Any new info on the (3) expansion?

[Edge-]

I think they mean that "Elixir" as an ability type already exists.

Not that the ability types really even mean anything anymore.

I guess, but has that ever even really been a thing with something "brand new" for every spec? Usually it's just taking thematic elements and making them fit with specs. Like, Dragonhunter didn't get anything "new", traps already existed. And I don't think Firebrand got anything new either, IIRC something like the Mantra mechanic already existed/was given to Mesmer's at the same time.

[Triceron]

Any news on when they plan on announcing all elite specs? I really enjoy the ones we have now, but I want to know if they plan a full unveiling at any point so I don't have to keep checking back for bite sized updates.

[Svifnymr]

?? I'm confused by this, the abilities are very much new. The themes may overlap with some existing stuff, but there's a class-centric twist on all of them so far.

Tinkering with the three classes, the necromancer is not the best example of what I mean. You get pistol 1 from thief, and pistol 2 is sort of pistol 3 from thief dual pistol. Elixirs are just "these buffs", which are not like Engineer elixirs at all, but for instance. They're sort of boring, though I like the class itself. I was tinkering with using the minions with it, and the new Shroud is neat, though the jump is just daredevils jump charge and it has a variation of chronomancers elite skill.

The guardian's skills are Physical skills, and have a little variety compared to Warrior, but is more of what I meant that you just take old class, add old skill category they didn't have, tweak it slightly and hope it works. I'm not sure, feel wise, that it's a big enough stretch to make a class feel different.

It's a little disappointing that mesmer gets single-dagger and necromancer gets single-pistol, rather than dualing both.

For someone that only wants a specific class, it probably works better than someone that has all the classes and doesn't really need his Ranger to feel like an Engineer, to make up an example.

None of the 3 felt bad, I think I enjoyed Necromancer most, but I won't bother digging into all the talents before they're actually finalized and in game I think. The Necromancer shroud is a very different thing now in some ways, and figuring out which talents work with it in the way I enjoy the most might take a bit and everything is subject to change anyway.

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I guess, but has that ever even really been a thing with something "brand new" for every spec? Usually it's just taking thematic elements and making them fit with specs. Like, Dragonhunter didn't get anything "new", traps already existed. And I don't think Firebrand got anything new either, IIRC something like the Mantra mechanic already existed/was given to Mesmer's at the same time.

I think you're just reading further into things than needed. They've added some things before, but yeah generally elite specs are just old stuff tweaked and reassembled. There's only so many combinations you can do though, and hence why I said it's best to temper expectations because it's not truly new, not that "well, we had new stuff before but now it's old so you should hate it" or something.

Dragonhunter was different than Guardian (by adding Ranger), but Firebrand felt more different to the game overall though, even if Mantra's were available to Mesmers, though in a very different way at the time and changed again now so there's that. The Firebrand felt like more than Guardian + Mesmer whereas the Dragonhunter felt more Guardian + Ranger.

Same with Chronomancer doesn't feel like a Mesmer + Necromancer for instance. It all depends on how they shake out in the end.

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And of course, on the Beta characters, I find a couple random Black Lion Keys, because sure.

[PACOX]

Any news on when they plan on announcing all elite specs? I really enjoy the ones we have now, but I want to know if they plan a full unveiling at any point so I don't have to keep checking back for bite sized updates.

A full dump? No. Its always 3 at a time. The announce 3, do a beta. Announce the next 3, do a beta. Last 3, beta. Then a 4th beta with all the specs.

[Edge-]

*Snip*

Fair, I'm nowhere near as familiar with other classes. But I don't see it as a huge issue either, as there still seems to be plenty of profession flavor despite some overlap in functionality and it's filling holes/creating new niches for builds.

Like, I haven't played my warrior in a while but I don't really remember warrior being anywhere near that mobile. It makes sense to go with a less condi-damage focused build after FB which is primarily condi focused, and giving guardians big mobility for once is a welcome change.

I'm mostly on my guardian (I've got every class at 80 but the only alts I really tinker around on are my ranger/necro, haven't even finished the stories on most of my other alts), so this stuff is all much "newer" to me.

[PACOX]

Harbinger is going to get nerfed. The curse of the necromancer I guess. It machine guns out DPS and is a monster in PVP.

Power Virtuoso is solid, I don't know a thing about Mesmer PVP to comment on it.

Willbender is fun to duel with but perhaps the jankiest thing in the game. Its very mobile, Has a lot of tools for upclose brawls. Very mobile in short-midrange. A bit clunky. Its like they wanted to emulate sword Ranger mixed with Warrior and Guardian for the ultimate sword duelist, its strange though. Will work at it more.

