A crazy conspiracy theory about the next Warrior elite spec weapon

Spear.

Now, before you freak out, let me explain my ridiculous theory.

Many of you new to the Guild Wars franchise may not realize this but Guild Wars 1 (yes, I still play it from time to time) just celebrated its 15 year anniversary. As part of this celebration, a bunch of new content was added to the game; part of which were the Anniversary Weapons. These new weapons were unique to Guild Wars in that it allowed professions who didn't previously have the appropriate weapon attributes to allow the weapon to be effectively wielded, to wield the weapon using their own profession's attributes (sound familiar?). So now you are asking yourself, why does this matter? Well, I believe Anet may have used this update to tease future elite spec weapons in Guild Wars 2. Why do I think this?

They added a Hammer that scales off Holy Damage which is specific to the Monk (equivalent of the Guardian).

They added an Axe that scales off Energy Storage which is specific to the Elementalist.

They added Daggers that scale off Leadership which is specific to the Paragon (equivalent to the Spellbreaker).

They added a Shield that scales off Fast Casting which is specific to the Mesmer.

Coincidence? Probably. But maybe, just maybe...

They added a Spear that scales off Strength which is specific to the Warrior.

we will be getting the Spear next expansion...

P.S. Please don't take this post too seriously

@Girth.9731 said:Spear.

Now, before you freak out, let me explain my ridiculous theory.

Many of you new to the Guild Wars franchise may not realize this but Guild Wars 1 (yes, I still play it from time to time) just celebrated its 15 year anniversary. As part of this celebration, a bunch of new content was added to the game; part of which were the Anniversary Weapons. These new weapons were unique to Guild Wars in that it allowed professions who didn't previously have the appropriate weapon attributes to allow the weapon to be effectively wielded, to wield the weapon using their own profession's attributes (sound familiar?). So now you are asking yourself, why does this matter? Well, I believe Anet may have used this update to tease future elite spec weapons in Guild Wars 2. Why do I think this?

They added a Hammer that scales off Holy Damage which is specific to the Monk (equivalent of the Guardian).

They added an Axe that scales off Energy Storage which is specific to the Elementalist.

They added Daggers that scale off Leadership which is specific to the Paragon (equivalent to the Spellbreaker).

They added a Shield that scales off Fast Casting which is specific to the Mesmer.

Coincidence? Probably. But maybe, just maybe...

They added a Spear that scales off Strength which is specific to the Warrior.

we will be getting the Spear next expansion...

P.S. Please don't take this post too seriously

Too late. My spear shall pierce the heavens.

There is a pistol theory going around too because of a line from the trailer or something talking about samurais fearing infantry.

Personally I want fists, Spear, or the samurai spec, but not a pistol. If we get pistol its just gonna be pistol + shield ,with a bad auto attack , probably 900 range , number 2 skill will cripple, and 3 will be an ammo skill that applies invuln or something else not new.

And then there won't be a burst skill because this time we're going for 0 bars of adrenaline because they all have to be different and 4 is broken.

Oh and to top it off, the weapon will be condi.

@TeqkOneStylez.8047 said:There is a pistol theory going around too because of a line from the trailer or something talking about samurais fearing infantry.

Personally I want fists, Spear, or the samurai spec, but not a pistol. If we get pistol its just gonna be pistol + shield ,with a bad auto attack , probably 900 range , number 2 skill will cripple, and 3 will be an ammo skill that applies invuln or something else not new.

And then there won't be a burst skill because this time we're going for 0 bars of adrenaline because they all have to be different and 4 is broken.

Oh and to top it off, the weapon will be condi.

That's why I am rooting for Spear; Pistol would almost 100% be your standard medium range condi weapon. I think a one-handed spear would be super cool. I hope they turn it into a physical damage focused sword equivalent with lots of mobility and cripple. I'd also be okay with staff, which also seems possible considering the Chinese-themed Canthan setting of the next xpac.

