Guardian: Reveal vs. Expectation & Comments

[shawn]

^TBH I agree. I can't believe I'm looking forward to the mesmer reveal. I feel dirty.

[GrimShade]

By the same thought I could say a monk just stands back and casts a heal, waits for recharge and casts another spell. That’s a vast oversimplification as you should know if you play any caster decently.

The guardian looks interesting to me. I enjoy Melee classes far more than casters, I also enjoy being the door enemies need to walk through to get to my team. One of the oldest comments my guildies would have when was they loved when I am on Warrior as they never need to worry about kyting or avoiding attacks, because I just body blocked everything.

I am sure there will be a lot more to discover about how each class can be played but I am unsure if my Main which has always been a warrior will be a Guardian or traditional Warrior. I may be able to run up body block everything and keep all benefits to myself as my party doesn’t need it. I could just as likely be needed to run back and forth between my party member unloading my benefits on them or slowing all the attackers down. Let the casters be healed and guarded by Water Elly’s, my benefits are going to the front liners.

[Thalanor Thornhale]

I'd also like to add something not much known about and discussed: interactions BETWEEN the professions and races!

Although we don't know much about how for example a guardian and a ranger can interact with each other, I for one would not mind NOT hearing about these interactions because it will leave THAT MUCH MORE for self-discovery once the game is released.

I feel sorry for Anet because on the one hand, I want to know more, yet on the other hand, I don't want to know everything so that there is still some mystery left once I log into the world for the first time.

How do you all feel about it?

[Alaris]

There will be plenty to discover once the game comes out...

But they did say some interactions. Wall of fire + arrow spread (or whatever it was called) anyone?

Instead of buffing someone, you buff a location... and whatever passes through it gets the buff. It'll be awesome.

[Lillith]

I sure hope it isn't exactly like the Chanter in Aion...it was also a "hybrid" profession, somewhere between a Prot/Healer and Tank. It was and still is the worse class to play in the game IMHO. Damage was mediocre, heals were not quite up to par, altho their buffs were insane in a group setting.
Chanters are strictly "support" class and I have to say they were always wanted in groups for their "buffs" but crapola for any kind of solo PvP. It's nice to be useful in a group, but solo'ing wasn't exactly what the class was made for so you were SOL if you didn't have a group for anything you needed to get done.
I'm a little nervous about the Guardian profession and it's definately not something I would consider at this time. But then again I may be pleasantly surprised!

[Alaris]

@Lillith

ANet seems aware that support usually ends up being lame soloers, so they've taken steps to rectify this.

The guardian has weapon spells that will help a lot increase dps in solo play. The virtues are also there to improve solo-ability compared to team play because in solo you would enjoy the passive effects (+defense, +health regen, +damage) but in team play you'd pass the effects to your team mates.

Traits will also likely allow you to spec for damage or for support.

[BrettM]

The virtues are also there to improve solo-ability compared to team play because in solo you would enjoy the passive effects (+defense, +health regen, +damage) but in team play you'd pass the effects to your team mates.

Didn't one of the interviews (Izzy's, IIRC) mention that active virtues were also useful in solo play? For example, activating Courage just after a passive block would give you an active block, so you would block two attacks in a row. It also mentioned using active Justice to buff the spirit hammer to cause burning, so apparently spirit weapons count as "allies". (Unlike GW1 spirits, which generally don't count or receive buffs.)

[Alaris]

I'd love the link to this, as I don't remember reading this at all.

[BrettM]

I'd love the link to this, as I don't remember reading this at all.

Found it. Ten Ton Hammer interview at http://www.tentonhammer.com/gw2/feat...dian-interview

TTH: How viable would you say the Guardian will be when playing solo? The unique profession skills will clearly give them high survivability, but they also seem like they'll shine even more so in group situations.

Izzy: Guardians are just as good solo as they are in a group. Their virtues, which can be used on a group, can also be used to double-up on an effect, allowing you to get two blocks in a row. Effects like back-to-back triggers of burning or a longer powerful regeneration can be really effective while playing solo. The world of Guild Wars 2 is a living, breathing world where you often find yourself fighting alongside not just players but NPCs as well. The guardian’s virtues are excellent at supporting anyone in a fight so even when soloing they are incredibly useful. A guardian can also slot weapon skills, and use Virtue of Justice to boost the damage of the summoned weapons. All these things combined make the guardian just as formidable solo as in a group.

[Lillith]

Found it. Ten Ton Hammer interview at http://www.tentonhammer.com/gw2/feat...dian-interview

Yes I figured with GW 2 and the event system implemented that no one would really ever be "solo" anywhere! LOL
Though it still seems to me that this profession is going to be strictly support and from my experience with the Chanter in Aion, can be quite boring at times. However, success in Aion is severely based on gear.
On the other hand, it would give you a chance to see the big picture during these events. Same as a monk I suppose.