Returning after 6 years I think?

[Katris Jace.6584]

Having fun so far, I had leveled a thief to 80 years ago when the game first came out and then would play here and there but my computer was never great so I stopped playing. Anyway I'm back now and the last significant thing I did in the game is I got my raptor mount. Now I'm seeing other mounts, like this one that looks like a ball and it moves very fast compared to my raptor so naturally I want one but more so I really want a flying mount. I tried to google a guide but everything is older and the guides are all over the place, like tell you to do different things. I don't want to waste my time doing the wrong thing because my play time is very limited, like 1 hour day only on weekdays. Right now I just started Path of Fire, although I never finished the initial main storyline, and I only did a couple things in HoT, somebody helped me with it a long time ago to get the raptor. Oh also I have 48 gold to my name, one guide I read said you have to get 250 gold to get the dragon mount, not sure if that's still accurate but if it is, is there a relatively painless/easier way to get gold? I've never been a professions guy, in WoW for example I always gather herbs, ore, and skin. I can do that here too but not sure how well that sells these days. Anyway yeah, how do I get a dragon, and how do I pay for it if I do indeed have to get 200+ gold.

Thanks in advance! 

[Randulf.7614]

Ok so you have been given some misinformation which I shall correct

There are two flying mounts:

The griffon which acts more like a stunt glider and requires you already to be up high to make any real use of it. That does require 250g (in chunks) and the completion of the path of fire storyline and a few quests along the way. It's an amazing mount, but less useful than the other flying mount

The second - and the one you likely want - is the skyscale (ie the dragon). The skyscale has two methods to obtain:

1) The original and long winded route is to own PoF and all of Season 4, complete the whole storyline and work on the collections/quests. This will take many, many weeks for most new players

2) The new way is a lot more streamlined. It requires owning Secrets of the Obscure and doing the first part of the story until you learn about the skyscale. There is then a streamlined series of collections to earn your mount permanently - it will be called "A New Friend". It still tales time, but a lot less than the old way.

 

Whichever you work towards will require some work in various maps, but the second skyscale method is the quickest route. There is no way to outright buy one

[Katris Jace.6584]

This is great info, thank you so much! I'm going to get Secrets of the Obscure and go that route for sure. Does it cost any gold when I do it this way? What about that really fast ball looking mount? Is that the roller beetle? Do you still need to do this Living World season 4 expansion to get it? That's another thing I'm not clear on, do you buy Living World? I don't see it for purchase on the website. Thanks! 

Edited October 19, 2023 by Katris Jace.6584
Forgot one question.

[Randulf.7614]

I can't remember if any gold is needed. If it is, it's a small amount as the original method only required about 40g. There are tasks to do which are optionally skippable and to skip them you may want to buy items with gold, but that is it.

The rollerbeetle requires episode 3 of the Living World Season 4. Again, complete the episode and a small amount of quests/collections

Seasons are bought usually in game via the story journal panel. You can buy episodes individually that way. There's probably a pack on the homepage somewhere as a bundle, but I don't know of it. Essentially Seasons are the dlc that continue the story between expansions (they're like episodic expansions if its easier to think like that). They were delivered differently to expansions for various reasons, but contain a large amount of content.

[Randulf.7614]

One slight extra note. I'm not going to go into the minutae of making gold, but there is a relatively simple way to make small gains every day

The Wizard's Vault (shift H) is the new rewards system for dailies and weeklies that was introduced with Secrets of the Obscure. One of the rewards from the tokens you collect from doing tasks listed in the Vault is gold. It can be a decent way to supplement your in game income

[Katris Jace.6584]

Thank you so much, very clear and concise, I really REALLY appreciate your time!

[Inculpatus cedo.9234]

The Wiki (link above) can answer almost all your questions about the game.

For instance:  https://wiki.guildwars2.com/wiki/Mount

https://wiki.guildwars2.com/wiki/Wizard's_Vault

https://wiki.guildwars2.com/wiki/Living_World#Unlocking_Living_World_episodes

Also from the News Blog:  all Living World seasons are 20% off until October 30.

https://www.guildwars2.com/en/news/look-up-in-the-sky-a-new-griffon-skin-and-glider-arrive-in-guild-wars-2/

Welcome return and good luck.

 

[Randulf.7614]

No problem, enjoy!

[kharmin.7683]

To add to @Inculpatus cedo.9234 list of links:

https://wiki.guildwars2.com/wiki/Skyscale

 

Since you were asking about acquisition and cost.

[Katris Jace.6584]

Just now, kharmin.7683 said:

To add to @Inculpatus cedo.9234 list of links:

https://wiki.guildwars2.com/wiki/Skyscale

 

Since you were asking about acquisition and cost.

Thank you 🙂

[Lucy.3728]

On 10/19/2023 at 3:06 PM, Katris Jace.6584 said:

also I have 48 gold to my name, one guide I read said you have to get 250 gold

With SotO a new daily/weekly system got introduced which replaces the old one, even if you don't own SotO.

You do all the dailys and weeklys before they reset and gold won't be your problem at the beginning.
From the reward tab you can choose to trade your daily/weekly points (=aa) for gold and mystic coins (which you can sell).
My new account, which I started 13 days ago/54h playtime, has about 215 gold at the moment. And I already spent gold in the past to buy stuff for my two 80er chars like weapons, runes, armor, sigils and dyes from the TP. When I'd sell my loot/drops/salved mats then it'd be a lot more. (Keep your ectos)

The gold you can trade is limited, the cheap gold choice at least, and the coins too. So after all is spent it's take ages to reset. But it is a great gold boost for new or returing players that need to readjust or start anew.

Doing the weeklys/dailys or even the special tasks (only available if you own SotO) will eat your playing time though. Maybe you want to sell your materials instead (except the ectos - check what you need to keep to craft the skyscale food).