Generally speaking, elite specializations can be put into two categories based on their “background match type”:
A). Generally lore-wise acceptable alternatives in any fantasy based games, examples: [Ranger, Druid, both use natural power], [Necromancer, Reaper (think of Death/Dark Knight), power of death], notice that these two has a Physical-or-Magical-emphasis pattern; and [Warrior, Berserker, physical power]. All of these “universally” reasonable expansion can to some degree call back to DND, the ancestor of all fantasy RPG games.
B). GW2-specifically acceptable specializations: [Mesmer, Chronomancer (no surprise since Mesmer itself is a GW2 only class theme)], [Elementalist, Tempest (I haven’t played GW1 much but someone mentioned about some elementalist with a warhorn or something)]. Those are two widely acceptable expansion of the basic class based on the background of GW series; but under this category there might also be some far-fetched ones, like Dragonhunter…
Based on above logic, there are some possible and impossible elites for every class:
1. Guardian: It has lost its chance to have a cleric-like elite (more magical based, think of Paladin-Cleric in DND) since it already uses both staff and scepter. It is hard to come up with one not worse than dragonhunter;
2.Warrior: Warlord with off-hand pistol with a WvW-surportive trait line seems reasonable based on its first elite Berserker (assuming it is DPS oriented);
3. Revenant: A GW2-specific class, and there are plenty of legendaries waiting to show their faces due its unique utility skills mechanism. I personally prefer Snaff (Zojja’s master, the last name Logan wants to hear) with rifle or pistol.
4. Ranger: Don’t know. Cannot come up with one as perfect as Druid but not overlapped with it or the basic class;
5. Thief: Based on my guess that the first elite will be monk-themed with melee staff, maybe a ninja-themed elite (dunno about the weapon); or a more magical elite with focus (scepter might be too much);
6. Engineer: It is a GW2-specific class, it has lots of possibilities for new elites; though it’s hard to pick a new weapon, torch maybe?
7. Elementalist: Warmage with main-hand sword, to pick up the deprecated concept for the first elite. By the way do not expect decent-DPS auto attacks for any elementalist’s weapons, the class mechanism does not allow it.
8. Necromancer: Same as Ranger, cannot come up with one after a perfect reaper.
9. Mesmer: Though it is a GW-specific class, a widely used class theme, the Bard, sounds like a good choice. Don’t know about the new weapon but it needs a main-hand weapon rather than a off-hand one.
Another thought I have is that, if there is going be a second elite for each class, it is possible that the new elite will add a new set of weapon skills to an old weapon, for example, a Ninja adds a new set of dagger skills to Thief but you can use Thief-daggers as weapon set 1 and Ninja-daggers as weapon set 2 with either same or different pairs of daggers.
Also on new elites’ trait lines, while each of basic trait lines (especially the first four) focuses on a certain “role” (power, condi, tank, healer), new elites’ should be more like Tempest’s/Chronomancer’s, that is, have diverse traits for different “roles” and can be used in at least two game types (PvE, WvW, etc.); reaper is not an exception though it seems that it adds some missing part of the basic class, it also gives both power and condi options.
