Guild Wars 2 is set to gain a patch that will focus solely on adding and enhancing the MMO's features, ArenaNet has revealed in a
new blog post.
Arriving on April 15th, the new update is being referred to as the "April 2014 Feature Pack", and will be the first patch to not add anything in terms of story, instead focusing on quality of life enhancements. Of course, it will also be setting the stage for the future of the Living World story content.
ArenaNet will be revealing the full list of featured gradually, but the first is an overhaul of the current trait system. Set to add 40 new traits to the game, the April patch will also introduce a simplified UI and fresh horizontal progression opportunities for players.
One of the main changes to come out of the new trait system is the addition of grandmaster traits, and the fact you'll need to unlock major traits via the new trait guide items. These will be found by completing specific PvE content, like dungeons, bosses and personal story, though some can also be bought from profession trainers. Each class will also be getting a new grandmaster trait in a bid to offer more varied build possibilities.
Other changes include the fact you'll no longer need to visit a profession trainer to buy a training manual, instead allowing you to hit adept, master and grandmaster by reach levels 30, 60 and 80 respectively. These will be made available for free upon reaching the required level.
Trait points are also set to be condensed, with each new point now the equivalent of five of the old points. Points will be accrued from level 30 onwards at one every six levels, until you hit level 66 when you'll get two at a time. The hope is this makes spending traits easier for newcomers to understand. Finally, the team has also made refunding traits doable by the click of a button and it'll now be free.
Full details on the new trait overhaul can be found
over here, and you can follow the unveil yourself by hitting up the
official splash page.