Guild Wars 2

What do you think about adding favorite builds in Traits option?
That could be a button.

When ours build is finished, we click to: add to favorite.
Next: We go to builds tab.
Finally: We can easily choose build in 1 s.

That could be expanded to choose weapons, sigils and runes too.

Limitations: Cannot be employed when the solo arena or team arena clock is over.

Saving and loading build templates?

Yeah we had them in GW1 and it was awesome.

Sadly GW2 went backwards in terms of technology and MMO and PvP advancements.

So we don’t have them, even after asking since release.

thaooo.5320:

So we don’t have them, even after asking since release.

I require them to save time.

There’s a game, which just went live, that already has these features. Guys…this game is two years old and they STILL haven’t introduced features which are base line in newer MMO’s. If they haven’t implemented it in two years don’t expect it anytime soon. When they actually do get around to it, the other 100 or so features which are also base line might then be implemented in the next 5-10 years if this game is still around…

True words Pyriall, i dont know what are their plans they just dont want to make the pvp in this game better, they are focused on the living story that no one cares

BUILD TEMPLATES PLEASE!

This is honestly one of the biggest things missing from pvp, Allows for a lot of freedom Skill cap and just awesome sauce.

Been asking for this since release! ;_;

Templates are coming “soooon”, it has been confirmed. Probably 2016.

Evan Lesh.3295:

We absolutely want to make build templates.

I would also love to see in the hero panel ‘H’ under Equipment a tab either above the gear choices or above the character avatar itself that allows us to immediately switch into another pre-defined gear choice. A player would be able to call this ‘PvE gear’, ‘Arah dungeon gear’, ‘WvW guild’… etc. Even better these tabs could even contain the pre-defined configuration for a build, or it would allow a gear template to go with a build template.

The objective is simply to say ‘I have this template build for WvW roaming, and I have this template gear for it too’ instead of having to click into refunding traits for the build and swapping gears as well. The option of doing this out of combat already exists so one more step please <3

Evan Lesh.3295:

Using the old string-code method may prove to be unwieldy.

It might be a large-ish code, compared to GW1, however there is at least one build site (http://en.gw2skills.net/editor/) that uses string-code to pass builds. The only issue I see is if the code is potentially too-long to be put into chat.

I don’t think sharing is as important, as its easy to find a build and input it in a few seconds.

However, having the ability to quickly switch traits/sigils/runes/amulets/skills would be necessary.

I can see there being issues if you tie it to weapons, as what happens if I save a personal template, then put that specific weapon in the bank or sell it. I think it would be o.k. if that were left out, especially b/c swapping just weapons for pre-match buffs happen anyway.

Also, finishers and other cosmetics need not be a part of it. In a pvp setting, I just want to change my build/playstyle depending on what the other team has coming. If I want to play dress-up, I can do that in-between matches.

Doing only runes/sigils/amulets/traits/skills should make the build template passable by string-code, as Bhawb pointed out.

I would LOVE for skins to be in the templates. I’m sure I’m not the only one who runes different weapons/visual armor in PvP vs PvE vs WvW. It is a pain to switch all the time between game modes.

Evan Lesh.3295:

What could be in a template:

• Skins
• Dyes
• Outfit
• Finisher

Things to consider:

• Sharing (chat links? codes? urls?)
• Viewing (seeing some else’s vs. seeing your own)
• Saving (notepad vs. local vs. account vs. web)
• Building (one spot in UI vs. multiple spots)
• Websites (third-party sites should work with in-game)
• APIs (Could expose an API to third-parties)
• PvP vs PvE vs WvW (each mode requires different configuration options)

How would you like to see any/all of these work?

All that is left isn’t that important especially in PvP. Doesn’t the dye get saved on the armor?
Finishers are not really that important for builds or it doesn’t get changed rarely enough to really matter in the long run.
API are not important because they are always working on them. It could be an added feature later.
Outfits are not important either.

