Vision for Guild Wars 3 (2024)

I. GUILD WARS 3 PROFESSIONS

A. General Features
The number of professions are reduced, with the Engineer and Revenant discontinued and their profession mechanics shifted to the remaining professions. This is done due to the redundancies the professions presented via skills and Boon contribution. Guild Wars 3 professions will be Assassin (pretty much the thief), Elementalist, Guardian, Mesmer, Necromancer, Ranger, and Warrior. I would discourage the compulsion to add additional professions and if you wish to expand the existing professions via expansion, focus on adding new traitlines, weapons, and alternate weapon skills to promote the unique realization of each class as envisioned by the player.

B. The Mage, Hybrid and Melee Fighter
These three categories distinguish profession playstyle in important ways. The mage professions are Elementalist, Mesmer and Necromancer. The hybrid professions are Guardian and Ranger. The melee fighters are the Assassin and Warrior.

Mages are unparalleled spellcasters, have the most expansive toolkit to effect gameplay, the ability to impose the most damage as a result of a single skill/spell, the ability to induce the most potent defensive capability as a result of a single skill/spell, have several potent skill/spells to facilitate movement and positioning on the battlefield in order to strike foes or escape danger. Mages are also the best summoners, able to summon the most powerful summons, the most number of active summons at any given time, and possess the ability to summon most frequently. Conversely, mage professions are restricted to light armor, only have a maximum of two weapon sets they can swap between, have the lowest total hitpoints (max level base HP is 15,000), get the lowest gain of HP via added Vitality, have the slowest base run speed, shortest dodge range, do not have the ability to Sprint, do not have the ability to Side-step (another type of evade explained next paragraph), cannot wield the heaviest weapons, have the slowest swing speed of a given weapon, have the slowest rate of Endurance regeneration, and a full Endurance bar yields a maximum of two dodges.

Melee fighters are the near opposite of mages. What melee fighters lack in options in their toolkit they compensate with their phyical excellence. They can equip heavier armors (Assassins - medium armor, Warriors - heavy armor), wield heavier weapons, swap between more weapon sets (3 base and a 4th with traits), have the highest base HP (20,000), gain the highest amount of HP via added Vitality, have the fastest base run speed, longest dodge range, have the ability to execute a Sprint, whereby they can expend Endurance for a burst of even greater running speed, if they dodge while Sprinting their dodge speed is also increased, have the fastest weapon swing speed for a given weapon, have the fastest rate of Endurance regeneration, and a full Endurance bar yields three dodges. Assassins (not available to Warriors) have access to the Side-step evade, where they perform a very fast lateral sidestep evade, ideal for avoiding harm and quickly continuing offense. Side-step still consumes 1 of the 3 available Endurance bars, but it covers half the distance of a standard evade but moves at twice the speed. Melee Fighters are limited by their limited options for offense and defense, their relative predictability, the need to be in melee range for extended periods of time to exact their offense, and are more gear-dependent in order to attain optimal defensive or offensive capabilities. Melee Fighters, due to their need to be in close proximity to foes, naturally generate the most amount of threat and will be the first to be targeted by the opposition, often drawing the ire of multiple foes.

The Hybrid professions are Ranger and Guardian, the profession itself possesses a narrow range of spellcasting and some proficiency in melee fighting. As you would expect, the Hybrid's spellcasting is not as varied as the Mage professions, and their melee and physical combat is not as potent as the Melee Fighters. The Hybrid's strength lies in the useful spells they do possess in addition to being competant in melee combat.

C. Professions and the return of the primary resource
As in Guild Wars 1, professions will once again acquire a primary resource to manage in order use most skills. This feature will be necessary to provide an alternate means to balance the professions as well as another avenue to attack the profession in combat.

Assassins have Initiative, a resource which self-replenishes as well as some of the Assassin's skills replenish a few points of Initiative. Assassins also have an attribute which determines the size of their Initiative pool as well as an armor enchantment which boost Initiative regeneration. Assassins have a skill found on their Medkit or Survival Kit which converts Endurance into Initiative.

Elementalists have a resource called Mana, which self-replenishes over time. Elementalists have a channeling Utility skill, Mana Surge, which provides a fixed quantity of Mana. Mana Surge provides an even larger quantity of Mana when performed in an environment exemplifying the power of the elements, such as during a lightning storm, near volcano, lava, large fire, waterfall, or a large body of water. Elementalists also have access to an armor enchantment which boosts Mana regeneration rate. Another way to boost Mana is through a skill unique to a Ranger Spirit, Spellcaster's Renewal, which increases Mana and Energy regeneration by 20%.

Guardians have a resource called Divine Favor, which self-replenishes over time and can be gained when meeting specific criteria such as: a healing spell cast that saves the life of an fellow player character (HP would have reached 0 within the next 1 second if not for the added health from the healing spell) or granting a needed Boon to a focused fellow player character (focused fellow player character has received some combination of four Conditions, Hexes, or Diseases). Guardians also have a channeling Utility skill called Divine Supplication, which grants a fixed amount of Divine Favor. Guardians have an armor enchantment which boosts Divine Favor regeneration rate.

Mesmers have a resource called Energy, which self-replenishes over time, or boosted by a small quantity when you shatter a clone. Mesmers also have a channeling Utility skill, Inspiration, which provides a fixed quantity of Energy. Mesmers have access to an armor enchantment which boosts Energy regeneration rate. Another way to boost Energy is through a skill unique to a Ranger Spirit, Spellcaster's Renewal, which increases Mana and Energy regeneration by 20%.

Necromancers have a resource called Life Force, which is fueled from nearby deaths (foes or allies, 1200 units range) or from nearby corpses (died in the past and not in the Necromancer's presence). Life Force can also be gained by the Necromancer sacrificing one of their own minions. Unlike Guild Wars 2, Life Force is not tied to Vitality. There is a default pool for Life Force that can be boosted with traits. Necromancers have access to an armor enchantment that boosts the amount gained from fallen foes and allies.

Rangers have a resource called Energy, which self-replenishes over time, or siphoned off from a pet or native wildlife (only once per creature and depending on the creature's disposition, may cause them to become aggressive). Rangers have access to an armor enchantment which boosts Energy regeneration rate. Another way to boost Energy is through a skill unique to a Ranger Spirit, Spellcaster's Renewal, which increases Mana and Energy regeneration by 20%.

Warriors have Adrenaline, a resource generally acquired as the warrior attacks their target as well as when damage is received. With a trait, Warriors may also acquire Adrenaline as nearby members of their party or squad acquire HP pools below 50% and 25%. Warriors have a skill found on their Medkit or Survival Kit which converts one bar of Endurance into a quantity of Adrenaline. Warriors can boost Adrenaline generation through weapon and armor enchantments.

D. Collision detection and the player
Collision detection will be in place for projectiles (physical or magical) as well as player bodies. No longer will the strategy of balling up players around corners to lure and quickly burn dimwitted NPCs be viable. No longer will the WvW meta of invincible Boon-balls be the strategy of choice for large zerg battles. I would argue that allowing such strategies to be viable hurts the development of the individual player to improve their skills, a development that is needed in order to create fertile ground for an endgame-content-community. The requisite space limit body collision detection (BCD) imposes will make for a natural barrier to overloading Boons on as many teammates as possible from a single source. If you wish to pursue such a strategy you will need additional sources of Boons and careful positioning...something which can prove to be difficult to maintain in the heat of battle...causing a healthy chaos in prolonged engagements. In such scenarios careful prioritization of allies must be made, and contingency strategies employed by those who will not be given priority. If any given party or squad heavily invests in lightly armored Boon providers, they will pay a price for their team composition with respect to damage output and team survivabiity, as they should.

BCD also prevents the inherent problem of target overloading currently found in PvP and WvW game modes where a large number of players of an opposing team stand on the exact same spot focusing all their damage on a single target on the opposing team. Such a lopsided strategy necessitates the availability of invulnerability skills, which on the flip side, creates an imbalance on one-on-one encounters. BCD would prevent such imbalance-inducing scenarios by requiring space to be exclusively occupied.

In order to prevent the kind of trolling BCD enables, such as door blocking etc, developers could disable collision detection at doorways, have multiple entrances, a trigger that if an individual loiters too long at a chokepoint they lose their BCD allowing other players to walk through them, or a trigger at doorways that automatically detects traffic at a chokepoint and if sensed there is no movement, propels everyone through the doorway.
Collision detection adds an important element to tanking, and elevates its importance. The more roles to fill, the greater the desirability of different professions to fill those roles. It is not helpful for profession diversity if all encounters are reduced to Boon givers, condition-spam and ranged dps, I would argue it makes encounters less interesting.

E. Profession Attributes
Profession attributes for Elementalist, Guardian, Mesmer, Necromancer and Ranger are: Power, Precision, Ferocity, Healing Power, Toughness, Vitality, Concentration and Condition Damage. By default, Assassins do not cast magic Boons (Technologist elite spec provides some boons) so they do not use Concentration, Assassin attributes are: Power, Precision, Ferocity, Healing Power, Toughness, Vitality, Condition Damage and Aggression. Warriors do not cast magic so their attributes are: Power, Precision, Ferocity, Healing Power, Toughness, Vitality, Durability and Stamina.

Power: increases outgoing strike damage.
Precision: increases Critical Chance.
Ferocity: Increases Critical Damage.
Healing Power: Increases all outgoing healing your character does, including self heals.
Toughness: Reduces incoming Strike Damage.
Vitality: Increases health points.
Concentration: Increases Boon Duration. Not used by Assassins or Warriors.
Condition Damage: Increases the damage done by inflicting conditions. Not used by Warriors.
Aggression: Increases the amount of Initiative. Assassin only.
Durability: Decreases the chance of being critically hit from all damage sources and reduces the amount of added damage from critical hits received. Warrior only.
Stamina: Increases the rate of endurance regeneration. Warrior only.

As you level up, there is a preset attribute increase for your profession. Outside of leveling the only way to obtain bonus attribute points is via infusions slots on your armor, jewelry and weapons. Armor no longer come in a multitude of attribute point variations, the player can now control the attribute distribution on the armor better by adding whatever infusions they want. There should be ample infusion slots across all armor pieces and jewelry

Headpiece: 2 infusion slots
Shoulder: 2 infusion slots
Chestpiece: 6 infusion slots
Gauntlets/Gloves: 2 infusion slots
Belt: 1 infusion slot
Leg armor: 4 infusion slots
Footwear: 2 infusion slots
Necklace: 1 infusion slot
Earring (left): 1 infusion slot
Earring (right): 1 infusion slot
Ring (left): 1 infusion slot
Ring (right): 1 infusion slot
Backpiece/Cape: 1 infusion slot

F. Weapons
Here are the weapons available to each profession (LGT = light, HVY = heavy). Note, weapons only have a damage value, physical damage type, and slots for upgrades. Weapons no longer have bonus attribute points, the only way to add bonus attribute points is through the 1 or 2 infusion slots found on each weapon.

Assassin: Bo-staves (2H), daggers (1H), maces (1H), naginatas (2H), pistols (1H), shortbows (2H), spears (2H), spiked arm shields (LGT-shield, offhand), swords (1H), and thrown-weapons (offhand).

Elementalist: Daggers (1H), foci (offhand), scepters (1H), staves (2H).

Guardian: Greatswords (2H), hammers (2H), maces (1H), scepters (offhand), shields (offhand), staves (2H), and tower shields (HVY-shield).
Mesmer: Bucklers (LGT-shield, offhand), clawed gauntlets (1H), daggers (1H), flute (offhand), foci (offhand), swords (1H), staves (2H), and thrown-weapons (offhand).

Necromancers: Daggers (1H), foci (offhand), scepters (main hand), scythes (2H), staves (2H), warhorn (offhand).

Ranger: Axes (1H), halberds (2H), longbows (2H), mortars (2H), pistols (1H), rifles (2H), swords (1H), and warhorns (offhand).

Warrior: Axes (1H), parrying axes (LGT-axe, 1H, reduced damage output but extended guard enables weapon to parry physical attacks via a new keybind), heavy axes (HVY-axe, 1H), greataxes (2H), maces (1H), parrying mace (LGT-mace, 1H, reduced damage output but extended guard enables weapon to parry physical attacks via a new keybind), spiked-mace (LGT-mace, 1H, less blunt physical damage but adds piercing damage and a bleeding-type Ailment), heavy maces (HVY-mace, 1H), hammers (2H), sword (1H), parrying sword (LGT-sword, 1H, reduced damage output but extended guard enables weapon to parry physical attacks via a new keybind), longswords (HVY-sword, 1H), greatswords (2H), pistols (offhand), shields (offhand), tower shields (HVY-shield, offhand), throwing-spears (HVY-throwing weapon, offhand), and warhorns (offhand).

Here is the order of melee weapon base damage, from highest to lowest
1. Greataxe
2. Greatsword
3. Hammer
4. Halberd
5. Naginata
6. Spear
7. Scythe
8. Bo/Staff
9. Heavy Axe
10. Longsword
11. Heavy Mace
12. Axe
13. Sword
14. Mace
15. Parrying Axe
16. Parrying Sword
17. Parrying Mace
18. Spiked Mace
19. Dagger
20. Clawed Gauntlets
21. Spiked Arm Shield
22. Scepter

Here is the order of ranged weapon base damage, from highest to lowest
1. Mortar
2. Rifle
3. Longbow
4. Shortbow
5. Throwing Spear
6. Pistol
7. Thrown Weapons
Thrown weapons may have the lowest base damage but certain professions have skills which can modify its final damage, ie Assassins can poison theirs, and Mesmers can infuse theirs with Arcane magic (think Gambit of XMen).

Here is the order of ranged weapon range, from farthest to closest
1. Mortar: better range than rifle but slower rate of fire. Area of Effect on contact. Medium speed projectile.
2. Rifle: fires in a straight line, no arcing shot to target past obstacles. Very fast projectile.
3. Longbow: fires in an arcing shot, can hit targets behind obstacles. Medium speed projectile.
4. Shortbow: fires in an arcing shot, can hit targets behind obstacles. Medium speed projectile.
5. Pistol: fires in a straight line, no arcing shot to target past obstacles. Very fast projectile.
6. Throwing Spear: thrown in an arcing shot, can hit targets behind obstacles. Slow speed projectile.
7. Thrown Weapon: thrown in an arcing shot, can hit targets behind obstacles. Slow speed projectile.

The following weapons have no base damage (except Spiked Arm Shield) but add something else to the wielder
1. Tower Shield: adds the highest Armor value to wielder out of all shields.
2. Shield: adds the second highest Armor value to wielder out of all shield.
3. Buckler: adds the third highest Armor value to wielder out of all shields.
4. Spiked Arm Shield: adds the fourth highest Armor value to wielder out of all shields.
5. Warhorn: adds no AC but has a 20% chance to rally fallen allies when using warhorn skills. Player controlled allies have priority over pets and other npcs.
6. Focus: adds no AC but has a 20% chance to resist interruption when channelling focus spells. Has a 10% chance to resist interruption when channelling non-focus spells.
7. Flute: adds no AC but has a 20% chance to apply 5 seconds of 'Rapt Audience' on all allies in radius and 'Captured Audience' on all foes in radius when using flute skills. Rapt Audience is an effect that increases the duration of all incoming Shouts and Songs by 20%. Captured Audience increases the CC duration of any CC inducing skills a foe receives by 20%.

G. Weapon Physical Damage Types
The total damage output of a weapon is dependent on any additional conditions the weapons apply (ie, all bladed and piercing weapons may apply bleeding and add dps to the base damage type) and the native defenses of the target. Base physical damage types for weapons are blunt, slashing, and piercing.

There are certain types of armor which are more vulnerable to a damage type versus another, for example:
I. Blunt weapon damage versus armors:
A. Excellent versus metal (heavy) and cloth (light).
B. Above average versus bone (heavy), scale (heavy, medium) and chitin (heavy, medium).
C. Average versus fur (heavy, medium) and leather (medium).

II. Piercing weapon damage versus armors:
A. Average versus metal (heavy).
B. Above average versus bone (heavy), scale (heavy, medium) and chitin (heavy, medium).
C. Above average versus fur (heavy, medium), leather (medium), and cloth (light).

III. Slashing weapon damage versus armors:
A. Below average versus metal (heavy)
B. Above average versus bone (heavy), scale (heavy, medium) and chitin (heavy, medium).
C. Excellent versus fur (heavy, medium), leather (medium), and cloth (light).
Scale: Excellent > above average > average > below average

H. Weapon Elemental Damage Types
Some weapons have an elemental enchantment on the weapon which reduces a portion of the physical damage in exchange for one of four types of elemental damage: Fire, Ice, Lightning, and Acid. Some armors have innate resistances and vulnerabilities to certain elements.
1. Fire elemental damage
a. Metal is weakly resistant to fire.
b. Bone is vulnerable to fire.
c. Scale is resistant to fire.
d. Chitin is vulnerable to fire.
e. Fur is vulnerable to fire.
f. Leather is vulnerable to fire.
g. Cloth is very vulnerable to fire.

2. Ice elemental damage
a. Metal is weakly resistant to Ice.
b. Bone is vulnerable to Ice.
c. Scale is vulnerable to Ice.
d. Chitin is vulnerable to Ice.
e. Fur is resistant to Ice.
f. Leather is weakly resistant to Ice.
g. Cloth is very vulnerable to Ice.

3. Lightning elemental damage
a. Metal is very vulnerable to lightning.
b. Bone is vulnerable to lightning.
c. Scale is weakly resistant to lightning.
d. Chitin is resistant to lightning.
e. Fur is resistant to lightning.
f. Leather is very resistant to lightning.
g. Cloth is very vulnerable to lightning.

4. Acid elemental damage
a. Metal is resistant to acid.
b. Bone is vulnerable to acid.
c. Scale is weakly resistant to acid.
d. Chitin is resistant to acid.
e. Fur is vulnerable to acid.
f. Leather is vulnerable to acid.
g. Cloth is very vulnerable to acid.

