Guild Wars 2

Based on what we know about Gw2 and the newly unveiled class icon that is speculated to be for the spellbreaker, here is what I think we will see:

Scourge (Necromancer)
Weapon: Offhand Torch
The necromancer scourge will focus on adding new effects to the blind condition in the same way that the reaper enhances chill. Their shroud will be changed to “Sand Shroud” and gain special properties that synergize with the blind condition. We may see things like enemies taking damage when attacking through blind. Burning is also likely to be a focal point of this class.

Spellbreaker (Warrior)
Weapon: Mainhand Dagger, Offhand Dagger
The warrior’s core concept has always been its simplicity. The datamind class icon indicates that the spellbreaker will use dual daggers. They will gain a new F2 that will consume boons from enemies and transform their F1 burst into an Arcane burst if it hits, adding new elemental properties to the burst attack. An example would be the GS burst throwing out a large wave of air as a projectile when triggered as an Arcane burst. Spellbreakers will gain access to cantrips.

Runeforge (Engineer)
Weapon: Mainhand Mace
The Runeforge will gain access to the mace and will be able forge conjured weapons as new skills. Their toolbelt skills will trigger unique effects on their forged conjured weapons -even if wielded by another player.

Mirage (Mesmer)
Weapon: Mainhand Axe
The mesmer will get a new specialization that focus on keeping phantasms in play rather than shattering them. Phantasms will now “level up” the longer they stay in play, growing more powerful and adding new effects to their attacks and presence. The elite will likely upgrade or spawn 3 full phantasms that are fully upgraded. The illusions will max out at level 3 and have an upgraded appearance.

Marauder (Ranger)
Weapon: Hammer
The ranger will gain hammer and savage attacks. When their pet deals/takes damage, they will build primal energy and be able to summon a large beast that replaces their pet for a limited time. These creatures can be things like a Rhino with a charge, or an Elephant that heals and clears conditions. Rangers will be able to capture several types of Marauder pets within the new zone and change them out when not in combat.

Ascendant (Revenant)
Weapon: Offhand Focus
The revenant will gain legendary Varesh Ossa stance and “enchantment” abilities that function like gw1 in that they can be activated to trigger a passive effect then cause an active effect when they end. The new F5 skill will summon Varesh’s Scythe in the player’s hands, which devours active enchantments in order to unleash powerful attacks. The enchantments can have different effects when ended with the scythe vs. ended through the skillbar to create diversity. Thus, the nostalgia of the Dervish returns -which fits the design of the Revenant as this class is a love letter to the days of Gw1.

Diviner (Guardian)
Weapon: Mainhand Axe
The diviner is a more aggressive approach on the guardian with themes on severing fate and using foresight to anticipate enemy attacks. The virtues of the guardian will be replaced by “visions” of the diviner. Visions will activate passive effects and function more like stances. Only one vision can be active at a time, but switching from one type of vision to another can cause special effects.

Infiltrator (Thief)
Weapon: Rifle
The infiltrator will be a defacto sniper class. Going with the theme of altering dodges, the thief’s dodge will be replaced by “disengage” which causes each dodge to move the thief much farther and function more like a teleport -which allows them to re-position at ranged better. They will be very glassy and weak in melee. The infiltrator will gain new gadget skills to help them survive and play keep away from enemies.

Flameseeker (Elementalist)
Weapon: Mainhand Sword
The elementalist specialization will focus on remaining in a single element for a prolonged period to empower it. Staying in an element builds elemental specific stacks that enhance the ele passively. At max stacks, combo fields related to that element become enhanced and they can use their F5 to consume all stacks and unleash a powerful arcane flame attack (obsidian flame, searing flames, frozen flame, shocking flame)

Once this LS ends, I’m interested to see if any of the above will resemble what we see in Elona.

Whoa, where did any of that info come from? And why would warrior get dual daggers when every other class is getting a single weapon?

Also what new icon?

castlemanic.3198:

Also what new icon?

