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Heart of Thorns Masteries

Heart of Thorns Mastery Tracks

At a glance

Gliding, tribal lore, and Ancient Magics: learn what the six HoT mastery tracks do and which to train first.

What are HoT masteries?

Heart of Thorns has six mastery tracks associated with its expansion content. They unlock gliding, bouncing mushrooms, hidden passages, and other abilities used to navigate HoT maps.

  • Six tracks: Gliding, Itzel Lore, Exalted Lore, Nuhoch Lore, Raids, and Ancient Magics
  • Total MP required: 144
  • MP available: 198 (54 extra)

Unlock requirements

Complete the HoT story chapter Torn from the Sky to begin Gliding and Itzel Lore. Exalted Lore opens in Auric Basin, and Nuhoch Lore in Tangled Depths. Raids and Ancient Magics have separate requirements described below.

Gliding

6 tiers Total 31 MP Key benefit: Essential movement in HoT

HoT maps have complex terrain with many gliding routes. Glider Basics is also required for story progress, so learn it first.

1
Glider Basics1 MP
Enables your glider: the first step in HoT movement.
2
Updraft Use2 MP
Ride updrafts to reach higher places.
3
Lean Techniques3 MP
Adjust gliding speed: lean forward to accelerate and backward to slow down.
4
Stealth Gliding5 MP
Use a dodge input while gliding to gain brief stealth.
5
Advanced Gliding8 MP
Ordinary gliding no longer consumes endurance. Accelerating and slowing down still do. You can keep gliding without exhausting endurance.
6
Ley Line Gliding12 MP
Enter ley-line energy flows to travel along specific routes.
Aim for Advanced Gliding (tier 5) after learning basic movement abilities
Removing endurance drain from normal gliding makes long trips easier. Leaning still consumes endurance, and you need updrafts or suitable terrain to maintain or gain height. Learn Ley Line Gliding when you need its routes.

Itzel Lore

6 tiers Total 31 MP Key benefit: Bouncing mushrooms and poison hazards

Bouncing mushrooms open more routes. Higher tiers unlock poison-resistant travel and champion rewards. Start with tier 1.

1
Bouncing Mushrooms1 MP
Use bouncing mushrooms to jump to otherwise hard-to-reach places. Just one point opens many new routes.
2
Itzel Language2 MP
Understand the Itzel language and access Itzel merchants.
3
Blazing Speed Mushrooms3 MP
Use speed mushrooms to move faster.
4
Itzel Poison Lore5 MP
Pass through poisonous vines and poison haze.
5
Itzel Leadership8 MP
Challenge the Itzel champion for a daily reward.
6
Adrenal Mushrooms12 MP
Use adrenal mushrooms to refresh all skill cooldowns.

Exalted Lore

5 tiers Total 19 MP Key benefit: Exploring Auric Basin

This track provides abilities for exploring Auric Basin and interacting with the Exalted.

1
Exalted Markings1 MP
Decipher Exalted markings and access hidden areas.
2
Exalted Acceptance2 MP
Trade with merchants in the Forgotten City.
3
Exalted Assistance3 MP
Use recall devices to summon an Exalted warrior.
4
Exalted Purification5 MP
Challenge the Exalted champion for a daily reward.
5
Exalted Gathering8 MP
Gather Auric Slivers from ore nodes in Auric Basin.

Nuhoch Lore

6 tiers Total 31 MP Key benefit: Nuhoch Wallows: hidden passages

This track unlocks Nuhoch Wallows and other abilities useful in Tangled Depths.

1
Nuhoch Hunting1 MP
Collect special trophies and gather Sawgill Mushrooms.
2
Nuhoch Wallows2 MP
Use hidden passages to move quickly between locations. Especially useful in Tangled Depths.
3
Nuhoch Language3 MP
Learn the Nuhoch language to trade with their merchants.
4
Nuhoch Stealth Detection5 MP
Detect normally invisible enemies.
5
Nuhoch Proving8 MP
Challenge Potoni the Massive in Teku Nuhoch for a daily reward chest.
6
Nuhoch Alchemy12 MP
Dodging removes your Chak Goop stacks, and you become immune to its slowing effect.

