Guild Wars 2

I maxed out all the masteries and i cant choose another track and have 0/0 exp. So people told i have to have raid masteries to progress. Which is fine but they are locked. If they werent locked id just max them out, never look back or use them again (like every other mastery) and start getting my spirit shard and exp. Is there a way i can get around this? I really dont like instanced content (dungeons, fractals, raids, spvp).

So what happens if i dont want to raid? There are so many thing that can be done so i can get back to playing the game my way. Open raid masteries if i have to get them. Exclude raids from the list. Or in more general give me an option to choose if i want mastery or spirit shard exp. There are options to solving this issue. Why do i have to do something i hate so i can do something else that i like. This isnt real life come on! But right now all i can hope is they dont do the same for pof.

I assume the logic behind it having to unlock the raid track was to get players to try raids, but I completely get your frustration at it, as once I’d completed all the HoT masteries I was also annoyed at having my exp bar locked and not being able to progress it until I’d unlocked the raid masteries.

However I don’t think it’s something that will change anytime soon (if at all), so for now I’d just bite the bullet and try to get VG or the escort one done, you only need to do enough to unlock the track, so don’t need to clear a whole raid. Once the track is unlocked you can level the masteries in HoT maps and don’t ever need to go back to raids.

After a couple of weeks joining VG raid training & newbie friendly groups on LFG (and failing all the time), I ended up asking for advice on the raids forum here, and got quite a few messages from kind raiders who were willing to help me unlock the track, I joined one who with his guild buddies helped me down VG on the first try. (I even survived the fight). So I’d drop a message over in the raid forum and see if you can get some help there.

I hear that the escort one is actually easier to do than VG, and can be pugged, but I don’t really know raid stuff, so best to confirm it with those who know about raids. Since unlocking the track I have wanted to get into raids, but just haven’t had the time.

You aren’t going to get a better answer than killermanjaro’s.

You don’t have to raid; the only thing you miss out on is some spirit shards which you also gain from all sorts of other sources.

The reason this is a thing is that originally, XP didn’t give us anything at all after maxing masteries. About a year after that happened (well before HoT), ANet offered us the least possible reward: spirit shards. But because they had implemented masteries into only two trees (HoT and Core), “maxing” meant including raids. It was just the least-effort solution to appease the criticism.

My hope is that they’ll separate raid masteries into its own tree or provide some other work-around.

In the meantime, you’re not missing much. Or if you truly think it’s that important, buy a raid (or leech off friend who raid); you only need to complete one encounter to unlock the branch.

IndigoSundown.5419:

You aren’t going to get a better answer than killermanjaro’s.

I agree that there isn’t currently a better answer, but I still support his complaint. I hope that eventually Anet will change this policy. Whether some people think that XP and Spirit Shards are worth complaining about or not, what it comes down to is that some players get the rewards and some players don’t.

Buy raid spots from the LFG. It can cost around 100g give or take.

This is so you can unlock the raid masteries. I had to do it because no one wanted me in their raid spots for free.

runeblade.7514:

Buy raid spots from the LFG. It can cost around 100g give or take.

This is so you can unlock the raid masteries. I had to do it because no one wanted me in their raid spots for free.

I am not going to pay gold to get around a reward lock-out that Anet forced on me. I would rather leave the game.

Just make a group for escort, its super ez and feels more like a dungeon instance than an actual raid. U dont need certain classes, u dont need to min/max or have really good gear, there are 2-3 mechanics to watch out for but overall is easy to beat. Everyone has something their locked out (i cant get ascension cause i dont wanna pvp for 2 seasons, if at all), but in this case it is pretty short and easy.

Currently, there’s no alternative. You CAN use the XP in Living World Season 3, to get those masteries.

But, once you’re done with those, you’re done with masteries and with XP. Further, all of the food and other consumables that give you bonus XP? That portion is worthless.

One can only hope that they realize their error and fix it in PoF, but they have never replied to any of the dozens of threads on this subject, so I’m not holding my breath.

Get into LFG and get into Escort group. It’s easier then some HoT meta-events, and doesn’t take much skill or knowledge to pull. Hell, when I went for those masteries, I did it on power reaper. POWER REAPER. You can do it. And yes, it was for free.

They really need to make a raid section in the mastery menu and throw the current (and any future) raid masteries in it. It’s just there to penalize people for not raiding and it’s incredibly stupid (not that I need spirit shards, but it’s the principle of the thing).

