Guild Wars Game Updates

The official Guild Wars website has revealed a new Game Updates (http://www.guildwars.com/news/gameupdates.html) page that details the latest changes in-game:

Update - Sunday May 1

- Add request for email confirmation during account creation
- Add new "/preorder" command to restore preorder items
- Incorporate quest improvements to "Althea's Ashes" and "Regent Valley Defense"
- Update European and Korean translations
- Fix "cancel" button when setting up guild matches
- Fix camera periodically refusing to enter first-person mode
- Fix henchmen periodically refusing to follow the party after resurrecting
- Fix statue activation when a world gains Favor of the Gods
- Fix Signet of Capture unlocking skills
- Fixes for lag
- Fixes for miscellaneous rare crash bugs
- Improve hardware compatibility

Note: To work around a problem in this update, we temporarily removed footprints and the red dots displaying the path taken in the Map Area window. We will restore this functionality in the next update.

Update - Monday May 2

- Increase value of Celestial Sigil on traders
- Restore footprints and display of path taken on map
- Save chat filter preferences
- Update Korean translation
- Add missing resurrect point to "Sage Lands"
- Correct miscellaneous text and NPC names
- Correct names and armor values for Druid armor in “Ventari’s Refuge”
- Update monster difficulty in “Augury Rock”, “Sage Lands”
- Fix animation problem for final gate in Dragon's Lair
- Fix bear hunters’ reward from “Regent Valley”
- Fix bug that returned players to pre-searing Ascalon if they logged out immediately after the searing
- Fix district menu periodically displaying the wrong district number
- Fix misleading signpost in “Lion’s Arch”
- Fix splinter mines in “Elona's Reach”; they now only damage NPCs when players drop them
- Fixes for miscellaneous rare crash bugs
- Improve hardware compatibility

Update - Tuesday May 3

- Shorten required delay between picking up an item and identifying/salvaging it
- Update monster and loot balance in Arid Sea, Dunes of Despair, Thirsty River
- Fix displayed name of Lich

Future Updates:

Here are some important changes which are planned for the next update, which will take place later this week.

PvP Arenas: We’re changing the way PvP Arenas work to provide players with more variety. Previously, each Arena had a separate outpost. When you joined an Arena, you would continue playing on that same map repeatedly until you lost. In the upcoming build, many different Arenas will share a common outpost. When you enter Arena combat, each game will take place on a different map, with different victory conditions. To keep winning, you’ll need to master each of the different maps. Note that there will be different outposts for Randomly-Matched Arenas and Team Arenas.

Gold Storage: You can now store gold in your account storage vault! The vault can store up to 1000 platinum pieces. Individual characters will now be able to hold a maximum of 100 platinum pieces.

Veteran Maps: Entering “The Underworld” will now cost 1 platinum piece, the same as entering “The Fissure of Woe." Rewards in both of these maps have been significantly improved.

Quest Improvements: We’re adding new quests in “The Fissure of Woe” and Post-Searing Ascalon, and updating many of the quests in Pre-Searing Ascalon to make it more straightforward for players to gain entrance to the Academy.

Difficulty and Loot: There will also be numerous small tweaks to monster difficulty and loot distribution throughout many of the existing missions and explorable areas.

Item Scarcity: We are fixing problems which caused excessive scarcity for Fur Squares, Linen, and Silk. All of these will be significantly more common.

PvP Character Templates: We will be retiring some old PvP character templates and rotating in some new ones, including three new templates created by guilds that won our April contest. These changes will only affect newly-created characters, not existing characters that were created with one of the retired templates.

Update - Wednesday May 11

- Major changes to PvP Arenas! Previously, each Arena had a separate outpost. When you joined an Arena, you continued playing on that map repeatedly until you lost. Now, the various high-level Arena maps all share a common outpost. When you enter the high-level Arena, you’ll play on many different maps with many different victory conditions, and you’ll need to master all the maps to keep on winning.

- After each consecutive PvP victory, the game now displays the number of consecutive wins.

- A new screen at the end of PvP character creation allows you to choose the starting location of your PvP character.

- We retired the old “Dazed," “Shock Sniper," “Divine Healer.” and “Trapper” PvP-only character templates, and rotated in some new templates, including three new templates created by guilds that won our April ladder contest. Additionally, we tweaked the skills of many other PvP character templates. These changes only affect the creation of new characters; existing characters created with an old template may continue to use that old template.

- You can now store gold in your account storage vault! The vault can store up to 1000 platinum pieces, and individual characters can now hold a maximum of 100 platinum pieces.

- PvP-only characters can now access the account storage vault for free.

- Entering “The Underworld” now costs 1 platinum piece, the same as entering “The Fissure of Woe." Rewards in both maps have been significantly improved.

- New quests! In Post-Searing Ascalon: “The Weaver of Nebo” and “Iron Horse War Machine." In “The Fissure of Woe:” “Tower of Courage," “The Wailing Lord," “A Gift of Griffons," “Army of Darkness," “The Eternal Forgemaster," “Defend the Temple of War," and “Restore the Temple of War."

- Primary quests in Pre-Searing Ascalon now chain together, making it more straightforward for new players to complete Pre-Searing Ascalon and gain entrance to the Academy.

- Increased drop rates for Uncommon and Rare items in Explorable Areas.

- Implemented various minor fixes and clarifications to existing quests.

- Implemented various tweaks to monster difficulty and loot balance.

- Added new boss monster encounters in the “Ring of Fire” area.

- Added new bonuses on certain collector and quest items.

- Instituted skill changes: “Watch Yourself!” correctly affects characters who were already affected by another instance of the skill. “Firestorm” now continues to cast even if the target enemy dies during spellcasting. We’ll revise other area-effect spells to work this way in future updates.

- The party window and account storage windows now correctly remember their position and size.

- There are many new hints displayed in Pre-Searing Ascalon, and a new option to disable the display of hints.

- When you gain a level, a button now appears prompting you to spend your newly acquired attribute points.

- Quest destination points now appear on both the Map Area and Map Travel windows.

- Most NPC text is now logged to the chat window, as well as being displayed in game.

- Implemented various minor fixes to UI.

- Fixed crafters recognizing high-level crafting items.

- Fixed problems which caused excessive scarcity of Fur Squares, Linen, and Silk.

- Implemented fixes for incorrect behavior when a player or party disconnects before the beginning of a competitive game.

- Implemented fixes for miscellaneous rare crash bugs.

- Added the ability to change postal mailing address on account.

- Improved hardware compatibility.

Update – Friday May 13

- Changed art on Celestial Sigils to distinguish them from runes. Celestial Sigils will now look like this in your inventory:
http://www.guildwars.com/images/jpeg/celestial-sigil-item.jpg
- Made minor balance changes to some desert areas and “Iron Mines of Moladune."

- Fixed miscellaneous rare crash bugs

Here's the latest Guild Wars news:

Future Update (http://www.guildwars.com/news/gameupdates.html)

In order to combat the rising cost of Celestial Sigils and thus allow more people to buy guild halls and experience the guild warfare aspect of the game, we will be substantially increasing the number of Celestial Sigils entering the economy. Starting with this week's update, whenever a team wins a game in the Hall of Heroes, that team will receive three Celestial Sigils instead of one. We will also be making improvements to the trader to allow his prices to more accurately reflect supply and demand within the game.

Update - Wednesday, June 1 (http://www.guildwars.com/news/gameupdates.html)

- Added language-specific districts to European servers. There are now different districts for each supported language: English, French, German, Italian, and Spanish. Players are placed by default into the district that matches their current language preference, but can still travel freely to any available district or to the International District.

- Added requirement for a guild officer to be present to initiate or accept a guild battle. This can help guilds protect their rating by removing the potential for malicious or careless actions on the part of a guild member.

- Added more boss-monster locations to high-level maps to make it easier for players to acquire elite skills.

- Assured that the skills Battle Rage, Crippling Shot, Defy Pain, Punishing Shot, and Warriors Endurance are now used more frequently by the boss monsters that carry the skills, to make them easier to capture.

- Added new art for unidentified salvaged runes so that the profession and rune quality are displayed. Identifying the rune is still required to learn the rune's attribute and to unlock the rune. This change only impacts newly salvaged runes.

- Assured that all uncommon and rare armor drops have an unlockable ability.

- Assured that rare armor drops will always have either a major or superior rune, not a minor rune.

- Assured that NPC traders, whose price fluctuates according to market demand, will always pay at least the vendor value for an item.

- Assured that Celestial Sigils now have an inherent value of 1 platinum piece, which allows them to be sold at vendors.

- Assured that armor provided by collectors can now be salvaged.

- Added a new "/rank" emote for players who are rank 9 or higher.

- Improved Henchmen in missions beyond Iron Mines of Moladune. They now have three pieces of armor infused instead of one.

- Improved or clarified secondary missions in D'Alessio Seaboard, Divinity Coast, Augury Rock, Thirsty River, Ice Caves of Sorrow, Thunderhead Keep, Ring of Fire, Abaddon's Mouth, Hell's Precipice.

- Increased the gold reward in Divinity Coast that is given for protecting the Chosen.

- Improved the ambient ongoing fight in the D'Alessio Seaboard outpost.

- Doubled the duration of the buff that Vizier Khilbron gives to players in certain missions, from 30 seconds to 1 minute.

- Updated monster and loot balance in Perdition Rock, Vulture Drifts, Prophet's Path, the southern Shiverpeak region, and Hell's Precipice.

- Made improvements to various mission start locations, NPC locations, gates, levers, and bridges.

- Made improvements to various map click points and thumbnails.

- Fixed issues with quests Defend The Temple of War, Hungry Devourer, Supplies For The Duke, Army Life, Duke Ambush, and To Kryta.

- Fixed the glow color of several boss monsters in Crystal Desert and Perdition Rock to match their skills.

- Improved AL on Elementalist Leggings crafted in Quarrel Falls from 30 to 39.

- Renamed "Raw Cloth" to "Cloth."

- Renamed "Enchanted Lodestones" found in post-searing Ascalon to "Scorched Lodestones."

- Removed the ability to dye certain non-equippable items such as crafting materials.

- Fixed skill Winter so that all elemental damage is converted to cold.

- Fixed skill Feral Lunge duration of bleeding effect.

- Fixed skill Spiteful Spirit so that it deals damage when the target uses a skill.

- Fixed skill Fevered Dreams so that it does not affect non-foe targets in response to unsourced condition effects.

- Fixed skill Essence Bond to eliminate the rare incorrect triggering on physical damage.

- Fixed skill Life Bond so that it always deals the correct damage type.

- Fixed skill descriptions for Healing Signet, Balthazar's Spirit, Putrid Explosion, Defensive Stance, Symbol of Wrath, and Desperation Blow, so that the descriptions more accurately match the actual effect of the skill.

- Updated Alt keydown functionality to additionally display henchman names in town.

- Added overhead chat bubbles for team chat (except in competitive missions, where there are no chat bubbles).

- Updated auto-run functionality so that players will auto-run when clicking an NPC in the world but not when clicking an NPC in the party allies window.

- Updated European and Korean translations.

- Updated Korean character naming rules.

- Updated art for Geomancer's armor. This is the first of several updates over the coming weeks that will provide unique art for each ascended armor set, such as Enchanter's, Tormentor's, Necrotic, Aeromancer's, Saintly, Gladiator's, and Druid's armor sets.

- Changed the "Delete Character" dialog to allow the deletion of old characters whose names do not conform to current naming rules. A previous bug prevented the deletion of characters whose names were created under old naming rules and no longer conformed to current naming rules.

- Fixed a bug preventing alternate characters from logging on when one character on the account was blocked.

- Fixed Lightning Drakes' air magic ability.

- Fixed miscellaneous rare crash bugs.

Update - Wednesday June 8 (http://www.guildwars.com/news/gameupdates.html)

This week, as part of our in continuing promise to keep Guild Wars free of hacks, cheats, and other exploits, we closed the accounts of more than 100 users of bots. With today's update we are taking further steps to address the bot problem. New changes will improve our ability to identify and ban users of bots, rebalance mission areas that were highly exploited by bots, and reduce the overall effectiveness of bots, exploits, and other highly repetitive forms of gold and item farming. We are taking these steps to improve the game for all players, so that people using bots to farm gold cannot generate a huge influx of new gold into the economy, which increases prices for everyone and encourages other players to engage in repetitive farming just to keep up.

We know that some players currently engage in repetitive farming activities for the primary purpose of unlocking skills and items for PvP. Rather than preserving the effectiveness of farming for this purpose, it is our intention to address the larger issue of the need for farming by assessing how players acquire and unlock items, runes, and skills, and then by taking steps to ensure that players can acquire and unlock these things through normal gameplay. We believe that the most effective way to play the game should also be the most fun way to play the game. You can expect to see the first meaningful changes towards this goal next week.

This week's other improvements:

- Changed Signet of Capture so that it now targets dead boss monsters. When you use the signet, you are presented with a menu of all of the dead boss monster's skills, and can capture any skill of your choice. This eliminates the need to keep boss monsters alive while trying to capture their skills, and will substantially reduce the difficulty of capturing certain skills that are rarely cast by boss monsters.

- Added rune traders. Be aware that these traders specifically deal with already-identified runes, so runes you buy from them are for the purpose of wearing, not unlocking.

- Added traders for rare crafting materials.

- Added magical bonuses to a number of quest and collector items.

- Improved the guild matching system so that top-ranked guilds can find opponents more readily.

- Improved Tournament and Team Arenas so that if a player drops out during a mission, that player will be replaced by a henchman for the next mission.

- Improved drops of Obsidian Shards in The Fissure of Woe.

- Changed the way armor infusion quests work. The seer now infuses all of your currently worn pieces of armor, but the infusion effect is slightly reduced in power in order to preserve the intended challenge of the following missions.

- Fixed Henchmen AI to prevent Henchmen from running off after a party respawn.

- Fixed skills Vengeance and Unyielding Aura so that the effects after resurrection work properly again. These skills were inadvertently broken by last week's update.

- Fixed skill Enervating Charge to correctly deal armor piercing damage.

- Fixed skill Wild Blow so that it correctly ignores attempts to Block or Evade.

- Fixed skill Feral Lunge duration of bleeding effect.

- Added Dwarven Ale for sale on Dwarven Merchants.

- Added more storage agents to Droknar's Forge and Arena outposts.

- Added the option of attaching Collectors Edition account keys onto existing retail accounts to unlock the Divine Aura.

- Updated the user interface so that platinum pieces are clearly separated from gold. Previously various interface elements would incorrectly display "1000 gold pieces;" now they will display "1 platinum piece."

- Updated health bar positions on many monsters to more closely track the monster.

- Updated boss monsters Thul Boulderrain and Eater of Souls to use the correct glow color.

- Changed the appearance of collector NPCs in many Crystal Desert maps.

- Adjusted monster spawns in Talmark Wilderness, Ettin's Back, Ice Caves of Sorrow, Riverside Province, Sanctum Cay, Majesty's Rest, Stingray Strand, Nebo Terrace, The Arid Sea, Prophet's Path, The Scar, and rebalanced spawns of Caromi Tengu throughout Kryta.

- Increased reward for quest "The Villainy of Galrath" from 500 XP to 4000 XP.

- Fixed loot problems in quests "The Undead Hordes," "The Last Hog," and "White Mantle Wrath: A Helping Hand."

- Fixed quest drops in quest "Blood and Smoke."

- Fixed the countdown timer in Elona's Reach so that it now begins after the cinematic.

- Fixed fame in the Tomb of Primeval Kings so that it is granted starting from the first competitive victory.

- Fixed inability to trade bags. Unequipped bags can now be traded.

- Fixed an error that prevented characters from continuing to play after reaching level 15 in pre-searing Ascalon.

- Updated European and Korean translations.

- Made minor tweaks and improvements to a variety of NPC AI scripts.

- Fixed miscellaneous rare crash bugs.

Update – Wednesday, June 15 (http://www.guildwars.com/news/gameupdates.html)

This week we made the first of several steps towards improving the process of gaining skills and skill points after ascension. In coming weeks, we will continue on this path, and will work to address the difficulty of unlocking items and runes for use in PvP.

- Changed the XP requirements per skill point for advanced characters. Previously, the required XP kept increasing with each successive skill point, making it very difficult to continue earning skill points after taking on a new secondary profession. Now, the required XP caps out at 20,000 per skill point.

- Doubled the XP gained from killing boss monsters.

- Introduced rare scrolls which, when used, grant the entire party double or triple XP for a limited duration. We also added traders for these new scrolls.

- Changed the XP reward for ascension. Previously, when a character ascended, he was automatically advanced to level 20, regardless of his current level. This meant that characters who had already advanced to level 20 prior to ascension received no reward for ascending. Now, ascension gives a fixed reward of 50,000 XP.

- Updated secondary profession quests so that when a player accepts a new secondary profession, he now gets the starter skills for that profession.

- Improved salvage kits so that they always successfully salvage runes from monster-dropped armor. There is still a chance of destroying a rune when using a salvage kit to try to retrieve it from your own armor.

- Added confirmation prompt when dragging an item to the ground during a trading session or just after a trading session, to prevent scammers from closing the trading window in the middle of a trade to try to trick their trading partners into dropping an item.

- New quests: "The Ascalon Settlement" in North Kryta Province; "The Price of Steel" in Silverwood; and "The False Gods" in Temple of the Ages.

- Added unique artwork for the ascended version of the Monk's Saintly Armor.

- Updated the descriptions for skills Fertile Season, Balthazar's Spirit, Chimera of Intensity, Irresistible Blow, Mind Freeze, Ice Spikes, Deep Freeze, and Glyph of Energy to more accurately match the actual skill effect.

- Updated mission victory conditions in Thunderhead Keep and Iron Mines of Moladune, and monster spawns in The Dragon’s Lair and Ice Caves of Sorrow, to allow players to capture skills from boss monsters before completing the mission.

- Updated monster and loot spawns in Sage Lands, Watchtower Coast, Frozen Forest, The Scar, Vulture Drifts, Snake Dance, and Ettin’s Back, and for quests Iron Horse War Machine, The Monk’s Path, and Seeking the Seer.

- Fixed issues with last week's update that could cause loot drops to completely stop for some players after repeated map entries, and substantially improved the loot system so that only the most extreme forms of farming will cause monsters to start to run low on loot.

- Updated boss monster spawns in various explorable areas to fix issues with boss monster distribution and balance.

- Made numerous changes to the "Undead Horde" quest to add more to the storyline and environment of the quest.

- Changed the "Behind Enemy Lines" quest so that Aidan uses the correct model and players have a little more time to follow him.

- Increased the gold reward for completing the secondary mission in Divinity Coast.

- Increased the energy increment on some Druid Leggings, so that all Druid Leggings now provide 2 additional energy.

- Updated henchmen in Marhan’s Grotto to use infused armor.

- Updated positions and paths for NPCs in various towns and outposts to prevent NPCs from getting stuck.

- Updated the Hall of Heroes so that the defender’s Ghostly Hero starts on the altar.

- Fixed the Sacred Temples tournament map so that it is no longer possible to pass a relic through the gate.

- Fixed elemental damage in the Domain of Elements in the Dragon’s Lair so that it does not damage monsters.

- Fixed Forgotten Cursebearer and Forgotten Necromancer bosses so that they use their skills properly.

- Fixed problem with quest "The Ambassador’s Quandary."

- Fixed Oink in "Gates of Kryta" so that he recognizes his owner even if another player has already completed the quest.

- Made text fixes for quests "Tower of Courage," "The Elementalist’s Path," and "Unsettling Rumors."

- Fixed the damage ranges on Raven Staves and Ghostly Staves.

- Rebalanced Blessed Griffons and Phantoms to better reflect their level.

- Renamed the version of Defender’s Scalp Design which provides a bonus to Smiting to Zealot’s Scalp Design.

- Renamed Mirror Self to Doppelganger.

- Fixed teleporter effects in the Crystal Desert explorable areas.

- Fixed various animation and scripting issues in cinematics.

- Fixed environmental effects in The Crag.

- Fixed teleporter in Vulture Drifts.

- Fixed icon for Dwarven Ale so that it no longer appears as "under construction."

- Fixed various icon issues in vendor windows so that icons do not appear as "under construction."

- Fixed a bug that sometimes caused Error #95 to be displayed when trying to arrange a guild battle.

- Fixed a trade bug which prevented trade between two players when both tried to initiate trade at the same time.

- Added a cursor for item identification.

- Updated the layout of the login screen.

- Enabled clicking names in whisper text.

- Updated European and Korean translations.

- Fixed miscellaneous rare crash bugs.

Update – Friday, June 17 (http://www.guildwars.com/news/gameupdates.html)

- Fixed XP exploit in Augury Rock.


Update – Thursday, June 16 (http://www.guildwars.com/news/gameupdates.html)

- Fixed crash bug related to language toggle key.

- Fixed missing characters in large Korean font.

- Fixed price of Dwarven Ale.

- Fixed price of Small Girl's Cape.

Update – Monday, June 27 (http://www.guildwars.com/news/gameupdates.html)

- Closed exploit in Seeker's Passage.

Update – Wednesday, June 29 (http://www.guildwars.com/news/gameupdates.html)

New Guild Wars PvP Reward System:

This week we're implementing a new reward system for Player vs. Player (PvP) combat. When playing in cooperative missions and in explorable areas, you will continue to earn normal experience. But when fighting in Arenas, Tournament, and Guild Battles, you will gain faction with Balthazar, the god of war, instead. Faction is shared by all characters on your account and is awarded for kills and for winning battles. Faction can be redeemed to unlock runes, weapon upgrades, and skills, which then become accessible by any new PvP Only Characters for your account.

The rate at which you gain faction will vary depending on your success and the type of PvP. The high-level arenas provide faction faster than the low level arenas. The Tournament provides faction faster than the Arenas. Because Guild Battles require the greatest amount of organization, they provide the greatest rewards. Faction rewards for guild battle victories increase with higher guild rating. Nevertheless, for all types of PvP, even if you are not victorious, you will gain faction for every enemy your team kills. (Please note: To prevent organized faction-farming, only automatic-match, rated guild battles provide faction. Also, characters who have been in a guild for less than two weeks do not gain full faction for a victory.)

Faction Rewards

Unique Kill: 1 in low level arenas, 2 in all other PvP types

Repeat Kill: 0

Arena Victory: 6 in Team/Competition Arenas, 2 in Shiverpeak Arena, 1 in Ascalon Arena

Tournament Victory: 20 for the first, 40 for all subsequent

Guild Victory: 200 to 500, depending on your guild rating

To redeem faction, take a roleplaying character to a Priest of Balthazar. There are Priests, each with a different list of skills to unlock, in Ascalon City, Yak's Bend, Lion's Arch, the Henge of Denravi, Amnoon Oasis, and Droknar's Forge.

Rune Unlocking

1000 (Minor)
1500 (Major)
2000 (Superior)

Weapon Upgrade Unlocking

1000 (Minimum Power)
1000 (Maximum Power)

Skill Unlocking

1000 (Basic skills)
3000 (Elite skills)

Runes must be unlocked in order, from minor to major to superior. For weapon upgrades with variable statistics, you must unlock one lower power upgrade before unlocking the maximum power upgrade. For example, the +1 Vampiric Sword Hilt must be unlocked before you can choose a +3 Vampiric Sword Hilt as a reward. Thus, runes and weapon upgrades unlocked through cooperative play will allow you to purchase more powerful items sooner.

Other PvP changes:

- In PvP matches, each player in the party now shares Faction Point rewards for each kill, regardless of whether the player was alive or involved in the combat.

- The minimum party size for the Tournament has been increased from 5 to 8.

- The survival mission that introduces the Tournament has been significantly revamped. It now consists of a single battle against the "Unworthy Dead." The more quickly your team destroys the enemy, the earlier it can advance to the next levels of the tournament. Your team’s initial morale boost is determined by how quickly you defeat the enemy. There is no Faction Point reward in this mission.

- If a randomly-formed party playing in the Competitive Arenas manages to win 10 times in a row, it will start being matched against players from the Team Arenas.
Other changes this week:

- Added new quests "Caravan In Trouble" in Eastern Frontier, "Family Reunion" in Sardelac Sanitarium, "Khobay The Betrayer" and "Slaves of Menzies" in Fissure of Woe.

- Added new scroll "Slayer's Insight," which gives 250% XP from combat. This effect ends if your party fails to kill a boss monster within 5 minutes.

- Improved the user interface for collectors. Collectors now accurately and completely describe items that can be obtained from them.

- Added a way for multiple players to more easily synchronize their emote animations. By following your emote command with a space and an asterisk, you indicate your emote should begin on the next 10 second pulse. For example, typing “/dance *” causes your character to wait until the next 10 second pulse to begin dancing. If several players do this before the next pulse, they will all begin dancing simultaneously.

- Added new artwork for the Elementalist's ascended Aeromancer Armor, the Necromancer's ascended Necrotic Armor, and the Mesmer's ascended Enchanter Armor.

- Added new artwork for Onyx, Obsidian, Parchment, Vellum, Vials of Ink, Spiritwood Planks, Spiderwebs, Half-Eaten Masses, and Mursaat Tokens.

- Added a Guide NPC to safely lead new characters through The Breach into Piken Square.

- Fixed Necrotic Traversal and Consume Corpse so that they are able to consume player corpses correctly in PvP.

- Removed experience for killing animated minions.

- Improved pets so that they have the equivalent of armor infusions.

- Improved desert teleporters so that they now teleport nearby henchmen when a player teleports, and so that henchmen will not set off teleporters on their own.

- Updated attribute quest "Forgotten Wisdom." It is now given as a quest after you complete "Forgotten One."

- If a GM flags your character name as a violation of the Rules of Conduct, you will now be given the option of renaming that character.

- Added an error message when two parties from the same guild attempt to issue a challenge simultaneously.

- Fixed minor issues with the following quests: "Althea’s Ashes," "Ascalon Settlement," "Caravan Trouble," "A Cure For Ralena," "The Last Hog," Fissure of Woe quests, "A Gift for Althea," "Defend the Crafter," "Final Blow," "Shiverpeak Stragglers," "Oswalt’s Epitaph," "Hungry Devourer," "Price of Steel," "The Warrior’s Path," and "Wisdom of the Druids."

- Fixed a blocked teleporter in Prophet's Path.

- Fixed the appearance of the PvP character creation doll so that it does not appear to hold both a two-handed weapon and a shield at the same time.

- Fixed the appearance of the NPC Alari Doubleblade.

- Updated the placement of items in: Salt Flats, Talus Chute, Silverwood, Witman’s Folly, Perdition Rock, Reed Bog and Thirsty River.

- Updated several vague or confusing skill descriptions.

- Updated European and Korean translations.

- Fixed miscellaneous rare crash bugs.

Update – Thursday, June 30 (http://www.guildwars.com/news/gameupdates.html)

- Closed exploits in Snake Dance, Twin Serpent Lakes, and Riverside Province.

- Fixed two rare but serious server bugs.

- Fixed several rare client bugs.

Update – Wednesday, July 13

Improved faction rewards in Arenas and the Tournament:

Arena Victory: 10 in Team/Competition Arenas, 5 in Shiverpeak Arena, 2 in Ascalon Arena

Arena Bonus for 5 Consecutive Victories: 10 in Team/Competition Arenas, 5 in Shiverpeak Arena, 2 in Ascalon Arena

Arena Bonus for Flawless Victory: 2 in Team/Competition Arenas, 1 in Shiverpeak Arena, 0 in Ascalon Arena

Tournament Victory: 20 in the first map, 40 in early missions, 60 in later missions, 80 in the Hall of Heroes

- Corrected faction reward for kills in low level arenas, so that it now matches what was announced in the June 29 update notes.

- Restored XP for PvP games. Players will now receive both Faction and XP for killing an opponent.

- Improved Henchmen movement AI so that they more closely follow the player and avoid getting stuck.

- Added Lina, a level 17 protection healer henchman, to all Crystal Desert outposts.

- Improved staff damage and armor on protection healer henchmen to better match their level.

- Improved minion formations and corrected a flaw that was occasionally preventing them from following or attacking.

- Added new artwork for the Warrior’s ascended Gladiator’s Armor and Ranger’s ascended Druid’s Armor.

- Fixed the following area-of-effect (AOE) spells so that they are no longer cancelled if the target dies while you are casting them: Chaos Storm, Deep Freeze, Desecrate Enchantments, Earthquake, Enfeebling Blood, Eruption, Feast of Corruption, Fireball, Ice Spikes, Maelstrom, Meteor, Meteor Storm, Panic, Phoenix, Plague Sending, Rodgort's Invocation, Rust, Searing Heat, Shadow of Fear, Soothing Images, Suffering.

- Fixed Grenth's Balance so that it does not decrease the target's health by more than it increases your health.

- Fixed wards, spirits, and wells so that players who are resurrected within the area of effect receive that spell's effect after resurrection.

- Fixed bug which prevented the final boss in the Thunderhead Keep mission from dropping loot.

- Updated boss monster spawns in Dunes of Despair, The Frost Gate, Deldrimor Bowl, and Traveler's Vale.

- Updated or repaired flaws in the following quests: "Tower of Courage," "A Gift of Griffons," "Khobay the Betrayer," and "Undead Horde."

- Updated monster locations in North Kryta Province and Fissure of Woe.

- Updated Captain Greywind NPC to level 20 for continuity.

- Added party configuration requirement so that parties containing henchmen or unascended players are now prevented from entering the Fissure of Woe and the Underworld.

Interface changes:

- Added new trader interface.

- Expanded friends list so that you can have up to 50 on your friends list and up to 10 on your ignore list.

- Expanded maximum permitted length of guild announcement to 255 characters.

- Improved vendor windows so they remember their last size and position.

- Improved vendor windows so they show equipped items with a special symbol.

- Improved information displayed in "/age" command.

- Corrected the skill monitor and selection bar so that when they are inactive they no longer interfere with mouse interaction.
- Corrected quest markers on the compass so they update properly after completing a quest.

- Added tags to highlight fellow guild members in outposts.

- Improved several error and warning messages, especially related to guild battle formation.

- Updated icon for Flurry skill.

- Fixed minor update bugs in party formation window.

Miscellaneous:

- Updated Korean and European translations.

- Fixed miscellaneous rare crash bugs.

Update – Friday, July 22 (http://www.guildwars.com/news/gameupdates.html)

- Closed equipment exploit.

Update – Wednesday, August 3 (http://www.guildwars.com/news/gameupdates.html)

- Fixed several infrequent server crash bugs.

- Fixed a bug that was causing characters to stop displaying spell-casting animations if a skill was used twice in rapid succession.

- Amended display functions so that when unsupported video hardware is detected, the Guild Wars window properly unminimizes if the user chooses to play anyway.

Update – Friday, August 5 (http://www.guildwars.com/news/gameupdates.html)

- Fixed infrequent server crash issues.

- Fixed whisper and Friend's List problems that were occurring immediately following new builds.

Update – Wednesday, August 10

- Fixed a bug that was making some desert teleporters unresponsive.

- Corrected flaw in Price of Failure skill that was causing missile attacks to miss their targets more than 25% of the time.

- Corrected Hundred Blades skill to deal damage accurately; previously it was dealing only 75% of its intended damage.

- Corrected Mind Freeze skill so that damage is dealt regardless of whether the caster's energy is lower than the target's energy.

- Corrected flaw in Mist Form skill that was preventing it from reducing damage from elemental damage attacks.

- Corrected "The Price of Steel" quest so that so that White Mantle always drop Ruined Armor for players on the quest.

- Fixed a bug that was preventing the skill-swap dialog from disappearing after talking to Captain Greywind.

- Fixed several rare client and server crash bugs.

Update – Thursday, August 11

- Improved traders so that they maintain more stable prices and closer spreads between buy and sell prices.

- Improved traders so that traders from all regions (America, Europe, and Korea) now buy and sell from the same stock and charge the same prices.

Update – Monday, August 15

- Fixed rare crash bug with German text at the largest UI size.

PvP Extreme Weekend Changes

The following faction rewards were ONLY be in effect during the Guild Wars PvP Extreme Weekend from 12:01 AM PDT on August 26th until 11:59 PM PDT on August 28th.

Arenas
- Unique Kill: 20 in Team/Competition, 10 in Shiverpeaks, 5 in Ascalon
- Victory: 25 in Team/Competition, 10 in Shiverpeaks, 5 in Ascalon
- Bonus for Five Consecutive Victories: 25 in Team/Competition, 10 in Shiverpeaks, 5 in Ascalon
- Bonus for Flawless Victory: 25 in Team/Competition, 10 in Shiverpeaks, 5 in Ascalon

Tournament
- Unique Kill: 20
- Victory: 100 in early missions, 200 in later missions, 400 in Hall of Heroes
- Bonus for Flawless Victory: 100 (same across all missions)

Guild Battles
- Unique Kill: 20
- Victory: 500 - 2000 depending on your guild rating (500 at rating 1000, 2000 at rating 1600)
- Bonus for Flawless Victory: 100 - 400 depending on your guild rating (100 at rating 1000, 400 at rating 1600)

Update – Thursday, August 25 (http://www.guildwars.com/news/gameupdates.html)

Note: All skill ranges are for Attribute Level 0 through 15. For example, "Fertile Season: reduced duration to 15..45 seconds" would indicate that with 0 Attribute points, the duration would be 15 seconds, and with 15 Attribute points, the duration would be 45 seconds.