The most important thing is just the ability to change your build & gear in a very fast manner whether in PvP, PvE or WvW.

Evan Lesh.3295:

Things that must be in a template:

• Weapons
• Sigils
• Rune
• Amulet
• Skills
• Traits

Can we also consider these for PvE content as well? Given that Weapons will be bound with Sigils they have on at given time, and Runes will be bound by armor. No need for linking and sharing in PvE, but it’d be extremely useful to change builds/gear on the fly in PvE and WvW (when outside of combat).

That being said I love the dye and outfit idea with this as well.

Evan Lesh.3295:

We absolutely want to make build templates. They could work similar to GW1, but there are more components to a build now. Using the old string-code method may prove to be unwieldy.

Things that must be in a template:

• Weapons
• Sigils
• Rune
• Amulet
• Skills
• Traits

What could be in a template:

• Skins
• Dyes
• Outfit
• Finisher

Things to consider:

• Sharing (chat links? codes? urls?)
• Viewing (seeing some else’s vs. seeing your own)
• Saving (notepad vs. local vs. account vs. web)
• Building (one spot in UI vs. multiple spots)
• Websites (third-party sites should work with in-game)
• APIs (Could expose an API to third-parties)
• PvP vs PvE vs WvW (each mode requires different configuration options)

How would you like to see any/all of these work?

PvP templates from gw1 seem almost as complex as gw2 templates will be. Builds had to deal with potential 7 armor weapon items each with 2 modifiers. Then of course there were the 8 skills. Attribute point distribution and the primary secondary profession.

IMO, build templates need to have a universal base. With context swapping between the 3 game modes.

For weapons in pve/WvW check for an identical match, sigils and prefix. if it’s not there check for an identical weapon, if something is not there warn the player (in, missing sigils, missing weapon prefix, etc.) In PvP if the weapon isn’t there show a dialogue to request a coin fee to ‘buy’ the weapon on the fly.

Do something similar to the above for armor in each game mode.

The slot skills should be easy to solve, just warn if something is unavailable to the player.

Traits should also be easy, just warn if something isn’t available to the player.

Allow for sharing obviously, lots of ways to implement that.

As far as previewing, there’s two required previews. Chat preview and UI preview. For chat previewing Use the previewing you already have in game with evasive arcana for context swapping. Right click to change context, for example if your in PvP, show the pvp context, but have right click cycle through WvW and PvE.

For building templates UI preview, you could build off your pvp UI as the interface for players and give the option to equip from there and display the cost in terms of transmutation charges/weapon purchases if you wanted to do that.

Honestly though for templates if your taking about skins and dyes you do work on a wardrobe template sharing system and integrate that with a build template system at some point.

Evan Lesh.3295:

• PvP vs PvE vs WvW (each mode requires different configuration options)

How would you like to see any/all of these work?

a simple “save” button with a field to insert the name of the template, and the ability to check options such as “save look”, “save gear”, “save sigils”, “save runes”, “save weapons” ecc.

Then a “load” button, from which we can select any of the saved templates.

Bonus features for improved quality of life:

- the game will “remember” the last template used in each area, if you log in WvW you will therefore find you using the last template you selected when you where there, and if you suddenly go to PvE you will be using the last template you were using there too ecc

- quickload (or favorite) icons, which will be populated automatically with the templates you use the most, with the option to manually add them.

Bhawb.7408:

Evan Lesh.3295:

Using the old string-code method may prove to be unwieldy.

It might be a large-ish code, compared to GW1, however there is at least one build site (http://en.gw2skills.net/editor/) that uses string-code to pass builds. The only issue I see is if the code is potentially too-long to be put into chat.

the stream code could be in the background of some “fake” name. like how items have hidden codes when you link them. you can link the item without ever seeing a chat code. similarly, you could add a “mask name” for your build, and when you link your build, that name is what shows on chat.

as for picking builds from websites, they could always have a textbox on the build template menu that has a higher char limit.

