Puzzles in Guild Wars?

[Darth Pooh.5638]

Hey there,

I was wondering if the game has any puzzles. I've played for quite a while now and never really discovered many of them. I'm getting a bit tired of the fighting action and I was wondering if there are some really nice puzzles I could do. Note that I'm not really talking about Jumping Puzzles per se, but more about detective quests or mechanical puzzles. I am aware of the Light Puzzles, but I was looking into Puzzle games and I was wondering if Guild wars doesn't have anything that can scratch that itch. A quest about finding a missing person would be really cool, where you then have to talk with multiple people around the map and follow clues that are left behind, stuff like that. Or maybe a puzzle where you have to hit certain things in the right order? A guild member proposed mini dungeons, but I was wondering if there are other places where I can find these puzzles.

[Teratus.2859]

Yep, we have jumping puzzles and mini dungeons which can also have puzzles in them.

[Danikat.8537]

Don't give up on jumping puzzles too quickly, there isn't a clear distinction between them and mini dungeons, several "jumping puzzles" don't involve much jumping and are mostly about figuring out where to go or how to get there. One I think was misclassified because it involves no jumping (it's entirely under water) and is all about finding your way through an asurans security measures. 

 

There's also some scavenger hunt style collections, especially the "create a weapon contest winners" but I can't remember what they're called and can't get in game to check, but you can probably find them via the wiki.

 

Some of the achievements and mastery points in HoT and PoF involve puzzles too, especially some of the djinn ones. 

[Deedrick.4372]

If you look in the ap listing under general > explorer, you might find closer to what you are looking for. Like Don't touch the Shinny or Tears of Itlaocol.  Just wiki them to see if they are a JP and skip if you don't want to jump.

[HnRkLnXqZ.1870]

There is however not a page that gives you the initial hints, to discover such a puzzle. Everyone wants to be the kind player-helper who offers a full package, preferably with a portal skipping the entire mechanics, leading you directly to the loot with one button-press.

If you happen to be an adventurer who loves puzzles, I can give you a few hints to discover them. But keep in mind, the moment you google/wiki them, the fun is over. Most of them also contain enemies:

- Desert Highlands (2nd map in Path of Fire), you make your may from the Highjump Ranch heading west towards Derelic Delve area. On your way up the natural stairs, you may come across a few skelk when you first see snow on the ground. Take a look to the right and investigate the area a little closer.

- Crystal Oasis (1st map in Path of Fire), head south-east from Amnoon to the Kusini Crossing. By now you probably know the Sanctum of Nabkha very well, as several collections and a Mastery Point lead you there. Investigating the ruins before could prove interesting, look for something shiny green. 

- Crystal Oasis (1st map in Path of Fire), the Teratohedron in the Maculate Finge (top right corner) should be familiar by now. Home to the infamous Facet for Griffon. Head west from there, and check the area closer to the giant wurm. There should be a cave with branded creatures and a glowing mysterious orb that could use some investigation.

- Elon Riverlands (3rd map in Path of Fire) has a large skeleton near the quicksand lakes east of Olishar's Encampment. Search the skull and check the belly for a strange formation of rocks.

- Domain of Vabbi (5th map in Path of Fire) has the famous Lair of Zommoros, which is a great minidungeon with plenty of traps and puzzles. The tricky part is to do the event with a bunch of people who do not know the path and do not attract any helpful-commander who would love to carry you through the entire thing. It is still fun with a helper, but they literally point your nose at every lever and trap there is :S. 

- In Core Tyria there are many smaller secrets. If you find a shrine/totem, even half destructed or completely destroyed, do an emote to honor the entity. If you happen to travel Dredgehaunt Cliffs with a non-level-80 character, this could prove interesting.

- However, thanks to ANets funny decision of embedding Jumping Puzzles and Minidungeons into the daily rotation, you've probably done them all already. The only thing that might be interesting are the Flame Legion catacombs in Diessa Plateau. There is a lot of work involved just setting a foot in there. Inside there are some interesting puzzles. BUT at the end, there is a box that is more frequently farmed than the Star Wars franchise. So you may end up at the final chamber without any reward at all. Or you find an army of warriors who just got ported in by a friendly mesmer. If you are still interested, grab about 2-3 fellow adventurers and help the Charr around the Bloodsaw-Mill. Be warned, the event-chain is long. 

- One of the more difficult treasure hunts is connected to the Skritt Stashes in Ember Bay (Living World Season 3 - Rising Flames). You may come across a mysterious rock once in a while, that requires some special temperature treatment. Be warned again, droprate is really really low.

- In Iron Marches (Core Tyria), there is a cave system between two of the lakes. Look out someone who is determined to bring something back to life. Best reward for a puzzle imo. 

Those are the ones I remembered instantly. There are definitely more of them.

 

Edited September 14, 2021 by HnRkLnXqZ.1870

[Cuks.8241]

There are various puzzles across several modes but minidungeons are probably your best bet.  Many have various puzzle elements. 

I miss more minidungeons, some are really great. 

[Rogue.8235]

Caledon Forest has a hidden temple that requires puzzle-solving.

Bloodtide Coast has a "jumping" puzzle that requires no jumping but is a puzzle.

 

I can't think of other equivalent puzzles in the core maps.

[Leo.3428]

25 minutes ago, Rogue.8235 said:

Caledon Forest has a hidden temple that requires puzzle-solving.

 

Is it one where you [spoiler]draw patterns[/spoiler] to progress? In my fading memory it was more of a cave than a temple and it may be a different one.

Edited September 16, 2021 by Leo.3428

[Rogue.8235]

1 hour ago, Leo.3428 said:

 

Is it one where you

Spoiler

draw patterns

  to progress? In my fading memory it was more of a cave than a temple and it may be a different one.

 

Yeah, I always thought it was a cave leading to a temple, considering what you have to do to get in.