Guild Wars 2

Having crafting be the primary method of acquiring top end gear is good for the overall economy because it ensures that lots of players will be participating.

I always hated other MMOs where the economy was irrelevant due to the fact that everything was grinded. Yeah, they “had one”, but it was meaningless. Its only purpose was to gouge new players who were still leveling.

Here, we get a dynamic system that keeps up with the game, and that’s a really nice achievement.

Permanent Super Adventure Box Contract

Darkness.9732:

I don’ t understand why you guys don’ t like the dragonhunter.

For me it has a nice design and it can be very strong both in pvp and wvw with his extra mobility.

Moreover MANY of you have always wrote that ranger is strong and without problems or limits.
Now dragonhunter reminds a ranger in its mechanics…..SOOO Why do you complain then ?

1. I think that the mobility in Dragonhunter is VERY weak, due doesn’t have any permanent access to a 25% increased pace (aside from using traveler runes, which are terribad for pure combat purposes) and the jumps has cooldowns which makes them useless against things like Warrior’s sword #2 (8 seconds cooldown).

1. I think pure condition Dragonhunters won’t be viable, due the class lacks a SINGLE weapon which inflicts conditions with auto attacks. Longbow is mainly a power weapon, which absolutely lacks in terms of condition potetial.

1. The cripples and other soft cc in Dragonhunters seems to lack any PRESSURE: every cripple is attached to skills with a 45-60 second cooldown, which means thet will lack any potential to retain the pressure over your foe.

1. The Dragonhunter seems to be a very STATIC class; traps are like a nerfed versions of wells, with much higher cooldowns. Take this in consideration: typical traps from Ranger had cooldowns from 15 to 30 seconds, and despite that they are barely used. You truly think that builds based on traps with 45-60 cooldowns will work? You remember when Glacial Heart cooldown was like 45 seconds? Was useless.

Overall, Dragonhunters seems to be a weirdo: lacks the sustain expected from a Guardian, is as weak as ever was in terms of mobility and condition pressure, and their utilities are abysmal compared against what shouts and meditations brings to the table in any aspect of the game.

Overall, I’m happy with Dragonhunters, because I was expecting nothing and nothing is what we get. At least I will not be forced to spent time in PvE to unlock crap skills with no use, so I will can focus the efforts in other characters with more viable or interesting specializations.

The name is terrible.

Also the theme around it makes no sense. Even more after seeing the Ready Up gameplay and mechanics presentation.
The spec looks good, but they need to change its name and its dragon-hunting theme that has no sense.

I just don’t like the name because it’s corny, like being named XxLegolasxX. Gives me the unimaginative cringe. (so does warrior but at least that’s a standard and basic name. This just seems forced on top of cliche)

Beyond that, though, I think it’s great. Guardians needed range, LB makes the most sense, and even the new virtues could prove beneficial for melee guardians with the added mobility, and the team support blocks are top notch too.

As I play open world pve this class looks terrible for that. I think there damage out put is going to be pathetic. Traps no matter what kind are useless in boss fights. I really hope the video today will make the class look better then the description.

Mainly I think pve players are upset as we would really just get weaker it appears. We’ll find out today though. Keeping my fingers crossed

JonPeters.5630:

A couple notes on Dragonhunter. We went with this name because we felt it was evocative of the medieval witch hunters. Guardians consider themselves protectors of the innocent. Followers of their faith be it in honor, valor, etc. The origin of the dragonhunter is a more subtle nuanced version of this. Guardians fight for justice and the dragonhunter faction believes justice is the eradication of dragons and their minions. I understand this is a lot more high concept than Mesmer but at the end of the day we felt like we wanted to try and push a more mature theme here. I hope this helps explain our thinking. We had other generic names in mind but felt like it was important to have a mix of spec names that are generic fantasy, more Tyrian fantasy, and more high concept. This one falls more in the third category.

Thanks,

Jon

Thank you for your reply. We appreciate anyone from ArenaNet providing feedback on the fan responses. I get what you were going for. I really do. That became apparent in the Friday twitch stream on the guardian elite specialization. The problem is that the concept comes across as incredibly garbled mess. Intent does not equate to reception. You are sending mixed messages through the name and the flavor text in a manner that feels both disassociated from the core concepts of the guardian and what you claim the elite specialization is about.

You and Karl indicate that ArenaNet seek to evoke a “medieval witch hunter.” But ANet talks about the specialization being “big game hunters,” which is a distinct concept from a “medieval witch hunter.” I can see “witch hunters” being connected conceptually to guardians, as purifiers and inquisitors of the faith, but not “big game hunters.” “Witch hunters” were not known for taking down “big game,” but the secretive, deceptive, and dangerously subtle ‘game’ that lurked within the hearts of their fellow humans: apostates, pagans, and heretics. The danger for “witch hunters” was neither “big game” nor the world outside of their community, but within their community.

