The Icebrood Saga begins November 19. Watch the trailer for “Whisper in the Dark.”

[Thornwolf.9721]

@Linken.6345 said:

@Thornwolf.9721 said:

@Fueki.4753 said:

@Thornwolf.9721 said:Its them throwing in my face some human stuff, because Im miffed about the spirits of the wild being mastery's for everyone and are no longer unique to the norn.

Plant magic never even was unique to Sylvari. Rangers of all races use it and there also is the grappling vine mastery.Charr don't even have something special racial to begin with.

They have their unique model and appearance, which between all the races outside of asuran sets them apart.

Your grasping at straws here mate.Their unique model make alot of armors clip horribly and they hardly get anything tailored to them. ( its all streched up human centric stuff)Imo oppinion both asura, norn and charr need to be fleshed out more

No I completely 100% agree they need to be flushed out, JUST NOT LIKE THIS. Do not strip them of their unique stuff from guild wars 1 and hand it off like this, while the race itself is incapable of capturing what makes them cool. The norn are Celtic/norse/Native american based with the ability to become werebeasts which translates HORRIBLY into this game and needs to be completely reworked to make them be more than just "Big humans" as the community calls it. Their culture can be explored but Id rather not have charr and humans run around channeling the power of our spirits because as I Said we can't outside of the human race channel the power of the gods (In any meaningful way.)

Both charr and asuran are in this same boat, Asuran are really bad because they should be able to be in Golem suites while in combat considering golemancy is like 101 of their races motif. And charr could definitely use some more flare (Flame legion options for customization?) And cooler stuff to boot. I 100% support and agree with them needing the be flushed out, but if its only in the narrative and it does not translate into gameplay for them and cool toys to use then why bother? Because the VAST majority of this playerbase could care less about story or even lore. Most are here for shinnies and combat, which is where a lot of this needs to be translated too because that is where it matters all the time. I main a norn, due to their lore and how I see them based on how they were presented in guild wars 1 (With a side of charr for the same reasons.) And I can't stand how they are represented in this game....

[Fueki.4753]

@"Thornwolf.9721" said:The norn are Celtic/norse/Native americanWhat exactly is Native American about them?The worship of Animal Spirits, which equals the worship of Nature spirits that was practised almost worldwide before the Christians 'removed' much of it during colonialism?more than just "Big humans"You might not know, but "big humans" is the reason many Romans were afraid of Germanic people when the Empire expanded north.And since Norn are based on Germanic (which includes Norse)people, "big humans" essentially is their main feature. The Spirits of the Wild are just a Metaphor to display the more naturalistic ways Germanic people used to have.Also, all races had the ability to deal with at least the Spirit of Raven since the beginning of the game, so that mastery is hardly taking away from the Norn.It's not like Asura or Charr will suddenly start becoming religious.

[Thornwolf.9721]

@Fueki.4753 said:

@"Thornwolf.9721" said:The norn are Celtic/norse/Native americanWhat exactly is Native American about them?The worship of Animal Spirits, which equals the worship of Nature spirits that was practised almost worldwide before the Christians 'removed' much of it during colonialism?more than just "Big humans"You might not know, but "big humans" is the reason many Romans were afraid of Germanic people when the Empire expanded north.And since Norn are based on Germanic (which includes Norse)people, "big humans" essentially is their main feature. The Spirits of the Wild are just a Metaphor to display the more naturalistic ways Germanic people used to have.Also, all races had the ability to deal with at least the Spirit of Raven since the beginning of the game, so that mastery is hardly taking away from the Norn.It's not like Asura or Charr will suddenly start becoming religious.

Say what you will but as a norn player Im against giving our racial stuff to anyone outside of us. It's all we really have and while you're partly correct about them being based on germanic people (More than that, they are a broad merger of all that and more.) They were more and are more than just big humans in the lore and fluff, In fact there is so much built around their shapeshifting and their ties to the spirits that what is being done here is a disservice to that.

[Fenella.2634]

OTOH, it's not given to "everyone". It's just the Commander. And they are pretty much honorary everything by now, are they not?Every PC is canonically "the Commander" in their version, not "Adventurer #204670". Masteries are usually not given to NPCs.

[Fueki.4753]

@"Thornwolf.9721" said:Im against giving our racial stuff to anyone outside of us.You disagree with any non-Norn doing that Raven's Riddle event in Wayfarer foothills?So you disagree with using the Grappling vine mastery to be used by anyone other than Sylvari?You disagree with joining the Durmand Priory because you have to channel the power of a HUMAN god after the fall of Claw Island?You disagree joining the Order of Whispers with non-humans because it originally was an order created by and for humans?

ALSO:You disagree on using Waypoints or Asura Gates by any race that's not Asura?You disagree with reviving at the shrines in Siren's Landing with a character that's not a human?Must be annoying to create a new character each time you die and noone is around to revive you.

Praise the Sun that the Spirits of the Wild are more open-minded and accepting.

Additionally, from the wiki:Trivia"The masteries of The Icebrood Saga will be focused on learning about the history of the Spirits of the Wild. The first mastery to be introduced will be inspired by Raven."This implies we are getting more Norn lore, which you complained to be neglected too much.

[Fenella.2634]

Also Caladbolg and the Shining Blade...

[Thornwolf.9721]

@Fueki.4753 said:

@"Thornwolf.9721" said:Im against giving our racial stuff to anyone outside of us.You disagree with any non-Norn doing that Raven's Riddle event in Wayfarer foothills?So you disagree with using the Grappling vine mastery to be used by anyone other than Sylvari?You disagree with joining the Durmand Priory because you have to channel the power of a HUMAN god after the fall of Claw Island?You disagree joining the Order of Whispers with non-humans because it originally was an order created by and for humans?

