Guild Wars 2

Hi, after playing the elites in the BETA i was left under the impression that maybe in the future they will make more of a difference, but now…to me at least….they seem like an evolved class of the current ones except for Reaper….
This is why imp:

1. Necro/Reaper: Changes completely the way we play as by getting reaper wer not getting just a possible new weapon, but we cant acess the old shourd anymore, which impplies in several trait choices u would or wont make cause of that.
So even if u only want greatsword, or only a single trait in “reaper” line u gotta change ur gamestyle, and i like it, cause its a “new” thing,.

2.Dragonhunter/Guardian: To me, just another traitline, if u want to use longbow, trait it and play like a guardian with a longbow….if u want a trait…u can still use a greatsword/scepter build and just…..keep doing your stuff……..u dont actually have to consider changing almost anything on your build to be a dragonhunter…..its all still there…..ur missing nothing….feels to me not like a new playstyle….more like a new weapon…..

3:Chronomancer/Mesmer: Just another evolution like dragonhunter, u can actually see a lot ppl going chronomancer just and only for the 25% passive speed……the way mesmers play…..chronos will also play….its just some new stuff…..not “changing” stuff.

4:Tempest/Ele: Lets say i like a skill, the warhorn, or a trait line in there……in taking tempest im absolutely changing nothing in the Ele playstyle…i can still do the exact same rotation as always…….i feel like just another “add”…..not a “change”.

5:Herald/Revenant: To me this is the class were the point which im complaining shows the most…..its HUGE add to reve mechanics having that One with Nature on F2, and again…..u are not changing, modyfying, absolutely nothing…….its not even taking out a legend slot…..feel to me like…..ok Herald its the finishing work of Reve class.

Final Consid: I will for SURE be playing the elites, Chronomancer the most, its an awesome traitline and awesome skill. But…..i do still think aside from the Reaper, the other specs arent “losing” nothing to specialize. Which i believe could be better.

Suggestion(i know everyone will look at this and say: NO):

1:Dragonhunter: Remove the old virtues effects, they will only happen if u trait them.

2:Chronomancer: Change the 4ª shatter to Continuum instead of adding, that will definetely make ppl think “mesmer or chrono, i gotta decide”.

3:Tempest: Make Overcharge automatic, happening when staying on the same att for more than 4/5 sec.

4:Herald: Remove the legend swap option for it. In order to have One with Nature, it has to channel only one more legend.

Ox See Sox.3687:

1. Necro/Reaper: Changes completely the way we play as by getting reaper wer not getting just a possible new weapon, but we cant acess the old shourd anymore, which impplies in several trait choices u would or wont make cause of that.

can’t speak for the rest of your post, but aren’t all the reaper shroud abilities affected by the same traits as the normal shroud?

Gray.9041:

Ox See Sox.3687:

1. Necro/Reaper: Changes completely the way we play as by getting reaper wer not getting just a possible new weapon, but we cant acess the old shourd anymore, which impplies in several trait choices u would or wont make cause of that.

can’t speak for the rest of your post, but aren’t all the reaper shroud abilities affected by the same traits as the normal shroud?

To answer this question specifically, yes, all shroud ability traits such as dhuumfire affect both death shroud and reaper shroud abilities. If you look at the necromancer traitlines from the wiki (last modified july 23rd to be fair), you’ll see what’s in the picture. “Shroud skill 1” not “life blast”, for example. meaning that the traits apply to both death shroud and reaper shroud abilities.

It does affect, but once a reaper u cant play your shroud as it used to be, so Reaper is not only a trait line or an “add” but actually changes the main necro feature from a ranged to a meele one.
It is current the only specialization that does something to actually change the gameplay of a necro. Think of new positioning, new combo skills, etc

The others just have received adds, so as far as anyone wants, they can pick up the new traits and still play like the normal class.

An Ele can still rotate using the new shouts/traits/warhorn without losing its core thing: Fast Attune Swapping. IF, it wants, ut can overcharge, so its an ADD…..not a CHANGE.
Same goes for Guardian, it has ADDED effects to its virtues, but they still have all of the old funtionalities, if they traited for the old stuff is one thing……but baselina guardian PLUS spear, jump,heal……just ADDS….not CHANGES….
On Revenant u can see that very clear…..an F2 skill……it CHANGES absolutely nothing….its just ADD f2…ADD traitline, ADD utility, ADD ADD ADD…..no CHANGE….
Chromancer……..new shatter, new trait, new weapon….but ALL of the core mesmer things are there……nothing is changed at ALL by equipping Chronomancer………

Reaper is the only one changing……and i like that…..feels unique……just my opinion tough.

