Guild Wars 2

If I have it right, every profession will have a specialization which includes a new weapon and a full set of new skills and traits, is that correct? Different utilities and all that?

I wonder, because if that’s true, couldn’t it be argued that we’re getting ten new professions with HoT instead of one? Granted the nine specializations will be watered down (assumes the Revenant gets one as well) by only having one weapon and probably a smaller skill set, for now…

It seems to me like there’s a template being laid to add new professions simply by giving a character options of being other professions in the future. Say druid for example gets a few more weapons down the road and more utilities etc. Wouldn’t it be safe to say that your existing character actually can be one of multiple (two for now) professions based on your choice?

No need to roll a new character for a Druid… and in the future the template is there for that same Ranger to be, for example, a Druid or a Commando.

It’s just a thought, but this would be an interesting way to add professions in the future that won’t require more characters or slots. From a horizontal viewpoint it fits as well.

Yes, Revenants will also get a full elite specialization, so yeah it is virtually 10 new professions.
Yes, devs said that with that new system they can easily add new elite specializations in the future.
Yes you don’t need to make several rangers to be a druid and later be a commando, following your example, you can change it as you please.

Belzebu.3912:

Yes, Revenants will also get a full elite specialization, so yeah it is virtually 10 new professions.
Yes, devs said that with that new system they can easily add new elite specializations in the future.
Yes you don’t need to make several rangers to be a druid and later be a commando, following your example, you can change it as you please.

I see talk about how little we’re allegedly getting with HoT, but I feel we’re getting more than meets the eye.

when exactly will they “reveal” the next specialization… its been a while since the last one.

SenorMoody.5908:

when exactly will they “reveal” the next specialization… its been a while since the last one.

Soon.

I feel like the temptest is coming up tomorrow. I like watching the forums explode with opinions from our elected representatives for the community

SenorMoody.5908:

when exactly will they “reveal” the next specialization… its been a while since the last one.

When we are ready.™

A OK.8276:

I feel like the temptest is coming up tomorrow. I like watching the forums explode with opinions from our elected representatives for the community

Don’t expect a reveal this week. No Monday teaser and ANet probably has Friday off like most companies due to the 4th falling on Saturday.

Good point. Oh well

Two points (disambiguation)

1. Elite specs are getting one new weapon for the existing profession, which may mean as few as two weapon skills. They are getting one skill category. Reaper necros gain shouts. This means 4-5 skills including a new elite, not the 20 skills and multiple elites a full profession gets. They’re a (maybe minor) expansion of the existing profession with the possible advantage of a new take on the profession mechanic at the cost of a core spec. Sorry to derail the hype train, but the Elite Specs are nowhere near being a new profession.
2. Despite that, the complaints about HoT lacking a certain something are largely about PvE content, not features like the specs. I’d say we’re getting a decent amount of features for the price. So far, as far as content goes, I’ve seen one zone referred to in the beta posts, the Wyvern fight and vague references to multiple zones and challenging content. Features enhance what one does in an MMO. Content is what one does.

IndigoSundown.5419:

Two points (disambiguation)

1. Elite specs are getting one new weapon for the existing profession, which may mean as few as two weapon skills. They are getting one skill category. Reaper necros gain shouts. This means 4-5 skills including a new elite, not the 20 skills and multiple elites a full profession gets. They’re a (maybe minor) expansion of the existing profession with the possible advantage of a new take on the profession mechanic at the cost of a core spec. Sorry to derail the hype train, but the Elite Specs are nowhere near being a new profession.
2. Despite that, the complaints about HoT lacking a certain something are largely about PvE content, not features like the specs. I’d say we’re getting a decent amount of features for the price. So far, as far as content goes, I’ve seen one zone referred to in the beta posts, the Wyvern fight and vague references to multiple zones and challenging content. Features enhance what one does in an MMO. Content is what one does.

Indigo, my apologies if I wasn’t clear. I was referring to this being the framework for the elite specs to become full on viable professions by allowing you to have more weapons, skills, etc. in the future. Say for example they release a new weapon (set) for each one… a druid with a scepter/war horn or whatever. They add another handful of utilities. Things of this nature. It’s possible.

Regarding content, it took forever with the core to even have a sniff at what the full content was going to be. ANet isn’t one to boast about everything they’re dreaming about releasing… they only drizzle out information when they’re certain it’s going to be there.

Regardless, with what we’ve received in the past for our money, what we’re getting now with the expansion and the extremely high probability we’ll be getting a lot more between this one and the next one I personally have a hard time understanding how people can complain about the cost. For well under $20 per year average we’re getting access to one hell of a good game.

VOLKON.1290:

Indigo, my apologies if I wasn’t clear. I was referring to this being the framework for the elite specs to become full on viable professions by allowing you to have more weapons, skills, etc. in the future. Say for example they release a new weapon (set) for each one… a druid with a scepter/war horn or whatever. They add another handful of utilities. Things of this nature. It’s possible.

Oh, that is what you meant?
Then no, it is not how elite spec works.
What may happen in the future is a new elite spec, lets get the Commando in your example, and that get yet another weapon and skills so a ranger can get Druid (staff + set of skills) or Commando (rifle + another skills) for example, but not add more weapon and skills to previous elite spec.

Belzebu.3912:

VOLKON.1290:

Indigo, my apologies if I wasn’t clear. I was referring to this being the framework for the elite specs to become full on viable professions by allowing you to have more weapons, skills, etc. in the future. Say for example they release a new weapon (set) for each one… a druid with a scepter/war horn or whatever. They add another handful of utilities. Things of this nature. It’s possible.

