Grind

Grinding in the context of MMORPGs most oftenly refers the act of killing a large amount of mobs (often the same types and by using the same tactics) for the express purpose of gaining experience points, levels, and items to eventually have access to more difficult quests and more powerful equipment and skills. In most MMORPGs, maximum levels are high, and grinding is sometimes necessary to reach maximum level. Grinding can also mean times when players need to engage in monotonous or repetitive gameplay in order to progress or unlock features.

Guild Wars is designed with a philosophy of minimizing grind. The maximum level is 20, which is reasonably low. The player is intended to reach maximum level relatively quickly compared to other MMORPGs. Most missions are designed with level 20 players in mind, especially in the Factions expansion. Furthermore, the PvP side of the game allows creation of characters starting at maximum level with the best possible equipment, placing players on equal footing.

Grind is not entirely absent from Guild Wars. The following are sometimes cited as sources of grind in Guild Wars:


 * Obtaining skills and weapon upgrades through PvE quests and adventuring, purchasing them with money and Skill Points from Skill Trainers, and redeeming Faction at a Priest of Balthazar.
 * Obtaining the 10,000 Luxon or Kurzick Faction to complete the main storyline of the Factions Campaign requires grinding through a long sequence of quests that have no direct bearing on the main story. Although this is offset by the fact that factions are shared across the account, so if players do not redeem their faction points for other purposes, a second character can completely skil through the sequence of quests.
 * Controlling a town in Factions requires redeeming Faction points for alliance standing. Alliance members therefore must generate faction if they wish to hold these towns and gain access (or allowing non-alliance members to access) to Elite Missions.