Guild Wars 2

So, I finished Brisban Wildlands with one character and Kessex Hills with another, I thought it was time to move on with one of them before committing to further alts. The game then points me in the direction of a lowbie zone, while I know that I eventually have to visit the place to gather hero points and eventual completion I find it odd that the progression halts at 26 and I am recommended to redo a zone.

I had to visit wiki since the game did not point me anywhere I wanted to go, I eventually found Gendarran hills which is supposed to be 25-35 but every mob I saw was level 30, its like the natural evolution in leveling stops at 26. To me the most important part of an mmo is the social aspect and leveling, I couldn´t care less about raids and endgame, I know a lot of people love doing what I do as well.

I am wondering why a game so well designed and so fantastic in its early levels simply stops its natural progression in leveling, I was definitely expecting other portals in Brisban or Kessex to lvl 25-40 zones.

You don’t have to go where it’s pointing to, you know. That’s only a suggestion. Open your world map and look at other zones. Is that’s a new char, you should have a waypoint at every starter zone, and those lead to racial cities and to higher areas.

Here is a map of the game with its levels showing.

There is a blip granted, but you have to remember with GW2 is that the map levels are fairly inconsequential (except where its too high for you). Where it points you to lower zones, what it is trying to do is demonstrate that those zones are still of value because you are scaled down to its level. That keeps it relevant regardless of your own level and thus it breaks with tradition and creates its own evolution

The being sent to higher levels is an odd foible of the game that has existed since launch. Ive never encountered it, but have known a few who have it stumped them a bit (I spent so long in each zone I was always well behind a levels recommended bracket)

The map becomes a little bit messier once you get towards mid-levels since it’s a map and not a purely linear path.

For one, you don’t need to stick to your own race’s zones, so you have several different level 25-35 zones to poke around, for instance. To get to them, you might have to cut through some lower level maps. You might want to take the portals in Lion’s Arch to some of the other racial starting cities and run through those zones to get to other maps.

Because of downscaling, you also have the option of exploring another starting zone instead of going straight for a higher level one. You can gain levels in a 1-15 zone weather you’re level 1 or level 79.

As for seeing level 30 mobs in a level 25+ zone, yeah, that’s still in the range. The enemies get stronger in some areas than others so if you’re in an area where the mobs are too strong, try to find the part of the map where they get weaker.

The higher your level, the less linear exploration will get, but you still have plenty of places to explore and level.

I dont know from what exactly you’re so dissapointed. Every zone has a recommended levels you can always check on your map. Also each zone scales you accordingly, so you can go back to a low lvl zone and make it to lvl 30 there, and continue in Kessex hills or any other 25-35 lvl zone. The game have no such things as natural progression, because you can level up in every zone if you have atleast the recommended level.
The game is designed to allow players to do things on their own phase.
To be honest for me its a very good game design, because even if you power lvl to 80, you can still go to explore, and the zones will feel as a challenge neverthless. Not like in other MMO’s when you 1-hit everything in low lvl areas with high level characters.
Dont be so fast to dissapoint yourself. Instead take some time to learn how the game is designed and have fun!

I’ve never really encountered your problem.

If you’re running into level 30 mobs in a level 25-35 zone, as a level 26, you’re probably in the wrong area of the map. One end of the map tends to have lower level mobs, and the other has higher level mobs. The lower level mobs tend to be at the “natural start” of the map- where there is a portal into a lower level zone or a city.

I have levelled and explored on many a character. Before I jump into a 25-35 map I probably already have completed about 3 of the starter areas and maybe a couple of the “secondary” areas (such as Kessex, Snowden, Diessa or Brisban).

On my newest character I found a way of running across the length of the world without encountering a problem. Here’s my suggested route:
1) Start in Plains of Ashford
2) Next, Diessa Plateau (if you’re not high enough level, do some Wayfarer Foothills)
3)Complete Wayfarer Foothills (optional, depending on you level)
4)Snowden Drifts
5)Gendarran Fields
6) Run through Queensdale (completion is optional)
7) Brisban Wildlands
8) You should be high enough level to easily make a start on Lornar’s Pass, which can then lead into Bloodtide Coast and Sparkfly Fen, Timberline Falls and Dredgehaunt. If you’d prefer you can head into Divinity’s Reach and take the portal into Ebonhawke (in Fields of Ruin) which can then lead on to Blazeridge Steppes and Iron Marches.

