Guild Wars 2

To be honest, I didn’t like Guardian. Not because of he is bad or boring. No. He is very interesting, as other professions in this game. I just wanted to see in this profession the warrior. Not exact warrior as a… warrior profession, but something like that.

That’s why I couldn’t play Guardian. I looked at him and wanted to see a warrior, which also use magic. This was a mistake.

Arena sad that Guardian is an evolution.

While I was playing a guardian yesterday, I had feeling, a new feeling, which I didn’t feel before. I looked at this profession in another way.

I understood, that I’ve never seen such class before, in games I’ve played. This is a new species, if I can say like that.

Guardian doesn’t feel like a warrior who can spell magic, and Guardian doesn’t feel like heavy armored magician, who spells magic.

English is not my language, that’s why it’s a little bit hard for me, trying to explain, what I feel.

When I’s playing Guardian, I recognized some parts of professions from GW1. Monk – because of healing, Warrior, Rutuallist – because of spiritual weapons, Paragon – because of some defensive skills. Maybe there are others little parts of other professions from GW1, I don’t know.

But Guardian only reminds me those professions. I can’t say he replaced them. He was born because of them, I’d say. It is an evolution. Arena is right.

And you know what? Now I’m very interested in this profession.

Guardian is something new. He isn’t a warrior… well he is, but I don’t think that you should look at him as a warrior only with magic. Also, I don’t think you should look at him like he is a magician, spell caster with heavy armor, shield, melee weapon.

You may not agree with me, but I have feelings about Guardian. He isn’t a warrior with magic and isn’t heavy armored magician, and you know why? I think, in this case you can say that Guardian is a hybrid. Warrior-magician/spell caster hybrid. But he is not a hybrid.

And why Guardian is not a hybrid? Because his magic is different from Elementalist’s, or Mesmer’s, or Necromancer’s magic. His magic is unique. And his melee (warrior’s) stuff are different from warrior as well.

The Guardian is something new. Something we’ve never seen before. And a warrior and a magician, but at the same time not a warrior and not a magician. It Is evolution. It is something new. Something, which only reminds us a warrior and a magician. =)

That’s what I feel about Guardian. And I like it! Very much! But you may disagree with me. After all, it’s my IMO. =)

haha, i completely understand what you’re trying to say ( i think for the most part). fo rmany similar reasons, this is why i love the Guardian as well. when i was choosing my first character, I was deciding between a Guardian and a Warrior, since i love the melee class and fighting up front and personal (although all classes can too do this). i’m a big fan of heavy armour as well. i went with the Guardianas my main. i have an alt as a Warrior as well, but i find the gameplay of the Guardian so much more suited to myself with the damage mitigation and supportive abilities. it’s interesting you compared him to all those different classes from gw1. Gw2’s Guardian is extremely versatile, and can play multiple roles all at the same time. : ))

glad you love the Guardian. keep having fun! : )))

I don’t think the Guardian is a completely new archetype. It’s basically an extension of the Paladin-archetype, but a-religious.

The paragon was imbued on warrior and guardian
warrior = Command paragon (banners)

guardian = Motivation ( also AH reminds the leadership but instead of energy you receive health.

I didn’t play GW1, but my main is a Guardian and when I try to play my alt (Thief+Ele), I get bored. lol

Coming originally from a DnD background it seems like a Paladin to me.

Small self healing, magical defenses, magical boosts to offense…

Defintelly a Paladin-like class, with a different name.

Kreslin.6832:

English is not my language, that’s why it’s a little bit hard for me, trying to explain, what I feel.

Oh, I thought you were being poetic.

Personally, I have not played an mmo game before this, so he feels like a guardian to me! lol

A much better thank than warrior but less dps, with area effect buffs/debuffs.

I love the guardian, anything you use to help yourself benefits others. And you have so much power and capabilities to protect others. Dropping a sanctuary ontop of a downed opponent in WvW and getting a thank you is one of the best feelings ever.

Never seen it before? Never played a game with the archetype “Paladin” class I suppose.

Lassiter.6325:

Never seen it before? Never played a game with the archetype “Paladin” class I suppose.

i played paladin classes in some games, some even with wars similiar to W vs W and no limit of players, and the feel i have is not that (just my opinion when people comparing it with paladin).

