Guild Wars 2

Something I haven’t seen mentioned yet ( if you have, i’m sorry for not seeing it).

Is instead of the addition of new weapons/ old weapons to diff classes. There is a specialization for each class that unlocks the use of a one handed weapon with 5 abilities.
Perhaps traits can focus on weapon switching or some such equiv with things that encourage using only a main hand weapon.

Obv this does nothing for 2hnd weapons, and I’m not sure if off hand weapons should be included either. But I think it would be cool none the less.

I don’t have any mechanics ideas, but theme-wise I would like to see Mesmers get a future elite based around sound. Call it the Minstrel or Phonomancer or something. They already have one ability that is sonic-themed, but it’s on the trident so ofc it doesn’t see much use.

Whatever happens all the other classes need to have an option to reset all their cooldowns too. It isn’t fair that mesmer is the only one who does on top of exclusive alacrity/slow fields, portals that other teammates can go through, and instacast moa form that gives a way too long transformation on top of passive confusion stacks.

A sledgehammer needs to be taken to all the classes and reworked from scratch taking into account all the new boons and conditions.

Maybe a crazy little idea for elementalist: a specialisation that works with no weapons.

With your bare hands, you manipulate the very forces of reality not unlike a ..uhm.. certain monastic order of sci-fi monks from a popular franchise. Wield skills that let you lift an enemy in the air and throw them away like a rag doll. Or choke them from a distance. Or just persuade them that you’re not the elementalist they’re looking for. (Caution: only works on the weak-minded). Stop projectiles in mid-air with a wave of your hand, then throw them back. Make environmental bundles fly into your hand.

But if you’re feeling a little naked with this spec, you can always use a sword.. just one at a time, either one-handed or both. Your sword will develop a primary color glow when you hold it. You’ll be able to choose the color in the Dye tab according to your preference. Maybe blue, maybe red. Maybe green if you’re feeling mysterious. Just don’t use purple. That’s a bit naff. The sword will make a buzzing sound when you equip it, as if it’s charging up. One of your skills will be throwing the sword at your enemy and having it return to your hand. The warrior greatsword skill (4?) already does this so it won’t take much coding to implement.

Additionally, when you equip this specialisation, your toon’s dialogue develops an unusual quirk of voicing the verb at the end of each sentence. Away, the pain you will wash. The burn, you will feel. If you happen to don a helmet, your dialogue resumes normal sentence structure but your voice develops a deep, gaspy mechanical tone. And all your armour will be automatically dyed black for some reason.

May the mists be with you.

Guardian

Monk

Paragon

Avenger? Zealot?

Revenant

Dervish

Ritualist

Ranger

Barbarian/Beastmaster/Tamer

Elementalist

Spellslinger

Necromancer

Ritualist (yes, another ritualist, sue me)

I love that topic!

Warrior elite specialization: Paragon

Like the one in Guild Wars he is an supporter staying in mid range. He use chants for buff up allies and debuff enemies. Chants grants the enemies and allies the effect “Echo”. Using the new F2…F4 skills triggers some effects on targets with that Echo effect.

Weapon: Pistol
1. Hit shoot your target, range: 900.
2. Cripple your foes and gain might.
3. Stun your foe, gain adrenaline when you interrupt an skill.
F1. Shoot an grappling hook and pull your foe.

Skills: Chants
Heal: Initiative heal yourself, heal allies and give them regeneration. Grant Echo to allies and enemies.
1. Remove burning, bleeding, poison, torment and confusion from your allies and heal them for each removed condition. Grant Echo to allies and enemies.
2. Break stuns for your allies and give them swiftness. Grant Echo to allies and enemies.
3. Remove Protection from your foes and give them vulnerability. Grant Echo to allies and enemies.
4. Remove Might from enemies and give them weakness. Grant Echo to allies and enemies.
Elite: Knock down foes and give aegis to allies. Grant Echo to allies and enemies.

Class mechanic: Recall echo
Using an echo costs 5 adrenaline, echoes have no recharge time.
F2. Motivation echo: Heal allies for a small amount and give them might.
F3. Domination echo: Damage foes and give them vulnerability.
F4. Command echo: Daze foes.

Traits:
Minor adept: Access to chants and new class mechanic.
Minor master: Allies with Echo gets reduced damage, Enemies with Echo gets higher damage.
Minor grandmaster: Triggering an echo gives you an effect: Motivation echo removes a condition, Domination echo gives fury, Command echo makes your next attack unblockable.
Major adept:
1. Reduce the recharge time of chants. Chants give adrenaline on using.
2. When you miss an attack get immune to blind for few seconds.
3. Triggering an echo gives retaliation to allies.
Major master:
1. Heal yourself when you give an boon to an ally.
2. Reduce the recharge time of pistol skills. Pistol attacks blind your target.
3. Command echo gives slow to enemies.
Major grandmaster:
1. Increase duration of Echo on allies, Motivation echo give allies super speed and remove a condition.
2. Increase duration of Echo on enemies, Domination echo make more damage for each condition on the foe.
3. Command echo breaks stun on allies and give them stability.

I don’t like the idea, that the guardian is the future of the paragon. As a player of warrior and paragon in Guild Wars, I think that classes are more related. It is a good idea to use the paragon as an elite for warrior, based on adrenaline like in the past and without the shiny blue magic. (I dont like magic.)

Another idea is
Warrior elite specialization: Armourer (or “Weaponeer”)

The idea behind the Armourer is the use of weapon kits known from the engineer. It is an possibility to give the warrior access to new weapon without an implementation for other classes i.e. an two-handed battleaxe.
Additional it brings the warrior gameplay to an higher level because of kits and weapon swaps.

Weapon: none :-P
We get weapon kits, there is no new weapon needed.

Skills: Weapon Kits
Heal: no idea for the moment.
1. Battleaxe
Yeah, our two-handed battleaxe for massive melee damage.
2. Polearm
A fast weapon with a higher range on auto attack (like 600) and area based attacks.
3. Tower shield
An large shield with defence and control skills.
4. Javelins
Ranged weapon with a few area attacks (like barrage).
Elite: Airship cannon
Like known from First Mate Horrik. Use an big airship cannon for massive (but slow) area damage.

Class mechanic:
Each weapon kit gets an own burst skill, only useable when the kit is equiped

Traits:
Have no ideas for the moment. But a look at the engineer will help :-)

What i would find interesting for mesmer would be having one constantly active illustion (similair to rangers pets perhaps?) either a bit more tanky (thus keeping annoying HoT mobs off you) or more of a direct damage illusion. neither shatters with the rest, instead staying until its been slain

in addition to it i’d wish for a new mainhand weapon (pistol? maybe focus even?) that focuses more on direct dmg

Zoltar MacRoth.7146:

Maybe a crazy little idea for elementalist: a specialisation that works with no weapons.

With your bare hands, you manipulate the very forces of reality not unlike a ..uhm.. certain monastic order of sci-fi monks from a popular franchise. Wield skills that let you lift an enemy in the air and throw them away like a rag doll. Or choke them from a distance. Or just persuade them that you’re not the elementalist they’re looking for. (Caution: only works on the weak-minded). Stop projectiles in mid-air with a wave of your hand, then throw them back. Make environmental bundles fly into your hand.

focus main/offhand might be a choice as you could use a weapon design like
The Anomaly
Arcanus Obscurus
Bloodseeker
Chimeric Prism Focus
.. etc

Engineer – scientist
Scientist has a the unique class conditon nanobots, dealing damage over time (more damage than burning, but not possible to stack that many).
33% chance to apply 1 stack of nanobots with each hit.
Nanobots should be able to be scale with power through specializations thus giving the option of making a power build with 1 conditon doing some actual damage as well

Utility skills based around this conditon, e.g nanoinjectors: applying additional stacks of nanobots, nanocoating: giving engineer a stun break and conditon removal and conditon immunity for a few seconds.

Instead of giving engi a new weapon i suggest that rifle, pistol and shield get a “melee stance” when you use swap weapon, giving the weapons melee based counterparts, rifle remains power based and pistols condi.

Attatck combo should something like: pistol whip, pistol whip, point blank explosion shot.

Would love to see Guardians becoming Exorcists, wielding pistols, but that’s just a dream of mine

I’d like to see the Vampiric / Life Steal play style return to Necro. Whether that be through a strengthening of the blood line or an elite spec that compliments that style, I don’t particularly care. Right now the life steal from blood is hilariously pathetic. Blood based necros where once a force to be reckoned with, and its really not an option in the GW2 counterpart.

I would like to see a ghost themed necromancer similar to Japanese horror movie ghosts. Basically some of the shroud skills would include stealth and it would be a fast mobility elite, a bit similar to the thief and the opposite of the slow themed reaper. Breaking the stealth would make a scary screaming sound so it would not be just as invisible as the thief. This could be combined with life steal mechanics since it fits to the ghost theme in my opinion. Personally I would enjoy an off hand axe for this class. Now that the greatsword has been added with reaper I feel that is the only one still left that could fit the theme of the class.

This one has probably been stated before, but nether the less id love to see it in game!

Warrior:
Bounty Hunter

Concept:
This elite specialisation is designed around fast play and high mobility, giving the player the new option to use the burst skill to either attack or move swiftly with the new grappling hook. The bounty hunter will be able to purge and transfer conditions against their foes, or lower all forms of incoming damage towards them.
The bounty hunter will use all the tools around to get the job done!

