Suggestion: Warrior Elite Specs and Possible Changes

[Bunstonious.8173]

I am a huge fan of Warrior in every game that I play, the entire loop of the class is relatable and simple to understand (pick up a weapon, hit the enemy with the weapon) and so in GW2 I have a Warrior of every race because I love them so much.

Because of this I thought I would post some suggestions of possible directions for the Warrior profession.

 

### Elite Specializations ###

Staff: This to me is the most logical next step for a Warrior, it seems odd that a warrior (who is a weapon master in most games) is unable to wield the most basic of equipment, the big stick. I thin that the staff should function a cross between the Revenant (except less magical) and the Daredevil (less acrobatic). This would also fit with the theme of cantha as it's usually associated with eastern cultures and martial arts, it feels like it's designed for this next expac.

 

Dragoon / Lancer: This is an idea that I heard from Wooden Potatoes, using underwater weapons as primary weapons, and I think that in that theme there is MUCH potential for a Dragoon to be a fantastic idea of an elite spec that would suit heavily within the warrior theme (I am so down for this suggestion).

 

Gladiator: One of the things I liked about World of Warcraft: Warlords of Draenor was the limited time Gladiator specialization, as the idea that you could do damage by wielding a sword and shield was just fantastic to me and it was implemented in such a great way that I think it could be applied here. It wouldn't be using a new weapon as such, but taking an old weapon and turning it into a power damage workhorse and this would really allow me to fulfill one of the styles in game that really speaks to me (for now i'll just have to equip it just for giggles in open world) and an elite spec could really add some meat and bones to this play style.

 

Samurai: This is would also fit with the eastern theme and could be functionally similar to the SAM in Final Fantasy XIV, but a whole elite spec around a samurai would just be thematic, great from a fun perspective and a unique addition to the Warrior / GW2.

 

Archer: As a pivot from the melee style, you could either reuse longbow as a power option, or add shortbow for Warrior to have an archer ranged power elite specialization, this would really fit a certain theme and could be really fun to play.

 

### Possible Changes ###

 

I'd like to maybe see some changes to things like rifle, maybe having some aoe viability with the 4 and 5 ability rather than the 2 it currently has, to make it a bit more useful in power builds. It would be good to see iconic weapons like sword and longbow have options to make them more useful in power builds (eg. if you have more power than condition damage, the damage profile is shifted from burn to direct damage and visa versa) as this would allow some more thematic choices for those of us that like the "weaponmaster" theme of the warrior.

 

There is a lot to love about the warrior, and I find myself going back to it even though I also like playing other characters and even if it's not the best profession around 🙂

[Fueki.4753]

16 hours ago, Bunstonious.8173 said:

Staff: This to me is the most logical next step for a Warrior, it seems odd that a warrior (who is a weapon master in most games) is unable to wield the most basic of equipment, the big stick. I thin that the staff should function a cross between the Revenant (except less magical) and the Daredevil (less acrobatic). This would also fit with the theme of cantha as it's usually associated with eastern cultures and martial arts, it feels like it's designed for this next expac.

 

Dragoon / Lancer: This is an idea that I heard from Wooden Potatoes, using underwater weapons as primary weapons, and I think that in that theme there is MUCH potential for a Dragoon to be a fantastic idea of an elite spec that would suit heavily within the warrior theme (I am so down for this suggestion)

Samurai: This is would also fit with the eastern theme and could be functionally similar to the SAM in Final Fantasy XIV, but a whole elite spec around a samurai would just be thematic, great from a fun perspective and a unique addition to the Warrior / GW2.

 

All three of these themes can easily be collected into one elite specialization.

Contrary to pop fiction make-believe (which FF14 also adopted into their pop fiction samurai), Katana or other Japanese sword were not the primary weapon of a Samurai. That role goes to the bow. Their second most-used weapons were polearms, among them mostly spears and glaives.

Staff can simply be used as the weapon category for the spears.

