I like great swords so I leveled a warrior and find out I need to dual wield at 80. So I looked into leveling a guardian and found out they are ranged class at 80. Which class uses great swords at 80?
Warriors still use greatsword in their meta build as one weapon set in everything pve, not sure about pvp. Its their main weapon, for other weapon set, axe + mace is best. (still pve perspective)
Other professions which can wield greatswords:
Guardian
Ranger
Necromancer —-—> With their new reaper elite specialization
Mesmer (Their attacks with greatsword are ranger not melee)
Wait what? Elite specializations are just options to build around and not intended to be used solely at level 80. As such there’s no “need” to dual wield on a Level 80 Warrior. Also, a Guardian is not intended to be a ranged profession at level 80 either. As a Profession, Great Sword is extremely good on Warrior. Try running GS / Rifle with Zerker gear on your Level 80 Warrior. There’s a useful build in PvE for Warrior that’s nicknamed “Phalanx Strength”. Google it to see how to build it.
(Ranger) or Druid
Alternative for S/A, valid choice in locations with little room for errors (non Meta)
(Necromancer) Reaper
DPS Melee weapon. (Meta)
(Mesmer) Chronomancer
Ranged weapon (Non Meta)
But IMHO If you like playing GS, you go and play GS, it’s your life and your game experience.
I have been playing dual sword warrior on 1 warrior since launch (had a second pretty quick tough for DPS), but the dual sword was always available, first with rampager and rabid, later with sinister and in the end with Viper’s and sinister. after 3 years it became a build from nothing (at least most ppl didn’t seem top approve and it will fade again. Still I love playing it. Have used it in WvW, did story on it and was the first to finish LS S1, S2 and in the end S3. While my PS/EA is mostly used for fractals…
23 lvl 80’s, 9 times map, 4ele, 4ncr, 3war, 3grd, 3rgr, 2thf, 2msm, 1eng, 1 rev.
Been There, Done That & Will do it again…except maybe world completion.
My first post wasn’t clear at all. I know which classes can use great swords , I just ran into a bunch of posts where people were complaining about getting kicked from groups due to not using the Hot elite specs. So I was looking at seeing which Hot spec used great swords, however another player found me in game and explained that some groups do this but most will judge you on how you play rather then just a spec.
I don’t know who told you that guardian/DH is a ranged class. It’s still primarily a melee class, either GS for burst or hammer for sustained DPS. Vanilla guardian always had a below average ranged weapon (scepter) and DH’s longbow is a really good upgrade… but neither are so good that you would want to go ranged over melee when given the choice.
The posts talking about getting kicked because they aren’t running the HoT meta builds tend to be in relation to raid pugs (and perhaps dungeon/fractal speed clearing)… no one really cares what you run in other content as long as you are pulling your own weight.
Warriors don’t need to dual wield at level 80. It sounds like you are getting confused between the new weapon you get from the elite specialization and the benefits of having an elite specialization equipped. You don’t need to use the new weapon associated with your class. It is merely a new option. You can still run greatsword on warrior and get the abilities of being a berserker. That said you don’t absolutely need to use the elite specializations strictly speaking, although on warrior specifically, why wouldn’t you? It gives you a huge upgrade to your burst skill, unless you are running a build that needs the third trait line for something else.
I have never been kicked from a party for not running an HoT build, but then again I don’t raid, so that may be the difference.
No one should be forced to play certain builds.