Evan Lesh.3295:

Things to consider:

• Sharing (chat links? codes? urls?)
• Viewing (seeing some else’s vs. seeing your own)

Think of the Preview window and how it could be enhanced to be used to display relevant build information. A tab for the traits being shared including choice of food and consumable, a tab for Gear choice including weapons and trinkets. It could all be summarized in one tab if anything. This should be used in order to ‘view’ a shared build, the share option is something that should be shared via chat just like a gear can be shared, unless it would make more sense to share it via mail so that there is less spamming involved and more ‘I got what I want to work with thanks!’ type of option.

this shuld be implemented at the start?

This issue exists since release. It’s good you give an answer to this topic, but I’m pretty sure this feature won’t make it this year. Same with every redpost that appears on the forum.

What could be in a template:
Skins.
Dyes.
Outfit.
Finisher.

This is more of the Wardrobe feature rather then the template feature IMHO..
Wardrobe Templates =! Build templates

• Sharing

Sharing with chat links could be really cool, especially if you could name your loadout. Like Eve Online [Puma’s Far Point Assault]

• Saving

Saving @ Account should be preferred You could even make money off this feature
by offering it in the gemstore.

• Viewing

I think Viewing other people’s builds who didn’t explicitly share isn’t super important in soloque this would just cause headaches and Not at all important in teamque; I guess it’d be kinda cool to see the opposing team’s builds. but would just lead to buildwars and cancer gameplay.
Streamers can already spectate builds even in tournaments.

• Building;

I think you could seperate The chaff (Dyes skins outfits etc) into the wardrobe, and do the important part of the build in the PVP build Ui.

• API/Websites

it would be cool to have a harvester be able to instantly pick up all the builds and post them on a website for high end tournaments. I’m sure this is already possible just no one has bothered to code it.

• Builds for PVE:

I think this is untenable as PVE builds aren’t as easy to switch gear wise (1 amulet swap and done). Also Blatantly unneeded you could pve with no traits and still successfully zerg down keeps, there is also no urgent need to swap your build for any reason for pve , its mostly stack and spank or blob warfare.

I swap among my builds for group WvW, roaming WvW, open world, Dungeons, Fractals, PUG dungeons, and current content (e.g. Blitz vs Gauntlet).

Swapping means considering traits, skills, the specific stats for the armor, weapons, trinkets/back item.

At a minimum, this currently requires clicking at least a couple of dozen times. If you can reduce this to 3-4 clicks (to open interface, select a template, open it), I can manage the re-skinning/re-coloring.

It would also be nice to be able have a search filter (name, trait used, etc), but that’s gravy.

For sharing, please look at the various existing sites that pass this type of data using URLs:

• http://intothemists.com
• http://en.gw2skills.net

I’m sure other folks can add the other 4-5 popular sites out there.

Thanks for putting this on the front burner — been hoping to see this since BETA.

so where is the armor that im not using at the moment? is it in my inventory or can i equip multiple sets of armor at the same time and switch between them?

and lets keep builds and wardrobe seperate. when i change template i want to still look like the settings from my wardrobe regardless of what fancy armor im wearing in a template.

Yes. Want.

Do what it takes to make it happen soon, even if things like skins need to be left out. Build info you can find the in the pvp build pane is all you need to save, the gear can be changed through other means.

I would love to be able to swap skins, dyes, & outfits between builds for sure. i have 3 sets of gear with 3 completely different skins currently, and if I could use those+different dye jobs for different builds to show which one I am currently in, that would be really cool. Visual cues so I know if I’m not in the right build are great, plus friends I run with can learn which is which too.

Evan Lesh.3295:

Things that must be in a template:

• Weapons
• Sigils
• Rune
• Amulet
• Skills
• Traits

Skills and Traits are critical, but the others should only be stored for PvP, and PvE and PvP templates should be separate. (Consider in PvE if I get a better amulet, then load a template – would it swap in my old amulet?)