Elementalist
- Meteor: Lowered Energy cost to 5
- Fireball: Lowered Energy cost to 10 and recharge time to 7 seconds
- Chain Lightning: Increased cast time to 3 seconds; decreased damage to 10..85; changed recharge to 10 seconds; lowered maximum distance between targets
- Glyph of Sacrifice: Reduced recharge penalty on next spell to 90 seconds
- Mark of Rodgort: Reduced cast time to 1 second; increased duration of burning effect to 1..4 seconds

Mesmer
- Cry of Frustration: Lowered casting time to .25 second
- Mantra of Earth: Lowered Energy cost to 10
- Mantra of Flame: Lowered Energy cost to 10
- Mantra of Lightning: Lowered Energy cost to 10
- Mantra of Frost: Lowered Energy cost to 10
- Mantra of Recall: Lowered Energy cost to 10; lowered the amount of Energy you gain back to 3..28
- Signet of Humility: Changed the related attribute to Inspiration Magic; changed duration of effect to scale from 1..16 seconds based on rank in Inspiration Magic
- Shatter Hex: Reduced AOE to "nearby foes"; reduced damage to 30..120
- Hex Breaker: Reduced duration to 15..90 seconds
- Panic: Increased duration to 10..25 seconds; Increased AOE to "nearby foes"

Monk
- Healing Seed: Lowered Energy cost to 10; Decreased duration to 10 seconds
- Scourge Sacrifice: Now affects all adjacent targets
- Restore Condition: Lowered Energy to 5; reduced the amount healed to 10..70
- Healing Hands: Increased the amount healed to 5..30
- Draw Conditions: Added 1 second recharge time
- Divine Boon: Added 1 second recharge time
- Protective Bond: Energy lost per hit increased to 6..3
- Aegis: Now only affects party members

Necromancer
- Putrid Explosion: Increased recharge time to 5 seconds
- Consume Corpse: Decreased casting time to 1 second; increased Energy gained to 5..20
- Blood Renewal: Increased Health regeneration to 3..6
- Plague Signet: Decreased recharge time to 10 seconds
- Deathly Chill: Increased secondary damage to 5..50
- Dark Bond: Now affects all damage types, not just physical
- Barbed Signet: Reduced recharge time to 20 seconds
- Well of Suffering: Increased duration to 10..30 seconds; increased Health degeneration to 1..6
- Grenth's Balance: Reduced recharge time to 15 seconds
- Spinal Shivers: Increased duration to 10..40 seconds

Ranger
- Crippling Shot: Decreased recharge time to 1 second; decreased duration of Cripple to 8 seconds
- Distracting Shot: Decreased attack time from .75 to .5 seconds
- Punishing Shot: Decreased attack time from .75 to .5 seconds; increased recharge time to 8 seconds
- Concussion Shot: Decreased attack time from .75 to .5 seconds
- Nature's Renewal: Modified to no longer remove all Hexes and Enchantments when cast; now doubles the Energy degeneration for maintained Enchantments
- Fertile Season: Reduced duration to 15..45 seconds
- Quickening Zephyr: Increased Energy cost to 25; reduced duration to 15..45 seconds

All Spirits: The effects of Spirits no longer work on other Spirits (example: Fertile Season no longer adds Health and armor to other Spirits); also, when a Spirit is cast, it kills all other allied Spirits of the same type within its range.

Pets: Increased pets' run speed by 20%; increased pets' armor to 80 at level 20

Warrior
- Dwarven Battle Stance: Increased duration to 5..11 seconds
- "I Will Survive!": Decreased recharge time to 30 seconds
- "I Will Avenge You!": Increased AOE to anywhere within your radar


All Skills
Skills with a recharge time can no longer be reduced to 0 (example: if a spell has 1 second recharge time and you have both Quickening Zephyr and Serpent's Quickness active, the length of the recharge time will not drop below 1 second)


Other Changes
- Improved Guild-versus-Guild matchmaking so that high-rated guilds are matched more quickly.
- Fixed spawns near closed doors in Underworld.
- Added two Resurrection Shrines in The Crag and improved respawning location so that the party respawns together at the nearest friendly shrine.
- Decreased match duration for The Crag to three minutes.
- Killing a pet in PvP no longer rewards Faction.[/u]

Update – Tuesday, August 30

- Fixed rare server crash bug.

Update Forecast - Friday, September 2 (http://www.guildwars.com/news/gameupdates.html)
As you have noted in recent weeks, the Guild Wars economy has become much more stable. With the release of the Sorrow's Furnace Update on September 7, we will be making a number of important economic and balance changes. Many things will become significantly easier to acquire, including skill points and skills. But the gold cost of learning a skill from a trainer will be somewhat more expensive for most players.

Due to this change, we would like to suggest that players who have unspent Skill Points may wish to invest them prior to the update on September 7th. You are not required to do so, and skills will of course still be available to you after the update is live, but you will find the costs will be higher at that time. We will post full update notes for next Wednesday's changes when we present the Sorrow's Furnace Update.

Update - Wednesday, September 7 (http://www.guildwars.com/news/gameupdates.html)

Sorrow's Furnace
Sorrow's Furnace consists of two new, large and challenging explorable regions located deep in the Shiverpeak Mountains between Spearhead Peak and Snake Dance. These areas contain the following:
- Seventeen new quests, most of them fully repeatable and offering high XP rewards
- Four new cinematics
- A variety of new monsters, including new Stone Summit Dwarves that are the strongest in the Shiverpeak Mountains, and entirely new types of creatures that are being introduced to the game for the first time
- Boss monsters named after the contest winning entriesBoss monsters in the new Sorrow's Furnace regions drop newly-introduced green "unique" weapons that are named after the boss.

Titan Quests
The Titan Quests are a series of five new veteran-level quests, starting in Droknar’s Forge and spanning the continent, that continue the storyline for those who have already vanquished the foes of Hell's Precipice. These quests feature some of the most challenging and rewarding content in the game, with ten new types of monsters, including several never-before-seen creature types.

Chests and Loot
The landscape of Tyria is now dotted with new, randomly positioned locked chests, which are guaranteed to contain uncommon or better items. These chests largely replace the old system of unlocked chests with predictable positions and common loot.

- Whenever your party finds a new, locked chest, multiple party members can each use their own keys to unlock the chest and get their own loot.

- Monsters randomly drop chest keys, and you can also buy chest keys from Merchants.

- Added Superior Salvage Kits and Superior Identification Kits, which are the same as Expert Salvage Kits and Identification Kits except with 100 charges instead of 25.

- Improved the quality of most Crafter and Collector Weapons.

- Increased the drop rate of uncommon and rare items on large maps.

- Increased the drop rate of all insight scrolls.

- Added three new insight scrolls: Adventurer's Insight, Hunter's Insight, and Rampager's Insight. These scrolls provide a level of accelerated XP gain for the entire party but are much more common and less expensive than the existing rare insight scrolls.

- Collectors in Perdition Rock and Sorrow's Furnace now give XP enhancing scrolls in return for collectable monster drops. Conversely, there are no longer crafters for these scrolls.

- Various low-level quests now give additional gold as a reward for completion.

Skill Acquisition
- The maximum amount of XP required to gain additional skill points beyond level 20 has been lowered from 20,000 to 15,000. This change retroactively benefits existing characters.

- The gold cost of learning new skills now follows a price curve similar to armor, rising in cost more quickly than before but capping out at 1 platinum piece after learning 20 skills.

- Skill trainers in towns now offer a wider selection of skills, and there is a newly introduced skill trainer in Ember Light Camp who sells every non-elite skill in the game.
Faction Gain
- The accelerated Faction rewards that were temporarily available during the PvP Extreme Weekend have now become a permanent part of the game.

- The Priests of Balthazar are now located in PvP map outposts instead of towns, so you don't need to have or use a high-level role-playing character to spend your faction points.

Attribute Points
The concept of Attribute Refund Points has been removed from the game. You can now refund and reassign your attribute points as much as you like, whenever you are in a town or outpost.

Guilds and Guild Combat
For 100 gold you can now invite someone to be a guest of your guild. As a guest, he can enter your Guild Hall any number of times over the next 8 hours, join your team and participate with you in Guild Combat. If he has been a member of his own guild for long enough to receive full Faction for guild battles, then he will also receive full Faction for playing with you as a guest of your guild. (However, to engage in Guild Combat, at least half the members of your team must be members of your guild.)

- Inviting a new member into your guild now costs 100 gold.

- The opposing guild’s rating and rank are now displayed when you receive a challenge and at the beginning of Guild combat.

- The "Victory or Death!" cry now comes at 30 minutes instead of 45 minutes.

- In Guild Combat, your guild cape is now colored red or blue to indicate your team color.

Balance changes to Guild combat maps make the Guild Lord less susceptible to ganking:
- Newly introduced banner messages warn you if your base is breached or if your Guild Lord is attacked.
- The NPC Arcanists have been replaced with Bodyguards who not only cast spells on the enemy team but also heal your Guild Lord. They also now appear in your list of Party Allies.
- The NPC Archers now use Pin Down on the invading enemy team.
- New NPC Archers have been added to the Druid's, Nomad's, and Frozen Isle guild halls.
- The Guild Lord himself, and various defending NPCs, are sturdier than they were before.Other PvP Changes
- Arenas can now match teams with opponents from around the world.

- Prebuilt PvP characters now include Resurrection Signet.

- Default PvP character weapon choices are now more appropriate.

- Pets now stay closer to their owners.

- Players no longer receive XP or Faction from the deaths of enemies that their party did not kill.

Skill Changes
- Updated various skill descriptions to more accurately describe the skill effects.

- Fixed Fevered Dreams so that it doesn't spread conditions to allies.

- Fixed "I Will Avenge You!" so that it doesn't count dead spirits.

- Fixed Physical Resistance so that it no longer lowers your elemental armor by more than it should.

- Fixed Revive Animal so that the health of the newly revived animal depends on the attribute level of the caster.

- Fixed Symbiotic Bond so that it correctly redirects half of the damage from the pet to the master, and changed it from a stance to a shout.

- Fixed Well of the Profane so that targets in the area of effect cannot be the target of new enchantments, rather than not being able to cast new enchantments.

- Fixed Divine Boon, Guilt, Mark of Subversion, Peace and Harmony, Shame, and Zealot's Fire so that when they say "when casting a skill/spell that targets an ally/enemy," they only trigger on targeted skills or spells, not on untargeted ones.

- Fixed the Resurrection Orb so that it doesn’t resurrect dead spirits.

Monster Balance Changes
- Increased the level of difficulty and reward in The Underworld. Several areas have been updated with new creatures to add variety to fights and emphasize teamwork.

- Updated boss monster spawns throughout the Southern Shiverpeaks so that boss monsters are less random, and therefore elite skill capture is more reliable.

- Renamed "Stone Summit Arcanist" to "Stone Summit Heretic," and Shiverpeak's "Grawl Ulodyte" to "Grawl Crone" for clarity.

- Armageddon Lords now spawn Ashen Hulks when they die.

- Blessed Griffons, Mergoyle Wavebreakers, and other creatures who use Grasping Earth, Deep Freeze, or Symbol of Wrath will now use them properly even with only one enemy present.

- Centaurs and Dwarves in The Traveler's Vale now respond more intelligently to ranged attacks.

- Flesh Golems now cast Death Nova.

- Kings Guards in Thunderhead Keep are now appropriate level, helping reduce the initial difficulty of the mission.

- Tengu Groups in Twin Serpent Lakes now have a better variety of creatures.

User Interface
- The Quest Log now groups quests by importance and region.

- The green Quest Arrows now guide you towards the next step of the quest even if it is more than one map away.

- Traders now display a "last paid" price on the sell tab.

- Item upgrades on Priests of Balthazar are now color-coded to show the enhancement level.

- The Priests of Balthazar now display information about previously unlocked items.

- The names of Major Runes now appear purple (uncommon), and those of Superior Runes are now displayed in gold (rare).

- Faction bonuses for Flawless Victories and Winning Streaks are now displayed with different text in your chat window.

- The Skill List now sorts skills by attribute in its default setting.

- The trade window more clearly distinguishes between platinum and gold offered, and displays a warning if the other player offers customized items.

- A button on the Guild tab provides easy travel to your Guild Hall.

- After leveling up, a new on-screen button provides a visual reminder to spend your new attribute points.

- Added new tooltips to many user interface elements.

- Updated European and Korean translations.

Bug Fixes
- Fixed several quests with missing NPC locations in the quest log.

- Fixed missing exclamation marks over key NPCs.

- Fixed bugs in the following missions: Fort Ranik, Thunderhead Keep, Iron Mines of Moladune, The Underworld, and Fissure of Woe.

- Fixed bugs in the following quests: Counting the Fallen, Defend the Temple of War, Endangered Species, Family Reunion, Final Blow, Fires in the North, Gift for Althea, Oswalt's Epitaph, Royal Papers, The Misplaced Sword, To Kryta: Journey's End, and Tower of Courage.

- Fixed doors in the holdout at the end of Thunderhead Keep.

- Fixed pathing issues in D'Alessio Arena, Dragon's Gullet, Druids Isle, Scoundrel's Rise, and the Isle of the Dead guild hall.

- Fixed inaccuracies in the sword symbols which are displayed after completing a primary or secondary mission.

- Fixed green quest markers so that they properly update on the Map Area window.

- Fixed a display error that sometimes caused skills from your old secondary profession to still continue to be displayed in your skill inventory after switching to a new secondary profession.

- Fixed a bug which caused vendor items to sometimes show an "Under Construction" icon.

- Fixed Condition, Hex, and Enchantment Health bar icons that were not updating correctly for out of range targets.

- Fixed movement key state not being restored upon release of opposite movement key.

- Fixed profession and level truncation in party window invites.

- Fixed the potential for accidental item drops that existed when releasing items on the background of the multiple bag interface.

- Fixed chat bubble stacking.

- Fixed various minor glitches related to window sizes and text clipping.

- Fixed miscellaneous rare crash bugs.

Update - Friday, September 9 (http://www.guildwars.com/news/gameupdates.html)

- Corrected a graphical flaw in the world map around Sorrow's Furnace.

- Corrected the trade user interface in order to prevent a scam technique.

- Repaired a gate in Sorrow's Furnace that was not operating correctly.

- Fixed bugs in several quests, including: "Unspeakable, Unknowable;" "The Last Day Dawns;" "Defend Denravi;" and "Noble Intentions."

- Fixed several rare crash bugs.

Update - Friday, September 9 (http://www.guildwars.com/news/gameupdates.html)

- Fixed a rare crash bug.

Update - Friday, September 16 (http://www.guildwars.com/news/gameupdates.html)

- Fixed monster item drops so that in the future Uncommon (purple) and Rare (gold) items will always have at least one bonus attribute.

- Fixed bugs in the following quests: "Defend Denravi," "Last Day Dawns," and "Defend North Kryta Province."

- Fixed a bug introduced in the Sorrow's Furnace Update that was causing unequal loot distribution among party members.

- Fixed a bug that was placing some players in incorrect districts.

- Fixed several rare crash bugs.

Update - Tuesday, September 20 (http://www.guildwars.com/news/gameupdates.html)

Today we added preliminary support for new languages that will soon be offered globally to Guild Wars players. The addition of these new languages foretells the opening of Guild Wars in additional regions of the world. We are excited about the opportunity to offer Guild Wars to players from new areas, and we look forward to welcoming those players into the game. The expansion of Guild Wars into these new regions will further demonstrate the global nature of the game, and will add even greater significance to the Guild Wars World Championship, details of which will be provided in the future.

In the short term, the additional languages are in limited testing, and they will not be available for selection by players. Eventually, these languages will be offered as a choice to all players via the language selection interface option

Update - Thursday, September 22 (http://www.guildwars.com/news/gameupdates.html)

- Fixed problems with random positioning of locked chests.

- Improved distribution of rare items in locked chests so that most players will get more rare items.

Update - Friday, September 23 (http://www.guildwars.com/news/gameupdates.html)

- Fixed problem with access control for beta test languages.

Update - Thursday, September 29 (http://www.guildwars.com/news/gameupdates.html)

Balance Changes
- Capped attack speed adjustments at 133% of normal attack speed, down from 150% previously.
- Changed Enchantments so that if you cast an Enchantment with an upkeep cost and you already have -10 Energy regeneration, you will now lose the last maintained Enchantment you cast.
Mesmer
Epidemic – Decreased casting time to .25 seconds
Guilt – Decreased Energy cost to 5
Hex Breaker – Increased recharge time to 15 seconds
Soothing Imagines – Increased Energy cost to 15
Energy Drain – Skill reworked. New description: “Target foe loses 4..10 Energy. You then gain 2 Energy for each point of Energy target foe lost.” Also increased recharge to 30 seconds.
Energy Tap - Skill reworked. New description: “Target foe loses 4..7 Energy. You then gain 2 Energy for each point of Energy target foe lost.” Also increased recharge to 30 seconds
Diversion – Increased casting time to 3; Increased to recharge 10 seconds
Ether Feast – Decreased Energy stolen to 3, increased Health gained per Energy stolen to 17..47
Signet of Weariness – Increased casting time to 2
Fragility – Decreased Energy cost to 10; decreased recharge to 5; decreased damage to 5..20
Mantra of Persistence – Decreased duration to 30 seconds. Decreased recharge to 15 seconds

Necromancer
Necrotic Traversal – Removed delay before teleport
Order of Pain – Only affects party members within radar
Order of the Vampire – Only affects party members within radar
Dark Fury – Only affects party members within radar
Unholy Feast – Now steals 5..50 Health from up to 1..5 foes
Insidious Parasite – Decreased casting time to 1 second
Dark Bond – Decreased Energy cost to 5, decreased recharge to 20
Infuse Condition – Decreased Energy cost to 5, decreased recharge to 20
Vile Touch – Increased damage to 20..65
Desecrate Enchantments – Decreased Energy to 10
Aura of the Lich – Decreased Energy to 10; decreased casting time to 2 seconds; decreased recharge to 20; decreased duration to 15..45; removed “half healing” from description
Rend Enchantments – Now removes 5..9 Enchantments and you lose 55..25 Health for each
Grenth's Balance – Decreased recharge to 10 seconds
Vampiric Touch – Decreased recharge to 2 seconds
Blood Renewal – Decreased sacrifice cost to 25%
Plague Signet – Decreased casting time to 1 second
Faintheartedness – Increased recharge to 8 seconds

Elementalist
Ether Renewal – Decreased duration to 7 seconds; decreased the amount of Energy you gain to 1..3 per Enchantment
Ward Against Foes – Increased Energy cost to 15
Whirlwind – Decreased recharge to 10 seconds
Kinetic Armor – Increased armor gained to 20..80
Magnetic Aura – Decreased Energy cost to 5; decreased casting time to .25; increased duration to 5..20
Ether Prodigy – Decreased duration to 5..20 seconds; increased Energy regeneration to 6
Incendiary Bonds – Increased damage to 20..80
Searing Heat - Removed Exhaustion
Glyph of Sacrifice – Increased duration to 15 seconds
Glyph of Renewal – Now instantly recharges next spell
Rust – Decreased recharge time to 30 seconds
Mind Freeze – Increased slow to 90%
Frozen Burst – Increased damage to 20..110
Ice Spear – Increased damage to 5..65
Lightning Touch – Increased damage to 10..60
Deep Freeze – Increased slow to 66% and increased radius to all foes in the location
Windborne Speed – Increased duration to 5..11
Ice Spikes, Frozen Burst, Shard Storm, Deep Freeze, and Ice Prison – Fixed a bug that prevented these spells from slowing more than 50%

Monk
Smite – Increased conditional damage to 5..35
Divine Intervention – Decreased Energy cost to 5
Shield of Deflection – Decreased Energy cost to 10; decreased casting time to 1 second; decreased duration to 6
Pacifism – Decreased casting time to 2 seconds
Amity – Decreased recharge time to 45 seconds
Mark of Protection – Decreased Energy to 10
Divine Healing – Decreased recharge to 30 seconds
Vital Blessing – Decreased casting time to .75 seconds; increased recharge to 2
Live Vicariously – Decreased Energy cost to 5
Divine Spirit – Increased duration to 1..14 seconds
Holy Strike - Increased conditional damage to 10..55
Draw Conditions – Increased recharge to 2 seconds
Aegis – Increased casting time to 2 seconds
Holy Veil – Decreased Energy cost to 5; decreased casting time to 1 second; increased recharge to 10; added additional effect of removing a Hex when it expires
Balthazar's Aura – Increased casting time to 2 seconds; increased recharge to 25
Zealot's Fire – Decreased damage to 5..35

Warrior
Cleave – Increased damage to 10..30
Endure Pain – Increased duration to 7..18 seconds
Belly Smash – Decreased swing time to 1 second
Earth Shaker – Lowered adrenaline to 8 strikes
Dolyak Signet – Increased armor to 10..40
Shield Bash – Decreased recharge to 20 seconds
Warrior's Endurance – Increased Energy maximum to 5..25
Riposte – Increased damage to 15..60
Deadly Riposte – Increased damage to 5..50
Defy Pain – Increased duration to 12 seconds
Skull Crack – Lowered adrenaline to 9 strikes
Fear Me – Decreased area of effect to all nearby foes

Ranger
Pet Attacks - Now function just like a Shout
Debilitating Shot – Increased recharge to 10 seconds
Called Shot – Decreased Energy to 5 and recharge to 3 seconds
Point Blank Shot – Increased damage to 10..25
Read the Wind – Increased duration to 24 seconds
Escape – Decreased recharge to 30 seconds
Lightning Reflex – Decreased recharge to 45 seconds
Dust Trap – Decreased damage to 10..25; now pulses 5 times
Dodge – Duration now scales 5..11 seconds
Distracting Shot – Added a delay after skill is used before another can be used
Savage Shot – Added a delay after skill is used before another can be used
Concussion Shot – Added a delay after skill is used before another can be used
Punishing Shot – Added a delay after skill is used before another can be used
Changes to Ladders and Matchmaking
- Removed option for rated challenges with selected (named) opponent.
- Removed the boost that previously caused guild ratings to rise and fall more quickly during the first 30 rated games played.
- Updated guild matchmaking so that the system attempts to match guilds that are close in rankings for a longer period of time before falling back to matching two guilds farther apart in ranking.

Skill Monitor Improvements
- The skill monitor now displays skill warm-up using a progress bar.
- The skill monitor can now display two skills being cast simultaneously, such as a Stance or Shout plus a normal skill.
- The skill monitor now uses animations to indicate when a skill completes successfully or is interrupted during casting.
- When you select a new character, you now immediately see which skill that character is currently casting.
- You can now control+click on the skill monitor to announce the skill being cast to your team.

Display Improvements
- When you cast a Hex or Enchantment that stays on a character and deals damage or performs healing, you can now see floating numbers showing the result of that damage or healing.
- When your pet damages another character, you can now see floating numbers showing that damage.
- When you cast a spell that boosts or drains the Energy of another character, you can now see floating numbers showing the Energy change.
- The "Drop Item" button and the skill warm-up progress bar are now customizable UI elements.
- The regional groups in the Quest Log will now remember their open/closed state between viewings of the Quest Log.
- The "(Completed)" tag in the Quest Log now displays correctly when viewed in French, Italian, German, and Spanish.

Miscellaneous
- You can now remove your pet's name by typing "/petname" and not providing a name.
- Shift now disables click-to-walk, making it easier to select targets without accidentally running.
- Clicking on the ground while auto-running now works properly.
- Removed old-style chests from Riverside Province and Gates of Kryta.
- Healer henchmen now prioritize healing party allies whose death would result in mission failure.
- Fixed a problem with the "Wrenches in the Gears" quest in Sorrow's Furnace where the Spirit Keepers could be killed prior to the player arriving.
- Fixed problems with the "Wisdom of the Druids" and "Trouble in the Woods" quests.
- Fixed pathing problems in Grenth's Footprint, D'Alessio Arena, and the Warrior's Isle guild hall.
- Fixed display glitch in Score window that appeared when first opening the window.
- Fixed orphaned scrollbar buttons that would appear on the login screen while changing languages.
- Updated skill descriptions to more accurately describe their effects.
- Expanded in-game music.
- Fixed miscellaneous rare crash bugs.

Update - Friday, September 30 (http://www.guildwars.com/news/gameupdates.html)

- Fixed a bug in the Dust Trap skill.

Update - Thursday, October 20 (http://www.guildwars.com/news/gameupdates.html)

- Added information to skill tip windows, including Energy, casting time, recharge time, upkeep cost, and Adrenaline.

- Added support for the European Special Edition of Guild Wars.

- Removed color from the names of unlocked items in the Priest of Balthazar interface.

- Improved the skill inventory so that it remembers the previously selected skill and sorting method.

- Improved random arena map selection so that the same map is almost never played twice in a row.

- Fixed a bug that allowed players to trade an item with a quantity of zero.

- Fixed a bug that was causing Tiger's Fury to disable pet attack skills.

- Fixed a bug that was causing more than one action to occur when pressing a single key.

- Fixed a bug that was causing the gold amount to appear in red when selling items to a trader.

- Fixed a bug that was causing some newly created PvP characters to appear without items.

- Fixed a bug that was causing some players to lose items when taking them from the Unclaimed Items window.

- Fixed a bug that was causing some players to lose their Menu button.

- Fixed a bug that was preventing skill use when the skill bar is hidden by the Customize Interface window.

Update - Thursday, October 27 (http://www.guildwars.com/news/gameupdates.html)

When the moon rises high over Lion's Arch
And the wind moans through the most hollow of eves

Shutter your homes this holiday
Steer clear of the shadows
For on this night, they say,

A long-addled spirit returns from the grave
Pumpkin upon his head,
A wicked deed within his heart
A pint of witch's brew for all those who misbehave

Heed these words, all ye who dare enter here:
Bind your souls to the mortal realm
For the regent of madness draws near

Additional changes:

- Added options to toggle the display of helmets and guild capes.

- Added the ability for players to bind the Escape key to in-game actions.

- Added "Heal Signet" to the Priests of Balthazar.

- Corrected text description for skill "Order of Pain."

- Fixed skills "Battle Rage," "Edge of Extinction," "Illusion of Weakness," "Martyr," "Plague Signet," "Plague Touch," "Predatory Season," "Spinal Shivers," and "Thunderclap," which had portions of their functionality broken in last week's update.

- Fixed the order of removal for Condition, Enchantment, and Hex removal skills, which was broken in last week's update.

- Fixed collectors in The Catacombs, Skyward Reach, and Whitman's Folly.

- Fixed miscellaneous rare crash bugs.

Update - Wednesday, November 2 (http://www.guildwars.com/news/gameupdates.html)

- Fixed a server crash bug.

Update - Friday, November 4 (http://www.guildwars.com/news/gameupdates.html)

As the Mad King's laughter fades
And calm settles over Lion's Arch
While peace comes to Droknar's Forge
And the Primeval Kings return to slumber
We bid farewell to Halloween
Until the coming year.

Update - Monday, November 6 (http://www.guildwars.com/news/gameupdates.html)

- Fixed a bug that was preventing some players in PC Cafes from playing Guild Wars.

Update - Thursday, November 10 (http://www.guildwars.com/news/gameupdates.html)

- Improved the character name and guild name entry dialogs.

- Improved AI so that henchmen and monsters can now detect and flee from area-effect damage spells.

- Improved AI so that monsters will eventually stop chasing fleeing players.

- Slightly reduced the power of the Doppelganger creature.

- Fixed a bug which could cause certain animated ground cover to not be animated.

- Fixed a bug which could cause two copies of Gwen to appear in pre-searing Ascalon.

- Fixed a bug with certain enemies not attacking players in the Gates of Kryta mission.

- Fixed an exploit which could allow players to create PvP characters with invalid armor. Thanks to Derek Ravenclaw for reporting this.

Update - Friday, November 11 (http://www.guildwars.com/news/gameupdates.html)

- Improved and corrected problems with Monster and Henchmen AI.

- Fixed Dark Bond so that it no longer diverts damage to dead minions.

- Fixed a bug that could return players to the login screen when they attempted to create a new character.

- Changed the portal from the Tombs of the Primeval Kings so that it no longer divides parties.

Update - Thursday, November 17 (http://www.guildwars.com/news/gameupdates.html)

- Added new Rank 12 Fame emote.

- Increased the range of the Claim Resource skill, which is used by the Ghostly Hero as well as Mages and Priests.

- Fixed an exploit with the Ghostly Hero that allowed players to lead him off the altar.

- Slightly reduced the power of the Doppelganger creature.

- Fixed an exploit with Quick Shot that allowed players to reuse the skill more rapidly than should be possible.

- Fixed the lava bridge in The Crag arena so that both teams can start at the same time.

- Fixed a bug that sometimes prevented Henchmen from following the player party at the start of a PvP game.

Update - Tuesday, November 22 (http://www.guildwars.com/news/gameupdates.html)

- Added support for the upcoming Japanese Closed Beta Test.

Update - Thursday, December 1 (http://www.guildwars.com/news/gameupdates.html)

- Fixed display of Japanese and Traditional Chinese announcements on the login screen.

Update - Thursday, December 15 (http://www.guildwars.com/news/gameupdates.html)

- Added new artwork for the Necromancer's ascended Tormentor's Armor.

- Improved automatic Guild Matchmaking to better match guilds with those of nearby rating levels.

- Fixed sacrifice skills so that a player who sacrifices all of his remaining Health will die. Previously a bug allowed the player to stay alive if he had positive Health regeneration when he sacrificed all of his remaining Health.

- Fixed Whirling Defense so that it deals the correct amount of damage as shown in the skill description. Previously the amount of damage shown in the skill description updated according to the player's attribute level, but the actual damage dealt did not.

- Fixed Spiteful Spirit so that it correctly triggers on any skill use, as specified in the skill description. Previously it was failing to trigger on Stances, Shouts, and other instant-cast skills.

- Fixed Scourge Sacrifice so that it affects the target foe and his adjacent foes, as specified in the skill description. Previously it was incorrectly affecting foes adjacent to the caster.

- Fixed the text displayed when you hold down the Ctrl key to announce the use of Cyclone Axe or Crude Swing.

- Added a new player status choice in the Friends window, "Do Not Disturb," which blocks all incoming whispers.

- Added mouse wheel zooming to the Map Overlay screen.

- Added the ability to review the previous game's PvP Score Chart while in an outpost.

- Improved the Chat window so that it remembers its previous state when switching maps.

- Fixed the Skill Monitor's mouse tooltips so that they don't disappear while the skill is executing.

- Improved the Skill Bar so that it displays warnings of skills that are not compatible with your currently equipped weapon.

- Added an error message that is displayed when an attack skill is used on an invalid target.

- Changed the Customize Control dialog so that it ignores problematic keys such as Scroll Lock.

- Improved the organization of the Start Menu.

- Relocated the Customize Layout function to the Options window (F11).

- Added support for players with non-Korean accounts typing Hangul in the International Districts.

- Updated translations.

Update - Tuesday, December 20 (http://www.guildwars.com/news/gameupdates.html)

- Fixed a battle axe that was incorrectly allowing two axe grips to be attached.

- Fixed Incendiary Bonds so that it deals the correct amount of damage as shown in the skill description. Previously the amount of damage shown in the skill description updated according to the player's attribute level, but the actual damage dealt did not.

Update - Wednesday, December 21 (http://www.guildwars.com/news/gameupdates.html)

Season's Greetings

(Please sing along to the tune of The Twelve Days of Christmas.)On the twelfth moon of Wintersday ArenaNet gave to me...
Blessings from Dwayna
Festive decorations
One mighty snowman
Weapons made of candy
Gifts that might kill you
Snow-covered henchmen
New winter monsters
Some really long quests

Lots of drinking Dwarves
Gingerbread shields
Curses from Grenth
And a new way to watch PvP!That's right, Observer Mode!

Now you can watch as top-ranked guilds battle it out in the Tombs and in rated guild matches. The upcoming Guild Wars Regional Playoffs and World Championship will also be available for viewing as they happen. The details are as follows:
Whenever a top 100 ranked guild plays in the Tombs or in a rated guild challenge, the game is automatically available for everyone to see. Other "special event" games will also be available for viewing.

Everything that observers see is delayed 15 minutes from the original game, to prevent cheating. Games become available for observation approximately 15 minutes after they start, and remain available until approximately 15 minutes after they finish.

While you are watching a game, you can chat with your fellow observers. There is no limit to the number of people who can simultaneously observe a game, but for purposes of chatting, observers are randomly assigned into groups of about 100 people.

In Observer Mode, the Map Area window displays the positions of all characters on the map. You can click on any character to jump there. Alternately, you can use Auto Camera mode to let the game pick the most interesting targets for you.

A new heads-up display automatically shows you the Health of teams that you are currently watching. If you prefer to use the Party window to view party status details and to select players to watch, you can easily switch the Party window back and forth between teams, or you may choose to view multiple Party windows and watch different teams in each window.

Update - Thursday, December 22 (http://www.guildwars.com/news/gameupdates.html)

Improvements to Observer Mode:

- You can now click on a player's name in the heads-up display to center the camera on that player.
- The Map window now automatically repositions and centers itself on the selected character if that character moves outside of the visible area.
- The list of observable games has better map thumbnails and sorts games by start time.

Update - Friday, December 23 (http://www.guildwars.com/news/gameupdates.html)

- Fixed a bug that prevent PvP Only Characters from being transported by the Wintersday Priest.

Update - Friday, January 6 (http://www.guildwars.com/news/gameupdates.html)

Another Wintersday has come to a close,
And the sun shines anew.
The Grentchies have been banished again,
And Dwayna has smiled upon you.

Happy New Year!!!

Update - Friday, January 13 (http://www.guildwars.com/news/gameupdates.html)

Please do not be alarmed.