@healix WHOA THAT’S SO COOL. Where was this found? Was it datamined or did someone post it on reddit or something?

castlemanic.3198

Where was this found? Was it datamined or did someone post it on reddit or something?

https://www.reddit.com/r/Guildwars2/comments/6640mf/datamining_upcoming_features_from_the_april_18/

Healix.5819:

https://www.reddit.com/r/Guildwars2/comments/6640mf/datamining_upcoming_features_from_the_april_18/

Thank you very much!

Where do these elite specialization concepts come from? The data-mining only had the supposed Spellbreaker icon if I’m seeing correctly.

Feanor.2358:

Where do these elite specialization concepts come from? The data-mining only had the supposed Spellbreaker icon if I’m seeing correctly.

A year and a half ago, there was a post on reddit that contained a ton of information and some screenshots about a build called “Guildwars Papaya.”

A ton of information about specializations was provided and some fairly legit looking and infamous screenshots that looked like Amnoon Oasis and the crystal desert from Gw1. The poster stated that there would be a new legendary mace and a coliseum PvP map.

At first people passed it off as a bunch of BS and the information passed into obscurity as just another part of the rumor mill. Then Eureka came out, then the Coliseum went into unranked PvP for testing…

So far the predictions of that post have been spot on, but this is a bit like Baba Venga in which leaked beta information is not always accurate because ANET tests a ton of things that sometimes are never used. We’ve datamined entire maps of the Fissue of Woe and a WvW map that was never implemented.

An example is when HoT was coming out, a ton of information was datamind about Elementalists using sword skills. It was obvious that they were testing swords on eles, but in the final build we got the Tempest with warhorn. There was also confirmation from devs that rifle was tested/prototyped as a specialization weapon for the Chronomancer but was changed later on.

Concerning the specializations above:

-I’m sure Spellbreaker and Scourge are near finalized. There has been reports on reddit of a “heavy class moving around wielding daggers.” The Scourge is so inline with necro design (focus on enhancing a specific condition) that I have high confidence that it will make it into the Crystal Desert expansion. The spellbreaker’s recent datamined icon seems to provide more evidence that this may be true.

-The “Papaya” posts reported a mesmer with axe skills. This seems in-line with the mesmer design because the only two weapons that phantasms can use that the primary mesmer can’t are shields and axes (defender and warden). We got shield with Chrono and the axe prediction seems to align with this way of thinking.

-Elementalist sword and gs was reported in testing by the Papaya posts. I’m almost certain its sword because for HoT sword was tested but never used in the final build. ANET probably has a ton of assets for elementalist sword to reuse for the new specialization.

Aside from the above, I think the rests are hard guestimation because we really don’t enough information to make better predictions.

I recall that post, but it didn’t have nearly as much detail on the specialization concepts. In the case for eles, for instance, it simply said “either sword or GS”.

My question was if there’s a newer info giving this detail, because it really feels like actual concepts.

Some decent ideas all around, though if it holds up I’ll be rather disappointed they chose to ignore the bows (especially Short Bow) and really not offer much in the way of creativity (i.e. Scepter off-hand, Focus main hand type stuff).

Also I doubt Palawa Joko would be the new Revenant channel as he’s still aliv— uhm.. undead and kicking around outside the mists. If the new expansion goes back to the theme of “ascending” I look of someone like Turrai Ossa, especially since it would fit the theme of the region and if we have to fight Joko would be great story wise to rekindle their history.

The only thing the Papaya Report says about Engineer is “NO INFO”
Sadly, I think this make it a very fiable resource… :_(

castlemanic.3198:

Whoa, where did any of that info come from? And why would warrior get dual daggers when every other class is getting a single weapon?

Also what new icon?

Papaya leak, been out for a while. I don’t like to put too much stock into leaks, but this one has some.. moral backing for a lack of a better word. At least it’s fun speculation.

