Hard mode

Hard Mode is a new addition that seems to present each mission again on a harder difficulty. It will basically make the whole game a little easier, while also adding a much harder version. Hard mode was implemented in Guild Wars at approximately 2:40 GMT. Entering areas in hard mode gives a +50% exp bonus, and completing missions and bonuses contributes to "a Guardian Title Track".

Hard mode is available in all areas of the game except for Pre-Searing Ascalon.

Accessibility
The Guild Wars Hard Mode Fact Sheet released April 19, 2007 states that in order to access hard mode, the player must have completed a campaign in normal mode, after that all other level 20 characters on the account will gain access to hard mode for that campaign. Hard mode is toggled by switching between two buttons above the party display in an outpost, the Normal Mode button being the standard mission emblem, and Hard mode a stylized red helm.

Monsters

 * Monsters will receive significant adjustments, particularly the monsters which are low-level in regular mode.
 * Gaile Gray stated, "So, if you've ever wanted to explore a version of the Flame Temple Corridor with level 20+ creatures, you'll be able to do that with Hard Mode." Follow the link at the bottom of the page to see her whole statement.
 * Monsters have a 50% attack speed boost and a 50% shortened recharge time of all skills.
 * All monsters now have Elite Skills.



Items
Hard Mode will introduce new items which will only drop in hard mode. Hard Mode will also introduce lock picks, which are similar to keys, but can be used on any locked chests in both modes, and have a chance of not being consumed on use. The chance of them working and the chance of them breaking is determined by your Lucky and Treasure Hunter titles.

Other items of interest include tomes, allowing your character learn skills that have been already unlocked on your account. There is an Elite Tome and a Non-Elite Tome for learning elites and non-elites respectively. Passage Scrolls can be used to enter the Underworld or the Fissure of Woe without paying the entry fee. They must be used in the typical entry points for these locations.

Titles
Gaile Gray has stated that Hard Mode will add the Guardian and Vanquisher titles, and make the maximum ranks of the Sunspear and Lightbringer title tracks attainable. Holy Lightbringer, the current maximum Lightbringer rank, is already attainable, as it is not clear if the statement on Lightbringer means that the rank of Holy Lightbringer will become more easily attainable, or if it means that the maximum rank will be increased.

Sunspear skills
Although not technically part of Hard Mode, several new Sunspear skills will be added in a future update soon after Hard Mode is released. New profession-specific Sunspear skills will also be added as part of the increased sunspear rankings

Changes to Normal Mode
When Hard Mode was introduced, the AI of foes in Normal Mode was changed slightly to make it a bit easier. Normal mode monsters now:
 * Take more time to run out of AoE damage.
 * Are less likely to kite for long periods of time.
 * Will, in the case of melee monsters, focus all their attacks on the same target.

The Hard Mode AI is now the most advanced AI ArenaNet has available, and may be improved in the future as ArenaNet finds ways to make the enemies "smarter".

Monster levels in Normal Mode are unchanged. This means that their drop rates are the same as before (though note that drop rates now scale with the size of the party).