Is GW2 Alt Friendly?

[RipPaw.5129]

Hi 

I have recently come across an article describing GW2 as a alt friendly game. The article had some good points but overall mentioned friendliness had nothing to do with alt characters. So I have decided to create this post and find out what the community thinks of this topic. Is GW2 alt friendly or not? 

 

In my opinion, it is not. 

I love the story modes per character but eventually it all leads to the same story. Discovering world for the first time is awesome and adventurous but doing the same for all the characters is tedious and frustrating. I personally have 3 lvl 80s (boosted due to preorder over the years with one main char that I actually leveled) but only play one because I do not wish to repeat the content I have already completed. 

What do you all think can be improved when it comes to secondary characters?

[Danikat.8537]

'Alt friendly' in MMOs generally means how practical it is to play multiple characters, not what there is to do on them. It's more of a 'can you' than a 'would you want to' question.

Edit: In that sense I'd say GW2 is very alt friendly because a lot of things are account-wide instead of restricted to one character, or not restricted at all. For example you don't have to repeat the story to get into new maps, you can use a teleport scroll or a teleport to friend (or in a lot of cases just run there). If you do want to play the story to unlock things you don't have to do all of it, you can simply skip to the part you're interested in.

For some people the fact that you don't need to repeat the story on every character and there's little incentive for doing so may even be a bonus, because it means they can skip an entire 'game mode' and focus on the ones they want to do on that character. (I have a character who has spent over 100 hours in WvW and I think he's just started the level 20 story.) Although I do also like doing the story on different characters for the little ways it's different. There are points where characters get more or different dialogue based on their race, profession and other choices and even 1 HoT achievement which can only be done with a sylvari in your party.

Edited July 11, 2022 by Danikat.8537

[costepj.5120]

I have 14 characters that each have done full world exploration and core story. They have all gone on to do different parts of the living story. I can now switch between them to play different classes and elites as the mood takes me. I have also levelled many a keyrunner in the past; some of those also did map completion before I deleted them. I haven't bothered since the last expansion dropped - too many other things to do - but I daresay I'll get back to it.
The only part of the game where I really have a main is in fractals, as I've only kitted out one charater with max AR.
I know guildies who have maxed out their character slots, but personally I'm not sure I could keep track of 60+ characters!
So yes, I think the game is alt friendly 🙂

[RipPaw.5129]

7 minutes ago, Danikat.8537 said:

'Alt friendly' in MMOs generally means how practical it is to play multiple characters, not what there is to do on them. It's more of a 'can you' than a 'would you want to' question.

Edit: posted too soon. More to come.

If I understood you correctly then GW2 alts are not practical. I want to play all the characters but gear that can be worn by most is soul bound to the character that wears it. Starting a new one means you have to farm or purchase a new set with same stats. So my guardian is my main. I am still new so I have not completed everything which is fine. I wanted to play a warrior so I made one. I also had an old sets of gear from guardian that are currently used on warriors. Why aren't they account bound? It isn't practical for me to start a new character and re-gear it if I already have a set he/she can use. Maybe I misunderstood you though, not sure. This is only one example that is bothersome to me when it comes to alts. 

[Inculpatus cedo.9234]

It is very alt-friendly, as there is so, so much that is account-wide.  For instance, Mounts; complete each Mount Mastery, and it is good for all, including L2 characters.  Wardrobe, Trading Post, Material Storage, Dyes, etc., etc. 

[Inculpatus cedo.9234]

1 minute ago, RipPaw.5129 said:

If I understood you correctly then GW2 alts are not practical. I want to play all the characters but gear that can be worn by most is soul bound to the character that wears it. Starting a new one means you have to farm or purchase a new set with same stats. So my guardian is my main. I am still new so I have not completed everything which is fine. I wanted to play a warrior so I made one. I also had an old sets of gear from guardian that are currently used on warriors. Why aren't they account bound? It isn't practical for me to start a new character and re-gear it if I already have a set he/she can use. Maybe I misunderstood you though, not sure. This is only one example that is bothersome to me when it comes to alts. 

There is plenty of account-bound gear, as well.  Especially once one gets into the higher tiers. 

