On June 27th, Guild Wars 2 revealed its fourth expansion: Secrets of the Obscure. Just a little over a year after the release of End of Dragons in 2022, Guild Wars 2 is ready for its next expansion. In this article, you will find everything you need to know, including the release date, the new features, and useful links to get you started.
- What is Secrets of the Obscure?
- Secrets of the Obscure Trailer
- Release Schedule
- When is the Release Date of Guild Wars 2: Secrets of the Obscure?
- Combat Features and Expanded Weapon Proficiency
- New ways to acquire the Skyscale
- New Masteries and dailies
- New Fractals of the Mists, Strike Missions, and Challenge Modes
What is Secrets of the Obscure?
The Secrets of the Obscure expansion takes Guild Wars 2 players to the skies of Tyria. There, players will explore sky settlements and uncover the secrets of the sky. Upon the initial release, players will have access to two new maps to explore.
One of the new maps included in the expansion is the mysterious Wizard’s Tower, which has been a part of the original Guild Wars since 2005. However, it has never been accessible until now. In Secrets of the Obscure, the Wizard’s Tower will be directly accessible at launch.
Since the conclusion of the Elder Dragon saga in End of Dragons, the future direction of Guild Wars 2’s story remained uncertain. There was no clear indication of a common enemy or imminent threat. However, in Secrets of the Obscure, players will join a group called the Astral Ward to combat the invading Kryptis in Tyria. One of the locations where players will confront the Kryptis is a new map called Amnytas. However, the Kryptis are not limited to the new expansion maps alone. They will also pose a threat in existing areas.
Secrets of the Obscure Trailer
On June 27, 2023, Guild Wars 2 released a one-minute Announcement Trailer for the new Expansion. The trailer provides a glimpse of the upcoming features and dangers that will be further explored in this article.
Release Schedule
What’s different about this fourth expansion is that it will be built upon through several releases. The first release includes a new story with its own conclusion, as well as several new masteries and maps. Every quarter, subsequent releases will continue where the initial story concluded, further advancing the expansion’s story. These upcoming releases will also introduce new gameplay elements.
When is the Release Date of Guild Wars 2: Secrets of the Obscure?
The release date of Guild Wars 2: Secrets of the Obscure is confirmed for August 22, 2023. As for the subsequent releases, data and information are not yet available at this time.
CountdownCombat Features and Expanded Weapon Proficiency
Secrets of the Obscure does not introduce new Elite Specializations. This makes it the first Guild Wars 2 expansion without any new elite specializations. Nonetheless, there are some intriguing changes planned for the existing professions and Elite Specializations.
Weaponmaster Training for your Profession
In this expansion, every profession can now wield any weapon without requiring the corresponding Elite Specialization to be equipped. For instance, let’s consider a Guardian who wants to use an Axe in their main hand. Previously, this was only possible if they had the Firebrand Elite Specialization activated. However, now they can use the Axe with any Elite Specialization, such as the Willbender or Firebrand, or even without any Elite Specialization, just as the core Guardian!
Expanded Weapon Proficiency
In this new Guild Wars 2 expansion, professions will also have access to new weapons. This grants players an array of new skills to create new builds with. Usually, this feature was only introduced when the game introduced new Elite Specializations. Here is a list of the new weapons that can be used across different professions.
| Profession | New Weapon |
|---|---|
| Guardian | Pistol (main and off hand) |
| Revenant | Scepter (main hand) |
| Warrior | Staff |
| Engineer | Short bow |
| Ranger | Mace (main and off hand) |
| Thief | Axe (main hand) |
| Elementalist | Pistol (main hand) |
| Mesmer | Rifle |
| Necromancer | Sword (main and off hand) |
This functionality will become available with the second major update of this expansion.
The addition of new weapons, along with the ability to use weapons across Elite Specializations, provides players with an enormous pool of skills to create diverse builds. These changes are bound to significantly alter the way players have approached and will approach Guild Wars 2 in the future.
New ways to acquire the Skyscale
If you don’t have the Path of Fire Expansion and are interested in acquiring the Skyscale mount, the new expansion offers a collection specifically designed for players who have not yet obtained the Skyscale. This collection can be completed without the need for the Path of Fire Expansion and rewards players with the Skyscale mount upon completion.
The Skyscale mount is highly regarded for its flexibility and maneuverability in the air. It offers advantages over other mounts such as the Raptor, Springer, and Griffon. If you haven’t obtained the Skyscale yet, be sure to prioritize completing this collection!
In the new expansion, the Skyscale mount offers a new mastery track that unlocks additional abilities specifically for the Skyscale. By progressing through this mastery track, players can acquire new and powerful skills to utilize while riding the Skyscale.
If you wish to acquire the other mounts in Guild Wars 2 you will need to play the Path of Fire expansion. For a detailed guide on how to obtain your first mount in Guild Wars 2, I recommend checking out the “How to get your first mount in Guild Wars 2” guide. It will provide you with step-by-step instructions and helpful tips on acquiring your initial mount in the game.
New Masteries and dailies
The new Guild Wars 2 expansion introduces three new accessible masteries at launch. These are accompanied by an additional fourth mastery that is scheduled for release either in 2023 or 2024. Here is an overview of the confirmed masteries currently available:
- Advanced Flight Mastery (Skyscale)
- Astral Ward
- Heart of the Obscure Mastery
- Unconfirmed fourth Mastery
In addition to the masteries, the new expansion features a daily reward system called the Wizard’s Vault. By completing specific tasks associated with the Wizard’s Vault, players earn Astral Acclaim, an account-wide currency. This currency can be used to obtain various rewards, including both new items and cosmetic items from the gem store.
The rewards available in the Wizard’s Vault will be periodically updated on a quarterly basis, providing players with fresh options to strive for. However, there will also be some rewards that remain consistent and do not change over time.
New Fractals of the Mists, Strike Missions, and Challenge Modes
As usual, new expansions and content updates bring along new Fractals of the Mists, Strike missions, and challenges to the pool of endgame content.
As of right now, two new Strike Missions, Cosmic Observatory and Temple of Febe, are confirmed. For Fractals of the Mists, one Fractal with a Challenge Mode has been confirmed.
