GetThePizza: The boon system and the requirement of needing all boons up at all time has done irreparable damage to design space.

IsaDoobus: I think the biggest "now we're all the same" is boon-stacking.

Melee? Get in the stack, stay on boss (makes sense)

Range? Get in the stack, stay on boss

Highly mobile build? Doesn't matter, get in that goddamn stack.

I like the idea of some players benefiting from distance or positioning (like flanking) but you gotta be in the stack or you're a potato in comparison.

mikereyes2269: weapon mastery, any spec being able to use any weapon took out elite spec uniqueness.

Brotection_: I saw the thumbnail without even clicking on the video and just went "yep". This is absolutely how I felt coming back to the game, discovering we now have a grand total of 36-45 specs and they all provide the same boons/utility for the most part.

Oatmeal-Savage: This is why 99% of my playing is in open world. It gives me at least SOME flexibility to play in a style I prefer. This is also why I love Lord Hizen. He recognizes that Anet made all the classes homogeneous. So he pops these classes out of their intended mold, and solos group content with them.

Candidly_Aloof: That's why I agree with Hizen when he says GW2 is the best single player game ever

MistyTaylor-o9z2v: To be fair, Syrma, Anet isn't the only reasoning behind that. We both participated in the last expansion spec beta, so I'm sure you heard the community comment multiple times about 'X' spec not having Role B, or C. Sure, having flexibility is nice, but as pointed out, it limits specs from being able to achieve full potential. I love the classes I play, but it does feel like some specs are too much like; well, what is the point?

yorshka6955: Every class should have a unique skill like old scourge

efeozturk5253: we played gw2 when it wasn't homogenous. I'm not going back to bannerslave builds.

svarog8253: because all classes can you all weapons in the spec. thats why.

Shadow-1-x-1: As a wow player who is playing gw2 at the moment, i think it’s good you brought this up. This same thing happened in wow and it hurt game in long run. They gave everyone everything. Every class have self heal, interupt, hard cc, snare. It killed class identity,and now they are trying to walk back and change stuff but damage is already done.

Szezark: Guild wars 2’s class issues are rooted much deeper than just the weapon and trait choices. They chose to create a game that is based on rpg elements but completely ignored them for simpler gameplay, which halted any type of build creativity from day 1. Why are there 39 different stat combinations on gear when realistically we only use 5 or so? That means 34 ish stat types are completely unused, same with talents. They chose to make the talent choices one of 3 in each trait line, meaning for most classes we are pidgeonholed into certain traits without having any alternatives (Im looking at you warrior discipline..). On top of that core trait choices arent impactful enough, they dont fundamentally change how you play or gear the character. Like what if picking Defense on warrior actually made picking soldier stat gear worthwile..

Tldr; Guild Wars 2 has so much wasted potential and dumbed down choices it is now a rythm game.

Alurazle: Profession identity, I liked how Chronomacers were the only ones with alacrity making it there thing. Elementalist the ONLY class that I play was supposed to be a glass cannon, but we get our damage nerfed so much with garbage utilities like conjures that NO one really uses.

Fragmented_Chaos: you guys dont know what homogeneity means. all of the gw2 elite specs I've played felt completely different since I came back. FFXIV have a WAY worse situation in this apartment. classes there actually all feel and play the same when it comes to roles

mezias00: The Engineer has a Problem which is closely related to Weapons which is the Kits, because for max dps you really need 1-3 kits and

in many cases 0 of the Elite Specialization Skills.

And of course it also has the Weapon Problem:

99% Spear for Condi and Hammer for Power Builds.

I cant wait for the January Update, many use Explosions and Rifle Traits for the Amalgam, but i use the Rifle and Tools and there will be very good buffs for the Tools Traitlines :D

But i will miss the Quickness on the Rifle, because it was easy stability T_T

Raindrop511: GW2 PvP was so good before Path of Fire and the Elite specs destroyed the balance, when it was all core classes it was peak gameplay, sometimes i wish they'd make a game mode where you can only play core.

