Guild Wars 2

Hi! Just bought the game. I’m hoping to get advice on which profession to play.

• I’m casual…I play maybe 3 times a week, 1/2 hour to 1 hour a pop.
• I’m not in a hurry. I like chatting with NPCs and role-playing and exploring.
• I like classes that play slow and give me time to think.
• I don’t love kiting. I’d rather block an attack than dodge it.
• I’m not into extended rotations—one reason I quit WoW.
• I like classes that let me be creative. This requirement often conflicts with the one before it—“creative” often requires “complex.” I guess I like a class of middle difficulty.
• On this one character I’d like to be able to do everything, all corners of PvE and PvP that my time constraints will allow.

Any ideas?

Thanks for the help, guys!

You should try either a Warrior or Guardian.

I’d vote Guardian. It needs to dodge the least, if you use the various aegis and other blocking skills. Bear in mind, however, that dodging is an integral part of this game’s combat. You don’t have to kite, but you do have to evade the big hits. No GW2 profession has nearly the rotation of WoW classes, because what skill you use when is situationally determined.

Guardian won’t be nearly as dps-y as a Warrior but may survive better and generally it’s easier to buff others as a Guardian. I can’t advise on PvP utility but I hear things about the “meditation Guardian meta” for PvP. I know I used my very defense/support Guardian in my one and only SPvP match, the first Stronghold beta, and did pretty darn well escorting the skritt bombers. Since you gear and trait separately for PvP and for PvE and the game auto-loads the appropriate one, you needn’t worry about swapping things around as you shuffle back and forth.

This advice would only be for general PVE.

You sound a little like me……well except for the PvP part.

I don’t like working at the game…..yes I’m lazy.

I like to collect things, acquire wealth and various goals……I’m not into being the best fighter. I guess you could say, I don’t enjoy sitting on the edge of my seat pushing all the right buttons at just the right time.

Try a ranger. Your pet will take up much of the damage as well inflict damage.

Its easy. Just keep in mind not to join a group who is doing fractals or dungeons.

I suppose if you really get good , that will be fine. But if your like me and not that good, you will only kitten them off…..lol.

I know where I belong so I do just fine with my ranger…..:).

Slow? Hammer/Mace+whatever guardian :P
With the upcoming specialization change you’ll be able to make other people slow as well.

I think it really comes down to personal preference and playstyle. I’d recommend reading the wiki to see which professions peak your interest the most and try them out. As a newer player you shouldn’t be too invested yet so give each a try and see which works best for you. Ideally aim for at least lvl 20 to get a general feel for what they have to offer. In my opinion it’s much more enjoyable and easier to invest time into a profession that suits you rather than going for which is easiest or has top dps.

As for rotations, GW2 has far fewer skills than WoW making them much easier to learn. Certain professions like Elementalist “Attunements” or Engineer “Kits” change or add more skills which can make them more difficult/complex for some. Weapon combinations also make a difference, but still there aren’t alot of skills so it shouldn’t be much of a problem.

Dodging is incredibly important and better than blocking in most cases. It is essential for the less survivable professions as their primary means of damage reduction. GW2 doesn’t have the traditional “tank” or “healer” roles so staying alive depends alot on how you handle your character. It’s better to get used to it early on as you really can’t survive without it later into the game.

General PvE (open world) – All professions are viable with some just being better suited at certain tasks than others. Whichever you choose it shouldn’t hinder your ability to complete the campaign or regular activities.

Group content (dungeons/fractals) – Groups tend to favor certain professions above others (usually War/Guard/Ele/Mes) with the rest as second pick. This shouldn’t be a problem in normal pickup groups, but less desirable classes may have a harder time finding a spot in speed runs or in groups that prioritize max dps. I’ve been away for a little while so idk if things have changed, but Rangers and Necros used to get a lot of hate from other players in groups due to stereotypes.

PvP – Everything is streamlined for all players in PvP (gear/skills) for an even playing field. Whether you’re using a new or decked out character it will come down to experience rather than who had better gear going in.

WvW – Massive siege battles between multiple servers competing over territory. If you just want to zerg (follow the main group) you can use whatever you want. Ideally you should be bringing group utility skills and be able to keep up with the group. For roaming solo or in a small groups some professions like the Thief with stealth may do a better job at picking off individual targets or exploring the map alone. There’s a lot more freedom to do and play the way you like in WvW.

Going by your criteria I’d probably recommend Warrior or Guardian as the most survivable professions offering more leeway in dodging/making decisions. Warriors focus more on personal survivability/damage while providing offensive group buffs (closest to a tank). Guardians are less survivable and help to provide defensive/utility buffs to the group (closest to a healer). I personally found leveling the Guardian to be incredibly boring, but once I hit 80 things got alot better. As much as I enjoy both I always find myself going back to Warrior above all others.