There already are multiple spear skins, so Warriors wouldn't need to only resort to new skins.

 

I wouldn't want such an elite specialization to play anything like FF14's Samurai though.

It's so boring that I've a hard time no falling asleep while playing it.

 

Likewise, I do not want any dragon stuff in it. Dragoon was a huge turn-off for me with its dragon magic stuff in FF14.

To me, having a proper Grand Lancer or something that focusses on the spear would simply be superior.

GW2 already has too much dragon stuff anyway, with Aurene being focal to yet another story.

[Grand Marshal.4098]

28 minutes ago, Fueki.4753 said:

GW2 already has too much dragon stuff anyway, with Aurene being focal to yet another story.

AURENE STATUETTE WOOOO 😭🤑🤑

AURENE LEGENDARIES 😎😍😍

Edited July 30, 2021 by Grand Marshal.4098

[Kodama.6453]

1 hour ago, Grand Marshal.4098 said:

AURENE STATUETTE WOOOO 😭🤑🤑

AURENE LEGENDARIES 😎😍😍

I would 've never thought that I will ever ask the pesky guardians for help.... But I think we might need the assistance of the dragonhunters.

Edited July 30, 2021 by Kodama.6453

[Fueki.4753]

31 minutes ago, Kodama.6453 said:

I would 've never thought that I will ever ask the pesky guardian's for help.... But I think we might need the assistance of the dragonhunters.

Yet they don't actually excel in hunting dragons, not even their small minions.

If I remember correctly, traps don't even work on super-sized enemies like dragons.

Edited July 30, 2021 by Fueki.4753

[Smoosh.2718]

On 7/30/2021 at 12:52 AM, Bunstonious.8173 said:

Staff: This to me is the most logical next step for a Warrior, it seems odd that a warrior (who is a weapon master in most games) is unable to wield the most basic of equipment, the big stick. I thin that the staff should function a cross between the Revenant (except less magical) and the Daredevil (less acrobatic). This would also fit with the theme of cantha as it's usually associated with eastern cultures and martial arts, it feels like it's designed for this next expac.

I see so many players wanting staff/spear without thinking about what it will bring to the class which it can not already do.

I highly doubt staff/spear will be given to the warrior under the pretense that it doesnt bring anything new to the class. Now the only roles it could fill are either, support melee or condition damage melee. However, we already have a spec dedicated to damage and conditions, so support is the more likely candidate.

The weapon i believe will be given to the warrior is pistol, under the pretense that warrior does not have a 1h range weapon, its the only core class which does not have a one handed ranged weapon. Warriors mid range option is non existant and I believe this will be the weapon to match up with a support elite spec (symbol most likely to be given to the warrior from my prediction would be the bullet symbol, as this suggest power rising, (like a buff)).

[CalmTheStorm.2364]

Thanks for these ideas, Bunstonious!   I like the creativity and the different directions you explored--lots of good ideas!

 

I had imagined a spec called "the Sentinel"--essentially a woodland/jungle warrior adept at tracking and combating elusive foes, something I imagine would fit the Canthan theme nicely.  I'm especially imagining what Tengu warriors might fight like and how they would combat the enemies native to their lands.

 

Weapon:  Spear (although I really like your short bow idea and could see it working well, too). 

Emphasis on mobility, CC, and burst dmg.  I'd kinda like it to be a hybrid weapon like sword and longbow that would deal some condi dmg, primarily poison.

