Game updates:August 2007

August 2007 updates

• Friday 31^st of August (talk)
• Thursday 30^th of August (talk)
• Wednesday 29^th of August (talk)
• Monday 27^th of August (talk)
• Friday 24^th of August (talk)
• Thursday 23^rd of August (talk)
• Thursday 16^th of August (talk)
• Tuesday 14^th of August (talk)
• Monday 13^th of August (talk)
• Friday 10^th of August (talk)
• Thursday 9^th of August (talk)
• Friday 3^rd of August (talk)
• Thursday 2^nd of August (talk)

Update 2 - Friday, August 31, 2007

Skill Changes

• Rebel Yell: armor bonus is now received when taking damage from Charr instead of fire.
• Seed of Life: reduced Energy cost to 5; reduced casting time to .25 seconds.

Miscellaneous

• Corrected sizing restrictions on the Party panel.
• Expanding or collapsing the Allies or Pets sections of your Party panel now causes the panel to resize.
• Changed the casting time of the creature skill “Monkey See, Monkey Do” from 2 seconds to 0.25 seconds.
• Changed the casting time of the creature skill “Berserk” from 3 seconds to .25 seconds.

Guild Wars Wiki notes

• Players must re-accept the EULA.
• This update appears to have fixed a number of clipping issues with shields on female monks.

Update - Friday, August 31, 2007

The Far Shiverpeaks Await!

Guild Wars: Eye of the North is now available for purchase at retail stores, at PlayNC.com, and through the Guild Wars in-game store. Players who purchase Guild Wars: Eye of the North may now bring existing level 20 PvE (roleplaying) characters to the expansion’s four new regions to acquire new skills, armor, and weapons, to recruit new Heroes, and to explore numerous multi-level dungeons!

• Guild Wars: Eye of the North is compatible with each of the three campaigns in the Guild Wars franchise (Guild Wars, Guild Wars Factions, and Guild Wars Nightfall).
• To access the expansion’s content, players must complete an introductory quest. After completion of this quest, characters may travel quickly and easily using the World Map.
  • Characters from the original Guild Wars campaign wishing to travel to the Far Shiverpeaks for the first time should seek out Len Caldoron in Lion's Arch and accept the “What Lies Beneath” quest.
  • Factions characters wishing to travel to the Far Shiverpeaks for the first time should seek out Minister of Maintenance Raiugyon in Kaineng Center and accept the “I Feel the Earth Move Under Cantha's Feet” quest.
  • Nightfall characters wishing to travel to the Far Shiverpeaks for the first time should seek out Bendah in Kamadan and accept the “Hole of Istan” quest.

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 can recruit ten new Eye of the North Heroes by completing certain quests and adventures throughout the expansion.
• You can only bring three Heroes into your party at any given time. Since you and a friend can each bring three Heroes into a group, two players can now complete any challenge created for up to eight players.
• After recruiting a Hero, you can use the “Add a Hero” interface in the Party Formation panel to invite the Hero into your party whenever you’re standing in a town or outpost. You can also add a Hero through the Hero tab in the Party Search panel (press P on your keyboard).
• 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 events, and the other will be an “imposter,” who will use a generic name for the duration of the sequence.
• 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. You can also use it to order the Hero to focus his attention on a specific target, to cast a certain skill, or to not use specific skills unless directed to do so by you.
• Whenever you control at least one 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 numbered button that corresponds to the desired Hero, then click anywhere in the Compass or in the world where you would like the Hero to walk. To remove a Hero’s orders, you can either double click that Hero’s numbered button or click the “Cancel” button on the Compass.
• Whenever you recruit a Hero while playing through the expansion, 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 the Far Shiverpeaks, 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 Asura, Deldrimor, Ebon Vanguard, or Norn titles.
• Hero Armor NPCs, located in the town of Gunnar's Hold and the outpost of the Central Transfer Chamber, can craft upgraded armor for your Heroes in return for certain items that you can acquire inside the Elite Dungeon (Slaver's Exile) and the Challenge Mission (Glint's Challenge).