Edit: I’m assuming templates are intended for PvE as well as PvP, of course.)

Evan Lesh.3295:

We absolutely want to make build templates. They could work similar to GW1, but there are more components to a build now. Using the old string-code method may prove to be unwieldy.

Things that must be in a template:

• Weapons
• Sigils
• Rune
• Amulet
• Skills
• Traits

What could be in a template:

• Skins
• Dyes
• Outfit
• Finisher

Things to consider:

• Sharing (chat links? codes? urls?)
• Viewing (seeing some else’s vs. seeing your own)
• Saving (notepad vs. local vs. account vs. web)
• Building (one spot in UI vs. multiple spots)
• Websites (third-party sites should work with in-game)
• APIs (Could expose an API to third-parties)
• PvP vs PvE vs WvW (each mode requires different configuration options)

How would you like to see any/all of these work?

Transparent. Meaning posting a build would make all the aspects that involve making the builds possible: Armor + Rune; Weapons sets + Sigils; Jewelry + Gems on them; Healing/Utility/Elite; Trait listing; even a space for Food+Oil/Stone,ect…

Able to Save them and upload them as we go (out of combat), able to post them on all chats in a chatcode with our Template Name (e.g. [Might Spamming Ele] showing all that fits that role).

As for the could I don’t think a lot as for those types except maybe Dye combos on a specific armor (but screenshoting still works for that, this would be more of a minor convenience) and the ability to choose if it’s for Pve, Pvp or WvW build (maybe dung build, fotm build, LS build and whatnot for fast loading, but all of these can be cleared if we were allowed to Name The Build we’d save.

Evan Lesh.3295:

Things that must be in a template:

• Weapons
• Sigils
• Rune
• Amulet
• Skills
• Traits

• PvP vs PvE vs WvW (each mode requires different configuration options)

I personally just want those.

I want to press 1 button and switch to a build I created earlier.

Currently because build templates don’t exist I use the fact that I have 8×80 lvl characters to do different stuff in GW2. Currently for example:-

Necro – Does all my sPvP games.
Warrior – Does all my WvW.

Other 6 do all the PvE between them. Its because I am too lazy to keep changing builds all the time. If I knew I could save a build and switch to it with 1 button that would be awesome!

For example on Gauntlet, I after switch builds to face different opponents and its painful, also Skyhammer & Spirit Watch, whenever they come up I should change my build but often I just muddle through as I am and suffer as a result.

I respect you Evan and all the employees that work with you, but the fact of the matter is this; the things that you want to do and the things that you do end up doing are miles apart. Time is not in your favor and your updates are too infrequent to keep people invested in the game.

First off I think this conversation should have been posted in the general forums, having it here assumes we don’t want to have builds in other areas of the game and as such puts PvP above all the other modes.

Secondly, having all the secondary “could be” should be added:

Skins
Dyes
Outfit
Finisher

As these make your character unique to the build.

The ability to share a build/template would be nice to see implemented, but I don’t want an inspect feature added so people can insult my build if they find it inadequate (to them). A nice overlay of your build would be nice to see added, but as this would require more time, I would just settle (be very happy) for having a text description for the build.

Evan Lesh.3295:

We absolutely want to make build templates. They could work similar to GW1, but there are more components to a build now. Using the old string-code method may prove to be unwieldy.
What could be in a template:

• Skins
• Dyes
• Outfit
• Finisher

In my opinion, every single one of these will clutter up the template and are unnecessary complications.

Glad to hear templates are being considered

- It must work for PvP and PvE/WvW.
- Also it must work with legendary stat switching many of us will make legendary armor just for it. – It is most important thing what also involve rework sigil/runes so we can switch them on legendary aswell.
- Some way how to quick switch it on the fly without too much hero panel browsing. Something new in UI or keybind will be ideal.
- It must be shareable at least in chat and saveable by rightclick from chat.

