Guild Wars 2 Catch All

@PurEvil - have you been doing your personal story? If not, you should give it a whirl. The story is decent and the mini instances are fun. It also lets you define your character.

I returned from a multi year break and found I didn’t like my guardian anymore. A lot of his defenses came from active blocks and defensive cool downs which I was struggling to grok. I’ll say that the ranger is a lot more fun and probably a better beginner class but that’s my opinion.

If you want a beginner friendly damage dealer with heavy armor, also check out the warrior.

jdzappa wrote:

I returned from a multi year break

Seeing this thread pop up has me thinking about the same...
IMAGE(https://i.imgflip.com/57bz1u.jpg)

Stele wrote:
jdzappa wrote:

I returned from a multi year break

Seeing this thread pop up has me thinking about the same...

You are all a bunch of filthy enablers, I re-installed and created a new character.

PurEvil wrote:

I think I'd like Revenant better if I had a heavy 2H weapon that actually acted like a 2H weapon. Staves feel OK and that tends to be what I use. I haven't tried short bow yet, which I've been meaning to do. I think this character is at level 20 now.

Part of the problem with Revenant is that the core class is really lacklustre, but both specialisations (Herald and Renegade) are good; you won't be unlocking either until post-80 and getting into the expansions.

I got Guardian up first, and the feel of greatswords is really nice. On the flip side, while I've never been a fan of maces, the mace/shield combo also feels nice. My worry is that I typically stick to DPS and healers, and I've been playing this class much more like a tank.

Outside of raids tanking isn't really a thing in GW2; Guardians do have access to a lot of active defence like blinds and blocks, which is where much of their 'tankiness' comes from, but in PvE you'll still run full damage gear. However, Guardian remains one of the most versatile classes in that it is good in all modes (PvE, PvP and WvW) and has multiple builds available.

Ranger feels like a good DPS/Utility combo, and is just really straight forward. I tend to play at range, but I swap between shortbow and greatsword.

Ranger is fun and both specialisations are interesting, but they aren't wanted everywhere.

Man, this game holds up. Played some last night and it still feels, and looks, fresh. I'm shocked.

Looks like it will be a busy summer. WVW events, free releases of past living world seasons with new achievements, and a sneak peek at the expansion in July.

I really like my necromancer (Reaper spec). Weirdly, I find it much tankier than my warrior, though maybe I'm just better suited to the class or didn't raise the warrior high enough.

babakotia wrote:
PurEvil wrote:
I got Guardian up first, and the feel of greatswords is really nice. On the flip side, while I've never been a fan of maces, the mace/shield combo also feels nice. My worry is that I typically stick to DPS and healers, and I've been playing this class much more like a tank.

Outside of raids tanking isn't really a thing in GW2; Guardians do have access to a lot of active defence like blinds and blocks, which is where much of their 'tankiness' comes from, but in PvE you'll still run full damage gear. However, Guardian remains one of the most versatile classes in that it is good in all modes (PvE, PvP and WvW) and has multiple builds available.

This has been one of the hardest things to really grasp, and I think it's mostly because so far I've been playing almost entirely solo. I'm up to 34 now, and still haven't done the first dungeon, so I haven't been a part of a group yet. I'm just so accustomed to the holy trinity of dungeons that it's really difficult to think I'm going in without a specific role in mind.

jdzappa wrote:

@PurEvil - have you been doing your personal story? If not, you should give it a whirl. The story is decent and the mini instances are fun. It also lets you define your character.

Here and there. I skipped a lot of the cutscenes and just kept pushing through, but slowed down when it came to the missions involving the risen. I went Priory after looking it up and realizing there was an armor set tied to the choice, and I liked that one better (personally I'd probably have chosen them on ideals alone if the main guy offering the choice wasn't a bit of a dick). Now I'm just kind of wandering again until the next thing gets triggered.

garion333 wrote:

Man, this game holds up. Played some last night and it still feels, and looks, fresh. I'm shocked.

No one ever listens to me.

PurEvil, if there's one piece of advice I can give you, it's to throw the "holy trinity" out the window. Sure, there will be synergies if you're going to be high level raiding, but for dungeons, and PvE? Just go with you like best, and get out there. Pick what you like, don't try to fit a role. Just do you.

I started dinking around in FFXIV recently because it's now free up through Heavensward, I've never really played a FF game and I felt like a low stakes chill-out game.

I'm pretty sure I've heard people say it's the best looking MMO, but unless it get way better looking later on I can only assume those people have never seen GW2. It's certainly better looking than WoW and LOTRO though.

