Guild Wars 2

Balancing WvW is an arduous and daunting task, we understand. You want someone who has never been to WvW before to feel useful if they log in, but at the same time you want veteran players to feel rewarded regularly. The WvW traits were a smart idea, as everyone could use siege but only those who had devoted an amount of time to this game mode could unlock the full abilities of the siege. But, then, you run into the issue that players eventually accumulated enough WvW points that there are no significant traits left to purchase.

I posit that the current system of ranking and levelling up, therefore, is fundamentally flawed. You will invariably have a disproportionate power structure between those of low level and those of high level, and catering to them as though they were on equal ground is an endeavour doomed to failure.

There have been many suggestions about WvW XP and ability points, some of them very compelling. None, however, address this simple and paramount obstacle. There is, in fact, only one solution that I can see.

World vs World needs to have classes that excel at certain roles which you buy into with World XP. Each class would have access to every ability track (Cannon Mastery, Guard Killer, etc.) and classes would be open to every profession. Each class would yield account-wide rewards such as unique skins, weapons, and armours. Additionally, each class would have its own trait line — not one like the current WvW ability tracks mentioned above, but like a trait line from a profession. You would unlock these traits exclusively through WvW content.

Sample class: Sapper
Minor Traits

• Siege Supremacy: May assume control of a siege site from a non-sapper. (Note: the owner of the siege site may still take control from you.)
• Advanced Engineering: Deployed siege sites have 50% more hp.
• Siege Master: Invulnerability of deployed siege sites is extended. [Builds off level 5 of the Supply Master trait line.]

As you can see from these minor traits, the intention is to reward especially those who have devoted expertise to using siege and build off existing traits.

Major Traits [be forewarned, I haven’t come up with a full list, just some examples]
Adept:

• Rapid Archer: Reduce the recharge of all arrow cart skills.
• Heavy Counterbalance: Increase the range on all trebuchet skills.
• Deadly Siege: Increase the damage of all siege skills by 5%.

Master:

• Frenzied Ram: Reduce effectiveness of conditions applied to you while you operate a flame ram.
• Very Deadly Siege: Increase the damage of all siege skills by 5% (stacks with Deadly Siege).

Grandmaster:

• Thick Skin: Gain 400 toughness while operating siege sites.
• Extremely Deadly Siege: Increase the damage of all siege skills by 5% (stacks with Very Deadly Siege).

Additionally, surplus World Ability Points should be acceptable currency at WvW merchants for mystic toiletforge items that function like precursors for the creation of WvW specific armours and weapons. They should also accept badges of honour, too, and gold.

I’m running out of steam for writing more so if others would like to chime in with their thoughts that would be great.