Secrets of the Obscure - Discussion Thread

[Ghost of Cow]

They're incredibly generous with this stuff.

Yeah, not gonna lie, but the existence of the WvW gear vendor alone changed my outlook on the game. As silly as that may seem!

Feels like they've changed a lot since the last time I played, which has been nice.

[PACOX]

https://www.guildwars2.com/en/news/s...d-winter-2023/

Quarterly update

- New story content
- Next iteration of rifts
- 2 Balance patches
- Wizard Vault refresh
- Next phase of legendary armor
- Temporary bonus weeks
- Slight update to guild hall
- New weapon beta.
- CM strike

[Edge-]

My only disappointment is one bonus rush weekend? IIRC they said they had tech in place to make spinning those bonus weekends/events up more regularly and I was hoping we'd see more than one a quarter or something, which is what the current pace appears to be. That was a really good little event, even if the last Fractal Rush was nerfed, that gets people to check out or return to content they might not play.

Edit: Also, I'm basically "out" of AA to spend now. Just a few more laurels and I'm basically done and there's nothing left, really. Guess I'll just keep close to cap and burn bits here and there on gold or crafting mats or something, because I'm not sure what else to spend it on...revive orbs? lol

[Lotus Victoria]

I'm really interested in the new weapons for each class. Better than new specs, for sure. I wonder if one day we'll get all the weapons for all classes. That certainly would be very interesting.

[PACOX]

My only disappointment is one bonus rush weekend? IIRC they said they had tech in place to make spinning those bonus weekends/events up more regularly and I was hoping we'd see more than one a quarter or something, which is what the current pace appears to be. That was a really good little event, even if the last Fractal Rush was nerfed, that gets people to check out or return to content they might not play.

Edit: Also, I'm basically "out" of AA to spend now. Just a few more laurels and I'm basically done and there's nothing left, really. Guess I'll just keep close to cap and burn bits here and there on gold or crafting mats or something, because I'm not sure what else to spend it on...revive orbs? lol

I think they intend for you to see the Dungeon Rush in the same series as everything in its column on the table. Two festivals (Halloween and Christmas), 1 mini festival (Lunar New Year), 3 bonus events (Extra Life, whatever New Hero Jump Start is, and Dungeon Rush)

Every time they turn on a global buff, they are counting it part of events. There's no gap in between these, except Christmas and Lunar New Year, I think. My math/speculation might be off. But they want to say, "look, we're running an event every week!" Even though some of them are nothing but a +50% more karma or something I'm guessing.

[ryanmahaffe]

The patch will be good almost entirely depending on how good the first release of Nayos is, if its Gyala Delve level people will be furious, also the new RIFT level is hopefully enjoyable.

I can't really imagine Dagda Cm being too interesting.

[Edge-]

Remember you can carry over your AA with the update and store refresh. Folks seem to think that if you clear your weeklies out today you'll get a fresh set tomorrow - seems reasonable to assume - so you might be able to stock up on some if you're not capped already.

[PACOX]

Classic Anet, dropping trailers after a patch.

[Edge-]

https://en-forum.guildwars2.com/topi...ovember-7-2023

Patch notes.

An option has been added to allow players to choose which character-select background is displayed.

FUCKIN HUGE, and you can leave it on random too.

Also a surprising amount of dungeon fixes ahead of the dungeon rush event which is nice. And a toggle for ley lines when flying so you don't get sucked in accidentally if you don't want to.

The AA shop has a refresh

- Looks like remaining sanctified gear is added, as well as a "dark sanctified" set of weapons
- New infusion for cheap - https://www.reddit.com/r/Guildwars2/...on_from_vault/
- Another legendary starter kit and more ascended gear

Seems like a pretty basic refresh with a lot of the same stuff (template expansions, mats, transmute charges, etc.) and yes your saved AA carries over. Yesterday's dailies are still active so if you haven't redeemed those you can get those in before they reset to get a bit more AA to kick things off.

Edit:



New armor set added, fits with the theming and all. Interesting that you wear invisible high heels with it, heh.

[PixelFox]

Haha, clever choice of release day for their patch, since WoW players have nothing else to do all day today

P.S. Also Twitch drops from GW2 right now, and WoW later tonight.

[Edge-]

Haha, clever choice of release day for their patch, since WoW players have nothing else to do all day today

P.S. Also Twitch drops from GW2 right now, and WoW later tonight.

It is the way of things, Blizzard always stacks WoW updates/announcements/launches against competitors, heh.

Twitch drops are alright, for anyone curious - Icebrood saga mini orgre, revive orb, hair styling kit, and an aurene cape for muting a stream and leaving it on for apparently four hours total.

[PixelFox]

As a reminder, if you mute Twitch (turn the volume to zero) it stops giving you watch time credit, but if you right click the browser tab and Mute Tab then Twitch doesn't know

P.S. The first WoW Twitch drop is now live as well.

[Val the Moofia Boss]

https://en-forum.guildwars2.com/topi...ovember-7-2023

Patch notes.

An option has been added to allow players to choose which character-select background is displayed.

FUCKIN HUGE, and you can leave it on random too.

Just checked this out. It actually stays that way the next time you log in too (*cough* FFXIV *cough*)

[Edge-]

I think I'm getting near the end of the story already, it's quite short.

