New to GW2: Is this game balanced 1v1?
If you mean that any class can potentially face against an arbitrary enemy in a 1v1 situation and win, then yes. If you mean that any class can face specifically any other given class in a 1v1 and win, then no. A couple of the classes are pretty hard counters for each other, and it takes a heavy amount of skill/play difference to make up for that.
No, GW2 is balanced for 5v5 teams.
You can imagine the “1v1” aspect a bit like rock – paper – scissors. If you happen to run the counter to the opponents build, you will win (given a comparable skill level to the opponent’s).
However, as mentioned before the PvP aspect of the game is balanced around 5v5 scenarios. There is no official 1v1 mode either. You can however play 1v1 in custom arenas provided by players.
Generally, the balancing in this game is split between game modes (PvP, PvE, WvW). So some skills have different effects depending on whether you use them in PvP, WvW or PvE. One example would be the confusion condition, which does much more damage in PvE than in PvP or WvW.
Also, the balancing is always changing/adapting – there are frequent balancing patches in this game, and therefore a changing meta.
No, not really. I guess it comes down to the meta your running so in theory one meta will always be better against another meta, but there is no balance regarding a Necro vs Guardian will always have a 50/50 split assuming equal skilled players.
Yes. The game is absolutely balanced in terms of 1v1, and reasonably well too. But it’s balanced not just equal. That means different classes and different builds are good at different things, which might include killing your build.