Well rested in VIP areas?

[Sobx.1758]

8 minutes ago, Gehenna.3625 said:

It's easy access to the guy who sells the A.S.S. 

*the only access to the guy who sells it.

[Ashen.2907]

9 minutes ago, Danikat.8537 said:

 

You have to level the mastery to see the services, that's what it's for. You can see a list of what's added by each tier here: https://wiki.guildwars2.com/wiki/Arborstone#Unlocking

With the Commercial Hub mastery it basically becomes a free lounge. (Free in the sense that it doesn't cost gold or gems, I know, as someone will inevitably want to point out, that it 'costs' time to get the mastery points and XP.)

So, if you spend effort, take time away from playing other content, you can get what you already have elsewhere? Again, not trying to be difficult, but I am still struggling to graps why one should spend the time they have for playing the game on duplicating what they already have.

[Ashen.2907]

11 minutes ago, Gehenna.3625 said:

It's easy access to the guy who sells the A.S.S. 

Ahh. Not interested in the EoD legendaries and not particularly inclined to spend my time being a middleman for others who are. Does the entire Arborstone mastery boil down to this?

[Endaris.1452]

Just now, Ashen.2907 said:

Ahh. Not interested in the EoD legendaries and not particularly inclined to spend my time being a middleman for others who are. Does the entire Arborstone mastery boil down to this?

Essentially yes. Which currently is attractive enough to be fair, because having gold can allow you to reach other goals faster that are related to gold.

[Danikat.8537]

5 minutes ago, Ashen.2907 said:

So, if you spend effort, take time away from playing other content, you can get what you already have elsewhere? Again, not trying to be difficult, but I am still struggling to graps why one should spend the time they have for playing the game on duplicating what they already have.

I'm not saying you should do it, just explaining that the reason you don't see the vendors other people are talking about is because you haven't done the mastery track.

[Ashen.2907]

1 hour ago, Danikat.8537 said:

I'm not saying you should do it, just explaining that the reason you don't see the vendors other people are talking about is because you haven't done the mastery track.

My apologies for not doing a better job of explaining my point of confusion. It was meant to be more a matter of why go through the process of leveling a mastery to get what you already have. 

Again, my mistake and thank you for your response.

[Sobx.1758]

2 minutes ago, Ashen.2907 said:

My apologies for not doing a better job of explaining my point of confusion. It was meant to be more a matter of why go through the process of leveling a mastery to get what you already have. 

Again, my mistake and thank you for your response.

VIP areas are paid. Arborstone isn't. Completing masteries isn't really a problem as long as you play relevant content. If you don't want to, you don't need to. That's about it.

[Ashen.2907]

7 minutes ago, Sobx.1758 said:

VIP areas are paid. Arborstone isn't. Completing masteries isn't really a problem as long as you play relevant content. If you don't want to, you don't need to. That's about it.

Other than the vendor for that legendary component are there services to be unlocked in Arborstone that are not available in Divinity's Reach (always liked the aesthetics of the place so it is the main city I use most)?

Again, I am not saying that others shouldnt work on unlocking the Arborstone masteries, was just curious as to why one would if one already has access to the same vendors elsewhere. The questions has been answered in the form of the legendary component vendor. Nothing of particular value to me but I can see, now, how others might find it worth their time.

Personally I have been unlocking masteries somewhat haphazardly. No real value or utility to be found but mighf as well have the xp earned doing strikes go to something.

Edited July 19, 2022 by Ashen.2907

[Gibson.4036]

19 minutes ago, Ashen.2907 said:

Other than the vendor for that legendary component are there services to be unlocked in Arborstone that are not available in Divinity's Reach (always liked the aesthetics of the place so it is the main city I use most)?

Mystic forge, and some black lion vendors (though not the weapons master as far as I've found).

19 minutes ago, Ashen.2907 said:

 

Again, I am not saying that others shouldnt work on unlocking the Arborstone masteries, was just curious as to why one would if one already has access to the same vendors elsewhere. The questions has been answered in the form of the legendary component vendor. Nothing of particular value to me but I can see, now, how others might find it worth their time.

A.S.S. is why I leveled it at first, though after seeing what they did with the variants, don't know if I'll even make an Aurene legendary at this point. A.S.S. do sell for 6 1/2 gold at this point, so that means you can turn 7k karma and 1 gold into 13 gold once a week if you don't earn any other EoD currencies.

Arborstone definitely isn't earth shattering. I didn't expect it to become my new lounge until I found that it had.

I expect it'd only be worth it to specifically level it for the lounge aspect if one doesn't already have one of the other passes.

Edited July 19, 2022 by Gibson.4036

[Labjax.2465]

 

14 minutes ago, Gibson.4036 said:

Mystic forge, and some black lion vendors (though not the weapons master as far as I've found).

A.S.S. is why I leveled it at first, though after seeing what they did with the variants, don't know if I'll even make an Aurene legendary at this point. A.S.S. do sell for 6 1/2 gold at this point, so that means you can turn 7k karma and 1 gold into 13 gold once a week if you don't earn any other EoD currencies.

