Last week we spent some time talking about which race people might choose when Guild Wars 2 arrives later this week. Today we want to spend some time chatting up what profession folks are likely to choose and why. See what you think, then let us know what profession you'll pick first!

Alright, time to go over my personal checklist before ArenaNet’s Guild Wars 2 is released next week. Guild Wars logo Razor mouse, check. Working Mic, check. Chair adjusted to perfect gaming comfort, check. Enough snack food and drink supplies stashed next to the PC to last a week, check. Race decided for my first character, check. Profession decided for my first character… oh crap! I can’t decide! I’ve played them all, but which one will I decide on? Maybe I need to go over them real quick. Allow me to indulge this final week’s panic check-list, will you?

Read more of David North's Guild Wars 2: Picking a Profession.

I like your drawing!

Human mesmer for my first (I think...damn these stress tests, they are all so fun and appealing)

I would play all the classes as Asura if i could because they rock, but i want to play through the other race stories as well.

My first 3 chars are pretty much set up - Asura Thief, Charr Warrior, and Sylvari Ranger. For my 4th and 5th its either a Norn Engineer or Guardian, and a Human Necromancer. 

Originally posted by Gamefun
I'm probably gonna play a sylvari elementalist if its even possible. I didn't get into the beta this time around so I don't really know.

It's possible, every race can play every profession.

Originally posted by Xin1

Originally posted by Gamefun
I'm probably gonna play a sylvari elementalist if its even possible. I didn't get into the beta this time around so I don't really know.

It's possible, every race can play every profession.

Nice. Thanks for the information.

Originally posted by Sanctus_Mors
This is a general overview, but to help a person pick the class, shouldn't there be more substance? How do they play? What are each classes strengths/weaknesses. What weapons and how do each weapon set work. For example, explaining that the Elementalist has 4 power sets to choose for each weapon they wield, or that the staff elementalist plays way differently than the dagger/dagger elementalist.  

I agree with this, I was hoping for more detailed explanations to each class, maybe a this personality tends to fit this profession type of list or something.  What we get is what I can get when I go to the main GW2 website and look at each profession.  A nice, more lore based, summary of each class as it relates to the game world.  Give me details, give me the META side of it!  Please, thanks.

Originally posted by Sanctus_Mors
This is a general overview, but to help a person pick the class, shouldn't there be more substance? How do they play? What are each classes strengths/weaknesses. What weapons and how do each weapon set work. For example, explaining that the Elementalist has 4 power sets to choose for each weapon they wield, or that the staff elementalist plays way differently than the dagger/dagger elementalist.  

 Yeah...I thought it was going to be more about that as well. Kind of disappointing article.

Originally posted by Sanctus_Mors
This is a general overview, but to help a person pick the class, shouldn't there be more substance? How do they play? What are each classes strengths/weaknesses. What weapons and how do each weapon set work. For example, explaining that the Elementalist has 4 power sets to choose for each weapon they wield, or that the staff elementalist plays way differently than the dagger/dagger elementalist.  

because substance is hard

takes thought, time and effort - not common in articles here

but anyway, kinda wish there was a random button for both race and profession and go with the very first one - probably gonna labor over this way too long come saturday

My list is narrowed down to 3 classes: thief, warrior or guardian. No pet classes.

Thief and warrior have higher mobility than the guardian. They also get their share of mobility reduction abilities. Guardian doesn't get mobility boosts and lacks snares, but it is very survivable without really even trying to build for it.

Warrior and guardian can both be very good at support. Thief not so much, although they do get some nice abilities such as AOE sharing of venoms and an AOE cloaking heal field.

Guardian feels like it will be the best pve class of these 3. It feels a lot more powerful and group friendly, even though I didn't get mine nearly as high level as warrior or thief.

Warrior has the most hit points followed by thief and then guardian.

Dps is probably lowest for the thief, with the warrior highest dps of these 3. This could easily change if they start swinging the nerf hammer.

Ahh heck I'll probably go with all 3 classes anyway.