Meet the Dragonhunter: Guardian’s Elite Specialization

[4KhazModan]

From r/GuildWars2

Guardians/Ranger: Dragonhunter
Guardians/Thief: Archangel
Guardians/Engineer: Technomancer
Guardians/Warrior: Paladin
Guardians/Guardians: Guardians Plus
Guardians/Elementalist: Planeteer
Guardians/Necromancer: Deathknight
Guardians/Mesmer: Mindblower

Seems legit, we are slowly becoming every class in the game

[Val the Moofia Boss]

I like the idea of being a ranger-paladin. It's a great new addition to the game, but it doesn't feel as unique as the Chronomancer.

The name doesn't fit.

And traps in GW2; the radius or power of them need to be dramatically increased to make them worth the bother. It's simply far too much hassle to spend three seconds trying to place down a small trap in front of a moving target for minor effect.

[Malthanis]

There is no rough concept. The heal trap heals a small amount when placed, when triggers heals large amount in the area and then inflicts blind. It is not a reliable heal as it has to trigger for the big heal. the second trap is literally a copy pasted inflicts bleed and cripple from rangers.

"Since you’re probably already asking, yes, the dragonhunter’s healing ability is also a trap. Guardians will preemptively imbue light into the ground for a smaller heal. When enemies trigger the trap, the guardian will pull the light from the ground, striking and blinding enemies while healing for a large amount."

Does it heal just the guardian, or does it heal in the area? That particular point (on both the initial and triggered heals) is vague. Can it be placed at range? How long is the cast? There are far too many questions still on this one thing, so I stand by my "rough concept" point.

[zito]

Does it heal just the guardian, or does it heal in the area? That particular point (on both the initial and triggered heals) is vague. Can it be placed at range? How long is the cast? There are far too many questions still on this one thing, so I stand by my "rough concept" point.

Besides shadow trap there is no other single target trap. They usually do something aoe and it's unlikely that will be changed. The guardian will draw light from the ground to heal in that area and blind - because that is the basis of a trap is that spot on the ground. It's not going to heal you if you are not in it because that is not how traps work except for ambush which instead summons a minion, but this isn't summoning anything.

Rangers can trait to make them ground targeting. Not much of a point for the heal trap though - if you are not in it you won't get healed. They haven't said anything about traps changing or anything of the like. These are the basic functions of a trap.

There is no "rough" anything. It is a trap (which that type of skill already exists in the game) that heals and blinds.

[4KhazModan]

Besides shadow trap there is no other single target trap. They usually do something aoe and it's unlikely that will be changed. The guardian will draw light from the ground to heal in that area and blind - because that is the basis of a trap is that spot on the ground. It's not going to heal you if you are not in it because that is not how traps work except for ambush which instead summons a minion, but this isn't summoning anything.

Rangers can trait to make them ground targeting.

They said in the specialization livestream traps are becoming ground targeted by default but will have an arm time.

[zito]

They said in the specialization livestream traps are becoming ground targeted by default but will have an arm time.

An arm time.... because why? Because they were so OP without an arm time? Rangers already had this as a trait without an arm time and it was completely doable and counter-able in PvP. I don't recall anyone using traps in PvE but this is a massive nerf depending on the arm time. Mobs and people will just move out of it quickly when they see you throw one.

Not to mention nobody used theif traps. They better be getting some god mode reworking but guardians are getting a copy paste of spike trap so probably not.

[SteeJanz]

Maybe the heal from the "Trap" isn't intended for the guardian.

[zito]

Maybe the heal from the "Trap" isn't intended for the guardian.

I'm not sure how the "small amount when placing the trap" is enough to sustain the guardian without running medi spam.

[SteeJanz]

I'm not sure how the "small amount when placing the trap" is enough to sustain the guardian without running medi spam.

I was thinking more of supporting others further away that might need the bigger heal. Since it's ranged, the guardian may not be in danger so to speak. I assume we are talking about a weapon skill.

EDIT: I re-read and I see they said it was the heal skill.

[Valeron]

Not really as sexy as the chronomancer.

Not really a fan of Guardians in general so meh. Anyway, thought their preview video was rather poor or at least it sure didn't make me excited for the elite specialization.

[Malthanis]

@zito:
My entire point is that you're assuming an awful lot about what is and is not "usless" here. As it stands, you may be entirely right (at which point I'd agree with the heal being pretty odd as a whole). However, until we see a tooltip and/or demonstration of the skill being used (so tomorrow during the livestream), the whole SO USELESS RAGE attitude is kind of... pointless, isn't it?

On-topic:
As it stands, I'm pretty psyched for the Virtue changes. I don't particularly enjoy the active components of them at the moment, since it seems like a lot of the traits that affect them apply to when they're off cooldown. It feels like there's no real incentive to hit them (unless you're just going to use Focused Resolve immediately afterwards).

[4KhazModan]

The virtue changes are the only appealing thing about the specialization so far. It could be the most useful build in the world, but the concept itself does not excite me and it really doesn't feel like a Guardian.

[zito]

My entire point is that you're assuming an awful lot about what is and is not "usless" here. As it stands, you may be entirely right (at which point I'd agree with the heal being pretty odd as a whole). However, until we see a tooltip and/or demonstration of the skill being used (so tomorrow during the livestream), the whole SO USELESS RAGE attitude is kind of... pointless, isn't it?

