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<Guild Wars 2>, NCSOFT's global MMORPG IP serviced in North America and Europe for over 10 years, unveiled its fourth expansion ‘Secrets of the Obscure’. Throughout its journey, the game has introduced three expansions: ‘Heart of Thorns’ in 2015, ‘Path of Fire’ in 2017, and ‘End of Dragons’ in 2022. These expansions have consistently captivated players by delivering fresh content that increased the allure of the original game. Read on to learn about the new gameplay contents and changes in battle introduced in the new expansion.

The ‘Skyscale Mount’, first launched during Living World Season 4 ‘War Eternal’, returns in ‘Secrets of the Obscure’. This time, it is with a simplified acquisition method via the Flight Training Mastery line, unlocking new skills and interactions. The mastery system includes enhancements like in-combat mounting and using updrafts, benefiting both skyscale and griffon mounts.

Additionally, new Skyscale abilities have been added. In the new expansion, players can experience the ‘Fireball skill’, which enables precise aerial attacks, enhancing combat versatility without dismounting. Players can also practice skyscale skills through in-game adventures, such as the Skyscale Target Practice. And upon completing the Flight Training Mastery line and skyscale collection, a Kryptis-themed skin can be earned.

Wizards are mysterious beings that have been largely unknown to players in the past. The new expansion introduces a fresh framework called ‘The Wizard’s Vault’ where players can earn rewards from the treasure trove amassed by the wizards. By accomplishing certain tasks and mission, players can secure rewards such as armour components, gold, weapons and other valuable items from the Wizard’s Vault.

The reason why the <Guild Wars 2> development team introduced this new content is to give a wider variety of suggestions and objectives related to battle such as PvE, WvW, and PvP. In addition to the original daily and weekly objectives, special objectives are refreshed each season in the Wizard’s Vault rewards cycle.

One of the aspects that players look forward to in an expansion is the chance to use a new weapon and skills.

Through the last three expansions, <Guild Wars 2> has added new elite specializations which now has various roles and playstyles. In this new expansion, the development team put efforts in strengthening and refining existing combat systems while removing existing limitations to provide a wider variety of choices to the players.

Previously, players could only equip the weapons of an elite specialization by committing to the corresponding trait line, which restricted their build options. In this expansion, a new content called ‘Weaponmaster Training’ is introduced which allows players to use the weapon associated with each elite specialization without being locked into that specific trait line. Once players unlock this ability in the expansion, they gain the proficiency to wield elite specialization weapons regardless of whether they have trained that elite specialization or not. Now that players can equip and use associated weapons without locking into a particular elite specialization, this will grant a higher freedom to players to explore new combinations on their own.

New allies that players will meet in the new expansion are the members of the Astral Ward. Once players join forces with them, they can gain access to the Heart of the Obscure, a mysterious and powerful ancient artifact.

‘The Heart of the Obscure’ emerges as an important key to solve the mysteries of the new expansion. As the stone evolves, it grants players the ability to unlock special doors and win special rewards. The stone not only serves as a narrative catalyst for the expansion's events but also provides players with the means to engage in a dynamic and repeatable open-world activity that contributes to the ongoing struggle against the Kryptis incursions.

Josh Davis, game director of <Guild Wars 2> commented that “Secrets of the Obscure is an exciting moment for <Guild Wars 2>. We will continue to  expand the game's worldview with new stories and creative contents moving forward.”

However, the world of ‘Secrets of the Obscure’ does not end here. The expansion will continue to release additional content to players throughout the end of 2023 and on to 2024, including additional weapon proficiencies, a new map, and other new rewards.