Guild Wars 2

from today’s patch datamines (thank you that_shaman) the elite specialisation background called “berserker”:

http://i.imgur.com/poeKy9c.png

now what are berserkers? because they actually existed and the background is reflecting their use very well.

Berserkers (or berserks) were Norse warriors who are primarily reported in the Old Norse literature to have fought in a nearly uncontrollable, trance-like fury, a characteristic which later gave rise to the English word berserk. Berserkers are attested to in numerous Old Norse sources.

they were reckless warriors that fought without caring about getting wounds inflicted, their sole purpose was to maw down the enemy fighters. you can clearly see this from the background as he is in a “come at me bro” pose with arrows sticking out of his chest.

sadly, unlike the engi spec background called “forge” that depicts a charr engi with a hammer and drones, the warrior one does not show any weapon.

The actual historic berserker is a bit of a myth, by the way.

And the guy is clearly asking for a hug. I think we’re getting a support elite spec called “Cheerleader” who can heal and buff allies by giving them smooches. kitten as kitten.

isn’t your cheerleader a banner shout warrior :P?

“Well what is it?”

pls make /whellwhatisit happen XD

I really like the image. The artist did an amazing job here.

Jekkt.6045:

[…]

http://i.imgur.com/poeKy9c.png

[…] does not show any weapon.

..!

Unarmed/fighting gauntlet Warrior confirmed!

I wish. Really nice image though, clearly depicting a Warrior vs. Ranger scenario in PvP; moments later the Ranger will be a small puddle of gore and splintered bones on the floor, as it should be.

Some fun facts: historically it would seem berserkers didn’t really exist. And the word “berserker” was apparently used to refer to a man in a lord’s retinue who would represent the lord in duels. Still in the context of the Norse here.
You can see the word translated as “champion” and “bear/bare shirt” (bear skins were historically worn by vikings).

It’s hard to be sure whether or not Berserkers actually existed, but there are some accounts of lightly armored men, typically wearing a cloak made out of a bear or wolf’s hide, (Usually the hide of the animal they killed with their bare hands to ‘become’ a Berserker, as the story goes) ambushing columns that heavily outnumbered them, and devastating wherever they happened to strike with varying losses of their own. It was also accounted that cuts, gouges, stabs, and slashes didn’t do much to slow a berserker, but blunt weapons would stop them very quickly, because of concussions and other things like broken bones, you can’t push through a shattered arm or being knocked unconscious.

I’d love to see that become the spec, I just hope it’s something to spice the Warrior class up, and a Berserk spec would do a fine job of it. A self sacrifice to deal some insane damage, or whatever ANET can think up.

Also, The Giantdad Spec 3.0, Well what is it, Casul?

Dipdoo.4861:

Also, The Giantdad Spec 3.0, Well what is it, Casul?

Artorias of the Abyss is here. GIT GUD CASULS.

i thought that’s what stances are for….
make you careless about incoming threats and kill enemy…..

CTFT.2740:

“Well what is it?”

pls make /whellwhatisit happen XD

Ice.5162:

CTFT.2740:

“Well what is it?”

pls make /whellwhatisit happen XD

“i’m taking hit and i like it”

Ice.5162:

CTFT.2740:

“Well what is it?”

pls make /whellwhatisit happen XD

It’s every bit as beautiful as I would have imagined. T_T

So… What… Is it?

GreyerSkies.6287:

Jekkt.6045:

[…]

http://i.imgur.com/poeKy9c.png

[…] does not show any weapon.

..!

Unarmed/fighting gauntlet Warrior confirmed!

I wish. Really nice image though, clearly depicting a Warrior vs. Ranger scenario in PvP; moments later the Ranger will be a small puddle of gore and splintered bones on the floor, as it should be.

100% rampage uptime confirmed :S

After dataing mining even deeper I found this shocking revelation!

Our elite isnt the berserker… its the BardZerker!!

WTB utility skill, each hit while active increases damage output by 10% stacks to 10, when skill drops all damage taken is taken again in one spike, risk vs reward!

so our warrior spec is “COME AT ME BRO” ?

yanoch.7051:

I really like the image. The artist did an amazing job here.

Actually the artist just re-used an image already in the game. Make a new Norn character and watch the intro.

perhaps Focus for the new weapon? used as a tool to literally Focus a Berserker’s rage? or the image is just trolling warriors with an epic Rampage-esque look after their favorite elite just got the nerf stick.

Nin.9853:

perhaps Focus for the new weapon? used as a tool to literally Focus a Berserker’s rage? or the image is just trolling warriors with an epic Rampage-esque look after their favorite elite just got the nerf stick.

I would give anything for Dual Focus… but unfortunately, looks like they’ve taken the “only 1 weapon ever” route. /writs.

