Low level players with mounts?

[gjgcinema.7836]

I have just purchased the Heart of Thorns and Path of Fire expansions and I understand that by leveling to 80 and completing the first story in Path of Fire will enable you to get a mount. I have seen players at level 2 or just above with mounts and am wondering where they got them from. They couldn't have used a booster to get them to level 80 otherwise their level would be far higher. Am I right in thinking that if you have purchased the 2 expansion packs, you can go straight to Path of Fire when creating a new character, do the first story there to get the mount and then return to the beginning of the game and start at level 1? I don't want to use my level 80 boost just yet as I am not commited to staying with my character. Also, If I do decide to use the boost will I miss out on the personal stories that happen every 10 levels or will they be lined up for me to play?Thanks,Gavin.

[Danikat.8537]

Mounts are unlocked account wide - once one character has earned a mount the others can use it, right from the point where they get out of the tutorial. Other characters can still go through the story and do the tasks required to earn the mounts, they just don't have to do it before using them. So if you see a level 2 character on a mount it just means another character on their account is level 80 and has unlocked it.

And yes, if you use the level 80 boost you'll be able to play the entire of the personal story. Nothing will be locked for you, but the items you get as rewards will be pretty useless because they're determined by the level of the instance, not the character.

[KiteoHatto.7018]

A friend is able to take you into their "sparking the flame" mission which is the prologue for PoF and you can get a raptor there. Once you have done the mounted part of the mission, you can leave and wont really spoil much.

Would also save you from using a lvl 80 boost

[Teratus.2859]

Just as Danikat.8537 said.

Mounts unlock account wide when you obtain them so any new characters you make after unlocking them will automatically have access to mounts after the introduction mission.

[ShadowCatz.8437]

@"gjgcinema.7836" said:I have just purchased the Heart of Thorns and Path of Fire expansions and I understand that by levelling to 80 and completing the first story in Path of Fire will enable you to get a mount. I have seen players at level 2 or just above with mounts and am wondering where they got them from. They couldn't have used a booster to get them to level 80 otherwise their level would be far higher. Am I right in thinking that if you have purchased the 2 expansion packs, you can go straight to Path of Fire when creating a new character, do the first story there to get the mount and then return to the beginning of the game and start at level 1? I don't want to use my level 80 boost just yet as I am not commited to staying with my character. Also, If I do decide to use the boost will I miss out on the personal stories that happen every 10 levels or will they be lined up for me to play?Thanks,Gavin.

All Mastery after you have become level 80 will be account wide, so you can change character and have another part of story active (that way you can have several active story open which give access to different maps and mastery).If you have friend that you can teleport or at least get access to get into that map, then there is some vendors that are selling Portal Scrolls and Tomes. Tomes are used to collect Scrolls in one item (save up slots in inventory). When you open a Tome and have new Scroll that belongs to that Tome it will ask you if you want to add that scroll to your Tome. You will often need map currency and some Gold to buy that item. After that you can teleport from anywhere to that place (as long you aren't in that map you want to teleport to).

As for the suggestion to get a Raptor, you will need to complete the achievement (it works a to-do list and can be reached by opening Hero Panel and look for achievements - can also be put on a pin with Watchlist - eye symbol in corner of each achievement you want to track or have easy access from where you can see story steps or stages from events - click there to go direct to achievement). When you unlock achievement you will be able to borrow that mount on maps (special symbol on map for mount), but you can't interact or fight without loosing your mount. That is why it is best to complete achievement to always have access to mount (or at least Raptor permanently).

Here is wikis list of mounts and skills: https://wiki.guildwars2.com/wiki/Mount

Don't ignore Crystal Champion Mastery or wait to the last of your mastery for mounts. You will need to Volatile Magic as token to buy things, so it is good to have that unlocked early.

https://wiki.guildwars2.com/wiki/Path_of_Fire_mastery_tracks#Crystal_Champion

Here is a list of how Mastery work and which maps you have to be on to gain XP for Mastery (green symbol meand HoT maps or LW story related to HoT), Purple PoF ad red is core Tyria and LW related to Tyria). There are four colour codes and you find those in your Hero Panel for which story, achievements and sPvP or WvW which will give you those Mastery points (or Insights). Don't forget that with WvW and sPvP it is possible to set a track get map token that way too, if you happens to play other modes then PvE. Look up WvW track or PvP track on GW2 wiki and how to set it up. Tracks can be set to be repeated (a small infinity symbol), so you can repeat it while you doing that mode to get more of PvE token you need.

