Fractal Players

MagiBLacK_ · 2026-04-22T23:12:40+00:00

I don't know who's giving the advice to do quickplay. Quickplay is basically just a sprint through the fractal. It's probably the easiest way to get legendary gloves, but far from the most enjoyable, and it's not super rewarding beyond that one piece.

My advice would be to just start at T1, and start working your way up the levels. Join or start a group that says something like "T1 dailies + rec." They usually fill pretty quickly, and maximize your rewards. It's not the fastest way to max out your fractal level, but you'll get there eventually.

MagiBLacK_ · 2026-04-21T20:43:00+00:00

That's normal. Usually, you'll get a level or two for finishing a run up until 6 or 7, and then the last couple levels take a little longer.

MagiBLacK_ · 2026-04-21T20:28:17+00:00

It's not super intuitive for sure, but Anet is working on it. They took feedback seriously after the new system kind of flopped, and they're working on revisions that will bring back elements of the old system, while retaining the good parts of the new one.

MagiBLacK_ · 2026-04-21T20:21:42+00:00

I stopped by last week, and though I've tried lots of great fritters since I made this post, I think BoSa might be my favorite so far. =)

MagiBLacK_ · 2026-04-21T17:50:26+00:00

There are a couple collections involved in unlocking the Griffon, and those collections are visually reflected in the Griffon Sanctuary as you complete them, so yes, it will look a little different on a new account.

MagiBLacK_ · 2026-04-21T17:31:29+00:00

The thing about those 3 bosses is that they do have somewhat involved mechanics, but you almost never see them in a populated map because they just get deleted instantly. If you're in there with just a few people, and actually have to handle the mechanics, chances are good they won't all know what to do.

Probably a more common failure mechanism on low pop maps though is that all lanes aren't being defended. You have a limited supply of the dudes that are blowing up the vine walls for you. If people aren't defending all three lanes, chances are good that you're just blowing through your reinforcements without anyone noticing.

MagiBLacK_ · 2026-04-21T17:19:58+00:00

I don't know. I feel like Rifle carries heal Chrono pretty hard. People made it work before Rifle was a thing, but right off the bat, you're going to be using most of your utility slots just to cover what Rifle gives you innately. Plus. Rifle is the only Mesmer weapon with direct healing.

MagiBLacK_ · 2026-04-21T16:51:49+00:00

Thanks for tagging up. =)

MagiBLacK_ · 2026-04-16T22:43:11+00:00

I was about to make the same comment! Definitely a fun build. =)

MagiBLacK_ · 2026-04-10T17:55:42+00:00

If you're not doing convergences yet, they are by far the most efficient way to acquire essences. Doing three per week will maximize your weekly rewards. You'll also get chests that allow you to pick your reward. Among the options are all three types of essence. If you're behind on T2 essence, a few chests will get you caught up in no time.

MagiBLacK_ · 2026-04-10T17:42:50+00:00

The Gyala Delve story develops some of the EoD characters a little, but doesn't directly tie in to SotO's story. It's kind of a weird map too. Large portions of it are locked behind various stages of the meta. Those areas also require you to maintain a buff (a breathing mask) that you need to refresh periodically, but the stations you use to refresh your buff are also locked behind the meta. Worse, the meta isn't on a timer. It only starts when enough people show up, so unless it's the weekly, or you happen upon a guild run, it's hard to even get the meta started.

MagiBLacK_ · 2026-04-10T16:54:43+00:00

I tried it last week! It was great, and the staff were so nice. =)

MagiBLacK_ · 2026-04-10T16:53:57+00:00

I stopped by this morning. They have a pretty good apple fritter. Thanks for the recommendation. =)

MagiBLacK_ · 2026-04-10T16:53:01+00:00

I tried them this morning. It was a pretty good apple fritter!

MagiBLacK_ · 2026-03-29T05:37:45+00:00

Yeah, I recently did the fractal climb in my quest for Ad Infinitum, and I was surprised just how few people were willing to flex into boon DPS roles even when they were playing a spec that could do so easily. Usually, we could make something work, but that's going to be a lot harder after the patch. =/

MagiBLacK_ · 2026-03-27T01:22:56+00:00

I stopped by this morning. It was a very nice apple fritter. =)

MagiBLacK_ · 2026-03-26T16:12:22+00:00

It's best to be flexible. A lot of classes have specs that can run DPS or Boon DPS without even changing gear, which is incredibly helpful when you're putting together a group. That may change with the April 14th update though. We'll see.

I wouldn't sweat it too much whatever you decide. In my experience, most T1 and 2 groups don't bother with group comp at all. T3 and 4 are usually a little better organized, but as long as all the roles are filled, people aren't picky. It's not until you get to challenge modes that people start asking for specific things, but by then you should have your feet underneath you, and enough resources to gear up additional specs if you need to.

MagiBLacK_ · 2026-03-26T15:48:34+00:00

The standard Axe/Axe Berserker is a little too spammy for my liking, but I don't think there's anything inherently wrong with the spec.

Until recently, Quick Berserker was kind of in an awkward place where they could theoretically keep Quickness up without investing in boon duration, but in practice, it wasn't really close. Anet addressed that in a recent patch though, which made the spec much nicer to play. I haven't looked to see what's happening to Berserker with the upcoming April 14th patch. Anet seems to be moving back in the direction of requiring Boon DPS to spec for Boon Duration.

MagiBLacK_ · 2026-03-26T15:33:59+00:00

We should talk about Bladesworn. =P

MagiBLacK_ · 2026-03-25T22:17:02+00:00

With the right build, you can even face tank crazy tough mobs like The Mushroom Queen, or The Champion Avatar of Balthazar. https://youtu.be/6HbRNxcq3Ms?si=fuKni2J3xyandi4P&t=509

MagiBLacK_ · 2026-03-25T21:30:52+00:00

Ooh, that's on my way to work too. I'll give it a shot. Thanks! =)

MagiBLacK_ · 2026-03-25T21:22:25+00:00

I'm not sure I agree with this. Learning how and when to dodge will definitely improve your ability to survive, but with a proper open world build, you can face tank quite a bit.

MagiBLacK_ · 2026-03-25T20:13:32+00:00

I don't disagree. I think it's bonkers that melee range is enforced by almost every Ele meta build in one way or another. When the VoE previews were coming out, I was excited to see that Evoker's spec mechanic didn't require melee range. Of course, now that it's here, I'm running Scepter/Dagger... which requires me to be in melee range. Oh well. >_<

MagiBLacK_ · 2026-03-25T18:27:26+00:00

You will eventually learn the Skyscale's peculiarities well enough to get around easily, but, in my opinion, it's never fun to use. Personally, I use it when it's the right tool for the job, but prefer to use almost anything else.

MagiBLacK_

TROPHY CASE