Strike Mission
"SM" redirects here. For the WvW objective, see Stonemist Castle. “Tackle these challenging boss encounters in a group of up to ten players, either as a pre-formed squad or in a public mode anyone can join.
— Official description
Strike Missions, or strikes, are 10 player squad-based PvE instances for level 80 characters. Unlike raids, strike missions are repeatable single bossing encounters of characters encountered during the story with daily rewards.
Each encounter typically involves multiple phases with several unique mechanics to test squad coordination, damage output, positioning, and player builds. Encounters may also include an enrage timer where the encounter fails when time expires.
No masteries are currently required to participate, however some may yield full rewards for select encounters (see table notes). As with raids, downed allies can be revived or rally, but defeated allies cannot be revived during the encounters. Unlike fractals, Revive Orbs are disabled, along with other similar consumables such as boosters.
The first strike mission, Shiverpeaks Pass, was released on September 17, 2019. This along with the other 6 Icebrood Saga strike missions served as an entry point for players into 10-player instanced content. On February 28, 2022, End of Dragons expanded the system by introducing difficulty settings: normal mode, a harder version of the story encounter; and challenge mode, an even harder version with more punishing mechanics.[1] The Temple of Febe strike mission from Secrets of the Obscure introduced a new pinnacle difficulty setting with the legendary mode.
Accessing strike missions[edit]
Strike missions are a great introduction to 10-player encounters and common mechanics, bridging the gap between open world and raid difficulty with some strike missions surpassing raid difficulty.
Many solo players begin their strike mission journeys by joining a free community ran raid training guild or group, or by joining dedicated training groups listed in the LFG tool (under Strike Mission (Training)) in order to learn the basics of each encounter and accrue kill proof.
- Available to all players
- Festive strike missions can only be accessed during their respective festival.
Living World Season 1 strike missions can be accessed by interacting with the scrying stone at Lion's Court in Lion’s Arch or at The Ready Room in Arborstone (also accessible by talking to Lyra nearby).
- Automatically unlocked account-wide regardless of story completion.
- Expansions required
The Icebrood Saga strike missions can either be entered from their respective portals in the open world, or through the Ancient Gate in the Eye of the North (including each of the three weekly strikes irrespective of their rotation) or the nearby Scrying Pool.
- The Path of Fire expansion is required.
- The Icebrood Saga is not required despite the name.
- Automatically unlocked account-wide regardless of story completion.
- The Path of Fire expansion is required.
End of Dragons strike missions are accessible by interacting with their respective scrying stones in the open world or Arborstone (also accessible by talking to Lyra nearby).
- The End of Dragons expansion is required.
- They are unlocked account-wide by completing the respective story mission listed below. Otherwise, players must join a strike mission instance created by someone else who has unlocked the encounter.
Secrets of the Obscure strike missions are accessible by interacting with the scrying stone in the Wizard's Tower (also accessible by talking to Halbera nearby).
- The Secrets of the Obscure expansion is required.
- They are unlocked account-wide by completing the respective story mission listed below. Otherwise, players must join a strike mission instance created by someone else who has unlocked the encounter.
Difficulty tiers[edit]
All squad-based strike missions (except for the festival events) are reworked versions of the encounters initially found in story episodes.
- Story version: initially fought as a part of a story, intended for solo play.
- Normal mode: 10-player squad.
- Challenge mode: 10-player squad, additional mechanics, only found in End of Dragons-era and later strikes.
- Legendary mode: 10-player squad, additional mechanics, additional boss health, currently only found in Temple of Febe strike.
List of strike missions[edit]
(CM) = Optional Challenge mode available
(LM) = Optional Legendary mode available
Today's Priority strike mission[edit]
Every day, three strike missions are featured as part of a priority daily achievement.
| End of Dragons | |
|---|---|
| 1 | Aetherblade Hideout (achievement) |
| 2 | Xunlai Jade Junkyard (achievement) |
| 3 | Kaineng Overlook (achievement) |
| 4 | Harvest Temple (achievement) |
| 5 | Old Lion's Court (achievement) |
| Secrets of the Obscure | |
|---|---|
| 1 | Cosmic Observatory (achievement) |
| 2 | Temple of Febe (achievement) |
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Currency and rewards[edit]
For more details about rewards see the individual Strike Mission pages.
The Icebrood Saga[edit]
- Once per day: interactable chests (Essence chests, Grothmar Valley Chests)
- Repeatable rewards: bouncy chests containing coin, Strike shards, Misty Cape Scrap and unique items.
Every strike mission will award you with 
Blue Prophet Shards. These shards can be then used to buy ascended items from Crystallographer Smoxxi as well as exchange for crystals. Prophet Crystals can be also gained from completing Daily Strikes, and then can be used to open the weekly Vigil Emissary Chest. Max of 3 
Blue Prophet Crystals can be used for maximum loot each week.
If you missed looting any chest in any strike that awards Essence chests (Sanctum Arena and Whisper of Jormag encounters), the loot will be sent to you by mail via in-game inbox. This, however, does not work for the Shiverpeaks Pass, Forging Steel and Cold War missions, and the chests and the loot will be lost upon leaving the instance.
End of Dragons[edit]
- Normal mode
Each strike mission rewards the following:
- One Grand Strike Chest (once per day)
- One bouncy chest with the following content: (once per week)
- Depending on the mission:
- Blue Prophet Shard (8-18, depending on the mission)
- 2
/ 4 (depending on the mission) - 5,000
- 66,675
- Challenge mode
Completing a mission with challenge mode activated gives additional rewards:
- One additional Challenge Mode bouncy chest (once per week)
- One random Exotic weapon or armor piece
- Depending on the mission:
- Blue Prophet Shard (8-16)
Antique Summoning Stone- 2 / 4 (depending on the mission)
- 10,000
- 133,350
Extra attempts and completions in either normal or challenge mode keep giving additional Blue Prophet Shards until the weekly cap of 100 is reached.