Arborstone definitely isn't earth shattering. I didn't expect it to become my new lounge until I found that it had.

I expect it'd only be worth it to specifically level it for the lounge aspect if one doesn't already have one of the other passes.

Yeah, the mastery makes some easy gold from selling A.S.S. I leveled it just for that, tbh.

Edited July 19, 2022 by Labjax.2465

[Sobx.1758]

20 hours ago, Ashen.2907 said:

Other than the vendor for that legendary component are there services to be unlocked in Arborstone that are not available in Divinity's Reach (always liked the aesthetics of the place so it is the main city I use most)?

Again, I am not saying that others shouldnt work on unlocking the Arborstone masteries, was just curious as to why one would if one already has access to the same vendors elsewhere. The questions has been answered in the form of the legendary component vendor. Nothing of particular value to me but I can see, now, how others might find it worth their time.

Personally I have been unlocking masteries somewhat haphazardly. No real value or utility to be found but mighf as well have the xp earned doing strikes go to something.

https://wiki.guildwars2.com/wiki/Arborstone#Services

+rested xp if you're lvling eod masteries 

+lower wp costs to EoD zones

+free Arborstone portal scroll 

[sort of a sidenote here] +anyone rushing that mastery line within ~1st week or so made easy ~150 gold. To this day if someone isn't interested in crafting gen3 leggies, it's a decent source of gold. And even if someone is/will be crafting gen 3, rushing that mastery made them some easy profit, since they sold for ~20-30 gold and currently can be bought back for 6-7gold.

Overally it seems that considering free hubs, it's easly better than for example DR. Not that it means anyone needs to use it, but I'd say there are clear reasons to actually use it as a free hub.

Edited July 20, 2022 by Sobx.1758

[Veprovina.4876]

  

10 hours ago, kharmin.7683 said:

I don't disagree that having better tutorials in the starter maps isn't a bad idea.  😉

😁 ❤️

15 hours ago, firedragon.8953 said:

I think Anet should actually take a page out of FF14 newbie system. Each character on a new account can be sent to a "Mists Battle Academy" every 10 levels or something by speaking to a special NPC located in each starter town. Here players complete specific tutorials like gearing (stat) and build experimentation, boon generation guide, dodging, break bars/exposed, etc. etc. Upon successfully completing each tutorial they get a bloodbound exotic celestial armor piece (lvl 60 they will have full set of bloodboud celestial armor). lvl 70 and lvl 80 tutorials are dps checks to practice rotations (mixed with breakbars, exposed, dodging, etc.) that provide bloodbound celestial weapons. Make these have some nice but simple skins too.

Also, can we please get a training golem in guild halls? Make it available when upgrading the arena to second tier or whatever. I want to test builds on professions that are alt parked without losing my spot while also being able to train rotations easier with guildies and have a better reason to hang out in the guild hall.

That honestly sounds pretty tedious... Is FFXIV really like that? I think the Seitung Heart is much more organic way of bringing the systems to the players... This and DPS checks, sounds really bad, especially DPS checks.

Lots of players are not happy with Anet's recent obsession with DPS and balancing around the golem, bringing this to the forefront would be very iffy...

10 hours ago, Danikat.8537 said:

As someone else mentioned an XP buff isn't that appealing to me because I'm not that desperate for spirit shards. I don't currently leave characters in Arbourstone unless that's where I happen to be when I stop playing them.

I'm not opposed to adding it and I don't think it would be pay-to-win (because it's fairly trivial) but for the same reason I'm not particularly excited about getting it and it wouldn't encourage me to make sure I log out in a lounge any more than I currently do with Arbourstone.

Fair enough, but for the people who kinda want the buff, it would be nice to have options. 

4 hours ago, HnRkLnXqZ.1870 said:

My honest reaction when I saw this new feature was: LOL

After almost 10 years of Guildwars2, at the very very end of the currently last expansion, we finally get this feature. When pretty much most of the EXP gathering was done. Are you kidding me?

Locking it behind Arborstone was not a genius idea either. Totally agree with @Labjax.2465here, it should be accessible for all players. Especially the new players. If they really want to lock it behind something, limit the access to paid accounts. Other MMORPGs do the same.

The new players could get the training buff, that would be incentive for them to train and get to know the systems. 

And if one HUB has the mechanic that expects you to leave your characters there, i fail to see why some others wouldnt' have the same. Cause now you HAVE to go to Arborstone for it when indeed, new players, that log out in cities, should also get it. Same as VIP areas.

2 hours ago, Ashen.2907 said:

Does the entire Arborstone mastery boil down to this?

Pretty much... 

[Gehenna.3625]

3 hours ago, Ashen.2907 said:

Ahh. Not interested in the EoD legendaries and not particularly inclined to spend my time being a middleman for others who are. Does the entire Arborstone mastery boil down to this?

