Thief Elite Specialization Prediction & Speculation Discussion

[Eduardo.4675]

We are gonna get the saboteur. We will have skills that work like clock bombs, where we mark a target, and then we trigger the effect later on, with like explosions, or condis, watever. Steal is gonna get a new set of skills, we will get burning, we will be the new condi bursters out there, but with more defense.

 

[Tails.9372]

Well they said that they wanted to do something more out of the box with the e-specs this time around so expect something completely out of left field like a minion master or a support slave kind of e-spec.

[Felices Bladewing.3914]

i can only think of two outcomes so far.

1. a "shadowmancer" style with scepter/focus/torch  - support based range

2. a bandit style with GS or Hammer/Axe - CC based melee

Not a fan of both, but definetly would prefer the first one.

 

The mentioned Saboteur with some engineer vibes might be a cool idea but i dont see that fitting into the current state tbh.

[nopoet.2960]

On 8/13/2021 at 4:35 PM, Legion.4198 said:

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. 

I hope you're right.  I want them to really stretch far in what a thief can do.  Honestly, I don't want to cover ground that's already been covered.  Now there's three versions of of dual swords; warrior, revenant, and willis we can play any of those to get that experience.  Warrior and ranger have axes and great swords covered.  Maces and Hammer are antithetical to being a thief (though I will except a spec based on Dimensional Anchor).  That leaves me wishing for something magical.  Not that the thief can cast magic but make use of magical items like a focus.  I want to see a version of the thief through the mesmer lens using small subtle magic with a focus on misdirection, trickery, and slight of hand.  That's my hope.  Guess we have to wait and see what we actually get. 

[nopoet.2960]

Double post

Edited August 17, 2021 by nopoet.2960

[nopoet.2960]

On 8/13/2021 at 4:35 PM, Legion.4198 said:

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. 

I hope you're right.  I want them to really stretch far in what a thief can do.  Honestly, I don't want to cover ground that's already been covered.  Now there's three versions of of dual swords; warrior, revenant, and willis we can play any of those to get that experience.  Warrior and ranger have axes and great swords covered.  Maces and Hammer are antithetical to being a thief (though I will accept a spec based on the Dimensional Anchor).  That leaves me wishing for something magical.  Not that the thief can cast magic but make use of magical items like a focus.  I want to see a version of the thief through the mesmer lens using small subtle magic with a focus on misdirection, trickery, and slight of hand.  That's my hope.  Guess we have to wait and see what we actually get. 

Edited August 17, 2021 by nopoet.2960
words

[Zacchary.6183]

14 hours ago, Felices Bladewing.3914 said:

2. a bandit style with GS or Hammer/Axe - CC based melee

Daredevil had plenty of CC to add to core thief.

[draxynnic.3719]

14 hours ago, nopoet.2960 said:

I hope you're right.  I want them to really stretch far in what a thief can do.  Honestly, I don't want to cover ground that's already been covered.  Now there's three versions of of dual swords; warrior, revenant, and willis we can play any of those to get that experience.  Warrior and ranger have axes and great swords covered.  Maces and Hammer are antithetical to being a thief (though I will except a spec based on Dimensional Anchor).  That leaves me wishing for something magical.  Not that the thief can cast magic but make use of magical items like a focus.  I want to see a version of the thief through the mesmer lens using small subtle magic with a focus on misdirection, trickery, and slight of hand.  That's my hope.  Guess we have to wait and see what we actually get. 

I could see mace working for thief if it was something like the Chinese sword breaker, Japanese jitte, or billy club. Sure, the maces in the game currently are more oriented towards having large (oversized if anything) heads, but staves were mostly overly elaborate spellcasting items before HoT.

[nopoet.2960]

5 minutes ago, draxynnic.3719 said:

I could see mace working for thief if it was something like the Chinese sword breaker, Japanese jitte, or billy club. Sure, the maces in the game currently are more oriented towards having large (oversized if anything) heads, but staves were mostly overly elaborate spellcasting items before HoT.

