Guild Wars 2

I really like the idea about getting an overhaul, and I’m excited to get the specializations.

But.

I’m kind of bummed that all my work to get skill scrolls and buy skills for my low level characters will go to the trash bin.

In the new mastery system, only two things give you back your skills (which are wiped away with the update), level and skill challenges.

I know people say “this just gives you incentive to go level them up”, but this game shouldn’t be just about getting to level 80, or at least shouldn’t force you to do so to enjoy it how you have enjoyed it up until a certain point.

People are going to point out to me, that when we got the new player experience, this put a burden on other people who decided to have an under-level character. My take on that was that it wasn’t too bad, and if you got your level 30 elite equipped you could hold onto it without having to get to level 31. Yes the skill points at that time hurt, but we accepted them, used more skill scrolls / did more work to get our low level characters the right skills.

Now, there is NO way for you to get your low level character the right skills unless you go out and get more skill-points, which may inadvertently level your low level character. All your hard work is wiped clean, and there is nothing you can do about it.

Yes, many of my low level characters did do skill challenges – but I don’t think it will be enough, I’ll have to re-skill up my 30+ low level characters (held at a very specific level) to once again have the right skills to do what I enjoy.

I know I’ll have to do a bit of hard work to get all the skills I want, and I’m ok with that.

But.

There is a part of me who wishes that we didn’t get all of our skills reset for this reason. And another part of me who now thinks that low level characters really get hit hard by this skill – mastery change.

Nope. I’m sort of surprised that I’m feeling a little excited that a change is coming. I never get excited by that stuff.

zenleto.6179:

Nope. I’m sort of surprised that I’m feeling a little excited that a change is coming. I never get excited by that stuff.

I am excited by the changes, and many have said GW2 will feel like a new game entirely (which is a good thing).

But.

The feeling I get for my low level characters is one of a rug pulled out from under my feet.

Ironically enough, I’m looking forward to finally playing my non-grandfathered sub-80 characters who have been gathering dust since the trait changes last year.

So I guess there’s a sort of symmetry here, maybe.

VoxShatterfall.5470:

Now, there is NO way for you to get your low level character the right skills unless you go out and get more skill-points, which may inadvertently level your low level character. All your hard work is wiped clean, and there is nothing you can do about it.

Yes, many of my low level characters did do skill challenges – but I don’t think it will be enough, I’ll have to re-skill up my 30+ low level characters (held at a very specific level) to once again have the right skills to do what I enjoy.

What is it you do with your low-level characters that need skill/traits that won’t be given in the changeover (they announced they would try to keep your existing build as close as possible) that gives no XP whatsoever?

Perhaps, you didn’t watch the livestream; you can find it on Youtube now.

Good luck.

VoxShatterfall.5470:

zenleto.6179:

Nope. I’m sort of surprised that I’m feeling a little excited that a change is coming. I never get excited by that stuff.

I am excited by the changes, and many have said GW2 will feel like a new game entirely (which is a good thing).

But.

The feeling I get for my low level characters is one of a rug pulled out from under my feet.

I’m at the stage where I’m not playing my lowbies much at all (have 26 80s) so when I get back around to seriously running them around I may be scratching my head a little. I suspect that may not happen until we start heading toward another main dragon to fight, though, so I can wait. I imagine it will all be the new normal by then

zenleto.6179:

I’m at the stage where I’m not playing my lowbies much at all (have 26 80s) so when I get back around to seriously running them around I may be scratching my head a little. I suspect that may not happen until we start heading toward another main dragon to fight, though, so I can wait. I imagine it will all be the new normal by then

It will be accepted as the new normal. It’s just that utilities, elites, and heal skills you had access to will be wiped out, and you will have to buy them again with mastery points which are only derived from your level and doing at least 69 skill challenges.

I thought that the new player experience was quite nice though. and no doubt that this new new player experience will be equally as nice.

