New to game, help.

[AuraBeedit.1654]

Hello!I am relatively new to the game (kinda, made account back before the expansions came out) and played until 40 lvls. Today, due to memory loss I suffered 5-6 years ago, I forgot everything about the story and how the game works + the progression through those 40 levels.

So, with the silver lining, I can gladly handle this game as a brand new MMORPG to try with the veteran rewards to help me my way with those exp food buffs and all.

Now my questions are, how do I go on about this game about finding guilds, RP, does this game have addons? And such...I really like how this game can use any weapons to a limitation of 5 abilities at a time, so I wonder if min-maxing could help me through or something.

I do have a lot of MMORPG experience in other games though, so I think I can handle basic stuff. Unless GW2 has some stuff that other games don't that I might have overlooked as a newb!

Any advise and guides would be helpful, thanks. :)

[SoftFootpaws.9134]

If you're returning, its better to make an alt to experience the basics again, although don't delete your main because it'll still receive birthday rewards each year due to how old it is, which means things like exclusive dyes and booster scrolls.

You can alternatively read about the entire story linearly on the Wiki, including parts that are no longer available:https://wiki.guildwars2.com/wiki/Story_Journal (spoiler warning ofc)

You'll need the Heart of Thorns expansion to access gliding, and the Path of Fire expansion to access mounts.

A small note here: Buying the expansions doesn't automatically gift you Living World seasons, despite being part of the storyline they are separate content that was released for free at the time and costs gems for current players to play, but you can get them easily with gold.

Most things like experience food are available on the Trading Post already, along with XP boosters from Laurel merchants, etc.

You can have up to five guilds at one time, although you can only represent one guild. To find one just sit in a city, they post recruitment messages all the time, but keep in mind guilds are in different timezones and you may have to have multiple guilds to keep active.

Roleplay is usually in cities around the taverns and there are guilds with guild halls dedicated to it. (Its mostly a guild thing.)

The game has addons, many of which are legal to use, These include arcdps, Taco, and graphics addons like ReShade. Just beware that sometimes they break when the game updates and you have to have a bit of technical knowledge on how to work with them.

Its worth noting that GW2 is different from other MMOs especially in end-game content, because its built more like an action game, not like a traditional RPG. This means it is mostly about movement, skill timing, active defense, etc. I highly recommend watching YouTube videos of end-game content (such as Fractals, raids, or open-world meta events, to get some idea of what you're in for.

You can find builds on MetaBattle:https://metabattle.com/wiki/MetaBattle_Wiki

There's also an active Reddit, and sometimes the devs talk there more than on the forums:https://www.reddit.com/r/Guildwars2/

[Kaltyn of Torbins Deep.294]

Shift-click will let you ping an inventory item in the in-game chat. Shift-clicking on a POI or Waypoint will put it in chat too.

Typing /wiki somethingyouwantolookup in chat will open a web browser to the wiki for that thing - and shift-clicking with the /wiki works, so /wiki et will pull up the event timer page on the wiki.

When you get around to crafting, use a guide like gw2crafts.net to help you level your crafting skills the fastest and cheapest.

gw2efficiency.com is a great site for learning everything about your account

Everything gives you experience, so harvest all nodes you come across, kill everything, do all the events etc. And make sure you run a food of some sort that grants you bonus experience. And if you join a guild, make sure you grab the experience booster from the bartender in the guild tavern.

There is a fairly large increase in difficulty moving from the core game to the expansions, so don't get discouraged if you die a lot the first time you step into Verdant Brink. We all did and many of us still do.

Hero Challenges/Hero Points. Leveling your character to level 80 will give you enough hero points to unlock/train all of your core skills, traits, and abilities. So don't worry that you're 'wasting' them when you train something you don't think you need now or won't ever use. The elite specializations that come with the expansions will require additional points beyond what you get just from leveling up - 250 hero points each to be exact. The Hero Challenges in the core maps grant 1 hero point, but the hero challenges in the expansion maps grant 10 hero points, so again, there are plenty of hero points to be had.