Though the strange occurrences you are witnessing outside the Tomb of the Primeval Kings have not, as of yet, been fully explained, we, the Zaishen Order, are here to provide for your safety.

Be advised: Those who dare approach the entrance to the Tombs in the coming days risk great peril. You would do well to leave this matter to the trained Zaishen experts who are already hard at work. We will not interfere with your comings and goings if you do not interfere with ours.

As a service of Balthazar you have been notified.

- Commander Kuro of the Zaishen Order.

http://www.knights-templar.com/images/screenshots/Cmdr_Kuro.jpg

Update - Thursday, January 19 (http://www.guildwars.com/news/gameupdates.html)

Attention citizens.

The Tomb of the Primeval Kings has been overrun by the enemies of Balthazar. The Zaishen Order recognizes that many of you may wish to help conquer this foe. While this is admirable, only those truly devoted to the teachings of Balthazar should attempt to enter the Tombs.

Those wishing to become as great as we, the Zaishen, should take heart. Members of our order await your arrival at the Great Temple of Balthazar. We will train you in the ways of war, so you may continue the personal squabbles that seem to consume so much of your daily routine.

If you truly wish to better yourself, take the ship to the Great Temple, and hone your skills with the Zaishen.

May the blessings of Balthazar follow you on your journey.

- Commander Kuro of the Zaishen Order


Guild Wars: Factions
Free-For-All PvP Weekend

With this update, we roll out the first parts of Guild Wars: Factions, including the new login and character selection/creation screens, boat travel between continents, and a weekend sneak preview of the two new professions. (The weekend event lasts from Friday January 20 8:00 am GMT to Monday January 23 7:59 am GMT.)

All high-level PvP has been moved to the Battle Isles, which can be reached using the ship off the coast of Lion's Arch. On the Battle Isles, you'll find a new explorable area with Training Arenas, NPCs who can help you test all aspects of your character's build, updates to existing PvP Arenas, and all-new Zaishen Challenges, where you and your friends can practice against teams of computer AI opponents. All of this content is now organized into a natural progression, so that players can experience the basics of PvP before moving on to advanced challenges.

New computer AI challenges:Training Arenas: a series of four maps designed to teach the basics of PvP and Arena Combat. Beat all four maps to unlock the Zaishen Challenge on your account.

Zaishen Challenge: an Arena where you can play the computer AI team of your choice on the map of your choice. Beat five different computer AI teams to unlock the Zaishen Elite Challenge.

Zaishen Elite Challenge: the ultimate AI challenge. See how far you can get in a series of random Arena matches against increasingly difficult AI teams.New unlocking of existing PvP types:Win five-in-a-row in the Random Arenas to unlock the Team Arenas on your account. (Existing accounts have the Team Arenas unlocked already.)

Win five total games in the Team Arenas to unlock the Tournament (Heroes' Ascent) on your account. (Existing accounts have the Tournament unlocked already.)Changes to Guild Combat mechanics:Five minutes after Victory or Death starts, both teams' Guild Lords will now rush out of their base to engage in combat.

In the Burning Isle guild hall, NPCs now take the high path to avoid lava when Victory or Death occurs, and Flame Cursed Sentinels no longer drop loot.

The Guild Lord's Amulet of Protection now interacts correctly with Deep Wound. (See Fansite Friday #62 for more information about the Guild Lord's Amulet of Protection.)Miscellaneous improvements:When a party leader uses Map Travel in a town or outpost, his entire party travels with him to the new map.

During PvP matches, the Party window now displays your team color.

Skill icons for Enchantment and Hex spells are now displayed with a small marker in their upper-right corner.

Text descriptions and icons of various magic item upgrades have been improved.

The location and visibility of hint popup windows can now be modified using the Customize Layout interface.Miscellaneous fixes:Ghosts in The Underworld are no longer considered fleshy and will not leave exploitable corpses.

Update - Thursday, January 19 (http://www.guildwars.com/news/gameupdates.html)

- Restored access to The Underworld and Fissure of Woe.

- Restored item unlocks that had been inadvertently removed from some accounts.

- Fixed the text description of the "Verata's Sacrifice" skill.

Update - Friday, January 20 (http://www.guildwars.com/news/gameupdates.html)

- Improved the visual appearance of the Battle Isles world map.

- Provided Free-For-All Weekend demo users with the ability to use prebuilt PvP characters without skill restrictions, and also with the ability to unlock skills from the original campaign.

- Fixed a bug that was preventing players from earning Faction by killing NPCs and players in Guild Battles.

- Fixed map travel issues that could temporarily redirect players into the wrong districts.

- Fixed a problem with the skill "Flesh of My Flesh" ignoring "Frozen Soil."

- Fixed a crash bug with the Assassin skill "Recall," and miscellaneous other crash bugs.

Update - Monday, January 23 (http://www.guildwars.com/news/gameupdates.html)

- Fixed a bug that was making it impossible to complete the Iron Mines of Moladune mission.

- Repaired teleporters in the Nomad’s Isle Guild Battle map.

- Removed challenges that were incorrectly added to some players’ quest logs.

- Fixed several crash bugs.

Update - Thursday, January 26 (http://www.guildwars.com/news/gameupdates.html)

- Modified the Sacred Temples and Unholy Temples tournament maps so that players cannot pass relics across barriers.

- Added Japanese translations in preparation for today's Japanese launch of Guild Wars.

- Changed the morale boost in Isle of the Nameless from 2% to 10%.

- In the "Iron Mines of Moladune" mission, henchmen now become infused when your team gives the Spectral Essence to the Seer.

- Modified Skill Bar tool tips so that they don't overlap the Health and Energy bars.

- Fixed minor bugs in the following quests: "The Nameless Masters" and "The Hero's Challenge."

- Fixed minor bugs in the following missions: "Iron Mines of Moladune" and "Sanctum Cay."

- Fixed a bug that incorrectly eliminated the recharge time from the following Ranger skills: Distracting Shot, Savage Shot, Concussion Shot, and Punishing Shot.

Update - Monday, February 6 (http://www.guildwars.com/aboutgw/gameupdates/default.php)

- Added Traditional Chinese translations in preparation for today's launch of Guild Wars in Taiwan, Hong Kong, and Macau.

- Fixed a recently introduced bug that players could exploit to attack their own teammates.

- Fixed a problem that could cause players to get redirected to International Districts after playing an Arena battle.

Update - Thursday, February 9 (http://www.guildwars.com/aboutgw/gameupdates/default.php)

- Enabled sending invitations for the Factions Preview Event.

Update - Friday, February 10 (http://www.guildwars.com/aboutgw/gameupdates/default.php)

- Fixed an exploit that could allow players to bring high-level items into pre-Searing Ascalon.

Update - Tuesday, February 28 (http://www.guildwars.com/aboutgw/gameupdates/default.php)

- Fixed unlocking of arenas so that the Team Arenas are unlocked for new accounts after five consecutive wins in the Random Arenas. Previously they were incorrectly unlocked after six consecutive wins.

Update - Thursday, March 2 (http://www.guildwars.com/aboutgw/gameupdates/default.php)

General
- Updated Adrenaline behavior so that death removes all Adrenaline.
- Updated Exhaustion behavior so that if you cast an Exhaustion spell while your maximum energy is below 10, your maximum energy can be reduced to below zero.
- Fixed a bug that allowed attack speeds to stack past 33%.
- Fixed a bug that prevented attack debuffs from reducing a target more than 33% (maximum is 50%).
- Fixed a bug that kept speed boosts from having an effect on you if you had a debuff slowing you by 50%.
- You are no longer considered "attacking," "using a skill," or "casting a spell" while you are running to get in range of a target.
- Fixed a bug that caused attack skills with non-weapon attributes to calculate damage and critical hit chance incorrectly.
- Clarified various skill descriptions.

Equipment
- Added two +30 Health, Received Damage -5 (Chance: 20%) shields to the PvP character creation screen; updated monster drops to make the Received Damage -5 (Chance: 20%) drop possible.
- Shields on the PvP character creation screen with the “while Hexed” bonus now have +60 Health and -3 damage reduction.
- Reduced the Lieutenant's Helm Hex duration bonus to 20%, and added it to the PvP character creation screen.
- Increased the Monk’s PvP Ascetic Leg Design to +2 Energy to match the armor bought off of vendors.
- Increased the PvP hammer with additional damage while hexed to 20%.

Mesmer
- Mantra of Resolve: increased Energy cost to 10..4 when interrupted.
- Distortion: increased Energy cost to 4..1 when you "evade" attacks.
- Signet of Weariness: reduced area-of-effect to nearby foes.
- Mantra of Recovery: reduced Energy cost to 10.
- Ignorance: decreased casting time to 1 second.
- Chaos Storm: decreased casting time to 1 second.
- Epidemic: decreased Energy cost to 10.
- Ineptitude: increased damage to 30..135.
- Fevered Dreams: increased duration to 10..25 seconds.
- Energy Drain: decreased recharge time to 25 seconds.
- Energy Tap: decreased recharge time to 25 seconds.
- Blackout: increased recharge time to 12 seconds.

Necromancer
- Offering of Blood: increased sacrifice to 20%.
- Unholy Feast: reduced number of targets affected to 1..4; increased damage to 10..65; reduced recharge to 20 seconds.
- Enfeebling Blood: reduced recharge to 5 seconds; reduced sacrifice to 10%.
- Chilblains: Poison now only lasts 10 seconds.
- Deathly Chill: increased unconditional damage to 5..50; decreased conditional damage to 5..35.
- Shadow of Fear: reduced recharge time to 5 seconds.
- Plague Sending: reduced cast time to 1 second; increased recharge time to 5 seconds; fixed a bug that caused this skill to transfer default durations instead of remaining duration.
- Blood Renewal: fixed a bug that allowed the heal to heal twice when stacked.
- Insidious Parasite: fixed a bug that prevented the numbers from displaying.
- Mark of Subversion and Soul Leech: changed their damage from normal to life stealing to match their skill descriptions.
- Order of the Vampire: no longer triggers if you have other Necromancer Enchantments on you.

Elementalist
- Gale: increased Energy cost to 10.
- Conjure Flame: no longer removes Enchantments.
- Inferno: increased damage to 30..135.
- Fire Storm: decreased cast time to 2 seconds.
- Rust: decreased recharge time to 15 seconds.
- Conjure Frost: no longer removes Enchantments.
- Conjure Lightning: no longer removes Enchantments.
- Whirlwind: decreased recharge time to 8 seconds.
- Flame Burst: increased damage to 15..120.
- Rodgort's Invocation: increased damage to 15..120.
- Mark of Rodgort: decreased recharge time to 5 seconds.
- Lava Font: increased damage to 5..35 per second.
- Searing Heat: increased damage to 5..35 per second.
- Lightning Javelin: decreased recharge time to 2 seconds.
- Mist Form: decreased cast time to 1 second.
- Lightning Surge: fixed a bug that caused this skill to not trigger properly when its duration was reduced.

Monk
- Mend Ailment: increased recharge time to 5 seconds.
- Holy Veil: increased recharge time to 12 seconds.
- Shield of Regeneration: increased duration to 5..13 seconds.
- Purge Signet: reduced recharge time to 20 seconds.
- Shielding Hands: reduced cast time to .25 seconds.
- Resurrect: reduced cast time to 6 seconds; increased recharge time to 5 seconds.
- Restore Life: increased recharge time to 5 seconds; increased percentage of Health the target party member is returned with to 20..65%.
- Scourge Sacrifice: decreased cast time to 1 second.
- Watchful Spirit: decreased cast time to 1 second.
- Shield of Deflection: increased armor bonus to 15..30.
- Aura of Faith: decreased recharge time to 15 seconds.
- Peace and Harmony: skill reworked. Now ends if ally casts a Spell on target foe or deals damage to a foe; reduced recharge time to 30 seconds.
- Unyielding Aura: decreased recharge time to 15 seconds; when this Skill ends, it now exploits the ally's corpse.
- Mark of Protection: now only disables your skills for 5 seconds.
- Healing Hands: increased the amount healed to 5..35; now triggers on damage instead of attack.
- Live Vicariously: increased amount healed per swing to 2..17.
- Light of Dwayna: decreased recharge time to 20 seconds.
- Martyr: increased cast time to 1 second.
- Heal Party: increased recharge time to 2 seconds.
- Balthazar's Aura: fixed a stacking bug.

Warrior
- Eviscerate: increased adrenaline cost to 8 swings.
- "I will avenge you!": reduced attack speed to 25%; fixed a bug that caused this skill to trigger off of dead ally minions.
- Thrill of Victory: decreased recharge time to 8 seconds.
- Bull's Strike: now triggers on moving instead of fleeing.
- Defensive Stance: increased duration to 5..20 seconds.
- Crude Swing: increased damage to 1..20.
- Shield Bash: Skill reworked. "The next attack skill against you is blocked. If the attack was a melee attack skill, that skill is disabled for an additional 15 seconds, and the attacker is knocked down."
- "Shields up!": now blocks 50% of the time.
- Defy Pain: decreased adrenaline cost to 6 swings.
- Protector's Strike: reduced swing time to .5 seconds; increased recharge time to 3 seconds.
- Griffon's Sweep: increased damage to 5..20.
- Deflect Arrows: now ends only when you successfully hit with an attack.
- Warrior's Endurance: increased duration to 10..23 seconds.
- Dwarven Battle Stance: now also increases attack speed by 10%.
- Disciplined Stance: reduced recharge time to 45 seconds.
- Wary Stance: reduced recharge time to 45 seconds.
- Riposte: increased damage to 20..80.
- Deadly Riposte: increased damage to 15..75.
- Shield Stance: decreased recharge time to 45 seconds.
- Flurry: fixed a bug that reduced your damage more than 25%.
- Thrill of Victory: fixed a bug that caused you to gain a little bit of Health when you hit with the attack.
- Gash: fixed a bug that caused this skill to deal its damage twice; increased damage to 5..20.
- Bull's Charge: now triggers on moving foes instead of fleeing foes.

Ranger
- Dust Trap: reduced Blindness duration to 3..8 seconds.
- Crippling Shot: increased Energy cost to 15; Crippled duration now scales 1..8.
- Power Shot: increased damage to 10..25.
- Precision Shot: increased damage to 10..25.
- Determined Shot: increased damage to 5..20.
- Maiming Strike: decreased recharge time to 5 seconds.
- Scavenger Strike: increased damage to 10..25.
- Symbiotic Bond: increased Health regeneration to 1..3 pips.
- Bestial Pounce: decreased recharge time to 10 seconds.
- Feral Lunge: increased damage to 5..35.
- Melandru's Assault: increased damage to 5..35; decreased recharge time to 5 seconds.
- Predator's Pounce: increased damage to 5..35.
- Brutal Strike: increased damage to 5..35; increased conditional damage to 5..35.
- Practiced Stance: increased bonus duration to 30..150%.
- Melandru's Resilience: increased Health regeneration to 3 pips.
- Quick Shot: fixed a bug that caused the arrow to move at a normal speed.
- Determined Shot: increased damage to 5..20; fixed a bug that prevented the arrow from being "blocked" or "evaded"; fixed a bug that stopped this skill from recharging when missed from obstruction.

Guild Battle Updates
- Added silver and gold trims for the guild capes of tournament season winners and runners-up.
- Improved the paths that guild NPCs take when running out of their guild hall during Victory or Death.

Map and Quest Updates
- Kepkhet Marrowfeast, Queen of the Scarabs, has brought her brood to the desert, drawn by the plentiful corpses of griffon, minotaur, and even other scarabs. The insect brood now infests the "Prophets Path," so travelers be warned!
- Removed chests from Dreadnought’s Drift and Ice Floe.
- Fixed a non-aggressive Charr group located in Regent Valley.
- Fixed a problem in the "Army Life" quest where Old Mac talked to Joe even if he was dead.
- Moved the spirits in the Underworld to help them avoid blocking enemy pathing.
- Fixed the entrance to Beacon's Perch from Lornar's Pass so you can't sneak around the edge of the zone portal.
- Fixed a bug with the "Slaves of Menzies" quest where players had to kill more enemies than the Shadow Overlords to complete each step of the quest.
- Fixed a signpost pointing the wrong direction in Divinity Coast.
- Fixed a bug in the "Khobay the Betrayer" that required the players to kill all his guards to complete the quest instead of just Khobay as the Quest Log indicates.
- Fixed a bug that prevented anyone but Necromancers from getting the "Recruits for Hollis" quest after completing first mission, "The Great Northern Wall."
- Fixed a number of locations where Aidan, Cynn, Devona, and Mhenlo were not appropriately displaying as Henchmen.
- Fixed a zone portal in Bergen Hot Springs that was zoning players to various parts of the outpost other than the zone portal.
- Removed an NPC who had no functionality from Stingray Strand.
- Fixed a bug that prevented you from having to click on the gravestone to complete the "Husband's Epitaph" quest.
- Removed a potential chest exploit from the "Deserters" quest.
- Fixed a crafter in Deldrimor Bowl so he could no longer be killed by monsters.
- Fixed a bug in the "Hungry Devourer" quest that allowed the Junipers to be killed before the players arrived, preventing the players from getting food for Joe.
- Fixed a bug in the "Elementalist Path" quest where the target NPC was not at its quest marker.
- Fixed some maps where the same bosses were spawning multiple times: Ice Caves of Sorrow, Kessex Peak, and Deldrimor Bowl.
- Fixed miscellaneous bugs with the wurm monster AI.

User Interface Updates
- Expanded availability of Japanese language support to include non-Japanese accounts.
- Fixed a target calling bug that prevented secondary called targets from being promoted to the primary called target when the previous primary called target expired.
- Fixed several bugs that caused the incorrect display of Energy.
- Changed the color of GM chat text from green to purple.

Update - Friday, March 3 (http://www.guildwars.com/aboutgw/gameupdates/default.php)

Fixed the following newly introduced bugs:- The skill Bull's Charge was knocking down moving foes when used with any type of weapon, not only with melee weapons.
- The skill Fevered Dreams was incorrectly spreading Conditions to allies of both the caster and target, rather than just enemies of the caster as specified in the skill description.
- The skill Warrior's Endurance did not correctly match its description in the update notes.
- Monsters were not responding to damage taken from the skill Balthazar's Aura.
- Certain elite skills, such as Peace and Harmony and Blood is Power, could not be captured using a Signet of Capture.
- Kepkhet Marrowfeast was neglecting to guard her nest.
- The Party Window was periodically failing to display certain team allies such as Bodyguards.
- The Skill Monitor was not correctly displaying skill interruption.

Update - Thursday, March 9 (http://www.guildwars.com/aboutgw/gameupdates/default.php)

General:

This week we are pre-streaming a lot of new Canthan maps and artwork to clients in preparation for the March 24 Factions Preview Event. As always, you can download new data in the background by just leaving your Guild Wars client running and sitting at the login screen.

Arena Combat Updates:

When players enter the Random Arenas through an International District, they will now be placed on teams consisting of other players who entered through an International District. Previously, players were always placed on teams with other players from their own territory.

Teams in both Random and Team Arenas can now be matched against opponents from anywhere in the world.

Guild Combat Updates:

- Guild Lords will now walk instead of run out of the base at "Victory or Death" to give their teams a better chance to keep up with them.
- Updated NPCs in the Isle of the Dead guild hall map so that they will now patrol the low ground near the flag at "Victory or Death."

Skill Training Updates:

- All skill trainers can now sell you any non-elite skill that you have previously unlocked on your account.

Skill Updates:

- Fixed the skill Dwarven Battle Stance so that it only causes hammer attacks to interrupt the target, not other types of melee attacks.
- Fixed the skill Mantra of Recall so that it only provides its Energy boost to the owner of the skill. Previously, a player could get an Energy boost if he removed Mantra of Recall from an enemy while he also had the same Enchantment applied to himself.
- Fixed the skill Feral Lunge so that its damage and duration correctly match last week's update notes.

Item Updates:

- Restored the functionality of Bloodstained Boots.
- Updated "while hexed" shields on Collectors so that they are equivalent to those on the PvP creation screen.
- Updated roleplaying character creation so that all professions start with helmets or headgear.
- Updated the "/preorder" command to provide Guild Wars Factions preorder items to those who have applied a Factions preorder key to their account.
- Corrected the crafting costs of the Monk's Ascetic Fissure of Woe armor and the Necromancer's Scar Pattern Fissure of Woe armor to include Obsidian Shards.
- Added new artwork for elemental staves.
- Changed the name of Shells to Chitin Fragments.

Map and Quest Updates:

- Removed the portal effect from the closed east gate of Lion's Arch.
- Tightened the guard security on the ramp in Heroes' Ascent so that characters cannot sneak past the guards.
- Corrected the art being used for Commander Rezhang in Heroes' Ascent.
- Increased the maximum allowed party size in The Great Temple of Balthazar and Isle of the Nameless to eight.
- Fixed a bug that allowed characters who had not completed the “Path of the Zaishen Elite” quest to enter the Zaishen Elite outpost.

AI Updates:

- Fixed a bug that caused Henchmen and pets to be left behind or to run back to their original locations after cinematics.
- Updated AI so that creatures and Henchmen no longer try to heal or enchant Spirits.

Audio Updates:

- Improved the performance of the game's audio engine.
- Added a new slider to the Game Options panel to adjust sound playback quality.
- Added support for DirectX 3D sound (DS3D) hardware acceleration.

User Interface Updates:

- Added a "Sort by Campaign" option to all skill lists.
- Added the ability to access the options panel (F11) or to logout (F12) from pre-game screens such as character selection and creation.
- Added the ability to customize the position of the mission goals pop-up window using the Customize Layout interface.
- Updated the Guild Roster page to display the guild's home territory.
- Fixed party size numbers shown over the heads of party leaders so that the count includes Henchmen.
- Fixed a bug that caused the district selection control to lock up when a player canceled party travel, or when a non-leader chose not to leave his party after acknowledging that he did wish to leave the current district.
- Fixed a bug that prevented detached start menu items from being correctly hidden during cinematics.
- Fixed the display of skills that are unavailable due to being in a campaign that the player doesn't own. Previously, if such a skill was an adrenaline skill, the skill's adrenaline charge state would override the unavailable state.

Update - Friday, March 10 (http://www.guildwars.com/aboutgw/gameupdates/default.php)

- Fixed the Glint statue in Droknar's Forge so that it responds properly to player actions.
- Fixed a bug at the end of "Sanctum Cay" that caused the White Mantle to show up too early, or not at all.
- Restored the skill Signet of Resurrection to its normal behavior.

Update - Saturday, March 11 (http://www.guildwars.com/aboutgw/gameupdates/default.php)

We are continuing to prepare the game servers for the March 24 Factions Preview Event. To pre-stream all the latest Factions content to your hard drive in preparation for the event, you can simply leave your Guild Wars client running and sitting at the login screen

Update - Monday, March 13 (http://www.guildwars.com/aboutgw/gameupdates/default.php)

Corrected error in Heroes' Ascent map that prevented teams from progressing beyond the first level.

Update - Monday, March 13 (http://www.guildwars.com/aboutgw/gameupdates/default.php)

A note to players:

As you may be aware, we experienced some technical issues that resulted in the need to conduct an approximately one-hour roll-back of Guild Wars on Monday, March 13th. What prompted our decision to do the roll-back was the fact that the game economy was at risk, because during a brief window of opportunity, a huge number of items had been purchased for ridiculously low prices. This infusion of items into the economy would have devalued all the items in the game, and would have crippled the game economy.

We have an absolute commitment to take whatever means are necessary to protect the game economy, and by extension, to protect the items that you possess on your account. We apologize for any inconvenience that the roll-back may have caused.

We will continue to investigate the situation to assure that a repeat of today’s incident does not take place.

Thank you for your understanding,

The Guild Wars Team

Update - Tuesday, March 14 (http://www.guildwars.com/aboutgw/gameupdates/default.php)

- Fixed a bug that caused some users to experience sound dropouts.
- Fixed a number of audio glitches and performance problems in the Fire Island Chain.
- Fixed an issue that caused DirectSong to stop playing music after the first song.

Update - Thursday, March 23 (http://www.guildwars.com/support/gameupdates/)

Please join us for the three day Guild Wars Factions Preview Event, starting this Friday, March 24 at 8:01 AM GMT.

Overview:
- Two factions, the Luxons and Kurzicks, are engaged in a desperate struggle for control of the continent of Cantha. During this event weekend, players can create roleplaying characters in Cantha, join one of the two sides, and engage in battle for control of territory.
- We are not yet allowing existing roleplaying characters from Tyria to travel across the ocean to Cantha, but during the preview event, new Factions Campign roleplaying characters created on the continent of Cantha will start at level 20, with high level armor and a wide variety of skills. (These preview characters are temporary, cannot travel off the continent of Cantha, and will be reset prior to the release of Guild Wars Factions.)
- After creating a new Factions Campaign character, talk to Senji to choose your secondary profession, then talk to Master Togo who will guide you to the side of your choice.
- A variety of quests and missions will allow you to gain faction with the Luxons or the Kurzicks. These include Competitive Missions, which allow two random teams of eight to square off in a strategic battle.
- After gaining faction with the Luxons or Kurzicks, you can spend it for your own personal gain, or transfer it to your alliance to help your alliance gain standing with the Luxons or Kurzicks.
- You can also participate in Alliance Battles to help the Luxons or Kurzicks gain territory. As a nation gains territory, it rewards those alliances that have the highest standing with that nation by granting them control of territory.

Faction Points:
- Each individual player earns Luxon or Kurzick faction by completing quests and participating in Competitive Missions and Alliance Battles.
- The Luxons and the Kurzicks hate one another. If you have more of one faction than another, many NPCs of the opposing side will not speak to you.
- You can talk to Faction Reward NPC, located in the Kurzick or Luxon capital, to spend faction for your own benefit. For this weekend, the only thing you can get is Amber or Jadeite, used to craft special armor sets.

Alliance Standing:
- An alliance is a collection of guilds, led by the guild leader that created the alliance. Each guild that isn't in a larger alliance is considered an alliance of one. (During this Factions Preview Event, forming alliances is not supported, so each guild is its own alliance.)
- Form a guild (which is also an alliance) by talking to the Guild Registrar in the Marketplace. As always, forming a guild takes 100 gold, and players can be invited for 100 gold.
- The alliance leader may talk to a Kurzick or Luxon Ambassador, located in the Kurzick or Luxon capital, to choose a side for his or her alliance. Doing so costs 500 gold.
- Once an alliance has chosen a side, alliance members may talk to the Kurzick Scribe in House zu Heltzer (for Kurzick alliances) or Luxon Scribe in Cavalon (for Luxon alliances) to spend the appropriate faction to raise the standing of their Alliance. This is the only way for an alliance to gain standing and have an opportunity to be granted control of a territory.

Territory Control:
- The on-going war between the Luxons and the Kurzicks is most directly manifested in the form of Alliance Battles, which support 12 players (3 parties of 4 players each) per side.
- To join an Alliance Battle simply talk to the Kurzick Kommandant in House zu Heltzer or the Luxon Navigator in Cavalon.
- Every three hours, the nation that has won more Alliance Battles moves the battle lines and takes territory away from the opposing nation.
- There are several potential Alliance Battle maps. Map layouts vary, but all the maps have the same goal: be the first side to reach 500 points. Points are gained by controlling strategic locations on the map and by killing enemies. Only one map is active at a time, depending on where the current battle lines are located. As the battle shifts deeper into Luxon or Kurzick territory, the Alliance Battles are biased to favor the losing side.
- Control of territories is granted to the alliances with the highest standing. The best territories -- the ones closest to the capital city -- go to those with the very highest standing.
- The resurrection shrine closest to a controlled outpost is guarded by Kurzick or Luxon NPCs matching the side that controls the outpost. Players not aligned to that side may not use the resurrection shrine unless they kill or bribe the guards.

Other Changes:
- Guild Wars Factions uses DirectX 9 if available for video rendering. Guild Wars will still continue to run on systems that have only DirectX 8 installed, but the new Factions content will look much better if DirectX 9 is available.
- The PvP Character Creation interface now allows players to select the homeland of newly created characters. Canthan characters, which have a different visual appearance than existing Tyrian characters, are available to players who have access to Guild Wars Factions content.
- The Hero Panel now displays faction earned with Luxons and Kurzicks for Factions Campaign roleplaying characters.
- The Map Area window now displays the current state of key controllable resource points on certain competitive maps.
- The skill casting interface has been improved so that attempting to cast a skill while running does not cause the skill to fail.
- There is now a sigil trader in the International District of Heroes' Ascent.

Bug Fixes:
- Fixed the functionality of the Ritualist preorder staff Spiritbinder. Previously this staff was not giving the +10 energy bonus specified in its description. If you have preordered Guild Wars Factions and have an old nonfunctioning Spiritbinder staff, you can destroy it and then type "/preorder" to get a new one.
- Fixed the Guild Lord and Ghostly Hero AI so that these characters no longer run away from where they should be standing. The Guild Lord and Ghostly Hero also now carry axes instead of swords, to justify their use of the skill Cyclone Axe.
- Fixed the AI for the boss monster Maxine Coldstone so that she no longer unequips her bow while fighting at melee range.
- Fixed a bug that was causing some parties to appear larger than they really were in outposts.

Update - Wednesday, March 29 (http://www.guildwars.com/support/gameupdates/)

Attention fellow citizens of Tyria,

You have no doubt gazed with sorrow upon the scores of refugees displaced by the terrible conflict raging in the southern lands of Cantha. Were it not for the noble efforts of hired heroes, these poor souls would be spending another cold night in filthy gutters.

Mukesh the Merciless and his vile undead horde have been purged from the grounds of Nebo Terrace. The Kurzick homeless are pitching camp there as I speak. Likewise, the ettin thugs led by the notorious—and odiferous—Smuush Fatfist have been quashed, making possible the Luxon settlement being built in North Kryta Province.

By order of the White Mantle, I declare both Nebo Terrace and North Kryta Province fit for habitation and trade.

-Lionguard Neiro

Update - Monday, April 3 (http://www.guildwars.com/aboutgw/gameupdates/default.php)

- Fixed a bug causing some users to experience audio drop-outs of specific sounds.
- Added new bonus items to support the new Guild Wars '06 Edition package in Europe.

Update - Thursday, April 6 (http://www.guildwars.com/support/gameupdates/)

Attention fellow citizens of Tyria,

As our new friends from the southern continent of Cantha have begun settling into their homes, we have received countless reports of violence raging between the Luxon and Kurzick factions within North Kryta Province and Nebo Terrace.

These societies are longtime enemies, and it appears their war has followed them onto our lands. We ask all citizens of Kryta to report any crimes, acts of violence or cruelty, or other disruptive public displays instigated by members of either faction. In the meantime, the Lionguard will investigate a peaceful resolution to the bloodshed.

-Lionguard Neiro

Updates:
- Improved account management UI, making it simpler to add registration keys to existing accounts.
- Fixed a bug that caused some users to experience intermittent audio dropouts.

Update - Wednesday, April 19 (http://www.guildwars.com/support/gameupdates/)

- We are continuing to prepare the game servers for the release of Guild Wars Factions.

Update - Tuesday, April 25 (http://www.guildwars.com/support/gameupdates/)

Fellow citizens of Tyria,

Due to growing violence between the Kurzick and Luxon refugees we have so graciously allowed to live in Kryta, we have been forced to take drastic measures to ensure your safety. We have purchased passage on separate ships to return the survivors from both groups to their homelands in Cantha until such time as they can learn to live in harmony. If they cannot do so there, they will not be given the opportunity to spread their strife here.

There will be two exceptions: Meika Ulrikar of the Kurzicks and Dalos Ekarus of the Luxons have requested that they be allowed to stay in Kryta and become citizens. After reviewing the situation, the Lionguard has granted this request—both shall be allowed to remain in Kryta as citizens of our land, being the only two (among many) who have found a way to stop fighting each other. Furthermore, they shall be granted property near the city of Lion’s Arch as a gift for their willingness to overcome the ancestral hatreds that so darken the minds of their people. Treat them well, people of Tyria; they may be strangers in many ways, but they have chosen peace and must be shown we of Tyria respect that decision.

-Lionguard Neiro

Updates:
- Added a Titles tab to the Hero panel. Full support for titles, including the display of titles to other players, will not be available until the release of Guild Wars Factions.
- In PvP, the victorious players can no longer be killed after a battle ends. This prevents remaining effects, such as Disease or the Edge of Extinction Spirit, from wiping out a winning team after the battle has ended.
- Improved quest marker support for destinations outside of the character's current map.- The zoomed-out world map now shows the location of the destination map.
- The zoomed-in world map shows an arrow at the appropriate exit for the current map and displays the name of the destination map in green.- The entries in the Control Setup dialog box are now grouped by category. Categories and entries within each category are now sorted alphabetically.
- Added DirectX 9 renderer support for anti-aliasing with GeForce 3 and 4 graphics cards.
- Fixed a bug that prevented the maintained Enchantment Unyielding Aura from ending if its caster died.

Update - Wednesday, April 26 (http://www.guildwars.com/support/gameupdates/)

Pahbahzhen, Brother Mhenlo,

Today marks five years since you completed your studies with us andreturned to your homeland in the distant northern kingdoms. You were one of the last Tyrian students I trained. Therefore I want you to be among the first Tyrians to learn that, although Shing Jea Monastery remains closed to foreign students, our noble emperor has reopened the port at Kaineng Center to ships of every nation. Trade and
travel between Tyria and Cantha are once more returning to somethingresembling normalcy. And it is with even greater hope that I look upon this year's crop of new students at our humble monastery. It has been some time since I have seen such a promising group of young Canthans so eager to take up the mantle of the hero.

