Gathering Ideas for new Elite spec mechanic.

So lately i thought about what new mechanic could be implemnted when the new E-Spec will drop.So i just tgought to make a thread to gather some ideas.

Preferably a mechanic that is totally new.Because:Druid added a new mechanic.Soulbeast enhanced a mechanic, the petskills.

So i thought something entirely new that replaces the pet would be interesting.Something that still works with all traits and something that still needs micro management.

My first ideas revolved arround something similar to ventaris tablet, like a pet totem to command that can swap aspects and gives CC, boons and bonusses depending on pet family and/or archetype.

But thats it for the moment so i wanted to know what other ideas ppl had that could replace the pet without gutting trait functionality.

Sure, I'll have a go.

1 pet only, pet swap becomes revive pet. The single pet becomes tougher and stronger as compensation.Can still select 2 pets in the selection menu but only the first is used.F5 changes weapon skills 1-5 into coordinated, combo moves that the player and pet do together. Also acts as Pet Swap for traits.Each archetype provides 5 unique moves, skills 1-3 depends on the 1st pet archetype, skills 4-5 depends on the 2nd unused pet archetype.

That's all I was able to come up with off the top of my head.

Edit: Just realized very similar to Weaver + Holosmith without the weaving but oh well. F it.

@Wondrouswall.7169 said:Sure, I'll have a go.

1 pet only, pet swap becomes revive pet. The single pet becomes tougher and stronger as compensation.Can still select 2 pets in the selection menu but only the first is used.F5 changes weapon skills 1-5 into coordinated, combo moves that the player and pet do together. Also acts as Pet Swap for traits.Each archetype provides 5 unique moves, skills 1-3 depends on the 1st pet archetype, skills 4-5 depends on the 2nd unused pet archetype.

That's all I was able to come up with off the top of my head.

Edit: Just realized very similar to Weaver + Holosmith without the weaving but oh well. F it.

Dont worry, mine is basically a love child if ventari healer and scourge ¯_(ツ)_/¯

they'll never completely replace the pet because then they'll have to make a new replacement for every pet. at best they'll have a thing that will alow your pet to switch with something (like soulbeast)

@derd.6413 said:they'll never completely replace the pet because then they'll have to make a new replacement for every pet. at best they'll have a thing that will alow your pet to switch with something (like soulbeast)

Sorry to interupt your synicism but my proposal basically has no pet. So there are possible mechanics that can replace pets. Ofc the new mechanic inherits characteristics depending on pet family to keep it versatile, but replacing the current pet mechanic is definetly possible.

@InsaneQR.7412 said:

@derd.6413 said:they'll never completely replace the pet because then they'll have to make a new replacement for every pet. at best they'll have a thing that will alow your pet to switch with something (like soulbeast)

not really cynicism but ok.it's pretty obvious that soulbeast is the closest to a 'petless ranger' we're going to get. it's entirely possible they have an elite spec like soulbeast (but instead of merging pets do something else) but we're not going to get a spec with less pet then that.

@derd.6413 said:

@InsaneQR.7412 said:

@derd.6413 said:they'll never completely replace the pet because then they'll have to make a new replacement for every pet. at best they'll have a thing that will alow your pet to switch with something (like soulbeast)

Soulbeast has a mechanic that basically emphasizes on the pet mechanic. A mechanic that utilizes the different pet classes into something bew could be a thing.I mean scourge got something that is totally different to a necro shroud so i thought about these kinda things.Something that replaces the identity of the pet is possible, its limited though. Be creative and think about it, thats basically what this thread is about.

@InsaneQR.7412 said:

@derd.6413 said:

@InsaneQR.7412 said:

@derd.6413 said:they'll never completely replace the pet because then they'll have to make a new replacement for every pet. at best they'll have a thing that will alow your pet to switch with something (like soulbeast)

necro only has 1 shroud at a time depending on elite, pets can be swapped out like weapons it's not a comparable mechanic. i'm pretty sure anet said that soulbeast was their petless ranger because they couldn't completely remove pets.

