Gigantic TL;DR of the elite spec stream

EDIT: oh god, so many negative Nellies. Stop killing others' hype, y'all. Bitch to yourselves, or on the echo chamber that is the forums.

HOLOSMITH:

Looks like it could go either power or condi or both

No traits that have to do with weapon or utility skills, all have to do with Photon Forge

Each vertical block of traits has to do with each other - Adept Master Grandmaster that is - so the whole spec feels like you're building your own Photon Forge

Photon Forge looks super fucking cool

Devs hint that an AED build combined with one of the grandmaster traits could work well

FIREBRAND:

Condi/support

Tomes swap out your weapon skills

Mantras are quite different from Mesmer mantras. They cast in a cone in front of you

Longer recharge after using final charge, 3 charges that recharge more quickly through ammo system

Tome skills 4-5 for the most part are huge AoEs

Singlehandedly apply 15+ stacks of burning - burn guard on steroids

SPELLBREAKER:

It's looking like it's a power spec, if used for damage

Based off Warrior/Mesmer dual class in GW1

Has a grandmaster trait that works like Guardian GS 5

Pretty OP elite skill that strips/prevents boons. Clearly meant for WvW

SCOURGE:

Condi/support

Sand shades are cool. Someone needs to cosplay Azir from League with a Scourge.

Took a while to get to what it looks like now: sand shades used to be bone piles

F4 (fear) is still a skeleton

Traits affect profession skills

Necro portals!

DEADEYE:

Mostly power, but does apply some poison so Grieving stats could work.

Has 2 dodges, "1 dodge" part of the leak was not true

Rifle 5 is on ammo system - yes, the skill that puts you in kneel and stealth

Kneel prevents you from moving but you can dodge

Deadeye's Mark replaces Steal, so your steal traits can proc when it procs

Deadeyes possibly pick off gliders in WvW

RENEGADE:

Condi damage, with some support

Shortbow skills are based on actually staying at range instead of doing what a condi ranger does

5 skill is a cascading AoE knockdown holy shit

Warband allies from utility skills can die but they're like Ranger spirits, they do a particular thing instead of having AI like a pet

Each horizontal line of traits has to do with a different charr legion!

Try using Renegade F3 with a legendary. It uses projectile effects! Even if you don't have a shortbow!

MIRAGE:

Straight condi (or support)

Elite skill is a multiblink!!

Sweet mirror VFX

Illusion retargeting!!!! Not clear if it's only axe clones or ALL illusions though. I'm getting conflicting info.

Ambush skills on every mainhand/two-hand weapon, like the stealth skills on Thief

SOULBEAST:

Looks like it can go power, condi, or support, woohoo

Technologically intensive to create

F5 is the keybind to absorb pet

Absorbing different kinds of pets gives different stats - for instance Tiger gives Power/Ferocity and Fire Wyvern gives condi damage

You're supposed to weave in and out of Beast Mode instead of staying in it and having no pet forever

Soulbeast elite (every attack hits twice) was originally Spellbreaker elite

WEAVER:

Can do power or condi or both

Weaver utilities are all on ammo system except elite.

Weaver was considered for HoT but the tech wasn't there

Inspired by Avatar... obviously

Skill 1-2 is your first element. Skill 3 is changed by element combo, like with Thief weapon combos. Skill 4-5 is your second element.

Careful - swapping elements puts ALL attunements on a 4-second cooldown.

One of your stances actually lets you attune to single elements instantly instead of having to go into, say, fire twice

Elite skill rewards you for using lots of attunements with a fuckton of CC

Sword skill 2 is always mobility