Perhaps, but can you build a whole spec around that?  I guess you could make the thief version of spellbreaker but targeted at melee users; so instead of a saboteur as mentioned earlier but more of a disrupter?   

[draxynnic.3719]

35 minutes ago, nopoet.2960 said:

Perhaps, but can you build a whole spec around that?  I guess you could make the thief version of spellbreaker but targeted at melee users; so instead of a saboteur as mentioned earlier but more of a disrupter?   

Enforcer, perhaps? Being oriented towards disruption would make sense. Mostly, though, I was just responding to the assertion that maces just didn't work as a thief weapon, rather than looking to propose a whole specialisation around it. Especially if it's one of those elite specialisations where the weapon is more of an added bonus rather than being what the specialisation is built around.

[hatsamu.4327]

5 hours ago, draxynnic.3719 said:

Enforcer, perhaps? Being oriented towards disruption would make sense. Mostly, though, I was just responding to the assertion that maces just didn't work as a thief weapon, rather than looking to propose a whole specialisation around it. Especially if it's one of those elite specialisations where the weapon is more of an added bonus rather than being what the specialisation is built around.

Wouldn't that be better served by tweaks to Daredevil? The staff is basically a bonk stick already, just long. Getting an actual disruption spec would put Daredevil in a weird spot.

[Zacchary.6183]

1 minute ago, hatsamu.4327 said:

Wouldn't that be better served by tweaks to Daredevil? The staff is basically a bonk stick already, just long. Getting an actual disruption spec would put Daredevil in a weird spot.

Isn't daredevil already a dueling disruption spec? They give thief even more options to interrupt.

[hatsamu.4327]

1 hour ago, Zacchary.6183 said:

Isn't daredevil already a dueling disruption spec? They give thief even more options to interrupt.

That's what I mean, it would have overlap. It's just that the long chains on fist flurry and impact strike are pretty easily punishable, and if it's supposed to be our actual control spec, it could use an aoe control of some kind. 

[Delerious.6851]

Would really like to see Scepter (Mainhand), Sword (Offhand). Seeing as now the Guardian has taken dual swords,  (Which majority of people thought the dual sword icon would be Thief).

 

I'm assuming the logical icon for Thief's would then be the Oni/Ronin looking mask with the Initiative point.

 

Spell-caster Thief in my opinion would be nice, spice things up a bit. Bring some fond memories back from Guildwars 1, A/Me, A/E map farming.

 

Either way, I hope we don't become a glass cannon class with this new Elite.

Edited August 19, 2021 by Delerious.6851

[Doggie.3184]

1 hour ago, Delerious.6851 said:

Would really like to see Scepter (Mainhand), Sword (Offhand). Seeing as now the Guardian has taken dual swords,  (Which majority of people thought the dual sword icon would be Thief).

 

I'm assuming the logical icon for Thief's would then be the Oni/Ronin looking mask with the Initiative point.

 

Spell-caster Thief in my opinion would be nice, spice things up a bit. Bring some fond memories back from Guildwars 1, A/Me, A/E map farming.

 

Either way, I hope we don't become a glass cannon class with this new Elite.

 

I'm hoping Tank so I can sell solo Shiro runs again. I mean so Shadow Form can return as a stealth replacement and let us be tanky dps skirmishers again, except with edgy dark magic nukes. :3

Edited August 19, 2021 by Doggie.3184

[Delerious.6851]

17 hours ago, Doggie.3184 said:

 

I'm hoping Tank so I can sell solo Shiro runs again. I mean so Shadow Form can return as a stealth replacement and let us be tanky dps skirmishers again, except with edgy dark magic nukes. :3

I'm hoping something to where we don't get cucked.

 

Spell caster would be quite nifty or a Tank. Something different.

