Guild Wars 2 is, for many people, their first MMO. And as such I thought I would write up a quick post with tips for how to get the most out of your character (especially in dungeons) because I see a large lack of experience with the player-base and I wanted to help a few of you along.
1. Know how much your healing skill heals for, and at what point you can use it to reach full health. Use that to make sure you don’t over-heal. Don’t forget level scaling.
2. Damaged enemies still do full damage, focus on one target at a time (target calling is a wonderful thing.)
3. Know how to call targets[ctrl+T / ctrl+click], ping on the map [shift+click], and draw on the map[shift+drag].
4. Communicate in dungeons!!!! (and everywhere else) Make small talk, be friendly, talk strategy, it honestly makes or breaks the dungeon experience.
5. Don’t spread yourself out. This applies to skills, traits, and weapon/armor stats. Pick a build and stick with it. (But don’t be afraid to re-spec often to find what you like!)
6. Don’t stand still. Ever. You’d be surprised how much you can avoid by just moving around the enemy/enemies. Stay on your toes!
7. Dodging. Learn it, live it, love it. When in combat, don’t just dodge to move around, use it to avoid attacks. Watch for that glow on the enemy’s weapon and dodge when you see it. Don’t dodge excessively or you’ll have nothing left when a big attack comes!
8. Join a big guild. Don’t forget you can be a member of multiple guilds! I find it helpful to join a large guild with plenty of resources and helpful players, and also join a small guild of close friends.
9. Make friends. I’m not saying you should swap numbers and talk into the wee hours of the night, but the GW2 community is fantastic compared to most online games. At the end of a dungeon, I make it a habit to let everyone know they should keep me in mind if they ever need an extra player for a dungeon, or need help in any other way. Be available! You don’t have to say yes to every invite, but it’s nice to get them! It keeps you from getting bored.
10. Don’t forget about conditions. It isn’t just about flat-out damage. Bleeding, confusion, etc…can cause a LOT of damage.
11. I know that the “holy trinity” is not quite so important in this game, but it still holds meaning. Having 1-2 heavy armor “tank” players, 1-3 medium/light armor damage dealers, and a support/healing player is still one of the best ways to run harder dungeons.
12. You are not a lone hero in dungeons, you want every player up and fighting at their best. Don’t forget to apply boons and remove conditions from allies. Revive allies WHEN YOU CAN! Don’t put yourself in too much danger to save another player. One downed player is better than two.
13. Learn and use combos, as well as learning which skills just work well together. Get the most out of your skill. Stay at range if you do more damage at range.
14. Try out every class! Try getting them to around level 10 atleast, use every weapon. It helps to know which skills are available to which classes! For example, the Mesmer portal can be very helpful in some dungeons.
15. Google is, as always, your friend.
That should be it for now! i’ll add more as time goes on, let me know if wish to add/change anything!