@derd.6413 said:

@InsaneQR.7412 said:

@derd.6413 said:

@InsaneQR.7412 said:

@derd.6413 said:they'll never completely replace the pet because then they'll have to make a new replacement for every pet. at best they'll have a thing that will alow your pet to switch with something (like soulbeast)

Yes but they substituted the shroud skills with shade skills, why not replacing the pet with something new that inherits some of its functionalities.Soulbeast can be played petless but i am asking for something that comes in the pets place or changes the pet mechanic itself and not the existent pets just how they work.

@InsaneQR.7412 said:

@derd.6413 said:

@InsaneQR.7412 said:

@derd.6413 said:

@InsaneQR.7412 said:

@derd.6413 said:they'll never completely replace the pet because then they'll have to make a new replacement for every pet. at best they'll have a thing that will alow your pet to switch with something (like soulbeast)

if you agree that they're not comparable why do you keep using scourge as an example. besides scourge has a shroud skill (an incredibly watered down shroud but a shroud non the less) because they can't fully remove shroud just like you can't fully remove pets and replace it with something else.this is even ignoring traits.

@derd.6413 said:

@InsaneQR.7412 said:

@derd.6413 said:

@InsaneQR.7412 said:

@derd.6413 said:

@InsaneQR.7412 said:

@derd.6413 said:they'll never completely replace the pet because then they'll have to make a new replacement for every pet. at best they'll have a thing that will alow your pet to switch with something (like soulbeast)

I said i wanted something that replaces current pet mechanic. Pets themself sure can still exist in some kinda form, just how they work changes.I do not want to over and over justify myself for the idea that i want a new mechanic for the next e-spec that works differently to the current pet mechanic and that is not just an additive of druid or an upgrade like soulbeast has. Something new that takes the core mechanic and reiterates it in a new form. If you cant come up with one so leave it be, just saying it does not work is just setting borders for creativity.

@InsaneQR.7412 said:So lately i thought about what new mechanic could be implemnted when the new E-Spec will drop.So i just tgought to make a thread to gather some ideas.

My first ideas revolved arround something similar to ventaris tablet, like a pet totem to command that can swap aspects and gives CC, boons and bonusses depending on pet family and/or archetype.

Actually, I can see it. Like a shaman or witchdoctor. Weapon will be scepter for power damage at midrange. Their F5 skill will turn both pets for the same land/water terrain into a totem pole with properties and abilities matching both pets' families. I dare to take a further step and add a third totem of the animal that you chose during character creation, for some additional effect.

@Zin Dau.1749 said:

@"InsaneQR.7412" said:So lately i thought about what new mechanic could be implemnted when the new E-Spec will drop.So i just tgought to make a thread to gather some ideas.

My first ideas revolved arround something similar to ventaris tablet, like a pet totem to command that can swap aspects and gives CC, boons and bonusses depending on pet family and/or archetype.

Or you get a tradeoff by replacing the petswap with a pet "spiritform", so your pet swaps into a wisp form of itself that can be controlled remotely and has different properties depending on family and archetype. F1 could be the position skill to place it where you place the ground target, the F3 could be the "rebinding" command so it rebinds to you and follows your movement.F2 could be the archetype specific skill or the family skill.Personally i would like ti see the family skill. So you could use Moa as AoE heal, drakes as a blast finisher, canine as CC, bears as AoE invuln etc.And the F2 if the pet is your utility on the otherside.

Shroud form for pet, that turn them something like warberast. In this form pet gets four new skill, that are different debending which pet is in use. When shroud is active ranger have full control over three of thos skills(fourth of them is aa of course).

@Zorpi.5904 said:Shroud form for pet, that turn them something like warberast. In this form pet gets four new skill, that are different debending which pet is in use. When shroud is active ranger have full control over three of thos skills(fourth of them is aa of course).