And it also feels startlingly old fashioned. I do know that's what MMO players are after, but man, not being able to move while using skills is annoying. I'm fairly sure this dalliance is going to result in me being back in Tyria within a month.

qaraq wrote:

I really like my necromancer (Reaper spec). Weirdly, I find it much tankier than my warrior, though maybe I'm just better suited to the class or didn't raise the warrior high enough.

The best defence is making things dead. The second best is not getting hit. How heavy the armour you wear is barely factors in my experience.

MrDeVil909 wrote:

I started dinking around in FFXIV recently because it's now free up through Heavensward, I've never really played a FF game and I felt like a low stakes chill-out game.

I'm pretty sure I've heard people say it's the best looking MMO, but unless it get way better looking later on I can only assume those people have never seen GW2. It's certainly better looking than WoW and LOTRO though.

And it also feels startlingly old fashioned. I do know that's what MMO players are after, but man, not being able to move while using skills is annoying. I'm fairly sure this dalliance is going to result in me being back in Tyria within a month.

While the art style holds up well over the years it's by far NOT the best looking MMO. That honor would goto Black Desert Online.

Eleima wrote:

PurEvil, if there's one piece of advice I can give you, it's to throw the "holy trinity" out the window.

Oh yeah, I get that, I was just saying that it's really hard to do after about 20+ years of MMOs that used that style of group play.

I finally did the first dungeon last night on story, and we rolled through it pretty quickly. I died once on a part where spikes come out of the ground and insta-kill you, but that was it. I think my biggest takeaway there was that I really, really need more inventory space. At least that shouldn't be a difficult next goal.

Completing the dungeon pushed me over 35, so I can go back into it in exploration mode. It felt like a bit of a loot pinata, so I'll likely be back in there soon enough.

Well that’s easy to solve! I can help you with the inventory space, and craft you some bigger, smarter bags. Let me know where to send them.

Something important to note for new/returning players:

Do not buy Living World seasons 2 and 3 content.. they're going to unlock them for free again!

seems like they're going to step through each episode week-by-week and that logging in will unlock whatever episode is active that week.

GrandmaFunk wrote:

Something important to note for new/returning players:

Do not buy Living World seasons 2 and 3 content.. they're going to unlock them for free again!

seems like they're going to step through each episode week-by-week and that logging in will unlock whatever episode is active that week.

Sounds like I should reinstall and login again just in case, even if I don't immediately play a ton.

absolutely, and log in this week to unlock last Icebrood Saga episode

ranalin wrote:

While the art style holds up well over the years it's by far NOT the best looking MMO. That honor would goto Black Desert Online.

I'd definitely expect newer games to push the envelope. I've heard Black Desert is sandbox with an emphasis on gathering and crafting, so I've never given it a second look. Screenshots are certainly pretty though.

FFXIV and GW2 both have distinct art styles which age well, even GW1 is still very pretty thanks to the art style.

MrDeVil909 wrote:
ranalin wrote:

While the art style holds up well over the years it's by far NOT the best looking MMO. That honor would goto Black Desert Online.

I'd definitely expect newer games to push the envelope. I've heard Black Desert is sandbox with an emphasis on gathering and crafting, so I've never given it a second look. Screenshots are certainly pretty though.

FFXIV and GW2 both have distinct art styles which age well, even GW1 is still very pretty thanks to the art style.

FFXIV's art also had the distinction of being so overdone at the time of original launch that barely anyone could run the game.

MrDeVil909 wrote:
ranalin wrote:

While the art style holds up well over the years it's by far NOT the best looking MMO. That honor would goto Black Desert Online.

I'd definitely expect newer games to push the envelope. I've heard Black Desert is sandbox with an emphasis on gathering and crafting, so I've never given it a second look. Screenshots are certainly pretty though.

FFXIV and GW2 both have distinct art styles which age well, even GW1 is still very pretty thanks to the art style.

Not entirely true although those are big components of the game. It also addresses the old school clunkiness of combat you mentioned. They make it 'fun' to grind.

It's been out for 5 years now and they were doing raytracing effects from the start with their own engine before Nvidia made it a standard. It truly is groundbreaking with what they've done.

GW2's combat is still fun though. I jump in a few times a year to collect my birthday stuff and play a few rounds of PvP.

MrDeVil909 wrote:
qaraq wrote:

I really like my necromancer (Reaper spec). Weirdly, I find it much tankier than my warrior, though maybe I'm just better suited to the class or didn't raise the warrior high enough.

The best defence is making things dead. The second best is not getting hit. How heavy the armour you wear is barely factors in my experience.

