ArenaNet:Developer updates/20081113

[ Dev Update] Title Balance Changes – 13 November 2008
Our goal for this month's content update is to broaden the ways to achieve many PvE-based titles and give many other viable options for progressing in these titles, reducing the need to grind at a single task. We accomplish this in two major ways: one, significantly adjusting the numbers of existing ways to progress titles; and two, adding faction or title point rewards to places that were previously lacking them. These changes cover a wide spectrum of content from Vanquishing bonuses and Storybooks to Competitive and Challenge Missions. To compensate for these changes, the cost of Jadeite and Amber had to increase, Sunspear and Lightbringer could no longer count towards Favor of the Gods, and increased Luxon and Kurzick faction caps were required, along with a number of other adjustments to affected areas. We also converted the Wisdom and Treasure Hunter titles to be account-based so that players can contribute to the titles with any character on their account.

Missions
There are now a few new ways to earn the Luxon/Kurzick titles by playing through missions.
 * It is now possible to use the "Shiro's Return" storybook to record your progress through the Guild Wars Factions storyline. You can turn this book in to the Kurzick Poet or Luxon Bard for a significant title point reward. See the "Storybooks" section below for more details.
 * Arborstone and Eternal Grove now give 1000 Kurzick faction for each level of completion. This is a one time only reward.
 * Boreas Seabed and Gyala Hatchery now give 1000 Luxon faction for each level of completion. This is a one time only reward.
 * Unwaking Waters now gives 1000 Luxon or Kurzick faction for each level of completion depending on which side was entered from. This is a one time only reward, regardless of which type of faction was given.
 * Faction will automatically be added to your account the next time you log in on each character that has achieved any levels of completion in these missions prior to these new rewards. If your faction is already full or your cap is too low to accept the amount owed to you, this crediting will be delayed until the next time you zone into an outpost or instance and your account has the room to accept the faction you are owed.

Playing through the storyline should be just as rewarding as other Luxon and Kurzick-related activities in the game. Between these new faction bonuses and the rewards for completing books, missions should now be a viable way to play while progressing towards the Luxon and Kurzick title tracks. We are able to give players faction for missions completed prior to this new reward system. Your account will be credited the appropriate rewards the next time you log into each eligible character. These rewards can only be collected once per character much the same way that gold and experience rewards in missions are only given once per character.

Vanquishing
This is a new way to earn faction.
 * Added Luxon or Kurzick faction bonuses for Vanquishing zones in the Jade Sea and Echovald Forest. Faction amount is equal to 50 times the number of monsters killed.

Vanquishing poses a challenge that can require a significant commitment of time, and should be greatly rewarded for completion. This also brings the approximate faction gain per hour in line with the former Fast Faction Farms and makes this a very worthwhile way to acquire Luxon and Kurzick faction.

Alliance Battles

 * Increased Luxon/Kurzick faction per kill in Alliance Battles to +10.

Challenge Missions

 * Increased Luxon/Kurzick faction reward for getting the Daily, Monthly, or Quarterly bests in Altrumm Ruins, Amatz Basin, Zos Shivros Channel, and Aurios Mines. Getting the Daily Best now gives 4000 faction, the Monthly Best gives 8000 faction, and the Quarterly Best gives 16,000 faction.
 * The final rewards given in Altrumm Ruins, Amatz Basin, Zos Shivros Channel, and Aurios Mines are now based on the Monthly best instead of the Quarterly best.
 * Added +1 Kurzick faction per kill in Altrumm Ruins and Amatz Basin.
 * Added +1 Luxon faction per kill in Zos Shivros Channel and Aurios Mines.
 * Added +15 Kurzick faction for each chunk of Amber retrieved in Altrumm Ruins.
 * Added +10 Kurzick faction per boss kill in Altrumm Ruins.
 * Added +25 Kurzick faction for each refugee saved in Amatz Basin.
 * Added +50 Kurzick faction for every 10 refugees saved in Amatz Basin.
 * Added +50 Luxon faction for every minute survived in Zos Shivros Channel.
 * Added +100 Luxon faction for each Luxon Adept killed in Zos Shivros Channel.
 * Added +50 Luxon faction for each Shadow of Kanaxai killed in Aurios Mines.

