About Heroes and the Hero Skills NPC - Guild Wars Guru archive powered by Guild Wars Legacy

Gaile Gray

ArenaNet

Join Date: Feb 2005

20 Oct 2006 at 22:20 - 1

I thought I'd post a bit of information about the exciting new Heroes feature of Nightfall, and about the “Hero Skills” NPCs. So, to begin with, these NPCs can teach skills to your character and your Heroes without requiring a skill point or any gold. You will be able to earn these Hero skills by gaining ranks in the Sunspear title and the Lightbringer title, and once learned, these skills are known by your character and unlocked for your entire account. Unlike normal skill trainers, who only offer you skills that match your profession, Hero Skill Trainers will offer skills for every profession. (Pretty nice, huh?

)

And here's more information:

Your character and your heroes can still only use skills particular to their professions.
Heroes have access to any of your unlocked skills.
In any outpost, you have a dropdown menu that allows you to set each hero's secondary profession.
When you change the hero's secondary profession, the skills that are available to the hero change to represent the new secondary profession. Those skills consist of whatever skills of a particular profession you have unlocked on your account (or those you unlock in the future).
Heroes come with a few skills for their professions when you acquire them. (You would have noticed that when you brought Koss on as your first hero, during the WPE.)
You can learn skills for your heroes through the Hero Skill Trainer and those skills are then unlocked on your account for any character or any other hero (if they have the appropriate profession, of course).
There are no unique, hero-only skills. For example, warrior heroes can acquire those skills that a warrior player can use. If the hero is a primary warrior, he will have the ability to acquire the elite skills just as your primary warrior character does.

I hope that's helpful. Do feel free to post if you have questions and we'll try to answer those. Keep in mind that we'd like some facets of this feature to be discovered by players, so giving chapter and verse may not be possible. Still 'n' all, we will do our best to get answers for the non-spoiler-ish questions.

Hollerith

Lion's Arch Merchant

Join Date: Sep 2005

20 Oct 2006 at 22:23 - 2

Dev question: will it ever be possible for our non-logged in characters to stand in as Heroes?

AW Lore

Jungle Guide

Join Date: May 2006

Ancient Warriors Gaming Clan

W/Mo

20 Oct 2006 at 22:25 - 3

thanks for the confirmation Gaile

Quote:

Heroes have access to any of your unlocked skills.

woot!

GloryFox

Desert Nomad

Join Date: Jan 2006

Good ol' USA, where everyone else wants to be

Now Plays World of Warcraft on Whisperwind

20 Oct 2006 at 22:29 - 4

thank you Gaile for clarification

Sir Skullcrasher

Furnace Stoker

Join Date: Jun 2005

California

15 over 50 [Rare]

W/Mo

20 Oct 2006 at 22:33 - 5

Thanks for the information Gaile!

Sooty

Lion's Arch Merchant

Join Date: Jul 2005

Australia

Giggity Giggity Goo

20 Oct 2006 at 23:59 - 6

bugger i was lookin forward to those heroes only skills. least we won't be disappointed next week now tho, thx gaile.

Any comment about the inscription system?

The Great Al

Forge Runner

Join Date: Jun 2005

ALOA

E/Me

21 Oct 2006 at 00:23 - 7

where was it that I read that there would be hero specific skills? Oh well..

Thanks for the info Gaile!

I do have a question that hopefully you can give some insight on...

just how 'smart' will these heroes be? For example, I play as a Elementalist. Let's say I bring a E/Me hero along with me. If I give it the mesmer spell that lets him copy an elite for 20 seconds, would he know to copy my elite? (Assuming I am using him as an elem as well) or would that be the type of skill that I would want to disable the AI on and just cast myself? Thanks!

Scutilla

Wilds Pathfinder

Join Date: Sep 2005

Tyrian Explorers League

R/P

21 Oct 2006 at 03:00 - 8

Ah, I see- so "hero skills" are just Priests of Balthazar, only using something other than Balthazar faction points. That makes more sense, now.

