weapon (GW2)  

Weapons are a type of equipment that characters wield in combat. When equipped, they also determine the first five skills in a player's skill bar.

Excluding environmental weapons, there are a total of 16 different types of weapons - each profession having access to a specific selection of them. Furthermore, each profession utilizes weapons differently from one another, giving a wider scope in play style. A warrior's use of the axe for example, focuses on building adrenaline quickly and spiking high amounts of damage, while the necromancer's use of the same weapon focuses instead on claw-like skills such as Ghastly Claws to summon attacks in quick bursts.

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Basic attributes

Character weapons are split into three primary categories based on how they are held:

  • one handed — can be wielded in either the main hand, in both hands, or in the off-hand depending upon the profession.
  • two handed — a single weapon requiring both hands to wield it.
  • off-hand item — can only be used in the second hand.

When a weapon is equipped, the first five skills on a skill bar will change accordingly. Two handed weapons determine all five skill slots, a weapon in the main hand determines the first three skills, and a weapon in the off hand determines the last two skill slots. The skills are fixed for each profession's weapon and cannot be changed, but can be augmented through traits, granting further bonuses to those skills if they are equipped.

All current professions excluding the elementalist have the ability to switch between two weapon sets while in combat. Using different combinations of weapons and traits provides the basis for developing a build.[1][2]

Weapons can have special or unusual attributes; Ghastly Weapons do one type of damage during the day and another during the night, an ice weapon might shatter freezing enemies around it before reforming, while another weapon might glow if an enemy is close.[3]

A weapon can be wielded or stowed, where it is visible on the back or hip of the character. When a weapon is stowed the character's movement speed increases.

Acquisition

A weapon can be acquired in several different ways:

  • Purchased from a weapon vendor.
  • A loot drop from a monster.
  • A reward from completing a dungeon's story mode.

Customization

Color

Weapons cannot be dyed.[4]

Upgrades

It will be possible to upgrade weapons but there are no details yet about how this is implemented.[5]

Weapons usability by professions

STDT align=center>
ElementalistNecromancerTBA (scholar)RangerTBA (adventurer)TBA (adventurer)WarriorTBA (soldier)
Two handed Greatsword no no yes yes
Hammer no no no yes
Longbow no no yes yes
Rifle no no no yes
Shortbow no no yes no
Staff yes yes no no
One handed Axe nono yesno yesyes yesyes
Dagger yesyes yesyes noyes nono
Mace nono nono nono yesyes
Pistol nono nono nono nono
Scepter yesno yesno nono nono
Sword nono nono yesno yesyes
Off- handFocus yes yes no no
Shield no no no yes
Torch no no yes no
Warhorn no yes yes yes
Weapon sets 1 2 2 2
yes indicates a two handed or off-hand only weapon that can be wielded.
no and nono indicates a weapon that is not usable by a profession.
yesno indicates a weapon that can be used in the main hand, but not in the off hand.
noyes indicates a weapon that can be used in the off hand, but not the main hand.
yesyes indicates a one-handed weapon that can be wielded in both hands.

See also

References

  1. ^ Guild Wars 2?, Eric Flannum, Quarter To Three forum post
  2. ^ Traits overview, Guild Wars 2 website
  3. ^ Guild Wars 2: Wartower Spotlight GC 2010 - Folge 6, GW2 Wartower Spotlight 6 at 24:25
  4. ^ Martin Kerstein answers Community Questions | GuildWars2.info, Guild Wars 2 Guru translation from German
  5. ^ Massively's interview with the Guild Wars 2 design team, Massively

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This page last modified 2010-11-19 03:19:14.