[RipPaw.5129]

2 minutes ago, Inculpatus cedo.9234 said:

There is plenty of account-bound gear, as well.  Especially once one gets into the higher tiers. 

Yes, maybe I am too new and have not discovered it yet. Thank you for the information.

[yoni.7015]

GW2 is very alt friendly. Achievements are account wide, so are mounts and the better gear. 

Edited July 11, 2022 by yoni.7015

[Kaliwenda.3428]

I think it is.  I have alts for crafting and extra storage, and to park in gathering spots for daily harvesting.

This is in addition to all the various classes I have.  I have lots of ascended gear and weapons that I can swap between them as needed.  I got the ascended gear mostly via my crafting alts, sometimes as drops or from achievements. 

When you know which dailies are coming up (on the wiki) you can park alts near to where they need to be for bosses or jumping puzzles to save time.  Account-wide mounts and achievements are great too.

I don't feel that any of my alt slots are wasted.

Edited July 11, 2022 by Kaliwenda.3428

[Tinker.6924]

GW2 shares many, many things across all characters on your account (not even the full list)

1. Your currencies (gold, etc...)
2. Your bank
3. Crafting materials storage
4. Crafting recipes (learn once and all know)
5. Masteries
6. Even shared bag space
7. Build Storage is shared

What one character has, all your characters have.  That's what really defines alt-friendly. 

 

In most other MMO's I've played most if not all of that is character-specific, which means that what you earn on 1 character is not shared with any other characters. If you play an alt, you have to re-earn so much to make it approach what your main has.

Edited July 11, 2022 by EmmetOtter.8542

[Vision.7265]

As an altaholic, I understand op's thoughts on repeating content. The game itself is ALT friendly where you can make tons of characters on a single account and share items and skins with all toons provided they are the same weight class. But as for any reward or shortcuts for people with alts on a single account, there are none other than doing it all again. My problem is repeating the story and how it can be time consuming. There are gemstore items that shortcut way points which to me is meaningless because I have a ton of mounts. With story, you have to sit through most of the dialogue which you may already know by heart if you have done it enough times over. 

Some may play for story. Some play for the world. There are no shortcuts for story. For the world, you have mounts and way point unlocks.

[Dayra.7405]

Why do you need to play story more than once, if you don't like?

All LS-Map offer teleport scrolls for magic and a bit gold, buy it with the char that did the story and all other can travel there. HoT you can walk or use a HoT-Guild Hall, PoF & EoD play 1st episode or use PoF/EoD-guild hall or tele to friend or reach Arborstone in EoD with one char, then you have a scroll and master arborstone and you have a portal LS-Arborstone.

Edited July 11, 2022 by Dayra.7405

[Gajex.2386]

Story - Yes

Different personal stories based on choices made during character creation and during gameplay. Only later after level 30(?) everyone gets funneled through the same story.

Accessibility - Yes

Bags, equipment, gold, bank storage, material storage, mounts, masteries, home instance nodes... All are either completely or to some degree available account-wide.

QoL - Mostly yes, but also no

Again, what you have unlocked with one character, your twink has access to as well. On the flipside, slots for bags are character-bound. I can't think of more examples though, honestly.

[Freya.9075]

Most things are account bound in this game. Even outfits and skins. When I first started gw2 I was amazed that when I bought an outfit or got a skin I could use them on all characters. Only that was mind blowing to me coming from tera (rip) most things you get that is character bound is from personal story. Which you really don’t have to do on your alts at all. I have not played any game as alt friendly as this one. 
 

However you have to get bag expansions if you want to have space for all the loot this game throws at you since those are character bound as well, but you can manage just fine with 20 slot bags and never buy them. 

[Gibson.4036]

45 minutes ago, RipPaw.5129 said:

If I understood you correctly then GW2 alts are not practical. I want to play all the characters but gear that can be worn by most is soul bound to the character that wears it. Starting a new one means you have to farm or purchase a new set with same stats. So my guardian is my main. I am still new so I have not completed everything which is fine. I wanted to play a warrior so I made one. I also had an old sets of gear from guardian that are currently used on warriors. Why aren't they account bound? It isn't practical for me to start a new character and re-gear it if I already have a set he/she can use. Maybe I misunderstood you though, not sure. This is only one example that is bothersome to me when it comes to alts. 