@Lan Deathrider.5910 said:

@Girth.9731 said:Spear.

Now, before you freak out, let me explain my ridiculous theory.

Many of you new to the Guild Wars franchise may not realize this but Guild Wars 1 (yes, I still play it from time to time) just celebrated its 15 year anniversary. As part of this celebration, a bunch of new content was added to the game; part of which were the

Anniversary Weapons

. These new weapons were unique to Guild Wars in that it allowed professions who didn't previously have the appropriate weapon attributes to allow the weapon to be effectively wielded, to wield the weapon using their

own profession's attributes

(sound familiar?). So now you are asking yourself, why does this matter? Well, I believe Anet may have used this update to tease future elite spec weapons in Guild Wars 2. Why do I think this?

They added a Hammer that scales off Holy Damage which is specific to the Monk (equivalent of the Guardian).

They added an Axe that scales off Energy Storage which is specific to the Elementalist.

They added Daggers that scale off Leadership which is specific to the Paragon (equivalent to the Spellbreaker).

They added a Shield that scales off Fast Casting which is specific to the Mesmer.

Coincidence? Probably. But maybe, just maybe...

They added a Spear that scales off Strength which is specific to the Warrior.

we will be getting the Spear next expansion...

P.S. Please don't take this post too seriously

Pierce away, brother.

Spear...250-300 close range melee combat, a flurry in a cone for 450-800 range, an aoe knockdown sweep with a slam followup, a piercing evading dash...would be awesome, that's not even burst XD

There is a thumbs up button.. but where is the thumbs down button?

@"Aveigel.2601" said:Spear...250-300 close range melee combat, a flurry in a cone for 450-800 range, an aoe knockdown sweep with a slam followup, a piercing evading dash...would be awesome, that's not even burst XD

I put something together a while ago for Spear: https://en-forum.guildwars2.com/discussion/101823/elite-spec-taichou

See what you think about those weapon skills.

@Smoosh.2718 said:There is a thumbs up button.. but where is the thumbs down button?

I wonder, how much despair will it cause to you if warrior doesn't get pistol and therefore you won't be able to wield H.O.P.E.?

@Kodama.6453 said:

@Smoosh.2718 said:There is a thumbs up button.. but where is the thumbs down button?

So much despair... Please Kodama don't crush Smoosh's soul...

@Lan Deathrider.5910 said:

@Kodama.6453 said:

@Smoosh.2718 said:There is a thumbs up button.. but where is the thumbs down button?

But what if I thrive in despair and want to see H.O.P.E. getting crushed?Puhuhu...

@Kodama.6453 said:

@Lan Deathrider.5910 said:

@Kodama.6453 said:

@Smoosh.2718 said:There is a thumbs up button.. but where is the thumbs down button?

You! You monster...

j/k

Seriously though I hope it isn't a stupid weapon like focus and that it actually is a useful traitline...

@Lan Deathrider.5910 said:

@"Aveigel.2601" said:Spear...250-300 close range melee combat, a flurry in a cone for 450-800 range, an aoe knockdown sweep with a slam followup, a piercing evading dash...would be awesome, that's not even burst XD

In regards to this, I think Spear (in this hypothetical situation) definitely needs to be some kind of option that you can take besides Greatsword. A side option as opposed to it either being flat out better or flat out worse because its...well because it isn't Greatsword. This is just for consideration on your take on it, but it likely needs skills that would invariably match Greatswords in terms of how it provides mobility and defenses like how GS3 is an evade.

If diversity is a goal in the game, in that they at least want one build viable per Elite Spec (which I think is what Cmc said at one point as being the ideal goal, though I could be misremembering that) then something needs to be done about providing a weapon option that is on par with Greatsword. Dagger did that with Spellbreaker to a certain extent, its actually a viable option to take instead of Axe or Mace (Mace was an option for a time during HoT with Berserker). The thing is you could also argue that maybe it could also be built as a defensive option for Warrior so as to be an option aside from X/shield, but I don't have an inkling as to how that would be accomplished for a 2h weapon that seems like it would be a primarily offensive weapon.