If you want versatility and creativity you can try the Elementalist or Engineer which are the most adaptable. Eles although squishy have the highest dps and are top picks in groups. Engineers can fill various roles as a jack of all trades master of none. Both have the most skills/less defined rotations making them more of a challenge to learn.

Hi, guys! Thanks for the advice!

I’ve been noodling around. I think I’ll like this game a lot. Here’s my first take—let me know if I’ve got anything wrong?

• Mesmer: haven’t seen anything like them in any other MMO…maybe they’re a bit like the old EQ Enchanter class. I’ve got one to level 10 and think they’re a hoot, but scary squishy. One extra ad can kill me, but Phase Retreat and Blurred Frenzy both give the kind of time I like to look around and think.
• Elementalist: looks fiendishly difficult for someone playing 3 hours a week. Tracking 4 sets of CDs, 3 of which you can’t even see, seems like a headache.
• Necromancer: so far my favorite, but I’ve played so little it could be I just like the race (Charr for my Necro. Char skulls are so cool.) I like how tanky they are. If I didn’t keep hearing how poor they are for group PvE, I think I’d have my class. (At least I’ve found out what race I like best.)

• Engineer: another very distinctive GW2 class, but dang it, they also seem difficult for a super-casual player. Over on Dulfy the engineer guide has a rotation that’s 40 deep. 40. Yipes.
• Thief: I’ve never been into the stealth <> squish tradeoff. Guess I’d rather laugh at a backstab than give one.
• Ranger: I’m intrigued by a mid-weight melee class that doesn’t rely on stealth, but I’m worried there won’t be much room for creativity.

• Warrior: I hate, hate the Rage mechanic on WoW warriors. You can’t admire the view or chat or emote without your Rage seeping, seeping, seeping away. I hate a mechanic that forces me to play fast. It’s bullying. Is Adrenaline like that? Also warriors are everywhere. Wouldn’t mind being something a teensy bit rarer.
• Guardian: I’ve always been put off by Paladin-type classes with all that Holy-Retribution-Recrimination-whatever stuff. On second glance, that’s not quite what Guardians are. I’ll have to override my instincts and give them a try. Plus: in group play, my favorite thing is always saving other people. Seems like Guardian is good for that. Funny—on the MMO I just quit my class was also a Guardian.

Any big misconceptions?

I don’t mind dodging—dodging in this game is kind of like blocking in other games because of the immunity frames. I can even enjoy kiting every now and then, but being forced to do it for every fight gets awfully old.

Anyway, it looks like I’ll try Mesmer, Necromancer, and Guardian for a while to see what feels good. That gives me a couple slots left over if none of those are quite right.

Thanks again for the help!

You basically got it dude. The info you were researching is pretty accurate. However, judging from your first post I’d leave Mesmer for later, as it’s one of the more confusing and difficult classes to play.

Definetly start with necromancer if you enjoy the tankiness (when you hit 31 you unlock a new skill that makes you pretty much invulnerable). Then I’d move to guardian. Necro is fun and good but not as ideal for pve, whereas guardian is amazing in all aspects. Start with what you want to play and enjoy playing, and then move on from there.

Ele: High reward, high skill required(first class I learned to play and its amazing but would be really confusing for a moderate player)
Mesmer: Moderate reward, high skill (Hard class to play, does not have much uses in the game though. Lackluster in pvp and ok for pve and wvw)
Thief: High reward, moderate skill (but doesn’t like you enjoy stealth so I’d avoid it.)
Guard: High reward, lower skill (Great class to play, everyone wants guardians in their party for pve, pvp and wvw)
Necromancer: Moderate reward, lower skill (Fun and tanky as crap, you’ll probably get a kick out of fearing people off the edge in wvw (basically you use a skil that makes people run away from you and not able to control their character… used to make people run off the edge in a wvw mode)
Ranger: Low reward, low skill (one of the easiest classes to play, the lack of uniqueness might intrigue you though)
Engineer: High reward, High skill (hard af to play, I’d avoid it for awhile)
Warrior: Warriors are easy to be moderate at. Hard af to master though. It’s one of the two/ three class that doesnt really kite, it puts the pressure on the enemy (making it difficult to master) and judging from your post i’d avoid it. The rage/adrenaline meachnic isn’t what you think it is at all though. It’s extremely minor and has really nothing to do with the class itself. Just a timer that allows you to use an extra skill (and do more dmg, but the dmg is not worth noting for a new player).

All three of those are quite fun. Like you I didn’t care for Guardian in concept. Armored knights just weren’t my thing in other MMOs. Then I made one, traited her to full defense/heal, and had a blast (it may help that my first main was a Thief, for RP reasons, and the sense of invulnerability the Guardian had was intoxicating after all those dirt naps).

