Route

This route is built on one rule: unlock the masteries that remove friction first (movement + quality of life), then unlock the masteries that multiply rewards (loot + profit), then unlock the masteries that support long-term projects (legendary crafting, collections, niche gameplay).

Because GW2 splits masteries by region/expansion, your “best order” depends on what you own and what you play. So instead of one rigid list, you’ll get:

• A universal priority that helps almost everyone
• A track-by-track “first unlocks” plan
• A set of goal-based routes (open world, fractals, exploration, gold, completion)

Step 0: Learn the 3 mastery rules that prevent 90% of mistakes

Rule 1: Mastery points are category-limited.

Central Tyria points spend in Central Tyria. HoT points spend in HoT. EoD points spend in EoD. You can’t “save up HoT points” to finish Central Tyria.

Rule 2: You can switch mastery training without losing XP progress.

If you’re training something and change your mind, your progress doesn’t vanish. This is huge for staying efficient.

Rule 3: Your first big mastery wins are convenience, not power.

Auto-loot and mobility upgrades feel “small,” but they quietly increase your gold, reduce downtime, and make every session better.

The universal priority list (the “do these first” shortlist)

If you want the fastest “account feels better immediately” order in 2025, prioritize these:

1. Central Tyria → Pact Commander to Advanced Logistics (auto-loot)
2. Heart of Thorns → Basic Gliding, then Updraft access (if you own HoT)
3. Path of Fire → Core mount movement masteries (Raptor jump, Springer jump, Skimmer mobility) (if you own PoF)
4. End of Dragons → Jade Bot core upgrades (if you own EoD)
5. Secrets of the Obscure → Flight Training + Heart of the Obscure Research (if you own SotO)

Everything else becomes easier once these are in place.

Route A: Brand-new level 80 (best “first 2 weeks” plan)

If you just hit level 80 (or returned after years away), your best results come from doing one mastery category at a time—but picking the highest-impact upgrades first.

Week 1: Convenience and movement

• Central Tyria: push Pact Commander toward auto-loot
• If you own HoT: unlock Gliding basics and the first movement-gating upgrades (because HoT maps assume them)
• If you own PoF: start training mount movement masteries while you do PoF story and events

Week 2: Reward multipliers

• If you run fractals: start Fractal Attunement
• If you own EoD: start Jade Bot (because it’s passive value that helps everywhere)
• If you own SotO: start Flight Training (because it upgrades skyscale/griffon movement and makes modern open world smoother)

Route B: Open-world meta player (fast travel, faster tagging, better farming)

Your “meta player” masteries are the ones that reduce travel time and increase loot capture.

Priority order

1. Auto-loot (Central Tyria)
2. Mount movement masteries (PoF)
3. Gliding upgrades (HoT)
4. SotO Flight Training (if you own it)
5. EoD Jade Bot (passive value, plus modern map synergy)

Why this route works

Meta events reward consistent participation. The faster you move and the less time you spend interacting with loot, the more events you tag, and the more reward cycles you complete per session.

Route C: Fractal player (profit and gearing efficiency)

If fractals are part of your weekly routine, masteries can literally translate into “more value per run.”

Priority order

1. Auto-loot (still first—because it helps everywhere)
2. Fractal Attunement (Central Tyria)
3. Gliding and mounts (depending on your expansion ownership)
4. EoD Jade Bot (nice-to-have, passive boosts)
5. Legendary Crafting only if you’re actually crafting precursors soon

Why this route works

Fractal Attunement is a “reward amplifier” category. If you do fractals frequently, it’s one of the few masteries that can feel like an immediate income upgrade.

Route D: Explorer / completionist (map access and locked shortcuts)

Exploration is often blocked by specific HoT and mount gates.

Priority order

1. Mount movement masteries (PoF)
2. HoT Gliding → Updraft → Ley-line style travel tools
3. Itzel/Nuhoch movement gates (mushrooms/wallows)
4. Auto-loot (still worth doing early, but exploration is usually the bigger blocker)
5. SotO Flight Training (if you own it)

Why this route works

A completionist’s biggest enemy is backtracking. Movement masteries reduce the number of “I can’t reach that yet” moments.