There also can be some advanced features like autoload certain build in different situations like entering specific dungeon ect.

Evan Lesh.3295:

Things that must be in a template:

• Weapons
• Sigils
• Rune
• Amulet
• Skills
• Traits

What could be in a template:

• Skins
• Dyes
• Outfit
• Finisher

How I’d like to see it work: Separate templates for each part, and the ability to combine them into meta-templates that can change as many or as few aspects of your character as you like. This is mainly for PVE reasons. Gear is expensive, so my traits and skill loadouts are going to change much more often than my gear, and if I have a bunch of templates it would be a pain to go through and update the gear in each one when it does change.

Things to consider:

• Sharing (chat links? codes? urls?)
• Viewing (seeing some else’s vs. seeing your own)
• Saving (notepad vs. local vs. account vs. web)
• Building (one spot in UI vs. multiple spots)
• Websites (third-party sites should work with in-game)
• APIs (Could expose an API to third-parties)
• PvP vs PvE vs WvW (each mode requires different configuration options)

Sharing: Codes that are converted to links when pasted in chat. Also, the ability to copy/paste from the chat window.

Viewing: Pop up an interface like GW1 had when you click a link, that lets you see an overview of the template and gives you the option to apply it or save it to your collection.

Saving: Account.

Websites: All you have to do is make the template code format open. It’s on the websites to do the rest.

PvP vs PvE vs WvW: All the more reason to make it modular as I suggested above.

First, we need a weapon preset system, something that lets you set a series of weapon presets from your inventory, and quickly change between them while out of combat, and that is saved separately from PvP and PvE.

For example, another tab in the equipment panel, with a list of slot pairs, one for each combination of weapons the current profession can have, plus two single slots for the water weapons.

Putting weapons there remove them from the inventory.

Players would be able to chose the currently two equipped pairs by clicking and right clicking that list, and would be able to sort them manually like the achievement watch list. Click moves to the top of the list, right click moves to the second.
The first two slot pairs in the list would be the currently selected ones, and will appear in the wardrobe an equipment views like now.
Non-swapping professions would be the same, but without the second set.

Players would be able to quickly choose while out of combat by right clicking the weapon swap button, which would show a small panel with a list. Click a slot pair for the main weapon set, right click for the alternate set.
Non-swap professions would get the swap button while out of combat too, but would only be able to click to get the one set in the panel.

Without something like that, templates would have to be “blind” to your items, and simply load the first two weapons of that type found in your inventory.

Evan Lesh.3295:

We absolutely want to make build templates. They could work similar to GW1, but there are more components to a build now. Using the old string-code method may prove to be unwieldy.

Things that must be in a template:

• Weapons
• Sigils
• Rune
• Amulet
• Skills
• Traits

What could be in a template:

• Skins
• Dyes
• Outfit
• Finisher

Things to consider:

• Sharing (chat links? codes? urls?)
• Viewing (seeing some else’s vs. seeing your own)
• Saving (notepad vs. local vs. account vs. web)
• Building (one spot in UI vs. multiple spots)
• Websites (third-party sites should work with in-game)
• APIs (Could expose an API to third-parties)
• PvP vs PvE vs WvW (each mode requires different configuration options)

How would you like to see any/all of these work?

You’re officially my favorite Dev, we should date.

On topic, the sharing via chat code would be really nice, same goes for API but that would require more work, and I’d be fine with just the basic.

I would love it if there were different Builds (where you choose specific gear, Zerker, PVT etc) and then maybe Variations that change skills and weapon setups accessible by pressing a bound button. Not sure how all items should be stored though.. you might have to revamp that too.

Things that must be in a template:

Weapons
Sigils
Rune
Amulet
Skills
Traits

Just this, keep it simple (less issues)

I wonder how the weapon/armor will work when loading a template. You auto equip a weapon/armor in your inventory? or in the bank? to fully change a build/weapons/armor in WvW you will need to have up to 16 inventory slots of equipment used? etc, etc. PvP looks easy because only change weapons, the rest is virtual, not real gear.

