Server: Crystal Desert
Representing guild: Diamond Legacy
So. I’ve had this game for a while (since within the first couple years after launch, don’t remember exactly when I bought it) and I’ve uninstalled and reinstalled it, created and deleted characters, but no character has ever gotten past 25. I’ve played other games, like WoW, SWTOR, and am waiting for a bunch more to come out (like Wildstar).
I guess my point is that I really like this game, I like the concept, and I definitely like the changes that have been made in the past couple of months. The game really seems to be coming into its own. BUT, I just don’t seem to be digging my heels in, and I want to. I played FFXIV:RR and hit level50 in (almost) no time, and had a ball doing it, but once I got there, it was just “Oh, gear up until next the next storyline comes.”
What I like about this game is that there is no waiting for content. You can wander around, there is no grinding, there is just stumbling into things and having a grand old time and then all of a sudden you level. I like the vistas (because I’ve dabbled in Assassin’s Creed), I like the getting experience for exploring, I like the no pressure to “level.” BUT I find that the things I wander into often get me killed.
So I guess my question is (since I’m basically a new player since I haven’t gotten past level20 in about a year because of playing on and off) is this the kind of game where you’re supposed to die a lot? Because I’m entirely used to the more traditional play style (I 98% of the time play a healer) where if your timing and skill rotation is on point and you know when to run, then you rarely die unless someone in your group makes a party-wiping mistake. So for me it’s kind of frustrating to die because I stumbled into a dynamic event where no one else was around or to get past the first phase of the DE to die in the next phase because there’s no one else around. One thing FFXIV had really well was that they scaled the difficulty of their dynamic events to how many people were there. But for GW2, I’m starting to wonder if the dynamic events I’m wandering into are ones I should just walk away from when there’s no one else around, or if there is something I should be doing (like pick myself a class more suited to my playstyle, or dodge more, or join a guild that I can chat with when I die too many times so I can just chill) that will make this experience click more.
I’ve been playing these kinds of games for almost 7 years now and GW2 is still an enigma. So I welcome any tips, thoughts, responses, or guild invites you guys may have for me. I’m in Crystal Desert and I’m probably gonna (re)create an elementalist or ranger cuz those are my favorite classes (I think). Maybe engineer. As you can see I like playing different classes. As long as they are ranged. Because I fail horribly at melee classes.
While this game certainly can be played solo, I highly recommend finding a good, friendly guild and making some friends. Playing with people you enjoy vastly changes the game.
Also, your problem of no one being around is getting changed with the megaserver. Its really just a new name on an older one: server merge. But now we have all these people in maps and its almost impossible to not run into anyone now.
I think you’re just choosing the wrong events to go to (in regards to the dying all the time part). Make sure you look at enemies’ tells, so you can use your dodge rolls effectively. Just in case you are making this mistake also, make sure you’re in the right level map- as a level 20, you’re not gonna want to be playing maps that are 25-35 or something like that. You might also be wandering into areas of a map that are higher leveled, like some 15-25 maps suddenly go from your level to a zone where all the enemies are 3-4 levels tougher.
Event-wise, make sure you’re not walking into [Group] events. Those are specifically designed for groups of usually 5 or more people, although when you get better and stronger you can do it with less sometimes. Make sure your armor and weapons are all up to level, usually every 5 to 10 levels you should have gear that’s up to speed.
You should only really die while taking on Veterans or doing hard skill challenges or something. But now there is no downside (other than a few copper to get to a low level WP), it doesn’t really matter if you do die.
Just do things appropriate for your level. On my new Necro, I died 3 times on Tuesday trying to get a skill point. But I came back yesterday and there were others doing it, and I got it no problem.
One thing I have noted (and tried to teach) is that some players coming from other games seem to ignore the movement and positioning needed in GW2 combat. They get in range, root to one spot and start spamming skill rotations…..and soon become overwhelmed and die. GW2 requires you to actively AVOID getting hit during combat to survive harder encounters and not playing this way during easier encounters (small trash mobs) just teaches players bad (non-movement) habits.
KEEP MOVING and use your Dodge to avoid getting hit. You can circle strafe a few enemies and keep attacking but standing still is a BAD habit that will absolutely get you killed in high end areas.
As stated above, if you are in an area that has enemies even 2 levels higher than you (and you are alone or with similarly leveled players), you are asking for frustration. I’ve run across areas 5, 10 or even 15 levels above my level, but trying to engage even ONE normal enemie 2 levels above yours is not a trivial fight (unless your have some help or very good equipment). A Vet 2 levels higher will be like trying to solo a Champion (it can be done, but requires skill and a mistake is usually fatal).
Go to the other race cities (look for Purple colored portals) to find more lower level areas to explore. You will eventually want to clear those areas anyway.
