Guild Wars 2

I’m a returning player after taking a few months off. In September 2012, it seemed like the class choices according to popularity was the following:

1) Warriors
2) Guardians
3) Thieves
4) Mesmers
5) Rangers
6) Necromancers
7) Elementalists
8) Engineers

Although the difference between Warrior and Engineer was only a 3-5% variance. Granted, these were statistics gained through the forums, so they may not have been 100% accurate.

My question is, now that the game has been out a while and lots more people have hit the level cap, does the above list still stand? If not, how has it changed?

Also, while I’m on the topic, races. Back at the same time, the popularity was as follows

1) Humans
2) Norn
3) Charr/Asura
4) Sylvari

I don’t care about this as much, but if you have any input on that, I would appreciate it as well.

Thanks for reading

My guess is that Eles have moved up above rangers. Where was the source you found your statistics?

It’s hard to say for sure, because official stats haven’t been released, but Elementalists are probably close to the top of the chart instead of the bottom now (mainly on the strength of one Dagger/Dagger build and its variants, and Staff in some teams). Mesmers may have climbed above Thieves and Guardians too, if only barely. Warriors seem like they have an even wider lead on 1st than before. Thieves are ubiquitous in PvP, but rare in PvE. Rangers and Necromancers are both widely agreed to need a lot of work, but Engineers are probably dead last in all regards.

These opinions are based on what I’ve observed teaming and what I’ve seen running around zones, as well as what I see most concentrated in Lion’s Arch when I pass through. I do play on Tarnished Coast though, which is very high density, but also full of RPers, so who knows how skewed my perception may be against non-RP servers…

DigitalKirin.9714:

Where was the source you found your statistics?

Completely unofficial polls and similar posts from that time. I realize everything on this is subjective but the goal is a “general idea”.

I appreciate the responses so far.

There was an interview recently, maybe a month or two ago? I think Colin had some info on what classes were most played etc. But my memory is fuzzy on that.

You could perform several random samples and do some stats

i.e. pop into 6 random zones/cities and go around and note which race + class is there.
Maybe do this across a few different random servers
Do this for PvP and PvE areas

Then run some stats on it to see if you can extrapolate with any confidence to the population as a whole

9:26 http://www.eurogamer.pt/videos/entrevista-game-designer-guild-wars-2

Geotherma.2395:

9:26 http://www.eurogamer.pt/videos/entrevista-game-designer-guild-wars-2

Oh, very neat. Yeah this reflects how it sounded months ago too – mostly even with slight variations.

Somehow it always seems like when I make a character, all I see is other characters of the same class.

From a completely subjective PoV, I disagree with your assessment of the population early on. Maybe this was only a Dragonbrand thing, but everywhere I looked in August/September there were Rangers… though I must admit that I didn’t see an Engineer until I was in the 20s. And before anyone jumps in, it wasn’t the Ranger bots, for some reason DB has never had a huge bot population.

My characters, in order of creation:
80 Human Ranger (August)
80 Human Necro (September)
45 Sylvari Elementalist (October)
80 Charr Guardian (January)
10 Asura Thief (April, but originally created in October and then deleted)

The reason I went with those races is because I feel that the races “match” the professions. I intend to make a Norn Warrior, a Human Mesmer and a Charr Engineer, but the Mesmer and Engineer will have to wait a while because, after doing it with Ranger and Necro, I am not a fan of doing essentially the same story twice in a short time.

This is purely based on what I see in game.

1. Elementalist
2. Necromancer
3. Mesmer
4. Guardian
5. Warrior
6. Thief
7. Ranger
8. Engineer

I see mainly Guardians and Warriors in game. I see Engi’s the least.

Lately I’ve started seeing Thieves everywhere to be honest. Elementalists are right up there in the top too. More and more of them each day :P

According to my experience:

1. Warrior
2. Guardian
3. Mesmer
4. Elementalist
5. Thief
6. Ranger
7. Necromancer
8. Engineer

my experience:
Warrior
Guardian
Elementalist
Thief
Mesmer
Ranger
Engineer
Necromancer