Evan Lesh.3295:

Things that must be in a template:

• Weapons
• Sigils
• Rune
• Amulet
• Skills
• Traits

I think armor and trinket should be in this list too.

Can you make it like, say I have 3 sets of armor stored on 3 different templates, however doing so must still require me to put these 3 sets of armor on that specific character’s inventory or bank slot; if they’re modified like salvaged/deleted/taken out by another character, then that piece of armor will disappear from my template which used it.

Evan Lesh.3295:

What could be in a template:

• Skins
• Dyes
• Outfit
• Finisher

These are all nice to have, but shouldn’t be high priority on the list in my opinion.
I wouldn’t mind you guys adding these features much later. Just give us a completed and working template system with the “must-have” feature first.

Also I don’t think Finisher is needed in this list…switching that is so kitten easy.

Evan Lesh.3295:

Things to consider:

• Sharing (chat links? codes? urls?)
• Viewing (seeing some else’s vs. seeing your own)

These two should be the same thing? Probably a good idea to just merge them.

While this will obviously not apply to armor and such, for the trait part I think you guys may consider a feature where say Person A and B are the same class, Person A view Person B’s trait build, and have a “switch to this build” button (grey out if Person A have not yet unlocked traits that Person B has, or if they’re different classes).

• Saving (notepad vs. local vs. account vs. web)

I would say “account”, that could save me the trouble if I happen to play GW2 on another computer.

• Building (one spot in UI vs. multiple spots)

Not quite sure what this means, so no comment.

• Websites (third-party sites should work with in-game)
• APIs (Could expose an API to third-parties)

APIs and website that works that with your in-game system would be awesome, but again that shouldn’t be your first priority.

• PvP vs PvE vs WvW (each mode requires different configuration options)

Would indeed be nice if all 3 modes got separated templates.

Having said all that, what I really wanted to express is just that:

Please get your priority straight, and give us a working system with basic but necessary features (ex. saving), while other QoL feature can wait (ex. sharing, website/API).

Having everything completed and thrown at us sounds nice, but I can imagine to do all that would require significant of time consumed, and I really don’t want to wait that long…

The most important feature would be that builds could be easily “pinged” in chat and that others can easily load it on their character or save it for later. That is what GW1 people actually ask for if they say “templates”

Personally, I’d seperate the build templates from the skin templates, for the following reasons:

• It allows to load templates for builds or skins without overwriting the current skins or build

• Without skins, the template is probably short enough to be shared by chat-codes, which is important for easy ingame sharing.

Evan Lesh.3295:

Things that must be in a template:

• Weapons
• Sigils
• Rune
• Amulet
• Skills
• Traits

As the game currently stands, there is too many complications in having that many “musts”.

What if we don’t have the weapon the template needs?
What if our sigils are on a different set of weapons that don’t match the ones from the template?
This also applies to armors and their runes as well.
There’s so many different combinations and the current sigil, rune and stat system does not allow us to freely change that.

I personally would be perfectly fine with only Trait templates as those are the only things we are able to freely change with no restrictions.

You can suggest recommended weapons and armor, but I would find it equally annoying if you de-equip all my gear just because i don’t have matching pieces in the template.

EDIT This is obviously a PVE concern, I failed to see this was a PVP topic.

I’ll just be happy if it were just weapons, armor, trinkets, and skills.

woot :o more good news today?! is it chrismas time already? Oh and yes these build should be shareable via chat code =)

If we could get Skills and Traits template only that would be sufficient for PvE i would think. So as you are building this please keep that in mind for crossover into that realm.

I would be satisfied with just the traits and skills, much like it was in Guild Wars 1. At least in the short term.

Lets say we work on this in stages.
Stage 1:
- Saveable traits and skills
- Sharable in chat

Stage 2:
- Add equipment to the template
- Add dyes, skins, etc.