Class combo:
Warrior + Engineer = Bounty Hunter

Skill type:
Gadgets

Weapon:
Main hand Pistol

Pistol skills:
1. Double Tap – Rapidly fire a two round burst at your target (total damage of both rounds will be the same as if one projectile).
Cast time – 1/4s -1/2s
[Idea behind Double Tap, you are a bounty hunter who is set out to take down foes who play dirty i.e. blind counter, at least one of your rounds will land.]

2. Flare shot – Fire a flare at your target location which will cause damage on initial hit, blind and burn for a short duration at the target location.
Burn + Blind Duration – 3s
Cast time – 1/2s
[As a bounty hunter, you are trained to play dirty so you will use any means necessary to win.]

3. Suppressing Withdraw – Rapidly fire your pistol while rolling backwards evading attacks for the duration.
Evade duration – 1/2s
Cast time – 3/4s
[Evade frames will count from the moment the skill is pressed but has 1/4s vulnerability time at the end of the skill, where no evade frames are present.]

Burst:
F1. Bounty Hunters will – Fire your pistol rapidly in front of you causing mass damage in a cone like AOE. During the skills duration you will ignore all incoming crowd control skills.
As burst level increases, the range and area covered will also increase. If the foe is under 50% HP the condition slow will be applied.
Cast time – 1 1/4s
[This burst will encourage high risk, high reward style play, the caster will be rooted during its duration alike to 100 blades.]

F2. Grappling hook – Fire your grappling hook to gain access to pull yourself to the target location or if fired upon a foe pull the foe towards you stunning on a successful pull and causes damage. Range increases with burst level.
Cast time – 1/4s
Stun – 1s
[This skill will allow the bounty hunter to either gain access to grounds above and previously not accessible, allowing them to take the more direct route (simular to Theif’s shadow step or Mesmer’s teleport). Or to use their adrenaline to pull the foe back towards them.]

Skills:
Healing skill:
Stim Pack – Jab yourself in the leg with a stimulation shot. Over the next 10 seconds heal 800 health points per second while gaining Fury and Swiftness for the duration of the skill. If inflicted with poison or bleeding cleanse 1 condition every 2s instead of gaining Fury and Swiftness.
Boon interval – 2s
Cast time – 3/4s

Utilities:
1. Reactive armour – Reflect 25% of all damage back to the attacker (based on full damage) while taking 25% less damage from conditions and physical attacks for the duration of this skill. While this skill is in effect you are immune to blind.
Duration – 5-6s
Blind immune
Breaks Stun

2. Purge and Detonate – Purge your conditions you suffer from into an explosive devise and throw it at a target location, after a set time it will detonate and transfer these conditions to the foes in its proximity. (Detonation can not be blinded)
Conditions removed – 6
Fuse timer – 1s
Cast time – 1/4s
Blast Radius – 200
Blast Finisher

3. Hunter Drone – Pull out a hunter drone which will fire a net shot at your target followed by a tranquilliser dart, inflicting slow and cripple. The drone will then return back to you for recharge.
Slow + Cripple duration 3s

4. Powered Armour – Infuse your armour with ley energy granting you strength to inflict more damage through both conditions and physical damage, upon skill completion self cripple is applied.
Duration – 4s
Self cripple duration – 3s
Damage increase – 25%
Breaks Stun

Elite:
Tripple the Bounty – Order an airship to strike the targeted ground by firing a flare into the sky, three rockets will then be shot into the target area inflicting massive damage and knockback to all foes within its proximity, if fired upon downed foes, this skill will finish them.
Cast time – 1s
Rocket delay – 1s
Knockback – 400
Finishes downed foes

Traits:
– Soon to follow -

Necromancer’s elite specialization: The Shaman

• New weapon: Torch
• New utility skills: Sacrifice skills
• New proffesion mechanic: Shaman’s Shroud
• Description: Shamans are powerful masters of dark arts. They were able to bring their skills to a whole new level, allowing them to work with their life force more precisely. Instead of focusing directly on their enemies, they also learned how to use their powers to support their allies. They learned things like bending their own blood, using their life force without entering the shroud and using their new weapon, the torch , to sear their enemies and buff their allies. But their most significant change is their new shroud. When entering the Shaman’s Shroud, the Shamans become a powerful stavemasters with mighty AoE attacks and support. With such an ally the Shaman is, you’ll no longer have a fear when facing death face to face.

New boon: Vigilance
- Any attacks dealt to you have 20% less critical chance.
- Vigilance is a new powerful boon focusing at your defense. It stacks in duration and its duration is usually somewhere between the duration of protection and fury (it’s not long lasting boon like might)

Torch skills:
Flames of Darkness (Skill 4): Send out a black flame to targeted area. When it arrives there, it grants Vigilance to allies and weakness to foes. Then the flame returns to you. The flame grants fury to allies and siphons life from foes (for you ofc.). (Works like a Phoenix)
Hungry Flames (Skill 5): Scorch nearby area by black flames, damaging and burning foes. Gain life force for each foe damaged. (Blast finisher)

Shaman’s Shroud:
- When Shamans enter the Shaman’s Shroud, they’ll equip a shadow staff (like when you equip scythe when using Reaper’s Shroud, but it’s not that big.) and gain access to new skills. These long range skills focus mostly on support and area effects.
Life Blow (Skill 1): Send forward a ghostly projectile that bounces between foes and allies, damaging foes and leaves them weakened, while granting vigor to allies. (Casting faster than Life Blast, but projectiles are little slower.)
Mark of Absorption (Skill 2): Apply a mark to your foe. After a short delay, it damages nearby foes and you siphon life force from them. Also grants might to nearby allies. (4 sec delay, 180 radius)
Well of Twilight (Skill 3): Create a pulsing well in targeted area, blinding and damaging foes and leaving them vulnerable. (240 radius)
Dark Sanctuary (Skill 4): Concentrate dark energy around you, pulsing protection to nearby allies. At the end, it gives Vigilance and a short buff to nearby allies, allowing them to siphon life with their next few attacks. Also partly revives nearby downed allies. (240 radius, with Transmute trait you revive them faster.)
Shadowfall (Skill 5): Summon dark orbs in the air above the targeted area. After a little delay, the orbs fall down, heavily damaging, fearing and removing 1 boon from affected foes. (240 radius, this skill resembles the Shadowfall AoE skill Liadri the Concealing Dark was using. When foes are feared, they’ll run from the AoE center.)
- All skills except 4th one have 1200 range.

Utilities, the Sacrifice skills
- The Sacrifice skills are very powerful, so powerful, that you have to pay a painful price to activate them. There are two types of Sacrifice skills: some require your blood, while the other ones wants your life force.
Healing skill: Sacrifice life force, heal yourself and gain protection. Incoming attacks have 50% chance to heal you and nearby allies. If no life force is sacrificed, the first heal is halved. (lasts for 7 sec, 240 radius)
Utility 1: Sacrifice life force and transform yourself into a dark cloud while rapidly traveling to targeted area (works like ele’s Ride the Lightning), poisoning foes you touched. When you get to the area, damage and daze foes and grants Vigilance to allies. (While transformed you evade all attacks, even things like ele’s Unsteady Ground, 1200 range)
Utility 2: Sacrifice life force and summon a shadow burial mound in targeted area. When some ally is downed or defeated in its range, other allies nearby are healed and gain fury. Downed allies lose health 50% slower and any damage dealt to them is reduced by 50%. (lasts for 15 sec)
Utility 3: Sacrifice health and envelop yourself in armor of blood, gaining stability and granting nearby allies (including yourself) a buff that allows them to siphon life with their attacks (1 sec cd). You also become immune to bleeding. (Does not remove stacks of bleeding you already have, duration 8 seconds.)
Utility 4: Sacrifice health and summon two blood orbs floating around you, pulsing might and regeneration to nearby allies and weakness to foes. After some delay, orbs explode, damaging and poisoning foes. While the orbs are active, you are immune to poison. (Does not remove stacks of poison you already have, duration 8 seconds)
Elite skill: Sacrifice health and separate yourself from the reality, entering another dimension. While this skill is active, you lose all conditions and become immune to them, and damage dealt to you is decreased by 50% and you can see all stealthed foes nearby (Only you can see them, they do not become revealed, you also cannot target them.) Your attack speed and damage are decreased by 40%. Grants increased precision to nearby allies. You also cannot enter Shaman’s Shroud. When you leave this form, your life force is filled by 30% and grants Vigilance to nearby foes. (lasts for 15 seconds, 300 range, your appearance is changed like when using Spectral Walk, but with black color instead of green). You can leave this form sooner if you want (4 sec cd after using this elite skill).
- Healing skill is the only one you can use without any sacrificing currency.
- Sacrificing uses 7% health (10% for elite skill) or 10% life force.

Traits:
Minor 1: You can use torch and gain access to Sacrifice skills. Your Death Shroud is replaced with Shaman’s shroud, which has long range support oriented skills.
Minor 2: Boons you apply have increased duration, even more, if applied in Shaman’s Shroud (10% / 20%)
Minor 3: You have increased critical chance against weakened foes (10%). Striking a weakened foe has a chance to give might to nearby allies. (33% chance, 5 sec cd, 2 stacks)

Adept 1: Using a healing skill grants superspeed for a while.
Adept 2: Healing done from siphoning life is increased.
Adept 3: You and nearby allies gain might when leaving Shaman’s Shroud (3 or 4 stacks maybe?)

Master 1: Gain swiftness and might when applying Vigilance to an ally. Vigilance lasts longer (25%)
Master 2: When using Sacrifice skills, you’ll gain life force if sacrificing health and vice versa.
Master 3: Reduce recharge of torch skills. Using a torch skill transfers condition to affected foes (1 per foe, max 3 foes).

