Guild Wars 2: Path of Fire

It's a big day for Guild Wars fans everywhere as Path of Fire, the second big GW2 expansion, finally goes live. This time we will brave the heat of Crystal Desert and face the wrath of a fallen god - Balthazar.

What is new

Path of Fire introduces five "larger than ever" maps: Crystal Oasis, a half-desert half-oasis map where we begin our adventures, Desert Highlands, Elon Riverlands, The Desolation, and Domain of Vabbi. With the introduction of such big maps, ArenaNet provided players with mounts! But not just your standard-MMO "mount up and move faster" mounts, GW2 rideable creatures each have different abilities and ways to defeat obstacles. What is even better is that the mounts will be available to use all across the Tyria and not just the PoF expansion areas.

Four mounts are being presented to the players as a part of the mastery system: 

• The Raptor — capable of leaping horizontally across large distances.

• The Springer — A larger jerboa capable of jumping very high vertically.

• The Skimmer — A floating terrestrial manta ray, capable of hovering above the water and environmental hazards.

• The Jackal — Magical canine, capable of blinking across short distances and making very precise.

New Elite Specializations!

What is more each of the professions get one elite specialization:

• Guardian receives a Firebrand spec that focuses on mantra skills, converting virtues into offensive and defensive tomes and allowing Guardians to equip an axe as their main hand weapon

• Revenant receives a Renegade spec that allows players to activate Legendary Renegade Stance that unlocks new skills, all out of which are summons with various effects, additionally this elite spec allows Revenants to wield shortbows.

• Warrior receives a Spellbreaker spec that focuses on meditation skills, activating Full Counter mechanic will absorb incoming damage which will then burst back at enemies, also allows warriors to dual-wield daggers.

• Engineers receive a Holosmith spec that introduces Photon Forge mode which comes with heat mechanic (if you overheat your skills become inactive for some time), also allows an engineer to wield a sword in the main hand.

• Rangers receive a Soulbeast spec that focuses on stance modes, enables rangers to merge with their familiars in Beast mode also allows rangers to carry a dagger in their main hand.

• Thief receives Deadeye spec allowing thieves to use rifles and cantrip skills - heavy CC, high mobility single player burst skills specific for Deadeye.

• Elementalist receives Weaver spec focusing on stance skills adding new Dual Attack stance that creates a third weapon out of two attuned elements, also allows Elementalists to carry a sword.

• Mesmer receives Mirage spec giving them access to axes, ambush skills, deception abilities and replacing dodge with Mirage Cloak.

• Necromancer receives Scourge that focuses on punishment skills, boon corruption and replacing death shroud with an ability to conjure shades.

But wait! There is more!

Apart from new lands, new quests, new storyline, new elite specializations, and mounts (whew!) Path of Fire also introduces new Guild Hall - Windswept Haven set in the Crystal Desert and up for grabs! A new adventure in Crystal Oasis - Refugee Supply Run where the player has to gather supplies scattered around the area and finally bounties - daily tasks setting players to hunt down a certain elite enemy available from bounty boards in the main cities of the expansion. 

So mount up and go after the fallen god!