https://wiki.guildwars2.com/wiki/Mastery

I would recommend that you at least get basic Gliding unlocked as you can stop fall damage (which can kill you if you have too little health points and fall down to the ground). Also get Counter Magic as this give you access to a special action key (make sure in Option>Controls in Skill section/last setting to assign an easy to reach fast key bind as some times it those special action skills have a very short duration when you get access to use that special skill) that you will need also in PoF and LW maps. Most people that die in other maps do it because they didn't invest time in getting this unlocked or understand how to use it for damage reduction, breaking a tether - a line between you and boss- that will drain your life if you don't use this key to break it or any other uses during a fight with harder bosses (or bounty which is a main part of PoF maps). It is also used as a toggle for bundle items (change your weapon skills to something else) that are being used during some story parts and is an extra key that is important to keep an eye and listen for as it have a special sound when it is ready to be used.

Link for HoT Mastery: https://wiki.guildwars2.com/wiki/Counter_MagicLink to show some of its uses: https://wiki.guildwars2.com/wiki/Counter_Magic_(skill)

As for level 80 Booster I wouldn't take worry too much about using it. When you use it you will get teleported to Silverwastes where you interact with special NPC to try out what this booster will do for you. When you accept to use it, you will be given a chest with level 80 exotic gear (next highest tier - before Ascended or Legendary which is the highest tier in this game). Main difference with exotic vs ascended/legendary is that is exotic is soulbound when you equip it (that is why you are teleported to Silverwastes and can try out fully equipped exotic gear). You can always use Salvage kits to turn bound (or exotic gear) items into mats or even token like ectos (both a currency token and a material for crafting). Silverwastes is level 80 map which is the transition between core Tyria story and HoT story. That is why you are teleported here as it should give some impression on how your character and gear work (or build). You will be limited to core skills, so you will not be able to use Elite Specialization that came with HoT or PoF (as example only Guardian, not Dragonhunter or Firebrand).

You can trade, mail to another account exotic gear that haven't been bound to character (souldbound), but you can not trade ascended or legendary as it is accountbound from the very start. (Like always there is some exceptions). Always read what kind of status any gear will have BEFORE you try it out by equipping it. Use Preview (right click to bring up option on item when you use left to activate/interact or attack in normal mode for mouse settings) if you only want to see how it looks. It means level 80 Booster adds gear, some food and other things to your character.

While you are playing you will now get Tome of Knowledge (before lvl 80 it increase your level, after lvl 80 it give you Spirit Shards which is a token that you can add to your wallet). Save those Tome of Knowledge and you can level up your next character to level 80 just by using those saved ToK. You need to store them in you bank (as it make it possible to move them to another character). You will also get Experience Scroll which do the same for levelling your character.

Tip: Place ToK, Writs of Experience (which can be converted into ToK) and Experience Scroll (when your characters get old enough - make all six slot with character to gain this after every year they get older; you don't need to play all character to get this or even dress them up) close to each other in Bank and you will have easier to level up your next character. Make sure to use the highest level from Experience Scroll (use level 60 instead of level 20 as you will save level 20 that way and use the rest of ToK to cover to level 80).

https://wiki.guildwars2.com/wiki/Tome_of_Knowledgehttps://wiki.guildwars2.com/wiki/Experience_Scroll

You will probably get more level 80 Booster over time as a gift during Winter or big events, so don't be to focused to on picking the right character for use. The main difference is that you need get gear and collect Hero Challenge (this is for each character even after first level 80). Here you gain more from collecting these HC outside of core Tyria as you gain 20 for each instead of only one (see link).

https://wiki.guildwars2.com/wiki/Hero_challenge

Going to PoF maps only to unlock mounts is possible, but I would not recommend it on your first character created on a new account. You will have a hard to time to get around without gliding (after you unlock Springer with High Vault) to be able to jump over gaps or get too close to cliffs edge without getting killed from falling down. There is also environmental support taken form HoT maps in form of Mushroom jumping you can use to jump on to get to a higher cliff, there are Ley-Lines that can be used to get higher up in air and a lot of other things that actually helps to get around before you get Griffon or Skyscale and even then you can use combo of Gliding and summon flying mounts or use Bond of Faith to eject you from all of your mounts and enable Gliding if your mount get hit in the air and you risk to fall down. Until you get Griffon or Skyscale you can reach many HC or Mastery Insights with only clever use of Springer and timed Bond of Faith to jump out a bit higher and land on that place you want to reach. (There is plenty of video guides on YT to show where and how to get there incl wiki).