The track-by-track “what to unlock first” recommendations

Below are practical priorities for each major mastery category, written so you can look at your mastery panel and immediately know what to aim for next.

Central Tyria masteries (everyone’s foundation)

Central Tyria unlocks after level 80 (with any expansion ownership). This is where your biggest quality-of-life upgrades live.

Top priority: Pact Commander → Advanced Logistics (auto-loot)

Auto-loot is the most universal mastery in the game because it improves every activity: open world, fractals, meta events, story, farming, even casual roaming. It removes constant interaction spam and quietly speeds up your sessions.

Second priority (goal-based):

• Fractal Attunement if you do fractals weekly (reward + convenience value)
• Legendary Crafting only if you are actively crafting a precursor soon (it’s a long-term project tool, not a daily-life upgrade)

Simple Central Tyria spending rule

• If you don’t do fractals: Pact Commander first, then decide later
• If you do fractals: Pact Commander to auto-loot, then Fractal Attunement
• If you are crafting a Gen 1 legendary soon: you can start Legendary Crafting once your daily-life masteries feel comfortable

Heart of Thorns masteries (movement gates and map access)

HoT is famous for being “hard” for newer players—mostly because it expects you to have the right movement masteries.

Your first HoT goals (in order)

1. Basic Gliding (the moment you have gliding, the jungle stops feeling hostile)
2. Updraft access (this opens huge portions of HoT navigation)
3. Bouncing Mushrooms (Itzel)
4. Exalted Markings (for specific story/map gates)
5. Nuhoch Wallows (Nuhoch)
6. Ley-line style gliding upgrades (high value for traversal and some later content)

Why this order works

HoT’s story and maps are built around vertical navigation. Gliding is the only HoT mastery that’s broadly usable in many places (outside restricted zones), so it’s the natural first investment. Mushrooms, markings, and wallows are common “hard gates” for reaching points, events, and mastery insights.

Path of Fire masteries (mount mastery is mastery power)

PoF introduced mounts, and mount masteries are practically their own progression game.

Your first PoF goals (in order)

1. Raptor gap-clearing mastery (your early “reach the next thing” tool)
2. Springer vertical jump mastery (your “get up cliffs” tool)
3. Skimmer mobility upgrades (your “ignore water/hazard zones” tool)
4. Jackal movement upgrades (useful once you’re deeper in desert traversal and portals matter)

Why this order works

Raptor + Springer + Skimmer solve the most common movement problems: gaps, height, and water/hazard routes. Jackal becomes more valuable once you’re actively using desert shortcuts and sand portals.

End of Dragons masteries (modern account power: Jade Bot + hub value)

EoD masteries are a mix of passive upgrades and lifestyle systems.

First priority: Jade Bot

Jade Bot masteries are commonly recommended early because they add passive value and interact with Cantha gameplay systems. Even if you’re not a “fishing player,” Jade Bot tends to feel useful quickly.

Second priority: Arborstone Revitalization (goal-based)

• If you care about EoD long-term projects (especially legendary-related workflows and hub convenience), Arborstone upgrades become more valuable over time.
• If you don’t care about that yet, Jade Bot first is the safe choice.

Third priority (optional): Fishing and Skiff

• Only prioritize these early if fishing is part of your actual weekly play, or if you want the lifestyle side of Cantha.

Turtle mount track

• Treat as optional unless you specifically want the mount and you enjoy its content path.

Secrets of the Obscure masteries (skyscale tools and rift utility)

SotO masteries tend to be “modern Tyria” tools: rift hunting, arcane chests, and flight upgrades.

First priority: Flight Training

Flight Training is the mastery track that upgrades how flying mounts interact with updrafts and ley lines, and it’s one of the clearest “movement feels better instantly” systems if you use skyscale or griffon.

