User:Lon-ami/Elonian elite specializations

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This article is a personal Guild Wars 2 compilation of Elonian elite specialization ideas by Lon-ami.

Preliminary analysis[edit]

Goals[edit]

  • Creation of a new generation of elite specializations.
    • Higher emphasis on the themes around each elite specialization, tying them to Elonian culture and customs. Make them feel part of the expansion, the continent, and the story.
    • Stronger individual themes create a small brand around each elite specialization. Classic archetypes can be explored to reinforce this notion.
    • Connecting the new elite specializations to the new continent yields a strong asset synergy. Many of the art assets designed for elite specializations will be usable in the wilderness of Elona as well.
    • The new elite specializations need a stronger connection between the new weapon skills, the new slot skills, and the new mechanics. These three elements should reinforce each other as much as possible.
  • Introduction of new and upgraded weapons.
    • Expand the weapon pool, giving players new toys to play with, securing a wider margin for future elite specialization variety as well.
    • Classic weapons can be upgraded, adapting aquatic weapons for terrestrial usage, and off-hand weapons for main-hand usage.
    • Brand new weapons have the potential to be a key selling point. Smart choices allow salvaging of existing combat animations, saving development costs.
  • Development of robust profession mechanic templates.
    • Investment in stronger profession mechanic foundations, which can then be adapted for multiple professions.
    • Future elite specializations can take advantage of these templates, reducing development costs.
    • Utilization of these mechanics across multiple professions justifies aiming for a higher quality than usual, that would not be cost-effective had they been exclusive to a single elite specialization.
    • Proper classification of normalized profession mechanics opens the way for higher cross-profession and equipment synergies.
  • Upgrades to core professions.
    • Core professions have various issues, including missing slot skills, lackluster elite skills, missing weapon roles, and restrictive profession mechanics.
    • These issues must be addressed at the lowest level, at core professions, and not be circumvented through individual elite specializations.
    • Upgrading core professions to solve these issues is a good long-term investment, providing a stronger foundation for all elite specializations, old and new.

Risks[edit]

  • The new generation of elite specializations is much more ambitious than the previous one, and includes more advanced mechanics. The previous generation will require an eventual upgrade to keep it on equal terms.
  • New weapons need new skins. Updating all original weapon sets with counterparts for the new weapons is desirable, but not viable in the short term. Skin variety for the new weapons will be considerably smaller in the early phases.
  • Normalizing mechanics might lead to a loss of uniqueness across each profession. The new mechanics must not abuse the template system, and have an additional layer of work to make them feel unique for each profession.
  • Upgrading core professions might not be viable in the short term, due to the multiple variables at hand. Too many changes in a short period of time can alienate players as well, specially in competitive modes.

Glossary[edit]

  • Weapons:
    • Upgraded weapons:
      • Crossbow: Renamed from harpoon gun. Formerly of two-handed aquatic usage, now adapted for two-handed terrestrial usage.
      • Scepter: Formerly of main-hand usage, now adapted for both main-hand and off-hand usage.
      • Shield: Formerly of off-hand usage, now adapted for both main-hand and off-hand usage.
      • Spear: Formerly of two-handed aquatic usage, now adapted for main-hand and off-hand terrestrial usage.
      • Trident: Formerly of two-handed aquatic usage, now adapted for two-handed terrestrial usage.
    • New weapons:
      • Greataxe: New two-handed weapon type.
      • Scythe: New two-handed weapon type.
      • Vial: New off-hand weapon type.
  • Mechanics:
    • Companion:
      • Pet: Summons an allied creature, with AI autonomy, which can be manually commanded.
      • Relic: New profession mechanic. Summons an allied object, which needs to be manually commanded.
      • Swarm: New profession mechanic. Summons multiple allied creatures, with AI autonomy, which can be manually commanded.
    • Phase:
      • Surge: Empowers the user, providing passive benefits and replacing mechanic skills. See Berserk.
      • Transformation: Transforms the user into an alternate form, providing passive benefits and replacing weapon skills. See Death Shroud.
    • Technique:

Elonian elite specializations[edit]

Elementalist - Dervish[edit]

Mesmer - Bladedancer[edit]

  • New weapon: Axes (Main-hand and off-hand)
  • New utilities: Tricks
  • New mechanics:
    • Vortex outbursts (F5) (Locked to active main-hand weapon)
    • Bladedancer acrobatics (Three to choose from)

Necromancer - Scourge[edit]

  • New weapon: Greataxe (Two-handed)
  • New utilities: Mantras
  • New mechanics:
    • Scourge Shroud transformation (F1)
    • Scourge swarms: (Three to choose from)
      • Locusts
      • Scarab Beetles
      • Scorpions
    • Swarm commands:
      • Attack (F2)
      • Return (F4)
    • Swarm skills (F3) (Locked to active swarm)

Engineer - Occultist[edit]

  • New weapon: Staff (Two-handed)
  • New utilities: Glyphs
  • New mechanics:
    • Occultist relics: (Four to choose from)
      • Forgotten Gatekeeper
      • Infinity Hypercube
      • Jotun Astrolabe
      • Mursaat Nexus
    • Relic skills (F6) (Locked to active relic)

Ranger - Swampstalker[edit]