 

Unique Mechanic:  Shadowstep (F2 ability)

Use 1 bar of adrenaline to shadowstep to target location (CD 8-10s)

Still has access to level 3 bursts

works with idea of being elusive and mobile

ability to engage and disengage easily

track down slippery foes

would give warrior a less telegraphed gap closer (compared to Rush on the GS, for instance) and would assist in landing our more telegraphed skills

 

Traits and utility skills:

emphasis evasive/defensive skills

adding poison to attacks (perhaps a trait to inflict poison on critical hit; and/or maybe a skill analogous to Ranger's Vulture stance to add poison to attacks for a few seconds, etc)

detecting/revealing stealthed foes

 

Sustain Mechanic:

Trait that enables Life siphon when inflicting poison 

 

Elite Skill: Hunter's Reflexes (25s CD)

Stunbreak and 1 second evade

recharges shadowstep

 

[Fueki.4753]

8 hours ago, Smoosh.2718 said:

I see so many players wanting staff/spear without thinking about what it will bring to the class which it can not already do.

The weapon i believe will be given to the warrior is pistol, under the pretense that warrior does not have a 1h range weapon

And many people don't see what a pistol would bring.

It'd be treated like rifle anyway and therefore be so undertuned that it's effectively useless.

 

If it's about giving warrior a mid-ranged one-handed weapon, Arenanet might as well give Warrior access to sceptres that are thrown like javelins. With Paragons, GW1 already had supportive Javelin Warriors. Arenanet could easily create an elite specialization out of what already exists in the franchise. And it would be a thematically better fit for Warrior than a pistol.

Edited August 1, 2021 by Fueki.4753

[Verdict is Vengence.6912]

What I'd like for Warrior new espec:

 

Staff: It should be a kanabō  and the warrior should use it as it was intended to be used. A brutal weapon that smashes and crushes but with more deft than the hammer and quicker. It could have an aoe sweep knockdown either as one of the moves or as burst. The skills should be typical, 1 - attack into an aoe at end of chain that helps build whatever gimmick espec has, 2 - Rapid Attack (hundred blades but moving, maybe following target like scrapper 3 attack), 3 - movement skill that if it catches someone, warrior will bring them down CC style, 4 - smash ground to stun in a line, 5 - either aoe knockdown or literally pick up the enemy and carry them around while choking them (I'm serious, its cool as hell to think of), maybe jump and go into a choke slam if 5 is pressed again. Asuras will have to make people go limp while carrying them.

>Burst will be either the aoe knockdown or use gimmick to do something fantastical.

>Gimmick going with the kanabo could be becoming an Oni (Demon) and we have to build up enough "evil" or "spirits" to activate it or the Oni can be a soul eating demon that eats souls and replenishes health from the blood or souls of its victims. Maybe it can be traited to replenish people around us too.

 

Other Staff theory: Maybe it'll be more like a monk staff that is more mailable than the kanabo. We could fight with it like the Bo Staff in martial arts. More martial artsy, the monk staff will have a longer range than even the greatsword and be quicker. Its skills: 1 - auto into a evasive movement at end of chain, 2 - rapid attack while moving (moving hundred blades again), 3 - movement skill that if follows the final chain of 1 skill will CC, 4 - monkey king staff stretch maybe, not too sure, 5 - movement skill that evades as long as it lasts.

>Gimmick could be called "balance" or "one with the universe" and give warrior 3 different burst options: offensive, defensive, support. Offensive - attack, Defensive - block for as many seconds as bars of adrenaline and if pressed again can use remaining adrenaline to attack, Support - heal or barrier or both, maybe heal allies or give them barrier too, all depending on bars of adrenaline.

 

With spears, I agree with people above. I definitely agree with throwing spears as a means of attack.

 

Maybe with a spear, burst could be making your mount appear and you thrusting forward while riding. Mount will obviously disappear afterwards.

 

Welp, that's all I got.

 

[Bunstonious.8173]

Thanks for the feedback guys, I really do enjoy the dialogue.

 

On 7/31/2021 at 2:13 AM, Fueki.4753 said:

 

All three of these themes can easily be collected into one elite specialization.

Contrary to pop fiction make-believe (which FF14 also adopted into their pop fiction samurai), Katana or other Japanese sword were not the primary weapon of a Samurai. That role goes to the bow. Their second most-used weapons were polearms, among them mostly spears and glaives.

