Guild Wars 2

Hi all,

I’m a 43 Ranger who just returned from a long hiatus. I thought it’s long overdue that I start trying some dungeons (and, my monthly requires me too, heh).

What’s the best way of going about, as a total noob to GW2 dungeons, getting a PUG for AC and CM? Am I kitten against the wind even trying to get a group for them?

Thanks!

gw2lfg.com. Make friends or find a guild to run them, though. Chances are you might run into a bad PUG. Send me a whisper, I’d be more than happy to run you through AC

I second that. Same thing, I had never tried dungeons before. Tried map group requests to no avail. Found groups through gw2lfg.com (there’s also an android app, maybe others) and have had very positive experiences. In the space of a week I was able to complete all my dungeon stories.

Story Mode dungeons are (mostly) balanced for at-level pickup groups; you can give them a try when you’re looking for a bit of variety. You can also skip them and then return with endgame gear; the rewards are pretty lousy so most people just run each one once for completion/narrative purposes.

Skip CM EXP until you’re more experienced. AC EXP is much more forgiving for new players: you’ll occasionally get downed by a trap/veteran/boss or fail an event, but it’s rare for the entire party to be stunlocked and wiped out by a group of regular mobs (which can happen to inexperienced groups in CM).

You can hang out in the Plains of Ashford map chat or just post on GW2LFG. Ask your guildmates as well. Explain that you’re new and that you’re looking to learn the dungeon. Be aware that many players will want to skip groups of enemies (or entire boss fights); ask them to warn you in advance, and equip mobility/stunbreak skills. If you find that you don’t enjoy a particular EXP path then try it again (maybe a few days later) with a different party setup; you may find that the problem was in your team setup rather than the dungeon content.

Once you get near level 80 then you should look at the Citadel of Flame. It’s very well-trafficked, so you’ll have no trouble finding groups (although some of them might kick you for being a Ranger). You can quickly master the mechanics of Path 1 and Path 2 and, if you find that you enjoy running CoF, it can be quite lucrative (which is handy if you’re saving up for Exotic gear). Stay away from CoF path 3 until you have endgame gear and a dedicated party.

The most important thing in dungeons is understanding your dodge ability (and the invincibility frames that it provides). Get in the habit of dodging attacks (even non-life-threatening ones) when you’re doing open-world PvE. Dungeon mobs hit much harder than regular ones, and seemingly-harmless enemies (like spider hatchlings) can quickly kill you. This is a major problem in dungeons because nobody can rally at a Waypoint if the party is in combat; a single careless death can snowball into a full-party wipe. Get in the habit of avoiding damage.