Guild Wars/Glossary

Access key
An access key is a 25-character code that accompanies all Guild Wars products. Every game box comes with a unique access key that is used to register an account. Once an account is activated with an access key, further codes can be added to the account to unlock additional game features (such as additional campaigns, or promotional items). Once an access key is registered to an account via the game client, it is forever tied to that account and can no longer be added to any other accounts.

Account mark
An account mark is an administrative mark placed on a player's account by a Game master in order to tag the account for "infractions" (Breaking the Rules of Conduct). A mark is meant as a warning and it results in a temporary blocking of the account. The length of bans increase with every added account mark, and eventually will result in a ban.

Action
An action is the performing of an attack or using a skill.

Activation time
Activation time is the length of time it takes for a skill to "prepare" before it can initiate. The activation time begins as soon as the player activates the skill, and ends after that time has passed. Once the activation time has successfully completed, then that skill can be initiated. Activation time is denoted by clock icon. This term is also referred to as the casting time in reference to spells. After the activation time there is usually an aftercast delay.

Adjacent
Refers to a range larger than touch range, but smaller than nearby. This is the standard range for a melee weapon attack.

Allegiance
Allegiance is a term that describes which faction your Guild or Alliance allies with, either Kurzick or Luxon.

Ally
An ally is any creature, player or NPC, who is friendly towards you and your party. All party members are also allies. From a game mechanics perspective, each character is considered an ally of themselves (skills which target allies but cannot target yourself specify "other ally"). Allies are shown as green dots on the radar and/or with green names in the user interface in PvE, and show up with names and dots of your team's color in PvP.

Some non-party allies, such as animal companions and mission specific NPCs, will appear in your party window, below all other party members. Allies will not be affected by spells or skills that specify "party members" instead of "allies". An ally may also refer to a guild that is part of a Factions alliance.

Area of effect
Area of effect refers to skills or other gameplay mechanics that affect entities within a specific locus. Area of effect mechanics in Guild Wars have the following radii: adjacent, nearby, in the area, and within earshot.

Armor penetration
Armor penetration (often abbreviated as AP) is the amount of armor that an attack or spell ignores when calculating damage.

There are two different types of armor penetration:
 * Base armor penetration
 * A set amount of armor penetration, such as "This attack has 20% armor penetration." If there is more than one source for base armor penetration, the largest value is used; base armor penetration does not stack.


 * Bonus armor penetration
 * An additional amount of armor penetration, such as "Armor penetration 20%." These do stack and add to the largest base armor penetration.

Ascension
Ascension is a legendary feat that gives your character the blessings of the Gods of Tyria. In order to ascend, players must pass three missions that can be beaten in any order - Elona Reach, Dunes of Despair, and Thirsty River. Following this, players must enter the mesa at Augury Rock and defeat their Doppelganger.

Ascended characters can change their secondary professions and enter the Realms of the Gods. Furthermore, only Ascended characters can access the Dragon's Lair Mission, the Vision of Glint quests, and the Tomb of the Primeval Kings. Prophecies characters must be Ascended in order to access The Hero's Challenge, the second Prophecies attribute point quest.

Assign
Assign means that a drop can only be picked up by the person it is assigned to. Items dropped from chests are dropped to the person who unlocked them. Items dropped by monsters are assigned to random member of your party. This includes henchmen and heroes, you just do not see the item drop, but the henchman/hero's chance of getting a drop is the same as a human character. You do not get items that drop for your heroes.

Attacking
A creature that is attacking with a weapon or activating an attack skill is considered to be Attacking.

Attribute
Attributes are the statistical descriptors for all player and non-player characters in Guild Wars. Most skills have an associated attribute that governs the effectiveness of that skill. Most weapons require a minimum investment in a specific attribute to function at their full capacity. Each profession has a powerful primary attribute which also has an overall effect that is part of what "makes" the profession.

Auction
Auction or auctioning refers to placing an in-game item or service on sale and allowing potential buyers to place bids in any of a variety of bidding schemes. Auctioning as a service is not provided by the game itself, however multiple fansites have developed auction sites to support the players trying to sell in-game goods.