Challenge Missions in Factions were requiring players to achieve very high scores just to earn any reward. The only available rewards were given by comparing players' scores to the Quarterly best. To reward more players, we have added faction rewards for mission-specific objectives and changed the calculation of final rewards to compare players' scores to the Monthly best instead of the generally higher Quarterly best score. Players will receive good faction rewards for just playing in these missions without having to achieve extraordinarily high scores. We also raised the faction bonus given for getting the Daily, Monthly, and Quarterly bests. Getting a high score should still feel satisfying and be something to shoot for.

Competitive Missions

 * Increased Luxon/Kurzick and Balthazar faction given in Fort Aspenwood to +10 per kill.
 * Increased Luxon/Kurzick faction given for winning a battle in Fort Aspenwood to +1000.
 * Kurzick players in Fort Aspenwood will now receive faction equal to 15 times the percentage of completion of the Vengeance of the Gods at the end of the match.
 * The time it takes for the Vengeance of the Gods meter to fill up has been reduced by 5 minutes.
 * Increased the Luxon faction reward for gates destroyed in Fort Aspenwood to +300 faction per gate.
 * Increased the Luxon/Kurzick faction given in Jade Quarry to +5 per kill.
 * Increased the Balthazar faction given in Jade Quarry to +10 per kill.
 * Increased Luxon/Kurzick faction given for each Slab of Jade collected to +250 per slab.
 * Increased Luxon/Kurzick faction given for winning a battle in the Jade Quarry to +1000.

Fort Aspenwood has long been one of the preferred ways of gaining Luxon and Kurzick faction but was not as efficient as other more tedious ways. We have boosted the faction per kill and match faction bonuses to make it a more lucrative gametype. The rate at which Vengeance of the Gods fills up has been reduced because, on average, it was taking Luxons less time to win a match than it would take Kurzicks. Jade Quarry has been virtually abandoned by all but Cartographers so we have boosted up the faction rewards to make the area more attractive as a gametype.

Elite Missions

 * Added +10 Luxon faction for killing monsters in The Deep. This does not include Reborn Irukandji or creatures which spawn when Kanaxai is knocked down.
 * Added +50 Luxon faction for killing Aspects of Kanaxai in The Deep.
 * Added +250 Luxon faction for killing The Leviathan in The Deep.
 * Added +5000 Luxon faction for killing Kanaxai.
 * Added +10 Kurzick faction for killing monsters in Urgoz’s Warren. This does not include Hopping Vampires, Thought Stealers, or Explosive Growths.
 * Added +50 Kurzick faction for killing Guardian Serpents or Twisted Barks in Urgoz’s Warren.
 * Added +250 Kurzick faction for killing both Greater Serpents in Urgoz’s Warren.
 * Added +5000 Kurzick faction for killing Urgoz.
 * Increased Jade/Amber drops from the end chests in The Deep and Urgoz’s Warren to 3 in Normal Mode, 6 in Hard Mode.
 * Passage Scrolls to The Deep and Urgoz’s Warren now drop from the end chests in The Deep and Urgoz’s Warren in Hard Mode for each player.
 * Added one Demonic Summoning Stone drop from the end chest in The Deep for each player.
 * Added one Mystical Summoning Stone drop from the end chest in Urgoz’s Warren for each player.

The Deep and Urgoz's Warren are two of the coolest and most fun missions in the game, but just weren't rewarding enough for players to feel it was worth the time. We have added faction rewards for killing the monsters and bosses of these areas so that playing here will no longer mean halting progress towards the Luxon and Kurzick title tracks but instead include it in the list of viable ways to increase your rank. Title points should not be the only motivation for undertaking Elite Missions, however, so we also increased the amount of loot given from the end chest and added monster drops of Jadeite Shards in The Deep and Amber Chunks in Urgoz's Warren.

