[Suggestion] Orchestral Weapon Set

[Illconceived Was Na.9781]

I'd like to see a new set of weapons modeled after musical instruments. Ideally they'd have unique sounds, too.

* Scepter = Flute

* Staff = Bassoon or didgeridoo

* Shield = Drum or tuba or doublebass

* Dagger = piccolo

* Axe = trumpet or mandolin or banjo

* Hammer = Trombone

* Greatsword = Standup Bass (or maybe bass guitar?) or Balalaika

* Focus = Tambourine

* Mace = Maraca

* Pistol = Trumpet

* Rifle = Trombone

 

 

_edit: including suggestions from @"RoseofGilead.8907"; I just love the idea of actual instruments, the choice of which ones is less important_

[Ayakaru.6583]

I like the idea, but the flute, horns and pipes would require blowing in them. Unless your intends us just to play whack-a-mole with a guitar (which would be hilarious)

[Oldirtbeard.9834]

As a fan of Getty and Claypool I support that Bass/GS idea.

[Nikal.4921]

Have you checked out the [Privateer_weapon_skins](https://wiki.guildwars2.com/wiki/Privateer_weapon_skins "https://wiki.guildwars2.com/wiki/Privateer_weapon_skins")?

[Illconceived Was Na.9781]

> @"Nikal.4921" said:

> Have you checked out the [Privateer_weapon_skins](https://wiki.guildwars2.com/wiki/Privateer_weapon_skins "https://wiki.guildwars2.com/wiki/Privateer_weapon_skins")?

 

Yes, that was, shall we say, instrumental in the creative process. The Privateer set owes its origins to musical themes, but they aren't really instruments. After seeing the flute-ish scepter, I was disappointed by the missed opportunity of using a bassoon as a staff.

 

And @"Ayakaru.6583", while I'd love to see new animations in which our characters played the flute (rather than wave it in the general direction of our enemies), I don't think that's realistic. I'd expect these weapons would work mostly like the ones we already have (so yeah, Guardians would spin-to-win their basses rather than rock-out a la the 12th doctor). One step at a time.

[Glacial.9516]

Excellent idea. It may be a tad awkward to fight with some of them, but it would be awesome regardless!

[RoseofGilead.8907]

I'd love to see something like this. But, when I've imagined it, here's what I think of:

 

Flute: Scepter

Double bass or tuba: Shield

Bassoon or didgeridoo: Staff

Balalaika: Greatsword

Tambourine: Focus

Maraca(s): Mace

Trumpet: Pistol

Trombone: Rifle

Mandolin: Axe

[Illconceived Was Na.9781]

> @"RoseofGilead.8907" said:

> I'd love to see something like this. But, when I've imagined it, here's what I think of:

>

> Flute: Scepter

> Double bass or tuba: Shield

> Bassoon or didgeridoo: Staff

> Balalaika: Greatsword

> Tambourine: Focus

> Maraca(s): Mace

> Trumpet: Pistol

> Trombone: Rifle

> Mandolin: Axe

 

Combined our lists, since I'm partial to the concept (the specific instruments are less important).

I do love the idea of a tambourine focus or a maraca mace, or maybe marimbas. And rifle|trombone is probably better than using that one as a hammer. There's some overlap, which is fine, since ANet will end up doing whatever makes sense to them anyhow; all we can really do is inspire their designers to go nuts.

[Trise.2865]

In a word: Kabong!

In two words: Guitar Hammer

 

A few more ideas:

The Shield has to be big enough to hide behind, but also light enough to carry in one hand. That, dear friends, is the French Horn... or maybe a big Tymphony (drum) skin. ...or, for a slightly busier design, a Euphonium, or "mini-Tuba" fits the bill, and is often held much like a Shield might be.

 

I think there's a better use for a full-size Tuba skin, though. Hear me out on this... a Staff. Consider the animations of the Staff: primarily holding still and waving your hand around, right? Even the dynamic Daredevil and Revenant staff anims don't actually need a weapon in hand to work as an attack. Instead, the quirky skin is an "invisible" staff with a serpentine, golden effect around the body and over the head. I understand this one's a little "out there", but they've done things like that before. I bet they could do it.

 

The Trumpet/Bugle is obvious as a Warhorn skin, and has been done at least once before, though there's hardly a better fit... as long as it has some real brass sound.

 

Though I like the Maraca Mace idea, I would much rather swing a Cymbal-stick (imagine two Cymbals mounted on a handle that crash when shaken, usually part of a one-man-band kit) and get a nice, loud crash with the heavy Mace hits. Perhaps, on a more dynamic weapon, like a Dagger or Sword...

 

...or the Pistol! Look carefully at the Pistol animations. They look an awful lot like shaking Maracas, don't they? Remove the barrel, put a big, wooden bulb on top, and bam! Magic, bullet-shooting Maracas.

 

Moving on with the wacky ideas, get a load of this one: Microphone Torch. It could have a subtle, electric hum and make synth noises... I've heard Guardians spit hot fire...

 

Since I've co-opted the Staff skin for a weirder design, let's make use of that Didgeridoo, shall we? as a Bow! The Shortbow has some very active swinging and wafting animations that fit swimmingly with the unique play and sounds.

 

While we're at it, let's make the Longbow a Rain Stick. Most Longbow anims are pretty similar: back straight, arms together, subtle shaking movements... good for a simple instrument like that. Of course, there's always the classic cartoon, Longbow Cello.

