The Warden of Echovald?

[Raiken.1476]

Ranger elite teaser

 

It seems like the new spec is going to be themed around the Wardens of Echovald. The silhouette seems to resemble their armour, the warrior warden NPCs in Guild Wars used a hammer, and the teaser figure seems to be in a forest (plants on the ground, tree in the background). Anyone else seeing the similarities?

[Aleksander Suburb.4287]

I hoped for many AoE fields, that can help in zergs. In the teaser the green leave carpet could be a hint for a nice AoE field. Green leaves could mean a support field in contrast to the entangle, that rangers use.

[Kodama.6453]

Calling it now, ranger gets a warden inspired elite spec and the utility skills will be consecrations.

[Grand Marshal.4098]

1 hour ago, Kodama.6453 said:

Calling it now, ranger gets a warden inspired elite spec and the utility skills will be consecrations.

Nah it will probably be something new and unique. 

 

Cause you can make the argument that warrior could take gadgets any day with BsW. I'm sure they won't feel like any utility types are matching ranger. Same way Spirit Weaponry could fit Psionics to a lesser degree but they chose not to create this synergy amongst classes that could result in interesting skill type runes. 

[Kodama.6453]

1 hour ago, Grand Marshal.4098 said:

Nah it will probably be something new and unique. 

 

Cause you can make the argument that warrior could take gadgets any day with BsW. I'm sure they won't feel like any utility types are matching ranger. Same way Spirit Weaponry could fit Psionics to a lesser degree but they chose not to create this synergy amongst classes that could result in interesting skill type runes. 

There are still examples of reused skill types among the elite specs, tho. Like willbender getting physical skills and harbinger receiving elixirs

And in my opinion, .consecration fit warden perfectly. They were protecting the echovald forest as something holy, creating sacred areas of nature magic fits that theme well. And it would add ground targeted AoEs to ranger, which many want for the class.

And looking at previous expansions, new skill categories are the exception, most elite specs receive an already established skill category.

HoT (pre gyro rework)

• 6 old skill type elite specs (shouts, wells, physical, glyphs, traps)
• 2 new skill type elite specs (rage and gyro)

HoT (post gyro rework)

• 7 old skill type elite specs
• 1 new skill type elite spec (rage)

PoF

• 6 old skill type elite specs (deceptions, stances, cantrips, mantra, meditations)
• 2 new skill type elite specs (punishment and exceed)

Now looking at what we know of EoD so far:

• 2 old skill type elite specs (elixirs, physicals)
• 3 new skill type elite specs (psionics, augments, armaments)

We already have 3 new skill categories, I don't expect the last 3 elite specs to introduce alot of new ones as well. So my bet is still an old skill type for ranger, like consecrations.

Edited October 10, 2021 by Kodama.6453

[Heimskarl Ashfiend.9582]

If it is a Warden specifically, I really think it's going to be petless and that the pets you choose will be like aspects or elements you can swap between like ele to change the skill bar. 

 

"They may once have been human, perhaps powerful druids or holy men, but they long ago merged with the spirit they served to become something altogether different." https://wiki.guildwars.com/wiki/Warden

[anduriell.6280]

21 hours ago, Kodama.6453 said:

There are still examples of reused skill types among the elite specs, tho. Like willbender getting physical skills and harbinger receiving elixirs

And in my opinion, .consecration fit warden perfectly. They were protecting the echovald forest as something holy, creating sacred areas of nature magic fits that theme well. And it would add ground targeted AoEs to ranger, which many want for the class.

And looking at previous expansions, new skill categories are the exception, most elite specs receive an already established skill category.

HoT (pre gyro rework)

• 6 old skill type elite specs (shouts, wells, physical, glyphs, traps)
• 2 new skill type elite specs (rage and gyro)

HoT (post gyro rework)

• 7 old skill type elite specs
• 1 new skill type elite spec (rage)

PoF

• 6 old skill type elite specs (deceptions, stances, cantrips, mantra, meditations)
• 2 new skill type elite specs (punishment and exceed)

Now looking at what we know of EoD so far:

• 2 old skill type elite specs (elixirs, physicals)
• 3 new skill type elite specs (psionics, augments, armaments)

We already have 3 new skill categories, I don't expect the last 3 elite specs to introduce alot of new ones as well. So my bet is still an old skill type for ranger, like consecrations.

I think you may be right, consecrations or something alike.  

However seeing how Anet has departed from a conservative design with EoD i am not sure what to think. Let's see if we can get a propper teaser for the spec. 

