Bloody Prince Edrick, so named because his slapstick incompetence leads peers to carpet his entrance with swears, is son of the Mad King Thorn, so named because – well, you know. The twin moons of Halloween and Bring Your Long-Dead Son to Work Day have aligned this year, and so both royals will be crossing over into Tyria on October 15.
The Bloody Prince will be responsible for some “frightful” challenges, though his dad isn’t exactly resting on his gore-rels either. My favourite (decribed) new event is the Lunatic Inquisition, a PvP prowl through the Mad King’s Labyrinth in which you can play either a villager attempting to make it through til morning, or a stabby courtier determined to ensure they don’t. Survival tools and hidden secrets abound, apparently.
Here’s the rest of what’s new, events-wise:
- Mad Realm Doors: Players can trick-or-treat at haunted doors across Kryta. Beware: Knocking isn’t without risk.
- Mad King’s Labyrinth: Bloody Prince Edrick has taken over parts of the Mad King’s Labyrinth and is controlling the undead armies in the Mad King’s Realm. The Skeletal Lich, Grand High Viscount of Candy Corn, and the Labyrinthine Horror lie in wait.
- Mad King’s Clock Tower: Tyria’s most maddening jumping puzzle thrilled players during last year’s Halloween event and returns better than ever. Only the most skillful will navigate the insanity of the Mad King’s Clock Tower to reach the top in time.
Players who complete the Blood and Madness meta achievement will receive a Mini Candy Corn Elemental, and persistence along the storyline will be rewarded with a Candy Corn node for your home instance. Elsewhere in sweet crops, Candy Corn can be traded for Halloween items, including the 20-slot Halloween Pail, Mini Bloody Prince, and items needed to craft Halloween weapons. Then there’s the Mask of the Night – only earned during rounds of Mad King Says.
The gradual unfurling of features doesn’t stop for the holidays, by the way – ArenaNet have slipped a number of balance fixes into their update, designed to improve support builds for all professions. What’s more, improvements to the tooltip system mean traits will now display numbers, and “quality of life” changes to combat have seen the addition of new ground targeting options.
All of which is due to go live with Blood and Madness on Tuesday. What will you be logging in for?