Guild Wars 2

I need some advice, I just started playing yesterday and rolled as a Elementalist and am finding it’s rather difficult to stay alive when I’m boxed in by a group of mobs. Did I pick one of the more difficult classes to start with?

This is my second MMO to play with really, I’m currently playing Final Fantasy XIV and have found I enjoyed the more aoe classes on there which is why I rolled Elementalist. Which class would be recommended for a new player.

Also what other things can be recommended, I read a few guides on the game but mostly it all seems to be a bunch info all strung together and makes my head hurt just trying to make sense of it lol.

Also how does the questing stuff work and gathering/crafting classes work. Should I do specific stuff with specific damage classes.

Yes you picked the class with the biggest learning curve but that’s not a bad thing. From what you say you’ll probably enjoy Ele the most so I’d say stick with it. The thing you need to learn is how to survive. I’ve not played FFXIV but from what I understand it’s a little static (can’t move and cast at the same time?), whereas this game is very mobile. You need to move, dodge and use skills that blind, knockback, immobilize, stun, daze etc. to keep yourself alive.

What server are you on? nudge me in game when I’m on and I’ll try to help you out a bit.

Quests are in the form of Events and Renown Hearts. Hearts become active when you walk into range of them. Events randomly spawn (and sometimes affect hearts).

Crafting – This should give you an overview http://wiki.guildwars2.com/wiki/Crafting

Yeah .. Elementalist is one of the classes thats harder to master. It helps a lot if
you know how the game works if it is frustrating for you.

Easier starter classes are warrior, guardian, ranger and maybe necro.

Every class can gather everything, you only need to equip the proper harvesting tools.
And gather everything, it gives you experience and also ressources that you can sell
at the trading post or use for crafting.

Crafting here is also a little different since you can level your character with it. That
leeds to the fact that often stuff is sold in the Trading Post for less than what it
costs to produce it. So i would say crafting on the first character is not really a must
and often its better to start it with the second character.

Else one of the best crafting professions (imho) to start with is jeweller. Its not that
expensive, and you craft stuff that every profession needs.

I bet you’re trying to play ele, a squishy class, with the dagger they gave you at the start. Why they give the ele a dagger to start with is a mystery to me as it requires you to face tank all the mobs. If you can get a staff, I strongly recommend that for a starting ele. Daggers are better for when you are higher leveled and know how to play that profession.

I’ll try sticking with the Elementalist but I might give the Ranger a go too, just to see how different they handle.

In FF the class I mainly play has a pet, a lot of the spells I have to use are dot so it’s still rather knowing when and where to cast them, some are instant cast where I can’t move, others I can move and cast. We do have move around and dodge certain abilities but these are shown by large red circles, flashing aoe circles all over the area or lines. So it’s a little easier for sure but still need to learn things.

I have a question about the F1, F2, F3 buttons, do I need to keep popping back and forth between these pages or can I stick to one page? Or is there a way to make the spells I need stick to one page?

I’m on Aurora Glade, my ingame name is Riona Lilicha if that makes it easier, I’m still learning all the buttons and such lol.

I’ve been doing the hearts and done one I think main quest the Lvl 10 one. I’ve participated in the events too. Is there a way to make these appear on my map when they pop up? in FF they appear on the map so we know where to go etc.

I’ll take a look at the crafting page you provided and see what it says, thanks

Beldin -

I am gonna try other classes I think too, I might try the Ranger like stated above. It is a bit frustrating indeed lol. It’s certainly not as laid out easy like FF is I found lol.

I believe I have the harversting tools, I think I got them for completing a quest or could have been a lvl. I have been gathering them as I see them so far and stock piling everything I’ve picked up.

I’ll take a look at Jeweller for sure then.

Flesh Wound -

I actually equipped a staff as soon as I got one lol, I dunno but casting class it seems obvious to me they should use a staff. I also picked the ones that give the power stat too. Not sure if that’s right but I thought it’d be handy.

belinda.8901:

I’ll try sticking with the Elementalist but I might give the Ranger a go too, just to see how different they handle.

In FF the class I mainly play has a pet, a lot of the spells I have to use are dot so it’s still rather knowing when and where to cast them, some are instant cast where I can’t move, others I can move and cast. We do have move around and dodge certain abilities but these are shown by large red circles, flashing aoe circles all over the area or lines. So it’s a little easier for sure but still need to learn things.

I have a question about the F1, F2, F3 buttons, do I need to keep popping back and forth between these pages or can I stick to one page? Or is there a way to make the spells I need stick to one page?

