Frequently Asked Questions

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Guild Wars 2: Frequently asked questions
What if my question is not answered in this FAQ?

Use the search feature to look for more details here on the wiki. If you still can't find an answer, ask on the official forums or on the Guild Wars 2 subreddit's Weekly question thread.

What if I want suggestions from more experienced players?

See the Tips page or join a guild and ask in guild chat.

Guild Wars 2 and ArenaNet[edit]

Where can I learn about Guild Wars 2?

Start with the Guild Wars 2 and Extended Online Manual articles here on the wiki. Then check out the official new player guide, as well as the Guild Wars 2 subreddit's new player guide, which is a compilation of links to guides that cover nearly every aspect of the game.

Who are the people behind Guild Wars 2?

ArenaNet is a game development studio based in Seattle, USA; their sole property is the Guild Wars franchise. They are a subsidiary of NCsoft, a Korea-based company.

What are the official channels through which ArenaNet communicates about Guild Wars 2?

ArenaNet has an official website for the game, as well as a presence on many social media sites.

Is there a subscription fee?

No, there is no monthly subscription fee. Once you purchase the box or a game key, you are free to play as much as you want.

Is there a free trial available?

The core game is available as free to play, with multiple interaction restrictions to prevent the abuse of this offer and encourage new users to purchase the game.

What languages are supported?

The North American/European client supports English, French, German, and Spanish; audio is available in English, French, and German. The Chinese client supports Chinese only.

I heard there are no healers or tanks in this game, is this true?

Technically there is no "holy trinity" (tank, dps, and healer) and you can play however you want, mixing and matching your stat attributes as you desire. Ever since the introduction of elite specializations in the expansions, many specializations are focused toward one of the standard roles. In Guild Wars 2, this includes various boon support roles, which can provide specific boons or other buffs while also providing healing or dealing damage. Experienced groups aiming to efficiently clear high end content will expect members to follow the current "class meta," in which each class has certain set of builds (including skills and gear) which are considered "meta".

How many characters can you create per account?

Every purchased account starts with five character slots. Free-to-play accounts start with two character slots, and will receive extra slots if they purchase the game. You can also purchase additional slots through the Gem Store, up to a maximum of 69 slots per account. (There is an anomaly to this total which is explained in detail here: Character Slot Expansion.)

"Gem Store"? Is that this game's cash shop, and what can I expect in it?

Yes. Items in the gem store are mainly of a cosmetic or convenience nature, such as skins, miniatures, and consumables that provide immediate access to the bank or trading post. There are also account services, such as the character slots mentioned above, as well as storage expansions, accountwide inventory slots and character rename and makeover kits.

Gems, the cash store currency, can also be acquired in-game: the Gem Store includes a Currency Exchange where players can trade gold, the in-game currency, for gems, or vice versa.

Are there any paid expansions for Guild Wars 2?

ArenaNet's first expansion "Heart of Thorns" for Guild Wars 2 was released on October 23rd, 2015. The second expansion, called "Path of Fire", was released on September 22nd, 2017. The third expansion "End of Dragons" was released on February 28th, 2022. The fourth expansion "Secrets of the Obscure" was released on August 22nd, 2023. The fifth expansion "Janthir Wilds" was released on August 20th, 2024.

Is there official merchandise?

Yes. You can find peripherals, and other merchandise via the 'Shop' link on guildwars2.com site pages.[1] ArenaNet has also partnered and collaborated with well-known brands such as Funko, SteelSeries, HyperX, Madrinas, and others, with which they created various merchandise products. A Merchandise overview can be also found on this wiki. In the past, ArenaNet also partnered with For Fans By Fans, where fans could submit their designs to be turned into official merchandise and it to be purchased, unfortunately, the project was discontinued in December 2022.

I've got this great idea to improve the game, where should I post it?

The best place to propose and discuss suggestions for the game is in the General Discussion section of the official forums. Make sure to include a [Suggestion] tag in your thread's title.

Expansions[edit]

What expansions are there currently, and am I required to purchase these?

It is not necessary to purchase any expansions. They do, however, offer additional features and content that is not available to core players.

The first expansion, Heart of Thorns, was officially released on October 23, 2015.

Features of Heart of Thorns are:

The second expansion, Path of Fire, was officially released on September 22, 2017.

Features of Path of Fire

Since August 30, 2019, Heart of Thorns is included for free for all accounts that own or buy Path of Fire.

The third expansion, End of Dragons, was officially released on February 28, 2022.

Features of End of Dragons

The fourth expansion, Secrets of the Obscure, was officially released on August 22, 2023.

Features of Secrets of the Obscure

The fifth expansion, Janthir Wilds, was officially released on August 20, 2024.

Features of Janthir Wilds

What will and did not change with expansions?

The original Guild Wars[edit]

Is there a Guild Wars 1?