Grandmaster 1: You gain a small amount of life force when healed. Gain life force when your health drops below the threshold. (50% health threshold, 30 sec cd. 1 sec cd for life force from healing)
Grandmaster 2: You have a chance to siphon life from your foe when applying weakness to him. (50%, 5 sec cd, gain life force instead if in Shaman’s Shroud)
Grandmaster 3: Cast Shadowfall on your position when using elite skill (40 sec cd).

Since Anet will never balance wvw, can my scrapper have the grossly overpowered revenant hammer #2 skill? Oh even better: banner kits ! I could swap between dragon, centaur and turtle and rack up billions of ppk for my server.

If only there were people to fight in wvw.

I’ll only give a vague outline of my ideas, as I’m sure a lot would change during refinement if the idea was used.

Elementalist: SpellBlade.
Weapon: Greatsword.
Skill: Banners.
New Mechanic: Either Attunement.
Concept: The Greatsword actually has 5 different autoattacks on it, all of which are the same regardless of attunement. Instead, chaining the 5 attacks in patterns will create the spells that add effects to your attacks, with the effects being set to your current attunement. More powerful effects will require a longer chain, and some effects will have cooldowns to compensate for the fact that the attacks that create them technically don’t.

Either Attunement will be a “bridge” designed to be jumped into and back out of quickly, and works by keeping your attacks based on your old attunement, and your traits/sigils react as if you’re on the new one for as long as it lasts. Someone going Fire > Either > Water would keep using Fire attacks, but activate Water based traits and skills. When it expires, they’d return to being in basic Fire attunement.

Warrior: Siegemaster
Weapon: Focus (Off Hand)
Skill: Placed Weapons (similar to the old Engineer Mortar skill)
New Mechanic: Command
Concept: A Siegemaster works by placing stationary but powerful weapons on the ground, allowing a small group to trade mobility for power. One or two can be short ranged (aka: Battering Ram), while the others are made to fight at range (Mortars, for example). A Siegemaster should shine when attacking or defending a stationary area with allies. (AKA: WvW)

Command would replace the burst attacks, and will give an AoE buff/effect based on the user’s amount of adrenaline.

i think for devs it can be pretty hard to imagine new specs for all classes, but i can be fun, like i had now
i do not play nec, but inspired by the wish of belenwyn (Torch and support nec) i thought about that One:
Psychopomp aka The Guide of Souls
Psychopomps are mythic beings, mentioned in all kinds of old and new religions, they escort newly deceased souls to their after life. Famous PP are Kharon, the greek guy who ships u over the styx for an obolus, anubis, hermes or the Valkyres.

THE GUIDE OF SOULS

“Necromancers are masters of the dark arts. They summone sinister creatures and torture their foes with dark spells. Some of them render their foes with big blades, chasing them slow but steady.
But Some of them have a different connection to the darkness and to the afterlife itself. They feel the souls of the deceased around them, they pity them for being stuck between tyria and the mists. They know it can be hard to be dead, so they decided to guide the forlorn ghosts and protect their comrades from such a pitiable fate.
With their torch they can lead the forgotten spirits to the mists. The flames of this torch are not from this world, the fire is cold and its fueled from the very soul of the soul guide. They use the life force they gathered to strenghten the will, soul and body of their precious fellows. they utilize “—-” to apply their goal to protect the living and dead."

idk its up to the nec mains what they wish for a Skill type, cantrips, spirits and consecrations are possible. with spirits it can be possible to make a derwish like class, just that the spirit help because they want to.

In my eyes its possible idea to give the nec a more “good” playstyle, more life than death, u know

Torch skill ideas
– burn and chill ur opponent with ur torch
– ignite ur souls, burn conditions of ur allies and heal them

Has anyone suggested a Mesmer spec making you a Minstrel or Bard? I don’t know that there’d be any obvious new weapon to use from the current set, but utilities could give you kits a’la Engineer only you equip various musical instruments that change your weapon skills appropriately.

This could also work as a Thief spec, I suppose, which would mean less worry about how to re-do the shatter skills.

Mesmer ideas:

1. The Dreamweaver: specializes in invisibility and soft CC, as well as confusion damage.

2. The Nullifier: specializes in removing boons and conditions on the battlefield, and cancelling AOE effects like wells, traps, or anything else “magical”

Kinda funny how everyone wants to get kits for their own profession. ^^
I really hope this isn’t happening. Kits should be a unique mechanic for engineers, even with future elite specs. Engineer is balanced around them and got really hard conditions for this.

But now I want to suggest an elite spec I had in my mind for engineers.
__________________________________________________________________

Name: The Corroder
Weapon: MH Axe
Skill Type: Chemicals
Class Mechanic: Gas Valves

Description:
Engineers used to experiment with acidic chemicals in the past, using them for offensive and defensive purposes. But many of them came to the conclusion, that these acid coats and acidic elixirs would be too harmful for their own users, to use them.

But a few of them didn’t stop to experiment. In these times, where all these magic floats around and the enemies are trying to harden their defensive, the engineers need a new way to get through these armors. And if they can’t break it, well, they have to melt it.

With the Elite Specalization Corroder engineers get access to the mainhand axe (a symbol that their gases and chemicals are there to peal the flesh of the enemies bones), the Gas Valves profession mechanic and new chemical skills. They are experts at boon management, which means they are able to strip boons from enemies to weaken them and even strip boons from themselves to release powerful effects by chemical reactions.

Class Mechanic: Gas Valves

The mechanic is a new resource system, you will build up Gas with each hit and getting bonus Gas for critical hits (just like druid build up celestial force with hits and heals). The resource can be used with the F6 (yes another button, sry but it is hard to get new mechanics without adding buttons) and it will work like an upkeep skill. So, you can activate it whenever you want, it will use the resource and you can cancel by pressing F6 again (the skill will go on cool down then).

What will happen? You are producing an small AoE field around yourself and moving with you, which will rip 1 boon each x seconds from affected foes. Also you will give them an unique debuff called Intoxicated, which will disable the foes boons from working (stability is an exception, it will still work). The boons are still there, just not working, so basically resistance for boons. It shouldn’t be a condition, so there wouldn’t be the questions what will happen if the target has resistance and the new debuff. Also it would prevent abuse with condition duration.

~skills and traits will follow later (feedback about the concept itself would be nice)~

GW2 needs Specializations, which do fit to the game, it’s combat system, it’s style and design. With this being said, I personally would never be content with anything which breaks with these five core pillars of Class Design:

I.) A good Elite Specialization insn’t too crazy, it feels like just being a different path of its original basic form of class without changing too much.

II.) A good Elite Specialization shares and expands the theme and style of its original form, without touching any concepts or mechanics of other classes too much to the point, that you can/could say that it copies from other classes.
Each Elite Specialization needs to be in and of itself unique.

(III.) A good Elite Specialization always provides something new to the table, that nothing else before of it offered to the game. If an Elite Specialization offers only new things, which basically already exist in the game in similar form, then it is no good Elite Specialization Concept and needs to be reworked and be refined more to the point, so that it DOES offer something good and special, that nothing else ever before of it had.

(IV.) A good Elite Specialization provides good thought out gameplay mechanics, which are simple to use, easy to understand, but complex enough to be hard to master and so versatile, that they can provide to the player many different ways to be used optimally in different situations and that in such ways, so that the Elite Specialization is everywhere in the game useful and not just only for very specific parts of it

(V.) A good Elite Specialization must be well balanced. It must have strengths and weaknesses somewhere or in something. It can be superior in something than other classes, but it also needs to be inferior at something compared to other classes naturally. It always needs to be a give and take.
If you give theoretically a class everything, it means it must exist also a way that you can instantly lose everything with this class, if your opponent just finds out your one true weakness. Thats the way of well balancing.
For every mechanic there is, there needs to be also to exist a mechanic that is able to counter it.
If an Elite Specialization has mechanics, that can’t be countered, then it is trashbin time and go sit back to start and put your head together more in concentration to come up with something more well thought out the next time that has counter mechanics – and if you can’t come up with anything good, then …well, better make not any class concepts at all

I’m interested in how Anet is going to 1up themselves on elite specs without taking the power creep too far.

Chronomancer is currently the best support so 1) how will the next mesmer elite overcome this wall and 2) how will any other future support elite specs be better than chronomancer?

They are probably going to do what they did when HoT dropped: invalidate the previous released specs (base) and have the new specs (elite) be OP.

Can’t be too optimistic after the precedent has already been set.

I think the next elementalist specialization should be Ninja.

Ninjas are said to have control of the five elements: Fire, Earth, Air, Water and Void/Sky/Heaven

Elementalists already have the elemental attunements, would only need to add a 5th attunement.

Plus it would be something the ele doesn’t really have, melee and it could use the deception skills from thief.

Sword for the weapon.
Edit: Maybe they should use greatsword instead, since katanas are 2h weapons.

http://imgur.com/a/r00Wd
this. thanks.

Engineer elite spec: Battletech

Weapon: Greatsword
1# 2x chain autoattack-final have 25% chance to give superspeed for 2 sec (10 sec cd)
2# slice and dice : unblockable 2x attacks – if both attack are succesful you steal some hp and 1 boon- 5 sec cd
3# block all attacks and taunt enemies around you
4#call down ancient greatsword from the sky which is doing huge aoe dmg and blinding and crippling all all enemies
5# jump at target area stab greatsword into ground and knock down enemies

Utilities: Shouts

1# “cmon hit me” – every attack heal you for xxx and steal 1 boon
2# “get over here” pulls 3 targets to your position and cripple them – doing xxx dmg – if targets block attack or avoid they are taunted
3# …. dont have ideas…its 2 AM and my brain stopped working

This being said, each Class so far always had for me personally a kind of favourite top 5 ranking of what I’d like them to have for Elite Specializations, back then at the time, where I originally took part in the CDI that lead to what we have now basically.

