Guild Wars 2

I’m not sure if it was after the last update or slightly before but I was using my mid level necro (30s or 40s) getting champs/ group events / events either for dailies and/or monthlies. I waited and joined the train at the troll. Someone had killed one of the champs before we got to it, not sure if it was the bandit and the oak but definitely the oak. People were milling around and didn’t seem to know what to do. I wasn’t sure either but continued on toward the spider. No one else had followed so after waiting a few moments started in on it alone. Near the end I was barely surviving, down and up, when the rest of the train arrived. I couldn’t understand why no one joined in until I noticed chat. Some of them were upset because I had disrupted the train. Someone defended that some players wanted the challenge of soloing champs. I think they were all waiting for me to be killed and were surprised when I survived. The chat was negative but not really toxic. I don’t know if it has gotten worse since I don’t pay much attention to chat. The most toxic place I’ve been (admittedly not in a long while) is wvw.

EDIT: And if toxicity around new players is really the issue, and not just an excuse for being a bully, then we need to clean up our act in all the areas since the new messed up trait unlocks are pushing new players into higher levels earlier than they normally would be.

If you’re a mesmer dream about getting the gold for travelers runes. I’ve got 3 mesmers, 2 at level 80, but only one of them has travelers runes so far.

KarateKid.5648:

psyckos.6893:

DaShi.1368:

People should go do the Frostgorge train instead…oh wait.

It’s still running strong. Didn’t take long to figure out the new order.

right – and thus far, much less toxic than QD… minus the occasional kitten.

even the order didn’t change except for looping back to the trio.

What is the order of the Frostgorge train now?

Each of the forums dedicated to a profession have a thread with pictures of peoples’ characters. Some have descriptions of the armor and if they don’t ask about the ones you are interested in.

Crafting is divided up into 5 tiers of 75 points for levels 0 to 400. Each tier is divided up into 3 sub-tiers or levels of 25 points each. So when crafting at 0 – 24 you are making stuff for character level 10 ; crafting from 25 – 49 you are making stuff for character level 15 and from 50 to 74 you’re making stuff for character level 20. And so on until at crafting levels 375 -399 (Edit: actually crafting levels 374 – 500 are for level 80) you are making stuff for character level 80.

Now concentrating on weapons and armor: each tier uses its own basic material (ore, wood and cloth Edit: and leather) and its own fine crafting materials. The basic materials must be refined and then made into components. The fine crafting materials need to be made into inscriptions (for weapons) and insignias (for armor). The inscriptions and insignias will also need some basic materials.

It is best when first progressing to a new tier to refine all your basic materials, while you still can earn some crafting XP doing it. Then make all the components you think you will need for the whole tier, while still earn crafting XP doing it. If you are crafting stuff for your use then make what you will need else make components that require the least amount of resources. For weapons also make the dowels for the inscriptions you will need.

If you have not progressed past the first level in the tier then make the least amount of inscriptions or insignias you will need to progress to the second level of the tier. Build the weapons or armor by discovering the recipes using these insignias or inscriptions and the components you had already built. Once in the second level in the tier make the insignias or inscriptions for that level and discover the recipes for that level.

When you get to the 3rd level in a tier you will require more fine crafting materials to make the inscriptions and insignias. You will be making master level stuff for that tier. Then just progress through all the tiers.

Good luck.

BTW, once you’ve made it through the dark room and must choose between 3 gaping holes with waterfalls, choose the one on the right. I hear the other 2 lead to death although I’ve never tried them. I instinctively chose the one on the right and later learned that was definitely the right choice.

Ken DeBoer.9268:

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Speak for yourself… I run it for the 5 slot bags.

:)

I think most of the train haters don’t really understand why some of us run the Q train – it’s not for the drops. It’s for the champions, group events and events needed for dailies and monthlies. I have several level 80 but mostly use my low level alts, even though the rewards are not as good. I’d run the train even if the champs didn’t drop a single thing.

I also like a staff.

It’s good to learn the skills of all the weapons and get comfortable with them so you know what situations each are good for.

Also try out most, if not all, your utility skills. I can’t believe that I had my elementalist almost from the beginning and only started using conjured weapons in the last few months (of course I have concentrated more on my mesmer but that’s no excuse).

