User:Lon-ami/Commander system improvements

This article is a personal Guild Wars 2 compilation of commander system improvements by Lon-ami.

Introduction

With more and more commanders being born each day, it's hard to differentiate the veteran commanders from the newcomers. Once you step outside your world's World vs World maps, megaservers kick in and it's even harder to keep track, with other world's commanders you've never seen before getting paired with you in the same maps. Additionally, the commander tag icon has leaned over time to become another cosmetic upgrade, with the prestige associated to it being lost in the process. What was once a remarkable monetary sacrifice is now a still-expensive but more affordable purchase.

The commander system could benefit greatly from a new prestige system, that would give the most veteran commanders ways to distinguish themselves from his peers. Different colors could be an answer, but their primary purpose is to serve for organization, so them alone wouldn't be enough, and could turn into something detrimental if their cosmetic value eventually overran its usefulness aspect. The key for this new prestige system are new commander tag icons.

Commander tag icon suggestions

From left to right: Classic, World Boss, Guild, World vs World, Player vs Environment, Final.

Commander tags were originally intended to be used in World vs World, but eventually they started being used in Player versus Environment as well, to lead group of players across dynamic events and world bosses. Later on, their use diversified even more with the introduction of guild missions and the hardcore world bosses, both requiring high level organization.

Aside from differentiating veteran commanders from the newcomers, we also need to differentiate each commander's field of aptitude. For that, each of the four major fields of use will get its own new tag icon. If a commander demonstrates his skills on the four fields, then he will be rewarded with another final tag icon, encouraging good commanders to improve at the other fields. These new tag icons would require a huge group effort, and only a select minority that works hard and has many other players supporting them would be able to acquire them. The main goal is to create a prestige system where these new tag icons are used as a reference of support, dedication and skill.

In total, we would have six different commander tag icons, divided in three tiers of prestige. You would be able to switch between the colors and icons using the pull-down menu of the party interface, next to the squad creation option.

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First tier: Basic Commander

Becoming a basic commander unlocks the classic tag icon, and is required to progress any further and unlock the other icons. To become a basic commander, you need to speak to a Commander Trainer with a level 80 character, and buy the Commander's Compendium once, unlocking the commander system for your entire account. The price and the four unlocked colors (blue, red, yellow and purple) stay the same as in the original system, and there's a new Badge of Honor alternative to gold currency.

Item	Cost
Commander's Compendium	300

Item	Cost
Commander's Compendium	30,000 Badges of Honor

Additionally, guilds can now create Commander's Compendiums using influence.

First you need to complete Research Art of War Level 6, and then research Commander's Compendium Unlock, costing 100,000  and 250 , taking 2 weeks to complete. Once you have unlocked the upgrade, you can research a one-use Commander's Compendium, costing 50,000  and 100 , taking 1 week to complete. Guilds can only research and store one compendium at a time. Whoever activates the compendium will receive a Commander's Compendium in his inventory.

Once you are a commander, speak with the commander trainer again to find a new list of items to buy.

Item	Cost
Incomplete World Boss Commander's Compendium	50
Incomplete Guild Commander's Compendium	50
Incomplete World vs World Commander's Compendium	50
Incomplete Player vs Enviroment Commander's Compendium	50

As their name suggests, these new commander's compendiums are incomplete, and you need to perform a series of tasks to gather the missing parts. Double-clicking the item gives the commander hints on where and how to obtain them.

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Second tier: World Boss Commander

To complete the Incomplete World Boss Commander's Compendium you need to buy five World Boss Pact Reports using new tokens dropped from hardcore world bosses, one daily from each successful attempt. These tokens can be used to buy the special weapons and armor of each world boss too, implying a sacrifice and discouraging players with excess tokens from working towards the World Boss Commander's Compendium.