At long last, we have forged what I believe is a permanent peace between the Tengu and the humans of Cantha. The last of the Tengu Wars, which you saw for yourself when you trained here, has been over for almost a year now. Emperor Kisu has declared a day of celebration marking the one-year anniversary of the peace treaty, and I would invite you to join us if you are able (though I certainly understand if you are not, with the troubles Tyria has recently faced).

And yet, I am troubled. In my many years, I have learned to trust my instincts, and my instincts tell me that despite peace breaking out from Shing Jea Island to the Canthan mainland, my homeland stands on the verge of dark times. There is talk of a strange disease that strikes the remote settlements, and the piratical cultists of the Crimson Skull grow bolder by the day. The two warring vassal factions—the Kurzicks and Luxons—have been brought to the negotiating table through Emperor Kisu’s efforts, but I cannot help but feel that the two sides are not sincere. The emperor is hopeful, and I serve his wishes, but each faction seems to see only the immediate threat posed by their lifelong enemies. My instincts tell me that their conflict, if it continues, only serves to aid this dark force I cannot yet name.

Be watchful, my young friend. Though you call Tyria your home, Cantha may soon need your help.

Master Togo
23 Suzhen, 1582

WELCOME TO CANTHA

Travel to and from Cantha
In order to travel to Cantha for the first time, a Prophecies character must take the "Mhenlo's Request" quest from Firstwatch Sergio in Lion's Arch. Following the quest steps will unlock ship travel to Cantha for that character. Your account must have an active Guild Wars Factions key or Guild Wars Factions Preorder key in order to travel to Cantha.

Similarly, in order to travel to Tyria for the first time, a Factions character must take the "Chaos in Kryta" quest from Guardsman Chienpo in Kaineng Center. Following the quest steps will unlock ship travel to Tyria for that character. Your account must have an active Guild Wars Prophecies key in order to travel to Tyria.

As always, PvP-Only Characters cannot leave the Battle Isles.

Day of the Tengu
Players using the Guild Wars Factions Preorder key for early access may travel to Shing Jea Monastery and talk to the Master of Celebration to take part in a special event called the Day of the Tengu. Native Canthan characters will find their way to the monastery very quickly. Characters coming from Tyria will need to take the following steps:- Travel to Cantha as described above.
- Travel south through the Marketplace to Kaineng Docks.
- Speak to Firstmate Xiang, who will transport you to Seitung Harbor.
- Travel west through Saoshang Trail and Linnok Courtyard to reach Shing Jea Monastery.FEATURES

Alliances
Alliances will not be available until the official launch of Guild Wars Factions on April 28th.

Titles
Players will now be able to earn titles, which can be shown to other players. Use the Titles tab in the Hero panel to select a title for display. Only titles toward which you have made any progress will appear in the list.

Titles apply to a single character or a whole account, as appropriate. A player can display only one title at a time but may earn any number of titles. Many titles have multiple levels, with each new level indicating an increasingly difficult level of achievement.

Sample Titles:- Canthan Explorer. You must explore 60% of Cantha to earn the first level of this title. (Character based.)
- Skill Hunter. You must capture 90 Elite skills to earn the first level of this title. (Character based.)
- Gladiator. You must have 25 win-streaks of 10 consecutive wins in the Random Arenas maps to earn the first level title. (Account based.)
- Champion. You must win 50 high-rated GvG battles to earn the first level of title. (Account based.)Guild Services
A Guild Lord NPC now appears in guild halls outside of combat. Guild members may talk to this NPC to hire service NPCs for the guild.

Guild Scrimmages
Guilds now have the ability to fight scrimmage battles. Scrimmage battles occur between two groups in the same guild hall and do not count toward ladder standing. To initiate a scrimmage, a group of one or more players must initiate a guild battle and choose "initiate a scrimmage match." Any other group of one or more players in that guild hall may then choose to join the scrimmage battle, which will initiate after a short countdown.

User Interface
The general appearance of the user interface has been updated to mark the arrival of Guild Wars Factions. In addition, several new features have been added:- While zoomed-in, the world map now shows the names of all explorable areas your character has visited previously.
- In addition to showing the map name, the large text that appears when you first enter a new map now features a second line indicating the type of the map and, if applicable, which alliance owns the map.
- The Party window indicates if a member is out of compass range by dimming that character's name.
- Health bars in the Party window and Target Display can now indicate when a character is under the effects of a Weapon Spell.
- The icon that appears in the Party window when a party member calls a target now shows the hotkey to select the called target. (As always, hold down CTRL when attacking or using skills to call your target.)
- New customizable targeting hotkeys have been added for Target Next Party Member, Target Previous Party Member, Target Party Members 9 –12. In smaller parties, these hotkeys will target NPCs in the Allies section of the Party Window.
- Clicking on an enemy while holding a bundle item now causes you to follow that character instead of causing an error message.
- Henchmen now sometimes chat during a mission. In outposts, players can talk to henchmen by double-clicking on them.SKILL CHANGES

The arrival of Assassins and Ritualists has caused many core professions to re-evaluate their skills. (Please note that the number ranges below, such as 3..8, are for attribute 0 to attribute 15.)

General
- Signet of Capture: now gives 250 XP for each level you have when used to capture an Elite skill.
- Without Death Magic, you can control no more than two undead servants. For every two ranks of Death Magic, you can control one additional undead servant.
- The number of undead servants you control is now displayed.
- Attempting to use a healing skill or to cast a Hex or Enchantment spell on a Spirit now causes a warning message to display.

Mesmer
- Energy Surge: decreased Energy lost to 3..8; increased damage per Energy to 10.
- Energy Burn: decreased Energy lost to 3..8; increased damage per Energy to 10.
- Energy Tap: fixed bugs causing the inaccurate display of the amount of Energy drained.
- Epidemic: decreased recharge time to 5 seconds.
- Illusion of Haste: fixed a bug that prevented this spell from inflicting the Crippled Condition if it ended prematurely.
- Mantra of Earth, Mantra of Flame, Mantra of Frost, Mantra of Lightning: increased Energy gained per hit to 2.
- Mantra of Recovery: decreased recharge time to 20 seconds.
- Power Spike: decreased recharge time to 12 seconds.
- Signet of Weariness: decreased Energy lost to 3..8.

Necromancer
- Barbs: decreased recharge time to 20 seconds.
- Mark of Pain: decreased recharge time to 20 seconds.
- Weaken Armor: decreased recharge time to 20 seconds.
- Unholy Feast: decreased cast time to .75 seconds.
- Wither: increased Health degeneration to 2..4.
- Verata's Sacrifice: decreased Enchantment duration to 5..10 seconds; increased recharge time to 60 seconds; skill now instantly recharges if you have 3 or fewer undead servants; this skill now only affects undead servants you control.
- Blood of the Master: decreased Energy cost to 5; decreased recharge time to 2 seconds; decreased sacrifice to 5%; this skill now sacs 2% more Health per creature healed.
- Animate Bone Minions: decreased Energy cost to 15..
- Death Nova: this skill no longer damages the caster and the caster's allies when an uncontrolled creature with Death Nova dies.

Elementalist
- Aura of Restoration: decreased recharge time to 5 seconds.
- Fire Attunement: decreased recharge time to 45 seconds.
- Water Attunement: decreased recharge time to 45 seconds.
- Air Attunement: decreased recharge time to 45 seconds.
- Earth Attunement: decreased recharge time to 45 seconds.
- Elemental Attunement: decreased recharge time to 45 seconds.
- Flare: increased damage to 20..55.
- Ice Spear: increased damage to 10..70.
- Water Trident: increased damage to 10..70.
- Stone Daggers: increased damage to 8..28.
- Maelstrom: decreased cast time to 2 seconds.
- Mark of Rodgort: fixed a bug that limited the Burning duration to 3 seconds regardless of your Fire Magic attribute.
- Wards: no longer affect Spirits.

Monk
- Signet of Judgment: decreased recharge time to 25 seconds.
- Peace and Harmony: decreased recharge time to 25 seconds.
- Contemplation of Purity: increased recharge time to 10 seconds.
- Unyielding Aura: now kills Enchanted characters if the caster maintaining this Enchantment dies.
- Draw Conditions: fixed a bug that caused this spell to reset the durations of all the transferred Conditions.

Warrior
- Mighty Blow: increased damage to 6..35.
- Staggering Blow: increased Weakness duration to 5..20 seconds.
- Axe Twist: decreased adrenaline cost to 7.
- Skull Crack: increased attack speed to .5 seconds; decreased Dazed duration to 10 seconds
- Savage Slash: increased Energy cost to 10; increased recharge time to 20; decreased attack speed to .5
- Flourish: this skill now recharges Pet Attack skills.

Ranger
- Call of Protection: decreased recharge time to 90 seconds.
- Dual Shot: increased recharge time to 7 seconds.
- Comfort Animal: no longer disables your skills if used to resurrect your pet.
- Edge of Extinction: this Spirit no longer damages creatures that are outside of its effect.
- Antidote Signet: Fixed a bug causing this Signet to remove Conditions other than Blind, Disease, and Poison.

PVP NPC CHANGES

New Guild Battle NPCs have been recruited from Cantha for the remainder of the Guild Wars Factions Championship.

Guild Lord Upgrades
- Weapons were upgraded to match standard PvP weapon damage.
- The Guild Lord now deals a bonus damage against other NPCs (including the enemy Guild Lord and Thief).
- Improved the Guild Lord's attribute assignment and equipped him with the following skills: Cyclone Axe, Cleave, Warrior’s Cunning, and Power Shot.

Ghostly Hero
- All Ghostly Heroes, including those on the capture-the-relic maps, are now level 28.
- The Ghostly Hero's axe and bow have been upgraded to match his level.
- Improved the Ghostly Hero's attribute assignment and equipped him with the following skills: Cyclone Axe, Disrupting Chop, Swift Chop, Distracting Shot, and Power Shot.

The Resurrection Priest now wields a Smiting staff instead of a hammer.

ARMOR CHANGES

New armor designs from Cantha have begun to influence armor crafters in Tyria. Existing armor sets will not be updated yet, but a means to upgrade existing level-20 armor for free will be provided in the near future.

Elementalist:
- Aeromancer's armor: now provides +10 armor vs. elemental damage and +10 armor vs. lightning damage.
- Pyromancer's armor: now provides +10 armor vs. elemental damage and +10 armor vs. fire damage.
- Hydromancer's armor: now provides +10 armor vs. elemental damage and +10 armor vs. water damage.
- Geomancer's armor: now provides +10 armor vs. elemental damage and +10 armor vs. earth damage.

Mesmer:
- Rogue's armor: no longer provides less Energy than standard armor.

Monk:
- Judge's armor: no longer provides less Energy than standard armor.
- Wanderer's armor: now provides +10 armor vs. elemental damage.

Warrior:
- Knight's armor: now provides +20 armor vs. physical damage (instead of +10).
- Knight's Helm: fixed so that it now provides +1 to Strength.
- Dragon armor: now provides 90 base armor +10 armor vs. physical damage.
- Platemail armor: same as Dragon.

Obsidian Armor:
- The word "obsidian" has been added to armor names, in accordance with the naming convention introduced in Guild Wars Factions. For example, the Monk leggings that provide additional armor against physical damage are now called "Judge's Obsidian Pants" instead of "Judge's Pants." (This change does not affect armor crafted prior to this update.)
- Now includes new armor sets using the same statistics as armor only available in Cantha.
- No longer includes multiple armor sets with the exact same appearance and attributes.

WEAPONS, SHIELDS AND FOCUS ITEMS

- Significantly improved the quality of rare (gold) and uncommon (purple) items.
- Restricted Vampiric and Zealous weapon components to occur only on rare weapons.
- Upgraded Sundering weapon components to provide a maximum Armor Penetration of +20% (Chance: 20%).
- Added weapons with +5 Energy to PvP-Only character creation.
- Added weapons with +15% damage and -5 Energy to PvP-Only character creation.
- Added weapons with +15% damage and -10 armor while attacking weapons to PvP-Only character creation.
- Added new Focus items to PvP-Only character creation.
- Improved bonuses on wands in the PvP-Only character creation screen to better match what is dropped by monsters.


RUNES

- Increased probability of finding Superior Vigor and Superior Absorption runes.
- Changed new rare (gold) armor to only provide superior (gold) runes.
- Changed new uncommon (purple) armor to only provide major (purple) runes.
- As always, you must use an expert or superior salvage kit to extract a rune from armor. These changes will not affect loot that dropped prior to this update.

MISCELLANEOUS

- Fixed a bug that dramatically decreased the chance of finding uncommon and rare loot in explorable areas.

Update - Thursday, April 27 (http://www.guildwars.com/support/gameupdates/)

Pahbahzhen, Brother Mhenlo,

Our worst fears have been realized. A plague is spreading across Cantha the likes of which I have never seen nor even imagined. Our healers have found no way to combat this affliction, and all our attempts to learn of previous outbreaks in the imperial archives or through consultation with the spirits of the dead have proven fruitless.

Truly, Mhenlo, I have never known a monk with a greater gift for healing, and though you are young, you have traveled far and wide. I would not ask this of you for myself, for I know full well that the last few years have shown you more than enough misery and strife, yet I do ask. I ask you to come and lend us your insight.

I ask in the name of all you love and remember about Cantha. The sweeping grandeur of Shing Jea Isle. The towering spectacle of Kaineng City. The breathtaking majesty of the Jade Sea. The dark beauty of the Echovald Forest. And, of course, all of us who have been proud to call you friend these many years. Return to us, Brother Mhenlo. We need you.

Master Togo
27 Suzhen, 1582

CANTHA AWAITS

The great continent of Cantha is now open to all accounts that have an active Guild Wars Factions key.- New Canthan characters may now be created using any of the six core professions or the two unique Factions professions, the Assassin and Ritualist.
- Factions characters created for the Factions Preview Event may be used once again, though they have had their items, skills and levels reset.
- Factions skills may be used in PvP once again and may be unlocked on the Priest of Balthazar.On accounts with both Guild Wars Factions and Guild Wars Prophecies, players may take characters back and forth between the continents of Cantha and Tyria. The first journey to a new continent must be done through a quest. After that, characters may travel quickly and easily using the Ship Travel icon on the world map.- Factions characters wishing to travel to Tyria for the first time should seek out Guardsman Chienpo in Kaineng Center and take the "Chaos in Kryta" quest.
- Prophecies characters may travel to Cantha using the quest "Mhenlo's Request," which is offered by Firstwatch Sergio in Lion's Arch.UPDATES

- The Day of the Tengu event has come to a close.

- Fixed a bug that prevented guild scrimmages while a guild battle or another guild scrimmage was underway. There is no limit to the number of guild scrimmages a guild may conduct at one time. Guild scrimmages do not prevent a guild from participating in a guild battle.

- Ensured that all monster-dropped uncommon and rare armor pieces have the appropriate runes.

- Introduced a new command: /resign. This command allows a team to forfeit a mission as a group. All party members must type "/resign" for it to take effect.

Update - Thursday, May 4 (http://www.guildwars.com/support/gameupdates/)

- Added the ability to see which skills you have already unlocked when speaking to skill trainers.
- Added Necromancer Bloodstained Boots to armor crafters in Cantha and in the Fissure of Woe.

- Improved Energy bonuses on craftable versions of the Mesmer Rogue's Gloves and the Monk Judge's Handwraps.
- Improved the skill set used by Healer henchmen in Cantha.
- Improved the healing abilities of Spirit henchmen in Cantha.
- Improved pathing in various missions and explorable areas.

- Fixed a bug that was preventing armors from appearing in Cantha chests.
- Fixed a bug that removed mission unlocks for PvP missions for certain older accounts, and restored mission unlocks for those accounts.
- Fixed a bug that caused some players to see the same alliance guild more than once in the Guild window.
- Fixed a bug that caused the spell interruption sound effect to play too loudly.
- Fixed a bug that prevented monsters from dropping armors containing Assassin Runes of Critical Strikes and Ritualist Runes of Spawning Power.
- Fixed a bug that occasionally caused the Enduring Toxin skill to last indefinitely.
- Fixed the appearance of several boss monsters.

- Added Spawning staves with Restoration bonuses to the inventories of various crafters throughout Cantha.

- Made various improvements and fixed bugs in the following quests: The Naga Source, Quimang's Last Stand, Skin the Snake, Cash Crops, Sparring Elements, The Agriculturist, Death with Honor, An Unwelcome Guest, Welcome to Cantha, Battle in the Sewers, Little Lost Bear, Problem Salving, Passing the Buck, Revolt of the Dredge, and Charting the Forests.

- Corrected the appearance and levels of the henchmen team in the Vizunah Square mission.

- Removed chests from the Eternal Grove mission to prevent an exploit.
- Removed the second elite skill from Warden Rangers.

Update - Monday, May 8 (http://www.guildwars.com/support/gameupdates/)

- Added a special in-game thank you gift for players who purchased the Factions Collector's Edition. Type /bonusitems in an outpost or town to obtain the gift. Only one gift per account will be generated.
- Added several new bosses to the Jade Sea and Echovald Forest to supplement elite skill captures.
- Made various improvements and fixed bugs in the following quests: To the Rescue, Duel of the Houses, The Jade Arena, The Halcyon Job, To Tahnnakai Temple, and Urgoz's Warren.
- Fixed a bug that sometimes prevented the Arborstone mission from being completed.
- Improved healer henchmen so that they use the Signet of Devotion skill more wisely.
- Improved the appearance of some ascended Assassin masks.
- Improved energy bonuses on the Shaman's Obsidian armor.
- Fixed a bug in the behavior of Senji the profession changer.

Update - Tuesday, May 9 (http://www.guildwars.com/support/gameupdates/)

- Fixed a bug that sometimes prevented the Arborstone mission from being completed.
- Fixed a bug in the Aurios Mines that caused the challenge to last longer than intended.
- Made various improvements and bugs fixes to the following quests: Quimang's Last Stand, To the Rescue, Zen Daijun, Duel of the Houses, and The Jade Arena.
- Improved the skill sets for several creatures in the Aurios Mines.

Update - Wednesday, May 10 (http://www.guildwars.com/support/gameupdates/)

- Fixed a bug that was preventing some players from completing the Aurios Mines mission.

Update - Wednesday, May 17 (http://www.guildwars.com/support/gameupdates/)

- Fixed exploits in the Zos Shivros Channel and Aurios Mines challenge missions. High scores for these missions will be reset on May 18.
- Fixed a bug that occasionally caused guild battle gates to remain closed even after "Victory or Death" had begun.
- Fixed a bug that caused more than one boss of the same type to appear in the Altrumm Ruins.
- Improved the monster distribution in Amatz Basin.
- Reduced the number of control points in the Aurios Mines from eleven to nine.
- Updated the appearance of the Isle of Jade guild hall.

Update - Friday, May 19 (http://www.guildwars.com/support/gameupdates/)

- Made it possible to stack two or more scrolls of the same type in a single inventory slot. (Scrolls created before today's update will not stack.)
- Made it possible to capture the elite skill Assassin's Promise.
- Fixed bugs and made improvements to the following quests: A Formal Introduction, To Tahnnakai Temple, Stolen Eggs, The Convocation, and Welcome to Cantha.
- Fixed a bug in The Deep that caused some players to crash when clicking on flowers.
- Adjusted the difficulty of the following repeatable quests: Luxon Supply Lines, The Jade Arena, and Duel of the Houses.
- Improved the skill set of Kurzick NPCs.
- Improved the skill set of Creeping Carp.
- Updated the Balthazar faction rewards in Shing Jea Arena to their appropriate values.
- Modified the Zaishen arenas so that win streaks no longer contribute to progress in earning the Gladiator title.

Update - Tuesday, May 23 (http://www.guildwars.com/support/gameupdates/)

- Fixed a bug that caused certain towns and outposts to experience heavy lag.
- Fixed a bug that prevented some players who did not have access to the Prophecies campaign from entering Fissure of Woe and The Underworld.
- Fixed a crash bug in The Deep.
- Fixed bugs and made improvements to the following quests: A Meeting With the Emperor, To Tahnnakai Temple, Luxon Supply Lines, and The Shadow Blades.
- Changed the compositions of enemy groups in the Duel of the Houses quest.
- Updated the merchants in Raisu Palace and Imperial Sanctum so that they now sell Forbidden Keys instead of Canthan Keys.
- Updated the merchant in Zin Ku Corridor so that he now sells Phantom Keys and Obsidian Keys.
- Added a name for the merchant in Tahnnakai Temple.
- Improved the spam filter.
- Updated Korean translations.

Update - Friday, May 26 (http://www.guildwars.com/support/gameupdates/)

- Opened missions that were previously closed to characters created in another campaign. Characters may now play these missions, but they do not earn skill point rewards for successful mission completion.
- Fixed a bug that prevented ectoplasm and obsidian shards from dropping in the Fissure of Woe and Underworld missions.
- Fixed bugs and made improvements to the following quests: Closer to the Stars, To Tahnnakai Temple, Return of the Yeti, Missing Daughter, Drink from the Chalice of Corruption, Refuse to Drink, An Unwelcome Guest, and The Beak of Darkness.
- Changed the type of chests that appear in Raisu Palace.
- Updated audio for Korean Factions cinematics.

Update - Monday, May 29 (http://www.guildwars.com/support/gameupdates/)

- Fixed an exploit that was allowing parties to enter guild battles with more than 8 players.
- Fixed a bug that was causing Ghostly Heroes in the Unholy Temples to refuse relics.

Update - Tuesday, May 30 (http://eu.guildwars.com/home/article/skill_updates_planned/) from http://EU.GuildWars.com

Skill Updates Planned (http://eu.guildwars.com/home/article/skill_updates_planned/)
As the 3rd Season of the Guild Wars Factions Championship gets underway, we’ve planned a significant number of skill updates for the various Guild Wars professions. You can read about the skill updates now, and the updates will be incorporated into the game later this week.

Skill Update Notes for Week of May 29th
The following skill updates will be incorporated into the game within the next 10 days. At that time, they will be added to the Game Updates (http://www.guildwars.com/support/gameupdates/) page. (Please note that the number ranges below, such as 3..8, are for attribute 0 to attribute 15.)

All
Shadow stepping no longer moves you farther than the radius of the radar.

Assassin
- Way of the Empty Palm: reduced cast time to .25 seconds; reduced recharge time to 25 seconds.
- Locust’s Fury: reduced cast time to 1 second.
- Siphon Strength: increased the damage reduction your target deals to 5..50.
- Palm Strike: reduced recharge time to 10 seconds; increased damage to 10..85.
- Enduring Toxin: reduced cast time to .25 seconds.
- Crippling Dagger: reduced recharge time to 5 seconds.
- Heart of Shadow: increased healing amount to 10..115 Health.
- Mirrored Stance: reduce recharge time to 15 seconds.
- Unseen Fury: increased duration to 15..60 seconds.
- Golden Phoenix Strike: increased Energy cost to 10.
- Aura of Displacement: increased recharge time to 20 seconds.

Mesmer
- Stolen Speed: reduced casting time to 1 second; reduced recharge time to 3 seconds; corrected the wording on this skill.
- Arcane Languor: increased duration to 1..8 seconds.

Elementalist
- Glyph of Sacrifice: reduced the amount of time it recharges your next spell to 30 seconds.
- Ward against Harm: changed skill type to Ward Spell.

Monk
- Vigorous Spirit: increased heal per skill or attack to 5..20.
- Dwayna’s Kiss: increased conditional heal to 10..35 Health.

Warrior
- Furious Axe: increased adrenaline gained when blocked to 3.
- Auspicious Parry: increased recharge time to 2 seconds; decreased adrenaline gained to 1..4.

Ritualist
- Doom: reduced recharge time to 8 seconds.
- Channeled Strike: reduced recharge time to 8 seconds.
- Essence Strike: increased the amount of Energy gained when in range of a Spirit to 1..8.
- Lamentation: reduced Energy cost to 5.
- Gaze from Beyond: fixed a bug that caused this skill to ignore armor.
- Ancestors’ Rage: reduced casting time to .75 seconds.
- Splinter Weapon: reduced Energy cost to 5.
- Resilient Weapon: reduced casting time to 1 second.
- Vengeful Weapon: increased the amount of Health stolen when this skill is triggered to 15..60 Health.

Update - Thursday, June 1 (http://www.guildwars.com/support/gameupdates/)

- Decreased the Health penalty on attribute-boosting major runes from 50 to 35. Existing runes are unaffected.
- Improved chat in alliance battles so that players can see party messages from all members of their team.
- Updated the Zin Ku Corridor outpost so that it shows who currently has the Favor of the Gods.
- Added a Xunlai Agent to Zos Shivros Channel.
- Moved the Xunlai Agent in Jade Quarry [Luxon] to a more accessible location.
- Removed the Thief from the Imperial Isle guild battle.
- Updated the inventory of the weaponsmith in Maatu Keep.
- Updated art on the following creatures: Naga Wizard, Naga Raincaller, Naga Spellblade, Naga Witch, Naga Bone Collector, and Naga Sibyl.
- Fixed bugs and made improvements to the following quests: Stolen Eggs, Protect the Halcyon, Outcasts in the Quarry, Luxon Supply Lines, Song and Stone, Lambs to the Slaughter, Defend Denravi, Noble Intentions, and Hammer and Anvil.
- Fixed bugs in the following missions and explorable areas: Silent Surf and Riverside Province.
- Fixed a bug that occasionally caused quest markers and arrows to update incorrectly.
- Fixed some incorrect cinematic voiceovers.
- Fixed a bug that allowed players to drop items inadvertently while cinematics were playing.
- Fixed a bug that caused some players to disconnect with error 019.
- Added weapons to the Shiro and Jade Armor miniatures.

SKILL BALANCE CHANGES
(Please note that the number ranges below, such as 3..8, are for attribute 0 to attribute 15.)

All
- Shadow stepping no longer moves you farther than the radius of the radar.
- Soul Reaping now only gives half Energy from Spirits.
- Updated the Victory of Death path for all NPCs on all guild halls so that the NPCs now spread out at the flag stand.
- Adjusted the flag spawn locations on all guild halls to be equal distance from the flag stand.

Assassin
- Way of the Empty Palm: reduced cast time to .25 seconds; reduced recharge time to 25 seconds.
- Locust's Fury: reduced cast time to 1 second.
- Siphon Strength: increased the damage reduction your target deals to 5..50.
- Palm Strike: reduced recharge time to 10 seconds; increased damage to 10..85.
- Enduring Toxin: reduced cast time to .25 seconds; increased health degeneration to 1..5.
- Crippling Dagger: reduced recharge time to 5 seconds.
- Heart of Shadow: increased healing amount to 10..115 Health.
- Mirrored Stance: reduced recharge time to 15 seconds.
- Unseen Fury: increased duration to 15..60 seconds.
- Golden Phoenix Strike: increased Energy cost to 10.
- Aura of Displacement: increased recharge time to 20 seconds.

Mesmer
- Stolen Speed: reduced casting time to 1 second; reduced recharge time to 3 seconds; corrected the wording on this skill.
- Arcane Languor: increased duration to 1..8 seconds.

Elementalist
- Glyph of Sacrifice: reduced the amount of time it recharges your next spell to 30 seconds.
- Ward against Harm: changed skill type to Ward Spell.

Monk
- Vigorous Spirit: increased heal per skill or attack to 5..20.
- Dwayna's Kiss: increased conditional heal to 10..35 Health.

Warrior
- Furious Axe: increased adrenaline gained when blocked to 3.
- Auspicious Parry: increased recharge time to 2 seconds; decreased adrenaline gained to 1..4.
- Signet of Strength: the number of attacks now update when reapplying this skill.

Ranger
- Archer Signet: the number of attacks now update when reapplying this skill.

Ritualist
- Doom: reduced recharge time to 8 seconds.
- Channeled Strike: reduced recharge time to 8 seconds.
- Essence Strike: increased the amount of Energy gained when in range of a Spirit to 1..8.
- Lamentation: reduced Energy cost to 5.
- Gaze from Beyond: fixed a bug that caused this skill to ignore armor.
- Ancestors' Rage: reduced casting time to .75 seconds.
- Splinter Weapon: reduced Energy cost to 5.
- Resilient Weapon: reduced casting time to 1 second.
- Vengeful Weapon: increased the amount of Health stolen when this skill is triggered to 15..60 Health.
- Soul Twisting: increased the recharge time to 15 seconds.

Update - Friday, June 2 (http://www.guildwars.com/support/gameupdates/)

- Opened alliance chat to all members of the alliance, not just guild officers.
- Fixed a bug that prevented players from sending alliance chat messages while observing a game.
- Fixed a bug that prevented players on the ignore list from being correctly ignored in guild and alliance chat.

Update - Friday, June 9 (http://www.guildwars.com/support/gameupdates/)

- Improved the way henchmen choose to use resurrection skills.
- Fixed bugs and made improvements to the following quests: Cash Crops, A New Escort, Death with Honor, The Egg Hunter, The Drunken Master, In the Army Now [Kurzick], and In the Army Now [Luxon].
- Fixed the merchants and Avatar of Grenth in Pongmei Valley so that they respond to players.
- Allowed foreign visitors in Shing Jea Monastery to enter the Shing Jea Arena Outpost.
- Added visible resurrection countdown timers to the Jade Quarry and Fort Aspenwood competitive missions. The Unyielding Aura and Vengeance skills now work properly in these missions.
- Fixed a bug with resurrection timers in alliance battles.
- Fixed a crash bug related to the use of several miniature creatures.
- Fixed a bug that caused Vizunah Square to appear as though it had been completed with a Master's Reward when, in fact, it had only been completed with a Standard or Expert's Reward. This caused some players to believe incorrectly that they had completed the Protector of Cantha title.
- Fixed a bug that prevented some players from correctly unlocking the Random Arena outpost.
- Fixed an exploit related to the use of seeds in the Druid's Isle guild battle map.

Update - Thursday, June 15 (http://www.guildwars.com/support/gameupdates/)

- Added the winning items from a recent community contest to the game. (See The Scribe (http://www.guildwars.com/community/thescribe) for more information.)
- Added faction bonuses for individual kills in alliance battles and competitive missions. Each kill awards the team's members with 1 Luxon or Kurzick faction point and 3 Balthazar faction points.
- Improved faction bonuses awarded at the end of an alliance battle. Both the winning and losing teams' members earn 2 Luxon or Kurzick faction points for each point scored during battle. The winning team's members receive an additional 250 Luxon or Kurzick faction points.
- Improved faction bonuses awarded at the end of the Jade Quarry competitive mission. For each jade slab brought to a team's base, the team's members receive 40 Luxon or Kurzick faction points. The winning team's members receive an additional 250 Luxon or Kurzick faction points.
- Improved faction bonuses awarded at the end of the Fort Aspenwood competitive mission. For each gate that was knocked down at least once, the Luxon team's members receive 80 Luxon faction points. For each percentage point of progress toward Gods' Vengeance, the Kurzick team's members receive 4 Kurzick faction points. The winning team's members receive an additional 250 Luxon or Kurzick faction points.
- Added a confirmation dialog when attempting to sell an equipped or hot-keyed inventory item.
- Corrected the levels of several NPCs in The Divine Path.
- Updated the location of the dye trader in Kaineng Center.

ITEM UPGRADES

Updates over the past several months have improved a number of weapons and armors; these updates applied only to newly generated items, not to items already in player inventories.

This update applies past improvements to the following inventory items:

Victo's Battle Axe, Drago's Flatbow, Stoneherder's Flatbow, Tarnok's Recurve Bow, the Bludgeoner, Flint's Wand, Korvald's Cane, Ivor's Smiting Rod, Brimstone Wand, Gordac's Needle, Bortak's Bone Claw, Ritualist Shaman's Obsidian Armor, Elementalist Aeromancer's Armor, Elementalist Geomancer's Armor, Elementalist Hydromancer's Armor, Elementalist Pyromancer's Armor, Warrior Knight's Armor, Warrior Ascalon Armor, Warrior Dragon Armor, Warrior Platemail Armor, Monk Censor's Armor, Monk Judge's Armor, Monk Wanderer's Armor, Monk Sacred Armor, Monk Saintly Armor, and Mesmer Rogue's Armor.

Noted Changes:
- Amor Penetration 10%(Chance: 10%) ==> Amor Penetration 20%(Chance: 20%)
- Energy +3 (condition) ==> Energy +5 (condition)

New Items:
- Rotscale in Majesty's Rest now drops the Rotwing Recurve Bow.
- Root Behemoths in The Falls now drop Totem Axes.
- Wind Riders in The Falls now drop Forgotten Fans.
- Newly added Mighty Grawls and Barbed Grawls in Talus Chute now drop the Ice Breaker and Frozen Fans.
- Jade Brotherhood in Wajjun Bazaar now drop Tattered Fans.
- Oni in Rhea's Crater now drop Ungues of the Oni.

Update - Friday, June 16 (http://www.guildwars.com/support/gameupdates/)

- Added Priests of Balthazar to all Alliance Battle outposts.
- Added 4 new maps to the Random Arena and the Team Arena.
- Fixed a bug that caused the caravan to stop moving in Gyala Hatchery.
- Fixed bugs and made improvements to the following quest: The Shadow Blade.
- Fixed the descriptions of several Ranger skills, which were displaying incorrect values after the last update.
- Fixed a bug that caused henchmen to drop gold when they died.
- Fixed a bug that caused monsters to drop loot even if your party had no part in killing them.
- Fixed a bug in PvP that caused dead players to receive morale boosts for the deaths of opposing team members.

