Guild Wars 2

This thread contains loads of spoilers.

So now LS3 has drawn to a close, we know the overall story arch. I think that it had the most potential and excitement of all the living stories but the last few episodes was ultimately muddled and I think told in the wrong order which means, for me at least, it ends on an anti-climax. Im suggesting here how the same story could have been told slightly differently and given it a more epic and satisfying ending.

Story Arch as it was told (Roughly)

Primordus awakens
Bloodstone explodes, introducing Fake Lazarus.
Jormag awakens, Aurene hatches
We investigate Taimi’s theory
Caudecus’s White Mantle Attack Divinity’s Reach, Fake Lazarus identified as impostor.
Fake Lazarus revealed as Balthazar when he steal’s Taimi’s device.
Jormag and Primordus neutralized. Balthazar takes dragon power.
We meet Livia, summon and kill real Lazarus

The problems with the story as it is told is that Balthazar comes out of the blue, with no warning. The LS story doesn’t really introduce Livia well or give us a proper reason to summon and kill the real Lazarus, this means it ends on an anticlimax.

Here is How I think it should have been told

My Story Arch

Primordus awakens
Bloodstone explodes, introducing Fake Lazarus.
Balthazar statues glow when ‘prayed to’
Jormag awakens, Aurene hatches
We investigate Taimi’s theory

Caudicus’s White Mantle Attack Divinity’s Reach. We meet disguised Livia, who is after the aspect Caudicus has. Fake Lazarus identified as imposter
As part of our search to work out who fake lazarus is, we team up with Livia, summoning and killing real Lazarus – real lazarus reveals Fake Lazarus is Balthazar before being killed.
Fake Lazarus confirmed to be Balthazar when he steal’s Taimi’s device.
Jormag and Primordus neutralized. Balthazar takes dragon power.

This ends the LS in the same place we are now. It gives us a proper reason to summon the real Lazarus, and means you could potentially avoid the whole joining the shining blade conundrum. It introduces Livia over 2 episodes, giving more time to the character and making her reveal more interesting. It ends it on the biggest plot twist as one of the presumed antagonists of the next expansion has increased in power. It also wraps up Jormag and Primordus, who are the main focus of the episode at the end, rather than in the middle.

What do you think?

The way caudicus phrases it ’i’ve swapped the artifacts’ seems like he did it personally. I appreciate what bauer wrote but it could be caudicus intended on swapping two to be certain.

In 50 words.

The living story instances are fantastic, good dialogue and interesting, unique and challenging but not overwhelming fights. The updated fotm inc jumping puzzle is great.

The map is ok, the shapes of the lava tunnels and fields are fantastically realistic and the dramatic lava flows are good. The enemies strike a good balance. But the map as whole is disjointed and its d5o bleak that i dont really want to return there much. Overall its ok but not as good as h.o.t. maps.

A lot of people seem to struggle to find a good dragon stand map, A lot of the time you find yourself in one with a reasonable population but the timer is too low to start to start the events. Wouldn’t it make far more sense to start the map timer once the initial events have been triggerred?

No one seems to have posted this one yet. I completed the activity ley line in the silver time. Got the achievement for silver but didn’t get either the bronze or silver reward chest. I wouldn’t mind but I need it for Chronilogicus…

Other than staff, I quite like sword-torch for emergencies. good damage output and invincibility from the sword skills with an escape in form of invisibility from the torch.