Maximum Faction Limits
There are now a number of ways to increase the maximum amount of Luxon/Kurzick Faction that you can hold at once. Speak to any [Faction Rewards] NPC to see what you have left to do to increase your faction cap.
 * Completing the quest Befriending the Luxons will raise Luxon faction cap by 10,000.
 * Completing the quest Befriending the Kurzicks will raise Kurzick faction cap by 10,000.
 * Completing Boreas Seabed, Gyala Hatchery, and Unwaking Waters will raise Luxon faction cap by 7000.
 * Completing Arborstone, Eternal Grove, and Unwaking Waters will raise Kurzick faction cap by 7000.
 * Defeating Kanaxai in The Deep will raise Luxon faction cap by 10,000.
 * Defeating Urgoz in Urgoz’s Warren will raise Kurzick faction cap by 10,000.
 * Scoring 100 points in Zos Shivros Channel will raise Luxon faction cap by 1000.
 * Scoring 100 points in Aurios Mines will raise Luxon faction cap by 1000.
 * Scoring 100 points in Altrumm Ruins will raise Kurzick faction cap by 1000.
 * Scoring 100 points in Amatz Basin will raise Kurzick faction cap by 1000.
 * Winning a battle in Fort Aspenwood for the Luxons will raise Luxon faction cap by 5000.
 * Winning a battle in Fort Aspenwood for the Kurzicks will raise Kurzick faction cap by 5000.
 * Winning a battle in Jade Quarry for the Luxons will raise Luxon faction cap by 5000.
 * Winning a battle in Jade Quarry for the Kurzicks will raise Kurzick faction cap by 5000.
 * Winning an Alliance Battle for the Luxons will raise Luxon faction cap by 5000.
 * Winning an Alliance Battle for the Kurzicks will raise Kurzick faction by 5000.
 * Achieving rank 1 in the Luxon title track will raise Luxon faction cap by 5000. Each subsequent rank will raise Luxon faction cap by 1000.
 * Achieving rank 1 in the Kurzick title track will raise Kurzick faction cap by 5000. Each subsequent rank will raise Kurzick faction cap by 1000.
 * Your faction cap will automatically increase if you have already done the following things: either of the Befriending quests, the Luxon or Kurzick mission sets, and beaten Urgoz or Kanaxai after the addition of the Hall of Monuments to Guild Wars.

Now that Luxon and Kurzick faction is much more readily available, players have the ability to acquire far more faction in a single chunk than they could hold at once because of the faction cap. Your faction cap can now be increased by completing storyline objectives, competing in armed combat, assisting Luxons and Kurzicks in tests of endurance, defeating their ancient foes, or raising your reputation through the title tracks. Not all of these changes could be implemented retroactively as we had not previously tracked participation in Competitive Missions, Challenge Missions, or Alliance Battles. You will have to play through those again to get the associated faction cap increase.

Other Changes

 * Increased the cost of Jade and Amber from Faction Rewards NPCs to 5000 faction.
 * Added Luxon Scavenger [Faction Rewards] NPCs to the following outposts: Leviathan Pits, Eredon Terrace, Kaanai Canyon, Etnaran Keys, Saltspray Beach, Grenz Frontier, and The Ancestral Lands.
 * Added Kurzick Bureaucrat [Faction Rewards] NPCs to the following outposts: Vasburg Armory, Lutgardis Conservatory, Kaanai Canyon, Etnaran Keys, Saltspray Beach, Grenz Frontier, and The Ancestral Lands.
 * The quest Securing Echovald Forest in the Echovald Forest now requires players to kill groups of Luxons at each checkpoint.
 * The quest Scout the Coast in the Jade Sea now requires players to kill groups of Kurzicks at each checkpoint.

With all these improvements raising the rate of faction gain, we have increased the cost of Jadeite Shards and Amber Chunks from [Faction Rewards] NPCs in order to preserve their value. These NPCs have been added to a number of addition outposts to make them more easily accessible for spending accumulated faction.

The repeatable quests Securing Echovald Forest and Scout the Coast have been the most efficient way to gain Luxon and Kurzick faction for one player with three Heroes: no combat required and run times around one minute. However, because of the tediousness of the run and the need to do it thousands of times to max out a title tracks, some players felt forced into using bots to make the runs for them. To eliminate this behavior players must now kill two groups of Luxon or Kurzick invaders at each checkpoint.

Sunspear/Lightbringer Titles
A number of new ways have been added to earn the Sunspear and Lightbringer titles. Additionally, a number of existing rewards related to these titles have been increased.