Update - Saturday, June 17 (http://www.guildwars.com/support/gameupdates/)

- Fixed a bug that occasionally prevented the victory chest in the Hall of Heroes from dropping items.

Update - Wednesday, June 28 (http://www.guildwars.com/support/gameupdates/)

Attention fellow citizens of Cantha,

On behalf of Emperor Kisu, it is my pleasure to announce this year's Dragon Festival, a five-day celebration of games, dance, drink, and revelry, where we commemorate the dawning of the Age of the Dragon and all those who helped to rebuild our great lands after the Jade Wind. Throughout the duration of the festival, citizens of our great empire convene at Shing Jea Monastery to socialize with others, partake in carnival activities, and amass collections of Jade Wind Orbs to be redeemed for special prizes. Fans of sport can flex their muscles in the Dragon Arena, where battle prowess and longevity are recognized and rewarded.

There will be no shortage of engaging entertainment, so we hope you make the journey to our lush island and join us in revelry.

Other Updates
- Added two new quests for characters created in Cantha: The Minister's Quest and Capturing the Orrian Tome.
- Increased the minimum level restriction for alliance battles to 20.
- Modified Gatekeepers and Master Architect Gunther so that they no longer leave their posts in the Fort Aspenwood competitive mission.
- Made improvements to the following quest: Refuse to Drink.
- Fixed a bug that sometimes caused monsters to appear without any Health.
- Fixed a bug that prevented cinematics from playing if one player in the party failed to load.
- Fixed a bug that sometimes caused guild thieves to die immediately after resurrecting at their base.
- Fixed a bug that allowed the Retreat skill to activate in response to dead Spirits.
- Fixed a bug that sometimes prevented mission goals from appearing properly.

Update - Thursday, June 29 (http://www.guildwars.com/support/gameupdates/)

The Dragon Festival has begun! Characters who wish to receive their Dragon Helm must collect 250 Jade Wind Orbs, which can be earned by undertaking quests, competing in the Dragon Arena, or taking part in the festival games. Emperor Kisu will honor us by appearing at the Shing Jea Monastery every 2 hours on the final day of the festival to reward those who have gathered 250 orbs. If you cannot attend the final day of the festival, take heart! The emperor has stationed an Imperial Supplymaster at the monastery, who will stay for a few days after the festival’s end to give Dragon Helms to those who have gathered their 250 orbs.

Other Updates
- Improved the channeling abilities of the boss Quansong Spiritspeak.
- Fixed a bug introduced in yesterday's update that prevented Skill and Item Unlock dialogs from appearing.
- Fixed bugs that prevented the bosses Ilidus of the Empty Palm and Milodestus the Wrangler from appearing.

Update - Friday, June 30 (http://www.guildwars.com/support/gameupdates/)

- Fixed a bug that prevented Festival Tickets from being sold to merchants.
- Fixed a bug that allowed Enduring Toxin to be reapplied at an exceptional rate.

Update - Wednesday, July 5 (http://www.guildwars.com/support/gameupdates/)

Attention fellow citizens of Cantha,

On behalf of Emperor Kisu, I extend warm thanks to all those who fought for the empire during the past few days. Though the Dragon Festival is a time of celebration for us, this year's holiday was marred by violence spurred on by demonic outsiders. It was only through the efforts of those willing to lay their lives down for the empire that the portals that spawned these vile beasts were torn asunder.

Let these past events serve as a reminder: no matter what adversities threaten to dismantle the Dragon Empire, we shall endure.

This marks the end of this year's Dragon Festival. Go in peace and prosperity. Long live the emperor!

- Captain Leifei

Other Updates
- Added the Imperial Supply Master to Shing Jea Monastery.
- Updated merchants on Shing Jea Island and in Kaineng Center so that they sell Rice Wine and Red Bean Cakes.

Update - Friday, July 7 (http://www.guildwars.com/support/gameupdates/)

- Updated the Hall of Heroes so that 3 teams compete instead of 5, games take place every 6 minutes instead of every 12 minutes, and the winning team is awarded 2 Celestial Sigils instead of 3.
- Updated the requirements to earn a Champion title. Fewer points are now required, and players receive a point for defeating any guild with 1200 or more rating points. Please note that points are earned only when the guild ladder season is open.
- Fixed a bug that prevented some players from leaving the Dragon Arena.

Update - Thursday, July 13 (http://www.guildwars.com/support/gameupdates/)

- Imperial Supplymaster Kagno is no longer stationed in Shing Jea Monastery.
- Added a crafting material storage upgrade for the Xunlai Agent storage vault. To purchase the upgrade, visit one of the new Xunlai Representatives in Shing Jea Monastery or Kaineng Center. (PvP characters gain access to the crafting material storage once any roleplaying character on the account purchases it.)
- Added the ability to split stacks of inventory items. Holding the Shift key while dragging a stack of items allows you to "split off" a portion of the stack before moving it.
- Modified the algorithm that causes the alliance battle line to shift. A faction that pushes into enemy territory will temporarily gain a "momentum bonus" that helps it drive the battle line further into enemy territory.
- Added support for EAX audio when sound quality is set to maximum.
- Modified the Burning Isle guild battle map so that Flame Cursed Sentinels are now Lesser Flame Sentinels. Lesser sentinels are vulnerable to all Conditions, do not heal when out of combat, and slowly die on their own in the first 25 minutes of the match.
- Updated Mesmer Courtly and Virtuoso armor sets so that the +15 armor bonus applies only to the piece the bonus is on, not to the entire body. The bonus is now active whenever the equipping character activates any skill (not just spells).
- Updated Warrior Ascalon and Knight's armor sets so that the damage reduction applies only when the corresponding location of the body is struck. The damage reduction applies only to physical damage, and the amount of reduced damage was increased from 2 to 3.
- Updated shields, armors, and runes with damage reduction abilities so that they only reduce physical damage.
- Increased the inherent armor level on all unique (green text), promotional, crafted, and collector shields so that they behave the same way as other shields when the characters equipping them do not meet the necessary attribute requirement.
- Updated all Ascalon Bows so that they now include their bow type in the name.
- Raised the armor penetration bonus for the following promotional items: Bonecrusher, Bear's Sloth, Rhino's Sloth, and Rhino's Charge.
- Raised the conditional Energy bonus on the following promotional items: Quicksilver, Unicorn's Wrath, Peacock's Wrath, and Luminescent Scepter.
- Raised the conditional damage reduction on the following promotional items: Bronze Guardian, Hog's Gluttony, Spiders Gluttony, and Serrated Shield.
- Removed the increased attack rate and decreased damage attributes from the fire wand found at the collector outside of Nolani Academy.
- Reduced the chance to halve skill recharge time from 20% to 10% on Rockmolders dropped prior to the item being corrected.
- Fixed bugs and made improvements to the following quests: The True King, A Monk's Mission, and A Second Profession.
- Improved support for hardware acceleration on some low-end audio cards.
- Fixed a bug that caused a number of skill sounds to play incorrectly as non-positional sounds.
- Improved the pathing in the Sunjiang District explorable area and the Imperial Sanctum outpost.

SKILL UPDATES

All
- Lowered the cap for Healing Reduction to 40%. *
- Lowered the cap for Recharge Reduction to 50%. *
- You can no longer be knocked down immediately after you respawn from a resurrection shrine.

* Note: like all reduction caps, these only affect the cap from multiple sources. Any single skill that exceeds this cap will still work. Thus, skills such as Lingering Curse or Ritual Lord still gain their full effect.

Assassin
- Expunge Enchantments: no longer disables pet attack skills.
- Moebius Strike: now recharges pet attack skills if it hits a foe below 50% health.
- Return: reduced recharge time to 15 seconds.
- Shadow Form: increased Energy cost to 10.
- Shadow Shroud: no longer prevents the casting of untargeted enchantments.
- Signet of Malice: reduced cast time to .75 seconds.
- Siphon Speed: increased duration to 5..20 seconds.

Elementalist
- Bed of Coals: now deals damage only to non-moving foes.
- Burning Speed: reduced cast time to .25 seconds.
- Elemental Attunement: this skill is now attributed to Energy Storage; increased duration to 30..55 seconds.
- Immolate: increased damage to 15..60.
- Mark of Rodgort: increased duration to 10..35 seconds.
- Mind Burn: reduced recharge time to 10 seconds.
- Smoldering Embers: increased damage to 15..60.
- Ward skills no longer affect spirits.

Mesmer
- Blackout: reduced blackout time to 2..6 seconds.
- Conjure Nightmare: removed the long pause after this spell was cast.
- Illusionary Weaponry: reduced recharge time to 35 seconds.
- Recurring Insecurity: reduced the duration to 1..10 seconds.
- Signet of Disenchantment: reduced cast time to 1 second.

Monk
- Air of Enchantment: added a minimum 1 Energy cost; increased recharge time to 8 seconds.
- Divine Spirit: now reduces energy cost for Monk spells, not all Monk skills.
- Infuse Health: fixed a bug that occasionally caused it to execute without healing the target.
- Life Sheath: now renews damage reduction when it is cast on a target that already has Life Sheath on it.
- Signet of Rejuvenation: reduced recharge time to 8 seconds; increased the conditional heal to 15..75 Health.
- Spell Shield: no longer disables skills more than once when renewed.

Necromancer
- Bitter Chill: increased damage to 15..60.
- Chilblains: now removes 1..2 Enchantments.
- Enfeebling Blood: increased the area-of-effect to "nearby".
- Feast of Corruption: increased Energy cost to 15.
- Fetid Ground: reduced cast time to .75 seconds.

Ranger
- Archer's Signet: no longer disables pet attack skills.
- Broad Head Arrow: reduced recharge time to 15 seconds.
- Determined Shot: now recharges pet attack skills if it misses.
- Equinox: reduced recharge time to 45 seconds.
- Famine: reduced recharge time to 45 seconds.
- Focused Shot: now disables pet attack skills when used.
- Greater Conflagration: reduced recharge time to 45 seconds.
- Lacerate: reduced recharge time to 45 seconds.
- Marauder's Shot: no longer disables pet attack skills.
- Oath Shot: increased recharge time to 25 seconds.

Ritualist
- Displacement: Changed the skill's description to match its behavior.
- Draw Spirit: reduced cast time to .25 seconds.
- Lamentation: increased the target's needed proximity to a corpse or Spirit to "in the area".
- Wielder's Boon: increased conditional heal to 15..60 Health.

Warrior
- Quivering Blade: increased Daze duration to 8 seconds.
- Standing Slash: reduced adrenaline cost to 6.
- Victory is Mine!: no longer displays "-0" on targets with no conditions.

Update - Friday, July 14 (http://www.guildwars.com/support/gameupdates/)

- Added a new collector in Snake Dance, just outside Camp Rankor. This collector exchanges the Carapace Shields given out by Hagnon Warblade that were incorrectly modified by the last update. Shield dye color is unaffected by this exchange.
- Fixed a bug in the Assassin Moebius Strike skill. It no longer recharges itself.
- Fixed a bug that caused the Guild Lord’s Amulet of Protection to fail against life-stealing skills.

Amended Update Notes for July 13 (http://www.guildwars.com/support/gameupdates/)

- Updated Ranger pets to acquire Death Penalty when they die. This currently applies on PvP maps only.
- Updated the wording of Shouts to use the phrase "within earshot". This is not a change to how the skills work. It is only meant as a clarification of how large their range is. The size keywords for area-of-effect skills are now:Adjacent: Melee attack range.
Nearby: One and a half times Adjacent range.
In the Area: Two times Adjacent range.
Within Earshot: Three times Adjacent range.

Update - Monday, July 24 (http://www.guildwars.com/support/gameupdates/)

- Pets now receive a Morale Boost when the team they are on earns a Morale Boost.
- New character sorting options are available on the character selection screen.

Update - Tuesday, July 25 (http://www.guildwars.com/support/gameupdates/)

- The character selection screen now displays the total number of character slots and the number of used character slots.

Update - Thursday, July 27 (http://www.guildwars.com/support/gameupdates/)

- Updated the list of available PVP character templates to include the templates designed by the Esoteric Warriors guild.
- Added key bindings for the following game functions: Drop Item, Follow, Suppress Action, Zoom In, and Zoom Out.
- Modified cinematics so that minions no longer decay and mission time no longer elapses while cinematics are playing.
- Updated the Trade dialog to reduce the likelihood of a common scam. The Trade dialog now displays a message whenever the trade offer is modified.
- Added a secondary profession changer to the Great Temple of Balthazar.
- Added a Championship Trophy to the Great Temple of Balthazar.
- Moved the positions of the Xunlai Agents in the Great Temple of Balthazar.
- Updated the appearance of the Guild roster. Invitations are now issued from within the invitee and guest lists, and the number of online and total members is displayed for each guild rank.
- Updated the appearance of the Options dialog. Option settings are now divided into tabbed categories.
- Updated the art used for Health bars.
- Added a new effect that desaturates screen colors when your character is dead.

Skill Updates

- Arcane Mimicry: added a restriction so that it cannot be used on Elite Dervish Form skills.
- Consume Soul: updated to match its description. The caster must target and touch a Spirit.


TEMPORARY SKILL BALANCE CHANGES

The following skill balance changes will be in effect only during the Nightfall PvP preview event:Balthazar's Aura: reduced duration to 8 seconds.
Divine Boon: increased recharge time to 10 seconds.
Zealot's Fire: increased recharge time to 45 seconds.
Increased earshot range to the radius of the Danger Zone (the inner white circle on the mini-map radar).

Update - Friday, July 28 (http://www.guildwars.com/support/gameupdates/)

- Store bug. Europeans don't have to select a state.
- Spam filter. No more super-restrictive spam filtering on whisper/party/guild chat.
- UI party bar fix. There is no more "overlap" between neighboring party health bars.

[Mahomet The Templar]

Updates July 31 thru August 4, 2006 (http://www.guildwars.com/support/gameupdates/)

Update - Friday August 4 (http://www.guildwars.com/support/gameupdates/)

- Modified henchmen respawn behavior in PVP battles. Henchmen with 60% Death Penalty will not respawn when they die.
- Fixed a bug in Elite missions that caused rare items to drop less frequently than intended during the Elite Weekend event.


Update - Thursday August 3 (http://www.guildwars.com/support/gameupdates/)

- Made preparations for the upcoming Elite Weekend event.
- Fixed a bug that caused some clients to crash during Elite missions.
- Eased excessive messaging filter restrictions for party chat, guild chat, and whispers. Restrictive filters for these forms of chat were inadvertently reintroduced in the previous update.


Update - Thursday August 3 (http://www.guildwars.com/support/gameupdates/)

- Returned Zaishen Supply Masters to the Great Temple of Balthazar. The Supply Masters will remain until August 7, 12:01am (Pacific daylight time).
- Fixed a bug that caused crackling sounds and static on some sound cards.
- Added support for additional European credit cards to the online store.


Update - Tuesday August 1 (http://www.guildwars.com/support/gameupdates/)

- Restored the original cycle of maps to the Random and Team Arenas now that the Nightfall PvP Preview Event is over.
- Added new guild emblems based on winning concepts from the recent Factions Guild Emblem Contest.
- Fixed a bug that caused henchmen and certain NPCs to run incorrectly into the midst of combat.
- Fixed a bug that caused Obsidian Keys and Phantom Keys to stop dropping in the Fissure of Woe and the Underworld.
- Fixed a bug that allowed players to earn Gladiator Title points in Zaishen arenas.
- Fixed a bug that prevented teams smaller than 4 from entering the Team Arena.
- Fixed a bug that prevented some teams from entering the Heroes' Ascent tournament.
- Fixed a bug that caused some players to crash during cinematics.
- Removed all PvP spears and scythes from player inventories.

SKILL UPDATES
- Assassin's Promise: no longer recharges the caster's skills when the caster dies.
- Restored the following skills to their normal behavior now that the Nightfall PvP Preview Event is over:
- Balthazar's Aura: restored duration to 10 seconds.
- Divine Boon: restored recharge time to 1 second.
- Zealot's Fire: restored recharge time to 30 seconds.
- Reduced earshot range to its original radius.

Update - Friday, August 11 (http://www.guildwars.com/support/gameupdates/)

- Made preparations for this week's Double-Your-Fun Weekend event.
- Fixed a bug that caused sound to drop out on some sound cards.

Update - Saturday, August 12 (http://www.guildwars.com/support/gameupdates/)

- Added 25 new guild emblems.
- Increased the duration of the loot assignment timer. When a monster drops an item, it is now assigned to a player for 10 minutes.
- Fixed a bug that caused players to respawn immediately in Alliance Battles, Fort Aspenwood and Jade Quarry.

Update - Thursday, August 17 (http://www.guildwars.com/support/gameupdates/)

- Added a Kurzick Recruiter and a Luxon Diplomat to the Great Temple of Balthazar. These NPCs are able to transport PvP characters to the Fort Aspenwood and Jade Quarry outposts. They also are able to transport roleplaying characters who have previously visited these outposts.
- Added Zaishen Representatives to the Fort Aspenwood and Jade Quarry outposts. These NPCs are able to transport players to the Great Temple of Balthazar.
- Made preparations for this weekend's double faction event in Jade Quarry and Fort Aspenwood.
- Fixed a bug that prevented party size indicators from appearing over players' heads in outposts.
- Fixed a bug in the Kaanai Canyon Alliance Battle map that allowed Kurzick team members to leave their base before the game had started.
- Fixed bugs and made improvements to the Raisu Palace explorable area.
- Fixed a bug in the appearance of the intoxication effect.


SKILL UPDATES

- Modified Edge of Extinction so that creatures must have less than 90% Health remaining in order to be affected.

Update - Friday, August 18 (http://www.guildwars.com/support/gameupdates/)

- Updated translations.
- Added a Priest of Balthazar and a Scribe to the Jade Quarry and Fort Aspenwood outposts.
- Fixed the chat edit losing focus when a friend's status updates while the friends list is open.

Update - Thursday, August 31 (http://www.guildwars.com/support/gameupdates/)

- Players can now purchase PvP Unlock Packs for Prophecies Campaign skills through the online store.

Update - Thursday, August 31 (http://www.guildwars.com/support/gameupdates/)

- Monk and Necromancer skill packs were incorrectly unlocking the other Profession’s skills. This has been corrected.

Update - Friday, September 1 (http://www.guildwars.com/support/gameupdates/)

- Enabled the 6v6 Heroes Ascent Weekend event.

Update - Tuesday, September 5 (http://www.guildwars.com/support/gameupdates/)

- Completed the weekend event and restored the Heroes' Ascent party size to 8.

Update - Wednesday, September 6 (http://www.guildwars.com/support/gameupdates/)

- Fixed a bug that prevented some players from making purchases in the online store.

Update - Friday, September 8 (http://www.guildwars.com/support/gameupdates/)

- Fixed a flaw in the online store that prevented some users from purchasing account upgrades.

Update - Thursday, September 14 (http://www.guildwars.com/support/gameupdates/)

- Updated the art used for bone fiend projectile attacks.
- Adjusted balance of some monster groups in the Ring of Fire mission and the Ice Floe Explorable area.
- Adjusted the attributes of Tin Dao Kaineng in Haiju Lagoon.
- Improved the Mission Map (the window accessed by using the "U" key) so that it works properly in the Catacombs, the Underworld, and Fissure of Woe, where previously it showed only black.


GUILD BATTLE UPDATES

- Removed one of the Bodyguards and one of the Archers near the Guild Lords.
- Added two Knights near the Guild Lord. Knights are Warriors with the following skills: Server Artery, Gash, Healing Signet, and Power Attack.
- Adjusted the positions of Guild Hall NPCs.
- Shortened the time until "Victory or Death!" to 20 minutes.
- Modified the "Victory or Death!" effect so that it applies to all players, regardless of where they are on the map.


SKILL UPDATES

Assassin
- Black Lotus Strike: reduced recharge time to 20 seconds.
- Blades of Steel: reduced recharge time to 8 seconds.
- Blinding Powder: Blindness now affects target and all adjacent foes.
- Crippling Dagger: increased damage to 15..60.
- Critical Strike: decreased Energy cost to 5.
- Dark Prison: decreased recharge time to 45 seconds.
- Dash: decreased recharge time to 8 seconds.
- Death Blossom: increased damage to 20..45
- Desperate Strike: increased damage to 15..60.
- Fox Fangs: increased damage to 5..30.
- Golden Lotus Strike: increased Energy gained to 5..12
- Jungle Strike: increased damage to 10..25
- Locust's Fury: increased chance to double strike to 33%.
- Nine Tail Strike: decreased recharge time to 8 seconds.
- Repeating Strike: increased damage to 10..30.
- Scorpion Wire: decreased cast time to 1 second.
- Shadow of Haste: decreased Energy cost to 5, increased the duration to 30..60, and decreased the movement speed by 15%.
- Shadowy Burden: decreased duration to 3..15 seconds.
- Shroud of Distress: decreased recharge time to 15 seconds.
- Signet of Malice: decreased recharge time to 5 seconds, decreased casting time to .25 seconds.
- Siphon Speed: increased movement speed reduction to 33%, and this spell now has half range.
- Siphon Strength: increased duration to 5..20 seconds.
- Temple Strike: decreased recharge time to 20 seconds, and increased duration to 1..10 seconds.
- Unsuspecting Strike: increased conditional damage to 15..75.
- Way of Perfection: increased Health gained from critical hit to 10..40.
- Wild Strike: increased damage to 10..35.

Elementalist
- Mind Burn: decreased Energy cost to 5, decreased recharge time to 5 seconds.
- Mind Freeze: decreased Energy cost to 5, decreased recharge time to 8 seconds.
- Mind Shock: decreased Energy cost to 5, decreased recharge time to 8 seconds.
- Ether Prodigy: increased damage per Energy to 3.

Mesmer
- Images of Remorse: decreased Health degeneration to 1..3.
- Leech Signet: decreased recharge time to 30 seconds.
- Signet of Disruption: decreased recharge time to 20 seconds.

Monk
- Balthazar's Aura: decreased duration to 8 seconds.
- Bane Signet: decreased recharge time to 20 seconds.
- Banish: this skill now does double damage vs. summoned creatures.
- Divine Boon: increased recharge time to 10 seconds, decreased amount healed to 15..60.
- Extinguish: increased cast time to 1 second, increased recharge time to 12 seconds.
- Purge Signet: decreased cast time to 2 seconds.
- Signet of Judgment: decreased recharge time to 20 seconds.
- Zealot's Fire: increased recharge time to 45 seconds.

Necromancer
- Plague Signet: decreased recharge time to 8 seconds.

Ranger
- Broad Head Arrow: decreased Energy cost to 15.
- Equinox: decreased recharge time to 30 seconds.
- Famine: decreased recharge time to 30 seconds.
- Greater Conflagration: decreased recharge time to 30 seconds.
- Lacerate: decreased recharge time to 30 seconds.
- Savage Pounce: decreased recharge time to 10 seconds.
- Tiger's Fury/Bestial Fury: decreased the attack speed to 25%.

Ritualist
- Ancestors' Rage: decreased recharge time to 8 seconds.
- Blind Was Mingson: decreased recharge time to 15 seconds, decreased Blindness duration to 3..8.
- Bloodsong: decreased recharge time to 45 seconds, increased damage to 5..25.
- Boon of Creation: reduced Energy gained to 1..6.
- Channeled Strike: decreased recharge time to 6 seconds.
- Defiant Was Xinrae: decreased Energy cost to 15.
- Disenchantment: decreased recharge time to 45 seconds, increased damage to 5..20.
- Displacement: decreased recharge time to 45 seconds.
- Dissonance: decreased recharge time to 45 seconds, increased damage to 5..20.
- Dulled Weapon: decreased recharge time to 12 seconds.
- Essence Strike: increased damage to 15..60, increased Energy return to 1..9.
- Gaze from Beyond: decreased recharge time to 10 seconds.
- Ghostly Haste: increased spell recharge reduction to 25% faster.
- Grasping Was Kuurong: increaed damage to 15..75.
- Guided Weapon: decreased recharge time to 20 seconds.
- Life: decreased recharge time to 30 seconds.
- Mend Body and Soul: increased heal amount to 20..115.
- Pain: decreased recharge time to 30 seconds, increased damage to 5..30.
- Painful Bond: decreased recharge time to 12 seconds.
- Preservation: decreased recharge time to 30 seconds.
- Protective Was Kaolai: increased duration to 15..60 seconds.
- Recuperation: increased Energy cost to 25, decreased recharge time to 45 seconds.
- Ritual Lord: decreased Spirit recharge to 15..60%.
- Shadowsong: increased Energy cost to 15.
- Shelter: increased Energy cost to 25, increased damage taken to 75..45, decreased recharge time to 45 seconds.
- Soothing: increased Energy to 25, decreased level to 1..8.
- Spirit Burn: increased damage to 15..60, increased conditional damage to 15..45.
- Spirit Light: decreased Energy cost to 5, increased Health sacrificed to 17%.
- Spirit Light Weapon: Changed the way this skill worked to always heal for 1..10 Health per second, and an addition 1..10 Health if you are near a Spirit.
- Spirit Rift: increased damage to 25..135.
- Spirit Transfer: decreased recharge time to 5 seconds.
- Splinter Weapon: decreased recharge time to 5 seconds.
- Tranquil Was Tanasen: increased duration to 5..20.
- Union: decreased recharge time to 45 seconds.
- Vital Weapon: decreased recharge time to 12 seconds.
- Wailing Weapon: decreased recharge time to 25 seconds.
- Wanderlust: decreased recharge time to 45 seconds.
- Weapon of Quickening: increased duration to 5..25.
- Wielder's Boon: increased amount healed to 15..75.

Warrior
- Bull's Strike: increased recharge time to 10 seconds.
- Dismember: decreased adrenaline to 5.
- Eviscerate: decreased damage to 1..31.
- Irresistible Blow: increased recharge time to 6 seconds, decreased damage to 5..20.
- Wary Stance: decreased recharge time to 30 seconds.

Update - Friday, September 15 (http://www.guildwars.com/support/gameupdates/)

- Updated graphics for existing character faces.
- Made additional preparations for the Guild Wars Nightfall World Preview Event.
- Fixed a bug that caused the Effects Monitor to shrink below its customized size.
- Fixed a bug in Burning Isle that caused NPCs to misbehave during "Victory or Death".
- Improved the Mission Map (the window accessed by using the "U" key) so that it works properly in Dragon's Throat, Scarred Earth, Sorrow's Furnace, The Courtyard, The Deep, The Dragon's Lair, The Hall of Heroes, The Undercity, The Underworld, and Urgoz's Warren, where previously it showed only black.

Update - Monday, September 18 (http://www.guildwars.com/support/gameupdates/)

- Fixed text received when adding a Nightfall Prerelease Bonus Key, so that it no longer incorrectly states that the account already has the bonus.
- Fixed a bug that affected the drop rates of XP scrolls.

Update - Wednesday, September 20 (http://www.guildwars.com/support/gameupdates/)

- Added new trophies to the Great Temple of Balthazar for the Guild Wars Factions Championship and the Guild Wars (Prophecies) World Championship.
- Added an Observer Mode option to automatically observe random games.
- Added an option to hide the user interface while observing a game.
- Added an option to mute sound while Guild Wars is running in the background
- Modified all windows and panels accessible from the Menu so that they remember whether they were previously open when entering a new map.
- Fixed a bug that prevented some Prophecies and Factions monsters from using their Ranger skills.
- Fixed a bug in the skill Plague Signet that caused Conditions to transfer with incorrect durations.


Preparation for the World Preview Event

The following Guild Wars Nightfall updates and balance changes are being published in beta form, in preparation for this weekend’s World Preview Event. After the conclusion of the weekend event, they will be removed from the game again until the release of Guild Wars Nightfall.

- Updated the artificial intelligence of all henchmen.
- Added new armor foley sound effects.
- Capped adrenaline gain so that no player ever receives more than double adrenaline from adrenaline-boosting skills.
- Increased earshot range to the radius of the Danger Zone (the inner white circle on the mini-map Compass).
- Modified the skill Contemplation of Purity so that the number of removed Hexes and Conditions is determined by your Divine Favor attribute.

Update - Friday, September 22 (http://www.guildwars.com/support/gameupdates/)

Welcome to the Guild Wars Nightfall World Preview Event! This weekend, players can get a sneak peak at the new features of Guild Wars Nightfall, create Paragon and Dervish characters, use Nightfall skills, and play through a portion of the Nightfall roleplaying campaign.

All active Guild Wars accounts will automatically have access to the Preview Event. Players without a Guild Wars account can download the client from www.guildwars.com and then create a free account for the weekend by using one of the following access keys.

America: 2BBQF-MG981-PRQD7-KDM6Q-C78H3
Europe: 944NC-B1LJ4-MD6L9-718L6-1HM38

Please note that all Nightfall content and features are being presented in beta form, and are subject to change and improvement before the final release.


Campaign Overview

- As a newly inducted member of the legendary Order of the Sunspears, you will be able to explore all of Istan, the great island province of the nation of Elona.
- While playing in Elona, you will have the opportunity to meet and recruit Heroes into your party. Heroes are party members that follow your orders and use skills and equipment of your choosing.
- During this preview event, any new characters you create in the nation of Elona are temporary and will be reset prior to the release of Guild Wars Nightfall. These beta characters cannot travel outside of Elona, cannot access account storage, and cannot sell items to traders.


Heroes

- You can recruit new Heroes by completing certain quests. After recruiting a Hero, you can choose to bring him along in any mission or explorable area by adding him to your party using the party formation interface. Regardless of how many Heroes you recruit, you can invite a maximum of three Heroes into your party at any given time.
- Other players in your party can also bring along Heroes. If the maximum party size of a mission is eight, you and another player can play together and each bring three Heroes.
- Heroes have skills, attributes, weapons, and armor just like players do. You can use the Skills and Attributes panel to select their skills and attributes, and the Inventory panel to select their equipment. (During this preview event, you cannot yet customize your Heroes' armor.)
- When a Hero is in your party, you will see a button next to that Hero's name, which you can use to bring up the Hero Control panel. Within that panel, you will see that Hero's portrait, current Health and Energy, Skill Bar, and combat mode (aggressive, defensive, passive). The Hero Control panel is an advanced interface that you don't need to use, but if you would like to change a Hero's combat mode or force him to cast a specific skill, you can do it there.
- While playing the game with one or more Heroes in your party, you will also see flag buttons next to the Compass, which you can use to give them orders. To order a Hero to move to a certain spot on the map, click the flag button and then place the flag on the map. To undo that order, double-click the flag button.
- Heroes don't maintain their own inventory of skills. Instead, they are able to use any skill that you have unlocked on your account.
- Heroes don't maintain their own backpack or inventory of items. Instead, you can drag items from your inventory onto a Hero to equip him. Your Heroes can use weapons that you have customized for yourself.


User Interface Changes

For the duration of the World Preview Event, the game will use certain elements of the Guild Wars Nightfall user interface.

- The new Skills and Attributes panel centralizes management of skills and attributes, both for player characters and Heroes. It replaces both the old Skill panel and the Attributes page from the Hero panel.
- The updated Inventory panel contains a character selector, so it can be used to manage equipped weapons and armor for both player characters and Heroes.
- The Compass includes new controls that allow the player to issue orders to both henchmen and Heroes.

All of these user interface changes are being presented in beta form. After the conclusion of the weekend event, they will be removed from the game again until the release of Guild Wars Nightfall.


Nightfall World Preview Event Limitations

The following features will be part of the release of Guild Wars Nightfall, but are not available during this preview event.

- Skill Templates - In Nightfall, you will be able to save and load skill and attribute builds to disk, enabling you to quickly switch strategies and outfit your Heroes.
- Hero Battles - After the release of Nightfall you will be able to unlock Heroes for your use with your PvP characters, and you will be able to bring Heroes into a new type of PvP where players can compete head-to-head for the first time.

Also, the following issues are known to exist with the features being previewed during this weekend event.

- Hero AI for using skills is still under development.
- Heroes cannot capture skills using Signet of Capture, nor can they control pets using Charm Animal.
- Hero armor cannot yet be upgraded using runes.
- The visual appearance of Hero armor in the Inventory panel, and the text descriptions of the Hero's attributes and items, do not take into account the sex of the Hero.
- The tutorials in Prophecies and Factions have not been updated to reflect the Nightfall user interface changes.

Update - Friday, September 22 (http://www.guildwars.com/support/gameupdates/)

- Changed default positions of Dialogue, Mission Goals, and Unlock boxes.
- Fixed miscellaneous preview event bugs.


Skill Updates:

- Arcane Zeal: Changed the maximum amount of energy gained from 5..7 to 1..7.
- Trapper’s Speed: Fixed a bug that caused this skill to decrease the time to place traps more than intended.
- Spirit of Weariness: Fixed a bug that caused this spirit to remove more energy than intended.

Update - Saturday, September 23 (http://www.guildwars.com/support/gameupdates/)

- Fixed a crash that prevented German language users from obtaining the quest “Primary Training” in Kamadan.

Update - Sunday, September 24 (http://www.guildwars.com/support/gameupdates/)

- Fixed a skill bug that was being exploited in PvP matches.

Update - Monday, September 25 (http://www.guildwars.com/support/gameupdates/)

- Completed the Nightfall World Preview Event weekend and restored the game to its normal state.

Update - Monday, October 5 (http://www.guildwars.com/support/gameupdates/)

- Added 25 new guild emblems.
- Fixed a bug that prevented some people from using their secondary profession after the Nightfall World Preview Event.