Yes, although it is just called Guild Wars. The first campaign, Prophecies, set about 250 years before Guild Wars 2, was released in 2005, with two additional campaigns, Factions and Nightfall, and an expansion pack, Eye of the North, following over the next two years. At the end of 2007, an additional bonus mission pack was added to the game too. After that, ArenaNet switched to providing smaller but free content updates (the series of storylines called Guild Wars Beyond), in order to transition most of their staff to begin developing Guild Wars 2. Guild Wars still receives periodic maintenance updates, but primary development ceased with the final content release in early 2012.

Why did ArenaNet decide to develop a new game?

When they started to develop the fourth Guild Wars campaign, the team realized there were too many things they wanted to do and problems they wanted to fix that were impossible within the existing game engine. They decided that the best way forward was to develop a new game from scratch that would allow them more freedom to innovate in the future.

Can I still play Guild Wars?

Yes, ArenaNet is maintaining the Guild Wars servers indefinitely. A number of automation improvements were made before development ceased to ensure that things like seasonal festivals would continue to recur on schedule.

You can still purchase copies of the campaigns and the expansion pack through the online store (digital-only) or though other online retailers such as Amazon (boxed and digital). Like Guild Wars 2, the original game was and still is subscription-free.

Can I use my Guild Wars account to play Guild Wars 2? Or vice versa?

Yes, although you still have to purchase activation keys for the distinct games/campaigns.

Does anything transfer from Guild Wars to Guild Wars 2, like my characters or elite items?

No, nothing can be transferred directly between the games, due to the drastically different game engines. However, it is possible to earn rewards in Guild Wars 2 based on your achievements in Guild Wars. For more information, see the Hall of Monuments rewards article here and the Hall of Monuments article on the Guild Wars Wiki.

Technical[edit]

Performance[edit]

System Requirements[edit]

Component Minimum System Requirements[2]
for GW2Logo new.png[3] & HoT Texture Centered Trans.png[4] & PoF Texture Trans.png[4]
Operating System Windows 7 or better (64 bit only)
Processor Intel Core 2 Quad 2.4 GHz
Core i3
AMD Athlon 64 X2
Video NVIDIA GeForce 8800GTS
ATI Radeon HD 2900 XT
Memory 4 GB RAM
Storage 70GB available HDD space
Internet Broadband Internet connection
Input Keyboard and mouse
DirectX DirectX 11
Component Minimum System Requirements[2]
for EoD Texture Trans.png[5][6][7] & Secrets of the Obscure logo.png[8] & Janthir Wilds logo.png[9]
Operating System Windows 7 or better (64 bit only)
Processor Intel i3 3.4 GHz
AMD Athlon x4 3.8 GHz or better
Video NVIDIA GeForce GTX 680
AMD Radeon HD 7970
Memory 8 GB RAM
Storage 70GB available HDD space
Internet Broadband Internet connection
Input Keyboard and mouse
DirectX DirectX 11

ArenaNet reserves the right to update these requirements, depending on changes to the game. This might require that a small number of players upgrade or replace their system to continue playing.[2]

Are you able to play if your computer doesn't meet the minimum requirements?

Possibly. Depending on your computer's hardware you may experience reduced performance, visual artifacts, or crashes.

What can I do if the game runs slow even though my computer meets the minimum requirements?

Lower the quality of video and audio options. When performance is affected because a large number of players are in the same location, the game makes certain automatic adjustments.

General[edit]

Can I play the game on a console?

No. There are no plans to implement the idea.

Is there a way to play custom music to replace the standard music?

Yes. The soundtrack can be altered with customized playlists and audio files. You can also choose to replace some music in certain situations (e.g. during combat), but not in others.

Why are all updates at least 48MB in size?

Any time the game patches, it requires downloading 8 content files for a total of 48MB in addition to any changes made to the game.

Can I change my name (character, display)?
  • The display name (Name.1234) can be changed from the ArenaNet account page once every 90 days. For further details, see the associated Support page.
  • The character name can be changed by purchasing a Name Change Contract from the Gem Store.
    • After either changing the name or deleting a character, the previous name will be reserved for your account for 24 hours.

Macros, Addons and Third-party Software[edit]

Can I use macros?

Macros are allowed in limited cases, with the general rule being one keypress results in one action. Macros facilitating unattended gameplay are forbidden. For full details see the Support Article on Macro Use and the Support Article on Unattended Gameplay

Am I allowed to run multiple clients?

Yes, but only if you actively play on each account. You cannot control multiple accounts simultaneously using software or specialised hardware. Multi-boxing is forbidden in Player-vs-Player and World-vs-World. For full details see the Support Article.

Can I use third-party programs or addons?

Third-party programs that give a player an advantage, automate actions within the game, promote unattended gameplay, or adversely affect other players' experiences are forbidden.

ArenaNet does not review, approve, or endorse any third-party program. Each use of such a program is made at the account holder’s own risk. For full details see the Support Article.

