Fractal Basics
Fractal Basics
Fractals are five-player instances. We recommend starting at level 80. Scales 1–19 need no Agony Resistance (AR), so you can begin with exotic equipment or try quickplay.
What are fractals?
Fractals of the Mists are five-player instances. They resemble dungeons, with several key differences.
- Difficulty scales: difficulty increases from scale 1 to 100. Choose a fractal at the scale you want to play.
- Progression: personal fractal level is account-wide, and higher scales offer better rewards.
- Agony Resistance (AR): starting at scale 20, special damage called Agony appears. Equip infusions to raise your AR and survive it.
Entrance: use the asura gate at Fort Marriner in Lion's Arch. Characters below 80 can enter with level scaling, but we recommend starting at 80 for equipment and LFG access.
Fractals have checkpoints instead of waypoints. While downed, you can rally or receive help from allies. If fully defeated, you can restart at a checkpoint once the party is out of combat.
There are 25 fractals across 100 difficulty scales. The same fractal can have different difficulty and recommended AR at different scales.
How does quickplay differ from regular fractals?
| Feature | Quickplay | Regular fractals |
|---|---|---|
| Difficulty | Always scale 1 (easiest) | Depends on the selected scale |
| Group formation | Automatic matchmaking | Form a party through LFG, your guild, or friends |
| Selection | Random selection from 10 fractals | All fractals available |
| Personal level progression | Does not increase | +1 for a completion at or above your level |
| Main rewards | Fractalline Dust | Fractal Relics, Pristine Fractal Relics, and more |
| AR needed | No | From scale 20 onward |
| Extra help | Mist Stranger provides revives, pocket waypoints, and more | None |
The 10 quickplay fractals: Aetherblade, Cliffside, Deepstone, Kinfall, Molten Boss, Molten Furnace, Snowblind, Uncategorized, Urban Battleground, Volcanic.
Best first step: try quickplay once or twice to see how fractals work. Then switch to regular mode to start raising your personal fractal level.
Legendary gloves from quickplay achievements
Eikasia, Mists-Grasper are legendary gloves earned through fractal quickplay and the Incursive Investigation achievements. This permanent achievement chain is available without purchasing an expansion.
- On a level 80 character, find Coordinator Bixx near the fractal entrance in Lion’s Arch and enter the Fractal Incursion Conference.
- Speak to the Mist Stranger to begin Incursive Investigation: Working Together.
- Use Find a Fractal Quickplay Group in LFG. Loot the final treasure chest for the Agony-Torn Gloves and bring them to the Mist Stranger.
- Earn Fractalline Dust through quickplay and related achievements to progress First, Second, and Third Recursion. Return to the Mist Stranger and your allies when the achievement directs you to.
- Complete the five required Incursive Investigation achievements and claim Eikasia, Mists-Grasper Choice.
Speak to the Mist Stranger before starting your quickplay runs so you can progress toward the gloves.
Achievement steps · Official quickplay and legendary glove announcement
What are tiers and Agony Resistance?
| Tier | Scale range | Recommended AR | Mistlock Instabilities | In brief |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| T1 (Initiate) | 1~25 | 0–17 (small amounts from scale 20) | 0 | Start scales 1–19 in exotics |
| T2 (Adept) | 26~50 | 18~61 | 1 | Start adding AR through ascended trinkets |
| T3 (Expert) | 51~75 | 63~106 | 2 | Add infusion slots in weapons and armor |
| T4 (Master) | 76~100 | 107~150 | 3 | Aim for 150 AR to cover scale 100 |
Agony Resistance explained
From scale 20, certain enemy attacks inflict Agony. At high scales, insufficient AR can kill you almost immediately.
You mainly gain AR by putting Agony Infusions into infusion slots on ascended or legendary gear. Ascended rings are a convenient starting point. Amulets have no AR infusion slots; a few exotic back items are exceptions to the usual rarity rule.
Temporary AR buffs are a supplement
Scales 20–25 recommend approximately 8–17 AR. Temporary buffs can help, but check that your current AR is sufficient before moving to the next scale.
- Anguished Tear of Alba: a consumable from the fractal lobby that grants 10 AR for one hour, or 15 AR with the Fractal Attunement mastery bonus.
- Mistlock Singularity: after unlocking the final fractal mastery, interact with one to gain 5 AR through Rigorous Certainty. It prevents one down, but the effect and its extra AR disappear when triggered.
Fractal masteries: each unlock helps
The Fractal Attunement track in Central Tyria improves fractal rewards and convenience. Its masteries unlock in the order below. See all Central Tyria masteries →
Unlocks additional daily achievements, extending access to Daily Recommended Fractals through scales 21–75 for more rewards.
You can now attune ascended rings, adding one infusion slot for more AR. Boss chests also give extra rewards.
Improves the value of fractal reward chests, increasing the gold you earn from the same runs. A priority if you plan to earn gold through fractals.
Lets you interact with Mistlock Singularities. They grant AR +5, protection from one down (healing 25% of your total health instead) and automatically apply infinite fractal potions. Only infinite potions in your inventory are applied; use ordinary consumable potions manually.
What is personal fractal level?
An account-wide progression level. Completing a scale at or above your current personal level raises it by 1, up to 100.
- One level at a time: completing scale 50 at personal level 5 raises you to level 6. You cannot skip levels.
- Play regular mode to increase your personal fractal level.
- Why raise it? The party's highest personal level determines its maximum selectable scale. Raising yours expands the scales you can select and the LFG tiers you can use. If another party member provides access, you can earn daily rewards above your own level.