Edited October 11, 2021 by anduriell.6280

[anduriell.6280]

10 hours ago, Heimskarl Ashfiend.9582 said:

If it is a Warden specifically, I really think it's going to be petless and that the pets you choose will be like aspects or elements you can swap between like ele to change the skill bar. 

 

"They may once have been human, perhaps powerful druids or holy men, but they long ago merged with the spirit they served to become something altogether different." https://wiki.guildwars.com/wiki/Warden

I would love a petless ranger mainly because i play wvw and pets are not very useful, but isn't that what the soulbeast does already? 

[Heimskarl Ashfiend.9582]

12 hours ago, anduriell.6280 said:

I would love a petless ranger mainly because i play wvw and pets are not very useful, but isn't that what the soulbeast does already? 

Yeah, it's able to merge with the pet, but not permanently. And doing so only gives you a Couple of extra skills and stats. My idea would be the F skills are available as skills, plus the pet swap would also swap the weapon skills and could augment the utility skills too. Then you'd get access to the pet swap traits while remaining merged with your pet.

 

I mean, what else can they do now?

Core - Pet, swap traits on pet swap.

Druid - Nerfed Pet, New skill bar, skills that swap effect based on skill bar, swap traits on pet swap.

Soulbeast - Pet, ability to merge temporarily, a few additional skills based on pet, swap traits on merge/unmerge.

Warden - No pet, permanently merged, F1-F4 skills based upon pet type, swap skill bar and/or utility effects on pet swap.

 

It seems like the next logical progression to me.

[Lazze.9870]

22 minutes ago, Heimskarl Ashfiend.9582 said:

It seems like the next logical progression to me.

 

Same here. Yet some people want an e-spec that is essentially what core ranger should be, but on steroids. Or an one pet spec with a more powerful pet (hey pvp whine) .Or they are mad men who want to shift the power output from the ranger to the pet.. That will be horrible.

Soulbeast isn't truly petless, treating it as such only limits the options Anet has. They can't give ranger any new mechanic unrelated to the pet without nerfing it like they did to druid (which is a lazy trade off in of itself). A petless ranger would already have a built in trade off.

Edited October 11, 2021 by Lazze.9870

[AlexndrTheGreat.8310]

3 hours ago, Heimskarl Ashfiend.9582 said:

Soulbeast - Pet, ability to merge temporarily, a few additional skills based on pet, swap traits on merge/unmerge.

Warden - No pet, permanently merged, F1-F4 skills based upon pet type, swap skill bar and/or utility effects on pet swap.

I don’t know dude, if we end up getting what is essentially Soulbeast 2.0 where it’s 90% of what a merged Soulbeast already does, that would feel like such a slap in the face and waste of an elite spec. Like yea, having a pet less spec is definitely a possibility, but it shouldn’t be a copy paste of a current one. If we do get some petless mechanic it should have an actual mechanic tied to it instead of “Revenant but your legends are pets”.

 

An idea I’ve had of an elite mechanic that I haven’t seen mentioned would be a “Temporary Pet” or a “Pet-like replacement” as I guess it could be called. You wouldn’t have a pet baseline and would have to summon it (triggers the pet swap traits). The thing being summoned could be something like an “Elite” pet that is significantly more powerful, but now would obviously be temporary/on a timer instead of permanent. Or instead of a pet it could be something that replaces the pet such as a totem or spirit based on your chosen pet(s). It could have health like the pets currently do and can be targeted and killed, be untargetable and be on some baseline timer, or have some basic energy system where it can remain out for as long as you have energy and can be cancelled early. This would allow us to still trigger any pet based abilities or traits, and have a spec that doesn’t have their main mechanic rely on a pet that can be killed in WvW Zerg fights.

[Ehecatl.9172]

This reveals maddeningly little. At least since we already knew we were getting a hammer.

 

The flourish of leaves is interesting. It might suggest the hammer has some nature themed AoE blasts when we swing it instead of just being a martial weapon like Greatsword. 

[ens.9854]

3 hours ago, Heimskarl Ashfiend.9582 said:

I mean, what else can they do now?

 

Both pets out 🙃

[Crackmonster.2790]

3 hours ago, ens.9854 said:

Both pets out 🙃

ding ding ding !

[Lazze.9870]

20 hours ago, AlexndrTheGreat.8310 said:

it’s 90% of what a merged Soulbeast already does

 

Depends entirely on what those skills are and what else the spec brings with the hammer, traits and the utilites.

Permamerged soulbeast is often just an dps increase, with skills that are somewhat useful where the pet wouldn't be.

[TheLadyOfTheRings.9148]

I think the new elite spec will focus more on nature itself. 

