Waypoint

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Example of a waypoint

This is a waypoint. Waypoints appear on your compass, which is in the lower-right corner of your screen. You can also see them on the world map, which you can access by pressing "M." Press "M" again to close the world map. To teleport to a waypoint, open your world map and click on the waypoint to which you want to travel.

Watchman Rebec

Waypoint (map icon).png Waypoint (commonly abbreviated to WP) is the primary method of transportation and fast map travel in open world and some instanced zones in Guild Wars 2.

Mechanics[edit]

Traveling

Players can instantly travel to a waypoint by using the map. Before a character can use a particular waypoint for map travel, it must be discovered through exploration. Undiscovered waypoints will be displayed on the compass and map, and approaching the waypoint will unlock it for that character.

Map travel within a city is free (except for travel from the home instance), but traveling to waypoints in other parts of the world costs a fee in coin based on the distance between the character's current location and the destination waypoint, as well as the character's non-scaled level.

If contested or defeated

During and after dynamic events, waypoints can become contested if the area is taken over by enemies. These waypoints will be unavailable for map travel until they have been liberated. Contested waypoints are not shown as contested when viewed from a different map; attempting to travel to a contested waypoint will take you to the nearest available one, for the original cost.

If a character has no unlocked waypoints in a map and becomes downed, they will automatically unlock the nearest waypoint. If the only waypoint(s) a character has unlocked in a map is contested and they become downed, they will automatically unlock the nearest uncontested waypoint.

Waypoints cannot be used while in combat (the message "you cannot map travel while in combat." appears in red text if you try to do so). Defeated players can choose to be revived at a waypoint for the same fee as regular map travel. If a character is defeated with no coin, they can be revived for free at the nearest waypoint.

Chat links and UI

Along with points of interest, Shift+Left-click or Ctrl+Left-click on a discovered waypoint on the compass or map adds a clickable chat link. Double-clicking on a discovered waypoint allows to bypass the confirmation window.

Central Tyria zones in the base game typically have between 10 and 20 waypoints each, while expansion maps generally have less than 10, following player feedback that waypoints were too numerous.

Lore[edit]

According to Technician Penn, waypoints are mini-gates and magical matter-transportive devices[1] devised by the asura to make it easier to travel long distances.

Map icons[edit]

Waypoint (map icon).png Available/unlocked
Locked waypoint (map icon).png Locked
Contested waypoint (map icon).png Contested
Hover waypoint (map icon).png Hover
Jade Bot Personal Waypoint.png Jade Bot Personal Waypoint

New characters[edit]

Each new character starts with one waypoint unlocked in each of the starter maps of the 5 races:

Unlocked waypoints
Asura tango icon 20px.png Asura Waypoint (map icon).png Soren Draa Waypoint
Charr tango icon 20px.png Charr Waypoint (map icon).png Smokestead Waypoint
Human tango icon 20px.png Human Waypoint (map icon).png Shaemoor Waypoint
Norn tango icon 20px.png Norn Waypoint (map icon).png Horncall Waypoint
Sylvari tango icon 20px.png Sylvari Waypoint (map icon).png Astorea Waypoint

This allows characters of different races to play together and explore each others' starter zones without having to explore their way to unlocking the waypoints otherwise.

Personal Waypoint[edit]

Player's personal waypoint
Personal waypoint of a party member

Players can use Left Alt+Left-Click on the map to place a permanent marker Personal waypoint (map icon).png called personal waypoint. It is visible to others in the party as a Personal waypoint blue (map icon).png. The marker can be moved by repeating the above key-mouse combination in a new location or removed with a Left-click at the personal waypoint's current position.

Mechanics
  • Despite the name, personal waypoint is just a marker, and cannot be used to teleport the character to another location.
  • The marker will remain in its place until removed even between map changes or gaming sessions.
  • Personal waypoints are character-based, and each character on an account may have a different one.
  • When you mouseover another party member's personal waypoint, a popup displays that character's name and your distance to the waypoint.

Similar permanent map markers for squad groups available only for their commanders.