Yeah, maybe I just wasn't doing enough damage with the warrior. But the necro has a pretty high HP total to start with, and a pretty good selection of life-draining attacks. Then of course there's the kicker... oh noes, hit point bar low? How about second hit point bar?

ranalin wrote:
MrDeVil909 wrote:
ranalin wrote:

While the art style holds up well over the years it's by far NOT the best looking MMO. That honor would goto Black Desert Online.

I'd definitely expect newer games to push the envelope. I've heard Black Desert is sandbox with an emphasis on gathering and crafting, so I've never given it a second look. Screenshots are certainly pretty though.

FFXIV and GW2 both have distinct art styles which age well, even GW1 is still very pretty thanks to the art style.

Not entirely true although those are big components of the game. It also addresses the old school clunkiness of combat you mentioned. They make it 'fun' to grind.

It's been out for 5 years now and they were doing raytracing effects from the start with their own engine before Nvidia made it a standard. It truly is groundbreaking with what they've done.

GW2's combat is still fun though. I jump in a few times a year to collect my birthday stuff and play a few rounds of PvP.

BD's combat is real, action combat built from the ground up for their game. It's quite good and I'm incredibly excited for their other games to come out.

That said, ArenaNet still employ the best artists. They're incredible.

Season 2 returns next week:

Beginning May 25, we’ll spotlight two episodes of Living World Season 2 each week, in chronological order. Log in during the week to unlock the episodes for free!

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I finished my 4th Legendary (Aurora) and just reached 30k AP.

The 30k mark was a goal I had set for myself sometime last year. I figured that if I reached that point, I could consider it "enough" and maybe use it as a conclusion to my time with the game(that time now being 5874 hours).

but now that I'm here, there's a new expansion on the way, the game seems to have at least another year in it and more importantly.. there's still quite a sizeable amount of content that I never really got around to or just skimmed.

So I'm definitely not feeling a sense of completion or an urge to move on =)

Return to season 2 continues.. chapters 3 and 4 are now available on login.

I did my first strike mission this week and realized I’m now back in the DPS ranking hell that made me quit WOW. (I guess the good news is low level fractals don’t seem as toxic which at least is an improvement).

Does anyone have suggestions of boosting my DPS past the pathetic 5k mark? I’m a base necro working towards my reaper spec which from what I’ve heard changes the game. I also bought some gold to kit myself out with Beserker exotics and scholar runes. At this point I can’t tell if I’m just not mashing fast enough or my gear is too underleveled.

I haven't measured DPS or tinkered with my build in a while so I've just got some general thoughts on necromancer DPS. It's definitely true that getting the Reaper spec makes a huge difference; while it's up, Shroud is a huge DPS boost, and there's a skill in there that reduces DPS loss due to slow mobility.

Exotic gear should be fine. There's a quest chain to get an ascended greatsword right after you hit reaper spec which is not too hard.

I'm running a pretty basic power DPS build based on https://metabattle.com/wiki/Build:Re... (specifically: https://gw2efficiency.com/c/Morleanna ). I trade a little DPS for survivability (Signet of Spite vs Rise!) which might be a mistake; I'm also waffly about healing; "Your Soul Is Mine!" has the benefit of instant reliable healing but is otherwise meh.

That build lacks the Blood Magic skill Quickening Thirst which is your movement speed buff, so you'll be a little slower than most others. I used it leveling since I was mostly running daggers, but now with greatsword it's obsolete. If you're running melee or a short range weapon, think about switching to axe/horn or staff if you don't have a nearby target instead of running to it; that DPS downtime will kill your numbers. Reaper has a rush-to-target skill, in Shroud only, to ameliorate this. Dumping both Wells on a target can really chew it up as well. In a larger group I tend to switch to axe/horn unless there's an elite or champion around, as things go down too fast to run to otherwise. I don't have strong opinions on the axe rotation though.

Thanks qaraq! I’ll keep grinding away at unlocking my reaper and see how much that helps.

Living world season 3 has started to unlock again.

Started playing again after cancelling my WoW subscription- I haven’t really played seriously since 2017 shortly after the last expansion released. I got hung up on a story mission I couldn’t beat in the Crystal Desert and just sort of drifted away. It’s been long enough that I forgot what I was going for with my original build, which is apparently what was holding me back because I breezed through the mission on my first try after tinkering with my passives and swapping some skills around. I forgot how much I enjoyed this game.

If you guys have Amazon Prime, there's free stuff you can claim in GW2 currently.

https://gaming.amazon.com/loot/guild...