guild wars - so far

So I'm on my way to level 14. I've unlocked a few heroes and some skills of course. I'd like to change my 2nd procession, but it isn't the end of the world (unlike repseccing in that other game). But I'm just not sure I'm really doing things as well or as smartly as I should be - especially given that what i unlock in pve helps me in pvp and so, without wanting to play through the same campaign endlessly (which may be necessary for skills for other character lcasesses - at least as I unerstand it).

Now the most money i've made is probably 1 and a half platinum's worth.
I salvage everything I can and sell when I can through the materials fella. I haven't seen any rare materials. In fact I sell most of what I find anyway (that which i don't use to buy better gear). I've got what I think is the best armour currently available (Istan) and a few runes. But given the cost of buying skills I don't get left with much.
I also buy weapons and runes for my heroes where possible.

But i've only unlocked one weapon and found very little of any real worth. I'm not far off level 20 and I want to be able to unlock and acquire, at least financially, as much as possible.
__________________

Well, You don't do much on your first toon (financially). As far as money goes, Identify everything you get and sell to merchant. Aside from that, you'll have to get to a point where you can farm in order to make money. There is no easy way to make money in the earlier areas..

As far as changing your secondary, you can change it for 500 gold once you reach the [wiki]Sunspear Sanctuary[/wiki]. ( Technically the Profession changer is outside in the [wiki]Command Post[/wiki] )

Once you progress onto the mainland the bosses drop nicer stuff and items are worth more generally.

You have to use an Expert or Superior Salvage Kit, not a regular one, to get rare materials from drops.

KANE

You're doing everything fine. There's no need to worry about making a choice/decision that paralyzes your character's worth. If I may offer some explicit advice...explicit as in spelling things out, that is.

1) You don't need to replay the campaign with other classes to unlock skills. Using your current character, you just change secondary to get "access" to other professions' skills. Of course it'll take money to gain the skills.

2) ID everything. This includes things you salvage, and plain white items. This actually increases the value before you merch it. Since you're still in the early part of the game, you won't see any drastic increases, but later in the game it's worthwhile. So keep this in mind for later.

3) Level 14 is close to the max level, but there is still much progress to be made, that will take you to more financially-viable loot.

Don't worry about making mistakes; and level 14 is as good a time as any to be making them, cause you'll learn.

Generally I can not recommend to salvage materials and sell thhem to trader right away. It is more profitable to sell them to merchant right away after identifying.

Exceptions: Always salvage items that are "highly salvagable"
Excpetions: Some items can have a small chance of giving valueable gems when you expert salvage them. (Like Djinn Essences and Ruby Daggers)

Ok, I'm also somewhat bemused by the differences between pve/pvp characters.

I can unlock skills in pve which any pvp character can use, but if i unlock weapons and runes existing pvp characters cannot use them. Also my pve character can play pvp, gain faction, but not use what he then spends that faction on, only pvp characters.

Also existing pvp characters that unlock stuff in that way can only use skills they unlock; if they unlock items and runes and upgrades, i would have to create a new pvp character to make use of them.

Now surely that can't be right? What's the point of playing pvp if you can't benefit from the rewards without having to make new characters every time?

Eh the "j" menu. Heard of that one? Press J You can make as much armor with all the upgrades you unlocked before.

All the stuff you're PvP characters are using can be remade using the new things you've unlocked.

When you get to the mainland you'll end up making more money. It may take time and be a slow steady progression, but don't worry about it.

Stick at it, and you'll reap the benefits

Also, if your goal is simply to unlock skills for PvP, balthazar's faction can come in nicely. You get it while PvPing, and it works wonders to unlock the stuff you need.

My advice would be to unlock one proven build from a profession you like to play (for example : shock axe for warrior profession, or burning arrow for ranger profession, ...). You can find those builds either on observer mode (press b in an outpost and select a top GvG battle) or on http://www.pvxwiki.com/wiki/Main_Page. Do note that sometimes GvG guilds will adjust builds for certain roles, and some builds on PvXwiki are pure crap, so use your head when selecting a build

Then try to get enough balthazar's faction to unlock this build, and then runes and weapon mods for it (the Zaishen challenges give balthazar's faction during the first few runs, it's an easy way to get you started). Once that's done you can start unlocking more skills for the same profession, or start saving up to unlock a skillbar from another profession.

Once you got everything unlocked you actually want to play, you can start unlocking less needed stuff...

No that's not what the manual says. In the NF manual it explicitly states that "existing pvp characters can immediatley use an unlocked skill, but to use an upgrade or rune, you'll have to create a nw pvp-only chatacter".

Surely that's ridiculous!

I'm not playing solely to unlock for pvp, but i want to unlock everything i can so when i build a pvp character he has access to all he needs.

The manual is wrong. All you need to do to change equipment is to use the equipment menu on your PvP character. You can change it as often as you would like.

Ok thanks for the help.

also as a side benefit of unlocked skills...your heros in pve can use them as well.

Well, the manual is not so much wrong as out-of-date. When playing an online game is always expect change.

Don't forget the Hero Skill trainer NPC's. Every time you get a new level of the Sunspear title (and later, the Lightbringer title, too) you get 2 Hero Skill points. Talk to the Hero Skill NPCs. They'll sell you some skills for your Hero Skill points without any additional gold cost.

Buying a Hero Skill this way both unlocks the skill for your whole account (heroes and PvP chars can use it) and teaches it to your current PvE character. Even if you get a hero skill for a class besides your current primary or secondary, that PvE character will still be able to use it later when/if you switch secondary professions.

And really, hitting level 20 isn't the end. It's not anywhere near the end. At least a half of all the chapters (probably closer to 2/3) happens after your character is level 20. Different people progress at different rates, but it has always seemed that way to me.

Don't sweat it if you're not finding really fancy max weapons and mods right now - the further you progress, the better the drops and available collector/crafter items are on average.

So far you are doing fine. I would advise starting your search for a helpful guild right now. It always helps to be able to run things by a guild before you make decisions - (Trades, everything). However, just keep progressing through the game, and upgrade armor and weapons only when you really feel the lack of is preventing you from completing missions and stuff.

Good luck and have fun :-)