[Ardid.7203]

You have Trombone twice, guys.

Maybe hammer can be a Saxophone?

 

Axe could be a Violin, IMO. Sadder and sharper sound, If you know what I mean...

[Mikuchan.7261]

I'm not sure I'm super into the idea, unless I can get a guzheng worked into it somehow. Guzhengs are cool.

But I figured I'd contribute that while a harp would probably be the obvious bow, a shamisen, or another long guitar-like instrument with few strings, would make for a pretty hillarious bow, using the strings as... well.. strings.

[Illconceived Was Na.9781]

> @"Ardid.7203" said:

> You have Trombone twice, guys.

Yes and as more people offer their ideas, we'll see more duplicates.

I'm not expecting ANet to implement our exact suggestion(s); I'm mostly interested in sparking their imagination about an actual set of musical instruments (instead of just a musically-themed set, as we have with the [Privateer skins](https://wiki.guildwars2.com/wiki/Privateer_weapon_skins)).

 

[Liewec.2896]

what about a longbow skins that goes fully EPIC, replacing your animations so your character is holding an instrument like they're going to play it,

and when you fire an "arrow" your character plays the instrument and fires musical notes at the enemy? XD

i'm thinking guitar or sax :tongue:

[Illconceived Was Na.9781]

> @"Liewec.2896" said:

> what about a longbow skins that goes fully EPIC, replacing your animations so your character is holding an instrument like they're going to play it,

 

Yes, it would be even more awesome if each instrument had its own animation, but... I think we have to assume that's unrealistic given their design budget. (Remember they work for nearly a year on new armor sets and months on weapons, and they have a score of fan-supplied weapon designs to implement).

 

I do wish I had thought of this (and posted) during the contest; someone might have been able to render it (not me: takes me two rulers and US$900 worth of CAD to draw a straight line).

 

[Mikuchan.7261]

> @"Illconceived Was Na.9781" said:

> > @"Liewec.2896" said:

> > what about a longbow skins that goes fully EPIC, replacing your animations so your character is holding an instrument like they're going to play it,

>

> Yes, it would be even more awesome if each instrument had its own animation, but... I think we have to assume that's unrealistic given their design budget. (Remember they work for nearly a year on new armor sets and months on weapons, and they have a score of fan-supplied weapon designs to implement).

>

> I do wish I had thought of this (and posted) during the contest; someone might have been able to render it (not me: takes me two rulers and US$900 worth of CAD to draw a straight line).

>

 

The point of a suggestion thread isn't to be realistic.

It's to give inspiration to the devs.

It's pointless to assume whether or not something is realistic unless your idea is that we should give no suggestions that risk being unrealistic, which would mean potential loss of great ideas.

So.. I'm not seeing where you're going?

[Fenom.9457]

Sounds fun!

[Cobrakon.3108]

Let's up the ante. Bard Class!

[Tathorpe.8572]

> @"Cobrakon.3108" said:

> Let's up the ante. Bard Class!

 

Oh man. I mean we already have tons of musical instruments. It's not too far fetched to dream of them granting boons or applying conditions to enemies when playing certain melodies.

[Illconceived Was Na.9781]

> @"Illconceived Was Na.9781" said:

> I'd like to see a new set of weapons modeled after musical instruments. Ideally they'd have unique sounds, too.

>! > * Scepter = Flute

>! > * Staff = Bassoon or didgeridoo

>! > * Shield = Drum or tuba or doublebass

>! > * Dagger = piccolo

>! > * Axe = trumpet or mandolin or banjo

>! > * Hammer = Trombone

>! > * Greatsword = Standup Bass (or maybe bass guitar?) or Balalaika

>! > * Focus = Tambourine

>! > * Mace = Maraca

>! > * Pistol = Trumpet

>! > * Rifle = Trombone

>! >

>! >

>! > _edit: including suggestions from @"RoseofGilead.8907"; I just love the idea of actual instruments, the choice of which ones is less important_

 

How'd we do?

[Balthzar.3807]

> @"Illconceived Was Na.9781" said:

> > @"Illconceived Was Na.9781" said:

> > I'd like to see a new set of weapons modeled after musical instruments. Ideally they'd have unique sounds, too.

> >! > * Scepter = Flute

> >! > * Staff = Bassoon or didgeridoo

> >! > * Shield = Drum or tuba or doublebass

> >! > * Dagger = piccolo

> >! > * Axe = trumpet or mandolin or banjo

> >! > * Hammer = Trombone

> >! > * Greatsword = Standup Bass (or maybe bass guitar?) or Balalaika

> >! > * Focus = Tambourine

> >! > * Mace = Maraca

> >! > * Pistol = Trumpet

> >! > * Rifle = Trombone

> >! >

> >! >

> >! > _edit: including suggestions from @"RoseofGilead.8907"; I just love the idea of actual instruments, the choice of which ones is less important_

>

> How'd we do?

 

YOU DID AWESOME

 

whomever did the guitar greatsword rocks

 

[Illconceived Was Na.9781]

> @"Balthzar.3807" said:

>

> whomever did the guitar greatsword rocks

I like the entire set. They are super fun and festive (even without being specific to this festival).

 

> YOU DID AWESOME

As someone else said, it's the devs and artists who made cool skins like this happen.