Definitely give that one a go, and test a couple of builds. They can go from aggressive dps to no dps but never dying based on how you set them up.

Mesmer is my favorite. But that’s with all traits available; all three of mine leveled under the old system. I’ve heard others say it’s a nightmare to make them work until you’ve got the traits. I don’t find them that complex, though. Basically you create clones and phantasms to suit your needs, and shatter them on your opponent when appropriate, then make more. You have 4 types of shatter, each with its own effect. The mental shift needed is to not think of the clones and phantasms as minions, but rather as persistent spells you can dispel at will with bonus effects.

Necromancer: All of mine are mostly for RP, but they do have a lot of staying-alive tricks. The finesse with a necro comes with death shroud and conditions management.

Also of note: Interestingly, you’ve picked the three professions for which we know what the Elite will be come HoT. There are videos of the live stream reveals of those, so you can see what you might be working towards and decide which one appeals most.

Short form: Guardian becomes Dragonhunter, gets a longbow, and sets traps (more like wards, really) that have interesting visuals and effects. Mesmer becomes Chronomancer, gets a shield, and can slow down opponents, speed up friends, and even reset time a few seconds. Necromancer becomes Reaper, gets a longsword, and turns into a slow but deadly close-quarters spin-to-win roflcopter.

I say don’t be put of by necromancers being ostracized from dungeon groups. The meta is evolving rapidly, and I see future necromancer buffs coming. Besides, all those people spouting necro lacks group support don’t understand that group support can mean more than providing boons (which only stack so much). If you enjoy necro over other things — then go for it.

Second, I’ll have to disagree with what previous posting were saying with Ranger = low risk – low reward. I would argue Ranger can be built for medium risk – high reward. Also Ranger allows for loads of creativity.

Warrior, Guadian, and Necromancer are likely your top 3. Find the one that feels most comfortable and experiment with that.

Hi, guys!

@ Kaozkrayken: That’s an interesting way to break-down the professions, by reward vs. skill. I notice that the only “moderate skill” class listed is the Thief…all the others are high skill or low skill. Since I’m not really a sneaky guy and likely won’t play enough to ever develop high skill, your list really helps narrow down the professions.

@ Donari: Yeah, if I block out all the Paladin images and just look at the character I’ve created, I’m finding Guardian to have a great feel. My favorite thing in MMOs—what gives me goosebumps—is being Tough and Brave (as opposed to, say, one-shotting someone from stealth, or melting face on 15 mobs at once). Guardian feels good for that. Also—yeah, people say Mesmer is hard to play, but I’m not seeing why, at least in the structure of their combat. I’m guessing they have that “difficult” reputation because so many of their most important spells have nothing to do with damage—all their Glamour spells, for example. Learning how to use those right seems like it would take some experience that wouldn’t translate from previous MMOs and isn’t instinctive like Kill Kill Kill. I could be totally wrong. Maybe by the time my character is at the mighty level of 20 I’ll have a better idea.

@ Razor: You’re right. I know from other MMOs that these stereotypes change all the time. Especially for a player like me—I might get a playing session longer than an hour only twice a year, so dungeon runs probably aren’t going to be a feature of my GW2 experience. I’m glad to know that Ranger can indeed be a creative class. I’ll have to add it to the list…it’s not all that large a list, after all. I sure wish the bow animations were better—they look nothing at all like someone pulling a bow. Bows are not a rapid-fire weapon. They take strength. Rangers in GW2 often look like they’re plucking some kind of strange vertical guitar. But that’s way off topic.

Warrior is a difficult one. I’ve always fought against a weakness of personality that makes me avoid the popular class. In WoW I mained a Shaman and my alt was a Rogue—the two rarest classes at the time. No matter how right a Druid would have been, I couldn’t make myself play one. I know, it’s not that bright, particularly in a game like GW2 with only 8 professions and 5 races. Is anything that rare or that popular? But there it is.

P.S. I was going to say that warrior was a hard space one, but that got changed to kittene. What’s up with that?

Mesmers getting a lot of pvp-centric buffs in the next patch, and will be far less underpowered. Necromancer seems to be getting mostly buffs as well, but its core problems will remain.

Elementalist so far looks to be overall a bit nerfed outside of staff builds, but that could change when see the final traits and their elite specs.

Mesmers are considered by most people to be one of the most painful classes to level because in most cases they’re a bit lacking in damage unless they have illusions (which are dependent on sometimes relatively long cooldowns) up and are on the squishy side. There’s also their skills, as you’ve noticed, that aren’t as straightforward as most others, but my experience has been the squishiness and need to constantly be kiting around were bigger factors. Nice to hear you’re doing okay with it though – at the end of the day it really does come down to personal preference.