When many people think “witch hunter,” they think of the Victorian Van Helsing. More broadly, the “witch hunter” concept evokes colonial Puritan and medieval Germanic witch hunts and Spanish inquisitions. Even Van Helsing was less concerned with “big game” and more with the deception of the occult, vampires, and Satanic forces of evil. For both medieval witch hunters and later invented popular conceptions (e.g. Van Helsing), exorcisms, charms, and prayers were a significant component of how they performed their work. Even 20th century Hollywood action-hero witch hunters (e.g. Blade, Hanzel and Gretel, Van Helsing) are not “big game hunters,” even with their semi-automatic use of arrow ballistics.

When I think of a “big game hunter,” I think of posh British imperialists in 19th century Africa on a leisure holiday unwittingly driving creatures to extinction for kittens and giggles. Even the name of the GM Trait “Big Game Hunter” feels about as terrible of a name “Kill the Bad Guy Shot” or “Make the Dragon Dead.”

A lot of the famous dragon-hunters of folklore (e.g. Beowulf, Siegfried, Saint George, etc.) were conceptually nothing like “medieval witch hunters,” nor were they “big game hunters.” Saint George did not slay the dragon he had captured until the populace of Silene converted to Christianity. It’s even a miracle in itself that a Christian saint can be counted among the folkloric dragon hunters. They were simply warriors. The same is true for most dragonhunters in modern fantasy conceptions: basically warriors and rangers. A lot of the virtuous knights and warriors who slew dragons in myth, folklore, and poem did so with swords, spears, and shields. Not bows. That’s true even for Turin Turambar. Bard the Bowman of Laketown is seemingly the exception, and he’s no guardian.

I’m not sure how ‘dragon-hunting’ is anymore “high concept” or “mature” than a profession named after Ninendo’s “Duck Hunters.” The name has the transparency of a glass window pane completely shattered by thrown bricks. We get it. Dragonhunters “hunt dragons.” But that’s just about as far from “high concept” or “nuanced” as you can get.

My main character is a guardian and I’m very disappointed they named it Dragonhunter. I played many RPGs and I don’t remember any class named ‘whateverHunter’ to be heavy armored. The name doesn’t fit neither the class nor GW lore. It sounds like achievement title.

If you would asked players earlier what class could be Chronomancer, Druid or Tempest I think that 95% would assign them correctly, but Dragonhunter???
For me it will be just specialization S1. If they will add another silly name for other guardian specialization than it will be S2…

JonPeters.5630:

A couple notes on Dragonhunter. We went with this name because we felt it was evocative of the medieval witch hunters. Guardians consider themselves protectors of the innocent. Followers of their faith be it in honor, valor, etc. The origin of the dragonhunter is a more subtle nuanced version of this. Guardians fight for justice and the dragonhunter faction believes justice is the eradication of dragons and their minions. I understand this is a lot more high concept than Mesmer but at the end of the day we felt like we wanted to try and push a more mature theme here. I hope this helps explain our thinking. We had other generic names in mind but felt like it was important to have a mix of spec names that are generic fantasy, more Tyrian fantasy, and more high concept. This one falls more in the third category.

Thanks,

Jon

Christ that is terrible reasoning. “Other generic names”. What could be more generic than “Dragonhunter”? And there is NOTHING subtle or nuanced about “Dragonhunter.”

There is absolutely nothing about this name that evokes imagery of witch-hunters and the fact they have to come out and defend the name proves it’s a terrible name. Additionally, the description of “big game hunter” doesn’t mesh with witch hunting either!

On top of this, it’s insulting that he defends the name by pretending it’s somehow hard to grasp… as if it’s a mature concept that escapes us. NO, no it’s not Mr. Peters. There is nothing “high concept” about this…. and there’s nothing highbrow about the name or difficult to get. In fact, it’s quite “lowbrow” that you’re going with the generic “dragons r evil” route. Previously, the lore held that dragons were akin to forces of nature; part of the natural cycle of magic in Tyria. Would we have Tornadohunters? Earthquakehunters?

You are dumbing down the lore and ruining the Guardian archtype by pigeonholing it into the current PVE story in one fell swoop.

Do the right thing and change the name.

I really, REALLY hope they change the name. Imagine if the announcment had gone more along the lines of…

“Meet the Arbiter!

We’re proud to reveal the Arbiter, the elite specialization for the Guardian. Staying true to the base class, these wielders of light have mobilized in the war against the dragons, ready to bring justice to their foes and solace to their allies! This new specialization has an emphasis on range and mobility, both features that were previously lacking in the Guardian’s lineup.

In addition to reworked virtues and access to longbow, Arbiters have gained the access to traps. By carefully setting the stage with a variety of new traps, the Arbiter can direct the flow of battle from a distance. Judgment is passed when foes or allies pass over the traps, bringing devastating conditions to the unworthy. One skill, Prison of Light, will keep your enemy locked in place, allowing the Arbiter to swoop in for the coup-de-grace.

The new elite, Glint’s Revelation, does something really cool and guardian themed too."

OK so I ran out of steam there at the end but you get the idea.

I think the name should be changed. It sounds cheesy and generic.

I expect the name “dragon hunter” to be the name of a class in some kind of facebook game.

Dear Anet, I hate it.

There are no dragons in SPVP. There are no dragons in WVW.

