Not So Secret

Not So Secret

Map of Not So Secret

Type

Jumping puzzle

Area

Broadhollow Bluffs
(Gendarran Fields)

Image(s)

Click to enlarge.

Not So Secret is a jumping puzzle in Gendarran Fields with two routes. The first leads to the Not So Secret achievement and the other to a pair of Diving Goggles.

Getting there

The puzzle is at the Second Aetherblade Site, which is located south of  Broadhollow Waypoint — in Broadhollow Bluffs in Gendarran Fields. Use the jump pad to start the puzzle.

Tips

• This puzzle requires the use of Launch Pads that fire every few seconds, launching any players on it up into the air. Take time to get used to how these work early on, as they are used repeatedly throughout the puzzle.
  • In particular, you can stand by the edge of the launch pad to gain extra horizontal distance.
• Zip pads fire every few seconds and send your character flying forward in whichever direction the character is facing. They are shaped like gears and spin around. Use these to traverse longer jumps that are normally impossible.
• It is very easy to jump too far and fall off platforms, as several jumps in this puzzle are shorter than a full jump, and many times you are aiming for a thin landing point.
• The early portions of the puzzle include passages hidden by holographic walls. If you can't see a way forward, watch for shimmering cave walls.
• To make it easier to survive your jump with the diving goggles, have a party member wait in the water below you and aim towards their location.
• You can do the diving jump using an evasion trick shown in this videoguide.
• If you are going for Diving Goggles, when you reach two zip pads at the very top, jump on the first one before it's about to spin - it will slow you down and you will land safely on second platform. You don't jump on second zip pad before it spins, it will safely transform you to the last platform.
• Sometimes these zip pads will overshoot the landing. When that happens, jump on the pad halfway through the spin cycle.
• Performing a weapon swap after being shot from the first pad also slows you down enough to land safely on the second platform, and may be a lot easier to get right than trying to jump at the correct moment.

Walkthrough

Search YouTube for videos related to Not So Secret.

