After failing to obtain the Survivor title for my Mesmer in Guild Wars Factions, I set myself a slightly less difficult target: the Protector of Cantha title.

Unlike the previous campaign, there aren’t any separate mission bonus objectives in Factions. Instead, Factions awards parties additional XP and gold based on how quickly or how well they complete the mission. To earn the Master’s Reward for the third mission, for example, players have to finish the mission within 25 minutes while the Master’s Reward for the ninth mission requires players to keep every mission-critical character alive.

The Protector of Cantha title requires a Master’s Reward for all 13 PvE missions. Now, it only takes 12 missions to complete the Factions storyline. The 13th mission is a mission for the other faction. I chose to side my Mesmer with the Kurzicks and thus my 13th mission was a Luxon one. Specifically, it was the Gyala Hatchery mission.

With friends like these

You’d think you’d get free access to that 13th mission after saving the entire empire from the ultimate bad guy of the campaign but no, you still have to befriend the other faction before you’re allowed to do the mission. This requires 10,000 faction points from faction-related quests and challenge missions.

Just to be a little more exasperating, ArenaNet decided you can’t be friends with both sides simultaneously. Trying to do so results in players losing favour of Luxons and Kurzicks alike which means you will have to travel to a neutral town or outpost to obtain services from merchants, weaponsmiths, armourers and skill-sellers.

I finally earned enough Luxon faction points to access the Gyala Hathery mission yesterday and after three attempts, I managed to obtain the Master’s Reward for the mission today. My Mesmer now sports a shiny new Protector of Cantha title.

There’s little prestige in having it — it’s not that impressive an achievement as titles go — but it will hopefully make it easier for my Mesmer to get in PUGs in future campaigns.