Guild Wars Factions

Introduction
Guild Wars Factions, globally released on April 28, 2006, is the official product title of ArenaNet's second campaign in the Guild Wars world. It is also commonly referred to as Chapter Two, Campaign Two, Factions Campaign, or just Factions.


 * Note: This happens to be exactly one year after release of Chapter 1.

Relationship with other Guild Wars campaigns
Guild Wars Factions is a stand alone product and doesn't require the player to already own the original Guild Wars (Prophecies Campaign). However, the two campaigns can be linked by adding the Factions retail key to an already existing Prophecies account and players from both campaigns will be able to interact. They will be able to compete in PvP and players who own both campaigns are able to take any Prophecies characters that have reached Lion's Arch over to the lands of Factions. Also any factions character that reaches Kaineng Center will be able to go to Lion's Arch.

The stories of the Factions Campaign and the Prophecies Campaign link at Lion's Arch, where Canthan merchants were already present in the Prophecies Campaign.

Story
The Factions Campaign takes place in Cantha, the home continent of the sailing merchants empire, with an Asian theme.

The backstory revolves around the antagonist Shiro Tagachi, a former bodyguard of the righteous emperor of Cantha 200 years ago. Shiro murdered his emperor and was killed for it. At his death Shiro Tagachi let out a wail that turned the seas into solid jade and petrified the forests. And even worse, 200 years after his defeat he returns from his grave to pester the Canthans yet again. The main task of the players is to defeat Shiro.

Furthermore the story focuses on the factions of the Luxons and the Kurzicks who compete with each other for resources in Cantha.

Current Events
Return of the Dragon Festival

Past Events

 * Dragon Festival 2006 - 2006 June 30 ~ 2006 July 5
 * Day of the Tengu – 2006 Apr 27, in-game headstart event.
 * Factions Preview Event (March 24-26).
 * Guild Wars Factions Global Free-for-All PvP Weekend (January 20-22, 2006)

Current Available Editions
The game is currently available in two editions:
 * Guild Wars Factions Collector's Edition, containing extra Factions themed items and a special dance emote for assassins and ritualists, and an exclusive Miniature of the Great Dragon Kuunavang.
 * Guild Wars Factions

Features Released with this Chapter
The following features were released with Guild Wars Factions:
 * New Region: Cantha - featuring an Asia themed world.
 * New towns and areas For a list of Factions locations see: Locations (Factions)
 * 4 new mission types:
 * Challenge Missions
 * Elite Missions
 * Competitive Missions
 * Alliance Battles
 * 13 new missions which have a three-tier ranking system rather than the two-tier (normal/bonus) system in the Prophecies Campaign.''
 * New quests For a list of Factions quests see: Quests (Factions)
 * New tutorial area Shing Jea Monastery
 * Two new Factions that play into both PvE and PvP elements of the game:
 * The Luxon
 * The Kurzick
 * 2 new professions:
 * Assassin
 * Ritualist
 * New henchmen with the new professions
 * More character slots
 * Four slots total for a stand-alone Factions Campaign account.
 * Six slots total if a Factions account is combined with a Prophecies account
 * More purchasable character slots
 * 300 new Skills, incl. 90 new Elite Skills:
 * 75 skills for each new profession
 * 25 skills for each core profession
 * New equipment:
 * 6 new armor types for each of the new and the old professions - again featuring an Asian theme
 * New weapons and items
 * New green items
 * New creatures:
 * 100+ new monsters
 * New NPCs
 * New pets for Rangers
 * Tigers, Crabs, Cranes, a Black Moa Bird, and Phoenixes.
 * New PvP and GvG features:
 * 4 New Guild Halls
 * Guild Hall Services
 * Guild Alliances (max 10 guilds per alliance)
 * New rating system
 * New guild emblems