Guild Wars 2

So, there I was, discussing thief elite spec with a friend, talking about the weapon choices and all. Of course, the topic of rifle versus staff came up – all things point to staff being the weapon of the coming elite spec, but I believe rifle has potential to be an interesting, viable and engaging weapon for the thief. My friend disagreed, so, I decided to write what it would be like in my mind. And here we are.

Scout

Scout would be the elite spec that brings rifle to the hands of the thief – not as a range 1200 backstab monstrosity, but as a long range support weapon. Utilizing stances to bolster themselves, the scout becomes not the force that moves the battle, but the hand that guides the forces.

New Mechanics

Scout specialization alters two main thief mechanics.

Mark Target
The thief F1 skill, Steal, is replaced by Mark Target. All traits that affect Steal now affect Mark Target.

When Mark Target is used on an enemy, the scout throws a small tracer dart on the enemy, inflicting Revealed for 6 seconds and marks the enemy.

Prepared Attack
When specialized as a Scout, a thief loses the ability to use stealth attacks – instead, when using a skill while targeting a marked foe, skill #1 is replaced by a powerful attack which removes the mark from the enemy.

Skills

First up, the list of Prepared Attacks.

Descending Arrow
(Shortbow) 1/4s
The Scout fires an arrow in a high arc, hitting the foe from disorienting angle, inflicting confusion and weakness.

Infiltrator’s Charge
(Sword) 3/4s
The Scout Shadowsteps to the enemy and tackles them, knocking them down.

Battery and Assault
(Dagger) 1/4s
The Scout strikes at the foe twice, first hit inflicting vulnerability and second strike dealing heavy damage.

Harrying Shots
(Pistol) 2s
The Scout fires three consecutive shots at the foe, immobilizing with the first shot, dazing with the second shot and stunning with the third shot.

Calculated Shot
(Rifle) 3s
The scout crouches down to take a good aim and fires, dealing heavy damage. Deals double damage against moving targets. Pierces.

Then for the Rifle weapon skills…

Rending Shot
(Rifle #1) 1s
The Scout shoots at the enemy. Remove one boon from moving foes. Pierces.

Dismantling Shot
(Rifle #2) 1s, 4 initiative
The Scout cracks the enemy’s defenses with a well places shot, inflicting vulnerability. Pierces.

Covering Smoke
(Rifle #3) 1/2s, 4 initiative
The Scout fires a cluster of smoke, stealthing allies and blinding enemies. Applies Revealed to self.

Weakening Shot
(Rifle #4) 1s, 5 initiative
The Scout fires at the enemy to undermine their fighting power, inflicting weakness. Pierces.

Scout’s Leave
(Rifle #5) 1/2s, 6 initiative
The Scout fires at the ground, blinding nearby opponents before shadowstepping to target location.

Next on, to the right side of the skill bar – Stance skills!

Eagle-eye Stance
For next 10 seconds, your attacks are unblockable. Ends if you move.

Forerunner’s Stance
For the next 15 seconds, movement impending conditions can’t be applied on you and you regenerate initiative at double speed.

Stalker’s Stance
For the next 5 seconds, dealing damage doesn’t break stealth. Ends when you are hit.

Guide’s Stance
For the next 10 seconds, your attacks inflict vulnerability.

Survivor Stance
Healing. For the next 10 seconds, you heal rapidly. Double effectiveness when standing still.

Relentless Stance
Elite. For the next 5 seconds, your attacks do not use up initiative.

Traits

-Adept traits – Minor trait, Scout, yadda yadda all above.

*Vile Dart - Marking a target inflicts Torment.
*Targeted Onslaught - Striking a marked enemy restores initiative (ICD 3s).
*Furious Stances - Activating a stance grants fury to you and nearby allies.

- Master Traits – minor trait, Steady Aim - 5% increased critical chance while not moving.

*Raptor’s Defense - Take 5% less damage while moving.
*Sharpshooter - Gain a stacking ferocity effect when you strike with a Rifle or Garpoon Gun. Reduces recharge on Rifle and Harpoon Gun skills.
*Rangefinder - Improves skill range for you and nearby allies.

Grandmaster traits – Minor trait – Spotter’s Celerity - Gain Quickness when striking a marked target. (45s ICD)

*Viral Marketer - Conditions you inflict on your marked target are also inflicted on foes near your target.
*Marked for Execution - Deal 20% more damage against your marked target.
*Spotter’s Guidance - Spotter’s Celerity also applies Quickness on nearby allies.

DISCLAIMERS
I do not play a thief. If you think I know nothing about how to play a thief, you are probably right. Have a good day.

So glad you don’t work for anet because this sounds horrible.

Swinsk! Where have you been? I play Thief now. Also, I agree with you. This idea is terrible..

I suppose not all ideas are great in their first iteration – however, development is about coming up with a seemingly stupid idea, and making it work. So, you say my concept is terrible? I would ask you to elaborate. Of course you don’t owe it to me, but it would sure add to your credibility.

Because Thief isn’t a team player. Every iteration of an elite specialization has dug deeper, not farther away from, the idea behind the class.

Guardians are supposed to be protectors, not front line, of their teammates. Traps offer control, Dragonhunter (though its name needs help) provides supportive utility and high damage. Guardian continues to keep its friends safe by offering the same things in a different way.

Necromancer becomes Reaper. Necromancer are supposed to be capable of taking a poor player from 50-0. Notice how Reaper gets tons of benefits when you get to 50% hp? Besides that, it can now incarnate as another form of death furthering the lore behind the class.

Ranger is druid. I know nothing of what Druid is because I can not find details.

Elementalist is Tempest. They were pitched and ironed out as a supportive utility class capable of doing the unpredictable and uncontestable. Thats why D/d is still a thing- not because broken fun, but because it is impossible to stop the ele from doing what they need to do.

Thief is an outlying assassin, waiting to pick off stray and maimed targets, lying in wait, hiding in safety. Your spec is near impossible to determine the purpose of, short of offering condition control. Problem is, P/d does that. Rifle is a power weapon. Has been, will be. Warriors and engis.

My run on Rifle:

Sniper
Rifle(stealth): Inflict moderate to high damage (not backstab level) and empower your next ability by 50%.
Rifle(auto): Inflict low to moderate damage that cripples enemies hit. Shots do higher damage, the lower a targets hp is (modified by up to 100%).
Rifle(2): Deploy an image (image not clone) of yourself while gaining stealth for 1s. While in stealth, which for the purpose of this skill will be called Reposition, you move 100% faster. Stacks with other traits.
Rifle(3): High damage attack (cost lots of init) that pierces and applies 10 vulnerability.
Rifle(4): Low damage attack that stuns targets. Does not stack stun.
Rifle(5): Gain superspeed, protection, might, quickness.

Instead of releasing a new spec, they buff and re-release traps. Idea behind traps will be to deny movement between areas or make the idea of approaching the thief daunting.

Traits: Different buffs to stealth abilities, new trait that says standing still and not taking damage gives stealth indefinitely, traits to buff traps, and a trait that works with Standstill which I would call Breathe Deep, Move Quick that allows the Thief to move from that indefinite stealth while keeping it for 3 seconds and would grant swiftness.

Just my take, it’d be unbearably broken in the right hands. But so far, Dragon/Reap/Chrono look to be in the same boat. Tempest and Druid are unknown, and Revenant does what we do better while using Shiro. My idea won’t happen ofc, and everyone is dead set on staff (which is bad, because then we still can’t kill people while being gunned down).