Asura, Deldrimor, Ebon Vanguard, and Norn Titles

Players can now earn ranks in the new Asura, Deldrimor, Ebon Vanguard, and Norn title tracks by completing quests, participating in bounty hunts, competing in three brand new mini-games, and performing a variety of other activities. Attaining higher ranks in these titles gives players the following benefits:

• Rank 3: Access to a special item crafter. Each group has a single item crafter who provides unique and powerful items. You must spend a Skill Point to have these items crafted for you.
• Rank 4: Access to an exclusive weapon crafter. Each group has a single weapon crafter who provides unique weapons, such as the Raven Scythe and the Charrslayer Axe.
• Rank 5: Access to an exclusive armor crafter. Each group has a single armor crafter who provides single unique armor pieces, such as the Dread Mask or the Magma Gauntlets [sic].
• All ranks: The 50 PvE-only skills and passive bonuses provided by these groups become more powerful with each title rank.

Hall of Monuments

Players who travel to the Eye of the North now have access to a personalized Hall of Monuments that will contain the following five special monuments used to commemorate character accomplishments earned across all Guild Wars campaigns:

• Honor – The Monument to Honor displays a character’s title-related accomplishments and major PvE achievements, such as completing a campaign or elite mission. Character-based titles must be maximum rank to be displayed. The restrictions for account-based titles vary by title.
• Resilience – The Monument to Resilience displays all Ascended armor sets acquired by a character. To display a new armor set, the character must have the coat, leggings, gloves, and boots for that set.
• Valor – The Monument to Valor displays all Eye of the North end-game weapons acquired by a character. Displaying a weapon customizes it so that only that specific character may use that weapon.
• Devotion – The Monument to Devotion can display any miniatures collected by a character. Displaying a miniature customizes it so that only that specific character may use that miniature.
• Fellowship – The Monument to Fellowship displays a character’s Heroes and animal companions. In order to register a Hero on this monument, that Hero must have at least one armor upgrade. In order to register an animal companion, the animal companion must be level 20.

Initially, all Hall of Monuments will have open access to the Monument of Honor. Players can then choose to upgrade their Hall of Monuments by obtaining special Monumental Tapestries from major quests. These tapestries can be used in the main hall to unlock access to each of the remaining four monuments.

The Hall of Monuments is character based rather than account based. This allows players to store accomplishments for each individual level 20 PvE character on their account. Titles that are account based will be applied to the Hall of Monuments of each character on an account.

Update 2 - Thursday, August 30, 2007

Bug Fixes

• Fixed a bug that made it appear as though some characters were invisible.

Miscellaneous

• Made additional preparations for the release of Guild Wars: Eye of the North.

Update - Thursday, August 30, 2007

Playbalance Changes

As is expected with any unfinished content shown in a preview, many aspects of playbalance within Guild Wars: Eye of the North have been adjusted since the Eye of the North Sneak Peek event. For existing live content, only the two following skill changes have been made:

Monk

• Seed of Life: reduced duration to 1..5 seconds; increased recharge time to 25 seconds.

Paragon

• "There's Nothing to Fear!": increased the recharge time to 20 seconds.

Bug Fixes

• Fixed a bug that caused Health Bars to stick out over the edge of the Party panel when it was sized too small.

Guild Wars In-Game Store Updates

• Once a Guild Wars account is linked to a PlayNC master account, it uses the currency of the country registered at the time the PlayNC master account is created. If the Guild Wars account is not linked to a PlayNC account, it will use the current IP to determine the currency type displayed.

Update - Wednesday, August 29, 2007

Bug Fixes

• Fixed a bug that prevented some parties that had received a "bye" in the first round of a tournament from not always receiving their Tournament Reward Points.
• Fixed a compatibility problem with Eye of the North and some graphics chipsets, including Intel 915/945.

Miscellaneous

• Healing Spring now plays an effect in the area in which it is active.
• To prevent players from unintentionally breaking items, Perfect Salvage Kits can no longer be used to salvage materials.

Guild Wars Wiki notes

• Players had to re-accept the EULA.
• Fixed issues with the evolution of GW:EN pets.
• Some GW:EN skills got changed, e.g. Feral Aggression to 15 energy.
• This update re-added the map markers to the Guild Wars Eye of the North map points.
• This update changed Eye of the North from a town to an outpost.
• Introduced a glitch with female Mesmer Primeval Armor. Detailed Here.
• A graphical bug with the male mesmer reward crown has been fixed in this update.
• This update has also introduced another graphical bug - ritualist become invisible and it is possible that you may start in the first canthan tutorial quest upon login. [[1]]
• Added the description "Fragile. (Cannot be dropped or traded.)" to the Nesting Material item (and changed them so as to adhere to that description).
• Several female Shining Blade NPCs now have audio dialogue when you speak to them.