5. Arcane damage
Arcane damage is not really an elemental damage type. Arcane is not a damage type that can be enchanted on any weapon but one found from spells cast by mesmers. It is very powerful not because of the raw damage it can dish out but because nearly all armors do not have an innate resistance to it.
a. Metal is vulnerable to arcane.
b. Bone is very resistant to arcane.
c. Scale is vulnerable to arcane.
d. Chitin is vulnerable to arcane.
e. Fur is vulnerable to arcane.
f. Leather is vulnerable to arcane.
g. Cloth is vulnerable to arcane.

A glaring exception to the rule is bone armor, since the raw material of bone armor was intimately associated to a living creature, a remnant of its spiritual essence provides protection from arcane magic. Bone armors provide high AC and decent physical damage protection relative to other armor types in a weight class, as well as the arcane resistance. Some bone armors are crafted from the remains of powerful creatures which have a chance of providing an additional enchantment or Boon versus an armor made of another material.

6. Plasma damage
Plasma damage is a novel damage type created by Automatons, sentient machine beings found in Cantha and are part of the Jade Collective. This type of damage is not magical or physical, and there is no armor with an innate defense to it, the only way to acquire a defense to it is to equip armor with the specific Cursed enchantment (see following section).

I. Holy Light and Oppression damage types, Sacred and Cursed enchantment types
Holy Light and Oppression are two new damage types to Guild Wars. They are special types of damage whose added damage is dependent on three factors, your profession's base defense or weakness, the quantity or presence of Sacred and Cursed weapons equipped, the quantity or presence of Sacred and Cursed armor equipped. No trait options or standard enchantments can give you defense or weakness to either of these damage types.

Assaasin: Slightly resistant to Oppression, slightly vulnerable to Holy Light.
Elementalist: No resistance or vulnerability.
Guardian: Moderate resistance to Holy Light, moderate vulnerability to Oppression.
Mesmer: No resistance or vulnerability.
Necromancer: Moderate resistance to Oppression, moderate vulnerability to Holy Light.
Ranger: Slightly resistant to Holy Light, slightly vulnerable to Oppression.
Warrior: No resistance or vulnerability.

Note: some elite specializations modify the resistances and vulnerabilities to Holy Light and Oppression, for example, the Warrior elite specialization, Ascetic, gives you moderate resistance to Holy Light, moderate vulnerability to Oppression.

Sacred or Cursed enchantments on weapons or armor are an extra enchantment that can appear on the item in addition to standard armor or weapon enchantments (detailed later). Only one Sacred or Cursed enchantment can appear on an item, and each will increase your vulnerability to Oppression or Holy Light damage respectively. Conversely, the more Sacred enchanted items you equip the higher your Holy Light damage resistance, and the more Cursed enchanted items you equip the higher your Oppression damage resistance. You can opt to play it safe and not equip any Sacred or Cursed armor in order to avoid a significant vulnerability to Holy Light or Oppression damage but you will still take damage from both damage types. The appeal of the benefits of Sacred or Cursed gear will predictably lead to players seeking such gear at every available slot and potentially open up a new variable that can be used against them in the accumulated vulnerability to either Holy Light or Oppression damage.

If, through profession resistances and equipped gear of the compatible damage type, the player reaches 'Extremely Resistant' to a particular damage type, their ability to damage foes with the same damage type will be increased by 50%, making such a feature a double-edged sword where while you are highly vulnerable to the opposing damage type you wield your chosen damage type with lethal skill.

Since Holy Light damage can only be gained via a Sacred enchantment, and Oppression Damage only through Cursed enchantment, it is feasible to also wield another elemental damage type at the same time via Gemstone. Holy Light and Oppression does not suppress whatever other damage imparted by Gemstones, it just adds another source of damage in addition to. So if you are fighting a creature who is both vulnerable to Fire damage and Holy Light, then you can attain maximal damage versus such a creature if you wield a Sacred weapon with both the Holy Light Sacred enchantment and Fire damage Gemstone equipped.

Sacred or Cursed armor enchantments stack, with few exceptions. Sacred or Cursed weapon enchantments only affect the weapon skills hosting the enchantment.

Sacred and Cursed enchantments are very rarely found in loot, are only found in Exotic rarity or higher. They have a higher chance of being found at the successful completion of world bosses. Any such enchantment can be removed from its item of origin (by an Enchanter) and placed on another item of the same category. Removing the Sacred or Cursed enchantment destroys the item. Finding a Sacred or Cursed item automatically unlocks its application for your Legendary gear. Sacred and Cursed items are automatically Account Bound, so everyone will need to acquire them through their own looting. Since a lot of values on the enchantment are variable (as depicted by the ranges in their descriptions), many players will be motivated to seek to obtain optimal enchantments.

Sacred Weapon enchantment possibilities (only 1 found per weapon)
A. Chance to hit (1-4%).

B. Chance to crit (1-3%).

C. Reduced chance of glancing blow (2-6%)

D. Add Holy Light damage to your weapon's attacks.

E. Add Holy Light AoE to your weapon's critical hits. Internal cooldown: 4-6 seconds.

F. On critical hit, you have a 10-20% chance to cast a Sacred Mark on the ground, at the site of your target. The Sacred Mark deals Holy Light damage over time to all foes who stand over it. Duration: 5-10 seconds. Internal cooldown: 30-60 seconds.

G. Every time you use a weapon skill you gain 200 Toughness for 3 seconds. Internal cooldown: 2-4 seconds (offhand weapons only).

H. Transfiguration. If your health <= 33%, the next time you use a weapon skill you briefly enter the 'Transfiguration' state, where you are enveloped in bright light. All nearby foes are Blinded for one second, lose all aggro on you (NPCs only), for 4 seconds, you cannot be targeted, and if you hold a direction, will teleport you away some distance in that direction (offhand weapons only). Internal cooldown: 20-30 seconds.

I. When a projectile, physical or magical approaches you, a shield made of light bursts forth from you and consumes the projectile. If the projectile detonates or has some secondary effect, it is suppressed (offhand weapons only). Does not trigger if your are in stealth or hiding. Internal cooldown: 20-30 seconds.

J. When a foe's Mark is laid near you or you approach one, a spirit made of light travels to the Mark and randomly turns the Mark into a Sacred Well that provides one of the following to your allies: Regeneration, Vigor, or adds a quantity of primary resource when you make contact with the well (offhand weapons only). Duration of Sacred Well: 3-6 seconds. Does not trigger if your are in stealth or hiding. Internal cooldown: 20-30 seconds.

Sacred Armor enchantment possibilities (only 1 found per piece of armor)
A. Random attribute boost (10-30 points).

B. Resistance to a one specific element: Acid, Fire, Ice or Lightning (2-5%).

C. Resistance to one specific physical damage type: Bludgeoning, Piercing or Slashing (2-5%).

D. Resistance to Arcane damage (2-5%)

E. Reduction of the duration time for a specific Control Effect (1-3%).

F. Reduction of the duration time for a specific Condition (1-3%).

G. Any Barrier or Mage Barrier you receive is 15-20% more durable in the damage it can absorb. This enchantment does not stack.

H. Any Barrier or Mage Barrier you receive has a 20-25% increased duration. This enchantment does not stack.

I. All healing you receive is 1-3% more potent.

Cursed Weapon enchantment possibilities (only 1 found per weapon)
A. Adds a 10-25% chance on hit to inflict the 'Clumsy' Effect, which is a reduced chance to hit (1-5%). Duration: 2-3 seconds.

B. Adds a 10-25% chance on crit to inflict the 'Unfocused' Effect, which is a reduced chance to crit (1-4%). Duration: 2-3 seconds.

C. Adds a 5-20% chance on crit to inflict the 'Uncloaked' Effect, which prevents the target from entering stealth. Duration: 1-3 seconds. Once one stealth skill has been negated, the Effect is expended.

D. Adds a 5-20% chance on crit to summon a Shadow Being which will only attack the target. Duration: 2-5 seconds. The Shadow Being attacks only using Oppression damage. They are a semitransparent dark figure, arms, head, torso, tail no legs, that float around their victim periodically striking them. They have a high defense to all elemental and physical damage, but are vulnerable to Arcane damage and very vulnerable to Holy Light damage.

E. Adds a 5-10% chance on crit to inflict the 'Unlucky' Effect, which will copy all the Curses on nearby allies and foes onto the target. The Curses copied will have the duration of the Unlucky Effect. Duration: 2-5 seconds.

F. Adds a 5-10% chance on crit to inflict the 'Tragedy' Effect, which will copy all the Hexes on nearby allies and foes onto the target. The Hexes copied will have the duration of the Tragedy Effect. Duration: 2-5 seconds.

G. Adds a 5-10% chance on crit to inflict the 'Smothering' Effect, which will copy all the Conditions on nearby allies and foes onto the target. The Conditions copied will have the duration of the Tragedy Effect. Duration: 2-5 seconds.

H. If you land the killing blow on a target you summon a Shadow Army entity of the same profession you just felled. Summon duration: 20-30 seconds. Internal cooldown: 60-120 seconds.

I. Add Oppression damage to your weapon's attacks.

J. Adds a unique Condition on critical hit, 'Gloom', which is an Oppression damage-over-time. Duration: 3-5 seconds. Internal cooldown: 4-6 seconds. Damage is dependant on your personal resistance or vulnerability to Oppression.

K. On critical hit, you have a 10-20% chance to cast a Cursed Mark on the ground, at the site of your target. The Cursed Mark deals Oppression damage over time to all foes who stand over it. Duration: 5-10 seconds. Internal cooldown: 30-60 seconds.

L. Using a weapon skill has a 10-20% chance to cast the 'Shadow Jaunt' Effect, where you turn into a Shadow version of yourself and are immune to all Control Effects. Duration: 2-4 seconds. Internal cooldown: 60-120 seconds (offhand weapons only).

Cursed Armor enchantment possibilities (only 1 found per piece of armor)
A. You gain a unique Effect, 'Wretched Feast', which grants health whenever a nearby ally or foe dies. Internal cooldown: 2-5 seconds. This enchantment does not stack.

B. Physical damage inflicted by Demons reduced by 1-3%.

C. Physical damage inflicted by Margonites reduced by 1-3%.

D. Physical damage inflicted by Undead (this excludes Awakened) reduced by 1-3%.

E. Physical damage inflicted by Mordant Crescent reduced by 1-3%.

F. Physical damage inflicted by Dragons reduced by 1-3%.

G. Physical damage inflicted by Dragonkin reduced by 1-3%.

H. Physical damage inflicted by Constructs reduced by 1-3%.

I. Physical damage inflicted by Automatons reduced by 1-3%.

J. Magical damage inflicted by Demons reduced by 1-3%.

K. Magical damage inflicted by Margonites reduced by 1-3%.

L. Magical damage inflicted by Undead (this excludes Awakened) reduced by 1-3%.

M. Magical damage inflicted by Mordant Crescent reduced by 1-3%.

N. Magical damage inflicted by Dragons reduced by 1-3%.

O. Magical damage inflicted by Dragonkin reduced by 1-3%.

P. Magical damage inflicted by Constructs reduced by 1-3%.

Q. Plasma damage inflicted by Automatons reduced by 1-3%.

R. Random attribute boost (40-50 points) but you lose 1% of your total HP.

S. Random attribute boost (40-50 points) but you lose 1% of your total primary resource.

T. Increase Armor Level of the armor piece by 10-20% but you lose 1% of your total HP.

U. Increase Armor Level of the armor piece by 10-20% but you lose 1% of your total primary resource.

V. You gain a unique Effect, 'Resource Scavenger', which grants you a quantity of Profession primary resource whenever a nearby foe or ally, of the same profession, dies. Internal cooldown: 2-5 seconds. This enchantment does not stack.

W. You gain a unique Effect, 'Dark Motivation', which grants you a quantity of Endurance whenever a nearby foe or ally dies. Internal cooldown: 2-5 seconds. This enchantment does not stack.

X. You gain a Shadow Guard. They are a semitransparent dark figure, arms, head, torso, tail no legs, that float around their master. Shadow Guards are able to detect any nearby traps and will automatically approach a trap to trigger it, sacrificing itself in order to protect its master. After losing a Shadow Guard, a new one will spawn after 90-120 seconds. If you enter stealth or hide, any active Shadow Guard is unsummoned. Does not trigger if your are in stealth or hiding. This enchantment does not stack.

J. Armor class (AC) comparison by material and weight - AC from highest to lowest.
A. Heavy armor: metal - bone - scale - chitin - fur
B. Medium armor: scale - chitin - fur - leather
C. Light armor: cloth

K. Armor Enchantments
Instead of rune sets, Exotic and Ascended armor pieces have a chance to carry one enchantment on the following pieces: head, shoulders, hands, chest, legs, feet. On the other hand, as opposed to the aforementioned armor pieces whose enchantment slots are automatically unlocked for all players, it is recommended a player must complete a difficult dungeon in order to enchant a specific type of jewelry, ie necklace, rings, or earrings. This difficult dungeon should allow for the enchantment of a specific piece of jewelry, not one where you can enchant any type of jewelry because players will simply find the easiest dungeon to use to enchant all their jewelry. Legendary jewelry should not automatically unlock this enchantment slot on jewelry.

Once you unlock an armor enchantment, you can go to an Enchanter NPC and you can add the unlocked enchantment to an unenchanted piece of armor or replace another armor's enchantment. Armor enchantments do not boost Attribute points, but provide other benefits. Armor enchantments do not stack, so you cannot add a specific type of enchantment on more than 1 piece of armor.

Lesser Aegis: 10% chance to block an incoming attack, 5 second internal cooldown.

Persistent Minor Aegis: 5% chance to block an incoming attack. No internal cooldown.

Lesser Alacrity: When you use any attack skill, your skills recharge 10% faster for 5 seconds. 5 second internal cooldown.

Persistent Minor Alacrity: Your skills recharge 5% faster. No internal cooldown.

Lesser Barrier: When your total health drops below 15%, you gain a Barrier that is 20% of your total health for 5 seconds. 20 second internal cooldown.

Persistent Minor Barrier: You gain a persistent Barrier that is 10% of your total health. If an enemy breaks your Barrier, you will regenerate a new one after 10 seconds.

Lesser Fury: When you successfully hit a target, your chance to critically strike increases by 10% for 5 seconds. 5 second internal cooldown.

Persistent Minor Fury: Your chance to critically hit is increased by 5%. No internal cooldown.

Lesser Might: When you successfully hit a target, your Power and Condition damage is increased by 10% for 5 seconds. 5 second internal cooldown.

Persistent Minor Might: Your Power and Condition damage is increased by 5%. No internal cooldown.

Lesser Protection: When you take damage, you take 10% reduced damage from all sources for 5 seconds. 5 second internal cooldown.

Persistent Minor Protection: You take 5% less damage from all sources. No internal cooldown.

Lesser Quickness: When you successfully hit a target, your attack and action speeds are increased by 25% for 5 seconds. 10 second internal cooldown.

Persistent Minor Quickness: Your attack and action speeds are increased by 10%. No internal cooldown.

Lesser Regeneration: When you take damage, you gain 2% of your total health, every second, for 5 seconds. 5 second internal cooldown.

Persistent Minor Regeneration: You gain 1% of your total health back every second. No internal cooldown.

Lesser Resistance: When you are afflicted by any of the following: Blind, Cripple, Chill, Fear, Immobilize, Slow, or Weakness, you have a 50% chance to be immune to the aforementioned control conditions for 5 seconds. 10 second internal cooldown.

Persistent Minor Resistance: You have a 10% chance to instantly cleanse Blind, Cripple, Chill, Fear, Immobilize, Slow, or Weakness control conditions. No internal cooldown.

Lesser Resolution: When you receive a damaging condition, for 5 seconds damaging conditions are 15% less damaging. 10 second internal cooldown.

Minor Persistent Resolution: Damaging conditions are 7% less damaging. No internal cooldown.

Lesser Stability: When you are knocked down, knocked back, pulled, launched, stunned, dazed, floated, sunk, or feared, you have a 50% chance to ignore the aforementioned control effects, but you still take any damage incurred. 10 second internal cooldown.

Persistent Minor Stability: When you are knocked down, knocked back, pulled, launched, stunned, dazed, floated, sunk, or feared, you have a 10% chance to ignore the aforementioned control effects, but you still take any damage incurred. No internal cooldown.

Lesser Swiftness: When you dodge, your movement speed is increased by 20% for 5 seconds, 10 second internal cooldown. When your total health drops below 10%, your movement speed is increased by 100% for 3 seconds, 20 second internal cooldown.

Persistent Minor Swiftness: Your movement speed, and that of your Pets and summons, are increased by 15%. No internal cooldown.

Lesser Vigor: When you dodge, your Endurance regeneration is increased by 25% for 5 seconds, 10 second internal cooldown. When your total health drops below 10%, you instantly gain 50 Endurance (a dodge requires 50 Endurance), 30 second internal cooldown.

Persistent Minor Vigor: Your Endurance regeneration is increased by 15%. No internal cooldown.

Protection from Extreme Weather: Negates any Effects imposed on you from the climate of the location you are currently adventuring in. If an extremely hot environment imposes an Endurance penalty on you, or an exremely cold environment imposes a movement or skill activation penalty, it no longer does so with this enchatment.

Assassin's Bounty: Initiative regeneration is increased by 10%.

Elementalists's Bounty: Mana regeneration is increased by 10%.

Guardian's Bounty: Divine Favor regeneration is increased by 10%.

Mesmer's Bounty: Energy regeneration is increased by 10%.

Necromancer's Bounty: You gain 10% additional Life Force from fallen foes and allies.

Ranger's Bounty: Energy regeneration is increased by 10%.

Warrior's Bounty: 10% additional Adrenaline is gained with each successful strike.

Bludgeon Guard: The total Bludgeoning damage you would take is reduced by 10%.

Pierce Guard: The total Piercing damage you would take is reduced by 10%.

Slash Guard: The total Slashing damage you would take is reduced by 10%.

Acid Guard: The total Acid damage you would take is reduced by 10%.

Arcane Guard: The total Arcane damage you would take is reduced by 10%.

Fire Guard: The total Fire damage you would take is reduced by 10%.

Ice Guard: The total Ice damage you would take is reduced by 10%.

Lightning Guard: The total Lightning damage you would take is reduced by 10%.