Berserkers consisted in the cult of Odin, they were dying\killing on a battlefield for the glory of Odin and it’s known that elite bodyguards of King Harald Fairhair were Berserkers. So yeah, they are not a myth.

maybe instead of new weapons, we use existing weapons but get all brand new berserker weapon skills with them?

imagine

3 new berserker main hand sword skills
2 new berserker off hand sword skills

3 new berserker main hand mace skills
2 new berserker off hand mace skills

3 new berserker main hand axe skills
2 new berserker off hand axe skills

5 new berserker greatsword skills
5 new berserker hammer skills

2 new berserker offhand warhorn skills
2 new berserker offhand shield skills

5 new berserker spear skills
5 new berserker harpoon gun skills

naaah it won’t happen

from the wiki:
“His (Odin’s) men rushed forwards without armour, were as mad as dogs or wolves, bit their shields, and were strong as bears or wild oxen, and killed people at a blow, but neither fire nor iron told upon them. This was called Berserkergang.”

a contemporaneous depiction of a berserker?

also
“In 1015, Jarl Eiríkr Hákonarson of Norway outlawed berserkers. Grágás, the medieval Icelandic law code, sentenced berserker warriors to outlawry. By the 12th century, organised berserker war-bands had disappeared.
so they did exist, at least.

The berserk of legend differs from the flesh&blood one, of course – possessing supernatural powers such as shapeshifting.
To “go berserk” was to “hamask”, which translates as “change form”, in this case, as with the sense “enter a state of wild fury”. One who could transform as a berserker was typically thought of as “hamrammr” or “shapestrong”.

I just hope we don’t get another freaking transform.

Weren’t they just warriors that used cocaine?

YuiRS.8129:

The actual historic berserker is a bit of a myth, by the way.

And the guy is clearly asking for a hug. I think we’re getting a support elite spec called “Cheerleader” who can heal and buff allies by giving them smooches. kitten as kitten.

That or an offhand torch the lets us set ourselves on fire and kill ourselves cause that all were good for.

All I want is that we dont get any transform skill. Unless its werebear durining full moon

Berserker would be way too obvious (and fitting).

They are going to give us pistols and call it Cowboy instead.

Nerthus.3592:

Berserkers consisted in the cult of Odin, they were dying\killing on a battlefield for the glory of Odin and it’s known that elite bodyguards of King Harald Fairhair were Berserkers. So yeah, they are not a myth.

All vikings worshipped Odin, since it was their main deity. What I meant is that the image of a salivating mushroom chugging berserker without any armor is a myth. Berserker is basically a “champion”.

YuiRS.8129:

Nerthus.3592:

Berserkers consisted in the cult of Odin, they were dying\killing on a battlefield for the glory of Odin and it’s known that elite bodyguards of King Harald Fairhair were Berserkers. So yeah, they are not a myth.

All vikings worshipped Odin, since it was their main deity. What I meant is that the image of a salivating mushroom chugging berserker without any armor is a myth. Berserker is basically a “champion”.

Yes, but thing is they also worship many other Gods as well, but according to Jacqueline Simpson Berserkers is different thing and there were some findings that indicate that they could take place in the Cult of Odin. I’m sorry that I can’t explain more, my english is not good enough :\
…and yes, mushrooms is a myth, but not entirely, they could’ve used them to go into a trance, though there’s many other ways to do it.

It’s pretty interesting which weapon will Berserker get…I doubt that torch will be a new weapon, pretty weird choice, should be something else.

Doubt that this is a berserker.

Going off of the picture alone, I am hoping we get a lot of Taunt, Weakness and Protection.

Dagger/dagger !!!!
only Dagger Dagger other weapons don’t make sens with spec title
Takeing in consideration that Berserk implies rage endurance and face to face fight I find dagger to match it title perfectly
For example
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZiWdHxIEP4I vikings Floki fighting his reckless charcater perfectly matches a warrior that fall in berserk unconontroled rage

what else Staff >Berserk ? Aka Gendalf in blood rage beating enemies with wooden stick to the death nahhh
Short bow > Aka Legolas Melee short bow lol no way
Pistols > aka 777 Bond James Berserk bond non sens
Scepter > LOL Aka nerfed version of Gendalf beating monsters to the death with a shorter wooden stick?

The answer to “what is it” is:
Shapeshifters (new F1 skill) with conjurable weapons as utility skills.

Tristan.5678:

Dagger/dagger !!!!
only Dagger Dagger other weapons don’t make sens with spec title
Takeing in consideration that Berserk implies rage endurance and face to face fight I find dagger to match it title perfectly
For example
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZiWdHxIEP4I vikings Floki fighting his reckless charcater perfectly matches a warrior that fall in berserk unconontroled rage

what else Staff >Berserk ? Aka Gendalf in blood rage beating enemies with wooden stick to the death nahhh
Short bow > Aka Legolas Melee short bow lol no way
Pistols > aka 777 Bond James Berserk bond non sens
Scepter > LOL Aka nerfed version of Gendalf beating monsters to the death with a shorter wooden stick?

Torch. We’re getting torch.

YuiRS.8129:

Tristan.5678:

Dagger/dagger !!!!
only Dagger Dagger other weapons don’t make sens with spec title
Takeing in consideration that Berserk implies rage endurance and face to face fight I find dagger to match it title perfectly
For example
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZiWdHxIEP4I vikings Floki fighting his reckless charcater perfectly matches a warrior that fall in berserk unconontroled rage

what else Staff >Berserk ? Aka Gendalf in blood rage beating enemies with wooden stick to the death nahhh
Short bow > Aka Legolas Melee short bow lol no way
Pistols > aka 777 Bond James Berserk bond non sens
Scepter > LOL Aka nerfed version of Gendalf beating monsters to the death with a shorter wooden stick?

Torch. We’re getting torch.

Oh and Torch that again don’t make sens with title of the spec Berserk Pyromancer ? LOL

Tristan.5678:

Dagger/dagger !!!!

Either dagger MH or OH. Both seems very unlikely.

Besides that: you should be careful with threads like this since you might get an infraction for it.

Isn’t that the same picture from the Norn intro just recolored? If so, maybe that was just put in to fool us

Maybe berserkers are the original smiths of zerker armor, and they’ve come back to slaughter the multitudes of knuckleheads who misuse their creations.

BardaTheHobo.9752:

Isn’t that the same picture from the Norn intro just recolored? If so, maybe that was just put in to fool us

They’ve been reusing art in several places, likely to cut time. They’re behind schedule, I honestly don’t think they really care to play tricking games.

DresdenAllblack.1249:

Maybe berserkers are the original smiths of zerker armor, and they’ve come back to slaughter the multitudes of knuckleheads who misuse their creations.

And suddenly “zerk only” changes the meaning. Now you can be Zerk, but in Nomad’s!

Rym.1469:

DresdenAllblack.1249:

Maybe berserkers are the original smiths of zerker armor, and they’ve come back to slaughter the multitudes of knuckleheads who misuse their creations.

And suddenly “zerk only” changes the meaning. Now you can be Zerk, but in Nomad’s!

Maybe this how they decided to handle the zerker meta. Trick people into having to say something else which leaves it more open to interpretation. It’s genius.

So, how does a full Zerker party look like? :>

Scary and silly at the same time, “Oh, they’re all bare-chested, without helmets, but they look really angry for no apparent reason and look like they could chop a tree down with their bare hands. Hmm…”

YuiRS.8129:

Tristan.5678:

Dagger/dagger !!!!
only Dagger Dagger other weapons don’t make sens with spec title
Takeing in consideration that Berserk implies rage endurance and face to face fight I find dagger to match it title perfectly
For example
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZiWdHxIEP4I vikings Floki fighting his reckless charcater perfectly matches a warrior that fall in berserk unconontroled rage

what else Staff >Berserk ? Aka Gendalf in blood rage beating enemies with wooden stick to the death nahhh
Short bow > Aka Legolas Melee short bow lol no way
Pistols > aka 777 Bond James Berserk bond non sens
Scepter > LOL Aka nerfed version of Gendalf beating monsters to the death with a shorter wooden stick?

Torch. We’re getting torch.

I’m still holding out for pistols… eh, maybe next spec.

Anyway, remember that one early video where they were showing off adventures and the warrior had an F2 skill? I’m betting the class mechanic change Berserkers are getting is a second burst skill, determined by your offhand weapon.

Wondering what the skill type will be though. Thing is, Warriors already have all the really warrior-ish skill types there are… unless they’re getting a whole new skill type for themselves, the most appropriate thing I can think of for something called Berserker that already exists is… traps. Though venoms come as a close second.

^

Considering the name “berserker” the F2 could just be a berserk skill that makes you stronger/tougher while slowly draining adrenaline. That would be stepping on necromancers Death Shroud mechanics though…

They did tell us that specializations would bring me mechanics so while I don’t think it would be a bad idea I’m not so certain we’re getting an offhand burst skill.

I think this video could be relevant – no it’s not speculation about the class but still relevant.

The picture is pretty obvious. He casting Rampage. We’re getting 5 Rampage utilities and no new weapon skills. Because we won’t need them. Only Rampage.

Are you sure thats not a warrior face tanking rapid fire from a ranger?

Jekkt.6045:

isn’t your cheerleader a banner shout warrior :P?

OUCH!!!!!!

that hit cold!!!