ArenaNet:Guild Wars 2 suggestions/Customizable Race Specialization

Customizable Race Specialization(Discussion)
This is a system whereby players would be able to choose from a list of various possible race-specific advantages, which ones they want for their particular build. Each race would have their own unique system of customization with its own unique benefits and flaws, but this would hopefully prevent players from feeling limited by race specialization.

For example, most of the advantages available to the Norn will be geared towards endurance and physical combat, and so a Norn warrior will have more options to choose from than say a Norn elamentalist. However, there will be just enough magical advantages in the Norn system to make a couple of effective builds, and the Raven form will provide enormous advantages to all magical builds. Also, the Norn elementalist could also choose to incorporate some endurance advantages into his build, making him less vulnerable to attack than elementalists of other races. Actually, twisting advantages around like this to augment different builds is one of the great strengths of the system and creative use of the advantage systems would likely become an art if this system or one like it were implemented.

Also, it is worth noting that, according to this model, if two players of different races chose not use any of the advantages offered by their respective customization systems, they would be exactly alike statwise.

System Basics
Each of the races will have advantages, around 5/6 of which will be geared towards a single theme as listed below:

1)	Humans – Stealth and Finesse

2)	Charr – Power and Speed

3)	Norn – Strength and Endurance

4)	Asura – Magic and Ingenuity

5)	Sylvari – Healing and Support

Each race would have its own unique system which determines how advantages are acquired and limits the number that any single character can have (Sylvari might plant special seeds in themselves, Norn might carve totems, Asura might customize their Golems etc.). Each race will also have a single race-specific attribute which will determine strength of each advantage which is equipped.

The advantages which you will be able to equip your characters with will be of two types: skills and semi-permanent buffs. In the end, each race will have around 15-20 semi-permanent buffs and 20-30 race-specific skills to choose from. However, each character would likely only be able to equip about 6 buffs and around 4 race-specific skills at a time due to the limitations, but, theoretically, you could sacrifice skills for more buffs or buffs for more skills if you like.

Also, each character would have a smaller skill bar exclusively for race-specific skills. You could equip up to around four skills to this bar, and, since these skills are enabled by race and are independent of profession, it makes sense for them to be available independent of your ordinary skill bar.

When combined with the professions, this system should allow players to “combine different advantages and dispositions to create characters of particular strength and uniqueness” what I said all race specialization should do in a previous article. Now, while this system would not be nearly as open as that one I previously proposed, the restrictions this system would place upon customizability would hopefully encourage creative thinking and variety in the builds, while its flexibility and variance would allow us to circumvent stereotyping and prevent players from feeling like they have to choose between appearance and functionality.

I have suggested a more specific system for each of the races on my personal suggestion pages as listed below

Asura: Crystal Matricies

Charr: The High Legions

Humans: The Royal Academy

Norn: The Book of Deeds

Sylvari: Seeds of the Dream


 * Why this is a good idea
 * Would allow for deeper character customization
 * Would prevent problems caused by less flexible advantage systems
 * Would allow for greater complexity in battle tactics and team building as well as the building of more complete characters for solo play


 * Why it may not work out
 * It would be exceptionally difficult to incorporate, balance, test, and program
 * May overcomplicate the GW2 battle system, blurring the lines between professions and builds
 * This may develop player preference for certain race/profession combinations and will inevitably make certain professions generally more effective on some races than others, possibly causing players to reject other players on the basis that they don't have the bonuses that race provides.