If you’re not getting enough experience form exploring an area alone, make sure you’re also doing any events that you see, gather where anything you come across and do your personal story. You should be fine killing mobs a couple of levels above you own level- if it’s a real struggle you may want to take a look at your gear and make sure you’re keeping it all updated.

Also, I don’t really understand your hang-ups about running into an unexplored zone that is under your level. You will be scaled down and also you’ll receive plenty of experience as well.

Well, I solved my problem, I happened to stumble upon a zone not mentioned anywhere called Diessa Plateau and I havnt done that yet, so here I come. It just seems to be empty of people but I can live with that.

I guess I got too used with WoWs and Everquests leveling system where everything seems to have a natural order of progression.

Once you hit 80, you will be going back and forth across every zone in the game rather than stuck in 1 or 2 like traditional MMO’s.

Because of the sheer number of core zones, you wont be directed to all of them, but they exist out there for you to explore, find new achievements, collections, jumping puzzles, bosses, new events etc etc. It makes a refreshing change, but is different from the run of the mill MMO experience (which is why many of us came here)

If you think that is rough, when I started I wandered from Wayfarer Foothills (1-15) to Frostgorge Sound (70-80) when I was level 18 and was astounded how quickly I died. Took me a minute to realize they weren’t the expected level 16.

Something to keep in mind is that maps have a range for their level (25-35) and there are pockets of smaller ranges scattered throughout the map. These pockets are usually 1-3 levels in size (ie 25-28, 27-30, 29-31, etc) and there’s no real formula for where these pockets are placed. It’s very possible for a level 25 pocket to be next to a level 30 pocket and not all map entrances are in a lv 25 pocket.

So it’s very possible to enter a map at something other than it’s lowest level and to walk to a different area and get jumped by something far over your level. You can see the level of the mob next to it’s name, just keep an eye on it when you’re exploring so you don’t find yourself fighting something impossible to beat.

GW2 isn’t really about having a strictly directed leveling experience. The game isn’t intended to tell you where you can go, only where you can’t

You will gain as much XP in a downscaled zone for doing world completion tasks as you will in a zone slightly higher than your level. The reason for this is that GW2’s leveling is inteded to be a primarily self direction journey of discovery rather than a railroaded quest chain. Discovering is always better leveling than farming.

There are multiple entrances to Gendarren Fields. There are lower level mobs there, they’re just not near the entrance from Lion’s Arch.

IndigoSundown.5419:

There are multiple entrances to Gendarren Fields. There are lower level mobs there, they’re just not near the entrance from Lion’s Arch.

oooh, thanks, thats the only entrance I found.

I found what I was looking for, there is a natural level transition from Snowdens Drift to Lornars Pass … now I am happy and can continue my leveling.

AurioDK.2867:

IndigoSundown.5419:

There are multiple entrances to Gendarren Fields. There are lower level mobs there, they’re just not near the entrance from Lion’s Arch.

oooh, thanks, thats the only entrance I found.

You want to go east into it from Queensdale, the road leading east out of the map just south of Beetletun has a zone portal astride it and you will come out in the low end of Gendarren.

AurioDK.2867:

I found what I was looking for, there is a natural level transition from Snowdens Drift to Lornars Pass … now I am happy and can continue my leveling.

you might have already known/been told/realised this, but there’s no need to push into higher level zones in order to keep earning exp. Every zone in the game will give you experience, no matter what level you are, & the bonus for killing a mob closer to your own level is pretty inconsequential, and overshadowed entirely by the exploration bonus awarded upon killing a creature that’s been alive for some time.

Even better is to find a place with frequent events you can participate in with other players – there’s no need to be partied, you will receive loot & exp from any creature you’ve landed a couple of hits on, regardless of whether it was first hit by a different player.

Good luck and I look forward to seeing you in the high level zones =)

Narrrz.7532:

..the bonus for killing a mob closer to your own level is pretty inconsequential, and overshadowed entirely by the exploration bonus awarded upon killing a creature that’s been alive for some time.

Is that a thing? Does it really scale with a creature’s survival duration in the game?