Main guide

Begin the puzzle by stepping onto the jump pad and jumping up onto the first cliff, being careful about the slippery rocks. Head south along the cliff until you reach the launch pad. Face your character towards the lower point of the cliff on the far side and step onto the gear while it's not active. If you fall, you'll need to use the jump pad to start over. After landing, climb up and head towards the next jump pad. Again, rocks are slippery, but use the pad to reach the lower ledge above. Once you get up top, look at the rock wall to the left of the trees. It should have a slight shimmer. This is a fake, holographic wall and you can just walk through. Once past the wall, you'll need to drop down to the next section. There is a jump pad to help you exit if you want. To move forward, you'll need to use the next launch pad to reach the middle rock, then use the launch pad there to reach the far side. While it's tempting to try and move quicker by launching onto the second pad, most of the time this results in the second jump not reaching as far as needed and you'll fall and have to go back and try again. Instead, aim for the spot on the rock to the right of the second pad, then use the next pad to reach the far side. (You can still use gliding at this point and skip the first launchpad by either using the jump pad or just gliding when falling down towards the middle platform so you only need to use that launch pad.) Once on the other side, pass through the pipes shooting steam and fire. The fire will inflict burning, and the steam will do damage and possibly knock you back. Climb up onto the ledge and jump to the rock formation between you and the launch pad to reach that platform. Face the ledge to the left of the structure and step on the launch pad to be sent over. Jump over to the rock next to the pipe. Then face the ledge on the far wall and step on the second launch pad. Instead of hitting the wall, you'll be sent through a holographic wall. Head through the tunnel, avoiding the pipe. The steam pipe here will knock you back if the steam hits you, but just keep moving on. Jump down onto the pipe in the next section, and then across over to the Aetherblades. Just keep running and jump off to the next platform, they won't follow. Here is where the jumping really begins. There are two ways to continue...either jump up the rocks onto the large pipe, or onto the smaller pipe and go to the left to reach the end. There is also an Aetherblade Cache next to the consoles to the right. Climb up on the two rock outcroppings to jump onto the smaller pipes that create arches. Jump across these to reach the ledge with the steam pipes. Note that if you mess this up, and your profession has line of sight teleports available, you may want to attempt the shortcut described below as you can skip steps 7-10 with a teleport. Travel along this ledge to reach the front of the airship. Climb onto the airship and avoid the fire and steam bursts while making your way inside, fighting the Aetherblade pirates. Once inside, your goal is to head out the opening on the other wall of the ship (not the one going down). There's an Aetherblade Cache sitting on the lower deck guarded by a Veteran, if desired. Exit through the opening on the side and look over the edge to see a pipe platform. Jump over the edge onto the platform. This can be done even in combat, but the Aetherblades on board the ship may keep attacking you. Look down and see a small brown round platform. Jump down to this platform. This is actually a very simple jump, just face the platform and jump out in that direction. You'll press against the ship, which will angle you down towards it. Falling at this point means you must go over to a jump pad and begin at the earlier pipes. The next series of pillar jumps is deceiving as the jumps are shorter than a normal jump, requiring you to cut the movement short. In addition, there's a couple of Aetherblades wandering along the floor that will attack you once anytime they get in range, putting you in combat. Wait until out of combat and carefully make the series of shorter jumps across the pillars. After making it across the pillars, jump onto the large white pipe. Your jump range while in combat can actually be used to your advantage if you are daring, as it's almost the same as the distance between the pillars which may make the jumps a little easier. The downside is that combat can drop really easily, resulting in your jump range being extended and sending you over the edge. Blinks, teleports, and shadowstepping don't work to move between them, although skills like Jump Shot might. The next jump is easily failed. Across the way from here is an Aetherblade Thug on a small platform. This pirate can sometimes aggro while you're attempting the next jump, doing a ranged attack to put you in combat and causing you to fail. Take the pirate out to avoid this, but be aware that dodging can easily cause you to fall and have to start over. You can start the jump from the large white pipe, the thin brown pipe, or the pirate's platform depending on preference. The large white pipe and the pirate's platform have the slight advantage of being parallel to the landing platform. The net on the edge of the platform will not stop you. You must jump onto the edge of the bottom post of the airship's fins (also a thin platform), and then jump from there onto the rim of the pipe, which has a jump pad on top. You can stand on the edge of the platform if you don't want to be affected. Note the small pool of water on the ground next to the pirate's platform. The jump pad will launch you up high enough to reach the top "bone" of the fin. Carefully make your way onto it. If you fall, you may be able to land on something below and get back to the first jump instead of having to start over. Once there, walk over and jump onto the next pipe with a jump pad. Use that jump pad to get up onto one of the brown pipes extending from the next pipe platform. Use that jump pad to land on the small brown pipe next to the large one. Walk around and climb up onto the larger pipe. Walk over the steam vents to reach the next platform. Take a breather, this is a safe spot here, then use the jump pad to reach the next ledge. Now you will need to jump onto the small grey platforms extending out in a spiral. Jump on the first one, then to the second. You will likely need to climb up on the black cylinder to get high enough to reach the third platform, then onto that black cylinder to reach the top. Aim for the gear on the side of the white pipe section in front of the launch gear and then step onto it. Thankfully if you fall you usually won't fall far and can try again relatively easily. Climb up on top of the pipe and hop across the brown pillar to the horizontal pipes in front of you. Jumping Puzzle or Diving Goggles Unless you brought a Prototype Position Rewinder or mesmer portal, you'll have to choose which of (a) finishing the jumping puzzle, or (b) reaching the diving goggles you go for, as they are mutually exclusive. Finish the jumping puzzle To finish the puzzle, keep heading forward and jump onto the very tip of the airship's balloon. Walk down and jump onto the balloon itself. Defeat the Aetherblade waiting on top, being careful not to fall. When you get to the other side with the floating/glowing platform, look off the right side of the balloon and you'll see a small platform with a Magnificent Chest. Hop down and claim your prize and achievement. You cannot get back up after dropping down to the chest, so at this point, you'll need to be a Mesmer, a Necromancer, or have a Mesmer friend to get back up to continue to the diving goggles, or you will need to redo the jumping puzzle. Locate the diving goggles To reach the Diving Goggles, walk over the pipes to the rock wall. The rocks are slippery here, but you'll want to climb up to the small platform and jump onto the floating/glowing platform. The first two pads have launch pads. It's possible to make it across by hitting both, and ending up on the platform itself (change your direction by facing the next platform as soon as possible, although cautious players may want to aim next to the second gear to try and avoid a sudden jump when they're not ready. There's a chance you'll end up on the brown pipe if you don't change direction soon enough. On the following glowing platforms are a series of jump pads leading up towards the very top. You may need to twist your character around mid-air in order to make it up. The final platform is reached by landing on a smaller pipe extending out, and then onto the last one. This final jump can be difficult to do since it's as high as you can possibly jump. Once you get to the top one, you'll notice you're above the holographic mountain and cannot see anything. To get the diving goggles achievement, you need to put the goggles on and successfully make a blind dive into the small pool of water next to that Aetherblade Thug way earlier in the puzzle. When standing in the center of the platform and facing the diving goggles, the proper dive location is to the left of the goggles (right next to where the blue holo-wall begins). Do not make a running jump off the edge. If you simply hold forward off the edge naturally, you will avoid the obstacles along the way. At the bottom of the pool of water, there is another Aetherblade Cache, but this is accessible without doing the dive, so this is purely for the achievement. Optional Shortcut (steps 7-10) Beneath the hull of the airship is a deep hole with water and a chest at the bottom. To the southwest of that well is a large green vertical pipe with rock jutting up beside it. It's possible to use the rock to get up to the ridge around that pipe, then jump over to the ridge around a nearby pipe (this is a long jump so you'll need a speed boost). Then you need to get onto the adjacent platform with an Aetherblade Thug on it. From there, you can use a skill to get up onto the platform (for line of sight teleports, you will need to be standing on the northwest side of the pipe edge, and target the closest bit of the raised platform). If you can execute the shortcut successfully, it lets you skip having to go through the ship to get to that platform. This avoids quite a bit of jumping. Continue at step 11 after killing the Aetherblade Thug. Profession-specific skills for the shortcut described above Lightning Flash can skip to the portion directly above the well. Judge's Intervention can skip to the portion directly above the well. Merciful Intervention can also be used if another player is standing on top of the platform. Infiltrator's Arrow or Shadowstep can skip to the portion directly above the well. Blink can skip to the portion directly above the well. Jaunt can be used the same way. Summon Flesh Wurm can skip to the portion directly above the well. Sand Swell can be used the same way (and lets other players skip the same portion). Deathstrike can be used when the Aetherblade Thug is on the ledge. Jump Shot can skip to the portion directly above the well. Gallery Step 1 Step 1 Step 2 Step 2 Step 3 Step 3 Step 3 Step 4 Step 5 Step 5 Step 5 Step 6 Step 7 Step 8 Step 8 Step 8 Step 9 Step 10 Step 10 Step 11 Step 12 Step 13 Step 14 Step 14 and 15 Step Path Split JP Ending 1 JP Ending 2 Diving Goggles Ending Diving Goggles Ending Diving Goggles Platform Shortcut for Steps 7-10 part A Shortcut for Steps 7-10 part B