Personally I’m not happy with some of the first round Specialization and especially the Revenant and if I could, I’d instantly replace most of them out immedietely in a heartbeat out with something different, except of the Chronomancer and the Reaper, because they are in my honest opinion the only two Elite Specialization Concept that were very well done, I’d just rename the Reaper only instead to Rea>v<er and make it less look like wannabe grim reapers with just giant swords instead of the scythe that they get visually with their expanded death shroud style only.
But thats all just a matter of taste in the end and the fact, that I don’t like class/specialization names, that are tied to lore of the game or any events that happened in the games lore or are likely to happen, see for this example the Dragonhunter cringe

If I’d be responsible to 100% for Classes and their Elite Specializations then we would have by now this:

Class: Warrior
Elite Specializations:

• Berserker - Weapon: Greatsword (Torchs become baseline instead)
• Legionnaire - Weapon: Shield (Bigger Main Hand Shields – smaller offhand Shields are renamed to “Bucklers”)
• Knight - Weapon: Polearm
• Gladiator - Weapon: Flail
• Ravager - Weapon: Greataxe

Class: Guardian
Elite Specializations:

• Seeker - Weapon: Longbow
• Inquisitor - Weapon: Polearm
• Mystic - Weapon: Gauntlets (and reusage of Tomes/Esoteric Scrolls to use Mystic Arts and sealed Forbidden Spells)
• Keeper - Weapon: Greataxe
• Augmentor - Weapon: Focus (make therefore Warhorn baseline)

Class: Engineer
Elite Specializations:

• Alchemist - Weapon: Axe
• Smith - Weapon: Hammer
• Pioneer - Weapon: Sword
• Inventor - Weapon: Focus
• Scout - Weapon: Shortbow

Class: Ranger
Elite Specializations:

• Druid - Weapon: Staff
• Hunter - Weapon: Crossbow
• Strider - Weapon: Polearm
• Tamer - Weapon: Whip
• Shaman - Weapon: Scepter

Class: Thief
Elite Specializations:

• Infiltrator - Weapon: Whip
• Saboteur - Weapon: Torch
• Ascetic - Weapon: Gauntlets
• Gunslinger - Weapon: Rifle
• Rogue - Weapon: Staff

Class: Mesmer
Elite Specializations:

• Chronomancer - Weapon: Buckler
• Bard - Weapon: Focus (make therefore Offhand Dagger baseline)
• Mentalist - Weapon: Gauntlets
• Archer - Weapon: Crossbow
• Visionary - Weapon: Warhorn

Class: Necromancer
Elite Specializations:

• Reaver - Weapon: Greatsword
• Ritualist - Weapon: Gauntlets
• Occultist - Weapon: Torch
• Torturer - Weapon: Whip
• Executioner - Weapon: Greataxe

Class: Elementalist
Elite Specializations:

• Arcanist - Weapon: Swords
• Runologist - Weapon: Longbow
• Harbinger - Weapon: Warhorn
• Sage - Weapon: Gauntlets
• Summoner - Weapon: Buckler

Class: Herold (Revenant Revamp)
Elite Specializations:

• Paladin - Weapon: Shield
• Dervish - Weapon: Polearm
• Templar - Weapon: Flail
• Vagabond - Weapon: Dagger
• Crusader - Weapon: Greatsword

I’m tempted to see someone do an elite spec with elementist using a tomehmm perhaps I can make one sometime tonight and make my take on the thief being a bard.

Personally, I was hoping the Ranger would become a “bunny-thumper” and get access to a hammer…

Revenant:
Currently there is not an underwater legend so…

Under Water Legendary: Archemorus
Archemorus was a Luxon hero. The Luxon Armada dwells on the Jade Sea and is one of the two vassals of the Empire of the Dragon. Archemorus is usually scene with a spear, which fits the Revenants current underwater weapon.

Skills:

Heal Skill: Turtles Blessing: A swarm of turtles swim around you, granting regeneration and protection.

Spear of Fury: Imbues your spear with the energy from Archemorus and release a devastating swarm of attacks from your spear.

Crab Hammer: A giant crab claw strikes your enemy causing knock down and stun.

Leviathans Bite: AoE that deals bleeding and poison up to 5 foes within a 300 Radius.

Elite: Amber Wave: Release a wave of amber that freezes your enemies into a block of amber, sinking them to the bottom.

thieves are no bards..nothing in their core design speaks of anythign thats based on music..
the only real class, of GW2, that could ever become a bard, which provides already by its decisn some basics and influences on that kind of specilization is the Mesmer …

Its from all classes the only one, which has the traitline “Inspiration”, which is somethign that you need as Bard to have to always come up with new inspiring songs that can motivate your allies.
its also the only class so far from all others, that even has some kind of melodical weapon skill animations, when you fight underwater with the trident, using its auto attack.

So, basically said, absolutely no other class than the mesmer understands anythign at all about melodies/ uses sound for their attacks to influence enemies/allies by the principle of chaos at the same time. (Giving allies boons while enemies get conditions at the same moment)

The only class that so far ever used “tomes” was the Guardian and anet also has said, that they most likely will try to bring the removed Tome Skilsl somewhen later in the future back.
So due to it beign originally Guardian SKills it is also cause of this nearly 100% certain, that if they really ever return, that it will be for sure then skilsl for a guardian elite specialization.
Anything else would’nt make sense at all and bringing back tomes as skill types for a Mystic Specialization for the Guardian as a more magical based class that uses magical Gauntlets, while using Tomes as returnign skill as their Healing/Utility/Elite Skills would mean for anet this way the least work.
Forbidden Spells then as changed Class Mechanic that you can use then as F1-F4 Skill when you unsealed the Esoteric Scrolls that contain them, while also bringign back as their specializy something unique from GW1.

Upkeep Boons that stay as long active as like you want for an cost of reduced Endurance Regeneration or a cost of reduced regeneration of the enermy/skill manmagement part of the Specialization, so that you will want to keep up the boons not forever but only as long as needed.

So yeah, expect me to post here a lot, and expect my posts to be lengthy too. First up is my idea for a Sniper Specialization for Thief. Now, the most difficult part was to come up with a way to curb Thief’s insane mobility, as that’s what primarily kept them from getting a Long-ranged DPS weapon. I think the mechanic that came to mind actually works, so let’s check it out!

Thief – Sniper
Weapon: Rifle (Long-ranged mixed Direct/Condi Damage, focusing on AoE’s when not in stealth or prone mode)
Utility Skill: Gadgets.
Mechanic: Snipers gain a new F3 skills called Prone Stance, in which they drop into a hunched stance. While Prone, they can only move at Walking Speed and any Endurance Regeneration is stunted. Dodge-rolling and Shadowstepping will also break Prone. In return, Stealth Duration is increased while Prone and the Sniper gains access to Devastating Prone Skills which can be used both within and outside of Stealth for different effects. Prone Stance also changes Dual Skills while dual-wielding, which will become Devastatingly more powerful in return for cancelling out Prone stance and putting it on cooldown. Prone Stance carries a Cooldown, similar to Steal.

Prone Stance Skills:

• (Dagger #1) Assassinate – Strike down your target, dealing a Set % of their Max HP while ignoring Armor rating. While Stealthed, this skill will automatically Finish a player that’s defeated by this skill, and any enemy below Elite Rank.
• (Sword #1) Lethal Crescendo – Flurry with your blade, Immobilizing your target and Rending them with several deadly attacks while destroying projectiles. While Stealthed, this skill will also Daze your target.
• (Pistol #1) Dirty Shot – Roll away from your target, firing several piercing Bullets at your target that Blind and Bleed them. While Stealthed, this skill will also Knock Back enemies struck.
• (Shortbow #1) Sky Shot – Fire several arrows into the air over the target area, causing them to rain down and cause Poison, Bleeding and Cripple over the area.
• (Dagger/Dagger) Blooming Lotus Dance – Spin upwards, evading incoming attacks while stacking Immobilize, Bleeding and Vulnerability on nearby enemies. Using this skill from Stealth increases Condition Duration.
• (Dagger/Pistol) Shadow Barrage – Barrage your target with Unblockable shots from your gun, before rushing forwards with a dagger strike, damaging and Blinding your target. If This skill is used from Stealth, you remove Revealed and regain Stealth if you hit with the Dagger strike.
• (Sword/Dagger) Twisting Shadows – Dash quickly between enemies at the target area, Blinding and Stealing a Boon from each enemy you hit while Damaging them. Using this skill from Stealth causes you to Evade attacks while channeling.
• (Sword/Pistol) Thug Combination – Strike forwards with an Immobilizing sword strike, follow up with a kick that Knocks back your target and finish with a Pistol Shot that deals massive damage. If used from stealth, the attacks become Unblockable.
• (Pistol/Dagger) Wildcard – Throw your dagger at your target, before Firing your gun and ricochetting the bullet off the dagger, stacking Torment and Bleeding on all nearby targets. If used from Stealth, the number of bullets are doubled.
• (Pistol/Pistol) Two Smoking Barrels – Leap away from your target while Unloading your guns at them, dealing damage to all enemies in a cone before you while evading attacks. If used from Stealth, this skill additionally Bleeds and Cripples with each shot.

