Expansion site: https://www.guildwars2.com/en/secrets-of-the-obscure/
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Announce Blog: Click Here
Combat Updates: Click Here
Story, Mastery and more updates: Click Here
ThatShaman Countdown: Click Here
After the Dragon Cycle - Guild Wars 2 News: Click Here
First Contact: The Kryptis and Rift Hunting: Click Here
They specifically say that you can equip those weapons as as soon as you unlock Weaponmaster Training in SotO (whatever unlocking means) without training a (any?) Elite Specialization.
I don’t know whether this means that you do not even need to own the corresponding Expansion. I think it’s really weird.
Hmm. Maybe that is exactly what it means and they just get rid of all requirements except having the build traits when you play with a class and unlock the Weaponmaster training.
Dunno if that will be accountwide like a mastery or if you have to play through it with every character. I think it is the former but the way they made the jade bot im not sure.
They explicitly say that you don’t need other expansions, if you only want to play with those weapons. But it will NOT unlock the elite specialization. So: you want a long bow core guardian with only core game and new expansion? You can.