Druid - focus on celestial and astral force 

Soulbeast - focus on pets (merging with pet) 

New elite - focus on nature 

To me this makes sense. Let's see what we get 😉 

[HotHit.6783]

Agreed there. Celestial, Animal and Plant makes a lot of sense to me as three distinct Ranger themes.

Can't say there's any merit to the "ignore pet", "delete pet", "expunge pet" theory other than vocal WvW players praying for a second miracle.

Edited October 13, 2021 by HotHit.6783

[Lan Deathrider.5910]

On 10/11/2021 at 9:41 PM, ens.9854 said:

Both pets out 🙃

But with 50% of their stats 🙃

[Elricht Kaltwind.8796]

As a massive Kurzick fanboy I can only desperately hope.

[Jack Swiftclaw.9076]

I'm interested in the ranger mechanic.  We have yet to see anything solid spec on kurzik or luxon lore.  Based on this it would be kinda cool to see what it will be based on wardens.  Hammer I'm hoping for some aoe and knockbacks as ranger lacks those.  

 

It needs to be really good for me to leave Soulbeast.  I was never a fan of Druid and the Soulbeast merge,unmerge,merge mechanic just fits how I want to play as a ranger.  Plus smoke scale pet makes me feel like a ninja when merged.  

 

I'm hoping for a spec that lets me not worry about my pet dying every 10 seconds.  

[Xanadrine.4352]

Sooo when can we turn into beasts? Merging with pet is nice but they should allow a new skill that actually turns you into a beast as a spell. Or even a tree something that would connect you to the land and nature around you would be nice. 

[anduriell.6280]

3 hours ago, Zuldari.3940 said:

Sooo when can we turn into beasts? 

Isnt that what norn does with the racial skills? There you go your wereanimal ranger spec

[Kodama.6453]

1 hour ago, anduriell.6280 said:

Isnt that what norn does with the racial skills? There you go your wereanimal ranger spec

Same way as people always request an exosuit golemancer for engineer, which is also already in the game with the Asuran elite skill.

Some people don't care if it would feel bad to just get an improved version of an already existing skill. They are not satisfied, since they want that fantasy and racial skills are not viable, so they ask from Anet to make literally the same thing again, but better.

[Xanadrine.4352]

19 hours ago, Kodama.6453 said:

Same way as people always request an exosuit golemancer for engineer, which is also already in the game with the Asuran elite skill.

Some people don't care if it would feel bad to just get an improved version of an already existing skill. They are not satisfied, since they want that fantasy and racial skills are not viable, so they ask from Anet to make literally the same thing again, but better.

No I was thinking more along the lines of what wooden potatoes said about kurzen and  warden rangers would be cool to transform into juggernauts like in GW1, or even become their pet.

 

Edited October 14, 2021 by Zuldari.3940

[Heimskarl Ashfiend.9582]

On 10/12/2021 at 12:01 PM, AlexndrTheGreat.8310 said:

I don’t know dude, if we end up getting what is essentially Soulbeast 2.0 where it’s 90% of what a merged Soulbeast already does, that would feel like such a slap in the face and waste of an elite spec. Like yea, having a pet less spec is definitely a possibility, but it shouldn’t be a copy paste of a current one. If we do get some petless mechanic it should have an actual mechanic tied to it instead of “Revenant but your legends are pets”.

Seriously, I think that would be fantastic. I think Ranger has always lacked the numerical number of skills able to be put into play. We have no transforms, or kits or conjured weapons and so we are always hampered by it. Most Ranger weapons you need to fill in time with autoattacks until your other skills come off CD. Warrior has this same problem, but at least they can trait Discipline to allow more frequent weapon swapping. That's why Discipline is in almost every War build.

 

To go further into this theme, imagine the pets are your elements on an Ele, but each pet archetype has a skill set, just like Soulbeast, but instead of them being F1-F4, they change the Hammer skills on pet swap. Then your F2-F5 skills can be ground targeted AoE de/buffs or damage or whatever. Bears=Tanky, Canines=AoE CC, Birds = AoE power damage, Spiders = AoE Condi  damage, or whatever.

 

That would be incredible and just what Ranger is lacking.

 

 

On 10/12/2021 at 12:41 PM, ens.9854 said:

Both pets out 🙃

Just use the Hyena and some Ogre runes lol

 

On 10/13/2021 at 8:57 AM, Lazze.9870 said:

 

Depends entirely on what those skills are and what else the spec brings with the hammer, traits and the utilites.

Permamerged soulbeast is often just an dps increase, with skills that are somewhat useful where the pet wouldn't be.

Let's just hope it's AoE!