Secrets of the Obscure[edit]
- Normal mode
Each strike mission rewards the following:
- One bouncy chest with the following content: (once per week)
- Depending on the mission:
- Blue Prophet Shard (8)
No Reward - If the Blue Prophet Shard cap has been reached that week.[verification requested]
- 2 / 4 (depending on the mission)
- 5,000
- 66,675
- Challenge mode
Completing a mission with challenge mode activated gives additional rewards:
- One additional Challenge Mode bouncy chest (once per week)
- One random Exotic weapon or armor piece
- Depending on the mission:
- Blue Prophet Shard (12)
- No Reward - If the Blue Prophet Shard cap has been reached that week.
- 4
- 10,000
- 133,350
Extra attempts and completions in either normal or challenge mode keep giving additional Blue Prophet Shards until the weekly cap of 100 is reached. Shards obtained through daily and weekly achievements don't count towards that cap. [verification requested]
Lore[edit]
Many strike missions are relived past events. The mind and memories can be unreliable and thus can show unreliable depictions of the true events.[7] They are accessed via scrying stones that mysteriously appeared around the world. They have a similar function and magical composition to the Scrying Pool[8] which is a large pool of mystical water in the Eye of the North's Hall of Monuments. It is a confluence point of energies, connecting many threads throughout time in the Mists,[9] which is known to grant visions and access to past events.
Related achievements[edit]
Community: Complement the Creator — Complete a daily strike with an ArenaNet employee. (0
)
Gallery[edit]
Strike Mission Portal located in The Icebrood Saga maps.
Strike Mission Scrying Stone Shrine located in End of Dragon maps.
Strike Mission Scrying Stone located in Arborstone.
Strike Mission Scrying Stone located in The Wizard's Tower.
End of Dragons strike missions concept art.
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Notes[edit]
- Players can enter a strike mission portal as a squad.
- You can use a raid squad or regular squad but only 10 players will be able to enter the instance.
- When entering as a squad, you can enter the mission before all have arrived in the instance or even in the squad itself. Starting the encounter, however, will cause players entering the instance later to join defeated.
- Players in a party can also enter a strike mission portal, however the strike mission will only allow up to the maximum in a party to join.
- As of at least the April 3, 2024 update, or as early as the March 19, 2024 update, it appears that Players entering as a party may not be granted credit, only the party leader that opened the instance may be granted credit.
- For The Icebrood Saga Strike Missions, the latest mission will additionally have a public instance, which places the player in a new instance with up to 9 other players.
- If a public mission starts with fewer than 10 players, it will be locked down and no more players will be able to join.
- As of October 1, 2019, a public mission cannot start without 5 people.
- If you exit and attempt to enter a new public mission you will be placed in the previous instance while it is still open.
- If a public mission starts with fewer than 10 players, it will be locked down and no more players will be able to join.
- In Bjora Marches, the three weekly strike missions rotate each week. Since the release of Visions of the Past: Steel and Fire these strike missions can also be opened at anytime via the portal in the Eye of the North.
| Mission | Start |
|---|---|
| Voice and Claw of the Fallen | Currently active |
| Fraenir of Jormag | 21 April 2025 |
| Boneskinner | 28 April 2025 |
| Voice and Claw of the Fallen | 5 May 2025 |
The active strike mission changes every Monday 23:30 just before the daily reset.
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Trivia[edit]
- Upon its introduction during A Very Merry Wintersday in 2018, the Secret Lair of the Snowmen was referred to as a group instance as strike missions had not been officially introduced into the game yet.[10] Since its return in A Very Merry Wintersday in 2019, it is labeled as a strike mission.[2]
- Prior to the February 28, 2022 game update, the The Icebrood Saga strike missions would award different currency weekly. With the update, Red Prophet Crystals, Red Prophet Shards and Green Prophet Crystal were removed, and the currency rewards were simplified.
External links[edit]
- Weekly Strike Rewards, GuildWars2.com
- Guild Wars 2: End of Dragons Strike Missions, GuildWars2.com
References[edit]
- ^ Guild Wars 2: End of Dragons Strike Missions, GuildWars2.com
- ^ a b A Very Merry Wintersday 2019, GuildWars2.com
- ^ Guild Wars 2 Fall and Winter 2022 Roadmap, GuildWars2.com
- ^ Weekly Wizard's vault objectives
- ^ a b c d ArenaNet Studio Update: The Future of Guild Wars 2, GuildWars2.com
- ^ Update on the Harvest Temple Strike Mission Challenge Mode
- ^ Lyra
- Lyra: Do you resonate with the stone, traveler? Images of your past, memories... They all float through your thoughts. Some of them may be warm, some of them are bitter... Do you dare relive those moments?
- Lyra: The scrying stone can allow you to relive past events...but the mind can be unreliable. Who knows what may change and shift as you dive into those memories.
- ^ Strike Mission (object)
- They have a similar magical composition to the Scrying Pool in the Eye of the North
- ^ Voice in the Deep
- Aurene: So you're drawn to the Scrying Pool as well? Its waters connect many threads in the Mists. Threads throughout time.
- Aurene: I believe that power drew me to this place. But I'll need more time to understand it.
- ^ A Very Merry Wintersday 2018, GuildWars2.com
