Which living story season should a returning player buy?

[Rorie.4987]

Hello, guys! I've recently finished EOD story, and now looking forward to buying a living story seasons, but not sure which ones are better in terms of fun/profit. Can you give an advice, please? 🙂

[squeegee.4320]

If you like the story buy them in order (LWS2).

If you like map diversity buy LWS3.

If you like the PoF expansion buy LWS4.

if you like Strike Missions buy IBS.

[Dayra.7405]

If you want a skyscale and/or a roller-beetle buy LS 4

Edited July 18, 2022 by Dayra.7405

[Luthan.5236]

I liked the story in season 2 the most.
Maps in season 3. (Also good for getting ascended trinkets from the map currency vendors.)
And season 4 .... is required for the best mount (skyscale).
Icebrood had a good start and some nice maps at first (Bjora has interesting atmosphere and nice sound/music) ... but got pretty boring at the end (last chapter). Useful mastery (the one for the waystation - for CC) - for later.

[Konig Des Todes.2086]

3 hours ago, Rorie.4987 said:

Hello, guys! I've recently finished EOD story, and now looking forward to buying a living story seasons, but not sure which ones are better in terms of fun/profit. Can you give an advice, please? 🙂

Guild Wars 2 story is completely linear, so it depends on your interest. Each one caters to different things.

• Season 1 (aka Scarlet's War), what's returning at least, is free for all. Its main appeal is the highest amount of achievement points for the least amount of effort. Story is kinda all over the place because it's skipping stuff in its return, and it's currently incomplete (2/5 episodes out, 3rd comes out tomorrow).
• Season 2 (aka Glint's Legacy), the most expensive season, is almost pure story due to its related maps being free for all; there are a few skins, but really it's the mastery points and story that sell it. Story is probably the most cohesive of all, but low quality writing and no VA from the PC.
• Season 3 (aka Glint's Prophecy) has high map diversity, the easiest accessibility to ascended trinkets (especially Episodes 1 and 3), but no good farm map. It also has a legendary trinket tied to it (Aurora), and the widest amount of backpack skins. Story is the most random of all seasons and all over the place tbh, due to trying to tackle 3+ different plots in 6 episodes.
• Season 4 (aka Rise of Kralkatorrik) has middle-ground map diversity, some unique stat attributes and easy ascended trinkets, but multiple farm maps (especially Ep6) and two mounts tied to it that are extreme mobility mounts (Beetle from Ep3 and Skyscale from Ep6 but also requires Ep4 and materials from all episodes but there are alternative methods of obtaining these mats). It also has a legendary trinket tied to it (Vision), 5 armor skin sets, and 4 weapon skin sets.
• Season 5 (aka Icebrood Saga) has the fewest amount of maps (3), but one's a very good farm map like S4E6's, and a wide assortment of skins (highest amount of weapon sets among the seasons). Story had a great start but COVID and EoD redirecting butchered Episodes 4 and "5" (which was originally to be 4 independent episodes so its the most rushed and longest episode in the game).

Additionally to all this, playing through Seasons 2-5 will also give you the cheapest legendary trinket in the game.

If you're looking for just profitability and nothing more, I recommend Season 4 - or even just S4E6.
As for "fun", that's a bit too subjective, but it's most widely agreed that Season 4 is the peak of GW2 storytelling.

Do note that Seasons 3, 4, and 5 will require owning PoF which doesn't come bundled with EoD. I don't know if you own it yet or not, but also consider that in any cost margin for buying a season.

Edited July 18, 2022 by Konig Des Todes.2086

[Rorie.4987]

Incredible feedback ♥️ Thanks a lot, guys 🙂

[Ashturen.2561]

16 hours ago, squeegee.4320 said:

If you like the story buy them in order (LWS2).

If you like map diversity buy LWS3.

If you like the PoF expansion buy LWS4.

if you like Strike Missions buy IBS.

and if u want the legendary necklace buy all of em :-)

[stormemperor.3745]

On 7/18/2022 at 1:57 PM, Rorie.4987 said:

Hello, guys! I've recently finished EOD story, and now looking forward to buying a living story seasons, but not sure which ones are better in terms of fun/profit. Can you give an advice, please? 🙂

TLDR: All of them.

[Chief.7143]

I didn’t buy a season I bought season 3 episode 3 for winterberry ascended trinket farm ( best 200 gems you will ever spend) and LWS4 (last episode) to get the ascended trinkets as well.  Both are great, My next purchase will be the full seasons when they are on sale( seems like not gonna happens) and the IBS (once I figure out the episode to buy).

 

 

if you want to follow the story, take someone else’s advice.

[Firebeard.1746]

LWS 4, hands down, the skyscale, while a little clunky to learn, is one of the best mounts, period. It's basically the swiss army knife of mounts. It can't do everything the best, and isn't the fastest, but because it can do everything, it's the best for navigating new terrain or terrain you're not super familiar with. I would say at least 1 episode of IB saga so you can get ice shards in your Home instance. That will make farming the currencies in for the skyscale easier. 

[Firebeard.1746]

On 7/31/2022 at 3:14 AM, stormemperor.3745 said:

TLDR: All of them.

Well, sort of. OP probably doesn't have time to do all of these at once but they're all useful:

 

S2 is awesome for extra core tyria mastery points, they're the hardest to come by. 

S3 for Aurora

S4 for Skyscale and Vision

IB saga is probably the least useful, but you'd probably want at least dragonstorm, and E1/Bjora for the Ice shard HI node. And in fairness, the IB saga strikes are super chill 10-man content, so if you're into that, there's value in all the episodes. 

So as you can afford it, choose wisely OP if any of these appeal to you. 

 

Edited September 8, 2022 by Firebeard.1746

[trunks.5249]

On 7/18/2022 at 8:54 AM, Luthan.5236 said:

I liked the story in season 2 the most.
Maps in season 3. (Also good for getting ascended trinkets from the map currency vendors.)
And season 4 .... is required for the best mount (skyscale).
Icebrood had a good start and some nice maps at first (Bjora has interesting atmosphere and nice sound/music) ... but got pretty boring at the end (last chapter). Useful mastery (the one for the waystation - for CC) - for later.

i would have to say the griffon is the best mount. ill take a jet over a helicopter lol