Guild Wars 2

Is magical ability/affinity hereditary? For example, if two parents are elementalists, would the child be more likely to be a more powerful elementalist, as opposed to if they chose to become a mesmer for example?

Or if the parent specialized in a specific form of magic, would the child have an easier time learning it or being able to use it?

“Esprits d’Orr : Magic is a birth gift, but is it hereditary? Without this gift, is it still possible to cast spells using other methods?

Angel McCoy : All creatures in Tyria have a natural ability to access and use magic. It is EXTREMELY rare that a person is born who does not have access to magic, and current theory implies this happens only when magic is at its lowest point in the world—after the dragons have been awake and consuming it for some time.

A person’s profession, however, may be hereditary, more nurture than nature. Just as a young person may want to grow up to be a Seraph like Mama, so a young Tyrian may want to grow up to be a Mesmer like Papa. The opposite could happen as well, especially if the young person is rebellious."

Source. Unfortunately, it doesn’t fully answer the first part of your question. To my knowledge, whether in-born magical ability has a hereditary element to it has never been touched upon.

It’s not uncommon for a toddler to begin showing signs of magical talent by creating illusions to entertain herself, putting up a crude barrier between itself and something threatening it, or producing water when thirsty.

Magic, for any profession, is nothing without the knowledge, diligence, and alertness that any user brings to it.

There are as many individual ways to tap into that magic as there are people in Tyria. Some follow the methods taught to them by mentors or teachers. Others devise their own special style and relationship with magic. Some use items to enhance or channel their powers, such as the Zephyrites who use their crystals to access the Aspects.

Specific magic seems to be like any other skill. You may have a natural talent for it but it is no guarantee of success in that field. Two athletes may produce athletic children. Or, the may not. The ones that are athletic may not be athletic in the same way their parents are. Or, they may just not have the same interest and motivations that drove their parents in their own lives.

So using the athletic analogy, would two soccer players produce better soccer players in their children? Quite possibly. How much would be due to genes and how much is due to upbringing and social pressure depends on the individual situation. But they may also produce baseball players, sprinters or doctors. And maybe even a hobo every now and then.