The recent balance patch in Guild Wars 2 has brought about significant changes to various specializations. While some specs have emerged as winners with positive adjustments, others have faced challenges and lost their identity. In this article, we will discuss the top specs that have excelled after the balance patch and those that have been significantly affected by the changes.

• Elementalist
• Core Engineer
• Scrapper
• Ranger
• Scourge
• Daredevil
• Thief
• Mesmer

↖ Elementalist

One of the big winners in this balance patch is the Elementalist, specifically the Dagger and Catalyst builds. The Dagger build offers fast and fluid gameplay, allowing players to move around the battlefield and unleash powerful abilities quickly. The change to the Earth offhand dagger ability, Churning Earth, has made it faster to cast, aligning better with the quick and mobile playstyle of the Dagger Elementalist.

The Catalyst specialization also received positive changes, particularly in its boon support capabilities and signets. The Catalyst can now apply quickness through any shade sphere, not just the Air sphere, allowing them to focus on their damage rotation while still providing important boon support to the group. Additionally, the reworked Earth traitline ability, Written in Stone, grants an aura every time a Signet is used, making it easier for Catalysts to maintain their auras and the desired DPS output.

↖ Core Engineer

The core Engineer, like other professions, lost some of its cooldown reduction abilities in this balance patch. However, the changes aim to make cooldowns more integral to the skills themselves, improving overall gameplay and balance.

↖ Scrapper

The Scrapper specialization suffered a loss in this patch. Previously, the Scrapper could easily apply quickness to a group by using their good abilities. However, the rework of the Kinetic Accelerators trait now requires the Scrapper to perform a leap or blast finisher within their wells to gain the quickness boon. This change adds complexity and cooldown management to the Scrapper's playstyle, which some players may find challenging or less enjoyable.

↖ Ranger

The changes to the Ranger profession, specifically the Druid specialization, can be considered a win or a neutral outcome depending on player preferences. The Druid, known for its healing and support capabilities, now offers increased DPS and bleeding. This change allows players to explore a more offensive Druid playstyle while still maintaining their supportive role. The versatility of the Druid has expanded, offering both support and DPS options.

↖ Scourge

The Scourge specialization experienced a significant loss in this balance patch. Its ability to apply a large number of barriers has been heavily nerfed, reducing its viability in providing significant defensive support. However, the reworked Desert Empowerment trait now grants alacrity when applying barriers, aiming to solidify the Scourge's role as a boon support DPS or condition DPS class. Some players may be unhappy with these changes, as they limit the Scourge's previous versatility and support potential.

↖ Daredevil

The Daredevil specialization gained an interesting and amusing change in this patch. The staff's chain attack abilities received a significant boost in damage, making it more viable in terms of DPS. However, players discovered that breaking the auto-attack chain after the second attack and avoiding the third attack resulted in higher DPS. This quirk may only affect top-end players, but it adds an interesting twist to Daredevil's gameplay.

↖ Thief

The Thief profession, across all its elite specializations, experienced wins in this balance patch. The Specter specialization has seen significant improvements in damage, supporting capabilities, and overall versatility. Players are now more inclined to play as a supportive Specter, offering both damage and support to the group. Additionally, the Daredevil and Deadeye specializations have also received changes that enhance their viability and value in group play, making them more appealing choices for players.

↖ Mesmer

The Mesmer profession, specifically the Chronomancer and Mirage specializations, saw changes that fall into the neutral category. The Chronomancer's Grandmaster traits now apply alacrity or quickness every time a phantasm is summoned, providing more diversity in build options and reducing the reliance on good abilities. On the other hand, the Mirage's Mirage Cloak was adjusted only to be available when not immobilized, which altered the playstyle and required more careful timing. These changes offer new opportunities and playstyles for Mesmer players, but some may need to catch up on the previous mechanics.

Conclusion:

The balance patch in Guild Wars 2 has brought about significant changes to various specializations. While some specs have come out as winners, showcasing improved gameplay and versatility, others have experienced losses, with changes that may have shifted their playstyle or reduced their effectiveness in certain roles. It's important for players to adapt to these changes and explore the new possibilities offered by the updated specializations.