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Commanders and Finding Content

Commander Tags & Finding Content

At a glance

If you are unsure what to do on a map, follow a commander tag or turn on the Content Guide.

What should I do here?

Explore the map and join nearby activities. The Content Guide, map markers, and commander tags can help you find them.

Content Guide

The directional indicator at the top right of the default interface is the Content Guide. Depending on its setting, it points to personal story steps, hearts, nearby events, or map completion objectives.

Choose one of four modes under Options > General > Content Guide.

  • Default: points only to story objectives while available personal story remains. After you finish it, the priority becomes hearts, events, then map completion.
  • Disable Personal Story: ignores story, prioritizing hearts, events, then map completion. Recommended for free exploration.
  • Disable Events and Personal Story: shows only map completion objectives.
  • Off: disables the guide.
Take a break from hearts
If an orange event appears while you are doing a heart, try joining it. Fighting and completing objectives earns experience, coin, and karma. Activities that also meet the local heart's requirements can advance both at once.

Character Adventure Guide

The Character Adventure Guide, in the Hero panel's Achievements tab (H), introduces core systems in stages. Follow its objectives if you are still learning how things work.

I cannot find any events

For most events, you need to be nearby to see their orange map markers and objectives. Some large events appear across the map. Explore beyond the waypoint area.

Four ways to find events

1
Follow the Content Guide: explore in the direction shown at the top right of the default interface. Join nearby events when their orange objectives and map markers appear.
2
Explore the map: travel from a waypoint and look around. Orange markers may appear, NPCs may call out, or players may announce events in map chat.
3
Check event timers: enter /wiki et in chat to open the Wiki timer in your browser. Choose an upcoming scheduled world boss or meta event and travel to its map.
4
Find active squads in LFG: open LFG (Y) > Central Tyria or the relevant expansion/map to find listings for active meta events and world bosses.
This map looks empty
Guild Wars 2 uses a megaserver system. A zone can have several separate map instances, and you may be in a quiet one. When an instance has too few players, a popup on the left offers a move. Select Yes to move to another instance and gain +15% movement speed, +10% kill experience, and +5% karma for 10 minutes. Select Later to stay with an ongoing meta, but the map will close after the stated one-hour countdown. Joining an LFG squad does not move you automatically: while in the same zone, right-click a member and select Join in.

What is that large map icon?

A colored arrow-shaped icon on the map or minimap is a commander tag. It identifies a player leading others and appears on the world map, compass, and above the character.

Commander tag colors

Commanders can choose from nine colors.

Red Orange Yellow Green Cyan Blue Purple Magenta White
Colors have no official meaning
Do not infer training status or activity type from color alone. Groups may use colors to distinguish assignments. Read the listing and map or squad chat to see what they are doing.

Catmander

A cat-shaped commander tag. It has the same functions and nine colors as the standard tag; only its appearance differs.

Mentor tag

The apple-shaped mentor icon is separate from the commander tag.

  • Unlock it through a mastery without paying gold: Pact Commander > Pact Mentor. Experience and mastery points are still required.
  • It marks your position on the map without providing commander squad features.
  • You cannot use it while in a squad. Leave the squad first.
  • Activate it with the Mentor button in the party interface or the /mentor chat command.

Commander tag cost

Item Gold Badges of Honor Notes
First tag (Commander's Compendium) 300G 250 Choose the standard tag or catmander tag
Second tag (additional compendium) 150G 250 Buying either type first discounts the other

This is expensive for a beginner. You can join squads and follow commanders without a tag, so consider buying one after gaining experience.

How do I follow a commander?

You can earn rewards by helping with nearby events without joining a squad. Keep attacking and completing objectives to build participation.

Joining the squad makes coordination easier. You can see squadmates on the map, use squad chat, and receive the commander's broadcast messages.

Joining a squad

1
Select Join Squad from a commander tag on the map or minimap. Depending on the squad's settings, you may join immediately or wait for approval.
2
Right-click the commander's name or portrait > Join Squad: wait for approval if the squad requires it.
3
Find a squad in LFG (Y): look for a public listing for the event you want to join.
Joining a squad leaves your current party
You cannot belong to a party and a squad at the same time. Joining a squad automatically removes you from your party.

Group sizes

  • Party: up to 5 players
  • Squad: up to 10 without a tag, or up to 50 in a standard commander-led squad

Taxi

An LFG listing marked "taxi" helps players move to a particular map instance.

  • After joining, right-click a squadmate > Join in [map name] to move to their instance.
  • Select the join option to move to that instance.
  • If the map is full, choose to join its queue. When a place opens, accept the transfer prompt to enter.
  • If the squad only provides a taxi, leave after arriving to make room. If it is also running the event, stay and follow its instructions.

What should I do while following?

A few basic habits will help you contribute.

1
Watch for the commander's map pings and squad markers. Move with the group when instructed. If you lose track of it, find the commander tag on the map or minimap.
2
Help break defiance bars with CC. When a blue bar appears below a boss's health, use crowd control skills such as knockback, stun, or knockdown to break it.
3
Revive downed players.Use F to help a downed ally when it is safe. Check the ground first so an enemy area attack does not down both of you.
4
Collect your loot. Press F (Interact) to collect nearby loot manually. Autoloot: Quick Interact requires the Advanced Logistics mastery in the Pact Commander track, so use F until you unlock it.
5
Keep up with the group. Running far ahead can leave you surrounded by enemies, while falling behind may cost you event participation. Stay within sight of the commander tag.