I’m on Aurora Glade, my ingame name is Riona Lilicha if that makes it easier, I’m still learning all the buttons and such lol.

I’ve been doing the hearts and done one I think main quest the Lvl 10 one. I’ve participated in the events too. Is there a way to make these appear on my map when they pop up? in FF they appear on the map so we know where to go etc.

I’ll take a look at the crafting page you provided and see what it says, thanks

Firstly good choice on the server! :-P

I main a Ranger so I can help with that as well if you want.

It’s best not to camp one attunement too much. Don’t get me wrong I’m not saying you should swap every 3 seconds but you should be looking at moving around as needed. For example water attunement offers group condi cleanse and heals (depending on weapon set) which is useful but not always needed. Unfortunately they’re locked and you can’t move them around.

When you’re near an event it will show up on the mini map but I’m not sure how close you have to be.

Each of your F1-F4 have their particular focus which is part of the learning curve. Other classes (with the exception of the Engineer) work with two weapon sets that fill their 1-5 skills on the skills bar. Elementalists only get one weapon set they can bring into a battle, but they can toggle through four different versions that weapon set.

Should you be switching between the various attunements throughout battle? Well, that’s really up to you. As you gain familiarity with the class and learn more about it you’ll find particular builds or focuses that you find work best for you. Also, note that this game promotes weapon and skill diversity so just because you find something that works now you may need to later change what you have slotted based on the content you’re going up against. E.G. Staff is a great weapon but has crippled use against bosses that reflect projectiles.

As a new player your task is to just learn as much as you can and don’t worry too much about making mistakes. I encourage you to try all the weapons, skills, traits, etc and from there decide what type of Ele you want to be. As someone who also started the game as an Ele I can vouch for the class seeming a little overwhleming at first until you have that light bulb moment when everything clicks. The tradeoff being that once you get over the initial learning curve fine tuning the Elementalist class doesn’t take much effort afterwards.

Feel free to reach out to me in-game if you have any questions!

Lol thank you, I looked up what would be good to join and plus I like the name, I won the grand national a few years back thanks to a Aurora lol.

I’ll try and get use to switching between skills and dodging stuff more lol.

Just a flesh wound.3589:

I bet you’re trying to play ele, a squishy class, with the dagger they gave you at the start. Why they give the ele a dagger to start with is a mystery to me as it requires you to face tank all the mobs. If you can get a staff, I strongly recommend that for a starting ele. Daggers are better for when you are higher leveled and know how to play that profession.

When did they change the ele starting weapon to dagger? It was scepter for a very long time.

Khisanth.2948:

Just a flesh wound.3589:

I bet you’re trying to play ele, a squishy class, with the dagger they gave you at the start. Why they give the ele a dagger to start with is a mystery to me as it requires you to face tank all the mobs. If you can get a staff, I strongly recommend that for a starting ele. Daggers are better for when you are higher leveled and know how to play that profession.

When did they change the ele starting weapon to dagger? It was scepter for a very long time.

With the NPE (New Player Experience). I made an ele on my alt account 2 days ago and was given a dagger. I used that for awhile till I got a staff as a drop.

I guess ANet wanted the new players to experience the joys of face tanking on a squishy char.

AdaephonDelat.3890:

Yes you picked the class with the biggest learning curve

I’d rank both Engineer and Mesmer above them.

But the attunement dance does take some learning. When I first started my Ele I just focused on getting every city 100% complete. While doing all of that running around in a safe environment, I practiced attunement swapping until it was second nature.

Of course, you can’t do that now with how attunements are gated behind levels.

Stupid NPE.

Just a flesh wound.3589:

I guess ANet wanted the new players to experience the joys of face tanking on a squishy char.

The concept of ranged combat was too confusing for new players.

Gibson.4036:

AdaephonDelat.3890:

Yes you picked the class with the biggest learning curve

I’d rank both Engineer and Mesmer above them.

But the attunement dance does take some learning. When I first started my Ele I just focused on getting every city 100% complete. While doing all of that running around in a safe environment, I practiced attunement swapping until it was second nature.

Of course, you can’t do that now with how attunements are gated behind levels.

Stupid NPE.

It take F O R E V E R to get each attunement. It’s just as bad for other professions, such as ranger. A new ranger can’t
1) name the pet
2) put it on passive while you run past mobs
3) call it back if it attacks something (noooo, not that bandit!!)
4) swap pets, even if you’ve have more than one
5) change to a different pet, even if you have more than one.

The life of a new ranger is a sad one.