Blood and Madness, a Halloween-themed content update for Guild Wars 2, goes live today Tuesday, 15th October. This seasonal release is the second of three planned for players this month and includes fresh takes on some of the popular content that made last year’s Halloween updates so successful. It also continues ArenaNet’s pattern of delivering new content every two weeks, a pace unmatched by Western competitors.
In Blood and Madness, with Halloween fast approaching, Magister Tassi of the scholarly order Durmand Priory has detected some unusual energy readings that indicate another force is rising from the Underworld. This time, it’s Bloody Prince Edrick, son of Mad King Thorn, the insane tyrant who ruled Kryta centuries ago and now haunts Tyria as the powerful spirit of Halloween. Frightful new events and challenges await players as they confront the Bloody Prince and his growing, evil influence.
Blood and Madness also includes several new features and rewards.
New Events
· Mad Realm Doors: Players can trick-or-treat at haunted doors across Kryta. Beware: Knocking isn’t without risk.
· Mad King’s Labyrinth: Bloody Prince Edrick has taken over parts of the Mad King’s Labyrinth and is controlling the undead armies in the Mad King’s Realm. The Skeletal Lich, Grand High Viscount of Candy Corn, and the Labyrinthine Horror lie in wait.
· Mad King’s Clock Tower: Tyria’s most maddening jumping puzzle thrilled players during last year’s Halloween event and returns better than ever. Only the most skillful will navigate the insanity of the Mad King’s Clock Tower to reach the top in time.
· Lunatic Inquisition: Players can put their PvP skills to the test in the Mad King’s Labyrinth. Play as a villager trying to survive the night or a lunatic courtier intent on destruction. Survival tools and hidden secrets are waiting to be discovered.
New Features
· Combat Quality of Life Fixes: Improvements to combat include new ground targeting options, better targeting, and a new, optional way to display condition damage numbers.
· Trait and Skill Tooltips: Updates to the tooltip system for traits and skills mean traits will now display numbers, and skill tooltips will show how skills are affected by equipped traits.
· Balance Updates: Existing skills and traits have received a balance pass with a focus on improving support builds in all parts of the game for all professions.
New Rewards
· Sweet Rewards: Players completing the Blood and Madness meta achievement will receive a Mini Candy Corn Elemental, while following the storyline can earn players a Candy Corn node for their home instance.
· Candy Cornucopia: Players can trade Candy Corn for new Halloween items like a Mini Bloody Prince, a 20-slot Halloween Pail and special crafting items needed for Halloween weapons.
· Mask of the Night: Players can earn a Mask of the Night by proving their abilities to obey the maniacal monarch in rounds of Mad King Says.
