The beginner's guide to picking a profession and mastering GW

Urcscumug

Krytan Explorer

Join Date: Jan 2011

UNO

19 May 2011 at 15:40 - 1

INTRODUCTION:

As written elsewhere, I'm a firm believer in the training qualities of pre Searing and "the road to Lion's Arch" as I like to call it.

But what profession should you do this on? Here's a list in the order I think they should be experienced, and why.

Note to advanced players: The analysis of each profession and the order I put them in sometimes contradict established wisdom (eg. "warrior does not pay attention to the team" or "ele does great damage"). That's because this is about newbs doing newb things in beginner areas. This is about stuff that the game will teach them "against their will", so to speak, while they still don't know anything about it.

Note to beginners: Each profession includes a list of checkpoints, things you're suppose to take in while using the character. Keep an eye on the list as you go along, see what you do fine and what you feel needs more work.

What secondary profession should you take? Take Monk. Period. "Yes but secondary X offers..." No. Monk will give you self heals and a reusable ressurect skill. They're actually mostly useless, but you'll learn that later. In the beginning, they will make you feel good about yourself and you will wean yourself off the monk skills naturally, over time. Which will allow you to focus on the primary profession. (As for Monk, take Warrior for secondary. I will explain why below.)

What Prophecies areas this guide applies to:

Quote:

Originally Posted by Urcscumug

Pre Searing and the zones before Lion's Arch have been designed as a training area which will teach you GW very very well. So start in Proph and work you way to LA if you want to learn GW well, at a slow and decent pace.

Explore Pre-Searing fully; meaning doing all the quests, getting all the quest rewards, try out secondary skills and ideally suceed to make at least one full Northlands hunt (kill all the Charr). It's ok if for Northlands you team up with another higher level player, as long as they explain how they do it and make you help, not just drag you along.

Go to Post whenever you finish all that, regardless of level. Don't stress too much, you should be done with Pre in a few days the first time and gradually work your way to mere hours.

When in Post, start exploring Old Ascalon, including Regent Valley, Pockmark Flats and Eastern Frontier, then work your way on foot through The Breach, Diessa Lowlands (with a side trip to Flame Temple Corridor and Dragon Gullet), Ascalon Foothills, Traveler's Vale, Iron Horse Mine, Anvil Rock, Deldrimor Bowl, Griffon's Mouth, Scoundrel's Rise and North Kryta Province, unlocking all outposts on the way and doing all the quests. You will get tons of useful skills and items for nothing, you will level to 20 smoothly, you will uncover 30-50% of the Tyrian map, get some decent pocket change, you will meet crafters and collectors that will upgrade your armor and weapons as the zone requires, meet "hidden" skill vendors that offer unique skills, and you will learn a lot about the game. I also recommend doing the mission that takes you to a certain outpost only after you've reached that outpost on foot.

Other quick notes:
* I covered core professions only, since I don't think Nightfall or Factions are suitable for a beginner. But feel free to add arguments otherwise and opinions on the suitability of non-cores for teaching.
* I only take into account the zones before LA, with all their limitations (skills, items etc.)
* It's mostly about using henchmen. If playing with human players, consider taking up places from the profession list in increasing order (ie. 1 player = W, 2 players = W+E, 3 players: W+E+R, 4 players W+E+R+M etc.) Fill the empty places with appropriate henchies.
* Please keep the terminology accessible, since this thread is intended for the newbies.

WHAT PROFESSIONS YOU SHOULD TAKE AS A NEWBIE, IN THIS ORDER:

1. Warrior

The warrior is about jumping in and physically laying as much hurt as possible at point blank range. It's a simple enough concept that you can take it and dive right in. It doesn't require that you pay much attention to what the rest of the team is doing. Go on, grab a piece of metal and start waving it around.

What being a warrior will teach you:

* How your armor and shield protects you (armor rating). Conditional mod effects.
* How you do damage (weapons, attack rate). Also, weapon mods and armor penetration.
* Using collectors and weapon/armor crafters.
* The basics of using skill combos.
* The basics of using skills that modify your abilities (stances, shouts).
* About the aggro buble and the compass. In time, keeping the corner of one eye on the compass becomes second nature, like the rear view mirrors while driving; you don't actually stare at it, but you are constantly aware of the red dots and your aggro.
* How the foes tend to move during battle and react to your attack.
* Pulling smaller groups with longbow or flatbow, instead of fighting large groups all at once.
* How the rest of your team will follow your lead and focus on the same mob you target. Calling targets.
* Spiking: everybody focusing on the same foe to take it down before the others can do much.
* Target priority: starting the attack with certain members of the enemy groups is better than with others.
* Physically controlling the battle field by body blocking and by forcing foes to turn on you instead of your mates.
* Not to overextend (straying TOO far from the team).
* Minimal caring about your team, in the form of noticing when a mate is in bad trouble and leaving your current adversary to go help them.
* Minimal team support, in the form of shouts (such as "Watch Yourself!").