Oh, I like this idea.

@Wondrouswall.7169 said:

@Zorpi.5904 said:Shroud form for pet, that turn them something like warberast. In this form pet gets four new skill, that are different debending which pet is in use. When shroud is active ranger have full control over three of thos skills(fourth of them is aa of course).

It seems interesting. Giving some bonusses to the ranger himself would be interesting too. Also kinda dependend on what kind of pet you would use.

@Zin Dau.1749The extrem of my idea could be that the totem replaces the pet entirely and can be infused with different pet spirits, so there would be a pet swap. You would sacrifice the AA kinda but the Totem could pulse dmg and condis depending on Pet AA. And the thing that would be traded off is the F2 of the pet. The totems could give boons/bonusses depending on archetype.

If in the next E3 Anet doesn't announce GW3, my like would be a kinda beastmaster where the ranger can call multiple pets bringing the class closer to the mesmer. The beastmaster, the same as the mesmer only can have up to 3 beasts at the same time.

the difference with the mesmer is the skills work as switches and only go to cooldown when the beast die or is switch off, having a significatively much longer Cd when the beast die. Beasts are monster models and animations, this pets are much stronger than actual ranger pets.Multiple beasts can be active at the same time but each beast have a defined role with special skills which the player can use.F1 send beasts to attack, F5 call them back.F2,F3,F4 activate the special skills for each active beast.

Each beast also have 1 auto attack, 1 instant gap closer in a short CD(actual ranger pets should follow this so they can connect from time to time), and one special auto skill designed for type of beast in a moderate CD, as an example the "Heal" beast could heal periodically around itself or offer some short of protection.Each beast have a defined behaviour as defensive or offensive, for example the "heal" beast although could attacks foes in range it would stay always close to the beastmaster, meanwhile an offensive beast would not be limited by such.Beasts could get enhanced to be significantly tankier, more damaging, heal better or be faster using traits.Beast could have special abilities other than the skills, some could ignore most terrain (wyvern), other could ignore LoS with ranged attacks(winrider), other could apply special conditions(vampire beast)

Other option would be the bunny trumpet from gw1 but i don't fancy to have a holo knock off.

i hope it's not something focused in the trait spirits unbound, that would be very disappointing as that should come back as core trait.

But at this point it would be fantastic if Anet focuses on fixing the core ranger and core pets, better than try to improve something so broken with more new specs. We have already two half baked specs, one with one troll build and the other with a full glass, both using the same 2 of 3 traitlines.

Centaur mode!

Yay, silly brainstorming time.

@InsaneQR.7412 said:Dont worry, mine is basically a love child if ventari healer and scourge ¯_(ツ)_/¯

In fairness, the main way for non-devs to know what's possible with the current game engine is by basing ideas on things that already exist within the game. That's my excuse anyway haha =D

@InsaneQR.7412 said:@Zin Dau.1749The extrem of my idea could be that the totem replaces the pet entirely and can be infused with different pet spirits, so there would be a pet swap. You would sacrifice the AA kinda but the Totem could pulse dmg and condis depending on Pet AA. And the thing that would be traded off is the F2 of the pet. The totems could give boons/bonusses depending on archetype.

I think I like your extreme best, the spirit totems that instead of fusing the animal spirit with your soul you bind it to affecting an area. Basing it fully on ventari's tablet isn't a bad thing, when I read it I was imagining a movement skill and pulse effect based on archetype (balanced with each other since same cooldown) followed by a couple of skills based on pet family that affect an aoe around the totem and are balanced by individual cooldowns.

@"Zorpi.5904" said:Shroud form for pet, that turn them something like warberast. In this form pet gets four new skill, that are different debending which pet is in use. When shroud is active ranger have full control over three of thos skills(fourth of them is aa of course).