Second priority: Heart of the Obscure Research

This mastery line centers on rift hunting utility and arcane chest interactions, and it becomes important if you engage with SotO’s core loop (rifts, rewards, and related systems).

Astral Ward / other tracks

• Great once you’ve secured your movement and rift tools, but most players feel the biggest benefits from Flight Training early.

Janthir Wilds masteries (Warclaw-focused upgrades and fast leveling tools)

Janthir Wilds continues the pattern of annual expansions focusing on a specific mount. In Janthir’s case, Warclaw gets major attention, and Janthir content introduces strong localized experience-boosting methods that help you train its masteries faster inside Janthir maps.

Practical priority

• If you actively use mounts in open world and care about smoother movement: prioritize Warclaw-related quality-of-life upgrades that help mount flow.
• If your limiting factor is mastery points (not XP): spend points where the benefit is immediate rather than “more XP later.”

Visions of Eternity masteries (Skimmer focus and new regional tracks)

Visions of Eternity is built around new maps and new mastery tracks, with a strong emphasis on Skimmer-focused gameplay and exploration-heavy spaces—especially with underwater areas playing a bigger role.

Practical priority

• If you enjoy exploration, movement, and map secrets: prioritize Skimmer-related upgrades early.
• If your goal is profit loops tied to events and hidden chests: prioritize the masteries that directly interact with the new reward loop (keys/charges and chest access systems).

Loot

Masteries don’t drop gold, but they increase how much loot you reliably convert into gold over time. The “loot value” of masteries comes from four effects:

1. You reach more reward moments (because movement is faster)
2. You miss fewer chests and events (because you keep up)
3. You reduce downtime (less manual looting, less backtracking)
4. You unlock reward multipliers in specific content (fractals, expansion reward loops)

Here’s how the best early masteries translate into real loot results.

Auto-loot (Advanced Logistics): the silent income booster

Auto-loot doesn’t “increase drops,” but it increases the number of drops you successfully collect and process per hour. Over weeks, it becomes one of the most profitable upgrades you can make because you:

• loot faster in farms and meta trains
• spend less time interacting and more time tagging
• keep your momentum during event chains
• reduce the chance you forget loot during chaotic fights

Auto-loot also makes inventory management easier because your session flow becomes more predictable: fight → loot automatically → salvage batch later.

Gliding and HoT movement gates: loot access, not damage

HoT masteries often unlock literal treasure and reward access:

• Many map reward paths assume updraft travel and gliding routes.
• Certain mastery gates exist specifically to prevent “skipping” into reward areas too early.

When you unlock these gates, you don’t just move faster—you gain access to events, lanes, and chest routes you would otherwise avoid because they feel annoying.

Mount movement masteries: the best “loot per hour” upgrade after auto-loot

When your Raptor can clear gaps and your Springer can vertical jump, you:

• arrive to events sooner
• keep up with commanders
• grab bonus chests and side rewards without delaying the group
• reduce the time cost of gathering routes and map completion loops

Mount masteries are an indirect loot buff because time saved becomes extra events completed.

Fractal Attunement: reward amplification if you run fractals

If fractals are in your routine, this is one of the clearest “masteries affect loot” tracks. Fractals already have a reward structure built around daily chests; fractal masteries are designed to deepen that loop with additional benefits tied to fractal progression.

Jade Bot: passive value and modern reward synergy

Jade Bot masteries are “background profit.” Even when you’re not thinking about them, they contribute value through how they interact with EoD systems and account-wide convenience.

If you spend a lot of time in Cantha, Jade Bot becomes a steady “this makes my character better and my time smoother” investment.

SotO flight and rift tools: loot access + loop efficiency

SotO masteries matter because SotO content is built around repeatable loops:

• getting around efficiently (flight tools)
• interacting with special chests and systems (Heart of the Obscure style tools)
• participating in repeatable event content

If you own SotO and play it regularly, skipping these masteries often feels like playing with one hand tied behind your back.

