What are you spending your festival tokens on?

[Danger Dave.9046]

What are you all buying, or planning to buy with your festival tokens?

 

I don't care at all about weapon or armor skins. I joined the Vigil and I only equip standard issue Vigil weapons and armor. I'm also not into crafting at all, so I have no interest in buying crafting supplies unless they can be resold in black lion. Should I buy some gathering nodes for my home instance? Which nodes provide items that can be sold at black lion, and which ones have the greatest value? I've been enjoying the festival but really don't know what I should do with my tokens.

[Randulf.7614]

I bought pretty much everything last year, which leaves only any new divine sovereign weapons (2 so far that I wanted) and the legendary currency chests for 1k tokens

 

The festival has been a bit anti climatic for me with nothing new in terms of content or rewards

[Dayra.7405]

Good question: probably nothing, just earned them doing the achievements.

[Etria.3642]

Even if I don't like a weapon or armor skin, if it's relatively easy to get, I do, because you never know when you'll get a blc key and get a wardrobe unlock.

 

I would rather the unlock hand me something difficult or expensive.

[Illconceived Was Na.9781]

> What are you spending your festival tokens on?

Spend? No one told me we needed to spend them.

 

More seriously: I don't see a need to use currency just because it's there. I have nearly all the unlocks and since I largely don't use any of them, I'm not worried about the ones I don't have (skins have been available for cheap on the TP; recipes have had other sources). I'd rather preserve the opportunity to spend rather than buy a few gear bags; I already have plenty of those.

[Random Wax Orc.7695]

Guild Hall decorations. Didn't notice them last year and this year there are a few more.

[Greg.7086]

 

> @"Danger Dave.9046" said:

> What are you all buying, or planning to buy with your festival tokens?

>

> I don't care at all about weapon or armor skins. I joined the Vigil and I only equip standard issue Vigil weapons and armor. I'm also not into crafting at all, so I have no interest in buying crafting supplies unless they can be resold in black lion. Should I buy some gathering nodes for my home instance? Which nodes provide items that can be sold at black lion, and which ones have the greatest value? I've been enjoying the festival but really don't know what I should do with my tokens.

 

I'm buying the nodes for my home instance, never really bothered about my home instance in 5 years, but for the sake of getting them cheap for tokens its a no-brainer. Buying the Crystal, Sprocket, and Place of power thingy. But really home instance nodes are NOT away to make money: You can only get 3 Crystals off each node and they are dirt cheap to buy on TP anyway. Home instance nodes should merely seen as a "Game Feature" something nice you can call home and if you are lucky enough to have a full home instance (will cost a fortune), you can invite friends/other players to farm it. You will never profit from home instance nodes, UNLESS you had a full home instance when the server started, you farmed it every single day, and you continue to do so for the next 20 years, then you might break even!

 

Other than nodes, I will buy the Gas Mask Skin and Dragon Helmet skin merely cos they look quite funky. Other than that rest of stuff I'm really not to bothered about. The weapon skins totally suck: Only worth getting if you bought absolutely everything else, and merely just want to use up your tokens.

 

Don't just look at tokens or currencies for gold making, as largely in festivals or w/e they are not intended as that: Merely some light-hearted fun at gaining some cool novelties. I love festivals for the very fact its a break from the mundane, routine daily login normality of whatever your daily/weekly routine is: Fractals/Raids/HoT Meta Farm/WvW/PvP. Festivals also a cool way to rank up some Achievement Points, XP, zerging for loot in Crown Pavillion etc.

[hugo.4705]

Very good question, spent them as material bags. 5000 for currency voucher is definitely too much... Eventually LS1 rewards if you want.

[Luthan.5236]

My strategy (new to this festival and haven't bought anything from the rewards in previous years):

Bundles of Loot: Getting all the stuff for 1600. Then trying to ignore treasure hunt focusin on dailies (for favors) and getting tokens.

 

Since for Gauntlet I only have Liadri 8 orbs achievement left I won't buy tickets with tokens. (I'm more using the existing tickets from Blitz for daily gauntlet to get more tokens.)

 

Going for a mix of favor + tokens, tokens-only and favor+gold stuff. The favor + token stuff is the most limited though since it needs both limited (one can farmed the other is hard limited through dailies) resources.

