Guild Wars Mini-Interview #11
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Q: Given that at level 20 a character reaches ascension ( the maximum level ), in which ways will the character be able to improve furthermore ?
A: First of all, there are some story-related elements related to ascension and to character development after ascension that I won't go into because we really want you to discover them for yourself. But there certainly are several things that you can continue to strive for after ascension.
Guild Wars characters who have reached ascension will definitely be able to improve. One area of character growth will be in the attainment of a greater inventory of cool items. I happen to think that cool items are great, and I do enjoy going on missions and entering combat in our Hunting Grounds simply to see what I can find in the way of items. Even if they are not strictly more powerful, I enjoy adding items to my inventory that have art that particularly appeals to me or that round out a set or type. My quest for every possible bow in the game continues!
Another area for continued character growth is, of course, skills. With all the skill points and skill gems that I have acquired, I still really only have a relatively small number of Monk skills on my Ranger/Monk and Elementalist/Monk. I'm planning to grow the Monk list by acquiring many other Monk skills, so naturally this is another improvement that I can make to my characters. One group of skills that intrigues me about the Monk - and something that I need to explore - is the (Smiting Skills) set. I need to check those out.
As you reach ascension and as you continue acquiring skills, you will be able to invest in a broader range of strategies. If your Elementalist is basically a spellcaster who uses water magic at the present time, with the acquisition of more skills she could become a triple threat with Water, Fire and Air skills. A Mesmer can learn to practice all kinds of denial magic, a Necromancer may find ways to manipulate death magic in numerous different ways. Now you probably cannot play all variants of a profession at a single time, but you can certainly vary your gameplay according to the mission, according to the makeup of your team, according to your opponents, and even according to the way you feel like playing on any particular day.
Lastly, the continued draw of character development is improved tournament play. Backed by the items, the skills and the varied strategies that you acquire through character growth, players will be able to develop as better tournament players, and many feel that the ultimate attainment of an ascended character will be excellence in tournament play. Continued character exploration and improvement can lead to a crown as Guild Wars World Champion.
