Returning player with no expansion packs... Is the base game alone worth my resources?

[Proximus.5489]

Hello everyone,I left the game since before the HOT expansion pack, and I've been testing the waters with returning back to this game every now and then. Yet every time I do, I just get so stumbled and pressured to invest money into the expansion packs when I haven't found myself getting attached to this game enough to spend $50? given all the new classes and talents upgrades for the current classes, and that most metas are built around these classes, it's easy for players like me to feel pressured into doing something I'm weary of.

I am not a lore person, so I really couldn't care for any of the story line in the HOT or POF, I just want some cool mounts, gears, skills and abilities, and a fair chances to go around and flex what I got like the rest of these "level 262's". I understand that the guilds are one of the factors of fun when it comes to MMOs, and the lack of friends and guild probably one of the reason why I can't get hooked into this game. But I'm not sweating there, I know I can slide into some DMs and get into all that, but I just want to focus on being able to doing WvW, Dungeons, and mostly PvP.So, Is the base game worth my time , or do I need the expansion packs? This applies for all, but If I do invest my time into the game, then I'll eventually upgrade.

Thanks guys

[derd.6413]

while anet seem to be making an effort of reigning in the effectiveness of elite specs the core classes are still viable in fractals and spvp (don't do much wvw so don't ask me). masteries (the lvl 262 ppl) are upgrades like mounts and gliding instead of actual stats increases like with leveling. new maps require xpacs. (no new dungeons only fractals)

[kurfu.5623]

"...I just want some cool mounts..."

You must purchase the PoF expansion in order to get mounts.

[ReaverKane.7598]

After making the base game F2P (i know that's not likely your case) that part of the game is geared towards being mostly a Demo of the game. That's not to be said that it's still roughly half the game's content there:

• You have access to more than half of the current playable maps (28 out of 45).
• You have access to the full range of PvP and WvW maps.
• You can access all the Activities, and most of the "current events".
• You can unlock and play Season 2 episodes.
• You can play Fractals and Dungeons.
• You can get Ascended Gear and more than half the legendary weapons. As well as Legendary PvP and WvW Armor (i think).
• Guild Halls.

But you can't access the following:

• Elite Specializations, which means your builds will almost always be sub-par to people with Elites, which seriously affects your performance in PvP, WvW and Fractals.
• Expansion maps and enemies (which are also some of the best PvE content)
• Living Story 3 and Onward, this includes several maps which are released with each episode.
• Expansion specific stats, which in some cases are the best in slot.
• Raids, which are the most hardcore content, and the only way to obtain the transforming Legendary Armor.
• Gen2 and onward Legendary weapons.
• Mounts, Gliders and other perks from Masteries
• Progression post lvl 80 (the 262 isn't character lvl but Mastery level).
• Most of the guild functions (which is BS, they replaced a lot of stuff that existed pre-HoT with expansion exclusive stuff, ie guild buffs)

TLDR: There's at least a year or two of game in the core pack (i mean that's what we had pre-HoT, discounting Season 1), but for end-game stuff, you'll frequently end up feeling weaker than people with expansions, simply due to Elite Specializations. (Arena Net's poor balance doesn't help to that).

[Rhyse.8179]

HOT has some really fun content (assuming you don't mind challenging pve), and there are still plenty of people running it, although be warned, you'll have to grind masteries to get access to the best of it. But you only have to do that once and then it's a blast.

POF is basically just Core Tyria but with better cutscenes and lots of power creep. And mounts, which tbh I don't care for because they trivialize map exploration on maps that weren't designed with them in mind (aka, all of them that aren't POF).

Just so you know, Dungeons are not a thing anymore, they havn't had devs working on them since before LS1. The old ones still exist but are basically worthless. They've been replaced as group content by Fractals and Raids, and replaced as story content by Meta Events and Living Story maps. Raids require the expacs.

[Proximus.5489]

@derd.6413 said:while anet seem to be making an effort of reigning in the effectiveness of elite specs the core classes are still viable in fractals and spvp (don't do much wvw so don't ask me). masteries (the lvl 262 ppl) are upgrades like mounts and gliding instead of actual stats increases like with leveling. new maps require xpacs. (no new dungeons only fractals)

@"ReaverKane.7598" said:After making the base game F2P (i know that's not likely your case) that part of the game is geared towards being mostly a Demo of the game. That's not to be said that it's still roughly half the game's content there:

• You have access to more than half of the current playable maps (28 out of 45).
• You have access to the full range of PvP and WvW maps.
• You can access all the Activities, and most of the "current events".
• You can unlock and play Season 2 episodes.
• You can play Fractals and Dungeons.
• You can get Ascended Gear and more than half the legendary weapons. As well as Legendary PvP and WvW Armor (i think).
• Guild Halls.

