[Concept] New Mastery: Racial Masteries

[Trise.2865]

Some people believe that racial skills should be more useful.

Some people want race to matter more than a couple of story steps and some dialogue.

Some people want more and deeper lore for their species.

A LOT of people want new cosmetic options.

Well, here's one way to address all of these: Racial Masteries!

 

Unlike other Masteries, which are about learning new skills and abilities, a Racial Mastery would be about reaching "peak condition" for your race; introspection more than education. In practicality, this could manifest as new Racial skills, minor or practical improvements to existing ones, and most interestingly (to me): cosmetic options. To be specific: partially customizing your attack animations with effects. A Human may channel more of their Gods' powers such that a visage may manifest. A Norn may shift between humanoid and Becoming forms as they attack. Sylvari might use plant-based options or tap into their latent psychic abilities. A Charr might augment their moves with steam machines or their own claws, while an Asura might use golems or golem parts as foci. I'd like this to contain new types of Emotes as well, both race-specific and general.

(**Before you say it**: Yes, there should also be an option to turn them off, both for yourself and other characters).

 

Moving beyond a pure RP space, each Race might have a unique-but-similar "treasure sniffing" ability that would reveal hidden interactables and treasure chests. For example: an Asura might Analyze an area and uncover a hidden compartment or notice a particular book. A Sylvari might Sense Echoes of someone hiding something or memories of another Sylvari who had a specific experience. A Norn could literally Hunt to locate signs or commune with spirits. For equity purposes, the treasures should be accessible by every race's ability (with the exception of race-specific armors and new Cultural weapon skins, if they were so inclined). Any other interactables and lore pieces could easily be race-specific.

 

Ideally (to me), a racial mastery would be unlocked by having a character of that race reach level 80 (with the other Mastery unlocks), and apply to all characters of that race on the account, like Mount Masteries. (Plenty of wiggle-room here. If, say, they'd like it locked behind a quest or only available to max-level characters, or something like that.) Also like Mount Masteries, it could contain one or two little "treats" for all characters on the account as a reward for reaching the higher tiers, such as emotes or specific racial skills. Progressing the Mastery should ideally be linked both to playing as a specific race and diving into racial lore and history, similar to a Collection. As stated above, this wouldn't be about becoming more powerful, *per se*, but unlocking your fullest potential... to "be your best self".

 

I like to think this opens up a lot of creative space, both for the art and animation teams, and the players who want more depth to the world. In terms of production: this would recycle and re-skin existing animations, so in theory, it should be relatively easy (and cheap) to produce and implement. It's straightforward enough most players would understand what to do and how to use it, so only the barest minimum tutorial would be required.

 

What do you all think? Nice idea? Waste of time? Something to add or change? Let's get a discussion going!

[hugo.4705]

Well, since day 1, I feel like your race doesn't matter, I mean there isn't many racial-dependant dialogs around and the different skills aren't adapting themselves to the chosen race.

I will use the common and simple exemple of engineer:

1~Why we don't have racial turrets?

2~Why don't we have racial kits bagpacks?

Asura as example, dropping asura turrets having let's say a orangish power cell on their back when using flamethrower....

 

Secondly, the sounds, when using a glyphic weapon i would like to hear a magic casting sound, a laser sound with inquest mark II, wave of water with endless ocean..

But I don't think adding/modifying attacks effects/aspects depending on your race would be interesting, seeing asuran letter/sparks, vines or whatever....

There is not enough racial skills, they can add more with the same effects between all races but different appearances.

 

I kinda like the idea of a treasure hunter skill but would push it further: If asura, you can uncypher asuran scripts, if norn asking spirits for help you can ask for a poi you don't have and raven show you the way, for charr motivating allies npcs like giving speed... but not a direct power advantage for the player themselves, so no race is considered better than another.

 

Note I would really like my asura to be more important but at a point maybe too high: Feeling really like I'm participating in the life of Rata Sum, I want to participate to the Snaffu price, to Polymock, to finally being able to join the Inquest. (They did that in the new episode, you can turn yourself in boneskinner and have an hidden achiev saying welcome to svanirs).

I want to sit at a bar and listen to asuran music, working on a console.....

Even making a lab in the guild hall.....

 

It's a whole, what you can do as that race, available armor and weapons, available mounts and glider skins......

But even still have little hopes, it should have been done at the start of the game.

What you also expect when you play an extension/ls related to your race is discovering some secrets and mysteries.

Will conclude using those two exemple:

 

~Rata Novus:

-Map/location is meh

-Very nice Holograms around the city dispensing interesting notes.

-But not great things in story, the hidden achiev new horizon was good idea sadly we haven't explored the cube, ending the journey in an empty corridor.

 

~Rata Primus

-Map/Location is nice, well detailed dialogues

-Very nice Public Announcers again interesting.

-In this case, story is great using the lore, putting documents/info papers. But not the whole cube is used, many closed doors and so unavailable places. (Also case in the map, sacrifying some cool rp places)

 

So, for some closed door is a mystery, for me it's an excuse for an unfinished thing: I want to know what is behind.

 

As a final sum up?

-Mastery could fix profession aesthetics of certain mechanics. (Turrets, summoned weapons, gun of hidden gun warrior skill, spirit weapons, rev legends....)

-It could unlock more and more dialogs in the corresponding race maps, with let's say tiers of affinity.

-Can unlock access to some places only for your race. (Lore or for Rp)

Had a dream recently, a lost valley with ton of old asuran ruins where some labs implented themselves, beautiful vegetation and waterfalls.

[Amy of Darkness.5248]

I think it's a great idea, but as said above something they should have done at launch. I think if we want to see something like this become a reality, an obvious monetization path needs to be part of the proposal. I hate that's how business is done but companies are allergic to rework and you have to sweeten the deal somehow.

The lore team obviously has a lot of ideas in the background but I'd love to see that play a bigger role in my PC's life. It takes me by surprise when an NPC acknowledges my race because it's so rare.

 

 

 

[lokh.2695]

[Racial Skills Threads here](https://en-forum.guildwars2.com/search?adv=1&search=&title=racial+skill&author=&cat=all&tags=&discussion_d=1&comment_c=1&discussion_question=1&comment_answer=1&discussion_poll=1&within=1+day&date= "Racial Skills Threads here") feel free to use the forums search option.

 

No need to change anything about them. If at all it should be open world PvE only, no raids, no dungeons, no fractals, no wvw, no pvp. I dno't want to live in a Tyria where race matters in terms of dps/sustain/support/tankyness. For further references, I'm sure I've posted lengthy answers in one or more of the other racial skills threads linked above.

[zealex.9410]

Considering in gw1 humans could interact and learn about other races and as a result they could use their skills i dont see a reason why the same thing couldnt happen here.

 

 

[Trise.2865]

> @"lokh.2695" said:

> [Racial Skills Threads here](https://en-forum.guildwars2.com/search?adv=1&search=&title=racial+skill&author=&cat=all&tags=&discussion_d=1&comment_c=1&discussion_question=1&comment_answer=1&discussion_poll=1&within=1+day&date= "Racial Skills Threads here") feel free to use the forums search option.

>

> No need to change anything about them. If at all it should be open world PvE only, no raids, no dungeons, no fractals, no wvw, no pvp. I dno't want to live in a Tyria where race matters in terms of dps/sustain/support/tankyness. For further references, I'm sure I've posted lengthy answers in one or more of the other racial skills threads linked above.

 

What skills?

How do attack effects and emotes change your stats?

How does another universalized, but differently-flavored hide and seek system buff your abilities?

 

Maybe pay a little attention before copy-pasting a response, eh?