2. Elementalist

Like the warrior, the ele is about laying the hurt on the enemy. But they go about it indirectly, via spells. Doing it effectively requires a little more thinking than simply jumping in with a piece of metal.

What the ele teaches you:

* Since the attacks are indirect and delayed, you will have to start predicting what the foes do and where they will go next.
* The basics of energy management. It's your basic fuel, but it tends to run out so you have to learn how to use it wisely (cheaper spells, energy-saving skills).
* The various areas of effect (radius of damage around the point you applied the spell).
* Considering single-target vs multiple-target damage.
* Increased battlefield control via snares.
* The basics of maintaining enchantments (on yourself).
* More advanced skill combos.
* The basics of using stuff that inconveniences the enemy (conditions, hexes).
* The basics of positioning during battle.
* Keeping an eye on one team member (on what your warrior does).
* What to do when the foes go around the warrior and come for you. Kiting (running around until someone takes them off your back) and self-protection spells.
* Team support with Earth Magic wards.

3. Ranger

After the warrior and the ele, with the ranger it will be the 1st time you won't feel like the lead singer on the band anymore. The ranger is a combination of attack and support character. But it's a bit of a lone wolf so you still won't have to pay much attention to the team. You will spend your time a bit of a distance away from the main team, having a vulture's view of the battle field, picking off targets with your arrows, and taking care of your pet.

What using the ranger will teach you:

* Using bows and projectile attacks. When some bows are better than others. Bow fire rate.
* The advantages of a good position. You need line of sight, and you benefit from altitude above the enemy.
* The basics of using weapon damage modifiers (preparations).
* If playing with a human team leader, the basics of following target calling (press T and start attacking).
* Having a pet will teach you to pay attention and take care of one team member at all times. You will keep an eye on what the pet does, heal them, resurrect them, command them.
* Like the ele, you can inflict conditions on the enemy.
* More advanced energy management, with more skills dedicated to it, and an entire attribute line.
* You can provide support with traps and spirits.
* The basics of putting pressure on foes (harassing them with damage/conditions so they can't do their job).
* The basics of interrupting enemy skills. What bow works best (recurve). Spotting skills you can interrupt and doing so.
* The pros and cons of always finding yourself a distance from the rest of the team.
* The distance and position often offer you a good view of the entire battle field. It will teach you to watch the field at a "macro" level and to make quick judgements about how things are going, what will happen next and what you need to do.

4. Monk

Unlike the previous professions, the monk is a full-time support character. You don't usually do direct damage to the enemy. Your job is to keep the rest of the team alive. To do so, you need awareness of the entire team status and position, as well as enemy actions. In other words, it brings together everything the previous professions taught you and adds elements of advanced strategy. Because of this, monks are most often team leaders.

What the monk will teach you:

* Awareness of all your team members' location and of the enemies.
* The importance of having all team members within reach of your spells.
* To react promptly to changes to the team's bars with heals and condition/hex removal.
* To consider the pros and cons of healing the damage after it took place vs protecting against it before it happens.
* To foresee damage coming the way of a team member and place a protection on them.
* To consider pure healing bars vs pure protection bars vs hybrid bars.
* The basics of forming teams and balacing member composition between healers, damage dealers and other support positions.
* Maintaining enchantments.
* How to split and share skills among 2 monks in areas where 2 monks are used.
* About armor-ignoring damage, and the wonderful things holy damage does to undead. How to take advantage of it by placing holy damage on your warriors.
* That smiting skills are a waste of time (but go ahead and get it out of your system).

I mentioned I'd suggest a secondary for the monk and here it is: warrior. It has the smallest amount of useful skills, so you won't be tempted (hopefully) to use them, thus focusing on monking. You will probably use certain things in Tactics, but eventually very few will actually prove useful or superior to monk skills.

5. Mesmer

The mesmer is a very special team member. She makes the enemy hurt themselves; she gives them cruel choices like doing nothing or getting punished for acting; she interrupts, disables and steals their skills. Her battle field awareness is comparable or greater than the monk's, but it is focused outward (on the enemy) rather than on the team.

What using a mesmer will teach you:

* Shutdowns (completely denying someone the ability to use their skills).
* How to tell at a glance the capabilities and nature of the enemy, by their looks, the sound of their weapons and spells, the way their spells look when they activate.
* To fine-tune your battlefield awareness to the point you can tell what's going on with everything and everybody.
* To develop your reflexes to the point you can interrupt enemy skills in split seconds.
* To put together teams and strategies based on the types of enemies you meet.

6. Necromancer

So, I've left necro for last. If you reached this point (taken 5 chars of the above professions to LA on foot while completing all quests, missions and unlocking all outposts), you are ready for the necro.

The necro is last because it can do everything the other 5 professions can, and more: point blank damage, spell damage, shutdown, healing, energy restoration, all kinds of utility positions, and that's even before we consider the unique playstyles offered by being able to raise minions.