Its a paragon wiht some minor healing buffs.

It feels paladin-y to me compared to the rest of the GW2 classes.

Of course, no class in GW2 feels quite like the “corresponding” class in other MMOs, so I’m not sure what that means.

While I think Guardians are awesome (and prob the best prof in the game right now), its a Paladin.

If you’re a past-MMO player, the Guardian has similar playstyles to the Bear Shaman in AoC, the Warrior-Priest in WAR, or a common Paladin in most traditional games.

I mained a Bear Shaman in AoC, and loved it. Which is why I have a Hammer Guardian alt.

Maxzero.4032:

While I think Guardians are awesome (and prob the best prof in the game right now), its a Paladin.

I don’t see that as a bad thing.

Its more like this

http://fc00.deviantart.net/fs70/f/2010/246/a/0/the_protoman_by_kinnikufan-d2xx0lq.jpg

Guardians are a profession based upon these four professions from gw1:
Dervish, Paragon, Monk(Protection) and Ritualists.

Personally, I really enjoy Guardians. They are the jack of all trades, they can fill many roles, both in pvp and pve.

I think the word you’re looking for is Autopilot.

As for the class, nothing beats leaping into a zerg and completely dominating it with GS and hammer. Still my favorite among the 8 classes.

I haven’t played a Guardian yet (my main is a Mesmer) – but I’m really interested in making one. I’ll tell you what the Guardian seems like to me from seeing them in game (especially with spirit weapons) – they’re Green Lantern Corp

Guardian is not Paladin. He can remind you Paladin, but he is not.

Paladin is a melee warrior, who use some holy magic. But when he has a warrior skills, such a melee weapon, and magic skills, such as holy spells. But this two are separate.

Guardian is a warrior and a magician at the same time. Magic and melee combat are tied together. They are not separate. When you use melee weapon, you have and warrior’s and magician’s parts at the same time in the combat.

Kreslin.6832:

Guardian is not Paladin. He can remind you Paladin, but he is not.

Paladin is a melee warrior, who use some holy magic. But when he has a warrior skills, such a melee weapon, and magic skills, such as holy spells. But this two are separate.

Guardian is a warrior and a magician at the same time. Magic and melee combat are tied together. They are not separate. When you use melee weapon, you have and warrior’s and magician’s parts at the same time in the combat.

If we’re purely talking archetype, the Guardian is very much a Paladin. You just narrowed down the requirements for “Paladin” in a way I’m not sure everyone will agree with.

Kita.7819:

Its more like this

http://fc00.deviantart.net/fs70/f/2010/246/a/0/the_protoman_by_kinnikufan-d2xx0lq.jpg

Is that Protoman?

boxjon.7682:

Kita.7819:

Its more like this

http://fc00.deviantart.net/fs70/f/2010/246/a/0/the_protoman_by_kinnikufan-d2xx0lq.jpg

Is that Protoman?

Yeah.

Ynna.8769:

If we’re purely talking archetype, the Guardian is very much a Paladin. You just narrowed down the requirements for “Paladin” in a way I’m not sure everyone will agree with.

No. =) Paladin is worshiping to the particular God and take his blessing, right? But Guardian doesn’t worship to anybody.

Ynna.8769:

If we’re purely talking archetype, the Guardian is very much a Paladin. You just narrowed down the requirements for “Paladin” in a way I’m not sure everyone will agree with.
[/quote]The normal archetype for a paladin is a warrior that uses magic for healing, buffing, and defense, but the business end is pretty much always a physical melee weapon. Sometimes you see the odd token offensive spell which may or may not be useful against non-undead, but there’s an inbuilt assumption that the holy knight is dishing out pain in much the same way as his mundane counterparts. His arm might be strengthened by his prayers, his armour fortified, and his wounds healed, but he kills his enemies by beating on them with shaped pieces of metal just like his mundane counterpart.

