Curse

baz777 · Oct 10, 2006, 12:04 PM // 12:04

I unfortunately missed the Nightfall preview weekend but what I have leaned about ‘Heroes’ is, (please correct me if I’m wrong on this!):

They level up with your own character
They can be equipped with weapons of your choice
They can be equipped with armour of your choice
They can be equipped with runes of your choice
They can be equipped with skills of your choice
You can change their attribute points to suit certain builds

My question being, how do Heroes gain skills?

Are the skills available to them related to skills that you have previously ‘unlocked’ for each character?

For example, I have unlocked all Prophesise and Faction monk skills, will these unlocked skills, including elites, be immediately available or are the skills progressively available depending on level?

Or are the Heroes skills acquisition based upon a completely different system?

Many thanks in advance for your time

wilq · Oct 10, 2006, 12:11 PM // 12:11

you can give them any skills that you have unlocked, including elites

Emu · Oct 10, 2006, 12:19 PM // 12:19

In the preview event they had access to any skills that had unlocked yourself, plus 4-6 skills that they started with on their own. I hope that there are more ways to add skills to their repertoire short of buying them at a skill trainer or a priest of Balthazar though as I never even filled the Dervish heroes skill bar during the FPE as I'd never played one.

In regards to setting up their builds, you have most if not all the same freedoms that you have for your own characters. The new skills window for Nightfall (that comes up when you hit 'k') has modifiable attribute points along the top, a large panel with a scrollable list of your unlocked skills and a mini version of the skillbar to drag and drop skills to, along the bottom. In this window there will be portraits of you and any of your heroes currently in partyto switch between whose build your messing with. The portrait switching icons are also on the inventory window.

baz777 · Oct 10, 2006, 12:26 PM // 12:26

Good news, and thanks for the replies.

Another question if I may.

Are Heroes account based?

If, as I intend, start Nightfall with a new Ele, will they then be available for all my existing Prophesise/Factions characters at the same level/development? I’m assuming yes as I know that they can be taken to some PVP areas.

Once again, many thanks

Rhedd · Oct 10, 2006, 01:02 PM // 13:02

I seriously doubt they're account based. But then, I didn't expect that they'd be able to go to Cantha and Tyria, so what do I know? ^_^

The only thing in your list of hero abilities that's wrong is the bit about armor. You cannot equip them with armor. Their armor gets upgraded as they level, or you advance in the plot (not sure which, yet).

You can, however, equip their armor with runes of your choice.

Rathcail · Oct 10, 2006, 01:06 PM // 13:06

So I guess +1 attribute headgear is out of the question?

(I didn't take part of the event either.)

RoadKill97 · Oct 10, 2006, 01:33 PM // 13:33

Quote:

Originally Posted by Rhedd

Their armor gets upgraded as they level, or you advance in the plot (not sure which, yet).

As they level.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Rathcail

So I guess +1 attribute headgear is out of the question?

All Heroes have +1 attribute headgear, but most of them have +1 to their primary attribute. I'm fine with that, because it gives more versality for choosing builds for the Heroes. It would be kinda silly to have Koss use an Axe if he had a +1 to the Sword headgear, since you can't change their the armor.

baz777 · Oct 10, 2006, 02:01 PM // 14:01

So, If I level 3 heroes up to level 20 with my initial new Nightfall character I will have to start again each time I bring over my 4 Faction characters? I really hope that this is not the case!

Mordakai · Oct 10, 2006, 02:09 PM // 14:09

Quote:

Originally Posted by baz777

So, If I level 3 heroes up to level 20 with my initial new Nightfall character I will have to start again each time I bring over my 4 Faction characters? I really hope that this is not the case!

Well, no one knows for sure, but I'm thinking that will indeed be the case.

The reason I think this is that nothing else in PvE is account based, ie, skills unlocked on one character do not appear on another.

Since some Heroes are "found" through quests, it makes sense they will be per Character, not Account.

However, there are over 12 heroes in the game, I'm sure not all will start at level 1! I can't tell you how many Level 20 Heroes (if any) there will be, but I'm sure Anet has considered most of us have Characters who are already level 20, and don't really want to spend time leveling up Heroes.

Ninna · Oct 10, 2006, 02:34 PM // 14:34

during the preview Heroes were character based
(I made 2 preview chars)

I assume it will be same for Retail

Pliskin MacReady · Oct 10, 2006, 02:37 PM // 14:37

I'm not sure, but I think the heroes might be leveled to you. It's a good question, actually, but I do think the heroes are one or two levels near you.

Even if they're not, its likely that the quest an Ascalonian or Canthan character has to do to get a certain hero will acquire the hero at a higher level than the Elonian character had access to.

On the armor, the armor level does depend on the level of the hero, but you will be able to change the function of the armor without buying a new set of armor. So, for example, you can switch out Energy +7 functions for Armor +10 while enchanted functions. This was discussed a little bit in a recent issue of PC Gamer, the one with the code to get you that free mini-pet. Assumingly, you'll be able to switch out one function for another at an NPC, and you will also be able to do this for a hero. If so, then that means you can change the function of the headgear to whatever you like as well.

heroes are basically like computer controlled PVP characters. It gives anotehr incentive to buying the Prophecy skills from the store if you don't own Prophecies, since that will atl east give you access to complete and useful builds for each of the heroes.

