Guild Wars 2

Basically, what the titles says.

We know that in Heart of Thorns each profession is getting a new specialization, and with it comes a new weapon, one per profession. We also know you’ll need to have the specialization to use these weapons.

However the question is more specific…will we need the specialization equipped to use the specialization weapon?

This may seem like a no-brainer, but not neccessarily. If you look at the redesigned trait system in HoT, and the previews we saw, you choose various skill lines, and then, using Hero Points, unlock the abilities within that skill line.

For example, you can choose the Shout Skill Line on War/Ranger/Guardian, and the more Hero Points you put into it, the more Shouts you can use equip to your utiltiies; Regardless if you are taking the actual trait-line tied to Shouts as one of your equpped specializations.

So…so long as you own Heart of Thorns, and have used enough Hero Points to fully unlock the entire Elite Specialization traitline (we’ll use Guardian as an example), even if you don’t currently have the Dragonhunter Elite Specialization slotted (instead taking say, Zeal, Radiance, and Virtues), will you still be able to equip a Longbow (as in Dragonhunter there didn’t appear to be any Minor Traits saying “You can now equip Longbows”, although there was a Minor Trait for the Virtue Changes)?

I hope this is the case, as otherwise down the line this could limit possible gear variety when we get a second batch of Elite Specializations – for example, if a new Mesmer Elite Specialization lets you equip main-hand Mace (c’mon, we all know the Moot would suit Mesmer more than any other profession :p ), as Shield is tied to Chronomancer, and Mace is tied to Disco Diva (or w/e lol), as you cannot equip two Elite Specializations at once, you would never be able to wield Mace MH + Shield OH simultaneously on your Mesmer, which would be a real shame.

So…does anyone know exactly how it’s going to work? If Anet could post a comment, or somenone could quote something in an interview I may have missed, that would be great so we know exactly how Elite Specializations and their linked Weapons will work.

TL;DR: While we know you will need to have access to an Elite Specialization to gain the weapon tied to that specialization, will you need to actually have that Elite Specialization slotted at that very time to equip the associated weapon with that Elite Specialization? Or will just having learned and having access to that Elite Specialization be enough? Anybody can clarify?

Yes.

The Elite Specialization is required for the weapon, and if they Elite Specialization is not active, nor is access to the specific weapon for that Elite Specialization.

If that was not the case there would be basically no downside whatsoever to unlock the Elite Specialization.

lordkrall.7241:

Yes.
If that was not the case there would be basically no downside whatsoever to unlock the Elite Specialization.

Well the downside would be not having access to the traits and core profession mechanic changes in the Elite Specialization line that you currently don’t have slotted when you are using another; Afterall the weapon is only a part of the specialization.

Elite specialization is weapon and trait locked. It’s essentially a specialization (former “trait line”) plus a weapon.

They said that the new weapons are exclusive to the elite spec that introduced them. So, no Chrono, no shield.

They didn’t say whether we will be able to choose 2 or more elite specs at the same in the future (like Dueling/Chronomancer/Disco Diva), though, and it’s too early to discuss that.

RabbitUp.8294:

They said that the new weapons are exclusive to the elite spec that introduced them. So, no Chrono, no shield.

They didn’t say whether we will be able to choose 2 or more elite specs (at the same time) in the future, though, and it’s too early to discuss that.

I’d argue this could bring up too many different and maybe unpredictable builds leading to a balance pandemonium. So yeah, I don’t believe you will ever be able to equip two elite specs at the same time.

RabbitUp.8294:

They said that the new weapons are exclusive to the elite spec that introduced them. So, no Chrono, no shield.

They didn’t say whether we will be able to choose 2 or more elite specs at the same in the future (like Dueling/Chronomancer/Disco Diva), though, and it’s too early to discuss that.

I think they actually did confirm that you’d be limited to one elite spec at a time in the original specialization reveal stream.

RabbitUp.8294:

They said that the new weapons are exclusive to the elite spec that introduced them. So, no Chrono, no shield.

They didn’t say whether we will be able to choose 2 or more elite specs at the same in the future (like Dueling/Chronomancer/Disco Diva), though, and it’s too early to discuss that.

The issue with having 2 or ore elite specs at the same time would be if both elite specs change the class mechanic, then which one takes priority? Anet could get around this by only having one elite spec change only one type of class mechanics, for example:

1) Chronomancer gives you an F5 skill, but the other shatters are unaffected.
2) “Disco Diva” (lol, I think it would be great :P ) say, changes the effects of skills F1-F4, but does not add F5 or change effects from it.
3) Whatever the 3rd Mesmer elite does has no effect on the shatter skills at all, but maybe gets 2 new weapons.

However, I think they said something about it being one at a time.

Black Box.9312:

RabbitUp.8294:

They said that the new weapons are exclusive to the elite spec that introduced them. So, no Chrono, no shield.

They didn’t say whether we will be able to choose 2 or more elite specs at the same in the future (like Dueling/Chronomancer/Disco Diva), though, and it’s too early to discuss that.

I think they actually did confirm that you’d be limited to one elite spec at a time in the original specialization reveal stream.

That very well be the case. I should rewatch that sometime, I was too busy looking at the new shinies to focus on the details.

Elite specs can only be slotted in the third slot, which is why it has some gold trim to it.

Not only does this keep you from slotting two elites at once, but I believe that the third slot only unlocks at 80, locking you away from any elite spec ‘til you’re max level.

Edit: Really? Kitten you, swear filter.

They did outright state in the stream that future elites will be mutually exclusive. The elite spec slot has gold trim around it, and elites can only go in that slot. My impression is that you won’t have the use of the special weapon unless you are spec’d to use it, though I can’t point to a particular statement regarding that. I know I believed it to be the case strongly enough that I posted concerns about inventory management if your spec weapon gets randomly shoved in your inventory when you undo the spec selection.

I wonder, will they have to release 9 new elites at a time every time they want to add any? In order to keep things “fair” in the eyes of the players? That seems a lot of work and a possible slow-down in the pace of getting new ones.

RabbitUp.8294:

They didn’t say whether we will be able to choose 2 or more elite specs at the same in the future (like Dueling/Chronomancer/Disco Diva), though, and it’s too early to discuss that.

no, they did.
You saw in the streams that one of the specialization slots has a gold trim?
Only that one slot can take an elite spec.