Guild Wars 2

Besides doing old content, is there a way to get a bunch of hero points at 80? Or am I going to have to sift through old content and grind?

The only way seems to be from level up rewards and hero challenges in the world. You’ll have exactly enough hero points for every trait+utility for your profession minus the elite one from just being level 80 with 0% map completion. From 100% map completion minus Maguuma you’ll have around half the amount required for the elite spec.

WvW gets hero points with ranking up. You get some “coins” that you turn in, which unlocks a random hero point location in HoT.

I got 39 of these during a decent zerg run in one night (although I had a birthday booster going.)

Edit: I have not tried EOTM yet, but you should rank up the same in EOTM I would think. Also apparently the coins are account bound, but they come in a chest that you can store and open on another toon apparently (havent tried this yet either).

MaximillianVonSchatten.6278:

WvW gets hero points with ranking up. You get some “coins” that you turn in, which unlocks a random hero point location in HoT.

I got 39 of these during a decent zerg run in one night (although I had a birthday booster going.)

Edit: I have not tried EOTM yet, but you should rank up the same in EOTM I would think. Also apparently the coins are account bound, but they come in a chest that you can store and open on another toon apparently (havent tried this yet either).

So I have to grind for a long time just to access their most advertised feature of the expansion…?

Equius.4356:

MaximillianVonSchatten.6278:

WvW gets hero points with ranking up. You get some “coins” that you turn in, which unlocks a random hero point location in HoT.

I got 39 of these during a decent zerg run in one night (although I had a birthday booster going.)

Edit: I have not tried EOTM yet, but you should rank up the same in EOTM I would think. Also apparently the coins are account bound, but they come in a chest that you can store and open on another toon apparently (havent tried this yet either).

So I have to grind for a long time just to access their most advertised feature of the expansion…?

Yes

http://dulfy.net/2015/10/25/gw2-verdant-brinks-hero-points-guide/
http://dulfy.net/2015/10/26/gw2-auric-basin-hero-points-guide/

These may help you.

Equius.4356:

MaximillianVonSchatten.6278:

WvW gets hero points with ranking up. You get some “coins” that you turn in, which unlocks a random hero point location in HoT.

I got 39 of these during a decent zerg run in one night (although I had a birthday booster going.)

Edit: I have not tried EOTM yet, but you should rank up the same in EOTM I would think. Also apparently the coins are account bound, but they come in a chest that you can store and open on another toon apparently (havent tried this yet either).

So I have to grind for a long time just to access their most advertised feature of the expansion…?

That is correct. Anet said they didn’t raise the level cap, but they in essence did. And there are no cheats around it like tomes or crafting, but I expect there soon will be with the current uproar.