Guild Wars 2

I run in MMOs with two friends one or two nights a week, communicating over VOIP. Sometimes one of us can’t make it, so it’s a duo.

We are constantly vexed by game designers rigidly aiming content at either one or five players. We tend to level slowly and with many alts, checking out as many of the maps in the game as possible. Often we’ll try to outlevel 5-man content in other games so that it’s manageable by three.

We haven’t tried dungeons or fractals yet, and our characters are nearing 30. Are either of these types of content viable for three characters leveling up? Is there anything else to explore in the game other than solo quests or jumping into random group events?

Typically, games end for us at max level, when the content is aimed at gear grinding for groups or raids and is very unmanageable for a trio. We’d like to find ways to enjoy GW2 that meets the Goldilocks test for a group of three – not too hard, not too soft.

Short answer- no. Almost everything is geared for 5 man teams, there is no scaling of dungeons for smaller teams and no solo mode at all. In fact, the game designers are heading in the opposite direction- Teq the Funless was designed to get 80+ co ordinated people all in ts standing around for hours planning for a 15 minute chance at failing.

The first suggestion you’re likely to get would be to join a guild. And it’s a good suggestion. There are plenty of casual guilds out there that would ‘allow’ you to make new friends and be able to fill out the 5 man parties for dungeons.

That said, the majority of open world pve content can be done in your group of 2-3. From my understanding some of the 5 man dungeons can also be done with fewer players, but it is more difficult, so it would depend on your skill level and determination.

Victory.2879:

Short answer- no. Almost everything is geared for 5 man teams, there is no scaling of dungeons for smaller teams and no solo mode at all. In fact, the game designers are heading in the opposite direction- Teq the Funless was designed to get 80+ co ordinated people all in ts standing around for hours planning for a 15 minute chance at failing.

They gave us exactly what we asked for when it comes to Tequatl. People have been calling for ‘raid like’ content since essentially the launch of the game. Anet responded. They gave us harder open world content where anyone could join in, you don’t have to sit around for hours trying to get a group to do it. Tequatl is very doable as a number of servers have already shown.

The scaling of their events has been their answer to smaller group content, I would like to see them expand on it even more with bigger chains.

Fractals lower level is viable. Ive been in 4 man groups which have run thro the lower levels with ease, so its possible 3 man would work, albeit with challenge. Hopefully they will expand on scaling dungeon in the future.

I don’t see why dungeons can’t be scaled to 3 players, with all rewards scaled down accordingly (mainly tokens). Most would still run the 5 man to maximize reward/time, but allowing smaller groups to run it if that is what they want, don’t see a problem.

The issue is will Anet be willing to put forth the effort? Answer: no.

Some dungeons can certainly be done with 3 players if they are very skilled. It will be tough. Use AC story (the only one I’ve completed or really attempted to complete with a 3 man group) as a kind of gauge.

3 people is a great group size to just explore the open world together. There is a lot to see. You could also hop from world event to world event together.

Short answer- no. Almost everything is geared for 5 man teams, there is no scaling of dungeons for smaller teams and no solo mode at all. In fact, the game designers are heading in the opposite direction- Teq the Funless was designed to get 80+ co ordinated people all in ts standing around for hours planning for a 15 minute chance at failing.

Yeesh, I’ve received more than my RDA of sodium. Sorry you haven’t had the chance to beat him yet. It’s very satisfying.

I know how you feel and I have been screaming for the same for long. I doubt it will ever happen though, since it appears that it’s considered a social side of game. So, basically,
Enter a team → say “hi” → receive barely a one “hi” back from max 2 other members of team → silently run whole content → “thx 4 run, bye” → leave
is too much social so we can not run dungeons with only a friend or two, we necessarely need to go with strangers to make it social enough and be freed of our will to actually share some impressions with our friends even.

I’d actually like to see a scaled dungeon. Or an alternate mode to story and explorable. A ‘light-explorable’ mode. Easier and do-able by 2 or 3 people. Ofc, scale the rewards down as penalty for it being easier.
I would love this as sometimes I’d like to be able to disappear into a run with just a couple really good friends.

Well, there is no inkittenanced content for mid 30s. What you can do is sync your personal kittenory and do the inkittenance together (no challenge, but its something lol it will be kind of fun with a few bosses further on). Search for Champs your level, lot of caves have hidden champs around those levels. Another thing you can do is go to WvW. As long akittenhe 3 of you kittenick together, you will have a blakitten.

At 80 search for dungeons solo-able. You can kittenart practicing those and do them in duo or trio.

Mesket.5728:

Well, there is no inkittenanced content for mid 30s. What you can do is sync your personal kittenory and do the inkittenance together (no challenge, but its something lol it will be kind of fun with a few bosses further on). Search for Champs your level, lot of caves have hidden champs around those levels. Another thing you can do is go to WvW. As long akittenhe 3 of you kittenick together, you will have a blakitten.

At 80 search for dungeons solo-able. You can kittenart practicing those and do them in duo or trio.

