Guild Wars 2

So, I was pretty bored tonight, so I thought I’d roll a fresh human mesmer. However, I saw the strangest thing after leaving the tutorial instance. Immediately upon walking across the initial bridge, I saw a surge of players bustling about.

Now, I thought this was unusual considering this was only one of many heart quests located in the area, but this one in particular was one of the most populated I saw, and with people constantly actively interacting with the quest. In fact, this was pretty much one of the only places I saw players running about.

New players, level twos, would run right on past me and get started interacting with the quest, then disappear before new ones came running along. And, also strangely, I noticed that they usually had strange names as well. Names like “Illustrious key” “Precious key” and many others that included the word “Key” in them.

Is there something I’m completely missing from this? I’m not sure exactly what’s going on, but I’m quite frankly very disturbed. Is this some sort of cult that exists within the bowls of this community? Some sort of bot activity? I can’t imagine this being a very exciting or lucrative way a player would spend their time.

I’m very concerned.

Nothing to be concerned about, just an aspect of the game you have not discovered yet. They are playing for keys.

They are farming Black Lion keys, by rushing through the human story to the level 10 mission or so. I doubt the average farmer makes a great deal out of it, but it’s an interesting alternative to other monotonous farms, and a number of them aim for personal fastest times.

Personally, it’s a nice break to just roll through a 20 minute key when I’m bored. Since I’ve completed most of the goals I have (aside from working on my legendary), gambling safely with black lion chests is an easy and quick thing to do.

serapheles.5409:

They are farming Black Lion keys, by rushing through the human story to the level 10 mission or so. I doubt the average farmer makes a great deal out of it, but it’s an interesting alternative to other monotonous farms, and a number of them aim for personal fastest times.

I do key farming occasionally. For me it’s not proper farming, certainly not a way to make money. It’s just that every so often I get a weird form of specialist amnesia and I start thinking maybe Black Lion Keys would be worth buying.

Getting a couple of free keys and opening chests reminds me that the junk in them is never worth wasting money gambling on.

Keys drop in-game? Since when?

But that explains all the chat; “key?” “key!”
Keee!

Reminds me of the seagulls from Nemo.
“Mine?”

This will make everything more clear.
www.youtube.com/watch?v=LCSdlhvdmyc

Omar Aschi Popp.7496:

Keys drop in-game? Since when?

Since launch. From your level 10, level 30, and level 50 personal story quest

Carpboy.7145:

Omar Aschi Popp.7496:

Keys drop in-game? Since when?

Since launch. From your level 10, level 30, and level 50 personal story quest

they also are a random drop from mobs. used to be a lot more common 1.5 years ago, then they got nerfed. in the past year, I’ve found roughly 3 keys from mobs. so only slightly more common than precursors.

Mystic.5934:

Carpboy.7145:

Omar Aschi Popp.7496:

Keys drop in-game? Since when?

Since launch. From your level 10, level 30, and level 50 personal story quest

they also are a random drop from mobs. used to be a lot more common 1.5 years ago, then they got nerfed. in the past year, I’ve found roughly 3 keys from mobs. so only slightly more common than precursors.

Keys maybe 10 .. Precuror : 0 … so muuuuch more common.

Beldin.5498:

Mystic.5934:

Carpboy.7145:

Omar Aschi Popp.7496:

Keys drop in-game? Since when?

Since launch. From your level 10, level 30, and level 50 personal story quest

they also are a random drop from mobs. used to be a lot more common 1.5 years ago, then they got nerfed. in the past year, I’ve found roughly 3 keys from mobs. so only slightly more common than precursors.

Keys maybe 10 .. Precuror : 0 … so muuuuch more common.

Sample size is far too small to say exactly.

I’ve had 1 key and 0 precursors, so I could say they’re only slightly more common. But to actually be accurate you need about 1000 samples.

That heart quest is my very favorite event in the whole game. It has to be because I’ve done it so many times. Either that or I’ve lost my fool mind. (No comments need from the peanut gallery) :P

Quick question, read somewhere that sylvari is a possible alternative. Which story is it there? always just human commoner is boring ^^

The sylvari alternative is substantially slower than the human commoner run.

But, if you want to try, Shield of the Moon is the option used in the run.

thx for the info

You get a guaranteed BL key at the end of the LVL 10 personal story mission. Takes about 20 minutes of rushing to get it (Human, Guardian / Warrior, Commoner).

Other races, combos can also get the key (at end of LVL 10 personal story mission), but generally take longer.

Brother Grimm.5176:

You get a guaranteed BL key at the end of the LVL 10 personal story mission. Takes about 20 minutes of rushing to get it (Human, Guardian / Warrior, Commoner).

Other races, combos can also get the key (at end of LVL 10 personal story mission), but generally take longer.

Yeah .. the key is that you mostly have some NPCs that help you and do even most of the work at the lvl 10 quest so that you can do that already with lvl 5 or 6.

Beldin.5498:

Yeah .. the key is that you mostly have some NPCs that help you and do even most of the work at the lvl 10 quest so that you can do that already with lvl 5 or 6.

Most can do that lvl 10 mission easily at lvl 4 (I rarely do at lvl 5), I never tried at lvl 3 because the exp from the PS alone makes you at least lvl 4.

