Elite Specialization Weapon Unlocks

[Rozalina.3196]

Something that would be cool is if once we unlock an elite specialization we would be able to use the weapon it unlocks even if we're not traited to it. For example, If a ranger unlocks soulbeast they would be able to use main-hand dagger even if the bottom trait of their build is set to something other than soulbeast. This would open up even more variety to people's builds. People would still have to earn those weapon unlocks by getting the elite specialization for it. They just don't have to use them together.

[Panda.1967]

Yes, yes a million times yes... even if we had to fully unlock the whole spec before we could use the weapon without the spec slotted... this is NEEDED... this should have been how it worked in the first place...

[GrubySzymek.1362]

Specialization weapons are bound to them in terms of theme and trait synergy and it makes no sense to use these weapons without traited elite spec. This forces players to trade off certain mechanics and skills which is also easier to balance. I don't think elite weapons should be allowed outside of elite specs they are bound to.

[Tanner Blackfeather.6509]

While it would be nice, the locking of weapon to elite spec is also a fundamental part of how they plan to keep the elite specs manageable to balance - it reduces the possible synergies so they don't have to check Elite Spec 3 traits interaction with Elite Spec 1&2 weapons and so on.

[Cyninja.2954]

I give you:

• https://en-forum.guildwars2.com/discussion/732/remove-elite-spec-req-for-weapons#latest
• https://en-forum.guildwars2.com/discussion/3995/elite-specialization-weapons#latest

and the old forums:

• https://forum-en.guildwars2.com/forum/game/hot/Unlock-elite-soec-weapons-from-elite-specs/first#post6647709

The idea has come up before. It won't happen. It would be a balancing nightmare.

There was an official arenanet response somewhere which stated that they are happy with how elite specialisations and weapons tied to them work, I'm just to lazy to look for it now.

[Panda.1967]

@Kheldorn.5123 said:Specialization weapons are bound to them in terms of theme and trait synergy and it makes no sense to use these weapons without traited elite spec. This forces players to trade off certain mechanics and skills which is also easier to balance. I don't think elite weapons should be allowed outside of elite specs they are bound to.

By your logic, it makes no sense to use any weapon without the associated trait line for it's specific trait. I don't use Chaos on my mesmer, should I be locked out of using a staff because I don't have the proper trait synergy for staff? Of course not. Also, not every elite spec even has a trait that synergises with their weapon, just look at Chronomancer, not a single shield trait in the bunch.

As for restricting them to make it easier to balance... this isn't completely true... sure it's easier in the sense of fewer skill combinations to consider. But it complicates balancing everything else. If an elite spec is accompanied by a powerful weapon, it's traits have to be relatively weak to maintain balance, and vice-versa. This results in some elite spec weapons being viewed as useless and making the core weapons even stronger options when paired with that elite spec, and other elite spec weapons being viewed as required weapons for a class. If the weapons are available for use across all specs however, it requires them to properly balance the weapons. More work sure, but the end result is actually better for the game. As it is right now, they don't actually compare the weapons to each other in balancing, there are cases of some weapons being blatantly superior for some classes and some weapons being virtually useless. Of course, for some classes (engineer) this is true of their core weapons too, but for the most part core weapons are better balanced than elite spec weapons. Honestly, I'd say Engineer is the only class where their core weapons suffer from this same imbalance actually...

[Druitt.7629]

The weapons are designed (in theory) to work well with the Elite spec, both combat-wise and also flavor-wise. Great sword goes with the Reaper (and its chill theme), torch with the Scourge. Not to mention that the weapon unlocks with the first set of points into the Elite, so you're asking to put 30 points into, say, Reaper and then you'll use it with Scourge and then complain that a weapon oriented towards chill doesn't work very well with Scourge which has no chill?

Then, as others have said, some Professions could have two one-handed Elite weapons, so you could plunk a few points into each and then dual wield the weapons without using any Elite? Should I also be able to demand that Scourge have access to the Reaper's scythe as well?

[Generator Gawl.5142]

@Druitt.7629 said:The weapons are designed (in theory) to work well with the Elite spec, both combat-wise and also flavor-wise. Great sword goes with the Reaper (and its chill theme), torch with the Scourge. Not to mention that the weapon unlocks with the first set of points into the Elite, so you're asking to put 30 points into, say, Reaper and then you'll use it with Scourge and then complain that a weapon oriented towards chill doesn't work very well with Scourge which has no chill?

Then, as others have said, some Professions could have two one-handed Elite weapons, so you could plunk a few points into each and then dual wield the weapons without using any Elite? Should I also be able to demand that Scourge have access to the Reaper's scythe as well?

I'm not sure I really agree with this. The greatsword iirc only has a chill on the chain #3 AA so it works with the reaper line but i don't think it's as fundamental to the trait line as some might say. You could in theory add ice sigils to any weapon and synergies just as well if not better. Maybe the other elite specs have room to play around like that too. It's fun to experiment to see what you can come up with. It's nice to have the options anyway. Maybe I don't like the greatsword but like the reaper line? Or vice versa. And there's nothing elite about the weapon itself. If one elite spec is a main hand and the other elite spec is an off hand, why not. I say go ahead.

The reaper shroud tho I think is fine being tied to a trait line like berserk adrenaline bar, or soulbeast merge or photon forge etc. Those change the core mechanics of the class, more or less.

[Zoltar MacRoth.7146]

@Druitt.7629 said:The weapons are designed (in theory) to work well with the Elite spec, both combat-wise and also flavor-wise. Great sword goes with the Reaper (and its chill theme), torch with the Scourge. Not to mention that the weapon unlocks with the first set of points into the Elite, so you're asking to put 30 points into, say, Reaper and then you'll use it with Scourge and then complain that a weapon oriented towards chill doesn't work very well with Scourge which has no chill?

Then, as others have said, some Professions could have two one-handed Elite weapons, so you could plunk a few points into each and then dual wield the weapons without using any Elite? Should I also be able to demand that Scourge have access to the Reaper's scythe as well?

Why not? There's no difference between a player using a greatsword with scourge traits than there is by using a staff with reaper traits, or any other weapon with traitlines that don't support it. It already happens. I could play mes with a staff and not pick chaos. Not to mention you can use a traitline like reaper without greatsword. It's not optimal, but is it not the player's choice what kind of build they want to play?

[Jukens.1693]

Classes don't feel like progressing with this system, we just get 1 weapon each class and thats it. Imagine getting land spears, they will be tied to a elite spec and you won't be able to use it without the spec. There is no weapon freedom and it doesn't feel right.

They could at least allow weapons in PvE so it doesn't mess with PvP balance.

[Illconceived Was Na.9781]

@Rozalina.3196 said:Something that would be cool is

Cool? Sure. Make for a substantially better game? Probably not. Make the game harder to balance efficiently and effectively? Definitely.