Servers/Worlds[edit]

Primary article: World
Are there different servers?

Yes. You can play on either North American or European regions; each server region has a selection of home worlds. When you log into the game for the first time, you will have the opportunity to choose your "home world", which you will represent[10], but currently, this has minimal effect on any of the game modes. Previously "home worlds" had a big role in World versus World as all the players representing the same "home world" were put together in a team and matched against the other two "worlds". Due to updates and the World Restructuring system, your home world is currently irrelevant in any game mode.

What about Chinese servers?

The Chinese Guild Wars 2 servers are not hosted by ArenaNet. They are not related to the Western version of the game.

Can I change servers?

Yes. You can change your home world to another world, as long as it is not designated as 'Full'. There is a limit of one such transfer every seven days per account; each transfer will cost gems determined by the destination server population — 500, 1000 or 1800 gems for medium, high or very high, respectively. After a transfer, all existing and future characters on your account will play in the new world. You can also delete all characters and it will allow you to transfer for free. Your gold, bank, achievement points and titles will not be affected if you delete all characters. Free-to-play accounts are unable to transfer home worlds, though after upgrading to a full account, the first world transfer on the account will be free.

What if I don't want to change my home world permanently?

You can guest on up to two servers of your selected region per day. Please note that you cannot guest on NA servers if your home world is on the EU servers and vice-versa. With the introduction of the megaserver system, guesting has become largely obsolete; though it is sometimes successfully used to enter a different map instance.

Can my friend and I play together, if we are each on a different home world?

Yes, provided you play in the same region (EU or NA), you can do everything together. Previously it was affecting World versus World since you would be put in a team together with other players only from the same "world". Due to World Restructuring and the system mainly being based upon Guilds, currently, there are no such "restrictions".

How many people are there in each world/server/instance?

Each world hosts "many thousands" at a time. There is a limit per map in the world, although ArenaNet hasn't offered a specific number. Each World versus World map supports up to 500 players.[11] It's unknown whether the 500-player limit also applies to open-world PvE maps.

Gameplay[edit]

Basic[edit]

How does Guild Wars 2 address player griefing (i.e. loot/kill stealing, node poaching) as it is often a problem in other games?
  • Everyone receives the same opportunity to receive rewards or kills. If multiple players kill a monster together, each will receive credit for killing it.
  • Loot and event rewards are determined entirely by individual participation. Anyone contributing significantly to foe deaths or ally support or events will receive the same benefits whether in a group or solo.
  • Every resource node in the game is instanced for each player. If one player mines a Copper Ore node, it will be mined out for only that player. The node will still exist for any player, who has not yet mined it.
  • Loot is assigned to each individual character, it cannot be stolen or seen by others.
  • The philosophy of Guild Wars 2 is that players should be excited to see someone running up to them... not be afraid that the other player will steal loot, experience or make the game-play unpleasant.
Is there some sort of flying mechanic?

Yes. A mechanic called gliding was first implemented and exclusive to the first Guild Wars 2 expansion titled Heart of Thorns. Gliding is a mastery skill. After mastering basic gliding, the player can continue to master new and improved gliding skills such as leaning forward to glide faster, stealthing to avoid enemies, and riding wind updrafts to gain altitude. Players who purchased either End of Dragons, Secrets of the Obscure, or Janthir Wilds can unlock the base gliding ability without masteries.

Players with Path of Fire can also unlock the Griffon after completing multiple achievements, some components requiring a moderate gold investment. The Griffon allows for pseudo-flying by diving and soaring back up to gain height and speed, and further masteries can enhance your flying ability. Additionally, players can also unlock the Skyscale ― a dragon that is capable of hovering in place indefinitely and climbing walls to gain altitude. Previously exclusive to Living World Season 4, Skyscale can be unlocked by players who have finished the War Eternal storyline and completed related collection achievements, some steps, and components requiring an expense of gold and map currencies from all six of the Living World Season 4 maps. The fourth expansion ― Secrets of the Obscure, introduced an easier and more streamlined way to obtain the Skyscale.

Is there some sort of fast/map travel in the game?

Yes. You can instantly travel to any discovered waypoint.

  • The cost of using waypoints increases with distance and character level.
  • Asura gates are also available as part of the map travel network and they are free to use. Lion's Arch contains asura gates to the main cities of all five races.
Are there mounts in the game?
Primary article: Mounts

Yes. However, mounts are only available to players who own expansions. (A 10-hour trial of the raptor is available to everyone, though)

Is there an end game?

There is no real "end game" per se. Players have the freedom to choose and make their own goals. A possible end game consists of clearing the instanced content (like dungeons, fractals, raids, strike missions, convergences), maxing out masteries, doing map completion, achievement hunting, crafting legendaries, housing, participating in the so-called "fashion wars" (the dressing up of your characters), fighting other players and climbing the leaderboards in Structured PvP or World versus World.