But you can't access the following:

• Elite Specializations, which means your builds will almost always be sub-par to people with Elites, which seriously affects your performance in PvP, WvW and Fractals.
• Expansion maps and enemies (which are also some of the best PvE content)
• Living Story 3 and Onward, this includes several maps which are released with each episode.
• Expansion specific stats, which in some cases are the best in slot.
• Raids, which are the most hardcore content, and the only way to obtain the transforming Legendary Armor.
• Gen2 and onward Legendary weapons.
• Mounts, Gliders and other perks from Masteries
• Progression post lvl 80 (the 262 isn't character lvl but Mastery level).
• Most of the guild functions (which is BS, they replaced a lot of stuff that existed pre-HoT with expansion exclusive stuff, ie guild buffs)

TLDR: There's at least a year or two of game in the core pack (i mean that's what we had pre-HoT, discounting Season 1), but for end-game stuff, you'll frequently end up feeling weaker than people with expansions, simply due to Elite Specializations. (Arena Net's poor balance doesn't help to that).

Definitely appreciate the insights, these new informations will heavily influence my actual decision to purchase the expansion pack in summer ( If I do). Would you know if the deal of two expansion packs for $50 be a permanent thing until future expansion packs? Since i have multiple level 80s, would I instant get access to these new traits when i purchase the expansion packs, or is there something more to it?

@Rhyse.8179 said:HOT has some really fun content (assuming you don't mind challenging pve), and there are still plenty of people running it, although be warned, you'll have to grind masteries to get access to the best of it. But you only have to do that once and then it's a blast.

POF is basically just Core Tyria but with better cutscenes and lots of power creep. And mounts, which tbh I don't care for because they trivialize map exploration on maps that weren't designed with them in mind (aka, all of them that aren't POF).

Just so you know, Dungeons are not a thing anymore, they havn't had devs working on them since before LS1. The old ones still exist but are basically worthless. They've been replaced as group content by Fractals and Raids, and replaced as story content by Meta Events and Living Story maps. Raids require the expacs.

Honestly, I'm just a sucker for mounts, and ease of navigation across maps. I always fell in love with WoW and their mount system, but that game can not catch my interest in the least bit. the PVE aspect you mention though, I'm sold on that.

Thanks

[Arioch.4810]

I played the game on free account on and off for some six months; Once I got invested in the game and made some friends, joined guild- upgrading to full account was a no brainer, game is really cheap for the amount of content you get to experience.

Getting to lvl 80 and experiencing this wondefull game on F2P account is an ok experience, but in hindsight - if you are already investing your time in playing, putting some money into it from the get-go probably helps with the quality of experience in the long run.

[mindcircus.1506]

@"Proximus.5489" said:Hello everyone,I left the game since before the HOT expansion pack, and I've been testing the waters with returning back to this game every now and then. Yet every time I do, I just get so stumbled and pressured to invest money into the expansion packs when I haven't found myself getting attached to this game enough to spend $50? given all the new classes and talents upgrades for the current classes, and that most metas are built around these classes, it's easy for players like me to feel pressured into doing something I'm weary of.

I am not a lore person, so I really couldn't care for any of the story line in the HOT or POF, I just want some cool mounts, gears, skills and abilities, and a fair chances to go around and flex what I got like the rest of these "level 262's". I understand that the guilds are one of the factors of fun when it comes to MMOs, and the lack of friends and guild probably one of the reason why I can't get hooked into this game. But I'm not sweating there, I know I can slide into some DMs and get into all that, but I just want to focus on being able to doing WvW, Dungeons, and mostly PvP.So, Is the base game worth my time , or do I need the expansion packs? This applies for all, but If I do invest my time into the game, then I'll eventually upgrade.

Thanks guys

If 30 bucks for a ton of content, 9 new subclasses, features such as mounts, access to living world episodes (the list goes on) creates some kind of "pressure" to you, this might not be the game for you.No game comes close to GW2 in terms of the value you get from expansions.

[Fallesafe.5932]

You're totally wasting your time in this game without the two expansions. You'll be sidelined again and again. You'll be: 1) good at nothing, 2) competitive nowhere, and 3) not even able to travel from point a to point b with groups of other players (without gliding and mounts).

Unless you just love heart quests and role-playing, get the expansions.

