Winds of Change

Winds of Change is a Guild Wars Beyond storyline telling the events in Cantha seven years after the end of the Factions storyline. Winds of Change takes place in three phases: the first phase was released on July 7, 2011; the second on September 29, 2011; the final phase was released on February 9, 2012.

[edit] Getting started

To begin the story, speak with the Ministry of Purity's Initiate Zei Ri, who can be found on the lower level of Kaineng Center. (See also: the walkthrough.)

Foe changes: As soon as you complete the first quest, spawns of some areas in Cantha will change to fit the new story:

These updated areas are more challenging than their Factions counterparts.
These new spawns will be present even if other characters in the party have not completed Factions yet.
To restore the default spawns, take Memories of Purity from the Herald of Purity in Kaineng Center (requires completion of Cleansing Morostav Trail).

For details, see: Changes to explorable areas

[edit] Lore background

[edit] Setting

“

The defeat of Shiro Tagachi ended the plague that had afflicted Cantha. However, it took adventurers and members of the imperial guard a few grueling years to track down all of the Afflicted and the remnants of the Shiro'ken army that the Betrayer had unleashed in his final attempt to destroy the empire.
Over the past few years, life has begun to spring up in Echovald Forest as many areas have seen new growth take hold. Some even claim to have seen a change in the Jade Sea—small pools of water forming or even waves moving beneath the frozen surface—but these reports are unsubstantiated rumors at best.
Life has returned to normal for most Canthan residents. Kaineng still struggles under the burdens of bureaucracy, overpopulation, and crime, while the Kurzicks and Luxons remain locked in a never-ending battle over scant resources. Shing Jea Island remains an oasis of pristine valleys and beautiful vistas. Monks come to the island regularly for scholarly pursuits, while the general populace descends in droves for every festival held within the safe confines of Shing Jea Monastery.
Commerce returned to a brisk pace once the Affliction ended, and since then, many Canthans have sought to re-establish old trade routes to Elona and Kryta as well as locate new opportunities farther north. However, recent reports of earthquakes and giant cracks opening in the middle of urban Cantha have some believing this time of relative peace and prosperity has now come to an end.

— The Guild Wars Eye of the North Manuscript

[edit] See also

For the Future of Cantha!

[edit] Winds of Change content

Winds of Change content is available only to characters who have completed the Factions campaign. In order to do Rescue at Minister Cho's Estate and Cleansing Zen Daijun, foreign characters must also complete the Minister Cho's Estate and Zen Daijun missions, respectively.

[edit] Enemies

Various enemies received new skill bars for Winds of Change, along with the addition of new foes. These foes do not appear outside of quests until the explorable area is altered through completion of certain quests. These foes include:

All explorable-areas

Quests and mini-missions only

[edit] Quests

Main article: Winds of Change walkthrough

Winds of Change's main story follows a chain of seventeen quests (and their hard mode equivalents), which is begun by Initiate Zei Ri. This quest chain has quests given by Initiate Tsuriai in Seitung Harbor and Xan Hei in Xaquang Skyway.

The second part main story quest chain is started by Herald of Purity. This quest chain has quests given by Guardsman Qao Lin in Kaineng Center, Miku in Shenzun Tunnels and Soar Honorclaw in Kinya Province.

The third, and final part main story quest chain is started by Miku. This quest chain has quests given by Guardsman Qao Lin.

Lei Jeng has a separate chain of six secondary quests, which become available after completing various main storyline quests.

[edit] Changes to explorable areas

After completing the first quest (Cleansing Bukdek Byway), all of the areas listed below will change to include new foes, suitable to the new story. As you work your way through Winds of Change, each of those areas will see further changes (e.g. after purging the Afflicted from the zone, you will see other types of foes when you return).

After completion of the quest A Chance Encounter, the Winds of Change Am Fah and Jade Brotherhood are replaced by Ministry of Purity members.

Warning: This key section of the article is incomplete. You can help the Guild Wars Wiki by expanding it.

Explorable area	WoC quest	Prior to quest completion	After quest completion
Bukdek Byway	Cleansing Bukdek Byway	WoC-builds for Afflicted, Am Fah, and Jade Brotherhood.	Afflicted replaced with WoC-build Am Fah.
Shadow's Passage	Cleansing Shadow's Passage		Afflicted replaced with WoC-build Jade Brotherhood.
Shenzun Tunnels	Cleansing Shenzun Tunnels		Afflicted replaced by WoC-build Am Fah.
The Undercity	Cleansing the Undercity		Afflicted replaced by WoC-build Am Fah.
Sunjiang District	Cleansing the Sunjiang District		Afflicted bosses replaced with WoC-build Am Fah.
Pongmei Valley	Cleansing Pongmei Valley		Am Fah with WoC-builds in the area near Sunjiang District.
Minister Cho's Estate	Rescue at Minister Cho's Estate	Afflicted with WoC-builds.	Afflicted replaced with Scavengers; over twice as many foes as before.
Haiju Lagoon	Cleansing Haiju Lagoon		Afflicted replaced with Scavengers.
Zen Daijun	Cleansing Zen Daijun		Afflicted replaced with Scavengers.
Rhea's Crater	Cleansing Rhea's Crater		Afflicted replaced with regular Outcasts.
Silent Surf	Cleansing the Silent Surf		Afflicted replaced by empty space, with exception of mob near Assassin's Construct.
Morostav Trail	Cleansing Morostav Trail		Afflicted replaced by Blood Drinkers and Fungal Wallows.

[edit] Encounters

Main article: Winds of Change encounters

As the storyline progresses, new encounters will be viewable throughout Cantha.

[edit] Items

Ministerial Commendations, can be redeemed for Weapons of Purity, Imperial Guard Requisition Orders and some Consumables
Imperial Guard Requisition Orders, can be traded for Imperial Weapons, Imperial Guard Lockboxes and some Consumables
Imperial Dragon's Tears, can be traded to Azume for Imperial Dragon Weapons
Unique item drops and Ministerial Commendations from Ministry of Purity foes

[edit] Wallpapers

[edit] Notes

There are no special titles tied to Winds of Change.
Players are able to acquire three new sets of weapons: uncommon Weapons of Purity, rare Imperial weapons, and unique Imperial Dragon weapons. There are currently no plans to allow players to add any of these to the Hall of Monuments (due to resource constraints on the Guild Wars development team).
Completing any of the the seven quests permanently alters the foes one will encounter in the related explorable areas (see above).
- You can temporarily revert back the spawns to their default version by taking the "flashback" quest, Memories of Purity, available from the Herald of Purity in Kaineng City (after completion of the first seven normal mode quests).
- Players are able to capture the same elite skills in each of the areas from new bosses in the same zones (they generally appear in the same location as the original boss with the relevant skill).

Bug.Even if your party includes characters who have yet to start Winds of Change, the explorable areas do not return to their pre-WoC status. This has been confirmed by Zack Nickerson.

[edit] Cumulative rewards

Net rewards	Normal mode	Hard mode	Totals
Experience	105,000	225,000	330,000
Gold	38	79	117
Imperial Commendations	9	9	18
Ministerial Commendations	18	36	54
Imperial Guard Requisition Orders	15	30	45
Kurzick & Luxon faction (each)	1,000	2,000	3,000
Zaishen Coins	1	2	1 2
Gems	1 1 1 1	2 1 3 2	3 2 4 3
Lockpicks	8	4	12
Imperial Dragon's Tears	1	2	3
Heroes	Miku	Zei Ri
Optional quests
Experience	12,500	30,000	42,500
Gold	9	12	21
Imperial Commendations	6	9	15
Imperial Guard Requisition Orders	0	3	3