I also don't know how I feel about the Paper Bombs aspect of that, interesting but not quite sure how that would play out in actual execution.

@KryTiKaL.3125 said:

@Lan Deathrider.5910 said:

@"Aveigel.2601" said:Spear...250-300 close range melee combat, a flurry in a cone for 450-800 range, an aoe knockdown sweep with a slam followup, a piercing evading dash...would be awesome, that's not even burst XD

Well there is some AoE weakness midway thru the AA chain and an AoE blind that pulses twice that when traited via FGS has a 9s CD, so there is damage mitigation built in, just not an evade. I did envision it as a compliment to GS though and wrote it with that in mind.

The bombs would boil down to cast times. Bear in mind that I wrote them to blast themselves on use and that I augement blast finishers on the traitline.

Its going to be pistol, then warriors will wield moot and quip and party tf out of existence

@Loading.4503 said:Its going to be pistol, then warriors will wield moot and quip and party tf out of existence

Tbh i'd love to see the combination of Astralaria + HOPE or HOPE and Howler, HOPE and Flameseeker prophecies. Would be such a sexy combination of weapons.

I may have made Moot but I dont feel like being a party boii just yet.

@Loading.4503 said:Its going to be pistol, then warriors will wield moot and quip and party tf out of existence

This is not incorrect.

@Lan Deathrider.5910 said:

@KryTiKaL.3125 said:

@Lan Deathrider.5910 said:

@"Aveigel.2601" said:Spear...250-300 close range melee combat, a flurry in a cone for 450-800 range, an aoe knockdown sweep with a slam followup, a piercing evading dash...would be awesome, that's not even burst XD

If spear is going to be a 2h weapon, I believe they will make it condi focused on bleeds, cripples, and maybe vulnerability (spear in Guild Wars 1 inflicted alot of cracked armor). If you think about, we don't have a 2h melee condi weapon so there is some space there to add something unique.

@Girth.9731 said:

@Lan Deathrider.5910 said:

@KryTiKaL.3125 said:

@Lan Deathrider.5910 said:

@"Aveigel.2601" said:Spear...250-300 close range melee combat, a flurry in a cone for 450-800 range, an aoe knockdown sweep with a slam followup, a piercing evading dash...would be awesome, that's not even burst XD

Not going to disagree. Throw some burn, cripple, bleed, weakness, and blind in there and you have something solid.

Something like:AA1)bleed 10sAA2) Cripple 5s + bleed 10sAA3) burn on two separate hits in an AoE, so 2 stacks in an AoE for 2s eachSpear2) an AoE Blind 2s with damage, 6s CDSpear3) A multihit, mobile attack that deals bleed on each hit, say 6 hits and 6 stacks of bleed for 5s, cleaves, 3/4s evade frame 10s CDSpear4) Throw the spear to burn 4 stacks for 4s + immobilize 2s target area 15s CDSpear5) A dash, 1200 range, cleaves, weakens foes struck 20s CDF1) PBAoE knockdown that weakens 5s and bleeds targets, 7 stacks for 10s.

Something that works like a condi version of Greatsword without the self root of 100B. Has evade frames, weakness, blind, and CC for sustain. Throw in some sort of Group support focus F2, traits, and utilities. Like grant barrier in a radius around you when you inflict a condition on a foe, I'm talking a small amount of barrier since there are multiple stacks involved there. Like Impact Savant, but for applying condi, and it goes to allies as well, or it could be a in large chunks with an ICD.