What sort of loot is there?

There are several types of rewards available in the game:

In many cases, different loot is not subjected to only one type of content.

Advanced[edit]

How do I acquire a mount?
Primary article: Mounts

If you have bought any expansion, you automatically get the first mount, the raptor, after reaching level 10. Most mounts are only unlocked after level 80, though!

What are the best ways to accumulate wealth?
Primary article: Tips

Generally, any content you choose to do will contribute towards your wealth and account progression. However, some activities or ways are "faster" or more "profitable" than others. Some profitable examples consist of:

Most importantly, players have the freedom to choose what they want to do, so the best advice would be to hop into something you enjoy the most!

Levels[edit]

Primary article: Character#Progression
What is the level cap?

80.

Are there any plans to increase the maximum level cap above 80?

No. The level cap remains at 80 even with the release few expansions.

How will my level 5 character play with my friends who are level 70?
  • For PvE, Guild Wars 2 uses a dynamic level adjustment system that scales high-level characters down to match the area in which they play. This ensures that a higher-level character never feels that a level is too easy for them to return to, making all content, "end-game" content. Additionally, a higher level character can not grief lower level areas, by killing everything in sight.
  • In World vs World, characters are scaled to level 80, but they do not receive any new abilities or equipment. This means, that lower-level characters have some kind of disadvantage against players with higher levels and a wide range of traits and skills.
  • In Structured PvP, characters are scaled to level 80 and they have a separate set of builds and equipment. This means, that all the attributes are normalized and allow players to be on an equal playing field with others. Additionally, players get access to all profession's specializations even if they didn't unlock them outside of sPvP.
Will there be a hard "grind" to reach the level cap?

No. The time needed to go up one level should always be about the same. On average it would take about 60 hours of game time played to reach maximum level, which is about half of what it would take in other MMOs. An experienced player can also greatly reduce that time so it's more like a ballpark figure for your first character. There are also earnable rewards in-game that provide level-ups or can boost your character to a fixed level instantly. A great and fast way to earn a lot of experience is ― Character Adventure Guide.

What can I do once I reach level 80?

Think of achieving level 80 as the "end of the beginning." There is endgame content designed specifically for players after reaching level 80, just waiting to be explored and enjoyed:

Playable races[edit]

Primary article: Playable race
What different races are there in Guild Wars 2?

There are five races in the initial release: asura, charr, human, norn, and sylvari.

Do races have race-specific characteristics?

Yes. There are appearance differences and unique customization options for each race. Each race comes with a number of racial skills which give them a unique flavor. For example, the norn are able to shapeshift into animal forms and the asura are able to use golems. These utility skills are weaker than equivalent skills provided by a profession. ArenaNet wants the choice of race to have a significant effect on gameplay but, at the same time, for races to be equally effective at playing all professions; for this reason, there are no racial traits.

Will there be any other races?

Only time will tell.

Professions[edit]

Primary article: Profession
What professions are available?

There are 8 professions in the initial release of Guild Wars 2.

  • Guardian icon small.png Guardian — master of protection; guardians use virtues that enhance their attacks and defenses until sacrificed to aid allies.
  • Warrior icon small.png Warrior — master of weapons; warriors use adrenaline to fuel powerful burst skills and can wield the widest variety of weapons.
  • Engineer icon small.png Engineer — master of mechanics; engineers use device kits, weapon kits and turrets to cause mayhem.
  • Ranger icon small.png Ranger — master of nature; rangers call upon their pets to assist in the field of battle.
  • Thief icon small.png Thief — master of the covert arts; thieves use initiative to deal quick damage and then slip away into the shadows.
  • Elementalist icon small.png Elementalist — master of the elements; elementalists change their elemental attunement in battle to adapt to any situation.
  • Mesmer icon small.png Mesmer — master of illusions; mesmers can create illusions to fight by their side.
  • Necromancer icon small.png Necromancer — master of the dark arts; necromancers draw on life force and use it to strengthen or heal themselves and others.

The Heart of Thorns expansion adds a ninth profession, which is only available to players who have purchased any of the Elder Dragon Saga expansions: Heart of Thorns, Path of Fire or End of Dragons:

What are Elite specializations?

The two expansions add Elite Specializations, which provide an extra trait line to choose from at level 80, another weapon per class, more skills, and sometimes overhaul how the class works to make a different playstyle possible. Elite Specializations are unique per profession and are only unlockable if players have the expansion that the specialization came with.

How do I unlock these elite specializations?

Training an elite specialization is fundamentally the same as a core specialization, however you must be level 80, own the respective expansion, and all core skills and specializations must be fully trained. Elite specializations gradually unlock the specialization specific traits and skills at the same time. The first trait costs 25 hero points to train. Upon training the first trait you will also unlock the respective specialization collection. It costs 250 hero points to fully unlock an elite specialization and all points can only be obtained through completing hero challenges or purchased from a Heroics Notary.