Missions

 * It is now possible to use the "Night Falls" storybook to record your progress through the Guild Wars Nightfall storyline. You can turn this book in to the Sunspear Signalman or Lightbringer Scrivener for a significant Sunspear or Lightbringer point reward. See the "Storybooks" section below for more details.
 * The Chahbek Village mission now rewards 5 Sunspear title points for each level of completion in Normal Mode and 50 in Hard Mode.
 * The Jokanur Diggings mission now rewards 5 Sunspear title points for each level of completion in Normal Mode and 50 in Hard Mode.
 * The Blacktide Den mission now rewards 10 Sunspear title points for each level of completion in Normal Mode and 50 in Hard Mode.
 * The Consulate Docks mission now rewards 10 Sunspear title points for each level of completion in Normal Mode and 60 in Hard Mode.
 * The Venta Cemetery mission now rewards 15 Sunspear title points for each level of completion in Normal Mode and 60 in Hard Mode.
 * The Kodonur Crossroads mission now rewards 15 Sunspear title points for each level of completion in Normal Mode and 60 in Hard Mode.
 * The Rilohn Refuge mission now rewards 20 Sunspear title points for each level of completion in Normal Mode and 70 in Hard Mode.
 * The Pogahn Passage mission now rewards 20 Sunspear title points for each level of completion in Normal Mode and 70 in Hard Mode.
 * The Moddok Crevice mission now rewards 20 Sunspear title points for every level of completion in Normal Mode and 70 in Hard Mode.
 * The Tihark Orchard mission now rewards 25 Sunspear title points for each level of completion in Normal Mode and 80 in Hard Mode.
 * The Dzagonur Bastion mission now rewards 25 Sunspear title points for each level of completion in Normal Mode and 80 in Hard Mode.
 * The Dasha Vestibule mission now rewards 25 Sunspear title points for each level of completion in Normal Mode and 80 in Hard Mode.
 * The Grand Court of Sebelkeh mission now rewards 25 Lightbringer title points for each level of completion in Normal Mode and 75 in Hard Mode.
 * The Jennur’s Horde mission now rewards 30 Lightbringer title points for each level of completion in Normal Mode and 75 in Hard Mode.
 * The Nundu Bay mission now rewards 30 Lightbringer title points for each level of completion in Normal Mode and 75 in Hard Mode.
 * The Gate of Desolation mission now rewards 30 Lightbringer title points for each level of completion in Normal Mode and 75 in Hard Mode.
 * The Ruins of Morah mission now rewards 35 Lightbringer title points for each level of completion in Normal Mode and 75 in Hard Mode.
 * The Gate of Pain mission now rewards 40 Lightbringer title points for each level of completion in Normal Mode and 100 in Hard Mode.
 * The Gate of Madness mission now rewards 45 Lightbringer title points for each level of completion in Normal Mode and 100 in Hard Mode.
 * The Abaddon’s Gate mission now rewards 50 Lightbringer title points for each level of completion in Normal Mode and 100 in Hard Mode.
 * Title points will automatically be added to your Sunspear and Lightbringer titles for each level of completion in these missions that you achieved prior to the new reward system.

Unlike the missions being newly rewarded in Guild Wars Factions, these missions encompass the entire storyline of Guild Wars Nightfall. Also, the points needed for each tier of Sunspear and Lightbringer are vastly different from the tiers of the Luxon and Kurzick title tracks. The scaling of mission rewards for this campaign are much different and gradually increase as you progress through the storyline. Just like all the other mission rewards, these title point bonuses are only given out once per character. We are able to award you credit for any levels of completion achieved prior to this new reward system.

Vanquishing

 * Added Sunspear title point bonuses for Vanquishing zones in Istan and Kourna. Point amount is equal to 5 times the number of monsters killed.
 * Added Lightbringer title point bonuses for Vanquishing zones in Vabbi and The Desolation. Point amount is equal to 5 times the number of monsters killed.

Challenge Missions

 * Added a Sunspear title point reward for getting the Daily, Monthly, or Quarterly best in Dajkah Inlet. Getting the Daily best gives +500 points, the Monthly best gives +1000 points, and the Quarterly best gives +2000 points.
 * The final rewards given in Dajkah Inlet, Remains of Sahlahja, and The Shadow Nexus are now based on the Monthly best instead of the Quarterly best.
 * Killing a Corsair Guild Lord in Dajkah Inlet now gives +50 Sunspear title points.
 * Killing a Corsair Commander in Dajkah Inlet now gives +25 Sunspear title points.
 * Added a Lightbringer title points reward for getting the Daily, Monthly, or Quarterly best in the Remains of Sahlahja and the Shadow Nexus. Getting the Daily best gives +500 title points, the Monthly best gives +1000 title points, and the Quarterly best gives +2000 title points.
 * Killing an Infestation in the Remains of Sahlahja now gives +1 Lightbringer title points.
 * Killing a Greater Infestation in the Remains of Sahlahja now gives +3 Lightbringer title points.
 * Killing a Maddened Spirit in the Remains of Sahlahja now gives +4 Lightbringer title points.
 * Killing a Lost Soul in the Remains of Sahlahja now gives +8 Lightbringer title points.
 * Kills in The Shadow Nexus now reward +1 Lightbringer title points.
 * Killing a Margonite Portal Mage in The Shadow Nexus now gives +25 Lightbringer title points.