Pick any other name- Bastion, Stalwart, Valkyr, Arbiter, Warder.

Dragon hunter is as to class names as Justin Bieber is to music.

Via the TOR wiki:

“Because of widespread community dissatisfaction on the decision to name the telekinetic focused Consular advanced class the Jedi Wizard, Bioware released a poll on the 5th November 2010 with a choice of 4 (including the incumbent):

Jedi Sage – 55.46%
Jedi Adept – 23.85%
Jedi Seer – 16.91%
Jedi Wizard – 3.78%"

If EA can do it, Anet can do it!

We’ll have a better idea of how the spec is supposed to play after the Ready Up.

• If the traps and traits are very punishing, then Castigator is a possibility.
• If the traps and traits are very supportive, then Absolver is a possibility.
• If traps and traits are very controlling, then Transfixer is a possibility.
• If the traps and traits are really various in their effects, then something more generic like Arbiter or Warden could be appropriate (and they both appear very popular). Vigilant would also be ok.
• The main theme of the virtues and traps as described is the manifestation of imbued light. That could be the key to a name that truly ties all of the elements together. I don’t even know if Imbuer is a word, and if it is it may confound people.

Change the name please. A profession name should give people an idea of how it works. Ranger use bow, Chorno use time, Thief use dagger etc.
Dragon Hunter tells you nothing. . . It does not give you the impression that it is a backline support at all.

Can I just correct the OP here, the name is Dragonhunter. Not Dragon Hunter. Dragon Hunter while it would not be a great name, is perfectly fine and acceptable. Dragonhunter on the other hand just sounds stupid.

Seraph

Warden

Sentinel

Anything other than Dragonhunter ArenaNet please...it feels like a title and nothing like a Guardian at all.

chronometria.3708:

Anything except dragonhunter.

This one’s easy, even within the theme they were going for. Seeker.

• Crusader
• Guardian Angel
• Archangel (seriously, flying wings and no angel references?)
• Zealot
• Janissary
• Sentinel
  Heck, just Demon Hunter would be better because Dragon’s are what everyone’s hunting. Dragon Hunter is in a weird place because everyone is hunting dragons. We have built an army for hunting dragons. It really doesn’t have anything to do with the Guardian.

Play as the “Dragonborn” equivalent in Heart Of Thorns as the Dragon hunter specialization comes to GW2! Don’t miss this chance to give Mordremoth(and Trahearne) an arrow in the knee!

I dislike the name. That said, I can see myself playing one.

Hidden Achievement/title: Dragon Layer – Spend 1 minute defeated during each dragon fight. Alternatively awarded for going down(state) in each fight.

I like the Idea of crafting the best armor in game, instead of waiting and playing dungeons only, over and over again, just to see that another player get this item you really want and need. Sure, it takes too much time, my celestial light armor took me over an year to craft. But in the end, I have got finished this without the rng-factor, which hates me in most of the other mmo’s, not in gw2 I have to admit. The only thing which could be critizes, is that you need 100 silkbolts for one damask. I really wish there were an alternative with leather and metal.

I do not think the Confirmation box itself is the problem.

I find unequippping the salvage kit automatically after every confirmation a lot more annoying.

Press Mystic Salavage Kit -> Click -> Scroll down to rares -> Click -> “Are you sure?” -> Scroll up to Mystic Salavage Kit -> Click -> Scroll down to rares… and so on.

And no, I am not rolling around in rares. I just cba to salvage them, so they rack up after a while.

Same reason why I have 1000+ scrolls of knowledge, who knows how many luck, and 2.5+ mil karma lying around. QoL update please?

rotten.9753:

Arioso.8519:

You have to admit, that comes off as a tad hostile. Or at least a bit elitist. Telling someone they’re a “Bad Player” for “keeping their training wheels on” may not be outright hostile, but you can see how people might take it that way, right?

Is this some kind of new correctness to not tell anyone about their performance? Especially that after playing for some time you should remove those training wheels.

In context (that is important, you know), calling someone out for not “removing training wheels” by running a build with Toughness (or Survivability in general) is kind of a crappy thing to do. It comes down to a group of players insisting that every player play like they play and bow to the Zerker dungeon Meta, and the comment that they “need to learn the combat system” is hilarious given that the dungeon strategy du jour involves exploiting level design to stand in a corner and dps race the mobs. That is even less active and requires less skill than a WoW 5-man.

Yenn.9185:

Would be nice if every class has access to passive 25% movement speed.

Most do, but some get it much simpler via signets, while some have to trait for it. Guardian and Mesmer get hurt the most for it.

Would be nice if every class has access to passive 25% movement speed.

Margrave.2071:

Being over powered in low level zones with lowbie friends is a blast.

Thank you for your responses, and I suppose we’ll just stay in other online games that allow this then. Oh well.

Going into a level 2 zone as a level 80 and brainlessly one shotting everything for no point whatsoever is your definition of “a blast”? You and me have much different opinions on what is fun then. That seems incredibly boring to me.

Kind of pathetic to quit a game due to the fact that you can’t impress your friends by one shotting everything in a low level zone LOL