Shared Training

Ok we all know about it and it's driving a lot of us mad.Yes I'm talking about LFG posts like "No Necro" or "Low DPS = Kick".But what can we actually do about it? The problem is we can't exactly do anything except compete in who has the highest DPS.I get that the Warrior and Mesmer don't exactly compete with DPS meters, but they join to give the rest Might, Quichness and Alacrity, which is used to increase the DPS.And then there are the Rangers(Druid) who are used to heal everyone and increase DPS too with things like Grace of the Land while at it.Regardless of what happens someone will always be the underdog this way. If Necromancers get buffed in DPS then they will be picked over other classes.Or maybe it will be the Revenant that gets buffed and it will become the top tier DPS? Someone is always going to be the "worst class" this way.

What we need in order to fix this is some kind of SYNERGY which will allow classes to be picked for their unique traits rather than their DPS score.So in order to achieve that I propose something I call Shared Training.

Shared Training is my idea of a new mastery that would change the trait system.I noticed that since the release of HoT all profession are beginning to share more types of weapons and skill types. And even more so now with PoF Elite specs on their way.So this mastery would work by having different classes share their experience in using skills and weapon types they all use.For example Warriors and Rangers can use Longbows, Elementalists and Rangers(Druids) can use Glyphs. If 2 different classes in a team both use traits related to the same weapon/skill type then shared training would kick in and they would gain additional buffs to those weapons/skills.So if the Warrior is using “Burning Arrows” and the Ranger uses “Lead the Wind” they now gain additional buffs by sharing their knowledge, so instead of having 20% faster recharge rate they both have 33% now. Same goes for the Glyphs, if the Elementalist is using “Inscription” and the Rangers(Druids) is using “Verdant Etching” their Glyphs will also have 33% faster recharge rate instead of 20%. They could also gain some additional boosts apart from faster recharge rate, but I’m not going to invent every effect on the spot, if my idea were to be implemented I would leave the ballancing to ANET. But I will explain some other things like what happens if 3 or more classes share a skill/weapon type or what happens if 2 party members are same class.Well if you have 2 Warriors in a team and they both use a Greatsword and both have “Forceful Greatsword” activated nothing happens – they are same class so they don’t have any knowledge to share among one another. However if we have 2 Warriors with “Forceful Greatsword”and a Guardian who has “Zealous Blade” then all 3 will have 33% faster recharge. Now if only 1 warrior is using “Forceful Greatsword” while the other isn’t then the one who isn’t has normal recharge rate. I’ll write it down to make it more simple:

Warrior A with “Forceful Greatsword” has 33%Warrior B without “Forceful Greatsword” gains no benefitGuardian with “Zealous Blade” has 33%

But now what if we have a Warrior, Guardian and Necromancer(Reaper) in the party and each is using their Greatsword related trait? Well then for ballance reasons Shared Training would give no additional bonuses in such a situation, however all 3 classes would need to have their trait activated to gain the Shared Training buff. Same goes if we go to the extreme and have a Warrior, Ranger, Guardian, Mesmer and Necromancer(Reaper) all use a Greatsword and each of them uses their Greatsword related trait. All 5 have 33% faster recharge and additional bonuses, if 1 of them does not use their trait they will have normal recharge rate while the other 4 have their bonuses.

So of course a party could just have 4 Warriors and 1 Guardian and all 5 have the buff too. However there are many other skill types and weapons that could create combinations with other classes for more powerful team builds.In other words we would no longer select skills, weapons and traits based only on our role but also on our party formation.And yes I know there is one problem – Engineers and Revenants share no skill type with anyone. But the shared Training could works with any “relatable” traits, like those that have effects when reviving, boon and/or condition bonuses, dodging, falling damage. There would always be something a specific class can add to the team.Also some skills could use Shared Training with similar skills that are not exactly the same. So for example the the Engineers Turrets could form synergy with other classes summons like Necromancers minions. The Engineer Kits could form synergy with the Elementalists Attunments as they both change their weapon skills.

Shared Training could also work with Similar profession mechanics like the Necromancers Shroud could form synergy with the Rangers(Druid) Celestial Avatar.Although that would probably be hard to do as profession mechanics usually have many traits that buff them. But it could be done simply by having any Trait being used by the other player and then all other Traits gain some additional buff.

But like I said I won't be overthinking this and leave the ballancing to ANET if my idea were to be implemented.

Alternatively you can make your own LFG listing and put "everyone welcome" or something similar.

Exclusionist group listings is nothing new. Before there was any meaningful way to measure DPS it was "zerker ONLY" or "exp 15k AP". Yes that is AP as in achievement points and no that has nothing whatsoever to do with how well you perform in group content, but it was a number they could check that excluded some people (particularly newer players) so they went with it. That's how arbitrary these things are - even if all professions were perfectly balanced so they could all fufill all roles equally well and everyone had instant access to the skills, equipment etc. needed to fufill every role some people would still find a way to exclude others.

Your suggestion, while interesting, wouldn't change that. If it was weak enough that it didn't make a big difference it would be ignored, if it did make a big difference then certain combinations would be popular with 'meta game' players and they'd demand only those combinations in their groups.

It's not a bad idea, I actually think it could be interesting (although I'd prefer if the combinations produced new effects rather than a stronger version of the existing trait), I just don't think it will do anything to help with this particular problem.