Re: kitten: that’s the forum sensor. It tends to be a bit too broad at times, and basically took offense to that word combination because of what you’d get if you removed the -e from ‘one’ :P

Also just as a note – dungeons in GW2 are pretty quickly done (a good party can do some of them in 5-10mn, average/beginners is probably between 15-20), so don’t be so quick to dismiss them, you might be able to fit one or two here and there even with short sessions.

bravehoptoad.5246:

@ Razor: You’re right. I know from other MMOs that these stereotypes change all the time. Especially for a player like me—I might get a playing session longer than an hour only twice a year, so dungeon runs probably aren’t going to be a feature of my GW2 experience. I’m glad to know that Ranger can indeed be a creative class. I’ll have to add it to the list…it’s not all that large a list, after all. I sure wish the bow animations were better—they look nothing at all like someone pulling a bow. Bows are not a rapid-fire weapon. They take strength. Rangers in GW2 often look like they’re plucking some kind of strange vertical guitar. But that’s way off topic.

Warrior is a difficult one. I’ve always fought against a weakness of personality that makes me avoid the popular class. In WoW I mained a Shaman and my alt was a Rogue—the two rarest classes at the time. No matter how right a Druid would have been, I couldn’t make myself play one. I know, it’s not that bright, particularly in a game like GW2 with only 8 professions and 5 races. Is anything that rare or that popular? But there it is.

P.S. I was going to say that warrior was a hard space one, but that got changed to kittene. What’s up with that?

Yeah, I feal the same :P

It’s one of the main reasons I have not made a warrior for myself yet (the biggest reason is because I’m waiting for Tengu).

On the topic for Ranger, though, keep in mind that you don’t have to use a bow. You could just as viably go Greatsword – Sword/Axe or Sword/Axe – Warhorn. I didn’t say it could be creative for nothing ;3

I’d recommend ranger with longbow or sword personally based on what your looking for, or maybe a guardian.

I myself play about an average of 7 hours a week and was able to both fully level and gear them without an issue.

I have 8 80s, one for each class, and I started on Warrior. Very vanilla.
Necro is my personal fav after going through each class extensively, but it really comes down to what feels natural.
Try Engineer.
That Engineer skill chain is for people who lust after optimal DPS. Get your hands on a blowtorch and cook people. Underwater use grenades.

Okay, with my 1-1/2 hour per week, I’ve leveled 5 classes to the 15-20 range. That’s given me a feeling for them—I don’t know how accurate those feelings are or if I’m missing something about each class, but it’s given me something to make a decision. For anyone else out there looking for a newby’s impression of some classes:

Necromancer: I enjoyed this one a lot at first, but before long it got to seem repetitive. Dagger and Death Shroud both rely too much on the power of their auto-attacks. Also the Staff looks to be the only AoE weapon, and leveling is all about the AoE. It seems like the variety in the Necro comes with the utility skills, but given how slowly I play it would take a while to figure out if I liked any set of those.

Mesmer: Before I’d played the game for a single minute, I wanted this class to be my favorite because it seemed the most distinctive in GW2. I do love it for straight-up one-on-one battles, but trash is a pain, partly because they die so fast that your illusions also die fast. For a Mesmer, every fight is a complicated affair. You can’t just run up and whack something and run on. Slogging through to Igni Castrum (in the Plains of Ashford), for instance, was way harder on a Mesmer than anyone else. The prospect made me groan.

Elementalist: There’s so much variety in the weapons it makes me laugh. Utility skills? How does anyone have time to ever use them? This class was pure fun, but it does seem, in the end, that all that variety is just about different ways of blowing things up. Now I’m incinerating them! Now I’m shocking them! Now I’m impaling them on earth spikes! I’m imagining my Elementalist will be my main alt for when I want a change of pace and to just wreck face.

Warrior: I had a lot of fun on my warrior, and I love that there are a dozen weapons and so many different styles. Before long I noticed, though, that one skill shined way brighter than any of the others, and that’s Hundred Blades. It made all that variety kind of irrelevant. Far the most effective way to play seemed to be planning everything around that one stationary skill. It made me sad.

Guardian: Ta da, my favorite. Except for shield and staff, I enjoy all the weapons. That’s a lot, and so much variety in them. Switching from Mace/Focus to Scepter/Torch is kind of like boarding a plane in Alaska and instantly stepping out in Thailand. And Sword and Greatsword and Hammer, also each great fun. I also like the variety of roles I can play even though I’m only at level 23. I look forward to all the different kinds of open-world challenges on my Guardian, and that’s what I was looking for in my class.

I never did try any of the medium-armor classes. I’m not so much into stealth, so no Thief. Engineer looked, at first glance, even more complicated than Elementalist, for less payoff, and they have no melee weapons—a turn off. And I never could talk myself into trying a Ranger…a couple trips to their forums scared me off that. Too many people seemed unhappy with them.

I hope all that helps somebody. If there was something obvious about a class I was missing, please let me know!