Shouldn’t this be under general GW2??
If I’m not mistaken, all game modes use builds…

Please move &/or combine this post for more input from the general playerbase.
Or, make a CDI, which again, should be under general GW2 Discussion.

PvP
WEAPONS
Sigils
Rune
Amulet
Skills
Traits

PvE (based on your inventory)
WEAPONS
Armor
Trinkets/Backpiece
Skills
Traits

Evan Lesh.3295:

We absolutely want to make build templates. They could work similar to GW1, but there are more components to a build now. Using the old string-code method may prove to be unwieldy.

Things that must be in a template:

• Weapons
• Sigils
• Rune
• Amulet
• Skills
• Traits

What could be in a template:

• Skins
• Dyes
• Outfit
• Finisher

Things to consider:

• Sharing (chat links? codes? urls?)
• Viewing (seeing some else’s vs. seeing your own)
• Saving (notepad vs. local vs. account vs. web)
• Building (one spot in UI vs. multiple spots)
• Websites (third-party sites should work with in-game)
• APIs (Could expose an API to third-parties)
• PvP vs PvE vs WvW (each mode requires different configuration options)

How would you like to see any/all of these work?

I would love to have a API system allowing for import/export of builds to your Guildwars 2 forum account user. This would greatly enhance and improve efficient sharing of builds. And while build editors are very effective as is, they are not very “spam link” friendly.

I think adding in Third party support, Dyes and Exporting to local files would be pointless if an dedicated API could be set up with the official forum system.

Allowing for the builds to be account bound to the official forums contrary to local files would also benefit players that aim to play in tournaments or with friends, as you can easily sync with the forums at any given place in the world, then just install the game and play. Done!

It would also make these forums a bit more “central” even to the casual player. This would increase traffic, which again increases attention, attention leads to discussions (good or bad) which again leads to inspiration for the development team, balance suggestions or different viewpoints that may otherwise be lost as many players see no reason to use these forums.

I’d love to see this as a thing for pve and allow templates to group armor/weapons/back skins for a particular swappable look, while separating armor and weapon stats (from dmg to runes & sigils) to function like traits, managed in a UI panel outside of combat and selected from a menu rather than taking up inventory space.

…I understand y’all have to make money, though. I appreciate the introduction of templates!

I would like to have just skill templates. For example:

Skill templates for pve/wvw would need to contain the following:
- traits and trait point allocations
- heal/utility/elite (on ground)
- heal/utility/elite (underwater)
- weapon type equipped
eg, rather than the template requiring my particular ascended beserker gsword and ascended berseker shortbow, it would just call for “greatsword” and “shortbow”

as a part of this i would also like to see some way on the hero panel to equip underwater heal/utility/elite skills without having to be underwater

an spvp template would obviously have to consist of the above plus rune/sigils/amulet, minus the underwater junk.

these templates would be linkable in chat, shareable, etc.

i would like to see wardrobe ‘templates’ handled separately. rather than being a linkable preset these would private (unlinkable) and relate to specific pieces of gear rather than just a generic shortbow/plate helm/whatever. each player would start with two slots for presets, and can buy further slots from the gem store (woo monetisation). this is to enable, say, a gear set for pve and a gear set for wvw (since gear is p much irrelevant in spvp). this would include: gear pieces, trinkets/accessories/amulets, backpiece, specific weapons (rather than the generic ones that are associated with the skills template). since it relates to specific pieces of gear rather than generic ones, there is no need to include information on sigils or runes, as these are parts of the gear. as long as a player is out of combat, it would basically be a one click gear swap between any of the (player specified) sets of gear. these could be custom nameable (with a character limit) so the player can specify pve/wvw/eotm/farm/whatever gear. Obviously all gear would have to be carried in the player’s backpack, so the more ‘gear presets’ they want to use the more gear they will have to lug around.

i would not personally bother with templates for skins and dye.