City
Cities are special open-world zones characterized by a total lack of hostile NPCs. They focus on providing access to various services instead, such as vendors, crafting or portals to faraway places. Fast traveling to the zone's waypoints is free while in the city. Special dynamic events can still occur in cities, such as during Wintersday or Halloween.
List of cities[edit]
Major cities[edit]
Each of the playable races has a capital city, which is the first city that characters of each respective race will visit during their personal story. Large portion of every character's story plays in their capital city, often within their own home instance located inside.
In addition to the capital cities of the playable races, there is also Lion's Arch, the central trade and cultural hub of Tyria. Lion's Arch contains unique features that are not found in other cities.
Map completion of a major city rewards experience based on the character's level and 1 transmutation charge.
| Loading screen | City | Mechanical region | Geographical region | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
|
Black Citadel | Ascalon | Ascalon | Capital city of the charr. Home of the Iron Legion and base of operations of the three High Legions in Ascalon. |
|
Divinity's Reach | Kryta | Kryta | Capital city of the humans. The royal seat of Kryta and largest human settlement in northern Tyria ever since the flooding of Lion's Arch. |
|
Hoelbrak | Shiverpeak Mountains | Shiverpeak Mountains | Capital city of the norn. Originally established by the legendary norn hero Asgeir Dragonrender, the great lodges here serve as home, refuge and trade hub for many norn. |
|
Lion's Arch | Kryta | Kryta | Central hub for Tyria. |
|
Rata Sum | Maguuma Jungle | Tarnished Coast | Capital city of the asura. The greatest above-ground city of the asura, a magical construction that floats high above Maguuma Jungle. |
|
The Grove | Maguuma Jungle | Tarnished Coast | Capital city of the sylvari. A city built in the trunk of the Pale Tree, mother of sylvari in Tyria. |
Lobbies and outposts[edit]
While the term "city" is typically reserved for non-combat areas from the original game's release, many expansions and other releases also added similar zones over time. These tend to be smaller, they usually don't have their own map completion rewards. and they often serve as staging points for specific game modes or activities. They are sometimes referred to as "lobbies", "outposts" or "hubs". Lobbies are small zones focused on a specific game mode, while outposts and hubs tend to serve a broader purpose and act as a central hub for a given expansion or Living World season. However, this distinction isn't official or exact.
Lounges[edit]
- Primary article: Lounge
Lounges are exclusive areas that feature multiple conveniences usually found throughout cities, all within an efficiently compact space. They may only be accessed by players in possession of a pass item; in most cases, these can only be obtained via the Gem Store or Black Lion Statuettes, though there are some exceptions.
Other establishments[edit]
There are many other establishments located throughout the world of Tyria that don't have their own zones or that mostly function as cities in lore and not mechanically, from small villages to entire city regions. The most notable examples include:
- Blood Keep — Blood Legion charr fortress at the edge of the Shiverpeak Mountains in Grothmar Valley.
- Dominion of Winds — Inaccessible capital city of the tengu in Kryta.
- Fahranur, the First City — Ancient destroyed city of the Primeval Kings on the Isle of Istan.
- Free City of Amnoon — Human port city in the Crystal Oasis.
- New Kaineng City — Capital of the Empire of Cantha built south of the previous capital, the now ruined and Risen-infested Drowned Kaineng. Mechanically this is considered a regular combat zone.
- Drowned Kaineng — Formerly known as Kaineng City before the Zhaitan Disaster.
- Palawadan, Jewel of Istan — Capital and main port of the Isle of Istan, formerly known as Kamadan. This city is filled with hostile Joko Loyalists.
- Stronghold of Ebonhawke — Human city fortress in the Fields of Ruin allied with Kryta.
- Tarir, the Forgotten City — An ancient forgotten city in Auric Basin now populated by the Exalted.
