In a blog post, ArenaNet outlines two of the major changes coming in the next content patch.

In a blog post today, ArenaNet has announced some of the major changes coming with the next content patch for Guild Wars 2. A few weeks ago, ArenaNet revealed the reconstruction of Lion's Arch alongside a patch that converted the war torn city into one full of reconstruction efforts. The next patch will finally show the finished and redesigned city.

This patch will also bring with it the Specializations change which will change how players unlock skills and traits for their profession. While not announced in the blog post, the Specialization change will also bring a few key changes with it. As it will be the new system to unlock skills and traits, the old system for unlocking these will be going away. This includes skill points that players have sitting unused being converted into a new account currency (including consumables like the Scrolls of Knowledge) while Skill Point Challenges and Leveling will now give the new Hero Points that are used to unlock Specializations.

While it is uncertain, this patch might also remove the ability to continue leveling past 80 to get continual skill points. We know that this change will happen by the time HoT launches, as the experience bar will be replaced by the Mastery bar, and with the changes to skill points it is possible that this patch will be when the bar changes in preparation for HoT.

Alongside the initial reveal that Lion's Arch was being rebuilt, ArenaNet hosted a poll to rename some of the areas in the new Lion's Arch. The results of those polls are as follows:

• Canal Ward is now Commodore's Quarter
• Lighthouse is now Phoenix Roost
• Lion's Court will remain as Lion's Court
• Air Base will be called Lion's Arch Aerodrome
• The new memorial will be called Field of the Fallen

Stay tuned for what else might come with this patch as the blog post teasingly adds that more information will be coming soon about the update.

Matt Adams aka the Mattsta

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