Weapon Skills:

• (Stealth Skill) Wounding Shot – Fire a Precise Shot that will Bleed, Cripple and Leave your foe Vulnerable. Stacks increase the further away from the target that you are.
• (Prone Skill) Deadshot – Fire a Long-charged shot aimed at the targets head, dealing Massive Damage. Deals more damage if your target is Vulnerable. If used from Stealth, this skill will deal less damage but also Stun your target.
• Sniper Shot – Fire a carefully aimed shot at your target, dealing more damage the further away you are.
• Piercing Shot – Fire a Shot that pierces through Enemies, stacking Vulnerability. Initiative Cost: 2.
• Flechette Rain – Fire shrapnel into the Air to rain down at the target Area, Bleeding and Crippling enemies with each Pulse. Initiative Cost: 3.
• Smoke Dud – Fire a Smoke dud at the target area, creating a Smoke Field that Blinds enemies. Initiative Cost: 5.
• Bullet Barrage – Fire a hail of bullets that ricochet forwards, Bleeding all enemies in their path. Initiative Cost: 6.

Utility Skills:

• Painkillers – Heal Skill. Heal yourself and gain a Heal-over-time buff, gaining Resistance with each Pulse.
• Zipline – Throw a Zipline at the target Area and pull yourself to the target area. If you strike an enemy with this skill, pull yourself towards them and Knock them Down. Acts as a Leap Finisher.
• Scope – The range of nearby Allies’ Projectiles are increased by 300, and all Projectiles cause Vulnerability for a short time.
• Bottle o’ Pick-me-up/Bottle o’ Put-you-down – The Sniper downs a little something, Breaking Stun and increasing Initiative Regeneration for a short time. The bottle can then be thrown at the target area, exploding in flames that Burn and Stun enemies, becoming a Fire Field.
• Decoy Doll – Drop a Decoy doll at your location that Taunts nearby enemies, exploding and Launching nearby enemies when destroyed. Acts as a Blast Finisher.
• Gillie Suit – Elite Skill. The Sniper dons a Gillie Suit which applies Camouflage, stealthing them as long as they don’t move or remain in Prone stance. Gillie suit continously drain Initiative while active.

And next up is gonna be Necromancer. This one I themed heavily around the idea of Witches and Warlocks, the good ol’ kind with cooky cottages, cats, crows, nasty brews and curses, but I also wanted to bake in the idea that oftentimes the people called out as Witches were often just clever old people good at herbalism and house remedies, which is reflected in the Supporting nature of this Elite Specialization:

Necromancer – Witchdoctor
Weapon: Torch
Utility Skill: Conjurations (Consecrations)
Mechanic: Death Shroud is replaced with Witch’s Shroud, which focuses heavily on Ground-targeted AoE Condition Damage and Group Support. They also gain access to a new Condition called Lethargy.

• Lethargy – Boons currently on you are Ineffective. Stacks Duration.

Weapon Skills:

• Witchpyre – Scatter green wisps that chase down enemies, causing them to become Mobile Fire Fields and continously stack Burning if they hit.
• Poltergeist – Conjure an evil spirit that will Haunt the enemy, Damaging them and granting Lethargy with each Pulse. After a while, the Poltergeist will explode and Heal all nearby allies, Stealing up to 3 Boons from the target and granting it to nearby allies.

Shroud Skills:

• Life Curse – Torment and Weaken enemies at the target Area, while Healing allies. This skill inherits traits from Life Blast.
• Broomstick – Fly forwards on your trusty Broomstick, stealing Boons from enemies hit and Poisoning them. This skill inherits traits from Dark Path.
• Transmogrification – Transform your target into a Toad for a brief time, leaving them defenseless. This skill inherits traits from Doom.
• Ill Omens – Transform into a Murder of Crows, evading attacks while Bleeding Enemies and Sharing Boons on yourself with nearby Allies. Gain Life Force for each enemy struck with each Pulse. This skill inherits traits from Life Transfer.
• Witch’s Kettle – Create a boiling Miasma around you that Burns and Poisons enemies struck with each Pulse, while Healing and removing Conditions from Allies. Acts as a Poison Field.

Utility Skills:

• Thaumaturgy – Create a circle that Heals all nearby Allies, then pulsing Damage to nearby enemies, stealing Health from them and healing allies whenever it does. Acts as a Light Field.
• Will-o’-the-Wisp- Conjure forth a wall of dancing lights at the target Area that Chills enemies passing through while Reflecting Projectiles that Cause Burning. Allies passing through the field become a Mobile Ice Field, Chilling enemies that come too close. Acts as an Ice Field.
• Dark Garden – Conjure forth a Garden of lethal blooms, Corrupting Boons on enemies into Poison and Converting Conditions on Allies to Regeneration. Acts as a Poison Field.
• Condemnation – Conjure forth a dark void that drains enemies of their will to fight, pulsing Lethargy and Weakness. Allies are Imbued with dark power, causing them to deal 10% more damage and grant you Life Force with each Attack. Acts as a Dark Field.
• Unholy Pact – Call otherworldly spirits to your aid, increasing the Stats of all Allies within the Area while decreasing the stats of all enemies. Acts as a Dark Field.
• Burial Grounds – Elite Skill. Condemn the target area, raising the Dead to Immobilize enemies within. Enemies Downed within the area are immedietally defeated and creates a Vengeful Shade that applies Lethargy to enemies they attack.

Elementalist:

Summoner, summon a variety of elementals focusing on control uses a Mace. Elementals can block terrain, chill, burn, or knockback enemies that try to move through them and buff allies that move through them. Traits buff elementals and glyphs.

Spellslinger channel skills are instant cast increase cd by X% . Traits buff utilities effects(double cast, procs, duration). Uses a pistol offhand.

Conjuror enables you to summon conjured 2nd weapon. Traits buff conjurors and your attunement swap effects. No new weapon but opens up a 2nd weapon slot allow you to use 20 different abilities. HIGH skill cap.

Going to work do not have time to fleshout the overall ideas :P.

Next up is Warrior on my list. Yep, I’m going through them all. Considering that the last iteration was the Damage-focused Berserker, I decided to go with a Support-focused Commander this time around, that primarily focuses around teamplay. And yes, I realize it’s AI involved with Troopers here, but it just fit better.

Warrior – Commander
Weapon: Pistol Off-hand
Utility Skill: Troopers (Minions). Differ from Necro Minions in that instead of an Activated Ability, they have 2 different Modes.
Mechanic: F2 becomes a Rally Skill, which Pulses a Unique Effect to nearby Allies depending on the Off-hand Weapon or Two-handed weapon that the Commander currently has equipped. Rally skills gradually cost Adrenaline to have active and can only be activated with full Adrenaline.

Weapon Skills:

• (Pistol Skill) Magnum Caliber – Fire a powerful shot that Knocks Back all enemies before you, while granting Might and Fury to nearby Allies. Acts as a Blast Finisher.
• (Pistol Skill) Wild Barrage – Quickfire your pistol several times, damaging and stacking Vulnerability in a cone before you, before launching a high-power shot that leaves a Fire Field behind, burning enemies. Acts as a Projectile Finisher.

Rally Skills:

• (Pistol) Rain Lead! – Fire a signal shot in the air and pulse a unique buff to nearby allies that causes their next Critical Hit to mark their Target for a High-damage Sniper Shot, while this Rally is active.
• (Shield) Phalanx Formation! – You and nearby Allies take decreased Damage and Condition Damage for each nearby Ally while this Rally is active.
• (Warhorn) Rally to Me! – You and nearby Allies Regenerate Health and have increased Endurance Regeneration while this Rally is active.
• (Axe) Cleave through them! – Pulse a unique buff to nearby allies that causes their next attack to deal AoE damage around their target, while this Rally is active.
• (Sword) Raise your Blades! – You and nearby Allies deal increased Condition Damage and have increased Condition duration while this Rally is active.
• (Mace) Crush Their Resolve! – Pulse a unique buff to nearby allies that causes their next attack to apply Vulnerability and Weakness, while this Rally is active.
• (Greatsword) Run Wild! – You and nearby Allies deal increased Damage and Attack Faster for each nearby Ally while this Rally is active.
• (Longbow) Suppressive Fire! – Pulse a unique buff to nearby allies that causes their next Critical hit to mark their target for an AoE Crippling Barrage, while this Rally is active.
• (Hammer) Break their Line! – Pulse a unique buff to nearby allies that causes their next attack to Knock Back their target a short distance while this Rally is active.
• (Rifle) Cannons! – Pulse a unique buff to nearby allies that causes their next Critical hit to mark their Target for an AoE Cannonball strike, while this Rally is active.

Utility Skills:

• Medic – Heal yourself and Summon a Quaggan to Heal Nearby Allies. Ressurect mode switches its focus, and the Medic will instead attempt to seek out and Rally Downed Allies.
• Archers – Summon 2 Tengu Archers to attack your target with precise Arrow Strikes. Barrage mode switches their focus, and they’ll attack less frequently but will now Barrage the area around their target with Bleeding Arrows.
• Demolitionist – Summon a Skritt bomber to hurl Explosives at enemies. Bomber mode switches its focus, and it will instead chase down enemies to plant a Bomb that Launches them and acts as Blast Finisher.
• Phalanx – Summon a High-HP Ogre Standard-bearer that absorbs Damage aimed at nearby Allies. Sentinel mode switches its focus, and it’ll move to the target Area, Blocking Projectiles and pulsing Stability to Allies, while rapidly Regaining HP.
• Lancer – Summon a Centaur Lancer to attack enemies with Crippling Strikes. Charge mode switches its focus, and it will now Trample enemies in its wake, Knocking them Back and pulsing Swiftness to allies.
• Assassin – Elite Skill. Summon a Largos Assassin to attack your target with flurries of swift attacks, causing Vulnerability. Stealth mode switches its focus, causing it to disappear from view and attack less frequently, but with devastating backstabs.

