Thief Elite Specialization Prediction & Speculation Discussion

[hatsamu.4327]

11 hours ago, Fueki.4753 said:

I guess this is going to be the closest to the durable offhand sword Thief without Stealth that I wanted.

Just like Harbinger probably is going to be the closest to the Alchemy Engineer many Engineer players want.

Yeah, it gets the Assassin-like icon and sounds like the lore too, since the bodyguards of the emperor used to be part of the Assassin job description.

 

1 hour ago, Tails.9372 said:

 

That one is "human themed", Elonians created it based on Zephyrites sun aspect iirc.

That's the in-game lore reason, but the rl behind-the-scenes reason is indeed that the devs had Asuratech in mind. Holosmith was designed to contrast with with the Charrtech of Scrappers. You can hear them talk about it in this Guild Chat.

[Roads.5130]

1 hour ago, draxynnic.3719 said:

 but weaponised holotech was established as an asura thing back in the Zhaitan campaign.

I didn't know this.

37 minutes ago, hatsamu.4327 said:

That's the in-game lore reason, but the rl behind-the-scenes reason is indeed that the devs had Asuratech in mind. Holosmith was designed to contrast with with the Charrtech of Scrappers. You can hear them talk about it in this Guild Chat.

This is good to know, my Asura holosmith does not feel out of place now.

[draxynnic.3719]

57 minutes ago, Roads.5130 said:

I didn't know this.

It was relatively obscure at the time - it was literally invented during the storyline, and unless you take one of the story paths with the inventor, it's easy to miss. Basically, there's an asura announcer who uses a hologram projection to improve her ability to get people's attention (it also acts as a sound amplifier, IIRC).

 

Then she gets roped into the Zhaitan campaign, figures out a way to make the projection solid, and uses it to fight on her behalf while she controls it from a safe distance.

 

After Zhaitan's death, she sells the technology to the first Dragon Bash organisers, who use it to make the holographic dragon minions (and where it also gets stolen by the Aetherblades).

 

Now, all of this was cases of using it to create holographic soldiers and monsters rather than weapons specifically, but it would probably be a relatively small step to go from that technology to the holosmith.

[AikijinX.6258]

What i don’t want for ANET to do (assuming we do get GS) is make the weapon skills cost 8 INITIATIVE PER SKILL. Our 2 handed weapons so far have absurd amounts of initiative cost as of now. They need to reduce initiative cost per skill across the board and make preparedness baseline. Oh and remove 9 sec weapon swap CD entirely. It makes no sense paired with this initiative system.
 

[FelsPinguin.5902]

14 hours ago, Dadnir.5038 said:

- The angry face could mean anything, really.

I cannot agree with you here. In my opinion the icon is not an angry face. If you take the asian cantha theme into account it is obviously a samurai mask. And which weapon should a samurai wear if not a large katana. 

Someone else pointed out that none other class then thief would profit from a greatsword. I am not so sure about that one, but I could imagine that the samurai elite will become a thief elite.

Regarding the skill setup, taking the many changes to initiative and IA into account, the Elite could offer extended mobility on existing shadowsteps or some tweak to the Initiative system.

[FelsPinguin.5902]

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Edited August 13, 2021 by FelsPinguin.5902
somehow my mobile doubleposted. sorry

[FelsPinguin.5902]

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Edited August 13, 2021 by FelsPinguin.5902
somehow my mobile doubleposted. sorry

[Fueki.4753]

42 minutes ago, FelsPinguin.5902 said:

And which weapon should a samurai wear if not a large katana.

Given that real Samurai primarily used bows, with pole arms usually having been their secondary weapon choice, a greatsword wouldn't actually fit with a proper Samurai theme. I certainly hope we won't get a pop fiction sword Samurai for any profession.

Edited August 13, 2021 by Fueki.4753

[Dadnir.5038]

1 hour ago, FelsPinguin.5902 said:

I cannot agree with you here. In my opinion the icon is not an angry face. If you take the asian cantha theme into account it is obviously a samurai mask. And which weapon should a samurai wear if not a large katana. 

Someone else pointed out that none other class then thief would profit from a greatsword. I am not so sure about that one, but I could imagine that the samurai elite will become a thief elite.

Regarding the skill setup, taking the many changes to initiative and IA into account, the Elite could offer extended mobility on existing shadowsteps or some tweak to the Initiative system.

 

There is no such thing as a "samourai" in cantha's lore. Which is enough of an argument to break your whole argumentation.

Also, we can go through the usual arguments against the thief getting a "samourai" or GS spec idea, like:

- Samourai wear heavy armor

- Samourai don't "steal" and are all about honor.

- A melee 2 handed weapon isn't fit for a stealthy/mobile profession.

- ... etc.

 

And, from a purely pragmatic point of view, a one hand weapon offer a lot more build diversity to the thief than a 2 handed weapon.

[cyberzombie.7348]

Although I have high doubts, I'm still hoping it'll be a gadget-based agent. With either a longbow or focus.

[Dadnir.5038]

51 minutes ago, cyberzombie.7348 said:

Although I have high doubts, I'm still hoping it'll be a gadget-based agent. With either a longbow or focus.

I'm not sure the engineer community would forgive GW2 devs if this happened... They are already angry that necromancer got elixirs, I can't imagine how angry they would get if thiefs also stole their gadgets 😉

[Xaylin.1860]

I just want another 1-handed weapon to finally get new DW-skills...