Melee Guard: The total melee attack damage you would take is reduced by 5%.

Projectile Guard: The total ranged weapon projectile damage you would take is reduced by 5%.

Spell Guard: The total magic spell damage you would take is reduced by 5%.

Control Guard: The total time you are subject to control effects is reduced by 10%.

Critical Hit Guard: The total critical hit damage you would take is reduced by 10%.

Condition Guard: Damaging Conditions inflicted on you have their durations reduced by 10%.

The following armor enchantments are found on specific pieces of armor.
Silent Stride: Foot armor only. You make no sound when you walk or run, escaping the detection of foes who rely on hearing for detection. Jumping, sprinting, or actions such as spellcasting are not protected by this enchantment. (Good for Assassins moving in stealth to avoid feline detection, etc).

Feather Foot: Foot armor only. You have a 20% chance to not trigger any traps, hidden or visible, that you travel over. This includes environmental, non-player character, and player character laid traps.

Lucky Foot: Foot armor only. You have a 10% chance to not trigger damage or conditions from ground based Marks, Wells, or elemental spells.

Expert Leaper: Foot armor only. You jump 20% farther and 20% faster.

Practiced Sprinter: Foot armor only. Warrior and Assassin only. Your sprint consumes 20% less Endurance.

Evasive Maneuvers: Leg armor only. Your superior combat movement impedes your foe's ability to land a critical hit. Foes have a 5% reduced chance to critically hit you.

Resolute Determination: Leg armor only. The Cripple condition reduces your speed by only 25% instead of 50%. The Immobilize condition duration on you is reduced by 50%.

Running Buddies: Leg armor only. Your party's running speed is 5% faster. Includes Pets and summons. If a Swiftness spell is cast, you and all party members affected have 25% increased Swiftness duration. If a Superspeed spell is cast, you and all party members affected have 25% increased Superspeed duration. If a Shout increases movement speed, you and all party members affected have a 25% increased duration of that Shout.

Strong Foundation: Leg armor only. You spend 20% less time incapacitated when you are knocked down.

Expert Evader: Leg armor only. Your dodge animation speed is increased by 25%.

Quick Reactions: Shoulder armor only. You have a 25% chance to automatically evade environmental hazards that would have otherwise hit you.

Veteren Dungeoneer: Shoulder armor only. All environmental hazard damage you take is reduced by 20%.

Controlled Falling: Shoulder armor only. Your falling damage is reduced by 25%.

Seasoned Rider: Shoulder armor only. Your mount summoning cooldown is reduced by 50%.

Cautious Rider: Shoulder armor only. Your mount has a 10% chance to obstruct incoming damage.

Elemental Guard: Chest armor only. You take 5% reduced damage from all elemental (Acid, Fire, Ice, Lightning) damage types (note, do not include Arcane damage protection in this enchantment).

Weapon Guard: Chest armor only. All conditions, Ailments, Poisons that result from melee or ranged weapons have a 5% chance to have their durations reduced by 50%.

Pain-eater: Chest armor only. All strike damage you take has 50% chance to heal you for 5% of the total inbound damage.
Condition-eater: Chest armor only. For every tick of condition damage you take there is a 25% chance for you to be healed for 10% of the total tick damage.

Pain-feast: Chest armor only. All critical hits on you have a 5% chance to heal you for 100% of the total inbound damage.

Willpower: Head armor only. All magic spells cast on you have a 5% chance to have their durations reduced by 50%.

Revelation: Head armor only. You have a 10% chance to see through illusions. One of the benefits is for the chance to distinguish the illusion from the Mesmer.

Cat Vision: Head armor only. Your vision in the dark is greatly improved. When in darkness, you can also detect hidden traps and hidden doors. At night or in darkness, you have a 10% chance to detect a stealthed foe when they enter your radius of detection.

Fearless: Head armor only. All Fear and Taunt condition have a 50% reduced duration on you. You have a 10% chance to instantly dispell Fear from yourself.

Steadfast Soul: Head armor only. You are highly resistant to Possession. You have a 90% chance to instantly shake off Possession, and a 10% chance to have Possession duration reduced by 80%.

Steel Spine: Back item only. All knockbacks or pushes send you back at a 50% less distance.

Expert Glider: Back item only. You can glide 20% farther.

Hide Scent: Back item only. This enchantment gives you a 25% chance to avoid being detected by scent. Keep in mind that this does not prevent you from being detected visually.

Virtual Weight: Back item only. All pulls performed on you draw you in 50% less distance. All lifts or sinks performed on you have 50% decreased duration.

Back Guard: Back item only. Blocking or parrying now protects you a full 360° instead of 225°.

Steady Hands: Hand armor only. 10% reduced chance to land a glancing blow.

Thievish Dexterity: Hand armor only. Assassin only. Your lockpicking attempt has a 25% increased chance to succeed. Your trap disarming attempt has a 25% increased chance to be successful.

Quick Reflexes: Hand armor only. Your shield blocks and parry weapon parries are 50% quicker.

Rejuvenating Weapon: Hand armor only. You gain 10 Endurance every time you swap weapons.

Magnetic Grip: Hand armor only. You have a 50% chance to resist a weapon disarm.

L. Armor Class, Toughness and Threat
In GW2, having a high Toughness attribute score was one of the ways to generate threat, gain and hold PvE aggro. This is longer the case in GW3, high Toughness is a tool to personally mitigate damage and not a factor with respect to generating threat, gaining and holding aggro.

A combination of factors generate threat, a formula taking 4 factors into consideration generate a threat value. Damage ouput, healing output, CC, and proximity. Different manifestations of the aforementioned generate different levels of threat. Taunts by Warrior, Assassin, Ranger Pets, and undead minions summoned by a Necromancer are considered a high threat value form of CC. Warriors have several utility skills with a taunt and several banners which pulse a taunt, and in every weapon at least 1 weapon skill that adds increased threat.

M. Belt armor and itemization
You've probably noticed belt armor has been completely ignored in all the previous discussion about armor enchantments. While initially mentioned to carry one slot for 1 infusion, belts do not carry enchantments like other pieces of armor. Belts are designed to hold an X number of passive buffs acquired through completing difficult content or at the end of completing an expansion. Let us call these passive buffs, Account Passives, because they are unlocked for all your characters and they cannot be dispelled or ripped as a typical Boon can. It is important to emphasize that no belts or Account Passives be able to be obtained via a collection, it must be through participating in difficult game content. I would also minimize the number obtained via PvP or FvF game modes as well.

Belts initially acquired hold 2 slots for Account Passives and 1 infusion slot. Through completion of difficult dungeons, you can unlock belts with 3, 4, 5, or 6 slots for Account Passives. The number of infusion slots should remain the same, just one, with one exception mentioned later. It is assumed there will dozens of Account Passives you can unlock so players will set up a desired combination of Account Passives across several belts, instead of manually changing Account Passives in and out for different scenarios.

A legendary crafted belt should automatically provide the max number of Account Passive slots you have unlocked, it should not let you skip through the process of acquiring additional Account Passive slots. The clear benefit of crafting a legendary belt will be that only the legendary belt has 2 infusion slots. The legendary belt must not also offer all Account Passives ingame without you doing any work to unlock them, NO, you must earn those Account Passives.

N. Two-handed weapons versus one-handed weapons versus dualwielding
In Guild Wars 2, skill 1 of a two-handed greatsword dealt a little over 10% more damage than a one-handed sword's skill 1. Maybe the attempt to enforce parity in damage output was done to enable the individual with a one-handed weapon be able to compete with the two-handed weapon wielding individual, but I think this greatly diminishes the two-handed weapon and what its natural advantage over the one-hander should be. In Guild Wars 3, the two-handed weapon will deal approximately double the damage of a one-handed weapon. The following example will use arbitrary values for skill 1 to demonstrate the new system

Greatsword (two-handed sword): 1000 Slashing damage.
Sword (one-handed sword): 500 Slashing damage.
Longsword (a heavy one-handed sword): 550 Slashing damage.
Parrying-sword (a light one-handed sword): 450 Slashing damage.

Skill one is no longer a chain-attack. It is the base autoattack for your equipped weapon(s). There will only be two animations for skill 1, a swing to the right, a swing to the left. Repeatedly hitting skill 1 will yield a logical sequence of animation of you swinging you weapon right and left over and over. If you are equipped with a greatsword, it will be 1000 Slashing damage. If you are equipped with a sword and shield, it will be 500 Slashing damage. If you are equipped with a sword in a mainhand and a sword in the offhand, it will be 500 + 500 = 1000 total Slashing damage. If you are dualwielding swords, your skill 1 will be an autoattack which takes the damage of both one-handed weapons you are wielding and combines the damage value if they are the same damage type (Slashing in our example). The animation for skill 1 will also change if you are dualwielding, with each weapon swinging the opposite direction, both weapons swing inward (crossing eachother), then if you hit skill 1 again, both weapons swing outward. Regarding dual-wielding swing speed, that will be determined by the slowest weapon you have equipped.

An important aspect to consider in the above scenario is when you wield a two-hander, a die is rolled and you either perform a:
A. Critical hit
B. Regular hit
C. Glancing blow
D. Miss your target

The above four possibilities are also applied to each weapon when you autoattack while dualwielding, a die is rolled for each weapon, resulting in a higher variability when you dualwield.

Another important new feature in Guild Wars 3 will be the ability to hold down a weapon skill, thus 'charging' the skill (only needs to be held down for 2 seconds) and then unleashing a higher damaging version (33% more damage than the non-charging version of the skill). At a minimum, this will happen with skill 1 (the autoattack skill) for all melee weapons an Assassin, Ranger or Warrior (no other profession can charge melee attacks) equips. Some melee weapons may have a second charging attack, most will not. You can charge an attack while completing another attack, therefore not exposing yourself to your charging animation. Charged weapon attacks have an animation that is 50% faster than the noncharged variant, but the final frame of the attack animation is held for one second leaving you vulnerable. You cannot spam charging attacks, there is a 5 second internal cooldown for reuse.

Here is a list of the type of skills that may be found on a melee weapon.
1. Autoattack (can be made into a charging attack by Assassins, Rangers and Warriors).

2. Chain attack - often 3 different attacks in a sequence with one of the attacks inflicting a Condition (Assassin, Elementalist, Guardian, Mesmer, Necromancer and Ranger) or Ailment (Warrior).

3. Multi-hit attack. A flurry of quick strikes that does not apply a Condition or Ailment but is a good source of DPS.

4. An attack that imposes a Control Effect.

5. An attack which interrupts a target's actions or attack.

6. An AoE attack that hits an unlimited number of targets (only two-handers).

7. Riposte. You negate one incoming attack and quickly couterattack your attacker.

8. Disarming attack. If the attacks connects with its target, you Disarm your target for a period.

9. Rushing attack. Rush a target and deliver a powerful blow. This can also be a leap.

10. Evasion attack. This attack has several evasion frames in its animation. May also reposition you to the side, behind, or away from target.

11. Conditional attack. If one or more variables are present on your target (ie is stunned, health < 50%, is Bleeding etc), you hit for either: extra damage, apply a Condition (Assassin and Ranger only), apply a Control Effect, apply an Ailment (Warrior only), enter a Stance (Warrior), or go into stealth (Assassin only).

12. Summoning attack. If the attack connects with its target, either a Clone is summoned (Mesmer), an Undead Minion is summoned (Necromancer), a Nature Spirit is summoned (Ranger), or an Elemental is summoned (Elementalist).

13. Healing or Boon attack. If the attack connects with its target, either a Boon is applied to allies or an AoE heal is dispensed (Guardian, Ranger).

14. Warding attack. If the attack connects you place a Ward at either your feet or at the target (Guardian).

15. Spell attack. If the attack connects, a spell is cast to the target foe or an area (Elementalist, Guardian, Necromancer, Mesmer).

16. Life leech attack. If the attack connects, you leech health from your target (Necromancer).

17. Shout attack. If the attack connects, you use a Shout (Warrior).

18. Absorption attack. There is a physical attack but there is a secondary feature to the attack, if any magical or elemental projectile (not a physical projectile like a bullet, arrow, rock etc.) make contact with you while you are swinging your weapon, you absorb it and can redirect it to the target of your next attack (Guardian, Mesmer).

19. Boon-ripping attack. If the atack connects, you remove one of your target's Boons. If your target has no Boons but has Barrier, you rip the Barrier off your target. Your target's Barrier has the highest priority to be retained. If your target has no Boons or Barrier, you deal 10% extra damage on your target (Warrior).

20. Boon-stealing attack. If the attack connects, you steal one of your target's Boons. If your target has no Boons but has Barrier, you steal a portion of their Barrier with the remaining duration (Mesmer).

21. Boon-corrupting attack. If the attack connects, you corrupt one of your target's Boons into a Condition.

22. Resource extinguishing attack. If the attack connects, you extinguish a portion of the target's primary resource (Adrenaline, Divine Favor, Energy, Initiative, Life Force, Mana). If no primary resource is available, then a portion of Endurance is extinguished (Necromancer, Mesmer).

23. Combo field attack. If the attack connects, you conjure a combo field at either your location or that of the target (Elementalist, Guardian, Necromancer, Mesmer).

24. Impairment attack. If the dagger attack connects while your target is also using a weapon skill, that skill's recharge time increases 100% (Assassin - Dagger Mastery only).

O. Secondary effects from weapons
Professions such as the Assassin, Elementalist, Guardian, Mesmer, Necromancer, and Ranger have the potential for applying standard conditions on victims via weapon skills 1 - 5. These standard conditions are specified in the tool tip and are Bleeding, Burning, Confusion, Chilled, Crippled, Immobilized, Slow, Weakness, Vulnerability and Charged (victim is overloaded with electrical charge that periodically discharges when near their allies. The discharge deals damage as well has a small chance to interrupt skills.). These conditions can be cleansed by skills which remove conditions.

Assassins have access to various Poisons which apply a unique Poisoned effect on their weapon attacks that a standard condition cleanse cannot remove, and requires a skill which specifically neutralizes poisons.

Warriors are not magic casters so they do not apply magical damaging conditions, but have a chance to apply effects called Ailments that do similar things to some magical conditions but are much shorter in duration and not dependent on any Condition Damage or Expertise attribute. Instead, if a damage is being dealt by a Hemorrhage Ailment (like Bleeding but much shorter duration and frontloaded damage), the damage dealt is dependent on the weapon damage, any attributes that affect weapon damage, and the mitigating traits and armor (ie, the target's metal armor is resistant to the attacker's slashing damage so the bleeding damage dealt will be reduced) of the victim. Larger slashing weapons such as greatswords and greataxes will produce larger frontloaded damage than one-handed variants. To differentiate, greatswords have a faster rate of attack than greataxes and will produce Hemorrhage more often; greataxes have a higher base damage so the frontloaded damage will be higher than greatsword.

Warrior slashing (swords and axes) and piercing (throwing-spear, spiked-mace, and pistol) weapons produce the Hemorrhage Ailment. The combined physical damage and Ailment damage will make them generally higher DPS weapons than hammers and maces.

Warrior hammers produce the Blunt Force Trauma Ailment (for a short duration, all victim's melee attacks are 15% weaker and 15% slower, spellcasting is 15% slower). The higher the physical damage triggering the effect, the longer the duration.

Warrior maces produce the Concussion Ailment (for a short duration, all non-instant skills become channeling skills and can be interrupted if an attack lands during channeling).

Both hammers and maces have at least one skill which slams the ground in front of them, all nearby foes have a chance to be afflicted with the Unsure Footing Ailment, which causes the stripping of stability (one stack of stability for mace, two stacks of stability for hammer), 10% reduced movement speed, and a 10% increased chance for the victim to deliver a glancing melee attack.

Two handed melee weapons, when wielded by Assassins, Rangers and Warriors, have a chance to Stagger a foe on melee hit. Stagger is a new element added to combat which causes a target foe to reset any action being performed, so the activation time or channeling begins anew. This is not an interrupt where the victim's action is lost and a cooldown begins, the action still has a chance to be completed but it will take longer due to it being reset due to the stagger. Stagger also very briefly slows down a fleeing opponent. Stagger chance varies from weapon to weapon, and even within the same weapon certain skills will have a higher chance to incur Stagger versus other weapon skills. In general, the two key criteria which determines greater chance to Stagger is bludgeoning or force of the attack. Bludgeoning two-handed weapons on average have a greater chance to stagger across all their weapon skills versus those of slashing or piercing two-handed weapons. Two-handed weapon skills which are executed by greater amounts of effort by the wielder or enhanced by momentum will have the higher chance to Stagger foes. Stagger is not a condition, it is a feature of the weapon the same way a critical hit is.

Because Stagger requires physical power, the general rates of Stagger should be
Warrior (highest rate of Stagger) > Assassin > Ranger (lowest rate of Stagger)

Ailments are negative effects placed on target foes by Warriors. Ailments are heavily dependent on the weapon, are not improved by Condition Damage stats, and are very brief in duration. Ailments are typically applied on critical hit, but that can be modified via traits to be a flat percentage chance to apply on hit in addition to critical hit application. Ailments can be cleansed (by a skill specifically designed to cleanse Ailments) but since they are constantly reapplied, the target may opt to save their cleanse for another condition. Traits in the Warrior 'Two Handed Weapons' or 'One Handed Weapons' trait lines can also modify Ailments in different ways, such as duration, and even a chance to resist cleanse.

P. Weapon sets and swapping
All professions besides Assassin and Warrior have 2 weapon sets that can be swapped during combat. Assassins and Warriors have 3 weapon sets each that can be swapped during combat. Assassins can get a fourth weapon set via trait. Warriors can get a fourth and fifth weapon set via traits. Both Assassins and Warriors can obtain swap cooldown reduction via traits.

Q. Parrying weapons and blocking
There is a dedicated keybind each for parrying and blocking, Parry and Block respectively. Please note the Aegis Boon now produces an 'Obstruct' effect when negating attacks, it is no longer 'block' so as to avoid confusion with this new mechanic.