Zoltar MacRoth.7146:

Narrrz.7532:

..the bonus for killing a mob closer to your own level is pretty inconsequential, and overshadowed entirely by the exploration bonus awarded upon killing a creature that’s been alive for some time.

Is that a thing? Does it really scale with a creature’s survival duration in the game?

Yep- this is true

http://wiki.guildwars2.com/wiki/Experience

“Killing creatures
An exploration bonus is earned based on how long a creature has been alive in the world”

Zoltar MacRoth.7146:

Narrrz.7532:

..the bonus for killing a mob closer to your own level is pretty inconsequential, and overshadowed entirely by the exploration bonus awarded upon killing a creature that’s been alive for some time.

Is that a thing? Does it really scale with a creature’s survival duration in the game?

Sure does. Any time you see bonus xp from killing a mob, it’s because that mob hasn’t been killed in a while. It’s meant to discourage people from farming in one spot.

This game is not like any other mmo with quest nodes that point with the whole finger exactly where you go and when and kitten you if you would ever consider go there earlier and break the quest chain. GW2 is not that, GW2 is about exploration, about picking what you want to do for the day. Maybe go to the other races region, maybe join wvw for a while, maybe a few rounds of pvp, or why not craft and gain xp that way or gather material all so you can craft. You can go were ever you want when ever you want. Join a heartquest make them and then make the follow up event, do the world bosses in the lower regions, make jumping puzzles, or jump on a story dungeon when reaching lvl 30. Don’t limit your self, just go out there and do what you want, the map will tell you what level you must be, but if you go to lower level region your character will automatically level down to the right level to gain xp so you never grow out of a region.

Progression in GW2 isnt linear, especially not since they locked the story missions behind level requirement. Basicly, every 10 levels consist of about 4 levels of story, 2 levels of whatever zone you happen to be in and 4 levels of “whatever”. Its the last part that irk bored/unimaginative people. For veterans this is not a problem – usually got tons of tomes to “fill the gaps”. For new people, you really need to go out and explore. Go to one of the other zones that exist in your level range. Hell, sometimes you might even want to go back a zone and do some random events, finish up that 100% exploration. Farm some materials (you get ton of XP from mats), maybe go craft a few levels, do some sPvP, jump into WvW a while if your level allow it, etc.

my advice to new people is just to ‘learn the world’. exploration, killing random mobs, completing hearts and events as you go will all net you a great deal of experience. Then, once you’re comfortable with the game mechanics and your character, you can revisit the lower level zones and fill them out. You’ll easily hit 80 before you’ve completed all the renown hearts and etc of all the zones you’re likely to go through, even if you never touch the personal story.

Perhaps you should probably play something easier?

Every map has gradient enemies. If the zone is 25-35 and you are seeing level 30 enemies, you just need to go find the level 25 area. I’ve been able to avoid most over level enemies through out the zones.

The best thing about GW2, is that you can go and clear every zone and you aren’t penalized for going to a lower zone because you are down leveled for that zone. It makes leveling seem not a chore (except if you have 4 level 80s and several more to go).

Relax and enjoy the game for what it’s worth. If you go to a lower level zone, you still get your rewards, you still get loot, you still get karma. It’s a win.

if there is ONE thing GW2 did very well it’s the way leveling works . In traditional MMO’s – every other MMO in fact- you follow a very linear path fro starting zone onward and it’s entirely possible you’d miss a zone and would never ever visit that . With every character I have I make sure to visit all the starting zones and it’s worthwhile to do so b/c of the scaling-feature . Your loot is adjusted to what your actual level is and you still get the appropriate xp as well . Everything is scaled .

I find the leveling-mechanic in GW2 the best I have witnessed ( and I have played quite a lot of MMO’s ) too date .

I actually love the fact that lowbie areas are not “wasted” when I outlevel their intended range.

I was getting higher levels just as easy in starter zones as I was in the higher level maps.

The reward for clearing maps is worth it, though I’m not focusing on that its nice when I’m close to go “ill hit that vista and heart quest or two and get the reward”

Its nice I can kinda choose the environment of my choosing for leveling at any range. I can also go back at 80 and try to clear some areas for the map clear rewards.

Or I can ignore it all and farm pvp/wvw.