Item	Cost
World Boss Pact Report	10 Shards of Tequatl
Artifact of the Sunless	50  + 15 Shards of Tequatl
Bastion of the Sunless	50  + 15 Shards of Tequatl
Blade of the Sunless	50  + 15 Shards of Tequatl
Brazier of the Sunless	50  + 15 Shards of Tequatl
Claymore of the Sunless	50  + 15 Shards of Tequatl
Flanged Mace of the Sunless	50  + 15 Shards of Tequatl
Greatbow of the Sunless	50  + 15 Shards of Tequatl
Harpoon Gun of the Sunless	50  + 15 Shards of Tequatl
Herald of the Sunless	50  + 15 Shards of Tequatl
Impaler of the Sunless	50  + 15 Shards of Tequatl
Musket of the Sunless	50  + 15 Shards of Tequatl
Razor of the Sunless	50  + 15 Shards of Tequatl
Reaver of the Sunless	50  + 15 Shards of Tequatl
Revolver of the Sunless	50  + 15 Shards of Tequatl
Short Bow of the Sunless	50  + 15 Shards of Tequatl
Spire of the Sunless	50  + 15 Shards of Tequatl
Trident of the Sunless	50  + 15 Shards of Tequatl
Wand of the Sunless	50  + 15 Shards of Tequatl
Warhammer of the Sunless	50  + 15 Shards of Tequatl

Item	Cost
World Boss Pact Report	10 Shards of the Triple Headed Wurm
Wurmslayer's Masque	50  + 15 Shards of the Triple Headed Wurm
Wurmslayer's Epaulets	50  + 15 Shards of the Triple Headed Wurm
Wurmslayer's Wristguards	50  + 15 Shards of the Triple Headed Wurm
Wurmslayer's Visage	50  + 15 Shards of the Triple Headed Wurm
Wurmslayer's Shoulderguard	50  + 15 Shards of the Triple Headed Wurm
Wurmslayer's Grips	50  + 15 Shards of the Triple Headed Wurm
Wurmslayer's Visor	50  + 15 Shards of the Triple Headed Wurm
Wurmslayer's Pauldrons	50  + 15 Shards of the Triple Headed Wurm
Wurmslayer's Warfists	50  + 15 Shards of the Triple Headed Wurm

Once you've collected five World Boss Pact Reports, double click the Incomplete World Boss Commander's Compendium to consume them and become a world boss commander, unlocking a new icon and the green color.

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Second tier: Guild Commander

To complete the Incomplete Guild Commander's Compendium your guild needs to have researched Guild Puzzle Unlock, and then research Guild Commander Commendation Unlock, costing 100,000  and 250 , taking 2 weeks to complete. Once you have unlocked the upgrade, you can research a one-use Guild Commander Commendation, costing 50,000  and 100 , taking 1 week to complete. Guilds can only research and store one commendation at a time.

Once you have the Guild Commander Commendation, you won't be able to activate it until you complete all the guild missions for the week at maximum level: Guild Bounty tier 3, Guild Trek tier 3, Guild Rush, Guild Challenge and Guild Puzzle. Now whoever activates the commendation will receive a soulbound item by the same name in his inventory. Finally, he can talk to a Guild Commendation Trader to trade the commander commendation and complete the compendium.

Item	Cost
Signed Guild Commander Commendation	120 Guild Commendations + 1 Guild Commander Commendation

Once you have the Signed Guild Commander Commendation, double click the Incomplete Guild Commander's Compendium to consume them and become a guild commander, unlocking a new icon and the orange color.

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Second tier: World vs World Commander

To complete the Incomplete World vs World Commander's Compendium, first you need to reach at least WvW rank 600. Then your world needs to capture Stonemist Castle in Eternal Battlegrounds. Once you capture the castle, a World vs World Commander trainer will spawn at the top floor with an effect called Hold the Castle! of 30 minutes. You need to hold the castle for 30 minutes until the effect disappears to activate the trainer. To purchase goods from him your world needs to be first on points at the moment of the purchase.

Item	Cost
World vs World Commander Commendation	10,000 Badges of Honor + 500 WvW Tournament Claim Tickets

Once you have the World vs World Commander Commendation, double click the Incomplete World vs World Commander's Compendium to consume them and become a World vs World commander, unlocking a new icon and the turquoise color.

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Second tier: Player vs Environment Commander

To complete the Incomplete Players vs Environment Commander's Compendium you need to capture the five temples of Ruins of Orr, as well as the Gates of Arah. Once you capture a temple, a Player vs Environment Commander trainer will spawn inside it with an effect called Hold the Temple! of 1 hour. You need to hold the temple for 1 hour until the effect disappears to activate the trainer and be able to purchase a manuscript from him. You need to repeat this process in each of the five temples and the Gates of Arah to collect the six different manuscripts.