Update 2 - Monday, August 27, 2007

Bug Fixes

• Fixed a bug that prevented players from removing GW:EN heroes from their parties after the end of the Sneak Peek weekend.

Guild Wars Wiki notes

• An earlier update also caused Wrathful Storms in the Domain of Fear to appear as humans with the Demon Mask like in the Dragon Festival instead of their normal design.

Update - Monday, August 27, 2007

• Ended the Guild Wars: Eye of the North Sneak Peek preview event.

Guild Wars Wiki notes

• Removed all the Eye of the North map points from the map.
• Fixed an unintended bug that let players who already added the final GW:EN key to their account play in the preview territories.

Update 3 - Friday, August 24, 2007

• Fixed a bug that prevented players from purchasing the Guild Wars: Eye of the North Pre-release Bonus Pack in the in-game store.

Update 2 - Friday, August 24, 2007

• Fixed a bug that prevented players from using the hard mode feature

Update - Friday, August 24, 2007

• Made preparations for the Guild Wars: Eye of the North preview weekend.

Update 2 - Thursday, August 23, 2007

Bug Fixes

• Fixed a bug that reduced players' ranks in the Gladiator title. Affected players will receive Balthazar faction points equal to the amount their faction cap was reduced while the bug was in effect.

Miscellaneous

• Characters may now only equip up to 3 PvE-only skills at a time.

Guild Wars Wiki notes

• The Hard Mode option was removed. This was unintentional.

Update - Thursday, August 23, 2007

Territory and District UI Changes

• Travel between European and American districts is now available through the District List and the map travel dialog panel.
• The Change Territory button has been removed from the Edit Account panel in the Character Selection Screen.
• The District List and the map travel district menu have been updated to include a "More Options" button. Selecting this button opens a new dialog panel for travel to districts divided by territory and language.
• This panel also allows you to choose which numbered district to travel to, instead of automatically taking you to the active district.
• Players will now log in to the territory and language of the last outpost they visited.

Bug Fixes

• Fixed a bug in the Nightfall quest "Into the Fire" that prevented players from collecting their reward occasionally.
• Fixed bugs in the North Kryta Province and Tasca's Demise that prevented players from Vanquishing them occasionally.
• Fixed a god statue in Fahranur, the First City that was mistakenly summoning Lyssa’s Muse instead of the Champion of Balthazar.
• Fixed a graphical error with the Hourglass Staff preorder item.

Miscellaneous

• Added new ranks to the Kind of a Big Deal title track.
• Re-enabled the reconnect after disconnect feature.
• The Text Language drop-down list found in the Options [F11] panel now displays all language entries in both your current language choice as well as each entry's language.
• The Party panel can once again be resized vertically. It still re-sizes automatically whenever members are added or removed.
• To avoid players accidentally expanding or collapsing groups listed within the Party panel, players must now click on the [+] button to expand or collapse these groups.

Guild Wars Wiki notes

• This update required users to accept a new version of the EULA. These are the changes from the previous version.
• This update scaled the Gladiator title ranks up (first rank at 500), but did not convert existing player gladiator points. This was fixed in the second update
• The Lightbringer title rank 6 now is appropriately named "Vanquishing Lightbringer" (instead of "Conquering Commander"), and rank 5 has been renamed to Conquering Lightbringer. This does not affect German language selection.
• A slot was added to crafting material storage for Onyx Gemstones
• As of this update you cannot have more than 3 PvE-only skills on your skillbar. This is noted in the second update.
• When zoning with more than one elite skill on the player's skillbar the rightmost skill is retained instead of the leftmost.
• This update introduced erratic trade chat filtering.
• Underground zones (as well as other off-map zones, such as those in the Realm of Torment) are now shown on the world map in a popup window when in the zone. The "U" key toggles this popup on and off, as does the Mission Map button on the world map.
• This update added Moa Nests to the southeastern corner of Regent Valley and a Volcanic Rock to Perdition Rock.
• In Alliance Battles, the gates (of Ancestral Lands) now break every time when a player uses the Lever of it instead of opening for a few seconds - they also repair when a player uses a lever of a broken one regardles if the player is wielding a repair kit or not.
• In this update or one of the subsequent updates over the weekend, the tooltips for title skills were altered to show progression ranges from 0...(max rank) instead of 0...(80% of max rank).