UPDATES TO HEROES' ASCENT

- Removed Burial Mounds from rotation.
- Raised the team count for Broken Tower to 3.
- Reduced the play time for Broken Tower to 4 minutes.
- Reduced the play time for Courtyard to 4 minutes.
- Added levers to Scarred Earth so that players can open gates leading out of the center region of the map. Gates still open automatically as teams are defeated.

Update - Monday, Thursday 12 (http://www.guildwars.com/support/gameupdates/)

- Made preparations for the Factions Green Drop Weekend.
- Fixed a bug that prevented some skill effects from being displayed the first time they were used.

Update - Saturday, October 14 (http://www.guildwars.com/support/gameupdates/)

- Fixed the district selection menu in American districts.

Update - Friday, October 20 (http://www.guildwars.com/support/gameupdates/)

- Made preparations for the Factions Boardwalk weekend event.

Update - Monday, October 23 (http://www.guildwars.com/support/gameupdates/)

- Ended the Factions Boardwalk weekend event.

Update - Monday, October 23 (http://www.guildwars.com/support/gameupdates/)

- Added the PvP Editions of Guild Wars Prophecies and Guild Wars Factions to the online store. These PvP Editions provide access to PvP for those who don't already own the underlying campaign, and they also provide all skill unlocks for the entire campaign.

Update - Wednesday, October 25 (http://www.guildwars.com/support/gameupdates/)

New Features of Guild Wars Nightfall

Today we are publishing the new features of Guild Wars Nightfall in anticipation of the campaign’s release this Friday, October 27 at 12:01 am PDT. Players won’t be able to acquire Heroes or participate in Hero Battles until they can play through the Nightfall campaign, but many of the other features of Nightfall are available today as free updates.

Skills and Attributes

- Skill selection, attribute adjustment, and secondary profession selection are now centralized on the new Skills and Attributes panel.
- Your characters can now change their secondary professions whenever they are standing in a town or outpost. PvP characters can change to any secondary profession, while Roleplaying characters can change to any profession that character has previously learned.
- You can now save and load templates containing Skill Bar setup, attributes, and professions. This allows you to switch a character between different roles quickly, and to share your strategies with your friends.
- To save a Skill Template, click the disk icon inside the Skills and Attributes panel, then click “Save to Template.” The template will be saved to a small file in the Templates/Skills folder below the Guild Wars installation directory. You can copy this file to other computers, share it with your friends, or post it on the Internet.
- To load a Skill Template, click the disk icon, then click “Load from Template.” You can load any template that matches your character’s primary profession.
- If your character doesn’t have as many attribute points as the character who saved the template, the attribute levels will automatically be adjusted down for you.
- If your character doesn’t have access to skills that were saved in the template, those skills will appear grayed out.

Equipment Templates

- PvP characters can now save and load Equipment Templates containing a complete set of armor and weapon selections.
- To save an Equipment Template, click the disk icon inside the Inventory panel, then click “Save to Template.” The template will be saved to a small file in the Templates/Equipment folder below the Guild Wars installation directory.
- To load an Equipment Template, click the disk icon, then click “Load from Template.” You can load any template that matches your character’s primary profession.
- Loading a template will replace your character’s current weapons and armor, unless your character is using weapons or armor that were acquired through roleplaying.
- If you load a template that uses item upgrades that are not currently available on your account, the items that require those upgrades will not be created.

Equipment Builder

- Equipment can be made for any PvP character, including PvP Heroes, using the new PvP Equipment panel.
- You can open the PvP Equipment panel whenever your PvP character is standing in a town or outpost by clicking on the PvP Equipment button within the Inventory panel or by pressing “J” on your keyboard.
- To create an item, click on the portrait of the character you would like to build the item for, then select the tab for the type of item you would like to create. Choose the item, upgrade components, and color from the list of available selections.
- If you would like the item to be equipped immediately, select the “Equip Immediately” option before clicking “Create.” The new item will be placed onto your character, and the old item that your character was previously wearing will be destroyed. If you choose not to equip immediately, the new item will be placed into your character’s inventory instead.
- Items created with the PvP Equipment panel cannot be upgraded or salvaged.

Armor Insignias

- New armor crafted in Elona or through the PvP Equipment panel can contain swappable insignias, which provide the same types of bonuses that previously were permanent parts of the armor, plus new bonuses that are being introduced with Nightfall.
- With the use of armor insignias, you can now mix and match different armor bonuses with different armor appearances. Additionally, the use of insignias simplifies the process of creating armor with the PvP Equipment panel because you can choose the armor appearance and bonus separately.
- Outside of the PvP Equipment panel, you can only place an insignia on a piece of armor if that armor has a blank insignia slot. Certain types of armor crafted in Elona include blank insignia slots.
- Like other types of armor upgrades, insignias must be unlocked on your account before you can use them in the PvP Equipment panel. Because some insignias are replacements for bonuses that used to be inherent properties of PvP armor, those insignias are already unlocked on your account.
- Because insignias allow you to place bonuses on certain types of headgear that could not receive bonuses in the past, some existing high-end headgear from Tyria and Cantha is being updated with this build to include new bonuses.

Weapon Inscriptions

- New weapons found in Elona or created through the PvP Equipment panel can contain swappable inscriptions, which provide a variety of weapon bonuses and enhancements.
- Like armor insignias, weapon inscriptions allow you to swap bonuses between different items you acquire by playing through the roleplaying content, and they simplify the process of creating items with the PvP Equipment panel by enabling you to choose the base weapon and the weapon bonuses separately.
- You can only place an inscription in a weapon if that weapon has a blank inscription slot. Inscriptions and inscription slots are sometimes found on rare weapons dropped by monsters in Elona.
- Inscriptions must be unlocked on your account before you can use them in the PvP Equipment panel. Inscriptions that provide bonuses that were previously inherent bonuses of PvP weapons are already unlocked on your account.

New Item Upgrades

- Shields, wands, and focus items created through the PvP Equipment panel or found in Elona can now have upgrades applied to them.
- Shields can have a Shield Handle upgrade plus one inscription.
- Wands can have a Wand Wrapping upgrade plus one inscription.
- Focus items can have a Focus Core upgrade plus one inscription.
- These new upgrades are equivalent in power to inherent item bonuses that were found in previous campaigns.

New Salvage/Upgrade System

- Salvaging an item with upgrade components now gives you the ability to pick which item you would like to salvage.
- If you salvage an item to extract a magical component, there is now a 50 percent chance that the base item will not be destroyed.
- When you upgrade an item with an upgrade component, you now see a preview of what that item will look like after the upgrade.

New Dye System

- The new dye system improves the appearance of base dye colors and mixed dye colors. The new system is used when you newly apply dye to an item. Existing item colors are not affected.
- Newly crafted armor now starts out gray. If you dye it to another color and then later want to restore it to its original appearance, just dye it gray. Vendors now sell gray dye instead of dye remover.
- White and brown dye colors are now available as loot drops.
- Silver is now an equipment color option during character creation.
- A new Dye Preview panel lets you preview the effect of dye color combinations on your items before applying the dye.


New Damage Interface

- The new Damage Monitor panel shows all skills that your opponents have recently used against you. You can hover the mouse over any skill icon to get a tooltip explaining that skill.
- The numbers that float above characters’ heads are now bigger, and use different animations to help distinguish between damage, healing, and experience.
- When an enemy uses a skill against you, the skill icon will display next to the damage number. The Options panel allows you to switch from displaying skill icons to displaying skill names.

PvP-Only Character Creation

- The PvP character creation process has been simplified. During character creation, you now choose only the character’s primary profession, character appearance, and name.
- Newly created PvP characters start off with a set of equipment and six basic skills for their primary profession, so you can start playing immediately.
- To outfit your PvP character with other skills and equipment, you can use the new Skill and Equipment Templates systems.
- So that your PvP characters have immediate access to skill and equipment swapping, new PvP characters you create now start in the Great Temple of Balthazar once you have unlocked Random Arenas on your account.
- You can still access Zaishen Basic Training by walking from the Great Temple back into the Isle of the Nameless and talking with the Master of Paths.
- First-time PvP players must complete Zaishen Basic Training to gain access to the Random Arenas and to gain the ability to purchase unlocks from the Priest of Balthazar.

Balthazar’s Faction

- The rate of Balthazar’s faction has been doubled for all types of PvP!
- In high-level arenas, players now earn 40 faction per unique kill, 50 faction for winning, 50 faction for a flawless victory, and 50 faction for a five-game winning streak.
- In Heroes’ Ascent, players now earn 40 faction per unique kill, 200–800 faction for winning (depending on the map), and 200 faction for a flawless victory.
- In Guild Combat, players now earn 40 faction per unique kill, 1,000–4,000 faction for winning (depending on their guild rating), and 200–800 faction for a flawless victory (depending on their guild rating).
- In Alliance Battles and Competitive Missions, players now earn 6 faction per kill.

Henchmen Controls

- Henchmen controls are now available on the Compass. To direct your henchmen, click the Henchmen button on the Compass, then click anywhere on the Compass or in the world to select where you’d like your henchmen to go.

Improved Hero/Henchmen AI

- Heroes and Henchmen now take into account Conditions and Exhaustion when choosing which skills to cast. They also consider attribute levels for stolen skills, and combo states for Assassin skills.
- They have improved combo awareness for some important skill combinations.
- They have improved knowledge of skills, so that they make smarter decisions about which skills to cast.
- They manage their Energy better.
- They are better at kiting opponents.
- They are better at getting out and staying out of AoE damage spells.
- They move in formation around their leader, with melee characters in front and ranged or casting characters in back.
- They follow their leader whenever they haven’t been specifically directed to move to a point. The leader for Heroes is the player who owns the Hero, and the leader for henchmen is the party leader.
- They also know how to have fun.

Improved Monster AI

- Monsters no longer run from AoE damage when they are very healthy, or when they think they’re very close to killing their opponent.
- Melee monsters are more intelligent about keeping themselves spread out, so that they don’t put themselves into a position where they’re highly susceptible to AoE attacks.

Gameplay Changes

- The rarity of items within locked chests is now properly randomized.
- Armor swapping is now disabled during PvP games.
- Certain situations that caused players to get stuck and not be able to move have been fixed, and a new command “/stuck” has been introduced to help players free their characters if they become stuck.

Title System Changes

- The Treasure Hunter and Seeker of Wisdom titles now confer a benefit to players who earn them. For each rank of either title earned, the chance of an item not being destroyed when salvaging a magical upgrade component is increased by 3 percent from a base of 50 percent.
- The Hero, Gladiator, and Champion titles now confer a benefit to players who earn them. Gaining ranks in these titles increases the maximum cap of unspent Balthazar’s faction. The cap increases by 2,000 faction points for each of the first five ranks of the Hero title and 5,000 faction points for each subsequent rank, and the cap increases by 5,000 faction points for each rank of the Gladiator and Champion titles earned.

Materials Storage

- The Materials Storage panel, which was previously a feature of Guild Wars Factions, is now available to all players.

User Interface Improvements

- While forming a party, you can now control+click on your Skill Bar to announce your skill setup to your party members.
- Called targets now remain active for up to 30 seconds after being attacked by their caller, and do not go away when the caller changes targets.
- During Guild Combat, a countdown timer now displays the amount of time remaining until the team that holds the shrine will gain a morale boost.
- In all types of PvP, the new score screen option “Team Status” shows a summary of the Health and morale of your entire team, including allied NPCs.
- A new option “Hide UI” on the login screen allows you to use the login screen as a screensaver. The client continues to download game assets in the background while in screensaver mode.
- The text and audio languages can now be independently selected in the Options panel.
- Other new options enable you to keep windows open when pressing escape, to disable tooltips on Skill Bars, and to disable tooltips on effect monitors.

Equipment Balance Changes

- Reduced the cost of all armor sets found on Shing Jea Island.
- Updated the Henge of Denravi Axe to have +5 inherent Energy instead of +25 inherent Health.
- Updated the Henge of Denravi Bow to have +5 inherent Energy instead of +10 inherent armor.
- Updated some Fiery Flame Spitters that had a 15% recharge chance instead of the normal 10% chance.
- Green item staffs, crafted staffs, and collector staffs with any sort of recharge bonus have been updated to reduce the recharge time of all spells with a chance of 20% instead of the attribute-specific bonuses they had previously.
- Updated a sword received from a quest in pre-Searing Ascalon to remove the inherent +5 armor while enchanted bonus. It now deals an additional 15% damage while Health is above 50.
- Updated the Warrior’s Dreadnought and Dragon armor suits to +10 vs. elemental to match how the armor bonus works under the new insignia system.
- Updated the Warrior’s Sentinel armor suit to +20 vs. elemental (req. 13 Strength) to match how the armor bonus works under the new insignia system.
- Updated the Necromancer’s Tormentor armor suit to add 6 holy damage on the chest, 4 on the leggings, and 2 on all other pieces. It was previously 5 damage for all pieces.
- Updated the Assassin’s Saboteur, Infiltrator, and Vanguard armor suits to have +10 armor vs. all physical damage and an additional +10 armor vs. a specific type of physical damage. The Condition reduction bonuses were removed to match how the bonuses work under the new insignia system.
- Updated all instances of Stonefist Gauntlets to remove the -5 armor penalty to match how the bonus works under the new insignia system.
- Updated all instances of the Lieutenant's Helm to remove the -10 armor vs. physical penalty to match how the bonus works under the new insignia system.
- Updated maximum level headgear found in Prophecies and Factions with a +1 Energy bonus to equalize it with possibilities found in Nightfall and at the new PvP Equipment panel. Warrior headgear that already had built-in armor bonuses will remain unaffected.


Skill Balance Changes

Assassin

- Black Lotus Strike: reduced recharge time 12 seconds.
- Enduring Toxin: increased duration to 5 seconds.
- Expose Defenses: increased duration to 5..20 seconds.
- Impale: increased damage to 25..100. This skill must now follow a dual attack.
- Mirrored Stance: decreased casting time to .25seconds.
- Moebius Strike: reduced recharge time to 2 seconds.
- Shameful Fear: reduced recharge time to 10 seconds.
- Siphon Strength: removed touch requirement.
- Way of the Lotus: changed this skill so that it is now an Enchantment.

Elementalist

- Armor of Frost: this skill no longer reduces your armor against fire.
- Ash Blast: increased damage to 20..55, increased Blindness duration to 3..15 seconds.
- Conjure Flame: decreased recharge time to 30 seconds, increased damage to 1..21.
- Conjure Frost: decreased recharge time to 30 seconds, increased damage to 1..21
- Conjure Lightning: decreased recharge time to 30 seconds, increased damage to 1..21
- Double Dragon: this spell no longer causes Exhaustion.
- Eruption: decreased casting time to 2 seconds.
- Fire, Water, Air, Earth Attunement: each of these skills now return 1 Energy plus 30% of that spell’s cost.
- Glimmering Mark: decreased recharge time to 5 seconds, increased duration to 5 seconds.
- Glyph of Concentration: changed this Glyph to work on the next two spells, increased recharge time to 10 seconds.
- Glyph of Elemental Power: increased recharge time to 15 seconds. This Glyph now works on the next 5 spells.
- Glyph of Lesser Energy: this Glyph now works on the next 2 spells.
- Glyph of Energy: increased Energy reduction to 25.
- Grasping Earth: decreased recharge time to 12 seconds.
- Gust: decreased casting time to 1 second.
- Inferno: decreased recharge time to 10 seconds.
- Lava Arrows: increased damage to 10..40.
- Lava Font: increased damage to 5..50.
- Lightning Javelin: decreased Energy cost to 5.
- Lightning Surge: no longer causes Exhaustion, increased Energy cost to 15.
- Lightning Touch: decreased Energy cost to 5.
- Mark of Rodgort: decreased Energy to 15. This skill now affects all adjacent foes.
- Phoenix: decreased recharge time to 10 seconds.
- Searing Heat: decreased casting time to 2 seconds.
- Shatterstone: increased damage to 25..100, increased conditional damage to 25..100.
- Shock Arrow: increased damage to 5..45.
- Smoldering Embers: increased damage to 15..75.
- Swirling Aura: decreased recharge time to 45 seconds.
- Teinai's Heat: decreased casting time to 2 seconds.
- Vapor Blade: increased damage to 15..135.

Mesmer

- Arcane Languor: increased duration to 1..10 seconds.
- Distortion: duration now scales with attribute, and you now only lose 2 Energy when this skill triggers.
- Drain Enchantment: increased recharge time to 30 seconds, decreased Energy gained to 5..20.
- Echo: increased duration to 30 seconds.
- Empathy: decreased duration to 5..15 seconds, increased damage to 15..45.
- Energy Drain: decreased Energy stolen to 2..9.
- Epidemic: decreased Energy cost to 5 Energy.
- Ether Signet: decreased recharge time to 60 seconds.
- Ethereal Burden / Kitah’s Burden: decreased casting time to 1 second.
- Illusion of Pain: decreased casting time to 1 second.
- Inspired Hex / Revealed Hex: decreased Energy gained to 4..10.
- Keystone Signet: decreased casting time to 1 second.
- Mantra of Recall: decreased Energy gained to 10..25.
- Overload: decreased recharge time to 3 seconds.
- Panic: decreased casting time to .25 seconds.
- Power Return: decreased recharge time to 5 seconds.
- Psychic Instability: decreased recharge time to 10 seconds.

Monk

- Bane Signet: decreased casting time to 1 second.
- Peace and Harmony: decreased recharge time to 10 seconds.
- Ray of Judgment: decreased casting time to 1 second.
- Smite: this skill is now a spell instead of an attack.
- Spirit Bond: expires after 10 attacks or Spells.
- Succor: decreased Energy cost to 5.
- Watchful Spirit: decreased recharge time to 5 seconds.
- Zealot's Fire: decreased casting time to .25 seconds, decreased recharge time to 30 seconds. You now lose 1 Energy whenever this skill triggers.

Necromancer

- Barbs: decreased recharge time to 5 seconds.
- Blood Bond: you lose 3 pips of Health regeneration, and your ally gains 1..6 pips of Health regeneration.
- Icy Veins: decreased recharge time to 5 seconds.
- Insidious Parasite: increased life steal to 15..45.
- Life Transfer: decreased Energy cost to 5 Energy, decreased casting time to 1 second.
- Lingering Curse: decreased casting time to 2 seconds.
- Malign Intervention: decreased recharge time to 12 seconds.
- Mark of Pain: decreased casting time to 1 second.
- Rising Bile: decreased recharge time to 20 seconds.
- Spoil Victor: increased damage to 25..100.
- Suffering: decreased recharge time to 5 seconds.
- Unholy Feast: decreased recharge time to 12 seconds.
- Vile Miasma: now falls under the Death Magic attribute.

Ranger

- Archer's Signet: increased number of bow attacks affected to 1..7.
- Call of Protection: increased damage reduction to 5..20.
- Concussion Shot: decreased recharge time to 5 seconds.
- Debilitating Shot: reduced Energy reduction to -1..10. This skill now falls under the Marksmanship attribute.
- Dual Shot: increased recharge time to 10 seconds.
- Expertise: For each rank of Expertise, the Energy cost of all of your attacks, Rituals, touch skills, and Rangers skills are decreased by 4%. Several skills, especially those related to Energy costs and skill recharge times, become more effective with higher Expertise.
- Heal as One: decreased recharge time to 10 seconds. This skill now resurrects your pet.
- Marksman's Wager: increased duration to 18 seconds.
- Run as One: decreased recharge time to 25 seconds.

Warrior

- "Victory is Mine": this skill is now a targeted Shout that returns 3..7 Energy per Condition.
- "You Will Die": decreased recharge time to 15 seconds.
- Berserker Stance: increased adrenaline gain to 50%.
- Deadly Riposte: increased damage to 15..90.
- Disciplined Stance: decreased Energy cost to 5.
- Dwarven Battle Stance: increased attack speed to 25%.
- Furious Axe: this skill is now an Energy skill with 5 Energy and a recharge time of 6 seconds.
- Lacerating Chop: reduced adrenaline cost to 5 swings.
- Protectors Defense: decreased recharge time to 30 seconds.
- Skull Crack: this skill now interrupts the target’s action but only causes the Dazed Condition if it interrupts a spell.



Start of Halloween Event

When the moon shines down on the Elon
Like the eye of a ravenous drake

Keep a lantern close by and the darkness at bay
For on this holiday night, they say

A spirit returns, pumpkin on head
Wicked deeds (and bad jokes) will abound
He’ll bluster and shout
Spread chaos about
’till a banishment for his mischief be found

Heed my tale, ye brave heroes
From lands north and south
Listen wherefore I say:
Bind your sanity close, lest you lose what you love most
When the monarch of madness appears.

Update - Friday, October 27 (http://www.guildwars.com/support/gameupdates/)

Ahai, Sunspear!

You have been selected from among your fellow heroes to be trained as a leader of our Order of the Sunspears. The members of our Order are the guardians and protectors of our nation of Elona, and travel throughout the land, dealing with threats to our people. Though you may have the basic skills of a hero, you must now learn how to use them in conjunction with others whom you will lead into battle. Congratulations on your promotion!

You initial assignment will be in the Province of Istan, where our Order’s Great Hall is located. Istan is a thriving land of heroes, located near the ruins of our earliest cities. Here you will find threats ranging from relentless predators and animated, carnivorous plants, to the ever-present threat of the corsairs that plague our shores.

Yet Istan is not the only concern of the Sunspears. Kourna, across the channel, has a large standing army and is ruled by its Warmarshal, Varesh Ossa, but still has needs of heroes to inspire its people. Further north is the Province of Vabbi, a wealthy region controlled by indolent merchant princes, yet regularly threatened by inhuman tribes. As a leader of the Sunspears, you will journey through these lands, and beyond them, into the Desolation from which the undead lord Palawa Joko first invaded our land. Wherever the people of Elona are threatened, the Sunspears should be there to protect them.

The Order of the Sunspears is an ancient order, dating back to our earliest dynasties, but we need capable and inspired leaders now more than ever. A new darkness has been spreading across our land, causing native creatures to become more savage, and spawning new abominations never before seen. Dark times loom before us, and we must be prepared.

Again, congratulations on being selected to become a Sunspear leader. You will have your work cut out for you, but I am confident you will be up to the tasks ahead.

As a Sunspear, you never fight alone.

Kormir
Spearmarshal, Order of the Sunspears


Elona Awaits You!

The Guild Wars Nightfall campaign is now available for purchase at retail stores and through the online Guild Wars store. Players who purchase Guild Wars Nightfall may now create new Paragon and Dervish characters, bring existing characters to the region of Elona, acquire new skills, armor, and weapons, recruit Heroes to join their parties, and participate in new Hero Battles against other players!

- Players who purchase Nightfall can start new characters in Elona, or bring their existing characters from Tyria or Cantha into Elona.
- An existing character’s first journey to a new continent must be done through a quest. After that, characters may travel quickly and easily using the Ship Travel icon on the World Map.
- Prophecies characters wishing to travel to Elona for the first time should seek out Lionguard Figo in Lion’s Arch and take the "Sunspears in Kryta" quest.
- Factions characters wishing to travel to Elona for the first time should seek out Imperial Guardsman Linro in Kaineng Center and take the "Sunspears in Cantha" quest.
- Elonian characters may travel to Tyria using the quest "Terror in Tyria," which is offered by Deras Tenderlin in Kamadan – The Jewel of Istan after they have completed the quest “The Time is Nigh.”
- Elonian characters may travel to Cantha using the quest “Plague in Cantha," which is offered by Funwa Shento in Kamadan – The Jewel of Istan after they have completed the quest “The Time is Nigh.”


Heroes

- Heroes are NPC party members who can join your party, level up with your character, and use weapons, armor, and skills of your choosing. You recruit Heroes by completing certain quests and adventuring throughout Elona, but you can bring only three at a time into your party. Since you and a friend can each bring three Heroes into a mission, two players can now complete any eight-player mission.
- After recruiting a Hero, you can use the “Add Hero” interface in the party formation panel to invite the Hero into your party whenever you’re standing in a town or outpost.
- If you and another player both invite the same Hero, one of them will be the “real” Hero who will interact with NPCs in cinematics and other scripted sequences, and the other will be an “imposter” who will use a generic name for the duration of the mission.
- Whenever you control a Hero, you will see a button next to the Hero’s name, which you can click to bring up the Hero Control panel. This panel provides advanced options for direct control of the Hero. You can use it to adjust the Hero’s AI mode between fight, guard, or avoid combat, to order the Hero to cast a certain skill, or to order the Hero not to cast a certain skill unless directed to do so by you.
- Whenever you control a Hero, you will also see a button on the Compass that you can use to give orders to the Hero. To use it, simply click the button, then click anywhere in the Compass or in the world where you would like the Hero to walk.
- Heroes level up like players do and acquire attribute points at the same rate, except they do not need to complete quests to gain their final 30 attribute points. Instead, they get 15 bonus attribute points when they reach level 10, and another 15 bonus attribute points when they reach level 15.
- Whenever you recruit a Hero while playing through the campaign, that Hero becomes unlocked for use with your PvP characters. Heroes that you recruit also come with skills, and those skills become unlocked on your account when you recruit the Hero.
- Heroes don't maintain their own inventory of skills. Instead, they are able to use any skill that you have unlocked on your account.
- Heroes don't maintain their own backpack or inventory of items. Instead, you can drag items from your inventory onto a Hero to equip him. Your Heroes can use weapons that you have customized for yourself.
- Hero Trainers, located in various locations around Elona, will teach you a skill (and unlock it on your account for use by your Heroes) in return for a Hero Skill Point. You get a Hero Skill Point each time you gain a new rank of the Sunspear or Lightbringer titles.
- Hero Armor NPCs, located in the outposts of Challenge Missions in Elona, can craft upgraded armor for your Heroes in return for certain items that you can acquire inside the Challenge Mission. Players can find enough of these items to upgrade their own Heroes, but not an unlimited supply, so we encourage players to spend these items on their own Heroes rather than selling them or giving them away.


Hero Battles

- Hero Battles are a new PvP game type that allow players to compete head-to-head for the first time.
- Each Hero Battle pits one player and his three Heroes against another player and his three Heroes.
- To access Hero Battles you must unlock at least three Heroes onto your account. If you haven’t already unlocked the first three Heroes, just complete Zaishen Basic Training with a PvP character, then talk to the Priest of Balthazar, who will give you free unlocks.
- To enter a Hero Battle, travel to the Hero Battles outpost on the Battle Isles, invite three Heroes into your party, then click “Enter Battle.” You will be automatically matched against an opponent of similar skill level.
- To win, you must score 20 points before your opponent does. You get one point for every enemy you kill, and one point for every 30 seconds that your team holds the center shrine.
- There are also a number of strategic points around the map, which can grant you a strategic advantage against the enemy if your team controls them.
- If neither team has scored 20 points when the game clock reaches 10 minutes, the game goes into sudden death, where the next team to score a point wins.
- There is no death penalty on this map, and all players and Heroes respawn every 30 seconds.
- Players get 20 Balthazar’s faction for each point scored and 100 faction for winning.


Lightbringer and Sunspear Titles

- The new Sunspear title can be earned by completing quests in Elona and fighting Sunspear enemies. By earning ranks in this title you can gain Hero skill points and the new PvE-only skill Sunspear Rebirth Signet. This skill increases in effectiveness as you gain more ranks in the Sunspear title.
- The new Lightbringer title can be earned by hunting demons in Elona. For each rank of Lightbringer, you gain increased damage and damage reduction against demons. You can also earn the PvE-only skills Lightbringer’s Gaze and Lightbringer’s Focus, which can be used to fight demons. These skills also increase in effectiveness as you gain more ranks in this title.


Guild Observer Mode

- You can now watch your guild compete in Guild Combat regardless of your guild’s rank. Just open the Observer panel and then look for your guild’s game under the heading “My Guild Games.”

Update - Thursday, November 2 (http://www.guildwars.com/support/gameupdates/)

End of Halloween Event

Now sadly, the madness is ended
Laughs abounded and no tears were shed
King Thorn has returned to the Underworld
Pumpkin still very much on his head.

No more scares for Elona and Tyria
No more transformations or spooky décor
Peace comes at last, though we can’t help but ask:
Will the Mad King return once more?!


Game Updates:

- Modified damage text so that its size scales based on the distance from the viewer.
- Fixed various quest NPCs that were inappropriately body-blocking players.
- Added an option to adjust the damage text size.
- Fixed a bug that allowed Heroes to equip more than one elite skill.
- Fixed a bug that prevented some dyes from stacking.
- Fixed a bug that caused skills requiring upkeep to be removed whenever cinematics began.
- Fixed a bug that allowed the Lightbringer Title bonus to be used during PVP matches.
- Modified the Trade panel to report offered trades in units of gold, not platinum.
- Removed the previously enforced time delay between fighting and salvaging or identifying an item.
- Increased duration on the skill "Exposed Defenses" to 5..20 seconds. (This update was missing in the previous skill update.)

Update - Tuesday, November 7 (http://www.guildwars.com/support/gameupdates/)

- Added 2 new item inscriptions: “Show me the money!” and “Measure for Measure.”
- Removed collision between members of the same team, including minions and pets. This change applies only to roleplaying missions and areas.
- Fixed a bug that sometimes kept players from getting credit for kills made by their minions and pets.
- Modified the quest “Capturing the Signet of Capture” so that it is available only to players created in Elona.
- Fixed a bug that prevented some Hero skill templates from being applied to players.
- Fixed a bug that made it impossible for some players to capture the “Avatar of Lyssa” skill.
- Fixed a bug that allowed the skills “Rampage as One” and “Strike as One” to activate without a living pet.
- Made the “Crippling Slash” skill available for capture.
- Fixed a bug that caused the camera to recenter itself during spell casting.
- Fixed a bug in the Jokanur Diggings mission.
- Fixed bugs and made improvements to the following quests: Sunspears in Kryta, Missing Shipment, To Dye For, Scholarly Affairs, and Tendering an Offer.

Update - Friday, November 10 (http://www.guildwars.com/support/gameupdates/)

- Added the extra Prerelease Bonus Pack character slot to accounts that have both the Nightfall Prerelease Bonus Pack and the Nightfall PvP Edition access keys.
- Updated the translations for the npc "Shiloh [Hero Skills]" in the map Sunspear Great Hall.
- Updated Corsair bosses Midshipman Morolah and Admiral Chiggen so that the bosses drop their correct unique item.
- Fixed a bug that allowed the skills “Rampage as One” and “Strike as One” to activate without a living pet. (This was missed in the last build)
- Fixed a bug that caused the boss "Zelnehlun Fastfoot" to not attack.
- Fixed a bug preventing some monsters from fighting in the Consulate Docks mission.
- Fixed a bug which allowed the attacking team in the Isle of Solitude Guild Hall to open the gate to the defendeing team’s base.
- Fixed bugs and made improvements to the following quests: "Signs and Portents," "No me, No Komir," and "Sunspears in Cantha."
- The most recent "My Guild Battles" game is now visible to members of the participating Guilds for up to 24 hours (previously the time was only one hour).

Update - Monday, November 20 (http://www.guildwars.com/support/gameupdates/)

- Fixed a bug in the Jennur's Horde mission that made it possible for Margonite corpses to accumulate endlessly.

Update - Tuesday, November 21 (http://www.guildwars.com/support/gameupdates/)

- Added new guild emblems created from winning concepts in the Nightfall Guild Emblem Contest.
- Added two new commands, /bonus and /special, to create items that were previously created using the /bonusitems command. The /bonus command creates items that may be created many times (such as preorder items). The /special command creates items that may be created only once per account (such as collector’s edition items).
- Fixed bugs and made improvements to the following quests: Skale and Magic Compass, Data Mining, A Peaceful Solution, Feeding Frenzy, A Message for Janeera, Sunspears in Cantha, Sunspears in Kryta, The Zenos Squad, Servants of Grenth, Heart or Mind: Garden in Danger, The Foolhardy Father, What Do You Do With a Drunken Shauben.
- Fixed bugs and made improvements to the following missions: Nahpui Quarter, Dragon’s Lair, Riverside Province.
- Set the minimum level to 20 for Random Arenas, Jade Quarry, and Fort Aspenwood.
- Fixed a bug that prevented Zenmai from responding to players in Bukdek Byway.
- Fixed several bugs in the Dajkah Inlet challenge mission.
- Added unique Divine Auras for the Paragon and Dervish, available to players who own the Collector’s Edition of Guild Wars Prophecies.
- Made the Ebon Dust Aura skill available for capture.
- Modified profession changers so that they give players Paragon and Dervish skills when these secondary professions are selected.
- Fixed a bug with the Healer’s Boon skill. Its extra healing bonus now applies to all healed characters, not just the first person healed.
- Fixed a bug that caused the Blood Bond skill to give a larger than expected Health degeneration in some cases.
- Fixed a bug that allowed Heroes to use targeted Shouts on targets who were out of range.
- Fixed a bug that allowed PvP characters to select secondary professions from campaigns they don't own.
- Improved the art and/or sound for the following creatures: Toshau Sharpspear, Whistling Thornbrush, and Jacaranda plant creatures.
- Fixed several word gender problems for European languages.

Update - Wednesday, November 22 (http://www.guildwars.com/support/gameupdates/)

- Fixed a bug that prevented some players from joining parties in the Team Arenas.
- Fixed a bug and made improvements to the following quest: Reclaiming the Temple.

Update - Tuesday, November 28 (http://www.guildwars.com/support/gameupdates/)

- Made preparations for the Chinese closed beta test.
- Fixed several infrequent client crash bugs.