Maybe depends on how frequently you’re making alts?

After playing level 80 content for a while Ive found I’ve amassed enough stuff to completely gear a character really easily. I’ve got a bunch of exotic armor boxes from PvP, zone currencies for trinkets, mats for crafting exotic or ascended weapons and armor, currency for VB bladed armor. 
 

I’d have to make alts pretty frequently to deplete it faster than I accumulate it on the characters I have.

Of course, once you start making legendaries it gets even more alt friendly. Personally I’ve just started getting them. Have the amulet and one accessory. Backpack and a piece of armor are in reach.

So I guess the game gets more alt friendly the longer you’re around?

[Dayra.7405]

26 minutes ago, Gibson.4036 said:

After playing level 80 content for a while Ive found I’ve amassed enough stuff to completely gear a character really easily.

Don't forget the legendary armory, once you have legendaries, all your alts can wear their own copies of them for nothing.

Edited July 11, 2022 by Dayra.7405

[RipPaw.5129]

18 minutes ago, Dayra.7405 said:

Don't forget the legendary armory, once you have legendaries, all your alts can wear their own copies of them for nothing.

Was not aware of this at all.

[Zera.9435]

Yes, it is alt friendly.

[robertthebard.8150]

1 hour ago, RipPaw.5129 said:

If I understood you correctly then GW2 alts are not practical. I want to play all the characters but gear that can be worn by most is soul bound to the character that wears it. Starting a new one means you have to farm or purchase a new set with same stats. So my guardian is my main. I am still new so I have not completed everything which is fine. I wanted to play a warrior so I made one. I also had an old sets of gear from guardian that are currently used on warriors. Why aren't they account bound? It isn't practical for me to start a new character and re-gear it if I already have a set he/she can use. Maybe I misunderstood you though, not sure. This is only one example that is bothersome to me when it comes to alts. 

So, I, after a year or so, decided I'd go for the Raptor.  Meaning, I had the content available, I just didn't think I needed the mount, so I didn't bother to get it.  Once I did, every character on my account, and every character I ever create will have access to that mount, w/out having to repeat the content to get it.  Fussing over some cheap armor sets is all well and good, but just the mount system means that this game is very alt friendly.  All earned gold is automatically account wide, as are all of the other wallet currencies.  One character earns them, all alts can spend them.

What this means is, if I ever decide to unlock the Griffon, I only have to do it once.  After that, all of my alts will have it too.  They will also have access to any skills I unlock for those mounts, unless there are some that are level gated, I haven't unlocked all the mounts, or all the skills, so I don't really know, but even if there are some, I don't have to repeat the content that unlocked that skill, unless I want to.  That's the very definition of alt friendly.

[Vavume.8065]

 

2 hours ago, RipPaw.5129 said:

Is GW2 Alt Friendly?

In terms of jade bots = no 

In terms of bag slots = no

Edited July 11, 2022 by Vavume.8065

[Randulf.7614]

More so than any other mmo I’ve played due to so many account wide unlocks. I think most people would have a complete meltdown doing the skyscale on every character…

[Silent.6137]

33 minutes ago, RipPaw.5129 said:

Was not aware of this at all.

With Legendary armory, you'll only need 1 set of trinkets to equip all your alts. As for weapons and armors, any alts that can equip them, will be able to. And they can all be customized to suit the individual alts.

Most starter armors and weapons (exotics and below) are soulbound. You won't be using any of them for very long, and are relatively cheap to acquire. All ascended items are account bound although it'll require that you craft them yourself, or get them from drops.

[Gajex.2386]

27 minutes ago, Vavume.8065 said:

 

In terms of jade bots = no 

In terms of bag slots = no

Completely forgot about jade bots, but good point.

[Ragnarox.9601]

90% alt friendly 10% not so much (story, map exploration)

[Cuks.8241]

Once you will explore the game, play at 80 for a while, youll have enough resources to make a new geared lvl 80 character in minutes. All the best gear in the game is account bound (ascended and legendary) and character bound exotics go for a price of 2 peanuts.