I remember justifying ranger getting a rifle before by suggesting a specialisation that gives their pet scrapheap power armour haha!

On the more natural side of things, there are options like a ranger themed around the echovald forest giving their pets a stone/wooden form (I imagine this one really focusing on the pet as a source of tanky cc), or a ranger themed around plants in a different way (mordremoth?nightmare court?) getting plantform versions of all the animal families that are a bit more versatile in effect (it's easier for me to associate a variety of effects with the more exotic plants, can still contain the ironwood toughness as well as bleeding thorns, toxic/mind affecting spores, mimicked carrion smell that attracts a cloud of insects, etc.), or emphasising the ranger's attunement to the weather/elemental portions of the natural world and giving their pets elemental attunement forms and the ability to call wind/storms/hail etc..

There's also inverting the soulbeast concept somewhat and giving the ranger something like the ability to channel a berserker fury through their pet, allowing the pet/ranger to share an adrenaline mechanic and make use of twinned physical utility skills, sort of a different take on the "one soul sharing two bodies" kind of closeness. (This might actually pair quite well with the echovald forest theme).

But these are still all more about enhancing the pet mechanic rather than replacing it, because try as I might I can't really think of a way to replace it beyond the ventari tablet thought without making it lose the rangerness. (In my mind, mobile aoe effects centred on yourself are basically just a different delivery method of the same ventari tablet thought).

@Rashagar.8349 said:Yay, silly brainstorming time.

@InsaneQR.7412 said:Dont worry, mine is basically a love child if ventari healer and scourge ¯_(ツ)_/¯

@InsaneQR.7412 said:@Zin Dau.1749The extrem of my idea could be that the totem replaces the pet entirely and can be infused with different pet spirits, so there would be a pet swap. You would sacrifice the AA kinda but the Totem could pulse dmg and condis depending on Pet AA. And the thing that would be traded off is the F2 of the pet. The totems could give boons/bonusses depending on archetype.

@"Zorpi.5904" said:Shroud form for pet, that turn them something like warberast. In this form pet gets four new skill, that are different debending which pet is in use. When shroud is active ranger have full control over three of thos skills(fourth of them is aa of course).

Yeah i dont mind if ppl try to enhance the oet mechanic. It is still something new that changes the pet on its own and changes how it behaves.Druid just slapped on a new mechanic and soulbeast oppened up pet choices a bit and a closer relation to the pet.Changing the pet mechanic entirely (not necessarily removing the pet itself) would be the logical next idea.The idea of being plant focussed or imbuing your pet with certain aspects is surely something devs could consider too.

whatever it is i need it to be a mid-range focused power dps spec that can compete for top dps numbers so Every other profession forum can be full of rage and "nerf Ranger" shouts again

My current top three ideas:

• Reaver: The pet is replaced by a new mechanic, the swarm, formed by multiple smaller pets at once. You choose between a few different swarm types, among them pocket raptors and pygmy moas. Swarm members respawn automatically a few seconds after death, and can focus on multiple targets at once. Reavers wield spears in both hands, using them as ranged weapons from a safe distance, leaving close combat for the swarm. They enhance their combat skills through venoms, which are applied to both the reaver and every individual swarm member. Reavers come from the Luxon clans of the Jade Sea in Cantha.
• Bloodhound: The new mechanic is called dual pet, and lets you summon both pets at once. The new weapon is the crossbow, and they get deception as the new slot skills. Bloodhounds are merciless hunters, their art originating from Blood Legion charr in the faraway Plains of Golghein, and can track and hunt any target, be it beast, man, or machine.
• Botanist: The pet is replaced by a belt of customizable mechanic skills, representing a seed pouch. You can choose and equip a variety of different plant species, and then throw their seeds in combat to summon plant/fungus turrets with different abilities, including damage, support, and more. The new weapon is the vial, an off-hand liquid container, used to heal and support the plants. For the slot skills the get wells, with additional synergy options. Their mysterious art comes from the Depths of Tyria.