Staff can simply be used as the weapon category for the spears.

There already are multiple spear skins, so Warriors wouldn't need to only resort to new skins.

 

I wouldn't want such an elite specialization to play anything like FF14's Samurai though.

It's so boring that I've a hard time no falling asleep while playing it.

 

Likewise, I do not want any dragon stuff in it. Dragoon was a huge turn-off for me with its dragon magic stuff in FF14.

To me, having a proper Grand Lancer or something that focusses on the spear would simply be superior.

GW2 already has too much dragon stuff anyway, with Aurene being focal to yet another story.

 

I wouldn't be opposed to mixing themes into the 1 elite spec, the main reason I suggested them as they are playstyles that I would like to play in a game, and while we're adding elite specs these are things I think could be nice. I get that not everyone is into dragons and stuff, but but I still think dragon themes can be used well and i'm definitely not over dragons myself. And even in an elite spec, much like dragonhunters, don't even need to feel related to dragons.
Regarding the Samurai comments, the good thing about GW2 is that they have access to bow 🙂 and so they can  be a more rounded theme unlike other games that are sole focused on just the Katana, this could make the theme great. And I don't think it would be able to be as boring as SAM in FFXIV, that's a unique situation, we don't have that many buttons XD

 

 

On 8/1/2021 at 7:19 AM, Smoosh.2718 said:

I see so many players wanting staff/spear without thinking about what it will bring to the class which it can not already do.

I highly doubt staff/spear will be given to the warrior under the pretense that it doesnt bring anything new to the class. Now the only roles it could fill are either, support melee or condition damage melee. However, we already have a spec dedicated to damage and conditions, so support is the more likely candidate.

The weapon i believe will be given to the warrior is pistol, under the pretense that warrior does not have a 1h range weapon, its the only core class which does not have a one handed ranged weapon. Warriors mid range option is non existant and I believe this will be the weapon to match up with a support elite spec (symbol most likely to be given to the warrior from my prediction would be the bullet symbol, as this suggest power rising, (like a buff)).

 

I don't think it always has to "bring something" necessarily, I guess support is something that could be more fleshed out and I would support some (heuheu) support spec for the warrior, I guess there is just a theme for Warrior that I think would be cool. If all they do is pistol, i'll be disappointed as I think there are some very cool themes they could explore.

 

On 8/1/2021 at 12:41 PM, CalmTheStorm.2364 said:

Thanks for these ideas, Bunstonious!   I like the creativity and the different directions you explored--lots of good ideas!

 

I had imagined a spec called "the Sentinel"--essentially a woodland/jungle warrior adept at tracking and combating elusive foes, something I imagine would fit the Canthan theme nicely.  I'm especially imagining what Tengu warriors might fight like and how they would combat the enemies native to their lands.

 

Weapon:  Spear (although I really like your short bow idea and could see it working well, too). 

Emphasis on mobility, CC, and burst dmg.  I'd kinda like it to be a hybrid weapon like sword and longbow that would deal some condi dmg, primarily poison.

 

Unique Mechanic:  Shadowstep (F2 ability)

Use 1 bar of adrenaline to shadowstep to target location (CD 8-10s)

Still has access to level 3 bursts

works with idea of being elusive and mobile

ability to engage and disengage easily

track down slippery foes

would give warrior a less telegraphed gap closer (compared to Rush on the GS, for instance) and would assist in landing our more telegraphed skills

 

Traits and utility skills:

emphasis evasive/defensive skills

adding poison to attacks (perhaps a trait to inflict poison on critical hit; and/or maybe a skill analogous to Ranger's Vulture stance to add poison to attacks for a few seconds, etc)

detecting/revealing stealthed foes

 

Sustain Mechanic:

Trait that enables Life siphon when inflicting poison 

 

Elite Skill: Hunter's Reflexes (25s CD)

Stunbreak and 1 second evade

recharges shadowstep

 

 

Thanks for the positivity, I love the idea of a Sentinel Warrior!!! I love bow classes but I hate the "wow hunter" archetype, especially one that relies on pets. This could be a fantastic theme and would be really nice to play.

