Guild Wars 2

A week after the monthly reset, I had 3 of the 4 required monthly tasks done for the achievement: Daily achievement (4), Veteran Slayer (100), and Event Participation (100). I do mostly PvE so the WvW achievement would have been my last choice. That left the Fractal Frequenter (10), Spy On This (sonic periscope logs), and the Puzzle Jumper (12).

I started on the Periscope audio logs, and after 2 nights only had 35 of the required 150. It’s certainly do-able, and is not really difficult at all if you use the maps on Dulfy’s website showing the locations of all 50 periscopes. But it is slow-going, and incredibly boring. Defeats the purpose of the game, [to have fun] if you ask me.

I had discounted the puzzle jumping achievement because I’m not a particularly good jumper – I never did get the Mad King Clock Tower at Halloween or the Winter Wonderland puzzle at Wintersday. Nonetheless, I went to Dulfy’s jumping puzzle guide http://dulfy.net/2012/09/16/gw2-jumping-puzzles-guides-guild-wars-2/ and considered giving it a go.

It turned out to be a fantastic choice! I started with the Lion’s Arch puzzles since there are no monsters to deal with, and got through those 3 in less than an hour. Then I went on to the “easy” puzzles in Ascalon, and in about 2 hours (maybe 3) I had 7 puzzles done.

The next night, I finished the achievement going through a puzzle in Blazeridge Steppes, and the 4 puzzles in Caledon Forest. The Spekk’s Laboratory puzzle in Caledon was by far the trickiest of the 12 puzzles I did, but luckily I had teamed up with a super-patient player (Faustian S___) who pushed and helped me into finishing the puzzle (and my monthly achievement). The Spekk’s puzzle is solo-able, but it is a timed puzzle and it helps greatly if another player is there to re-activate the timer for you in the middle of a section, essentially giving you double the time you’d ordinarily have.

Anyway, the main point is not that the puzzle jumping achievement can be done more quickly than the audio log achievement, but rather that it is MUCH MORE FUN, and much more satisfying. There’s a bit of frustration along the way, because you will fall (maybe to your death) many times, sometimes requiring you to start over – and there’s some anxiety, when you’ve spent 15 minutes or so on a puzzle, and are at the last jump wondering if you’ll make it or miss. It’s all fun though, and of course, CHEST rewards at the end of them!

I also have more newfound respect for the developers, becasuse the puzzles are just so clever – the Lion’s Arch “Weyant’s Revenge” puzzle for example, with the maze, and the completely dark room, etc.

If you’re choosing between the audio logs and jumping puzzles, my advice is to go for the puzzles! After you’re done there’s nothing stopping you from collecting audio logs if you want the Karma reward or just are a completionist, but I think the jumping puzzles will provide much more enjoyment (along some anxiety and frustration perhaps). :-)

Stunning Storm

Good post. I’m a big fan of jumping puzzles, but I understand that they are not for everyone. Some of the puzzles are definitely easier than others, so I’d recommend asking around to find out which are the easiest ones if you’re having trouble. Lion’s Arch is a great place to start with 3 puzzles, no enemies and nothing timed.

Morgan’s Spiral and Spelunker’s Delve in Caledon Forest are fairly easy too (though Spelunker’s Delve is very difficult to locate without help). Coddler’s Cove in Timberline Falls is also pretty straightforward (with cute singing quaggans who will res you if you fall!).

I may just try this, although me and jumping in most games get along like a house on fire.

I did this as well. I recently finished map completion and then noticed there were about 10 or so puzzles I had missed in early areas I explored. 2 birds, 1 one stone.

Easy JPs?
Southsun Cove’s “Under New Management” is really simple.
Wayfarer Foothills’ “Shaman’s Rockery” is another short and simple one (Just stand still if a crow lands on you, and wait for it to fly away).
The 3x in Lion’s Arch. “Urmuag’s Secret” is dead simple, while you may be able to find a Mesmer to help with “Weyandt’s Revenge” and “Troll’s End” easily enough.
Iron Marches’ “Chaos Crystal Caverns” is another easy one, just wait until you have a status effect you don’t mind (and you can jump into the puzzle half-way through).
Queensdale’s “Demongrub Pits” is another easy one to snag.
Bloodtide’s Coast “Professor Portmatt’s Lab” IS easy and short, once you know the numbers needed.
Frostgorge Sound’s “Shattered Ice Ruins” is relatively easy, even if you need to kill a few things (Run fast enough, and you can ignore the Vets inside).
Caledon Forest’s “Morgan’s Leap” … has a couple tricky parts unless you know the way. Its easy to miss where you are supposed to go next, but a quick one once you know that. (Do NOT do Dark Reverie as that one has a truly horrendous jump that can potentially kill you if you don’t make it.)
Cursed Shore’s “Buried Archives” is relatively easy as well to get.
Malchor’s Leap’s “Antre of Adjournment” is a standard jumping puzzle as well, if a bit tricky on some jumps. Bonus is the small treasure chests that gives mats.
Griffonrook Run in Lornar’s Pass you can get the completion by jumping to the chest, but not carry the bomb (and thus get the chest rewards). On the other hand, if you try to do this WHILE carrying the bomb, its no longer as easy.

Thats 12.5 possibles (Griffonrook is 1/2, as you don’t get the JP chest for doing it the easy way just to get the Monthly credit).

If you want a challenge though?
Goemm’s Lab in Metrica Province has been known to cause rage in quite a few people. I don’t know why, as I like it.
Skipping Stones in Cursed Shore … even I feel apprehension in doing that one.
Scavenger’s Chasm in Malchor’s Leap is a LONG one that you can’t really pay a Mesmer to do for you, and portal you up.
Griffonrook Run in Lornar’s Pass is truly tricky for most. Carrying a bomb, that goes off if you get hit while carrying it (Lotsa Griffons), is on a timer (3 minutes), and you take a strange twisty path that includes mutiple falls that can seriously hurt.
Dark Reverie in Caledon Forest is long (gotta do a previous jump puzzle to even get there) and has potential for you to die from falling and thus starting from the beginning (the previous jump puzzle) again. This is made harsher by one truly tricky little jump near the end.
Hidden Garden in Mount Maelstrom is a long one. GREAT View, but long and if you die you have to find a new DEvent to let you back in the area again if you didn’t bring a friend.

Loreclaw Expanse is fairly easy if you take the alternate path without the traps.
Dark Reverie can be done without doing the previous part if someone else finishes Morgan’s Spiral and opens the door for you.

I had a list of around 20 easy ones earlier but the forum ate the post when it wanted me to relog.

Also, Conundrum Cubed in NW Corner of Mount Maelstrom:

http://gw2.mmorpg-life.com/jumping-puzzles/mount-maelstrom/

Easy they say? Not on a laptop without a mouse lol!

I agree. I had been avoiding jumping puzzles because i get soooooo nervous and fall alot due to nerves, but i recently tried a few and they are really growiing on me. I just have to take a break once in a while to calm down! I love the feeling of accomplishment from these.

I know how you feel ozman! Just completed my 12 for the monthly with Prof Portman’s in Bloodtide so 3/4 of the way!
I also managed to do Goemm’s a few months back last time it was part of the monthly. And that was when it was (still?) bugged & dropping you all the way back to the ground grrrrr!@#$$% Never again!