Guild Wars 2: Secrets of the Obscure

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A new chapter unfolds in Guild Wars 2: Secrets of the Obscure, the fourth expansion for the award-winning MMORPG Guild Wars 2. Soar through the skies to combat the strange and otherworldly forces emerging through rifts to devastate Tyria. The adventure continues through three major story and content releases to follow. A self-contained story with its own resolution will play out at launch. Later releases will seamlessly pick up where the launch arc concluded and tell the rest of the expansion's story. Additional features and updates across the game are planned for release every quarter.

Official website

Secrets of the Obscure logo.png

Guild Wars 2: Secrets of the Obscure is the fourth expansion pack for Guild Wars 2. Its development was confirmed on March 22, 2022,[1] and officially announced on June 27, 2023.[2] The release date was Tuesday, August 22, 2023 at 16:00 UTC+00:00.

A beta event for the Weaponmaster Training was available to all players from June 29 to July 2, 2023, with a beta for the Expanded Weapon Proficiency coming on November 28, 2023[3]: see the beta page for detailed info.

Purchasing[edit]

The in-game panel to purchase Secrets of the Obscure.
The in-game popup about Secrets of the Obscure.

The expansion is available through the online store and the in-game Black Lion Trading Company panel.

  • External source — creating a new account or upgrading an existing account requires the redemption of the serial code
  • In-game panel — upgrading an existing account will automatically be applied to the account used to purchase the upgrade
Editions available
  • Standard Edition ($24.99 / €24,99 / £21.99)
  • Deluxe Edition ($49.99 / €49,99 / £43.99)
  • Ultimate Edition ($74.99 / €74,99 / £64.99)
Items Standard Deluxe Ultimate
Guild Wars 2: Secrets of the Obscure (expansion) 1Yes 1Yes 1Yes
Shared Inventory Slot 1Yes 1Yes 1Yes
Max Level Boost 1Yes 1Yes 1Yes
Additional Character Slot 0No 1Yes 1Yes
Astral Ward Feathered Raptor Skin 0No 1Yes 1Yes
"Magic Juggle" Emote Tome 0No 1Yes 1Yes
Identity Repair Kit 0No 1Yes 1Yes
4000 Gems ($50 / €50 / £42.50 value) 0No 0No 1Yes

Upgrading to Deluxe Edition[edit]

Players who have bought the Standard version of the expansion can choose to upgrade to the Deluxe version via the Black Lion Trading Company for 2,400 Gem. You cannot upgrade to Ultimate from either Standard or Deluxe.

Features[edit]

Plot[edit]

Primary article: Secrets of the Obscure story

Related external links


In the quiet that follows the events of Guild Wars 2: End of Dragons, a new force rises to threaten Tyria. As you fight back against Kryptis invaders from the Mists, you'll uncover the answers to mysteries that have haunted Tyria from the time of the original Guild Wars. Ancient rivalries come into play—the world is at risk. While we've relied on the aid of our allies in many adventures to date, it's time for you to find your footing in a darker, more mysterious side of the world.

Now that the Elder Dragon cycle is "over," Tyria is blood in water. The Mists are watching.

Locations[edit]

Combat Features[edit]

  • New gameplay and combat features

Weaponmaster Training[edit]

Up until now, you could only equip each elite specialization’s weapon by locking yourself into that elite specialization’s trait line. But what if you could charge into the fray as a hammer-wielding holosmith or control the battlefield as a firebrand with a longbow?

Official website

Expanded Weapon Proficiency[edit]

To round off our combat systems updates, we’re granting each profession proficiency with an additional weapon. Like we said earlier: getting to play with a new weapon and changing out your first five skills is one of the most impactful parts of an elite specialization for many players. The weapons and weapon skills we’re introducing to each profession in Guild Wars 2: Secrets of the Obscure are meant to satisfy that same itch of a new skillset—we just focused on making these weapons fit in with the existing trait lines.

Official website

Other Combat Features[edit]

Mounts[edit]

Secrets of the Obscure banner.png
  • Two mounts originally from Guild Wars 2: Path of Fire are available via an alternate acquisition method:
    • Raptor — A hardy saurian, capable of leaping horizontally across long distances, available with only the base mastery:[5]
      • The New Player Experience in August 2022 made the raptor permanently available to anyone with an expansion.
    • The Skyscale[6] — A Mists-born dragon adept at scaling cliffs and traversing through the air.

Masteries[edit]

See also: Secrets of the Obscure mastery tracks
  • Heart of the Obscure Research — a tool that allows characters to hunt and close Kryptis rifts, open special doors and reward chests, create ley lines, and others.
  • Flight Training — for Skyscale, new flight Masteries are built to complement existing mastery lines, usage of leylines and updrafts. Some of these masteries can also be utilised by the Griffon.
    • This new Mastery line also includes previous skyscale abilities like Air Rescue and Wall Launch. As a bonus for dedicated players, training both Masteries will unlock bonuses for those skills.
  • Astral Ward — As the Kryptis invade Tyria, players will be able to join a band of treasure hunters and adventurers known as the Astral Ward to help protect the world, undertaking monster hunts and bounty contracts throughout the game to rank up and earn new rewards and abilities.
  • Gliding — originally available in Guild Wars 2: Heart of Thorns, its base mastery is available.[7]
  • Inner Nayos — Fourth mastery line in the first major release (Update #1) after launch.

Achievements[edit]

Equipment[edit]

Group Content[edit]

Strike Missions[edit]

Fractals of the Mists[edit]

Public instances[edit]

Other features[edit]

Bestiary[edit]

Additional releases[edit]

Overview
Expansion launch
(August 22, 2023)
Through the Veil
(November 7, 2023)
The Realm of Dreams
(February 27, 2024)
The Midnight King
(May 21, 2024)
Story Launch Story Arc (Chapters 1 to 10) Story Continues (Chapters 11 to 13) Story Continues (Chapters 14 to 16) Story Concludes (Chapters 17 to 19)
Maps Skywatch Archipelago, Amnytas, Outpost: Wizard's Tower Inner Nayos (Final Map) Introduced Final Map Extended Final Map Completed
Instanced Combat Strike: Cosmic Observatory, Strike: Temple of Febe Cosmic Observatory Challenge Mode Temple of Febe Challenge Mode New fractal: Lonely Tower
Weapon Weaponmaster Training New Weapon Proficiency for Each Profession
Masteries Heart of the Obscure Research, Flight Training, Astral Ward Inner Nayos Masteries New Astral Ward Mastery New Astral Ward Mastery Tier
Wizard's Vault Introduced Wizard’s Vault Seasonal Refresh Wizard’s Vault Seasonal Refresh Wizard’s Vault Seasonal Refresh
Armor Rift Hunter armor, Astral Ward armor Oneiros-Spun armor Obsidian Legendary Armor Tier 1 Obsidian Legendary Armor Tier 2
Relics 40 Core Relics, 12 Secrets of the Obscure-Exclusive Relics Additional Expansion Relics Legendary Relic Additional Expansion Relics
Rift Hunting Available in Secrets of the Obscure Maps and a Rotation of 12 Existing Maps Convergences with Legendary Enemies,
Rift Hunting Map Rotation Completed
2 new Legendary Enemies in Convergences New Legendary Enemies
Pets Aether Hunter Sky-Chak Striker Juvenile Spinegazer

Gallery[edit]

Screenshots[edit]

Concept art[edit]

Primary article: Category:Secrets of the Obscure concept art

Promotional material[edit]

Wallpapers[edit]

Trivia[edit]

External links[edit]

Previews and interviews

References[edit]