An idea for future profession mechanics

[Maax.1089]

So I had this idea for a mechanic they could maybe implement in a future expansion, which would bring back something from Guild Wars 1 which I know everyone enjoyed.

It would be a way to get a second profession, like we used to be able to do in Guild Wars 1.
My idea was basically that you could select a secondary profession, which would give you access to some (or all) of the core abilities from that profession (maybe excluding elite skills, and nothing from the Elite Specs).
The players could only select one secondary profession at a time (like in GW1), and will have to train to use them with hero points (maybe at a higher hero point cost than if it was your main class, so its not as easy to earn).

there might be a way to make it somewhat limited, so that it is not overpowered, but I feel like that would be a great callback to the original game, while also being plausible in Guild Wars 2, both lore-wise and mechanic-wise

[Beddo.1907]

No thanks.
I can already see a meta where class X skills are a must for Power builds, Y for Support and Z for Condi and any other combination makes you not a good in a role.
As a result, your character is now only capable of performing well on one role only and balance would take even bigger hit than anything we got in the past.

[Jedrik.3109]

No. Look how many complaints this community has balance and power creep. And you want to add secondary profession?

[Batalix.2873]

Lol.

Initially I was going to deconstruct why this would only narrow the meta down further.

But you know what? Why not. The devs have already been ruining the carefully compartmentalized balance of the profession/espec system, removing meaningful differences between classes and homogenizing buildcraft into oblivion. If they won't walk back powercreep and reintroduce specialization, if aesthetic is all there is anymore and all we are doing is choosing colors...

why not let us MIX the colors?

Edited Sunday at 07:56 PM by Batalix.2873

[Yasai.3549]

I used to think Gw2 should have secondary professions but all it does is allow the main profession to access and use the weapons of the secondary. 

These days... idk. I think eventually all classes will have their own full set of weapons. 

[Knighthonor.4061]

What you described is pretty much what Elite specs are. They are class hybrids of another just by a new name and with all new skill types they same.

[ShadowKatt.6740]

7 minutes ago, Knighthonor.4061 said:

What you described is pretty much what Elite specs are. They are class hybrids of another just by a new name and with all new skill types they same.

THANK YOU. Finally someone who gets it. Outside of a few niche cases almost all the especs are just Class Mechanic from X given to Y. Rangers and Warriors get Death Shroud (CA and DT respectively), Mesmers and Engis get Wells (Chrono and Scrapper respectively) and so on. We've been doing it a long time.

[Voyant.1327]

I've thought about this one a few times and I think there's merit for it. 

As others have noted elite specs have that feel to a degree so I'd piggy bank off of it.

Have a 4th "minor" traitline that is simply a choice of two passives and an inherit "minor" passive. 

It would be a great way to address boon disparity between support builds + add utility w/ keeping class identity a little more. Shift Quickness and Alacrity generation to this slot + frees up balancing.

Example:

Adept Class Traitline:

Chronomancer's Apprentice

2 Step Time Warp: Leap/Burst Finishers apply 1 stack of Alacrity (4s), duration increases by 33% if finisher results in combo field. Duration lowered to (1s) for PvP/WvW. 8 Second Internal Cooldown. 

Imagine having one concise way to have the support boons NOT attached to class balancing and just opening it up thru a couple of choices like this.