Now, if you want to play a paladin, guardian is a good way of doing it in GW2 (although a support warrior actually also comes pretty close, if you think of shouts and banners as being magic). However, the guardian has an inclination towards attacking his foes directly with spellcraft that the archetypical paladin does not, and in a way that comes close to what a full spellcaster would do. That’s the hybridisation that the OP was talking about – it’s not a classical spellcaster, nor is it a warrior with a bit of magic like the typical paladin. It’s something in between.

Guardians ride alone.

When I talk archetype, I think more about the feel and the look, and the end-result, not the nitty-gritty, like how magic is used, specifically.

I don’t feel like having a long-winded debate about this, so I’ll summarize my opinion.
A “Paladin”, to me, has 4 or more of the following:

• Dedicated to good
• Dedicated to justice
• Uses “light” or “good” magic
• Preference for melee combat
• Helps the weak
• Belief in a higher power
• Self-sacrifice

Furthermore, the Paladins I’ve played or encountered (which, admittedly isn’t that many) did channel a higher force through their weapons.

Fine, I’ll just end this thread now.

Guardians are Mystic Knights. They rely on some element, in this case spiritual energy, to synergize with their strengths. Without that magical aspect, they would be lesser warriors.

Kita.7819:

Fine, I’ll just end this thread now.

Guardians are Mystic Knights. They rely on some element, in this case spiritual energy, to synergize with their strengths. Without that magical aspect, they would be lesser warriors.

What the hells is a “Mystic Knight”?

Guardian is a Paladin. It was created for the people that enjoy playing one. Paladin is one of the oldest RPG archetypes, it’s taken many forms, but it has always been an iron-clad fighter with some good/divine magic which provides support.

Guardian is definitely like a paladin of some sort – note that exactly what “paladin” entails varies from game to game or setting to setting. WoW paladins are not identical to D&D paladins are not the same as DAoC paladins which have some differences from the paladins in Elizabeth Moon’s “Deed of Paksenarrion” but all combine warrior skills with magical light or holy abilities.

The other way you can think of guardians is as being a bit like Star Wars jedi knights – again, a character who blends weapon skills with ‘magical’ power into a fighting style that uses both.

A guardian is a cleric…. clerics that also use swords lol

Kreslin.6832:

Guardian is not Paladin. He can remind you Paladin, but he is not.

Paladin is a melee warrior, who use some holy magic. But when he has a warrior skills, such a melee weapon, and magic skills, such as holy spells. But this two are separate.

Guardian is a warrior and a magician at the same time. Magic and melee combat are tied together. They are not separate. When you use melee weapon, you have and warrior’s and magician’s parts at the same time in the combat.

…And abilities like Symbol of Faith, Virtue of Resolve, Smite, Smite Condition, or Merciful Intervention don’t sound like Paladin abilities? I’m pretty sure the flavor text about the Guardian says something about being fueled by their faith and using the power of their convictions to defend their allies and smite their foes. They might not be clones of WoW Paladin’s but they share a lot more in common with Holy Warriors from various sources of Nerd-dom than they do with the Battle-Mages of say… Warhammer or The Elder Scrolls.

Incidentally, I still play my Paladin on WoW as well as my Guardian in GW2 and I have no doubt in my mind that if one class were to cross over into the other game it would be pretty difficult to tell the difference (assuming the game mechanics of the class were adapted to the class/profession). And as a side note- i don’t care if you think WoW is crap, i still enjoy it. If you don’t like it- don’t play it, but i’m not wasting your time or money so forget whatever infantile flaming you were about to drop on this post.

Edelweiss.9815:

Kita.7819:

Fine, I’ll just end this thread now.

Guardians are Mystic Knights. They rely on some element, in this case spiritual energy, to synergize with their strengths. Without that magical aspect, they would be lesser warriors.

What the hells is a “Mystic Knight”?

Guardian is a Paladin. It was created for the people that enjoy playing one. Paladin is one of the oldest RPG archetypes, it’s taken many forms, but it has always been an iron-clad fighter with some good/divine magic which provides support.