NPCs

Allies

• Rat

Foes

• Aetherblade Grenadier
• Aetherblade Striker
• Aetherblade Swashbuckler
• Aetherblade Taskmaster
• Aetherblade Thug
• Aetherblade Thumper
• Veteran Aetherblade Swashbuckler

Rewards

• Magnificent Chest
• 3 Aetherblade Caches

Related achievements

• Jumping Puzzles: Not So Secret — Explore the Aetherblade's Secret Base. (10)
• Sky Pirates: Plundering the Sky Pirates — Loot the final treasure chest in the Aetherblade's Secret Base in Gendarran Fields after completing the "Sky Pirates" episode. (3)
• The Predator I: The Experimental Rifle: Salvaged Aetherblade Power Source — Collect an Aetherblade Power Source from the Aetherblade Base in the Broadhollow Bluffs of Gendarran Fields.
• Astralaria III: The Mechanism: Aetherblade Gearbox Mechanism — Found in the chest at the top of the Second Aetherblade Site in Gendarran Fields.
• Bolt III: Zap: Secretly Overcharged Quartz — Use the energy beams at the top of the Second Aetherblade Site in Gendarran Fields to add secrecy to a piece of charged quartz.
• Sunrise III: Dawn: Illusory Light — Use the Illuminator to capture the light of energy beams at the top of the Second Aetherblade Site in Gendarran Fields.

Notes

• The mysterious rock formation that holds the jumping puzzle first appeared with the Dragon Bash update; the puzzle itself was introduced with the Sky Pirates of Tyria update, but did not become available until July 1, 2013. The goggles in the secondary route are the 38th pair added since release.
• In the event of a server lag spike, launch pads may launch players shorter than its intended height, and zip lines may send players shorter than its intended length.

Trivia

• The first time a character opened the chest during this part of the Living World Season 1 chapter Sky Pirates of Tyria, the chest yielded shoulder armor dependent on the character's armor type:
  • Soldier: Aetherized Pauldrons
  • Adventurer: Aetherized Shoulderpads
  • Scholar: Aetherized Mantle

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Jumping puzzles

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Gendarran Fields