Hard mode
From Guild Wars Wiki
Hard mode was introduced to the Prophecies, Factions, and Nightfall campaigns in the April 19th, 2007 update. It was also introduced to Guild Wars Eye of the North as of the October 12th, 2007 update. Those players who have completed a campaign can play it again in Hard mode for the ultimate challenge, finding new treasures, and earning new titles and rewards along the way.
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[edit] Differences from normal mode
Hard mode and normal mode have different AI. Normal mode AI presents a moderate challenge, while hard mode AI presents a more difficult challenge.
Monsters in hard mode use the best AI available in game, including but not limited to:
- Monsters in hard mode respond more quickly to AoE damage.
- Monsters in hard mode will be more likely to fight for longer periods of time.
- Melee monsters in hard mode avoid focusing their attacks on one target.
Other differences include:
- 33-50% faster activation time, movement, and attack speed as well as raised levels.
- Expanded skill sets; normal enemies get an elite skill (note: to prevent easier skill capture, bosses don't)
- If your party is wiped out while every member is at 60% death penalty, resurrection shrines will not work. Instead, you and your party will return to the last outpost visited.
[edit] Playing in hard mode
[edit] Accessing
In order to gain access to a campaign or expansion's Hard mode, you must successfully complete the final mission for that campaign or expansion in Normal mode. Once you complete a campaign or expansion with any character on your account, every level 20 character on that same account will have access to Hard mode for that campaign or expansion. (Hell's Precipice for Prophecies, Imperial Sanctum for Factions, Abaddon's Gate for Nightfall, and A Time for Heroes for Eye of the North)
All Hard mode content is intended for level 20 characters. All monsters are at least level 20, and all henchmen who are below level 20 are automatically promoted to level 20 when taken into Hard mode. Additionally, all mission critical NPCs have been adjusted to help them survive the increased difficulty of their respective missions.
Once you have completed the requirements to enter Hard mode, you will see two new buttons at the top of your Party Formation panel. These new buttons will allow you to select whether you would like to play in Normal mode or in Hard mode.
[edit] Grouping
You can choose to party with other players who are eligible for Hard mode. However, if a player who is not eligible for Hard mode joins your group, your party will receive the following message:
- Hard mode has been disabled. (player name) does not meet the requirements for Hard mode.
The ineligible player will need to leave your group before you can re-enable Hard mode.
Players using the Party Search panel to seek out other Hard mode players will have a [Hard Mode] tag in the description field by their name.
[edit] Buffs
While in Hard mode, a buff that grants a +50% experience boost will automatically be placed on your character and any members of your party. Additionally, you can once again receive Sunspear and Lightbringer bounties from Nightfall NPCs and Asuran, Norn, Deldrimor, and Ebon Vanguard bounties from Eye of the North NPCs. These modified buffs will now not only grant points for regular monsters you defeat, but will give you an additional bonus for defeating bosses that correlate to the bounties you have obtained.
[edit] Mission adjustments
As of the release of Hard mode, certain elite missions may be extremely difficult to complete in Hard mode. The difficulty of these missions will be examined, and necessary changes will be made at a later date.
The mission completion times for the purposes of Standard, Expert's, and Master's rewards have been increased in several timed missions in the game.
[edit] Rewards
The average number of uncommon and rare items has been increased in Hard mode. Additionally, the number of gemstones that are received from chests after defeating each region of the Domain of Anguish has been doubled. The chests at the end of dungeons and elite missions also yield twice as much loot as they do in normal mode.
Skill tomes drop from monsters in hard mode and can be used to unlock skills for a PvE character if the skill is unlocked for the account.
Lockpicks drop from monsters in hard mode and Eye of the North normal mode. They are the only way to open chests in hard mode.
Passage Scrolls can be used to gain access to the Underworld or the Fissure of Woe without paying the standard entry fee (1 
). They must however be used in the normal entry outposts. These scrolls can be used regardless of the current Favor of the Gods status. Note that the only passage scrolls dropped in Hard Mode are the Underworld and Fissure of Woe scrolls. The Factions Elite Mission scrolls are unrelated and obtained through NPCs.
[edit] Mission rewards
The experience and skill point rewards were adjusted to give an added reward for completing cooperative missions in Hard mode. Additionally, gold can now be earned for successfully completing Prophecies missions. The following is a list of the new rewards that can be earned in Hard mode.
- Prophecies
- Mission completion: 500 gold + 2,000 xp + 1 skill point.
- Bonus completion: 500 gold + 2,000 xp + 1 skill point.
- Factions
- Standard reward: 200 gold + 1,000 xp + 1 skill point.
- Expert's reward: 300 gold + 2,000 xp + 1 skill point.
- Master's reward: 500 gold + 3,000 xp + 1 skill point.
- Nightfall
- Standard reward: 200 gold + 1,000 xp + 1 skill point.
- Expert's reward: 300 gold + 2,000 xp + 1 skill point.
- Master's reward: 500 gold + 3,000 xp + 1 skill point.
[edit] Titles
Two title tracks are available for PvE characters in Hard mode.
- Vanquisher for defeating all of the monsters in most of a campaign's explorable areas.
- Legendary Vanquisher for vanquishing all three campaigns.
- Guardian for completing all of the missions in a campaign.
- Legendary Guardian for attaining the Guardian title in all three campaigns.
[edit] Advanced Sunspear and Lightbringer titles
Since you can obtain Sunspear and Lightbringer bounties from Hard mode NPCs even after the Normal mode NPCs will no longer give you the buffs, you now have the ability to gain the maximum ranks in these two titles.
[edit] Advanced Asuran, Norn, Deldrimor, and Ebon Vanguard titles
Since you can obtain Asuran, Norn, Deldrimor, and Ebon Vanguard bounties from Hard mode NPCs even after the Normal mode NPCs will no longer give you the buffs, you now have the ability to gain the maximum ranks in these four titles.
[edit] NPC levels
NPC levels in hard mode generally conform to the pattern below, however there are a number of exceptions.
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[edit] See also
- Guide to hard mode
- Hard mode update notes (19th April 2007)
- The official Guild Wars Hard Mode Fact Sheet
- A post from Gaile with more details about access.
- Dev Update on hard mode and both Sunspear and Lightbringer titles (20th March 2007)
