Can we get an update on Build Templates?

[Thundabolt.8541]

This is a feature we've been waiting for since the release of the game. We're excited, and we want to know more about how they're going to work.I'm slightly concerned about the same thing happening to Build Templates that happened to Private commander tags, which is that the feature gets released, only to immediately be disabled because they weren't working as intended.

From the preview trailer, the character is seen walking across what we now know as the bridge leading to the brig in the new map. They switch between Rifle, Hammer, and Sword/Shield. So, it's safe to assume that this is an Engineer switching between Core, Scrapper, and Holosmith. There's also the ghostly infusion, that appears when they swap to Scrapper, and disappears when they swap to Holosmith.

I don't expect a reply from Aenet but at the very least, we can try to have a discussion about how we'd like to imagine they will work. I'm assuming they will work differently in each game mode.Here's how I believe they'll work:

• In General: Does not work during combat. Adds an extra tab to the Hero panel. Can be swapped on the fly, as seen in the preview trailer. Can be mapped to a hotkey with a 5 second cooldown. 3 builds per character, 3 builds per game mode. Does not grant extra storage slots, but keeps gear visible in your inventory screen.

QoL bonuses Gear in build templates cannot be salvaged or destroyed unless they are removed. Gear used in build templates will receive small icons, preferably red cogs, in the top left. BTs can be given names. BTS can also be used to swap armor and accessories/rings/trinkets.

• In PvE: Dungeons, Fractals and Raids will see players making use of BTs between fights. Underwater weapons and aquabreathers are included in the 3 BTs you are given and do not gain their own individual BTs.

• In PvP: Like usual, BTs do not use PvE loadouts, and use the loadouts selected within that game mode. In matches, BTs can only be swapped during the countdown before each match. You cannot swap BTs during a match. Players will find use in BTs when looking at the team preview to see what they are up against, and can swap to a more suitable role if they feel it necessary.

• In WvW: Again, BTs will not use PvE loadouts. Players will find BTs very handy to be able to swap between things such as roaming and zerging builds on the fly.

Thoughts?

[kraai.7265]

coming soon...just buy some more cosmetics from the gem store to motivate themlmao

[perilisk.1874]

Personally, I'm curious about the monetization side of it:

1. Will we receive any gear+build template slots for free?
2. Will gear+build template slots be purchased per character (like bag slot expansions) or per account (like additional crafting licenses)? I expect the latter, but you never know.
3. How much will additional gear+build template slots cost?
4. Will we have an unlimited number of client-side build-only template slots (like build templates in GW1 or certain GW2 addons)?

[Voltekka.2375]

Yes, according to reliable sources:

Soon

[Omega.6801]

Build templates will hit "when they're ready".