Raids

4 tiers Total 8 MP Key benefit: Raid abilities

This track supports raid mechanics. It can wait while you learn the rest of the game.

1
Rift Forger1 MP
Use Ley Rifts in raids to gain Reinforced Armor.
2
Explosive Launch1 MP
Launch safely from explosive platforms to reach higher places.
3
Forsaken Thicket Waters3 MP
Use the waters of Forsaken Thicket to cleanse afflictions.
4
Forsaken Magic3 MP
Improve Derangement reduction in the Xera fight and operate the Bloodstone Turret.
You can explore HoT maps without raiding
Train these abilities when you start the relevant raids.

Ancient Magics

6 tiers Total 24 MP Key benefit: Living World Season 3 abilities

Used while playing Living World Season 3, this track begins by entering Bloodstone Fen or Ember Bay. Its later tiers include both movement and combat abilities.

1
Counter Magic1 MP
Use the Counter Magic special action skill against certain enemy magic attacks.
2
Thermal Propulsion3 MP
Use Thermal Tubes to launch over long distances in Ember Bay and other locations.
3
Koda's Flame3 MP
Wield Koda's Flame in Bitterfrost Frontier.
4
Spectral Aid3 MP
Level 80 characters gain the additional Channeled Agony skill while downed in PvE.
5
Oakheart's Reach7 MP
Use magical vines to grapple through Draconis Mons.
6
Siren of Orr7 MP
Use the ancient dirges of Orr in Siren's Landing.
This track includes Counter Magic and a downed skill as well as movement abilities
Train the tiers needed for your current story or map. Spectral Aid also works in other PvE regions.

Suggested priorities

Learn the movement abilities needed for the HoT story, then switch tracks for your next destination. You do not need to raise every track to the same tier.

Step 1: basic story requirements

  1. Gliding 1 (Glider Basics, 1 MP): Start here for HoT movement.
  2. Itzel Lore 1 (Bouncing Mushrooms, 1 MP): Opens many more routes.
  3. Exalted Lore 1 (Exalted Markings, 1 MP): Use Exalted devices and markings in Auric Basin; required for City of Hope. Merchant access comes from tier 2, Exalted Acceptance.
  4. Nuhoch Lore 1 (Nuhoch Hunting, 1 MP): Unlocks special loot and Sawgill Mushroom gathering; required for The Way In. Hidden passages require tier 2, Nuhoch Wallows.

Step 2: updrafts and Nuhoch passages

Gliding tier 2, Updraft Use (3 MP in total), enables updrafts and is required for The Predator's Path. For Tangled Depths, Nuhoch Lore tier 2, Nuhoch Wallows (3 MP in total), makes travel easier.

  1. Gliding 2 → Itzel 2 → Exalted 2 → Nuhoch 2
  2. Gliding 3 → Itzel 3 → Exalted 3 → Nuhoch 3

Prioritize a mastery when the story asks for it. Add merchant access and champion rewards when you need them.

Step 3: useful higher tiers

  1. Itzel Lore 4 (Itzel Poison Lore, 5 MP for this tier; 11 total): Travel through poison haze and poisonous Mordrem vines.
  2. Gliding 5 (Advanced Gliding, 8 MP for this tier; 19 total): Ordinary gliding stops consuming endurance. Accelerating and braking still use it.

Step 4: other tracks

  • Raids: Train these when you take an interest in raiding.
  • Ancient Magics: Useful for Living World Season 3. Lower priority if you are only exploring the original HoT maps.
The Raids track is initially hidden
Complete an encounter in Forsaken Thicket or Bastion of the Penitent to reveal it. Spirit Woods and Twisted Castle are excluded from this unlock.
HoT offers 198 MP, while its masteries need 144
You do not need every point. Find Mastery Insights and collect points through events and story as you play.