@Lan Deathrider.5910 said:

@Girth.9731 said:

@Lan Deathrider.5910 said:

@KryTiKaL.3125 said:

@Lan Deathrider.5910 said:

@"Aveigel.2601" said:Spear...250-300 close range melee combat, a flurry in a cone for 450-800 range, an aoe knockdown sweep with a slam followup, a piercing evading dash...would be awesome, that's not even burst XD

Honestly, even if Cantha isn't Elona so I don't see this happening, but if they flavored a Spear oriented Warrior Elite Spec around Paragon as a basis of reference that wouldn't be a terrible idea. I'm not a particular fan of it being Condi, however with the way Berserker went I kind of don't think Power would even be ruled out as an option with such an Elite Spec because they most certainly tried Condi based for Berserker and Power ended up still being the way to go, at least for PvP.

It actually gives your Taichou idea some basis of merit, mostly because Paragon was sort of flavored as being very "tactical" or "strategist" and as a "leader", so building an Elite Spec around that, especially with the way they have reworked and tailored things on Warriors recently (look at the Tactics rework and how heavily buffed our support oriented Utility shouts got) that they may actually go for something like that. ANet loves their themes.

Spear is definitely a desired weapon, but I just get the feeling we're going to see Pistol, or even some weirdness like Focus because ANet just be like that sometimes...and by that I mean all of the time. They are honestly one of the only Video Game Developers whose decisions for their game and marketing genuinely confuse me. Truthfully I have no expectations, just curiosity, mostly because of their approach to redesigning Elite Specs to have "trade offs" and I'm curious to see how they will construct any new Elite Specs with that concept in mind. If they even do have it in mind anymore.

Spear is certainly desired. But there is going to be a pistol espec this time, and no heavy class has them yet. Warrior just makes the most sense for them. No scholar class has rifle, I expect ele will get rifle. I expect necro to get hammer, mesmers gets maces.

@Lan Deathrider.5910 said:Spear is certainly desired. But there is going to be a pistol espec this time, and no heavy class has them yet. Warrior just makes the most sense for them. No scholar class has rifle, I expect ele will get rifle. I expect necro to get hammer, mesmers gets maces.

Don't know if the different armor class tiers are really a factor here, tho.Guardian with pistol could also make alot of sense, btw. The trope of the pistol slinging paladin is quite common.And revenant can wear whatever weapon they want, since their system is based on legends. They can always make up a pistol wielding legend if needed.

But if the armor class tiers are a factor: give engineer mace in both hands.

I would like to see a Fist Weapons with huge claws instead of spear, or possibility to equip two Greatswords or Hammers at once with completely new skills. Imagine a Warrior with a Greatsword in each hand ... Something like Fury Warrior in WoW.

It'll prolly be scepter or staff you know the least expected thing. Warrior needs a good ranged option at the moment they are useless to play.. You just die over and over.

@TeqkOneStylez.8047 said:There is a pistol theory going around too because of a line from the trailer or something talking about samurais fearing infantry.

Personally I want fists, Spear, or the samurai spec, but not a pistol. If we get pistol its just gonna be pistol + shield ,with a bad auto attack , probably 900 range , number 2 skill will cripple, and 3 will be an ammo skill that applies invuln or something else not new.

And then there won't be a burst skill because this time we're going for 0 bars of adrenaline because they all have to be different and 4 is broken.

Oh and to top it off, the weapon will be condi.

Actually early infantry were spear walls..

@Dante.1508 said:It'll prolly be scepter or staff you know the least expected thing. Warrior needs a good ranged option at the moment they are useless to play.. You just die over and over.

@TeqkOneStylez.8047 said:There is a pistol theory going around too because of a line from the trailer or something talking about samurais fearing infantry.

Personally I want fists, Spear, or the samurai spec, but not a pistol. If we get pistol its just gonna be pistol + shield ,with a bad auto attack , probably 900 range , number 2 skill will cripple, and 3 will be an ammo skill that applies invuln or something else not new.

And then there won't be a burst skill because this time we're going for 0 bars of adrenaline because they all have to be different and 4 is broken.

Oh and to top it off, the weapon will be condi.

So... SPEARS! Great.