Update - Thursday, August 16, 2007

Skill Updates

Assassin

• Dark Apostasy: reduced casting time to .25 seconds.
• Fox Fangs: reduced activation time to .5 seconds.
• Golden Fox Strike: reduced recharge time to 4 seconds.
• Iron Palm: reduced Energy cost to 5.
• Jagged Strike: increased Bleed duration to 5..20 seconds.
• Jungle Strike: reduced activation time to .5 seconds.
• Locust's Fury: reduced recharge time to 10 seconds.
• Palm Strike: reduced Energy cost to 5.
• Unsuspecting Strike: reduced recharge time to 2 seconds.
• Way of Perfection: increased duration to 60 seconds; decreased casting time to .25 seconds.
• Way of the Empty Palm: reduced recharge time to 10 seconds.
• Wild Strike: this Skill is now unblockable

Ritualist

• Ancestors' Rage: decreased casting time to .25 seconds; removed Exhaustion; functionality changed to: "For 1 second, nothing happens. When this Enchantment ends, all foes adjacent to target ally are struck for 30..130 lightning damage."
• Anguish: reverted skill to its original behavior.
• Defiant Was Xinrae: reverted skill to its original behavior.
• Disenchantment: reverted skill to its original behavior.
• Dissonance: reverted skill to its original behavior.
• Spirit Burn: functionality changed to: "Target foe is struck for 5..50 lightning damage. If any Spirits are within earshot, Spirit Burn causes Burning for 1..3 second(s)."
• Wanderlust: reverted skill to its original behavior.
• Wielder's Strike: increased recharge time to 6 seconds; decreased unconditional damage to 5..50; decreased conditional damage to 10..40; removed exhaustion.
• Xinrae's Weapon: reverted skill to its original behavior.

Victory or Death Changes

• Increased the total time between GvG matches in Automated Tournaments to 35 minutes. Games use a tie-breaker if not complete within 28 minutes, with an extra minute on either end for map loading or internet delays (total 30 minutes), and 5 minutes between each round to allow teams more time to organize.

Miscellaneous

• Made additional adjustments to the Luxon Warriors in Fort Aspenwood to prevent them from fleeing homeward when the siege turtle is killed.
• Fixed a bug that occasionally cut off lengthy trade and party-search-related messages in the Chat panel.
• Added additional trade and grouping keywords to the list of words that trigger Party Search.
• Changed the layout of the Forgotten Shrines and Fetid River Heroes' Ascent maps.
• Added a message to alert players when someone in their district has achieved a maximum title that counts toward earning Favor of the Gods.

Bug Fixes

• Fixed a bug that prevented Water Tormentors and Sanity Tormentors in the Domain of Anguish from having weapons when created by the Call to the Torment skill.
• Changed Abaddon's AI for "Words of Madness" so it does not allow entirely avoiding him while achieving Masters level completion of the mission at the same time.

Update - Tuesday, August 14, 2007

• Fixed a bug in the encounter with Mallyx the Unyielding that caused his Summoning Shadows skill to ignore its recharge time.
• The damage of Mallyx the Unyielding's Shadow Smash skill has been reduced to 150.

Update - Monday, August 13, 2007

This was an undocumented update

GuildWarsWiki Notes

• This update temporarily disabled the reconnect feature in the game to prevent further exploitation of a trade bug that allowed players to duplicate items using reconnection.

Update - Friday, August 10, 2007

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.

Update 2 - Thursday, August 09, 2007

Bug Fixes

• Fixed a bug that caused the Guild Lord to take extra damage.

Update - Thursday, August 09, 2007

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.

Update - Friday, August 03, 2007

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.
• The Burial Mounds map has been added back in to the Heroes' Ascent map rotation to accommodate the large number of teams playing during the Heroes' Ascent Bonus Weekend.

Guild Wars Wiki notes

• The Gladiator Title Track had its description reverted to as it was before the August 2nd update.

Update - Thursday, August 02, 2007

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.

Guild Wars Wiki Notes

• The Gladiator Title Track said that you gain 1 point per win in Random and Team arenas and 5 bonus points for each 5 win streak. This was merely a text change, and was fixed in the August 3rd update.
• Party Search text now appears at the end instead of the front like before.
• You can no longer place preorder items in storage, not even with the item swap trick that worked before.