Guild Wars 2

Link to Blogpost

Weapon – Longbow
Skills – Traps

Profession Mechanic Changes

• Virtue of Justice > Spear of Justice – Throws a spear, piercing foes and tethering them while you remain in range. Applies continuous Burning.

• Virtue of Resolve > Wings of Resolve – Leap to an area healing nearby allies. Can be traited to also deal damage.

• Virtue of Courage > Shield of Courage – Creates a shield in front of you blocking all attacks from the front.

These mechanic changes retain their passive effects and functionality with current traits, such as Justice is Blind.

Weapon Skills

Bow has a focus of firing single, large projectiles.

• Symbol of Energy – Fires an arrow into an area granting Vigor to allies.
• Deflecting Shot – Destroys projectiles in its path.

From the video I’d wager a guess that they’re getting a Ring of Warding on the bow as well, and a blinding shot.

Traps

• Heal Trap – Heals for a small amount when placed. Heals for a large amount, as well as applying Blind when triggered.

Conditions

Dragonhunters will gain access to bleeding and cripple through traits.

umm kind of excited about traps since, my main is a ranger I have been using traps. So, I kind of have builds in mind for the guardian hunter dragon person.

You missed their new elite skill: Dragon’s Maw (no details though, aside from it being a trap).

omg ranger wannabe…

Loved the concept! Can’t wait for more details.

Do we get dragons as pets too ? …

I’m really not sure about this class…

Is there a reason not to pick the elite spec over a existing one? I mean it strait up buffs virtues, giving you a leap among other things and you do not lose the passive effects.

This is like the chronomancer, why would you not pick this? You can always ignore traps and the bow, take dragonhunter valor and something else and play a meditation guardian only now with more mobility a persistent block and a pulsing burn, all with the current passive effects of virtues.

That name tho.

Rune of the Trapper + Heavy Armour. Stealth Guardian at your service.

The name is horrible too, by the way.

Everything else I suppose I’ll reserve judgement on until tomorrow.

Ranger 2.0 kicking ranger further out of the meta! but seriously doesnt looks all too exciting but i guess we’ll see for sure tomorrow on the live stream

Not really a fan of the guards elite spec as a whole. I like the thought of the bow and the changes to the virtues, but absolutely hate traps. Unless they’re aoe targeted, whats the point of giving guards traps when you give the guard a long range weapon? In single fights, yeah, you set traps and make the mob run over it, but in a large/boss battle, they’re on opposite sides (point blank vs long range).
At least we don’t lose existing skills, so we don’t have to take the traps…

This just doesn’t seem as overpowered as the mesmer one is/will be. This actually makes me not really excited about the rest. Seems like they started with their ‘coolest’ one and are working down. Dragonhunter just seems to lack that bang/coolness that the Chronomancer had (and I don’t even like playing mesmer).

They are making ranger traps ground targeted as baseline. Makes sense the guardians’ will be too.

foste.3098:

Is there a reason not to pick the elite spec over a existing one? I mean it strait up buffs virtues, giving you a leap among other things and you do not lose the passive effects.

Only having access to two core-traitlines is a rather good reason for certain builds to not pick the elite.

While I was hoping for Paragon, I did not expect it to come about. My thoughts on this are fairly simple in that this class specialization is very confused.

It has great ranged combat options with its bow skills, and I love the ability to shoot a wall. But that its given a great distance closer ability. So engage at range, soften up, jump in, put wall up to prevent their range support. Good and simple switch hitter class.

Lets give them traps for their skills.

Wait what? What was that last part? Why traps if they are a mobile switch hitter class set up?

Traps work well on Rangers because Rangers know, people will want to come for them. Traps boom, great sword, number 2, number 5, people have a bad day.

Traps for Guardian, their damage output at range does not look like it will be huge, so not really luring people into traps. So then they switch to sword/focus, or greatsword and leap in…traps are now left behind.

I always leave Guardians for last anyways in PvP/WvW cause I am not worried about their damage output. I am worried about wasting time on them and getting back stabbed by the thief. Now I know the Guard will be sitting in the back on traps, I can ignore them even more.