 

On 8/1/2021 at 4:37 PM, Verdict is Vengence.6912 said:

What I'd like for Warrior new espec:

 

Staff: It should be a kanabō  and the warrior should use it as it was intended to be used. A brutal weapon that smashes and crushes but with more deft than the hammer and quicker. It could have an aoe sweep knockdown either as one of the moves or as burst. The skills should be typical, 1 - attack into an aoe at end of chain that helps build whatever gimmick espec has, 2 - Rapid Attack (hundred blades but moving, maybe following target like scrapper 3 attack), 3 - movement skill that if it catches someone, warrior will bring them down CC style, 4 - smash ground to stun in a line, 5 - either aoe knockdown or literally pick up the enemy and carry them around while choking them (I'm serious, its cool as hell to think of), maybe jump and go into a choke slam if 5 is pressed again. Asuras will have to make people go limp while carrying them.

>Burst will be either the aoe knockdown or use gimmick to do something fantastical.

>Gimmick going with the kanabo could be becoming an Oni (Demon) and we have to build up enough "evil" or "spirits" to activate it or the Oni can be a soul eating demon that eats souls and replenishes health from the blood or souls of its victims. Maybe it can be traited to replenish people around us too.

 

Other Staff theory: Maybe it'll be more like a monk staff that is more mailable than the kanabo. We could fight with it like the Bo Staff in martial arts. More martial artsy, the monk staff will have a longer range than even the greatsword and be quicker. Its skills: 1 - auto into a evasive movement at end of chain, 2 - rapid attack while moving (moving hundred blades again), 3 - movement skill that if follows the final chain of 1 skill will CC, 4 - monkey king staff stretch maybe, not too sure, 5 - movement skill that evades as long as it lasts.

>Gimmick could be called "balance" or "one with the universe" and give warrior 3 different burst options: offensive, defensive, support. Offensive - attack, Defensive - block for as many seconds as bars of adrenaline and if pressed again can use remaining adrenaline to attack, Support - heal or barrier or both, maybe heal allies or give them barrier too, all depending on bars of adrenaline.

 

With spears, I agree with people above. I definitely agree with throwing spears as a means of attack.

 

Maybe with a spear, burst could be making your mount appear and you thrusting forward while riding. Mount will obviously disappear afterwards.

 

Welp, that's all I got.

 

 

I like it!!! Could be great theme to go with Cantha.

I still think spear could be good, I still crave a good 'Dragoon" theme (not just FFXIV, i've played it in other games and enjoyed it too).

Great feedback guys 🙂

[Grave.9258]

To be fair I love staff and spears and if they could bring staff that would work AS spear (just like necro staff can be a scythe while using skills, why wouldn't there be a magical blade on top of the staff while we wield it?), I think a lot of people would love that too BUT.... Let's face it, we do not have 1 handed ranged weapon at all and if we receive the staff, all 3 of heavy armor classes would be using a staff and none of them would be able to use pistols. Elite specs are meant to bring something new to the class, ideally something that this class lacks. We do have bunch of melee weapons but ranged is a little bit too limited for us at the moment. To be fair, I will be happy with anything as long as the elite spec won't be support. I've had enough of being half support since 2012...

 

Also, please remember how ppl are not enthusiastic about our current ranged weapons, the elite spec made with pistols could work trait-wise on favor of ranged weapons as a whole and the spec could make rifle and longbow more fun aswell.

 

Today's tuesday so I think we could expect Necro reveal and a sneakpeak for 3rd canthan elite spec. For some reason I think they will reveal the classes by armor weight so next would be ele but hey who knows, I'm counting on that I'm wrong this one time 😄

 

Anyway, take care guys 🙂