Although I probably like the Lightening Hammer better the Firery Greatsword goes with my theme better:

I’m not sure if you are doing the same mistake I did when starting out my elementalist – staying in one element. I knew from the beginning I wanted to concentrate on damage so knew I would trait in fire (the name of my elementalist, Amber Everglow, would be a clue). It wasn’t until I started learning the skills and feeling more comfortable in all the elements that I started to survive better and really enjoy playing my elementalist. Also because we’re really squishy learn defensive play too, not just damage. This is the advice I needed in the beginning, but you might not be making my same mistakes.

Aerinndis.2730:

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Weyant’s revenge, just be careful how you slide down at the very start. Hugging the right side tends to kill you more often than not. It is better to aim a tad more to the left and not hit the bit of rock at the right.
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I took a new character around LA right after its destruction and also did the jumping puzzles. No matter what I did I kept dying on this one right at the beginning. I tried routes from the past that used to work, traited to take less falling damage, tried several different new paths and jumping techniques on new and old characters. Nothing worked.

Recently took another new character around. Looks like they fixed this. Don’t get that weird graphics problem on the approach to the vista any more and I dropped from the tooth in the middle left side down to a small ledge and then jumped from there like in the past. Didn’t die. Looks like it’s fixed now.

What is different about GW2 from another MMO I tried recently is that the skills for a profession are limited and tied to the weapons used and the choices made to fill the utility slots. Every profession, besides engineer and elementalist, can have two sets of weapons on the ready for easy swap after they reach level 7. Each of these two sets can be a two-handed weapon or a main-hand/off-hand combo. While in combat those weapons choices and utility skills are locked in. Out of combat they can be changed. Elementalist have 4 elements that they can cycle through for the one weapon slot they have on the ready. Engineers can choose utility packs in the utility skill slots that when equipped will offer 5 different weapon skills.

GW2 is all about making choices from a wider range of options in weapons (and therefore weapon skills), utility skills and later traits. That means that there are many different ways to play each profession and for any profession there is diversity, unless you choose to make yours like someone else’s.

My only online game experience before GW2 was Diablo, D2 and D3, where I enjoyed rogue and sorcerer so I started with a ranger and an elementalist here. My 3rd was a mesmer because I wanted something different. It quickly became my favorite.

Decided to try a warrior even though I never liked melee before. Love it in this game. I melee with a greatsword on my ranger when mobs close in. I use FireyGreatsword and Lightening hammer on my staff elementalist. Also like to use double dagger with her. Love my sword on my mesmer. Greatsword on her is ranged, love it too.

I’ve got at least 1 of every profession. The only professions I don’t have at level 80 yet is necromancer and engineer. They’re around 50. So far my least favorites are necro, thief and engineer but that may change as I learn new builds or weapon combos, etc.

Here is something I wrote about a month ago in a similar thread(hope it helps):

“I recently got this achievement by googling for maguuma explorer and found several lists of often missed areas. The 3 I was missing were: Aurora’s Remains (south along western edge) in Brisban Wildlands, and Cubular Fells (NW corner) and Magmatic Conjury (west near southern edge) in Mount Maelstrom. There are a couple in Metrica Province that are often missed: Calx’s Hideout (SE corner) and The Serpentwind (north and west of Calx’s Hideout).”

Exotic armor and weapons can be crafted. Requires at least level 400 in the crafting discipline, if I remember correctly.

I think any profession can be played incompetently, especially if most of a new player’s experience is in games where they remain stationary during combat. So starting with a warrior will not necessarily help.

I would recommend reading the GW2 Combat System 101 (Guide) and watching the videos in the first few posts in the thread stickyed at the top of this forum. The only thing to keep in mnid is that the traits must be unlocked now so acquiring those is not as easy as before.

I’d say for ranged start with a ranger, for melee start with a warrior.

In other games I liked ranged so started with a ranger. I also liked sorcerers so my second was an elementalist. I decided to try something new so went with the mesmer as my third one, and quickly became my favorite profession. I never liked melee before but warrior was my 4th. Come to find out I like melee now.

