Guide to Legendary Cartographer

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Cartographer Guide[edit]

Comparison with a 100% map[edit]

The most efficient way to know if you're missing several pieces for your title is to compare your map with the map of a player having already reached 100%.

Use of an image processing software[edit]

See also: Player-made Modifications/Cartography Index for highly recommended community-made Cartography Made Easy texmod
Example of using image processing software to highlight the gaps

One method of discovering unexplored locations is to take screenshots of your world map and compare it to one of the fully-explored maps on the wiki.

You can also download software that makes it easier to compare two images, e.g. Photoshop, Paint Shop Pro, or GIMP.

  1. Change your graphics options to maximum resolution and disable post-processing effects.
  2. Open up the world map (default shortcut "M") and take a screenshot (Shift+PrtScrn, to hide map markers) in either zoomed-in or zoomed-out mode.
  3. Open a 100% explored map with your image editing software, then insert your screenshot as a layer on top of the image.
  4. Set the layer to "difference" to emphasize differences between the two maps. All the explored areas will go dark, and unexplored areas (the differences) will become much brighter.

Remember to align and scale images as needed. You can also change the layer setting from "normal" to "difference" to "hidden" to determine if the bright areas are indeed unexplored areas, or if they are simply due to passing clouds.

Use of a texture-modifier software[edit]

ArenaNet does not support any third party tools, but many players use "Cartography Made Easy", a plug-in for TexMod that makes it easier to see which areas remain fogged. This drastically reduces the amount of time spent pursuing the title, since it makes it possible to uncover the map while vanquishing, during a mission, or while otherwise performing other in-game tasks. See Player-made Modifications for details.

Locations to explore[edit]

Exclamation Point - Red Emblem.svg The following locations do not count towards any of the cartographer titles:
  1. All dungeons and most underground areas and outposts : The Dragon's Lair and The Dragon's Lair (outpost); Sorrow's Furnace; The Undercity; the Dragon's Throat and the Dragon's Throat (outpost); The Deep and The Deep (outpost); Urgoz Warren and Urgoz's Warren (outpost); Secure the Refuge, Sunspear Sanctuary and Command Post; Moddok Crevice and Bahdok Caverns; Dasha Vestibule, Dasha Vestibule (outpost) and the Hidden City of Ahdashim.
  2. Outposts and areas in The Mists : the Realm of Torment, the Underworld, the Fissure of Woe, areas that can be reached through Heroes' Ascent or Tomb of the Primeval Kings.
  3. Dajkah Inlet (challenge)
  4. Ascalon (pre-Searing).
  5. The Battle Isles and all PvP arenas that are not reached from a nearby outpost : Random Arenas, Alliance Battles
  6. All outposts and areas across Eye Of The North (those contribute to the Master of the North title instead)

Where to find "Leeway"[edit]

Normally inaccessible areas[edit]

See also: Portal jump, SaO chain, Gate Glitch

Some places can be reached even though they were not designed to be visited or become inaccessible as the character progresses through the storyline. None of these areas are required for the title, but any fog exposed while exploring them will count towards its progression.

Tyria[edit]

Beginning of the false cliff in Talus Chute.
  • Talus Chute: along the eastern side edge of the zone (north of the Ice Caves of Sorrow), players can walk up the side of the mountain then traverse the ridge along the northeastern edge of the zone.
  • The Great Northern Wall: after the timer starts, run into the Charr camp (north of the wall) to reach the edge of the map and during the way back to the wall explore a bit to the west. Because of the timer, running skills are advised but you may have to do the mission several times until you map everything.
  • Sanctum Cay: Watching the end cutscene will uncover some fog, adding an additional 0,2% toward the title.
  • Regent Valley: during April Fools' Day, two otherwise unreachable spots to the southeast and southwest can be exposed during Annihilator.

Cantha[edit]

Eredon Terrace bonus area.
Mapped by watching the mission cinematic replayed by Guardsman Chow.
Where to stand: Linnok Courtyard bonus area.

Elona[edit]

  • Churrhir Fields: using a gate glitch, you'll be able to explore the tutorial area, Island of Shehkah, adding up to 0.5% toward the title especially for non-Elonian characters.
  • Dzagonur Bastion: ignore all the groups and run for the portal in the south, towards what would be Resplendent Makuun. You can run through the gate and reach the end of the world, adding up to 0.1–0.2% leeway towards the title. There are foes in the way and time is limited. This area can also be mapped using SaO chain.
  • Marga Coast: the portal to Sunspear Sanctuary is bugged — it allows heroes to walk through it without bouncing (as they do elsewhere). Send a hero through the portal and Shadow step to them (Recall is ideal for this). If having trouble, use the U mini-map to flag the hero to the far side of the hill (left of the portal). You can reach the end of the world and add up to 0.1–0.2% leeway.
  • Floodplain of Mahnkelon: use a SaO chain to gain access to Moddok Crevice outpost and the beginning of Bahdok Caverns. Exploring the outpost this way will count toward the title and can add up to 0.3%.
  • Vehjin Mines: use a SaO chain to gain access to the tunnel leading to Jennur's Horde outpost. This can add up to 0.1% towards the title.
  • Vehjin Mines <-> Holdings of Chokhin: use SaO chains to gain access to each entrance of the tunnel in between the two areas. These two chains can add up to 0.4% toward the title.
  • Arkjok Ward: a SaO chain can get you behind the portal to Marga Coast, uncovering up to 0.1%.
  • Cliffs of Dohjok: the area between CoD and Beknur Harbor can be reached by using 2 SaO chains (one for the West and another for the East side, can't be done in one run), uncovering another 0.1%.
  • Kodonur Crossroads: watching the intro cutscene (exact conditions still unknown, might be random, moving using keyboard may also be required) will uncover a small 0.1% right above Camp Hojanu.
  • Pogahn Passage: watching the end cutscene (as above). This will uncover 0.2% around the southeast of the mission.
  • Pogahn Passage or Gandara, the Moon Fortress: using a gate glitch, one can explore behind the closed gate at the far west of the map and uncover another ~0.2%. If exploring during the Pogahn Passage mission, there will be no enemies to fight on the route to the gate.

Eye of the North[edit]

Note: any of the areas requiring a special quest can still be reached with SaO chains if the relevant quests are unavailable.

Mob-free exploration[edit]

Areas that can be explored without any foe[edit]

Areas that can be mapped with very few foes[edit]

  • Gyala Hatchery: Most of the explorable area can be mapped during the mission if the player avoid triggering the turtles. However, two small areas to the east and west will still be closed unless using a gate glitch.
  • Eternal Grove: Most of the explorable area can be mapped during the mission if going quickly enough or leaving at least one luxon (for example a ranger) of the last wave alive. However, some areas will not be reachable unless doing a gate glitch.
  • Nahpui Quarter: The area accessible during the mission can be mapped from the explorable area. Rest of the map is filled with foes.
  • Tahnakai Temple: Same as above
  • Issnur Isles: during Assault on Beknur Harbor, ignoring the skale waves and running through the gate into the otherwise empty area. The portal to Kodlonu Hamlet causes the party to return to Beknur Harbor.

Exact area details[edit]

External links[edit]

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