Too bad, I was looking to "Koss's Afro Attack"

Knightsaber Sith

Furnace Stoker

Join Date: Aug 2006

Few Fallen Heroes [FFH]

W/E

21 Oct 2006 at 04:08 - 9

tnx gaile; Alex also pointed this out earlier in another thread

Navaros

Forge Runner

Join Date: Apr 2005

Mo/Me

21 Oct 2006 at 04:25 - 10

Questions:

1. What, specifically, are the rewards for winning in Hero vs Hero PVP?

2. What is the the procedure for unlocking and using Heroes with PVP characters?

natuxatu

Wilds Pathfinder

Join Date: Apr 2006

Wisconsin

Rt/Mo

21 Oct 2006 at 04:32 - 11

I guess I'm still a little confused. Are there any regular skill trainers or are they simply called Hero trainers in Nightfall? Or is the difference only how you purchase the skills? Thanks~

I'm just trying to understand what are the benifits of both if they still both exsist. Obviously not requiring a skill point and gold is plus~

Carl Butanananowski

Krytan Explorer

Join Date: Mar 2006

Arizona

We Have Big [Meat]

21 Oct 2006 at 05:22 - 12

Quote:

Originally Posted by Hollerith

Dev question: will it ever be possible for our non-logged in characters to stand in as Heroes?

Then the thought of PvP-only characters enters into my mind..

RuPee

Frost Gate Guardian

Join Date: Dec 2005

Los Angeles, CA

[RoD]

Mo/

21 Oct 2006 at 05:52 - 13

i have the same question as Navaros,

whats the reward for winning the Hero vs. Hero battles?

luauelveneno

Frost Gate Guardian

Join Date: Jul 2006

in my room behind my pc

Guilty Guild [GG]

21 Oct 2006 at 05:53 - 14

1 more question Gaile can Hero's also cap elite skills like human players can do that? i know you have to cap it only once but then u can setup a hero with like maximum 8 capsig's and yourself full with skills for example.

strcpy

Desert Nomad

Join Date: Jul 2005

One of Many [ONE]

21 Oct 2006 at 06:24 - 15

I don't know if this has been answered (I was thinking of starting a thread, this seems good enough) - do heroes get infused? We know they can go to older campaigns with you and this would be important in Prophecies. Since I'm starting to finally go back and get bonuses with henchies this makes a difference to me. Some bonuses suddenly become possible to "hench" this way.

With 10+ heroes, 8+ characters (giving 80+ instances of heroes armor), and only being able to take 3 heroes at a time infusion runs may get important again. If they are totally global (Skills, equipment, and armor that would mean each account only need do the infusion a hand full of times) it will be interesting to see how customized weapons or new characters (given their armor is based on level - different for any non-max level character) will work.

Dancer

Pre-Searing Cadet

Join Date: Jun 2006

Children Of The Legends [DK]

E/N

21 Oct 2006 at 09:07 - 16

please take a look at this info:
http://www.guildwars.com/insider/issue01.html

exsample:
We’ve also worked a lot on improving Hero AI and refining the controls for Heroes. Heroes are much better now at intelligently managing their Energy to make them better for everyone, and for you control-freaks out there (you know who you are), we’ve added the ability to disable AI for an individual skill. Once you disable the AI for a skill, a Hero won’t use it unless specifically told to do so by you. This can be especially handy for skills like Traps and Spirits, which can require a little extra foresight for determining where and when to use them. You can turn the AI for each skill on and off independently during missions.

DreamWind

Forge Runner

Join Date: Oct 2006

E/Mo

21 Oct 2006 at 10:45 - 17

Quote:

Originally Posted by Navaros

Questions: 1. What, specifically, are the rewards for winning in Hero vs Hero PVP?

