Do we really need 9 new elite specs each expansion?

[Ashantara.8731]

I'd prefer new professions instead, but since we aren't getting any...

[Ojyh.9842]

I think we need 1 or 2 more. And then, if more expansions are released after that, I think they could work on something different.

But I'm also expecting to see reworks at some point. A lot of things could be updated in the current specs and professions.

 

I like the idea of torch mainhand. But in my opinion that's the weapon the Fireband should get (instead of the axe), not something every Guardian can use. I'm also waiting for things like dual wielding scepters (would have been nice for the Weaver imo), using foci as fist weapons (nice alternative to the Spellbreaker's daggers), underwater weapons on land, maybe professions using spears as a 2 handed weapon while others use it as a 1 handed weapon. Sadly A.Net don't seem to like the idea of breaking that kind of rule (for now).

[OriOri.8724]

I don't want to see any new elite specs until powercreep is brought back under control, but realistically, elite specs are all that expansions bring to PvP and WvW. HoT brought a new PvP mode that died, and new WvW maps that were hated on release (though they also weren't close to finished on release), and redid a bunch of WvW stuff. But PoF only brought elite specs and barrier to those 2 game modes. The next expansion will likely be the same as PoF in that regard, and in that case ANet needs the elite specs in order to have something for all 3 game modes

[Bunter.3795]

I voted no but only in the sense of as long as no class gets an elite, I'd be fine with it. Price of a no-elite expansion could be adjusted and maybe if they were not having to spend as much time balancing the new elite vs already existing content plus the new content, they could give us a bit more new content such as more zone, etc.

 

I'm fine either way as along as it's evenly distributed that if any class gets an elite, all classes get an elite.

[Aodlop.1907]

Voted no, because more specs means it's harder to find depth and complexity and we end up with brainless specs low effort/high reward like Scourge who plague everyone else's PvP experience

[Iozeph.5617]

I voted no, even though I don't see the use of these polls.

 

Anet has shown time and again that they're heedless of the damage they do by denigrating aspects of core professions and temporarily exalting 'elite specs' to gull players in order to generate impulse downloads -or what used to be known as 'box sales'- in the short term around the launch of any given expansion.

 

The damage is never undone, they never properly keep the core specs, which are supposed to provide a solid foundation for the e-specs, strong. The e-specs are supposed to just be additional trait lines to change the flavour of a given profession. This doesn't happen. They're never able to balance the disproportionate advantage of certain specs in competitive game modes, let alone PvE, which the wags will tell you doesn't matter even if it's the lion's share of this game.

 

They were never able to do this adequately even when they'd only had eight core professions to worry about, and every addition of an elite spec which, given the lack of balance and the pressure to generate profit, were nigh the same as adding nine new core professions every single time- has only made the problem more of a Gordian knot than it ever was. Increasing the pace of expansion releases, which in turn has the potential to increase the release of another nine(or more assuming they've not created yet another Revanent-esque abomination out of the whole cloth again to make a hitherto terrible problem even worse by raising the number ever higher) independent professions with their own inherent balance problems.

 

Yes, they're a business, yes they're here to make money, but making a business out of a setting which thrives on several modes and on keeping them healthy via player participation and the spread of good word of mouth- which in turn thrives on providing them a sense of community, of progression, and of fair play, but then operating it with a deaf ear to those who pay to keep it healthy out of genuine affection is not only a cynical business model but a stupid one. The only thing which allows it to limp onward is that its audience is equally moronic(and no, the irony of this post isn't lost). Whether that's due to emotional attachment to characters, or in-game friends, or a lack of anywhere 'better' to go to the effect is the same. Whichever the reason they allow themselves to be pulled back in, over and over, into something which resembles an abusive relationship where one tries to get away but is constantly promised by their abuser that 'things will change', that 'things will get better,' if only their partner 'toughs it out.'

 

If Anet could break that cycle, use some of the moneys they've accrued from their players to truly eliminate third part cheating, to do proper QA via a public testing server instead of making players, who pay on average higher via the gem store per annum than their nearest subscription-based competitors, test their abortive brainchildren during prime time play, if they could clean their house first before adding newer complications and prove capable of keeping newer complications to a minimum via that new and improved QA, then perhaps more players wouldn't vote 'No' on these sorts of polls.

 

Most sensible players agree there are balance problems. Most sensible consumers agree the best way to show dissatisfaction is to vote with one's wallet. But no matter how high we hold ourselves in our own esteems the truth is that we scarcely ever do. We are this stupid. Aggressively stupid. We go along to get along, take whatever sops we're given to temporarily silence the crying, and nothing truly changes. In the end we get the gaming experiences -or lack there of- which we deserve.

[GDchiaScrub.3241]

> @"Kheldorn.5123" said:

> **We** don't. Anet does to sell expansion.

 

This pretty much. Once the precedent was set in HoT...it was hard to go back on that in PoF. RIP.

 

D:

[Kovu.7560]

People have been asking for a petless ranger option for years. Anet obliged.

Sure they could've gone about it in some different way, but using an elite specialization to explore that particular idea, as well as different directions the other professions can go is not overwhelming, or a bad thing.

Personally I think MMOs (actually, any genre of game, single player or otherwise) with 30+ options on my UI during a fight is overwhelming and a bad thing. Just my opinion.

 

I like the versatility (some) elite specializations have given us. Issues with balance have impeded that particular aspect on some professions, of course, but on the whole I think its a good thing.

 

~ Kovu

[sokeenoppa.5384]

Yes we need them. Or If we dont get them, expansion need to be pretty damn huge.

