Free-To-Player looking for a good solo class

[Pureguardian.4562]

I'm a returning player (from back when the base game was Buy-To-Play) trying to go back through the game, but I can't find a base-game class that fits me.

I was liking the elementalist a lot (mainly due to how interactive and powerful it felt, how flashy it was, its access to lots of skills/combos, access to summons, etc.), but I just couldn't get over how squishy I was. I could avoid ~90% of everything and heal through most everything else, but whenever I tried to fight more powerful enemies (slightly larger groups of strong stuff and some legendaries or whatever the terminology is), I'd find myself being instakilled.

I tried some other classes up to ~10, but nothing really felt nearly as interactive or flashy as the elementalist by that point, with the vast majority of gameplay being spam autoattack and use any/all abilities off-cooldown with no thought.

any recommendations on / Is there any F2P class that's very survivable and interactive?

[thepenmonster.3621]

Piano playing your keyboard while having some sustain? Sounds like a kit engineer to me.

[otto.5684]

Best option for survivablity either necro or ranger. But if you want a good damage to sustainability ratio, core warrior is probably the best. Power damage with axe/axe. Easy 25 might and fury. Solid sustainability. High HP pool.

If you want flashy, I like core Mesmer. But not great survivability.

[rng.1024]

Core mesmer is my goto for map completion.

I just run full zerker exotic gear, greatsword in one set and sword/torch in the other.

Traitlines don't matter much, most enemies will melt before they are even in melee range and with torch stealth, blink and mass invis repositioning is easy when pressured.

[Taril.8619]

Survivable AND interactive? Hmm...

That's a tough one. Necro and Ranger are pretty survivable, since they can have their minions/pet tank stuff. But their interactivity is pretty low... (Especially Longbow Ranger)

Meanwhile, Ele, Thief and Engie are all pretty interactive, but they're also somewhat squishy if you're not able to use evades correctly.

Warrior and Guardian would be the remaining classes. I'd probably say Guardian edges out in survivability, while Warrior (Especially if using Fury specialization for 5s CD weapon swaps) would be the more active one.

[Buran.3796]

Core Necro and core burn Guardian can have plenty of sustain and being very good at cleaning content, albeit their rotations are simpler than an Ele or an Engi. Revenants are a bit more demanding in use than Necro or Guardian due the energy management, but power core Revenant is not particulary fast at cleaning content. Condition Mallyx + Jalis is very good at cleaning content and fairly tanky, albeit moves slowly (Mallyx + Shiro is faster but has lower sustain). Which classes did you tested? Level 10 is really nothing to get a glimpse...

[montecristo.1324]

I main ele since a lot of time and the only two class that I like to play are engi because if played with kits it remind me a lot of ele, and it uses also combo finisher etc a lot.And the other class I really enjoy is ranger, it's less complex for the number of skills but it is so well rounded with the fields, combo finishers, stealth and mechanics that I really like it.Let's say that especially ranger is not so flashy but for me is really fun to play

[mizaru.1385]

The expansion is on offer right now, and u get the other free. Can consider getting them and that opens up alot more possibilites for u with the elite specs

[Super Hayes.6890]

@mizaru.1385 said:The expansion is on offer right now, and u get the other free. Can consider getting them and that opens up alot more possibilites for u with the elite specs

This is so true. Both expacs for $15 is crazy low and the current living world season is completely free again I believe. Sooo many more build options. Good luck!

[Wolin.3914]

Hello. Is not my intention to kidnap OP's post but I feel bad making another most to ask mostly the same. I've recently picked the game with both expansion pacs. I'm trying to find a class that suits me. I've been looking around the classes forums and all that but I can't seem to decide for a class, so I would appreciate some help.

The most important thing I'm looking a class to be is "fun", I know this is subjective, so to be more specific I don't care that much about the meta but I would rather want a class that can get me involved enough to explore the world and and all that without getting bored half way in. I'm not against alts and all that but in this games I usually enjoy having a main character I do completion with and spend most of the hours in doing unlocks and stuff like that.

Besides of that I enjoy characters that can commit to multiple roles or switch between different roles, but tbh I'm kinda lacking information on how the whole role system works on the endgame of this game so I can't really tell that when deciding for a class on my own.

