Guild Wars 2

Since specializations are in the works for HoT, that can add new skills and alter class mechanics, how about down the road, we get one that revamps the use of banners?

Many times has the subject arise, of Warriors wearing banners on their backs. Some Warriors like the current mechanics of plunking down a banner, but the majority appear to find the lack of mobility and loss the the banner to be an issue.

Warrior: Warlord Specialization
Warriors wear a banner on their backs, gaining new class abilities (F2-F4), and providing a non-stackable area effect for all nearby allies.
F2: Banner Specific (current banner #2 skill)
F3: Inspire (current banner #3 skill)
F4: Switch Banner

Banner of Strength
Bonus: +Pwr/Condi (unchanged)
F2 Skill: Brutal Rally: Grant might3 10s to all nearby allies, CD10

Banner of Tactics:
Bonus: +Heal/Boon (unchanged)
F2 Skill: Compassionate Banner (unchanged)

Banner of Discipline
Bonus: +Prec/Fer (unchanged)
F2 Skill: Furious Rally (unchanged)

Banner of Defense
Bonus: +Tgh/Vit (unchanged)
F2 Skill: Unbreakable Rally: Grant protection 4s to nearby allies, CD 20

A man can dream, cant he?

I’ve thinket that: why don’t let them like they are now but change only when you pick up them?

What if your banner come to be a Offhand Weapon when you pick it up?

That make 1H builds more viable (expecially in pve where you see only GS users) and at the same time don’t make it too easy to use (because a costant buff of 150 in 2 stats that don’t stack with the other boons is a very powerfull buff).

It can be something like:

skill 4: the banner skill 2 (as well the same that you’ve write)

skill 5: the banner skill 3 (swiftness)

And when you switch your weapon you drop the banner.

I think that it can change the use of banners and don’t be too powerfull like a “always with you” skill.

Anyone else got input on this? Feel free to suggest and think up your own specializations!

I like the idea behind banners, but I guess I’ll throw out something different for conversations sake. It looks likes the specializations will be tied to the new weapon that each class gets. Currently the weapons we can’t use are: dagger, pistol, scepter, focus, torch, short bow, staff and trident. Let’s go ahead and mark of scepter and focus. I would also be inclined to mark of torch since it would be hard(ish) to make a specialization revolve around an offhand. I see no reason for us to get a short bow or pistol since we already have rifle and long bow. We are left with staff, dagger and trident. With a staff I can see being some sort of kungkitteninspired class that’s a combo of hammer and great sword. Dagger…I have no idea because the assassin type role is already taken by Thief. Trident? Why? Because this:

With specialization in my opinion Banners should have a specific functions when sumoned and some pulses when active.

For example:

Banner of defense – Clear 2 conditions when placed to the warrior and alies within its radius and every 10 seconds clear 1 condition.

Banner of Discipline – Gain 5 sec fury when placed to the warrior and alies within its radius and every 10 seconds gives 2 sec fury.

More PvP oriented:

Banner of Strength – Gain 5 sec stability when placed to the warrior and alies within its radius and every 10 seconds gives 2 sec stability.

Banner of Tactics: Finish downed players within its radius (only the first time) and every 15 seconds cause 3 sec revealed.

I see one major issue. Banner are utility skills and you can have more than 1 banner on your utility skills. Which mean that you can end up with a lot of F2 F3 F4.

Second though. We saw in an early demo that dual wielding warrior may have access to a F2 skill while this didn’t show up while the warrior was playing with a 2 handed weapon. (Note that this was an early and since specialization, even now, aren’t set to stone, it may be an irelevant argument)

In my opinion (this is personal thought here), a banner specialization may transform banner skills in signet like skills performing passive effect around the wielder. Active skill from this kind of banner would remove passive effect.

banner of discipline would probably have furious rally as active skill which could, maybe, become a shout.
banner of tactic would probably have compassionate as active skill which could, maybe, become a shout.
banner of strenght would have brutal strike as active skill which could, maybe, become a physical skill.
banner of defense would have stagering strike as active skill which could, maybe, become a physical skill.

I do think battle standard can’t be adapt to this “form” so let’s just let him stay the way it is (In fact, this skill is perfectly fine as it is.)