My question exactly. Sure this 1v1 with heroes battle sounds great, but if the rewards are bad then there's not much point in playing it. =/

draxynnic

Furnace Stoker

Join Date: Nov 2005

[CRFH]

21 Oct 2006 at 10:53 - 18

Quote:

Originally Posted by Carl Butanananowski

Then the thought of PvP-only characters enters into my mind..

Well, they could simply block access to use PvP-only characters as heroes, just as PvP character s are blocked from having access to PvE areas...

I Brother Bloood I

Banned

Join Date: Jun 2006

Good question

21 Oct 2006 at 14:09 - 19

Do heroes take core and nightfall skills only?

Relambrien

Wilds Pathfinder

Join Date: Jan 2006

Delaware, USA

Error Seven Operators [Call]

W/

21 Oct 2006 at 15:05 - 20

Heroes can use *any* skill unlocked on your account. EDIT: Provided they have the suitable profession, of course.

I had Koss using Hundred Blades during the NPE ^^

prism2525

Forge Runner

Join Date: Nov 2005

Among dead bodies.

The Republic of Sky Pirates

E/

21 Oct 2006 at 15:31 - 21

I had him use triple chop haha

sure, now one can show his perfect crystalline and perfect chaos axe at the same time hehe. (Put one on hero)

...not that i have either of those

Gale

Pre-Searing Cadet

Join Date: Feb 2006

SSF

21 Oct 2006 at 15:35 - 22

One more question for Gaile :
Will ANet in future realases of GW bring possibility to create PvE character who will be made like we made PvP characters and have acess to all unlocked PvE theritory.

Illuminus

Academy Page

Join Date: Feb 2005

21 Oct 2006 at 15:49 - 23

Sounds good, thanks Gaile!

Spader

Frost Gate Guardian

Join Date: Sep 2006

W/Mo

21 Oct 2006 at 17:00 - 24

Okay I got a question:

If two of my pve charictors have access to the same hero will that hero have the same exact weapon for both my charictors or will I need to get a second weapon or storage trade with it?

Lord Sarevok

Academy Page

Join Date: Oct 2006

Ottawa, Canada

W/

21 Oct 2006 at 23:05 - 25

Quote:

Originally Posted by Spader

Okay I got a question:

If two of my pve charictors have access to the same hero will that hero have the same exact weapon for both my charictors or will I need to get a second weapon or storage trade with it?

You'll need to equip each hero seperately. They aren't the same hero. Otherwise your first character would have lv 20 heroes once done the game and when you start a new character, they'd begin with your other character's previous lv 20 heroes. Not my favourite idea.

MerLock

Academy Page

Join Date: Jun 2005

22 Oct 2006 at 01:11 - 26

Quote:

Originally Posted by Lord Sarevok

You'll need to equip each hero seperately. They aren't the same hero. Otherwise your first character would have lv 20 heroes once done the game and when you start a new character, they'd begin with your other character's previous lv 20 heroes. Not my favourite idea.

Can you confirm that? My biggest concern is that I run multiple characters. It would be nice for A.net to design a way so that heroes can be unlocked for the entire account. I would hate to grind out through all the quests/missions just so that I can get the heroes for all my characters. I have some prophecies characters going and would love to have them have a way of getting the heroes without having to play through all of nightfall first.

Plus the cost and time equipping all of them for each character will also be a big grind.

ericdanie

Frost Gate Guardian

Join Date: Jan 2006

Rio de Janeiro - Brazil

Tribo dos Reis [TdR]

R/

22 Oct 2006 at 02:58 - 27

So far Heroes have shown to be tied to characters, not accounts. Think of them as pets, that have their own skill bar, attributes and weapon, that you can customize. The first unlock makes them avaiable to PvP characters, but you'll still have to equip them.
There's something called storage that can be used to transfer items between characters.
Why, grind? Farming in this game is never made to gain a specific weapon, unless if it's a green, but they're cheap and there are always the collector's versions which can be used.
For PvEs, considering they are part of the storyline, it will be a pleasant task to do it with my different characters, considering I have agreed that I would have to do the same thing mutliple times when I created another PvE character doing a same campaign.