For more information on the new weapons and the reaver, you can check the Canthan expansion idea where they're featured. The other two are part of expansion ideas as well, but they're still a work in progress.

Feel free to check the ranger redesign ideas thread too.

@"Lonami.2987" said:My current top three ideas:

• Reaver: The pet is replaced by a new mechanic, the swarm, formed by multiple smaller pets at once. You choose between a few different swarm types, among them pocket raptors and pygmy moas. Swarm members respawn automatically a few seconds after death, and can focus on multiple targets at once. Reavers wield spears in both hands, using them as ranged weapons from a safe distance, leaving close combat for the swarm. They enhance their combat skills through venoms, which are applied to both the reaver and every individual swarm member. Reavers come from the Luxon clans of the Jade Sea in Cantha.
• Bloodhound: The new mechanic is called dual pet, and lets you summon both pets at once. The new weapon is the crossbow, and they get deception as the new slot skills. Bloodhounds are merciless hunters, their art originating from Blood Legion charr in the faraway Plains of Golghein, and can track and hunt any target, be it beast, man, or machine.
• Botanist: The pet is replaced by a belt of customizable mechanic skills, representing a seed pouch. You can choose and equip a variety of different plant species, and then throw their seeds in combat to summon plant/fungus turrets with different abilities, including damage, support, and more. The new weapon is the vial, an off-hand liquid container, used to heal and support the plants. For the slot skills the get wells, with additional synergy options. Their mysterious art comes from the Depths of Tyria.

For more information on the new weapons and the reaver, you can check the Canthan expansion idea where they're featured. The other two are part of expansion ideas as well, but they're still a work in progress.

Feel free to check the ranger redesign ideas thread too.

All of those suggestions sounded interesting.

The bloodhound caught my eye with tracking.What if they put some kind of tracking mechanic into game....showing who was in the area and which way they went (I'm thinking of WvW) and even pvp.There were classes that could track in Shadowbane...but that worked because it was such a wide open FFA pvp landscape.

@EnderzShadow.2506 said:

@"Lonami.2987" said:My current top three ideas:

• Reaver:
  The pet is replaced by a new mechanic, the
  swarm
  , formed by multiple smaller pets at once. You choose between a few different swarm types, among them pocket raptors and pygmy moas. Swarm members respawn automatically a few seconds after death, and can focus on multiple targets at once. Reavers wield
  spears
  in both hands, using them as ranged weapons from a safe distance, leaving close combat for the swarm. They enhance their combat skills through
  venoms
  , which are applied to both the reaver and every individual swarm member. Reavers come from the Luxon clans of the Jade Sea in Cantha.
• Bloodhound:
  The new mechanic is called
  dual pet
  , and lets you summon both pets at once. The new weapon is the
  crossbow
  , and they get
  deception
  as the new slot skills. Bloodhounds are merciless hunters, their art originating from Blood Legion charr in the faraway Plains of Golghein, and can track and hunt any target, be it beast, man, or machine.
• Botanist:
  The pet is replaced by a belt of customizable mechanic skills, representing a
  seed pouch
  . You can choose and equip a variety of different plant species, and then throw their seeds in combat to summon plant/fungus turrets with different abilities, including damage, support, and more. The new weapon is the
  vial
  , an off-hand liquid container, used to heal and support the plants. For the slot skills the get
  wells
  , with additional synergy options. Their mysterious art comes from the Depths of Tyria.

For more information on the new weapons and the reaver, you can check

the Canthan expansion idea where they're featured

. The other two are part of expansion ideas as well, but they're still a work in progress.

Feel free to check the

ranger redesign ideas thread

too.

I mostly thought of anti-stealth stuff, but that sounds pretty interesting too. Just let bloodhounds select a target, and then said target leaves a trail in the ground, visible to the bloodhound only.

We need more fun mechanics like that in the game.