Secrets of the Obscure is the first ‘mini’ expansion forGuild Wars 2, with the game aiming to deliver more frequent updates at the cost of smaller expansion packs. As such, this expansion was the first time no new elite specializations were added to the game, although players still had new build options in the form of weapons.
There were already plenty of build changes with the unlocking of weapons for all specializations, but the new weapons added give all sorts of new avenues for tackling the game. No matter if you’re looking to play support or full damage, these new weapons will surely have something for you.
9Thief - Axe Main Hand
Never Stop Spinning
Since Thieves had already gotten a supportive weapon in the previous expansion, it was to be expected that they would get something damage-related, but no one expected a whole new mechanic. The Axe for Thief works almost like a boomerang, meaning you’re able to call back the Axes you throw to deal additional damage to your targeted enemy.
While the novelty of the mechanic is interesting, it feels like adding extra steps for dealing damage, when other weapons simply get to the point (a spammable point, thanks to the Initiative mechanic exclusive to Thieves). On top of that, it adds a lot of visual noise with the spinning Axes to a game that already suffers from too many shiny objects on screen.
8Engineer - Short Bow
Area Supportiveness
Any new weapon added to the Engineer’s arsenal is welcomed, since they are the class with the fewest weapons available to them. The Short Bow is, all in all, a nice addition, but it is heavily tuned towards supporting others, so if you mostly play the game solo, you can already give this one a pass.
If you do plan to support your allies, however, the Short Bow is a capable weapon without a set rotation, meaning that you need to think about each shot instead of mindlessly pressing numbers. This is because each skill of the Short Bow is an area attack, and if you do the next Bow skill within that area, you get an additional effect: stunning foes for longer or healing allies more effectively.
7Revenant - Scepter
Guild Wars Own Lightsaber
Whenever Revenants get a weapon, you know they won’t use it as you expect them to. Their Hammers are ghostly ranged weapons, their Short Bows fire arrows across dimensions, and now Scepter joins the fray not by working as a spell catalyst, but as a blade.
Looking past the visual design, Scepter for Revenant is clearly meant to be a supportive weapon, limiting its usage greatly. This is because Scepter pales in comparison to both Mace and Sword, the other main hand options for Revenants, but it pairs nicely with Shield, the only off-hand supportive weapon for them.
6Mesmer - Rifle
Portals On Top Of Portals
Mesmers are known within the Guild Wars community as the greatest taxi drivers of the game. This is thanks to their ability to summon portals to all kinds of places, aiding other players with jumping puzzles and reaching bosses faster, and looking fantastic while doing so.
These portals are no longer exclusive to them (Thieves and Necromancers have access to similar skills), but thanks to the new Rifle, Mesmers are now able to put multiple portals at once, one from their skills and one from the Rifle itself. Sadly, you can’t use your own Rifle portal,so if you’re playing solo, you have one less skill available with that weapon.
5Warrior - Staff
This Stick Isn’t For Spells
While Staves were initially only used by spellcasters, the first expansion of Guild Wars 2 introduced a new way to usethese oversized sticks: as a melee weapon for both Thieves and Revenants. Many years later, it became the turn of the Warrior to show their martial prowess when wielding this martial artist’s weapon.
Warriors use the Staff much like the Revenants, with a lot of healing and outgoing support for allies. The main difference between the two is that Warriors are far tankier, even if both classes use heavy armor, so you may use this weapon not only as a support, but also as the party’s tank, remaining in the front line for longer periods than other classes.
4Elementalist - Pistol Main Hand
The Most Magical Ammo
Elementalists are masters of all four elements, so players never expected weapons like Pistols and Torches to be given to them, since they are too closely related to fire alone. While the future of Torch for Elementalist is yet to be seen, Pistols did make their way towards the class, making a new mechanic around bullet charges.
Since Elementalists already have plenty of supportive abilities, the Pistol was made with pure damage in mind, making it ideal for mid-range DPS. It can be hard to get used to, particularly without access to any self-sustain, but if you keep track of your bullet’s effects (or if someone else is supporting you), it becomes the ideal damage weapon for Elementalists at large.
3Guardian - Dual Wield Pistols
Slow But Steady
Guardians had a distinct lack of ranged options, most being lackluster when compared to other classes.The only one that stood out was the Long Bow, and while it is a fantastic weapon, it can be slow and cumbersome in certain scenarios.
This is why the Pistols were so well received, even if they worked slower than most people expected. This is because they aren’t just ranged weapons, they also offer great condition damage and build diversity, since you are not forced to use both Pistols in your build.
2Necromancer - Dual Wield Swords
Your Pain Makes You Stronger
Necromancers always have health to spare, either from their normal pool or from their Shroud mechanic that adds a whole other health bar with the press of a button. This usually only makes Necromancers very tanky, but their new Dual Swords make use of that Health as a resource.
You see, each skill for both Swords can be used again, dealing extra damage but making you lose a small amount of health in the process. While small, the loss of health isn’t insignificant, but since it is your choice if you want to commit the extra damage or not, it adds a lot of decision-making to a class that has a lot of room for that.
1Ranger - Dual Wield Mace
Nature’s Rage
The newest weapon for Rangers is a set of Maces with a unique mechanic if you pair them with each other. While this removes a lot of buildcraft possibilities, the tradeoff is well worth it, since these Dual Maces are possibly the best melee option for all builds of Rangers.
The central kit is already excellent, with gap closers, stuns and even some buffs for you and your Pet. The real kicker is when you finish a rotation, since, if you land all your skills, you gain a burst of speed, grow in size and have all cooldowns removed from your Mace skills, letting you smash your foes one more time before needing to swap weapons.