VoxShatterfall.5470:

zenleto.6179:

I’m at the stage where I’m not playing my lowbies much at all (have 26 80s) so when I get back around to seriously running them around I may be scratching my head a little. I suspect that may not happen until we start heading toward another main dragon to fight, though, so I can wait. I imagine it will all be the new normal by then

It will be accepted as the new normal. It’s just that utilities, elites, and heal skills you had access to will be wiped out, and you will have to buy them again with mastery points which are only derived from your level and doing at least 69 skill challenges.

I thought that the new player experience was quite nice though. and no doubt that this new new player experience will be equally as nice.

65 skill challenges, not 69.

Hexalot.8194:

VoxShatterfall.5470:

It will be accepted as the new normal. It’s just that utilities, elites, and heal skills you had access to will be wiped out, and you will have to buy them again with mastery points which are only derived from your level and doing at least 69 skill challenges.

I thought that the new player experience was quite nice though. and no doubt that this new new player experience will be equally as nice.

65 skill challenges, not 69.

thanks, don’t know where the 69 came from.

Excited for some changes. Kind of bummed about what is going to happen to Guardians, which is really nothing much compared to other classes. I am usually very very positive about the game (fanboy status) but I’m worried about the guardian changes. Guess I’ll find out on Tuesday though.

Not happy to lose ground targeting on my Ranger traps, but I’ll deal with it.

VoxShatterfall.5470:

Hexalot.8194:

VoxShatterfall.5470:

It will be accepted as the new normal. It’s just that utilities, elites, and heal skills you had access to will be wiped out, and you will have to buy them again with mastery points which are only derived from your level and doing at least 69 skill challenges.

I thought that the new player experience was quite nice though. and no doubt that this new new player experience will be equally as nice.

65 skill challenges, not 69.

thanks, don’t know where the 69 came from.

You’ve got a dirty mind.

I’m not bummed. I’m looking forward to the changes.

I would not be surprised if lower level characters were in a better place after the patch than now. By what I read, traits/specs will become available sooner, and since one can pick types of skills to develop, one should be able to get a fun build. It’s certainly likely that a low-level character whose skill points have been boosted via scrolls will have more skills sooner. However, unless you’re jumping into WvW, I don’t see that mattering much. I consider it likely that my 2 low characters, whose scroll use was almost nil, will probably have more options than before.

That said, I’m probably an oddity, as I tend to prefer not taking leveling shortcuts.

I haven’t wanted to level a toon since the current trait system went online. Now, it seems like it might be fun to start from scratch again.

Inculpatus cedo.9234:

What is it you do with your low-level characters that need skill/traits that won’t be given in the changeover (they announced they would try to keep your existing build as close as possible) that gives no XP whatsoever?

This is what I’ve been wondering, too. Literally the only things I can think of that give no experience is opening champ bags on a specific level (to get crafting resources/equipment for salvaging appropriate to that level range) and sPvP. Everything else you do in this game will give you experience in one way or another. You don’t need skills for opening bags, and you will have all skills/traits available in sPvP anyway.

Is there something I’m missing?

Mysticjedi.6053:

Excited for some changes. Kind of bummed about what is going to happen to Guardians, which is really nothing much compared to other classes. I am usually very very positive about the game (fanboy status) but I’m worried about the guardian changes. Guess I’ll find out on Tuesday though.

We’ll shift a bit, but there are some very nice changes coming too. We’ll see, but we’ll adapt. We always do

Rasimir.6239:

Literally the only things I can think of that give no experience is opening champ bags on a specific level (to get crafting resources/equipment for salvaging appropriate to that level range)

Another thing I myself prefer is that each map drop that specific lvl item eg: lvl req 25-35 maps drop items within that lvl range instead of a lvl 80 char in that map still drop lvl 80 items. I wouldn’t gone through that tedious chest farming just to open up the bags on a lower char for mats. This is just so tedious. Just my personal opinion.