All the professions can use various weapons and most can do both ranged and melee, although not all equally well. Rangers can wield a greatsword or a sword for melee. Warriors can use a rifle or longbow, etc. So go with the professions that most appeal to you. You could look at some youtube videos to get a better idea or how each plays. Or better yet try several of them out.

There are so many possible missing ones in Shiverpeaks. For me it was Tribulation Caverns, the jumping puzzle behind the Tribulation Rift Scaffolding one. In Orr make sure to find the Artesian Waters in Cursed Shore.

Yeah the more characters you have the harder it is to find what named areas you are missing. That was one of the reasons I decided to get 100% map completion on a character and use her for completing those explorer achievements. Even then exploration by some other characters contributed to those achievements so it was a pain determining which areas I was missing.

ammayhem.5962:

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I’ll agree though, human male faces look too much like they’re from a boy band.

Only if the sliders are not altered. To make any human face look older drop the chin/jaw making the face/head longer and less round.

It’s obvious from the varied responses that “beauty is in the eye of the beholder” even in GW2. I am happy with how most of my characters look from my human female elementalist, Amber Everglow (who is hot in more ways than one) to my norn male guardian, Jan Elkjar. But 2 of my favorites are my norn female ranger, Aurora Wildborn (who is dressed for the cold Shiverpeaks and to blend in with most terrain) and my favorite human female mesmer, Katherine Swinford (don’t let her demure scholarly looks fool you).

Brother Grimm.5176:

I’d be interested in working on getting some of the higher level ones (I’ve never done any of the Orr area ones). Just to add, this adventure is usually best started just after the monthly Achievement reset (as 12 jumping puzzles has always been one of the monthly Achievements).

I’m on Yak’s Bend (US)

Or you can park level 80 characters at the end of jumping puzzles and log in each day to collect the loot and get credit for completing a jumping puzzle. I just heard about this at the end of last month. I had 6 level 80s that I wasn’t really using for anything so I had each complete a puzzle and then leave them there. Each day I logged in with each of them. Some had to fight veterans before collecting loot. When the month turned over and I did this the first day it counted toward this months JPs. I hadn’t planned on that. Since then I have been working on getting more JPs that I haven’t tried before. I plan on leaving any of my level 80’s sitting at the end of any JP’s I do in the next couple of days.

There are more things to consider when choosing colors besides the profession. The type of armor should be taken into account. Cloth wearers can be as colorful as we want, but leather wearers and heavy metal wearers should consider the type of material more.

The particular role the hero would play could influence color. Elementalists might color coordinate with what element they will specialize in. It just so happens my elementalist, Amber Everglow, is strong into fire so her colors are red, orange and yellow. Also what order your hero joins can play a part. Order of Whispers being spies would probably choose colors to blend into the background.

Race can also play an important part. For Sylvari and Charr, in particular, I would coordinate their armor’s colors with their skin/hide colors. I myself would not choose blue for a Sylvari, since blue is so very rare in the plant world, even if the Sylvari was a guardian.

In the beginning I did choose particular colors for each of my characters. When one of mine got a dye that was a color for one of my others it went into the bank until they could pick it up. Thank goodness with dyes being for the account now I don’t have to do that any more.

Aurora Wildborn, Norn ranger Order of Whispers, dressed for the cold Shiverpeaks and to blend in with most terrain accompanied by one of her cats, Whispurr:

mask – rawhide , not shown
shoulders – rawhide
coat – guild watchman chestguard from PvP
gloves – leather
leggings – inquest
boots – leather

longbow – Shiverpeaks

(I’m not sure where some of these skins came from so used the description from the wardrobe.)

PKobra.1230:

but there are so many traits, and a get only 14 points???

Yes. Even in the old system we only got 14 traits, so you must choose what works best with your play style, weapons and utility skills. At least with this new system after the patch is does not cost money or inconvenience to change those traits. Refunding traits and reassigning them does not cost anything and can be done anywhere when not in combat. By limiting the total traits used every mesmer, say, is not configure or built the same. It’s interesting to try different builds to see which you like best for different situations.

It depends on when your hero was created.

If it existed before that latest patch Apr 15 then all traits are unlocked and you just need to level your character up to assign trait points to the traits starting at level 30.

If your hero was created after the April 15 patch then all traits are locked and certain tasks must be performed to unlock them. But you still acquire the trait points as you level starting at level 30. So sorry if your hero is new.

