Eventsplosion. It sounds like a Chua got loose in a greetings card factory. For me though, it’s what’s happening in WildStar over the next few weeks. I’ve already shared my guide to Shade’s Eve, starting later this month, but there are two further events to add to your galactic calendar. Power, Prestige & PvP starts this week on October 15, offering a prestige boost to anyone taking part in PvP. And from October 21, race fans across Nexus will be celebrating the start of the Hoverboard zPrix Invitational.
It means there’ll be even more to do in Nexus for the rest of the month. Anyone over level 6 can take part in battlegrounds and benefit from the Prestige bonus, and those level 10 and up can take part in the zPrix and Shade’s Eve – both possible after about a day of play. And don’t worry about being a newcomer either, as holiday events are new to WildStar, which means we’ll all be experiencing them for the first time. Whatever your MMO preferences, it’s an ideal time to dive in.
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Battleground Bonuses
Before I get into the Hoverboard zPrix Invitational, let’s talk about the blood and glory on the WildStar calendar – Power, Prestige and PvP. When the galactic nodes are aligned, and the cosmic primal pathways between the Draken homeworld of Mikros and Nexus are at their strongest, the Old Gods of the Blood Covenant look down on the gladiators of the new world, granting them a boon for their glorious slaughter. Okay, that little bit may have been made up, but when was the last time you needed an excuse to kick ass in PvP?
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From Thursday October 15 to Sunday October 18, anyone jumping into PvP (battlegrounds, arenas and warplots) will earn double Prestige – the currency use to buy PvP gear, plus general consumables such as Amp and Ability Points, mounts, pets, and PvP costumes. But, before you blindly throw yourself into the meat grinder, there’s a couple of things you can do to make sure you last that little bit longer, and get the most out of it while you’re there.
Firstly, it helps to have a reasonable set of PvP gear. You can pick up a basic set for in-game gold from the PvP vendors, which you’ll find near the contracts board in Thayd and Illium. Head to the PvP Leveling Gear vendor if you’re still below 50, or the Season 2 vendor if you’re already at cap. Talking about Contracts, make sure you grab a set of PvP contracts from the board, as it’s a great way to earn additional rewards
Secondly, queueing up for a random battleground will earn a Professional Mercenary’s Payment, rewarding even more Prestige. And, in a juicy twist, those bags reward even more Prestige if you have Signature membership. In fact – although it’s unconfirmed – I have a hunch that Signature and the event boost will stack, giving an even bigger bonus. I’m also eager to find out if the Minor Flask of Riches or Flask of Prestige will stack with the weekend’s bonus to push it even further.
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When deciding what to spend your Prestige on, head back to the Season 2 PvP vendor and scroll down to the Item Level 70 gear. Most of these are Rare quality, but can be upgraded to Epic and even Legendary simply by using Enhancer items. You can buy the Enhancers from the same vendor, but they also drop from the reward chests at the end of each battleground.
Even if PvP isn’t a regular part of your WildStar experience, it’s still worth taking part in this event. If you’re a fresh-faced Level 50 and haven’t maxed out your ability or amp points, you might want to pay the PvP Consumables Vendor a visit. You’ll also find a mix of mounts, pets, and housing items to tempt even the hardened pacifists onto the battlefield.
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Back to the zPrix
Got yourself a Hoverboard? Level ten or over? Then you’re ready to race in the Hoverboard zPrix Invitational. Starting on Wednesday October 21, and running till Sunday October 25, this mini-event just happens to coincide with the anniversary of a historic yet futuristic movie franchise. There are three amazing racetracks, scattered throughout Nexus, and each has a daily quest with some neat rewards – plus there’s a rumoured new Hoverboard to seek out. I had the chance to check it out briefly on the test servers last month, and it’s ridiculously good fun. Yes, it overlaps with Shade’s Eve, but it’s also a fantastic break from the spooky goings on back at the capital cities.
To get started, head to the Contract and daily quest hub in either Thayd or Illium, where you’ll find a new NPC called Gallian “Doc” Zemmet. He’ll offer you three quests each day – one for each racetrack – which also come bundled with a teleporter to take you straight to the starting line. Just hit ‘T’ to use the item, and you’ll be on your way. Simple!
Out in Nexus, the three racetracks – Celestial River Rush, Savannah Speedway, and Whitevale Wipeout – dominate each of the zones, leading you on a fast-paced streak across the map. Scoring circles help to guide you along the track, while jump ramps and speed boosts will propel you to insane heights and ludicrous speeds, well above 88 miles per hour.
The races themselves require you to be mounted on a Hoverboard – just pick your favourite, and nudge yourself into the starting circle to begin the countdown. When it hits zero, start down the track! Try and aim yourself through each circle – particularly the checkpoints – and use the ramps and speedboosts to pick up momentum. Keep your eyes peeled too, as each track has a couple of shortcuts where you can shave off some seconds.
Gaz running the event himself on the PTR.
As for those rewards, I managed to get a glimpse of most of them. The futuristic-looking official zPrix costume comes in four parts (pants, boots, cap and vest), helping you make your own Marty McChua. There’s also a small collection of titles (“Slacker”, “Bojo” and “Butthead”), and a couple of housing décor items (a burning road mark and bolt of lightning). But by far the most elusive is the new LeDorian Hoverboard mount, complete with bonus flair items. There’s currently no word on how it’s earned, but it’s likely to be very high on wish-lists once the event opens.
Personally, I’m hoping that this is just the start of a longer, more involved zPrix Season. I’d love to see more racetracks placed all over Nexus, with the zPrix taking us on a World Tour. I’d also like to see leaderboards for the top players, and the ability to race against our friends and guildmates, Mario Kart-style. The whole zPrix is refreshingly different to any other holiday event I’ve played, and I’d love to see more of it.
So, whether it’s high-speed hoverboards, prestigious PvP, or spooky celebrations, WildStar is offering three events in three weeks. Only one question remains – will you be checking them out?