I don't need a demonstration to tell me how traps in this game work as they are already in the game thanks. Unless they are also revealing some kind of trap over haul with their sudden "arm time" then yea my argument is moot, but they have given nothing to showcase that. We just got 2 traps one in which is a heal and it's useless if traps are not changing their functionality and the other is copy pasted from ranger skill which is disappointing.

I mean a heal trap with AN ARM TIME. No nobody will use it.

[Malthanis]

The virtue changes are the only appealing thing about the specialization so far. It could be the most useful build in the world, but the concept itself does not excite me and it really doesn't feel like a Guardian.

I need to see the particulars of the skills before I really pass judgement on it. If the traits are general enough that they can be used without the longbow or the traps, the Virtue changes are honestly good enough to warrant taking this specialization for me.

I'm hoping at least the longbow skills are worth it, though. Working on Foefire's Power, and it'd be pretty awesome to run Aether alongside it.

I don't need a demonstration to tell me how traps in this game work as they are already in the game thanks. Unless they are also revealing some kind of trap over haul with their sudden "arm time" then yea my argument is moot, but they have given nothing to showcase that. We just got 2 traps one in which is a heal and it's useless if traps are not changing their functionality and the other is copy pasted from ranger skill which is disappointing.

I mean a heal trap with AN ARM TIME. No nobody will use it.

So just because they're 'trap' skills means they have to function exactly like all other trap skills in the game? That jumping the gun a bit, don't you think?

[4KhazModan]

I need to see the particulars of the skills before I really pass judgement on it. If the traits are general enough that they can be used without the longbow or the traps, the Virtue changes are honestly good enough to warrant taking this specialization for me.

Fair enough, if the traits are good enough, I could see myself using them with the other weapons.

I'm hoping at least the longbow skills are worth it, though. Working on Foefire's Power, and it'd be pretty awesome to run Aether alongside it.

The preview and trailer made it seem like it is mostly cc/support stuff, really didn't do anything for me. I could see myself using only because we have no other options for long-range combat, even the scepter isn't particularly long-ranged.

[zito]

So just because they're 'trap' skills means they have to function exactly like all other trap skills in the game? That jumping the gun a bit, don't you think?

That is why they are all classified as a trap. Just like symbols are classified as a symbol, wells are wells etc etc because they all fall under a certain base mechanic. The only exception is thieves shadow trap.

So until they tell us otherwise that traps are changing and this it what we are given than this is the content in which I will discuss about. Not ifs or maybes. The skills are traps I will discuss them as the traps that we have until stated otherwise by Anet.

As a trap this heal skill is awful and useless. Arm time puts the nail on the coffin for that skill unless traps functionality changes but they haven't and no mention of such a thing so I will talk about it in the current function of traps.

[Edge-]

As a trap this heal skill is awful and useless.

Wait...did I miss something? How do you know it will be useless with only the vaguest of information on it and the assumption that it will function exactly the same as current traps?

[zito]

Wait...did I miss something? How do you know it will be useless with only the vaguest of information on it and the assumption that it will function exactly the same as current traps?

What other information would assume traps are changing in functionality? I'm not going to talk about a skill with ifs or maybes. These are the traps now, they have not said anything about revamping traps besides adding an arm time.

I don't understand why you assume traps are changing? They gave mesmers wells and the function of wells stayed the same why would the functions of traps change unless stated otherwise (which they haven't nor gave any indication they would)

[Malthanis]

That is why they are all classified as a trap. Just like symbols are classified as a symbol, wells are wells etc etc because they all fall under a certain base mechanic. The only exception is thieves shadow trap.

A trap is a skill that sets an area that, when an enemy walks in to said area, a thing happens. There's nothing governing what said thing is. Shadow Trap isn't an exception, it just has an effect that is different from what is "normal" for traps.

As it stands, these Dragonhunter traps are magical in nature, so the thing in this case doesn't necessarily have to act as per normal perceptions.

Wait...did I miss something? How do you know it will be useless with only the vaguest of information on it and the assumption that it will function exactly the same as current traps?

That's been my point. It could very well function exactly as zito is saying (in which case I'd agree with him), but we don't have enough to make that call yet.

- - - Updated - - -

The preview and trailer made it seem like it is mostly cc/support stuff, really didn't do anything for me. I could see myself using only because we have no other options for long-range combat, even the scepter isn't particularly long-ranged.

That's another thing that depends on the coefficients and base damage of the abilities.

As it stands, I'm running a combination of Soldier's and Nomad's gear, with Runes of Exuberance. I'm already going for a tanky, CC-heavy, support build, so something that facilitates that at long range is fine by me.

[zito]

A trap is a skill that sets an area that, when an enemy walks in to said area, a thing happens.

Yes and in this case of the heal skill when it triggers it heals in the area and blinds. It functions like any other trap. What makes it useless is an arm time and you have to be in the area (like any other trap). Why are you assuming something else? Why would you assume that it does something different? It heals with magic is a flavor thing just like chrono speeding up time with quickness is also flavor.

You outrange the trap the trap won't trigger thus the guardian can not heal, the arm time gives you ample time to make sure that it can never trigger by moving out of the way in time.

It is a useless heal and nobody is going to use it unless traps somehow change in function.