[Proximus.5489]

@mindcircus.1506 said:

@"Proximus.5489" said:Hello everyone,I left the game since before the HOT expansion pack, and I've been testing the waters with returning back to this game every now and then. Yet every time I do, I just get so stumbled and pressured to invest money into the expansion packs when I haven't found myself getting attached to this game enough to spend $50? given all the new classes and talents upgrades for the current classes, and that most metas are built around these classes, it's easy for players like me to feel pressured into doing something I'm weary of.

I am not a lore person, so I really couldn't care for any of the story line in the HOT or POF, I just want some cool mounts, gears, skills and abilities, and a fair chances to go around and flex what I got like the rest of these "level 262's". I understand that the guilds are one of the factors of fun when it comes to MMOs, and the lack of friends and guild probably one of the reason why I can't get hooked into this game. But I'm not sweating there, I know I can slide into some DMs and get into all that, but I just want to focus on being able to doing WvW, Dungeons, and mostly PvP.So, Is the base game worth my time , or do I need the expansion packs? This applies for all, but If I do invest my time into the game, then I'll eventually upgrade.

Thanks guys

If 30 bucks for a ton of content, 9 new subclasses, features such as mounts, access to living world episodes (the list goes on) creates some kind of "pressure" to you, this might not be the game for you.No game comes close to GW2 in terms of the value you get from expansions.

I got $1 to my bank account, and what money I'll get in the upcoming months could be saved to go out with friends, or spend on other goods. $50 is not nothing, but I agree, it is a fair price for 2 expansion packs. IDK, I guess i'm just hella frugal.

@Fallesafe.5932 said:You're totally wasting your time in this game without the two expansions. You'll be sidelined again and again. You'll be: 1) good at nothing, 2) competitive nowhere, and 3) not even able to travel from point a to point b with groups of other players (without gliding and mounts).

Unless you just love heart quests and role-playing, get the expansions.

@Arioch.4810 said:I played the game on free account on and off for some six months; Once I got invested in the game and made some friends, joined guild- upgrading to full account was a no brainer, game is really cheap for the amount of content you get to experience.

Getting to lvl 80 and experiencing this wondefull game on F2P account is an ok experience, but in hindsight - if you are already investing your time in playing, putting some money into it from the get-go probably helps with the quality of experience in the long run.

while other comments were very helpful, this is the kind of things I was hoping to see. Honestly, that's where I'm standing; people are way out of my league, and the only thing I can really do is map completion and some world events.. which really freaking blows after a couple hours.

[Shirlias.8104]

What you want needs you to purchase both expansions.

[joneirikb.7506]

It depends on what you want out of the game tbh.

• Mounts = expansion, yes. Personally ok with them, they speed things up, but outside of POF maps I could just as well have a speedboost. Also note that you can't get any alternative skins to mounts in-game, so if you're the type that want multiple different mount skins and color them, gem store only. Basic skin got 1 dye channel.

• Gears = HoT has a few very good stat combinations, but unless you're very focused on BIS, then you can manage with mixing core stats. (Runes is probably a bigger loss)

• Skills/Abilities = Elite Specializations, requires expansions. On the whole, power-creep. But several classes have viable core builds for different game modes. Example Guardian has a viable core build for PvP, and can also do a decent core wvw-zerg build (even if firebrand tops it).

• "Level 262" = Mastery level, just shows the amount of mastery points you've used. Example 1 for the first Gliding mastery. Looks pretty, doesn't do anything besides that. People still look more to skins and titles for "prestige" than mastery level. (Which is still silly).

• Guilds/Friends = These makes the game so much more fun, I always end up getting bored of the game when guilds/friends does other things than play with me.

• WvW = You should look up what classes you run, and see what kind of builds they can pull with core vs elite/spez. Also what stat sets and runes etc you want. The build defines everything in this case. Also decide on what kind of playstyle you plan for in WvW, roaming and zerging requires very different builds.

• Dungeons = Well Fractals I guess. Not too familiar with these, but anything should work in lower fractals (and dungeons), you'd have to look up guides for builds for the higher fractals though.

• PvP = Again decide on what class/classes you want to play, and look up builds for them (metabattle is a good start for basic builds, learn from it and adapt and modify to own needs). Some classes will need their elite-spez, others have workable core builds.

If you want to play WvW and PvP for example, and want to main a Guardian, you could manage well enough without expansions. You wouldn't be able to run the "optimal" builds, but good enough that you'll stand a chance against most things. It does require you to do a bit more research though.

