My Predictions for Elite Specializations.

[Alurazle.5430]

Specializations

If I had to guess the weapons I would say:

Elementalist: Staff is our only 2 handed weapon and if conjurers CAN'T be used we have Longbow or Rifle.

Guardian: Dual swords, but I understand some people that want an actual ranged condition weapon for there guardians.

Revenant: A good Ranged weapon for power builds...I'd like a scepter, pistol and/or rifle, don't think they'd give use Longbow 

Ranger: They have so much Ranged weapons, melee power spec would be nice, but I also don't like hammer or mace and I think thats what there getting :(

Thief: So far they have gotten 2 Elites that gave them 2 handed weapons so I think they will get an offhand, but I know everyone wants a Greatsword on them.

Engineer and Warrior: They have no Artificer weapons so Staff, Scepter or Focus and seems to fit with Alchemist theme if they are mixing science and magic and Warrior could be an opposite of spellbreaker using magic in a pure offensive brute force style.

[MrForz.1953]

Ah yes, I've seen the leaked Engineer Alchemist e-spec too.

[Kodama.6453]

My own interpretations of the icons shown:

 

1. Mesmer elite spec. This one is pretty obvious, it shows throwing daggers and we know that Virtuoso will use throwing daggers with psionic powers.
2. Ranger elite spec. It shows an animal head, so this is a clear sign that it will be a ranger spec. Since the symbol also kinda resembles a shield in shape, I would assume that this is going to be their weapon. Most likely a tanky bruiser spec for rangers which focuses on stronger pets.
3. Thief elite spec.The crossed swords are referencing the core thief icon, which are a crossed key and dagger. Three diamonds represent the initiative system, which might see some changes for this elite spec. Likely called Assassin and getting offhand swords as their weapon.
4. Elementalist elite spec. References the core elementalist icon, both are big stylised flames. The diamond could be an arrowhead flying in our direction, so my guess would be that they receive longbow as their weapon.
5. Warrior elite spec. It shows a mempo, the traditional mask worn as part of warrior armory. Samurai likely as the elite spec name here, which seems quite fitting as a warrior elite spec. Weapon could be a staff which is used as a spear with a fitting spear skin in their collection (there already are staff skins which look like spears, there is precedence) and many legendary samurai have wielded spears in Japan. That the icon is a protective headpiece also fits the core warrior icon, which is a helmet.
6. Revenant elite spec, this one is basically guaranteed. The icon shows the "third eye" of the core revenant symbol, which is a clear give away. My guesses for class name and weapon are Ritualist (the symbol kinda resembles the old Ritualist symbol from GW1, just tilted to the side) and focus. I guess focus as the weapon because the icon resembles a vajra, a ritual weapon used in Buddhism and Hinduism.
7. Necromancer elite spec. As you also mention, it is confirmed that necromancer will get pistol and this symbol shows a bullet, which is referencing this weapon for them. The swirl around the bullet and the 2 things on the side could represent some dark magic the bullet is infused with (maybe cursed bullets? they removed cursed bullet from deadeye, maybe they want to reimplement it thematically for the necromancer now).
8. Guardian elite spec. The icon is, once again, referencing the core icon of the class. It is hard to see, but bear with me: one symbol that represents the guardian class is the ankh, which is also shown on the shield in the core class icon. The middle part of this new icon here references the ankh, the circle (which seems to be the head of a figure here) is the negative of the hole in the ankh design. The torso underneath is the tapered part of the ankh at the bottom. And the arms left and right are the appendages of the ankh on each side. It seems to be a tanky bruiser spec, maybe guardians can infuse themselves with magic to strengthen their bodies and fight without weapons for a period of time (people were requesting fist fighting for a while in this game). Name and weapon could be Juggernaut with offhand mace.
9. Engineer elite spec. Another icon which references the core class icon here, it shows the bomb/flask of our core class, just with some adjustments (not tilted to the side, has something in it, etc.). What's inside, I would interpret as a Jade shard to represent the new Dragonjade Technology we know will be a thing in the lore. The bomb/flask is either surrounded by poisonous gas or fire, which indicates a condition spec (something engineer direly needs). No clear sign for me about the weapon here, I personally hope for a mainhand mace, but it could be many things.

Edited July 29, 2021 by Kodama.6453

[Kodama.6453]

8 hours ago, MrForz.1953 said:

Ah yes, I've seen the leaked Engineer Alchemist e-spec too.

