Guild Wars 2

In the Heart of Thorns video, the Druid still had a pet in the same vein as a regular Ranger. This is more than a little bit disappointing, as the specialization would have been a great opportunity to redesign the Ranger around an entirely different mechanic.

But here’s the question – could that pet have been a placeholder? At this stage of development, it wouldn’t be at all surprising if the mechanics of the specializations were unfinished.

Thoughts?

Honestly? I doubt it. For one just as many rangers would be dissapointed if the druid was advertised as having a pet and didnt than would be excited. Its a kitten storm waiting to happen. And I REALLY doubt A-Net would take that kind of risk.

I think its far more likely that the druid mechanics interact with the pet in a different way than the ranger mechanics. Some people have suggested that the druid may get ONE pet but be able to influence it with druid magic (making it very hard to kill, giving it advance mobility, causing its attacks to do things it normally couldn’t do)

In most games where a druid class is used druids usually act as buffers. People that layer on a large number of support abilities ahead of time before combat starts. There crucial to there team in that druids are some of the best supporters in the fantasy universes. They also have some of the best CCs in nearly any game they exist in.

All in all though. I’d have to suggest not speculating on this kinda stuff until they’v told us what there gonna tell us. Cause it probably is just gonna lead to all of us stressing out over things that have most likely already been decided.

Edit: As far as the stage of development. Remember that the expac is supposedly nearing a playable state. I meen they did say that there will be a playable demo within six weeks most likely. Thats not a small feet for something as massive as an MMO. It also means that alot of the core concepts for what they want have already been made and decided on.

druids get a new mechanic, which may not exclude pets.

Shadelang basically has it right. I’ve been playing my ranger character as a beastmaster since beta, so I’d absolutely love to have a buffer style character that amps the hell out of my pet. it’d be better if I could get big pets like I’ve been whining for since launch, but I figure that’s not as likely to happen :P

I don’t think it’s a placeholder. The ranger stands in the spotlight of this trailer for specialization + he was the example for colin. so I don’t think that they haven’t finish the specialization of the ranger.

I hope that the mechanic would be about summon temporary pets. Not so strong, but without micromanagement and maybe 2-3 pets at the same time. That would be really a change in mechanic instead just other pet skills.