Confusion over HoT Mastery Points/Training and going back to earning Spirit Shards for max lvl alts

[SlingDash.2350]

Hi.I'm hopelessly confused!I only have HoT expansion.I have just unlocked the Training for my most recent Mastery.I thought that completing the training XP and unlocking it with the required HoT Mastery Points would allow me to go back to earning Spirit Shards in core Tyria by earning XP with alts over level 80.I need SPirit Shards because I'm working on my first Legendary.Instead of allowing me to go back to earning XP in core Tyria, my HoT Mastery training has automatically 'jumped' to the next training line, so I'm now stuck with needing yet more HoT XP and more HoT MPs - which I don't want to do - and not earning the required core Tyria XP that goes towards Spirit Shards every time I 'level' with a max level alt.Is there any solution to this, or do I have to unlock ALL HoT MPs and training lines before returning to earning Spirit Shards from XP earned in core Tyria?Yes - I've checked the wiki and everything else I can find, but it's not clear.Thanks in advance for any help.

[Ayrilana.1396]

Hot masteries progress doesn’t impact earning spirit shards in core. You need to max core masteries for that.

[SlingDash.2350]

If you're training for HoT Mastery line unlocks, it stops you earning XP in core Tyria - and that's what I need to do to earn the necessary XP to get Spirit Shards.

[Ayrilana.1396]

@SlingDash.2350 said:If you're training for HoT Mastery line unlocks, it stops you earning XP in core Tyria - and that's what I need to do to earn the necessary XP to get Spirit Shards.

No it doesn’t. Core, HoT, and PoF are all separate from each other.

Edit:

To further back this up, my alt that I started last month has all HoT masteries maxed and can earn spirit shards on HoT maps only. I only have one mastery maxed on core and cannot earn spirit shards there. I cannot earn spirit shards in PoF either as I won’t have skyscale for another couple weeks.

[SlingDash.2350]

My XP bar is stuck on the HoT Mastery track (even when in core Tyria) that I've automatically been swithced to after completing the only one that I wanted in HoT content, so I'm earning no XP in core Tyria with my max level alts.I don't want to go any further with HoT because I don't like it and just want to get mats/XP etc for my first Legendary from the basic game by earning Spirit Shards from levelling my max alts in core Tyria.If I were to max-out MPs in core Tyria, are you saying that my HoT MP/Training will just stop and my XP bar will go back to earning XP towards Spirit Shards?As I said - I'm hopelessly confused and just don;t know what to do.Thank you for the replies, by the way.

[Ayrilana.1396]

Are your core masteries all maxed?

https://wiki.guildwars2.com/wiki/Central_Tyria_mastery_tracks

[SlingDash.2350]

No, and I only play solo PvE, so I'm finding it very difficult/impossible.I need nine more core MPs and they all require multiplayer help.

[Ayrilana.1396]

@SlingDash.2350 said:No, and I only play solo PvE, so I'm finding it very difficult/impossible.I need nine more core MPs and they all require multiplayer help.

You need all core Tyria masteries maxed in order to earn spirit shards from XP in core Tyria.

[SlingDash.2350]

Oh dear.So IF I can somehow max all core Tyria MPs, my XP bar when in core Tyria will automatically go back to earning XP towards Spirit Shards?It won't stop/force me to earn more MPs from PoF because I don't yet have PoF?

[Ayrilana.1396]

@SlingDash.2350 said:Oh dear.So IF I can somehow max all core Tyria MPs, my XP bar when in core Tyria will automatically go back to earning XP towards Spirit Shards?

Yes.

It won't stop/force me to earn more MPs from PoF because I don't yet have PoF?

No.

[SlingDash.2350]

Even though I'm curently 'stuck' on earning XP/MPs from the HoT training line that it automatically jumped me into after completing my previous one?

Actually I'm not sure if it is Spirit Shards that you earn for max level alts in Core Tyria.I know that you earn something for 'levelling' max level alts' XP in core Tyria, and that 'something' goes towards Legendary crafting.As I said - hopelessly confused!

[mungozen.2379]

@SlingDash.2350 said:Even though I'm curently 'stuck' on earning XP/MPs from the HoT training line that it automatically jumped me into after completing my previous one?

Actually I'm not sure if it is Spirit Shards that you earn for max level alts in Core Tyria.I know that you earn something for 'levelling' max level alts' XP in core Tyria, and that 'something' goes towards Legendary crafting.As I said - hopelessly confused!

As an aside, convert your Tomes of Knowledge into Spirit Shards..... just use the Tomes on a lvl 80 character and presto

As for XP, Mastery and Spirit Shards

Masteries are grouped into CategoriesCore, HoT, PoF and IBS are the 4 current Mastery Categories, each has several Mastery Tracks (IE: in Core Pact Commander, Leg Crafting and Fractal Attunement).At 80 you earn XP towards Mastery Tracks until you have maxed the Mastery

• You earn XP towards the chosen incomplete Mastery Track appropriate for the zone you are in
• When the Mastery level is full, you must spend MP to level up the Mastery to the next level
• You continue to accrue XP towards Mastery Category until all the Mastery Tracks are full

Once you have completed a Mastery Category, whenever you are in a Zone that is for that Category, you are earning XP towards Spirit Shards. This is on any character as your Mastery is tied to your account, not the character.

If you have maxed a Mastery Track with XP but not bought the next level with MP, then (apparently, according to Anet) overflow XP is kept accruing in the background. The intent was to allow players to continue to accrue XP towards Spirit Shards while they farmed the MP they needed to level the Mastery. Once you finish the Track or Category the XP is meant to be applied to the Spirit Shard, not sure how that works though, it's not something you get to see everyday.

So, if you are wanting to farm Shards It might be faster to clear Core Masteries first. You need 49 MP for the Mastery Tracks in Core, which will likely mean having to go into Fractals. However, I do think most Legendry items require going into Fractals already and Tier 1 is really a push over for everyone. As well, T1 Fractals give pretty good XP and Rewards which will help towards your earning Mastery and Spirit Shard as well as crafting. If you get into doing Fractals the Gold earned for Dailies in Fractals even at T2 or T3 is worth the 30 minutes to run.

Another option is to farm Tomes of Knowledge in PvP/WvW and convert them to shards.

[Ashantara.8731]

@SlingDash.2350 said:My XP bar is stuck on the HoT Mastery track (even when in core Tyria) that I've automatically been swithced to after completing the only one that I wanted in HoT content, so I'm earning no XP in core Tyria with my max level alts.

Then switch to a Core Tyrian Mastery instead when you are playing on core Tyrian soil. Once maxed, you can earn Spirit Shards again as described.

[SlingDash.2350]

I've finished my core Tyria MPs with the help of some great people, and my XP bar is now back to normal!Thanks everyboy for the replies - much appreciated!

[Schimmi.6872]

Since a patch last year it doesn't matter anymore, if your bar is locked by any masteries. As soon as xp can't be used for a mastery bar, they go into the spirit shard bar, which may be hidden in the background but still works.edit: Patchnotes - https://wiki.guildwars2.com/wiki/Game_updates/2020-01-14#General_2