Shadow of the Mad King Is Now Live

What changed#

The Shadow of the Mad King festival has arrived and will run until November 3. Players can earn the Primeval King’s Wrappings headpiece and their choice of the Fog Machine weapon by completing the (Annual) Halloween Rituals meta-achievement.

New cosmetic options are available using Candy Corn Cobs, including the Plush Mad King Backpack and Mini Longhaired Black Cat. Talk to Deft Lahar in Lion’s Arch to unlock housing and guild decorations such as the Plush Zhaia, Plush Mad King, Foreboding Raven Tree, and Foreboding Raven Roost.

The Gem Store features a 20% discount on the Witch’s Outfit and an updated Black Lion Chest containing the guaranteed Evon Gnashblade Trick-or-Treat Bag and a chance for the Flowing Sand Cape. A new Autumn Garden Homestead Package costs 800 gems and includes leaf piles, cornstalks, a gate and fence, tree stumps, falling leaves, hanging lanterns, and a dual-state garden tree. The Mad King Homestead Sky and Mad King Conjured Doorway remain in stock.

Why it matters#

Access to the Mad Realm is widespread. Portals appear in every major city for level 35 characters or those owning an expansion. Players without these requirements can use haunted doors in the Village of Shaemoor, Village of Smokestead, Kessex Hills, or Gendarran Fields, where Lunatic Boatmasters provide transport.

Event content caters to different playstyles. The Mad King’s Raceway offers mount racing with rental mounts available for those without personal mounts. The Mad King’s Clock Tower jumping puzzle returns with both the original rising miasma mode and a slower Stopped Clock Tower variant. The Ascent to Madness dungeon encounter is accessible to all skill levels.

What to do next#

Check your in-game mail for a letter from Magister Tassi containing the Invitation to the Mad Realm. Travel to Lion’s Arch to begin trick-or-treating and exploring the Mad King’s Labyrinth, which features enemies like the Grand High Viscount of Candy Corn and the Labyrinthine Horror.

Keep an eye out for Mad King Thorn’s challenge in Lion’s Arch, which occurs every two hours. To win keys for his treasures, you must obey his commands only when he prefixes them with “Your Mad King says…”.

Speak to a Lunatic Boatmaster to access minigames like Reaper’s Rumble and Lunatic Inquisition, or check the Gem Store for time-limited deals before the event concludes on November 3.