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Nexus Addon Manager

Nexus Addon Manager

At a glance

Nexus is a free GW2 addon manager. Find, install, and update addons inside the game, and enable or disable them without restarting.

Can I manage addons in one place?

Nexus is an addon framework developed by Raidcore. It works as a DirectX 11 proxy (d3d11.dll) and lets you find, install, and manage addons inside GW2.

Three main features

  • Hot loading: load and unload addons without restarting the game
  • Automatic updates: keep managed addons up to date
  • Addon library: find and install addons from the in-game library

Its source code is available on GitHub: RaidcoreGG/Nexus.

Nexus can manage ArcDPS
If you install ArcDPS through Nexus, Nexus downloads updates for you when a new version becomes available.

Installation

Method 1: Installer: Recommended

  1. Download NexusInstaller.exe from the official Raidcore site.
  2. Run it to locate your GW2 installation and install Nexus.
  3. Launch the game. Read and accept the legal agreement to finish setup.
Use the official download
Download Nexus from raidcore.gg. Files from other sources may have been tampered with.

Method 2: Manual installation

  1. Download d3d11.dll from GitHub Releases.
  2. Place d3d11.dll in the folder containing Gw2-64.exe.
  3. Right-click the file, open Properties, and check whether it is blocked. If Unblock is present, select it and apply the change.
  4. Launch the game.
Check whether Windows blocked the file
Windows may block files downloaded from the internet. In the file's Properties, look for Unblock and select it if present. If there is no Unblock option, skip this step.

Using Nexus with ArcDPS

ArcDPS also uses the filename d3d11.dll, so the two tools need to be arranged correctly.

Method A: Install ArcDPS through Nexus: Recommended

Close the game and move your manually installed ArcDPS d3d11.dll outside the game folder for safekeeping. Install Nexus, launch GW2, then install ArcDPS from the library. Do not overwrite the Nexus DLL with ArcDPS.

Method B: Move the existing ArcDPS DLL to addons

To keep an existing manual ArcDPS installation:

  1. Move ArcDPS's d3d11.dll into <GW2 installation folder>/addons/.
  2. Put Nexus's d3d11.dll beside Gw2-64.exe.
  3. Launch the game so Nexus can load ArcDPS.

Chainloading another D3D11 proxy

Rename the other proxy's d3d11.dll to d3d11_chainload.dll and place it in the game folder alongside Nexus's d3d11.dll. ReShade has separate compatibility instructions.

The simplest option
For a new setup, Method A is the simplest: install ArcDPS from the Nexus library. Close the game before moving any existing manual installation aside.

Installing ArcDPS extensions

Install ArcDPS extensions such as Unofficial Extras and Healing Stats in the folder specified by each extension’s instructions. The table below covers extensions installed beside ArcDPS. Use CatBridge’s own Setup instead.

Different addon managers can place ArcDPS in different folders.

Installation method ArcDPS location Extension location
Manual Beside Gw2-64.exe (d3d11.dll) Beside Gw2-64.exe, in the same folder
Nexus <GW2>/addons/ <GW2>/addons/
GW2-UOAOM and similar managers The folder chosen by the manager The same folder as ArcDPS
Check the extension location

A manager may install ArcDPS in a different folder and under a different filename from a standalone installation.

For extensions whose instructions say to install beside ArcDPS, use the folder containing the actual ArcDPS DLL. For tools with their own installer, such as CatBridge, follow that tool’s setup instructions.

Installation notes by extension:

  • ArcDPS Unofficial Extras: supplies squad and chat data to other plugins
  • Healing Stats: healing measurements
  • CatBridge: game chat, dialogue and voice translation, plus player tools. Install with its own Setup.
  • Boon Table and Mechanics Log: boon uptime and encounter mechanics

DLLs installed through the Nexus library are in the game installation's addons folder. Manual chainloading and other managers may use different locations.

Nexus and other addon managers

GW2 also has tools such as GW2-UOAOM, the Unofficial Add-On Manager. They work differently from Nexus.

Nexus (Raidcore) GW2-UOAOM
Type Addon framework and D3D11 proxy Installation and update manager
Where it runs Inside the game as an overlay Outside the game as a separate application
Hot loading Enable or disable without restarting ❌
ArcDPS management Loading and automatic updates Installation and updates
Blish HUD management Separate application; not managed by Nexus Install and run separately
Supported addons Addons in the Nexus library ArcDPS, GW2Radial, and others
Management interface Inside the game In a separate application

Nexus loads and manages addons inside the game. GW2-UOAOM installs and updates supported addons from outside it. Install and run Blish HUD separately.

Which should I choose?
  • For Nexus addons such as Radial Menus or Fast Load, use Nexus.
  • For Blish HUD pathing and modules, install Blish HUD separately.
  • If you only want ArcDPS, either manager can work, but Nexus offers convenient in-game management.

Basic use

Open the menu

Press Ctrl + O to open Nexus.

Install an addon

  1. Open the addons view using the icon at the top of the Nexus sidebar.
  2. Search for an addon in the Library tab.
  3. Click Install to download and install it.
  4. Check its status under Installed. A Disable button indicates that it is enabled.

Manage addons

  • Enable or disable: use the controls under Installed.
  • Updates: handled automatically
  • Uninstall: choose Uninstall under Installed.
Enable and disable without restarting
Hot loading lets you install or disable addons while the game is running.

Addons available through Nexus

Here are some useful features available in the Nexus library. Read each addon's description and requirements before installing it.

Combat and performance

Name Description
ArcDPS Damage meter for live damage and boon uptime
Combat Timer Shows time spent in combat
Commander's Toolkit Tracks squad boon coverage and roles; useful for commanders
PrepAlert Location-based damage buff reminders for dungeons and fractal challenge modes
Range Indicators Displays hitboxes and custom range rings
VfxDenoiser Reduces combat visual effects to improve visibility

Convenience and interface

Name Description
Radial Menus Custom radial menus for mounts, novelties, and more
Anti Camera Smooth Disables mouse camera smoothing while on foot
Fast Load Reduces map loading time
Fast Swap Switches characters without going through character selection
Colorful Chat Customizes chat colors
/gg Uses /gg with a button press; useful for resetting supported encounters

Information and tracking

Name Description
World Bosses Shows world boss and meta-event notifications on the game map
Hoard & Seek Searches for items across your account
KP Sync Automatically synchronizes KillProof
FlipMeister Tracks Trading Post investments
CraftyLegend Helps track legendary crafting progress
DRF Tracks farming drops for analysis

WvW

Name Description
WvW Toolbox A collection of WvW tools
WvW Fight Analysis WvW combat log analysis
Realm Report An overview of WvW objective status

More addons are added over time. Browse the Raidcore addon library or search the Library tab in Nexus.

Troubleshooting

Nexus does not load

  • Check whether d3d11.dll needs to be unblocked in its Properties.
  • Confirm that the file is beside Gw2-64.exe.

The game crashes

  • Close the game, temporarily move Nexus's d3d11.dll outside the game folder, then try launching again to compare.
  • If the issue started with a game patch, check for a Nexus update.

ArcDPS is missing

  • For a library installation, check that ArcDPS is installed and enabled. For manual chainloading, check d3d11_chainload.dll in the game folder.
  • The recommended setup is to install ArcDPS directly from the Nexus library.

Frame generation conflicts

  • If crashes occur with frame generation enabled, disable it and compare the result.
  • Update the graphics driver, Nexus, and affected addons, then test again.