Cool your panties, people. We haven’t really heard that much about what the spec can do, just the Virtues, the weapon (2 out of 5 skills) and 1 of the 5 traps (I’m guessing healing trap is the heal?).

As for the name, I think it’s nifty. The wings should have been dragon wings though to go with the theme. Please, Anet, think about sticking with theme with the visuals (so dragon wings/claws/maws for its skills!!!)

PS: Watch Warrior end up with the Paragon spec…I’ll be really angry Warrior needs a Bushido/Samurai theme’ed spec! With meditations!

lordkrall.7241:

foste.3098:

Is there a reason not to pick the elite spec over a existing one? I mean it strait up buffs virtues, giving you a leap among other things and you do not lose the passive effects.

Only having access to only two core-traitlines is a rather good reason for certain builds to not pick the elite.

In addition, although presumably still to be confirmed, the elite spec will include a lot of traits buffing traps and the bow, maybe the additional virtue function, so if any of those things do not fit a build then there’s every reason to ignore the elite spec.

Leo G.4501:

As for the name, I think it’s nifty.

If it were a warrior or ranger, sure.

Leo G.4501:

PS: Watch Warrior end up with the Paragon spec.

I’ve already predicted that quietly to myself. Maybe they’ll also get Staff, and shoot banners out of the auto attack at 1500 range.

Red Jay.2516:

They are making ranger traps ground targeted as baseline. Makes sense the guardians’ will be too.

and don’t forget that traps will also have an “arming” timer now too. I’d assume it’d be the same for all traps game wide (thief & now guard as well as ranger).

Makes me less impressed with the dragonhunter heal trap thing.

Hopefully this’ll focus on more physical damage instead of conditions and having to rely on zercker gear to get any damage output.

khani.4786:

Red Jay.2516:

They are making ranger traps ground targeted as baseline. Makes sense the guardians’ will be too.

and don’t forget that traps will also have an “arming” timer now too. I’d assume it’d be the same for all traps game wide (thief & now guard as well as ranger).

Makes me less impressed with the dragonhunter heal trap thing.

We don’t know how powerful they’ll be. Even ranger traps will be readjusted to be worth it after the arming “nerf”. I say wait until the stream so we can see the whole picture, than you can rage all you want.

Yeah it is too early to say how this specialization will play out… It has interesting concepts/mechanics, we will have to wait for the livestream…

The one thing I’m a bit skeptical of…is the name. I mean Dragonhunter? They could’ve named it Warden or something. Sounds so cliché…

gricks.1897:

I always leave Guardians for last anyways in PvP/WvW cause I am not worried about their damage output. I am worried about wasting time on them and getting back stabbed by the thief. Now I know the Guard will be sitting in the back on traps, I can ignore them even more.

Deer rank much? Are you really not worried about medi Guard’s damage?

CodeHavoc.7926:

Hopefully this’ll focus on more physical damage instead of conditions and having to rely on zercker gear to get any damage output.

I doubt it will be more physical damage orientated… I think it will be more condition based, considering how the base Guardians are more physical damaged base rather than conditions.

Quite interesting how it still plays the support role like the Guardian…or it might play a better role of support than the Guardian.

Dharmz.8205:

Yeah it is too early to say how this specialization will play out… It has interesting concepts/mechanics, we will have to wait for the livestream…

The one thing I’m a bit skeptical of…is the name. I mean Dragonhunter? They could’ve named it Warden or something. Sounds so cliché…

Why do people keep talking about the name being cliche?

How is Warrior, Ranger and Engineer any less cliche?

YuiRS.8129:

gricks.1897:

I always leave Guardians for last anyways in PvP/WvW cause I am not worried about their damage output. I am worried about wasting time on them and getting back stabbed by the thief. Now I know the Guard will be sitting in the back on traps, I can ignore them even more.

Deer rank much? Are you really not worried about medi Guard’s damage?

Yes MediGaurd are nasty, but I honestly do not see many MediGaurd. Lots of ShoutGuard.

the changes to virtues seem pretty cool,
however, the bow skills seem fairly boring.
it really feels like this specialization should really have had a spear. and been able to go in and out of melee rng.

spear could do more dmg at close range, but more utility at long range,
anyhow that ship has salied.

