More flexible alternative to trait lines?

Ever felt as if a particularly desirable trait was trapped in a “bad” line? Ever looked at the holistic set of traits and bemoaned how certain combinations just aren't possible due to the way the trait system limits choice? That's most likely because the current trait system manages to drown in its own bloat while simultaneously pigeon-holing every class into homogenized, “optimized” play-styles. Despite the attempt of minor traits and “elite specializations” to define and shape “roles” within certain classes, very few succeed in creating any difference in any class aside from “this e-spec deals more damage than core or this other e-spec.” The vast majority of specializations are buried in powercreep, and ultimately contribute very little or nothing to the game. Moreover, there are many specs which are taken for only a single or a particular few traits, thus resulting in a number of specialization slots occupied by “the best leftover option possible” rather than something that a player felt genuinely interested in taking. This sort of result goes back into the pigeon-holed play-style result of the current trait system.

The solution I propose is a more free-form version of trait selection that manages to balance itself without denying a wide variety of trait mixing and matching:

No More Minor Traits, Traitlines or Specializations

To preface this: all icons are used as placeholders; everything is used principally in order to convey a hypothetical idea rather than any concrete change.

• All available traits would be available within a single trait “pool” akin to how a player selects utility skills. This, however, does not mean that every single trait from every single class would be preserved (in fact, I would recommend a mass culling of traits until only a few remained). Only the traits most responsible for generating particular play-styles or resulting in the most baseline power increase of weapon options would be allowed to remain. To this effect, the only traits which would be allowed to remain would be mainly comprised of actively triggered effects (i.e. traits tied to certain skill activations or position-based behavior).

This is an example of what the system might look like for the Elementalist:

• In order to keep traits relatively competitive in this new, compacted format of choice, many traits would either get merged together or re-worked. Moreover, since all (and yes, that means even currently segregated e-spec traits) would be piled together into a single, universal selection pool, traits would need to drift away from an over-emphasis on profession mechanic skills (F1-F4) and lean more on unique positioning-based play-styles or specific skill activations (either weapon-based, movement-based, combo-based, utility/heal-based, or even just singular skills by name). This sort of design paradigm also prevents the very common situation that I like to call the Steal Syndrome:

in which traits end up front-loading a bunch of effects onto no-effort, “use-off-cooldown” abilities to which players have constant access (very common in Mesmer, Warrior, Ranger, Guar—it's really a problem with every class). Ultimately, by making traits focus more on active, non-profession skill activations, this system would allow for a lot more potential build combinations and boost the viability of certain skills or weapons.

• Trait build options would be balanced by a point system. Each player will have a set number of “trait points” which they can “spend” at any given time. Each trait available to a player's class costs a certain number of “trait points” to equip. If a player runs out of these trait points (or ends up with a number of left-over trait points which do not equate to any trait point requirements), then that player cannot equip any further number of traits.

• In addition to this point system, the number of traits that a player can potentially equip would be limited via an “Active Traits” bar. This bar would denote which traits the player would have active at any given time, and the traits within the bar could be changed while outside of combat just like current traits. The hypothetical number of slots in the Active Traits bar is entirely up for debate, but considering how the total trait pool would be condensed to only truly powerful and play-style defining traits, a number like 5 slots total seems rather appropriate as, at the very least, a placeholder example.

Elite Specialization Reimplementation

So what to do with Elite Specializations? Since all previous traitline restrictions would be off the table, there would need to be a means to prevent previously segregated e-spec profession mechanics from overlapping each other. My personal solution was to create elite traits.

• A player can only equip one elite trait at a time.

• Elite traits are the only traits which will directly affect how a profession skills work (i.e. in the case of Elementalist, this would include Weaver attunements and Tempest overloads respectively). In order to create more options outside of expansion builds, it might be best to create a “core elite trait” (again, sticking to Elementalist, there could be something related to attunement recharge or even tie attunements into certain utilities).

• The problem now becomes how does equipping an Elite Trait cost the player? Does it take a slot on the Active Traits bar? Does it cost Trait Points; a lot of them? One or the other? Both? There would need to be some means to balance the potential benefit of elite traits' respective functionalities without making their equip cost too oppressive.

Another visual aide for hypothetical ideas:

Possible Further Outcomes of More Trait Freedom

Since traitlines would no longer be so restrictive, the restrictions on utility skills and weapons could potentially be lifted as well with very limited consequences. Due to the limited space on the Active Trait bar, giving a player access to all e-spec utilities, healing skills and weapons might not be entirely too outrageous considering how it is mostly traits which end up giving a lot of them a strong purpose.

Moreover, certain builds would benefit from simply being able to access certain skills that they would probably take if the e-spec system wasn't already so arbitrarily restrictive (i.e. Reaper with Sand Swell among countless other options). It might also be interesting to see some weapon/e-spec profession skill mix-and-match options (although, naturally, some things would most likely need adjustment: Firebrand with Dragonhunter traps would be an even bigger meme than either of those respective specs already are on their own).

TL;DR

Current trait system is incredibly restrictive and only pigeon-holes every class into very homogenized, shallow play-styles. It'd be better if we just dumped the lines entirely and pooled a bunch of traits from every line into a single body from which players could pick whatever they wanted (with restrictions for the sake of balance, naturally).

@Swagg.9236 said:Current trait system is incredibly restrictive and only pigeon-holes every class into very homogenized, shallow play-styles. It'd be better if we just dumped the lines entirely and pooled a bunch of traits from every line into a single body from which players could pick whatever they wanted (with restrictions for the sake of balance, naturally).

Loosening restrictions and merging traits leads to more power creep.

Having free choice traits would have exactly 1 net result:

• the best traits are picked and since now all traits compete with each other, the remaining 80% become obsolete. This is were trait lines actually are beneficial in keeping less powerful traits relevant
• the resulting power creep from picking the best traits out of an entire pool would be big, balance of that scale is near impossible
• the resulting power creep of merging traits would again be big (even if for balance sake)

The amount of work to create global traits for everyone would be beyond belief, for what? So that all classes feel the same? I'm not seeing the huge benefit here even IF this new system miraculously were easier to be balanced and maintained.

I think you are mistaking limitations with power creep. Limitations on the current system are in favor of keeping power creep down, which goes against your very initial intent as to why you want the system changed.

@"Swagg.9236" said:Current trait system is incredibly restrictive and only pigeon-holes every class into very homogenized, shallow play-styles. It'd be better if we just dumped the lines entirely and pooled a bunch of traits from every line into a single body from which players could pick whatever they wanted (with restrictions for the sake of balance, naturally).

The system before specializations allowed you to choose any trait you wanted from any line, up to a certain point. This led to entire lines being neglected in favor of initial traits that were too powerful when combined. For example, the 5/5/5/5/30 Elementalist build (can't remember the exact numbers but you get the point) that stacked the damage modifiers from all attunements. If you make all traits compete with each other, to use your own words: "you will restrict players and pigeon-hole every class into very homogenized, shallow play-styles." Just take a look at the other system that allows MORE choice and is called Gear Stats. There is more overall choice in the selection of stats, yet everyone uses the same tiny percentage of them. Same goes with Runes and Sigils.

In effect, the more choice you give players, the less variety you get, not the opposite.

Here's a picture of how constraining power through limiting options actually allows for a wider variety of builds to be played.You may have dreams about playing above that dashed line, and I understand how tempting that "freedom" may seem; it's a trap.*Picture not drawn to scale; Position of dashed line varies based on releases and patches.