Since HoT launch, we have seen a number of new builds that fall outside the zerker meta, and with that, players crafting new gear and weapons as well as switching stats over on ascended gear. With the need for condition builds, tank builds, healer builds, etc. especially for the newer content, players are required to invest in multiple sets of gear. I am thrilled that different types of builds are becoming important for the new content however I wish I didn’t have to have a set of gear and weapons for every type of content. ANet has worked on adding flexibility to weapons and armor stats through legendary weapons that have been available for a while and legendary armor which players can now start working towards.
However, even with legendary equipment, switching builds on the fly will still be very limited or extremely costly due to the way the runes and sigils work. With the current rune and sigil system, even a player with full legendary armor and weapons would have difficult playing a condition build for one part of the game and a zerker build. The player could easily switch the stats on the equipment but would have to purchase runes and sigils each time. If ANet really wants to make it easier for players to play different types of build they should change the way runes and sigils work.
What I would propose as a change would be that once a rune or sigil is used on an ascended or legendary piece of equipment, that rune or sigil would be unlocked for that weapon or armor piece (and that piece only). Players would then have a drop down button on each equipment piece in the hero panel that would allow them to switch between runes or sigil while not in combat. Runes and sigils in ascended or legendary items would no longer be recuperated from salvaging either. Additionally, changing the stats of an ascended weapon or armor in the mystic forge would remove all runes and sigils from that item.
These change should have very little impact on the market given that players would still have to buy runes/sigils for each equip and given that players in general do not change runes and sigils that often. These changes would also incentivize legendary armor and weapons over ascended armor and weapons since legendary would provide more flexibility for stats. Currently, players who want to play both a condition build and a zerker build are incentivized to invest in having two separate ascended sets rather than in one legendary set which is problematic for player.
I love Guild Wars 2 however, I believe that the rune/sigil system needs to be updated. These changes would move the game away from the zerker meta and would allow players to experiment with different builds, both of which I believe ANet desires. I would love to hear different options on the rune and sigil system and possibly bring some attention to the subject.