The biggest mistake i think arenanet is making here, is that back line support is not encouraged by other facets of the game design.

Control is limited, so people gather to make the enemy more predictable.

support is best supported with AOE, and people gathering together. Even if the guardian has a couple decent support skills, if he isnt in the area, he isnt benefiting from might/protect/etc.

lastly support is heavily tied to combo fields
if their traps have blasts, they need to be close to the gathered party/enemy
if their traps dont, their combo field support will be ranged, which has them missing out.

i think the concept is good, but they needed a weapon with different properties, and they needed special abilities that adapt to the support meta, or the support meta to change.

Mesmers gets wells and a new fancy time mechanic.
Guardians get’s traps. I guess their virtues change, but that’s not really impressive.
I think Guardians are missing something. Well lets hope Dragon’s Maw is something just as interesting as the F5 on chronomancers… else I fear for what will become of necros… (I like necros).

phys.7689:

the changes to virtues seem pretty cool,
however, the bow skills seem fairly boring.
it really feels like this specialization should really have had a spear. and been able to go in and out of melee rng.

spear could do more dmg at close range, but more utility at long range,
anyhow that ship has salied.

The biggest mistake i think arenanet is making here, is that back line support is not encouraged by other facets of the game design.

Control is limited, so people gather to make the enemy more predictable.

support is best supported with AOE, and people gathering together. Even if the guardian has a couple decent support skills, if he isnt in the area, he isnt benefiting from might/protect/etc.

lastly support is heavily tied to combo fields
if their traps have blasts, they need to be close to the gathered party/enemy
if their traps dont, their combo field support will be ranged, which has them missing out.

i think the concept is good, but they needed a weapon with different properties, and they needed special abilities that adapt to the support meta, or the support meta to change.

All things I think should be altered to encourage more varied utility and tactics. Huddling shouldn’t be the only/best method to gain/dish support. They really ought to look at blast combos as well as the usefulness of projectile/whirl combos. I think they have plans for leap combos already.

gricks.1897:

YuiRS.8129:

gricks.1897:

I always leave Guardians for last anyways in PvP/WvW cause I am not worried about their damage output. I am worried about wasting time on them and getting back stabbed by the thief. Now I know the Guard will be sitting in the back on traps, I can ignore them even more.

Deer rank much? Are you really not worried about medi Guard’s damage?

Yes MediGaurd are nasty, but I honestly do not see many MediGaurd. Lots of ShoutGuard.

Speaking sPvP? I see nothing but medi Guards and an occasional bunker. Medi Guards are considered meta at the moment, after all.

I see the conceptual leap in this class: Guardians are all about protecting the people, and the Dragons are the biggest threat. So, guardians who specialize in hunting down the dragons and their minions.

As for the mechanics, I think people are forgetting that the new abilities don’t have to all point toward one build. Having longbow as an option doesn’t mean they only use longbow. A gap closer and traps could be really useful to a sword/shield dragonhunter, for example.

lordkrall.7241:

Dharmz.8205:

Yeah it is too early to say how this specialization will play out… It has interesting concepts/mechanics, we will have to wait for the livestream…

The one thing I’m a bit skeptical of…is the name. I mean Dragonhunter? They could’ve named it Warden or something. Sounds so cliché…

Why do people keep talking about the name being cliche?

How is Warrior, Ranger and Engineer any less cliche?

the cliche factor I can ignore, it’s more the fact that it’s Dragonhunter instead of you know maybe Dragon Hunter instead? Just adding a space already makes it a little bit less offputting. Still not great, but not as bad.

Now I like the look of the Mesmer, and I don’t even play one, I have a Guardian, and I have to say, I hate the name. secondly, there is nothing I like about it. It might be really fun to play, but until I play it. I’m not hyped at all. it just looks like they mixed a Warrior and Ranger together. I was wondering how they would go with this, but……. words can’t do justice to underwhelming feelings I have about this.

WINGSS,YESSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSS

Name: Ehh okay I guess,BETTER than Paragon,for sure.
Armor: Really?
Weapon: Really? (2)

The new Virtue of Resolve is so cool!
I’ll use that no matter what,even if this new spec deals 0 damage,I’ll be camping on longbow for now.