Mystic Knights were a hybrid Mage/Warrior class in Dragon’s Dogma. The game had a lot of potential but the Npc’s were basically cardboard cut outs with crappy old english dialog and the Pawns (Npc controlled allies that followed your character around and sometimes “helped” during combat) babbled incessantly like broken records… IF you could put up with that, the game had a pretty fun combat system as well as a pretty involved crafting system and relatively interesting character classes to choose from. Think of it as a cross between Dark Souls, Kingdom’s of Amalur: Reckoning, and Skyrim.

Ynna.8769:

When I talk archetype, I think more about the feel and the look, and the end-result, not the nitty-gritty, like how magic is used, specifically.

I don’t feel like having a long-winded debate about this, so I’ll summarize my opinion.
A “Paladin”, to me, has 4 or more of the following:

• Dedicated to good
• Dedicated to justice
• Uses “light” or “good” magic
• Preference for melee combat
• Helps the weak
• Belief in a higher power
• Self-sacrifice

Furthermore, the Paladins I’ve played or encountered (which, admittedly isn’t that many) did channel a higher force through their weapons.

Yes, but in the typical paladin, the power from that ‘higher force’ was bound into their weapon, it doesn’t leave it in the form of the wakes of energy seen in Zealot’s Defense or Whirling Wrath (let alone bursts and jets of flame or the ability to pull out a staff or sceptre and behave as a full spellcaster). Plus, lorewise, guardians aren’t empowered by any ‘higher force’ unless that force is magic itself.

Of your list, the only ones that all guardians have in common are the third, the fourth, and possibly the last. Charr guardians don’t believe in a higher power (unless ‘your warband’ or ‘your legion’ really counts), and there’s at least one guardian in the Nightmare Court, which neatly turns 1, 2 and 5 on their heads. And personally, I’d regard a paladin as needing to tick all of those boxes, not just half.

Personally, I’d agree with Kensai that cleric is a lot closer, albeit a cleric without lots of healing – spellcasting on a level comparable to the full spellcasting professions while being solid in melee as well. Conversely, of course, elementalists and mesmers are a lot better off in melee than your typical arcanist.

draxynnic.3719:

Ynna.8769:

When I talk archetype, I think more about the feel and the look, and the end-result, not the nitty-gritty, like how magic is used, specifically.

I don’t feel like having a long-winded debate about this, so I’ll summarize my opinion.
A “Paladin”, to me, has 4 or more of the following:

• Dedicated to good
• Dedicated to justice
• Uses “light” or “good” magic
• Preference for melee combat
• Helps the weak
• Belief in a higher power
• Self-sacrifice

Furthermore, the Paladins I’ve played or encountered (which, admittedly isn’t that many) did channel a higher force through their weapons.

Yes, but in the typical paladin, the power from that ‘higher force’ was bound into their weapon, it doesn’t leave it in the form of the wakes of energy seen in Zealot’s Defense or Whirling Wrath (let alone bursts and jets of flame or the ability to pull out a staff or sceptre and behave as a full spellcaster). Plus, lorewise, guardians aren’t empowered by any ‘higher force’ unless that force is magic itself.

Of your list, the only ones that all guardians have in common are the third, the fourth, and possibly the last. Charr guardians don’t believe in a higher power (unless ‘your warband’ or ‘your legion’ really counts), and there’s at least one guardian in the Nightmare Court, which neatly turns 1, 2 and 5 on their heads. And personally, I’d regard a paladin as needing to tick all of those boxes, not just half.

Personally, I’d agree with Kensai that cleric is a lot closer, albeit a cleric without lots of healing – spellcasting on a level comparable to the full spellcasting professions while being solid in melee as well. Conversely, of course, elementalists and mesmers are a lot better off in melee than your typical arcanist.

Depending on your definition of healing, a properly specced guardian with the right weapons can put out quite a bit of healing, with healing symbols, healing dodge rolls, staff or mace, and etc (It’s more of healing in general isn’t going to save anyone who refuses to get out of harm’s way, hence outright dying before those heals can be of any use). But yes, Guardian is more akin to a cleric (which never were all that caster-ish to begin with, when the alternatives were wizard or sorceror), with wards and symbols, innately magical/blessed weapons, “divine” summons, easily accessibly healing, anti-crowd control, and general support. Even the spells are generally “divine” named.

ryan.5106:

Edelweiss.9815:

Kita.7819:

Fine, I’ll just end this thread now.

