former player's questions about the current game

[Kyzonu.7504]

i stopped playing in the HOT days (before LW3 started) and i've been thinking of coming back during my vacation since i've heard a lot of good things about POF; but there are still a few things that quite bugged me whenever i thought of coming back, and i'd wish to know if they're still present before i download such a large game (high-speed internet in my country isn't very affordable)

1 - do you still have to buy living world seasons from the cash shop if you didn't log in when they were current content?

2 - is it worth it to get POF on sale (i assume there will be one on black friday) or is it a better idea to wait for the next expansion, since they'll give out POF for free to people who purchase

3 - are HOT and LW3/4 content is still alive, or have people abandoned it for the newer stuff?

4 - is the open-world content available with the expansion enough to justify a purchase? i mostly did fractals and silverwastes back in the day, but i'd be changing mains from warrior to necromancer and i'm not in the mood to farm gold for another ascended set... raid and PVP aren't really my thing, although i enjoyed my limited experience with WvW

5 - is the game still full of mobs with knockback/down effects? because one of the main things that made it unfun for me was my character becoming a pinball whenever i fought a couple of griffins/stoneheads

[Mewcifer.5198]

1 - Yes, but they are bought with gems so you can convert gold to get them

2 - There won't be another expansion anytime soon, so yes

3 - I've always seen people on the maps

4 - If you like story I would say yes. As well as to gain access to all the mounts.

5 - There will always be mobs with those kinds of things, but you just have to learn how to avoid or mitigate those kinds of effects by dodging and and using skills

[ugrakarma.9416]

Stoneheads is easy to deal, most mobs with CC are just slow.

[otto.5684]

1- Yes.

2- PoF is worth it for the elite lines alone, in my opinion. If you like GW2, PoF for half off is a bargain.

3- HoT is more active than PoF. LWS3 maps are still active. LWS4 maps are still active. PoF maps not much (and not much to do there anyway). Just keep in mind, nothing is as active as it used to be.

4- Complicated. You will not get LWS4 if you did not buy them (or logged in while they are active). As I noted in number 2, I think the elites alone justify the purchase, so the maps are a "bonus." However, they are undoubtedly the lowest point of the expansion (or story depending on your taste. I really hate the PoF story, but some people like it).

5- Well.. bad news. PoF mobs specialize in CC! I think LWS4 was okay though. Not much CC. And PoF maps have no replay-ability.

[Zeefa.3915]

I think Mewcifer and otto already covered the answers pretty well

I'll add that not only is there no expansion in sight anytime soon. HoT was not free with PoF from the begining, so you may end up waiting a very very long time. If you do. Sometimes waiting for a better deal, means never getting it. Because you can always find a reason.