Guild Wars 2

Do we already know how many hero points an elite specialization will cost? Will it be the same as the normal ones or more? I guess at some point they have to add new ways to gain hero points if they keep adding new elite specializations (then again, at their pace if this takes another 3 years i guess we dont need to worry ^^)?

Just wondering if i have to hunt down hero points now with my char not to be super annoyed later to find out it costs me 200 points or something….

We don’t know yet. If you have the energy to hunt down hero challenges now, well, it won’t be wasted effort. Eventually you’ll have a use for the points. Heck, I got all 14 of my 80’s to at least 100 points credited in the world completion panel before they changed it to give a full unlock at 80, and I’m very glad to have those points in the bank now.

I believe Anet has stated in multiple times in POIs, that you need about 65 hero point.

that means i will still have 130+ hero points to spend on nothing. I don’t think it would be much more then 65. since elite maybe little higher but never know they could follow same format like chobits said.

Regardless of the actual cost, I’m stocking up on popcorn for the inevitable, “I don’t want to do Hero Challenges posts.”

I’ll give you one right now. I don’t want to only do hero challenges. I want freedom to progress through a multitude of methods. Its a serious problem that anet should address.

Remeber folk that you’ll have to complete 2 tracks:
1 for the traits, that will require more than 60 HP (current ones require 60, but elite ones have something more, like skins, etc etc)
1 for new skill type and that depends but i’d say around 60 too ;-)

Chobits.2430:

I believe Anet has stated in multiple times in POIs, that you need about 65 hero point.

Those statements were from before the changed plan. They meant that to do a full core unlock you’d need level 80 + 65 challenges. Then they changed it to level 80 for a full core, and an unknown number for the Elite. So the 65 number is obsolete (though it could of course be the amount needed, if they want to be nice to people that went and got the challenges in anticipation of the new system based on earlier statements).

Has ANet said what they are going to do about Hero Points for people that only do WvW or SPvP? Are you going to be forced into a PvE game mode in order to do WvW or SPvP with Elite Specs?

For WvW probably, in PvP everything is insta-unlocked, since forever

is it 100% certain that Elite Specs will be the same as Core Specs as in spending Hero Points to unlock them?

what if they are a Reward Track at which end you get the specific Armor Piece for the E-Spec (Hood, for Reaper, Glove for Dragonhunter, Shoulder for Tempest) and inbetween you unlock the Skills and Traits?

This News Blog explains how one will unlock the unique weapon and armor items (on the Specialization Reward Track), and also states that, for now, only one Elite Specialization can be utilized at a time.

https://www.guildwars2.com/en/news/specializations-part-two-reward-tracks-and-elite-specializations/

I think it was during the Portal Beta event that we saw the extra unlock on the Specialization Reward Tracks, though it wasn’t unlocked/available for use.

Good luck.

So I looked up some of the costs for current skills and specializations on wiki to see if there could be a general estimation made for the HoT specialization costs. Came to the following conclusions:

- All Heal skills seem to cost 2 hero points
- All Utility skills seem to cost between 2-5 hero points with the majority costing 3 and 4 and engineer being the only class with a cost of 5 on some of them.
-All Elite skills seem to cost between 8-9 hero points with a majority being 9 and engineer being the only class with the cost of 8 on all of its elite skills (why you so strange
Engi?).
-All specialization lines seem to cost 60 hero points.

If the elite specs were to follow the same trend as current skills and specs, then the cost for a full elite spec should be between 78-91 skill points. 78 implying all utility skills cost 2 and the elite costs 8 and 91 implying all utility skills cost 5 and the elite costs 9.

Of course Anet could choose to throw in completely different numbers than currently seen in game but for now this is what I came up with. Please point out any errors you see. Would you guys consider that to be an acceptable amount for it to cost?

Hello Arena Net,

This question is specifically for you…

As we are weeks away from the launch of HoT, could you tell us what is required in order to use the Elite Specialisations?

I know Data Mining and speculation states that it is X number of Hero Points. The exact number would be great as I have done world completion twice and would rather not chase after Hero Points unless it was with the Reaper.

I am sure many others would appreciate knowing what they need to do in order to run into that jungle with their favourite elite.

On a separate note to that . I would also like to say that the way you guys have handled the past few weeks has been pretty amazing. The communication has been spot on and I bet it feels great to see your hard work pay off.

Important to know is if we can just have elite spec and 2 core specs trained or if we need all 5 core specs to unlock the elite

perry.9645:

Important to know is if we can just have elite spec and 2 core specs trained or if we need all 5 core specs to unlock the elite

This is a good point, I was thinking of just spending points on the traits and abilities I intend to use, I can work on the rest later. I’m hoping that I can choose to spend points on an Elite spec and put one or two of the core specs off until a later date.

i’d be surprised if it didn’t require everything else to be unlocked, tbh. it is an ‘elite’ spec after all, and you get enough points to unlock everything just by leveling (or so i hear.)