Recalibar.6482:

Some sort of bot activity?

Might be but most of the time it isnt.

I can’t imagine this being a very exciting or lucrative way a player would spend their time.

And you are right with that, it is not lucrative.

Think of key run as a lottery ticket run.
You do the run, use the key and you may get an item that is worth 1k gold or a BL ticket that is worth about 80g, but usually you get the equivalent of “Better luck next time”

I’m always LVL 4 on the final (LVL 10) mission and level to 5 when it completes. The secret is stacking power so even your glancing blows cause some damage…..and you will simply dominate the lower level areas.

Brother Grimm.5176:

I’m always LVL 4 on the final (LVL 10) mission and level to 5 when it completes. The secret is stacking power so even your glancing blows cause some damage…..and you will simply dominate the lower level areas.

I use 4 different runes with power as the first stat (plus 40 power) and rice balls (plus 20 power), rough sharpening stones (power equal to 1% of your toughness) and bloodlust plus 5 power per kill). It makes a big difference.

I skip the consumables….tired them and they overall save about a minute of fighting (mostly in the last 2 big battles).

Brother Grimm.5176:

I skip the consumables….tired them and they overall save about a minute of fighting (mostly in the last 2 big battles).

Yeah, the rice balls are really cheap (karma) though. I’ll probably drop the sharpening stones. I bought them to try them out but 1% isn’t all that much. Bloodlust seems to make a big difference. In the last fight when I have a fairly high stack up it really helps there.

Agree….Bloodlust Sigil does make a big difference once you get some stacks built up.

Belzebu.3912:

Beldin.5498:

Yeah .. the key is that you mostly have some NPCs that help you and do even most of the work at the lvl 10 quest so that you can do that already with lvl 5 or 6.

Most can do that lvl 10 mission easily at lvl 4 (I rarely do at lvl 5), I never tried at lvl 3 because the exp from the PS alone makes you at least lvl 4.

Ah .. i just thought i was 5 or 6 when i did it the last time, maybe it was also 4. Its over a year since i did it, and i was whatever level you are if you do nothing than the story quests

Hardest was always the part in the hospital for me.

I’ve always used my starter armor and equip the gloves I get as reward later on (and chest reward if I hit level 5 before the end fight). For my ranger I just make a stop off at the bank in DR to pick up my shortbow with sigils of fire and air on it (aoe dmg is pretty nice to help with multiple enemies, air for a nice whomp on the single target too). No runes or stronger armor, no bloodlust stacks, no food. I imagine I could probably get my time down to maybe 17 or 18 minutes if I used all that extra stuff. May have to try that sometime.

I doubt there is anyway to reach the LVL 10 story and be less than LVL 4.

Sorry, but this has been tested to DEATH and shortest run is WARRIOR or GUARDIAN w/ Human / Common story. Secret to cutting down time is having the Heroic Edition so you have a the Bank Golem and the Starter Armor it gives you. No way a Ranger can do it sooner as you have no speed boost. Guardian has Staff #3 and Warrior has Warhorn #4.

Brother Grimm.5176:

I doubt there is anyway to reach the LVL 10 story and be less than LVL 4.

Sorry, but this has been tested to DEATH and shortest run is WARRIOR or GUARDIAN w/ Human / Common story. Secret to cutting down time is having the Heroic Edition so you have a the Bank Golem and the Starter Armor it gives you. No way a Ranger can do it sooner as you have no speed boost. Guardian has Staff #3 and Warrior has Warhorn #4.

Rangers have warhorn #5. 15 seconds of speed boost every 35 seconds. http://wiki.guildwars2.com/wiki/Call_of_the_Wild

Mystic Starfish.2586:

Personally, it’s a nice break to just roll through a 20 minute key when I’m bored. Since I’ve completed most of the goals I have (aside from working on my legendary), gambling safely with black lion chests is an easy and quick thing to do.

Farming for keys is pretty boring in itself. So, I don’t know why you would farm for it when you’re bored lol

Fuji.6284:

Farming for keys is pretty boring in itself. So, I don’t know why you would farm for it when you’re bored lol

Mostly because I have over a hundred BL chests and with the new booster consolidation it will eventually clear out some bank space….and I might get some useful items and maybe get some new skins unlocked. As a side benefit, you get some free Luck and T1 materials from every run. I’m sure I will get bored of it, but right now it’s a nice diversion to break up the other activities I’m doing.

Rangers have warhorn #5. 15 seconds of speed boost every 35 seconds. http://wiki.guildwars2.com/wiki/Call_of_the_Wild

My bad. Forgot about that one….still speed boost is inferior to Warrior or Guardian.

Fuji.6284:

Mystic Starfish.2586:

Personally, it’s a nice break to just roll through a 20 minute key when I’m bored. Since I’ve completed most of the goals I have (aside from working on my legendary), gambling safely with black lion chests is an easy and quick thing to do.

Farming for keys is pretty boring in itself. So, I don’t know why you would farm for it when you’re bored lol

Well, being bored with doing one thing doesn’t mean bored with another. While key farming has it’s own special niche of boredom, the boosters (now that they can be switch to other booster), bank accesses, revive orbs, trade merchants, etc are nice to have. It’s also nice to get the occasional really good item, such as backpacks, hair/makeover kits or black lion salvage kits.