Core Skills - Guild Wars Forums

c_ras · Jan 07, 2011, 08:31 PM // 20:31

Ok...let's jump into our Delorean, harness and channel lightning into our flux capacitor, and travel back in time to 2005 when Guild Wars was first released (before it was dubbed as "Prophecies", before the release of Factions, Nightfall, and EotN). Yeah, I know it was a long time ago. It was a long time ago for me too.

Were ALL of the skills we consider "Core Skills" today (for the 6 primary professions) available in the game at that time? If you fast forward to today, what I am trying to say is does "Today's Core Skills + Today's Prophecies Skills = Guild Wars Skills (2005)"?

Then when Factions was released, ANet "randomly" chose some of those skills and added it to the unique skills from Factions for the primary professions to make up the "Faction Skills". Same goes for Nightfall. Was it after the release of Factions or Nightfall when those skills were categorized as being "Core"?

I just want to make sure all the skills were included. I just want to make sure that some of the skills weren't actually released, for example, when Factions came out, and then ANet did an update to make it available to those playing Prophecies, which then would be dubbed as being a "Core Skill". I am pretty sure they were all available at the original release and what I said above is correct, but I just want to confirm it. Hopefully that makes sense.

MuleGoon · Jan 07, 2011, 09:17 PM // 21:17

Quote:

Originally Posted by c_ras

...
Then when Factions was released, ANet "randomly" chose some of those skills and added it to the unique skills from Factions for the primary professions to make up the "Faction Skills". Same goes for Nightfall. Was it after the release of Factions or Nightfall when those skills were categorized as being "Core"?
...

The mirrored skills are not Core skills. Core skills are shared by all releases (you can only have one instance of a Core skill on your skill bar; for a Ranger, Throw Dirt is Core, but you can only have it once on your bar). The mirrored skills are available to characters that can access the region (a Ranger who can access Prophecies and Factions can have both Dodge and Zojun's Haste).

I don't know if that actually answers all of your questions, but it's all I have at the moment.

**Marty Silverblade** · Jan 07, 2011, 09:25 PM // 21:25

Quote:

Originally Posted by c_ras

Were ALL of the skills we consider "Core Skills" today (for the 6 primary professions) available in the game at that time? If you fast forward to today, what I am trying to say is does "Today's Core Skills + Today's Prophecies Skills = Guild Wars Skills (2005)"?

Afaik, yes.

......

Ghull Ka · Jan 07, 2011, 10:31 PM // 22:31

If Q = ...travel back in time to 2005 when Guild Wars was first released... Were ALL of the skills we consider "Core Skills" today (for the 6 primary professions) available in the game at that time?

Then A = Yup!

A11Eur0 · Jan 07, 2011, 11:00 PM // 23:00

They weren't considered core skills before Factions was released. They became "core" skills when factions was released and it included them for people who didn't have prophecies. Factions also contained its own set of skills that you couldn't get in prophecies, just as those skills that weren't available in Factions are considered proph-only.

c_ras · Jan 08, 2011, 12:17 AM // 00:17

Thanks for confirming this. I couldn't be 100% positive.

I have been around since the beginning and know the difference between "Core", "Prophecies", "Factions", "Nightfall" and "EotN" skills and their availability. Since the game has evolved since 2005 and somethings have changed over that time, I wanted make sure I had accurate information for that period of time.

I figured that they weren't considered "Core Skills" until Factions was released but I wasn't sure if actually wasn't until Factions or until Nightfall that the terminology of "Core Skill" was developed.

I was asking this, because I had a sort of nostalgic feeling and was wondering how skills have evolved since Guild Wars was first released. I have begun putting together an Excel Spreadsheet that shows each primary profession's skills and how they have evolved based on skill balances from the time they were first introduced into the game to today. I am comparing skill Description, Energy, Recharge, Activation, Adrenaline, Sacrifice, and Exhaustion for each skill as it was in 2005 (or when it was first introduced into the game... ie. Faction Skills) before its first skill balance update and how it is today. It is actually pretty amazing so far how many skills have been untouched after the countless skill balances. At the same time, some skills have had major overhauls. I will post it in the Community Section when completed for anybody that wants to take a trip down memory lane.

Spiritz · Jan 08, 2011, 09:03 AM // 09:03

I think the core skills refer only to the original 6 professions - each campaign after prophs added its own skills but included the core skills for its core chrs ( easier to call orginal 6 profs core ) - possibly for its pvp side of the game as if a player owned nf not prophs an made a pvp ranger how would they have a basic pvp build that doesnt differ from a prophs pvp chr - 2 diff skillsets but make core skills an regardless which campaign all new core pvp chrs would have an equal build at start ( unless skills previously got ).

A11Eur0 · Jan 09, 2011, 01:51 AM // 01:51

Quote:

Originally Posted by Spiritz

I think the core skills refer only to the original 6 professions - each campaign after prophs added its own skills but included the core skills for its core chrs ( easier to call orginal 6 profs core ) - possibly for its pvp side of the game as if a player owned nf not prophs an made a pvp ranger how would they have a basic pvp build that doesnt differ from a prophs pvp chr - 2 diff skillsets but make core skills an regardless which campaign all new core pvp chrs would have an equal build at start ( unless skills previously got ).

Of course core skills are only for the original 6 professions. But not all proph skills are core skills, as there are skills for those original profs available in proph that are not available in NF and factions.

LicensedLuny · Jan 09, 2011, 05:46 AM // 05:46

As I remember it, when Factions came out some of the skills which had been available in the first campaign, Prophecies, for the six core professions became "core" and others became "Prophecies."