Update - Thursday, November 30 (http://www.guildwars.com/support/gameupdates/)

- Made preparations for the Domain of Anguish event.
- Added 2 new quests in Istan and 6 new quests in the Realm of Torment.
- Modified monster behavior so that they now prefer targets within their guard ranges.
- Fixed several reported bugs with follower NPCs in order to improve their combat performance.
- Removed the "kiting" behavior of henchmen in the first round of basic training in order to give new players an easier introduction to PvP.

Skill Updates:

- Aria of Zeal: Increased casting time to 2 seconds.
- Cyclone Axe: Modified so that it now requires an enemy target.
- Energizing Finale: Increased the Energy cost to 10 and reduced the amount of energy gained per shout or chant to 1.
- "Incoming!": Increased Energy cost to 10 and decreased duration to 1..5 seconds.
- Jagged Bones: Modified so that it may now be used on allied minions.
- Restful Breeze: Modified so that its behavior more accurately matches its description.
- "Stand Your Ground!": Increased energy cost to 10.
- "Watch Yourself!": Changed armor gain to 5..25, based on the Tactics attribute.

Update - Friday, December 1 (http://www.guildwars.com/support/gameupdates/)

Hail, Almighty Heroes!

Your efforts on behalf of Elona and the living world have been praised in song and legend, and you have earned high praise amongst even the True Gods themselves. However, let it be known that your task is not yet complete. The evil you fought still infuses the Realm of Torment with its malignant magic.

Those who followed the Dark God thrive in hidden places where the light of truth does not shine. Chief among these followers is Mallyx the Unyeilding, a great and terrible Margonite leader who tamed hordes of demons in his dark lord's service. Mallyx has now fallen back to his Ebony Citadel within the Domain of Anguish, where he plots to usurp the powers of the gods and sit upon his dark master's throne.

Mallyx has rallied the last remnants of the Margonite army along with their greatest surviving leaders. In addition, vast hordes of demons, titans, and other vile creatures have all flocked to his unholy banner. Only the bravest of heroes may halt Mallyx's rebellion. If you are worthy, then scour the Domain of Anguish and cast down this would-be usurper.

Meet me at the Gates of Anguish and I shall tell you more of what lies ahead, and show you how the last shreds of the Dark God's power may yet be crushed.

High Priest Zhellix of the Forgotten

Update - Friday, December 1 (http://www.guildwars.com/support/gameupdates/)

- Reduced the Priest of Balthazar's price for unlocking the hero Razah to 6000 faction points.

Update - Tuesday, December 5 (http://www.guildwars.com/support/gameupdates/)

- Fixed a bug that affected the appearance of the Necromancer Sunspear armor.
- Fixed a bug with the skill "Brace Yourself!" It now ends once it has prevented a knockdown.
- Fixed a bug that made it appear that some characters were throwing their spears backwards.
- Fixed a bug that prevented Heroes from being affected by environmental effects in the Realm of Torment.
- Changed the name of Stygian Keys to Demonic Keys.
- Fixed bugs and made improvements to the following quests: A Show of Force, Troubled Lands, Horde of Darkness, The Last Patrol, Feeding Frenzy, Interception and Capturing the Orrian Tomes.
- Improved the description of the monster skill "Enraged" so that it more accurately reflects the skill's behavior.

Update - Friday, December 8 (http://www.guildwars.com/support/gameupdates/)

- Added support for the Polish language.
- Made it easier to capture the following elite skills: Toxic Chill and Blinding Surge.
- Fixed bugs and made improvements to the following quests: Scholarly Affairs, Ghosts in the Graveyard, Student Sousuke, Money on the Side, and Loyal 'til the End.

Update - Wednesday, December 13 (http://www.guildwars.com/support/gameupdates/)

- Fixed bugs and made improvements to the Domain of Anguish mission.
- Fixed bugs and made improvements to the Mallyx the Unyielding quest.
- Reduced the number of gems needed to purchase the Armbrace of Truth from 25 of each type to 15 of each type.
- Increased the quantity of some of the rewards produced by opening a Coffer of Whispers.
- Increased the chance of finding gemstones in the Domain of Anguish.
- Added slash commands for emotes in the following languages: French, Italian, German, Spanish, Chinese (Simplified), Chinese (Traditional), and Polish.
- Updated the font used to display the Polish language.
- Improved Polish translations.

Update - Friday, December 15 (http://www.guildwars.com/support/gameupdates/)

- Fixed a bug that caused some monsters to remain permanently aggressive toward their targets.

Update - Wednesday, December 20 (http://www.guildwars.com/support/gameupdates/)

Wintersday Festival!

Wintersday approaches, can you all see the signs?
The grentchies and the snowmen will soon all align.
For a battle in the end is what we shall face;
To determine the wintery fate of the whole human race.

Dwayna and Grenth will vie for our favor;
Through threats and presents of a wintergreen flavor.
In the end one shall win, one shall surely prevail;
And the length of the winter is the final detail.

So stock up on snowballs and clear all your packs;
For gifts of all sorts will rain down on your backs.
And if you should see a small urchin or three;
Remember the spirit of the season — 'Tis better to give than receive.


The Wintersday Festival has arrived! Kamadan, Lion’s Arch, Droknar’s Forge, and Ascalon City are decorated for the occasion, and over the coming days, holiday activities will begin as special guests arrive to join the fun. Everything leads up to the big Winterday celebration on January 1, which will take place every three hours in Lion’s Arch and Kamadan (on the hour in Lion’s Arch and 15 minutes past the hour in Kamadan). Be sure to collect Candy Cane Shards for use in the big celebration!


Party Search

- The new Party Search panel allows you to advertise when you’re looking for a group to join, and to search for other players and parties to join you. With the Party Search panel, you can join up with other players even when they are in a different district from you.
- In any town or outpost, press ‘P’ to bring up the new Party Search panel.
- If you’re the leader of your party, or if you’re not in a party (all solo players are treated as parties of one), you can use the “Seek Party” checkbox to add your group to the list of available players and parties, and to advertise what you’re looking for.
- As a party leader, you can select another group and click “Join” to propose merging with that group. After clicking “Join”, you will see a question mark icon next to that group indicating that you are waiting for a response from them, and they will see an icon next to your group indicating that you have invited them.
- If you receive an invitation from another group, you can select that group and click “Join” to accept the invitation, merging the two groups.
- If you accept an invitation to join a group which is currently in a different district from you, your group will automatically travel to the other district. If you are alone, you will travel immediately upon clicking “Join”. If you have other people traveling with you, the game will provide a 10-second countdown and give each player the option of canceling.


Reconnect After Disconnect

- While playing in a mission, explorable area, or PvP game, if your game client loses its connection to the Guild Wars game servers due to Internet connectivity issues, or if the game client or your computer crashes, you will have the opportunity to reconnect to the game servers and resume exactly where you left off, for a period of ten minutes after the disconnection.
- During that ten minute period, your character will remain in the world. If your character was performing an action like attacking or spell-casting at the moment of disconnection, your character will complete the action. If your character was in a party, the other members of your party will be notified of the disconnection.
- You must reconnect from the same computer that you were playing on when the connection was lost.


New Titles

- The new Commander title track is available to players who compete in Hero Battles. Players receive one point toward the Commander title for each victory.
- The new Gamer title track is available to players who compete in Snowball Fights and other holiday-themed games. During the Wintersday Festival, players who compete in Snowball Fights receive 10 points for each victory. Other holiday event games will be scored differently.


Other Updates

- The Guild Wars Official In-Game Store now sells the 2006 edition of Guild Wars (original Prophecies campaign), which has been available at major retailers since its release in early 2006, and is called Game of the Year Edition in America and One Million Edition in Europe. The 2006 edition contains seven bonus items that were not part of the original Guild Wars box. Players who purchased Guild Wars (original Prophecies campaign) through the in-game store since its launch there in July will receive a free upgrade, and other players who own the original Guild Wars can choose to upgrade through the in-game store for a small fee.
- Demo accounts can no longer trade or drop items, to reduce the use of demo accounts by commercial gold/item farmers.
- Characters that come to Elona from a foreign land now get Heroes that start at level 15, and can play two new quests, Securing Champion's Dawn and A Land of Heroes.
- Six additional quests have been added to Istan, and many existing quests have been updated.
- Additional treasure chests are available throughout the continent of Elona.
- The PvP Equipment Builder now allows the player to specify the dye color of weapons and off-hand items.
- The Skill Bar in the Skills and Attributes panel now shows tooltips even if tooltips have been disabled for the primary Skill Bar.
- The Quest Log panel now allocates more space to the list of quests when the list grows large.
- Heroes’ Ascent now requires parties with a minimum of four human players.


Balance Changes

- Lowered the attribute requirement on Shiro's Blade and Shiro's Sword from 15 to 13.
- Lowered the armor on Peppermint and Gingerbread Shields from 10 to 8 to match the highest inherent armor found on random loot.
- Lowered the armor on Hassin's Shell from 10 to 8, but added a Health bonus of 20.
- Improved the skill selection of Herta, the Earth Henchman.
- Reduced the Health of the Anguished Spirits present in the battle against Mallyx the Unyielding.


Bug Fixes

- Fixed a skill exploit that allowed players to walk through closed gates.
- Fixed a bug with hunt buffs that prevented them from giving double experience.
- Fixed a bug that caused some Necromancer minions in Nightfall to behave sluggishly.
- Fixed a bug that prevented the following bosses from dropping their unique items: Acolyte of Balthazar, Acolyte of Dwayna, Acolyte of Grenth, Acolyte of Lyssa, and Acolyte of Melandru.
- Fixed the Hero Control panel so that if you disable a skill and then move it to a different position on the skill bar, the Hero will still remember not to use that skill in its new position.

Update - Wednesday, December 20 (http://www.guildwars.com/support/gameupdates/)

- Fixed a bug that prevented players from winning in some of the Heroes' Ascent battles.
- Fixed a bug that caused players to be kicked from the "Dwayna vs. Grenth" Snowball Arena if they hadn't yet unlocked boat travel.
- Added a Wintersday Priest to the outpost for the "Dwayna vs. Grenth" Snowball Arena. This NPC teleports players back to their most recently visited outpost or town.
- Added a Search button to the Party panel.

Update - Thursday, December 21 (http://www.guildwars.com/support/gameupdates/)

- Removed the purpose column from the Party Search panel and added collapsible purpose groups instead.
- Added a new “Guild” purpose to Party Search.
- Added an option to filter out other language districts from the Party Search panel. This feature is available only in Europe.
- Re-enabled control-clicking on the skill bar in outposts. This feature was inadvertently disabled in a previous build.
- Fixed a bug that caused Guild information and unlocked Hero skills to disappear when reconnecting after a disconnect.

Update - Thursday, January 11 (http://www.guildwars.com/support/gameupdates/)

- Added a Xunlai Tournament Agent to the Great Temple of Balthazar, Lion’s Arch, Kamadan, and Kaineng Center. If you earned any Wintergreen Weapons by predicting Winterfest Playoff results in the Xunlai Tournament House, or if you won them in the playoffs, you will be able to collect your choices from this NPC. Tournament Agents will begin appearing on January 11th at approximately 6:00pm PST.
- Restored Lion’s Arch, Kamadan, Droknar’s Forge, and Ascalon City to their normal appearances.
- Modified the behavior of Castellan Puuba so that he will also allow players who are level 17 or higher to receive the quest “The Time is Nigh.”
- Set a minimum level requirement of 20 for the Team Arenas.
- Added a new message to the Chat panel that displays when you receive a Party Search invitation.
- Fixed a bug that allowed some players to bypass teleportation portals.
- Fixed a bug with the Deadly Haste skill that reduced the casting time of spells by more than the intended percentage.
- Fixed a bug that caused some Heroes acquired by non-Elonian characters to receive weapons that do no damage.

Update - Tuesday, January 16 (http://www.guildwars.com/support/gameupdates/)

- Made preparations for the launch of Guild Wars in China.

Update - Friday, January 19 (http://www.guildwars.com/support/gameupdates/)

Permanent Changes:

- Fixed a bug that allowed players to walk through some walls on the Isle of Weeping Stone guild battle map.
- Fixed a bug that caused Heroes to deal extra damage with attacks.
- If a player has the Lightbringer title track selected, that player’s Heroes now gain the benefits provided by this title.
- Fixed a bug that made it difficult to repair the attacker’s catapult on the Warrior’s Isle guild battle map.
- Adjusted the positions of several of the defenders in the Isle of Solitude guild battle map to more effectively defend the Guild Lord.
- Screenshots are now saved as JPG files.
- The “evade” mechanic has been removed from the game. All skills that used this mechanic have been changed to use “block” instead.

Heroes’ Ascent

- Re-introduced the Burial Mounds map into rotation, with some map alterations to make it more conducive to a 1v1 map.
- Removed the Scarred Earth map from rotation.


Changes for this Weekend’s Testing Event:

Broken Tower and Courtyard

The winning team is no longer decided by who is holding the altar when time runs out. The new win condition is based on points earned by killing members of the opposing teams.- Every time a team kills an opposing player, that team is awarded one point.
- Killing a Ghostly Hero awards a team double points.
- The first kill of a match awards double points.
- Players may still capture the altar, but this is now done through the use of capture points similar to the control points used in Alliance Battles. The team with the most players in range of the capture point begins capturing the altar. The Ghostly Hero counts as 4 players.
- The team holding the altar receives a 10% damage boost.
- When the timer hits zero, the team with the most points wins. In cases of a tie, the team that scored the last kill wins the match. If no teams have scored a kill, there is no winner.
- On Broken Tower, the team holding the altar resurrects upon the altar every minute, along with their Ghostly Hero.
- On Courtyard, teams resurrect every minute at their shrine while their Priest is alive. The team holding the altar resurrects there instead of at their shrine.
- Increased the time limit to 10 minutes.
- Players no longer incur a death penalty (DP) on these maps.Hall of Heroes

- Increased the time limit to 8 minutes.
- Players no longer incur a death penalty on this map.
- The contents of the reward chest have been updated, and its location has been moved. You can find the new location by looking on your Compass after you’ve won a match. All players now need to click on it to receive a reward for winning a battle in the Hall of Heroes. To give players time to do this, the wait time between matches has been increased.
- When players enter the Hall of Heroes, the win condition and match objectives are randomly decided from three options. These three options are described below.Kill Count
- Every time a team kills an opposing player, that team is awarded one point.
- Killing a Ghostly Hero awards a team double points.
- The first kill of a match awards double points.
- Players may still capture the altar, but this is now done through the use of capture points similar to the control points used in Alliance Battles. The team with the most players in range of the capture point begins capturing the altar. The Ghostly Hero counts as 4 players.
- The team holding the altar receives a 10% damage boost and gains a morale boost for every 2 minutes they hold that altar.
- Teams resurrect at their shrine every minute, along with their Ghostly Hero. The team holding the altar resurrects upon the altar every minute, along with their Ghostly Hero.
- When time runs out, the team with the most points wins. In cases of a tie, the team that scored the last kill wins the match. If no teams have scored a kill, the defender wins.

Murder Ball
- Three Heroes are spawned, one for each team, at equal distances away from the altar.
- One relic is spawned on the altar in the middle of the map.
- Players bring the relic to their Ghostly Hero to score a point.
- When a player picks up the relic, a timer starts counting down 60 seconds. When that time is up, the relic respawns at its start location.
- If a player is holding the relic when the timer is up, that player dies.
- If a Ghostly Hero is killed, he resurrects after 10 seconds at the place where he stood.
- Teams resurrect at their shrine every minute.
- When time runs out, the team with the most points wins. In cases of a tie, the tying team that last captured a relic is awarded the win. If no relics have been captured, the defending team wins.

Capture Points
- There are 4 capture points on the map: one on the altar and one at each teams’ resurrection shrine.
- Teams begin capturing a point when they have more players within range than any other team. The Ghostly Hero counts as 4 players.
- Every 30 seconds, teams are awarded a point for each capture point they are holding.
- Teams resurrect with their Ghostly Hero every minute at their shrine.
- When time is up, the team with the most points wins. In cases of a tie, the tying team that last scored a kill wins the match. If no kills have been scored, the defending team wins.
Skill Balance Changes

General
Weakness now causes -1 to all attributes.

Assassin
- Assassin's Remedy: changed duration to 30 seconds. This Spell now works on the next 1..5 attack skills.
- Assault Enchantments: decreased recharge time to 2 seconds.
- Augury of Death: now causes a Deep Wound.
- Beguiling Haze: increased Energy cost to 15, increased recharge time to 20 seconds. Functionality changed to "Shadow Step to target foe. That foe is interrupted and becomes Dazed for 5..11 second[s]."
- Black Mantis Thrust: decreased recharge time to 4 seconds.
- Blades of Steel: increased damage per recharging dagger attack to 5..20, up to a maximum bonus of 80.
- Critical Defenses: changed block rate to 75%. Duration now scales 4..10 based on the Critical Strikes attribute.
- Critical Eye: increased critical strike bonus to 3..15%.
- Critical Strike: now gives 1..3 Energy per critical hit, based on Critical Strikes attribute.
- Dancing Daggers: increased damage to 10..25.
- Death Blossom: decreased recharge time to 4 seconds.
- Exhausting Assault: now must follow a lead attack.
- Feigned Neutrality: decreased duration to 4..10.
- Flashing Blades: increased block rate to 75%, increased duration to 5..30, and increased recharge time to 30 seconds.
- Heart of Shadow: increased healing to 30...150.
- Impale: now causes a Deep Wound.
- Lift Enchantment: decreased Energy cost to 5, decreased casting time to .25 seconds.
- Locust's Fury: increased double strike chance to 5..50%, based on the Critical Strikes attribute.
- Nine Tail Strike: decreased Energy cost to 5.
- Shadow of Haste: decreased duration to 15..45, increased recharge time to 45 seconds.Shadowy Burden: decreased cast time to .25 seconds.
- Sharpen Daggers: changed duration to 30 seconds. This Spell now works on the next 1..5 attack skills.
- Shattering Assault: decreased damage to 5..50. Functionality changed so that it cannot be blocked and now always does the bonus damage, regardless of whether or not Enchantments are removed.
- Shroud of Distress: increased block rate to 75%, increased recharge time to 45 seconds, increased duration to 36..60.<,/li>

Dervish
- All avatar forms: increased recharge time to 30 seconds.
- Avatar of Dwayna: decreased Energy cost to 5, increased amount healed to 15..60 Health.
- Avatar of Lyssa: increased maximum Energy to 20.
- Ebon Dust Aura: adjusted duration to 5..35 seconds.
- Harrier's Grasp: adjusted duration to 5..25 seconds.
- Pious Haste: decreased recharge time to 5 seconds, increased movement speed to 33%.

Elementalist
- Arc Lightning: increased Conditional damage to 15..60.
- Bed of Coals: decreased Energy cost to 10.
- Blinding Surge: increased Energy cost to 10.
- Breath of Fire: decreased Energy cost to 5, increased damage to 10..40.
- Churning Earth: decreased Energy cost to 15, increased damage to 10..40.
- Eruption: increased damage to 10..40. This spell now causes Blindness on each pulse.
- Fire Storm: decreased Energy cost to 10, increased damage to 5..35.
- Flame Djinn's Haste: decreased recharge time to 10 seconds, increased duration to 5..20 seconds.
- Flare: increased damage to 20..65.
- Frigid Armor: decreased casting time to 1 second.
- Frozen Burst: decreased recharge time to 5 seconds, decreased damage to 10..85.
- Glowing Gaze: increased recharge time to 8 seconds.
- Grasping Earth: no longer adds armor to targets.
- Icy Prism: decreased recharge to 2 seconds.
- Icy Shackles: increased recharge time to 15 seconds, decreased duration to 4..10 seconds, functionality changed to: “Target foe’s movement is slowed by 66%. If that foe is under the effects of an Enchantment, target’s movement is slowed by 90% instead.”
- Immolate: decreased recharge time to 3 seconds.
- Incendiary Bonds: increased area-of-effect to “nearby.”
- Lava Arrows: increased damage to 20..65.
- Lightning Bolt: increased Conditional damage 5..50.
- Lightning Hammer: decreased recharge time to 2 seconds.
- Mark of Rodgort: increased area-of-effect to “nearby.”
- Mind Freeze: increased duration to 1..10.
- Phoenix: reduced casting time to 2 seconds.
- Savannah Heat: decreased Energy cost to 5, increased recharge time to 25 seconds.
- Searing Flame: decreased Burning duration to 1..5 seconds.
- Searing Heat/Tenai's Heat: decreased Energy cost to 15, increased damage to 10..40.
- Shard Storm: increased damage to 10..85.
- Shockwave: increased damage to 15..60.
- Smoldering Embers: increased Energy cost to 10, increased casting time to 2 seconds, decreased recharge time to 7 seconds, and increased damage to 7..112.
- Stone Daggers: increased damage to 8..33.
- Stoning: increased damage to 15..105.
- Unsteady Ground: decreased Energy cost to 10, increased damage to 10..40.
- Water Trident: increased projectile speed by 25%.

Mesmer
- Ancestor's Visage: decreased recharge time to 20 seconds, decreased duration to 4..10 seconds.
- Arcane Larceny: decreased recharge time to 0 seconds.
- Arcane Thievery: decreased recharge time to 0 seconds.
- Energy Surge: reduced area-of-effect to “nearby.”
- Hex Eater Vortex: decreased Energy cost to 10.
- Illusion of Pain: decreased the amount of healing applied when this Hex ends to 15 per point of degeneration.
- Mantra of Recovery: decreased Energy cost to 5, increased duration to 5..35.
- Mirror of Disenchantment: decreased recharge time to 10 seconds.
- Power Block: decreased recharge time to 20.
- Power Flux: decreased recharge time to 10 seconds.
- Power Leak: decreased recharge time to 15.
- Power Leech: decreased recharge time to 10.
- Price of Pride: decreased Energy cost to 5, decreased recharge time to 5 seconds.
- Simple Thievery: decreased recharge time to 0 seconds.
- Spiritual Pain: Functionality changed to: "Target foe takes 5..75 damage. If that foe is near a Spirit, all other nearby foes take 5..75 damage, and this Skill recharges instantly if it hits a Spirit.”
- Sympathetic Visage: decreased recharge time to 20 seconds, decreased duration to 4..10 seconds.
- Unnatural Signet: now does double damage to summoned creatures.

Monk
- Balthazar's Pendulum: decreased recharge time to 5 seconds.
- Divert Hexes: increased casting time to 2 seconds.
- Healing Burst: area-of-effect increased to “nearby.”
- Rebirth: decreased casting time to 5 seconds.
- Renew Life: decreased casting time to 6 seconds, increased recharge time to 5 seconds.
- Restore Life: decreased casting time to 6 seconds, increased recharge time to 8 seconds.
- Resurrect: decreased casting time to 5 seconds, increased recharge time to 8 seconds.
- Resurrection Chant: decreased casting time to 6 seconds, increased recharge time to 15 seconds.
- Shield of Absorption: increased casting time to 1 second.
- Shield of Deflection: decreased casting time to .25 seconds, increased duration to 1..7 seconds, changed block rate to 75%.
- Shield of Regeneration: decreased casting time to .25 seconds, decreased recharge time to 5 seconds.
- Shielding Hands: decreased recharge time to 15 seconds, decreased duration to 8 seconds.
- Signet of Judgment: reduced casting time to 1 second.
- Signet of Mystic Wrath: decreased damage to 100 maximum.
- Vengeance: now adds a 15% damage buff to the target.
- Word of Healing: Conditional healing increased to 15..100.

Necromancer
- Barbs: increased damage to 1..15.
- Chilblains: decreased recharge time to 8 seconds.
- Corrupt Enchantments: decreased Energy cost to 5.
- Deathly Chill: increased Conditional damage to 5..50.
- Deathly Swarm: increased damage to 30..90.
- Defile Flesh: increased duration to 5..35 seconds, decreased sacrifice to 10% of maximum Health.
- Depravity: decreased recharge time to 10 seconds.
- Discord: Increased damage to 30..110.
- Envenom Enchantments: decreased Energy cost to 5, decreased casting time to 1 second, increased recharge time to 25.
- Gaze of Contempt: decreased Energy cost to 10, decreased casting time to 2 seconds, increased recharge time to 25 seconds.
- Insidious Parasite: decreased recharge time to 12 seconds.
- Malaise: functionality changed to: “For 5..35 seconds, target foe suffers -1 Energy degeneration and you suffer -2 Health degeneration. If target foe's Energy reaches 0, that foe takes 5..50 damage and Malaise ends.”
- Malign Intervention: decreased recharge time to 5 seconds. Created minion does not exploit the corpse.
- Mark of Fury: decreased casting time to 1 second, decreased recharge time to 10 seconds, increased duration to 5..35.
- Price Of Failure: decreased cast time to 2 seconds, increased damage dealt to 15..45.
- Reaper's Mark: decreased Energy return to 5..15.
- Rend Enchantments: decreased Energy cost to 5, decreased casting time to 1 second.
- Rip Enchantment: decreased sacrifice to 30..10% of maximum Health.
- Rising Bile: decreased recharge time to 20 seconds, increased damage done per second to 1..6, decreased duration to 20 seconds.
- Spoil Victor: decreased duration to 20 seconds.
- Suffering: decreased casting time to 1 second.
- Toxic Chill: decreased recharge time to 5 seconds.
- Ulcerous Lungs: decreased recharge time to 10 seconds. This Hex now does -4 Health degeneration, but only to Bleeding foes.
- Vile Touch: decreased recharge time to 2 seconds.
- Wither: functionality changed to: “For 5..35 seconds, target foe suffers -2..4 Health degeneration and -1 Energy degeneration. Wither ends if target foe's Energy reaches 0. When Wither ends that foe takes 15..75 damage.”

Paragon
- Aria of Restoration: decreased healing to 30..90.
- Aria of Zeal: decreased Energy gained to 1..6.
- Ballad of Restoration: decreased healing to 30..90, decreased recharge time to 15 seconds.
- Blazing Spear: increased damage to 5..25.
- Chorus of Restoration: decreased healing to 30..90.
- Hexbreaker Aria: increased casting time to 2 seconds.
- Mighty Throw: decreased casting time to 2 seconds.
- Signet of Return: decreased casting time to 5 seconds.
- Slayer's Spear: decreased recharge time to 4 seconds, increased damage to 5..30.
- Song of Restoration: decreased healing to 30..90.
- "Stand Your Ground!": now only effects party members, Energy cost increased to 15.
- Unblockable Throw: decreased casting time to 2 seconds.
- Vicious Attack: decreased recharge time to 4 seconds.
- Wearying Spear: decreased Weakness duration to 5 seconds.

Ranger
- Antidote Signet: decreased casting time to 1 second.
- Arcing Shot: decreased Energy cost to 5.
- Disrupting Accuracy: increased duration to 36 seconds.
- Feral Lunge: increased Bleeding duration to 5..25.
- Glass Arrows: decreased Energy cost to 5, decreased recharge time to 12 seconds, increased damage to 5..20.
- Incendiary Arrows: increased duration to 3..15 seconds.
- Keen Arrow: increased Conditional damage to 5..35.
- Rampage as One: decreased recharge time to 10 seconds, decreased duration to 3..15.
- Roaring Winds: increased level to 1..10.
- Spike Trap: increased Cripple duration to 3..25 seconds.
- Throw Dirt: decreased recharge time to 30 seconds.
- Toxicity: increased duration to 30..90 seconds.
- Trapper's Focus: increased duration to 5..20 seconds.
- Trapper's Speed: increased duration to 5..30.
- Viper's Nest: decreased recharge time to 20 seconds.

Ritualist
- All spells that had a requirement of being “near a Spirit” or “in the area of a Spirit” have been changed to “within earshot of a spirit.”
- Ancestors' Rage: increased damage to 30..130.
- Anguished Was Lingwah: decreased Energy cost to 15, decreased casting time to 3 seconds, decreased recharge time to 30 seconds.
- Blind Was Mingson: decreased Energy cost to 5, decreased casting time to 1 second, increased recharge time to 20 seconds, increased area-of-effect to “nearby.”
- Bloodsong: decreased Energy cost to 5, decreased casting time to 3 seconds, decreased recharge time to 30 seconds. Skill moved to the Channeling Attribute.
- Brutal Weapon: increased duration 5..35.
- Caretaker’s Charge: increased healing and damage done to 20..75, decreased Energy gained to 5.
- Channeled Strike: decreased recharge time to 4 seconds.
- Cruel Was Daoshen: decreased casting time to 1 second, decreased recharge time to 5 seconds.
- Death Pact Signet: changed to: “Resurrect target party member with your current Health and Energy. If that party member dies within 120 seconds, so do you.”
- Destruction: decreased Energy cost to 5, decreased recharge time to 15.
- Destructive Was Glaive: holding this bundle now causes Ritualist damage spells to have 25% armor penetration.
- Displacement:decreased block rate to 75%.
- Empowerment: decreased recharge time to 30 seconds.
- Explosive Growth: decreased Energy cost to 5 Energy.
- Flesh of My Flesh: decreased casting time to 4 seconds.
- Gaze from Beyond: decreased the amount of Health lost to 10..30, increased damage done per Health lost to 4.
- Ghostly haste: decreased recharge time to 20 seconds.
- Grasping Was Kuurong: decreased casting time to 1 second, decreased recharge time to 20 seconds.
- Guided Weapon: reduced recharge time to 5 seconds.
- Lamentation: decreased recharge time to 20 seconds.
- Life: decreased recharge time to 20 seconds, decreased duration to 20 seconds, increased healing-per-second it was alive to 1..7.
- Mighty Was Vorizun: increased Energy gained to 30.
- Nightmare Weapon: now works on the next 2..5 attacks.
- Offering of Spirit: increased Energy gained to 8..17.
- Preservation: decreased recharge time to 20 seconds, increased duration to 90 seconds.
- Protective Was Kaolai: now adds 24 armor when held, and heals the party for 10..85 when dropped.
- Resilient Was Xiko: increased regeneration to 3 per Hex or Condition suffered.
- Resilient Weapon: decreased Energy cost to 5.
- Signet of Ghostly Might: increased damage to 5..35.
- Signet of Spirits: you now gain 3..12 Energy if you are within earshot of a Spirit.
- Spirit Channeling: functionality changed to: “For 10 seconds, you gain +1..6 Energy regeneration but suffer -5 Health degeneration. When Spirit Channeling ends, you gain 100 Health if you are within earshot of a Spirit.”
- Spirit Light Weapon: increased amount healed to 1..15 Health per second, and an additional 1..15 Health if within earshot of a Spirit.
- Spirit Light: increased healing to 60..180.
- Spirit Rift: decreased Energy cost to 10, decreased casting time to 1 second.
- Spirit Transfer: decreased the amount of Heath lost by the nearest Spirit to 5..50, increased the amount healed per Health lost to 5.
- Splinter Weapon: now works on the next 1..5 attacks.
- Tranquil Was Tanasen: decreased casting time to 1 second.
- Vital Weapon: decreased recharge time to 2 seconds, increased duration to 15..45 seconds.
- Wailing Weapon: decreased Energy cost to 5.
- Warmonger's Weapon: decreased Energy cost to 10.
- Weapon of Fury: increased duration to 5..20.
- Weapon of Quickening: increased recharge bonus to 33%.
- Weapon of Shadow: increased Blindness duration to 5 seconds, decreased recharge time to 20 seconds.
- Weapon of Warding: decreased casting time to 1 second.
- Wielder's Boon: decreased casting time to .25 seconds.

Warrior
- Counterattack: increased recharge time to 6 seconds, increased damage to 5..35.
- Critical Chop: increased recharge time to 15 seconds, decreased damage to 5..20.
- Defensive Stance: decreased recharge time to 15 seconds, decreased duration to 1..8 seconds.
- Deflect Arrows: decreased recharge time to 10 seconds, decreased duration to 1..8 seconds.
- Disciplined Stance: decreased recharge time to 15 seconds, decreased duration to 1..6 seconds.
- Frenzied Defense: increased duration to 8 seconds.
- Gladiator's Defense: decreased recharge time to 15 seconds, decreased duration to 1..6 seconds.
- Griffon's Sweep: increased recharge time to 8 seconds.
- Leviathan's Sweep: increased recharge time to 8 seconds.
- Power Attack: decreased recharge time to 2 seconds, increased damage to 10..40.
- Shield Stance: decreased recharge time to 15 seconds, decreased duration to 1..8 seconds.
- “Shields Up!”: now only effects party members, armor bonus applies versus all projectiles.
- Soldier's Defense: decreased recharge time to 10 seconds, decreased duration to 1..8 seconds.
- Soldier's Strike: increased damage to 10..40.
- Thrill of Victory: increased damage to 15..45.
- Wary Stance: decreased recharge time to 10 seconds, decreased duration to 1..6 seconds.
- "You're All Alone!": decreased Condition durations to 7 seconds.

Update - Saturday, January 20 (http://www.guildwars.com/support/gameupdates/)

Skill Balance Changes

Ritualist
- Destructive was Glaive: Changed the Armor penetration to 5%.

Monk
- Divert Hexes: reduced cast time to 1 second.

Update - Monday, January 22 (http://www.guildwars.com/support/gameupdates/)

- Reverted the changes made to the skills and to the Hall of Heroes for the test event weekend.

- Added the evade mechanic back into the game. This was listed as a permanent change in the last update notes but has been added back into the game pending further analysis.

Update - Thursday, February 1 (http://www.guildwars.com/support/gameupdates/)

Broken Tower and Courtyard

The winning team is no longer decided by who is holding the altar when time runs out. The new win condition is based on points earned by killing members of the opposing teams.