To make the rewards for all challenge missions consistent, we added title point bonuses for getting the Daily, Monthly, and Quarterly bests and changed the final rewards to compare players' scores to the Monthly best instead of the Quarterly best. In addition, we implemented title point rewards for killing certain monsters in the missions. Players can kill these monsters and get rewarded for their participation without needing to reward solely for getting the high score.

Quests

 * Added 15 Sunspear title points to the reward for the quest A Decayed Monument in Istan.
 * Added 10 Sunspear title points to the rewards for the quest Down on the Bayou in Istan.
 * Added 100 Sunspear title points to the reward for the quest A Little Recon in Kourna.
 * Added 100 Sunspear title points to the reward for the quest A Question of Morality in Kourna.
 * Added 100 Sunspear title points to the reward for the quest Mirza’s Last Stand in Kourna.
 * Added 100 Sunspear title points to the reward for the quest Old Woman River in Kourna.
 * Added 10 Lightbringer title points to the reward for the quest A Bushel of Trouble in Kourna.
 * Added 10 Lightbringer title points to the reward for the quest Ancestral Anguish in Kourna.
 * Added 10 Lightbringer title points to the reward for the quest Battle of Turai’s Procession in Kourna.
 * Added 10 Lightbringer title points to the reward for the quest Total Corruption in Kourna.
 * Added 10 Lightbringer title points to the reward for the quest Troubled Lands in Kourna.
 * Added 15 Lightbringer title points to the reward for the quest Valley of the Rifts in Vabbi.
 * Added 15 Lightbringer title points to the reward for the quest To the Rescue in Vabbi.
 * Added 15 Lightbringer title points to the reward for the quest In Defense of Theatre in Vabbi.
 * Added 30 Lightbringer title points to the reward for the quest Getting Even in The Desolation.
 * Added 30 Lightbringer title points to the reward for the quest The Growing Threat in The Desolation.
 * Added 30 Lightbringer title points to the reward for the quest The Hallowed Point in The Desolation.
 * Added 30 Lightbringer title points to the reward for the quest A New Guide in The Desolation.
 * Added 30 Lightbringer title points to the reward for the quest A Tasty Morsel in The Desolation.
 * Increased the Lightbringer title point reward for the quest A Deal’s a Deal in The Desolation to 30.
 * Increased the Lightbringer title point reward for the quest A Show of Force in The Desolation to 45.
 * Increased the Lightbringer title point reward for the quest Forgotten Retribution in The Desolation to 30.
 * Increased the Lightbringer title point reward for the quest Temple of the Monoliths in The Desolation to 30.
 * Increased the Lightbringer title point reward for the quest The Cold Touch of the Past in The Desolation to 45.
 * Increased the Lightbringer title point reward for the quest Horde of Darkness in The Desolation to 30.
 * Added 75 Lightbringer title points to the reward for the quest Dismember the Titans in the Realm of Torment.
 * Added 50 Lightbringer title points to the reward for the quest Escape from the Torment in the Realm of Torment.
 * Added 100 Lightbringer title points to the reward for the quest Faded Memory in the Realm of Torment.
 * Added 50 Lightbringer title points to the reward for the quest Blueprint of the Fall in the Realm of Torment.
 * Added 75 Lightbringer title points to the reward for the quest A Flickering Flame in the Realm of Torment.
 * Added 50 Lightbringer title points to the reward for the quest Dark Gateway in the Realm of Torment.
 * Added 100 Lightbringer title points to the reward for the quest A Fleshy Operation in the Realm of Torment.
 * Increased the Lightbringer title point reward for the quest All Alone in the Darkness in the Realm of Torment to 100.
 * Increased the Lightbringer title point reward for the quest Invasion from Within in the Realm of Torment to 50.
 * Increased the Lightbringer title point reward for the quest Kormir’s Crusade in the Realm of Torment to 100.
 * Increased the Lightbringer title point reward for the quest Open Season in the Realm of Torment to 100.
 * Increased the Lightbringer title point reward for the quest The Apostate in the Realm of Torment to 75.
 * Increased the Lightbringer title point reward for the quest They Only Come Out at Night in the Realm of Torment to 75.
 * Increased the Lightbringer title point reward for the quest Uncharted Territory in the Realm of Torment to 100.
 * Added 800 Lightbringer title points and 800 gold to the reward for the quest Deathbringer Company in The Domain of Anguish.
 * Added 2000 Lightbringer title points and 2000 gold to the reward for the quest Mallyx the Unyielding in The Domain of Anguish.
 * Added 500 Lightbringer title points and 500 gold to the reward for the quest The City of Torc’qua in The Domain of Anguish.
 * Added 500 Lightbringer title points and 500 gold to the reward for the quest The Foundry of Failed Creations in The Domain of Anguish.
 * Added 800 Lightbringer title points and 800 gold to the reward for the quest Foundry Breakout in The Domain of Anguish.
 * Added 800 Lightbringer title points and 800 gold to the reward for the quest The Rifts Between Us in The Domain of Anguish.
 * Added 500 Lightbringer title points and 500 gold to the reward for the quest To the Rescue! in The Domain of Anguish.
 * Added 500 Lightbringer title points and 500 gold to the reward for the quest Breaching the Stygian Veil in The Domain of Anguish.
 * Added 800 Lightbringer title points and 500 gold to the reward for the quest Brood Wars in The Domain of Anguish.
 * Sunspear and Lightbringer title points will automatically be added to your title if you have already completed any of the quests or missions listed except the Domain of Anguish quests. You will only get title points for the Domain of Anguish quests if you have beaten Mallyx since the addition of the Hall of Monuments to Guild Wars.