Mordakai · Oct 10, 2006, 02:42 PM // 14:42

Quote:

Originally Posted by Pliskin MacReady

On the armor, the armor level does depend on the level of the hero, but you will be able to change the function of the armor without buying a new set of armor. So, for example, you can switch out Energy +7 functions for Armor +10 while enchanted functions. This was discussed a little bit in a recent issue of PC Gamer, the one with the code to get you that free mini-pet. Assumingly, you'll be able to switch out one function for another at an NPC, and you will also be able to do this for a hero. If so, then that means you can change the function of the headgear to whatever you like as well.

Whoa, there is nothing to back that up!

First, there is one sentence in PC Gamer talking about "switching a breastplate instead of a whole new set of armor." We don't know what exacly that entails...

Second, even if such a system is in place, there's nothing to indicate it would work with Heroes (although, I must admit, it's a very cool idea!)

Ninna · Oct 10, 2006, 02:58 PM // 14:58

Quote:

Originally Posted by Pliskin MacReady

I'm not sure, but I think the heroes might be leveled to you. It's a good question, actually, but I do think the heroes are one or two levels near you.

thats what I thought
- until I was given a level 11 Ranger hero when I was level 16

I think its fair to say that Heroes are levelled to the approximate Henchmen level for the area

I'm confident all quested heroes available on the mainland will be 20
(like henchies)

RoadKill97 · Oct 10, 2006, 03:11 PM // 15:11

Quote:

Originally Posted by Pliskin MacReady

On the armor, the armor level does depend on the level of the hero, but you will be able to change the function of the armor without buying a new set of armor. So, for example, you can switch out Energy +7 functions for Armor +10 while enchanted functions. This was discussed a little bit in a recent issue of PC Gamer, the one with the code to get you that free mini-pet. Assumingly, you'll be able to switch out one function for another at an NPC, and you will also be able to do this for a hero. If so, then that means you can change the function of the headgear to whatever you like as well.

Hey, I was thinking the same thing after the Nightfall WPE, except I thought switching armor bonuses only for players, not for Heroes.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Mordakai

Whoa, there is nothing to back that up!

Every armor crafter in Elona was selling only the base armor, which is why I'm hoping we could buy those bonuses from somewhere else. And change them too! IMO, it would be very cool if we could change bonuses for Prophecies armors.

Oh, and I wouldn't worry about leveling Heroes, since they gain experience from quests and most of them will be level 20 anyway, when they join the team.

Zehnchu · Oct 10, 2006, 03:28 PM // 15:28

I had to use the temp account, since I didn’t have an open slot. There are few things’ I noticed about the hero’s, they leveled some what at the same pace as you. You will level up faster then they do due to the exp quest rewards. Also if you use your favorite hero’s more then the other ones, the ones you don't use wont be at the same level.

Rathcail · Oct 10, 2006, 04:07 PM // 16:07

Quote:

Originally Posted by Zehnchu

I had to use the temp account, since I didn’t have an open slot. There are few things’ I noticed about the hero’s, they leveled some what at the same pace as you. You will level up faster then they do due to the exp quest rewards. Also if you use your favorite hero’s more then the other ones, the ones you don't use wont be at the same level.

Well I did at least read from the GW site that heroes gain exp faster if they are lower level than you.

dwc89 · Oct 10, 2006, 04:35 PM // 16:35

From playing the preview I saw that heroes were getting skills unlocked on that account , didn't matter what class you were playing. I've been busy getting elites.

I would think that each character will have to aquire the heroes. Which makes sense, since there was one quest that you had to make a choice between Ele or Ranger hero. And I would think there will be similar choices to make later in game. For me the choice would be based on what char class I'm playing atm. Also, some of the heroes are part of the storyline and need to be taken to further the primary quests/missions.

Will have to wait about the armor, but am holding on to good weapons, shields, etc. for heroes. And if I remember, we should be able to add runes.

ign - Huntress Velasca

pouchy · Oct 10, 2006, 04:47 PM // 16:47

Quote:

Originally Posted by Rathcail

So I guess +1 attribute headgear is out of the question?

From what PC gamer mag said "(Different weapon and ARMOR templates can even be configured for your heroes)"<---P.42

My guess is that the armor part of this artical is reffering to changing the helm stat, or maybe the different styles of armor that you will be able to unlock through the course of GWN.

Mordakai · Oct 10, 2006, 05:37 PM // 17:37

Quote:

Originally Posted by RoadKill97

Every armor crafter in Elona was selling only the base armor, which is why I'm hoping we could buy those bonuses from somewhere else. And change them too! IMO, it would be very cool if we could change bonuses for Prophecies armors.

Hmm, I just assumed that was a limitation of the Preview... but you could be right!

Quote:

Originally Posted by pouchy

From what PC gamer mag said "(Different weapon and ARMOR templates can even be configured for your heroes)"<---P.42

Forgot about that. If Inscriptions and Armor Bonuses are swappable, this could be the best improvement on the game yet!

NeHoMaR · Oct 12, 2006, 03:17 PM // 15:17

About the level of heroes, I think all heroes you get in Nightfall main land (not 1st island) will be level 20, because that main land will be obviuslly ready for level 20 characters (like Factions main land)

Also, I remember I read somewhere you will have heroes with PvP characters.