Guild Wars 2

As someone coming back to the game, I have a question about the expansion and Elite Specs. Will other older specs be getting retuned and updated as well or is all the work generally going into these Elite Specs? Also, is it true that these Elite Specs cost more hero points than others to unlock?

I had hoped older specs would be getting retuned as well, but from what I’ve noticed so far, it’s mainly concentrated on elite specs. The one thing I dislike about that is it seems to get rid of any kind of unique builds. Seems every char will be a clone of one another.

I don’t think old ones are remade. The trait system has been completely reworked tho and that effects all past builds.

As for elite specs costing more hero points..i am not sure but it kinda seems obvious for me. They are elite right?

If you mean the Core specializations with ‘old specs’ (Like Elementalist is Core, Tempest is it’s specialization: Yes they keep existing.

To give an example, Guardians Elite tomes got completely overhauled. That is ‘work on the old specs’ in your words. All conditions got an update now. All damage conditions stack now (like burning and poison now too) and weakness grants also bonus condition damage. That is pretty much ‘work on old specs’.

As for your question will old specs return? Don’t really get what you mean. Elementalist will never be gone. Instead you will be able to choose between Elementalist, Tempest or a combination of both for some builds. Just like Ranger can still go pure ranger, or focus on Druid spec.

As for unique builds, having played Engineer, ranger and elementalist since patch, from a pve perspective: build variation went hugely up (especially for ranger). If they fix some ranger bugs it’s gonna be even better. In pvp some people feel forced into one build. And while this is true for Tpvp, I think for ‘casual pvp’ matches, this is not true, and build variation is high. With Stronghold coming (a gameplay that allows much more different playstyles then in conquest), I see build variation going up a lot.

As for cost of Elite specs: I think it will be similar to cost of current core spec. However they made it so (after some feedback of players) that Core specs get enough points by being level 80 to get all traits/skills of their base profession. However to get elite spec you will have to earn some hero points (old skill challenges around the world). Nothing to crazy, 40-80 will suffice, my guess. In fact, I think if you make a new char and keep your points all the way to 80, that you will be able to spend them on tempest first and our left overs on elementalist but i’m not sure of that.

Although its not explicitly stated, in the “Specializations Part Two” blog post, it implies Elite Specializations are unlocked in the same way as Core and Skill tracks, so yes, its likely to be Hero Points.

If the Core Specs need retuning, they will be, however, take the word “Elite” with a pinch of salt. The Elite Specializations are side-grades, not up-grades. If you don’t like an Elite Specialization, or it doesn’t fit into your build, you won’t be any weaker for not running it. Its essentially just a 6th traitline that gives you a few skills and a weapon.