[Svifnymr]

Fair, I'm nowhere near as familiar with other classes. But I don't see it as a huge issue either, as there still seems to be plenty of profession flavor despite some overlap in functionality and it's filling holes/creating new niches for builds.

Yeah, the new combo's can be pretty neat. I'm not sure how much room they have in the niches going forward, but we'll see. It probably also depends on which classes you play, since the Necromancer leap probably wouldn't be as noticeable if you don't play a thief or warrior.

Like, I haven't played my warrior in a while but I don't really remember warrior being anywhere near that mobile. It makes sense to go with a less condi-damage focused build after FB which is primarily condi focused, and giving guardians big mobility for once is a welcome change.

The charge is the same I think, though Guardian longsword still has that teleport. The skills I didn't spend a lot of time on, the circle kick is neat enough, if a little odd in heavy armor.

I'm mostly on my guardian (I've got every class at 80 but the only alts I really tinker around on are my ranger/necro, haven't even finished the stories on most of my other alts), so this stuff is all much "newer" to me.

My "main" is mesmer, but that mostly just means that's who I do the stories on. My thief-dual pistol deadeye is fun to just run around with, and the rest of the classes I'll pick up when I feel like running around on something different. I'm not very directed in GW2 anymore though, just wandering around.

I think the virtuoso is neat too, but it just seems like "hey, here, do some damage" and doesn't seem to have an increase in durability. Clones were hard to rely on, but at least they were something.

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Harbinger is going to get nerfed. The curse of the necromancer I guess. It machine guns out DPS and is a monster in PVP.

The damage may go down, but the machinegun animation is quite fun. The new Shroud system is a little odd to get used to.

[MrTharne]

Don't know if anyone saw but people found a way to see the new weapons for the other Elites Spec during the testing phase going on.

Thief : Scepter
Elem and Ranger : Hammer
Engi : Mace (main probably)
Warrior : Pistol (main or off hand)
Revenant : Greatsword

So the flaming icon is probably the Thief and the Oni mask would be Elem

[Poppincaps]

Hammer ranger... ew

[Svifnymr]

I wonder if they could make a thief using dual wands as escrima sticks, in the same fashion as Daredevil with staff. I don't think that's a direction they'd go, but it'd be interesting.

[PACOX]

Don't know if anyone saw but people found a way to see the new weapons for the other Elites Spec during the testing phase going on.

Thief : Scepter
Elem and Ranger : Hammer
Engi : Mace (main probably)
Warrior : Pistol (main or off hand)
Revenant : Greatsword

So the flaming icon is probably the Thief and the Oni mask would be Elem

Speculation is based off previewing the demo equipment boxes.
The boxes have been changed so the weapons are not guaranteed to be accurate. You can can bet they were right if you are a betting man but it is now possible the we just saw placeholders created by whoever updated the boxes.

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Hammer ranger... ew

Hammer Ranger is a callback to GW1 actually.

[Poppincaps]

As long as they made it damage focused and has more emphasis on the pet, I'll be fine. Didn't like that Soulbeast consumes the pet and Druid is more of a healer/support.

[qwerty123456]

As long as they made it damage focused and has more emphasis on the pet, I'll be fine. Didn't like that Soulbeast consumes the pet and Druid is more of a healer/support.

Yeah I hope its more like a "war dog" user. The icon looks like its armor for a pet.

[Galifatorss]

Do they ever give tidbits of info?

[Val the Moofia Boss]

Do they ever give tidbits of info?

• Heart of Thorns was fully announced a week after the last episode of season 2 dropped, in January 2015. It released 10 months later in October.

• Path of Fire was fully announced a week after the last episode of season 3 dropped, at the start of August 2017. It released one month later in September.

• A third expansion was quietly announced on March 12th 2020 at the end of a game roadmap blog post on the website, a week before the IBS Steel Warband episode dropped. The blogpost teased a picture of a colorful asian arch building, so people assumed it was Cantha, but we had no other info on the expansion, not even the name. We got the name End of Dragons from a CGI teaser in September, but still didn't know what the content and features would be, which was gradually revealed bit by bit over time, probably to disguise just how little there was compared to the prior two expansions. The last IBS episode dropped in April 2022 and we went almost a full year without any content drops until EoD released.

• The fourth expansion was quietly announced in a blog post three weeks after EoD released. Unlike EoD, there wasn't even concept art to go with it. We have no idea what the theme will be or what content and features there will be.