[Keldaros.8695]

With the probable revenant teaser (https://imgur.com/UyJEvVL ) being linked to the oni mask elite spec icon that would rule out the revenant like eye icon for the revenant itself. Some feel like the eye icon might be a good fit for our scepter. That would also put a more revenant / legend like twist to the thief in the realms of possibilities.

Would you enjoy a thief / revenant hybrid?

[Fueki.4753]

4 minutes ago, Keldaros.8695 said:

With the probable revenant teaser (https://imgur.com/UyJEvVL ) being linked to the oni mask elite spec icon that would rule out the revenant like eye icon for the revenant itself. Some feel like the eye icon might be a good fit for our scepter. That would also put a more revenant / legend like twist to the thief in the realms of possibilities.

Would you enjoy a thief / revenant hybrid?

I don't see anything about that mask icon in the picture.

Just because the headgear has horns doesn't mean it also gets the mask icon.

 

But this could also be Thief.

Assassins had a few spikey armours in GW2.

And the Oni in GW2 were Assassins.

Edited August 24, 2021 by Fueki.4753

[Legion.4198]

 

8 minutes ago, Keldaros.8695 said:

With the probable revenant teaser (https://imgur.com/UyJEvVL ) being linked to the oni mask elite spec icon that would rule out the revenant like eye icon for the revenant itself. Some feel like the eye icon might be a good fit for our scepter. That would also put a more revenant / legend like twist to the thief in the realms of possibilities.

Would you enjoy a thief / revenant hybrid?

 

So, if this is the revenant, then it is likely that we will get a Ritualist Thief or some kind of Obsidian Flame Agent. The rest of the icons look a lot less likely to be the thief. 

[Keldaros.8695]

8 minutes ago, Fueki.4753 said:

I don't see anything about that mask icon in the picture.

Just because the headgear has horns doesn't mean it also gets the mask icon.

While that's true, i don't think Anet is putting these images out on a whim and i feel like the horns are shown on purpose to link them to the icon.

 

Quote

But this could also be Thief.

Assassins had a few spikey armours in GW2.

And the Oni in GW2 were Assassins.

With the leaked loot boxes i think there's a higher chance it's a rev with the greatsword.

[Zacchary.6183]

2 minutes ago, Sons.5493 said:

After seeing the Silhouette they released today with the greatsword im gonna take a big dose of copium and hope this is true, probably not. I'm fine with either tbh Copium

I spent a good hour trying to figure out what they were and I am having a hard time doing so. All weights. I'll take the copium as well however because I honestly just want to know if I should continue grinding stuff for my thief or not.

[Zenakou.7853]

1 hour ago, Sons.5493 said:

After seeing the Silhouette they released today with the greatsword im gonna take a big dose of copium and hope this is true, probably not. I'm fine with either tbh Copium

Strong cope indeed. Scepter thief is here and we're all gonna cope hard because the community has cleary voiced their dissatisfaction with the choice.  

[Sons.5493]

10 minutes ago, Zenakou.7853 said:

Strong cope indeed. Scepter thief is here and we're all gonna cope hard because the community has cleary voiced their dissatisfaction with the choice.  

I mean scepter can be cool too, it's just that the rev spec shadow looks super cool... and they seem to have an oni mask on too

[Crey.5263]

I'd love for the Thief to get a minion master build, like all the other classes get (clones/phantasms, minions, turrets, banners, spirit weapons, spirits, elementals).  I think this could blend nicely with the scepter if they got some shadow fiends that they could swap places with.  Manipulations would be a good skill type for the utilities.

[Fueki.4753]

10 hours ago, Keldaros.8695 said:

With the leaked loot boxes i think there's a higher chance it's a rev with the greatsword.

There is no confirmation whether those boxes actually contained the new elite specialization's weapons.

As far as I know, they weren't even named after professions, so they could really be anything.

They could even be a hoax made by Arenanet to spark speculation.

Unless there is an official confirmation, there is no way to narrow it down.

 

But a greatsword for either of them already is a major let down.

Especially, if it turns out to be just another power weapon.