ALSO:You disagree on using Waypoints or Asura Gates by any race that's not Asura?You disagree with reviving at the shrines in Siren's Landing with a character that's not a human?Must be annoying to create a new character each time you die and noone is around to revive you.

Praise the Sun that the Spirits of the Wild are more open-minded and accepting.

Additionally, from the wiki:

Trivia

"The masteries of The Icebrood Saga will be focused on learning about the history of the Spirits of the Wild. The first mastery to be introduced will be inspired by Raven."

This implies we are getting more Norn lore, which you complained to be neglected too much.

Yes in fact I do disagree with it, I disagree that any race can use one anothers specific flavor. Id rather asurans be the only ones able to waypoint, Id rather the sylvary keep all their toys to themselves too. IT ADDS REPLAY-ABILITY. Right now it doesn't matter who or what you are it all the same, race choice should mean something and it doesn't need to be power nessacarily. But things like traversing the world, using specific themes of magic and so on should be something limited by race.. This would make having alts of the same class worth a damn. They removed any reason to play the other races if you only like Y race, you don't need to play the others at all and can ignore them if you don't care about acheivo points.

The grasping vines mastery, I believe that one i the one where you pull yourself around in draconis mons? thats actually to do with druid spirits, who are tied to the humans as a whole so its nothing of the sylvary even though its plant stuff. But yes I disagree that sirens landing even entertains the notion, It goes against the whole reason most games offer a choice. Some content will be gated off to you because you don't fit in the lore, however other options become available to you and this should be how it was and not what we have now. Because at this point why have ANY playable race when humans/sylvary look the best in armor, and have cleaner animations and are the most played? Like why give us "choice" its just a placebo to stifle us, look at it a you take a step back and realize that every moment they spend on another race is wasted potential because its just handed to everyone. Nothing is special. Nothing is sacred and everything is always on the table when it can make a quick buck, if it can't then it resides under the table.> @Fenella.2634 said:

Also Caladbolg and the Shining Blade...

Id be fine if I couldn't use either on my norn, would make sense.

[Tanner Blackfeather.6509]

@Thornwolf.9721 said:[...], It goes against the whole reason most games offer a choice.

However, this game has been designed from the very start as having the choice of race be strictly aesthetic, not mechanical. Personally, I very much like that no race is really blocked from anything.

I do understand where you're coming from, and I wish the flavor of the races could be brought out a bit more - like the Norn shapeshifting. Ever since they introduced the Novelties wardrobe, I've neen hoping for some variant of adding the Norn forms there, so we could actually have our characters fight shapeshifted while still using our regular skills.

[MudkipLover.3792]

@Fueki.4753 said:

@"DarkEmiLupus.2876" said:Don't you get tired of hearing the word Commander all the time?Would you rather have Taimi squeak "Master!" everytime she returns as plot device?Or have everyone call you "master of Dragon's Watch"?Because we technically are that guild's guild master.

LOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOL!!! I don't know why I find this hilarious AF xD

[Thornwolf.9721]

@Tanner Blackfeather.6509 said:

@Thornwolf.9721 said:[...], It goes against the whole reason most games offer a choice.

However,

this

game has been designed

from the very start

as having the choice of race be strictly aesthetic, not mechanical. Personally, I very much like that no race is really blocked from anything.

I do understand where you're coming from, and I wish the

flavor

of the races could be brought out a bit more - like the Norn shapeshifting. Ever since they introduced the Novelties wardrobe, I've neen hoping for some variant of adding the Norn forms there, so we could actually have our characters fight shapeshifted while still using our regular skills.

as much as I feel then novelty variant would be a cop out, Id love to have it as an option so that I could do it. It would at least give me the option and allow me to have the races fantasy there for my immersion and enjoyment.

[lare.5129]

I am a both happy and sad that we will have new map, but not extend map from epilog.

[Inculpatus cedo.9234]

@lare.5129 said:I am a both happy and sad that we will have new map, but not extend map from epilog.

They will be adding to this new map, in Episode 2.

[Menadena.7482]

@lare.5129 said:I am a both happy and sad that we will have new map, but not extend map from epilog.

Where did they say they will not extend it? There are some obvious places to do so.

[Inculpatus cedo.9234]

The latest Guild Chat?

[Aquadragon.8257]

Does "Whisper in the Dark" go live at 8pm EU time?

[WhatLiesBeneath.9018]

@"Aquadragon.8257" said:Does "Whisper in the Dark" go live at 8pm EU time?

Usually at 6pm gmt+1

[Fueki.4753]

@WhatLiesBeneath.9018 said:

@"Aquadragon.8257" said:Does "Whisper in the Dark" go live at 8pm EU time?

Usually at 6pm gmt+1

I wish they'd give individual releases to U.S.A. and Europe, so Europe could have their releases on Tuesday mornings, too.

[Menadena.7482]

Ah yes, the obligatory 'when does it go live' question. After all, this is the first time we have had a patch.

[Ryukai.6524]

@Menadena.7482 said:Ah yes, the obligatory 'when does it go live' question. After all, this is the first time we have had a patch.

For anyone new to the game, it WILL be :P

After all, other game companies generally DO tell you when it will go live....

[Menadena.7482]

@Ryukai.6524 said:

@Menadena.7482 said:Ah yes, the obligatory 'when does it go live' question. After all, this is the first time we have had a patch.

For anyone new to the game, it WILL be :P

After all, other game companies generally DO tell you when it will go live....

True, I suppose there are always new people but it does not take a huge search to get the answer: soon after they come in for the day to their offices. Which works out nicely for me in eastern time, while I am at work they are banging on bugs and if anything is outstanding it was REALLY big.