Quoting myself because it is amazing how broken the profanity filter ikittenhere was not even one word to censor on my pokitten lol and there are kittens all over!

EDIT: its replacing all S and T put together lol

Father Grimm.8467:

I run in MMOs with two friends one or two nights a week, communicating over VOIP. Sometimes one of us can’t make it, so it’s a duo.

We are constantly vexed by game designers rigidly aiming content at either one or five players. We tend to level slowly and with many alts, checking out as many of the maps in the game as possible. Often we’ll try to outlevel 5-man content in other games so that it’s manageable by three.

We haven’t tried dungeons or fractals yet, and our characters are nearing 30. Are either of these types of content viable for three characters leveling up? Is there anything else to explore in the game other than solo quests or jumping into random group events?

Typically, games end for us at max level, when the content is aimed at gear grinding for groups or raids and is very unmanageable for a trio. We’d like to find ways to enjoy GW2 that meets the Goldilocks test for a group of three – not too hard, not too soft.

You can do dungeons in groups of three or two if you try

champ.7021:

Father Grimm.8467:

I run in MMOs with two friends one or two nights a week, communicating over VOIP. Sometimes one of us can’t make it, so it’s a duo.

We are constantly vexed by game designers rigidly aiming content at either one or five players. We tend to level slowly and with many alts, checking out as many of the maps in the game as possible. Often we’ll try to outlevel 5-man content in other games so that it’s manageable by three.

We haven’t tried dungeons or fractals yet, and our characters are nearing 30. Are either of these types of content viable for three characters leveling up? Is there anything else to explore in the game other than solo quests or jumping into random group events?

Typically, games end for us at max level, when the content is aimed at gear grinding for groups or raids and is very unmanageable for a trio. We’d like to find ways to enjoy GW2 that meets the Goldilocks test for a group of three – not too hard, not too soft.

You can do dungeons in groups of three or two if you try

Most of dungeons do not allow you to get to the end.
For example, I duoed CoE with my friend, laser part wouldn’t let us go on because we needed 2 more people to deactivate, or the gate to pass to next boss wouldn’t open.

you can do dungeons just not every path. if you’re mesmers u might be able to do it with 2 people because you can use portal/blink to do it. I think ive done it before in the harpy fractal.
Anyways you can duo/trio arah, ac, ta, maybe cm, hotw, and se
I dont know if you can do them all just from what i remember you should be able to do paths in these dungeons with less than 5 people.

champ.7021:

you can do dungeons just not every path. if you’re mesmers u might be able to do it with 2 people because you can use portal/blink to do it. I think ive done it before in the harpy fractal.
Anyways you can duo/trio arah, ac, ta, maybe cm, hotw, and se
I dont know if you can do them all just from what i remember you should be able to do paths in these dungeons with less than 5 people.

We used teleporting skills to be the quickest possible in lasers part of CoE, didn’t work.
We duoed a whole Fractal (Full 3+Jade maw), including harpy without the need of portals nor mesmers.
As for AC, in path 2, I don’t know how could anyone duo (Not speaking of final boss traps) traps part, one on trap and one kiting gravellings?
Defending Hodgins in path 1? Really…maybe with a utterly pro-zerker warrior and utterly pro-full tank-support guardian…
Imo in whole AC only path 3 is duoable, and there with at least a good zerker and an ele…
CM, path 2…barrel parts? I doubt one only person can throw enough barrels to distract those many bandits from getting the ones places in red circles, ever, not even with the greatest thief doing the job.
Arah…maybe all paths but path 1, or Tar boss is never gonna spawn. And path 4, really? No need to say how long it would take to kill Dwayna then, if even possible.
Maybe the duoable paths, that wouldn’t require utterly pros, but could go for more casuals, are HotW path 1 (If you have a lifetime to play for the hp pools), TA up…Se path 1…Arah path 2 and perhaps path 3 as well, if people are good enough to carry orb between each other.
But duoing dungeons supposed to be for a 5-men team: takes 3 times longer, if not more. It’s way too harder than it is for 5 people and easy to fail, easily gets unpleasant as experience, mostly if you duo FotM and find out that your LAST Fractal is Swamp.
That’s why a fair add would be to scale dungeons according to the number of players, be it from 2 to 5. It would as well be a good chance for new players to actually learn the dungeons, since they are fairly being kicked from every team, every dungeon, every path, always more.

If you’re zerker i dont think running these paths are too bad. Maybe duo will take some time but its definitely more fun and probably easier than a pug group. I didnt say all paths anyways i said you can do paths in those dungeons. I didnt mean all
As for AC p2 you can do the traps part by one person kiting and making sure to run over the same trap, that part would take a long time though compared to with 5 man group. However the final boss isnt too bad watch wethospus video.
AC p1 can be done as well with flame embers and stuff.
I mean im not saying it will be easy and they probably should add some three person stuff, just if you want to duo or trio you can try and it is fun. Best thing is to get two pugs and if theyre bad just finish the rest of the path by yourselves without waiting for them XD