Guild Wars: Every 20th Anniversary Update Feature, Explained

Summary

Access to new 'Of The' weapon mods for various professions, adding up to 5 attribute points to another profession's primary attribute.
Introduction of challenging end-game Hard Mode quests with ultra-rare minipet rewards.
Exclusive limited-edition weapons now dropping worldwide in various regions around Tyria.

After twenty years running, the legendary MMORPG Guild Wars is hosting a special anniversary celebration event that, similar to its 15th, includes a sizable content update for players to enjoy. While some new features will last as long as the Anniversary Festival (until May 6), other additions, including some of the most exciting, will be permanent.

As Guild Wars has not had a significant content update since "Guild Wars Beyond," the 20th anniversary patch is mainly aimed at those loyal fans who kept playing for all these years. That means new reasons to attack end-game content, a chance at once-impossible-to-find drops, and a potential shakeup of the build meta.

New "Of The" Weapon Mods (Permanent Addition)

Blowing Buildcraft Possibilities Wide Open

Special, rare drops with the "of the [Profession]" modifiers can now be found throughout the game
These mods can be found on any mainhand weapon and grant its user 1-5 points in a profession's main attribute

The juiciest addition to Guild Wars this anniversary, at least from a gameplay perspective, has got to be its new skill suffix items, which enable players to access the primary attributes of other professions (from one to five levels). For example, a paragon with an "of the Assassin" spear will gain up to five points in Critical Strikes, which will not only increase their damage but grant access to the Assassin's otherwise-exclusive Critical Strike skills.

This unprecedented attribute modifier blows open the buildcraft potential for the game without compromising the unique identity of each of the professions, and makes finding weapons with the weapon mod attached an exciting idea, and another incentive for loot farming, and thankfully, these mods will drop throughout the year. Finally, weapon skins with these mods attached will generate streak effects with each swing, arrow sling, or spell.

End-Game Hard Mode Quests & Minitures (Permanent Addition)

Big News For Minipet And Endgame Content Enjoyers

New daily endgame, Hard Mode quests focusing on the most challenging content in the game, are available from Embark Bay
The rewards for these quests include ultra-rare (in the hundreds) and highly-prized minipets

By speaking with Merrise in Embark Bay, the go-to hub for daily reward missions and activities, players can access special endgame, Hard Mode quests that explore some of the most challenging content from across Guild Wars' history. Prestige item enjoyers and dedicated collectors or completionists will be excited to hear that the rewards for these skill-testing quests include ultra-rare minipets.

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Previously, these minipets numbered in the hundreds across the whole game. Some minipets, including the Miniature Kanaxi and the Miniature Panda, would sell for sky-high rates, even for an MMO. To help preserve their prices, the new editions of these rare minis will not be tradable between players, but they can be dedicated at the Hall of Monuments. These quests and their rewards are available year-round.

Previously-Limited-Edition Weapons Dropping Worldwide (Permanent Addition)

Opening Up An Exclusive Armory

Weapon skins from exclusive promotions or region-locked events will now drop throughout the game
Most weapons will drop anywhere in the world, while some are campaign-specific

Due to numerous pre-order bonuses, special tie-in promotions, limited PVP tournament rewards, and region-locked events, Guild Wars had some exceptionally rare in-game items that a minuscule minority of players had their hands on. With the anniversary patch, these weapons (such as the previously Korean-exclusive Ominous Aegis and the Taiwanese preorder offhand, Wolf's Greed) have been added to loot tables across Tyria.

Some can be found anywhere in the game, but others will only drop in campaign-specific areas. For example, the Dragon Fangs daggers will only drop for players in Cantha, and the Soulbreaker scythe will only drop in Elona. Because of their elusively low drop rate, those who love to grind and farm will be able to hunt for them all year round.

Anniversary Festival Events (Until May 6)

Well-Worth Attending For Special Weapons, Skills, And Loot

The Anniversary Festival is the only way to purchase special anniversary weapons
The Proof of Triumph item required to capture powerful PvE skills in endgame content can be traded only during the festival

The regular events from the Anniversary Festival, which occurs every year from April 22 to May 6, make a return, including Rollerbeetle Racing and the Dragon Arena, available from the major cities. Special tokens called "Proof of Legend" drop for completing one mission per region of the world (for example, Ascalon, Kryta, the Jade Sea), which can be exchanged for a Proof of Triumph (causing bosses with special PvE-only skills to spawn) and GW's profession-bending Anniversary Weapons.

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There are other reasons why players might want to drop by Embark Beach before May 6. The Pilgrimage to the Hall of Heroes is a nostalgic and profitable way to get back into PvP. Players with Ranger as their primary or secondary profession can unlock the House of Balthazar by speaking to Ceira, Sworn to Fire.

New Decade Weapon Set (Until May 6)

Flash New Skins For Every Profession

Flashy new weapon skins for each profession are available
As well as dealing bonus damage or deciding spell cast time, their bonuses double during the Anniversary Festival

The Decade Weapon skins, introduced in 2015, are flashy martial, magical, and ranged items that could be purchased from the Ancient Anniversary Weaponsmith in Embark Beach for five Proofs of Legend. The 20th Anniversary Update introduced a new set. Each new weapon can be bought for the same number of tokens.

Besides looking chic, these weapons do 20% more damage or have a 20% chance to halve casting time for melee and caster weapons, respectively. Each of the new decade skins comes with the "of the" suffix modifiers introduced in the 20th Anniversary Update. Like the original set, these are only available for the duration of the festival (or a week after, until May 13).