Living Story Season 3: Should I buy it?

[skyline.3286]

I'm a returning player that bought HoT and PoF in a bundle. I just beat the HoT campaign for the first time and was surprised to realize that if I wanted to play the story through chronologically, I have to buy LS3 before I move on to PoF.

It'd be nice to play through the story chronologically, but I'd also rather not spend the $10 (I don't have enough gold for the gems). I'm not super invested in the story and it wouldn't really bother me to just read a summary and move on to PoF. However, I don't want to miss out if there's really good content in LS3, such as:

• Are there really good (and still populated) meta map events/dungeons? I really liked Auric Basin and the Silverwastes.
• I read somewhere that the best way to get ascended trinkets in LS3 maps, is this true? Are there LS3 maps that are good methods of getting other important items?
• Cool armor/weapon skins? I've only seen a handful of LS3 helms/shoulders, but maybe I missed something.
• Etc.

Thanks!

[Blood Red Arachnid.2493]

1: Yes, there are good meta maps. They're still populated, too.2: It is true. One of the only ways to get ascended stats for the HoT prefixes is to go through the LS3 maps. All of the maps have a currency called Unbound Magic, and each map also has a unique resource that can be salvaged/consumed for unbound magic. This secondary resource (Blood rubies, petrified wood, winterberries, jade shards, orrian pearls, fire orchid blossom) are traded alongside of unbound magic to get the ascended rings, backpacks, and trinkets. The maps themselves are generally good money.3: I'm not too privy on the skins, but there are plenty of backpacks available. Like a dozen or so.4: These maps also have unique recipes for food and utility consumables. For example, the Steak With Winterberry Sauce is effectively a Plate of Truffle Steak that lasts for 45 minutes and can be bought solely with winterberries and karma.

Overall I would definitely recommend LS3 to anyone who has HoT. Even if you spend the gold, the winterberry farm can get it back pretty fast.

[endurio.7065]

LS3 maps are good for Maguuma mastery points, ascended back items, amulets, rings and accessories, gizmo's that exchange your bloodstone dust for something useful and much morecheck the wiki page of unbound magic vendorshttps://wiki.guildwars2.com/wiki/Unbound_Magic

[Danikat.8537]

In your case it does sound like getting Season 3 would be worth it. There's nothing you absolutely need but from what you've said you would get some benefit from all of it, so added together I think it'd be worth the $10 for you.

[Dashiva.6149]

• Since you get 6(!) maps, you could almost think of LS3 like a small expansion itself.
• The maps has a decent population around the clock and hosts a fair number of events and achievments.
• The ascended gear is desireable if you are looking for certain stats. The grind for them isn't too terrible either.
• Each map has daily achievments tied to it, which is a nice to-do list if you have limited time to play like me.
• If it matters, the quality of the story (and the story instances) did improve from LS2 , and transitions into the story of PoF quite nicely. Also many callbacks to GW1 if you played back then.

All in all, I think you would enjoy them. They are not necessary, but they offer a decent amount of content.

[crashburntoo.7431]

The responses to this point cover it nicely. The LS3 package represents some of the best value in GW2. It has a lot of content and supplementary material for a relatively low price. I think you'll enjoy it and find some progressive benefit to boot.