Yeah, don’t pay anyone right away, just try Escort with a pug. If you are lucky, there are two or three people who know what to do and you can unlock the Mastery line. Only if that fails a few times, consider paying gold, because if you spend days failing, you could better spend days farming for gold instead and just get a guaranteed kill.

Not any pug can do escort, you need people who do the towers and if you don’t have anyone in the group with ley line gliding, that won’t happen. If you only have one member with that mastery, he better brings a mesmer. To get there, at least one member needs Forsaken Thicket Waters mastery from the raid line.

I’ve only ever done it to unlock the mastery line. It was fun and easy and didn’t take much time.

Wintermute.5408:

Get into LFG and get into Escort group. It’s easier then some HoT meta-events, and doesn’t take much skill or knowledge to pull. Hell, when I went for those masteries, I did it on power reaper. POWER REAPER. You can do it. And yes, it was for free.

Going to keep this advice echoed: Do the escort.

To put this into context, I’ve tried 3 other bosses, and after many agonizing hours at each, took down 2 of them. Most failures could be traced back to me just struggling. Raids and the skill required to do them are not for me. But when I went to the escort it was a dream. I was absolutely shocked when I saw people saying, “Thanks!” and “Farewell!” while I was looking around for the big boss to fight. Sure, there was a guy at the end, but even he melted.

Swing into the aerodrome, ask if any groups are willing to let you tag along to unlock the masteries, and I’m sure you’ll find a group .

Djinn.9245:

I am not going to pay gold to get around a reward lock-out that Anet forced on me. I would rather leave the game.

That makes me curious though. Lets assume they would add a mastery-unlock-item at a vendor for 100g. Would that be better? You would still spend 100g to get what you want. Preferring one of those solutions so strongly over the other one is just irrational.

Illconceived Was Na.9781:

You don’t have to raid; the only thing you miss out on is some spirit shards which you also gain from all sorts of other sources.

The reason this is a thing is that originally, XP didn’t give us anything at all after maxing masteries. About a year after that happened (well before HoT), ANet offered us the least possible reward: spirit shards. But because they had implemented masteries into only two trees (HoT and Core), “maxing” meant including raids. It was just the least-effort solution to appease the criticism.

My hope is that they’ll separate raid masteries into its own tree or provide some other work-around.

In the meantime, you’re not missing much. Or if you truly think it’s that important, buy a raid (or leech off friend who raid); you only need to complete one encounter to unlock the branch.

honestly be more nicer if they dropped this from the whole game . and after they dropped it from raid for good put it something different . something that keeps it from raids and pvp and wvw and meta events . as it stands right now its more of a problem then it is something to even invest into just get that one mastery rank filled for thos that want it

Jojo.6140:

Djinn.9245:

I am not going to pay gold to get around a reward lock-out that Anet forced on me. I would rather leave the game.

That makes me curious though. Lets assume they would add a mastery-unlock-item at a vendor for 100g. Would that be better? You would still spend 100g to get what you want. Preferring one of those solutions so strongly over the other one is just irrational.

idk make it 25 gold . and I could see it going over a far bit more better than a 100 gold . at 25 gold or even 15 gold . I know people be chopping at the bit to find that vendor . just so they did not have to be forced to do raids just for one mastery rank

Jojo.6140:

Djinn.9245:

I am not going to pay gold to get around a reward lock-out that Anet forced on me. I would rather leave the game.

That makes me curious though. Lets assume they would add a mastery-unlock-item at a vendor for 100g. Would that be better? You would still spend 100g to get what you want. Preferring one of those solutions so strongly over the other one is just irrational.

What makes you think I would prefer either solution? No, I wouldn’t pay a vendor either.

I also support the OP’s complaint. I’ve spent a couple of hours trying to do the escort one with pugs without success. Frustrating, and a crazy design decision.

If ya don’t like it, don’t do it.
Especially now that we can get legendary armor via sPvP or WvW.

Hyper Cutter.9376:

… (not that I need spirit shards, but it’s the principle of the thing).

Exactly

I agree that it is the principle of the thing. I don’t need spirit shards, but it is a little bit sad to see this all dark xp bar when in HoT or LS3 maps.
Raids should have their own mastery section. At least make it so if future raids are going to be added in future expansions.

Do escort, it’s easy.