Weapon swap

Weapon swap is the mechanic of switching between the two equipped weapon sets (default key: ~ UK: ` Nordic: §). This ability is unlocked when your character reaches level 10 for all professions. It is automatically unlocked at all levels in structured PvP.

Mechanics

• During combat, swapping has a cooldown of 10 seconds, but you can swap repeatedly out of combat.
• Engineers and elementalists cannot swap weapons during combat.
• There are several traits and sigils effects that trigger on swapping.
• If you choose to leave either the main hand or offhand weapon slot empty in one of the sets, the game will not swap the empty slot, and instead automatically use the weapon in that slot from the first set when you switch to the second.
• Engineers can trigger on-swap effects by changing kits; elementalists do so by switching between attunements; revenants can trigger it by switching out legends. Necromancers and Druids can also trigger on-swap effects by entering and exiting Death Shroud and Celestial Avatar respectively.
• Firebrands also trigger on-swap effects by swapping in and out of tomes.
• Switching to a bundle will also trigger on-swap effects.
• Successfully attacking while mounted--which will then dismount you, put you into combat, and swap into your normal weapons--will trigger weapon swapping.

Related traits

Traits that improve weapon swapping

• Brutality (Devastation) — Gain quickness when you swap weapons. While you have quickness, your strikes remove stability. This removal effect can only occur once per interval on each target.
• Versatile Rage (Discipline) — Gain adrenaline on weapon swap.
• Fast Hands (Discipline) — Weapon-swapping recharges faster.
• Brawler's Recovery (Discipline) — Remove conditions when you swap weapons.
• Versatile Power (Discipline) — Gain might on weapon swap. Burst skills gain reduced recharge.
• Tail Wind (Skirmishing) — Gain swiftness when swapping weapons in combat.
• Furious Grip (Skirmishing) — Gain fury when swapping weapons in combat.
• Quick Draw (Skirmishing) — When swapping weapons, the next ranger weapon skill you use will recharge faster.
• Quick Pockets (Trickery) — Gain initiative on swapping weapons while in combat.

Related equipment

Runes

• Superior Rune of the Warrior (rank 6 - weapon-swap cooldown reduced by 20%)

Sigils

• Superior Sigil of Battle (gain 5 stacks of might for 12 seconds)
• Superior Sigil of Renewal (heals allies within 360 range)
• Superior Sigil of Mischief (launches 4 blinding snowballs at foes in front of you)
• Superior Sigil of Doom (next attack inflicts 3 stacks of poison for 8 seconds)
• Superior Sigil of Energy (gain 50% endurance)
• Superior Sigil of Geomancy (bleeds nearby foes for 8 seconds)
• Superior Sigil of Hydromancy (damage and chill nearby foes for 2 seconds)
• Superior Sigil of Vision (100% critical hit chance for 3 seconds)
• Superior Sigil of Leeching (next attack steals health)
• Superior Sigil of Agility (gain 5 seconds of swiftness and 1 second of quickness)
• Superior Sigil of Cleansing (removes 3 conditions)

Notes

Bug:

If a character below level 10 equips both weapon sets in Heart of the Mists and then returns to PvE, they will retain the ability to weapon swap for as long as they keep the second set equipped.

• Rearranging or equipping a different set of weapons is not the same as swapping. This can be done outside of combat, but never during combat. It never triggers on-swap effects.
• Weapon swap cooldown is not affected by alacrity or any cooldown reducing effects such as adrenal mushroom.
• Sigils that trigger off a weapon swap do not need to be the weapon that gets swapped to trigger.

Trivia

• Prior to the December 3, 2019 game update, engineer and elementalist could only equip one single weapon set.