Blocking refers exclusively to an action that can only be performed if a shield is equipped in the offhand, if you do not have a shield equipped then the Block key does nothing. If you have a shield equipped and press the Block key, you gain an Effect (remember Effects cannot be dispelled or stripped) called 'Blocking-<shield type>', for 2 seconds the Effect is active, and then a 3 second timer countdown commences signifying the Block cooldown which must expire before Block can be used again. Blocking is effective at 225° radius (centered at the front of the individual blocking), there is 135° radius behind the individual where the block will be ineffective.

Parrying refers exclusively to an action that can only be performed if you have either a parry-axe, parry-sword, or parry-mace equipped in either hand, if you do not have any of the aforementioned weapons equipped then the Parry key does nothing. If you have a parry-weapon equipped and press the Parry key, you gain an Effect called 'Parry Weapon', for 1.5 seconds the Effect is active, and then a 3 second timer countdown commences signifying the Parry cooldown which must expire before Parry can be used again. If you have two parry-weapons equipped, one in each hand, then your Parry cooldown timer reduces from 3 seconds to 2 seconds. Parrying is effective at 225° radius (centered at the front of the individual parrying), there is 135° radius behind the individual where the parry will be ineffective. Only Warriors can equip parrying weapons.

Both Block and Parry requires your feet to be planted on a surface (there is a Warrior and Assassin trait that enables you to Block in midair).
What is the difference between Parry and Block? Blocking takes into consideration the enhanced physical damage mitigation relative to different types of shields. Parry damage reduction is lowest and the same for all parrying weapons.

Block-Tower Shield: 85% damage reduction of blocked physical attacks.
Block-Shield: 80% damage reduction of blocked physical attacks.
Block-Buckler: 70% damage reduction of blocked physical attacks.
Block-Spiked Arm Shield: 65% damage reduction of blocked physical attacks.
Parry (parrying axe, parrying sword, parrying mace): 50% damage reduction of parried physical attacks.

Only warriors have access to parrying weapons, but why bother taking a parrying weapon if the damage reduction is inferior to a standard shield? To give you more combat options, and a defensive tool that will provide additional mitigation on top of your heavy armor and high HP pool. Parrying weapons are a good option for dual wielding warriors with aggressive load outs who do not want to completely sacrifice defense for more damage.
Versatile combat load outs are as follows:

a. Parrying sword in your main hand and pistol in your offhand - melee weapon with a defensive tool plus midrange offense. A good set to equip as you close the distance to your target or against targets who will seek to run and avoid close combat.

b. Parrying mace in your main hand and warhorn in your offhand - melee weapon with a defensive option plus party support. In addition to your warhorn support you can leverage your mace's Concussion Ailment to get interrupts on key enemies.

c. Parrying axe in your main hand and parrying mace in your offhand - for the reduced Parry cooldown.

d. Heavy axe in your main hand and parrying axe in your offhand - balance the slower, more powerful main hand with a faster, defensive offhand.

Don't overlook the defensive value of shields! Parrying weapons only provide a single defensive tool (Parry key) but shields have a better version of that (Block key) and provide 2 additional valuable skills. Generally, skill 4 and 5 belong to the shield. Skill 4 will be a 3-5 second (duration is profession dependent) skill that obstructs all physical and projectile attacks at 100% mitigation. Skill 5 will be a 2-4 second (duration is profession dependent) skill which reflects projectiles. Shields can also block projectiles (physical or magic), parrying weapons cannot (the only parry / mitigate damage of other melee attacks). Beyond the aforementioned, different professions add a thematic spin to their shield skills, such as for Mesmers, in addition to the already mentioned functionality, Skill 4 produces a clone if an attack is successfully obstructed.

Additionally, different shields add different AC values to the wielder's overall AC and some add unique combat features. Here is the order of shields with the highest contributing AC to the lowest: tower shield - shield - buckler - spiked arm shield. Spiked arm shields have a chance to inflict piercing damage when Blocking against melee attackers. Tower shields are the only shields whose skill 5 can also nullify an incoming knockdown, knockback and stun. Due to their large size and weight, tower shields impose a 5% movement speed penalty to the wielder.

R. One handed weapons versus two handed weapons
So parrying and blocking seems so useful, why bother going the two handed weapon route and lose so much defensive capability? Beyond the base higher damage and the higher critical damage, two handed weapons have an advantage in reach, number of targets affected per hit (one handers can hit up to 3-5 targets, two handers hit 5 or more targets), and at least one skill on a two hander can hit an unlimited number of foes in an specific area (arc in front, nearby etc). For Warriors, two handed weapon bursts damage an unlimited number of foes in an affected area, but some additional effects will affect a limited number of targets. An example would be Earthshaker, it will damage all enemies in its affected area but will only knockdown up to 5 (8 with trait) targets.

S. Weapon Customization
One handed weapons have 3 customizable slots: one gemstone, one sigil, and one infusion. Two handed weapons have 5 customizable slots: one gemstone, two sigils, and two infusions.

1. Gemstone : this slot is reserved for either an element or other powerful select modifications.
Fire Damage: converts 25% of the weapon's physical damage into Fire damage.

Ice Damage: converts 25% of the weapon's physical damage into Ice damage.

Lightning Damage: converts 25% of the weapon's physical damage into Lightning damage

Acid Damage: converts 25% of the weapon's physical damage into Acid damage

Spite: increase threat of your weapon's attacks by 25% - PvE only.

Pacify: decreases threat of your weapon's attacks by 25% - PvE only.

Rebuke: 25% increased damage against Greater Undead, includes Wraiths, Draugr, Wights, Liches, etc. - PvE only.

Djinn Bane: 25% increased damage against Djinn Elementals - PvE only.

Blessed: 25% increased damage against Demons - PvE only.

Dragonslayer: 25% increased damage against Dragons - PvE only.

Electromagnetic Pulse: 25% increased damage against Automatons and machines - PvE only.

Furious: 33% increased Adrenaline gained per successful weapon attack.

Mythical: 25% chance on critical hit to reduce all your magical spell cooldowns by 1 second.

Tenacity: 25% chance on critical hit to reduce all your melee attack cooldowns by 1 second.

Righteous: 10% of your melee critical hit damage heals 4 of your nearby allies, does not heal you, 5 second internal cooldown, only triggered by melee attacks.

Diverge: 10% chance on critical hit to cause your projectile to splinter and hit 3 nearby foes. Only triggered by two handed ranged weapons such as shortbow, longbow, mortar and rifle. This gemstone has a 5 second internal cooldown.

Misdirect: 25% chance on critical hit to raise the threat of all your pets, minions and clones attacks by 100% for the next 10 seconds. Only triggered by two handed ranged weapons such as shortbow, longbow, mortar and rifle. This gemstone has a 20 second internal cooldown.

Pet Food: 25% chance on critical hit to mark your target as a meal for your pets and summons. A hex unique to this gemstone, 'Pet Food' is applied to target for 15 seconds. Any pet or summons which attacks a target with this hex will gain regeneration for as long as the target is afflicted with the Pet Food hex. Only triggered by two handed ranged weapons such as shortbow, longbow, mortar and rifle. This gemstone has a 30 second internal cooldown.

Bomblets: 10% chance on critical hit to cause your projectile to disburse a multitude of tiny bomblets over a large area which flash red and detonate after 5 seconds damaging all enemies in the area. Each bomblet has a 10% chance to critical hit. Only triggered by two handed ranged weapons such as shortbow, longbow, mortar and rifle. This gemstone has a 20 second internal cooldown.

Irradiated: 10% chance on critical hit to cause your projectile to disburse a radiation cloud that applies 'Radiation Sickness' to anyone, friend or foe, standing in the cloud. Radiation Sickness is a condition unique to this gemstone that decreases the effectiveness of all healing spells and skills by 33% AND slowly saps endurance bars. The radiation cloud lasts for 6 seconds. Only triggered by two handed ranged weapons such as shortbow, longbow, mortar and rifle. This gemstone has a 30 second internal cooldown.

Foundation: 20% chance for your shield skills to block and obstruct damage originating from the ground, ie Wells, Traps, Symbols, flame pools etc. (Note: by default shields do not block damage if it originates from the ground beneath you.) Does not prevent the application of Conditions, Hexes, Curses, Diseases, Poisons or Ailments from ground based sources. Only triggered by shields.

Sure-Footed: 33% chance for your shield skills to prevent the application of Conditions, Hexes, Curses, Diseases, Poisons or Ailments originating from ground based sources (ie Wells, Traps, Symbols, flame pools etc.). Only triggered by shields.

Extinguish: 20% chance for your shield skills to extinguish up to 3 harmful ground based sources of damage and/or Conditions, Hexes, Curses, Diseases, Poisons or Ailments. This gemstone can only be equipped on shields. This gemstone has a 30 second internal cooldown.

Salvation: 25% chance to negate a deathblow if you have this gemstone and a shield equipped. Any Conditions, Hexes, Curses, Diseases, Poisons or Ailments on you are purged. You instantly regain up to 5% of your total health. This gemstone can only be equipped on shields. This gemstone has a 60 second internal cooldown.

Bolster: you gain 10% more health points when you have this gemstone and a shield equipped. If your health points deplete to a value beyond 10% of your total, you gain regeneration until your health points reaches 10% of your total health. The aforementioned feature has a 30 second internal cooldown. This gemstone can only be equipped on shields.

Undergirding: your sheid's Armor level is increased by 50% when you have this gemstone and a shield equipped. You also gain an extra 10% damage reduction of blocked physical attacks (block damage reduction cannot exceed 99%). This gemstone can only be equipped on a shield.

Mirrors: 20% increased chance to reflect a projectile, physical or magical, back to its source when using shield skills. 10% chance to reflect a projectile when using block key. This gemstone can only be equipped on tower shields.

Celerity: 25% chance to recharge all your movement spells when you take damage and your health is <= 25%. This gemstone can only be equipped on foci or flutes. This gemstone has a 45 second internal cooldown.

Panic: 20% chance to cast any spell at half the cast time if your health is <= 25%. This gemstone can only be equipped on foci or flutes. This gemstone has a 30 second internal cooldown.

Reprisal: 10% chance to gain a unique effect called 'Reprisal' for 3 seconds when your health is <= 20%. The Reprisal effect increases the rate of recharge for all spells by 100%. This gemstone can only be equipped on foci. This gemstone has a 60 second internal cooldown.

Mage Barrier: 20% chance to gain a Mage Barrier for 4 seconds when you have been critically hit by a melee attack or non-magic projectile and your health is <= 25%. Mage Barrier adds 100% to your total Armor level and +10 resistance to all damage types. This gemstone can only be equipped on foci. This gemstone has a 60 second internal cooldown.

Harmony: 10% chance to apply the unique effect 'Harmonious' on 5 nearby allies for 4 seconds whenever you use a flute skill. The Harmonious effect grants you the health regeneration, movement speed, and ability to use certain skills which can only be used out of combat. If you suffer damage while under the Harmonious effect you do not enter combat; only if you attack do you enter combat. The Harmonious effect does not affect accumulated

Adrenaline. This gemstone can only be equipped on flutes. This gemstone has a 60 second internal cooldown.

Disharmony: 10% chance to apply the unique Hex 'Disharmonious' on 5 nearby foes for 4 seconds whenever you use a flute skill. The Disharmonious Hex causes all shouts and songs affecting foes to expire 50% faster. This gemstone can only be equipped on flutes. This gemstone has a 60 second cooldown.

Reverberation: 10% chance to produce an echo of your just cast warhorn skill (you can audibly hear it a second time) where the benefits or your warhorn skill are apllied to any allies which did not receive it the first time you triggered the skill. This gemstone can only be equipped on warhorns. This gemstone has a 45 second internal cooldown.

Recuperation: 10% chance to instantly refill one bar of endurance for all allies effected by your warhorn skills. Player controlled allies have priority over pets, summons and npc allies. This gemstone can only be equipped on warhorns. This gemstone has a 45 second internal cooldown.

Horn of Plenty: 10% chance to increase the rate of recharge for the healing skill (Skill 6) of all allies affected by your warhorn skills by 100% for 3 seconds. Player controlled allies have priority over pets, summons and npc allies. This gemstone can only be equipped on warhorns. This gemstone has a 45 second internal cooldown.

War Party: PvE only. If you have this gemstone and a warhorn equipped, plus you are in a PvE game mode, and the 5 member party you are in consists of no guardians, no necromancers, and has at least 1 Assassin, 1 Ranger, and 1 Warrior, all members of your 5 member party (this includes pets, summons and npc allies) receive the 'War Party' effect. When you have the War Party effect, you cannot apply any beneficial Effects, Boons, etc to any player or npc who do not also have the War Party effect and who are not in your party. When under the War Party Effect, you gain damage reduction against all damage types, your healing skill recharges 50% faster, your Boons, Shouts last 50% longer, your endurance bar recharges 33% faster, Assassin poisons are applied to all party members, ranger pets have double armor, ranger pets have 50% increased strike damage, and mounted banners on warriors have a 50% larger effective radius. The War Party effect is applied if you have the gemstone and a warhorn equipped and you meet the party profession composition requirements. Once the War Party Effect is applied, it is on permanently unless:
A. a guardian or necromancer joins your party
B. the equipped weapon set with the gemstone is removed from your weapon loadouts
C. the person who initiated the War Party Effect switches character
D. if anyone leaves party
If any of the above conditions are met, all party members lose the War Party Effect.
Note that you can swap to different weapon sets and not lose the War Party effect. This gemstone can only be equipped on warhorns.

Spurn: 50% chance on critical hit to transfer a condition (with remaining duration) to target, 5 second internal cooldown.

Rebuff: 50% chance on critical hit to transfer a hex (with remaining duration) to target, 5 second internal cooldown.

Repudiate: 50% chance on critical hit to transfer a curse (with remaining duration) to target, 5 second internal cooldown.

Chaos: 10% chance on critical hit to apply the 'Chaotic' hex, a unique hex exclusive to this weapon gemstone. When under the Chaotic hex, your next action targets the opposite side originally intended, ie the group heal you cast will heal your opponents instead. Any offensive spell you cast will randomly target your team instead. Your next melee attack will target any allies close to you instead. Chaotic hex duration is 4 seconds, but expires once target uses a spell or attack. This gemstone has a 30 second internal cooldown upon hex application.

Incapacitate: 5% chance on critical hit to disable all melee attacks for 5 seconds. Cannot be cleansed. On PvE boss mobs this is reduced to 2 seconds, and generates a significant amount of threat. This gemstone has a 45 second internal cooldown.

Silence: 5% chance on critical hit to disable all spell casting for 5 seconds. Cannot be cleansed. On PvE boss mobs this is reduced to 2 seconds, and generates a significant amount of threat. This gemstone has a 45 second internal cooldown.

2. Weapon Sigils: this slot is reserved for more subtle changes to combat. You cannot use two of the same sigil on a single weapon. When dual wielding, the sigils on one weapon do not affect the other weapon's attacks. Some powerful sigils incur a penalty.
Sigil of Force: 6% increased damage.

Sigil of Brutality: 10% increased damage, your total health points are reduced by 10%.

Sigil of Accuracy: 7% increased critical strike chance.

Sigil of Certainty: 10% increased critical strike chance, your total damage is reduced by 10%.

Sigil of Bursting: 6% increased condition damage.

Sigil of Eruption: 10% increased condition damage, your health points are reduced by 10%.

Sigil of Curses: 10% increased duration of curses.

Sigil of Hexing: 10% increased duration of hexes.

Sigil of Poison: 10% increased duration of poisons.

Sigil of Ailments: 20% increased duration of ailments (this % is high due to ailments having very short durations).

Sigil of Bleeding: 10% increased Bleeding duration.

Sigil of Burning: 10% increased Burning duration.

Sigil of Confusion: 10% increased Confusion duration.

Sigil of Chilled: 10% increased Chilled duration.

Sigil of Charging: 10% increased Charged duration.

Sigil of Crippling: 10% increased Cripple duration.

Sigil of Immobilizing: 10% increased Immobilized duration.

Sigil of Slowing: 10% increased Slow duration.

Sigil of Weakening: 10% increased Weakness duration.

Sigil of Vulnerability: 10% increased Vulnerability duration.

Sigil of Aegis: 10% increased Aegis duration.

Sigil of Alacrity: 10% increased Alacrity duration.

Sigil of Fury: 10% increased Fury duration.

Sigil of Might: 10% increased Might duration.

Sigil of Protection: 10% increased Protection duration.

Sigil of Quickness: 10% increased Quickness duration.

Sigil of Regeneration: 10% increased Regeneration duration.

Sigil of Resistance: 10% increased Resistance duration.

Sigil of Resolution: 10% increased Resolution duration.

Sigil of Stability: 10% increased Stability duration.

Sigil of Swiftness: 10% increased Swiftness duration.

Sigil of Vigor: 10% increased Vigor duration.

Sigil of Proximity: Melee weapon only. Your weapon attack affects one additional adjacent target.

Sigil of the Parry Master: Warrior only. Your parrying weapon has a 33% chance to successfully parry a projectile and a 20% chance to perform a 'critical parry' resulting in 100% damage mitigation of a melee attack.

Sigil of Featherweight: Warrior only. Your two handed weapon swing is 25% faster.

Sigil of Reach: Warrior only. Your pistol or throwing spear's range is increased by 20%.

Sigil of Guile: Assassin only. Your weapon attacks have a 20% chance of consuming no Initiative.

Sigil of Shadows: Assassin only. Your weapon skills which put you into stealth have a 20% chance to extend stealth duration by 25%.

Sigil of Toxins: Assassin only. If your weapon is poisoned, any weapon skill which critically hits a poisoned target has a 20% chance of adding 5 seconds to the victim's poisoned duration.

Sigil of Avoidance: Ranger only. Your two handed ranged weapon has a 10% chance to knockback your target.

Sigil of Explosives: Ranger only. Your two handed ranged weapon skill that fires a succession of projectiles has a 20% chance for the final projectile to cause an AoE explosion.

Sigil of Inclusivity: Ranger only. In addition to the 5 allies your warhorn skills affect, your warhorn skills affect 5 additional Ranger pets and/or Necromancer summons.

Sigil of Cloning: Mesmer only. Your weapon attacks have a 20% chance of producing an additional clone.

Sigil of Encores: Mesmer only. Your weapon skills that summon clones have a 15% chance to reduce the cooldown of all shatter skills by 1 second.

