To unlock the Skiff in Guild Wars 2, you must own the End of Dragons expansion and progress through its story. The Skiff is a multi-person water mount primarily used for traversing the waters of Cantha and engaging in the fishing activity.
Unlocking the Skiff Mount
The Skiff mount itself is a core gameplay feature tied to the Guild Wars 2: End of Dragons expansion. It becomes available through specific story progression and a collection achievement within the expansion's content.
Prerequisites for Unlocking
To begin the process of unlocking your Skiff, you will need:
- Guild Wars 2: End of Dragons Expansion: This expansion is mandatory, as the Skiff is exclusive to its content.
- Access to Arborstone: You'll gain access to Arborstone as you progress through the End of Dragons story.
- Initial Story Progression: You must complete a certain portion of the End of Dragons main story to unlock the necessary collection.
Step-by-Step Guide
Follow these steps to acquire your Skiff mount:
- Play the End of Dragons Story: Progress through the main story chapters until you unlock the central hub of Arborstone.
- Unlock the Arborstone Revitalization Mastery Track: After gaining access to Arborstone, you'll eventually unlock the Arborstone Revitalization Mastery line. Invest mastery points into this track.
- Complete "A Skiff in Every Port" Collection: As you advance through the Arborstone Revitalization Mastery line, specifically after investing enough mastery points, you will be able to start the collection achievement called "A Skiff in Every Port." This collection involves a series of tasks, usually related to interacting with various NPCs or locations within Cantha.
- Claim Your Skiff: Once "A Skiff in Every Port" collection is fully completed, you will be rewarded with the Skiff mount, making it available for all characters on your account.
For detailed steps on completing the "A Skiff in Every Port" collection, you can consult the official Guild Wars 2 Wiki page on Skiffs or related achievement guides.
Acquiring Skiff Skins (Cosmetics)
Once you have unlocked the base Skiff mount, you can then customize its appearance with various cosmetic Skiff skins. It's important to understand that these skins are purely visual enhancements and do not offer any gameplay advantages or statistical benefits to your Skiff's performance.
Skiff skins are unlocked account-wide, meaning that once you acquire a skin, it becomes available for use by all your characters.
Where to Get Skiff Skins
There are primarily two ways to acquire cosmetic Skiff skins:
- Gem Store Purchases: The in-game Gem Store frequently offers various Skiff skins for direct purchase using Gems. These skins are usually unique designs and are available for a limited time or as part of bundles.
- Black Lion Chests: Some Skiff skins can be obtained as rare drops from Black Lion Chests, which are opened using Black Lion Keys. These chests contain a variety of cosmetic and utility items, and their contents rotate periodically.
Skiff Mount vs. Skiff Skins
To clarify the distinction between the Skiff mount and its cosmetic skins, refer to the table below:
| Feature | Skiff Mount (Base) | Skiff Skins (Cosmetic) |
|---|---|---|
| Purpose | Primary water travel, fishing platform, party transport | Customizes the visual appearance of your Skiff Mount |
| Acquisition | Complete specific End of Dragons story and collection | Purchase from Gem Store, acquire from Black Lion Chests |
| Prerequisites | End of Dragons expansion, story progression, collection | Skiff Mount unlocked, currency (gems) or luck |
| Gameplay Impact | Essential for water exploration and fishing in Cantha | None (purely visual effects) |
| Account-Wide | Yes, once unlocked on one character, available to all | Yes, once unlocked, available to all characters on account |
Why Unlock the Skiff?
Unlocking the Skiff significantly enhances your gameplay experience in End of Dragons by:
- Efficient Water Travel: Navigate the vast waterways of Cantha quickly and easily.
- Fishing: The Skiff is essential for participating in the new fishing activity introduced with the expansion, allowing you to deploy your fishing rod and catch various aquatic life.
- Social Group Transport: Up to four other players can ride on your Skiff, making it a convenient way to travel with friends across water.