How I would like this trait system fiasco changed:

Put everything back to the way it was before the update, then

1. Do not scale down the bosses and mobs in the lower levels. They were fine the way they were. Now they are so easy higher level heroes cannot accompany lover level friends in the lower areas. Either the higher level char doesn’t have any fun or the lower char doesn’t get a chance to even hit anything.
2. Use the old trait points with chars accumulating them every level starting at 11 as in the past or if the new 1 for 5 points are used start them at 15 and have heroes get 1 of them every 5 levels.
3. Leave the level that master and Gmaster traits are opened at 40 and 60, as before.
4. Have the option of buying or performing a task or achievement to open traits but make those tasks appropriate to the level of the the hero. That means no task needed for an adept trait in an area rated for 40 or above, no master trait task in an area rated at 60 or above.
5. Have alternate tasks for those who may only want to play wvw or PvP. So there would be 3 options to acquire each trait – buy, pve task or PvP task.

My fire elementalist wears the set. The individual items are available for my other characters to use, although I haven’t.

Lishtenbird.2814:

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If they buffed the monsters for 80s, I do not think I would ever finish my map completion.

If they just put them back to the way they were before the update I’d be happy. With this update I will be accompanying lower level characters in the lower levels less and less. And since I don’t plan to start any more alts (don’t really like the new trait system) I’ll probably play in the low levels only to get 100%.

For instance I took my level 35 mesmer to Wayfarers to 100% it and was able to solo kill a Champion there with no problem. In the past it would take at least 2 and even better with 3 characters to kill it comfortably.

They nerfed the mobs in the lower levels to compensate for the lack of trait points on lower level characters with the new trait system. It doesn’t seem like they have downleveled higher characters to compensate for these weaker mobs ‘cause I’ve noticed the same thing with higher leveled characters one-shotting everything in the low levels. The update broke the balance between higher level characters accompanying lower level friends.

I would guess you are missing some of the new WPs and POIs from Living Story areas – Lornar’s Pass, Kessex Hills, Lion’s Arch, Gendarren Fields and maybe Bloodtide Coast (can’t remember if any new stuff there).

The first part of your personal story is based on race. In the first part that is based on race there are branches that are based on some of the choices made when creating your character such as noble, serf or street urchin and what you regret (this is from the human story but each race has similar 3 options). Level 30 until about level 70 (or so) the story is based on what order you choose.

For 2 characters to do the least amount of story levels they should choose the same options when creating their characters. The person who starts the story mission gets credit and the person who is accompanying them gets the choice to also accept the outcome as a completion of their story level, if they had the same story goal when they joined in.

If you are not worried about doing the least amount of story missions then just be in the same party to accompany your friend on his missions and then he can accompany you on yours.

10 characters
7 level 80s
1 map completion ( 2 others have 100% in WvW so will probably get them map completion also)

You can access your bank from a bank location, a crafting station or a special bank access thingy. When the bank panel opens up there used to be the bank where you can store stuff and the collections section where crafting stuff gets stored from your inventory when you “store collectables”. Now there is an additional tab showing the skins you have unlocked. To unlock skins from armor and weapons in game you can salvage them or right click on the items or equip a hero with it. You can also buy skins from the Black Lion Trading Post or as rewards for achievements, etc.

There are many players who have heroes in multiple professions. I am one of those and enjoy playing all 8 of them. One is my favorite though – mesmer. I love that they can use many different weapons and can be traited to play different styles. They can use ranged weapons and melee. They can be played offensively or defensively. They have some fun utility skills that can be very useful in specialized situations – portal, mass invisibility, feedback, etc. Their illusions (clones and phantasms) can be traited for different uses. It’s fun trying out different combos of things to try with mesmers.

A new weapon has its own stats and own appearance. To keep the stats but change the look you can pay a transmutation charge to apply a different skin to that weapon. If you then get a new weapon with better stats it has its own look. To change the look of this new weapon you must pay a transmutation charge to apply a skin to it too.

So unless you have many transmutation charges, or are willing to buy them, it is a waste to use the charges on transmuting armor and weapons on heroes that are leveling and getting new stuff every 5 levels or even more often.