A large number of quests now give title point rewards or had existing rewards pumped up a bit. This and the new mission and Storybook rewards will increase the natural progression of the Sunspear and Lightbringer titles as players go through the game and complete quests. This should reduce the amount of intentional farming needed to max out the titles. The Domain of Anguish quests were only giving out experience even though the level of difficulty justified a greater reward. We added Lightbringer points and gold to the rewards to better reflect the time, skill, and coordination needed to complete them. We are able to credit title points to players for most of the quests completed prior to the new reward system. However, because of the nature of the Domain of Anguish quests being repeatable with some even resetting every time you enter the zone, retroactively crediting your Lightbringer title with these quest rewards will only be done if you have killed Mallyx since we began tracking him for the Hall of Monuments statue. If you are eligible for this your Lightbringer title will be credited with the rewards of all nine quests combined, regardless of how many times you have repeated any of them.

Vanquishing

 * Added Vanguard title point rewards for Vanquishing zones in The Charr Homelands. Point amount is equal to 5 times the number of monsters killed.
 * Added Norn title point rewards for Vanquishing zones in The Far Shiverpeaks. Point amount is equal to 5 times the number of monsters killed.
 * Added Asura title point rewards for Vanquishing zones in The Tarnished Coast. Point amount is equal to 5 times the number of monsters killed.

Dungeons

 * Increased the repeatable Dwarven, Vanguard, Norn, and Asuran title point rewards for completing a dungeon to half of the first time reward.

Previously, the repeatable reward for doing a dungeon was only one-tenth the first time reward, which made repeating this content very tedious and time consuming for the purposes of progressing a title. Increasing the repeatable reward makes doing dungeons a much more attractive prospect.

Bounties

 * The Boss Bounty effect now gives a bonus for each Boss killed within the time period.

Compared to the Hunt Rampage buff, Boss Bounties were a little underpowered so we changed it to give a bonus for every boss killed within the time limit.

Challenge Mission

 * Added a Dwarven title point reward for getting the Daily, Monthly, or Quarterly best in Glint’s Challenge. Getting the Daily best gives +1500 points, the Monthly best gives +3000 points, and the Quarterly gives +6000 points.
 * Increased the amount of Dwarven title points given for completing wave 2 in Glint’s Challenge to 50.
 * Increased the amount of Dwarven title points given for completing wave 3 in Glint’s Challenge to 75.
 * Increased the amount of Dwarven title points given for completing wave 4 in Glint’s Challenge to 100.
 * Increased the amount of Dwarven title points given for completing wave 5 in Glint’s Challenge to 125.
 * Increased the amount of Dwarven title points given for completing wave 6 in Glint’s Challenge to 150.

To be consistent with the other Challenge Missions, we have added a Dwarven point bonus for getting the Daily, Monthly, or Quarterly bests. We also scaled up the point rewards for surviving each wave so that players are rewarded more the closer they are to completing the mission.