Sigil of Dark Mimicry: Mesmer only. Your weapon skills which summon clones have a 10% chance to summon a clone of your target, complete with all of the target's weapons and skills. Does not work on PvE Boss characters.

Sigil of Plagues: Necromancer only. The Diseases you inflict from weapon skills have a 20% chance to become 'Virulent' (icon will change in appearance on victim) and require two cleanses to remove. If the Virulent Disease spreads to an ally (of the same species) of your target, their disease becomes Virulent as well.

Sigil of Horrors: Necromancer only. Your weapon attacks have a 20% chance of producing an additional undead minion.

Sigil of Demonology: Necromancer only. Your weapon skills which summon a lesser demon have a 15% chance to summon a Juggernaut variant of the demon originally intended to be summoned. Juggernaut demons have 50% more health, power, toughness and condition damage than normal variants.

Sigil of Compassion: Guardian only. Your weapon skills have a 20% chance of healing one additional ally.

Sigil of Symbols: Guardian only. Signs from your weapon skills last 50% longer.

Sigil of Holy Flames: Guardian only. Any weapons skill that heal or apply Boons to allies have a 10% chance to inflict 3 seconds of Burning on nearby foes.

Sigil of Torrent: Elementalist only. Spells, cast from weapons, that release multiple projectiles have a 10% chance to inflict all their damage 33% faster.

Sigil of Escape: Elementalist only. Movement spells, cast from weapons, have a 20% chance to move you twice as fast.

Sigil of Elemental Reach: Elementalist only. Any cone spells, cast from weapons, have 20% extended reach.

Sigil of the Dirtbag: If your weapon skill (Warrior Burst included) knockdowns targets, each nearby, knocked down target has a 20% chance to have dirt kicked in their eye resulting in 4 seconds of Blindness.

Sigil of Gambling: Melee attacks only. Your bonus crit damage is reduced by 50% BUT your critical hits have a 20% chance to hit for 200% bonus crit damage.

Sigil of Divine Mercy: If this sigil is equipped, when you die you have a 20% chance for a spirit to revive you from death. If the spirit appears, it would arrive 15 seconds after you die. You are revived at full health.

The following sigils can only be applied on shields, flutes, foci, and warhorns. Many of hese sigils all affect some feature of the skills on the main hand and they are the only sigils which affect a weapon other than the one the sigil is equipped on.

Sigil of Acid Melee Penetration: The Acid element attacks on your main hand weapon penetrates 20% of the Acid resistance of your target. Affects melee attack skills only. This sigil can only be equipped on a shield, flute, foci or warhorn.

Sigil of Acid Spell Penetration: The Acid element spells on your main hand weapon penetrates 10% of the Acid resistance of your target. Affects weapon spells only. This sigil can only be equipped on a shield, flute, foci or warhorn.

Sigil of Fire Melee Penetration: The Fire element attacks on your main hand weapon penetrates 20% of the Fire resistance of your target. Affects melee attack skills only. This sigil can only be equipped on a shield, flute, foci or warhorn.

Sigil of Fire Spell Penetration: The Fire element spells on your main hand weapon penetrates 10% of the Fire resistance of your target. Affects weapon spells only. This sigil can only be equipped on a shield, flute, foci or warhorn.

Sigil of Ice Melee Penetration: The Ice element attacks on your main hand weapon penetrates 20% of the Ice resistance of your target. Affects melee attack skills only. This sigil can only be equipped on a shield, flute, foci or warhorn.

Sigil of Ice Spell Penetration: The Ice element spells on your main hand weapon penetrates 10% of the Ice resistance of your target. Affects weapon spells only. This sigil can only be equipped on a shield, flute, foci or warhorn.

Sigil of Lightning Melee Penetration: The Lightning element attacks on your main hand weapon penetrates 20% of the Lightning resistance of your target. Affects melee attack skills only. This sigil can only be equipped on a shield, flute, foci or warhorn.

Sigil of Lightning Spell Penetration: The Lightning element spells on your main hand weapon penetrates 10% of the Lightning resistance of your target. Affects weapon spells only. This sigil can only be equipped on a shield, flute, foci or warhorn.

Sigil of Bludgeon Melee Penetration: The Bludgeon attacks on your main hand weapon penetrates 20% of the Bludgeon resistance of your target. Affects melee attack skills only. This sigil can only be equipped on a shield, flute, foci or warhorn.

Sigil of Piercing Melee Penetration: The Piercing attacks on your main hand weapon penetrates 20% of the Piercing resistance of your target. Affects melee attack skills only. This sigil can only be equipped on a shield, flute, foci or warhorn.

Sigil of Slashing Melee Penetration: The Slashing attacks on your main hand weapon penetrates 20% of the Slashing resistance of your target. Affects melee attack skills only. This sigil can only be equipped on a shield, flute, foci or warhorn.

Sigil of Acid Protection: you receive 5% reduced Acid damage from all sources. This sigil can only be equipped on a shield, flute, foci or warhorn. If the item this sigil is equipped on is swapped out for a different weapon set, you lose the damage protection.

Sigil of Arcane Protection: you receive 5% reduced Arcane damage from all sources. This sigil can only be equipped on a shield, flute, foci or warhorn. If the item this sigil is equipped on is swapped out for a different weapon set, you lose the damage protection.

Sigil of Fire Protection: you receive 5% reduced Fire damage from all sources. This sigil can only be equipped on a shield, flute, foci or warhorn. If the item this sigil is equipped on is swapped out for a different weapon set, you lose the damage protection.

Sigil of Ice Protection: you receive 5% reduced Ice damage from all sources. This sigil can only be equipped on a shield, flute, foci or warhorn. If the item this sigil is equipped on is swapped out for a different weapon set, you lose the damage protection.

Sigil of Lightning Protection: you receive 5% reduced Lightning damage from all sources. This sigil can only be equipped on a shield, flute, foci or warhorn. If the item this sigil is equipped on is swapped out for a different weapon set, you lose the damage protection.

Sigil of Bludgeoning Protection: you receive 5% reduced Bludgeon damage from all sources. This sigil can only be equipped on a shield, flute, foci or warhorn. If the item this sigil is equipped on is swapped out for a different weapon set, you lose the damage protection.

Sigil of Piercing Protection: you receive 5% reduced Piercing damage from all sources. This sigil can only be equipped on a shield, flute, foci or warhorn. If the item this sigil is equipped on is swapped out for a different weapon set, you lose the damage protection.

Sigil of Slashing Protection: you receive 5% reduced Slashing damage from all sources. This sigil can only be equipped on a shield, flute, foci or warhorn. If the item this sigil is equipped on is swapped out for a different weapon set, you lose the damage protection.

3. Infusions: This slot holds small jewels that boost any of the base attributes of the profession; Power, Precision, Ferocity, Healing Power, Toughness, Vitality, Concentration, Condition Damage, Aggression (Assassin equip only), Durability (Warrior equip only) and Stamina (Warrior equip only). A reminder, Warriors are not magic caster so Concentration and Condition Damage have NO effect on them and Assassins have a limited ability to cast Boons so Concentration has no effect on them. As an added measure, Warriors will be unable to even equip Concentration or Condition Damage Infusions and Assassins will be unable to equip Concentration Infusions.

Infusions come in 3 varieties:
Fixed Boost Infusions: a specific attribute is increased by 200 points (Note, this value is high because weapons no longer innately have attribute point boosts).

Accumulating Boost Infusions: the infusion starts at a paltry 10 bonus for a specific attribute, but as you kill foes, you increase the attribute by 10 points, max is 24 stacks. Maximum stacks of an Accumulating Boost Infusion will yield 250 bonus points for a specific attribute. If you die (not downed as in GW2), then you lose all stacks gained.

Triggering Infusions: a specific attribute is increased by only 100 points, but when your health is reduced to 33% or less, the specific attribute is increased from 100 to 300 points. Once your health returns to above 33%, the infusion returns the attribute increase back to 100 points.

In game rewards can take any of the above types of infusions and append a minor passive buff to the infusion that can stack. For players looking to max their passive buff potential, such rewards would be perceived as being valuable. Most of these passive buffs should be directed toward non player controlled mobs. The buff value should be low with the assumption many will fill all their infusion slots with said infusion. Another route could be Anet could impose a maximum value to the infusion boost of a specific type to 10%.
For example
- Vitality Accumulating Boost Infusion with 1% increased damage against FvF guards.
- Precision Fixed Boost Infusion with 1% increased damage against Raid Dungeon guards.
- Ferocity Triggering Infusion with 1% increased defense versus Demons.

T. Weapon Enchantments
Weapons of higher tier quality, ie Exotic or Ascended, have the possibility of being generated with an enchantment. This possibility will increase the value of loot drops and extend their desirability due to players pursuing the max value of a certain enchantment.

Note: how weapons are categorized:
Melee Weapons: Greataxe, Greatsword, Hammer, Halberd, Naginata, Spear, Scythe, Bo/Staff, Heavy Axe, Longsword, Heavy Mace, Axe, Sword, Mace, Parrying Axe, Parrying Sword, Parrying Mace, Spiked Mace, Dagger, Clawed Gauntlets, Spiked Arm Shield, Scepter.
Ranged Weapons: Mortar, Rifle, Longbow, Shortbow, Throwing Spear, Pistol, Thrown Weapons.
Guard Weapons: Tower Shield, Shield, Buckler, Spiked Arm Shield, Warhorn.
Caster Offhands: Focus, Flute.

Below are some max value weapon enchantments.
Asura Bane: 10% increased damage on Asura. All weapons.

Asura Brutalizer: 15% increased critical hit damage on Asura. All weapons.

Asura Hunter: 8% increased chance to critically hit an Asura. All weapons.

Awakened Bane: 10% increased damage on Awakened. All weapons.

Awakened Brutalizer: 15% increased critical hit damage on Awakened. All weapons.

Awakened Hunter: 8% increased chance to critically hit an Awakened. All weapons.

Cani Bane: 10% increased damage on Cani. All weapons.

Cani Brutalizer: 15% increased critical hit damage on Cani. All weapons.

Cani Hunter: 8% increased chance to critically hit a Cani. All weapons.

Centaur Bane: 10% increased damage on Centaur. All weapons.

Centaur Brutalizer: 15% increased critical hit damage on Centaur. All weapons.

Centaur Hunter: 8% increased chance to critically hit a Centaur. All weapons.

Charr Bane: 10% increased damage on Charr. All weapons.

Charr Brutalizer: 15% increased critical hit damage on Charr. All weapons.

Charr Hunter: 8% increased chance to critically hit a Charr. All weapons.

Dredge Bane: 10% increased damage on Dredge. All weapons.

Dredge Brutalizer: 15% increased critical hit damage on Dredge. All weapons.

Dredge Hunter: 8% increased chance to critically hit a Dredge. All weapons.

Dwarf Bane: 10% increased damage on Dwarves. All weapons.

Dwarf Brutalizer: 15% increased critical hit damage on Dwarf. All weapons.

Dwarf Hunter: 8% increased chance to critically hit a Dwarf. All weapons.

Ettin Bane: 10% increased damage on Ettin. All weapons.

Ettin Brutalizer: 15% increased critical hit damage on Ettin. All weapons.

Ettin Hunter: 8% increased chance to critically hit an Ettin. All weapons.

Forgotten Bane: 10% increased damage on Forgotten. All weapons.

Forgotten Brutalizer: 15% increased critical hit damage on Forgotten. All weapons.

Forgotten Hunter: 8% increased chance to critically hit a Forgotten. All weapons.

Giant Bane: 10% increased damage on Giants. All weapons.

Giant Brutalizer: 15% increased critical hit damage on Giant. All weapons.

Giant Hunter: 8% increased chance to critically hit a Giant. All weapons.

Grawl Bane: 10% increased damage on Grawl. All weapons.

Grawl Brutalizer: 15% increased critical hit damage on Grawl. All weapons.

Grawl Hunter: 8% increased chance to critically hit a Grawl. All weapons.

Harpy Bane: 10% increased damage on Harpies. All weapons.

Harpy Brutalizer: 15% increased critical hit damage on Harpy. All weapons.

Harpy Hunter: 8% increased chance to critically hit a Harpy. All weapons.

Hylek Bane: 10% increased damage on Hylek. All weapons.

Hylek Brutalizer: 15% increased critical hit damage on Hylek. All weapons.

Hylek Hunter: 8% increased chance to critically hit a Hylek. All weapons.

Human Bane: 10% increased damage on Humans. All weapons.

Human Brutalizer: 15% increased critical hit damage on Human. All weapons.

Human Hunter: 8% increased chance to critically hit a Human. All weapons.

Jotun Bane: 10% increased damage on Jotun. All weapons.

Jotun Brutalizer: 15% increased critical hit damage on Jotun. All weapons.

Jotun Hunter: 8% increased chance to critically hit a Jotun. All weapons.

Kappa Bane: 10% increased damage on Kappa. All weapons.

Kappa Brutalizer: 15% increased critical hit damage on Kappa. All weapons.

Kappa Hunter: 8% increased chance to critically hit a Kappa. All weapons.

Kodan Bane: 10% increased damage on Kodan. All weapons.

Kodan Brutalizer: 15% increased critical hit damage on Kodan. All weapons.

Kodan Hunter: 8% increased chance to critically hit a Kodan. All weapons.

Krait Bane: 10% increased damage on Krait. All weapons.

Krait Brutalizer: 15% increased critical hit damage on Krait. All weapons.

Krait Hunter: 8% increased chance to critically hit a Krait. All weapons.

Largos Bane: 10% increased damage on Largos. All weapons.

Largos Brutalizer: 15% increased critical hit damage on Largos. All weapons.

Largos Hunter: 8% increased chance to critically hit a Largos. All weapons.

Naga Bane: 10% increased damage on Naga. All weapons.

Naga Brutalizer: 15% increased critical hit damage on Naga. All weapons.

Naga Hunter: 8% increased chance to critically hit a Naga. All weapons.

Norn Bane: 10% increased damage on Norn. All weapons.

Norn Brutalizer: 15% increased critical hit damage on Norn. All weapons.

Norn Hunter: 8% increased chance to critically hit a Norn. All weapons.

Ogre Bane: 10% increased damage on Ogres. All weapons.

Ogre Brutalizer: 15% increased critical hit damage on Ogre. All weapons.

Ogre Hunter: 8% increased chance to critically hit an Ogre. All weapons.

Phanin Bane: 10% increased damage on Phanin. All weapons.

Phanin Brutalizer: 15% increased critical hit damage on Phanin. All weapons.

Phanin Hunter: 8% increased chance to critically hit an Phanin. All weapons.

Skritt Bane: 10% increased damage on Skritt. All weapons.

Skritt Brutalizer: 15% increased critical hit damage on Skritt. All weapons.

Skritt Hunter: 8% increased chance to critically hit a Skritt. All weapons.

Sylvari Bane: 10% increased damage on Sylvari. All weapons.

Sylvari Brutalizer: 15% increased critical hit damage on Sylvari. All weapons.

Sylvari Hunter: 8% increased chance to critically hit a Sylvari. All weapons.

Tengu Bane: 10% increased damage on Tengu. All weapons.

Tengu Brutalizer: 15% increased critical hit damage on Tengu. All weapons.

Tengu Hunter: 8% increased chance to critically hit a Tengu. All weapons.

Troll Bane: 10% increased damage on Trolls. All weapons.

Troll Brutalizer: 15% increased critical hit damage on Troll. All weapons.

Troll Hunter: 8% increased chance to critically hit a Troll. All weapons.

Undead Bane: 10% increased damage on Lesser Undead. All weapons.

Undead Brutalizer: 15% increased critical hit damage on Lesser Undead. All weapons.

Undead Hunter: 8% increased chance to critically hit a Lesser Undead. All weapons.

Minor Spite: increase threat of your weapon's attacks by 10% - PvE only. All weapons.

Minor Pacify: decreases threat of your weapon's attacks by 10% - PvE only. All weapons.

Bloodthirst: 5% increased melee damage against all creatures who can bleed, excludes Undead, Spirits, magical or technological constructs, Elementals etc. This enchantment is found on Melee Weapons only.

Magical Disturbance: 5% increased melee damage against all creatures which are animated by magic (magical golems, summoned undead) or protected by magic (magical force fields, Barriers, Protection or Aegis Boons), excludes Spirits or Ethereal Beings. This enchantment is found on Melee Weapons only.

Ethereal Disturbance: Your weapon imparts unmitigated damage on Spirits and Ethereal Beings (Spirits and Ethereal beings normally suffer 50% reduced melee damage). This enchantment is found on Melee Weapons only.

Masochism: 10% increased melee damage against all creatures who can bleed, (excludes undead, spirits, magical or technological constructs, elementals etc) BUT also causes the wielder to lose 2% of their health with every successful attack. A single attack that hits 3 foes will still incur a 2% health loss on the wielder. This enchantment is found on Melee Weapons only.

Magic Rending: 10% increased melee damage against all creatures (excludes spirits and ethereal beings) which are animated by magic (magical golems, summoned undead) or protected by magic (magical force fields, Barriers, Protection or Aegis Boons) BUT also causes the wielder to lose 2% of their health with every successful attack. A single attack that hits 3 foes will still incur a 2% health loss on the wielder. This enchantment is found on Melee Weapons only.

Ethereal Destruction: Your weapon imparts unmitigated damage on Spirits and Ethereal Beings (Spirits and Ethereal beings normally suffer 50% reduced melee damage). You deal 5% increased damage and the chance to critically hit is increased by 5% versus Spirits and Ethereal Beings BUT you lose 1% of your health with every critical hit. This enchantment is found on Melee Weapons only.

Ethereal Annihilation: Your weapon imparts unmitigated damage on Spirits and Ethereal Beings (Spirits and Ethereal beings normally suffer 50% reduced melee damage). You deal 10% increased damage and the chance to critically hit is increased by 10% versus Spirits and Ethereal Beings BUT also causes the wielder to lose 2% of their health with every successful attack. A single attack that hits 3 foes will still incur a 2% health loss on the wielder. This enchantment is found on Melee Weapons only.