(edited by Brother Grimm.5176)
Thanks a lot for your comments. I think it was a mixture of not moving and not paying attention to where I was going; I was exploring into parts of the map that were too hard for me and then engaging mobs/events. So I made a sylvari ranger, she’s now lvl10 and I ported to Rata Sum when she hit 10 because I still have a ways to go before 11 and I want to 100% the cities! I die a lot (less than before I think though) but it’s usually when there’s 5-6 mobs there so I don’t sweat it anymore. I think I’m getting the hang of this again guys lol
Just one point. If you find yourself fighting 5 or 6 mobs and don’t want to die, you can run away. They have limited follow range and will break off from chasing you after a few seconds. Glad you’re having fun now.
Anything you need, just whisper ingame. I’m also CD.
Information is usually enough for you to be able to complete it on your own. In the exceptional cases (certain champions) I can send one of my alts down to kill it.
Pretty much the only thing I can’t help you with are the Krait Witches, but luckily killing them is currently not needed for anything at all.
For one thing, pay attention to the words under a mob’s name. That information is vitally important. If it says that it knocks back, stuns etc, be prepared to dodge/use an invuln/block/evade skill when its crowd control skill charges. If it’s ‘transfer conditions’ you might want to think twice before burning it. So on and so forth. Later on you’ll learn to read its boons as well as read conditions when you’re not alone (to focus fire on targets with 12 vulnerability for example), but for now, the white text under the name is enough.
The mobs aren’t generally hard enough at normal rank for this to matter, but it’s good training for when you eventually get up to soloing champ+ rank mobs.
(edited by Hayashi.3416)
I’ve noticed that if it’s 1-3 mobs and I’m using a tankier pet, I rarely need to move. But if I’m doing a veteran or champion or skill point mob I end up having to move. And also mobs that have huge aoe skills obviously. Being a ranger sort of makes things a bit easier because I just sic my pet on the mob and get far away lol.
And leveling is a lot smoother once I started giving myself goals like 100%ing maps in order from level and likeableness (I do the area I like the most last). I’ve discovered I like participating in the fights for the waypoints. Also, the map chat helps out a lot to see where people are trying to be and what mobs they’re trying to fight so I know to either go there or avoid engaging a mob because no one else is there or throw it on map chat and wait for people to arrive.
I’ve also noticed that my timing with and choice of skills helps a lot with controlling mobs and staying alive. I love using bows, so I often switch between shortbow and longbow when the situation calls for it, and change out skills and pets according to where I’m going and what type of mobs I’m engaging.
This thread has been really helpful in my progress, plus I’ve been getting some in-game help as well, which I really appreciate.
It’s funny that you mention the Ranger “easy button” (Pet) as it is one of the major reasons that the Ranger class gets a less than stellar reputation at higher levels (some cases deserved, others not at all).
Some of it is that it inherently teaches “bad” combat habits to new players (a built in 2nd target and generally decent ranged damage without needing to move and re-position as much during combat) and allows them to survive thru most of the game content in what some would categorize as a “lazy” and not very efficient mode of play.
Pets can also provide a significant source of damage, conditions and often control (as well they should) and that fact only becomes an issue when they are taken out of combat. In general open world play, this does not happen very often, but in situations where very hard hitting damage or heavy area of effect damage happens often (Dungeons, World Bosses, certain Champion encounters, etc.) this can render the Ranger woefully ineffective with a pet limping around and not being able to contribute to the overall goal at 100% performance level.
Don’t get me wrong, I play a Ranger and enjoy the game-play it provides, but I know the limitations of the Class and while I consider myself an above average player (in terms of skill and knowledge) I certainly see plenty of examples of “bad” Ranger players all around and can understand the disdain some players have toward the Class (rather than just the bad players behind them).
I’m not trying to discourage you from playing a Ranger, just giving you a heads up on translating some of the information that you seem to be figuring out on your own.
(edited by Brother Grimm.5176)
I agree with that, but I’ve noticed that the ranger gets a lot of control skills to keep the mob next to the pet so the pet can kill it, which contributes to the less movement. And controlling the pet adds another dimension to the gameplay that I really like. Instead of running for my life while throwing out skills, I’m sending my pet in, doing damage, calling my pet back if there’s some aoe going on, using my pet’s special to control the mob, running away from the mob if it decides to ignore my pet, crippling, bleeding, etc, using the longbow aoe when I’m flooded (which always ends up with having to move), switching out pets depending on what skills I need, etc.
I find the more I notice the subtler aspects of the gameplay, the more fulfilling it is. I keep trying to engage mobs and events with the goal of not getting hit more than 3 times and also not having my pet get hit more than 3 times either, so that way I don’t get into the comfortable mindset of “oh, my pet’s tanking, I’m just going to chill”. Cuz I’m trying to play other classes after this one, so getting into that mindset is lethal on an elementalist for example lol
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