VoxShatterfall.5470:

I’m kind of bummed that all my work to get skill scrolls and buy skills for my low level characters will go to the trash bin.

Not just low-levels. When I heard there would be a change it sounded like it would affect unused skill points only (some traits would remain, others go, and all skills would stay). So I concentrated on skills but bought some traits I thought would come in handy at some point while I was at it.

Most of those traits I have not used yet. Now I am losing them before I got a chance to.

There are also traits I got for doing various things and I am wondering what THAT means. How can you complete a zone twice? Or maybe they will have different unlocks?

Mysticjedi.6053:

Excited for some changes. Kind of bummed about what is going to happen to Guardians, which is really nothing much compared to other classes. I am usually very very positive about the game (fanboy status) but I’m worried about the guardian changes. Guess I’ll find out on Tuesday though.

It will be awesome to have the bow in the specialization though. Right now my choices are to use a slow-and-underpowered scepter or to melee. Neither is a great choice when fighting a boss who you can not approach without dying.

Menadena.7482:

VoxShatterfall.5470:

I’m kind of bummed that all my work to get skill scrolls and buy skills for my low level characters will go to the trash bin.

Not just low-levels. When I heard there would be a change it sounded like it would affect unused skill points only (some traits would remain, others go, and all skills would stay). So I concentrated on skills but bought some traits I thought would come in handy at some point while I was at it.

Most of those traits I have not used yet. Now I am losing them before I got a chance to.

There are also traits I got for doing various things and I am wondering what THAT means. How can you complete a zone twice? Or maybe they will have different unlocks?

There won’t be any ‘tasks’ for unlocking traits anymore. You will unlock all skills and traits with Hero Points, which you will acquire from levels and/or Hero Challenges (formerly known as Skill Challenges).

A: Nope!

I am often prepared to defend ArenaNet, to friends, even in these dark times. Whilst I am very excited for tomorrow’s patch there’s been one thing I’ve been thinking for months now given just how much the game is about to change:

Have we been playing a Beta for the last 3 years?

Sarie.1630:

I am often prepared to defend ArenaNet, to friends, even in these dark times. Whilst I am very excited for tomorrow’s patch there’s been one thing I’ve been thinking for months now given just how much the game is about to change:

Have we been playing a Beta for the last 3 years?

Sometimes things have to change in order for systems to progress. Anet did similar system overhauls in GW1. WoW has done similar system overhauls over the course of it’s lifetime as well.

Personally I am looking forward to the change. Compared to last year’s changes, the new system appears to be much more efficient than telling a level 31 to “Go Kill Ulgoth for a blue trait” or “Map this level 60 are for a blue trait”. Essentially I believe that ArenaNet will do their best at ensure we keep the skills we have unlocked as best possible, however, some skills and traits may be the exception. IE: If you have a lvl 30 with an unlocked elite but did not unlock any other skills in the tree, you may lose that elite.

Also, skill points will be come spirit shards, a new currency form for Mystic Forge stuff and other purposes as well. But, as with all things, we will have to wait and see how the implementation goes.

SmudgerUK.4715:

Not happy to lose ground targeting on my Ranger traps, but I’ll deal with it.

I thought ground targeting for traps was becoming baselined? I thought the other skills that have a ground targeting trait were getting baselined, like concentration skills for guard and wells for necros.

I am excited for a great many things. My guardian, necromancer, and mesmer will be powerhouses. Im really upset at some of the engi changes, but I am also very interested in how they will work now.

ele, thief, and ranger all need a total rework, as my builds there no longer exist. sad face. still looking forward to it tho, since theorycrafting is basically a second hobby at this point.

VoxShatterfall.5470:

I really like the idea about getting an overhaul, and I’m excited to get the specializations.

But.

I’m kind of bummed that all my work to get skill scrolls and buy skills for my low level characters will go to the trash bin.

In the new mastery system, only two things give you back your skills (which are wiped away with the update), level and skill challenges.