Victory.2879:

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This new system is terrible for build diversity and indeed for class diversity- as people who have levelled multiple classes will tell you, it’s a lot easier levelling some rather than others that are a lot more dependent on traits to be viable. Levelling a band new mesmer must now be truely awful.

Mesmer is my favorite. I’ve got 2 level 80s and 1 level 37 which I started before this update so should have all traits available, so no problem. I remember I couldn’t wait to reach level 40 on my second one so I could get Deceptive Evasion (number 1 trait for all mesmers IMO). On my level 37 mesmer I should be able to get it when she is around 48 (not sure when we get traits with this new system). But a new player starting a new mesmer will also need to do the personal story for level 62 to unlock the trait. Not doable without help until they are in their 60s or high 50s. That seems like a ridiculously look time to wait to get such an important trait.

Besides warrior I find ranger, guardian and necromancer (minion master) comfortable to play in casual PvE.

I think this new trait system will discourage established players from creating any new alts – I certainly won’t. But then I already have at least one of each profession, only my necro and engineer are not level 80 yet.

1.) Now that it doesn’t cost money to redistribute traits and it can be done so easily no need to have more than one of each profession.
2.) Waiting until level 30 to get a trait is very discouraging. Why not give one trait every 5 levels starting at 10. It would make it easier to remember when you get a trait and how many.
3.) I like the idea of unlocking traits but not the way it was implemented. Some of the tasks seem too difficult for the level of the trait.

Where is the list showing how to unlock all the traits, not just the new grandmaster ones?

EDIT: I couldn’t find a list of how to unlock all the traits here so googled and found it at dulfy.net.

Buy a black lion salvaging kit and use it to get the rune plus the materials. Of course the garment is destroyed but I think it is still available as a skin.

RavenClaw.4608:

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And Lazuli, which character do you like the most? and why?

My favorite is mesmer. Next is elementalist. Then would be ranger, warrior and guardian. I have at least one of every profession and as I learn more about each one I start enjoying them more.

One of the reasons that I like mesmer is that they can use quite a few different weapons and there are different ways to configure mesmers so there are different play styles. But mostly because I find them fun to play.

I forgot I had already bought one for my mesmer. When I realized it I decided to start my third mesmer but she is only at level 30 right now so can’t read the manual yet. Thanks for the advice. Will try to sell it on the TP.

Plus with my ranger I traveled around to various places to acquire pets. In the process I explored those areas, even if I did not 100% the zone.

In case you didn’t know there is a quick, easy and cheap (free) way to get to Lion’s Arch (well actual to Vigil Keep now that LA is destroyed). Click on the crossed swords at the top of the screen and go to Heart of the Mists. Explore that area if you haven’t already. It is the PvP area. But to get to LA (or Vigil’s Keep) run straight across and go through the Asura gate that says to Lion’s Arch.

From Lion’s Arch (Vigil’s Keep) there are Asura gates to many zones.

RavenClaw.4608:

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Thanks for helping! Don’t misunderstand me, I have fun when I’m playing and I’m enjoying the game, recently my friends come to play with me. i just wanted to be sure that I’m doing right, I have a problem with things that I do not doing them right and than I screw up (like less modern levels, you couldn’t change your trait points so if you did a mistake when you was a newbie, you screwed up).

And how did you get level 80 almost only doing the starting zones? Its faster to do more difficulty zones for more XP no?

And what is it this Lion’s Arch storyline?

Sorry if I’m writing wrong, English is not my basic language so I’m trying the best and maybe with all those questions and a little bit desperate I might present this as hopeless or not having fun while playing, so it’s just my writing and the lack of the ability of explaining myself.
Recently I convince my friends to play with me, one from my country and one friend that moved to Serbia and I saved contact with him – Gaming is the best thing to save good relationships with good friends

I did some activity in other higher zones but did not 100% them. I play with my sister so sometimes I will accompany her where she wants to go. We don’t always like to do the same achievements to get our daily rewards. For example she does not like jumping puzzles at all whereas I like them, even if I am not that good. Also I will go to some places where it is easier to get a particular daily achievement. Getting the various daily achievements has gotten me to move my heroes around to various zones on the map, even if I don’t 100% them.

