Janthir Wilds,Guild Wars 2’s latest expansion, is just around the corner, adding several new features like a new weapon and player housing. This means that if you want to jump right into the new content, you need to be more than ready to do so.
Since many players take breaks between one expansion and the next, they might need a refresher on what is key to have at the ready or what the expansion will bring. Read on to be as prepared as you can be to explore the wonders that hide behind the Janthir Wilds.
8Replay Living World Season 3
Specifically The Final Episode
We don’t have many details about what the story of the Janthir Wilds will be, but we do know enough to be familiar with a few of its participants. The Isles of Janthir were, after all, a place ruled by the Mursaat, a highly advanced species that tried to rule humanity from the shadows in the original Guild Wars.
While there is a Mursaat in Secrets of the Obscure, it has little to no connection to the machinations of the rest of his species.
The last time we heard about them was during Living World Season 3, where we joined the Shining Blade in their pursuit of the last Mursaat. Replaying this episode will help you remember why these creatures were a treat, as well as getting to know both Livia and Anise, two characters that will feature prominently in the Janthir Wilds.
7Buy Guild Hall Decorations
Or At Least Make Sure You Have The Currency
Janthir Wilds will add anew feature called the Homestead, a very robust system that lets players build and customize their own instanced land. Similar systems already exist in Guild Wars 2, but they don’t reach the same feeling that a real housing system achieves.
There are already many decorations available for purchase within the game world, although they are meant for Guild Halls. While we can’t be sure those same decorations will be available for Homesteads, you should at least make sure you have the required currency so you can buy it quickly, letting you decorate your house as you see fit.
6Unlock Underwater Swimming For The Skimmer
The Wilds Seem To Have A Lot Of Water
The Janthir Wilds look like a combination of mountains and plains, but since they are so close to the fabled Isles of Janthir, we can expect at least a few bodies of water to make an appearance. Since traveling through water can be a bit of a chore in Guild Wars 2, you want to make sure you have a way to easily traverse from one island to the next.
End of Dragons introduced the Skiff, a simple boat with boosting abilities. But the best way to travel over water is the Skimmer, a mount you may acquire in Path of Fire. To maximize its utility, you should completethe Skimmer’s Mastery Line, letting you ride the creature even underwater and explore at your leisure.
5Finish Secrets Of The Obscure
Many Characters Will Make A Return
The story of Secrets of the Obscure and Janthir Wilds will likely have nothing to do with one another, at least as far as the antagonistic forces are concerned. There are, however, many characters introduced in Secrets of the Obscure that will make a return for the newest expansion, so you should familiarize yourself with them.
If you don’t have the time to play through the whole expansion, you should at least play through the first two maps. This will allow you to know the main group of Wizards that make up the Tower, and why your main character is called Wayfinder instead of Commander.
4Unlock The Warclaw
Venture Into World Vs World
The Warclaw is a “new” mount introduced in Janthir Wilds, although you can already get it by delving into World Vs World. This mount has existed for years within that competitive mode, and what Janthir Wilds will do is add new abilities for the feline, making it useful even in PVE.
Secrets of the Obscure did the same thing with the Skyscale, making it easier to acquire and giving it new abilities. Based on that, we can assume that players with the Warclaw already unlocked will gain new benefits, either cosmetic or functional ones.
3Buy A Spear
You Might Already Have One
The new weapon for each class will be the Spear, an underwater exclusive weapon that will finally be available on land. You will have to unlock the ability to use a spear from the new Kodan, but once you can wield it, you may want to have a Spear in hand to give it a test ride.
Once you unlock the ability to wield Spears, it will be an account-wide unlock, so all your other characters will be able to use them without needing to speak to the Kodan.
Before you go rushing to buy a Spear, you should check your equipment tab; you might already have one equipped in your underwater section. If you want to use that Spear on land, you can’t use it underwater, so be sure to replace it if you end up liking the moveset.
2Unlock The Skyscale
It Is Still The Greatest Mount
No matter where we go in the future of Guild Wars 2, if we can use mounts, the Skyscale will bethe best one of the bunch.This is because, even without any upgrades, the flying lizard can get to places rather easily, no matter how high they are.
Secrets of the Obscure is the easiest (and cheapest) way to get the mount, and it even comes with a Mastery Line that improves its air time. While the Janthir Wilds will be built around the Warclaw, having the Skyscale in hand will let you reach any destination with ease, be it far or high up.
1Check Your Build
Balance Patches Happen Frequently
It is only natural for players to take breaks between one expansion and the next, or maybe you’ve been on an even longer break because you didn’t have the time to play lately. If you just want to jump right into the action, you should at least log in a day early and ensure that your character is still doing what you think it does.
This is because Guild Wars 2 has rather frequent balance patches, at least when the time between one expansion and the other is concerned, and some of those changes can make some builds unplayable (rest in peace, Minion-based Elementalists). You should log in before the expansion hits so you aren’t in any rush, and read your skills carefully in case something doesn’t add up.
