Hey Chris, I know you plan on discussing sub-classes after the current balancing changes, but I fell like I should mention this now before I forget it.
In GW1, subclassing gave you access to the skills and most traits of the class being subbed in. Now if this was done to GW2, it would create a huge amount of balance issues that would have to be sorted. In the past, I believe Devs have said they’d prefer to give classes access to different weapons, or even bring in a new type of weapon. Well I think you can do both at the same time, without having to worry about altering the current state of class balance (at least not by much).
First, instead of a subclass giving you access to all that classes skills, it only gave you access to skills usable by your main class. For example, a ranger with a guardian subclass would gain access to different guardian style skills than a warrior with a guardian subclass. I assume this would lower the amount of balancing the team would have to do compared to the GW1 style of subclasses. As if everyone gained access to all classes skills, and one skill would have to be altered to obtain balance, it would affects the class it originally came from. That class might end up needed to be balanced again, which would change the skills that everyone has access to, and so on. But by having the subclass skills be like 3-4 skills that are different between all the other classes, balancing a thief subclassed with mesmer shouldn’t affect the mesmer main class. Or any other classes mesmer subclass abilities, for that matter.
Second, having a subclass could be used to open up new weapon sets. Take for example a ranger with a warrior subclass would allow them to be a bunny thumper by gaining the ability to equip a hammer. Perhaps it could change the skills of a current usable weapon. Like a thief with a necromancer subclass would gain altered dagger weapon skills that act more like blood magic touch skills from GW1. Or perhaps a mesmer subclassed with an engineer would gain the ability to use the pistol as a main hand weapon, and the offhand pistol gains different skills.
Finally a subclass could possibly be used to alter the trait tiers of a class. Though this could be quite difficult as there is a large amount of ways to go about this. One way is to maybe just have a subclass have a few major trait choices that are only accessible when that subclass is equipped, much like the skills I mentioned above. Do you have a mesmer subclass? You can use these extra weapons, use these extra skills and these extra traits.
This could easily broaden the amount of tactics a single class can use. A necromancer with a ranger subclass could be more minion master oriented, or with a mesmer subclass be oriented towards illusion based fear CC or domination magic. A ranger with a guardian subclass could be a more supportive spirit build, while a ranger with a warrior subclass could go bunny thumping with a hammer.
This could even be done in series. Like, at first you have to unlock the subclasses you can use with the “grail quests” you have mentioned. By using the classes as they are currently, with all the balancing and stuff being done to them, as a template, subclasses can be used to alter the skill, trait and weapon layout of a class. This would allow for more build diversity, hopefully without completely undoing the current balancing work.