Getting your daily requirements give rewards. One reward is a laurel. They are not that important right now but when your hero gets to level 80 you can go to the laurel vendor and use them to buy ascended amulets, earrings and rings. Each of those things costs around 35 laurel or so. Plus getting your daily and monthly achievements gives XP, karma and coins.

There are special temporary events going on almost every month. Around Christmas time is Wintersday Festival. There was Halloween, etc. Other months there was introduced living story events. It was a series of invasions to different zones of the map. It culminated in an attack on Lion’s Arch, which is the main hub of this whole world. LA was destroyed and burning and filled with attacking mobs. Everyone was leveled up to 80. I took a level 80 hero there at first but then started to take my lower level ones, like my guardian and mesmer. They both got a lot of XP in those fights.

My earliest heroes (ranger, elementalist and my first mesmer) got some XP in WvW where they100%ed those zones.

RavenClaw hope you start having more fun.

My first character was a ranger. Even though other weapons may give more damage and have better abilities I like playing with a longbow and a greatsword. They are fine for leveling up and exploring the zones. It is only if you start playing dungeons or small group missions that you need to consider how to best fit into a group. You should learn the skills for all your weapons and get comfortable using them. But you decide which weapons you like.

When you start a new hero and are in the starting zone for your race the first thing to do is buy a salvaging kit and gathering tools. Then talk to the nearest scout (marked with binoculars). They will show you the heart quests in order of difficulty. Go toward the first one gathering along the way, visiting POIs, viewing vistas, completing skill challenges and especially participating in any dynamic events (DEs). You get XP when the DE is successfully completed and it often contributes toward the nearest heart quest, which you will be getting XP for doing also. So you are “killing two birds with one stone”.

If you have completed the zone but are not ready for the next level zone for your race go to the starting area of another race. If in Queensdale go to Divinity’s Reach. Take the Asura gate for Lion’s Arch. Since LA was destroyed recently you will end up at the Vigil’s Keep in Gendarran Fields. From there take an Asura gate to another race’s city. From there find the Asura gate to their starting area. Complete it. And so on.

I got an Asura mesmer to level 80 by 100%ing Metrica Prov., Caledon Forest, Plains of Ashford, Queensdale, Lornar’s Pass, Gendarran Fields, Hoelbrak, Black Cidadel and Rata Sum. She participated in the Living Story in Lion’s Arch. Then reached level 80 about the time she 100%ed Frostgorge Sound. She got a few levels from crafting, a little from personal story, and some XP from doing dailies. None of my other heroes leveled this way.

My guardian started out at level 20 (from a scroll earned from achievement chests mainly earned by other of my characters). He got a lot of XP from personal story, participating in the toxic events and Lion’s Arch Living Story, 100%ing every city, Queensdale, Wayfarer Foothills, Snowden Drifts and Lornar’s Pass, plus crafting and dailies.

Each of my 7 level 80 characters have leveled up differently doing whatever I felt like doing at the time. My first four level 80’s I concentrated on getting to level 400 in all 8 crafting trades. So do what you feel like doing. You can read up to find out more efficient ways of doing stuff but you will learn as you spend more time.

For crafting: refine all you materials when you first start a new tier while you still get crafting XP for it. Then make the basic stuff you will need to finish the tier while you still get XP for it. But the most XP comes from discovering new recipes.

Use gems to buy slots in you pack and for expanding your bank. Craft or buy larger bags for you pack.

Good luck and have fun!

Crafting is probably the fastest way to level.
100% a zone or do the dailies to get XP bonuses and rewards. Then use the XP and crafting boosters that you got as rewards. Buy or make food to get XP boosts.

Our server does bandit after troll, then oak. In the time waiting for the Boar, when the Wasp is not initiated, I go through my pack, storing collectables, selling on the Black Lion TP and salvaging.

DigitalKirin.9714:

BigB.6057:

Me and Jormag having a little photoshoot.

I have A LOT more awesome pictures if any of you would like to see, just let me know and I’ll share a few more.

I like the middle picture. Very pro.

I agree. Very nice.

How about Tribulation Caverns and Forsaken Halls, both in Dredgehaunt Cliffs?

Some really good pictures here. I will add some of my elementalist, one when she was level 10 and 2 as she is now: