In Guild Wars 2, the fastest method to acquire gold involves a sophisticated system of leveling a twink to level 10 to earn a valuable key.
MMOs are becoming increasingly complex. The mechanics being introduced are more refined. And the methods to trick and exploit them are keeping pace with the developers’ efforts. In Guild Wars 2, a YouTube video now showcases a whole arsenal of tricks, tips, and know-how to earn gold as quickly as possible.
Key Farming in Guild Wars 2
Interestingly: The action does not require a high-level, well-equipped hero but rather a newly created character.
The goal: The “key” to the success of this method in Guild Wars 2 is that there is a special key for fresh characters who complete their first personal story quests, which can unlock valuable loot boxes (which are mostly available in the cash shop). These keys can be sent to the main character since they are “account bound,” providing significant benefits. When you break down this method to the last penny, it is still very attractive, even after the September nerf, but also completely “counter-intuitive.”
The catch: To obtain this key, the new character must complete the first package of quests in their “personal story,” which now can only be done from level 10 since the September patch.
The solution: The YouTuber WoodenPotatoes has now demonstrated various tricks and tips in a 25-minute video to quickly rush a fresh character through the story and obtain this key. It resembles assembly line work.
Among the tricks is to create a warrior, as they are the strongest. Then, you can skip the first 10 levels with scrolls and rewards, but that is a limited resource. Alternatively, you can explore all cities or simply craft to level 10 using the cooking system (in GW2, crafting also gives experience).
The video describes countless nuances about which event items a level 1 player can use to deal significant damage, which gems to socket for their “key farm equipment,” and which gimmicks save crucial time of 30 seconds and so on. It is an impressive video that covers every single aspect and trick.
Is exploiting twinks a new trend?
If you watch the video about GW2, you might think that the developers are slowly engaging in an arms race with the players. The developers introduce innovative methods to broaden the game and deviate from the linear path. In conventional game design, it is actually inconceivable that a “low-level” character can send something of value to a higher-level one.
However, this seems to be establishing itself as a trend. Also during the rush in ArcheAge, it was initially common for low-level characters to be rushed through the story quickly to gather Gilda Stars, which could then be used to purchase building plans or send a scarecrow.
In Destiny, power gamers create twinks of the same class to increase their chances of loot.
And even back then in World of Warcraft, some of the methods described here were visible: Many veterans cared diligently for their level 19 twink, not to benefit the main character but because there were “loopholes” that made them vastly superior to equally leveled players in PvP.
Two-Class Society in MMOs
My MMO thinks: As much as these tricks may excite the “fans” because they require thinking outside the box and give true pros advantages over “casual” players, these methods also appear problematic and complicated, resembling exploits to some extent. MMOs thereby foster a sort of two-class society: players who know and exploit these tricks; and players who play the game “the way the developers want.” A challenging field for MMO designers.
What do you think? Are these flaws in the design of the games or do such methods make the appeal of MMOs for you?