Oh, that is what you meant?
Then no, it is not how elite spec works.
What may happen in the future is a new elite spec, lets get the Commando in your example, and that get yet another weapon and skills so a ranger can get Druid (staff + set of skills) or Commando (rifle + another skills) for example, but not add more weapon and skills to previous elite spec.

Ah, thanks, I wasn’t clear on that.

VOLKON.1290:

IndigoSundown.5419:

- snip -

Indigo, my apologies if I wasn’t clear. I was referring to this being the framework for the elite specs to become full on viable professions by allowing you to have more weapons, skills, etc. in the future. Say for example they release a new weapon (set) for each one… a druid with a scepter/war horn or whatever. They add another handful of utilities. Things of this nature. It’s possible.

Regarding content, it took forever with the core to even have a sniff at what the full content was going to be. ANet isn’t one to boast about everything they’re dreaming about releasing… they only drizzle out information when they’re certain it’s going to be there.

Regardless, with what we’ve received in the past for our money, what we’re getting now with the expansion and the extremely high probability we’ll be getting a lot more between this one and the next one I personally have a hard time understanding how people can complain about the cost. For well under $20 per year average we’re getting access to one hell of a good game.

One caveat about Elite specs expanding to create a new profession. I seem to remember hearing that we will only be able to slot one elite spec at a time. So, yes, they will expand the profession and present more options. For them to be a new profession (at least in my eyes) I’d have to be able to not use anything from the base profession. So, I see them as expansions to the professions.

People will always complain about cost. I’m more concerned about value-for-money. Core GW2 presented me with the best value-for-money I’ve enjoyed from a game since, well, GW. However, when I look at development since launch, I find that what’s been added has been spotty with regard to my enjoyment. Some of it has been very good, some not so good, some was outright not what I’m interested in.

Now, ANet is packaging new stuff behind a pay wall. Now, it seems that ongoing content development between expansions might well require that purchase. Thus, I want to know whether what’s in the HoT box is from the Anet who gave us the base game, or is it from the ANet who gave us LS S2? The hit-or-miss nature (again, for me) of LS S2 was fine as free content. Should HoT paid content be like that, I very much have to question its worth to me.

VOLKON.1290:

I see talk about how little we’re allegedly getting with HoT, but I feel we’re getting more than meets the eye.

Large, shapeshifting, artifically-intelligent golems, maybe?

Belzebu.3912:

Yes, devs said that with that new system they can easily add new elite specializations in the future.

Not that I’m doubting you, but do you have the source for that?

I’d say Elite specializations sound more like a modified version of the secondary profession system from GW1. So we’ve got 1 new profession, and 9 new secondary professions.

Except, rather than picking a secondary profession from the same list as the primary professions (like was the case in GW1), you pick a secondary profession from a unique list of options only available to the primary.

Fast forward 3 or 4 elite profession releases into the future, and we’ll probably be referring to them (at least unofficially) as secondary professions.

Fashion Mage.3712:

Belzebu.3912:

Yes, devs said that with that new system they can easily add new elite specializations in the future.

Not that I’m doubting you, but do you have the source for that?

No problem, I’m pretty sure it was mentioned in the HoT announcement, I’ll see what I can do to link it.

EDIT: Source

… Each of the professions will be getting one of these Specializations and this also is a framework that we’ll use to grow the professions in the future. This will be the way we add more skills, traits, and abilities to the game moving forward. That’s how we’re growing our existing professions. …

back then they refer elite specialization just as specialization.

IndigoSundown.5419:

VOLKON.1290:

IndigoSundown.5419:

- snip -

Indigo, my apologies if I wasn’t clear. I was referring to this being the framework for the elite specs to become full on viable professions by allowing you to have more weapons, skills, etc. in the future. Say for example they release a new weapon (set) for each one… a druid with a scepter/war horn or whatever. They add another handful of utilities. Things of this nature. It’s possible.

Regarding content, it took forever with the core to even have a sniff at what the full content was going to be. ANet isn’t one to boast about everything they’re dreaming about releasing… they only drizzle out information when they’re certain it’s going to be there.

Regardless, with what we’ve received in the past for our money, what we’re getting now with the expansion and the extremely high probability we’ll be getting a lot more between this one and the next one I personally have a hard time understanding how people can complain about the cost. For well under $20 per year average we’re getting access to one hell of a good game.

One caveat about Elite specs expanding to create a new profession. I seem to remember hearing that we will only be able to slot one elite spec at a time. So, yes, they will expand the profession and present more options. For them to be a new profession (at least in my eyes) I’d have to be able to not use anything from the base profession. So, I see them as expansions to the professions.

People will always complain about cost. I’m more concerned about value-for-money. Core GW2 presented me with the best value-for-money I’ve enjoyed from a game since, well, GW. However, when I look at development since launch, I find that what’s been added has been spotty with regard to my enjoyment. Some of it has been very good, some not so good, some was outright not what I’m interested in.

Now, ANet is packaging new stuff behind a pay wall. Now, it seems that ongoing content development between expansions might well require that purchase. Thus, I want to know whether what’s in the HoT box is from the Anet who gave us the base game, or is it from the ANet who gave us LS S2? The hit-or-miss nature (again, for me) of LS S2 was fine as free content. Should HoT paid content be like that, I very much have to question its worth to me.

The next round of elite specs added to the game will be in the next expansion not added in in feature patches. It’s one trait line, one classification set of utilities and 1 weapons worth of weapon skills (in some cases just an offhand) so no it’s not like a new profession.

I also agree that it is like the combination of classes from Gw1 as it seems to be that rather than specialising in one existing aspect of the class to an extreme like the name suggests its simply borrowing an aspect of another class and adding it on top.