New player here that bought expansions and got x2 max level boosts - here is what I think.

[Stabzero.5210]

I do not want to bore and prolong the topic here.

Maybe I am not GW2 veteran but MMO veteran for sure.
I've been playing Guild Wars 2 for 3 days, currently lvl 44. Yesterday I took advantage of a promotion and bought 3 expansions. In my head I had only this but after logging in to the gam, ArenaNet started tempting me with an 80 lvl boost - two pieces!

After a brief discussion with veterans, I have decided not to use boosts for the moment and manually level my main.

Rather, I don't need to list to you the reasons strictly related to the game - you know them.

 

From a psychological point of view, however, something that comes easily to us is not appreciated and loses its 'magic'.
I'll admit that a few times I've been tempted to use this on my Thief, which will be my main, but I always thought back to games where when I got something for free, or often for free - I didn't appreciate it and the sense of character development (quintessential MMO) disappeared somewhere  I quickly got burnt out.

 

Of course, boosts are a very cool gesture, but I think it would be better to have the option to use them on a new account only after we have manually leveled at least one character..

Edited December 23, 2022 by Stabzero.5210

[Inculpatus cedo.9234]

Well, it does say 'For advanced players.' 

Most players will give the advice to save it for after one has leveled naturally one or more characters. 

Remember, that expansions are often purchased by veterans, and L80 Boosts were released initially when the game released a new Profession (so Veterans enjoyed leveling that new Profession immediately to max). 

[Doctor Hide.6345]

Well, what Inculpatus said above basically. They are not made for new players at all. They are made for people that have been playing awhile to use to skip ahead on whatever new profession they want to play without the drag of leveling again. So, I would just put them in your bank and forget about them until you have another profession you want to play. I also would not call out a main just yet until you have at least tried them all due to the way elite specs work here. It is hard to tell what a profession actually plays like.

[Inculpatus cedo.9234]

30 minutes ago, Doctor Hide.6345 said:

So, I would just put them in your bank

This is not possible.  L80 Boosts only reside in the Shared Inventory Slot first acquired with said Boost(s). 

Edited December 23, 2022 by Inculpatus cedo.9234

[Doctor Hide.6345]

29 minutes ago, Inculpatus cedo.9234 said:

This is not possible.  L80 Boosts only reside in the Shared Inventory Slot first acquired with said Boost(s). 

 

Oh right. I forgot about that. That was my bad.

[DeanBB.4268]

I find revenant and mesmer to be good candidates for boosting, as they are more fun when you have all 3 trait lines.

Nothing prevents you from returning to the beginning to take the time to figure them out.

[Vayne.8563]

Most games leveling to 80 it hard and slow. Here, particularly now, it's fast and easy, because it doesnt' really represent the rest of the game.  Leveling to max level is a big milestone in most games, but here it really isn't. It's the very first step of the journey. Everything gets much harder when you're 80 and most of the content is level 80.  However, due to downleveling you can still go back and due the content you were up to without missing a beat.

There's not that much to be gained in this game, at this point, from not being level 80.  Sure in the old days, when there was far less content for level 80s, it was logical to slow leveling down, but there's much less of a reason now. In fact, pre level 80 content is for the most part sigificantly different from post level 80 content. Just the addition of elite specs alone can completely change the way you play a class.

Coming from another game, you might think getting to 80 is a big plus, but even just running normally I can get to 80 in a day.  It's a different perspective coming from someone who used to tell people to take their time leveling.

[SinisterSeven.2781]

well, MMO veteran or no, trust me, if a player uses the boost and then gets their can kicked in HoT, they'll understand that lvl 80 is just another word for New Player in the Xpacs lol.

 

they'll wish they stopped to learn more about the game first. 😝

[Infusion.7149]

Due to downscaling in low level zones it is far less an issue than you make it seem.

In addition, you are looking at it from only the point of view of PvE players. If you joined exclusively for WvW you wouldn't say that.

Some elite specs' core classes are rather poor in the core game so that is another reason.

[Fuchslein.8639]

17 hours ago, Stabzero.5210 said:

I do not want to bore and prolong the topic here.