[AuraBeedit.1654]

Thank you everybody for the tips and guides! I should have a thorough read once I reach a higher level for those stuff. But otherwise the basic tips are super useful. Real appreciate

One of my questions is:Are there war-axe skins in game for Hammer (or some other two-handed weapon)? I tried to find one in Black Lion that "resembles" a little bit like one as a skin for a Hammer. But otherwise i cant find it without being a little pricey or from raids.I really love big axes so I thought to ask about it.

[Linken.6345]

There are no 2h axes no.

[AuraBeedit.1654]

@Linken.6345 said:There are no 2h axes no.

I know, I meant if there are skins that make it look like one for Hammer :)

[SoftFootpaws.9134]

@AuraBeedit.1654 said:

@"Linken.6345" said:There are no 2h axes no.

I know, I meant if there are skins that make it look like one for Hammer :)

https://wiki.guildwars2.com/wiki/Dreamthistle_Hammer_SkinWorks best on a Sylvari, and btw you can buy all Black Lion skins on the Trading Post, because other players sell them. As for the price, they average anywhere from 50-100g but that's not alot in end-game terms, barely a few days of farming.

https://wiki.guildwars2.com/wiki/Guild_Crusher_(skin) (copy&paste, forum breaks some links)This would probably be the runner up, although its still somewhat 3-D and not entirely flat.

https://wiki.guildwars2.com/wiki/Gallery_of_hammersYou can also preview most of them in your Wardrobe tab, at your Bank, even if you don't have them unlocked.

[Cyninja.2954]

Also worth noting:Buying the Path of Fire expansion and unlocking it to your account now also unlocks the Hearth of Thorns expansion for free.

So if it's a toss between which to get, go with PoF (since some retailers still offer HoT).

[AuraBeedit.1654]

@Hannelore.8153 said:

@AuraBeedit.1654 said:

@"Linken.6345" said:There are no 2h axes no.

I know, I meant if there are skins that make it look like one for Hammer :)

https://wiki.guildwars2.com/wiki/Dreamthistle_Hammer_Skin

Works best on a Sylvari, and btw you can buy all Black Lion skins on the Trading Post, because other players sell them. As for the price, they average anywhere from 50-100g but that's not alot in end-game terms, barely a few days of farming.

https://wiki.guildwars2.com/wiki/Guild_Crusher_(skin

) (copy&paste, forum breaks some links)This would probably be the runner up, although its still somewhat 3-D and not entirely flat.

https://wiki.guildwars2.com/wiki/Gallery_of_hammers

You can also preview most of them in your Wardrobe tab, at your Bank, even if you don't have them unlocked.

Beautiful, i love the middle one especially! Thank you so much! I shall waste time now browsing through the last link ahahahah.

@Cyninja.2954 said:Also worth noting:Buying the Path of Fire expansion and unlocking it to your account now also unlocks the Hearth of Thorns expansion for free.

So if it's a toss between which to get, go with PoF (since some retailers still offer HoT).

Thankfully I got the first expansion for free, I got an email of an arenanet admin gifting me for the inconvenience (? don't remember what happened). Sso I think i only need the Path of Fire expansion. Is there a way to buy it separately?

[Cyninja.2954]

@AuraBeedit.1654 said:Sso I think i only need the Path of Fire expansion. Is there a way to buy it separately?

You buy it separately (no, you don't get a discount if you own HoT already unfortunately, but the price for PoF is not that high). They only added HoT as free unlock to every PoF account last year which results in future accounts which unlock PoF to get HoT for free.

[AuraBeedit.1654]

@Cyninja.2954 said:

@AuraBeedit.1654 said:Sso I think i only need the Path of Fire expansion. Is there a way to buy it separately?

You buy it separately (no, you don't get a discount if you own HoT already unfortunately, but the price for PoF is not that high). They only added HoT as free unlock to every PoF account last year which results in future accounts which unlock PoF to get HoT for free.