Also mounts doesn't work in WvW, and not in any PvP matches. So of pretty limited use in those areas. A bigger hit there, is that you need HoT to be able to use the "war gliding" WXP upgrade in WvW (iirc).

[Linken.6345]

You have to earn mastery points and exp to use said points

[Ashen.2907]

@Proximus.5489 said:that's where I'm standing; people are way out of my league,

To be fair, some portion of other people being out of your league is going to rest with recent experience of the game, not just elite specs and the like. I have seen core professions played very effectively by skilled, practiced, and experienced players. You may just be a bit rusty.

[Lexi.1398]

IMO, if you can't get hooked into the base game then it's not worth spending money on it, as you may easily lose interest and that 50 dollars goes to waste. I'm personally of the view that if a game can't prove it's worth the money while im playing for free then i'll never be happy spending money on it.

Personally, it's the best money i've ever spent, but im obsessed and i love this game - have done since day 1 of my time here - so i'll never be able to say i wasted my money. It's a lot of money to risk on content that may not be interesting to you.

As much as the expansion packs add content and such, whether you find the game better is hit and miss. There are people who got frustrated with HoT maps and regret spending money it. There are people who have basically never touched PoF once they got all mounts and did all stories once. That said, if you enjoy pvp/wvw/end game pve (fractals) then you'll ideally want the elite specs, BUT if you can't find yourself attached to the game anyway, i wouldn't say it's worth it just to get a meta fractal build when most people will accept you with core so long as it's effective/viable.

tl;dr if you don't find the base game worth it then you won't find the ex packs worth it.

[MattDu.7123]

post removed

[Zedek.8932]

Excelsior, (Asuran for "hello")It's overall difficult to say whether a game or expansions are worth for you because you really have to experience it yourself. The game is shifting back and forth and adding new options which might change your view on the game as well. When I started in 2015, I loved the Engineer profession. With HoT, it sucked for me, because in HoT, there are certain enemies blocking projectiles, and the game forced me to use Scrapper, the HoT elite specialization for the Engineer, turning it into a "hammer" wielding character. Which I never intended to play when I bought the game..I ditched my Engineer and created a Thief, that profession fits me even more and I had a blast. Same problem: The thief's elite specialization is the Daredevil that is more like some caffeine-driven close-combat person (even though I enjoyed punching my enemies in the crotch due to my size) wielding a broomstick. So what's worth all the nifty stuff like gliding when the professions are being turned into a personally unpleasent mess? HoT maps are confusing (heavilly multi-layered) and challenging (5 Elite enemies at once? Good luck trying to jump up a tree you gotta get up in order to advance) and prevent my class from being properly played (narrow walkways, bridges, ridges,...); playing a thief or daredevil would often cause me to drop off a cliff because of their fast and acrobatic gameplay.

Then suddenly PoF came, and oh my god, do I L O V E the Deadeye profession. During HoT, the game turned more and more into a "I'd like to play it, but I don't feel like" thing while other players just kept enjoying it. But PoF with the Springer mount, my beloved profession and overall more enjoyable, because flat and bright map design of a desert ignited my love to GW2 like a whole bottle of charcoal lighter thrown into a BBQ grill.

Just by standing there at a point where you probably have seen 5 or 10% of the game and then asking is a valid point, but opinions differ and might turn your experience into a hit-or-miss situation. Certain patches or maybe even re-works can also tint your view on the game a lot.

[Chyanne Waters.8719]

If you do not get the entire game with both expansions you will be missing a lot of content. you can either get them both for about $50 but If you get the ultimate you get both for $100 with everything offered and $50 in gems an extra character slot a level 80 boost and other nice things. something to think about. The cool thing about GW2 expansions is they are not linear you can start one or the other or even both at the same time. (ok ok near the same time lol u cant do them at once). HoT is harder than Pof by design so its more challenging its the start of the mastery system also so lots to do PoF is more lore about GW nightfall still strong enemies though. and fewer waypoints due to mounts. no gliding unless u get it from HoT and no mounts unless u get them from PoF the beauty is they work in both areas.

[Brother.1504]

I was you 6 months ago. Quit just before HoT launched doing the dry top silver wastes trains.

My advice. Buy the expansions. Run the story mode PoF first mission to unlock raptor account wide. Then go back and run the content in order. I don’t know how people survived the jungle without mounts. I even bought the living story episodes to follow the timeline and was surprised to get a bunch of new maps all with their own special currencies.

Took me about a month taking my time and enjoying the great place 2018 gw2 is in to catch up to the present living story season.