Since there is no healing class, how do we recover from damage?

Each class has one skill slot reserved for a self-heal. There are also support skills that will heal allies, although most of these are weaker than self-heal skills. With the expansions a few builds emerged that excel at keeping your group alive through heavy pressure, be it strong AoE healing, mass condition cleanse, protection from damage or providing heavy regenerative support to the party, even if they are not necessarily a dedicated healing specialization. Something to note is that there are no skills which directly target allies; any skills which affect the user's allies will do so because the allies are in the area of the caster, in the area of a ground-targeted ability, or in the area of an enemy who is struck by a skill with a secondary effect. The intention is to give support classes an outlet for their protective nature while also requiring them to be fully aware of the battlefield, instead of just watching their allies' health bars.

Do professions have racial restrictions? Do some sort of racial bonuses bind a race to one profession to be effective?

No. There are no restrictions based on race.

Can I change my profession after character creation?

No.

Skills[edit]

Primary article: Skill
Do we have to capture skills to learn or unlock them, as in Guild Wars?

No. You unlock skills with Hero points from either Level rewards or Hero challenges found throughout the maps.

How are skills acquired?

The first weapon skill and one healing skill are available from the start of the game. Weapon skills are unlocked as your character progresses in level, all other skills are unlocked by spending hero points in the hero panel interface. Hero points are obtained by leveling up or finishing hero challenge events on a map. You can unlock all the core skills and traits with just leveling to max level so completing the hero challenges is generally optional.

How many skills can I have active at any given time?

The Guild Wars 2 skill bar has ten skills. The first five skills are determined based on your profession and your currently equipped weapon set (or bundles, such as wielding a rock, using a siege weapon or carrying a bucket). The last 5 skills are selected by the player: the sixth slot is reserved for healing, the next three slots for utility skills, and the tenth for an elite skill. Each profession and elite specialization also has its own mechanics, which may grant additional skills (shown above the weapon skills, and in some cases, may also temporarily change your weapon skills).

Equipment[edit]

Primary article: Equipment
What types of armor and weapons are available?
  • There are three types of armor classes: light, medium, and heavy.
  • The weapon(s) that a character chooses to use determine the player's first five skills. Changing the weapon set will offer a new set of five skills.
  • The game includes weapon types new to the Guild Wars universe: mace, pistol, rifle, torch, two-handed sword, and warhorn. As well as, underwater specific weapons: harpoon gun, spear, and trident.
  • Both armor and weapons are upgradable. Appearance may be altered by applying a new skin.
Does equipment affect my stats?

Yes. Armor, weapons and trinkets will all affect your stats and boost your attributes, depending on upgrades and bonuses. Each piece of equipment also has a minimum required level in order to use it, with those specified for higher levels offering better bonuses.

What about trinkets?
  • Trinkets are independent of class and are upgradable.
  • Trinkets include amulets, rings and earrings (or accessories).
  • Trinkets may contribute roughly 40% of your stats (Armor 40% and Weapon 10%).
What about back items?

Back items are a type of gear, sharing characteristics of both trinkets and armor. They provide the lowest magnitude of attribute bonuses out of all equipment types, only 65% of an equivalent (same level and rarity) boot, glove, or shoulder armor, the next-lowest equipment types, or 12% of an equivalent two-handed weapon.

Will equipment sets from harder areas be better than commonly acquired armor of the same level?
  • The stats on equipment (including weapons, armor and trinkets) are based on the quality and minimum required level of the item. All equipment with the same rarity and level have identical stats.
  • Obtaining a set with the exotic rarity from the trading post in game or by crafting it would not be any stronger than exotic armor of the same level obtained in a dungeon.
  • The difference between equipment sets of the same rarity and level is the cosmetics. Generally the harder to obtain an armor the more prestigious it looks.
What is the strongest or most powerful equipment in the game?

Ascended rarity is roughly 5% more powerful than the next highest rarity, exotic. Level 80 is required to equip it. Legendary equipment has identical power to their ascended equivalents.

What is the best way to obtain ascended equipment?

Ascended equipment is Account Bound and therefore not available on the trading post. It's more reliable to craft ascended armor and weapons rather than relying on loot drops. Ascended trinkets are available from merchants. Certain legendary weapons may be purchased from the trading post.

What's so special about Legendary Equipment?

Cosmetics, prestige, and convenience. Legendary gear is very expensive and time-consuming to craft, and typically has much more grandiose visuals than other skins. The stats are identical to ascended gear, but unlike ascended or lesser gear, players may change the attribute bonuses of their legendary equipment at any time while out of combat. This includes any newly added stat combinations that are added to the game later on. Legendary armor even allows to swap out Runes and Infusions without any cost or loss.

