[API updates - December 18 2019]

@Daniel Snider.6241 said:Build chat links are base64 encoded data surrounded by [& ].

The format of the encoded data is represented here by this C++ struct:

#include <cstdint>// PACKEDstruct BuildChatLink {  std::uint8_t magic = 0xd;  // Profession codes can be found in the `code` field at  // https://api.guildwars2.com/professions  std::uint8_t profession;  // Specializations can be found at  // https://api.guildwars2.com/specializations/:id  // To find a trait ID given a specialization, first find the `major_traits`  // array at https://api.guildwars2.com/v2/specializations/:id  // Then, reference this table to find the trait ID:  //        field        | value |    trait ID  // ====================+=======+=================  // traitAdeptN         |     0 | None  //                     |     1 | major_traits[0]  //                     |     2 | major_traits[1]  //                     |     3 | major_traits[2]  // traitMasterN        |     0 | None  //                     |     1 | major_traits[3]  //                     |     2 | major_traits[4]  //                     |     3 | major_traits[5]  // traitGrandmasterN   |     0 | None  //                     |     1 | major_traits[6]  //                     |     2 | major_traits[7]  //                     |     3 | major_traits[8]  // Traits themselves can be found at https://api.guildwars2.com/traits/:id  std::uint8_t specialization1;  std::uint8_t traitAdept1       : 2;  std::uint8_t traitMaster1      : 2;  std::uint8_t traitGrandmaster1 : 2;  std::uint8_t traitPadding1     : 2;  std::uint8_t specialization2;  std::uint8_t traitAdept2       : 2;  std::uint8_t traitMaster2      : 2;  std::uint8_t traitGrandmaster2 : 2;  std::uint8_t traitPadding2     : 2;  std::uint8_t specialization3;  std::uint8_t traitAdept3       : 2;  std::uint8_t traitMaster3      : 2;  std::uint8_t traitGrandmaster3 : 2;  std::uint8_t traitPadding3     : 2;  // To find a skill ID given a palette ID, first find the `skills_by_palette` array  // at https://api.guildwars2.com/v2/professions/:id for this build's profession.  // Then, find the pair with the palette ID and use the mapped value.  // For example, in javascript you might look it up like so:  //     new Map(skills_by_palette).get(paletteID)  // Skills themselves can be found at https://api.guildwars2.com/v2/skills/:id  std::uint16_t terrestrialHealingSkillPalette;  std::uint16_t aquaticHealingSkillPalette;  std::uint16_t terrestrialUtilitySkillPalette1;  std::uint16_t aquaticUtilitySkillPalette1;  std::uint16_t terrestrialUtilitySkillPalette2;  std::uint16_t aquaticUtilitySkillPalette2;  std::uint16_t terrestrialUtilitySkillPalette3;  std::uint16_t aquaticUtilitySkillPalette3;  std::uint16_t terrestrialEliteSkillPalette;  std::uint16_t aquaticEliteSkillPalette;  union {      struct {          // Pets can be found at          // https://api.guildwars2.com/v2/pets/:id          std::uint8_t terrestrialPet1;          std::uint8_t terrestrialPet2;          std::uint8_t aquaticPet1;          std::uint8_t aquaticPet2;      } ranger;      struct {          // Legend codes can be found in the `code` field at          // https://api.guildwars2.com/v2/legends/:id          std::uint8_t activeTerriestralLegend;          std::uint8_t inactiveTerrestrialLegend;          std::uint8_t activeAquaticLegend;          std::uint8_t inactiveAquaticLegend;          std::uint16_t inactiveTerrestrialLegendUtilitySkillPalette1;          std::uint16_t inactiveTerrestrialLegendUtilitySkillPalette2;          std::uint16_t inactiveTerrestrialLegendUtilitySkillPalette3;          std::uint16_t inactiveAquaticLegendUtilitySkillPalette1;          std::uint16_t inactiveAquaticLegendUtilitySkillPalette2;          std::uint16_t inactiveAquaticLegendUtilitySkillPalette3;      } revenant;  };

Really appreciate the going into detail here, thank you so much. That's the kind of info I love.

[Templates Preview Guild Chat -- We want your questions!]

@Vagrant.7206 said:

To add onto this:

Several DPS meters offer plugins for build and gear templates (completely free, btw). ArcDPS notably has had the feature for years now.

My questions are thus: Why should players even bother with the in-game system if they are locked by limited slots? Why should they pay when this stuff will continue to be offered for free by addons?

Or do you plan on hunting down ArcDPS' devs and suing them?

The agreement with ArcDPS back when build templates were introduced was that those will be shut down once the official ones are released. So that will not be an option anymore.