That we have an alchemy trait line does not hinder an e-spec to get designed around alchemy. Even the name alchemist is not ruled out.

 

In the German version of the game, the trait line illusions is called "Illusionen" and the mirage e-spec is called "Illusionist", which translates to illusionist obviously.

 

It doesn't have to be an alchemist spec, but the core trait line alchemy is not stopping something like this from happening.

[anduriell.6280]

1 hour ago, Kodama.6453 said:

My own interpretations of the icons shown:

1. Ranger elite spec. It shows an animal head, so this is a clear sign that it will be a ranger spec. Since the symbol also kinda resembles a shield in shape, I would assume that this is going to be their weapon. Most likely a tanky bruiser spec for rangers which focuses on stronger pets.

The symbol looks like an arrowhead / Spear head too. Actually as spearhead there is not need to turn he the symbol around.

 

Can it be possible ranger got the spear? 

Edited July 29, 2021 by anduriell.6280

[Kodama.6453]

2 minutes ago, anduriell.6280 said:

The symbol looks like an arrowhead / Spear head too. Actually as spearhead there is not need to turn he the symbol around.

 

Can it be possible ranger got the spear? 

Correct me if I am wrong, but as far as I know, the new collection of legendary weapons (all themed for Aurene.... urgh...) will include 16 weapons on release. Which means that they just do land weapons for new legendaries again, so underwater legendaries are still limited to just 1.

 

Which makes me think that the theory of classes getting underwater weapons for their elite spec is dead. Abandoning the underwater weapons like this when wielding them on land would be a major feature of some elite specs sounds like a no-go for me.

 

So I think spear is ruled out for ranger.... It could be a different weapon, I just assumed shield because of the shape of the icon. But I wouldn't have high hopes for spear coming to land if I were you.

[Lazze.9870]

3 hours ago, Kodama.6453 said:

Since the symbol also kinda resembles a shield in shape

 

I mean, it resembles a stylized lion a head (or some other animal/beast) and neither druid nor soulbeast had any hints towards the weapon in their icons. It's one of those situations where if it turns out to be a shield, you can say it kinda resembles the icon, and if it's not a shield it still makes perfect sense. As opposed to having a bullet in your icon and no pistol/rifle.

 

Crossing my fingers for it not being a shield. Ranger needs something that can shake up its role portfolio a bit more. Shield doesn't do that.

[Kodama.6453]

1 minute ago, Lazze.9870 said:

 

I mean, it resembles a stylized lion a head (or some other animal/beast) and neither druid nor soulbeast had any hints towards the weapon in their icons. It's one of those situations where if it turns out to be a shield, you can say it kinda resembles the icon, and if it's not a shield it still makes perfect sense. As opposed to having a bullet in your icon and no pistol/rifle.

 

Crossing my fingers for it not being a shield. Ranger needs something that can shake up its role portfolio a bit more. Shield doesn't do that.

What ranger needs the most for the next elite spec (in my opinion) is a tanky bruiser. Which makes perfect sense with a shield.

 

You are right, tho. I was just thinking of shield because of the shape, but it is an animal first, so if shield is not it's weapon, that is totally legit.

 

Which weapon do you personally think the rangers could end up with?

[Lazze.9870]

22 minutes ago, Kodama.6453 said:

What ranger needs the most for the next elite spec (in my opinion) is a tanky bruiser. Which makes perfect sense with a shield.

 

You are right, tho. I was just thinking of shield because of the shape, but it is an animal first, so if shield is not it's weapon, that is totally legit.

 

Which weapon do you personally think the rangers could end up with?

 

Hammer. That is the only weapon that dips into both that bruiser role while still offering something new to the class (potential wvw zerg role, better teamfighter). Shield is too limiting. Of course, it depends on the rest of the spec as well, but shield would only replace off-hand dagger for the same old, boring sidenoder role. Granted they do the typical shield skills of some CC and some personal block, which seems likely as Anet doesn't exactly go full ham on ranger weapon effects. They are usually very subtle. SB dagger could just as well have been a core ranger weapon.

 

For what weapon I personally think it will end up with? Most likely something I don't want at all. Like a shield. That and firearms are probably at the very bottom for me. Mace doesn't exactly thrill me either.

Edited July 29, 2021 by Lazze.9870