Summary
- Guild Wars 2 introduces the Avian Aspect helm cosmetic, transforming any character into a Tengu-like bird person for $5.
- Tengu, enigmatic bird-like humanoids in Guild Wars lore, are unlikely to become playable due to technical challenges.
- The Avian Aspect offers a customizable and lifelike cosmetic alternative for fans wishing to play as Tengu in Guild Wars 2.
Guild Wars 2 just added a new helm cosmetic called the Avian Aspect, which allows players to transform any character into a Tengu-like bird person. While not a true new race, this fully-animated cosmetic is a great substitute for playable Tengu in Guild Wars 2.
Unlike its predecessor, Guild Wars 2 has several playable races, including the bestial Charr, the plant-like Sylvari, and the shapeshifting Norn. However, since the game’s inception, one of the races fans have wanted to play the most is the Tengu, the enigmatic bird-like humanoids who appeared in the original game.
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Though Tengu still haven’t been officially added to the game, a new Guild Wars 2 cosmetic can help fans fill that fantasy all the same. The Avian Aspect is a helm cosmetic that transforms the head of any playable race into a bird, complete with an animated beak and eyes. Featuring four different dye slots, the Avian Aspect is highly-customizable and lifelike, practically transforming characters of any race, profession, or gender into a Tengu-like creature. The Avian Aspect is available in the Gem Store for only 400 gems – approximately $5 – after which it can be freely transmuted onto characters as many times as one wishes.
Who Are the Tengu in Guild Wars 2?
The Tengu are mysterious avian warriors with a storied history in the eastern-inspired continent of Cantha, though their exodus after wars before and during Guild Wars 1 saw many flee north to Tyria. By the time of Guild Wars 2, most Tyrian Tengu lived behind the wall in the Domain of Winds, though key characters like Izu Steelshrike and Kalidris Sparrowhawk appeared throughout the base game, Heart of Thorns, and the Icebrood Saga as allies. End of Dragons, set in their home continent of Cantha, heavily featured Tengu, who appeared in multiple zones as both friend and foe.
Unfortunately, Tengu probably won’t ever become playable. Beyond models and animations, Guild Wars 2’s Personal Story choices during character creation mean adding Tengu would require multiple new quests, a starting zone, and male and female voice acting for every single expansion and Living World update in the game’s history. While it is technically possible, the Avian Aspect will probably be the closest thing fans will get to playable Tengu in Guild Wars 2.
Guild Wars 2 recently released Repentance, its second update for the Janthir Wilds expansion. The patch introduces the Mistburned Barrens, a zone featuring the ruined Mursaat city of Bava Nisos – so between finally visiting this lore-steeped landmark and being able to play Tengu in a manner of speaking, fans of the original Guild Wars might want to check out the sequel if they haven’t already.
- Released
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August 28, 2012
- ESRB
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T for Teen: Blood, Mild Language, Use of Alcohol, Violence
- Publisher(s)
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NCSoft