What I see is the problem with the Dragonhunter is the lack of connection to a core Guardian traitline, while the other elite specializations heavily reference a core traitline of their own. For example:
The Berserker is linked to the Strength traitline, their rage skills are expanded physical skills.
The Scrapper is linked to the Inventions traitline, their gyros are mobile turrets.
The Druid is linked to the Nature Magic traitline, they turn themselves and to a lesser extent their pets into Spirits.
The Daredevil is linked to the Acrobatics traitline, they gain enhanced mobility.
The Tempest is linked to the Arcane traitline, they gain a new way to use & swap attunements.
The Chronomancer is linked to something like the Inspiration traitline, their wells act like Glamours
The Reaper is linked to the Soul Reaping line, they gain a new death shroud.
While the Dragonhunter has more similarities with the Ranger traitline of Skirmishing or Marksmanship than it does to their core specializations. So while the other elite specializations are expansions on pre-existing core specializations, the Dragonhunter does a sideways progression into another professsion.
If you had to pick a core Guardian specialization that the Dragonhunter is the closest fit to, you’d pick Zeal. But the links aren’t as clear as the links with the other elite specializations. That said, the Guardian could be slightly tweaked to reference Zeal and thus avoid Ranger similarities.
The two aspects of the Dragonhunter that could be tweaked to reference Zeal are the new Virtues and Traps. Zeal is based on mastery of Spirit Weapons and Symbols, and you can draw comparisons between the Dragonhunter Virtues to Spirit Weapons, and Traps to Symbols.
Dragonhunter Virtues & Spirit Weapons:
An iconic element of the Guardian is their ability to summon up weapons from nothing, the Dragonhunter follows this by summoning up a spear of light or a defensive shield through their virtues. Wings aren’t weapons, so there is that exception. So there is a thematic connection between the new Virtues and Spirit Weapons. I propose that this taken further.
The new Virtues should each be linked to a Spirit Weapon. So that their passive effect emanates from the Spirit Weapon like how a Druid can heal other using their pet as a conduit. So each of the four Spirit Weapons would either be linked to an individual virtue (thus warranting the creation of a fourth Dragonhunter virtue) or each Spirit Weapons would generate all three Virtue passives, thus expanding the Virtue’s reach and would allow the Dragonhunter to use the Active Virtue without worrying about losing the passive, since it would be generated through a Spirit Weapon.
Personally I favour linking a single Spirit Weapon to a Virtue.
-Bow of Truth could improve its’ healing by being linked to Virtue of Resolve.
-Sword of Justice could be linked to Virtue of Justice, so it gains the burn effect to its’ attacks.
-Shield of the Avenger could be linked to Virtue of Courage, so it gains the Aegis effect on top of its’ absorbing of projectiles.
-Hammer of Wisdom would then have to be linked to a new Virtue that compliments its’ knockback effect.
By doing this, you help alleviate the problem with the Dragonhunter Virtue cooldowns but you give added reason to take a Spirit Weapon. The Dragonhunter could be in two places at once; they could choose to engage in melee while still having a presence on the backline with their spirit weapon or they could be ranged while having a spirit weapon generating virtues among melee allies.
Traps & Symbols:
I’m against turning Traps into Symbols but I do think that Traps should distance themselves from Ranger Traps and should reference an aspect of Symbols. For example the Chronomancer takes the Well skill type from Necromancers but they treat them more like Glamours in their resulting effect than the condition heavy effects wells have been previously known for. Dragonhunter traps should operate differently like how Ranger & Thief traps have at least a different AoE shape and trigger.
So why can’t Dragonhunter traps be more like Symbols without actually becoming Symbols? Dragohunter traps should have an offensive and defensive effect like Symbols. The only thing that should differentiate the two is how they are triggered. Fragments of Faith is more in line with what they should be like, since you have an offensive effect but you have the opportunity to support allies with the fragments.
So you could either add a boon to each Dragonhunter trap that is given automatically to those in the trap’s AoE when it detonates, or you can add “Fragments” to each trap. Just something so there is a reference to how Symbols help and harm. I personally prefer an option to prematurely detonate a trap so it grants a boon effect on allies. So if you lay a trap and the enemy somehow completely avoids it, you could then detonate it granting boons so it wouldn’t be a complete waste. Or you could use Traps purely for their support potential.
For example Test of Faith currently is used to apply damage and cripple. But it could also be used to remove Cripple, Immobilize, Stun & Daze from allies. So the Dragonhunter could use it to turn the tables on an enemy immobilizing your allies by freeing them and crippling the enemy.
Or Procession of Blades could still be triggered by enemies launching that whirlwind attack. Or it could be remotely detonated granting a whirlwind of swiftness to allies.
Traps would then be like Symbols but you’d have to have an enemy trigger it thus it is still a Trap.
By drawing explicit links between the Dragonhunter and the Zeal traitline’s Spirit Weapons and Symbols, you then avoid immediate comparisons to the Ranger. Not only would this be more in line with what the Guardian is at its’ core but you expand the use of the Dragonhunter.
I could see the creation of a boon support Dragonhunter if Traps have positive effects like Symbols. And I could see the creation of a Spirit Weapon Dragonhunter that exploits the ability to be in two places at once.
Apologies for the double thread. First time posting a thread, didn’t realize deleting didn’t actually remove the thread from the forum.