Guild Wars 2

https://wiki.guildwars2.com/wiki/Specialization

“Initially each profession will have one specialization, providing access to a new weapon, elite skill, healing skill, and a set of utility skills.”

Colin Johanson

“Specializations is a new system that allows you to take each of the professions we have in the game and grow them almost into a new sub-profession or secondary profession. An example of this is, a Ranger can become a Druid. Once a Ranger becomes a Druid, they have the ability to use the powers of the jungle and that gives them new skills, new traits, they can use a new weapon that a Ranger could never use before, and they get new profession mechanics that fundamentally change the way a Ranger plays when they become a Druid. Each of the professions will be getting one of these Specializations and this also is a framework that we’ll use to grow the professions in the future. This will be the way we add more skills, traits, and abilities to the game moving forward. That’s how we’re growing our existing professions.”

This seems like a pretty big deal for PvP. This Druid, in particular, if they possess different profession mechanics might be a better option for Rangers than the base class. I am very curious.

• how this will work for PvP unlocking. buy it with gold like traits/sigils/runes?
• whether or not these Specializations have new traits and combinations?
• if they can equip the new weapon and the other weapons the base class already has or just the new weapon
• Whether Specializations warrants limitations to the base class’ traits. Ex. a Ranger focuses on archery, traps, and pets, while a Druid gets Nature Magic and Druid..ism..ness.

This looks just as important as Stronghold but I don’t see people speculating about it or asking for more information. So I’ll ask about its role in PvP.

Specializations for PvP is ArenaNet walking on a tight rope that’s on fire. It’s a very big risk that can either burn (Dhuumfire says hi) or cause PvP to completely fall.

If they succeed, yay! It must have been a complete pain to push through.

_

But from what I can tell, adding a subclass to all 9 classes as well as introducing a new class is an absolute nightmare. Mainly because there are not enough mechanics, things have way to many firmly set numbers in the current system.

The issue will not be balancing but rather introducing fun and unique mechanics to every profession AND keeping it balanced.
I found the Revanant just boring to play, it was in beta and a lot will change. I just hope enough will change in time.

Hard to believe that they are introducing so much yet has so many problems already with the current game. I really hope ArenaNet has a big plan for all classes.

Conquest seems to have a huge centralizing effect on builds. There are millions of permutations of traits/sigils/amulets for each class and trying to analyze it is a huge undertaking as a newer player.

I ended up sticking with what the community says works and going from there because it appears that despite the sheer scope of combinations of elements, only a few them actually work for conquest.

For example, I was thinking about running a full melee build on Warrior. I went into practice and saw that people were using AoE all over the place and quickly realized that’s why Longbow was in ALL of the best warrior builds on metabattle. AoE is vitally important for a viable build in conquest because almost every fight you’re gonna be in has more than one person or AI to damage.

It appears that Anet wants to respond to that in HoT by going the route of Dota / LoL and giving the player so many options that this will expand the playing field by itself, instead of trying to tinker with what already exists.

What I am hoping for, but not too much, is that the base classes become more limited in scope, while the Specializations provide a different role. This would be like a cell embryo splitting into two, and with the classes more miniaturized, what appears to be a splitting into an unmanageable mess of chaos actually becomes a division of roles that can be more easily balanced.

Of course, I might be giving them too much credit, but the potential of that system is intriguing, if not a bit exciting.

If the base class is almost exactly the same, with the Specialization being an offshoot that is radically different but cannot be customized much, then that could work, but it would be a class specific situation, like some classes’ Specializations being go-to for PvE but total trash for PvP.

Some more information, even a few hints, would be greatly appreciated lol.

It’s actually a bit of a different story. Balance is now at its’ peak ever since the release of GW2. It had many downs (balance-wise) and even though it isn’t perfect now, it is in a really good spot. I believe they will get the hang of things even with the new specialization and the new class. They had the hang of things in GW1 even though each expansion introduced two new classes.
That being said, I’m certain many will be pessimistic as Nova Striker.8396 solely because of the numerous failed attempts (which is justified and understandable).

Any spoiler specialization on thief? though greatsword would be nasty.

Hopefully the Specialization of Thief will have actual cooldowns for abilities :P

And does better than Initiative, so that people want to play that in PvP instead of the base class lol

The balance team can’t even release balance patches now. Why would we have any confidence that they will be able to balance the game as it becomes more complex?

I have huge expectations for specializations, it’s the only thing that will decide whether or not I’ll buy HoT or even if I’ll keep playing the base game at all.

I’m eagerly waiting for more infos on the ele specialization, I’m praying for something that plays like a med guardian but with that ele flavour. I take med guardian as example because I’m assuming that sword will be the ele specialization weapon, otherwise I’d root for something that plays like a mesmer, sustain through deception and huge ranged dmg

ill give you a hint where they will stand…

1)where are the pug only ques?

