Tyrian Chronicle: Prepare for the Mad King of Halloween .

Hey guys, is there anything happening in Guild Wars 2 this week?

I kid, I kid. Of course by this point all players know that the first expansion, Heart of Thorns, launches at midnight PST on Friday, October 23. Players will have new zones to visit, big bosses to kill, and mastery builds to try out, but amidst all of the launch hype ArenaNet also chose to start this year’s Halloween event on the same day. It’s a content overload!

While the lands of Tyria celebrate a number of “real life” holidays, the annual Halloween events have always been a player favorite that’s loaded with fun stuff to do and collect. This year marks the return of the Shadow of the Mad King, a festival last seen in 2012. Players can enjoy special events, new holiday skins, puzzles and games, and the return of a certain popular holiday dungeon.

The Shadow of the Mad King lasts two weeks, so while you’re exploring the new Heart of Thorns content don’t forget to check out these events and features!

Meet Oswald Thorn, the Mad King

Prince Oswald Thorn started out life as a mere prankster, but his pranks rapidly turned deadly once he started scheming to usurp his older brother and take the throne for himself. Oswald’s reign was short and deadly, marked by a series of beheadings, kidnappings, and maimings. While Oswald’s mortal life was ended by an angry mob, who buried him in boxes scattered across Tyria, the deceased king continues to gather power and influence in the Underworld.

Nowadays, Mad King Oswald appears once a year around what we know as Halloween where he regales players in Lion’s Arch with pranks, games, and jokes. Players will specifically encounter the Mad King in two different ways: as a dungeon boss, and by playing his “Your Mad King Says…” game.

The game is a level 1 event that takes place in the Grand Piazza. To win, players must listen to the King’s commands and complete the requested action (such as “beckon” or “sleep”) in the allotted time. Players who successfully complete all 18 actions during a game will receive experience and karma, as well as 10 Trick-or-Treat Bags. The first time a character successfully completes the game, they’ll also receive a Mask of the Night Skin, which is a fantastic baroque eye mask.

Meanwhile, players can get their revenge on the Mad King in the Ascent to Madness dungeon. While the final boss of the dungeon does hit a little harder this year than he did in 2012, he’s designed to be killable by a properly geared solo player (but more fun with friends). The exact specifics of the Mad King’s loot for this year aren’t yet known, but in 2012 his drops included a 10 Slot Trick-or-Treat Bag, a random item from the Gem Store, and some unique Halloween-themed armor.

 

Jumping and Running

Also returning this year is The Mad King’s Clocktower, a jumping puzzle that is terrifying in more ways than one. Players must leap through the broken remains of a clocktower, and any missteps will send them hurtling into the void.

The Clocktower is considered to be one of the more difficult jumping puzzles challenges in Guild Wars 2, although it was made much easier once players appeared as wisps and not as their character models. (Try spotting your next jumping spot with a giant Charr in your way!)

Players who have trouble completing the puzzle might appreciate these tips that Reddit user NotAnonymousAtAll posted in the Guild Wars 2 subreddit:

• Ignore the chests.
• Use a steeper camera angle to better see where you really are.
• Set the mouse sensitivity higher than usual so you don’t run out of table space always turning in the same direction. Resetting the mouse takes time.
• Optimize your path. Just because you got to a certain point does not mean it cannot be done easier or faster. Observe other players to find alternative routes that are either faster or have easier jumps. Up to the drop you need to be fast.
• After the drop, actively try to take your time. There is no need to rush from that point on, so take a deep breath and focus before making a tricky jump.

Players who complete the Clocktower puzzle the first time will get the Mad King Chest (once per account per season), which gives the player their choice from a selection of rare crafting recipes and Exotic-level gear.

If you get frustrated with the Clocktower puzzle perhaps you could cool down in the Mad King’s Labyrinth, another returning feature. Join players in a deadly maze that is continually filled with ghoulish beasties. Mine candy corn, collect treasure, and with a large enough group perhaps take on the Labyrinthine Horror! If you have any characters that are under level 80, or want to grind for your new Heart of Thorns mastery track, find the Labyrinth zerg and enjoy the easy experience points.

 

Looking Spooky

Halloween in the real world is all about dressing up, and the same goes for Tyria! This year’s event offers a number of different skins and outfits, both new and old.
ArenaNet’s festival teaser screenshots show pumpkin hammers, mummy backpacks, and spidery scepters. Mini collectors will definitely want to earn the new Gargoyle Dog, and fans of cute things won’t be able to resist the pumpkinhead moa mini.

While we don’t know yet exactly how players can earn these new minis and armor pieces, some will undoubtedly appear on the Gem Store while others will probably be random drops in Trick-or-Treat Bags. ArenaNet’s event teaser page suggests that players “collect tattered bat wings to start the process of building a wonderful bat-themed shoulder piece”, and Candy Corn vendors will appear in Lion’s Arch with all kinds of ghastly goods for sale.

There is no shortage of content for Guild Wars 2 players to enjoy this weekend, but make sure you include The Shadow of the Mad King and its many fun events to your post-expansion to-do list!