Profession/Race/RP Issues.

[Alaris]

I just looked at the videos and it's really hard to tell. Seems to me that the guardian had a good ability to kill and to stay alive. I think we'd need to see them in PvP or in side-by-side PvE comparison to really tell.

The thing that I expect though is that all professions should be roughly equal on survival and damage. Here's how I figure it out... Ever played a priest in WoW? It had great spells to heal and protect, but was really terrible for damage for at least as long as I cared to play it. Meanwhile, rogue was great at damage and poor at staying alive. Druid could do it all, and could even flip between roles. So everyone played druid and paladin because they could do everything well. It was a mess, especially in "single-player".

Now imagine being stuck with the profession that you like, but finding out that it's sub-par. Imagine being a guardian and ending up not getting as much rewards and XP per hour because you don't kill stuff as fast as other professions. That would be terrible, right? Oh sure you don't die, but neither does the warrior with his high health and self-heal.

[Gmac]

Now imagine being stuck with the profession that you like, but finding out that it's sub-par. Imagine being a guardian and ending up not getting as much rewards and XP per hour because you don't kill stuff as fast as other professions. That would be terrible, right? Oh sure you don't die, but neither does the warrior with his high health and self-heal.

Yeah, well in a perfect world every class would be able to solo and be of use in a group dynamic exactly the same amount, but from my past experience with MMOs, this hasn't been the case. There's usually a few classes or at least one class that stand out from the others in both these settings. As you mentioned, WoW Paladins and Druids seem to be able to do everything well, you don't think this will be the case with any of the professions in GW2?

[RD]

Yeah, well in a perfect world every class would be able to solo and be of use in a group dynamic exactly the same amount, but from my past experience with MMOs, this hasn't been the case.

And this is exactly what GW 2 aims to do

[Alaris]

As you mentioned, WoW Paladins and Druids seem to be able to do everything well, you don't think this will be the case with any of the professions in GW2?

I think ANet has built their classes to be paladins and druids. They usual problem was that hybrids and pure classes didn't mesh within a game, but now they are all hybrids in GW2.

Water eles have healing. Warriors with shouts and banners bring buffs and support, and with bows they nuke. Rangers have many melee weapons. One of the devs is running a support thief.

Moreover, weapon swap means that unlike many other MMOs, role changing is not only possible but encouraged in-combat.

Even if some profession is better at role X, gameplay will be far more about hybrids and swapping roles, so it won't really matter.