Guild Wars 2

Just an observation, but it seems like the weapons for the elite specializations are lacking compared to other options for some classes.

To me, this is kind of an issue because using these weapons is a large part of the reason for using the specialization.

I’m thinking of berserker (torch), herald (shield), and scrapper (hammer) in particular.

Now admittedly, I don’t play scrapper so it could be my imagination but I rarely see folks using hammers. Seems like most scrappers use pistol/pistol. I do play warrior and herald though. For warrior axe/mace + gs seems like the go-to set. For herald its sword/axe + staff/hammer.

So my question is… do the weapons need to be buffed so that folks actually use them? I’m not saying buff them to the extent where they become the obvious choice but at least closer to 50/50 than where we are at now?

Scapper’s hammer is probably the most used weapon of this class imo. I rarely see scappers without hammer. In pvp you’ll meet hammer scrapper in every corner.
Warrior’s torch is pretty useful for condi builds, in pvp I can still see them.
And herald’s shield? That one is definitely a GREAT weapon. It’s part of some great builds and its defensive abilities are very useful.
Other elite specs’ weapons are good too. Chrono shield? Awesome weapon with great utility. Druid staff? Also used a lot. DD staff? I also see many of them running it, mainly in pve. DH longbow? Their only ranged option except scepter (which is mid range now btw) and still part of some good builds.
Maybe only 2 weapons lacking are tempest warhorn and reaper GS. GS is too slow to be useful in pvp or wvw probably too, but still has some utilization in pve. And warhorn… ehh… well this one is crap.

My main two classes are Dragonhunter and Chronomancer and I haven’t unequipped the elite spec weapons from those two builds since I set them up, whether I’m playing PvE, WvW, or PvP. Both weapons are extremely effective in my opinion.

I occasionally play the other elite specs when I’m PvPing, and my Druid uses staff primarily, while my Scrapper exclusively runs with a hammer. I don’t play my Reaper too often but when I do it’s usually in PvE and he usually has GS equipped.

Admittedly I haven’t played with Herald or Berserker much yet, and I almost never play Ele so I don’t even have an elite spec build with him yet. Can’t say much on those fronts. Also, full disclosure: my thief is a level 45 bag-opening alt. That should tell you how far I’ve progressed thief and how little experience I have with the class.

Eh… I find all the full weapons (Scrapper hammer, Daredevil Staff, Necromancer Greatsword, and Guardian Longbow. I refuse to touch druid.) are all solid weapons that fill an important niche in their respective classes and thus see quite a bit of use.

The bigger problem is that every other class got stuck with an off-hand weapon, and every off-hand weapon that isn’t a shield tends to be completely lame, visually and effectively (Because only two skills sucks). The mesmer and Revenant shields are a bit better than Warhorns and Torches because Shields look awesome and nobody really needs them to do anything other than provide a reliable block and maybe a bash (Or block while bashing, or bash while blocking)

As for Elementalist Warhorn… I don’t have a Tempest, so i have no idea what I’m talking about, but I figure that providing 8 skills instead of just 2 (and a full 40% of the weapon skillbar instead of the 10% weapon-swapping classes get from offhand weapons) make it a bit more notable than, say, Warrior Torch, it’s held back by being a Warhorn (Which are aesthetically and thematically underwhelming. “Fear my wrath! TOOT TOOT!”) and being an extra off-hand weapon when the class has a lack of main-hand weapons (it has what…dagger and scepter?)

I don’t use hammer with my Engie/Scrapper because I don’t like the playstyle… but I know I’m hurting myself by not taking THE best weapon in the engie weapon rack. Even after the nerf, hammer is really powerful.

Since I seems to like underdogs, I use GS with my Reaper. I just love it.

Sartharina.3542:

….
The bigger problem is that every other class got stuck with an off-hand weapon, and every off-hand weapon that isn’t a shield tends to be completely lame, visually and effectively (Because only two skills sucks). The mesmer and Revenant shields are a bit better than Warhorns and Torches because Shields look awesome and nobody really needs them to do anything other than provide a reliable block and maybe a bash (Or block while bashing, or bash while blocking)
…

Shields can be lame too. Ask any engie.

Ah, I was thinking more for PVE when I created the topic. I dont mess w/ pvp.

i have more fear in seeing more elite spec added without new weapon type introduced, many classes will be forced to par with terrible/unfit weapon type to the orginsl class images.

Elite spec is a good way to inteoduce new weapon type:

Lv80 only, so new weapon type skin do not needs to reintroduce into existing weapon set. It is tided to a specific elite spec, it will be new skill no matter it is new weapon type or reuse existing weapon anyway. A new weapon type to this class elite, could also be the next elite spec weapon for another class so the effort will not be wasted.

I guess this way will benefit the game in long term.