Item	Cost
Balthazar's Manuscripts	210,000

Item	Cost
Lyssa's Manuscripts	210,000

Item	Cost
Dwayna's Manuscripts	210,000

Item	Cost
Melandru's Manuscripts	210,000

Item	Cost
Grenth's Manuscripts	210,000

Item	Cost
Arah's Manuscripts	210,000

Once you've collected the six manuscripts, double click the Incomplete Player vs Environment Commander's Compendium to consume them and become a player vs environment commander, unlocking a new icon and the pink color.

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Third tier: Final Commander

If you manage to acquire the four second tier commander upgrades, you can talk with a Commander Trainer and get a new option to buy the Final Commander's Compendium.

Item	Cost
Final Commander's Compendium	100  + 100

Buying the Final Commander's Compendium will unlock a new icon and the white and black colors.

Summary

In total, the prices for each commander upgrade would be as follow:

• First tier:
  • Basic Commander: (Three options)
    • Option 1: 300 .
    • Option 2: 30,000 Badges of Honor.
    • Option 3:
      • First of the guild:
        • 150,000  (300  if bought).
        • 350  (4 weeks completing all the guild missions at maximum level: 4,000  [8  if bought]).
        • 3 weeks of research.
      • Second and following:
        • 50,000  (100  if bought).
        • 100  (1 week completing all the guild missions at maximum level: 1,000  [2  if bought]).
        • 1 week of research.
• Second tier: (Requires completing the first tier)
  • World Boss Commander:
    • 50 .
    • 50 successful attempts on hardcore world bosses (500,000  [1000  if bought] and 1,000  [10 weeks completing all the guild missions at maximum level: 10,000  {20  if bought}] if activated outside the schedule).
  • Guild Commander:
    • 50 .
    • Researching up to Guild Puzzle Unlock (See Influence for costs).
    • First of the guild:
      • 150,000  (300  if bought).
      • 350  (4 weeks completing all the guild missions at maximum level: 4,000  [8  if bought]).
      • 3 weeks of research.
    • Second and following:
      • 50,000  (100  if bought).
      • 100  (1 week completing all the guild missions at maximum level: 1,000  [2  if bought]).
      • 1 week of research.
    • 120 Guild Commendations (20 weeks completing all the guild missions with commendations: 16,000  [32  if bought]).
  • World vs World Commander:
    • 50 .
    • WvW rank 600 (1,200 and 30,000 Badges of Honor if bought).
    • 10,000 Badges of Honor.
    • 500 WvW Tournament Claim Tickets.
    • Capture Stonemist Castle, hold it for 30 minutes to unlock the vendor, and then be the first world on points at the moment of the purchase.
  • Player vs Environment Commander:
    • 50 .
    • 1,260,000 .
    • Capture the five temples of Ruins of Orr and the Gates of Arah, and then hold each one for 1 hour to unlock each vendor.
• Third tier: (Requires completing the second tier)
  • Finale Commander:
    • 100 .
    • 100 .

Supposing everything is bought, currency conversions are done using vendor comparisons for siege blueprints, alcohol consumables and Obsidian Shards, and time and previous guild upgrades are not measured as a cost, the estimates in total gold value would be as follow:

• First tier:
  • Basic Commander: 300 
• Second tier: (Requires completing the first tier)
  • World Boss Commander: 1070 
  • Guild Commander:
    • First of the guild: 390 
    • Second and following: 184 
  • World vs World Commander: 748 
  • Player vs Environment Commander: 194 
  • Total including previous tiers:
    • First of the guild: 2702 
    • Second and following: 2496 
• Third tier: (Requires completing the second tier)
  • Finale Commander: 124 .
  • Total including previous tiers:
    • First of the guild: 2826 
    • Second and following: 2620 

Other improvements

• In the pull-down menu of the party interface, where squad creation and color/icon selection is located, there could be a new checkbox option, called Guild only. Activating it would make your commander tag visible to guildmates only. This feature would be useful for private group organization, though it could need some restrictions if it's used for griefing against non-guildmates.
• Each active commander could get a cone of light over his position, visible only to allies, to make him easier to be located amongst a big group of players. The model of this cone of light is already present ingame in the Southsun Crab Toss Guild Challenge and the Proxemics Lab Guild Puzzle. The color of the light could change to the selected color of the commander, too.