"Core" skills could be unlocked if you had an account with only Prophecies or only Factions (and later, or only Nightfall.) "Prophecies" skills couldn't be unlocked unless you had that first campaign on your account.

So, yeah, if you add skills marked as "core" and skills marked as "Prophecies" then you have the complete list of skills available in the original campaign. Note - many of them have gone through numerous skill update changes and may no longer even resemble their functionality from those days.

Sorry if this is repeating an above answer. I did read the replies, but I wasn't sure if anyone actually stated this.

Cheers,
Luny

Jan 07, 2011, 08:31 PM // 20:31	#1
c_ras Krytan Explorer Join Date: Jul 2006 Guild: Eternal Deliverance Profession: R/	Core Skills Ok...let's jump into our Delorean, harness and channel lightning into our flux capacitor, and travel back in time to 2005 when Guild Wars was first released (before it was dubbed as "Prophecies", before the release of Factions, Nightfall, and EotN). Yeah, I know it was a long time ago. It was a long time ago for me too. Were ALL of the skills we consider "Core Skills" today (for the 6 primary professions) available in the game at that time? If you fast forward to today, what I am trying to say is does "Today's Core Skills + Today's Prophecies Skills = Guild Wars Skills (2005)"? Then when Factions was released, ANet "randomly" chose some of those skills and added it to the unique skills from Factions for the primary professions to make up the "Faction Skills". Same goes for Nightfall. Was it after the release of Factions or Nightfall when those skills were categorized as being "Core"? I just want to make sure all the skills were included. I just want to make sure that some of the skills weren't actually released, for example, when Factions came out, and then ANet did an update to make it available to those playing Prophecies, which then would be dubbed as being a "Core Skill". I am pretty sure they were all available at the original release and what I said above is correct, but I just want to confirm it. Hopefully that makes sense.

Jan 07, 2011, 10:31 PM // 22:31	#4
Ghull Ka Wilds Pathfinder Join Date: Jul 2005 Location: Seattle, WA Guild: Grenths Helpdesk Profession: N/	If Q = ...travel back in time to 2005 when Guild Wars was first released... Were ALL of the skills we consider "Core Skills" today (for the 6 primary professions) available in the game at that time? Then A = Yup!

Jan 07, 2011, 11:00 PM // 23:00	#5
A11Eur0 Furnace Stoker Join Date: Apr 2005 Profession: W/	They weren't considered core skills before Factions was released. They became "core" skills when factions was released and it included them for people who didn't have prophecies. Factions also contained its own set of skills that you couldn't get in prophecies, just as those skills that weren't available in Factions are considered proph-only.

Jan 08, 2011, 12:17 AM // 00:17	#6
c_ras Krytan Explorer Join Date: Jul 2006 Guild: Eternal Deliverance Profession: R/	Thanks for confirming this. I couldn't be 100% positive. I have been around since the beginning and know the difference between "Core", "Prophecies", "Factions", "Nightfall" and "EotN" skills and their availability. Since the game has evolved since 2005 and somethings have changed over that time, I wanted make sure I had accurate information for that period of time. I figured that they weren't considered "Core Skills" until Factions was released but I wasn't sure if actually wasn't until Factions or until Nightfall that the terminology of "Core Skill" was developed. I was asking this, because I had a sort of nostalgic feeling and was wondering how skills have evolved since Guild Wars was first released. I have begun putting together an Excel Spreadsheet that shows each primary profession's skills and how they have evolved based on skill balances from the time they were first introduced into the game to today. I am comparing skill Description, Energy, Recharge, Activation, Adrenaline, Sacrifice, and Exhaustion for each skill as it was in 2005 (or when it was first introduced into the game... ie. Faction Skills) before its first skill balance update and how it is today. It is actually pretty amazing so far how many skills have been untouched after the countless skill balances. At the same time, some skills have had major overhauls. I will post it in the Community Section when completed for anybody that wants to take a trip down memory lane.

Jan 08, 2011, 09:03 AM // 09:03	#7
Spiritz Forge Runner Join Date: Apr 2007 Guild: DMFC	I think the core skills refer only to the original 6 professions - each campaign after prophs added its own skills but included the core skills for its core chrs ( easier to call orginal 6 profs core ) - possibly for its pvp side of the game as if a player owned nf not prophs an made a pvp ranger how would they have a basic pvp build that doesnt differ from a prophs pvp chr - 2 diff skillsets but make core skills an regardless which campaign all new core pvp chrs would have an equal build at start ( unless skills previously got ).

Jan 09, 2011, 05:46 AM // 05:46	#9
LicensedLuny Badly Influenced Join Date: Dec 2005 Location: Buying Humps! (No kidding! Check my buy thread) Guild: Hello Kitty Krewe [HKK] Forever!-ish	As I remember it, when Factions came out some of the skills which had been available in the first campaign, Prophecies, for the six core professions became "core" and others became "Prophecies." "Core" skills could be unlocked if you had an account with only Prophecies or only Factions (and later, or only Nightfall.) "Prophecies" skills couldn't be unlocked unless you had that first campaign on your account. So, yeah, if you add skills marked as "core" and skills marked as "Prophecies" then you have the complete list of skills available in the original campaign. Note - many of them have gone through numerous skill update changes and may no longer even resemble their functionality from those days. Sorry if this is repeating an above answer. I did read the replies, but I wasn't sure if anyone actually stated this. Cheers, Luny