Guild Wars 2

Hello all, I am excited to start playing!

I am waiting for my initial download to finish, so I thought it would prove useful to post on the forums. I am brand new to the game – have watched nearly no footage – but picked it up based on a friend’s request and a generous gift card I had lying around. Now that it has been out for a week or so, I was wondering if the more seasoned players had any advice.

I already know I am interested in Rangers and Mesmers, possibly Engineers but I doubt it. I did want to ask if Necromancers were actually viable, or if they fall under the radar as they progress.

Is there a specific place I should go for beginner tips and explanations on mechanics? I do notice a video guide on the launcher, but was unsure if this was the best source or if I should look at a wiki.

What should I be the most excited about, so I don’t miss it? I quite literally no nothing as to what the game will offer me at this point. What sets it apart that will make someone like me – a seasoned MMO player many times over – want to explore its every bit?

Thank you in advance for all your help and support. I look forward to jumping into the game.

Ranger and Mesmer are both great choices. Honestly, you can’t really make a bad choice. (Although leveling a thief is harder than most)

The game is divided into 3 sections:
SPVP (structured PVP) where you are boosted to level 80 and given SPVP gear that you can change up while in the lobby area. You can also mess with your stats etc. all for free. To access SPVP you hit H and on the left side there is a pvp tab. Click it and choose to be in the mists. (there is a small pvp tutorial that you can do.. or run past to the end) You can then join up for skirmish type warzones and try out your build. It’s a great way to see what your character will be like at 80. I am not sure if you can hit H before you have finished your first intro quest though. The other SPVP is tournament play.

There is PVE: PVE zones are level specific. As a level 70 I could go into a level 2 land and still get XP from questing because it will downgrade me to level 3. A safe bet for PVE is trying to get a map complete in each area. (Hit M and look at the map completion for that area and what is needed.) If that seems too structured for you, don’t do it :P You don’t ‘get’ quests in this game. You wander into areas where quests are going on. Most people head for the heart quests. Basically you do that persons (questgivers) quest and then you talk to them to see what they can sell you. (Or you can horde all your karma points for later and just use dropped loot for equipment)

WVW: World vs. world. the best part of the game imo. You can level all the way to 80 by just doing wvw if you wanted. When you enter wvw you are boosted to level 80 HOWEVER, you don’t have your level 80 traits/skills. It’s hard to explain.. but keep your gear up with your level the best you can and you will not be steamrolled by actual 80’s.

Depending on your server the queue time to enter a wvw zone can be minutes or many many hours. Jump in at an early level and follow a zerg or explore on your own. To join wvw hit B and choose to go into wvw. Choose a borderland or eternal BG. Most people have more fun in eternal probably… which is why the wait time on that is highest. I like borderlands myself.

Thank you for responding, Setch!

The fact that you don’t get quests seems like the game avoids being “fetch-like” in its structure – am I assuming this correctly? It also sounds a lot like a more structured version of Warhammers PQ system, which I was a huge fan of. I look forward to exploring the aspects of the game world, then.

You say the game scales you down, but does it also scale you up? So could I explore a level 80 PvE zone at level 1, or does it only work retroactively as I progress?

WvW sounds interesting. How big is the WvW area? Is it more like a single map with two forces piling on top, never really attaining a true “victor” but always having goals to accomplish? Or does it more resemble the massive areas found in games like Warhammer?

I really appreciate the response, as my request was quite vague. You were very helpful!

it only levels you down, the maps in spvp is teams first team to hit 500 wins

Clayton.2735:

The fact that you don’t get quests seems like the game avoids being “fetch-like” in its structure – am I assuming this correctly?

No. True that it is more “meaningful” than a quest hub, don’t be too optimistic to think that they will not have a semblance of the old-school stuff. Technology, after all, is limited and there is only so much you can change. But, the execution is awesome enough to brag about.

Clayton.2735:

You say the game scales you down, but does it also scale you up? So could I explore a level 80 PvE zone at level 1, or does it only work retroactively as I progress?

No, it does not scale upward. This was an old speculation which did not materialize, for better mind you. As far as no longer being able to faceroll lower end mobs, you will however still feel progress in being “too weak to kill this until later” as a driving force, albeit less tedious as other MMOs.

Clayton.2735:

WvW sounds interesting. How big is the WvW area? Is it more like a single map with two forces piling on top, never really attaining a true “victor” but always having goals to accomplish? Or does it more resemble the massive areas found in games like Warhammer?

Never played Warhammer, but the short version is simple. 3 “worlds” fighting for world buffs and bragging rights on a huge as heck map. Organized battles, micromanaged missions, castles and siege weaponry. There will be a “World tier matching” so that it doesn’t become a zergfest.

Have fun!

You cannot scale up, just down.
Believe it or not… I have played almost every mmo out there… but missed warhammer so I don’t have anyway to relate to that game.

WVW is 4 maps. (3 servers at a time) Ladder type rematching. Each a separate zone but they all work together. There is a center map called Eternal. All 3 servers have their own borderlands map. All 3 borderlands maps are mirrored. The key difference being the starting point at your own borderlands.

Right now they are rematching all the servers every 24 hours while they try and get servers matched up with similar servers. Once that is set, they will run each match for 2 weeks. The winning server then goes on to play other tops servers etc.

The size is… huge. I don’t know how to explain it.

Each map has supply camps, Towers, Keeps. (Eternal has 1 Castle that is unique called stonemist (sm) It generates the most points a tick (50points) (Each tick/tally is every 5 minutes ish) Supply camps are worth 5 points. Towers 10 and Keeps 25. In order to upgrade these places it requires supplies (and cash. new players don’t have this kind of cash) Supplies are created at the supply camps. You should always have 10 supplies on you at all times. (10 is max without a temp buff that allows 15)

Supplies are routed to the Castles and Towers via supply dolyak from the supply camps. Protecting your dolyak is a good idea. Killing an enemy dolyak is also good. Although you can take supplies directly from the tower or castles… it is best not to because it could halt an upgrade and leave no supplies there for repairs. You can repair walls /doors with supply as well.

Get to know the dolyaks route so you know the best camps to take etc.
There are many more things. (like creature events to help fight with/for you) this is just the basics.

Oh and siege weapons.

@ Setch- H? When I hit H in game it brings up my hero tab. Did you mean another key command?

Feywray.4351:

@ Setch- H? When I hit H in game it brings up my hero tab. Did you mean another key command?

Hero tab is correct. left is a pvp tab/ left bottom tab.

go down the left tabs in Hero

-explore maps in their entirety as you will be rewarded greatly for your efforts.
-make use of the trading post as it will be your best friend to making money
-browse the trading post to see what items are trending and keep an eye out for any lucky drops
-play the game and enjoy the fantastic art encorporated into the world

this is not like any other mmo, the environment and detail really sets it aside from others and makes you just wanna sit back and enjoy, rather than grind for money.

Wow, thank you for all the responses.

WvW sounds amazing; I will likely spend a majority of my time in PvP. This thread answered everything I wanted and more – with one exception: Necromancer.

As far as I can remember, Necromancers have been lost potential in games. They always seem “cool” but ultimately fall flat to the pitfalls of pet reliance. I am wondering how they fare in GW2 in comparison?

I tried playing necro but wasn’t good at it. I have been killed by necros in wvw and they bring a lot to the table I think. They have so many minions they can charge into a small group of enemy players in wvw and scare them off because it looks like you are being charged by 20 people.. but it’s just 1 necro and his minions :P Necros can shoot people through gates too.

I am not sure of their damage compared to like.. elementalists though.