Menu
By:
Filters
What's new

GW2 Want to Prepare your Character Personal Story Questions?

tr1age

tr1age

Administrator
Staff member
Character choice #1

Once the look of your character is complete, it's time to start building the groundwork for his or her own personal story. ArenaNet does this through a series of four choices that are the launch pad for your personal in-game story. Think carefully about each, for they will have long-lasting consequences.

With each of these choices, additional exposition is provided at the bottom of the screen to give you an idea about what this choice entails. The first choice is the only one that's dictated to you by your class, and whatever you choose will change the initial appearance of your character.
  • Elementalist: "I study all the elements, but I wear a gem that symbolizes my love of _____." (Water, Fire, Earth, Air)
  • Warrior: "I wear _____ on the battlefield. Because of this, I am recognized and given proper respect." (A spangenhelm, A cap helm, No helm at all)
  • Guardian: "As a symbol of my dedication, I wear _____." (Conqueror's pauldrons, Fanatic's pauldrons, A visionary's helm)
  • Engineer: "The most useful tool is my _____." (Universal multi-tool pack, Eagle-eye goggles, Panscopic monocle)
  • Ranger: "My pet ____ fights at my side and guards my back." (Three pets are offered based on your race. This will be your starter companion.)
  • Necromancer: "A Necromancer's closest companion is death. In acknowledgement of this, I mark my face with a symbol of a _____." (Trickster demon, Skull, Ghostly wraith)
  • Thief: "In my line of work, it's important to understand the power of _____." (Anonymity, Determination, Subterfuge)
  • Mesmer: "A Mesmer's mask creates an image. I choose to look out from behind a _____." (Harlequin's smile, Phantasm of sorrow, Fanged dread)
Character choice #2

This is a personality choice that's universal among all three races that I tested:
  • Universal: "Trouble may come, but I use my _____ to overcome it." (Charm, Dignity, Ferocity)
Character choice #3

The seventh page concerns your character's basic background -- where you came from and how you got your beginnings.
  • Human: "I was raised _____." (In the streets, By common folk, Among the nobility)
  • Charr: "I am proud to be _____." (A Blood Legion soldier, An Ash Legion soldier, An Iron Legion soldier)
  • Norn: "The most important quality of a great hero is _____." (Strength, Cunning, Instinct)
Character choice #4

I like to think of this choice as a connection to the game world, something that happened in your past that still influences you today.
  • Human: "One of my biggest regrets is that _____." (I never searched for my true parents, I never found my sister's body, I passed up an opportunity to perform in the circus)
  • Charr: "I would die for my warband, especially ____, my sparring partner." (Maverick, Euryale, Clawspur, Dinky, Reeva)
  • Norn: "At a recent celebratory moot in Hoelbrak, I _____." (Blacked out, Got into a fight, Lost an heirloom)
Character choice #5

The last choice is about a backstory fact that your character had no direct control over.
  • Human: "Everyone said I was blessed by _____ when I was young." (Dwayna, Grenth, Balthazar, Melandru, Lyssa, Kormir)
  • Charr: "They tell me the soldier that sired me is a _____." (Loyal soldier, Sorcerous shaman, Honorless Gladium)
  • Norn: "When I was still a kid, I had a vision. A Spirit of the Wild spoke to me and offered me its guardianship. That Spirit was a _____." (Bear, Snow Leopard, Wolf, Raven)
 
As most of you know I am making a Sylvari on release, but seeing as they are saving Asura and Sylvari for the release information on character background selection is sparse. There are some ten month old videos from a few game conventions that show it, but some of that might have changed. I will post roughly what we know for those interested.

We will have three race specific questions to answer:

What day timecyclethey were born in.
Which quest they dreamed of.
Most important of Ventari's teachings.

Cycles:
Cycle of Dawn
The Cycle of Dawn refers to those born between midnight and 6 a.m. These sylvari are typically diplomatic and friendly, and are naturals when it comes to planning and conversing with others. Their Luminary is Aife, an experienced diplomat who has traveled to the major cities of Tyria.
Cycle of Noon
The Cycle of Noon refers to those born between 6 a.m. and noon. Those born at this time are fighters, skilled combatants who prefer actions over words. They prefer to experience things firsthand and attack problems head-on. Niamh is their Luminary, the leader of the Warden and a bold warrior.
Cycle of Dusk
Those born in the Cycle of Dusk are usually intelligent and philosophical. They enjoy studies and puzzles over physical pursuits. Their luminary is Kahedins, a kind soul who helps newly awakened sylvari understand their visions in the Dream of Dreams.
Cycle of Night
Sylvari of the Cycle of Night are inclined to be secretive and self-contained, preferring to travel alone. Their Luminary, Malomedies, is very private, and considered a stern and caring mentor.