[Tanuk.7961]

> @"Dravyn.4671" said:

> Yes. Either that or new classes.

>

> Paragon, Rit and Dervish.

>

> Needs to happen.

 

They should do that. 1 new class per armor weight with 2 elites each. Paragon for heavy, Dervish for medium, and Rit for light each with 2 elites. I'd pay all kinds of money for that. Heck, I'd pay all kinds of money just for a Rit by itself.

[Charrbeque.8729]

Does it hurt anything? You don't have to use new elite specs, or even bother unlocking them, if you don't want to.

 

It's good because it gives players options. Just because you don't want new elite specs doesn't mean everyone else has to go without.

[ReaverKane.7598]

We actually need more than 9 per expansion...

In order to get a decent balance through variety we should already have like 3-4 elites per profession atm.

[Edelweiss.4261]

I don't value this "balance" very highly. Balance is uninteresting. I value change much more than balance. If you have enough change, balance is meaningless. As such, the recent rework of chrono/deadeye are quite welcome (even if I'm not fond of the deadeye change itself).

 

We don't need new elite specs, but we need change. Adding new elite specs will be the easiest way to supply the necessary change. If they supply 3 new weapons, however, I'd buy an expansion without elite specs.

[Sarrs.4831]

I dunno, it seems like one of those things that'd just make the people who don't get an espec this expansion mad.

[Torolan.5816]

> @"EpicName.4523" said:

> Amazing. This is the first time I see someone wanting LESS for what he is paying. This is like going to the shop, buying a cheese then slicing it in half and giving the rest back because "it is too much."

>

> This game was released in 2012. For 6 years it had two expansions. So new elite specs come every three years. Do you honestly think this is such a frequent occurrence? Really?

>

> I bought both expansions because they allowed me unique and fun gameplay options. Introducing a new weapon for a core spec which you have already played for years without adding new and interesting mechanics does not justify the cost of an entire expansion. Gliding and mounts are cool, but not enough.

>

> Elite specs are not balanced because:

> 1)They require months of tuning AFTER release just to see the real impact actually made upon every aspect of the game

> 2)The balance team seems to be either understaffed or not really playing their own game because some of the changes they make are pointless or just bad.

> 3) Some of the elite specs are very fun and creative...but many of the core skill trees aren't. Since core profession trees are rarely, if ever, updated to match the new changes, they cannot compete with the new and improved designs. It is a powercreep problem which can be seen in many modern games.

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Your post suggests that you neither order dinner with children or elderly women. People give plenty of food back because they can´t eat it right there and their bellies are so full that they can´t see themselves eating it later. Packages are already getting smaller and smaller because of the many single households.

 

But in general I agree with you, mounts and gliders alone are not enough for an expansion. I am not really happy with the idea of elite specs in general, but you can´t sell an expansion with a shadow of a story and some revamped mobs alone.

[Arzurag.7506]

yes, I wanna get rid of scourge and reaper

[TexZero.7910]

No we need 27.

 

For practical reasons....not because i want to watch the world burn or anything.

[Assic.2746]

> @"ReaverKane.7598" said:

> We actually need more than 9 per expansion...

> In order to get a decent balance through variety we should already have like 3-4 elites per profession atm.

 

I don't understand what "balance through variety" is?

 

We already have 18 elite specs and 9 core specs which are not balanced. They are gonna slam another 9 new elite specs and hope everyone is gonna switch to those instead of balancing **abominations** like Scourge, Chrono? Have you seen how FUN WvW is post PoF? Every squad has 20+ Scourges, tons of visual noise.

[ProtoGunner.4953]

> @"EpicName.4523" said:

> Amazing. This is the first time I see someone wanting LESS for what he is paying. This is like going to the shop, buying a cheese then slicing it in half and giving the rest back because "it is too much."

 

I actually do that sometimes in restaurants when they give too much french fries, because they think (and many do so) more is better. No, it isn't. Sometimes less is better. Or rather: quality instead of quantity. And we have to go back to this - especially concerning food and health. Everyone and everything is suffering from the food industry - especially in the US.

 

That said concerning guild wars: I would like to have a different development than just new specs again and again. Hence a new level cap with advanced skills would be nice. Don't get me wrong. Ascended and legendary gear should be adapted to this new level cap.

 

[Manasa Devi.7958]

I would say yes, if they made them less annoying. But I said no, because after PoF I don't trust them to.

[maddoctor.2738]

Do we need 9? No we don't. But not having one of each could cause an uproar around here. However, they could release the elite specs over the course of the Living World Season and make it so they have some lore/story behind them other than a random NPC showing us a preview of the spec. Also, by not releasing all 9 at once it could potentially speed up the process, allow the community to play a few specs at a time, so they are more easily balanced.

 

Although I voted no, I'd say that after some months, there should always be 9 new elite specs, just not release them all at once with the new expansion.

[Mea.5491]

I don't want elite specs in every expansion because balancing them is a pain in the Charr tail. I'd prefer new features like player housing. However, I'm pretty sure we will get elite specs anyway because people like them and they are the main selling point of expansions.

[Warkind.6745]

I wouldn't mind if an expac dropped without elite specs, but I'd expect something else in return. Map design and story would have to be excellent, and I think I'd expect a new WvW borderland as well.

[Laila Lightness.8742]

No we need less e specs first they maybe fun but the isdues they cause is to big we would overall bern better balance wise without them. Remove them make it pre hot then balance was good

[Dami.5046]

Can there be a 'Don't know' because I quite like doing the ascended weapon collections and i've done all the new ones, but getting the HP drains the soul.