Nothing is more guardian-y than jumping in front of your allies protecting them with your wings…kitten ,I cant wait!!!

What the heck is with that name? Dragonhunter? Really? The class is fine, but come on. I can think of a better name in a quarter of a second. It sounds so bland and cliche like it’s out of a crime show that doesn’t know what videogames are.

Chronomancer got me excited…

Dragonhunter had me groaning and laughing…

Of course we will after see how the skills work out and if there any good but Dragon Hunter sounds like Anet did not have any ideas what to give the Guardian and came up with some random s*it.

Also, as already been pointed out Ranger 2.0 but you have no pet so…yeah!

good for you guardians, now you have everything, range, tankiness, conditions, group utility, blocks, etc, and another class has further impinged upon the necros domain with regard to condition application. Now they should just come out and make necros invulnerable, dress in black and white, do no damage, and stand on the sidelines picking their noses.

Gryph.8237:

good for you guardians, now you have everything, range, tankiness, conditions, group utility, blocks, etc, and another class has further impinged upon the necros domain with regard to condition application. Now they should just come out and make necros invulnerable, dress in black and white, do no damage, and stand on the sidelines picking their noses.

what is necro domain? conditions? thats not really unique to necro. and they are going from horrible at conditions, to average at conditions, it really isnt a big deal

Dragonhunter… eh? Ok.. is this a joke?

Weapon – Longbow
Skills – Traps

Weapon Skills
——————
Bow has a focus of firing single, large projectiles .

Symbol of Energy – Fires an arrow into an area granting Vigor to allies.
Deflecting Shot – Destroys projectiles in its path.

Traps
——-
Heal Trap – Heals for a small amount when placed. Heals for a large amount, as well as applying Blind when triggered.

Where is the damage to kill a dragon? Wait… are we talking about zhaitanesque fights? A Guardian can take on GW1 paragon abilities seamlessly as it is the most aligned class to GW1 Paragon. Why not just call it a paragon as it is indeed a Paragon 2.0? And if it tickles some folks in wrong places, just call it Geronimo and call it a day. I do want “Wings of Resolve” activation makes my guardian yell “Geronimo” so that Engineers in my group can go “Bombs Away!”

Let’s wait and see if this specialization gets better as more details are revealed/polished.

I’m gonna call it right now. Most underused specialisation ever.

velmeister.4187:

Dragonhunter… eh? Ok.. is this a joke?

Weapon – Longbow
Skills – Traps

Weapon Skills
——————
Bow has a focus of firing single, large projectiles .

Symbol of Energy – Fires an arrow into an area granting Vigor to allies.
Deflecting Shot – Destroys projectiles in its path.

Traps
——-
Heal Trap – Heals for a small amount when placed. Heals for a large amount, as well as applying Blind when triggered.

Where is the damage to kill a dragon? Wait… are we talking about zhaitanesque fights? Why not just call it a paragon as it is indeed a Paragon 2.0?

Let’s wait and see if this specialization gets better as more details are revealed/polished.

Damage? For all we know the base Auto Attack does 4,000 damage with a base critical hit chance of 120% All the video showed were lights and effecets

Eggs.3142:

velmeister.4187:

Dragonhunter… eh? Ok.. is this a joke?

Weapon – Longbow
Skills – Traps

Weapon Skills
——————
Bow has a focus of firing single, large projectiles .

Symbol of Energy – Fires an arrow into an area granting Vigor to allies.
Deflecting Shot – Destroys projectiles in its path.

Traps
——-
Heal Trap – Heals for a small amount when placed. Heals for a large amount, as well as applying Blind when triggered.

Where is the damage to kill a dragon? Wait… are we talking about zhaitanesque fights? Why not just call it a paragon as it is indeed a Paragon 2.0?

Let’s wait and see if this specialization gets better as more details are revealed/polished.

Damage? For all we know the base Auto Attack does 4,000 damage with a base critical hit chance of 120% All the video showed were lights and effecets

It’s over 9000

Eggs.3142:

velmeister.4187:

Dragonhunter… eh? Ok.. is this a joke?

