Guild Wars 2

TL;DR below

Given that F2P is a thing now and given that there are new professions and elite specializations coming, and theoretically more elite specializations can be dropped in at any given time, I think a system is needed for the F2P players that involves unlocking things for PvP only that an F2P account doesn’t normally have access to.

Things F2P accounts currently won’t have access to once HoT launches include:

• Certain sigils
• Certain runes
• The revenant
• Elite specializations
• Stronghold heroes

So in my opinion a progression system revolving around time needs to exist so that F2P accounts can unlock these things. If people don’t want to spend time unlocking these things give them the option to buy things piecemeal from the gemstore so they can pick and choose the things they do want to pay for (i.e. elite specializations for PvP only)

Maybe this is an opportunity to redo how Sigils and Runes are unlocked in PvP, but that’s not really the intent, but the opportunity is there. The real intent is to provide a way for F2P accounts to have a way to access the professions/specializations via time spent that are going to be hidden behind a paywall.

As much as I would like to be believe in the balance teams ability to perfectly balance things, I can’t. Metas happen, and some tools have exclusivity. Elementalist for example is OP right now to the point that you can stack them and ESL felt the need to implement a rule so only 3 could be stacked, this could easily end up being an elite specialization. The Herald for example is the only profession with an instant cast AoE reveal skill, which will be very useful for clutch moments. Chronomancer looks to be incredibly strong as well, and this is an elite specialization.

In order to make it fair for F2P accounts some kind of unlock system for PvP should be available for these things. There’s plenty out there to model off of. It could be that profession has rank and account has rank, and at certain profession ranks you unlock elite specializations. You could have unlocks at the different 80 account ranks.

TL;DR
It doesn’t matter how, but somehow F2P accounts should be allowed to PvP with Elite Specializations and the Revenant, otherwise the game feels grimey especially when those things players are locked out of become meta.

If anet wants this game to be competitive, f2p players and anyone should have these unlocked by default in pvp, this isn’t pve, that’s why mmo PvP ends up failing because of stuff like these.

ummm you do realize that alot of people have spent $200 for GW2 and the HOT expansion and you want F2P players to have the ability to have everything? Players who paid money for the game have to earn these things aswell by making gold in the game and earning certain tracks lines.

Im sorry but people who havent put a dime in the game shouldnt get everything the people who paid for it do.

They have already stated that these would be available only to ppl with HoT:
The revenant
Elite specializations
Stronghold heroes

runes and sigils? not sure about these… if the new ones are gonna overshadow the old ones it would but unfair to deny that form new trial players
the point is that they should still have multiple meta builds available to them but not all

If F2P player will like the game, he’ll buy HoT.

That’s how far this philosophy goes.

no.

they can have weekend trials of those things.

on certain special weekends.

that’s it.

if they want the hot things, wait for the next expansion so that the hot things will become free.

3 years later maybe.