Guild Wars 2

Hi Anet, just wanted to throw an idea y’alls way regarding Elite Specializations.

What if we could have (3) normal specializations and (1) elite specialization active at the same time?

Give me a few moments of your time to explain and hopefully by the end you will see where I’m coming from. This may all sound a bit overpowered and unbalanced but hopefully by the end of this post you can find some positive aspects of this idea. So lets look at some of the Strengths and Weaknesses of this idea.

Strengths: (1) A reflection of utility bar; familiar territory, (2) It would work with implementation of new elite specializations later down the road, (3) It works with current leveling and unlock system, (4) It will hopefully get more people to use specs!

Weaknesses: (1) Might want to wait until some time after H.o.T releases to add it for balancing reasons, (2) Might have to add some ‘extra functions’ to accommodate some players.

Lets start with a detailed look at the Strengths.

1) A reflection of the utility bar
– Our current utility bar consists of 3 slots for utility skills and one slot for an elite skill (lets ignore heals, they don’t matter right now). With this set up we have slots that a dedicated to ONLY normal utility skills, keys 7-9, and one slot for ONLY elite skills, key 0. What I’m suggesting is specializations that worked similarly, where you can use any 3 of the normal specializations, think keys 7-9, alongside 1 elite specialization, key 0. This would allow Elite specializations to ‘buff’ a build just like elite skills ‘buff’ or actions, without there being a negative trade off of losing a specialization line.

2) Would work with the addition of new Elite Specializations.
– Suppose you do add more elite specializations later down the road. With the ability to use 4 specs at a time players will be able to switch out their current elite spec with a new one, just like we switch elite skills, with no problem. This will add variety to builds just like how have multiple elite skills to choose from does but on a more mechanics based level.

3) Works well with leveling/unlock progression.
– Last time I looked you unlock the last normal specialization line at level 72, allowing you to use 3 specializations at once, and from what I have read elites will be unlocked at level 80. This would work well with that. There is no need to change what level we unlock elites, only whether or not we can have one elite specialization active alongside 3 normal specializations.

4) Good for players and Developers.
– Currently using an elite spec requires players to get rid of their old builds by replacing 1/3 of their current specializations with the Elite Specialization, pretty much changing their builds up completely just to gain the benefits of an elite specialization. For some players this is a great benefit, but sadly for others its more of a detriment. It forces the player to make a choice, they can either make use of what you developers have spent so much time and dedication making, which may or may not be to their advantage in the end, or they can ignore the specialization and stick with their old builds, completely neglecting all that hard work. Neither option seems like a result that either the player or the developer truly benefits from, but if we could use 4 specializations at a time, 3 normal and 1 elite, this problem could be averted.

Now lets look at some Weaknesses to this idea.

1) Would want to wait before implementing it until awhile after H.o.T releases.
– The reasoning I have behind the above statement is simple, balance. Right off the bat there will obviously be a large number of player who will buy and play H.o.T, but there will also be those who wont. If half the population has access to 4 specializations total while the other half can only use 3 there will be an obvious advantage to those with H.o.T over free to play players or people who would rather wait and see before buying H.o.T. The best way to avoid this situation would be to wait until a large enough amount of the population has H.o.T so that those losing out will only make up a very small minority. Odds are 100% of players wont have H.o.T in the near future, if ever, but at least this way they are given a fair chance.

2) ‘Extra functions’
– If you do happen to add these changes you will have to worry about the players who prefer to use their normal profession mechanics over the elite variants (Ex. Elementalists’ attunements and Guardians’ virtues). Its understandable why they might want to do such a thing, perhaps they like the shorter cool downs of the old active effects, and if possible perhaps you could accommodate such preferences. Perhaps a sort of ‘Off’ or ‘Lock’ switch in the Specializations panel which would allow them to stick with just 3 specializations or maybe just prevent the fist minor trait in the Elite specialization from going into effect. I understand making such a thing would probably require a lot more effort then what I suggested, if it’s even possible, so I can see if that might be asking too much. Just want to try and cover as many people as possible.

There’s no denying that there are still far more Flaws to this suggestion then I have listed and hopefully just as many Strengths. I just wanted to throw y’all an idea to think about, possibly, in order to make sure the players get the best out of the Specializations and to make sure that the Developers get their creations used rather than neglected.

Thanks for reading this if you did. Loved the last Beta weekend and cant wait for either the release or Beta weekend 3!

(I hope no one else has already created a thread about this Topic. I Checked the search function but nothing came up so I just assumed no had. I don’t recall seeing the topic withing the first 5 pages either but if it was sorry for making a new post for something that already exists.)

I think this could easily lead to new meta: high damage dealing tanky controlling healing condition master. I hope i didnt forget anything.

So basically: Getting the Elite Spec with no downside whatsoever?

Brownie.5483:

- Currently using an elite spec requires players to get rid of their old builds by replacing 1/3 of their current specializations with the Elite Specialization, pretty much changing their builds up completely just to gain the benefits of an elite specialization. For some players this is a great benefit, but sadly for others its more of a detriment. It forces the player to make a choice, they can either make use of what you developers have spent so much time and dedication making, which may or may not be to their advantage in the end, or they can ignore the specialization and stick with their old builds, completely neglecting all that hard work. Neither option seems like a result that either the player or the developer truly benefits from, but if we could use 4 specializations at a time, 3 normal and 1 elite, this problem could be averted.

That’s the entire point of putting the elite specs in the third slot. Anet wants players to have to make a choice. Do you sacrifice a part of the core build to add an elite spec, or do you stick with the core profession and use 3 core spec lines? “Neglecting all that hard work” is explicitly one of the options the developers want players to have.

What you are suggesting is not a minor change, it is a rework of a fundamental design choice regarding elite specs.

I understand where you’re coming from glehmann. Personally I’m fine with how the elite specs are now. There are those you want and will use and then there are those you wont. I was looking at it as more of an increase in performance, the difference from 100% efficiency, how things currently are, to 110% efficiency, what they could be with 4 specializations.

Think of it similarly to how the specialization system was prior to the recent update that changed it to where we can run 3 specializations maxed out. Back before the update there was no denying you could make an amazing build with what trait points you had but it always seemed, to me at least, like you were just 2 points away from having the perfect build. Then the update came and instead of only being able to fill up 2.33 specializations we can now fill 3 all the way to Grandmaster. This ended up going above and beyond what I was ever expecting, in a good way.

One of my main concerns that I have though is that a large amount of people would not try the specializations simply because it might mess with their ‘meta’, based off of some of the posts I have seen here as well as stuff said in game. Obviously we cant appease everyone though, so I can see Anets angle.

Thanks for your feedback though. I wasn’t looking at the ‘Suggestion’ from that perspective. I can completely understand why Anet would do that and have no problems with it. I still think it would be a neat change though, even it it happens to be more then minor.

I don’t think that creating a power divide between those who bought HoT and those who didn’t would be in line with Anet’s vision.

Sure sucks to be a Guardian or Necromancer under OP’s idea, you’d completely lose access to your normal class abilities.

But seriously, Elite specs are supposed to be sidegrades you can choose to use, not a flat power increase that you always have. This proposal completely misses the point of specializations.

Erm that means you need to ban Elite Specs in PvP… And people would rationally ban nonHoT owners from their groups in all other content too.

Terrible idea.