  • New weapon: Spears (Main-hand and off-hand)
  • New utilities: Venoms
  • New mechanics:
    • Swampstalker swarms: (Ten to choose from)
    • Swarm commands:
      • Attack (F1)
      • Return (F3)
      • Swap (F4)
    • Swarm skills (F2) (Locked to active swarm)
    • Swampstalker acrobatics (Three to choose from)

Thief - Sharpshooter[edit]

  • New weapon: Rifle (Two-handed)
  • New utilities: Gadgets
  • New mechanics:
    • Lockdown outbursts (F3) (Locked to active main-hand weapon)
    • Overcharge skill (F4)

Guardian - Sunspear[edit]

  • New weapon: Trident (Two-handed)
  • New utilities: Banners
  • New mechanics:
    • Wing Virtue skills:
    • Radiance resource bar
    • Ascension surge (F4)

Revenant - Hierophant[edit]

Warrior - Corsair[edit]

  • New weapon: Pistols (Main-hand and off-hand)
  • New utilities: Tricks
  • New mechanics:
    • Corsair pets: (Four to choose from)
      • Cockatrice with no armor
      • Cockatrice with Crusher armor
      • Cockatrice with Impaler armor
      • Cockatrice with Slasher armor
    • Pet commands:
      • Attack (F2)
      • Return (F4)
    • Pet skills (F3) (Locked to active pet)

Conclusions[edit]

Final weapon proficiencies[edit]

A few norn weapons, including a greataxe.
Weapon Elementalist icon small.png
Elementalist 		Mesmer icon small.png
Mesmer 		Necromancer icon small.png
Necromancer 		Engineer icon small.png
Engineer 		Ranger icon small.png
Ranger 		Thief icon small.png
Thief 		Guardian icon small.png
Guardian 		Revenant icon small.png
Revenant 		Warrior icon small.png
Warrior
One-handed Axe 0No0No Mesmer icon small.pngMesmer icon small.png 1Yes0No 0No0No 1Yes1Yes 0No0No 0No0No 1Yes1Yes 1Yes1Yes
Dagger 1Yes1Yes 0No0No 1Yes1Yes 0No0No 1Yes1Yes 1Yes1Yes 0No0No 0No0No 0No0No
Mace 0No0No 0No0No 0No0No 1Yes0No 0No0No 0No0No 1Yes0No 1Yes1Yes 1Yes1Yes
Pistol 0No0No 1Yes1Yes 0No0No 1Yes1Yes 0No0No 1Yes1Yes 0No0No 0No0No Warrior icon small.pngWarrior icon small.png
Scepter 1Yes1Yes 1Yes1Yes 1Yes0No 0No0No 0No0No 0No0No 1Yes0No 0No0No 0No0No
Shield 0No0No 0NoChronomancer icon small.png 0No0No 0No1Yes 0No0No 0No0No 1Yes1Yes 0NoHerald icon small.png 1Yes1Yes
Spear 0No0No 0No0No 0No0No 0No0No Ranger icon small.pngRanger icon small.png 0No0No 1Yes1Yes 0No0No 0No0No
Sword 0No0No 1Yes1Yes 0No0No 0No0No 1Yes1Yes 1Yes0No 1Yes0No 1Yes1Yes 1Yes1Yes
Off-hand only Focus 1Yes 1Yes 1Yes 0No 0No 0No 1Yes 0No 0No
Torch 0No 1Yes 0No 0No 1Yes 0No 1Yes Revenant icon small.png Berserker icon small.png
Vial 0No 0No 0No 1Yes 0No 0No 0No 0No 1Yes
Warhorn Tempest icon small.png 0No 1Yes 0No 1Yes 0No 0No 0No 1Yes
Two-handed Crossbow 0No 0No 0No 1Yes 0No 1Yes 0No 0No 0No
Greataxe 0No 0No Necromancer icon small.png 0No 0No 0No 0No 1Yes 0No
Greatsword 0No 1Yes Reaper icon small.png 0No 1Yes 0No 1Yes 0No 1Yes
Hammer 0No 0No 0No Scrapper icon small.png 0No 0No 1Yes 1Yes 1Yes
Longbow 0No 0No 0No 0No 1Yes 0No Dragonhunter icon small.png 0No 1Yes
Rifle 0No 0No 0No 1Yes 0No Thief icon small.png 0No 0No 1Yes
Shortbow 0No 0No 0No 0No 1Yes 1Yes 0No 0No 0No
Scythe Elementalist icon small.png 0No 1Yes 0No 0No 0No 0No 0No 0No
Staff 1Yes 1Yes 1Yes Engineer icon small.png Druid icon small.png Daredevil icon small.png 1Yes 1Yes 0No
Trident 1Yes 0No 0No 0No 0No 0No Guardian icon small.png 0No 0No
  • 1Yes Weapons unlocked for the core professions, following the upgrades to be released with the second generation of elite specializations.
  • Elementalist icon small.pngMesmer icon small.pngNecromancer icon small.pngEngineer icon small.pngRanger icon small.pngThief icon small.pngGuardian icon small.pngRevenant icon small.pngWarrior icon small.png Weapons unlocked exclusively for the second generation of elite specializations.
  • Tempest icon small.pngChronomancer icon small.pngReaper icon small.pngScrapper icon small.pngDruid icon small.pngDaredevil icon small.pngDragonhunter icon small.pngHerald icon small.pngBerserker icon small.png Weapons unlocked exclusively for the first generation of elite specializations.

External links[edit]

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