Shoe.5821:

i’d be surprised if it didn’t require everything else to be unlocked, tbh. it is an ‘elite’ spec after all, and you get enough points to unlock everything just by leveling (or so i hear.)

I believe you get enough points to unlock everything except the elite spec, that you need to go forth and gain hero points for. That is why I’m hoping I don’t need all the core specs first.

This would be an acceptable number.
However, I have heard rumors of it requiring 170 hero points which sounds like way too high for me.

the number 170 was a datamined number, it seems to be true, although numbers can change.

Add a few points for the two checkpoints along the way of the class weapon skin and class armor skin. Those might be positioned after all of the mechanical features, but I doubt it.

Ugh, I’m sorry but the concept of being forced into nearly fulfilling (or half fulfilling) map completion for every character just to unlock Elite specs ruins the entire thing for me. The absolute max I think would be reasonable is 100, otherwise it’s just an artificially inflated way to waste our time.

You really should just ignore any number until it’s officially revealed.

-All Elite skills seem to cost between 8-9 hero points with a majority being 9 and engineer being the only class with the cost of 8 on all of its elite skills (why you so strange
Engi?).

my guess: getting the toolbelt skills on top of the skill.

xinkspillx.3914:

Ugh, I’m sorry but the concept of being forced into nearly fulfilling (or half fulfilling) map completion for every character just to unlock Elite specs ruins the entire thing for me. The absolute max I think would be reasonable is 100, otherwise it’s just an artificially inflated way to waste our time.

Or you can use points for 2 trait lines and the elite spec, and the skills you need?

xinkspillx.3914:

Ugh, I’m sorry but the concept of being forced into nearly fulfilling (or half fulfilling) map completion for every character just to unlock Elite specs ruins the entire thing for me. The absolute max I think would be reasonable is 100, otherwise it’s just an artificially inflated way to waste our time.

Same here. A bit under 100 I would consider reasonable (I am pegging my guess at 85-90) but not over it. I am not going to start grinding HPs for what will be 9 characters once I have a revenant. Half of them are in the 70s so they are not too bad and I hope to have all (bar the rev) around 85 by launch. It is not just going to all the places with HPs, it is that some are not just walk in, pick up your point, then walk out.

I wish they would tell us, I want to know how many more points I need to get or if I can finally stop.

I don’t have much time to play and getting hero points is like the only thing I do as of now.

Name.9128:

xinkspillx.3914:

Ugh, I’m sorry but the concept of being forced into nearly fulfilling (or half fulfilling) map completion for every character just to unlock Elite specs ruins the entire thing for me. The absolute max I think would be reasonable is 100, otherwise it’s just an artificially inflated way to waste our time.

Or you can use points for 2 trait lines and the elite spec, and the skills you need?

That would certainly be a possibility if I didn’t already have all the characters I intend to make at lvl 80 (except Revenant, of course). As you may recall, it is not possible to reset the points we’ve spent.

You have to unlock everything else before you can unlock an elite. I’m almost 100% sure Anet discussed that at one point or another.

There is also the reward track to consider. It sounds like we’ll need to unlock not just traits, but skills, skins, and runes also. Presumably it will require Hero points.

Elite Specialization Reward Tracks
Finally, these reward tracks unlock everything for an elite specialization: weapon, unique mechanics, skills, and traits. They’ll also reward items, including new runes and sigils, a fancy weapon skin for your new weapon type, and an armor skin for a single matching piece of armor (usually headgear or shoulders). As long as you’ve purchased Guild Wars 2: Heart of Thorns, you’ll automatically unlock access to all elite specializations in PvP.

fair solution would be for ANet to refund the Hero Point spent, so that players can reallocate the points if they so desire to play the new elite specs but do not have enough points.

i sincerely doubt you can even start unlocking the elite spec without having unlocked everything else

KingFarout.1092:

I wish they would tell us, I want to know how many more points I need to get or if I can finally stop.

I don’t have much time to play and getting hero points is like the only thing I do as of now.

Same here, right now my plans are all-hp-quest-all-the-time from now until release. With this many characters it is more grinding than anything else.

If they were to come out today and say it was 200 points, yes, I would be spitting fur. I could at least get back to my normal gaming though.

I started doing that, then realized I’d rather do it while I was amassing XP towards auto-loot instead of it just vanishing into the ether…

This seems weird, having no gear tread mill but then implementing a grind like this.
I’m a multiclasser, always was and always will be, and i cba to grind 170 or even 240hp with all my toons.
This really needs some clarification,soon.

