Should i use my lvl 80 boost?

[Araxxx.1536]

I started playing when GW2 was released. I have come back to the game about every 2 years because i never really could get into it, each time with a new character. Every time i quit with a character the level was inbetween 20-50. Now this time, i've got more and more into the game by learning it, and therefore bought the expansions. I'm sitting with a necromancer at lvl 41 which i fairly enjoy, and i think more or less i understand the glass. My problem is i'm fed up with leveling, as that's pretty much the only thing i've done as a player in GW2.

Now i don't fully understand the "mastery experience" leveling unlocked with the expansions, but if i'm not wrong, it's some kind of paragon leveling which awards experience leveling the exact same way as normal leveling would do? In that case, if i'm to do some regular leveling/map completion, would't that be the most practical way to also get some mastery experience along the way?

Help a lost fellow out <3

EDIT: Also unlocking the mount and glider would be awesome, and hopefully spoiler free i hope? Feels like the pros heavily outweights the cons.

[Cyninja.2954]

No.

If you are getting bored from leveling at level 41, you will be quitting the game 2 days after you boost. I guarantee you that.

Read up on some guides how to increase leveling speed slightly if that is a serious issue. Craft cooking to 400 for example (use gw2crafts.net) for a couple of fast levels. Play the story chapters ever 10 levels. Etc.

The only deviation of this:

• use a level 80 boost on a character
• use that character on the first HoT and PoF mission to unlock gliding and raptor
• then bench the character and play normally to 80

[tatte.5389]

The community generally advises against boosting, but since you struggle to stick with the game, I'd go ahead with it. My only concern is how valuable the lvl 80 boost is, if you can make do with for example tomes of knowledge, I'd use them instead.

Switch from normal levels to masteries is seamless, i.e. everything rewards universal XP for them. You will however need to earn mastery points in addition to regular XP, and those are region specific (Core+LWS2, HoT+LWS3, PoF+LWS4, and Saga all use different mastery points). There are several mastery paths unlocking different things in each region, and story completion is regularly locked behind certain masteries. PoF is rather straight forward, you'll need to level both Raptor and Springer to tier 3, but with HoT I'd either follow the story or look it up in advance (HoT mastery points are far more bothersome than PoF ones).

You'll need to play the map metas to get enough XP, especially in HoT (but they're really good, so don't worry). Practically every map has something major going on, /wiki ET helps with that, but keep in mind that some maps' metas aren't on a set schedule, so you may want to check the map specific wiki pages too.

To finish with another controversial advice, I'd skip anything that doesn't grab you. Enjoying yourself is what matters the most, and you'll miss much more if you just quit.

[Urud.4925]

@Cyninja.2954 said:

• use a level 80 boost on a character
• use that character on the first HoT and PoF mission to unlock gliding and raptor
• then bench the character and play normally to 80

I second this advice, it's a good one. So if you feel completely lost with the lv80 character, you can always continue with the necro lv41. If you manage to unlock the Raptor/glider, you can use them to level up the necro faster. It's not completely spoiler free, but if you stop PoF/HoT as soon as you unlock the first mastery, you're quite safe.

[Eros.6801]

I will just speak for my personal experience. In short first character leveling progress is a form of trial or a ritual the most boring and hard to pass, passed it you will able to get into the game later on with much more confidence and knowledge knowing that you've placed a foundation in this game, a shortcut will never ever gives that. I failed this on ESO and Tera. When i started my journey in GW2 it took me a whole month to get my first character to 80, yeah i suffered the same problem as you but i did it, with this i stuck with this game for the next 5 years with no regret.

To your question and keep it simple, Mastery is some sort of pass 80 level but the exp you gain will be much faster and required you to seek out Mastery Point withing achievements, around the world, stories, hidden stuff to process further. For example Gliding Mastery Rank 1 required 1 Point, once you get enough exp to max Rank 1 and spend a point to unlock it then you gain 1 Mastery Level, Gliding Rank 2 required 2 Points which mean 2 Mastery Levels will immediately granted upon finished Rank 2.

There are 4 kind of mastery atm, Green is HoT, Purple is PoF, Red is core game, Blue is Icebrood Saga. Depend on which region of the world you are playing in, mastery levels process according to that region. For better understanding, you play in HoT zones so only HoT masteries are involved, anykind of Mastery related to PoF, Core, Icebrood Saga will not process and HoT Mastery Point can't be used to unlock PoF Mastery stuffs and vice versa, they are totally separated.

All and All mastery is a system created to help you navigate and experience the game with more fun.

[Pirogen.9561]

I went from 1 to 80 in a "natural" way a couple of times. And I boosted to 80 a couple of times.

With one(the first) boosted char I went into PoF just to unlock Raptor. Just first mission for basic Raptor. Natural leveling char was at around 30 (or was it 40) at that time.

With all my chars I played starter zone, and those above and around and so on.

For me there is no difference if level from 1 to 80 or if I boost to 80.

I was never sorry, I boosted to 80, started PoF and unlocked Raptor. I will even say, I'd never got from 1 to 80 without a Raptor. Travel time. To slow. Boring.

[ZeftheWicked.3076]

I'm a necro main, and my advice to you is - boost away, bro!

Any other profession i would tell you to hold it off. But core necro is pretty slow, clunky and uninspiring vs it's amazing elites, especially reaper. Despite being labeled as "the easy profession", Necro has a ton of depth to it and varied playstyles. But base game and core necro can lead you to believe otherwise.

More then any other profession Necromancer is stat dependant and about the gear you can get and specs you got unlocked (tons of free stats there). The unchallenging core game, and uninspired core Necro are little less then a demo compared to true wealth of viable options and playstyles that you get once you unlock expansion content featuring elite specs and various gear stat sets that mesh with necro perfectly.

So yea, pop that boost, get yourself some exotic lvl 80 gear, unlock that reaper and take your time in Heart of Thorns maps. You'll discover true necro, not this bland washed out demo version that is core necro in core game.

[Irensaga.6935]

@"Cyninja.2954" said:No.

If you are getting bored from leveling at level 41, you will be quitting the game 2 days after you boost. I guarantee you that.

Read up on some guides how to increase leveling speed slightly if that is a serious issue. Craft cooking to 400 for example (use gw2crafts.net) for a couple of fast levels. Play the story chapters ever 10 levels. Etc.

The only deviation of this:

• use a level 80 boost on a character
• use that character on the first HoT and PoF mission to unlock gliding and raptor
• then bench the character and play normally to 80

I kind of agree with you... but on the other hand, he said he's burnt out multiple times on the leveling process. If that's the case, what's he got to lose on level-boosting a character? I'm almost tempted to say "go for it" in his case.

That said, I want to hear a bit more about how Araaax is leveling up their characters so far.

Are you going for map completion?Are you doing personal story stuff?Are you doing a lot of map events?Are you seeking out world bosses?Are you leveling up your crafting professions?

Which of those things have you liked and which have you disliked? I think that may give me a better idea what's burning you out and how you might approach it differently.