Having to use two different spears is perplexing

[Kallan.4593]

ArenaNet's decision to make the spear usable both terrestrially and aquatically is great. However, what perplexes me is the requirement to use two weapons in separate equipment slots, rather than providing the option to use the same spear in both circumstances. Not everyone is interested in creating two identical weapons. Spears should function like any other terrestrial weapon. Could this be a case of lazy programming on their part? Or is it that difficult to combine the two or for the option to use the same weapon in both slots?

Edited August 22 by Kallan.4593
Additional thought

[Gehenna.3625]

You already gave yourself the answer: you need different weapons equipped for each weapon slot. You can't use one sword for both mh and oh slots when you want to equip two swords either.

So spears do function like any other terrestrial weapon.

 

[Danikat.8537]

They do function like any other weapon. My thief uses pistol/dagger and dagger/pistol, and I need 2 daggers and 2 pistols to be able to do that. I can't even use my legendary dagger as a main hand weapon in one set and an offhand in the other set, I had to get an ascended dagger for the off hand. 

I agree it would be nice to be able to use the same weapon in multiple slots, but this isn't new or unique to spears, it's how weapons have always worked in this game. 

[Kallan.4593]

35 minutes ago, Gehenna.3625 said:

You already gave yourself the answer: you need different weapons equipped for each weapon slot. You can't use one sword for both mh and oh slots when you want to equip two swords either.

So spears do function like any other terrestrial weapon.

 

I believe it's unnecessary to require two different weapons for terrestrial and aquatic modes. Anet has opted for the simpler approach of mandating players to create two identical weapons, irrespective of the stats involved. Oh, and I have 9 characters with at least 4 builds each, do the math, that is going to get a bit expensive if everyone wants to use the Spear as their preferred weapon, Anet isn't making it easier to get those materials are they? As a side note my Ancient Wood Plank and Orichalcum Ingot sales have skyrocketed because of the changes.

 

 

Edited August 22 by Kallan.4593

[Gehenna.3625]

31 minutes ago, Kallan.4593 said:

I believe it's unnecessary to require two different weapons for terrestrial and aquatic modes. Anet has opted for the simpler approach of mandating players to create two identical weapons, irrespective of the stats involved. As a side note my Ancient Wood Plank and Orichalcum Ingot sales have skyrocketed because of the changes.

 

 

You may believe that, but in the end it requires a weapon per slot and underwater weapons are treated the same way, which undoubtedly is for game mechanical reasons. Currently a single weapon cannot be used for multiple slots. If you want two greatswords with different sigils, you'll need to equip two of them. Changing that just for one weapon instead of all weapons would create issues I'm quite sure. People have double legendary weapons just for this purpose. So if the spear gets to be used twice, then why not the other weapons? You just haven't thought the consequences of this through.

And you can defend your stance all you want but it's just because you're annoyed with having to create a second spear. That's the real reason behind it. So don't come with this being "perplexing or unnecessary". You just don't want to do it, while the vast majority of players understand it and just move on. Oh and if your sales are up you do have the gold to make another spear, so really...

Edited August 22 by Gehenna.3625

[Dean Calaway.9718]

This is funny because when we are given the free spear I right click > equip and it was gone... game bugged I thought till I realised it equipped the thing in an underwater slot.

Then after equipping it for land and putting expensive sigils, used it for a while, figured I'd change to an ascended one so I went to salvage the free one for sigils and nope, none salvageble. Good thing day one people were paying 30 silver for honey flowers.

I'm guessing this is something they'll change in the future, but wouldn't hold my breath.

[Kallan.4593]

51 minutes ago, Dean Calaway.9718 said:

This is funny because when we are given the free spear I right click > equip and it was gone... game bugged I thought till I realised it equipped the thing in an underwater slot.

Then after equipping it for land and putting expensive sigils, used it for a while, figured I'd change to an ascended one so I went to salvage the free one for sigils and nope, none salvageble. Good thing day one people were paying 30 silver for honey flowers.

I'm guessing this is something they'll change in the future, but wouldn't hold my breath.

Yea, the spear seems to have half-baked ideas to sell an expansion. And it seems to have worked.

[Zok.4956]

4 hours ago, Kallan.4593 said:

Not everyone is interested in creating two identical weapons.

It's a good thing that underwater content isn't that important in GW2, so it hardly makes a difference if you use exotics for your underwater weapons. And for those who want to build two legy spears, Anet has added a legy spear (Kamohoali'i Kotaki) to the actual legy starter set #5. 

[Kallan.4593]

9 hours ago, Zok.4956 said:

It's a good thing that underwater content isn't that important in GW2, so it hardly makes a difference if you use exotics for your underwater weapons. And for those who want to build two legy spears, Anet has added a legy spear (Kamohoali'i Kotaki) to the actual legy starter set #5. 

I actually pondering taking that over Twilight, tough call either way.

[scerevisiae.1972]

leaving aside the ridiculousness of someone wielding a spear then deciding to pull out _another_ spear when they dive in the water.

or the ridiculous game design in the first place that lets players carry around literal tons of weapons and armour in their backpacks like its nothing.

i think in this case though it's pure laziness and the huge drop in game quality we've seen in recent years in GW2 where everything is now low-grade budget knockoffs: budget legendaries with copy/pasted models & particle effects, budget expacs with no specialisations or new mechanics, no new WVW content in years etc.

The primary goal of expacs for Anet is to provide new cash shop SKUs (first mounts & gliders, then even more useless stuff like skiffs, fishing rods, chairs and now homesteads)

The game has basically been reduced to a cash shop with (now tired & unoriginal) copy/paste gameplay attached.

[Parasite.5389]

15 hours ago, Kallan.4593 said:

Could this be a case of lazy programming on their part

no, it's called efficient use of time; theres a concept in programming called K.I.S.S.(Keep is simple, stupid), it's much harder to rebuild the entire weapons system to have a single weapon that functions differently on land and under water, than it is to just build a new weapon type that uses existing equipment.

[TheNecrosanct.4028]

16 hours ago, Kallan.4593 said:

I believe it's unnecessary to require two different weapons for terrestrial and aquatic modes. Anet has opted for the simpler approach of mandating players to create two identical weapons, irrespective of the stats involved. Oh, and I have 9 characters with at least 4 builds each, do the math, that is going to get a bit expensive if everyone wants to use the Spear as their preferred weapon, Anet isn't making it easier to get those materials are they? As a side note my Ancient Wood Plank and Orichalcum Ingot sales have skyrocketed because of the changes.

 

 

It sounds like you've made up a distinction that doesn't really exist, namely one between land weapons and aquatic weapons. Or, as you put it, terrestrial mode and aquatic mode. There is no distinction there, so also not when it comes to the weapons you use. If you want to use two of the same, you'll have to equip two of the same. It's always been that way and there was no reason to believe it would be different here.