How do I acquire Legendary Equipment?
Primary article: Legendary equipment
  • Weapons:
    • There are two generations of legendary weapons. The first generation and their precursors can be bought off the Trading Post or crafted. To craft a weapon, you will need its Precursor weapon, obtainable via achievement collections, started by buying the respective recipe for the first tier of the precursor from Grandmaster Craftsman Hobbs. Alternatively, precursors have a very slim chance to drop or be forged in the Mystic Forge. As for the second generation, these cannot be bought off the trading post. Players will need to speak to Hobbs to purchase the required recipes for the precursor tiers, similarly as for the first generation precursors.
  • Armor:
    • The acquisition of the PvE sets with unique skins is linked to raids. The armor sets require the collection of Legendary Insights gathered weekly by defeating raid bosses, as well as the acquisition of various items from raid encounters for Legendary Armor (achievements).png Legendary Armor achievements. There are, however, ways to upgrade Ascended equipment in WvW and PvP to legendary quality.
  • Trinkets:
  • Back items:
    • Similarly to trinkets, back items can be obtained via the completion of collections in PvP, WvW, and Fractals.

Player versus Environment[edit]

Primary article: Player versus Environment
Do different races start in different areas?

Yes. Each playable race starts in a different area and has a different storyline. However, friends playing different races can meet up after completing a short tutorial and traveling via an asura gate to a racial capital city of their choice. All accounts also have the first waypoint of each starting zone unlocked, which can be used to switch to another zone should the player wish to switch between zones. Each race also has a specific capital city that is not shared with another race as well.

Does the game include crafting?
  • Yes. There are eight crafting disciplines which you can choose, and a ninth one added with Heart of Thorns.
  • You can swap between them without losing progress or recipes.
  • There may be a cost for an individual character swapping between more than 2 crafting disciplines, but that may be eliminated by dividing the 8 crafting disciplines between 4 or more characters on the same account.
  • Players will not be able to specialize solely in crafting.
  • Players may craft items to use themselves or sell on the trading post, rather than just to "level up."
What benefits will come from crafting, can it be considered optional?
  • Progress in any crafting discipline will give a character additional experience points.
  • Crafting is completely optional and is not required to level up.
  • If you wish to obtain the second highest rarity in the game, ascended, it's more reliable to craft the equipment rather than relying on loot drops.
  • Legendary equipment, with the exception of Legendary weapons, which can also be bought from the Trading post, requires a 500 crafting level in various crafting disciplines, however, Legendary equipment is purely optional, being mostly used as endgame cosmetics and convenience.
Is there an auction house or a similar in-game trading mechanism?

In Guild Wars 2, the auction house is called the Black Lion Trading Post. This can be accessed at any time to sell or buy items right from the interface of the game. However, if you need to pick up money or items, you have to visit a Black Lion Trader, who is available in any of the cities in-game, as well as in several other zones. A temporary Black Lion Trader can also be summoned using a consumable item bought from the store, however this is completely optional.

Is there any player housing?

No. However, each character will have access to a home instance in their race's capital; it is personalized according to the character's biography choices. Players have a couple of customization options available for their home instance: Gathering nodes are available from living story chapters as well as the Trading Post or Black Lion Chests. Also, there are various cats in the world that one can convince to permanently show up in one's home instance if given a treat.

Guild Halls offer some amenities of player housing from other games such as item decoration, a separate instance for players to zone into, and unique bonuses such as selectable buffs and harvesting nodes. Players must be in a guild that has unlocked a Guild Hall in order to use these benefits, and the guild must have unlocked these specific benefits to begin with.

How does Guild Wars 2 handle questing?

You no longer have to speak to an NPC: most events will begin without player intervention, putting an end to the green exclamation points that hover above NPC heads in many games. However, some events still require manual activation, for example hunt and slay the giant boar.

  • Events are dynamic quest chains that have a persistent impact on the world, e.g. fail to stop the centuars from overrunning a fort and the nearby towns will be invaded soon after.
  • Primary quests and missions from Guild Wars have been replaced by the personal storyline, which involves a customized, instance-told story for the player to play through. NPCs currently related to your personal storyline have a green eight-pointed star icon hovering above them. This icon is also shown on your compass.
Can I play solo?

Yes, at least, most of the time. You can participate in your personal storyline, crafting, and dynamic events without anyone else around, if you choose. Any dynamic event listed as a Group Event will be difficult or impossible to complete alone. Dungeons for example are intended to be completed by five people but the community has shown that dedicated players can solo most of them if they don't pose hard restrictions (i.e. interacting with multiple objects at the same time).

Does this game have any kind of group instanced endgame PvE content?

Yes. The game actually has three types. There are Fractals of the Mists, which are part of the core game. These are 5 player content and can be found in the Mistlock Observatory, which you can access from Lion's Arch. Raids, which were introduced with the Heart of Thorns expansion. These are 10 player content and can be found in the Lion's Arch Aerodrome, which you can access from Lion's Arch. and Strike Missions, which were first introduced during the Icebrood Saga. These are 1-10 player content and can be accessed from Eye of the North. There are festive Strike Missions that do not require any expansion.