Boon Fiend: Two consecutive melee attacks which are both critical hits will result in the removal of a Boon. Removing a Boon in this fashion will cause the wielder's next successful critical hit to be 20% more damaging. Boon removal with this weapon enchantment incurs a 10 second internal cooldown. This enchantment is found on Melee Weapons only.

Hex Fiend: Two consecutive melee attacks which are both critical hits will result in the removal of a Hex on the wielder. Removing a Hex in this fashion will cause the wielder's next successful critical hit to be 20% more damaging. Hex removal with this weapon enchantment incurs a 10 second internal cooldown. This enchantment is found on Melee Weapons only.

Curse Fiend: Two consecutive melee attacks which are both critical hits will result in the removal of a Curse on the wielder. Removing a Curse in this fashion will cause the wielder's next successful critical hit to be 20% more damaging. Curse removal with this weapon enchantment incurs a 10 second internal cooldown. This enchantment is found on Melee Weapons only.

Disease Fiend: Two consecutive melee attacks which are both critical hits will result in the removal of a Disease on the wielder. Removing a Disease in this fashion will cause the wielder's next successful critical hit to be 20% more damaging. Disease removal with this weapon enchantment incurs a 10 second internal cooldown. This enchantment is found on Melee Weapons only.

Condition Fiend: Two consecutive melee attacks which are both critical hits will result in the removal of a condition on the wielder. Removing a condition in this fashion will cause the wielder's next successful critical hit to be 20% more damaging. Condition removal with this weapon enchantment incurs a 10 second internal cooldown. This enchantment is found on Melee Weapons only.

Trap Fiend: Two consecutive melee attacks which are both critical hits, while standing on two or more enemy Traps, will consume one of the Traps and cause the wielder's next successful critical hit to be 20% more damaging. Trap removal with this weapon enchantment incurs a 10 second internal cooldown. This enchantment is found on Melee Weapons only.

Well Fiend: Two consecutive melee attacks which are both critical hits, while standing on two or more enemy Wells, will consume one of the Wells and cause the wielder's next successful critical hit to be 20% more damaging. Well removal with this weapon enchantment incurs a 10 second internal cooldown. This enchantment is found on Melee Weapons only.

Symbol Fiend: Two consecutive melee attacks which are both critical hits, while standing on two or more enemy Symbols, will consume one of the Symbols and cause the wielder's next successful critical hit to be 20% more damaging. Symbol removal with this weapon enchantment incurs a 10 second internal cooldown. This enchantment is found on Melee Weapons only.

Determined Strike: This weapon enchantment has a 25% chance for your melee attack to bypass any magical spell which obstructs your attack or causes you to miss (as in under the Blind condition) enabling you to land full damage on the target. Landing an attack in the manner described incurs a 5 second internal cooldown. This enchantment is found on Melee Weapons only.

Avenge: If a nearby party member (does not include pets, summons, or npc allies) dies, this weapon enchantment causes your next 3 melee attacks to be 33% more damaging. Triggering damage augmentation in the manner described incurs a 10 second internal cooldown. This enchantment is found on Melee Weapons only.

Bullied: If within 1 second you are the recipient of the attacks (melee, ranged, spell) of 4 or more foes (does not include pets or summons), your next 3 melee attacks are 25% more damaging. Triggering damage augmentation in the manner described incurs a 10 second internal cooldown. This enchantment is found on Melee Weapons only.

Aggrieved: If within 1 second you are the recipient of 5 or more ranged attacks your next successful melee critical hit will be 25% more damaging on any of your ranged attackers. Triggering damage augmentation in the manner described incurs a 10 second internal cooldown. This enchantment is found on Melee Weapons only.

Harrassed: If within 1 second you are the recipient of 5 or more melee attacks, your next successful ranged critical hit will be 25% more damaging on any of your melee attackers. Triggering damage augmentation in the manner described incurs a 10 second internal cooldown. This enchantment is found on Ranged Weapons only.

Exasperated: If within 1 second you are the recipient of 5 or more melee attacks, your next successful spell critical hit will be 10% more damaging on any of your melee attackers. Triggering damage augmentation in the manner described incurs a 10 second internal cooldown. This enchantment is found on Caster Offhands only.

Brutalized: If within 1 second you are the recipient of the attacks (melee, ranged, spell) of 4 or more foes (does not include pets or summons), the next 3 attacks on you are 25% less damaging. Triggering damage reduction in the manner described incurs a 10 second internal cooldown. This enchantment is found on Guard Weapons only.

For the following weapon enchantments, remember Effects cannot be cleansed and their durations cannot be reduced, you must ride out their full duration. Also these negative Effects are triggered by weapon skill use, NOT weapon hit, therefore even if your skill attacks multiple times the die is rolled once, at skill activation, that is it.

Assassin's Pain: If targeting an Assassin, 10% chance on weapon skill use to apply a negative Effect called 'Assassin's Pain' that prevents the target Assassin from entering stealth for the next 6 seconds. For all targets, this enchantment does 3% increased damage and adds 3% increased chance to critically hit. All weapons.

Assassin's Misfortune: If targeting an Assassin, 10% chance on weapon skill use to apply a negative Effect called 'Assassin's Misfortune' that prevents the target Assassin from using their heal skill for the next 6 seconds. For all targets, this enchantment has a 20% chance on critical hit to steal 25 Endurance (50 Endurance is required for 1 dodge). All weapons.

Assassin's Agony: If targeting an Assassin, 5% chance on weapon skill use to apply a negative Effect called 'Assassin's Agony' that drains 75% of the Assassin's Initiative and reduces the damage from the Assassin's attacks by 50% for 6 seconds. While Assassin's Agony is active no Initiative can be gained. For all targets, this enchantment adds 6% increased critical hit damage. All weapons.

Elementalist's Pain: If targeting an Elementalist, 10% chance on weapon skill use to apply a negative Effect called 'Elementalist's Pain' that prevents the target Elementalist from using any movement spells for the next 6 seconds. For all targets, this enchantment does 3% increased damage and adds 3% increased chance to critically hit. All weapons.

Elementalist's Misfortune: If targeting an Elementalist, 10% chance on weapon skill use to apply a negative Effect called 'Elementalist's Misfortune' that prevents the target Elementalist from using their heal skill for the next 6 seconds. For all targets, this enchantment has a 20% chance on critical hit to steal 25 Endurance (50 Endurance is required for 1 dodge). All weapons.

Elementalist's Agony: If targeting an Elementalist, 5% chance on weapon skill use to apply a negative Effect called 'Elementalist's Agony' that reduces the damage caused all spells by 50% and increases all cooldowns on all of the Elementalist's skills by 6 seconds. The duration of this effect is 6 seconds, once it expires any increased skill cooldown is removed. Any skill used while this Effect is active will gain the negative Effect and therefore have 6 seconds added to their cooldown. For all targets, this enchantment adds 6% increased critical hit damage. All weapons.

Guardian's Pain: If targeting a Guardian, 10% chance on weapon skill use to apply a negative Effect called 'Guardian's Pain' that prevents the target Guardian from using any defensive spells (Aegis, Protection, Barrier etc) for the next 6 seconds. For all targets, this enchantment does 3% increased damage and adds 3% increased chance to critically hit. All weapons.

Guardian's Misfortune: If targeting a Guardian, 10% chance on weapon skill use to apply a negative Effect called 'Guardian's Misfortune' that prevents the target Guardian from using their personal heal skill, or any healing spell on themself, for the next 6 seconds. If the Guardian has a spell that affects multiple allies, the allies will be healed but the Guardian will not. For all targets, this enchantment has a 20% chance on critical hit to steal 25 Endurance (50 Endurance is required for 1 dodge). All weapons.

Guardian's Agony: If targeting a Guardian, 5% chance on weapon skill use to apply a negative Effect called 'Guardian's Agony' that prevents the Guardian from casting any defensive, healing, or cleansing spells on other allies for 6 seconds. The Guardian will still be able to cast spells to benefit themself, but other allies will receive no benefit. For all targets, this enchantment adds 6% increased critical hit damage. All weapons.

Mesmer's Pain: If targeting a Mesmer, 10% chance on weapon skill use to apply a negative Effect called 'Mesmer's Pain' that causes all active Clones summoned by the Mesmer to attack their master for the next 6 seconds. Any new Clones summoned by the Mesmer, while Mesmer's Pain is active, will target the summoning Mesmer. Clones will randomly attempt to charge the Mesmer and use a Shatter. After Mesmer's Pain has elapsed, any active Clones resume attacking the Mesmer's foes. For all targets, this enchantment does 3% increased damage and adds 3% increased chance to critically hit. All weapons.

Mesmer's Misfortune: If targeting an Mesmer, 10% chance on weapon skill use to apply a negative Effect called 'Mesmer's Misfortune' that prevents the target Mesmer from using their heal skill for the next 6 seconds. For all targets, this enchantment has a 20% chance on critical hit to steal 25 Endurance (50 Endurance is required for 1 dodge). All weapons.

Mesmer's Agony: If targeting a Mesmer, 5% chance on weapon skill use to apply a negative Effect called 'Mesmer's Agony' that lasts 6 seconds. Mesmer's Agony causes any currently active Hex placed by the Mesmer to be removed from the target(s) and placed on the Mesmer. After the 6 seconds has elapsed, any Hexes placed on the Mesmer are cleansed. Note that within the 6 second window Mesmer's Agony is active, any Hex placed on a foe will be placed on the Mesmer instead. If the Mesmer has any Hex removal skills, they can use it to remove Hexes from themself. For all targets, this enchantment adds 6% increased critical hit damage. All weapons.

Necromancer's Pain: If targeting a Necromancer, 10% chance on weapon skill use to apply a negative Effect called 'Necromancer's Pain' that causes any Undead summons or Lesser Demons, summoned by the Necromancer, to attack the Necromancer for the next 6 seconds. Any new Undead summon cast while Necromancer's Pain is active will target the Necromancer. Once Necromancer's Pain has elapsed, any active Undead summons and Lesser Demons resume attacking the Necromancer's foes. For all targets, this enchantment does 3% increased damage and adds 3% increased chance to critically hit. All weapons.

Necromancer's Misfortune: If targeting a Necromancer, 10% chance on weapon skill use to apply a negative Effect called 'Necromancer's Misfortune' that prevents the target Necromancer from using their heal skill for the next 6 seconds. For all targets, this enchantment has a 20% chance on critical hit to steal 25 Endurance (50 Endurance is required for 1 dodge). All weapons.

Necromancer's Agony: If targeting a Necromancer, 5% chance on weapon skill use to apply a negative Effect called 'Necromancer's Agony' that lasts 6 seconds. Necromancer's Agony causes any currently active Curse or Disease placed by the Necromancer to be removed from the target(s) and placed on the Necromancer. Diseases placed on the Necromancer behave as normal, therefore any of his nearby allies of the same race contract the disease. After the 6 seconds has elapsed, any Curses or Diseases placed on the Necromancer are cleansed. Note that within the 6 second window Necromancer's Agony is active, any Curse or Disease placed on a foe will be placed on the Necromancer instead. If the Necromancer has any Curse or Disease removal skills, they can use it to remove Curses and Diseases from themself. For all targets, this enchantment adds 6% increased critical hit damage. All weapons.

Ranger's Pain: If targeting a Ranger, 10% chance on weapon skill use to apply a negative Effect called 'Ranger's Pain' that prevents the target Ranger from using any offensive Boon spells (Might, Fury, Quickness etc) for the next 6 seconds. For all targets, this enchantment does 3% increased damage and adds 3% increased chance to critically hit. All weapons.

Ranger's Misfortune: If targeting a Ranger, 10% chance on weapon skill use to apply a negative Effect called 'Ranger's Misfortune' that prevents the target Ranger or their Pet from using their heal skill for the next 6 seconds. For all targets, this enchantment has a 20% chance on critical hit to steal 25 Endurance (50 Endurance is required for 1 dodge). All weapons.

Ranger's Agony: If targeting a Ranger, 5% chance on weapon skill use to apply a negative Effect called 'Ranger's Agony' that reduces the Rangers long range weapon range by 90% and causes their Pet to turn against them for 6 seconds. Pets cannot be unsummoned while Ranger's Agony is active. For all targets, this enchantment adds 6% increased critical hit damage. All weapons.

Warrior's Pain: If targeting a Warrior, 10% chance on weapon skill use to apply a negative Effect called 'Warrior's Pain' that drains 100% of a Warrior's Adrenaline and prevents the gain of Adrenaline for the next 6 seconds. For all targets, this enchantment does 3% increased damage and adds 3% increased chance to critically hit. All weapons.

Warrior's Misfortune: If targeting a Warrior, 10% chance on weapon skill use to apply a negative Effect called 'Warrior's Misfortune' that prevents the target Warrior from using their heal skill for the next 6 seconds. For all targets, this enchantment has a 20% chance on critical hit to steal 25 Endurance (50 Endurance is required for 1 dodge). All weapons.

Warrior's Agony: If targeting a Warrior, 5% chance on weapon skill use to apply a negative Effect called 'Warrior's Agony' that disarms any shields equipped and causes any attacks the Warrior makes to reflect 50% of the damage back to the Warrior for 6 seconds. For all targets, this enchantment adds 6% increased critical hit damage. All weapons.

U. Legendary Armor, Weapons and Jewelry
Legendary gear, as in GW2, require a wide cross section of materials, ensuring the market for materials acquired at lower levels retain some value. Since armor no longer carry a unique combination of attribute points (you control attribute distribution via infusions), attribute point combinations are no longer something you can select from the Legendary Armory. What you can select for armor is material type, or enchantments if you have unlocked them via the loot system. The same can be said for weapons, you can unlock weapon types, and weapon enchantments and select from those in the Legendary Armory.

What should change is the default availability of all upgrades or of any aspect of customization. Every aspect of customization needs to be unlocked, whether that is via loot obtained through chests or fallen foes, or through completion of some ingame content. We want as many people as possible engaging and contributing in the many challenges that gate such rewards to promote the widest level of availability in the community.

Using any customization options you unlocked, the Legendary Armory will generally function as it currently does and be available across all your alternate characters. There should also be legendary infusions available.

On deciding which upgrades to gate behind difficult content
Which upgrades are so potent they are worthy of being rewards for completing difficult content is something Anet must decide. I do have to strongly urge that certain upgrades like

Weapon Enchantment: Human Bane: 10% increased damage on Humans. All weapons.

which will be perceived as being highly valuable (in PvP, due to the propensity of players choosing humans in MMOs) should NOT be gated behind difficult content because such upgrades are there to incentivize the playerbase to roll races other than humans due to certain PvP modes will be regional battles between alliances of different races.

On the subject of what is or is not worthy of being gated behind challenging content, I would deemphasize cosmetics in favor of upgrades and gameplay enhancements such as passive buffs on your character, as gameplay options are immensly more valuable than cosmetics. This is not to say flashy cosmetics are not going to be rewards, just they should not be the primary motivation for tackling difficult content. Players will be more willing to struggle and plod through difficult content if they perceive they will gain a gameplay advantage. Players are more willing to forego the content if the ultimate reward is some cosmetic they can live without, as we can expect there will be plenty of flashy cosmetics available to dress up your character.

V. Species bonuses
Each species will possess a set of bonuses and vulnerabilities to reflect some logical or lore-friendly aspect. Unique species bonuses are a means to achieve some level of species diversity. Species diversity is an important need for the Faction versus Faction game mode.

1. Asura: 1% innate weakness to Bludgeoning Damage, 1% innate weakness to Slashing Damage, 1% innate weakness to Piercing Damage, 3% innate defense to Lightning Damage, 1% innate resistance to Confusion condition, 5% increased chance to evade environmental hazards. All Asura have the option of equipping a unique Utility skill, 'Golem-in-a-Box', which summons a small portable golem for 120 seconds. This mini-golem does not have skills with high damage, but all its skills have high threat, so it is able to draw away aggro from its Asura master. The golem has a very large pool of hitpoints, which enables it to soak up a lot of damage. Golem-in-a-Box may be most useful when its Asura master is downed, if summoned during such a situation, the mini-golem enters the 'Take one for the team' mode where all of its attacks have 100% more threat, it tries to tag all enemies near its master, and when it has their aggro, will automatically move away from its master drawing all foes with it. This would give the Asura master time to revive themselves from the downed state. In the process of drawing foes away from its master, should the mini-golem take enough damage to reach 5% or less of its total health, it will self-destruct and Knockdown all nearby foes.

2. Awakened: 2% innate weakness to Fire Damage, 1% innate defense to Slashing Damage, 1% innate defense to Piercing Damage, 1% innate defense to Ice Damage, 1% innate resistance to Fear condition. Awakened have 25% increased downed state health, giving them a better chance to rally themselves, and if they are successfully rallied, return with 40% of their max health instead of the 25% other species typically rally with.

3. Cani: 2% innate weakness to Cold Damage, 1% innate weakness to Acid Damage. 1% innate defense to Fire Damage. 1% innate resistance to all Curses. When standing on deep sand or deep snowpack, out of combat, and not moving for at least 10 seconds, the Cani will burrow into the sand or snow and assume a 'Hide: Sand' or 'Hide: Snow' status (depending on the medium they burrowed into). The Cani will stay buried in the sand or snow and not be visible to incoming foes. The Cani can still be exposed by a canine Ranger pet, another Cani (Scent Detection) or a Scout Drone from the Technologist (Assassin Elite Specialization), but if the aforementioned are not present and the Cani does not move, is not knocked down, or take any action, they will remain hidden. When the Cani does choose to attack, they will leap out of the medium and attack. Cani have a Scent Detection Utility Skill that allows the Cani to use their heightened sense of smell to detect if stealthed foes are nearby. If Disarmed, Cani are still able to bite foes (Piercing Damage) and attack with its claws (Piercing and Slashing Damage).

4. Charr: 2% innate weakness to Fire Damage, 1% innate weakness to Arcane Damage. 2% innate defense to Acid Damage, 1% innate defense to Ice Damage. When in combat, Charr gain the unique Effect 'Predator's Intuition', which grants 3% increased chance to hit any target with a weapon skill. Charr have a unique Utility skill called 'Sound Detection', when used it can detect stealthed characters if they are moving or performing action. Sound Detection can also pick up sounds made by foes, stealthed or unstealthed, behind walls. If Disarmed, Charr are still able to attack with their claws and horns, depending on the shape (or lack of horns, which result in a headbutt) of the horns, will have either Piercing or Bludgeoning Damage while their claw skills will have either Slashing or Piercing Damage.

