So I may have Spent a Day designing an Elite Spec that could fit with End of Dragons.

[Dapper Shark.4958]

Introduction:

I’ve been a fan of guild wars 2 for a while now I'm pretty backseat and haven't really been on the forums other than that one post that got highlighted by wooden potatoes…

I joined shortly after Heart of thorns released and have put my foot into most aspects of the game PvE open world, raids, fractals, PvP, and a tiny smidge of WvW. While I've never been the best in all these formats or known classes particularly well, I wanted to try and have a bash at designing an elite spec I've had in mind since a tiny bit after Path of Fire released. Who knows, maybe even catch the eye of arena net and have an elite spec similar to this in the game wink wink nudge nudge.

That said I know a player designed elite spec being implemented is unlikely although perhaps it may be able to inspire other designs? So finally beyond thanking the guys who helped me refine this down to a specific class and design pointers I'll let you read on, oh, and take everything I write here with a pinch of salt as I'm no design/balance expert.

Class: Thief

Potential Names: Dragon Master, Path of Dragons

DescriptionThrough ancient Knowledge, you have learned how to harness a small portion of the elder dragon's powers.

Traits

Minors:

Dragons Training (Novice):Thief no longer uses the steal skill, instead, you can cycle through a variety of dragons and the ability to use a longbow.

Notes;

• When cycled dragons would be on a cooldown of 15 seconds.
• This would be the big feature of Dragon Master boasting 6 dragons to attune with, 6 new utilities (1 heal, 4 utilities in the 7-9 keybind slots, and 1 elite), and 5 new weapon skills for a total of 42 variations on your skills.
• Weapons Skills will Vary Depending on Dragon.
• The elite skill will not change based on dragon only the heal and the other 4 utility skills
• Dragons would be based on Primordus, Jormag, Mordremoth, Zhaitan, and Aurene/Kralkatorrik. These would be able to be cycled through with the f1-f5 bar

Dragons Training (Adept):Through rigorous training, you have further mastered your harnessing of the Dragons Powers when you switch dragons you now let out a bellowing roar (blast finisher, probably on a cooldown of about 20s)

Dragons Training (Master):You have fully mastered the power of the dragons, when you enter Dragon Armour, Dragon Might, or Dragons Blight you now gain 5s of protection

Grandmasters:

Draconic Sight (Colum 1 Row 1)Using draconic sight you know exactly where to strike,Your shouts now apply vulnerability to the target, if they already applied vulnerability the duration is increased.

Draconic Power (Column 2 Row 1)Gain Power based on your Ferocity,Might you apply lasts longer and has increased power damage (goes from +90 power to +180 but loses its + to condition damage)

Draconic Might (Column 3 Row 1)Dragon Armor becomes Dragons Might you no longer lose power, precision, and ferocity but no longer gain the boost to toughness, vitality, healing power, and concentration

Attuned with Dragons (Column 1 Row 2)Your Shouts now gain a bonus Effect Based on what Dragon you're attuned to

Aurene: Gives 3s of alacrityPrimordus: Gives 2 stacks of might for 5sJormag: Gives 5s of quicknessMordremoth: applies resistance for 3sZhaitan: Gives Regeneration for 5s

Draconic Regeneration (Column 2 Row 2)You gain increased Healing Power based on your vitality and increased Concentration based on your toughness

Draconic Protection (Column 3 Row 2)While in Dragon Armour, Dragons Might or Dragons Blight, you now gain extra healing power and concentration

Tormented by Dragons (Column 1 Row 3)Your Shouts now gain a bonus Effect Based on what Dragon you're attuned to. Aurene Shouts become Kralkatorrik Shouts.

Kralkatorrik: Apply 5s of vulnerability to foesPrimordus: Apply Blind for 2s to foesJormag: Apply Slow for 3s to foesMordremoth: Apply Poison for 3s to foesZhaitan: Applies torment for 5s

Draconic Suffering (Column 2 Row 3)You gain increased Expertise based on your Power,Might you apply lasts longer and now grants increased condition damage (Instead of +90 it becomes +180 and loses its +90 to power damage)

Draconic Corruption (Column 3 Row 3)Dragon Armour becomes Dragons Blight you no longer loose Condition Damage and Expertise but no longer gain the boost to toughness, vitality, healing power, concentration

Utility Skills:I went back and forth a lot on if I wanted the shouts to be an area of effect coned based skill or single target based in the end I went with a bit of both as with most things in guild wars 2 elite specs I tried to design it to have potential in power, support and condition. While I don't list it here these shouts could have some damage output to targets

Dragons Roar (Heal Skill)Let out a bellowing roar healing yourself and applying a boon based on your dragon

Aurene: Gives 5s of RegenerationKralkatorrik: Gives 3s of QuicknessPrimordus: Gives 5 stacks of might for 3sJormag: Gives 5s of ProtectionMordremoth: Gives 1 Stack of Stability for 2sZhaitan: Gives Resistance for 5s

Dragons Talons (7-9 Skill)Call upon a pair of ethereal dragon talons that strike your target 5 times applying 5 stacks Vulnerability for 3s each strike that hits your target (Note: Can be dodged, evaded and blocked)

Dragons Breath (7-9 Skill)Call upon a dragon to breathe upon the targeted area placing a Combo Field Based on the Dragon.