TheMCmace: Make classes different and they get left behind

class identity is completely awful for balancing

it literally only results in not being able to play content because people don't want your class in that fight

TheHelltribute: but what do you sacrifice? identity or a place in a fractal/raid? the idea to fragilize identity to give more boons or support to a elite spec is exactly not trying to force people into a spec they don't want to play.

I think the fundamental thing to have in a class/spec identity is fun gameplay loop. I want to be useful to a raid by playing an elite taht's fun, not that's a mandatory to fill a role.

Also core traits need to have a boon focused and a support focused, and all elite and other traits need to be gameplay/dps oriented. It would be much more easy to balance and maintain identity.

Last thing: People needs to decide whats's more important. You can't complain about sustain and lack of boons while also wanting to be unique. An unique mechanic to class risks a mandatory spot in a game system (pvp/pve/wvw). we have 36 elite specs across 9 classes with absurd variation, you can't expect resonable identity fantasy and at the same time balance in all game modes, it's just insane. But a foundation can be done, either dedicated core for healing/support-cc/boons and other 2 for dps elites, or the cookie cutter 3 rolls suport/dps/heal we have in some elites.

Cross_111: Truth be told the boon system is an issue in itself

Unfortunately we are too far down that rabbit hole now with gw2...

But if we take f.e. Evoker they have done so many things right! It enables so many playstyles and especially with specialized elements. True fire mage fantasy done right!

As an ele enjoyer myself this is truely a gift from the gods

shakeweller: The problem is without Quickness GW2 feels unplayable, because of how slow it is. I don't have the changes to sit there and cast a 1s cast or sometimes even longer. That's why WvW annoys me so much because I cancel my casts all the time because I expect everything to be normal pace, but instead it is snail pace.

Closetmonster99150: Hi, annoying business guy here.

There is a framework used in product/service development called "MECE" (Mutually exclusive, collectively exhaustive) - organizing complex information into distinct, non-overlapping categories that cover all possibilities, ensuring no gaps or double-counting when analyzing issues like profitability, market segments, or data sets.

I think that at one point, GW2 professions fit this criteria, but now, the elite specs are doing things that other professions can accomplish, removing the "identity" that we crave that comes from mutual exclusivity.

kirvu9677: A huge problem was when they got rid of class identity for the sake of "everyone can do everything".

pheonixmog: The homogeneity of player interaction has been a tango, or even lack thereof, with the development and balance team. Pre expacs, classes were distinct with distinct traits and roles.

Now, arguments about wanting classes to not have unique buffs were pushed, i.e. bannerslaves. Yet multiple VoE elites pushed them, group distortion, 10% damage reductions, cannot down, unkillable minions, etc. Stuff that we originally had to specifically trait into in some cases.

Anytime these things happened in the past, they ended up getting nerfed or removed. Half the classes in PvE, the other half in PvP.

One of the best things they did honestly was removing almost all of Alacrity in WvW because it put the game back into a more deliberate and intentional skill game. While its a farcry from pre expac times, it's one of the few changes that returned to approaching an original design choice.

There was too much pandering for ease of accomplishment. Then there is still the playergating of training or practicing higher end content. There ends up being about 6 distinct ways to engage with the game, and almost all of them are gutted for it by homogenizing.

ytth439: I see this more and more in the MMORPG space; I really think this is a player driven issue. Gamers are becoming really entitled and get upset when their build cannot do it all. Tell someone they need to master a rotation with hours of practice and they act you are crazy. This is compounded by the boon system, where it is now expected that all boons are present all the time. Open world keeps builds alive for me because I can have fun with builds that make no sense and still do just fine in OW, which I really enjoy.

actuallyroger: Honestly if they removed Alac and Quick from the game (or Atleast from 80% of classes), it would really help the game design.

330DKNY: The problem with unique abilities is how do you balance the game. They are either so weak to not matter, or required to clear the content. The game already has bad dps balance forcing players to play specific specs for end game content.

Jan 01 2026

Buy GW2 Gold