Guild Wars 2

After seeing a red post about how the metrics are supporting our discontent with the new leveling experience, I have some thoughts on how things might scale to feel better for new players and vets. Hoping this can help.

Weapon skills. All of them. Earned by level 10.
One of my favorite things when I started GW2 was picking up every weapon I could use from the vendor and beating the snot out of everything until all the weapons were ready. Even the water ones.
This generally occupied me until level 10 anyway, so I see no problems there. Start with two, unlocks at 4, 7, and 10.

Class specials
Unlocking the special bar early is fine, but dragging some classes out well beyond the realm of patience is not. It may just be Elementalist that’s the big sin, but it’s also the most glaring error.
If I had to put a number on it, all options should be unlocked by 15, if 10 is a little strenuous to a new player. Most other classes should be used to swapping weapons by then, so F1-4 switch shouldn’t be too arduous.

Utilities.
I can understand holding back utility skills a little. It shouldn’t, since skill points show as early as level 3-5 zones. I go to Tela Range on every new character almost right away.
At the lastest, I’d recommend level 10. The player just finished getting weapons, so it’s a good time to open up utilities.
Next slots at 15 and 20? Debatable.
20 and 30 would feel slow, but doable.

Everything ready by the first dungeon!
The original flow was beautiful for this. You had all the tools you needed to take on Ascalonian Catacombs and feel like you had a build started. So what I’m thinking:
Weapons by level 10
All three Utility slots by level 30
Elite skill by level 30
At least 1 full trait by 30 (see below)

Which means traits might have to get fixed too.

• I’d actually recommend regressing the start of traits to level 15. This would give some good Adept-approrpriate challenges for the 15-30 range. Nothing higher than 30 for Adepts!
• It might be too much to hope for traits at 15, but starting at 25 wouldn’t be so bad. One every 5 levels with double at 75 and 80, and that would work easily. Smooth, fewer dead levels, and a lot closer to what veterans are used to while giving newer players a chance to chase tasks in an easier (15-25) zone.
• Master unlocks at 50. That’s enough to fill 3 trait lines from Adept, if it starts at 25. Challenges range from 50 to 70. That would hurt progression a little for people angling for a specific trait, but that’s overcome with patience and some swift leveling.
• Grandmaster at 70 or 80. Actually, for the most part, the Grandmaster tier is fine, barring other issues made more pointedly in the Traits thread.

So, thoughts? Comparisons? And “make it the way it was before” is just naughty for brainstorming.

Rauderi.8706:

Everything ready by the first dungeon!

I think this is a very important point to make and one which I didn’t think of! Excellent example of how changes can have unforeseen negative consequences.

Sarrs.4831:

Rauderi.8706:

Everything ready by the first dungeon!

I think this is a very important point to make and one which I didn’t think of! Excellent example of how changes can have unforeseen negative consequences.

The most damaging thing the trait redesign did was further the gulf between developing characters and full-80s. I realize that ANet is backing off of dungeons as content, but what is there is a very hazardous playground with griefers and snobs, only made worse by “noobs” and “suboptimal” players getting the shaft. :\
That’s why it’s important for players, especially new ones, to be ready for dungeons when the game tells them they’re ready.