Charr Battle Plans Missions

 * Increased the Vanguard title point rewards for completing a Charr Battle Plans mission to 1000.

Charr Battle Plans have a fairly low drop rate, so the reward for when you complete one of the missions should better reflect their rarity as well as the challenge of completing the mission.

Quests

 * Increased the Vanguard title point reward for the quest The Assassin’s Revenge in the Charr Homelands to 150.
 * Increased the Dwarven title point reward for the quest Attack on Jalis’s Camp in The Far Shiverpeaks to 200.
 * Increased the Dwarven title point reward for the quest In the Service of Revenge in The Far Shiverpeaks to 300.
 * Increased the Dwarven title point reward for the quest Krak’s Cavalry in The Far Shiverpeaks to 200.
 * Increased the Dwarven title point reward for the quest The Destroyer Challenge in The Far Shiverpeaks to 150.
 * Increased the Dwarven title point reward for the quest Destructive Research in The Far Shiverpeaks to 150.
 * Title points will automatically be added to your title tracks if you completed any of these quests prior to the increased rewards.

For the most part, the quest rewards in Eye of the North are well distributed between the titles. The main exception is the Dwarven title track, so these quests have had their point rewards increased to even things up a bit.

Wisdom/Treasure Hunter Titles

 * The Wisdom and Treasure Hunter titles are now account-based. To credit previously accumulated points to the new account total, you must log in to each characters that has points. Once these points have been credited to the total, the transfer is permanent even if the character is later deleted. All points received after today will go to the account total.

Both the Wisdom and Treasure Hunter title tracks encouraged players to stunt their playing habits to progress in these titles. It was to their advantage to only use one character to open chests or identify items, meaning they had to pass all their rare items to that character and not open any chests run into on other characters. This behavior is not something we want to encourage so we have made these titles account-based. In order for accumulated points on different characters to count towards your total, you will need to log into each of those characters at least once. When you log in to a character, the points will be added to the account title.

Unlucky Title

 * Unlucky points given each time you break a lockpick now increase as your chance to retain a lockpick upon use goes up.

Players who like to farm Unlucky points by using characters with low levels of Treasure Hunter to ensure a great chance of breaking a lockpick will no longer be able to do this now that the title is account-based. To compensate, we revised the amount of Unlucky points given to your title to increase based on your overall lockpick retention rate.

Storybooks
Storybooks have been added to all three campaigns. Storybooks are a way of recording your progress and earning rewards for playing through missions.
 * If you are holding a Storybook in your inventory when completing one of the missions in that story, it will record your progress by filling in the corresponding page.
 * Once you have filled in half the pages of a Storybook you can take it to an NPC who collects copies of that particular book in exchange for rewards such as gold, experience, and title points. The more complete your storybook is, the better the reward you will get.
 * Most storybooks have both Normal Mode and Hard Mode versions. Rewards are better for turning in a Hard Mode version.
 * You can fill out and turn in as many copies of a book as you like but some NPCs will stop accepting Normal Mode books when you reach a certain title rank.
 * If you forget to bring a book with you on a mission, the corresponding NPC can fill in the missed page for you for a small fee. Missions don't have to be done in chronological order for you to get credit.

Guild Wars

 * "The Flameseeker Prophecies" picks up your story in Lion's Arch and stays with you all the way to the Ring of Fire Island Chain. There are Normal and Hard Mode versions of this book.
 * You can get a copy of this book from Gordon Ecker [Tyrian Loremaster] in Lion's Arch.
 * Gordon Ecker [Tyrian Loremaster] rewards gold and experience for copies of "The Flameseeker Prophecies."

Guild Wars Factions

 * "Shiro's Return" picks up your story in Kaineng Center and stays with you all the way to the Imperial Palace. There are Normal and Hard Mode versions of this book.
 * This book is available from Anja [Luxon Bard] or Gorani [Kurzick Poet] in Kaineng Center.
 * Anja [Luxon Bard] gives Luxon title points, gold, and experience for copies of "Shiro's Return."
 * Gorani [Kurzick Poet] gives Kurzick title points, gold, and experience for copies of "Shiro's Return."