Even though your typing and formatting is pretty awful, I completely agree.

I was expecting elite specs to feel like sub-professions with a more focused and specialized playstyle. They don’t seem to be doing this. They seem to be doing the opposite where the base profession is just enhanced.

I would prefer to see more drastic changes and a less generic playstyle for each elite spec. If you don’t like that playstyle, well then, it’s a good thing you can still play the base profession.

Not gonna lie, I’m a little annoyed that they chose to go this route. I’ll use them, but it’s not what I wanted or expected.

soakman.7539:

Even though your typing and formatting is pretty awful, I completely agree.

I was expecting elite specs to feel like sub-professions with a more focused and specialized playstyle. They don’t seem to be doing this. They seem to be doing the opposite where the base profession is just enhanced.

I would prefer to see more drastic changes and a less generic playstyle for each elite spec. If you don’t like that playstyle, well then, it’s a good thing you can still play the base profession.

Not gonna lie, I’m a little annoyed that they chose to go this route. I’ll use them, but it’s not what I wanted or expected.

Elite Specialization was always meant to expand the class and evolve them without being an upgrade. You get a new play style with Reaper. Which is why all elite specs get their own icons. Guardian Virtues change as well the way its played.

all two hander elite specs get changed mechanics and 1hander elite specs get mechanic additions.

so Thief Elite specialization gets changes to steal into something new. Engineer gets changes to toolbelt. Ranger gets new mechanics.

Warrior gets new edition to mechanics.

Knighthonor.4061:

soakman.7539:

Even though your typing and formatting is pretty awful, I completely agree.

I was expecting elite specs to feel like sub-professions with a more focused and specialized playstyle. They don’t seem to be doing this. They seem to be doing the opposite where the base profession is just enhanced.

I would prefer to see more drastic changes and a less generic playstyle for each elite spec. If you don’t like that playstyle, well then, it’s a good thing you can still play the base profession.

Not gonna lie, I’m a little annoyed that they chose to go this route. I’ll use them, but it’s not what I wanted or expected.

Elite Specialization was always meant to expand the class and evolve them without being an upgrade. You get a new play style with Reaper. Which is why all elite specs get their own icons. Guardian Virtues change as well the way its played.

all two hander elite specs get changed mechanics and 1hander elite specs get mechanic additions.

so Thief Elite specialization gets changes to steal into something new. Engineer gets changes to toolbelt. Ranger gets new mechanics.

Warrior gets new edition to mechanics.

I know what they are supposed to be. I don’t think they are. They do feel like an upgrade to me, not an evolution. That’s what I’m saying. Reaper feels a bit like an evolution. The others pretty much are flat upgrades at this point. Maybe other elite specs will change this, but I can’t imagine using just the base specs after HoT releases except on Necro if you want your DS instead of Reaper Shroud.

soakman.7539:

Knighthonor.4061:

soakman.7539:

Even though your typing and formatting is pretty awful, I completely agree.

I was expecting elite specs to feel like sub-professions with a more focused and specialized playstyle. They don’t seem to be doing this. They seem to be doing the opposite where the base profession is just enhanced.

I would prefer to see more drastic changes and a less generic playstyle for each elite spec. If you don’t like that playstyle, well then, it’s a good thing you can still play the base profession.

Not gonna lie, I’m a little annoyed that they chose to go this route. I’ll use them, but it’s not what I wanted or expected.

Elite Specialization was always meant to expand the class and evolve them without being an upgrade. You get a new play style with Reaper. Which is why all elite specs get their own icons. Guardian Virtues change as well the way its played.

all two hander elite specs get changed mechanics and 1hander elite specs get mechanic additions.

so Thief Elite specialization gets changes to steal into something new. Engineer gets changes to toolbelt. Ranger gets new mechanics.

Warrior gets new edition to mechanics.

I know what they are supposed to be. I don’t think they are. They do feel like an upgrade to me, not an evolution. That’s what I’m saying. Reaper feels a bit like an evolution. The others pretty much are flat upgrades at this point. Maybe other elite specs will change this, but I can’t imagine using just the base specs after HoT releases except on Necro if you want your DS instead of Reaper Shroud.

Funny considering many people seem to be saying that they won’t be playing Dragonhunter and Tempest. Reapers are popular for how they look and how they play but not for how well they perform. Chronomancer seems to be the only one people consider to be competitive.

