or ‘doom and gloom’. Sorry if that was your impression.