Guild Wars 2 is finally going to be getting its first major expansion this year. Although so far, ArenaNet have subscribed to a philosophy of continuous mechanical and narrative updates, negating the need for expansion packs entirely (at least in their own words), they seem to have changed their stance now, and heart of Thorns is due out for the game some time later this year.
The expansion introduces a lot of new features- two of these are the Map Bonus system, and the precursor crafting system. In a recent update on their website, ArenaNet detailed how these would work.
The precursor crafting system will be3 split into three sections or ‘collections,’ and isn’t even accessible until you hit Level 80; once you do, you can start the long journey of crafting it and turning it into your own legendary weapon.
The map bonuses system, on the other hand, is going to make the entire collection of materials a lot more directed and involved:
‘With Heart of Thorns, most explorable maps will have an associated set of bonus rewards that rotate on a regular basis. Starter maps will not be included in order to preserve the new-player experience. By completing events, jumping puzzles, and mini-dungeons in a map, you’ll be periodically awarded with one of its associated bonuses in addition to the normal rewards. For most maps, the bonus reward will be crafting materials. For instance, playing in Cursed Shore could reward you with ancient bones, charged cores, charged lodestones, or giant eyes during one rotation, and powerful venom sacs, glacial cores, glacial lodestones, or globs of ectoplasm during another rotation,’ they wrote on their website.
Heart of Thorns is due out later this year. Stay tuned to GamingBolt for more coverage and information.