Maybe I am not GW2 veteran but MMO veteran for sure.
I've been playing Guild Wars 2 for 3 days, currently lvl 44. Yesterday I took advantage of a promotion and bought 3 expansions. In my head I had only this but after logging in to the gam, ArenaNet started tempting me with an 80 lvl boost - two pieces!

After a brief discussion with veterans, I have decided not to use boosts for the moment and manually level my main.

Rather, I don't need to list to you the reasons strictly related to the game - you know them.

 

From a psychological point of view, however, something that comes easily to us is not appreciated and loses its 'magic'.
I'll admit that a few times I've been tempted to use this on my Thief, which will be my main, but I always thought back to games where when I got something for free, or often for free - I didn't appreciate it and the sense of character development (quintessential MMO) disappeared somewhere  I quickly got burnt out.

 

Of course, boosts are a very cool gesture, but I think it would be better to have the option to use them on a new account only after we have manually leveled at least one character..

Unpopular Opinion but i Likes the Adition of an 80boost for every Expansion. Because when this was introduced it was for experienced Players to boost for example a new Char for the Rev who was introduced in hot. At least in my memory, If i'm wrong sorry.

Later in the Game you also geht foliants with which you can boost youre Chars Instant. From which i never had much because i don't Play much wvw and PvP but have a Lot of Chars. And i hate lvling. For me personally it's boring. Yeah it's fast, of course but it's repetitive Like alot of other mmo's kill Mobs, do this, Run there, ect. The normal MMO stuff. Most of the stuff you need after lvl 80 you learn after getting lvl 80(or learn never).

And with lvl scaling it didn't Matter on Maps. The only Thing it might matter is the Story but If you kill the stuff in 2min or 1min ... Does this matter? It's easy. Gw2 in General is quite an easy Game PVE-wise.

So when you Like the experience of leveling, do it. When Not use the boost, it's Not free you paid for it.

 

Edited December 24, 2022 by Fuchslein.8639

[SoftFootpaws.9134]

I think its confusing to new players mostly because in many MMOs, getting to the max level is a hard grind, quite the achivement and where the "end game" begins. This game is different because even all of getting to lv80 and completing the Personal Story doesn't get you through 10% of the game, and the end-game doesn't begin until well after you've been max level for a while.

 

Even a few years after you're maxed out you'll still find yourself needing to improve your skill level.

[Blue D Phoenix.7260]

Because of recent addition of character achievements, leveling up is very fast, If you used a boost + food + guild boost along with achievements. So leveling up isn't a big thing to look forward to, it's only a means to unlock what is level locked.

 

But the boost it self is much more than that, for instance I leveled up my new character easily but the problem was gear, there was lack of options to get a good gear at cheap rate. With gold, karma, and map currencies I was able to get most of the required gear for lvl 80. Unfortunately things like rings,trinkets,backpiece is not easy to get, also water gears.

 

 

But with lvl 80 boost you get all gear of lvl80, exotic type with celestial stats (these are normal stats for any profession). Getting these would save you some time and make you atleast put up a fight to getting good gears.

 

I'd say, use boosts on hard professions, or use one on necro/engg (since even the basic gear would make them a good character to use).

[Danikat.8537]

I agree that it's best to save the boost until after you've leveled your first character, because at level 80 the game becomes very open-ended with a lot of options and not much direction. It can be overwhelming if you don't have enough experience to understand your options and know what you want to do.

But other than that I don't think it's a big deal. I like levelling characters and will often choose to do it manually, but unlike some games getting to level 80 isn't a big deal. If you've played Elder Scrolls Online it's like getting to level 50 in that game, it opens up a lot of options and means it's worth taking more time to choose a set of equipment because you won't be replacing it as often, but it doesn't take a lot of time and isn't the end of anything you may have been doing before, just another step in the journey.

Ive got 13 permanent characters (and had a lot of temporary ones) and whether I level them manually or using a boost/Tomes of Knowledge depends largely on what I want to do with them. 