Swinging Fists

Wilds Pathfinder

Join Date: Mar 2006

W/Mo

22 Oct 2006 at 04:54 - 28

Quote:

Originally Posted by Gaile Gray

There are no unique, hero-only skills. For example, warrior heroes can acquire those skills that a warrior player can use. If the hero is a primary warrior, he will have the ability to acquire the elite skills just as your primary warrior character does

I hope you don't mean that a warrior hero can only acquire the elite skills from the warrior profession. I am assuming that, just like our characters, heroes can capture elites for either their primary or secondary profession, but that's not really what is quoted. Could you please clarify this ?

Orinn

Krytan Explorer

Join Date: Jul 2006

Defiant Dragons

22 Oct 2006 at 08:14 - 29

Quote:

Originally Posted by natuxatu

I guess I'm still a little confused. Are there any regular skill trainers or are they simply called Hero trainers in Nightfall? Or is the difference only how you purchase the skills? Thanks~

I'm just trying to understand what are the benifits of both if they still both exsist. Obviously not requiring a skill point and gold is plus~

Best guess at this point is that the "hero trainers" will unlock a skill, while the "Skill trainers" will teach it to your character as always. Pick a new core skill in Nightfall: any skill.

If you go to a skill trainer, it will cost you gold and a skill point to learn it for whatever character you're playing, and will also unlock that skill for all heros and characters on your account (assuming that the hero or character is of the right class/secondary)

Buying the same skill from the hero trainer, will unlock that skill. Heros of the appropriate class/secondary will have it available for use, but characters will still have to spent gold and a skill point at a normal skill trainer to learn it.

Lord Aro

Frost Gate Guardian

Join Date: Jun 2006

/wiki user:aro

DBU

E/

22 Oct 2006 at 09:31 - 30

Well that clears it up.

Sooo, any chance of making human skills have the same cost? Or maybe reduced cost.
I miss capture sig being half cost. I would buy them for cheap then go out and cap normal skills as it was cheaper in the long run.

Orinn

Krytan Explorer

Join Date: Jul 2006

Defiant Dragons

22 Oct 2006 at 09:52 - 31

Quote:

Originally Posted by Lord Aro

Well that clears it up.

Sooo, any chance of making human skills have the same cost? Or maybe reduced cost.
I miss capture sig being half cost. I would buy them for cheap then go out and cap normal skills as it was cheaper in the long run.

That would be lovely. I really doubt they'll drop the cost, because it's a very effective gold-sink, but it would be nice nonetheless.

Maybe someday they'll have a "Nightfall only- half-price skill weekend" or maybe just a buy one, get one free sale on cap signets?

Doubtful, but then again, I never thought they'd do anything about ridiculously overpriced greens either.

Spellforge

Frost Gate Guardian

Join Date: Mar 2006

Guildless

N/

22 Oct 2006 at 12:40 - 32

Quote:

Originally Posted by Gaile Gray

[*]There are no unique, hero-only skills. For example, warrior heroes can acquire those skills that a warrior player can use. If the hero is a primary warrior, he will have the ability to acquire the elite skills just as your primary warrior character does.

Hi Gaile ,

Could you qualify this statement please. Its almost worded in that only elites of the PRIMARY profession can be capped for heros. Is this the case or is it like our characters and they can aquire elites for PRIMARY and the active SECONDARY proffessions

Thank you

kh1ndjal

Ascalonian Squire

Join Date: Nov 2005

Scouts of Tyria

22 Oct 2006 at 13:03 - 33

will you be able to take heroes to fow/uw?