Alright, thanks! Think I should get the expansion tonight or something, it sounds real cool :) Do you get to get the mounts at starting quests of PoF as soon as you get the expansion? Or you have to max level first (or certain lvl)? Or do you have to complete the main story once you max level to get the mounts?

[Linken.6345]

Pof level 80 to do pof intro mission. ( easiest to get if you just want a mount for core and heart of stone exploration and story )After thats done you get the first mount raptor then just follow pof story since you need mps and mastery training to unlock the 4 other base mounts.

[SoftFootpaws.9134]

@AuraBeedit.1654 said:

@Cyninja.2954 said:

@AuraBeedit.1654 said:Sso I think i only need the Path of Fire expansion. Is there a way to buy it separately?

You buy it separately (no, you don't get a discount if you own HoT already unfortunately, but the price for PoF is not that high). They only added HoT as free unlock to every PoF account last year which results in future accounts which unlock PoF to get HoT for free.

Alright, thanks! Think I should get the expansion tonight or something, it sounds real cool :) Do you get to get the mounts at starting quests of PoF as soon as you get the expansion? Or you have to max level first (or certain lvl)? Or do you have to complete the main story once you max level to get the mounts?

You get gliding and mounts after the first mission of both HoT and PoF, respectively. Though only the very basic versions. I think you also need to be lv80, but I'm not sure about this, if not then you'll need an ally so you can survive the instance.

[Danikat.8537]

@Hannelore.8153 said:

@AuraBeedit.1654 said:

@Cyninja.2954 said:

@AuraBeedit.1654 said:Sso I think i only need the Path of Fire expansion. Is there a way to buy it separately?

You buy it separately (no, you don't get a discount if you own HoT already unfortunately, but the price for PoF is not that high). They only added HoT as free unlock to every PoF account last year which results in future accounts which unlock PoF to get HoT for free.

Alright, thanks! Think I should get the expansion tonight or something, it sounds real cool :) Do you get to get the mounts at starting quests of PoF as soon as you get the expansion? Or you have to max level first (or certain lvl)? Or do you have to complete the main story once you max level to get the mounts?

You get gliding and mounts after the first mission of both HoT and PoF, respectively. Though only the very basic versions. I think you also need to be lv80, but I'm not sure about this, if not then you'll need an ally so you can survive the instance.

Because they're story quests you have to be level 80, you can't enter the instance otherwise.

[AuraBeedit.1654]

Alright, thank you, guys! Looks like i will just be taking my time exploring the world while doing the main quest :)

I have been hearing about "living world episodes " What are they? Are they worth it? What do they offer?

[Tsakhi.8124]

Welcome back!Crafting is a good way to level up in more ways than one: you get experience for crafting and the food you can make will make leveling up easier with the buffs they provide. Also, you can get an experience boost from a guildhall, if you're in a guild. Gathering materials is also great! In battle, I'd suggest either sticking to the starter areas so you can familiarize yourself with the break bars among other things; more often than not, there are Mentors that can assist you with pretty much anything, don't hesitate to ask!

There is an option to gold into gems, but right now that's not really essential unless you really want something. If you get tired of grinding, there are plenty of places to scenery chew and listen to NPC banter, which is pretty funny in my eyes. You probably already know this, but death has no dramatic detriment (all it takes is some copper, or silver to bring yourself to a waypoint, where you can fix your gear for free!} And that's all I can think of, right now. Once again, welcome back!

[Kaltyn of Torbins Deep.294]

@"AuraBeedit.1654" said:Alright, thank you, guys! Looks like i will just be taking my time exploring the world while doing the main quest :)

I have been hearing about "living world episodes " What are they? Are they worth it? What do they offer?