Annual expansion masteries: “the reward loop is the point”

Janthir Wilds and Visions of Eternity emphasize modern reward loops tied to events, exploration, and mount-focused gameplay. The loot value here is straightforward: if a mastery unlocks more consistent access to the loop’s chests, keys, charges, or traversal routes, it’s usually worth prioritizing.

Extraction

This is the part most players ignore: how to spend mastery points so you don’t get stuck and how to train masteries without turning your play into chores.

Extraction rule 1: Spend points in “unlock blocks,” not one point everywhere

The fastest way to stall your account is spreading points thin across tracks and never finishing the mastery that unlocks the next thing you need.

Instead, spend points like this:

• pick one high-impact mastery goal
• invest until you reach the “breakpoint” that changes gameplay
• then switch to the next goal

Examples of strong breakpoints

• Auto-loot unlocked
• Basic gliding unlocked
• Updraft access unlocked
• Your key mount movement mastery unlocked (gap jump / vertical jump)

Extraction rule 2: Don’t farm mastery XP without a point plan

Mastery XP is easy to over-gain while your points are the real bottleneck. Before you do an XP-heavy session, decide:

• which track you’re training
• which mastery point sources you’ll do next to fund it
• what your next breakpoint is

This turns “I played 3 hours and got nothing” into “I played 3 hours and unlocked two permanent account upgrades.”

Extraction rule 3: Use the content that naturally gives both XP and points

The most efficient mastery progress usually comes from playing the expansion content that matches the track:

• story steps (often give large XP)
• map events and metas
• mastery insights
• achievement chains tied to the region

If you try to grind XP in unrelated content while lacking the matching mastery points, you’ll hit a wall.

A simple weekly mastery routine (works for most players)

Two short sessions + one longer session per week

• Session 1 (30–60 min): do 2–4 mastery point targets in your current expansion (insights + easy achievements)
• Session 2 (30–60 min): do XP-heavy content in that same expansion (events, metas, story)
• Session 3 (90–180 min): complete one “big checkpoint” (a meta chain, a story block, or a focused mastery point sweep)

This routine works because it alternates: points → XP → points+XP, keeping you from stalling.

How to choose masteries based on your real life time

If you play 20–40 minutes per day

• Prioritize masteries with immediate global impact: auto-loot, movement, core convenience
• Avoid long collection-style mastery goals until weekends

If you play 2–4 hours on weekends

• Do your mastery point sweeps and story blocks on weekends
• Use weekdays for XP progress and small achievements

If you play a lot

• You can run multiple tracks, but still keep “breakpoints” as your spending logic

Common mastery traps (and how to avoid them)

Trap 1: Legendary Crafting too early

Legendary Crafting is powerful when you’re ready for it—but it’s often a “later” track because it doesn’t improve your day-to-day gameplay the way movement and auto-loot do. If your goal is crafting a precursor soon, it becomes a priority. If not, it’s usually safe to delay.

Trap 2: HoT without gliding investment

HoT is designed around gliding and movement gates. If you try to brute force it without unlocking those tools, you’ll feel like the expansion is unfair. It isn’t unfair—you’re just missing the intended movement toolkit.

Trap 3: Training what sounds cool, not what unlocks access

“Cool” masteries are fun, but “access” masteries unlock more content, which unlocks more points, which unlocks more masteries. Access comes first.

Trap 4: Ignoring annual expansion specialization tracks

Newer expansions often tie rewards to a specific mastery loop. If you own the expansion and want its rewards, your best experience is usually unlocking the loop enablers early (the masteries that let you open the good chests, use the intended mount upgrades, or participate efficiently).