Well it's just one example, but if you want to keep yourself from an easy gold maker then power to you. I just got mine and made 30g in one go. If you don't have the strike currency then it's still 24 gold. For me, it's easy money. But you can go to the same npc in Shing Jea...just takes a little more effort to get to him.

The main reason is for building up all amenities in that location (TP, merchants, crafting, mystic toilet, etc.) In the end it's the only place in Cantha where you can do this. 

[Ashen.2907]

1 hour ago, Gehenna.3625 said:

Well it's just one example, but if you want to keep yourself from an easy gold maker then power to you. I just got mine and made 30g in one go. If you don't have the strike currency then it's still 24 gold. For me, it's easy money. But you can go to the same npc in Shing Jea...just takes a little more effort to get to him.

The main reason is for building up all amenities in that location (TP, merchants, crafting, mystic toilet, etc.) In the end it's the only place in Cantha where you can do this. 

Thank you.

Not worth putting any effort into it then. Eventually strikes will get me the masteries I guess, but nothing really worthwhile in the meantime.

[Inculpatus cedo.9234]

1 hour ago, Gehenna.3625 said:

Well it's just one example, but if you want to keep yourself from an easy gold maker then power to you. I just got mine and made 30g in one go. If you don't have the strike currency then it's still 24 gold. For me, it's easy money. But you can go to the same npc in Shing Jea...just takes a little more effort to get to him.

The main reason is for building up all amenities in that location (TP, merchants, crafting, mystic toilet, etc.) In the end it's the only place in Cantha where you can do this. 

The same NPC in Shing Jea won't sell Antique Summoning Stones without the pertinent Arborstone Mastery, fyi. 

[firedragon.8953]

6 hours ago, Veprovina.4876 said:

That honestly sounds pretty tedious... Is FFXIV really like that? I think the Seitung Heart is much more organic way of bringing the systems to the players... This and DPS checks, sounds really bad, especially DPS checks.

Lots of players are not happy with Anet's recent obsession with DPS and balancing around the golem, bringing this to the forefront would be very iffy...

Maybe it's hard for you to imagine since you're not familiar with the FFXIV system? But yes, that's basically how it works and many praise the efforts made by those developers to uncomplicate things in the game for new players so they can feel more confident in group content. Incentivizing learning and then testing new knowledge is important. Giving characters celestial bloodbound armor and weapons makes them want to do it. A title for completing all the trainings, something like "Studious" or something would also be nice. If they chose to skip it, then that's fine too they just miss out on some skins,  free starter gear, title and a few AP...but mostly knowledge. Creating an "instance in the Mists" also allows F2P, paid, and any player access it. It gives devs more flexibility in changing the "trainings" over time since it is an isolated instance. Returning players could go back and get a refresher with the tutorials. I guess people could get a mail that comes with a teleport scroll or something so that they don't have to run back to a starter town, if that's what you meant by tedious? Because otherwise, I don't really understand. Some effort is required to learn...well anything.

I'd argue that I think the Seitung Heart does very little to actually teach new players. It is not memorable and you can fill the heart without learning many or any of the mechanics tbh. It's also not really accessible to actual "new" players. It was a good try, but...I doubt it's real effectiveness.

And why are DPS checks bad? It's obvious that people struggle with this. Therefore, it should be explicitly taught. I'm not saying they have to bench numbers like Snowcrows, but providing a challenging time trial around lvl 70 and lvl 80 that combines all the things they learned, break bars, dodges, skill telegraphs, etc., in a individuals and non-socially threatening environment seems par for the course. I'm not talking about making people instantly "raid ready," I'm more talking about so when players enter HoT they hit a wall of difficulty and are at a loss. It may also make people less apprehensive about joining a strike, which now will be available as early as LWS1.

Most people are apprehensive to join group content because they are "worried about being bad" and many times they "are bad" because there is very few to no real checks on player skill in open world. Passing the training should basically mean, "Hey, you did it! Now you are totally ready to go play with others! Don't worry, you'll do great! Just remember what you learned!" So far the game doesn't do this at all, especially where people can practice alone without social pressure...

Edited July 20, 2022 by firedragon.8953

[costepj.5120]

19 hours ago, Gibson.4036 said:

If I'm logging in and out there anyway, I might as well clean out my bags and visit the vendor, do my mystic forging, and even port upstairs to do my daily ecto refinement.

It worked exactly as intended for me. After EoD launch I started parking my characters there just to get the mastery experience as quickly as possible. Over a short time I found I was using services at the Lily of Elon less and less, becuase my characters were at Arborstone anyway. By the time I was done, it had largely replaced the Lily as my go-to lounge.

At this point, I only use the Lily for it's access to the main cities, and I only use Rata Sum to park one character, who happens to be my tailor and artificer, because she also is the character who visits my home instance each time I log in.

Doesn't work for me; maybe because I have the Mistlock pass and I'm used to accessing all those services then returning to whatever it was I was doing beforehand. So for my one or two characters that are active in Cantha, Arborstone is a convenient point to login/logout, but the rest of my gang have never even visited.