I figure that I've become comfortable enough with the game to review the professions a bit. I couldn't find many in-depth ones when the game was released, so I figured I would write one for anyone just coming in. I know that this sort of thing is the first thing I look for when starting a new game.
So, in Guild Wars 2, we have a grand total of eight professions to choose from! Like many online games, these classes are split up into characters that wear Light, Medium, and Heavy armor. For Light characters, we have Elementalists, Necromancers, and Mesmers. For Medium characters, we have Engineers, Rangers, and Thieves. Finally, for Heavy characters, we have Guardians and Warriors.
Elementalists, fittingly enough, control the four elements of fire, water, earth, and air (although air is more like lightning, honestly). Unlike most character types, they cannot swap their weapons out mid-battle, but they make up for it by being able to swap their elements. This essentially gives them four different playstyles with one weapon. This certainly allows for them to be a bit less monotonous. If you get bored of Fire, you can switch to Air, or Earth, or Fire. They can also be excellent support. A staff-wielding Elementalist attuned to Water can deal out some of the best healing in the game. They're pretty easy to just get into and play, although you should remember to not just use one attunement, as you need to train the skills for all four in order to play the most effectively.
Necromancers can summon undead minions to fight with them. They also have a special Dark Shroud form that makes them invulnerable to damage, and dish out quite a bit as well. They are masters of negative conditions, and have two weapons that make them particularly skilled in kiting. They have a bit of a learning-curve, in my opinion, but once you're used to them, they are very interesting things to play as.
Mesmers are an interesting character-type. Their attacks are based primarily no their ability to summon clones and phantasms. In other words, at any one time, there can be quite a few of you fighting. These clones are very fragile, however, and need to be used with a bit of caution. They are also excellent for supporting a group. They have a very high learning curve, and are really not recommended to new players.
Engineers specialize in guns and explosives. They can summon turrets to assist them, and can also drop explosives on the ground. They, like Elementalists, cannot swap their weapons during battle, but to make up for it, they instead have many different Kits that they can equip to get a whole new playstyle (and you don't even have the level any skills for them!). These guys can also have a pretty tricky learning-curve, but it's not as bad as a Mesmer's.
Rangers have many different pets that they can call out to help them in battle, and are specialists with the bow. They're excellent at long-range damage, while their pets close the distance. An issue I have with them is that they start with an axe instead of a bow, which really doesn't show off their true talents. If you're intending to play one, get yourself a bow A.S.A.P. A shortbow is fast and great for 1v1, while a longbow is slower but deals nice AoE.
Thieves are fast hitters from the shadows. Unlike most games, you can only stay stealthed for short bursts of time. This is honestly one of the professions I know the least about, so bear with me here. I believe they have traps and poisons to help them out. They also can strike extremely quickly, and enemies generally go down pretty fast. If you like flipping through the air, a dual-dagger Thief is probably for you. From what I've played with one, which isn't much, they don't have too steep of a learning-curve.
Guardians are bulky, damage-absorbing tanks. In addition, they are also pretty effective at supporting their allies. They deal lots of damage as well, so don't think that they're just meat-shields! They're a bit like more magically-inclined Warriors. A greatsword-wielding Guardian is a true might to behold. They're not very difficult to learn how to play, but they have a steep learning curve for WvWvW, as their only ranged weapon is the Staff, which certainly isn't the highest hitter.
Finally, we have Warriors. This is the other class I don't know much about, but they seem to be a Jack-of-all-trades sort (without magic though). They can use most, if not all, melee weapons, but they can also equip a longbow and attack with that. Like most Warriors in online games, they seem to be the simplest to just pick up and go. They can also place down banners, which support their allies. Unlike their Guardian allies, Warriors are a bit easier for WvWvW with the addition of longbows.
If you're brand-new, I highly recommend checking out the Elementalists, Thieves, and Warriors. These are probably the most new-player-friendly professions. If you're brand-new, I would have to advise avoiding Mesmers and Engineers until you're more used to the game. I do recommend trying them out at some point though! They're very fun, but do take some getting used to!