5. Human: 3% innate weakness to Acid Damage, 1% innate defense to Arcane Damage, 1% innate resistance to Disease, Humans have the option of equipping of equipping a unique Utility skill, 'Invoke Divine Aid', which when pressed, temporarily changes your skills 6, 7, 8, 9, 0 to 'Summon Avatar of Dwayna', 'Summon Avatar of Kormir', 'Summon Avatar of Lyssa', 'Summon Avatar of Melandru' and 'Summon Avatar of Grenth' respectively. Selecting one of the aforementioned will collapse the skill, initiate Invoke Divine Aid skill cooldown, and return your skills 6, 7, 8, 9, 0 to their former state. Each of the god avatars will possess lore-consistent skills to aid the Human, and be a useful summon partner for 120 seconds or their hitpoint pool expires. Note, any Boons the god avatar provides will only benefit the Human which did the summoning, no other player character or ally.
Humans also have an additional species benefit, one that differs from faction to faction
South Tyrian Alliance Humans: 1% innate resistance to Earth Magic.
Elonian Alliance Humans: 1% innate resistance to Fire Magic.
Canthan Alliance Humans: 1% innate resistance to Air Magic.

6. Kodan: 2% innate weakness to Fire Damage. When in very hot environments, gains the 'Disfavored Environment: Hot' Effect, which causes a 2% decreased Endurance regeneration rate (this can be negated if the Kodan enchants a piece of their armor with Protection from Extreme Weather). 3% innate defense to Ice Damage, 1% innate resistance to Ice Magic, 1% innate resistance to the Chilled condition, 1% innate resistance to the Frozen control Effect. When in cold environments gains an Effect, 'Preferred Environment: Cold', which causes the Kodan to have 5% increased Endurance regeneration. If Disarmed, Kodan can still use bite (Piercing Damage) and claw (Piercing and Slashing Damage) attacks.

7. Norn: 1% innate weakness to Fire Damage, 1% innate weakness to Acid Damage, 1% innate weakness to Arcane Damage. 2% innate defense to Bludgeoning Damage, 1% innate defense to Ice Damage, 1% innate resistance to Weakness condition. Norn have a unique Utility skill, 'Great Spirit Blessing' which allows them to temporarily transform into a humanoid form reflecting one of the Great Spirits: Bear, Raven, Snow Leopard and Wolf. Upon hitting the Great Spirit Blessing skill your 1, 2, 3, 4 skills change to 'Transform to Bear', 'Transform to Raven', 'Transform to Snow Leopard', and 'Transform to Wolf'. These individual forms have their own skill sets and passive Effects. Selecting one of the aforementioned will collapse the skill, initiate Great Spirit Blessing skill cooldown, and your skills 1, 2, 3, 4, 5 change to skills belonging to the transformation you have selected. When a Norn is Disarmed, they are still able to use Great Spirit Blessing (if not on cooldown) and regain a full set of skills to use in battle.

8. Phanin: 3% innate weakness to Ice Damage, 4% innate defense to Acid Damage, 2% innate resistance to poisons. When Phanin are Disarmed, they are still able to bite (Piercing Damage AND poisoning) and spit venom at a distance (Acid Damage AND poisoning). They are the only species automatically equipped with ranged or poisoning skills when Disarmed.

9. Sylvari: 1% innate weakness to Acid Damage, 1% innate weakness to Fire Damage, 1% innate weakness to Ice Damage, and 1% innate weakness to Lightning Damage. 1% innate defense to Arcane Damage, 2% innate resistance to Earth Magic, 2% chance to resist being Immobilized or Crippled if the ensnaring agent are vegetation (ie vines, thorns etc.), 2% chance to resist being poisoned by plant or fungal spores. When swimming, standing in shallow water (not a puddle), or close to a large body of water, gains an Effect, 'Preferred Environment: Water', which causes the Sylvari to have 5% increased Endurance regeneration. When touching large vegetation, out of combat, and not moving for at least 10 seconds, the Sylvari will assume a 'Hide: Vegetation' status where they will blend in with the vegetation and not be visible to incoming foes. The Sylvari can still be exposed by a canine Ranger pet or a Scout Drone from the Technologist (Assassin Elite Specialization), but if the aforementioned are not present and the Sylvari does not move, is not knocked down, or take any action, they will remain hidden.

10. Tengu: 2% innate weakness to Fire Damage, 1% innate weakness to Ice Damage , 1% innate weakness to Piercing Damage. 2% innate defense to Lightning Damage, 1% innate resistance to Acid Damage, 1% innate resistance to Air Magic. When performing two evades in close succession, the Tengu will fly close to the ground, covering the same distance as the two evades. While the Tengu is in flight, they will not trigger any Wells, Marks, Traps or negative effects from a Symbol. When performing an evade while in midair, Tengu briefly fly and can control their flight direction; flying consumes Endurance. When Disarmed, Tengu can still peck with their beaks (Piercing Damage), as well as obtain a replacement skill which uses gusts of wind from their wings in order to push back foes.

W. Professions and their roles
Do not fear the general premise of roles in an MMO. In endgame game modes, the toolset of each profession reveals an optimal role for the profession, and a lack of commitment to establishing set roles inevitably leads to a whack-a-mole environment for profession balance (ie the move away from unique Boons and effects in GW2 leading to the same Boons to be divvied up among all the professions) and the dominance of a few professions (Guardian and Necromancer) and the relative exclusion of others (ie Thief in raids).

Roles in MMO are inevitable, it is best to nurture several defined roles for each profession offering a variety of play styles and different ways to contribute to the group than trying to let every profession try to be everything, because I have yet to see anyone succeed at the latter. I would wager it would be near impossible under the GW2 constraints to achieve profession balance under a system where nearly all party buffs are restricted to Boons, where some of those Boons will be highly valued for what they do, and some professions are going to be able to provide more of said highly valued Boon and will be overrepresented in profession makeup of the player population.

Relative to Guild Wars 2 (GW2), professions in GW3 are more constrained to a fixed predetermined set of roles that will useful in the variety of competitive game types to be implemented: 10-20 player PvE raids, 10 player PvP, 20 player FvF, 50 player FvF etc.

Party buffs and party member contribution
It is important to have party buffs come in a variety of forms, some forms exclusive to some professions. It also adds to profession value if some of those party buffs are not able to be dispelled in the same manner as conventional Boons; requiring a different skill that your opponent may not have equipped. Trying to promote "kitten hits the fan" scenarios makes things interesting and creates fun and unpredictability...just as long as there are clear ways to mitigate them. Introduce enough of said scenarios and no single player will be able to equip a skill load out that can neutralize all of them, which is a good thing.

Having said all that, conventional magical Boons should still be the most powerful and long-lasting ways to buff a party (barring a few limited exceptions), but the countermeasures should be abundant. Conventional Boons should also be the easiest to remove in the sense that a single skill could remove any conventional magical Boon with maximum stacks, BUT a buff by a Warrior's back-mounted banner cannot be dispelled so long as you remain in their effective radius. Just to be clear the Warrior's banner does not give Boons, it gives a non-dispellable proximity Effect that while not as powerful as a magical Boon, provides a useful benefit free from a concern it can be dispelled. If the Warrior is downed then the banner is lost and the proximity Effect instantly is removed from allies.

No more invincibility skills
Another important gameplay feature necessary for balance is there cannot be any skills which temporarily make you invincible, even on light armor classes. Light armor classes need to rely on skills which briefly do enhanced mitigation of specific types of damage, dodges, movement skills (which they should have plenty of), CC, trickery, ranged attacks, the protection of better armored allies and using their damage output to survive encounters.

Boon, Condition and Control Effect distribution
Boons, Conditions, and Control Effects are mostly divvied up among the professions so as to add increased importance to profession diversity.

The division of Boons
Aegis: Obstruct the next incoming attack; stacks duration. Aegis can be applied by Guardian and Necromancer (elite specialization only).
Alacrity: Skills recharge 33% faster; stacks duration, max duration is 30 seconds. Alacrity can be applied by Mesmer only.

Barrier: A health buffer is applied; this health buffer take damage prior to your health bar. The amount of health buffer generated is based on the source's healing power, and is capped at 50% of the recipient's maximum health. If multiple sources apply Barrier, the size of the health buffer will be the source with the highest healing power. The initial Barrier application has a 5 second duration, subsequent applications increase duration by 1 second, 10 second maximum duration. Barrier is a primary Boon, meaning it will automatically be placed first in your active Boon list, meaning it will be the last Boon that can be stripped. Barrier can be applied by Guardian and Necromancer (elite specialization only).

Exactitude: All your melee or ranged weapon attacks cannot miss and 50% reduced chance for glancing blows; stacks duration with a maximum duration of 5 seconds. This applies only to conventional melee weapons, unarmed melee or ranged weapon attacks, not magic spells or magic projectiles. Still applicable to a conventional weapon attack infused with magic. Exactitude will supercede all debuffs that affect chance to hit, but can still be boon stripped. Exactitude can only be applied by Assassin (elite specialization only).

Fury: Critical chance increased by 25%; stacks duration. Fury can be applied by Assassin (elite specialization only) and Ranger.

Might: increases outgoing Power and Condition Damage; stacks intensity up to 10 times. Might can be applied by Assassin (elite specialization only) and Ranger.

Protection: Incoming strike damage reduced by 33%; stacks duration up to 30 seconds. It does not affect Condition Damage or Ailment Damage. Protection can only be applied by Guardian.

Quickness: The speed of skills and actions are increased by 50%; stacks duration up to 30 seconds. Quickness can be applied by Mesmer and Ranger (spirit only).

Regeneration: Gain healing over time, gaining health every second. Amount of health gained is determined by the source's healing power. If received from multiple sources, the source with the highest healing power is prioritized; stacks duration up to 10 seconds. Regeneration can be applied by Guardian, Elementalist (limited to Water Attunement only) and Ranger (spirit only).

Reprise: If you die in combat, go back in time and return to the level of health when you first received the Reprise Boon. Can only be cast on a single target. Reprise stacks in duration up to 8 seconds. If you are saved by Reprise, you are afflicted by the 'Second Chance' Effect for 1 minute and cannot receive the Reprise Boon for the duration. Reprise can only be applied by Mesmer.

Resistance: Nondamaging conditions afflicting you are temporarily neutralized; stacks duration up to 30 seconds. These nondamaging conditions are: Blinded, Crippled, Fear, Immobilized, Slow, Vulnerability and Weakness. Resistance can be applied by Guardian and Necromancer (elite specialization only).

Resolution: Incoming damage from conditions is reduced by 33%; stacks duration up to 30 seconds. It does not affect Ailment Damage. Resolution can be applied by Guardian and Necromancer (elite specialization only).
Stability: You temporarily cannot be afflicted by the following Effects: Float, Knockback, Knockdown, Launch, Pull, Sink and Stun. Any of the aforementioned Effects remove one stack of Stability, except for Knockdown, which removes two (if you only have one stack of Stability left, Knockdown will remove it and you will be knocked down at half duration). Stability stacks intensity up to 10 times. Stability can be applied by Elementalist (limited to Earth Attunement only), and Mesmer.

Swiftness: Your movement speed is increased by 33%: stacks duration up to 60 seconds. Swiftness can be applied by Elementalist (limited to Air Attunement only), and Ranger (warhorn and spirit).

Vigor: Your Endurance regeneration rate is increased by 50%; stacks duration up to 30 seconds. Vigor can be applied by Guardian and Ranger (warhorn and spirit).

The division of conditions
Note: Torment has been removed as a condition. Mesmer Hexes have largely taken up the elements of Torment's functionality.
Bleeding: A condition that deals damage every second; stacks in intensity up to 1500 times. The damage incurred per tick of damage is dependent on the Condition Damage of the source. Any noncorporeal Undead (spirit) or Skeletons are immune. Any machine or robot is immune. Golems are immune. Any fluid creature (Ooze) or elemental spirit (Water, Fire, Air and Earth) is immune to Bleeding. Can be removed using a general condition cleanse. Bleeding can be applied by Assassin, Elementalist, Guardian, Mesmer, Necromancer, and Ranger.

Blindness: Causes the afflicted's next attack to miss its target. If the attack is an area-of-effect spell or attack, the target or spell will manifest in an area outside of the target cursor. If the afflicted attempts to heal themself or allies, there is a 25% chance for the heal to fail. Any target which is already blind is immune to Blindness. Can be removed using a general condition cleanse. Blindness can be applied by Assassin (poison and trap), Elementalist (limited to Earth Attunement only), Ranger (pet only) and Mesmer (Warhorn).

Burning: A condition that deals Fire Damage every second; stacks in intensity up to 1000 times. The damage incurred per tick of damage is dependent on the Condition Damage of the source. In general, will be the condition that inflicts the highest damage per tick. The Fire Damage from Burning is inflicted on the target itself, armor fire resistance (the innate quality of the material that makes your armor, not to be confused with Enchantments on your armor that do provide mitigation) offers no mitigation, only the target's innate Fire Resistance can mitigate damage. Fire Elementals are immune to Burning. Demons and Destroyers are highly resistant to Fire Damage. Can be removed using a general condition cleanse, water, or Water Magic. Burning can be applied by Assassin (few utility skills and traps), Elementalist (has the most skills which apply Burning), Guardian, Necromancer (only summons) and Ranger (some weapon skills, traps, and pets).

Charged: A condition where the victim is overloaded with electrical charge that periodically discharges, can also affect nearby allies. The discharge deals Lightning Damage and has a 25% chance to interrupt skills. If you are afflicted with Charged, foes have a 50% increased chance to hit you with Lightning Damage, be it by weapon or spell; even if they are Blinded or you have Aegis. Stacks in duration up to 10 seconds. The Lightning Damage from Charged is inflicted on the target itself, armor lightning resistance (the innate quality of the material that makes your armor, not to be confused with Enchantments on your armor that do provide mitigation) offers no mitigation, only the target's innate Lightning Resistance can mitigate damage. Lightning Elementals are immune to Charged. Diamond Golems are extremely resistant to Charged and Lightning Damage. Dragons and Dragonkin are highly resistant to Lightning Damage. Oil Oozes, Air Elementals and Demons are resistant to Lightning Damage. Charged can be removed by a general condition cleanse and the Mobile Lightning Rod Turret from the Technologist (Assassin Elite Specialization). Charged can be applied by Assassin (traps, Technologist turrets), Elementalist (has the most skills which apply Charged), and Ranger (pets).

Chilled: Movement speed is decreased by 66%, skill cooldown is increased by 66% and incurs varying levels of Ice Damage for different actions you take. If the afflicted moves, a small amount of Ice Damage is incurred. If the afflicted uses a skill or casts a spell, a larger amount of Ice Damage is incurred. If the afflicted attacks with a weapon skill, the largest amount of Ice Damage is incurred. Stacks in duration up to 10 seconds. The Ice Damage from Chilled is inflicted on the target itself, armor ice resistance (the innate quality of the material that makes your armor, not to be confused with Enchantments on your armor that do provide mitigation) offers no mitigation, only the target's innate Ice Resistance can mitigate damage. Ice Elementals are immune to Chilled. All types of Undead are highly resistant to Ice Damage. Demons are resistant to Ice Damage. All denizens of very cold environments have some level of Ice resistance. Can be removed using a general condition cleanse, weak fire spells can reduce the duration of Chilled without injuring the victim. Can be applied by Elementalist (has the most skills which apply Chilled), Necromancer, and Ranger (pets).

Confusion: The afflicted becomes disoriented in midcombat and forgets who are their allies and who should be the target of their efforts. When the afflicted is attacking, they have a 50% chance to attack or inflict conditions on themselves or an ally (within range of their skills). When the afflicted are attempting to assist an ally, they have a 50% chance to heal or apply Boons to a foe (within range of their skills). When the afflicted attempt to summon, they have a 50% chance to summon a creature which will attack themselves and their allies. Stacks in duration up to 10 seconds. Machines and robots are immune to Confusion. Confusion can be removed by a general condition cleanse. Confusion has a 33% chance to be resisted and its duration reduced by the Disciplined Army Effect (Warrior banners). Confusion can be applied by Assassin (limited), and Mesmer (has the most skills which apply Confusion).

Crippled: The afflicted's movement speed is decreased by 50% and has a 50% decreased chance to evade. Stacks in duration up to 10 seconds. Noncorporeal Undead (spirits), Earth Elementals, and Golems are immune to Crippled. Can be removed by a general condition cleanse. Crippled duration can be reduced by Ranger spirits. Crippled can be applied by Assassin, Elementalist (limited to Earth Attunement), Necromancer (summons), and Ranger.

Fear: A condition which interrupts skills and causes the afflicted to involuntarily run away from the source, for a brief period of time. Stacks in duration up to 15 seconds. Once Fear expires (or is cleansed), it imposes a secondary unique Effect, Cowardly, for 5 seconds (duration can be increased with traits). The Cowardly Effect randomly causes the afflicted to either
A. Cancel an action to run away from foes. Cancelled skill cooldown incurred regardless.
B. Attack with a weapon with only glancing blows and a 25% increased chance to miss.
C. Heal or grant Boons only to themself instead of others.
All Undead, except Awakened, are immune to Fear and Cowardly. Machines and Robots are immune to Fear and Cowardly. Godlike beings are immune to Fear and Cowardly. Fear can be removed by a general condition cleanse, but Cowardly cannot. Warrior shouts can only remove Cowardly. Fear can be prevented from being applied by the Unshakeable Courage Effect, which is granted by Guardian Symbols and Warrior banners. Fear can be applied by Assassin (Occultist Elite Specialization), Necromancer and Ranger (pet only).

