Guild Wars 2 is doing a wonderful job of doing away with traditional aspects of the MMORPG world. When it comes to the end game, Guild Wars 2 continues this trend. Due to there being no gear treadmill, there are many gamers scratching their heads wondering what they’ll do after they hit level 80 and finish their personal story. Here, you will find all you need to know about all your end game options and, chances are, you’ll be surprised at just how many there are.

Just like your personal story and the progress to level 80, the end game is mostly about what you want to do. I say mostly because of the achievements incorporated into the game. Now, when I say “achievement”, don’t go “Really? This game too? I’m not touching it.” Like all achievements, they take more of a passive role in the game. However, Arena.net likes you to know how many achievement points other players have, whether it be in your contacts list, guild roster, or even mousing over a party profile picture. Many of us will be achievement hunting or using the achievement system to help set goals for ourselves. Why? – because the achievement system covers just about every end game option, and is one in itself. Okay, enough blabbering – here are your end game options!

PvP

Who it most applies to: Competitive players

Every battle is different, every kill is an experience

PvP, either structured or WvW, is endless. With structured PvP, you unlock armor, weapons, ranks, etc.; it can keep you playing for months on end, even longer if you work consistently with a group and aim to win the tournaments hosted by Arena.net. Don’t get me wrong when I say you can unlock new gear, it’s the same stats, just much cooler looking. WvW is reset every 2 weeks, and the 2 week battles never stop happening. How much you want to PvP and what, specifically, you want to do in WvW is completely up to you.

Dungeons

Who it most applies to: Completionists and, to a lesser extent, Explorers

There are eight dungeons out there and, thanks to exploration mode, the eight are turned into (roughly) thirty-two different experiences. Remember that there are a finite number of rewards, experiences, and no gear treadmill associated with dungeons.

The Open World

Who it most applies to: Completionists and Explorers

22 huge zones to be explored, over 250 hearts, over 170 skill challenges, nearly 500 waypoints and nearly 600 points of interest…

The GW2 world is pretty huge, but is still finite. Whether you wish to explore it all at once or in sections, visiting new areas can last a while after reaching level 80 – if you pace it out. Since there are achievements, game money, and item rewards, this is a must for any completionist, and good fun for the explorers out there.

Crafting Disciplines / Trading Post

Who it most applies to: Completionists and Money Lovers

There are plenty of crafting disciplines, eight in fact, all of which have a massive 400 levels. If you are in it for the money, or for that jolly feeling after doing it all, it is advised you do two on each character, and not all on one character since changing back and forth between level 400 disciplines costs forty silver each time. Getting all the professions up to 400 will keep you busy for at least a couple of months or longer – depending on how you go about it. Becoming an expert on all the professions will make mastering the trading post even easier. It’s not like your normal auction house because it also has buyer postings in conjunction with the normal seller postings.

Alts 

Who it most applies to: Just about everyone but competitive players

How is this an end game? Well, starting over kinda makes the end game something to be reached again, so, in a way, the process of doing so on alts becomes its own game. Explorers may see sights they haven’t already, completionists can get story achievements they may not have gotten, and money lovers can make some cash in the process of leveling.

Achievements / Account Medals

Who it most applies to: Completionists

Ya, it gets that crazy

Achievements and account medals are the biggest things to do in the game since they are, essentially, the whole game. Everything you do, even killing a random enemy, fits into some achievement or another. If your goal is to fill the various tiers of each achievement in all nine categories, then I’ll be seeing you in a year or more. For those not aiming to fill up every achievement, it’s a wonderful reference if you are looking for something to do. Like crafting? Want a goal? Check out the crafting section of the achievements. The same thing can be done with PvP – or anything, really. Account medals are a bit more directional, but are, effectively, the same thing as achievements.

Guild and Social Events 

Who it most applies to: Everyone

What? This is an end game? Well, not really – but it will be, provided you are in a guild with like people, something that keeps you logging in months (or years) after you hit level 80. What you do with these social events are entirely up to you.

Combining

My advice to you is to spread yourself – try all of them and take your time. Most of your end game is exactly what you’ve been doing before you got to level 80 – minus the personal story. Hopefully, I’ve given those who are skeptical of Guild Wars 2 not having a gear treadmill some hope, and for the rest of you – a reason to enjoy getting to level 80.

-Dag