Heart of Thorns is interesting in that the developers will not be raising the games level cap, which is currently level 80. To be entirely honest, there are no other MMOs I'm aware of that have not raised the level cap with a major expansion. In fact, I'm relatively certain that it's simply common practice to raise the level cap by 10 as you go along. ArenaNet's reason for this is not wanting to get stuck on the "gear treadmill" but instead take the time to focus on endgame content, as well as endgame character progression, which they plan to achieve with the new Masteries and Specializations systems.
The Masteries system will allow players to gain Mastery points through multiple means, from finishing parts of the story to completing areas of the map, this system will help make various aspects of the game easier. Some will change how you explore the world, helping you gain that 100% area completion, others will help you with tasks such as crafting. As for Specializations, you now have the opportunity to essentially learn a second profession, which is an exciting opportunity in my opinion. Guild Wars 2 already has a lot of variety with it's weapons, skills, and attacks, and the chance to learn more on your character is quite a big change.
Finally, Heart of Thorns will be adding a new profession, as well as a new map for the World versus World mode. The new profession, the Revenant, will be able to harness the powers of the Mist, though little more is known about it at this time. As for the new map, it will likely be an exciting new challenge for those looking to prove themselves on the leaderboards and participate in jolly co-operation.
So, are any of you here Guild Wars players? Are you excited for the expansion? If you haven't purchased the game before, is this something that would catch your eye? Let us know below.
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