Immobilized: A condition which prevents movement, movement skills/spells, turning, and dodging; stacks in duration up to 10 seconds. Noncorporeal Undead (spirits), Earth Elementals and Golems are immune to Immobilized. Can be removed by a general condition cleanse. Immobilized duration can be reduced by Ranger spirits. Immobilized can be applied by Assassin (poisons), Elementalist (Water Attunement), Mesmer and Ranger.
Slow: The activation time for the afflicted's skills and the animation time for their attacks are increased by 100%. Any Boons or Effects received every second (ie Regeneration, Aegis, banner Effects, etc.) are now received every two seconds instead. The afflicted's evade is slower, with the evade window delayed by 0.5 seconds. Stacks in duration up to 10 seconds. Any temporal entity which resides outside of Time is immune to Slow. Can be removed with a general condition cleanse, can be partially counteracted with Quickness. Slow can be applied by Assassin (Dagger Mastery Elite Specialization), Necromancer (summons), and Mesmer (has the most skills which apply Slow).

Vulnerability: A condition which increases both strike and condition damage the target receives by 1% for each stack, up to a maximum of 25% (25 stacks). Any stack level of Vulnerability will increase the critical damage the afflicted receives by 10%. Can be removed by a general condition cleanse. Vulnerability duration can be reduced by Guardian Symbols. Vulnerability can be applied by Assassin, Mesmer, Necromancer and Ranger.

Weakness: A condition that decreases the afflicted's endurance regeneration by 50%, makes half of their hits into glancing blows (glancing blows deal 50% less damage that cannot be critical), and upon weapon skill usage, has a 33% chance for the afflicted to drop their weapon(s) and be Disarmed. Weakness also has a 25% chance to cause the afflicted to trip halfway into their movement skills/spells, resulting in a 0.5 second Knockdown. Stacks in duration up to 10 seconds. Machines and robots are immune to Weakness. Can be removed by a general condition cleanse. Weakness duration can be reduced by Guardian Symbols and Warrior shouts and banners. Weakness can be applied by Assassin (poisons), Mesmer, and Ranger (pets).

The division of Control Effects
Effects are unlike conditions in that they cannot be removed by a general condition cleanse, their effect is very brief, aside from Frozen (Water Attunement Skill), Petrify (Necromancer Curse) and Float (Mesmer Skill), are not magical spells, and their application often relies on meeting certain criteria.

Asphyxiate: Causes the victim to be unable to breathe for a brief period of time. You are still able to move, cast spells, block, parry, use skills and actions that do not requie intense physical exertion (low-intensity skills and actions). Skills and actions that require intense physical exertion are: sprinting, jumping, flying, shouting, repeated melee attacks, continuously using a longbow or shortbow, throwing objects, and multiple evasions. When under Asphyxiation, a gray bar appears over your head and any action you take depletes that bar to the point where you cannot perform any action except movement. Casting spells, blocking, parrying and using low-intensity skills and actions consume a small portion of the Asphyxiation Bar. Evading, a melee attack, use of longbow or shortbow, or throwing an object uses 60% of the Asphyxiation Bar (in other words, you get one shot so make it count). Any noncorporeal Undead, robot or machine, ethereal entity without a physical form (Fire and Air elementals etc.), magical constructs or golems are immune to Asphyxiation. Typical duration is 5 seconds. Can be removed by the Unshackle skill (Guardian) or Ranger (spirit only - Freedom). Cannot be counterracted by Stability. This effect can be applied by Elementalist (Air Attunement) or Ranger (pet only).

Daze: You are unable to use any skills for a brief period of time, but you are still able to move. Only interrupts channeling or charge skills. Any noncorporeal Undead (spirit) are immune. Any machine or robot is immune. Any fluid or ethereal being without a solid physical form (Oozes, Water, Fire and Air Elementals, etc) is immune to Daze. Typical duration is 3 to 5 seconds. Can be removed by the Unshackle skill (Guardian) or Ranger (spirit only - Freedom). Cannot be counteracted with Stability. You temporarily receive a 33% chance (can be increased with traits) to resist Daze by using the Fortify Constitution skill (Assassin and Warrior). This Effect can be applied by Assassins, Mesmers, Rangers and Warriors.

Float: As you are slowly raised off the floor, you are unable to move, all skills take 100% longer to activate, and all actions taken have a 50% chance to fail to execute. Any noncorporeal Undead (spirit) is immune. Typical duration is 3 seconds. Can be removed by the Unshackle skill (Guardian) or Ranger (spirit only - Freedom). Can be counteracted with Stability. This Effect can only be applied by Mesmers.

Frozen: You are frozen solid, you are unable to move or use any skills. Pet commands (Ranger) can still be issued. Unlike Petrify, if you are Frozen you can still receive Boons and be healed. When Frozen, you gain increased defense against all physical damage and Fire damage slowly diminishes the Effect's breakbar, enabling an earlier release from the Effect. Any noncorporeal Undead (spirit) is immune, Ice Elementals are immune, and any creature with a very high resistance to Ice damage gets either a chance to resist Frozen or a reduced duration. Typical duration is 5 seconds. Can be removed by Fire damage. Cannot be counteracted with Stability. This Effect can only be applied by Elementalists (Water Attunement).

Heave: A forceful strike to the midsection causes a foe to briefly struggle to perform any action. All skills and actions which expend a resource (Endurance, Mana, Energy, Adrenaline, Divine Favor, Initiative, Life Force) will require twice the amount of resource in order to be performed. Any noncorporeal Undead (Spirit) is immune. Any fluid or ethereal being without a solid physical form (Oozes, Water, Fire and Air Elementals, etc) is immune to Heave. Any robot, machine, or heavily armored entities such as Golems or Earth Elementals are immune to Heave. Any very large entity is immune to Heave. Typical duration is 3-5 seconds. Cannot be counterracted with Stability. Can be removed by the Unshackle skill (Guardian) or Ranger (spirit only - Freedom). You temporarily receive a 33% chance (can be increased with traits) to resist Heave by using the Fortify Constitution skill (Assassin and Warrior). Warrior shouts can reduce duration of an active Heave. This Effect can be applied by Assassin (Backwards Kick Utility Skill), Necromancer (Brute Undead summon only), and Warrior (Gut Punch Utility Skill).

Knockback: You are pushed a short distance away from the source of the Knockback. You are still able to use your skills. The primary goal of Knockback is to either put distance between you and a foe (for range heavy professions), attempt to escape, or force a foe off a ledge. Any concorporeal Undead (Spirit) are immune. Any fluid or ethereal being without a solid physical form (Oozes, Water, Fire and Air Elementals, etc) is immune to Knockback. Can be counteracted with Stability. Warrior shouts can decrease the distance of the Knockback. You temporarily receive a 33% chance (can be increased with traits) to resist Knockback by using the Fortify Constitution skill (Assassin and Warrior). This effect can be applied by Assassin, Elementalist, Guardian, Mesmer, Necromancer, Ranger and Warrior.

Knockdown: You are knocked down to the floor, putting you into a prone position. All skills are interrupted and you are unable to move or use any skills. While under the Knockdown Effect, you take 10% additional damage from Melee Attacks. Any noncorporeal Undead (spirit) are immune. Any fluid or ethereal being without a solid physical form (Oozes, Water, Fire and Air Elementals, etc) is immune to Knockdown. Typical duration is 2 to 4 seconds. Can be removed by the Unshackle skill (Guardian) or Ranger (spirit only - Freedom). Can be counteracted with Stability, but Knockdown removes 2 stacks of Stability instead of 1. You temporarily receive a 33% chance (can be increased with traits) to resist Knockdown by using the Fortify Constitution skill (Assassin and Warrior). Warrior shouts can reduce duration of an active Knockdown. This Effect can be applied by Assassins (Staff, Mace, Sweep), Elementalists (Earth Attunement), Guardians (Hammer), Rangers (Mortar and pets) and Warriors (Hammer, Mace, Bull's Charge).

Launch: You are lifted off the ground as a result of some force pushing you upward. If you were already prone (due to Knockdown), you are still lifted off the ground. All skills are interrupted and you are unable to move or use any skills for 1 second. While you are midair, you take 10% increased damage from Ranged Attacks. Any noncorporeal Undead, ethereal being without a solid form (Fire and Air Elementals etc), or extremely heavy or large entity cannot be Launched. Can be removed by the Unshackle skill (Guardian) or Ranger (spirit only - Freedom). Can be counteracted with Stability. Warrior shouts can reduce the time you are midair. This Effect can be applied by Assassin (Staff, Mace, Uppercut Utlity Skil), Elementalist (Air Attunement, Earth Attunement), Necromancer (Warhorn, summons), Ranger (Halberd, pets), and Warrior (Hammer, Mace, Stomp Utility Skill).

Petrify: You turn to stone, are unable to move or use any skills, and you cannot be healed or receive any Boons. All Boons, Conditions or Effects on you are removed. When petrified, you are highly resistant to all physical damage and magical spells. All noncorporeal Undead (spirits), Earth Elementals, Dwarves who have undergone the Rite of the Great Dwarf, and any constructs made of stone are immune. Typical duration is 10 seconds. Can be removed by the Remove Curse skill (Necromancer). Cannot be counteracted with Stability. Can only be applied by Necromancer (Curse).

Pull: You are pulled toward the caster or toward some location as directed by the caster. If you were already prone (due to Knockdown), you are pulled in some direction. All skills are interrupted and you are unable to move or use any skills for 1 second. Any noncorporeal Undead, ethereal being without a solid form (Fire and Air Elementals etc), or extremely heavy or large entity cannot be Pulled. Can be removed by the Unshackle skill (Guardian) or Ranger (spirit only - Freedom). Can be counteracted with Stability. Can be applied by Elementalist, Mesmer (profession with the most skills that Pull), and Ranger.

Sink: As you slowly sink deeper underwater, you are unable to move, all skills take 100% longer to activate, and all actions taken have a 50% chance to fail to execute. Any noncorporeal Undead (spirit) is immune. Typical duration is 3 seconds. Can be removed by the Unshackle skill (Guardian) or Ranger (spirit only - Freedom). Can be counteracted with Stability. This Effect can only be applied by Mesmers and only when underwater (Trident).

Stun: You are unable to use any skills for a very brief period of time, you are unable to move. Interrupts all skills and attacks. Any noncorporeal Undead (spirit) are immune. Any ethereal being without a solid physical form (Fire and Air Elementals, etc) is immune to Stun. Typical duration is 0.5 to 1 second. Can be removed by the Unshackle skill (Guardian) or Ranger (spirit only - Freedom). Can be counteracted with Stability. You temporarily receive a 33% chance (can be increased with traits) to resist Stun by using the Fortify Constitution skill (Assassin and Warrior). This Effect can be applied by Assassins (Mace, Pistol), Guardians (Mace), Rangers (Pistol, Rifle, Pets) and Warriors (Hammer, Mace).

Taunt: You are forced to target the source of a Taunt at your full damage capability. If you target away from the Taunt source while their Taunt Effect is still active, you do 50% less damage to an alternate target. Typical duration is 3 seconds, but can be increased with traits. Can be removed by the Unshackle skill (Guardian), Ranger (spirit only - Freedom), or the 'Shake it off!' shout (Warrior). Duration can be reduced through Warrior shouts. Cannot be cleared by a standard condition cleanse. Cannot be counteracted with Stability. You temporarily receive a 33% chance (can be increased with traits) to resist Taunt by using the Fortify Constitution skill (Assassin and Warrior). This Effect can be applied by Assassins, Rangers (pets) and Warriors.

Important Effects worth mentioning
Demoralized: After being the victim of 5 consecutive critical hits in a rapid succession, by the same source, you are afflicted with the Demoralized Effect, which increases the skill recharge of all currently recharging skills, causes your attacks to miss 5% more and increases your chance to be critically hit by 5%. The amount of skill recharge increased is dependent on weapon damage, with two-handed weapons inflicting a larger penalty than one-handed weapons. This Effect cannot be removed, but can be countered with Spells (ie Alacrity) and enchantments. Cannot be counteracted with Stability. This Effect can only be applied by Assassins and Warriors.

Exposed Skin: Your skin has been severely damaged by Acids, all of your elemental resistances are downgraded by one level. Stacks in duration up to 10 seconds. If you were immune to Fire Damage, you are now extremely resistant to Fire Damage. If you were moderately resistant to Fire Damage you are now weakly resistant to Fire Damage. If you had no resistance or vulnerability to Ice Damage, but now are afflicted with Exposed Skin, you are now weakly vulnerable to Ice Damage. The amount of Acid Damage that needs to be endured in order to be inflicted the Exposed Skin Effect is dependent on your resistance to Acid Damage, and if you are an NPC (Non-playable character). Higher tiers of NPC: Veteran, Elite, Champion, Legendary, will require more Acid Damage in order to be inflicted with the Exposed Skin Effect. This Effect cannot be removed, but its duration reduced with Warrior banners.

Revealed: You are temporarily unable to stealth or hide.

Traversing Difficult Terrain: Your movement is impeded in a specific area. Certian spells and non-spell abilities cause a wide area of terrain to be difficult to traverse due to unique impediments. All PCs and NPCs are impeded barring specific individual resistances or mitigating qualities. The Traversing Difficult Terrain Effect is not a condition which can be simply cleansed, nor is it an obstacle which can be negated with any single skill or spell. Rangers (spirits) and Warriors (banners) can increase increase the expiration rate at which a particular area is affect by Difficult Terrain. Note, some areas are permanently imbued with Difficult Terrain and no Ranger spirit or Warrior banner can cause it to dissipate.

Wounded: After being the victim of the Demoralized Effect, nearly at the same time, from two different sources, you are afflicted with the Wounded Effect, where you temporarily lose 20% of your maximum health points. Typical duration is 5 seconds (can be increased with traits, since two sources are required, the final duration is the later occuring sources's input duration value. If both sources somehow hit at the exact same time, the source with the higher duration value is used), stacks duration up to 10 seconds. This Effect can be removed by using the Treat Wounds skill found on the Medkit toolkit (Assassin and Warrior). Cannot be counteracted with Stability. Duration can be reduced by Warrior shouts. Can only be applied by Assassin and Warrior.

X. Profession trait lines
Unlike GW2, GW3 professions have 5 active trait lines (instead of 3)
2 trait lines you can choose from a set of 4 or more. Let's call these 'optional trait lines'.

2 trait lines that is the core class trait lines that are automatically chosen for you but you are allowed to tailor them via trait options. Let's call these 'core trait lines'.

1 elite trait line that must be chosen. Upon game's release, there should be an option to choose from 2 different elite specs per profession. You can no longer choose to make a character without choosing an elite spec as you could in GW2. Each successive expansion will add 1 new elite trait line for each profession.

Trait line changes and role focus are made with the intent to simplify balance and better guarantee players are able to make a viable character across game modes. Content will be created so as to utilize these roles and guarantee all professions will be welcomed in all game modes.

Trait lines and the aspect of character skills they modify will be concentrated so as to prevent unforseen synergies which can create imbalance. For example, defense will only be in one trait line, with the possibility of adding additional branches to the trait line in the future...but since it will be added to the one trait line, choices must be made and opportunity costs incurred.

Trait lines no longer have major or minor traits. In order to simplify class balance and avoid forcing players to choose trait lines for key major or minor traits, key features will be added to the profession outside of trait lines.

There are no longer adept, master and grandmaster trait tiers. Traits within a trait line are separated by categories and can be chosen independently of each other. Players can choose to specialize or spread out their gameplay options across several categories. Because of the nature of the gameplay feature covered by a particular trait line, some trait lines will contain more options than others and it may be necessary to vary the number of available trait points from trait line to trait line. I would caution Anet to not set the available trait points too low and allow players to choose a good number of traits within each trait line. Trait lines set up in this manner can be easily expanded with minimal need to revisit dependencies across several aspects of gameplay that may lead to unintended power creep.

Elite trait lines and expansions
In new expansions, Elite trait lines will not be tied to specific new weapons for a profession, it will mostly be added or altered functionality to existing weapons and utility skills...plus additional profession mechanics added to section of the player UI reserved for unique profession skills.

A suggestion for the 'ultimate' ingame reward
In order to motivate players to complete ingame content across 3 expansions, you could offer the ability to select a third optional trait line.

Ascended character: You are rewarded with the capability to select a third optional trail line for: completing the story for the base game and three expansions, completing map exploration for base game and three expansions, defeating all the world bosses, completing all dungeons, completing all the raids, and defeating all the strike missions.

I cannot see a better motivating factor to tackling all ingame content than offering a chance to select a third optional trait line (remember, in the beginning it was stated you can choose only two optional trait lines, in addition to one elite trait line and customizing two mandatory core trait lines). This is a better motivating goal than legendary armor, because you still could use ascended armor (might be a good idea to change the name of this tier of equipment to something else instead of ascended,..maybe mythical or heroic). The opportunity to add a large number of tools to your character is hard to ignore.

The only issue with this suggestion is what about players who only focus on PvP or FvF? Should Ascended characters carry over their advantage into these game modes? I would dare say yes...for FvF, but for balance purposes, allow all PvPers to be able to select a third optional trait line after that third expansion. For FvF players, they will need to be given some subtle warning that PvE content will unlock more abilities that will be accessible in the FvF game modes, it's a warning that needs to be given very early in the game's life so participation in PvE content will be part of FvF players's focus.

If selecting an entire opional trait line is deemed too much of a reward, then allow for players to earn two or three additional trait points for each already selected trait line. Having trait lines with unconnected benefits (versus the mutually exclusive, branching structure of GW2 trait lines) easily lends itself to be further invested in should trait points be awarded as endgame rewards.

Edited by RiyazGuerra.9203
Previously left open to append itemization details

Vision for Guild Wars 3 (2024)
Top Articles
Latest Posts
Recommended Articles
Article information

Author: Eusebia Nader

Last Updated:

Views: 5770

Rating: 5 / 5 (80 voted)

Reviews: 87% of readers found this page helpful

Author information

Name: Eusebia Nader

Birthday: 1994-11-11

Address: Apt. 721 977 Ebert Meadows, Jereville, GA 73618-6603

Phone: +2316203969400

Job: International Farming Consultant

Hobby: Reading, Photography, Shooting, Singing, Magic, Kayaking, Mushroom hunting

Introduction: My name is Eusebia Nader, I am a encouraging, brainy, lively, nice, famous, healthy, clever person who loves writing and wants to share my knowledge and understanding with you.