Weapon – Longbow
Skills – Traps

Weapon Skills
——————
Bow has a focus of firing single, large projectiles .

Symbol of Energy – Fires an arrow into an area granting Vigor to allies.
Deflecting Shot – Destroys projectiles in its path.

Traps
——-
Heal Trap – Heals for a small amount when placed. Heals for a large amount, as well as applying Blind when triggered.

Where is the damage to kill a dragon? Wait… are we talking about zhaitanesque fights? Why not just call it a paragon as it is indeed a Paragon 2.0?

Let’s wait and see if this specialization gets better as more details are revealed/polished.

Damage? For all we know the base Auto Attack does 4,000 damage with a base critical hit chance of 120% All the video showed were lights and effecets

which highlights, bows are boring as hell.

BrotherBelial.3094:

I’m gonna call it right now. Most underused specialisation ever.

Not sure about most underused spec. If anything it’ll be the spec with the most unused elite spec skills. Who the kitten is gonna use traps? As I’ve seen on a different forum, even rangers and thieves don’t use them even though they already have them.

I’ll use the spec for the virtue changes and the longbow, but I’ll use any other skill than the traps we’re gonna get.

Zackie.8923:

omg ranger wannabe…

I kind of thought something similar….

Im gonna take the low odds. I say, by evening tomorrow, after we have seen this thing in a live-pre-recorded fight on POI, people are going to change thier minds about traps.

I dont think Anet would really see the traps of Thief and Ranger, know how people generally feel about them and decide “You know these Elite Specs? give them something just like those ones. Yeah just make them more light themed. That will do”

These traps are going to be amazing.

BrotherBelial.3094:

Eggs.3142:

velmeister.4187:

Dragonhunter… eh? Ok.. is this a joke?

Weapon – Longbow
Skills – Traps

Weapon Skills
——————
Bow has a focus of firing single, large projectiles .

Symbol of Energy – Fires an arrow into an area granting Vigor to allies.
Deflecting Shot – Destroys projectiles in its path.

Traps
——-
Heal Trap – Heals for a small amount when placed. Heals for a large amount, as well as applying Blind when triggered.

Where is the damage to kill a dragon? Wait… are we talking about zhaitanesque fights? Why not just call it a paragon as it is indeed a Paragon 2.0?

Let’s wait and see if this specialization gets better as more details are revealed/polished.

Damage? For all we know the base Auto Attack does 4,000 damage with a base critical hit chance of 120% All the video showed were lights and effecets

It’s over 9000

WHAT?!? 9000?!

Um… hm.
“Dragonhunter”
I’m not one of the people who wanted it to be called paragon, in fact I’m not much of a fan of that name either for it. But dragonhunter is a pretty bad in so far as spec names go.
edit: name aside, it seems quite excellent.

Oohh,by the way,a really cool name for it would be Magick Archer,like in Dragon’s Dogma

But I guess it wouldn’t fit because Magick is actually a thing in Dragon’s Dogma,while it means nothing in Tyria.

An interesting thought from Reddit “This makes sense if the theory of Braham picking up Eirs longbow, being the first Dragon Hunter, following his Ranger of a mothers footsteps. In a way, it brings Rangers and Guardians closer together.”

So if that is true, then longbow + traps makes sense. And the name would be because Braham is now focused on taking out Mordremoth and the other dragons.

Worst name and worst spec of them all, even though they have only revealed three.
Dragonhunter… really….
Devs should at least try to make an effort, not just reuse old mechanics and just give it flashy animations. Managed to giv the guardian wings…. why isn’t the spec called paragon then? and given Chants or Echoes instead of traps that is just a simply boring mechanic that is purely made for the new pvp map for holding lanes…
My main character is a guardian… and have 1500 ish hours played on the character, guess I’ll have to find something new to do….

A better name? Call them Valkyries if female and Valiants if male. How’s that? Gender neutral? Call them Valorians. Heck . . . Lightbringers. Crusaders. Redeemers. Etc.

Just off the top of my head.

Zealot, Herald, Warden, Legolas… so many better names than… this.

I’d like to know who is personally responsible for choosing this name.