Guardians are Mystic Knights. They rely on some element, in this case spiritual energy, to synergize with their strengths. Without that magical aspect, they would be lesser warriors.

What the hells is a “Mystic Knight”?

Guardian is a Paladin. It was created for the people that enjoy playing one. Paladin is one of the oldest RPG archetypes, it’s taken many forms, but it has always been an iron-clad fighter with some good/divine magic which provides support.

Mystic Knights were a hybrid Mage/Warrior class in Dragon’s Dogma. The game had a lot of potential but the Npc’s were basically cardboard cut outs with crappy old english dialog and the Pawns (Npc controlled allies that followed your character around and sometimes “helped” during combat) babbled incessantly like broken records… IF you could put up with that, the game had a pretty fun combat system as well as a pretty involved crafting system and relatively interesting character classes to choose from. Think of it as a cross between Dark Souls, Kingdom’s of Amalur: Reckoning, and Skyrim.

I was really going for Final Fantasy 5 and 6 with some Morrowind.

I am favoring the “Knight” over the “Paladin”.

I think that in Arthurian cycle there are good examples of characters which could be good “Guardians”: Percival, Gawain, Galahad and Bors, even Lancelot, to name a few.

Knights that don’t mind using “magic” to improve their physical or spiritual abilities, and which strive for their people (an altruistic trait that is common in guardians).

Paladins are more of the zealot and inquisitor lots, chasing and hunting evil throughout the land, following their faith and that alone. While altruistic and self-sacrificing, their ruthlessness in smiting evil is not reflected in Guardians, where we don’t have any faith ties, and we don’t have any evil-specific related ability.

So i vouch for Knights. Somebody dubbed us “Mystic Knights”, that could be fitting, even if it is not in the main “stereotype” rpg roles.

for me, guardians feel different depending on which weapon set they are using

Mace/shield : typical paladin, blunt weapon in one hand to bash heads in, shield on the other to protect those behind you

sword/shield : templar knights, sword of justice to slash away those who would hurt the innocent and shield to protect the innocent.

scepter/focus : cleric, long range support smiting evil and healing/protecting the good

sword/mace + torch : zealot, you dont get anymore zealous if you would set fire to yourself to burn the enemy( unless they implement burning to yourself then thats really zealous :P )

scepter/torch : really pissed off cleric, i mean you gotta be pretty pissed off at something if you will smite it and cleanse it with holy fire at the same time

hammer or great sword : now these guys truly feel like guardians to me. i mean i can picture them standing in front of whatever church/organisation they come from, ready to defend ( guard) it from whatever mass of whatever that comes

Staff : Gandalf, i mean come on look at staff #5 and tell me you dont see gandalf shouting : YOU SHALL NOT PASS!!!!!!

Guardians may resemble paladins in many ways, but still, you should separate them. Guardians, as mentioned in other comments above, do not believe in any form of god or superior entity, which means they do not use “holy” abilites/spells.

This is from an interview with Jeff Grubb and Eric Flannum about the guardians:
“They are not tied to a particular race, philosophy, or group of gods but rather to a larger concept of proactive defense, of taking the fight to a foe and protecting those you fight alongside while appealing equally to humanity’s defensive nature and the charr’s desire to rule the battlefield.”

My main is a Guardian, and if I had to define him with as few words as possible it would be “tough guy”. It is the versatility and ‘can do’ approach that I can take to almost any task what I like most about the profession. If I want to, I can be extremely resilient, or helpful or deadly… I can tell people in my party feel safer when I’m around, so I guess whatever a Guardian is, the profession is doing all right.

It’s hard for me to play other classes after the Guardian. He can range, melee, heal, bring tons of utility, and survive insane bursts from enemies. I can kite when I need, and I can melee when I am bored of kiting, although, his dps lacks a bit if you don’t switch frequently.

THen I jump on an alt, and realize “Hey dummy, you can’t stand toe to toe with that group of 5 mobs…” or …“that boss”.

The only downside is, they lack burst, so PvP can be a bit grueling. You end up getting pigeon holed in to one or two defensive positions, unless you’re super geared.