The other option is a quest your character dreamed of.
I dreamed of a quest that calls me to action. It was a vision of the _____.

The White Stag
The White Stag is a creature of enchantment, an immortal beast of great power. It is said that the stag will trade a magical boon for its freedom, if I can catch it.

The Green Huntsman
I saw a Huntsman in green armor, his face obscured by vines. He was defeated, but did not submit; was killed, but did not die. Dare I face him in battle?

The Shield of the Moon
The moon is a powerful symbol of healing and magic. Any who dream they are protected by the moon shall know faith and fortitude. I hope I am worthy of such a vision.

The last option is the most important of Ventari's teachings. I will probably post some lore for Sylvari eventually since like engineer, it is not widely represented in our community atm.
I believe that the most important of Ventari's teachings is ______.

All things have a right to grow
The blossom is brother to the weed. Diversity of opinion is good. Discussion is healthy. No one should be condemned for simply being different. I will stand up for all.

Act with wisdom, but act
It is one thing to know what is right and another to change the world. We all have a calling. I will distinguish myself through my actions and thereby lift all of Tyria to a higher state of nobility.

Where life goes, so too, should you
The world is a delicious and gorgeous place for us to explore, enjoy, and protect. I will seek out the lessons in every experience, and as I grow, I will have more to offer in return.

DISCLAIMER: Most of this info was pulled from 10 month old videos on character creation and might have changed by now, whether in simple wording or actual choices.
 
Are the personal stories for the different character choices significantly different? From what I've played I've noticed that the background of some of my characters made large impacts on the storyline early on, but does that trend continue?
 
Corvus Rex said:
Are the personal stories for the different character choices significantly different? From what I've played I've noticed that the background of some of my characters made large impacts on the storyline early on, but does that trend continue?
Click to expand...

I'm sure it does. The story continues all the way to 80 so I can imagine there are several places where your original choices matter, as well as your choices throughout.
 
THis is why it is cool that you can go ahead and play personal story with other people who made different decisions.
 
tr1age said:
Question... the human choices in #5.. does that effect your racial elites?
Click to expand...


I know if you pick Balth or Melandru, you get to either summon 2-3 dogs or turn into a giant tree thingy as an elite, respectively. I'm pretty sure the Norn one let you shapeshift into the spirit you picked, also elite of course.

Zakis said:
No I am pretty sure all elites are there for you to be able to purchase with skill points, unless they changed it recently.
Click to expand...

I didn't see the other elites available when I played through the BWEs. Maybe they'll change it. IDK
 
For anyone going Asura:

Selecting an asura character will start players off near the geometrical city of Rata Sum. The home instance of the asura is a personal lab.
During character creation, a player can customize an asura's physical appearance and answer three race-specific biography questions which affect their personal story:
  • Which asuran college they studied at.
  • What their first successful experiment was.
  • Who their first advisor was.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Character choice #3

The seventh page concerns your character's basic background -- where you came from and how you got your beginnings.
  • Asura: "I am a member of the college of ____." (Synergetics, Dynamics, Statics)
A little more on each college's background:
  • The College of Synergetics is an asuran learning institution. The members of this college study the nature of magic, politics, and social theory, among other things. Their studies of patterns and theories over concrete ideas leads them to make errors in assuming something will work before testing it. Many of them believe they have a particular insight into the sentient mind, and their insight leads to the conclusion that other people are out to get them, so members of this college are typically more distrustful and secretive than others.
  • The College of Dynamics is an asuran learning institution. The members of this college are typically impulsive and enthusiastic about their work, preferring to start a project immediately rather than ponder the possible consequences. They are known for creating swift solutions to problems that only last as long as necessary. Members of the college believe that an experiment is only a failure if nothing is learned from it
  • The College of Statics is an asuran learning institution. Members of this college are analytical and cautious, preferring to do the work right the first time and build things that last. They participate in large-scale projects such as building cities and the massive levitating stones that power them

Character choice #4

I like to think of this choice as a connection to the game world, something that happened in your past that still influences you today.
  • Asura: "My first creation was a ____." (Infinity Ball, Transatmospheric Converter, VALET-123 Golem)
A little description of each creation:
  • Infinity Ball - They said it was a toy, a pipe dream, and a waste of resources. They were wrong. My invention predicts the future. So what if it doesn't predict it correctly every time. That's irrelevant! Could it give me an advantage? Reply hazy. Ask again.
  • Transatmospheric Converter - What unmitigated joy to be able to change the weather at my whim! If only the prototype had been more powerful. Nevertheless, the design was cutting-edge. My transatmospheric converter was a masterpiece of utter genius. I wish I'd had more funding.
  • VALET-123 Golem - Most golems are powerhouses, designer for warfare. They show absolutely no subtlety or originailty of design. My golem was compact and efficient, and it had an unparalleled package of features. It revolutionized lab cleanup, and it mixed a great cocktail too.

