ArenaNet's Guild Wars 2 is the fastest-selling MMO in history and though sales have begun declining since its launch, they want to keep the updates coming. They just delivered the climactic end to season one of the Living World storyline, and are now focusing on game mechanics improvements with the Feature Pack update, due out April 15.
This update will provide a "sweeping range of new systems and feature enhancements" for Guild Wars 2, though they haven't given us the full details on what will be added yet. The Feature Pack information ArenaNet chose to announce first relates to traits, including a streamlining of the trait process and a slew of new abilities. The rest of Feature Pack changes will be announced over time through their blog as its launch approaches.
As for what we do know so far, you will no longer need to seek out a profession trainer to purchase a training manual when you reach adept, master, and grandmaster levels to gain access to those traits. Traits have also been pushed back to make them more approachable later in the game, and will be unlocked at level 30, 60 and 80 respectively instead of starting at level 20.
Traits will also be refundable through a game-wide button (instead of just in PvP mode) entirely for free at any time. Major traits will need to be unlocked with a trait guide (awarded for quests and dungeons and for sale at profession trainers) once the update is active, but you won't need to do this for traits you already have.
The update will also include 40 new grandmaster traits, some of which they have announced already:
- Elementalist: Aquatic Benevolence - increases all healing to allies by 25 per cent but doesn't affect character healing.
- Engineer: Fortified Turrets - when engineers with a Fortified Turret equipped spawn a new turret, that turret will get a four-second defensive bubble that reflects projectiles. Works with all turrets.
- Guardian: Force of Will - 300 extra vitality when slotted
- Mesmer: Power Block - changes recharge of interrupted skills from five seconds to 10
- Necromancer: Unholy Sanctuary - slowly heal yourself in Death Shroud
- Ranger: Read the Wind - longbow arrows fire at twice their base velocity
- Thief: Invigorating Precision - five per cent damage from critical strikes returned as healing
- Warrior: Dual Wield Agility - 10 per cent attack speed increase when wielding off-hand axe, mace or sword
Source: Eurogamer