New zone is...small and I'm not exactly into it so far. Visually I like it, it's got very nice moody lighting and muted colors and there are some decent events in there when the meta (which almost always fucking seems active?) isn't killing them all. The meta itself is...not great from the first few times I did it. The first half with the fire is just tedious as fuck, the rest is fine enough but...meh.

I'm withholding judgement until I finish the story and get a look at the achieves and spend a bit more time in the zone. But so far my initial reaction is this is a very Gyala Delve-esque update in many ways : /

[PACOX]

First expanded weapons preview - Ranger mace.



https://www.guildwars2.com/en/news/b...g-mace-ranger/

Main-hand mace and off-hand mace are sibling weapons that cover different roles while also synergizing very well together. Main-hand mace has strong supportive capabilities through healing and boons. As you strike enemies with mace skills, you’ll bolster your bond with the land, gaining a new, unique effect called Nature’s Strength.

Once you reach six stacks of Nature’s Strength, the land will grant you its favor, and you’ll gain another effect called Force of Nature. Force of Nature will reset your mace cooldowns as you grow large—increasing outgoing damage, healing, and stability!

Here’s a look at a couple of the ranger’s mace skills:

Mace skill 2 is called Flourish, which damages enemies and heals allies simultaneously. Your strike causes the ground beneath you to swell with energy, and after a delay, the ground will burst. The burst deals heavier damage and heals more than the initial strike. If you hit an enemy with the initial strike, you’ll gain Nature’s Strength.

The off-hand mace is a more defensive weapon that enhances survivability while also providing some crowd control. Thistleguard (mace skill 4) is a defensive skill that rewards careful timing in the thick of combat. You cover yourself in bramble armor, gaining barrier and stability for a moment as thorns strike outward. Hitting an enemy with these thorns will increase the defensive components of this skill while also granting you Nature’s Strength.

[Edge-]

I believe that mesmer rifle and warrior staff (I think those are the weapons) are both confirmed to be more support niches as well. Will wait to see the full kit proper and possible interactions, but maces seem like a good fit for ranger. A proper backup MH weapon for support druid builds and another defensive OH for...I dunno, PvP and some niche stuff.

Very much looking forward to GUN GUARDIAN, I just hope it's not near the end. Someone's gotta be at the end, and whoever it is I hope it's real good.

[Lex Icon]

bit bummed that mesmer rifle will be support unlike most people it seems i dislike their other ranged weapons and was hoping for this one to maybe be it but i have no interest in support roles.

now i'm kinda worried about what my main elementalist will get.
my guess is most of these new weapons will be support.

[Edge-]

https://www.guildwars2.com/en-gb/new...n-proficiency/



Axe thief blog post/teaser video up.

Seems pretty cool overall based off this.

Feel like they really need to be releasing these right now because this update is...meh. Granted I need to unlock the second mastery and figure out how to do convergences as that's the one bit I haven't really explored from the update yet, but otherwise...very big Gyala Delve vibes for me, but at least with a decent story that I'm still interested in.

I'm definitely not as into GW2 after this patch as I was after SotO, will probably go considerably less hard for AA. I can skip out on some of the optional fluff stuff.

[PACOX]

Haven't played any of the new story stuff yet. Well I got to the new map and did what I assume was the meta boss because he was up then left.

Convergences are like Rifts (t2 and 3) but if you had to do 5 at once plus slightly harder mobs as well. If you die you can only come back as a spirit. There's a little bit of a risk/reward mechanic where if you pick up these orbs you deal more damage but take more (they introduced this in the first story instance).


Convergences add to legendary armor progression but guildmates have told me you're nothing going to get much from doing convergences until you progress your masteries (rifts are similar). I know there another armor set to unlock, problem weapons too? I'm still finding collections from the first release.

- - - Updated - - -

Kind of impressed by the new weapons so far...

I thought it was just going to a be (here's a new weapon, here's some core level skills) but these have actual mechanics that elite specs would attached to them.

[Edge-]

Haven't played any of the new story stuff yet. Well I got to the new map and did what I assume was the meta boss because he was up then left.

Convergences are like Rifts (t2 and 3) but if you had to do 5 at once plus slightly harder mobs as well. If you die you can only come back as a spirit. There's a little bit of a risk/reward mechanic where if you pick up these orbs you deal more damage but take more (they introduced this in the first story instance).


Convergences add to legendary armor progression but guildmates have told me you're nothing going to get much from doing convergences until you progress your masteries (rifts are similar). I know there another armor set to unlock, problem weapons too? I'm still finding collections from the first release.

- - - Updated - - -

Kind of impressed by the new weapons so far...

I thought it was just going to a be (here's a new weapon, here's some core level skills) but these have actual mechanics that elite specs would attached to them.

I gotta figure out how the fuck they even work. The game doesn't seem to tell you anything about it unless you need to unlock the second mastery point before accessing it. I'm just about to get that, but this update isn't really lighting my fire and I'm not really hot to farm the XP quickly or anything. I probably should in case that actually lets me access and figure out what the fuck they are, because that's the only thing that might redeem the patch for me as more than "Gyala Delve 2.1"

Agreed on the weapons. Seems like they're generally approaching them as they would an elite spec, just without the associated trait line and secondary skills that are likely a big timesink/limiting factor.

Edit: Apparently convergences are every 3 hours? Thanks Anet, I fuckin hate it. I guess they're the real meta for the zone or something.