Chobits.2430:

You have to unlock everything else before you can unlock an elite. I’m almost 100% sure Anet discussed that at one point or another.

im also 99% sure i have read/heard that

id be okay for a higher hero point cost if they will introduce a new way to collect hero points – such as participating in hot events or the such…but it definatly shouldnt be a huge hassle – because they game should be about having fun not working towards having fun

Nemesis.6938:

Chobits.2430:

You have to unlock everything else before you can unlock an elite. I’m almost 100% sure Anet discussed that at one point or another.

im also 99% sure i have read/heard that

id be okay for a higher hero point cost if they will introduce a new way to collect hero points – such as participating in hot events or the such…but it definatly shouldnt be a huge hassle – because they game should be about having fun not working towards having fun

Well, as long as they are reasonable about it. I would say 100 HPs and a full unlock of everything else is the max any reasonable (note that adjective) person could expect. By definition, we will not have those HPs that are post-HOT by launch.

I will do VW but I gasp do not spend all my time going up to champs and punching them in the nose …. I prefer to have fun and saying I HAVE to do something I would not normally do is strangely not in my definition of fun.

Of course, if we have to have a full unlock before we can unlock elites the issue becomes moot. If not though, the best solution would be to allow us to rewind things …. if you will use one of your 3 lines for the elites how often do you use ALL of the other lines given you only have 2 more slots? If your chosen last major trait is the first one why buy the other 2? Are you using the last skills in every skill line?

So does anyone know how many hero points I will need for the elite specs? I got like 7 80s and I need to run through world map a bunch of times are they gonna make it like this? Which is a huge pain in the butt and yes you may think I am complaining but I do not do Pve so yeah.

Maybe since its a track the hero points will be inside it but I do not know. What are your thoughts?

This was already data mined a little while ago, though obviously it is subject to change.

It was 170 for all skills, and another 80 for the last 2 elite specific items
i.e. 250 all up, but 170 to be completely playable.

The optimist in me wants to think that the lack of information means it won’t be too difficult to unlock elite specs.

jubov.2037:

The optimist in me wants to think that the lack of information means it won’t be too difficult to unlock elite specs.

That would be nice but I plan worst case if there is a lack of data. The datamine aside the probabilities of it being above 100 plummet while the same of encountering HPs you have been putting off skyrocket. It would be great if we knew costs then we could figure out risk/reward break-even points and get back to playing the game rather than farming HPs we missed.

Look at what they want to accomplish. They have put a LOT of work into the elites. Would they want them to be available to only some people or to as many as possible? Remember, it is a key selling point for HOT that we essentially are getting 10 new professions. If it cost something like 200+ HPs people would be less likely to buy the game. There is also the fact that future expansions will most likely have more elites so even if there are new HP challenges in the new areas people would want to earn the HPs before the expansion comes out.

jubov.2037:

The optimist in me wants to think that the lack of information means it won’t be too difficult to unlock elite specs.

The realist in me says there’s a pretty serious soft cap on how high it can go because they’ll want to put out more Especs in the future and they’ll have to ensure there’s enough hero points available to cover one character unlocking everything. Given how slowly maps are added… we probably will need to be able to buy two, maybe three of them with what we have access to now + what’s in the HoT maps.

Source for that datamine?

Only got 189 hero challenges right now.
So either anet would have to add hero challenges (only seen mastery points in beta) in new maps, or we have to forgo having some of the skills/traits to get the skins ( which sounds pretty sadistic to me, since that char would be better deleted and remade after getting the skins).

If anet intends us to level each and every class to 80, then delete it and start over just to get the skins & have a char that is mechanically viable, I’m pretty sure there will be outrage.

https://www.reddit.com/r/Guildwars2/comments/3iz5oo/data_mining_hero_points_and_specialization_tracks/

189 Hero Challenges is for world completion. You also have a couple in Dry Top, Silverwaste, WvW and home instance to up that number to 214. I don’t see why there wouldn’t have any hero challenge in the new 4 maps. 36-37 Hero Challenge isn’t a big deal to put in those map.

Anyway, 250 is a little bit high. Especially, if you think about future elite specialisation. Most people will have to get between 36-100 hero challenge at max on their main, but it will take a lot of new hero challenge when Anet will add a 2nd elite spec.

Yeah I went hunting and found a reddit post on it.
I hope those numbers get trimmed down a bit.

I was expecting around 90, for a trait line + skill set. Then maybe a few more for skins.

I was thinking 120, since a normal spec line costs 60 to max out. It would be twice that or something.

If it is over 100 I expect a full armor set of skins, not just a single piece. The game is supposed to be FUN, not grinding.

Runiir.6425:

If it is over 100 I expect a full armor set of skins, not just a single piece.

Well, you already know that’s not happening.

Nike.2631:

Runiir.6425:

If it is over 100 I expect a full armor set of skins, not just a single piece.

Well, you already know that’s not happening.

Yeah but I re-iterate, the game is supposed to be fun. Grinding is not fun, by any means.
Unless elite specs are supposed to be “elite” (read, more powerful) then there should be no grind or cost above normal specs.

As lots of people keep asking this question, I am going to post it every day until we get a response. Please Anet you are doing good, just tell us what we need ahead of hot.

You just need enough hero points to unlock the skills and spec line. They have said this plenty of times.

What else wasn’t clear?