Guild Wars 2

I’m level 38 now and am looking forward to buying my first “rare” weapon at 39, and I looked on the TP to preview what they look like. Since I am PVE only, I usually run in Berzerker-type gear. At level 39 these are called “Strong” weapons.

But sadly, the “Strong” rare sword, greatsword, etc look just like my “fine” quality level 20-something versions. I guess I just expected a change for a rarer version.

I’m still realtively new, but is there a way around this? Or do I jsut have to choose between “looks” and the stats that I want?

Thanks for your help.

The most you could hope for is going for different heritage weapons as you level. For example, the low level sylvari stuff looks different from the low level krytan stuff. You also have the option of buying some select few weapon skins from WvW vendors if you really wanted to. Theyre are half a dozen different looks and most are fairly inexpensive badge wise.

Should really just wait till 80 or do your story mode as those weapons can be unique some times. I also suggest you keep some of your armor while leveling as some of the rewards from story mode are only available there. Commando gear for example.

With weapons below level 80 you can always use your cheap transmutation stones to change the look. You should have gotten some while playing the personal story or map completion by now.

Most of the skins under level 80 are pretty boring because people don’t stay at a level long enough to make it worth investing in a nice skin.

You can buy a higher level weapon and use a transmutation stone or crystal to put the skin on your lower level item.

I did this when I was leveling my Guardian – be careful though, if you want the skin from a level 80 weapon, you need a transmutation crystal which costs more.

I had been lucky enough to get some out of some Black Lion Chests early in the game…

The nicest looking skins (subjective, but holds true for a significant majority) are all level 80, but as people have said, you can use transmutation crystals to reskin your weapons. Personally I do enjoy this horizontal progression, and I have a preference for joke weapons, like this.

fourhim.3584:

I’m level 38 now and am looking forward to buying my first “rare” weapon at 39, and I looked on the TP to preview what they look like. Since I am PVE only, I usually run in Berzerker-type gear. At level 39 these are called “Strong” weapons.

But sadly, the “Strong” rare sword, greatsword, etc look just like my “fine” quality level 20-something versions. I guess I just expected a change for a rarer version.

I’m still realtively new, but is there a way around this? Or do I jsut have to choose between “looks” and the stats that I want?

Thanks for your help.

Until you are level 80, don’t worry about looks. You will be replacing your gear very fast so it just isn’t worth it to look nice. If you absolutely must look nice, use the transmutation stones that they dump all over you to change the appearance of your new items as you get them.

Of super importance: Don’t buy anything. At all.
Until you get to level 80 you should be using your Karma at the Gold Heart Vendors to keep your gear up to date. You don’t need rare items while leveling, so keep buying the greens from the heart guys as you complete them. This will keep you geared enough to complete all leveling content while saving you a fortune in gearing costs.

@ mtpelion I disagree with using karma to gear up…not since the changes made recently that have put a damper on my karma intake (mostly the major reduction of daily karma), and besides…a few silvers for green quality items is easy enough to come by (to buy a 50 silver item means you gotta go whack like 12 soft wood-yielding trees for lack of higher level stuff to grind…3 logs per tree and typically 1.5s-2s per log lately) but I really recomend green quality gear up to level 60 or 70 (75-ish definitely upgrade to rare/yellow for the home stretch)… but to reskin gear pre-80, map completion… especially the 6 main cities, if you can stand doing it..make several characters just to explore all those maps a few times… i think those areas always give 3 transmutation stones each, and while painful, the stash should build up quickly enough (no need to buy those). This should give a good base for getting to 80 but keep in mind you can not use anything level 80 as part of a transmutation with those, and you will need the more expensive ones (if you get the crystals, save em for when you are 80)… but have at those lower level resource nodes and use em for cash to buy those blindingly neon verdant weapons, brutal flame/bandit skins or some classically fashioned aureate skins…also take a look at all the cultural weapon vendors, some thing you can’t buy without karma (love me some vanguard weapon skins…“Tier 1” for skin and win)

I always use HoM weapon skins till lvl 80. :o Or Zenith ones.

Or you can grab some sexy christmas skins.

Inimicus.7162:

@ mtpelion I disagree with using karma to gear up…not since the changes made recently that have put a damper on my karma intake (mostly the major reduction of daily karma), and besides…a few silvers for green quality items is easy enough to come by (to buy a 50 silver item means you gotta go whack like 12 soft wood-yielding trees for lack of higher level stuff to grind…3 logs per tree and typically 1.5s-2s per log lately) but I really recomend green quality gear up to level 60 or 70 (75-ish definitely upgrade to rare/yellow for the home stretch)… but to reskin gear pre-80, map completion… especially the 6 main cities, if you can stand doing it..make several characters just to explore all those maps a few times… i think those areas always give 3 transmutation stones each, and while painful, the stash should build up quickly enough (no need to buy those). This should give a good base for getting to 80 but keep in mind you can not use anything level 80 as part of a transmutation with those, and you will need the more expensive ones (if you get the crystals, save em for when you are 80)… but have at those lower level resource nodes and use em for cash to buy those blindingly neon verdant weapons, brutal flame/bandit skins or some classically fashioned aureate skins…also take a look at all the cultural weapon vendors, some thing you can’t buy without karma (love me some vanguard weapon skins…“Tier 1” for skin and win)

The Karma nerf is a problem if you need Karma at level 80, which a new player does not. The OP should be fine using his Karma for gear while leveling as it isn’t that costly to do so and he won’t need large stockpiles of Karma until much later.

I didn’t gear up using karma vendor stuff, because most of them seem to feature the Healing Power stat, which I consider a waste. I did occasionally buy an item from a heart vendor that I liked the look of and transmute it onto the stats I wanted.