Is there a looking for group tool for endgame content?

Yes, however Looking For Group (LFG) is not automated and is more of a recruitment board. Filling groups generally take anywhere from a few seconds to 10 minutes, depending on the time of day and the specific content in question.

"Personal story" is mentioned often. Is this akin to the original Guild Wars missions and primary quests? And is it possible to repeat the personal story?

The personal story is the line of events that your character follows as the general story and tasks are progressed; there are similarities to GW's primary mission/quest system. The personal story is not repeatable, since its completion has a persistent impact on your home instance, and ArenaNet does not currently have any plans to make it replayable due to difficulty allowing replayability to work properly. The living story is intended to keep the story of Guild Wars 2 alive, even after the personal story has been completed.

What's the difference between "Living Story" and "Personal Story"?

The personal story is a customized story for your character that is determined by the choices at character creation and the choices of your actions during the personal story. The living story on the other hand is a progressive story that is consistently updated for free with 2 week period gaps, this takes place after the personal story; but you do not have to complete the personal story line in order to participate in the Living Story.

Player versus Player[edit]

Primary article: Player versus Player
Is there any type of Open World PvP?

No, there is no open world PvP of any kind, this includes dueling. If you wish to fight against a player, you must do so in custom arenas. If you wish to participate in large scale battles against other servers, then World versus World would be the closest thing to open world PvP.

What types of PvP are available?

Currently, the game includes two types:

  • World versus World — huge, ongoing battles in the Mists between uneven groups of players of different levels.
  • Structured PvP has two major types: tournament play, similar to guild battles in Guild Wars — this pits two evenly matched teams against each other; and pick-up play where individual players or groups can pick games to join based on available space, map and other settings.

In addition, certain activities are also considered PvP, e.g. bar brawling and snowball fights.

Will I have to play PvE to unlock skills or gear in PvP?

For Structured PvP, no, you do not have to play PvE to unlock anything. All players are scaled up to level 80. There are gold purchases that are easier to buy if you play PvE, but there are ways to earn gold in sPvP.

For World vs World, yes, you do have to play PvE if you want to do well. Players are scaled up to level 80, but stat scaling is not perfect for those below level 80. Armor, weapon stat combinations and quality matter in WvW. There are ways to earn armor, weapons, trinkets, and levels in WvW, but it is more effective to be at least level 80 before diving into it. Additionally, there are easier ways to earn armor, weapons, and trinkets through PvE.

Regarding Structured PvP:

  • Skills - No. Players who enter sPvP on a new character (even level 2) will unlock all traits and skills for their class, and elite specializations they qualify for for the expansion(s) owned.
  • Armor - No. However, in order to have the max stats possible, your character must have some kind of armor equipped in every slot, even low level 1 armor. There are vendors in Heart of the Mists that sell white (common) quality armor and weapons. Make sure you have armor equipped in all 6 armor slots in order to receive all possible stat bonuses. Quality of armor does not affect your stats in sPvP. Stat combinations on armor do not affect sPvP stats.
  • Weapons - No. However, weapons determine your skill set for skills 1 - 5. If you do not have a certain type of weapon, there are vendors in Heart of the Mists that sell white (common) quality weapons. Equip weapons in the lobby or before a match starts to lock in your skill selection. Quality of weapons do not affect your stats in sPvP. Stat combinations on weapons do not affect PvP stats.
  • Trinkets - Players only have to worry about Amulet stats, most of which are unlocked by default upon entering sPvP. Additional stat combinations can be unlocked for 10g each. Amulets control your overall stat combination bonuses.
  • Sigils - No. Sigils are normally placed in weapons and add additional active effects. Accounts have access to all sigils in sPvP automatically.
  • Runes - Runes add bonuses to armor and normally require players to have one in each armor piece to gain the full set bonus. In PvP, players choose one rune to gain the full 6-set bonus. Most runes are available immediately, and additional ones can be purchased for 5g each.

For buying additional Trinkets and Runes, the gold cost is nominal to level 80 characters, but can be substantial to new players. Therefore, players may have to play PvE to obtain gold. It is still possible to have successful builds without buying extra Trinkets and Runes, and thus gold can be earned through sPvP. Reward Tracks in sPvP can provide a source of gold, and completing Daily sPvP, PvE, or WvW achievements rewards 2g per day. Dailies are only available if players have bought at least one of the following: core game, Heart of Thorns, or Path of Fire

Can you gain levels just by playing PvP?

Yes, although the rate is much slower than it would be by playing PvE. The levels are granted through account bound consumables, so you can play on your favorite character and acquire level up consumables and give it to your alt character to level up.

Can I host my own PvP tournaments?

Yes, you able to purchase a PvP custom arena with gold or cash and host your own games with a specific rule set.