Honestly i am strongly skeptical about Engineer getting a mace Elite Specialization as the 2nd Elite Spec because we just got a builder type Elite Spec as our first elite spec being Scrapper which use Hammer.

I would prefer a weapon that has been modified through Engineering instead another building tool as a weapon.

Such as Focus main hand weapon that is modified to create Holo-weapons for melee range attacks or a Electric charged melee staff or maybe a Scepter modficed with a type of Energy Modification for energy melee attacks.

Maybe even a modifed Acid Axe, Heat modificed Greatsword, or Energy modified Sword. They could even go for Short-bow or Long-bow using modified tech arrows.

(PS a part of me feels like the demand for a Mace Elite Spec is just so Engineer can use that Wrench skin for Mace.)

EdwinLi.1284:

Honestly i am strongly skeptical about Engineer getting a mace Elite Specialization as the 2nd Elite Spec because we just got a builder type Elite Spec as our first elite spec being Scrapper which use Hammer.

It’s an engineer. Everything about it is about building.

I don’t think we are EVER going to get Focus, Warhorn, or Torch mainhand, nor new weapon types – the impact on how the entire game’s itemization is structured would be too much.

Sartharina.3542:

EdwinLi.1284:

Honestly i am strongly skeptical about Engineer getting a mace Elite Specialization as the 2nd Elite Spec because we just got a builder type Elite Spec as our first elite spec being Scrapper which use Hammer.

It’s an engineer. Everything about it is about building.

I don’t think we are EVER going to get Focus, Warhorn, or Torch mainhand, nor new weapon types – the impact on how the entire game’s itemization is structured would be too much.

Focus Main hand weapon for Engineer is possible. We just have to use Engineering to add a few modifications so it can harness energies and maybe turn that energy into holo-“illusion” that cause physical harm through direct and/or condition.

Engineering is about building thing but I think it is about time Engineer use that building talent to modify a weapon people don’t expect to be possible weapon for Engineer into their own unique use such as Focus being a Holographic generator that can create Dynamic, Static, and Synergetic Holo-“illusion” to attack enemies.

It is part of being a Engineer to find ways to turn things not possible into something possible through Engineering. Such as how Engineer has modified Pistols and Rifles into shooting different type of ammunition that would normally be impossible if those weapons were used normally and how Shields were modified to use electic fields for protection when normally it would be a bad ideal to put some that can conduct electricty such as metal, is attached to a person, and electricity together.

Heck the Hammer was originally going to be modified to be a Rocket Hammer using a Rocket modification for Scrapper until it was changed to what it is now but a small amount of Rocket mod still appears on the Hammer when using some skills as left over concept design left in.

Also i am not talking about introducing new weapons into the game as I already know Anet plans to only keep the current weapons and adjust their function to each profession based on the Elite Spec.

I am talking about using Engineer’s talents to create and modify things on current weapons, such as Focus, Sceptors, Staff, sword, axe, short-bow and etc., into weapons that they can use in their own unique ways similar to how Thief use staff for melee weapon or Revenant use Hammer as a Range weapon.

heck even if the 2nd elite spec is a Mace weapon it is not going to be a normal mace that use used to build things. That Mace is going to be Modified with a modification that cause it to function in a unique way such as maybe add a Electric Modification for it to shock enemies it hits like a Electric Baton or Explosion modification to cause it to create small explosions whenever it hits a enemy to represent someone hitting things like hot metal to forge something into a shape.

EdwinLi.1284:

Honestly i am strongly skeptical about Engineer getting a mace Elite Specialization as the 2nd Elite Spec because we just got a builder type Elite Spec as our first elite spec being Scrapper which use Hammer.

I would prefer a weapon that has been modified through Engineering instead another building tool as a weapon.

Such as Focus main hand weapon that is modified to create Holo-weapons for melee range attacks or a Electric charged melee staff or maybe a Scepter modficed with a type of Energy Modification for energy melee attacks.

Maybe even a modifed Acid Axe, Heat modificed Greatsword, or Energy modified Sword. They could even go for Short-bow or Long-bow using modified tech arrows.