So far I've played mesmer, guardian and warrior, up to lvl 25~ for no particular reason just to try them out, so I would love me some help from experienced people. <3

[Buran.3796]

@"Wolin.3914" said:

So far I've played mesmer, guardian and warrior, up to lvl 25~ for no particular reason just to try them out, so I would love me some help from experienced people. <3

Guardian's only drawbacks are that is slow moving (lacking traits or skills to give them permanent +25% or +33% speed movement) and having a low base health pool. The first handicap can be mitigated using things as the traveller or fireworks runes, skills as Judge's Intervention or weapons with close gapers as the sword and greatsword (and once you get access to the expansions, using gliding and mounts). Health pool is noth that important due Guardians have good access to blocks, aegis, blinds and other forms of damage mitigation. The strong point of that class is that has a lot of build variety and usually is "meta" in every game mode. Core Guardian has strong AoE builds based on symbols, both for physical and condition (burning) damage; Dragon Hunters excell in physical burst of damage, thanx to their traps; Firebrands can be tuned to be the strongest support class in the game, a fierce hybrid damage dealers or a nigh unkillable bunkers. There wasn't a single time in GW2 history in which a Guardian built wasn't essential in the WvW meta, and most of the time they are also top choices for PvP and PvE raids.

Mesmers and Warriors are also viable and fun to play but better some which main them to talk a bit about their current status.

[Wolin.3914]

@"Buran.3796" said:Guardian's only drawbacks are that is slow moving (lacking traits or skills to give them permanent +25% or +33% speed movement) and having a low base health pool. The first handicap can be mitigated using things as the traveller or fireworks runes, skills as Judge's Intervention or weapons with close gapers as the sword and greatsword (and once you get access to the expansions, using gliding and mounts). Health pool is noth that important due Guardians have good access to blocks, aegis, blinds and other forms of damage mitigation. The strong point of that class is that has a lot of build variety and usually is "meta" in every game mode. Core Guardian has strong AoE builds based on symbols, both for physical and condition (burning) damage; Dragon Hunters excell in physical burst of damage, thanx to their traps; Firebrands can be tuned to be the strongest support class in the game, a fierce hybrid damage dealers or a nigh unkillable bunkers. There wasn't a single time in GW2 history in which a Guardian built wasn't essential in the WvW meta, and most of the time they are also top choices for PvP and PvE raids.

Mesmers and Warriors are also viable and fun to play but better some which main them to talk a bit about their current status.

Thanks for the insight on Guardian, was the one of the 3 I've played I was enjoying the most.

I was also wondering and wanted to try Necromancer and Engineer, would be nice if someone could give some views about them.

[Moira Shalaar.5620]

@"otto.5684" said:Best option for survivablity either necro or ranger. But if you want a good damage to sustainability ratio, core warrior is probably the best. Power damage with axe/axe. Easy 25 might and fury. Solid sustainability. High HP pool.

If you want flashy, I like core Mesmer. But not great survivability.

I have a core Mesmer build that I find to be really survivable.http://gw2skills.net/editor/?PixAwyFlVw2YdMF2IOySvLNA-zxYYhobrDp5Eq0YENFiUVqnF9MjA-e

tbh, this is simply a modified version of the one posted by WP for Chrono

I used a build similar to this to run through HoT & PoF soloing champs and mobs while unlocking HP's for the Chronomancer and had no problem whatsoever, although that one was all Marauder trinkets/weapons with Cav armor. If you are semi-skilled even that degree of sustain isn't really all that necessary.

[Moira Shalaar.5620]

@"Wolin.3914" said:Hello. Is not my intention to kidnap OP's post but I feel bad making another most to ask mostly the same. I've recently picked the game with both expansion pacs. I'm trying to find a class that suits me. I've been looking around the classes forums and all that but I can't seem to decide for a class, so I would appreciate some help.

The most important thing I'm looking a class to be is "fun", I know this is subjective, so to be more specific I don't care that much about the meta but I would rather want a class that can get me involved enough to explore the world and and all that without getting bored half way in. I'm not against alts and all that but in this games I usually enjoy having a main character I do completion with and spend most of the hours in doing unlocks and stuff like that.

Besides of that I enjoy characters that can commit to multiple roles or switch between different roles, but tbh I'm kinda lacking information on how the whole role system works on the endgame of this game so I can't really tell that when deciding for a class on my own.

So far I've played mesmer, guardian and warrior, up to lvl 25~ for no particular reason just to try them out, so I would love me some help from experienced people. <3

Reaper (Necro Elite Spec) is just FUN. There are quite a few variants you can run, but they are all high survivability with pretty decent damage.

SoulBeast (Ranger Elite Spec) is also super fun. There are different ways to run this depending on whether you want something really survivable or high burst damage or high condition damage over time.

Those are the two classes I spend the most time on, although that Mesmer build I posted earlier is fun enough (to me) that I have been playing more Chronomancer again lately just because.