Guild Wars 2

So I finally got my first level 80, woot go me right? Im still fairly new to the game despite dabbling in vanilla. My main dilemma right now is. how do I get better gear, and what is the most efficient way of doing so?

I also play WoW so Im used to everything being more straight forward. (hit level cap -> do heroics -> raid(or PvP)). GW2 has so many option by the looks of it that I feel like Im up to my eye balls in different gear that I can attain.

I think Im almost done with my personal story, I’ve done a single Fractal, and I dabbled in unranked PvP while getting to 80. Help me GW2 community! Youre my only hope!

Thanks in advance, this game is pretty cool.

You can buy gear off the Trading Post for gold. There are Karma merchants around high-level zones that sell quality gear for a level 80. The new HoT maps give out piles of gear like candy. If you’re just starting out some of that gear will be pretty good. You can also craft gear by learning a crafting profession. But for a level 80 you’d need to level up crafting to 400 to craft decent gear.

If you have the karma 252k to be exact that’s enough to buy a full exotic set of armor from orr.

https://wiki.guildwars2.com/wiki/Temple_armor

Or you can buy from the trading post as well.

I managed to have enough karma to get one piece of Karma gear (the rampagers Armageddon Breastplate). I have 11 gold to my name. Should I just go start leveling crafting?

Leveling crafting is expensive.
I’d recommend playing PvP matches to get your armor and weapons. Running a dungeon reward track will give you several exotic weapons and a piece of exotic armor from that dungeon, along with tokens you can spend on more dungeon gear at the vendor in Lion’s Arch. I believe Arah, Crucible of Eternity and Citadel of Flame tracks offer zerker gear (check the wiki first to see what stats are available for each dungeon and make sure you’re earning something you want to use – I spent way to much time on the twilight arbor track).
Also, if you’ve played WvW, there are vendors near the wp that sell exotic armor for coin and badges of honor. Still a significant amount of gold for someone with so little, though. I’d highly recommend PvP – it’s free and having masterwork armor won’t put you at any disadvantage.

Aradin.6523:

I managed to have enough karma to get one piece of Karma gear (the rampagers Armageddon Breastplate). I have 11 gold to my name. Should I just go start leveling crafting?

Low level crafting can be a money sink. Since everyone does it, most items are worth far less than the materials required to make them. Most leveling crafting guides focus on speed and not cost.

What have you been doing with all the drops you’ve gotten on the way to 80?

For some more gold, there are world bosses for guaranteed yellows once per boss per day. The Silverwastes can get you a full set of level 80 yellow gear to start with (the Carapace set, looks cool, too). Dungeons give you tokens for which to buy armour and weapons, but you’ll need a lot for a full set (neat skins to be found there as well). Karma armour is one way, but keep in mind that karma gear, like gear purchased with WvW tokens, can’t be salvaged and any runes and sigils (potentiall very expensive ones) will be stuck in there forever.

With only 11g, you probably won’t get a full set of exotic gear plus weapons, runes and sigils, or if do, you won’t have a copper left afterwards. I suggest you get some yellow gear first to use while you make your way toward a set of exotic armour. Save for high-level Fractals, you can do everything in yellows. Then you can try out the different ways to get gear and gold for yourself.
Or instead of level 80 yellows, look on the trading post for level 78 exotics. Marginally more expensive (mostly, anyway; if there’s a Sigil of Bloodlust or Rune of the Traveller in there, not so much), but better than the level 80 rares.
Lastly (or rather, before buying anything), go for map completion in Cursed Shore, Malchor’s Leap, Straits of Devastation and Frostgorge sound. It doesn’t take too long, and you get high-level exotics for 100% completion on those maps, plus crafting materials than can sell for quite a bit on the trading post. Also a chance for Black Lion Keys and thus a chance at tickets, for which you can buy skins, which usually sell for 100g apiece on the TP. That chance is tiny, but it’s there.

My go-to method for exotic gear use to be dungeon runs / tokens. After the 10/23 reward nerf though, it may be harder to find people to run the dungeons with you.

If you’re a leather armor user, add me in-game I can give you a list of mats (that I don’t already have) to get/buy and i’ll make you the exotic armor set you want. Congrats on getting to 80!

Yes, what armor do you need? I can craft heavy or light for you when I get the chance. (Same deal as above; I’ll probably need you to send some of the materials).
Welcome to Guild Wars 2!