Orpheal.8263:

thieves are no bards..nothing in their core design speaks of anythign thats based on music..
the only real class, of GW2, that could ever become a bard, which provides already by its decisn some basics and influences on that kind of specilization is the Mesmer …

Its from all classes the only one, which has the traitline “Inspiration”, which is somethign that you need as Bard to have to always come up with new inspiring songs that can motivate your allies.
its also the only class so far from all others, that even has some kind of melodical weapon skill animations, when you fight underwater with the trident, using its auto attack.

So, basically said, absolutely no other class than the mesmer understands anythign at all about melodies/ uses sound for their attacks to influence enemies/allies by the principle of chaos at the same time. (Giving allies boons while enemies get conditions at the same moment)

The only class that so far ever used “tomes” was the Guardian and anet also has said, that they most likely will try to bring the removed Tome Skilsl somewhen later in the future back.
So due to it beign originally Guardian SKills it is also cause of this nearly 100% certain, that if they really ever return, that it will be for sure then skilsl for a guardian elite specialization.
Anything else would’nt make sense at all and bringing back tomes as skill types for a Mystic Specialization for the Guardian as a more magical based class that uses magical Gauntlets, while using Tomes as returnign skill as their Healing/Utility/Elite Skills would mean for anet this way the least work.
Forbidden Spells then as changed Class Mechanic that you can use then as F1-F4 Skill when you unsealed the Esoteric Scrolls that contain them, while also bringign back as their specializy something unique from GW1.

Upkeep Boons that stay as long active as like you want for an cost of reduced Endurance Regeneration or a cost of reduced regeneration of the enermy/skill manmagement part of the Specialization, so that you will want to keep up the boons not forever but only as long as needed.

In all fairness that does make alot more sense for a Mesmer with an elite Bard specialization but Thief is my main and thats the only reason I said have a bard elite spec for Thief as I love playing bards in other MMOs so am very biased about it :P

Elementalist – Spellweaver
Weapon: Sword Main-hand
Skills: Physical
Mechanic: A new F5 skill called “Spellweaving”, which combines the elements of any Attunements currently on Cooldown.

Can you feel the rythm of magic? The Spellweaver sure can, weaving it into deadly elemental dances that simultaneously entrance and terrify those who bear witness to it. As they dance through their attunements, they accumulate the magical power into powerful “Spellweaving” techniques.

Whenever the Spellweaver exits an attunement, they empower a new F5 skill with the respective element of that attunements, which stays active until the Spellweave is activated, however they can only be gained while the elementalist is in combat. The Spellweave becomes available once 3 or more Attunements have been “added” to it, resulting in 1 of 4 different forms:

• Elemental Storm (Fire/Water/Air) – Rain Fire, Hail and Lightning upon the target area, inflicting significant damage to enemies within. Acts as a Lightning Field.
• Elemental Annihilation (Fire/Air/Earth) – Stomp the ground, pulling your target towards you with a shockwave that Cripples and Dazes them, followed by raising a Pillar of Fire upwards that Launches them upwards, then finish off with a Lightning strike that inflicts massive damage and Finishes Downed targets.
• Elemental Calamity (Fire/Water/Earth) – Immobilize enemies in the Target Area in rock Prisons, before colliding Intense heat and cold that causes an Explosion that simultaneously Burns and Chills them, while also smashing the rocks and Bleeding them with the sharp remains, Knocking Back all targets.
• Elemental Sanctuary (Water/Air/Earth) – Surround the area with rocks that pushes back enemies, winds that destroy projectiles and pouring water that Heals allies and removes Conditions. Acts as a Water Field.
• Convergance of Elements (Fire/Water/Air/Earth) – Unify all elements, Covering yourself and nearby allies with an elemental sheen. You and all Nearby Allies stack Conditions and Gain boons with each attack, depending on your Attunement.
  • Fire: Burning/Might
  • Water: Vulnerability/Regeneration
  • Air: Weakness/Quickness
  • Earth: Bleeding/Protection

The Spellweaver’s choice of weapon is the Sword, which they use for a close-quarters, defensive fighting style built around quick, dance-like attacks involving evades, lunges and mobility.

Weapon Skills:
Fire

• Scorching Blade → Voracious Flames → Incinerate – Powerful Chain Combo that Burns all enemies on the Final Attack.
• Trailblazer – Draw a scorching trail of fire that rushes your target, exploding on Impact. Leaves behind a Fire Field.
• Torrent of Flames – Spin forwards with a trail of fire at the tip of your blade, evading attacks while damaging and burning enemies caught in your way. Acts as a Whirl Finisher.

Water

• Crystal Blade → Piercing Frost → Diamond Dust – Graceful chain combo that Chills the target on the second strike, and deals AoE Damage around your target on the final attack.
• Deluge – Flurry with your blade, sending out ripples of water that Damage enemies and Heal Allies in the splash area.
• Dancing Ice Blades – Channeled Skill. Conjure several Ice blades around you that attacks nearby enemies and destroy projectiles. Acts as a Whirl Finisher.

Air

• Winding Blade → Roaring Storm → Rolling Thunder – Quick chain combo that twirls the blade around during the last strike, damaging enemies multiple times.
• Gale Kick → Weaving Winds – Kick your target while evading attacks, before leaping towards them and striking out with a powerful gust that destroys projectiles.
• Stormcaller – Raise your blade into the air, calling down a Lightning strike to damage and weaken nearby enemies. Acts as a Blast Finisher.

Earth

• Dust Blade → Whipping Sand → Erosion – Powerful chain combo that bleeds your target, and the final attack leaves behind a whirl of sand that damages nearby enemies.
• Earthrender – Pierce the ground with your blade, sending out a shockwave that Cripples nearby enemies while granting Protection to Allies. Acts as a Blast Finisher.
• Bombardment – Conjure 3 Rock Axes above your head that fly towards your target in rapid Succession, Bleeding enemies near the impact zone. Each Axe is a Projectile Finisher.

Ok, that took a lot of space. Let’s quickly mention the Physical Skills that the Spellweaver would get. As some might’ve guessed, the Physical skills are not the brutal kind that Warriors have, or the lethal kind that Daredevil uses. Rather, they’re based around Dance and rythm, tailored after the elements.

Utility Skills:

• Harmonic Resonance – Peform a harmonizing movement, Restoring Health to yourself and reducing the Cooldown on Attunements and Spellweaving by 20%.
• Trial of Fire – Advance forwards with dancing flames that lash out and attack nearby enemies, granting them a debuff that causes them to act as a Fire Field and constantly stack Burning for a short time.
• Windrider – Dash forward on powerful gales, removing Movement-impairing conditions from Allies, Destroying projectiles and Knocking down enemies in your path.
• Rain Dance – Call forth a downpour that continously Heal and remove conditions from nearby allies, building up a torrent of water that will Knock Back enemies and Chill them when the channel finishes.
• Mountain Caller – Break stun and stomp down, creating powerful shockwaves that Cripple enemies and grant Stability to allies. Each Shockwave is a Blast Finisher.
• Expulse Impurities – Remove all Conditions from yourself, Reset all Attunement Cooldowns and gain All Attunement Bonuses for a short time.

TheSwede.9512:

Next up is Warrior on my list. Yep, I’m going through them all. Considering that the last iteration was the Damage-focused Berserker, I decided to go with a Support-focused Commander this time around, that primarily focuses around teamplay. And yes, I realize it’s AI involved with Troopers here, but it just fit better.

Warrior – Commander
Weapon: Pistol Off-hand
Utility Skill: Troopers (Minions). Differ from Necro Minions in that instead of an Activated Ability, they have 2 different Modes.
Mechanic: F2 becomes a Rally Skill, which Pulses a Unique Effect to nearby Allies depending on the Off-hand Weapon or Two-handed weapon that the Commander currently has equipped. Rally skills gradually cost Adrenaline to have active and can only be activated with full Adrenaline.

Weapon Skills:

• (Pistol Skill) Magnum Caliber – Fire a powerful shot that Knocks Back all enemies before you, while granting Might and Fury to nearby Allies. Acts as a Blast Finisher.
• (Pistol Skill) Wild Barrage – Quickfire your pistol several times, damaging and stacking Vulnerability in a cone before you, before launching a high-power shot that leaves a Fire Field behind, burning enemies. Acts as a Projectile Finisher.