I know people say “this just gives you incentive to go level them up”, but this game shouldn’t be just about getting to level 80, or at least shouldn’t force you to do so to enjoy it how you have enjoyed it up until a certain point.

People are going to point out to me, that when we got the new player experience, this put a burden on other people who decided to have an under-level character. My take on that was that it wasn’t too bad, and if you got your level 30 elite equipped you could hold onto it without having to get to level 31. Yes the skill points at that time hurt, but we accepted them, used more skill scrolls / did more work to get our low level characters the right skills.

Now, there is NO way for you to get your low level character the right skills unless you go out and get more skill-points, which may inadvertently level your low level character. All your hard work is wiped clean, and there is nothing you can do about it.

Yes, many of my low level characters did do skill challenges – but I don’t think it will be enough, I’ll have to re-skill up my 30+ low level characters (held at a very specific level) to once again have the right skills to do what I enjoy.

I know I’ll have to do a bit of hard work to get all the skills I want, and I’m ok with that.

But.

There is a part of me who wishes that we didn’t get all of our skills reset for this reason. And another part of me who now thinks that low level characters really get hit hard by this skill – mastery change.

Huh what? can you link the source that says our scrolls with become useless? Also is there info about what will happen to tombs of knowledge?

vincecontix.1264:

Huh what? can you link the source that says our scrolls with become useless? Also is there info about what will happen to tombs of knowledge?

Scrolls aren’t becoming useless they are giving spirit shards instead of points which unlock skills. Scrolls you have already used will credit your wallet with Spirit Shards which will be added together each time you log into a character after the patch hits tomorrow. You can also use any scrolls you’ve been holding onto after the patch to get Spirit Shards as well.

You’ll get hero points for each level you’ve reached which awards them and for any of the skill challenges you had previously done around the world.

The only change to tombs of knowledge is they won’t reward a level after level 80 anymore. So they can’t be used to get through mastery levels and will only be useful to sub lvl 80 characters.

All of this is covered in the last section here: https://www.guildwars2.com/en/news/updating-your-wallet/

I just hope i won’t have to re-unlock skills that I’ve already unlocked/bought with gold. I might rage

MikeE.5947:

I just hope i won’t have to re-unlock skills that I’ve already unlocked/bought with gold. I might rage

It’s all being reset. I think the whole unlocking traits with gold option is going away totally. They haven’t mentioned anything about it.

vincecontix.1264:

Huh what? can you link the source that says our scrolls with become useless? Also is there info about what will happen to tombs of knowledge?

Scrolls will be converted into spirit shards.
Excess skill points will be converted into spirit shards.

I don’t think I can make it clearer than that.

Rauderi.8706:

vincecontix.1264:

Huh what? can you link the source that says our scrolls with become useless? Also is there info about what will happen to tombs of knowledge?

Scrolls will be converted into spirit shards.
Excess skill points will be converted into spirit shards.

I don’t think I can make it clearer than that.

Only excess skill points which were obtained from scrolls or tombs used after level 80 will be converted to spirit shards. Some people will have excess hero points until after HoT comes.

MikeE.5947:

I just hope i won’t have to re-unlock skills that I’ve already unlocked/bought with gold. I might rage

New update:

ColinJohanson.2394:

A quick update on this one -> After feedback from presenting the original hero point count – we decided getting to level 80 will give you enough hero points to unlock all the core skills and traits entirely. Doing hero challenges (aka skill challenges) will simply allow you to earn all the skills/traits earlier before level 80. With the release of HoT, there will be options to spend the excess hero points earned from doing hero challenges in the world.

There are a number of other changes on 6/23 to make the experience from 1-80 more exciting, better-paced, rewarding, and fun as well after having the time to evaluate and player feedback from the updates last year.

-CJ

I can do without it. I’m not looking forward to seeing my characters buildless for the 3rd or 4th time now (I lost count). Each single character will cost me more time to fix again than I tend to play in a session.