You can always add more versatility to the spear by making it both close-combat and ranged combat, both offensive and defensive, both condition and power.
I believe for a weapon that has the ideal intention of sustain, a balanced aproach like this is wonderful.
For the range, we’ve seen how this can work on the underwater revenant to name an example.
I’d just like to see a Guardian throw a spear in a javelin-fashion -> use the gap-closer you were talking about -> use the AA-Chain and block when needed.
Adding both types of range to the weapon also improves the defensive/offensive balance.
In most situations you might expect that stacking + melee zerk-burning will remain. But we’ll never know what direction the game will take. We know what amazing things our new AI-Devs have brought to the table in HoT compared to the original release.
This is only the beginning. Actively switching between closed-combat/ranged and offensive/defensive may be just the thing we’d need in the future and a balanced polearm/spear would be exactly the weapon to fill that role.
The only part where I’m torn is my suggested power/condi balance in 1 weapon.
Seeing to both will likely result in not being great in either. I’d like to suggest making the spear mostly a condition weapon as well then.
For the elite specialization regarding this I’d also support a throwback to the old Paragons.
Chants, Anthems and Shouts can all find a way to work themselves in our role well.
Paragon-like gameplay will be able to shine well in GW2.
I used to play a Paragon in GW1 ever since Nightfall was released.
I was made fun of in solo- and praised in group-content.
This was mainly due to the mechanic of the Leadership attribute which caused you to need allies to fuel your energy. There is no need to go down this same road again in GW2.
A GW2-Paragon may be alright in solo- but shine in group-content.
An example of this could be by adding utilities like the chants/anthems.
These are utility skills that affect multiple allies. You can use them for yourself, they work just as well. But if you had any allies around you it would support them.
an example skill:
“Anthem of Flame”
GW1 Veterans will know it:
- Chant. For 10 seconds, the next attack skill used by each party member within earshot also causes Burning for 1…3…3 second[s].
This skill works in solo content, you get a nice burn out of it. but in group content the burn would be applied by multiple party-members.
In GW2 it could work the same way but with updated terminology.
Imagine having a decent burn by use of this chant. alright great.
Now imagine stacking this burn with 5 or even 10 allies in a 1200 radius.
This is likely way too much but it’s just to imagine the possibilities.
A Guild Wars 2 Paragon supports group-playing, it adds a valuable role which is in high demand: An offensive party-wide buffer which could also work defensively combined with its own DPS source.
We know how great the Ranger’s spirits or the Warrior’s banners are, there is no need for our Guardians, to not buff their supportive capabilities in a similar fashion with chants and anthems.
Note: Chants/Anthems aren’t boons.
Guardians have seen a lot of hate with the introduction of all the boon corrupting on Revenants, Mesmers and Necromancers. Chants/Anthems can not be removed by anti-boon spells.
Another great mechanic is the echo system.
As a Guardian we currently have our 3 virtues.
Virtue of Justice – Damage + burning – Offensive.
Virtue of Resolve – Healing (+ damage/movement if DH) – Utility + Defensive.
Virtue of Courage – Block – Defensive.
I believe the virtues could easily become Echoes.
Echo of Justice (GW1: Blazing Finale) –
Passive: Allies inflict burning whenever a Chant or Anthem ends. (weak burning)
Active: Throw a blazing spear at the target foe, burning it and enemies surrounding it.
Echo of Resolve (Finale of Restoration) –
Passive: Allies are healed whenever a Chant or Anthem ends.
Active: (GW1: “Help me!”) Heals are 50% more effective on you for 10 seconds and you’re healed for a small amount.
Echo of Courage –
Passive: Allies gain Retaliation whenever a Chant or Anthem ends.
Active: Allies gain 2 stacks of Aegis. (OP?)
The reason why I gave the Echo of Courage an active effect of giving Aegis is because I really appreciate the on-demand Aegis found in “Retreat!”. Many of us agree however that this skill is very outdated with its small benefit and long recharge.
The Echo of Courage would have an even longer recharge if it follows the example of its virtue-counterparts and as such I saw it fit to buff the active.
A 4th bonus to counter a condi-meta:
Echo of Purity –
Passive: Allies will have 1 condition removed whenever a Chant or Anthem ends.
Active: Gain Resistance and remove 2 conditions.
I’d love to once again become a motivating presence on the battlefield shouting phrases such as: “There’s nothing to fear!”, “Never surrender!” and especially “Never give up!”
Utility skill suggestions I’d love to see returned, modified or introducted for GW2:
Skill type: Altruism
Skills that affect only 1 other ally instead of yourself. Bringing this will be a great help for someone else in your party, but you won’t directly get any benefit from it. Unless perhaps traited otherwise.
Angelic Bond
- A chant/anthem that lasts for 10 seconds, if during the duration of this skill an ally affected by the chant/anthem were to receive fatal damage, the damage is negated, the target is healed and this effect ends on all other allies.
Leader’s Comfort (Heal)
- You gain health, you gain additional health for each ally within range.
“Make Haste!”
- Altruism – Target ally gains quickness and superspeed.
Holy Spear (off topic: my favourite spear-attack in GW1)
- Throw a spear a spear at your foe and deal extra damage + burning if certain conditions are met.
In GW1 this condition was: If your target is undead and was later changed to: if it’s a summoned creature. I would however like to revise this skill once again for GW2.
In GW1 Holy Damage could not be blocked. I’d like to see the Holy Spear become a skill that punishes bunkers/blockers.
Throwing the spear would be a small burn if thrown randomly.
Throwing the spear at a blocking target would make it go through the block, damage, burn and perhaps even knock the target back a small bit.
Really OP? yes, but you have to use this skill at JUST the right time + consider it valuable enough to bring it with you in the first place. if you don’t time it correctly you’re basically throwing a tiny spark of burning damage.
Spear Swipe
- Physical skill – Smack your enemy on the head with your spear. launching them.
Enduring Harmony
- Altruism – Chants and Shouts last 50% longer on target ally.
Burning Shield
- Physical skill – Assume a defensive stance and block the next attack, if blocked you unleash a fiery burst.
Cautery Signet (“Save Yourselves!”)
- Passive: Remove a condition every 10 seconds.
Active: You draw all the conditions of allies within range to yourself and add burning to yourself for each condition.
The passive effect isn’t new, there’s Signet of Resolve with the shared effect. These two will however work together.
The active will cause you to receive a condition spike in many situations so you’d have to be prepared with resistance or condition-removals.
“You only live once!”
- Altruism – Target ally is revived when downed.
(Sorry I had to.)
This was all written without any preparation and should thus be taken with the mother of all grains of salt. I am mainly here to support the Paragon Elite Specialization.
It’s useful for the stealth but it doesn’t get that much better. I am that person whom slaps Ventari’s (Nomad’s) on Guardian and becomes a tanking/healing beast! So my opinion on Thief is being a Damage-Only profession isn’t very fun to play because (Like any Profession) the traits lack build diversity. Engineer is the only profession I feel comfortable with being equipped with Verata’s (Sinister).