 

A mix of minis and armor skins or other stuff first and then the weapon skins at the end and some token-only stuff. I don't know yet. The most important stuff I have bought already - which was cheap: 1 home instance noded that I still had been missing.

 

Also I keep the chests you get after completing 5 dailies. Long term I'm aiming for all the unique weapon skins but I try to get other stuff before that first. Will take a few years and repetitions of the festival. (I'm not really using those skins though. Only for completion.)

 

Don't care about legendary shards or Tyrian Exchange voucher. For some it might be interesting. (And even for me since I don't play dungeons.) But then again ... should I decide to go for legendaries some time in the future (not in the next 12 months I think) I can farm them then or still start to do dungeons after all. Also there'll be other festivals in the future.

 

Since I played from release until end 2013 - then break until June 2019 - I have some skins already unlocked and someo f the nodes. Saved me a bit time. Also doing most of the achievements seems easier/faster than with Dragon Bash - even though there seem to be a lot more achievements. So I can concentrate on farming tokens the way I want (every now and then ... and then doing some other stufff and not being in the festival all the time anymore).

[Inculpatus cedo.9234]

Not much, have most things unlocked from the very first Four Winds/Queen's Pavilion. I need just one more Grand Catcher backpack. But that won't make much of a dent in them.

[Cragga the Eighty Third.60]

I bought most of the stuff last year. Bought the nodes with laurels ages ago. So now I am saving up for the panda mini and there was also some expensive tonic I may as well get.

 

It's harder to find a use for the Favor of the Festival ribbon thingies. I don't like any of the weapon skins enough to spend the ridiculous amount of gold demanded for them in addition to the favors. (I would unlock them on principle if the price was reasonable.) And the favors actually take up inventory space, so don't want to bother saving them in case of next year having new rewards. I think there is some sort of materials chest you can get for them, but it seems like a lot of effort for probably a very minuscule payback.

[Luthan.5236]

There are bags I think from the quaggan - for favors - that also have an achievement for opening some of them which gives a few AP.

[Pifil.5193]

I have most of the rewards either from last year or the first times the festival was around, the only thing I'm missing are the three Grand Catcher backpacks and the Sovereign weapons, I'll pick up the Grand Catcher backpacks but I doubt I'll bother with the Sovereign weapons.

[Ayrilana.1396]

The tokens themselves not really much as I just do the dailies and then play something else so I don’t earn much. I am using the tickets you get from the daily towards weapon skins since I got all of the other rewards last year.

[HnRkLnXqZ.1870]

The vendors are a bit overwhelming and underwhelming at the same point. You do not really know where to start or what would be worth to spend. At the Festival of the Four Winds, you can gain two different pieces of currency.

 

- **Favor of the Festival**: https://wiki.guildwars2.com/wiki/Favor_of_the_Festival

- **Festival Token**: https://wiki.guildwars2.com/wiki/Festival_Token

 

There are a couple of LS1 items at the vendors, which can be obtained at two different vendors at the moment. You can purchase them for Tokens and 1 **Laurel** OR for 25 Laurels and 15 gold (each) at a **Laurel Merchant**. If you compare those two, you quickly realize: If you want any of those items, obtaining them during the Festival of the Four Winds is cheaper. Laurels have a high value in the endgame, so it is good not to waste them early. You cannot really farm them, except for Login-Rewards and Achievement Chests.

**Laurel**: https://wiki.guildwars2.com/wiki/Laurel

**Laurel Merchant**: https://wiki.guildwars2.com/wiki/Laurel_Merchant

 

 

**Home Instance Nodes**

 

 

**Gift of Quartz - 400 Tokens**

This results in a personal **Quartz Crystal Formation** for your home instance (gathering/mining). There are a couple of places in the game where you can mine **Quartz Crystal**: Glint's Legacy in the Crystal Oasis (PoF), Drytop (Core Tyria) and of course Labyrinthine Cliffs during Bazaar/Festival of the Four Winds. All these nodes have one thing in common, they only loot regular Quartz Crystal (the blue one). Blue ones can also be purchased from TP. The special part about the Gift of Quartz, it has a chance to loot **Charged Quartz Crystal**. You can obtain 1 Charged Quartz Crystal per day, per Account if you fuse 25 regular Quartz at a "place of power" (= glowing floating orb, Hero Challenge, touch). To fuse them, you just need to have 25 or more in your inventory. Charged Quartz is used for a couple of annoying crafting-products. Most of them are trade-able and quite expensive, because the Charged Quartz is time-gated. Example: **Piece of Skyscale Food**