[Vyr.9387]

For how much everybody enjoys throwing shade at the open world - and mainly the core Tyrian one - it is, in a sense, its own game mode.
There's, well, a world to explore and exactly in this game going off-road is almost as rewarding as in real life, with a plethora of secrets, jumping puzzles, "new" events veterans discover after a decade of playing...
Goes both ways, naturally: if You happen to not be into this sort of thing, You won't get forced (much; Legendaries and achievs, mostly) to spend too long there.
I'd say it's well worth enjoying the scenery and its many intricacies, taking your time with Tyria, not because it's necessarily needed, but because there's a lot of art the "optimal" mindset-fueled grind rather quickly rushes you away from.

Now, here are the popularly perpetuated scams:
#1: Gotta learn the game's mechanics!
Core Tyria teaches you literal nothing, demands twice as little, and arguably even instills bad habits and utter ignorance in the face of all the colors GW2 offers, be it mechanical depth, deceptively difficult encounters, or the player's ability to overcome any and every obstacle.
Then a player gets into the Heart of Maguuma and the navigation is too difficult, or victory isn't handed over for logging in, or they trip over the first pack of pocket raptors right into a complaint thread.
And the game is horribly easy, especially if you already have extensive gaming experience, e.g. turning your rig on.
But learning the game through 1-80 might, in truth, be doing more harm than good.

#2: Downscaling means your OP friends won't ruin your newbie experience!
This is complete trash because downscaling only affects stats and level, and even those are subject to a local cap, which everybody - except the literal new players - get put at, growing worse the lower the area's recommended level is.
It also excludes all the unlocked traits, utility skills, runes, sigils, mounts, premium items, bags... pick your poison.
So, if I show up in, say, Caledon, I'll be instantly murdering everything unless I deliberately strip down my character's gear, traits, and even then my Ascended pistol alone would most likely outperform twenty new guys' full level-adequate BiS gear.

And, as a personal bonus meme: the community isn't as nice as their pedestals would lead one to believe.
Keep Your own eyes open.

[elomomolol.8035]

Lvl 80 boost also have one good other use to it depending on the class you use it on.

Besides having a full min maxed build with the exact gear set and sigil boosted characters get access to full celestial gear wich is a set giving out all stats across the board meaning you can try out different specs before deciding to go one route ie healer condi and power builds... Some class like quickness firebrand dont even need to switch to some other gear before hitting organised 10 men content (raids strikes)

This set is also less punishing since you get a good amount of toughness and vitality through it too wich might be needed in random open world metas where people often dont use all their tools to help the group stay alive

[Albadaran.1283]

If I was a new player I would use the boost to make 1 character unlock gliding skills & mounts. Due to the growth of this game since the beginning, you won't have a lot of content you like within a few weeks. e.g. I would find it annoying not to have a flying mount when everyone is flying around me. And that takes a lvl 80 character and a lot of time to spend.

[Sobx.1758]

On 12/23/2022 at 11:21 PM, Inculpatus cedo.9234 said:

This is not possible.  L80 Boosts only reside in the Shared Inventory Slot first acquired with said Boost(s). 

Yeah, I think that's the annoying part about it. The boost takes up the shared slot and taunts the new players to use it even though it says it's for the advanced ones.

Edited December 26, 2022 by Sobx.1758

[Ausar.9542]

On 12/23/2022 at 7:56 PM, SinisterSeven.2781 said:

well, MMO veteran or no, trust me, if a player uses the boost and then gets their can kicked in HoT, they'll understand that lvl 80 is just another word for New Player in the Xpacs lol.

 

they'll wish they stopped to learn more about the game first. 😝

nah because people still get their but kicked even if you leveled in the original game. 

the 1-80 is just a grandfathered MMO concept to the game. Its useless now days since most of your play time will be at level 80, and the game has down leveling as well scaling old content. 

 

OP should just boost and play the story instances to guide them from zone to zone if they want that story telling feeling, since its still there and any character can do it regardless of level.

[Infusion.7149]

I don't see any difference between using a level 80 boost with garbage gear (not the cele gear they give you which is actually decent depending on your class) compared to just leveling honestly. You don't want to learn terrible habits anyway and leveling often does that since the core game is not meant to be difficult. If you play ranger for example you will see so many players letting their pet tank for them ; eles will camp water ; thieves will shoot shortbow of all things.