Yeah it was one of my concerns too, the moment I saw the ‘Druid’ still with the pet… It’s kind of a let down but could be worse.

Notsure how to put it but in general, I can’t agree with the OP. The elite specializations are here to give another “taste” of a profession. It’s not pure enhancement, it’s here to give a different feeling so you can say : “Yes, that’s not my typical <insert profession> but I still Fit in the <insert profession> design”.

For the reaper, it’s a perfect match. It’s not better, but not worse (thanks god!) either. Let’s say that the reaper shroud is a great alternative to the death shroud and that’s all… The Necromancer with the reaper at hand become more effective at meleeing things with the same taste of necromancer spread out all it’s utility (which mean that it’s still the lamest profession at support)

For the dragonhunter, it’s almost a perfect match again. The specialization is still good at supporting but, instead on focusing on “boon” support, the dragonhunter focus more on support effect that take advantage of range (projectile destruction, leap, controle…). As a dragonhunter you will have to be more cautious on how you will use your virtue and that’s not a small things if you’re used to play with them a lot.

For the chronomancer, it may feel a bit more tricky but again, it just grant a new gameplay possibility to the mesmer. The chronomacer will focus more on actually controlling it’s foes than “braining” it. It’s a more straitforward approach of the mesmer’s abilities.

For the tempest, I’d like to say that the devs add to the elementalist something that a lot of elementalist wanted for a long time : a reason to stay in an element. While the result feel scarily underwhelming, I’d like to say that it’s still pretty well done. Still most of the elementalist are so used to element swap that the “slow” feel of the tempest will make this specialization unpopular for some time. (Though, I feel it’s more a “ranged” support specialization than a “melee” specialization)

For the Herald… Well, here it’s a bit more tricky and I would say that it does not fit the “elite specialization” specificity, but the revenant is bound to have a large width of ability due to the fact that he borrow the power of different legends. We do not ewactly know how well the Herald will fare but at first glance it may need some tune down… Removing the legend swap would totally destroy the specialization and hurt a lot of base traits.

I believe that they will follow this line for the 4 last professions. From what have leaked, I belive that we will have :

The berserker (what else for a warrior with a special mechanism named “berserk”) will grant to the profession a new way to burst down there foe through attack speed instead of high damage burst. I believe that the “Berserk burst” skills will bestow the warrior with brand new burst skills that will give a new feel to all the main weapon. The berserker will probably end up being a “kill fast or die” elite spec while ATM, the warrior is a steady and resilient profession.

Despite the “facet” thing leak for the druid, I must say that’ I’m at a loss on how it will work. The “facet” seem to affect more than 1 target, so it’s most likely not some pet buff nor self buff but maybe something that would act like an offensive/defensive aura around the druid. From personnal preference, I’d like to bet that the glyphs will be here to directly buff the druid pet since it would be something that fit the ranger’s thematic.

For the thief, the leaked info lead us to staff and physical skills (well, I’m a bit disappointed but whatever…). Ths is just guesses but we can expect the same kind of focus that the mesmer got : more controle, less brain game. In short I expect the elite spec to make the thief less reliant on stealth by giving him more controle over the fight via : hard CC, dodge and (maybe) a block skill on the staff (it’s not out of reach since there is already a block skill on spear while underwater). Note that I don’t see a lot of opportunity here to “cure” the thief issue with conditions…

The Engineer… It’s a shame but we don’t have a lot of intel on him. Drone and hammer that pretty thin for tips. So here again, it will be pure wild guesses. I’ll bet here that the tool belt will become a “drone belt”. Each type of skills will bestow to the engi elite spec a specific small bonus that act like a signet :
exemple :
elixir : each active drone from elixir skill will grant 2% in boon duration.
gadget : each active drone from gadget skill will grant 10% reduced stun duration.
turret : each active drone from turret skill will grant 30pt of toughness.
kit : each active drone from kit skill will grant 2% condition duration.
I think, the cost here should be less diversity in the active effect of the belt skill. Ending up with F1 being a medium heal, F2, F3 an F4 giving some boons (since that’s engineer like) and F5 being an obvious stun breaker.

NB.: I’m putting my bets on things that make the professions less reliant on their base strong point to give them an other feel without breaking the whole thematic of the profession. What’s fun is that I could be totally wrong since the trait that the leaked info give to the thief (trait that grant 25% endurance on physical skill use) could be an Engineer trait.