**Quartz Crystal Formation**: https://wiki.guildwars2.com/wiki/Quartz_Crystal_Formation

**Quartz Crystal**: https://wiki.guildwars2.com/wiki/Quartz_Crystal

**Charged Quartz Crystal**: https://wiki.guildwars2.com/wiki/Charged_Quartz_Crystal

**Piece of Skyscale Food**: https://wiki.guildwars2.com/wiki/Piece_of_Skyscale_Food

 

**Gift of Sprockets - 400 Tokens**

This results in a personal **Sprocket Generator Node** for your home instance (gathering/mining). Mining the Generator loots **Watchwork Sprockets** and **Blade Shards**. Watchwork Sprockets can be sold on TP, but are also ingredient for a couple of interesting recipes, which gain more money. The Blade Shards are a core-ingredient for the **Spinal Blades Backpack**. This is a special backpack that was introduced during the **Escape from Lion's Arch** and **Battle for Lion's Arch** (Living World Season 1), it has 5 tiers, where you constantly upgrade the current version until you end up with an Ascended Backpiece with selectable stats, that can be dyed (once per item).

 

There also exists a recipe that helps creating Blade Shards with Watchwork Sprockets, to speed the crafting-process up. The skins are nice, as you can see in the links below.

**Sprocket Generator Node**: https://wiki.guildwars2.com/wiki/Sprocket_Generator

**Watchwork Sprockets**: https://wiki.guildwars2.com/wiki/Watchwork_Sprocket

**Blade Shard**: https://wiki.guildwars2.com/wiki/Blade_Shard

**Spinal Blades Backpack**: https://wiki.guildwars2.com/wiki/Spinal_Blades

**Escape from Lion's Arch**: https://wiki.guildwars2.com/wiki/Escape_from_Lion%27s_Arch

**Battle for Lion's Arch**: https://wiki.guildwars2.com/wiki/Battle_for_Lion%27s_Arch

 

**Krait Obelisk Shard - 400 Tokens**

This results in a personal **Krait Obelisk Shard (hero challenge)**, which grants every character 1 **Hero Point** (touch). It counts as one of the above mentioned "places of power," which means you can also fuse 25 Quratz Crystals into 1 Charged Quartz Crystal there. That is all. Of all the three nodes, this one is really just optional. Can be unlocked once you have unlocked everything you really wanted. The access for the place of power is quite convenient though. A lot of players just grab 25 Quartz Crystals before they farm their home-instance and charge the Crystal on the go.

**Krait Obelisk Shard (hero challenge)**: https://wiki.guildwars2.com/wiki/Krait_Obelisk_Shard_(hero_challenge)

**Hero Point**: https://wiki.guildwars2.com/wiki/Hero_point

 

 

 

**Skins**

 

 

**Fervid Censer - 400 Tokens**

The **Fervid Censer** is a yellow rose back-piece (rare) with a **Settler's stats**. It spawns particles around the flower and is the counter-part of the **Desert Rose Skin** you can buy on TP. It suits to a lot of different armor- and dye-combinations, especially those where no other backpiece really fits (imho).

**Fervid Censer**: https://wiki.guildwars2.com/wiki/Fervid_Censer

**Settler's stats**: https://wiki.guildwars2.com/wiki/Attribute_combinations#Three_attributes

**Desert Rose Skin**: https://wiki.guildwars2.com/wiki/Desert_Rose_Skin

 

**Fused Gauntlet Ticket - 1,600 Tokens & 1 Laurel**

This is a _3in1 unlock_, that means you unlock the **Fused Gauntlet Skin** on all three weights (heavy, medium & light). The tooltip appears to be a little strange, but it is pretty much exactly what you get. Upon using the **Fused Gauntlet Ticket**, you spawn a **Vigil Requisitioner**, who will exchange your Fused Gauntlet Ticket for any of the three weights, exotic item (**Sentinel's stats**). In addition the purchase unlocks the skins for the two remaining weights.

