Guild Wars 2

The last time I played was before the realease of HoT. I wanted to get back into this game but it seems like there is a lot I am missing. What is Living world? Do I need to buy that AND HoT before I can do things in the PoF expansion? I just want to know what I need to play this game up to date. Thanks

You don’t need HoT to play PoF. You do need a level 80 character though.

If you only buy PoF, you will not get any HoT specific features:

• HoT elite specs
• HoT masteries, including gliding
• HoT legendaries
• HoT raids
• Scribe profession
• Living story season 3 (as someone who has not logged in during any of the episode releases, you’ll also need to buy them with gems… although if you log in game now, you at least have ep 6 “banked” in case you buy HoT later)

There are certain features that have been released, but are not tied to HoT

• Fractals inc the new ones
• WvW changes
• Any open world events in core maps (Shatterer revamp, Current Events)

What would be useful, as we’re seeing quite a few returning players come by, is a sticky thread with advice up top we could point them at.

If you just want to play Path of Fire you do not need HoT or the Living World/Story stuff. You can just buy PoF and (when it’s released) you’ll be able to start that storyline on any level 80 characters you have and go to the new maps.

If you want to understand the story however you may need to play through the previous releases. (Alternatively you could find a video or a summary online that will tell you what happened. For some people that’s enough, for others it’s no good at all.)

The full order of the story is:

• Personal Story (included in the base game)
• Living Story Season 1 (currently unavailable to everyone)
• Living Story Season 2
• Heart of Thorns
• Living Story Season 3
• Path of Fire

The Living Story is basically GW2’s DLC – each one is a short storyline complete with new items and achievements and (in Season 3 only) new maps. Unlike some games however they tie into the main storyline of the expansions. Season 1 and 2 provided the setting for HoT and Season 3 sets things up for PoF.

The Living World is a more general term which includes both the story and related changes made to the base game maps (which will be there for everyone, even people who don’t play the story). They periodically add new events and achievements, or new NPCs and dialogue and things. Sometimes it’s bigger changes too – the major example being when Lion’s Arch was destroyed at the end of Season 2 and then rebuilt.

Copper-Fed Salvage-o-Matic

Yakez.7561:

Copper-Fed Salvage-o-Matic

/thread

Ts i suggest you to take your time and enjoy hot first.