There is scaling down of level so learning your level 80 traits and skills (especially of an elite spec) is more important overall than the "new player experience". If it wasn't the case then Arenanet would not have sped up leveling that much.

[Vayne.8563]

On 12/25/2022 at 3:18 AM, Vyr.9387 said:

F
#2: Downscaling means your OP friends won't ruin your newbie experience!
This is complete trash because downscaling only affects stats and level, and even those are subject to a local cap, which everybody - except the literal new players - get put at, growing worse the lower the area's recommended level is.
It also excludes all the unlocked traits, utility skills, runes, sigils, mounts, premium items, bags... pick your poison.
So, if I show up in, say, Caledon, I'll be instantly murdering everything unless I deliberately strip down my character's gear, traits, and even then my Ascended pistol alone would most likely outperform twenty new guys' full level-adequate BiS gear.

And, as a personal bonus meme: the community isn't as nice as their pedestals would lead one to believe.
Keep Your own eyes open.

I have to say, I agree with a lot of what you said, but this part I disagree with completely.

That is to say there's a VAST difference between a new player using a level 80 boost like the OP is actually talking about an an experienced player who knows something about the game being leveled and coming back.

 

Having your elite spec completely unlocked is something a new player just using a boost for the first time probably doesn't have. Having a decent build is something most new players using the boost won't have. Help new people all the time and many have used the boost. The armor combinations I've seen, even to people playing for months is ludicrous.  People don't get good enough at the game not to ruin people's experience in low level zones from just using a level 80 boost. 

 

I'm not saying it never happens, so much as this entire thread is about brand new players using a boost on their first character. I don't think those are the guys ruining new players experience.

Then there are guys like me. I'm pretty cognizant of using my skills in low level areas where new players could be around. I don't find hard. I don't use a mechanist. I just get a hit or two and let the new players do the content.

 

But yes, inconsiderate experienced players can ruin new players experience. I just don't get the feeling that's what this thread is about.

[Vyr.9387]

54 minutes ago, Vayne.8563 said:

I have to say, I agree with a lot of what you said, but this part I disagree with completely.

...

But yes, inconsiderate experienced players can ruin new players experience. I just don't get the feeling that's what this thread is about.

Think You might've misunderstood that part.

I wasn't saying the OP will become a nuisance to others by using the boost, but, because it's been - and is being; throughout the entire community - echoed that the downscaling system allows for overleveled players to enjoy low-level content with people of zone-corresponding levels, which is true solely while fighting champions and/or world bosses, simply debunking this common misconception.

And that we most likely agree on, judging by what You said about deliberately staying Your hand when in such low-level zones.

Edited December 25, 2022 by Vyr.9387
Multitasking is a myth, too.

[Vayne.8563]

4 hours ago, Vyr.9387 said:

Think You might've misunderstood that part.

I wasn't saying the OP will become a nuisance to others by using the boost, but, because it's been - and is being; throughout the entire community - echoed that the downscaling system allows for overleveled players to enjoy low-level content with people of zone-corresponding levels, which is true solely while fighting champions and/or world bosses, simply debunking this common misconception.

And that we most likely agree on, judging by what You said about deliberately staying Your hand when in such low-level zones.

I think it's a problem, but I don't think it's a huge problem, except maybe on Dragon Bash days when you have a Hologram Stampede. There are strats to avoid the crowd but new players don't really know them I'd guess.

 

But the rest of the time it helps new players to learn to attack faster. They won't get the same number of hits for sure, but they'll get credit for events, because you don't need a lot of hits in low level areas to get credit for events.   I've leveled some new characters recently to check out the changes. Admittedly, I'm knowledgab le and fast, but I think it won't be as big a problem for most new players as you're trying to indicate. Obviously it'll be a problem for some of them.

[Sobx.1758]

On 12/24/2022 at 5:18 PM, Vyr.9387 said:

#1: Gotta learn the game's mechanics!
Core Tyria teaches you literal nothing, demands twice as little, and arguably even instills bad habits and utter ignorance in the face of all the colors GW2 offers, be it mechanical depth, deceptively difficult encounters, or the player's ability to overcome any and every obstacle.