There is very few maps in PoF that have updraft (work as a circular fog that move gliding upwards in air which is also a Mastery for Gliding in HoT maps), so you really have to use Springer and what is around to get high enough for Skyscale (and this is before you unlock Skyscale as a personal mount). Resummon of mount also means a reset of its health, so there is some strategies to how to fly, land in time or change mount and there is use of earlier Masteries to actually change how you use your mounts later on. You also need Volatile Magic as currency and it is useful to start to collect it even with borrowed Skyscales in Dragonfall (or use Springer/Jackal where you can jump and collect it).

Get those Portal Scrolls early and collect them in one place with Tomes, place a Tome in your Shared Inventory and you can change between different player characters to get to different places that each Tome let you go (depending on HoT or PoF Tome). That way you can have different story going on at the same time and some story is only need to unlock map (remember that when one character have been there and have get a scroll, next character can get there too either from having a Scroll or Tome that is being shared - to start you can use Scroll in Shared Inventory and later "upgrade it" with a Tome as it cost Gold and map token to buy each and one).

Use WvW (Edge of the Mist map as that have vendors and you aren't taking any place on map for WvW players) or sPvP to get to their lobby and you can get back where you where if you use the arrow in right corner [Leave the Mist] for WvW panel or sPvP (button exit PvP). That way you can access your Bank, Black Lion Trading Company (to pickup items or Gold from trading) and repair gear (don't forget to sell junk items as you change in repair panel to sell and have a sell junk button, that way you get rid of all low coin items that isn't possible to sell on TP). Later you can craft or buy special bags to just keep all junk items in one place (Oiled Pack bags).

You will have some achievements that reward you with bags. Read up which one that you can get for free from achievement. There is one in PoF that is long achievement connected to a map that rewards with 34 slot bag.

https://wiki.guildwars2.com/wiki/Lasting_Bonds:_Where_We_Come_From - start with 20 slot and upgrade by giving Efi it to get to next step in achievement until you have 32 slot version.

Here is easier to read list for Efi's reward (look for Lasting Bounds in that list from 20 to 32 slots version):https://wiki.guildwars2.com/wiki/Bag

For more information look up each option on GW2 wiki where you find both picture of main panel for each and how it works. Don't be afraid to play unranked sPvP or to join WvW. In the long run it is worth to get more Shared Slots and/or Lounge Passes when those are in sale in Gem Store and use those for Tomes or Lounge Passes (until then WvW EoTM or sPvP Loung give you same features). Lounge passes offer crafting stations and some other things with one pass (work same way as a Scoll in a Tome which is teleport you to that place). It is worth to keep an eye out for sales in Gem store and add bag slots, at least one upgrade for Material Storage (base stack is 250 of the same items with each upgrade you add 250 more stacks of all mats that you can use "Deposit All Materials" to Material Storage. It will save you some space in Inventory if you collect a lot of crafting mats or salvage items which create mats in inventory.

Purchasing HoT and PoF will not unlock all Living World season, so you will need to buy them with Gems (you can convert Gold to Gems from Gem Store/Black Lion Trading Company panel, there is an exchange market both ways). Always buy your LW stories from Gem Store and never from Hero Panels story section as you will get price reduction in Gem Store (200 Gems vs 160 Gem for each episode). During packet sales for LW you will see an offer that is reduced for those parts that is part of that LW season in Gem Store.

https://wiki.guildwars2.com/wiki/Living_World#Season_4https://wiki.guildwars2.com/wiki/Living_World_Season_4_Complete_Pack(As link show the total cost i 960 for 6 episodes which make it to 160 Gems for each).

If you log in during an active season, then you will get it added to your account for free, so it is important to log in even when you don't play to get at least LW for free to play when you have time or return from a break. You don't need to play that episode to get it added, only log in or play any other LW episode (PoF/HoT story).