Returning player and hopelessly lost

[UnholyZealot.1062]

As the title states I'm coming back to the game after a very long time away, early HoT irrc. When looking at different YouTube videos and exploring the game it seems so much has changed. I know I need to get the xpacs and will probably buy the living world package. But I'm just lost at what to do and where to go. Is it best to role a new toon and re experience the game or just pick up where I left off with my old main (ranger 80)?

[RavensSorrow.6128]

Welcome back. What is it you like to do? Do you want to tackle group content? Then try fractals. Exploration? Do map complete, 100% or core world gives materials used in Legendary Crafting. Very much worth doing. There is even a new daily system that rewards Astral Acclaim (aka Wizard coins) that can be used to purchase Ascended items, crafting materials, gold and more. I know some is locked behind having the newest expansion (SoTO) but you should still have something to work towards in these tabs.

If you do reroll a new character, leveling has also been made easier. There is a new set of achievements called the Adventure guide. These are character specific achievements that only reward experience. Following these will help you level quickly. They start simple in volume 1 with things like Dodge an attack or complete a heart. Just follow along and you'll be 80 again in no time! I find having multiple Alts, especially in GW2, very satisfying. Easy to switch roles or change up my playstyle to keep the game feeling fresh while doing the same activities. 

When I came back to the game, I stuck to my main (also ranger) and pushed the story forward (PoF just came out). It really wasn't until after that I branched out and made alts. Realistically it doesn't matter where you go, what you do. Anything you do progresses your account. There really is no "right" answer. Just play, have fun, and you'll be building materials, currencies, skins, etc. that you can use to keep moving your account forward. I know this isn't the most satisfying answer. However, it is both a strength and a weakness of this game that you can do whatever you want to progress.

I also used guides when I came back. The ones I found most useful where from Mukluklabs. I liked his humor, and his guides were easy to understand. Both his "Stronger Star" guides and "I'm 80 Now what" gave me helpful info and direction on where I wanted to go.  Hope you have fun! You can also message/mail me in game or post here again if you have more specific questions.

TLDR: Find your fun as everything you do improves your account, don't rush, do dailies, and Mukluk can save you! 😄

[UnholyZealot.1062]

Thank you for your in depth reply! 

I think I need to figure out what I want to do, I did roll up a new Rev this morning. I have one of every class, I am an altaholic lol. 

I have recently found Mukluk and his videos are great, I'm going to continue to watch his videos and enjoy the story until I figure out what I want to focus on.

[Danikat.8537]

I think starting a new character is a good first step. That's what I always do when I come back to a game I haven't played in ages. You don't have to abandon your existing characters (definitely don't delete them!) but starting from the begining makes it much easier to refamiliarise yourself with the basics (and in this case learn what's changed), which then makes it easier to pick up where you left off when you're ready.

Other than that I recommend starting with whatever made you want to come back, what you imagined yourself doing when you thought about playing GW2 again. Even though a lot has changed your old characters will still be playable (you might want to adjust builds, but it'd be impressive if you have something genuinely unusable) and the game is still very open-ended so you can focus on what interests you without having to clear a bunch of stuff first for the game to allow you to do it.

[Pirogen.9561]

1. Do some map completition to re-train your self. To remember how to move, fight, and so on

2. Mounts. Get them. All of them. You want them like yesterday. Where to start? Do Path of Fire main storyline maybe.

3. Heart of Torns expansion? Unlock gliding, and then go away. Return to HoT when you have "wings". Skyscale and Griphon.

So: a bit of map completition to remember basic things, then do expansion with lots of mounts.