Character choice #5

The last choice is about a backstory fact that your character had no direct control over.
  • Asura: "My first advisor, the one who taught me almost everything I know (almost), was ____." (Zinga, Bronk, Canni, Blipp)
A description of each:
  • Mistress Zinga taught me that the best form of magic is goo old-fashioned luck. She liked to say, "Planning is for ninnies who think they can predict every possible outcome. The future is mutable! Go with the flow!"
  • Good ol' Master Bronk taught me the benefits of superior firepower. He liked to say, "When it comes to besting the enemy, there's no such thing as overkill."
  • Councilor Canni wasn't just another bureaucrat. She was the esopolitical parascientologist. She was fond of saying, "Always bring a witness, preferably an expendable one. You never know when you'll need a scapegoat."
  • Master Blipp was known for his redundancies. He often said, " Your first try should never be your last, especially if it succeeded. You can always succeed bigger next time."
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

There is a personal story creator for each of the 5 races on this character tool I found....even for the Asura and Sylvari: (no character look options though T.T )

http://gw2.luna-atra.fr/character_tool/

guess i could have just sent you there instead of typing all that out :\
 
A little bit on each of the three factions you can join as well...according to GW2Wiki is:

The Orders

There are three different orders, each has their own philosophy and approach to learning about and ultimately removing the threat of the dragons. One of these orders can be joined in your personal story and it will affect how the story of the dragons is experienced. For example, given the same storyline situation, if the Vigil were dealing with the situation they would take the fighting approach, if the Durmand Priory were dealing with the situation they would attempt to use knowledge to find a solution, and if the Order of Whispers were dealing with the situation they would rely on subversion and infiltration to overcome the situation.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Vigil

The Vigil is a military order dedicated to fighting the Elder Dragons and their minions by force of arms. They believe that the only way to defeat the Elder Dragons is to unite the races of Tyria and to face the minions of the Elder Dragons wherever they appear. The Vigil wants to face the Elder Dragons directly, testing Zhaitan's power in the hope that such methods can one day be used against the dragon itself. They believe that the Elder Dragons grow more powerful as each day passes, and that those who do not fight now are giving the world away by standing passively aside. They intend to be an army of light against the onslaught of darkness

The Vigil was founded by the charr Almorra Soulkeeper shortly after the creation of the Dragonbrand in 1320 AE. It is known to have a base in Lion's Arch along with having its main base at the Vigil Keep, located in the Shiverpeak Mountains.

Durmand Priory

Durmand Priory, established in 1105 AE, is a scholarly order dedicated to protecting knowledge and lore. Named for the monastery which houses their archives, and in turn for the monastery's founder Durmand, members of the Durmand Priory offer services as advisors, tutors and chroniclers across Tyria. They are willing to share their gathered knowledge but do so cautiously. Durmand Priory is one of three major multi-racial orders who are looking for ways to combat the Elder Dragons. They hope that intellect, or some lost piece of knowledge, can save the world from the rise of the dragons.

Durmand Priory was founded in 1105 AE, before the Rise of Orr and the flooding of Lion's Arch. One of Durmand Priory's major contributions to modern day Tyria is the New Krytan alphabet. A single language not only allowed the scholars to order their vast stores of knowledge and communicate among themselves, but all of the races to communicate using standard means. Durmand Priory championed literacy throughout Tyria so now most Tyrians can read.

Order of Whispers


The Order of Whispers is a secretive ancient Elonian order. They work behind the scenes to safeguard the world against the rise of the Elder Dragons and free and restore the troubled Elona. Its members, often spies, thieves and agents, operate within every Tyrian nation sometimes to the highest levels. Their extensive network is able to gather information from everywhere, even areas blocked to travel, such as Elona which has long since been isolated under Palawa Joko's rule.
The Order of Whispers is one of three multi-racial orders which players join as part of their personal story. They believe there is no way to physically destroy or negotiate with the Elder Dragons so the only way to counter them is to find a way to send them back to sleep.

Formed by the elite bodyguard of Warmarshal Turai of Elona after the fall of Palawa Joko, they were tasked with keeping the undead lord sealed beneath the sands of Elona for eternity; however, it was necessary for them to let him escape so Warmarshal Varesh could be defeated. They were the only group other than the dwarves to have any knowledge of the Elder Dragons prior to their awakening and worked to warn others of the Elder Dragons' awakening though they were ignored. When Zhaitan rose, the Order was the main force which protected the knowledge of the library and moved the ancient texts and artifacts to the Durmand Priory for protection.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Hope you find this interesting. Choose wisely!
 
Wow. Thank you, everyone, for this wealth of information. I had my names/races/professions picked out. Now I have every character choice for each of my characters mapped out too. Hopefully that'll help me cruise through the creator and reserve my names at launch.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Top Bottom