Instead of new professions in an expansion...

This is just a little idea I've been thinking about. Something along these lines instead of more professions in an expansion would be quite neat.

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I've seen lots of people suggest lots of new professions, but they've never really been any different than the ones we have now. Things like ninja's are too much like a ranger and they've covered all types of casting by the three caster classes.

No, what I would like to see.. is a Skills Academy. A zone where you can go to learn from masters, attend classes, complete quests within the academy grounds (hard quests). This way, people like myself (who enjoy the skill and logic of a game) can get a lot of satisfaction out of bettering our characters. Fighting to gain xp is fun, but sometimes I need my brain to be stretched a little more to really get into something. This idea promotes drive and ambition, as well as a new sence of community. A zone where everyone can go to all learn together would just be another fun spot to be. Simple things like disabling bags would prevent people from selling in these areas, and it can even have its own chat channel.

I also like this idea because so far, all the quests have been for every profession. I would like to see specialised tests that require you to really KNOW the profession you're playing. Quests in pre searing were a bit like this. I remember one where I had to use a hammer attack to intterupt a monster's main attack. Very cool.

Anyway, what will you learn in the Skill Academy. Well, there are two possiblities. One thing though, I think there should be a limit. It obviously defeats the point to be a Warrior.. and then go learn a load of monk skills so you have Warrior health, armor weapons AND primary monk skills.




- Learning a skill from a different profession:
Now, this I think is quite a delicate suggestion. Taking away skills assigned to classes could appear to make certain classes lose their appeal. Who will ever be a Ranger if they know they can be a W/Mo and still have a pet. Or E/N who learn mesmer spells so they can cast their foes into the ground.
First reason.. the look. You can't dress like a Ranger unless you ARE one.
Second.. elites. No elite skills will be available.
Third.. it should be damn hard. Not a case of walking in and 3 hours later walking out with Rebirth. No. I think there should be three stages to each three levels. Beginner, Intermediate and Master. Levels 1, 2 and 3 to ascend to each level. This is the sort of thing that only TRUE patriots of GW's are gonna be interested in. It'll take a lot of work to better your characters.


- Introducing new "Champion" titles:
This is a second idea I came up with the other day, because the more I thought about my first idea, the more I realised the game is gonna be full of W/Mo's with Pets or something.
This idea is to keep you within your professions. Basically it's just adding new skills to the game, but making it a bit more interesting.
Think about attributes... and expand. Be a Warrior Champion in Spearmanship. Be a Necromancer Champion in Rune magic. Be a Ranger Champion in duel weild knives.
Bear in mind I use the word Champion just to signify it's a new thing you've had to learn. All it would be would give you the chance to add another attribute to your list. Notice that I've picked weapons for those classes. I think this would also be an interesting way to introduce new weapons to the game. A Mesmer using a crystal ball or a Elementalist using an actual flame.
My idea for The Workshop would allow you to make these new weapons from scratch. Depending on your Champion rank (Beginner, Intermediate or Master) you can summon up the base for your weapon (Blue, Purple or Gold). You'd use ingredients for that, and also for the upgrades.




These ideas just add a new direction to the game for those who've completed it, but don't enjoy PvP ALL the time. I know many people have no intention to start a new character and drag them ALL the way through the game again, so this is an idea to help you better the character you've spent so much time on.
I'd be interested to hear what people think of this idea. Sorry for the long post but my imagination does tend to get carried away

I like the overall idea ("brain teaser" type quests rather than hack and slash, a real "Academy", etc.), but getting different class abilities creates a ton of balance issues... you could possibly learn a couple abilities (or even elites depending on difficulty) for your own class. Also, you could earn skill points (always good).

"Champion" idea sounds pretty good... could also be called "specialist" or something (more specific).

Overall some good suggestions

I definately agree about quests that make you think. Far more fun than wacking a couple thousand monsters.

My idea was about three different profession skills per character allowed...

How would you ever be able to use all three? I am barely able to use two in conjunction. But, if you could get 3, you would need more skill points for sure.

They had something like this in beta but removed it. I hope they don't bring it back.

(This is the first idea remember) You wouldn't get an attribute, you would get an "Extra skills Bank". A certain number of points you can assign to the skills.

I'm not sure I understand the bit you said about using all three. What it would be, is if I learned bone minions with my warrior.. I'd just have the chance to equip that skill. My reason for not liking this idea as much as the other, was most people are gonna learn monk skills. This is when a decesion about which profession's skills would become available, no ressurection skills for instance.

The different levels (beginner, intermediate and master) represent the skills found normally up to say Yak's Bend, Lion's Arch and Droknar's Forge. The extra skills bank would be in accordance with the stages of your levels. Say, 2 points per level. So by the time you get to Master stage Level 3, you have 18 to assign the three skills you learnt. Spread em out or put em all on one etc.

So you would have the two professions, then 1-3 skill(s) from a third?

Your right, the new "skills" would most likely be monk if they are not monk.

Yup, hence why I prefer the other idea. It's sad, cos I know there's people out there who know the benefits of other classes.. but sad fact, people are in love with monks.

There would be little or no benefit to, say, learning ranger bow skills if you were a monk. Or learning warrior axe/hammer/sword skills if you were any caster or ranger. You would definitely see a trend in the chosen skills.

currently, i play as a warrior and im stuck between two weapons; swords or hammers. For some unknown reason, i dislike axe. Maybe because i look on ebay and saw that most rare weapon are either a sword or hammer and hardly any axe look dangerous (except the glowing chaos axe)


I like this idea alot, letting people to study new skills instead of going outside killing bunch of monsters and get some gold to buy the skills. This third skills idea seem cool also; imagine a E/N/Monk combo!!

Also imagine when a mesmer completely tears through it

i wish someone from A-net would look at this post and take that idea to the R&D team. cuz it would really make the expansion more fun to play. Since you don't need to do what the Original Gw skills setup has. (kill monsters, get golds, and buy some skills)

Funny you should say that. I'm a W/E and if I could pick three spells, I'd pick a monk protecting spell, a necromancer degen spell and a ranger skill like ignite arrows. Remember it's not about learning the attribute. That monk would only learn final thrust say. Switching weapons to finish your foe off. Obviously casters would stick to casting spells mostly, and melee to melee.

I still prefer the second idea though Remember, it's all for fun too. Yes, maybe a ranger using a sword attack would not be welcome in a group, but there's nothing wrong with playing the game solo sometimes and having a blast A Ranger being a Champion knife fighter would rock though!

I *really* love the idea of more of the "brain teaser" type quests that were in Old Ascalon - I'd give a big YES! to this one. The idea of having this linked to an Academy is also a neat idea.

There's already something kind of similar to this in some sections of the Dragons Lair, of course.....at least with some professions anyhow (necromancer, ranger and monk spring to mind).

However, I'm not so keen on being able to get skills from other professions - the combinations might lose some of their flavour with more and more characters becoming a jack-of-all-trades.

Forget the other profession idea. The more I think about it the more I hate it

Go with the Champion one.

Edit: I know it was my fault to start with but could a mod please move this to the San? It's sort of a suggestion more than game chat I guess... like my other one which was in the wrong place.. Doi