(PS a part of me feels like the demand for a Mace Elite Spec is just so Engineer can use that Wrench skin for Mace.)

Dont worry ANet will make it imbalanced to be loved, or make other stuff very bad so that will be your unique option for quitre some time…

Aeolus.3615:

Dont worry ANet will make it imbalanced to be loved, or make other stuff very bad so that will be your unique option for quitre some time…

I have a saying when it comes to newly released Jobs/Classes/Professions/Elite Specs and that is….

“A new Jobs/Classes/Professions/Elite Specs can only be one of two things. it is either completely overpowered and people complain it is too powerful and ask for it to be nerfed or it is to underpowered and people complain it is too weak and ask for it to be buffed. If someone ask about balance then tell them that does not exist”

in reality there is no such thing as Balanced when it comes to classes/jobs/professions/elite specs/etc. because they can make the most 100% Balanced Elite Spec in this game and people will say it is too overpowered or underpowered and demand it get buffed or nerfed just because people can not beat it or the majority just used the most broken overpowered build set up to murder it a few times when a certain amount of people can still beat the most OP broken build using that 100% balanced profession/elite spec because they put effort into understanding how it works instead of mindlessly mashing every single skill button without knowing what each skill does hoping it would be enough to burn down a targets HP.

@EdwinLi.1284, yeah i know, when the balanced word is used, i see it as “decent and fair enough” gameplay, reason i feel like if the cleaves got removed from all auto atacks the would be abotu less spam and feel more “balanced”.
The way area spam works in this game is what makes the game unbalanced and ugly(watching pvp), and watch pve videos is far worse…its like a torture to the eyes with the silly spam of lights and neons fields.

But sometimes Anet borks things even furthers due how classes need to behave and feel in pve.

Aeolus.3615:

@EdwinLi.1284, yeah i know when the balanced word is used, i see it as “decent and fair enough” gameplay.

I mostly hope the new elite spec is something that can provide a decent amount of gameplay styles.

Maybe start motivating people who play Engineer to not depend so much on Kits only. I know Kits is a vital part of Engineer’s gameplay but that is mostly because Engineer has few choices involving builds.

Aeolus.3615:

reason i feel like if the cleaves got removed from all auto atacks the would be abotu less spam and feel more “balanced”.
The way area spam works in this game is what makes the game unbalanced and ugly(watching pvp), and watch pve videos is far worse…its like a torture of lights.

But sometimes Anet borks things even furthers due how classes need to behave and feel in pve.

I think it is the way the game is designed at fault for the AoE Happy gameplay style. The game does not favor single target attacks because there is always a swarm of enemies attacking the player in PvE which makes it demanding for a lot of AoE attacks access for the player to handle it. Of course this choice gets carry over to the PvP aspect and balancing the PvP and PvE needs gets very mixed in design choices.

EdwinLi.1284:

Aeolus.3615:

@EdwinLi.1284, yeah i know when the balanced word is used, i see it as “decent and fair enough” gameplay.

I mostly hope the new elite spec is something that can provide a decent amount of gameplay styles.

Maybe start motivating people who play Engineer to not depend so much on Kits only. I know Kits is a vital part of Engineer’s gameplay but that is mostly because Engineer has few choices involving builds.

Aeolus.3615:

reason i feel like if the cleaves got removed from all auto atacks the would be abotu less spam and feel more “balanced”.
The way area spam works in this game is what makes the game unbalanced and ugly(watching pvp), and watch pve videos is far worse…its like a torture of lights.

But sometimes Anet borks things even furthers due how classes need to behave and feel in pve.