[cyberzombie.7348]

13 minutes ago, Dadnir.5038 said:

I'm not sure the engineer community would forgive GW2 devs if this happened... They are already angry that necromancer got elixirs, I can't imagine how angry they would get if thiefs also stole their gadgets 😉

Idk, haven't heard much scorn from warriors about daredevils physical skills. *shrugs*

[Daniel Handler.4816]

On 8/11/2021 at 9:44 PM, Doggie.3184 said:

Dual sword spec silhoutte looks like it could be thief or guardian cuz of the mix of colors and armor style. Could be thief with guardian themes or other way around. Imagine if they give Assassin to Guardian and they were the decendents all along XD

 

If that's the case then I really hope for Torch with the flame icon next to it. But I'd imagine they'd never be cool enough to do mainhand/dual Torch.

 

I don't get how people can see the flame icon and go yep that's thief when a flame with a dot in the middle is literally the profession icon for ele in gw1. 

 

https://wiki.guildwars2.com/images/thumb/1/17/User_ErikMm_Elementalist_Icon.PNG/104px-User_ErikMm_Elementalist_Icon.PNG

Edited August 13, 2021 by Daniel Handler.4816

[Dadnir.5038]

50 minutes ago, cyberzombie.7348 said:

Idk, haven't heard much scorn from warriors about daredevils physical skills. *shrugs*

 

There seem to be a big difference in how the different communities take the fact of having one of their skill type being given to another profession.

[Doggie.3184]

48 minutes ago, Daniel Handler.4816 said:

 

I don't get how people can see the flame icon and go yep that's thief when a flame with a dot in the middle is literally the profession icon for ele in gw1. 

 

https://wiki.guildwars2.com/images/thumb/1/17/User_ErikMm_Elementalist_Icon.PNG/104px-User_ErikMm_Elementalist_Icon.PNG

 

Doesn't really matter too much when elite specs are supposed to borrow mechanics and themes from other classes.

[Fueki.4753]

1 hour ago, Daniel Handler.4816 said:

 

I don't get how people can see the flame icon and go yep that's thief when a flame with a dot in the middle is literally the profession icon for ele in gw1. 

 

https://wiki.guildwars2.com/images/thumb/1/17/User_ErikMm_Elementalist_Icon.PNG/104px-User_ErikMm_Elementalist_Icon.PNG

Crossed swords is the icon for Assassins in GW1, yet that icon is for Guardian's Willbender instead of Thief.

A flask/bottle is the icon for core Engineers, yet the new flask icon is for Necromancer's Harbinger instead of Engineer.

 

It is far from surprising, if someone thinks that the GW1 Elementalist-looking icon goes to a different profession.

The same also goes for the Revenant-looking sixth icon.

Edited August 13, 2021 by Fueki.4753

[nopoet.2960]

Maybe the diamond flame things is for elementalist.  It looks like the the headgear when you start a new character.  Warrior will probably get a pistol because, what else is left.  I suspect they might get thief's dual wield mechanic too.  That would mean they would be using the bullet icon.  That leaves thieves with Angry Face.  The question is Angry Face a samurai or oni?  Samurai could mean 2handed sword.  Oni mask could mean focus.  I'm leaning towards focus and that thief will get access to fear because it's weirder and they are being weird this time around.

Edited August 13, 2021 by nopoet.2960

[Psycoprophet.8107]

14 hours ago, Zacchary.6183 said:

 

Yes to greatsword, no to samurai. Samurai is more of a warrior type spec than anything.

Every class in the game are warriors, most of thief's traits and skills/skill names depict the Hollywood shinobi trope. Since shinobi was a profession within the samurai class I'd say it fits more than any class :).

[Psycoprophet.8107]

Although greatsword katana is my wish for thief a torch would also make sense since it would have been a tool used by any thief/assassin spec, I just feel torch would be boring and skills uninteresting.

[Panda.1967]

9 hours ago, Fueki.4753 said:

A flask/bottle is the icon for core Engineers,

Core engineers icon is a grenade…

[Fueki.4753]

1 minute ago, Panda.1967 said:

Core engineers icon is a grenade…

To me it looks like a flask with a cork to seal it and a string to carry it.

[AikijinX.6258]

22 hours ago, AikijinX.6258 said:

I want GS, but I also want the variety that 1h weapons bring across the weapons we have thus far. But if I had to choose between the choices… I’m tryna recreate Dante. DMC 🥴

 

BRING ME GS! 
 

plus on a side note, I’ll add. The fact that all these new elites are bringing mobility into their kit is great and all, but we really are  just taking away from everything that Thief was and is supposed to be . Stealthy (which pretty much every class in the game has access to now) and we are supposed to be the most mobile and quickest class. So let’s see what this new spec brings.

quoting myself. 
 

so Willbender is new Mobile Thief huh? Since willbender has all these shadowsteps and movement abilities, I find It hard to believe that Thief will have anything near to this amount of mobility with the new Spec. Willbender is kindaaaaaaaaa dope.

[Legion.4198]

Every EoD profession so far seems to be inspired by Wuxia in one way or another, so I guess the thief will go with Ninja magic or something similar. 

[AikijinX.6258]

On 8/2/2021 at 12:53 PM, AikijinX.6258 said:

Lets create a spec that is heavily attack on titan based xD haha. I want a full teleport specialization. Our evade should be a teleport xD haha 

Literally everything I wanted. They have to Willbender, mobility via teleports, fullcounter, double swords