GW2 professions: some maths

[Alaris]

I did some maths on GW2 professions... here's what I got:

The numbers are respectively: (1) number of 2H weapons, (2) number of 1H weapons (counting main & off separately), (3) number of ways to make a different weapon bar, and (4) total number of weapon skills.

2H - 1H - #C - #Sk
W 4 - 8 - 19 - 44
G 3 - 6 - 12 - 30
R 3 - 6 - 11 - 29
T 1 - 5 -- 7 - 21
En 1 - 3 -- 3 - 12*
E 1 - 4 -- 5 - 60
N 1 - 6 - 10 - 20
Me 2 - 6 - 10 - 24
* Not counting kits

Clearly, they didn't mean to make professions equal regarding those. Ele has 60 weapon skills, warrior has 40 including burst skills, necro and thief drop to 20-21 and that's including combo skills.

Eles and engineers lose the ability to weapon swap, but still... they are the professions by excellence for total number of attack skills, and in-combat versatility (ele by default, engineer if using kits).

Warrior having so many combos and attack skills suggests the profession by excellence for attack bar customization.

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Likewise, weapons aren't meant to be equally distributed: number of professions using each weapon type:

2H: Staff=4, Greatsword=4, Hammer=2, Longbow=2, Shortbow=2, Rifle=2
1H: Sword=5, Mace=2, Axe=3, Dagger=3, Scepter=4, Pistol=2
Off: Dagger=4, Focus=4, Shield=3, Torch=3, Axe=2, Mace=1, Sword=2, Warhorn=3, Pistol=3

Note that certain weapons can be used in either hand, summing those would add to: Dagger=7, Axe=5, Mace=3, Sword=7, Pistol=5

Pistols and rifles are under-represented (but possibly usable both one or both unrevealed professions), while daggers, axes and swords are more popular.

Blunt weapons (hammers and maces) are under-represented, while sharp weapons (especially swords and daggers) and staves are over-represented.

This may factor in demand (and possibly in supply if ANet factors this in drop rates). Note that professions that have a greater choice of weapons may exert less demand on each weapon type.

It's unlikely in my opinion that the remaining two professions will re-balance this to all weapons having roughly the same usage. In fact, pistols will never be as in-demand as daggers.

As it turns out, engineers can dual-wield pistols and mesmers can wield pistols as well as off-hand, and even then daggers are used in more slots. Still, it's a closer call than I thought. The fact remains that there are large discrepancies between maces and daggers.

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Since this may lead to speculation on the remaining professions, I'd like to remind that the mesmer may well be using pistols (and possibly rifles) but not bows, and so if true, we don't know anything about the last new profession.

As it turns out, mesmers do use pistols but neither bows or rifles.

Discuss.

[RD]

Since this may lead to speculation on the remaining professions, I'd like to remind that the mesmer may well be using pistols (and possibly rifles) but not bows, and so if true, we don't know anything about the last new profession.

Discuss.

That would.... Wow!

From the books, we saw a lot of Charr using rifles, but nothing really seemed to indicate they weren't Warriors........

Mind = blown

[djacob]

Lol, the mesmer = the new gunner profession... sorry, I'm not buying it. Don't get me wrong, I see what you are saying, and I wouldn't be too surprised if mesmers did have the ability to use pistols, and possibly even rifles (though that would be slightly odd). Shoot, they may not even be able to use bows, I still don't see that charr on the left side of the profession collage to be weilding anything other than a gun.

Basically, what these numbers tell me is that the new profession will probably also be able to use a mace, but not daggers.

[Alaris]

I'm fairly confident that the new profession can use guns. But the argument is that we can't assume that to be true, we can't take that for granted.

As for the charr profile, there's plenty of things he could be holding including a turret or a 2H weapon. The rifle or pistol would have to be very large if that's what it is, but I suppose it could be that.

Norn with sniper rifle caught me by surprise afterall, I didn't expect to see that!

[Смерть]

How about Mesmers using pistols and stuff to shoot magic and spells instead of real bullets?

[bellissima]

Mind bullets... >.>

[Смерть]

Mind bullets... >.>

Lol, yes, they could be mind bullets. I was thinking along the lines of magical weapons in anime.

[Sir Jack]

How about Mesmers using pistols and stuff to shoot magic and spells instead of real bullets?

Mesmers with Guns in the Off-Hand getting a Final Fantasy "Blue Bullet" to copy certain Monster skills would be freaking sweet though.

Imagine them pointing the gun at the ground and launching a giant magic ball to generate a Giant Stomp

[Alaris]

I'm thinking using their mind to change bullet properties, and also targeting weak points to cause blindness, blackout, cripple, etc.

[djacob]

Ok, sorry but this is bugging me. Let me explain why I think the new profession will have guns but not bows (I fully realize that you think it is merely a possibility, not a certainty that they will use both).

I know you have all the math laid out, but I like sentences to fully show what's going on. The warrior has access to the longbow and rifle for long range. On the other end of the spectrum, the thief uses shortbows and pistols. Then there is the ranger, who uses bows only. The guardian, ele, and necro cannot use bow nor gun, preferring more magical means of long range combat. Though both spellcasters use daggers, they still use them to cast spells instead of throw.

So what's the point I'm driving at? The point is that so far, professions have had two options or none, and there have been no repeats of those options. Also, no spellcaster has had access to bows or guns. So if the same pattern continues, either the last explorer will have both gun types and no bows, filling all the options possible without duplicating any... or it will be a spellcasting adventurer in the same way as the guardian is a spellcasting soldier (ie, it won't have either). This would mean that the mesmer would have both gun types but no bows... breaking the spellcaster's pattern up to this point as well.

You know... the more I think about this, the less I even think the mesmer will have guns. They will probably have daggers instead, and contrary to what I said earlier, the adventurer will probably have daggers as well. This would hold with the other pattern seen so far (everyone besides soldiers bother to use daggers, guess the military has something against them).