Guild Wars 2

End-game progression is debated hotly lately.

There are terms like ‘vertical progression’ and ascended items discussions and what not.

So I’m curious, what is your ‘ideal’ end game? What do you want out of an end game?

These forums make it pretty clear what people DONT want, but what DO you want?

A wide variety of very rare skin sets that can be pursued.

Right now we have very limited choices in armor sets. The most expensive right now are the T3 ones, but there is only one set. The other rare ones are from dungeons, and those are time gated and easy to acquire.

I want very rare, appealing and difficult to acquire armor sets.

edit: would be nice if we had an armor set that has graphical effects to them, kind of like Tosh from Starcraft 2:

We have a lot of weapons now in game, and that’s good. But I think the focus should now be set on armors.

I enjoy what I currently have. I level atls, I’ve started doing most of the dungeons, I participate in living story, etc.

Additionally, I would like to see elite areas similar to (but not the same as the old) FoW, UW, DoA, Urgoz, and the Deep return. Areas that would require more than 5 people, strategy, and potentially time intensive. Things that were built where speed clearing couldn’t be used, where divide and conquer tactics were required, etc. Things where teamwork and skill were rewarded.

Vol.5241:

A wide variety of very rare skin sets that can be pursued.

Right now we have very limited choices in armor sets. The most expensive right now are the T3 ones, but there is only one set. The other rare ones are from dungeons, and those are time gated and easy to acquire.

I want very rare, appealing and difficult to acquire armor sets.

We have a lot of weapons now in game, and that’s good. But I think the focus should now be set on armors.

Pretty much this. To add, more Titles, and elite areas such as FoW/UW/DoA like in GW1. Like was mentioned already, would welcome a decent twist to them that doesn’t require a kittening zerg.

Here’s my thoughts:

Tier: Exotics
I would make All exotics relatively easy to craft, or purchased for karma.
This way, all level 80’s can get a set of good, albeit boring looking gear without too much investment. All stat combinations would be equivalent in difficulty to obtain and power.

Tier: Ascended

• Ascended GEAR would be reasonably easy to obtain from anything that requires a specific grind (dungeon, wvw, fractals), time-gating mechanics.
• Ascended gear would be slightly more powerful.
• Ascended items would cover MORE range of stat combinations.
  So where you can now find a Pwr+crit+toughness item, where toughness is the main stat, you could also find a Pwr+crit+toughness where Crit is the main stat. So almost all main stat trios are possible.
• Items for a full set are scattered via different rewards. For example a carrion helm might be in WvW rewards, and carrion boots from Twighlight Arbour tokens.
• There would be a huge possible combination of skins and stat combinations. All with a unique look.

Tier: True End-game

• I would add two consumables to similar rewards as Ascended items.
• 1: “Reflection Orbs” – copies the item and converts it into a permanent skin.
• 2: “Conversion Orbs” – Converts the item into a different Ascended item.
• These consumables would be easier to obtain than Ascended items, but still by similar methods.
• Like Ascended items, you would need to farm specific locations for these items
• EG: A “Carrion Conversion Orb For Helms” Would convert any Ascended helm into Carrion Stats and skin".
• EG: A “Reflection Orb for Helms” would convert any helm into a permanent unlocked skin.
• In order to change stats but keep the same look you’re best of finding Reflection Orbs first, copying the skins, and then converting with Conversion Orbs.

Tier: Legendary

• Legendary items would be simply skins. Skins only. The same method of obtaining is to be extremely difficult, and time consuming.
• You unlock a skin, it stays unlocked and you can apply it to any of your future items.
• Epic skins for weapons and armor are unlocked and get applied over your ascended items and get changed to Legendary once applied.

~~

Summary:
Exotics become the new yellows. Everyone should have a simple set of exotics without fluff on their lvl 80 characters.

Ascended is considered ‘end game’ in reference to stats. Lots more choice.

The Ascended tier adds a bunch of new stat options. So Pwr+crit+vit/Vit+crit+pwr/Crit+vit+pwr are all possibilities within the Ascended tier.

After Ascended gear has been obtained. Players continue to play for consumable ‘orbs’ which convert the type of stats to something else. (Carrion to Divinity for example).
Keeping skins and obtaining new ones is as simple as farming for Orbs. IT’d be possible to unlock all Ascended skins by farming the Orbs though it’d take a long time. Some of which would be harder to obtain than others.

Legendaries are simply unlockable & reusable skins that get applied to the item. Built in the same way/similar way as now.

No point of even talking about end game. Anet added nothing in one year, has no projects (that raid system will be moar mindless zerg fests with bosses having 17 trillion HP) in the near future so enjoy your Lion’s Arch end game afk.

GW1-style; pretty much only horizontal. Max stats easy to obtain, optional grind for cosmetics and titles.

Waar Kijk Je Naar.8713:

GW1-style; pretty much only horizontal. Max stats easy to obtain, optional grind for cosmetics and titles.

We’ll see if the ascended gear that’s coming out will be easy to get or is time gated in some way. Either way I think it will tick some people off.

And then of course there will be another difference with GW1….a level cap raise. Don’t know when but they already confirmed that last year. Then you can start over again.

Do you think they will raise legendary weapons’ stats to level 90 (assuming that’s the new level cap) or do you think they will stay level 80 legendaries and then there will be new level 90 legendaries?

ANYTHING that makes you able to stand next to someone else and show to people that you have put in more time and effort.

Be it skins, titles, mounts etc.

It could even just be a tonic that turns you into something cool for like 30 minutes and allow you to use it while in combat. (This is my personal preference).

Waar Kijk Je Naar.8713:

GW1-style; pretty much only horizontal. Max stats easy to obtain, optional grind for cosmetics and titles.

I’ll +1 that…

However, everyone seems to forget that before Nightfall, there wasn’t a heck of a lot cosmetic hunting, at least for armor. Specific armors had specific stats, some of which were absolute crap. People didn’t care to ‘collect’ those armors because they had no use for the stats on them. It wasn’t until we could insignia and make the various skins be whatever we wanted them to be that cosmetic hunting really became ‘a thing.’ Yes, there were always a few that bought it for the look, but then they never wore it because it wasn’t functional. IE – loved Elite Ice Forged, but didn’t want/ desire +10 vs cold and +10 vs elementals all the time. Had no use for it, so I didn’t bother getting it….until after I could change its insig. Then I had all the ele armors in the game. =)

http://wiki.guildwars.com/wiki/Insignia/Armor_bonus_system