**Fused Gauntlet Skin**: https://wiki.guildwars2.com/images/thumb/a/aa/Medium_Fused_Gauntlets.jpg/220px-Medium_Fused_Gauntlets.jpg

**Fused Gauntlet Ticket**: https://wiki.guildwars2.com/wiki/Fused_Gauntlet_Ticket

**Vigil Requisitioner**: https://wiki.guildwars2.com/wiki/Vigil_Requisitioner

**Sentinel's stats**: https://wiki.guildwars2.com/wiki/Attribute_combinations#Three_attributes

 

**Gas Mask Skin - 1,600 Tokens & 1 Laurel**

Once again a _3in1 unlock_, depending on how you dye the **Gas Mask Skin**, it can look rather scary or scientific. Sadly there is no skin for an Aqua Breather.

**Gas Mask Skin**: https://wiki.guildwars2.com/wiki/Gas_Mask_Skin

 

**Mask of the Night Skin - 400 Tokens**

Although this is also a _3in1 unlock_, the Maks of the Night Skin is rather cheap. It does not look very spectacular. Still, it fits to almost every Mesmer and a couple of other magic designs.

**Mask of the Night Skin**: https://wiki.guildwars2.com/wiki/Mask_of_the_Night_Skin

 

**Twisted Watchwork Shoulder Scrap - 10 = 64 Tokens (1,600 Tokens in total)**

Long story short, you need 250 **Twisted Watchwork Shoulder Scraps** to unlock the **Twisted Watchwork Shoulder Skin**. The Scraps and the Fused Gauntlet Ticket are the result of what happens if you turn a meta-achievement/collection reward into a purchasable item. The old Living World was a bit weird in general. Sadly it is only one shoulder-piece and there is not much variety throughout the races and genders. Look at the link, if you don't like the skin, skip it till "later."

**Twisted Watchwork Shoulder Scrap**: https://wiki.guildwars2.com/wiki/Twisted_Watchwork_Shoulder_Scrap

**Twisted Watchwork Shoulder Skin**: https://wiki.guildwars2.com/wiki/Twisted_Watchwork_Shoulders

 

**Horns of the Dragon Helm Set - 400 Tokens**

The **Horns of the Dragon Helm Set** was introduced during the first Dragon Bash we had in GW2. It is another _3in1 unlock_, for the **Horns of the Dragon skin**. You have seen it in the **Loading Screen** of the recent Dragon Bash in Hoelbrak, worn by a choya. Although it looks quite impressive, it only has 1 dye-channel.

**Horns of the Dragon Helm Set**: https://wiki.guildwars2.com/wiki/Horns_of_the_Dragon_Helm_Set

**Horns of the Dragon skin**: https://wiki.guildwars2.com/wiki/Horns_of_the_Dragon

**Loading Screen**: https://wiki.guildwars2.com/images/thumb/3/30/Dragon_Bash_loading.jpg/800px-Dragon_Bash_loading.jpg

 

**Slickpack - 1,600 Tokens & 1 Laurel**

The **Slick Pack** was introduced in the **Twilight Assault**, Twilight Arbor Aetherpath release. Since the Engineer profession has lost the **backpacks** of the kits, this is a good looking alternative for both Flamethrower and Elixir Gun users. It also fits to other classes.

**Slick Pack**: https://wiki.guildwars2.com/wiki/Slickpack

**Twilight Assault**: https://wiki.guildwars2.com/wiki/Twilight_Assault

**backpack**: https://wiki.guildwars2.com/wiki/File:Elixir_Pack_render.jpg

 

 

**Sclerite Karka Shell - 1,600 Tokens & 1 Laurel**

The **Sclerite Karka Shell** is a weird backpiece with 8 tentacles coming from **The Secret of Southsun**. It is an exotic item with Settler's stats again. There are not many looks this piece suits to, at least it is unique.

**Sclerite Karka Shell**: https://wiki.guildwars2.com/wiki/Sclerite_Karka_Shell

**The Secret of Southsun**: https://wiki.guildwars2.com/wiki/The_Secret_of_Southsun

 

**Zephyrite Sun Helm Skin - 800 Tokens**

**Zephyrite Wind Helm Skin - 800 Tokens**

**Zephyrite Lightning Helm Skin - 800 Tokens**

Those also count as _3in1 unlocks_, so you only have to purchase one of each type (Sun, Wind & Lightning) to unlock the skins for all three weights. The wind skin fits quite well to the radiant armor set from achievement-chests.