Practical Rules

1. Spend mastery points to remove friction first: auto-loot, movement, access gates.
2. Don’t split points across many tracks early—finish one breakpoint at a time.
3. If you own any expansion, Central Tyria → Pact Commander to auto-loot is a top-tier first goal.
4. If you own HoT, unlock basic gliding early; HoT maps assume it.
5. If you own HoT, prioritize the movement gates that unlock navigation (updrafts, mushrooms, wallows, markings).
6. If you own PoF, train the mount movement masteries that solve gaps and vertical travel first.
7. If you do fractals weekly, Fractal Attunement becomes a strong early investment after auto-loot.
8. Don’t train mastery XP heavily if you don’t have a plan for mastery points.
9. Use mastery insights and regional achievements to fund your next upgrades.
10. If you feel stuck, you’re usually missing one of three things: points, a movement gate, or the right map loop.
11. Choose masteries based on your playstyle (meta trains vs fractals vs exploration), not on what looks interesting.
12. If you own EoD, Jade Bot is a safe early pick for passive account value.
13. If you own SotO, Flight Training is one of the most immediately felt masteries if you use flying mounts.
14. If you own SotO and want its reward loop, prioritize the mastery that enables rift/chest interactions.
15. Don’t delay “access” masteries for “project” masteries—access unlocks more points, faster.
16. Do points first, then XP, then spend—avoid sitting on full XP bars with no points.
17. If a mastery is only useful in content you never play, don’t prioritize it yet.
18. If an expansion is your main home right now, spend your points there until your movement and reward loop feels complete.
19. Keep a small weekly mastery routine so progress never stalls.
20. When in doubt, choose the mastery that saves you time every single session.

BoostRoom

If you want to progress masteries fast without wasting points, BoostRoom can turn your account situation into a clean plan you can follow day by day.

How BoostRoom helps with masteries:

• Personal mastery priority map: based on what expansions you own and what you actually play (open world, fractals, raids, gold farming, exploration)
• Point routing: the easiest mastery point sources to reach your next breakpoint without burnout
• XP routing: the fastest-feeling XP loops that don’t turn your gameplay into a repetitive grind
• Movement-first optimization: get the masteries that remove friction so every future goal is easier
• Long-term project planning: when you’re ready for legendary crafting or big collections, you’ll have the right mastery foundation already built

If you want your masteries to feel like “permanent upgrades every week” instead of “a confusing panel I ignore,” BoostRoom is built for that.

FAQ

What is the single best mastery to unlock first?

For most players, it’s the Central Tyria Pact Commander path to auto-loot (Advanced Logistics), because it improves every activity in the game and reduces downtime constantly.

Should I prioritize masteries for the expansion I’m currently playing?

Usually yes—especially for movement and reward-loop masteries—because the expansion itself will provide the easiest mastery points and XP to train those tracks.

Why do I have mastery XP but can’t unlock anything?

You’re missing mastery points in that category. Mastery XP fills the bar, but mastery points are what let you actually train the mastery.

Can I switch mastery tracks mid-progress?

Yes. Switching doesn’t delete your XP progress on the track you were training.

Are HoT masteries still worth it if I have Skyscale?

Yes. Skyscale reduces some HoT pain, but HoT masteries still unlock intended navigation tools and access gates for certain map routes, events, and achievements.

Do I need Fractal Attunement if I don’t play fractals?

Not early. If fractals aren’t part of your routine, prioritize universal masteries first (auto-loot, movement, access). You can always come back later.

Is Legendary Crafting worth unlocking early?

Only if you’re actively crafting a Gen 1 precursor soon. Otherwise, it’s usually better to unlock movement and convenience masteries first.

What should I prioritize in End of Dragons masteries?

Many players prioritize Jade Bot first for general usefulness, then Arborstone if they care about hub upgrades and longer-term EoD goals.

What should I prioritize in Secrets of the Obscure masteries?

If you use flying mounts, Flight Training is one of the most noticeable upgrades. If you engage with SotO’s core loop, the rift/chest interaction masteries are also high value.

How do I stop feeling overwhelmed by the mastery panel?

Pick one breakpoint goal at a time (auto-loot, gliding basics, mount movement, etc.). Spend points until you reach that breakpoint, then choose the next. That alone removes most confusion.

Can BoostRoom help me choose what to unlock next?

Yes. BoostRoom can build you a priority list, point route, and weekly plan based on your account and playstyle so you unlock the best masteries first—without wasting time.