Rally Skills:

• (Pistol) Rain Lead! – Fire a signal shot in the air and pulse a unique buff to nearby allies that causes their next Critical Hit to mark their Target for a High-damage Sniper Shot, while this Rally is active.
• (Shield) Phalanx Formation! – You and nearby Allies take decreased Damage and Condition Damage for each nearby Ally while this Rally is active.
• (Warhorn) Rally to Me! – You and nearby Allies Regenerate Health and have increased Endurance Regeneration while this Rally is active.
• (Axe) Cleave through them! – Pulse a unique buff to nearby allies that causes their next attack to deal AoE damage around their target, while this Rally is active.
• (Sword) Raise your Blades! – You and nearby Allies deal increased Condition Damage and have increased Condition duration while this Rally is active.
• (Mace) Crush Their Resolve! – Pulse a unique buff to nearby allies that causes their next attack to apply Vulnerability and Weakness, while this Rally is active.
• (Greatsword) Run Wild! – You and nearby Allies deal increased Damage and Attack Faster for each nearby Ally while this Rally is active.
• (Longbow) Suppressive Fire! – Pulse a unique buff to nearby allies that causes their next Critical hit to mark their target for an AoE Crippling Barrage, while this Rally is active.
• (Hammer) Break their Line! – Pulse a unique buff to nearby allies that causes their next attack to Knock Back their target a short distance while this Rally is active.
• (Rifle) Cannons! – Pulse a unique buff to nearby allies that causes their next Critical hit to mark their Target for an AoE Cannonball strike, while this Rally is active.

Utility Skills:

• Medic – Heal yourself and Summon a Quaggan to Heal Nearby Allies. Ressurect mode switches its focus, and the Medic will instead attempt to seek out and Rally Downed Allies.
• Archers – Summon 2 Tengu Archers to attack your target with precise Arrow Strikes. Barrage mode switches their focus, and they’ll attack less frequently but will now Barrage the area around their target with Bleeding Arrows.
• Demolitionist – Summon a Skritt bomber to hurl Explosives at enemies. Bomber mode switches its focus, and it will instead chase down enemies to plant a Bomb that Launches them and acts as Blast Finisher.
• Phalanx – Summon a High-HP Ogre Standard-bearer that absorbs Damage aimed at nearby Allies. Sentinel mode switches its focus, and it’ll move to the target Area, Blocking Projectiles and pulsing Stability to Allies, while rapidly Regaining HP.
• Lancer – Summon a Centaur Lancer to attack enemies with Crippling Strikes. Charge mode switches its focus, and it will now Trample enemies in its wake, Knocking them Back and pulsing Swiftness to allies.
• Assassin – Elite Skill. Summon a Largos Assassin to attack your target with flurries of swift attacks, causing Vulnerability. Stealth mode switches its focus, causing it to disappear from view and attack less frequently, but with devastating backstabs.

THIS… I now need this so badly, only one question… your idea for this how many minions would you allow summoned at once? Im guessing one

I have not the faintest clue, it entirely depends on how Powerful the Minions are, their cooldown Times and of course Cast Times.

If you’re considering the Visual Clutter, that too could be an issue however I am personally hoping that a Minion-focused Elite Spec would have ANet look over Pet AI to kill two birds with one stone, so implementing something like standard Models for Pets and Minions could be a thing of the Visual Clutter makes Competative play difficult.

That aside, we’ve seen Necromancers run around with a horde of undead minions. I personally could see a Warrior run around with a squad of trained Pact soldiers (They could have matching uniforms!)

I did not get the details, just that I do not have natural language, but that’s my thought:

Mesmer
I woul like to see him sacrifices his clones to create a illution of big monsters.
like “Destroy all your clones and phantasms to create a dragon”.

Elementalist
I like the idea of overcharge elements, and thought about becoming a ONE:
For example, fire, makes the character of Avatar made from fire, replaces the set of skills from 6 to 10, eliminating some time for the transition between the elements

Necro
Weapon Spell (GW1, Rt).

Ranger:
“We are one”, but in real. After filling a particular bar, merging with the animal

Thief:
Shout, like paragon in GW1.
Instead of disappearing into the shade, they remain visible, and spread a wave of power.

Engineer
Conjure spirits, but they were dressed in technology armor and stuff like that.

Guardian
Hex from GW1 ^^
Every time something happen, they set on fire or lose health.
or dissolve epidemic among enemies

Revenant
Chants. and the elite Dhuum or Envoy power.

Warrior
no idea for him.
but I want to see them sacrificing or reach a state of inferiority from which they make the revolution

Ranger – Beastwalker
Weapon: Dagger Main-hand (Heavy CC and Condition Damage Focus)
Utility Skill: Mantra. Differs from Mesmer Mantras in that they create a Unique Pulsing effect on the Ranger and the Pet both. Each Mantra can be used Twice after Charging.
Mechanic: New F5 skill called Spirit Fusion, which causes the Beastwalker to merge his soul with his pet, transforming the pet into an enhanced version and gaining full control over it. Like this, the Beastwalker gains all Pet Trait and Skill Effect bonuses but loses access to any Utility Skills. The Beastwalker also takes on the Pet’s Attributes and HP, however they’re enhanced further while Transformed. If the Beastwalker loses all Health while transformed, they’re forcefully split from their Pet and the Pet is defeated, while Spirit Fusion goes on Cooldown. While transformed, their 1-5 Skills are replaced with the Pet Family’s skills, however they’re enhanced, carries lower cooldowns and have slightly different functionality.

Example: Felines

• Slash – Slash your foe, Leaving them Vulnerable
• Bite – Bite your foe for severe damage. While transformed, this skill deals increased Damage from Stealth.
• Maul – Slash a foe Multiple times to make them Bleed. While transformed, this skill also Immobilizes if used from Stealth.
• Pounce – Pounce at your foe, Crippling them.
• Stalk – Break out of Stun and gain Stealth.

Example: Canines

• Bite – Bite your foe.
• Crippling Charge – Leap at your foe and Cripple them. While transformed, Cooldown is reduced by Half.
• Run with the Pack – Gain Stability and Swiftness, as well as Might for each nearby Ally.
• Brutal Charge – Leap at your Foe to Knock them Down. Combo Finisher: Leap. While Transformed, Cooldown is reduced by 25%.
• Alpha’s Howl – Howl, Fearing and Immobilizing all nearby enemies. While transformed, acts as a Blast Finisher.

Weapon Skills:

• Claws – Stinger – Fangs – Bleed your target Twice, then Poison them with a quick Stab, before Weakening them with a Final, brutal strike.
• Feral Stride – Dash forwards in a Sig-zag pattern, stacking Cripple and Vulnerability on Enemies with several Strikes while evading attacks.
• Predator’s Prowl – Leap forwards with a quick strike, Dazing your target. If you connect, you and your pet gain Stealth. Acts as a Leap Finisher.

Utility Skills:

• Mantra of Nature – Concentrate, charging a Buff that will Cleanse Conditions from you and your Pet, while causing you to Regenerate Health at a rapid rate. ”We are the Serenity of Nature!”
• Mantra of the Flock – Concentrate, charging a Buff that pulses Superspeed and Reveals enemies around you and your pet. ”We Soar freely across the lands!”
• Mantra of the Wild – Concentrate, charging a Buff that will Break Stun, pulsing Stability and Resistance to you and your pet. ”We are the Unyielding Wilderness!”
• Mantra of Rage – Concentrate, charging a Buff that causes you and your pet’s attacks to become Unblockable and cause AoE Bleeding around your target. ”We Roar with Feral Rage!”
• Mantra of the Stampede – Concentrate, charging a Buff that causes you and your pet to Knock Down enemies you Run into. ”We are the Unstoppable Horde!”
• Mantra of Predation – Elite Skill. Concentrate, charging a Buff that pulses Stealth to you and your pets, while Removing Revealed and causing attacks from Stealth to Blind and Daze your target. ”You are nothing but Prey!”

So, I heard a discussion earlier about dual wielding and how some games seem to “force” it, and I realized that GW2 is also one of those games. There’s never a point in not using 2 weapons in this game (or at least a 2-handed one).

So then I got to thinking… what if that weren’t actually the case? What if there was an elite spec (or perhaps even multiple elite specs for different classes) which would allow you to fill your entire skill bar with a single 1H weapon? The elite spec probably wouldn’t give you a new weapon, however it would add 2 new skills to all existing 1H weapons, so in a way you’d still be getting expanded functionality and it’d basically be like multiple new offhands, albeit with a bit less mix-and-match potential.

If it was one class Warrior would probably be the one, being the weapon masters and all it would seem reasonable for them to be able to get the most out of their 1H weapons and get new skills from them.

Of course, there’d be a few potential issues to work around (like sigils) but assuming those could be addressed, what do people think of something like that? Neat idea, or do people feel that all elite specs need to add new weapons without question?

toohooah.4861:

I think the next elementalist specialization should be Ninja.

Ninjas are said to have control of the five elements: Fire, Earth, Air, Water and Void/Sky/Heaven

Elementalists already have the elemental attunements, would only need to add a 5th attunement.

Plus it would be something the ele doesn’t really have, melee and it could use the deception skills from thief.

Sword for the weapon.
Edit: Maybe they should use greatsword instead, since katanas are 2h weapons.

What’s your source on that statement that ninjas have control of elements? I’ve never heard that attributed to them before and I’m curious.
The traditional ninja – master of espionage, sabotage, infiltration and assassination – seems a better fit for the thief profession, although the daredevil already seems like a pretty close ninja facsimile.

Guardian – Crusader
Weapon: Mainhand Axe
Utility Skill: Glyphs. These Glyphs change properties depending on wether the Crusader is aligned to Redemption, Punishment or Neither.
Mechanic: Adds a new Alignment Scale mechanic that shifts right to left depending on wether the Crusader focuses on Group Support or Offense. They also gain a new F4 skill that ties in with this, called Alignment Shift.

Mechanic: Redemption vs Punishment
Above the Crusader’s Virtues is a new scale that always starts in the middle. This Alignment scale will shift to the right or the left depending on the Crusader’s actions, and in doing so it changes the properties and abilities of his Virtues’ passive effects. There would also be a plentiful of Traits in the Specialization Line that grants different Bonuses depending on the Crusader’s current Alignment.