Guild Wars Nightfall

 * "Night Falls" picks up your story in Consulate Docks and stays with you all the way into Torment. There are Normal and Hard Mode versions of this book.
 * This book is available from Captain Ahkenchu [Sunspear Signalman] in the Sunspear Greathall or Source of Whispers [Lightbringer Scrivener] in the Chantry of Secrets.
 * Captain Ahkenchu [Sunspear Signalman] gives Sunspear title points, gold, and experience for copies of "Night Falls." Captain Ahkenchu will accept only Hard Mode books once you have reached rank 8 in the Sunspear title track.
 * Source of Whispers [Lightbringer Scrivener] gives Lightbringer title points, gold, and experience for copies of "Night Falls." Source of Whispers will accept only Hard Mode books once you have reached rank 5 in the Lightbringer title track.

All Campaigns
For players who own all three campaigns, there is an additional book available.
 * "Young Heroes of Tyria" tells three stories. First is the story of a young Ascalonian hero fighting a Charr invasion and eventually fleeing with Prince Rurik over the Shiverpeaks to Lion's Arch. Then there is the story of a young Canthan hero under the tutelage of Master Togo at the Shing Jea Monastery as together they discover a plague spreading throughout the land and travel to Kaineng Center in search of answers. Lastly, there is a young hero from Elona training to become a member of the elite military order, the Sunspears, while a storm begins to brew with Spearmarshal Kormir and Warmarshal Varesh of Kourna at the center. There is only a Hard Mode version of this book.
 * “Young Heroes of Tyria” is given out and collected by all Storybook NPCs located in the original Guild Wars, Factions, and Nightfall campaigns.

Consumables

 * Armor of Salvation now gives a 50% immunity to critical hits.
 * Arctic Summoning Stones can now be crafted by Eyja [Consumables] in Gunnar’s Hold.
 * Chitinous Summoning Stones can now be crafted by Edwin [Consumables] in Eye of the North.
 * Gelatinous Summoning Stones can now be crafted by Alcus Nailbiter [Consumables] in the Central Transfer Chamber.
 * Fossilized Summoning Stones can now be crafted by Kwat [Consumables] in Rata Sum.
 * Aiiane [Consumables] has arrived in the Urgoz’s Warren outpost and crafts Amber Summoning Stones.
 * Alaris [Consumables] has arrived in The Deep outpost and crafts Jadeite Summoning Stones.

Both Essence of Celerity and Armor of Salvation were a little too strong. We have reigned in their bonuses to balance them in relation to the other available consumables.

Favor of the Gods

 * The Sunspear and Lightbringer titles no longer count towards achieving The Favor of the Gods.
 * The Wisdom and Treasure Hunter titles will temporarily not count towards The Favor of the Gods until after players have been switched to the account-based versions of these title tracks.
 * Achieving the max rank of Party Animal and God Walking Amongst Mere Mortals will now contribute to gaining The Favor of the Gods.

We removed the connection of Favor of the Gods to the Sunspear and Lightbringer titles to make them more consistent with the Eye of the North reputation titles and give us the ability to have special events dedicated to progressing the titles. To compensate for this lost connection, Party Animal and God Walking Amongst Mere Mortals now contribute to earning the Favor of the Gods.

We have also temporarily suspended the Wisdom and Treasure Hunter titles from counting towards The Favor of the Gods until after players have been switched to the new account-wide versions of these titles. This prevents the favor system from counting titles that have already been maximized by players prior to this update.

Miscellaneous

 * Xunlai Tournament Agents now offer prizes for the August tournament. These agents can be found in the Great Temple of Balthazar, Lion's Arch, Kaineng Center, and Kamadan.
 * Tolkano [Tournament] has arrived in the following Alliance Battle outposts: Kaanai Canyon, Etnaran Keys, Saltspray Beach, Grenz Frontier, and The Ancestral Lands.
 * The standard skill description for Scorpion Wire now states Shadow Step instead of Teleport.
 * The standard skill description for Return now states Shadow Step instead of Teleport.
 * Adjusted the skill description for Heart of Shadow to better reflect the skill's range.
 * The skill description for for Mantra of Concentration has been updated to reflect that it triggers on any interrupt.
 * Adjusted skill description for Power Block to clarify functionality.
 * The monster skills Snaring Web and Corsair's Net are now hexes.
 * Players who have lost their copy of Zho's Journal can speak with Zho [Interrupt Henchman] in Gunnar's Hold to get a new copy.
 * Aidan [Archer Henchman] now has Practiced Stance at level 20 in Nightfall.
 * Odurra [Illusion Henchman] now has Visions of Regret at level 20 in Nightfall.
 * Gehraz [Holy Henchman] now has Reaper's Sweep at level 20 in Nightfall.