I think it is the way the game is designed at fault for the AoE Happy gameplay style. The game does not favor single target attacks because there is always a swarm of enemies attacking the player in PvE which makes it demanding for a lot of AoE attacks access for the player to handle it. Of course this choice gets carry over to the PvP aspect and balancing the PvP and PvE needs gets very mixed in design choices.

yup, reason why pve design is @fault forcing classes to be broken by default since the company known as Anet cant have the resources to make skillbars for pvp and pve they should “fix*tweak” the pve mobs/combat by reducing mobs and increing health or tweak the skills to have a midle ground at both wich i believe reducing cleave form autos would achieve a bit that midleground, wich is mindblow they even ponder not accept how broken the game can be, and that was the reason the the leak of players, if game was FUN even w/o content players would keep playing other modes or hang on cities , but they dont.

And i dont want to sound more blunt than i usually do^^, but Anet call himselves the inovation of mmo company, well thats so 2003-2010…
They failed hard to create a solid and simple structure that could make the game envolve on a very good way and keep their actual game skriting ideals.
(ok i was blunt^^).

hmm ranger : nomad pistol or rifle
mesmer:mirage axe
revenant: possibly ritualist shortbow
guardian: purifier axe
engi: machinist mace
ele: stormcaller or stormblade sword
thief: sniper slingshot (kappa)

I’m very worried about the elementalist and mesmer one if they’re anything close to what is in this speculation.

Elementalist traits are very much about swapping elements at a certain pace and this goes very much against a lot of core ele, without mentioning how tempest is all over the place still with its camping attunements for 5s.

One of the biggest problems with mesmer is the phantasm mechanic and how they are tied to enemies and not the mesmer. Now if phantasms became permenant summons that attack enemies till they die then move to the next target it might work, however all phantasms are still single target only which doesn’t help, otherwise this is extremely niche sounding elite spec and feels like it will be DOA.

apharma.3741:

I’m very worried about the elementalist and mesmer one if they’re anything close to what is in this speculation.

Elementalist traits are very much about swapping elements at a certain pace and this goes very much against a lot of core ele, without mentioning how tempest is all over the place still with its camping attunements for 5s.

One of the biggest problems with mesmer is the phantasm mechanic and how they are tied to enemies and not the mesmer. Now if phantasms became permenant summons that attack enemies till they die then move to the next target it might work, however all phantasms are still single target only which doesn’t help, otherwise this is extremely niche sounding elite spec and feels like it will be DOA.

I actually think this is ok, the only reason eles spam swap attunements is because the benefits of doing so are too great.

The purpose of an elite specialization is to open the class to a new style of play. Elementalists don’t camp attunements because there is no benefit to. If the rewards of staying in an attunement are powerful enough, there is no reason why a specialization like this won’t work. The problem with the above arguement is that it is approaching the new specializations using lines of thought that are only applicable to the current state of the game.

If Flameseeker is good enough at providing rewards for remaining in attunements and the charged spells are good enough, element camping might actually be a thing and the class would have succeeded at its goal – which is providing a new way to play elementalist that breaks the mold of just atunement swapping when they are off cooldown.

Granted this is all speculation. Who knows if mirage will have additional mechanics that allow for better clone/phantasm control?

Also some classes and mechanics are more devastating that other game modes.

An example is how people hate on necromancer minion masters. Several weeks ago a TC guild created a zergball of WvW that was completely created out of 50 necro MMs. The effect was terrifying beyond imagining. The combined minions were so damaging that we didn’t even need to deploy superior siege because the minions would just eat through doors with thousands of individual attacks.

We steamrolled any zerg we ran into because everytime they AoE’d us, they either died from retaliation on minions or the minions would just die and they would run into 100 death novas. Eventually it go so bad that dragonbrand and jade quarry literally just logged out of WvW at let us take the entire map (plus some people couldn’t even get near our zerg because all of the minions on screen would literally crash their computer).

So there are some methods of apply “things that we think are bad” in new ways that make them great.

For Mirage, raiding is a thing in Gw2 now. Single sustained damage from powerful phantasms that can ignore raid mechanics and just apply damage to a boss while the Mirage does other things can be very very valuable.

I wouldn’t write any elite specialization out until we see how they operate and how players build with the new tools they get.