Aurene: Light FieldKralkatorrik: Lightning FieldPrimordus: Fire FieldJormag: Ice FieldMordremoth: Poison FieldZhaitan: Dark Field

Dragons Strength (7-9 Skill)Call Upon the Dragons strength Giving you 5 stacks of might for 3s and fury for 5s.

Dragons Tail (7-9 Skill)Call upon an ethereal Dragons Tail swiping at your target's feet.

Notes;

• If this isn't dodged or evaded this will knock down the target, Heavy CC.
• Can not be blocked.

Call upon Elders (Elite Skill)You call upon the elder dragons gaining Dragon Armour. While you have Dragon Armour gain a boost to toughness and vitality but take negative stats to power, precision, ferocity, condition damage, and expertise.If you kill a target while in Dragon Armour you Gain Dragons Bloodlust which gives a 5% boost to power and extends Dragon Armour by 5s

Notes;

• Dragon Armour, Dragons Might, or Dragons Blight would be an unstripable effect that lasts for 20s.
• Dragons Bloodlust would not stack and more kills would only extend the duration.
• Dragons Armour, Dragons Might, or Dragons Blight would be based on trait choice.

Trait unlocking note: the player would start with the center path before unlocking the top and finally the bottom paths.

Longbow Skills:I tried to design the longbow skills to play into both the condition damage and power damage archetypes while also maintaining the dragon influence aspects and keeping area of effect to a minimum, however, with Aurene I tried to design it to be more based around support and boon giving to also play into the potential support aspect of this elite spec.

Aurene:

Light Arrow: Fire an arrow that passes through allies granting them regeneration for 3sVisions of Aurene: Fire an arrow, allies hit by the arrow gain a brief look into the future granting them quickness for 3sProtecting Light: Fire an arrow, allies hit by it gain protection for 3sAurene’s Light: Fire an arrow at the target location granting allies in it regeneration and placing a light field at its locationRefreshed: Fire a volley arrow that pierces through allies granting them vigor for 5s

Kralkatorrik:

Lightning Arrow: fire an arrow applying 5 stacks vulnerability for 3s to hit targets.Kralkatorik’s Volly: Fire a volley of arrows for each arrow that hits the target, apply 1 stack of vulnerability for 3s.Stunning Arrow: Fire an arrow that stuns targets hit for 1 second.Charged Earth: Fire an arrow that blinds targets hit by it or creates a Lightning field at the location where the arrow hits.Bolt of lightning: Fire a bolt of energy from your bow knocking back your target.

Primordus:

Flaming Arrow: Fire an incendiary arrow applys burning for 5s to hit targetsBreath of Primordus: Fire an arrow that catches fire and burns hit targets for 5sBrimstone: Fire an arrow that scorches the earth beneath it creating a fire field at your target's location.Blinding Smoke: Fire an arrow that blinds targets hit by it or creates a smoke field at the location where the arrow hitsIncendiary Wave: Release a wave of flaming energy from your bow scorching all foes caught in the wave.

Jormag:

Freezing Arrow: Fire an ice arrow that chills the Target for 3s.Whispers of Jormag: Fire an arrow that applies confusion for 3s to hit targets.Frozen to the Core: Fire an arrow that when it hits targets, applies Chilled for 5s.Frozen Earth: Fire an arrow that applies chills to targets hit or creates an ice field where the arrow hits.Winter's Wind: Unleash a chilling wind from your bow that chills all foes caught in its wind for 10s.

Mordremoth:

Poison Arrow: Fire a poison arrow that poisons the target for 5s.Will of Mordremoth: Fire an arrow that when it hits targets applies torment for 5s.Tainted Arrow: Fire an arrow that applies weakness for 3s to targets hit by it.Nature's Reclamation: Fire an arrow that poisons targets hit by it or creates a poison field where the arrow hits.Wall of Vines: Release a wall of vines from your bow pushing back and bleeding any targets hit by the wall.

Zhaitan:

Barbed Arrow: Fire an arrow that bleeds targets for 4s.Zhaitans Blight: Fire an arrow that applies poison to the target for 5s.Shrapnel Arrow: Fire an arrow that detonates when it hits its target applying burning for 1s and bleeding for 5s.Dead Earth: Fire an arrow that applies torment to targets hit by it or creates a dark field where the arrow hits.Hyloconogenic Arrow: Fire an arrow that applies fear to the target hit for 3s.

Final Notes and thanks:If you have read all of this thanks it really means the world to me that people took the time to read this. As I said before I'm no Game designer but designing the elite spec was super fun and hopefully others like this enough that it may be noticed by anet… fingers crossed on that one.This elite spec was initially based around the critical strikes thief specialization but sort of spiraled out into its own thing sort of taking inspiration from a lot of different classes and elite specs of the past.Finally thanks again to those that helped refine this down into a class/design philosophy. They remain unnamed though because I really don't know if they want names out there.

[DzT.8127]

And sadly nobody cared ☹️, I feel you.

[DemonSage.6317]

It feels too much like a combo of Revenant and Elementalist thematically. Not a huge fan sorry.