Is there a rating system implemented in PvP?

Yes, there is a rating system in both Structured PvP for tournaments and WvW.

Guilds[edit]

Primary article: Guild
Why should I join a guild?

There are many benefits.

Can I join multiple guilds with my account?

Yes, up to 5 different guilds may be associated with an account. Each character can choose to represent one of those 5 guilds at a time. Only one character per account needs to be invited, since each will show up in the guild roster as a single member, however, each character must individually press the "represent" button to enable their participation with that guild.

Why should I do guild missions?
How can I prepare for guild missions?
  • Find out when your guild runs their missions, often listed in Guild Message of the day.
  • If your guild uses an audio-server during missions then get it set up.
  • Maximize map completion, focusing on the waypoints for rush, challenge and puzzle.
Can I create a personal guild with a vault for extra storage?

Players can create guilds of their own at any time for 1g. Then, a guild can purchase the base Guild Stash for 50g and 1000 Favor (earned from Guild Missions) which provides 50 storage slots. However, the introduction of Guild Halls has made upgrading a Guild Vault more expensive and time consuming. In summary, a lot of materials, gold, and time are needed to upgrade to additional tiers of the Guild Vault. It is certainly possible to do this solo, but is made to be a lot easier with multiple guild members.

Do any features support guild-based activities in-game?

Yes. Guilds can accrue Favor through Guild Missions which can be spent on guild upgrades, including guild storage. In World vs World, guilds are able to conquer and maintain keeps. There also guild missions and events that a guild can start that awards commendations to each player which can be spent to purchase powerful items, including the most powerful rarity in the game ascended.

Can a guild join an alliance?

At this time, there is no Alliance feature for guilds. However, there are plans about World Restructuring in WvW, including Alliances. [12]

How many members can join a guild?

The initial size of a guild is 50. It can be upgraded to 500.

Do guilds have a Leader, Officer, Member ranks that limits their guild-management options?

Yes. These ranks are set by default and you can change that. You can also create additional roles, e.g. to manage guild storage or guild upgrade choices.

Are there guild halls?

Guild Halls were added to Guild Wars 2 with the Heart of Thorns expansion. While claiming a Guild Hall requires participating players to own the expansion, once it is claimed, all guild members may fast-travel to the hall, even those without the expansion.

Setting[edit]

Is there a day/night cycle?

Yes. The day and night cycle is faster than real time. Events and monster spawning will change based on the time of day. Currently, the cycle lasts 2 hours with 80 minutes of day and 40 minutes of night. Entire maps may be affected by the cycle like Verdant Brink where you establish outposts over day and defend them at night. There are also upgrades like Sigils and Consumables like Food that have different effects at day or night. Instanced content usually is either in a night or day setting and does not change depending on server time.

So I heard that we can explore underwater. How does that work?

There are extensive underwater areas to explore. Aquatic Headgear replaces normal head armor, but is not required to avoid drowning. Additionally, an entirely separate combat system has been designed for underwater battles; characters are forced into underwater mode when submerged, swapping automatically to an aquatic weapon and modifying the effects of non-weapon skills to suit an underwater environment. There is no dedicated underwater mount, however the skimmer can learn to Dive through the achievement Finding Sibaha and mastery Skimming the Depths, making it usable under water.

Troubleshooting[edit]

The Wiki documents numerous anomalies and bugs with related articles. If you have a problem or issue, it's best to first determine if there is a configuration issue or if other players have already found a solution to a similar problem. Otherwise, you may create a Support ticket or use the in-game Support panel.

Can't see myself[edit]

Occasionally when transformed, your character may appear invisible. This seems to occur most often in an instance such as Fractals. Generally, your character will reappear upon leaving the instance or relogging.

Character zooms off into the distance after mounting[edit]

Sometimes when mounting up, the camera doesn't remember to follow the player - just wait a bit of time and it'll suddenly snap back to your current position. This often happens when mounting up in a busy area or near a waypoint.

External links[edit]

References[edit]

  1. ^ Shop, Official Guild Wars 2 Website
  2. ^ a b c Minimum System Requirements, help.guildwars2.com
  3. ^ Guild Wars 2, buy.guildwars2.com
  4. ^ a b Path of Fire & Heart of Thorns, buy.guildwars2.com
  5. ^ End of Dragons, buy.guildwars2.com
  6. ^ Elder Dragon Saga — Collection, buy.guildwars2.com
  7. ^ Elder Dragon Saga — Complete Collection, buy.guildwars2.com
  8. ^ Secrets of the Obscure, buy.guildwars2.com
  9. ^ Janthir Wilds, buy.guildwars2.com
  10. ^ Choosing and Transferring Worlds in Guild Wars 2, ArenaNet Blog
  11. ^ Guild Wars 2 Developer AMA Ask Me Anything on Reddit
  12. ^ World Restructuring, Official Forum Post by Gaile Gray
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