• Redemption:
  Whenever the Crusader Heals, Cleanses or Revives an Ally, the scale tips towards the right path, Redemption.
  When the Scales tips towards Redemption, the Crusader’s Virtues and Glyphs become increasingly more focused on Defense and Support. This happens at Intervals of 30%, 60% and 90% Redemption.
• Punishment:
  Whenever the Crusader Burns, CC’s or Defeats an enemy, the scale tips towards the left path, Punishment.
  When the Scales tips towards Punishment, the Crusader’s Virtues and Glyphs become increasingly more Focused on Offense and CC. This happens at Intervals of 30%, 60% and 90% Punishment.

Alignment Shift (F4)
However, the Crusader knows that one cannot solely rely on neither Redemption nor Punishment in order to do the right thing. When Activating Alignment Shift, as the name might imply, the Scales are immedietally Shifted to mirror the current Alignment. If the Crusader were 50% into Redemption upon activation, they will instead end up 50% into Punishment when Alignment Shift is activated. This can be used to quickly Switch between Offense and Support as needed.

Virtues:

• Virtue of Justice
• Passive: Burn enemies with every 5th Attack.
  • As you Scale towards Redemption, Burning Duration is decreased but you will grant Might, Retaliation and lastly Fury to Allies around your target whenever this effects Activates.
  • As you scale towards Punishment, you will additionally cause Vulnerability, followed by Weakness and finally Taunt (Every other Activation) whenever this this effect Activates.
• Virtue of Resolve
• Passive: Regenerate Health
  • As you scale towards Redemption, the Passive Healing from this skill will become gradually larger, eventually pulsing an AoE Heal around you that Cleanses Conditions at a set intervall.
  • As you scale towards Punishment, the Passive Healing will become smaller but you Will start to deal Passive Damage towards nearby enemies with Each pulse, which will eventually also cause Burning at an increasing frequency.
• Virtue of Courage
• Passive: Gain Aegis every 40s.
  • As you scale towards Redemption, Virtue of Courage’s passive effect will cause you take less damage from incoming attacks and Conditions with increasing Magnitude, eventually sharing the pulsing Aegis and Damage Resistance with nearby allies.
  • As you scale towards Punishment, you will eventually stop pulsing Aegis and instead pulse Retaliation, followed by Stability and lastly Unblockable attacks.

Weapon:

• Dawn Strike -> Radiant Cross -> Strife Eternal – Combo Attack. Dawn Strike and Radiant Cross both stack Vulnerability, while Strife Eternal will Teleport the Crusader after the Target it they try to escape.
• Symbol of Zeal – Leap at the target are and Immobilize all enemies with a shockwave, creating a Symbol of Zeal that grants Fury to nearby Allies.
• Skyfall – Teleport into the air and descend with a mighty blow, sending out 3 vertical shockwaves in a cone pattern, dealing damage to all foes. While in the air, you evade attacks.

Utility Skills:

• Glyph of Light
  • Neutral – Draw a Glyph that will cover you in a Protective veil, restoring health and granting Protection over time.
  • Redemption – Draw a Glyph that Heals and Cleanses Conditions in an Area around you,before covering you in a Healing veil that restores health to nearby Allies.
  • Punishment – Draw a Glyph that Heals you and covers you in a Burning veil, causing you to stack Burning and heal yourself when attacked.
• Glyph of Justice – All versions act as a Blast Finisher.
  • Neutral – Draw a Glyph that will create a Fiery explosion at the target Area, Burning Enemies and granting Might to Allies.
  • Redemption – Draw a Glyph that will create an explosion of Cleansing fire at the target Area, Removing Conditions from allies and Healing Them.
  • Punishment – Draw a Glyph that will explode in a Fiery inferno, severely damaging, Burning and Knocking Back enemies caught in the blast.
• Glyph of Resolve – All versions acts as a Light Field.
  • Neutral – Draw a Glyph that creates a Circle at the target area that increases Healing to Allies and Damage to enemies within.
  • Redemption – Draw a Glyph that creates a Circle at the target area that continously Heals allies and pulses Resistance to them. Downed allies within are Periodically Ressurected.
  • Punishment – Draw a Glyph that creates a Circle at the target area that Weakens and Chills enemies within. Downed enemies within are periodically Damaged for % of their HP.
• Glyph of Courage – All versions Break Stun.
  • Neutral – Break Stun for nearby Allies and grant them Protection.
  • Redemption – Grant Stability and Resistance to all nearby Allies.
  • Punishment – Taunt and Weaken all nearby Enemies.
• Glyph of Zealotry
  • Neutral – Draw a Glyph that grants nearby allies Unblockable Attacks.
  • Redemption – Draw a Glyph that grants Might, Fury and Retaliation to nearby Allies.
  • Punishment – Draw a Glyph that Blinds, Burns and Immobilizes nearby enemies.
• Glyph of Absolution
  • Neutral – Damage nearby enemies and Heal nearby Allies. Effects increase for each target struck.
  • Redemption – Draw a Glyph that creates a Mobile ward around Allies that enemies cannot Cross.
  • Punishment – Draw a Glyph that sends out chains of Light to nearby enemies, tethering them to you. If they try to move beyond the tether distance, they’re pulled towards you.

3 Elite Specs- Flying spec, Ground spec, Water Spec. All auto-change based on where you are.

Warrior
I would like to go with mystic duelist (70% warrior 30% Mesmer)
For this specialization, I would like to have and off-handed focus to make warriors more mystic. ( warrior is the only class that lack magical stuff )
Focus – skill 4 Mystic Enchantment cool down 24 second
Description: For the next 5 strike inflict 1 stack of torment for 3 second and additional random condition between 1 stack of bleeding for 3 second or 1 stack of poison for 3 second
Focus – Skill 5 AEther Strike cool down 36 second
Description: The warrior become AEther and instantly engage a target and strike the target from random direction using random aether-like one-handed melee weapon (Aether Axe, Aether Sword, Aether Mace, Aether Dagger) for 8 time (dealing less damage than Hundred Blade by 2handed sword), inflict 5 second of random condition for each strike, and gain distortion while striking
For Trait
-Minor 1 – Mystic Duelist – the character gain access to focus, gain access to mantra skill, and gain random boon for 10 second (internal cool down 15 second)
-Major 1a – using focus skill grant u 1 stack of aegis for 3 second. (cool down 40 sec)
-Major 1b – channeling* mantra inflict weakness to near by foe for 5 second (cool down 40 sec). Mantra recharge 20% faster.
-Major 1c – remove up to 2 condition every 10 second
-Minor 2 – move 25 % faster
-Major 2a – switch to focus grant u regeneration for 5 second and protection for 8 second
-Major 2b – increased 1% damage for each condition type on an attacked foe.
-Major 3b – using adrenaline burst reduce recharge weapon skill by 1.5 second for each bar of adrenaline spent.
-Minor 3 – Boon applied to u and allies has 15% longer duration.
-Major 3a – boon and condition generated by focus skill and mantra are 15% longer. Reduce focus skill cool down by 20%
-Major 3b – applying boon or condition heal u by a small amount. Heal 188** for each boon and condition.
-Major 3c – allies revived by u has fury, 3 stack of might, protection, and quickness for 12 second.
Mantra Skill
Heal – Mantra of XXXX – 2 charges – create a healing field on caster with 350 AOE, heal 666 HP for 5 pulse. Allies who are in the area grant regeneration for 5 sec. Cool down 50 sec
Mantra of YYYY – 2 charges – inflict 3 random condition to target foe and daze it. Cool down 45 sec
Mantra of ZZZZ – 2 charges – u grant 2 random boon and fury for 10 second. cool down 45 sec
Mantra of AAAA – 2 charges – u grant 2.5 second distortion. cool down 60 sec
Mantra of BBBB – elite skill – 2 charge – enter a stage of mystic enforcer, grant fury and 3 stack of might, protection and quickness for 10 second and inflict weakness to up to 5 nearby foe for 10 second cool down 80 second
F1-F2-F3 Skill
-F1 – regular burst skill
-F2 – Frenzy Stike : make consecutive strike by AEther weapon, deal damage and inflict conditions eg cripple, weakness, vuenerability
-F3 – Beneti’s block : block melee attack of 3 second.

Sorry for bringing this game out of reality

I think a gladiator spec for warrior would be cool with either spear or net as the new weapon. If spear it could be a great mid range weapon. If net it could be great for entangles or as a new offhand weapon.

I would love to see a Paladin as guardian Elite spec with the Tomes we had, to rain holy judgment on blaspheming (insert race here).

The tome skills we had were good, they just needed tweaks, i loved the Elite one which made a huge AOE explosion it was really amazing to see.

I hope they make it back as an Elite spec, that would be epic

When A-net decides to make new e-specs i hope to also look into adding more weapons & utility skills. It would be a shame to get new specs only to use the exact same utilities we’ve been using sense release.

Weapons:
Polearm
Spear
Flail
Club
Javelin

Utilities:
Pilum
Whips
Boomerang
Darts
Shuriken
Marbles

These are just a few off the top of my head but I’m sure the devs & frequent forum posters can do better than me :-)

Guardian – Crusader (Weapon: mainhand axe, Skill Type: physical)
The Crusaders are knight’s of their virtues. Rather than relying on the three virtues at once, the Crusaders hold fast to one single virtue and switches when a different course is deemed necessary. In doing so, the Crusader is able to draw forth the purest form of each virtue, gaining strong new passive AOE boons and devastating new active abilities that vary depending on which virtue they’re campaigning under.