2 man player/hero farm ^^

Joao Ninguem

Ascalonian Squire

Join Date: Jul 2006

22 Oct 2006 at 13:51 - 34

Are Mo, W and D the only heros? I want my MM hero xD

Zinger314

Debbie Downer

Join Date: May 2006

N/Me

22 Oct 2006 at 14:25 - 35

Quote:

Originally Posted by Joao Ninguem

Are Mo, W and D the only heros? I want my MM hero xD

There are, on average, 2 Heroes per core profession, and 1 Hero for each campaign-exclusive profession. So you can have your MM.

Kai Nui

Desert Nomad

Join Date: Aug 2005

Behind you with a knife

Celebrity Gangsters [FamE]

Me/

22 Oct 2006 at 16:13 - 36

Alright, I don't know why you'd mention that there aren't any hero-specific skills, as in reality I'd probably expect to see them being disabled. Here's what I'm interested in knowing:

Will heroes have access to

Celestial Skills and Charm Animal Skills?
Different armor, weapons, and runes, and at what expense?
UW or FoW?
Allowing dead players use them easily in their down time? As in add a manual control button that overrides the AI and lets your keyboard click 1-8 to do skills?

Neo Nugget

Site Contributor

Join Date: Jan 2006

R/

22 Oct 2006 at 22:01 - 37

Gaile mentioned the lightbringer title....any word on what that is?Similar to sunspear?

Reiden Argrock

Krytan Explorer

Join Date: May 2005

Arizona

Shadowstorm Mercenaries

23 Oct 2006 at 01:34 - 38

Lightbringer sounds like another Sunspear of sorts, but theres alot more to it than that. In the Guild Wars Insider it talks about it.

" Phinney: Yes. While we’ve announced some of the larger features of Nightfall, there are a lot of exciting things we haven’t showcased yet. I’ll give one big example: Guild Wars Factions™ introduced the idea of titles, and we felt they brought a lot to the game. With Nightfall, we wanted to expand on that idea. Earning ranks in some titles will now give you in-game bonuses. One example of this new type of title is the Lightbringer. When displayed, this title gives you damage reduction and extra damage against demons. There will even be some PvE-only skills you can learn that become more powerful with each rank of the Lightbringer title.

We’ll also be updating some existing titles this way. For instance, after Nightfall releases, you’ll actually have a chance of successfully removing a magic component, like a Fiery Sword Hilt, without destroying the item it’s attached to. The Wisdom title (earned by identifying items) will improve your ability to do this.

There are a lot of other touches like this that you’ll see in Nightfall. Some of them are new features. Some of them are refinements of existing features. Some are just examples of us doing a better job using the features we have. We’re always discussing our own experiences and all the feedback we see in the forums, and looking for ways to make Guild Wars more rewarding, more dynamic, and more polished. Overall, I feel really good about how Nightfall is turning out. I think the whole team feels that way."

unmatchedfury

Krytan Explorer

Join Date: Jul 2006

Cookie Cutter [FTW]

23 Oct 2006 at 02:35 - 39

Quote:

Originally Posted by Navaros

Questions:

1. What, specifically, are the rewards for winning in Hero vs Hero PVP?

2. What is the the procedure for unlocking and using Heroes with PVP characters?

I'd love some info about this too. I think that for something so important(the onnly new style of PvP we've heard about in nightfall) I'd love some extra info about how the AI will handle things and exactly how many of certian types of proffesions we can use in a team, things like that.

Lord Aro

Frost Gate Guardian

Join Date: Jun 2006

/wiki user:aro

DBU

E/

23 Oct 2006 at 06:37 - 40

Quote:

Originally Posted by Kai Nui

Charm Animal Skills?
Allowing dead players use them easily in their down time? As in add a manual control button that overrides the AI and lets your keyboard click 1-8 to do skills?

The insider stated heroes can use charm animal and iirc we could direct them via the mini-control panel while dead.

They also seem to become more like a normal henchy if the person owning him leaves a game. I remember testing that.