Is exotic equipment enough?
Exotics are enough for scales 1–19. From scale 20, start preparing AR by adding ascended trinkets with infusion slots.
Suggested ascended equipment order
Buy them from BUY-2046 PFR for 10 Pristine Fractal Relics each. Choose stats for your build. Two identical Unique rings cannot be equipped together, so choose different rings.
Obtain them from laurel or guild commendation vendors.
Look at ascended back items available for map currencies such as winterberries. The Prototype Fractal Capacitor sold for 1,350 Fractal Relics is exotic; you need additional materials to upgrade it to ascended before adding AR.
Use crafting, rewards, or ascended vendors. Fractal daily chests can also drop them, but you may not get the slot and stats you want. You do not need to wait for a lucky drop.
+9 Agony Infusions offer good value
You do not need expensive attribute infusions at the start. We recommend buying ordinary +9 Agony Infusions one at a time. Combining infusions beyond +9 becomes increasingly expensive, so adding equipment slots for +9s offers good value and flexibility. Compare Trading Post prices with INFUZ-5959's exchange costs. Eighteen active equipment slots filled with +9s provide 162 AR, above the recommended 150 for scale 100.
How do I find a party?
Open LFG (Y), choose Fractals of the Mists, and join a party or post your own listing.
Example of your own LFG listing
- "T1 daily all welcome"
- "T1 daily, newbie friendly"
If LFG feels intimidating, quickplay offers automatic matchmaking.
What rewards do fractals give?
Four currencies
| Currency | Source | Main uses |
|---|---|---|
| Fractal Relics | Fractal completions | Exotic back item (1,350; upgrade costs extra), encryption keys, 20-slot bags |
| Pristine Fractal Relics | Daily fractal rewards | Ascended rings (10), Fractal Weapon Crates (20) |
| Integrated Fractal Matrix (IFM) | Challenge modes or NPC purchase | Attribute infusions, Mist Attunement |
| Fractalline Dust | Quickplay completions (level 80 only) | Progress toward the Eikasia legendary gloves; karma |
Daily fractal rewards
Three fractals are selected per tier each day on a 15-day rotation. Completing them awards Pristine Relics, Agony Infusions, and tier-specific chests. Completing a higher-tier daily also awards its lower-tier rewards.
Fractal Encryption Key price
1 Fractal Relic + 20 silver per key, for the first 30 each day.
Fractal potions: start with consumables
Offensive, defensive, and mobility potions make fractal combat easier. Start with Mist Offensive / Defensive / Mobility Potions from daily rewards or Dessa's Alchemist. Wizard's Infinite Mist Omnipotion is discontinued and can no longer be obtained.
Infinite Mist Omnipotion
Infinite Mist Omnipotion can be a long-term goal. Combine the three infinite offensive, defensive, and mobility potions with 5 Gifts of Ascension in the Mystic Forge. You do not need it when starting out. The effects below assume five stacks of each potion.
- Damage dealt +15%
- Damage received -25%
- Movement speed +25%
- Endurance regeneration +50%
Use: double-click a potion. With the Mistlock Singularities mastery, interacting with a Singularity automatically applies infinite potions stored in your inventory. Use ordinary consumables manually.
Ordinary potions need five stacks of each effect to reach these values. Large potions grant five stacks at once. From T2 onward, make a habit of bringing offensive, defensive, and mobility potions.
What are Mistlock Instabilities?
T1 has no Mistlock Instabilities, so you do not need to learn this system immediately.
| Tier | Instabilities |
|---|---|
| T1 (1~25) | 0 |
| T2 (26~50) | 1 |
| T3 (51~75) | 2 |
| T4 (76~100) | 3 |
Three examples to learn in T2
There are 17 types. Here are three representative instabilities you can encounter in T2.
- Social Awkwardness: players push each other apart on contact. Stability prevents the effect.
- No Pain, No Gain: enemies gain boons when hit. Bring boon removal.
- Flux Bomb: periodically attaches a bomb to a player. Move away from allies before it detonates.
What is challenge mode (CM)?
Challenge modes make certain fractals' bosses and mechanics harder. Some change multiple bosses. In LFG, "98CM," "99CM," and "100CM" mean challenge mode at that scale.
Fractals with challenge modes
| Fractal | CM scale |
|---|---|
| Nightmare | 96 |
| Shattered Observatory | 97 |
| Sunqua Peak | 98 |
| Silent Surf | 99 |
| Lonely Tower | 100 |
| Kinfall | 95 (also available at 17, 38, and 70) |
| Solitary Throne | 94 |
How to activate it
Interact with the fractal's Challenge Mote or Harbinger of Woe. Some, such as Nightmare, Shattered Observatory, and Sunqua Peak, require a party member who has completed the meta achievement. Solitary Throne unlocks after a T4 completion. Check the relevant fractal's unlock conditions before joining.
What changes in CM?
- Boss attacks gain new mechanics or become stronger
- Mechanics may kill you instantly
- Environmental hazards increase
Additional CM rewards
Rewards vary by fractal and boss, with daily account limits. For example, your first daily Kinfall CM boss kill awards regular relics and the following:
- 2 Pristine Fractal Relics
- 40 Unstable Fractal Essences
- 1 Integrated Fractal Matrix
- 1 Fractal Research Page
We recommend clearing regular T4 dailies reliably before looking for CM training groups. Prepare 150 AR for high scales such as 95–100. Kinfall CM can also be activated at lower scales, but it remains difficult content that requires learning the encounter.