Living World is a continuation of the story between expansions. LW Season 1 is unavailable as it was live events that you had to be there for when they happened. There is a recap video in-game that will bring you up to date after you finish the core player story (fighting Zhaitan). LWS 2 is the lead-in/prequel to HoT, LWS3 is between HoT and PoF, Season 4 follows after PoF, and now we are in Season 5 currently.

The Living World Seasons can be purchased for gems, I suggest buying the complete packs for them rather than episode by episode because of a discount doing it that way. They bring story, new maps (6 each for seasons 3 and 4, 2 for season 5 so far), lots of mastery and achievement points, etc. Season 3 is especially valuable for being able to purchase ascended trinkets for unbound magic (season 3 currency) and map currencies. Season 4 is also required to get the Skyscale and the Roller Beetle mounts.

Living World episodes are unlocked on your account for free if you login while the episode is free, even if you have a F2P account, though having the expansion (HoT for 3, PoF for 4 and presumably 5) is required to be able to play them. You only have to purchase the ones you've missed if you want to play them.

If you like the story, they are worth buying. I have all of them on 2 accounts and I still visit several of the living world maps frequently, though I'd say most of my time is spent in HoT.

[Irensaga.6935]

You can skip Living World Season 2 and 3 if you want.

You'll miss out on story and some interesting maps - some better than others. Also you miss out on story.

Aside from that... the main thing you get in LWS3 that's useful is a mastery that makes you tougher in downed-state. LWS3 maps are also great places to buy Ascended rings and trinkets for map currency.

LWS2 however, literally the only thing it rewards you with is the complete Carapace Armor set. You can get MOST of that armor set by farming the Silverwastes. But you cannot get any of the three leg armor pieces. You can only get those by completing the LWS2 story. If you want heavy, medium and light - that means completing it on three different characters.

Living World Season 4 - you have to do one of the maps if you want the Skyscale mount.

For me, it was worth doing all of LWS3 and 4 - because I like exploring. But it's not required to get all the other mounts from the core PoF maps and gliding from early in the the HoT storyline.

Oh, and you only have to do the new maps for seasons 3 and 4 (and I assume 5) with one character. Each map has a vendor in the starting area who will sell you a portal scroll to that map for map-currency. Buy a tome to store all your scrolls for that season in, buy the scrolls, then dump it in you bank. Then any of your characters can access your bank, use the scrolls, and then teleport to the maps - without having to do the story at all. Great for farming winterberries in Bitterfrost Frontier to get those nice Ascended trinkets.

Actually, if you have a guild with that Guild Hall in a PoF area, you can actually leave the Guild Hall through the physical exit and get into PoF core maps too, without doing the story. But only if you have the expansion of course.

[AuraBeedit.1654]

Hello! I noticed that i keep DCing multiple times a day and i lose about 5-10minutes of progress... How is this possible? I have to objectives all over again. Is this normal with the game?

[AuraBeedit.1654]

Just now I DC'd and i was placed at the start of a new zone. WTH.

[voltaicbore.8012]

@AuraBeedit.1654 said:Just now I DC'd and i was placed at the start of a new zone. WTH.

DCs are more common when a new piece of the game launches - in this case, Chapter 2 of the new living world story launched today. My connection is usually very stable, but got booted several times today. It happens.

[AuraBeedit.1654]

@voltaicbore.8012 said:

@AuraBeedit.1654 said:Just now I DC'd and i was placed at the start of a new zone. WTH.

DCs are more common when a new piece of the game launches - in this case, Chapter 2 of the new living world story launched today. My connection is usually very stable, but got booted several times today. It happens.

Oh was just poor timing then. Cheers mate.

[DoRi Silvia.4159]

Most likely it will be the influx of players who log in only when there is new content all jumping in one the new episode ... itll wear off haha

[AuraBeedit.1654]

Hello everybody, thank you all for all the tips and help. I am having a great time to have a game to play on my spare time that I can enjoy! The game is really cool!Just hoping to find a warband guild i join with my warrior charr to play a game and learn about charr lore, bless you all!