2)that is all

Supreme.3164:

I have huge expectations for specializations, it’s the only thing that will decide whether or not I’ll buy HoT or even if I’ll keep playing the base game at all.

I’m eagerly waiting for more infos on the ele specialization, I’m praying for something that plays like a med guardian but with that ele flavour. I take med guardian as example because I’m assuming that sword will be the ele specialization weapon, otherwise I’d root for something that plays like a mesmer, sustain through deception and huge ranged dmg

I would much prefer if it was a mesmer style like, really can’t stand med guards. But I can’t really help myself feeling sword on ele will be really boring. I was hoping for some fun weapon but sword is just meh.

I just wonder if the specializations will be an option that you CAN chose to take, but not have to (e.g. the specializations are not significantly stronger than base-classes, but just different). Because I do think it will be permanent (or maybe you can switch it on and off somehow?). But what if I prefer to play my character the way it is now, but can’t go back? Will I need to level every class a second time, to have a specialization while still being able to also play the base-class?

Saturn.6591:

I just wonder if the specializations will be an option that you CAN chose to take, but not have to (e.g. the specializations are not significantly stronger than base-classes, but just different). Because I do think it will be permanent (or maybe you can switch it on and off somehow?). But what if I prefer to play my character the way it is now, but can’t go back? Will I need to level every class a second time, to have a specialization while still being able to also play the base-class?

at first you should learn to search, because all of this is known…

1) specializations will be different, not better, you can choose which you like more
2) change wont be permanent, you can switch specializations out of combat just like traits

Okay they just gave an update on Specializations.

My thoughts

1. Limiting the trait field to fewer and better choices is an excellent idea. There are a lot of useless traits in every class’ trait lines, and this might make the classes more balanced, but…

2. I’m kind of concerned that each class gets two more traits. For example, if the current Warrior traits remain as is, then as a Warrior I can spec Burst Mastery, Defy Pain, and Burst Precision all in one build. 100% critting Eviscerates and Combustion Shot that land while having Cleansing Ire, Defy Pain, and Destruction of the Empowered is insane.

3. I really like how stats aren’t tied to the Core Specializations anymore. In PvP, it appears your amulet, runes, and sigils are where all your stats come from. As a Warrior, I’ve always felt that I was locked into having to bring at least 650 Power in any build because Discipline gives Ferocity and it’s a waste to not have higher direct damage when you get a crit multiplier.

4. Very happy that all it takes is buying HoT to get the elite specializations. I was concerned that I’d have to PvE to get them, but thankfully that’s not the case. I might PvE to get the unique gear for them if that’s the only way, but having those options available from the xpac launch is a good thing.

5. No more cherrypicking minors is going to dramatically affect certain builds, like everyone’s favorite Guardian build (sarcasm). Actually, Guardian as a whole is getting a big nerf in that respect for not being able to have Justice is Blind unless they pick Radiance. That’s probably a good thing to be honest because the survivability of a Berserker spec should not be anywhere near that high.

Overall, I think Specializations appear to be a better system than before, but the additional 2 major traits might make some incredibly overpowered builds. This is from assuming that the choices are exactly as is, which they may not. Also, someone having a Defiance bar?! I hope that’s a very limited uptime…

Hopefully they keep to a theme for each Core Specialization, like we see in the pictures Jon Peters had. Water Magic is very clearly a support spec, for example, and the amount of emphasis for healing makes stacking Healing Power a good idea if you take it. It is my hope that they took their time to decide how all the specializations should be given incentive to gear a certain way.

Separation between traits and attributes is really huge imho, it means we will have less hybrid class, speaking about stats, and the celestial amulet will be not influenced by build pts, like for example a celestial engi who takes 300 power pts more in build 6 0 0 4 4.

And every profession will have a 6 6 6 build, with old traits and new traits spread in different ways.

Basically everything will change.

Ya that’s a big part of how classes work right now. Pretty much every warrior gets a significant amount of Toughness and Healing Power for having points in Defense, whereas it is assumed that in HoT, you’ll have to take at least Valkyrie’s to get the same kind of output you got from simply speccing into Defense before.

I’m more interested to see how the offensive traits work. There are some really bad offensive trait lines that would be interesting to see culled and made more useful.

Also, I just had a terrible vision of impending doom. Panic Strike, Executioner, and Sleight of Hand D/P SB Thief.

I only hope in fast balance patch because this system will be completely new and i think it will be a pain in the kitten , initially, trying to balance it.

But in general, it sounds good.

Less (false) choice and mor streamlined mechanics are great.

I am a bit worried about no stats, not because I don’t think it needs to happen, I’ve said it for a long time, but the stat hold this has in sPvP worries me a bit… If they buff zerker and defensive go-tos, I’m worried it’ll make the burst vs bunker (and burst vs base hp) issues worse than they already are at times. But in willing to let it play out.