[Lankybrit.4598]

I don't have the expansions either. Sometimes I feel like a second class citizen because everyone is using mounts and gliders and stuff, but I do OK. I do map completion and gold making and buy more character slots. Do the daily each day and mine rich iron veins and do world bosses while I level and do more map completion. It's fun. You don't need the expansions if you don't want to pay for them.

[Jimbru.6014]

I'll be blunt. To put the cost of an expansion pack in perspective, it's about the same as one good date type dinner for two. If that relatively small amount of money is pressure on you, then you need to be doing something more profitable with your time than gaming.

[ReaverKane.7598]

@Proximus.5489 said:

@derd.6413 said:while anet seem to be making an effort of reigning in the effectiveness of elite specs the core classes are still viable in fractals and spvp (don't do much wvw so don't ask me). masteries (the lvl 262 ppl) are upgrades like mounts and gliding instead of actual stats increases like with leveling. new maps require xpacs. (no new dungeons only fractals)

@ReaverKane.7598 said:After making the base game F2P (i know that's not likely your case) that part of the game is geared towards being mostly a Demo of the game. That's not to be said that it's still roughly half the game's content there:

• You have access to more than half of the current playable maps (28 out of 45).
• You have access to the full range of PvP and WvW maps.
• You can access all the Activities, and most of the "current events".
• You can unlock and play Season 2 episodes.
• You can play Fractals and Dungeons.
• You can get Ascended Gear and more than half the legendary weapons. As well as Legendary PvP and WvW Armor (i think).
• Guild Halls.

But you can't access the following:

• Elite Specializations, which means your builds will almost always be sub-par to people with Elites, which seriously affects your performance in PvP, WvW and Fractals.
• Expansion maps and enemies (which are also some of the best PvE content)
• Living Story 3 and Onward, this includes several maps which are released with each episode.
• Expansion specific stats, which in some cases are the best in slot.
• Raids, which are the most hardcore content, and the only way to obtain the transforming Legendary Armor.
• Gen2 and onward Legendary weapons.
• Mounts, Gliders and other perks from Masteries
• Progression post lvl 80 (the 262 isn't character lvl but Mastery level).
• Most of the guild functions (which is BS, they replaced a lot of stuff that existed pre-HoT with expansion exclusive stuff, ie guild buffs)

TLDR: There's at least a year or two of game in the core pack (i mean that's what we had pre-HoT, discounting Season 1), but for end-game stuff, you'll frequently end up feeling weaker than people with expansions, simply due to Elite Specializations. (Arena Net's poor balance doesn't help to that).

Definitely appreciate the insights, these new informations will heavily influence my actual decision to purchase the expansion pack in summer ( If I do). Would you know if the deal of two expansion packs for $50 be a permanent thing until future expansion packs? Since i have multiple level 80s, would I instant get access to these new traits when i purchase the expansion packs, or is there something more to it?

@Rhyse.8179 said:HOT has some really fun content (assuming you don't mind challenging pve), and there are still plenty of people running it, although be warned, you'll have to grind masteries to get access to the best of it. But you only have to do that once and then it's a blast.

POF is basically just Core Tyria but with better cutscenes and lots of power creep. And mounts, which tbh I don't care for because they trivialize map exploration on maps that weren't designed with them in mind (aka, all of them that aren't POF).

Just so you know, Dungeons are not a thing anymore, they havn't had devs working on them since before LS1. The old ones still exist but are basically worthless. They've been replaced as group content by Fractals and Raids, and replaced as story content by Meta Events and Living Story maps. Raids require the expacs.

Honestly, I'm just a sucker for mounts, and ease of navigation across maps. I always fell in love with WoW and their mount system, but that game can not catch my interest in the least bit. the PVE aspect you mention though, I'm sold on that.

Thanks

Its hard to tell, but i'd imagine they'll keep the discount for buying all expansions. Do remember that a single expansion only unlocks that particular expansion's traits.

@MattDu.7123 said:

@ReaverKane.7598 said:

• You can unlock and play Season 2 episodes.

Unless you were logging in while Season 2 was released, you will have to pay to unlock it. But as you said your not interested in the story, it wont effect you.It's in the gemstore, so he can buy it with gold.Also, since he quit just before HoT, it's very likely that he unlocked it at least partially.

[Talindra.4958]

First.. welcome back to gw2 ??I highly recommend you to get the expansion as they are so much content in there that you can spend so much time in and enjoy it. They were on sale in a few occasions so keep an eye out.