Doesn't really matter the core tyria difficulty is lower, since the "gotta learn" part in regards of the leveling process is making it easier to gradually learn how the game works -including gradually unlocking the skills- instead of slamming level 80 right away so then the new players aren't sure which concept they tried out, which they've missed while at the same time having to read all skills/traits descriptions at once to then even remotely sensibly pick what and why they want to use. There's a difference between learning the game in guided steps and just getting everything thrown at you at the same time, which is speceifically what can be overwhelming to the new players.

So it's not about somehow becoming some kind of a hardcore pro or w/e just because you've decided to level up and gradually learn the game, it's about not being overwhelmed with information which impacts the process of learning and understanding the game.

Edited December 26, 2022 by Sobx.1758

[Vyr.9387]

13 hours ago, Vayne.8563 said:

...it won't be as big a problem for most new players as you're trying to indicate...

Third time's the charm, as the saying goes:
I am not saying it's some game-breaking issue.
I'm saying the sentiment "your Ascended friends will just downscale and you can all play the same content together" has a very small impact because the game's much more complex than simply character stats, which I wanted to point out due to the vast majority of people pointing at it as if it made some difference outside of longer fights.

It's like saying Apple products are overpriced: doesn't mean to imply they're bad, but you are paying extra just to have somebody else bite off the fruit of your labor.

 

 

13 hours ago, Vayne.8563 said:

But the rest of the time it helps new players to learn to attack faster. They won't get the same number of hits for sure, but they'll get credit for events, because you don't need a lot of hits in low level areas to get credit for events.   I've leveled some new characters recently to check out the changes.

It certainly puts up a challenge, but the difficulty is so bananas - especially during the first few levels before the player's got all of their skills unlocked - that it's much more frustrating to play with overleveled people.

Take, for instance, the amount of complaints from newbies when Queensdale events are one of the dailies. Suddenly there's a horde of flashing, flaming, flying big tops, rainbow spitting neon disco balls, and a mobile Jade Sea for good measure camping not just your events, scaling them up to oblivion, but already the spawn points of mobs as well, leaving the new guys and gals wondering "That was a weirdly peaceful escort quest."
It's obviously the perfect storm because Queensdale is both a starting zone and of the most played race, but it illustrates the point - takes exactly one veteran friend to cause you to level up purely via exploration.

 

 

6 hours ago, Sobx.1758 said:

Doesn't really matter the core tyria difficulty is lower, since the "gotta learn" part in regards of the leveling process is making it easier to gradually learn how the game works -including gradually unlocking the skills- instead of slamming level 80 right away so then the new players aren't sure which concept they tried out, which they've missed while at the same time having to read all skills/traits descriptions at once to then even remotely sensibly pick what and why they want to use. There's a difference between learning the game in guided steps and just getting everything thrown at you at the same time, which is speceifically what can be overwhelming to the new players.

So it's not about somehow becoming some kind of a hardcore pro or w/e just because you've decided to level up and gradually learn the game, it's about not being overwhelmed with information which impacts the process of learning and understanding the game.

Yes, the mechanics not being thrown into the player's face all at once is mostly preferable - although there certainly are people who like having all of the cards on the table, but then the Wiki exists - when it comes to processing information.

Problem with core Tyria's lack of challenge is that said knowledge has nowhere to be used, staying for a long time in the realms of pure theory.
And then OPE, THERE GOES GRAVITY with HoT's SNAP BACK TO REALITY, and it shows simply through virtually no long-time player ever claiming Maguuma's Heart is difficult, save for the HPs. It's almost always the whiplash from the core-to-HoT transition, since during the 1-80 tutorial there's no reason to utilize anything your character can do other than (pet) auto-attacks.

It's like learning any other (physical) skill solely through books: you can spend your whole life reading about backflips and still end up breaking your neck on the first try.

Edited December 26, 2022 by Vyr.9387
An avid fan of contractions.

[Strixxe.2019]

if it was WoW people would complain that it costs 50 or 60 bucks to level boost 😄 Atleast Anet gives  it as freebie so you could go straight to expansions.