- Every time a team kills an opposing player, that team is awarded one point.
- Killing a Ghostly Hero awards double points.
- The first kill of a match awards double points.
- Players may still capture the altar, but this is now done through the use of capture points similar to the control points used in Alliance Battles. The team with the most players in range of the capture point begins capturing the altar. The Ghostly Hero counts as 4 players.
- The team holding the altar receives a 10% damage boost.
- When the timer hits zero, the team with the most points wins. In cases of a tie, the team that scored the last kill wins the match. If no teams have scored a kill, there is no winner.
- Teams resurrect every minute on these maps.
- Added resurrection shrines to the Broken Tower map.
- Players no longer incur a death penalty (DP) on these maps.
- Increased the time limit to 7 minutes.


Hall of Heroes

- Increased the time limit to 8 minutes.
- Players no longer incur a death penalty (DP) on this map.
- Updated the Hall of Heroes map so that it is more open.
- The contents of the reward chest have been updated, and its location has been moved. All players now need to click on it to receive a reward for winning a battle in the Hall of Heroes. To give players time to do this, the wait time between matches has been increased.
- When players enter the Hall of Heroes, the win condition and match objectives are randomly decided from four options. These four options are described below.Kill Count
- Every time a team kills an opposing player, that team is awarded one point.Killing a Ghostly Hero awards double points.
- The first kill of a match awards double points.
- Players may still capture the altar, but this is now done through the use of capture points similar to the control points used in Alliance Battles. The team with the most players in range of the capture point begins capturing the altar. The Ghostly Hero counts as 4 players.
- The team holding the altar receives a 10% damage boost and gains a morale boost for every 2 minutes they hold that altar.
- Teams resurrect at their shrine every minute, along with their Ghostly Hero. The team holding the altar resurrects upon the altar every minute, along with their Ghostly Hero.
- When time runs out, the team with the most points wins. In cases of a tie, the team that scored the last kill wins the match. If no teams have scored a kill, the defender wins.

Murder Ball
- Three relics are spawned, one for each team, at equal distances from the altar.
- Players bring their relic to the central altar to score a point.
- A relic returns to its start point if an opposing team member picks it up.
- Teams resurrect at their shrine every minute.
- When time runs out, the team with the most points wins. In cases of a tie, the tying team that last captured a relic is awarded the win. If no relics have been captured, the defending team wins.

Capture Points
- There are 4 capture points on the map: one on the altar and one at each team's resurrection shrine.
- Teams begin capturing a point when they have more players within range than any other team. The Ghostly Hero counts as 4 players.
- Every 30 seconds, teams are awarded one point for each capture point they are holding.
- Teams resurrect at their shrine every minute, along with their Ghostly Hero.
- When time runs out, the team with the most points wins. In cases of a tie, the tying team that last scored a kill wins the match. If no kills have been scored, the defending team wins.

King of the Hill
- Bring your Ghostly Hero to the central altar. Once he is in range of the central altar, he will attempt to claim it. When he has done so, he moves to the center to hold it.
- Every 30 seconds, the team holding the altar receives one point.
- When time runs out, the team with the most points wins. In cases of a tie, the team to have held the altar last wins.
- Claim Resource: casting time reduced to 2 seconds, Energy cost reduced to 0.
Other Maps

- Fixed a bug in the Isle of Solitude map that allowed the defending team to enter the attacking team’s guild hall without their Guild Thief.
- Fixed a pathing bug in Sacred Temples.


Skill Changes

General

- Updated Trap skill descriptions to match the damage they do in-game. Previously, Trap descriptions incorrectly stated damage amounts that were roughly three times as high as the actual damage dealt in-game.
- Fixed a bug that prevented players from seeing the damage caused by their own Traps.
- The “evade” mechanic has been removed from the game. All skills that used this mechanic have been changed to use “block” instead.
- Weakness now causes -1 to all attributes.

Assassin

- Feigned Neutrality: decreased duration to 4..10.
- Shadow of Haste: decreased duration to 10..40, increased recharge time to 45 seconds.
- Assault Enchantments: decreased recharge time to 2 seconds.
- Augury of Death: now causes a Deep Wound.
- Beguiling Haze: increased Energy cost to 15, increased recharge time to 20 seconds. Functionality changed to: "Shadow Step to target foe. That foe is interrupted and becomes Dazed for 1..7 second[s]."
- Black Mantis Thrust: decreased recharge time to 4 seconds.
- Impale: now causes a Deep Wound.
- Deadly Paradox: fixed a bug that caused this skill to affect Assassin Stances.
- Death Blossom: decreased recharge time to 2 seconds.
- Critical Strike: now gives 1..3 Energy per critical hit, based on the Critical Strikes attribute.
- Blades of Steel: increased damage per recharging dagger attack to 5..16, up to a maximum bonus of 65.
- Exhausting Assault: must now follow a lead attack.
- Nine Tail Strike: decreased Energy cost to 5.
- Shattering Assault: decreased damage to 5..50. Functionality changed so that it cannot be blocked and now always does the bonus damage, regardless of whether or not Enchantments are removed.
- Critical Defenses: changed block rate to 75%. Duration now scales 4..10 based on the Critical Strikes attribute.
- Flashing Blades: increased block rate to 75%, increased duration to 5..30, and increased recharge time to 30 seconds.
- Shroud of Distress: increased block rate to 75%, increased recharge time to 45 seconds, increased duration to 30..60.
- Critical Eye: increased critical strike bonus to 3..15%.
- Assassin's Remedy: changed duration to 30 seconds. This Spell now works on the next 1..7 attack skills.
- Sharpen Daggers: changed duration to 30 seconds. This Spell now works on the next 1..7 attack skills.
- Locust's Fury: increased the chance to double strike to 50%.
- Shadowy Burden: decreased cast time to .25 seconds.
- Dancing Daggers: increased damage to 10..25.
- Heart of Shadow: increased healing to 30...150.
- Lift Enchantment: decreased Energy cost to 5, decreased casting time to .25 seconds.

Ritualist

- Bloodsong: decreased Energy cost to 5, decreased casting time to 3 seconds, decreased recharge time to 30 seconds. This Skill now falls under the Channeling attribute.
- Mighty Was Vorizun: increased Energy gained to 30.
- Cruel Was Daoshen: decreased casting time to 1 second, decreased recharge time to 5 seconds.
- Blind Was Mingson: decreased Energy cost to 5, decreased casting time to 1 second, increased recharge time to 20 seconds, increased area-of-effect to "nearby."
- Grasping Was Kuurong: decreased casting time to 1 second, decreased recharge time to 20 seconds.
- Protective Was Kaolai: now adds 24 armor when held, and heals the party for 10..85 when dropped.
- Tranquil Was Tanasen: decreased casting time to 1 second.
- Resilient Was Xiko: increased regeneration to 3 per Hex or Condition suffered.
- Anguished Was Lingwah: decreased casting time to 3 seconds, decreased recharge time to 30 seconds, increased Energy cost to 15.
- Destructive Was Glaive: holding this item now causes Ritualist damage spells to have 10% armor penetration.
- Splinter Weapon: now works on the next 1..5 attacks.
- Weapon of Shadow: increased Blindness duration to 5 seconds, decreased recharge time to 20 seconds.
- Weapon of Warding: decreased casting time to 1 second.
- Vital Weapon: decreased recharge time to 2 seconds, increased duration to 15..45 seconds.
- Spirit Light Weapon: increased amount healed to 1..15 Health per second, and an additional 1..15 Health if within earshot of a Spirit.
- Wailing Weapon: decreased Energy cost to 5.
- Brutal Weapon: increased duration to 5..35.
- Guided Weapon: reduced recharge time to 5 seconds.
- Weapon of Quickening: increased recharge bonus to 33%.
- Nightmare Weapon: now works on the next 3 attacks.
- Weapon of Fury: increased duration to 5..20.
- Warmonger's Weapon: decreased Energy cost to 10.
- Destruction: decreased Energy cost to 5, decreased recharge time to 15.
- Displacement: decreased block rate to 75%.
- Preservation: decreased recharge time to 20 seconds, increased duration to 90.
- Life: decreased recharge time to 20 seconds, decreased duration to 20 seconds, increased healing-per-second that the Spirit was alive to 1..7.
- Empowerment: decreased recharge time to 30 seconds.
- Lamentation: decreased recharge time to 20 seconds.
- Signet of Spirits: you now gain 3..12 Energy if you are within earshot of a Spirit.
- Spirit Rift: decreased Energy cost to 10, decreased casting time to 1 second.
- Ancestor's Rage: increased damage to 30..130.
- Offering of Spirit: increased Energy gained to 8..17.
- Spirit Light: increased healing to 60..180.
- Wielder's Boon: decreased casting time to .25 seconds.
- Channeled Strike: decreased recharge time to 4 seconds.
- Caretaker's Charge: increased damage done to 20..75, decreased healing to 5..50, decreased Energy gained to 5.
- Signet of Ghostly Might: increased damage to 5..35.
- Spirit Transfer: decreased the amount of Heath lost to the nearest Spirit to 5..50, increased the amount healed per Health lost to 5.
- Gaze from Beyond: decreased the amount of Health lost to 10..30%, increased damage done per Health lost to 4.
- Explosive Growth: decreased Energy cost to 5.
- Spirit Channeling: functionality changed to: "For 10 seconds, you gain +1..6 Energy regeneration but suffer -5 Health degeneration. When Spirit Channeling ends, you gain 100 Health if you are within earshot of a Spirit."
- Ghostly Haste: decreased recharge time to 20 seconds.
- Death Pact Signet: functionality changed to: "Resurrect target party member with your current Health and Energy. If that party member dies within 120 seconds, so do you."
- All spells that had a requirement of being "near a Spirit" or "in the area of a Spirit" have been changed to "within earshot of a Spirit."
- Flesh of my Flesh: decreased casting time to 4 seconds.

Paragon

- Aria of Zeal: decreased Energy gained to 1..6.
- Ballad of Restoration: decreased healing to 15..75.
- Chorus of Restoration: decreased healing to 30..90.
- Song of Restoration: decreased healing to 30..90.
- Aria of Restoration: decreased healing to 30..90.
- Hexbreaker Aria: increased casting time to 2 seconds.
- "Stand Your Ground!": now only effects party members, Energy cost increased to 15.
- Blazing Spear: increased damage to 5..25.
- Wearying Spear: decreased Weakness duration to 5 seconds.
- Vicious Attack: decreased recharge time to 4 seconds.
- Slayer's Spear: decreased recharge time to 4 seconds, increased damage to 5..30.
- Signet of Return: decreased casting time to 5 seconds, increased recharge time to 20 seconds.

Dervish

- All avatar forms: increased recharge time to 30 seconds, decreased duration to 10..70 seconds.
- Avatar of Lyssa: increased maximum Energy to 20.
- Avatar of Dwayna: decreased Energy cost to 5, increased amount healed to 15..60 Health.
- Avatar of Balthazar: decreased Energy cost to 10.
- Avatar of Grenth: increased Energy cost to 15.
- Ebon Dust Aura: adjusted duration to 5..35, increased energy cost to 10.
- Harrier's Grasp: adjusted duration to 5..25.
- Pious Haste: decreased recharge time to 5 seconds, increased movement speed to 33%.
- Wearying Strike: Increased recharge time to 4 seconds.

Mesmer

- Energy Surge: reduced area-of-effect to "nearby."<,/li>
- Spirtual Pain: functionality changed to: "Target foe takes 15..75 damage. If this Spell hits a Spirit, all nearby foes take 15..75 damage, and this Spell recharges instantly."
- Mantra of Recovery: decreased Energy cost to 5.
- Sympathetic Visage: decreased recharge time to 20 seconds, decreased duration to 4..10 seconds.
- Ancestor's Visage: decreased recharge time to 20 seconds, decreased duration to 4..10 seconds.
- Illusion of Pain: decreased the amount of healing applied when this Hex ends to 15 per point of degeneration.
- Unnatural Signet: now does double damage to summoned creatures.
- Price of Pride: decreased Energy cost to 5, decreased recharge time to 8 seconds, decreased Energy loss to 1..7.
- Hex Eater Vortex: decreased Energy cost to 10.
- Mirror of Disenchantment: decreased recharge time to 10 seconds.
- Simple Thievery: decreased recharge time to 0 seconds.
- Arcane Larceny: decreased recharge time to 0 seconds.
- Arcane Thievery: decreased recharge time to 0 seconds.
- Power Flux: decreased recharge time to 10 seconds.
- Power Leak: decreased recharge time to 15, decreased Energy loss to 5..20.
- Power Block: decreased recharge time to 20.
- Power Leech: decreased recharge time to 10.
- Panic: Increased casting time to 1 second.

Necromancer

- Spoil Victor: decreased duration to 5..20 seconds.
- Reaper's Mark: decreased Energy return to 5..15, decreased Health degeneration to 1..5.
- Deathly Swarm: increased damage to 30..90.
- Vile Touch: decreased recharge time to 2 seconds.
- Deathly Chill: increased Conditional damage to 5..50.
- Toxic Chill: decreased recharge time to 5 seconds.
- Discord: Increased damage to 30..110.
- Chilblains: decreased recharge time to 8 seconds.
- Corrupt Enchantments: decreased Energy cost to 5.
- Envenom Enchantments: decreased Energy cost to 5, decreased casting time to 1 second.
- Gaze of Contempt: decreased Energy cost to 10, decreased casting time to 1 second, increased recharge time to 25 seconds.
- Jagged Bones: Increased Recharge time to 15 seconds.
- Rend Enchantments: decreased Energy cost to 5, decreased casting time to 1 second.
- Rip Enchantment: decreased sacrifice to 30..10% of maximum Health.
- Barbs: increased damage to 1..15.
- Suffering: decreased casting time to 1 second.
- Defile Flesh: increased duration to 5..35 seconds, decreased sacrifice to 10% of maximum Health.
- Price of Failure: decreased cast time to 2 seconds, increased damage dealt to 15..45.
- Malign Intervention: decreased recharge time to 5 seconds. The created minion does not exploit the corpse.
- Insidious Parasite: decreased recharge time to 12 seconds.
- Malaise: functionality changed to: "For 5..35 seconds, target foe suffers -1 Energy degeneration and you suffer -2 Health degeneration. Malaise ends if target foe's Energy reaches 0. When Malaise ends, that foe takes 5..50 damage."
- Wither: functionality changed to: "For 5..35 seconds, target foe suffers -2..4 Health degeneration and -1 Energy degeneration. Wither ends if target foe's Energy reaches 0. When Wither ends, that foe takes 15..75 damage."
- Rising Bile: decreased recharge time to 20 seconds, increased damage done per second to 1..6, decreased duration to 20 seconds.
- Ulcerous Lungs: decreased recharge time to 10 seconds. This Hex now does -4 Health degeneration, but only to Bleeding foes.
- Depravity: decreased recharge time to 15 seconds, decreased Energy loss to 1..5.
- Mark of Fury: decreased casting time to 1 second, decreased recharge time to 10 seconds, increased duration to 5..35.

Elementalist

- Blinding Surge: increased Energy cost to 10.
- Searing Flame: decreased Burning duration to 1..5 seconds.
- Glowing Gaze: increased recharge time to 8 seconds.
- Gale: decreased knock down duration to 2 seconds.
- Searing Heat/Tenai's Heat: decreased Energy cost to 15, increased damage to 10..40.
- Fire Storm: decreased Energy cost to 10, increased damage to 5..35.
- Breath of Fire: decreased Energy cost to 5, increased damage to 10..40.
- Bed of Coals: decreased Energy cost to 10.
- Sandstorm: reduced unconditional damage to 10..30, increased recharge time to 30 seconds.
- Eruption: increased damage to 10..40. This spell now causes Blindness on each pulse.
- Unsteady Ground: decreased Energy cost to 10, increased damage to 10..40.
- Churning Earth: decreased Energy cost to 15, increased damage to 10..40.
- Savannah Heat: decreased Energy cost to 5, increased recharge time to 25 seconds.
- Arc Lightning: increased Conditional damage to 15..60.
- Lightning Hammer: decreased recharge time to 4 seconds.
- Lightning Bolt: increased Conditional damage 5..50.
- Mind Freeze: increased duration to 1..10.
- Frozen Burst: decreased recharge time to 5 seconds, decreased damage to 10..85.
- Shard Storm: increased damage to 10..85.
- Water Trident: increased projectile speed by 25%.
- Icy Prism: decreased recharge time to 2 seconds.
- Frigid Armor: decreased casting time to 1 second.
- Icy Shackles: increased recharge time to 12 seconds, decreased duration to 4..10, functionality changed to: "Target foe's movement is slowed by 66%. If that foe is under the effects of an Enchantment, target's movement is slowed by 90% instead."
- Immolate: decreased recharge time to 3 seconds.
- Flare: increased damage to 20..65.
- Incendiary Bonds: increased area-of-effect to "nearby."
- Mark of Rodgort: increased area-of-effect to "nearby."
- Phoenix: reduced casting time to 2 seconds.
- Smoldering Embers: increased Energy cost to 10, increased casting time to 2 seconds, decreased recharge time to 7 seconds, and increased damage to 7..112.
- Lava Arrows: increased damage to 20..65.
- Flame Djinn's Haste: decreased recharge time to 10 seconds, increased duration to 5..20 seconds.
- Stoning: increased damage to 15..105.
- Stone Daggers: increased damage to 8..33.
- Grasping Earth: no longer adds armor to targets.
- Shockwave: increased damage to 15..60.

Monk

- Shield of Absorption: increased casting time to 1 second.
- Signet of Mystic Wrath: decreased damage to 100 maximum.
- Shield of Regeneration: decreased casting time to .25 seconds, decreased recharge time to 5 seconds.
- Word of Healing: Conditional healing increased to 15..100.
- Signet of Judgment: reduced casting time to 1 second.
- Shielding Hands: decreased recharge time to 15 seconds, decreased duration to 8 seconds.
- Shield of Deflection: decreased casting time to .25 seconds, increased duration to 1..7 seconds, changed block rate to 75%.
- Healing Burst: increased area-of-effect to "nearby."
- Balthazar's Pendulum: decreased recharge time to 5 seconds.
- Resurrect: decreased casting time to 5 seconds, increased recharge time to 8 seconds.
- Rebirth: decreased casting time to 5 seconds.
- Restore Life: decreased casting time to 6 seconds, increased recharge time to 8 seconds.
- Resurrection Chant: decreased casting time to 6 seconds, increased recharge time to 15 seconds.
- Renew Life: decreased casting time to 6 seconds, increased recharge time to 5 seconds.
- Vengeance: now adds a 15% damage buff to the target.

Warrior

- Critical Chop: increased recharge time to 15 seconds, decreased damage to 5..20.
- "You're All Alone!": decreased Condition durations to 7 seconds.
- Defensive Stance: decreased recharge time to 15 seconds, decreased duration to 1..8 seconds.
- Deflect Arrows: decreased recharge time to 10 seconds, decreased duration to 1..8 seconds.
- Disciplined Stance: decreased recharge time to 15 seconds, decreased duration to 1..6 seconds.
- Wary Stance: decreased recharge time to 10 seconds, decreased duration to 1..6 seconds.
- Shield Stance: decreased recharge time to 15 seconds, decreased duration to 1..8 seconds.
- Soldier's Defense: decreased recharge time to 10 seconds, decreased duration to 1..8 seconds.
- Frenzied Defense: increased duration to 8 seconds.
- "Shields Up!": now only effects party members, armor bonus applies versus all projectiles.
- Griffon's Sweep: increased recharge time to 8 seconds.
- Leviathan's Sweep: increased recharge time to 8 seconds.
- Power Attack: decreased recharge time to 3 seconds, increased damage to 10..40.
- Counterattack: increased recharge time to 6 seconds, increased damage to 5..35.
- Soldier's Strike: increased damage to 10..40.
- Thrill of Victory: increased damage to 15..45.
- Wild Blow: increased recharge time to 8 seconds.
- Steady Stance: increased recharge time to 6, reduced Energy gained to 1..6.

Ranger

- Rampage as One: decreased recharge time to 10 seconds, decreased duration to 3..15.
- Throw Dirt: decreased recharge time to 30 seconds.
- Antidote Signet: decreased casting time to 1 second.
- Spike Trap: increased Cripple duration to 3..25 seconds.
- Incendiary Arrows: increased duration to 3..15 seconds.
- Glass Arrows: decreased Energy cost to 5, decreased recharge time to 12 seconds, increased damage to 5..20.
- Trapper's Focus: increased duration to 5..20 seconds.
- Keen Arrow: increased Conditional damage to 5..35.
- Arcing Shot: decreased Energy cost to 5.
- Disrupting Accuracy: increased duration to 36 seconds.
- Trapper's Speed: increased duration to 5..30.
- Feral Lunge: increased Bleeding duration to 5..25.
- Viper's Nest: decreased recharge time to 20 seconds.
- Toxicity: increased duration to 30..90 seconds.
- Roaring Winds: increased level to 1..10.

Update - Thursday, February 1 (http://www.guildwars.com/support/gameupdates/)

- Reverted several unintended skill balance changes that were part of the previous update but were not included in the update notes.

[Wanderer]

Update - Thursday, August 2 (http://www.guildwars.com/support/gameupdates/)

Heroes' Ascent Update
As a part of this play-balance test week, we’ve made the following changes to Heroes' Ascent:

* Removed Broken Tower from the map rotation.
* Removed Burial Mounds from the map rotation and replaced it with Fetid River, a new 8v8 Annihilation map that has a Priest.
* Removed Sacred Temples from the map rotation and replaced it with the Antechamber, a new 8v8 Control Point map.
* Added Forgotten Shrines, a new 8v8 Control Point map, to the map rotation after Unholy Temples.
* Changed the Courtyard's game type from Kill Count to King of the Hill.


Miscellaneous
* To prevent exploitation of the Nightfall starter mission and quests, the gold rewards for the "Take the Shortcut," "Rally the Recruits," "Quiz the Recruits," and "Primary Training" quests have been removed, and the gold rewards for the Chahbek Village mission have been decreased to 20 gold for Standard, 30 gold for Expert, and 50 gold for Master's. The reward for the Nightfall quest "Secondary Training" has been increased to 200 gold to compensate.
* Updated the map rotation for Automated Tournaments.

[Wanderer]

Update - Friday, August 3 (http://www.guildwars.com/support/gameupdates/)

Heroes' Ascent Changes
* Reduced the time on the Antechamber and Forgotten Shrines from 10 minutes to 6 minutes.
* When a team in the Antechamber or Forgotten Shrines has scored 20 points more than its opponent, the game ends and the high-scoring team wins.
* Players can now only bring a maximum of 2 non-human (Hero or henchmen) players into Heroes' Ascent maps.


Miscellaneous
* Adjusted the circumstances in which Heroes use the skill "Death Nova" in PvP.
* Fixed the skill "Vampirism" so that it now steals the correct amount of damage.
* Burial Mounds has been temporarily re-added to the Heroes' Ascent map rotation to accommodate the large number of teams playing during the Heroes' Ascent Bonus Weekend.

[Wanderer]

Update - Thursday, August 9 (http://www.guildwars.com/support/gameupdates/)

Favor of the Gods Changes
To ensure that all territories share in the Favor of the Gods together, we have made several modifications to the Favor system.

* The Favor of the Gods has been changed from a territory-based PvP reward system to a globally based PvE reward system.
* Players can now earn world favor in one hour blocks. These blocks are earned when 20 individuals have achieved the maximum rank in several specific titles. Players who obtain maximum rank in these titles while the world holds favor will extend the one hour block by an additional 3 minutes.
* The following maximum level title tracks count toward achieving Favor of the Gods: Survivor, Defender of Ascalon, Legendary Cartographer, Legendary Guardian, Legendary Skill Hunter, Legendary Vanquisher, Sunspear, Lightbringer, Kurzick, Luxon, Lucky, Unlucky, Gamer, Drunkard, Treasure Hunter, Wisdom, Sweet Tooth, Hero, Gladiator, Champion, and Commander.
* Once an individual has achieved the maximum rank of one of the titles mentioned above, players in specific outposts (see below) will receive a message informing them how close the world is to receiving the gods' favor, which title was achieved, and the name of the player who achieved it. The outposts that will broadcast this message include: Temple of the Ages, Zin Ku Corridor, Chantry of Secrets, Lion’s Arch, Kaineng Center, Kamadan, and the Great Temple of Balthazar.
* When the world holds the Favor of the Gods, players can type /favor to display the length of time left before the Favor of the Gods expires. Typing this command when the world does not have the gods' favor displays how many more players must achieve the maximum rank in a title before the world once again earns favor.
* The Hall of Heroes message no longer references the Favor of the Gods.


Skill Updates
We will be evaluating the following changes over the course of the next week. Additional adjustments may be made during that time period.

Assassin
* Black Spider Strike: increased Energy cost to 10.
* Dark Prison: decreased recharge time to 30 seconds.
* Death's Charge: decreased recharge time to 30 seconds.
* Expose Defenses: increased recharge time to 25 seconds.
* Golden Phoenix Strike: decreased Energy cost to 5.
* Shadow Prison: decreased duration to 1..10 seconds.

Dervish
* Attacker's Insight: functionality changed to: "For 20 seconds, your next 1..3 attack Skills cost 5..20 less Energy."
* Enchanted Haste: decreased recharge time to 15 seconds.
* Featherfoot Grace: decreased recharge time to 15 seconds.
* Grenth's Fingers: decreased recharge time to 10 seconds; increased Cripple duration to 5..15 seconds.
* Meditation: decreased recharge time to 8 seconds.
* Rending Touch: decreased recharge time to 5 seconds.

Elementalist
* Arc Lightning: decreased recharge time to 6 seconds.
* Blinding Surge: decreased Blindness duration to 2..8 seconds.
* Blurred Vision: decreased Energy cost to 10; decreased casting time to 1 second; decreased recharge time to 12 seconds; decreased duration to 4..10 seconds.
* Chilling Winds: decreased Energy cost to 5.
* Glyph of Elemental Power: increased duration to 25 seconds; increased number of Spells affected to 10.
* Glyph of Energy: decreased recharge time to 10 seconds.
* Glyph of Renewal: decreased recharge time to 10 seconds.
* Rodgort's Invocation: decreased casting time to 2 seconds; decreased recharge time to 5 seconds.

Mesmer
* Arcane Echo: decreased recharge time to 20 seconds.
* Cry of Frustration: decreased recharge time to 15 seconds.
* Drain Enchantment: increased Energy cost to 15; increased casting time to 2 seconds; decreased recharge time to 20 seconds; increased Energy gain to 15..25.
* Echo: decreased recharge time to 10 seconds.
* Illusionary Weaponry: decreased recharge time to 25 seconds.
* Panic: decreased duration to 5..20 seconds.
* Spirit of Failure: increased Energy cost to 15.
* Signet of Illusions: functionality changed to: "Your next 1..2 Spells use your Illusion attribute instead of its normal attribute."
* Spirit Shackles: decreased duration to 5..20 seconds.

Monk
* Aegis: decreased Energy cost to 10; decreased area-of-effect range to earshot.
* Blessed Light: decreased recharge time to 3 seconds.
* Guardian: increased duration to 2..7 seconds; increased block rate to 50%.
* Judge's Intervention: decreased recharge time to 8 seconds.
* Remove Hex: decreased casting time to 1 second; increased recharge time to 8 seconds.
* Shield of Regeneration: increased recharge time to 8 seconds.

Necromancer
* Faintheartedness: decreased duration to 3..24 seconds.
* Meekness: decreased duration to 5..30 seconds; decreased recharge time to 15 seconds.
* Plague Sending: functionality changed to: "Sacrifice 10% maximum Health. Transfer 1..3 negative Conditions and their remaining durations from yourself to target foe and all adjacent foes."
* Plague Signet: decreased recharge to 4 seconds.
* Plague Touch: functionality changed to: "Transfer 1..2 negative Conditions and their remaining durations from yourself to target touched foe." Plague Touch is now attributed to Curses.
* Poisoned Heart: functionality changed to: "All adjacent foes are Poisoned for 5..15 seconds. For 10 seconds, you suffer -5..-2 Health degeneration."
* Price of Failure: increased Energy cost to 15; decreased damage to 1..46.
* Reckless Haste: decreased Energy cost to 10; decreased casting time to 1 second; decreased recharge time to 10 seconds; decreased duration to 4..10 seconds; increased miss chance to 50%.
* Rip Enchantment: functionality changed to: "You lose 30..10% Health. Remove one Enchantment from target foe."
* Shadow of Fear: decreased duration to 5..30 seconds.

Paragon
* Awe: decreased recharge time to 10 seconds.
* Signet of Aggression: increased the strikes of adrenaline you gain to 2; decreased recharge time to 5 seconds.

Ranger
* Equinox: decreased casting time to 3 seconds; decreased recharge time to 15 seconds.
* Escape: decreased recharge time to 12 seconds; decreased duration to 1..8 seconds; increased run speed to 33%.
* Famine: decreased casting time to 3 seconds; decreased recharge time to 15 seconds.
* Flame Trap: increased damage to 5..20.
* Greater Conflagration: decreased recharge time to 15 seconds.
* Infuriating Heat: decreased casting time to 3 seconds; decreased recharge time to 15 seconds.
* Lacerate: decreased Energy cost to 10; decreased activation time to 3 seconds; decreased recharge time to 15 seconds.
* Point Blank Shot/Zojun's Shot: decreased Energy cost to 5; increased damage to 10..40.
* Punishing Shot: decreased recharge time to 5 seconds.
* Run as One: decreased recharge time to 15 seconds.
* Storm Chaser: decreased recharge time to 20 seconds.

Ritualist
* Ancestors' Rage: This skill now causes Exhaustion.
* Anguish: decreased Energy cost to 10; decreased recharge time to 20 seconds. This skill now causes Exhaustion.
* Defiant Was Xinrae: decreased Energy cost to 5; decreased recharge time to 5 seconds; increased duration to 5..15 seconds. This skill now causes Exhaustion.
* Disenchantment: decreased Energy cost to 10; decreased recharge time to 20 seconds. This skill now causes Exhaustion.
* Dissonance: decreased Energy cost to 10; decreased recharge time to 20 seconds. This skill now causes Exhaustion.
* Gaze of Fury: decreased recharge time to 20 seconds.
* Recovery: Fixed a bug that caused the effect to stay even after the Spirit had died.
* Sight Beyond Sight: decreased recharge time to 15 seconds.
* Spirit Burn: decreased recharge time to 6 seconds; decreased damage to 5..50; decreased conditional damage to 10..40.
* Spirit Rift: increased casting time to 2 seconds.
* Splinter Weapon: decreased duration to 20 seconds.
* Vital Weapon: decreased duration to 5..35 seconds.
* Wanderlust: This skill now causes Exhaustion.
* Wielder's Strike: This skill now causes Exhaustion.
* Xinrae's Weapon: decreased Energy cost to 10; decreased recharge to 10 seconds. This skill now causes Exhaustion.

Warrior
* Berserker Stance: decreased recharge time to 20 seconds.
* Crude Swing: functionality changed to: "Attack all adjacent foes. Each foe you hit is struck for 1..20 damage. You have -40 armor while activating this Skill."
* Flourish: decreased recharge time to 8 seconds; increased Energy gained per recharging attack Skill to 2..7.
* "For Great Justice!": decreased Energy cost to 5; increased adrenaline gain to 100%.
* Savage Slash: decreased Energy cost to 5.


Victory or Death Changes
* Victory or Death now occurs at 18 minutes.
* The Guild Lord now walks to the flag stand at 20 minutes.
* The Guild Lord no longer deals 300% damage to non Guild Lord NPCs.
* Guild Battle NPCs now deal 200% damage to Guild Lords.
* Guild Battle NPCs now march out of the Guild Hall in three waves. The first wave arrives at the flag stand at 18:45, the second wave arrives at the flag stand at 19:00, and third wave (Bodyguards and Knights) arrive at the flag stand at 19:15.
* Automated Tournaments have been updated to reflect the Victory or Death changes.


Miscellaneous
* Made preparations for the Dragon Festival Redux weekend event.
* Reset Territory Changes for all accounts.
* The Kurzick Necromancers found in Fort Aspenwood now equip the skill "Rising Bile" instead of "Death Nova." This change was implemented to prevent an exploit that allowed Kurzick players to lure Necromancers away from the gates they guard.
* Removed the "Add Key" button from the account edit UI. You must now add keys by using the "Create Account or Add Access Key" link on the login screen.
* Updated the "Mission Pack Promotion" screen in the Guild Wars In-Game Store to contain more details about the promotion.

[Wanderer]

Update - Thursday, August 9 (http://www.guildwars.com/support/gameupdates/)

Bug Fixes
* Fixed a bug that caused the Guild Lord to take extra damage.

[Wanderer]

Update - Friday, August 10 (http://www.guildwars.com/support/gameupdates/)

Skill Updates
We will be evaluating the following Skill changes over the course of the next week. Additional adjustments may be made during that time period.

Dervish
* Rending Touch: increased recharge time to 8 seconds.

Necromancer
* Reckless Haste: increased Energy cost to 15; increased duration to 6..12 seconds; increased recharge time to 12 seconds.

Ritualist
* Wielder's Strike: reduced recharge time to 5 seconds.
* Ancestors' Rage: reduced Energy cost to 5.

Warrior
* Desperation Blow/Drunken Blow: these Skills now only knock you down if they hit.


Bug Fixes
* Removed the ability to create a Guild Wars account without a Guild Wars Access Key.