Guild Wars 2

Well here’s the thing – the LS plays out greatly to my personal story, because i’m a sylvari character for LS. I meet a boss that appeared in my dream, it’s my wyld hunt to beat it, pale tree is closely related to my character.

But how does it look like story-wise for less leafy players? Do they get some sorta unique comment or motivation to kick the enemies or it’s just “well i’m not sylvari, but i’m here, and it’s this or getting bored so…”?

More like “it’s this or get squished like a bug”. There’s less motivation for the non-Sylvari, but there’s still plenty of motivation.

I don’t think it’s so much less motivation for non-sylvari players. I mean the Pale Tree isn’t their mother, but she’s still a very important being and kind of a “leader of Tyria” too, plus the mother of an entire race and one who showed you an important vision about Orr…

I’ve been playing on a sylvari character since the second part because it just seemed to be made for a sylvari. There is also no sylvari on the team so it feels more balanced that way.

Considering the Living Story is said to take place after the personal story, every single character has had contact with the Pale Tree via that quest where she shows you visions of Orr and gives you information on how to defeat the dragon.

And she outright says during the first meeting with her that she knows of Mordremoth and is “holding him back” as much as she can.

The fact that she has information on Mordremoth and can in some way combat him should be reason enough for any character, Sylvari or not, to defend her when the dragon attacks.

That and the fact that you’re supposed to be a heroic character who just took the time to bring all the world leaders together at a summit hosted by the Pale Tree in order to bring them together to fight Mordremoth. Not going to look good if said heroic character who just called all the world leaders together says “Welp, there’s a dragon here so I’m just gonna let it slaughter you, have fun!”

ZeftheWicked.3076:

But how does it look like story-wise for less leafy players? Do they get some sorta unique comment or motivation to kick the enemies or it’s just “well i’m not sylvari, but i’m here, and it’s this or getting bored so…”?

1. Chance to knock off another dragon? Check

2. Killing off a threat to your species (even if it’s not focusing on you just yet) that is becoming increasingly active? Check

I’m not sure why our hero NEEDS more motivation then that.

Hell, for Norn like myself, the very fact that it’s another addition to my character’s legend is more then enough of a reason for her to burn a dragon’s hide off. Sure, the Norn could focus on Jormag, but alone they haven’t made much if any progress. Nor have the Charr with Kralkatorik. Humans and Asura I feel might be even worse off if a dragon attacked them directly.

The only time there has been ANY success against a dragon was with the war against Zhaitan, which required the full attention and resources of three of the most powerful factions in Tyria. And Zhaitan was the runt of the elder dragons.

Also, my norn had extra dialogue with Knut. Something along the lines of “for to long we’ve been prey, it’s time we become hunters again” or something like that.

It’s not a matter if motivation; as many of you pointed out, there’s plenty of that to go around.

But the story is heavily, and I mean heavily, biased towards the plant-like race. That’s what puts me off something like this.

I know it’s free and all that, but I don’t HAVE to like it just because of that.

Rhaegar.1203:

It’s not a matter if motivation; as many of you pointed out, there’s plenty of that to go around.

But the story is heavily, and I mean heavily, biased towards the plant-like race. That’s what puts me off something like this.

I know it’s free and all that, but I don’t HAVE to like it just because of that.

At the same stand point, Jormag will likely be heavily biased towards Norn

Kralk will likely be heavily biased towards Charr (and maybe humans)

etc etc etc

The main issue I think, is more that we are going into a very sylvari focused dragon right after Zhaitan, which also was very Sylvari focused mainly due to Trahearne.

Celestina.2894:

The main issue I think, is more that we are going into a very sylvari focused dragon right after Zhaitan, which also was very Sylvari focused mainly due to Trahearne.

Which was a conscious decision from the Writing Team; Zhaitan could have been handled in many other different ways. Out of the top of my head, I can throw out the fact that Orr was a Human kingdom before the Cataclysm. That could have been an angle from where the storyline could have been explored.

But we got Traherne.

Does a character who just happens to be of a certain race really make the entire story “focused” on that race?

I mean, sure, Trehearne is a sylvari. Did the fact that he’s a Sylvari ever really come into play as far as the story, though? Not really, excepting the one bit where he brought you to the Pale Tree to view visions of Orr. Its not like you’re fighting Zhaitan with magical plants or an army of tree golems or something. Its not like half the army is made up of Sylvari or that Sylvari alone created the pact then “allowed” other races to join. And none of the major quests take place in the Sylvari areas of the map (unless you’re Sylvari of course). The enemies certainly aren’t sylvari-related either, zombies are about as far from plants as you can get.

Electro.4173:

The enemies certainly aren’t sylvari-related either, zombies are about as far from plants as you can get.

Plants vs. Zombies.

…sorry, couldn’t help it

I’ve also played it on my sylvari main and wondered how it would work on a non-sylvari. Maybe I should just replay it on an alt.

I personally fine the whole Sylvari centric story getting boring. The story of the Packt focused on Trehurn and his hunt. Then LS1 was about Scarlet. The start of LS2 was promising. I thought it was going to be about the Zepherites. But no, it went back to being about scarlet and the Sylvari. For the last 2 years every story we’ve had has revolved around the Sylvari. And people say bringing back the UW/FoW would make the game too human centric.

I can also say it’s not made me like them anymore and has put me right off rolling one to play. Latly the gMe as felt that you should be playing a Sylvari. I just don’t feel as invested in the story as people who play a Sylvari. We don’t have a Sylvari on the “team” so I find it hard to have a connection with the story. It’s like seeing a war on TV. You know it’s a bad thing and people are suffering. But you don’t know any there/from there. So it dose not really effect you on an emotional level. People could argue that you met the mother tree, you worked with Trehurn. And to that I say this.

1) I’ve not had contact with him or the tree for 2 years. It’s not like we where best buddy’s joined at the hip.
2) we had to work with Trehurn. We didn’t have a choice. He and we where a victem of getting the orders to work together. Nothing more. It could out anyone not connected to the pact in Trehurn’s place. The Packt was more of a benefit for him as he was going to Orr to cleanse it anyway.

The only time I felt part of the story was fort Selma and Concordia. Norn and asura have had no love in the LS at all from what I can remember. I guess the biggest tie for an Asuran player is that the Tree is next door and that Drytop is full of inquest.

Electro.4173:

Everything you said.

No, just one character doesn’t make it [that character’s] race-centric; but major plot points revolving about him, does.

The Cleansing of Orr is his Wyld Hunt, and it is largely the motivation to set up the Pact and its subsequent invasion to Orr.

There’s the fact that there is a legendary sword (Caladbolg) made out of the Pale Tree’s bark, that enhances one’s qualities and traits. Oh hey, given to a Sylvari.

Then, it was constantly stated, Sylvari cannot be corrupted (By Zhaitan).

Do I need to continue?