**Zephyrite Sun Helm Skin**: https://wiki.guildwars2.com/images/thumb/b/be/Zephyrite_Sun_Helm.jpg/241px-Zephyrite_Sun_Helm.jpg

**Zephyrite Wind Helm Skin**: https://wiki.guildwars2.com/images/thumb/e/ef/Zephyrite_Wind_Helm.jpg/256px-Zephyrite_Wind_Helm.jpg

**Zephyrite Lightning Helm Skin**: https://wiki.guildwars2.com/wiki/File:Zephyrite_Lightning_Helm.jpg

 

 

 

**Novelties**

 

 

**Zephyr Sanctum Model**

This is probably the most entertaining Gizmo in the game. It is a small model of the old Zephyr Sanctum. It can be placed on the ground. People who interact with it can see the **cutscene** of the Sanctum. The real sanctum does no longer exist in Tyria. Its old location was, where Ellen Kiel's Phoenix Dawn is currently docked at the Labyrinthine Cliffs (south of the Skydock Waypoint).

**Zephyr Sanctum Model**: https://wiki.guildwars2.com/wiki/Zephyr_Sanctum_Model

**cutscene**:

 

 

 

The other Novelties and Minis are also interesting. But if you are looking for worthy investments, I would start with those listed above. I explained what they are and how they can be useful. Again, you can also purchase each of them for 25 Laurels + 15 gold. In my opinion, the Festival Tokens are cheaper. It is just a personal recommendation.

 

I am still busy with unlocking those. Once I am done with them, I'll go for the other vendors and skins. Since the Festival Tokens are a currency now, you are also not forced to spend them right now. Especially the **Sovereign Weapons** and **Divine Sovereign Weapons** cost a lot of gold in addition to the Favors of the Festival. I simply store the Favors in my bank and purchase the weapon-skins when I have enough gold.

**Sovereign Weapons**: https://wiki.guildwars2.com/wiki/Sovereign_weapon_skins

**Divine Sovereign Weapons**: https://wiki.guildwars2.com/wiki/Divine_Sovereign_weapons

 

---

As our forum still breaks links, I used another format. Every blue object is listed below the paragraph with the suitable link. Just copy/paste it into your URL bar. Sorry for the inconvenience. @ forum-team: **This-Is-Tedious-And-Takes-Ages!**

---

 

[Bloodstealer.5978]

> @"Greg.7086" said:

>

> > @"Danger Dave.9046" said:

> > What are you all buying, or planning to buy with your festival tokens?

> >

> > I don't care at all about weapon or armor skins. I joined the Vigil and I only equip standard issue Vigil weapons and armor. I'm also not into crafting at all, so I have no interest in buying crafting supplies unless they can be resold in black lion. Should I buy some gathering nodes for my home instance? Which nodes provide items that can be sold at black lion, and which ones have the greatest value? I've been enjoying the festival but really don't know what I should do with my tokens.

>

> I'm buying the nodes for my home instance, never really bothered about my home instance in 5 years, but for the sake of getting them cheap for tokens its a no-brainer. Buying the Crystal, Sprocket, and Place of power thingy. But really home instance nodes are NOT away to make money: You can only get 3 Crystals off each node and they are dirt cheap to buy on TP anyway. Home instance nodes should merely seen as a "Game Feature" something nice you can call home and if you are lucky enough to have a full home instance (will cost a fortune), you can invite friends/other players to farm it. You will never profit from home instance nodes, UNLESS you had a full home instance when the server started, you farmed it every single day, and you continue to do so for the next 20 years, then you might break even!

>

> Other than nodes, I will buy the Gas Mask Skin and Dragon Helmet skin merely cos they look quite funky. Other than that rest of stuff I'm really not to bothered about. The weapon skins totally suck: Only worth getting if you bought absolutely everything else, and merely just want to use up your tokens.

>

> Don't just look at tokens or currencies for gold making, as largely in festivals or w/e they are not intended as that: Merely some light-hearted fun at gaining some cool novelties. I love festivals for the very fact its a break from the mundane, routine daily login normality of whatever your daily/weekly routine is: Fractals/Raids/HoT Meta Farm/WvW/PvP. Festivals also a cool way to rank up some Achievement Points, XP, zerging for loot in Crown Pavillion etc.