Some traits could be change a bit to support this “form” :
Strengh
Powerfull banner : Do damage around you when using a banner active skill
Defense
Thick skin : give extra armor for each banner you wield
Tactic
Inspiring battle presence : become a non boon heal over time around the warrior that stack in intensity the more “banner” are wielded (obviously 3 max since I said battle standard would be a pain to adapt to this specialization).

Well, everything else is already fine I think, so…

NB : This would probably be OP and lot’s of angry foes would complain on forum.

NB² : If I had to adapt Battle standard, we could see it as an Upkeep skill that block adrenaline generation for it’s duration. Same cool down, same effect on use of active skill but around the caster. But boon generation would stay for the duration that adrenaline would last while consumed. Maybe remove 1 adrenaline each time boons are provided. If we assume full adrenaline bar when used and boons provided every 2 seconds, this would last exactly for 60 seconds like the actual banner. (Well, that is, In combat of course)

MidnightSun.7964:

It looks likes the specializations will be tied to the new weapon that each class gets.

True, but it doesn’t HAVE to be that way. It’s entirely possible to think a Warlord type spec would continue to use the same base weapon set.

silentnight warrior.2714:

pulses when active.

Banner of defense – Clear 2 conditions when placed to the warrior and alies within its radius and every 10 seconds clear 1 condition.

Banner of Discipline – Gain 5 sec fury when placed to the warrior and alies within its radius and every 10 seconds gives 2 sec fury.

More PvP oriented:

Banner of Strength – Gain 5 sec stability when placed to the warrior and alies within its radius and every 10 seconds gives 2 sec stability.

Banner of Tactics: Finish downed players within its radius (only the first time) and every 15 seconds cause 3 sec revealed.

Cool ideas, but super OP!
The idea behind the specialization I suggested is that they’re balanced around current numbers, and would already be pulsing the banners individual bonus (+170 to two stats) in a radius around the Warrior/Warlord, which is a pretty solid bonus as is.
The upside is the +170/170 bonus is ever present, the downside is relative to utility 6-9 banners which can be stacked, you can only provide 1 at a time.

Dadnir.5038:

I see one major issue. Banner are utility skills and you can have more than 1 banner on your utility skills. Which mean that you can end up with a lot of F2 F3 F4.

Well, I guess I should have been clearer, but the original Warlord idea is F4 switches your banner, in the same way that a Ranger switches between pets. The banners would not be available as 6-9 skills in this Warlord specialization, only as a mechanic.

Dadnir.5038:

Second though. We saw in an early demo that dual wielding warrior may have access to a F2 skill while this didn’t show up while the warrior was playing with a 2 handed weapon. (Note that this was an early and since specialization, even now, aren’t set to stone, it may be an irelevant argument)

We’ll have to wait and see how it plays out, but there’s a good chance the F2 will be linked to the specialization, and other future specializations will possess their own F buttons.

That all said, I love the feedback!

Dand.8231:

Since specializations are in the works for HoT, that can add new skills and alter class mechanics, how about down the road, we get one that revamps the use of banners?

Many times has the subject arise, of Warriors wearing banners on their backs. Some Warriors like the current mechanics of plunking down a banner, but the majority appear to find the lack of mobility and loss the the banner to be an issue.

Warrior: Warlord Specialization
Warriors wear a banner on their backs, gaining new class abilities (F2-F4), and providing a non-stackable area effect for all nearby allies.
F2: Banner Specific (current banner #2 skill)
F3: Inspire (current banner #3 skill)
F4: Switch Banner

Banner of Strength
Bonus: +Pwr/Condi (unchanged)
F2 Skill: Brutal Rally: Grant might3 10s to all nearby allies, CD10

Banner of Tactics:
Bonus: +Heal/Boon (unchanged)
F2 Skill: Compassionate Banner (unchanged)

Banner of Discipline
Bonus: +Prec/Fer (unchanged)
F2 Skill: Furious Rally (unchanged)

Banner of Defense
Bonus: +Tgh/Vit (unchanged)
F2 Skill: Unbreakable Rally: Grant protection 4s to nearby allies, CD 20

A man can dream, cant he?

Wow just the simple idea of having a banner (visible) on my chars back sounds really cool and would indeed fit a warrior very very well. Even though i think this will sadly be quite unlikely it sure does sound epic!