Jade Bot: Personal Waypoint[edit]

Example of a Jade Bot Waypoint

Players with the Mastery point (End of Dragons).pngJade Tech Waypoint mastery from the End of Dragons mastery tracks can activate a personal single use waypoint at the current location of the character. It can be placed by using  Jade Bot- Personal Waypoint.png Jade Bot: Personal Waypoint skill and teleported to by double-clicking it on the map or compass. The skill can't be activated again for 10 minutes after using the waypoint.

Skill use

The skill can be activated by one of the following methods:

  • Clicking on its icon in the Mastery Skill pop-up menu.
  • Using its own keybind "Set Jade Bot Waypoint" (unassigned in the Control Options by default).
  • Using "Activate Mastery Skill" keybind ( J by default) after setting "Jade Bot: Personal Waypoint" as the active skill by right-clicking it in the Mastery Skill menu.
Mechanics
  • Jade Bot Waypoint is removed upon moving to another zone or changing instance within the same zone.
  • Recharge timer is individual for each character and is paused while on a different character or logged out.
  • The recharge of the skill starts after placing the waypoint, but also resets back to 10 minutes after teleporting to it.
  • Adrenal Mushrooms reset the cooldown.
  • Jade Bot Waypoint can't be set while on a Skiff or while swimming, both on the surface and underwater. However, it can be placed while mounted, either on land or over the surface of water while on a skimmer.

Cost[edit]

Waypoint cost versus level for travel from the Cornucopian Fields to Vigil Keep waypoints (41,573 units)

The total cost of traveling to a waypoint depends on the level (base fee) and the distance traveled [4], and can be determined as follows:

Waypoint cost = C1 * [ 0.78 + max(0, (0.0003 / 24) * (Distance - 14400)) ] + C2

There are two level dependent constants, C1 and C2, which are determined by a lookup table:

  • C1 scales linearly between levels 0 and 80 from Copper coin to 50 Copper coin.
  • C2 is zero up to level 30, and scales linearly between levels 31 and 80 from Copper coin to Silver coin.

The distance for this equation is measured in standard game units (inches) which also appear when hovering over markers on the minimap or in skill ranges.

Reducing travel costs[edit]

Primary article: Map navigation

There are several useful methods of lowering or avoiding waypoint costs, examples include:

See Map navigation#Reducing travel costs for more details.

Map completion[edit]

Gallery[edit]

Related achievements[edit]

  • Adventure Guide- Volume One (achievement).png Adventure Guide: Volume One: Using WaypointsTravel using a waypoint.  Waypoints allow you to travel quickly around the world. They are unlocked by visiting them once. You can teleport to any unlocked waypoint for a small amount of coin. (0Achievement pointsAdventure Experience Award: Volume One)

Notes[edit]

Update Added New total
Game launch - 503
28 January 2013 6 509
26 February 2013 2 511
26 March 2013 1 512
15 October 2013 1 513
18 November 2014 -29 484
  • The number of waypoints required for World completion achievement has changed over time, from 477 during the first Beta Weekend event to 503 when the game launched. Since then, other waypoints have been added, and the WvW waypoints, along with all WvW Vistas, POI's, and Hero Points have been removed from the map completion requirement. All of these ARE still available, and the WvW Hero Points are still added to the character's totals.
  • In Season 1, when Captain Ellen Kiel was elected to the Lion's Arch Captain's Council, the fees for using a waypoint were reduced.
  • Some waypoints were destroyed during Living World Season 2 story and have yet to be repaired. While they are still needed for map completion, and can be selected as travel destinations from the world map, they are shown in each map as permanently contested even if no foes are around.
Traveling to a waypoint is unsuccessful if attempted in the midst of losing a connection to the server, or if attempting to waypoint to another map with a different build number from the one you're on. You will still be charged for the waypoint cost, and unfortunately there is no refund.

See also[edit]

References[edit]

  1. ^ Technician Penn
    Technician Penn: As you gad about, you'll encounter our magical matter-transportive devices, more commonly known as waypoints. They're mini-gates that — for a minimal fee — transport you across great distances. They're the second most convenient way to travel, next to our gates.
  2. ^ Scarlet's Secret Room
    Taimi: The most interesting thing of all! Scarlet theorized that our waypoint positioning coincides with the locations of the most powerful ley lines.
  3. ^ "Erosion and Waypoint Stability" by Technician Penn
  4. ^ Gitter | Lawton Campbell explains the waypoint costs equation