 

The Nodes, though your right they aren't really a source of mega income, do in fact reward more than three dependant on your gathering success.

The crystal Node can award anything from 3 - 15 crystals and you also get three strikes at getting Charged Crystals as well.

The Sprocket generator can reward bonus Blade Shards, which have a few uses including Mawdrey of course.

The Krait Crystal is unfortunately a one per day thing, but as Charged Crystals are useful, its a nice extra as getting them outside of Wintersday is a little frustrating when you need numbers :)

 

As for what I have spent them on.. well the only thing I seem to of missed from previous incarnations was the Infinite Dolyak Calf, so now I can turn my home instance Cattery into Ole McDonalds Farmyard... oink oink, mooooooo

[Danikat.8537]

I agree that the home instance nodes aren't a great way of making money (although the prices do vary over time) but it's better than nothing and if you have a character to park in a city it only takes a minute or two to harvest them. And occasionally they can come in very useful - when the skyscale was released I made about 200g using charged quartz I'd saved from the home instance node and Wintersday Gifts to make Grow Lamps (in addition to making all the skyscale food etc. I needed).

 

If you're looking for something practical to buy with festival tokens those are definitely the best choice. Everything else is skins, mini pets and novelties.

 

As for what I've been buying? I had a lot of stuff from previous years, including all my priority items (aka the mini pets) so I've been working through the rest of the list. This year I've actually gotten a few of the tonics which I never bothered with in previous years because until they were added to the wardrobe they seemed like a waste of bank space - something I'd never have with me when I wanted them.

[fixit.7189]

i use them on tyrian exchange voucher b/c it is only way i know how to get monk runes so i don't have to go through the misery of grinding the dungeon a billion times. ya, i have no friends so w/e.

[NanoEliteSixSixSix.8935]

Saving up for an exchange voucher or two, because I suddenly decided to craft my way through 3/4 of Incinerator one night this past weekend and now I need some CoF tokens to finish that up.

[Linken.6345]

> @"fixit.7189" said:

> i use them on tyrian exchange voucher b/c it is only way i know how to get monk runes so i don't have to go through the misery of grinding the dungeon a billion times. ya, i have no friends so w/e.

 

There is the wvw and spvp reward ascalon catacombs tracks aswell.

[Alexa Scorpionwitch.8567]

Got everything I wanted last year and really nothing this year interests me. I had 3000 bundles of loot sitting in my bank hoping the vendor would have something new, that didn't happen. Not interested in the weapons at all so most all my tokens will get converted to lanterns for GH decorations. I'll stash a couple of stacks each just to have a jump on next year in the hopes something new comes out.

[Tukaram.8256]

I have a bunch of tokens and a few 'favors'. So far I have seen nothing to buy. Bummer. Maybe next year there will be something fun to buy. I have too many minis already, they were my main festival focus before. I could not care less about skins. But the boss bashing is fun, so there is that :)

[Donari.5237]

Thanks for this thread, I'd forgotten about guild decorations and the only things left on the vendors I could buy I don't want because I know I will never use them (the catcher backs. Also avoiding Gourdon mini for bundles in the hope that next year the bundles will go to something I do like). Now my guild hall has a sailboat and a second tavern window pane for symmetry! And I have over a thousand tokens left so I can donate lanterns to my other, newer guild.

[Ashen.2907]

Not sure at this point. Normally I would unlock weapon skins but I do not like the idea that a reward is permission to spend money.

 

The basic idea that the rewards for this festival are bought with gold is ridiculous to me.

 

Anet: "Hey you completed these festival events, here is your reward."

Me: "what is it?"

Anet: "Permission to spend your money in our store."

Me: "You consider 'allowing' me to shop in your store to be a reward....?"

Anet: "yes."

Me: "me giving you MY money is a reward for me?"

Anet: "Kinda sounds bad when you put it that way."

Me: "What way?"

Anet: "You know, the way you put it..."

Me: "You mean accurately and honestly..."

Anet: "Uhh, yeah."

[Uefuswv.2193]

I bought the Kraft obelisk and the gift of quartz and gift of sprockets! I also got a longbow skin. :) I had SO much fun completeing the kookoochoo achievement and I just love love festivals so much! They’re so fun! I got tons of cool stuff at dragon bash too. I hope everyone else is having as much fun as I am haha ?