I feel you need to master the other aspects of the game before you can fully enjoy the necro. Once you do, the necro is the profession that will allow you to unleash your creativity and your newly gained skills to the max.

Chillin-N-Killin

Frost Gate Guardian

Join Date: Jul 2005

Colorado

The Adult Guild

R/Mo

19 May 2011 at 16:10 - 2

I agree Urcscumug, Most people wont agree but I think you have the right idea.

Pugs Not Drugs

Krytan Explorer

Join Date: Jun 2009

19 May 2011 at 16:35 - 3

I really don't think its neccesary to play from pre to LA 6 times to get the hang of GW. PvE is easy enough to get the hang of, and I think it would be better if new players just played through the game with one profession and took their time, doing all mish/bonuses and quests they encounter to help build a basis. They can try out other professions in other campaigns or on heroes.

Spiritz

Forge Runner

Join Date: Apr 2007

DMFC

19 May 2011 at 17:45 - 4

The post title is misleading - your only covering prophs and not every player has prophs or all campaigns etc.Would be better if the missing campaigns ( for the begginer parts ) were added and the 4 other professions.
I always thought to master a profession you have to go to all extremes - thats to say push your chrs limit and reaching la isnt really doing that.War in Kryta says hello where foes has a chance of 1 of 2 skillbars , uw/fow for eg will cause new players probs and i feel looking at things you have failed to mentioned the no1 important thing for any profession/ new player - make sure you ascend as the extra 30 points will make things easier and ascension is ( go correct way ) way past la and will take new players a while to reach normally.
Few amendments and i reckon it could be a gd beginners guide - but also be prepared for a lot of critisism which is gd as it shows there are diff ways to achieve some things.

caballo_oscuro

Krytan Explorer

Join Date: Aug 2008

Aura

19 May 2011 at 19:15 - 5

Quote:

Originally Posted by Spiritz View Post

Agreed for the most part, although many would suggest that the other 4 professions are a little bit unusual in their roles. I wouldn't rule out using any profession as a beginner's first character.

Everyone who's played fantasy games of some sort or who reads fantasy books gets the idea of warriors and spell casters and healers and other kinds of damage dealers and I really think that people should just pick the profession that appeals to them. They'll usually find if they like it, they'll stick with it and get better at it.

Quote: Originally Posted by Spiritz View Post

I always thought to master a profession you have to go to all extremes - thats to say push your chrs limit and reaching la isnt really doing that.War in Kryta says hello where foes has a chance of 1 of 2 skillbars , uw/fow for eg will cause new players probs and i feel looking at things you have failed to mentioned the no1 important thing for any profession/ new player - make sure you ascend as the extra 30 points will make things easier and ascension is ( go correct way ) way past la and will take new players a while to reach normally. Nobody says this guide is about pushing your character to its limit. It's a suggested way for someone who's new to the way guildwars works to take up a profession and play, learning which one to enjoy. While I don't necessarily agree that anyone has to start in a particular role to learn what part it plays, I think people should try one or two or three or how ever many professions they want to til they find how they like to play and what works for them.

Also, I wouldn't bring in anything to do with uw/fow/wik,ascension or even anything outside newb island for anyone who's new to the game. People will discover things as they go along, and while they may not get everything or master anything, they'll enjoy it if they're left to play the way they like, and they'll eventually learn what is expected of their profession and maybe even learn some of the intricacies without the intervention of people telling them what they should do or how they should play.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Spiritz

Few amendments and i reckon it could be a gd beginners guide - but also be prepared for a lot of critisism which is gd as it shows there are diff ways to achieve some things. Agreed, there's plenty of ways to play, but I think the best advice I could give to a beginner is to go out and have fun, ask questions when you need advice, kill a few things, try some different professions and see what you like, and most importantly, if someone is giving you advice on how you should be doing something, they're probably wrong in at least some of what they say. Scepticism leads to rationality which leads to inquisitivness and knowledge.

Denim

Ascalonian Squire

Join Date: Feb 2011

19 May 2011 at 21:22 - 6

What beginner's need is the How-To Profession forum sticky. And what this person could use.. http://www.guildwarsguru.com/forum/h...tml?t=10482071 ..a gameplan to unlock ALL game skills.

Spiritz

Forge Runner

Join Date: Apr 2007

DMFC

19 May 2011 at 22:47 - 7

Ascension especially in prophs as in its process you get the 2 attribute quests is important and probably same in factions as many new players either skip it in prophs or miss the attribute quests in both.And sadly they dont find out till later on when they discover they cant match attributes on a given build and yet they are lvl 20.Its something thats not that uncommon these days and im sure many of us have either helped or told players where to go to get them.
Fow/Uw you tend to see new players dive at as soon as they can and its only because they see so many ecto farmers and sc teams they want in on the action - numorous posts on guru asking why they are asked for stones in uwsc etc and thats why i said uw/fow.

shadeblade47

Lion's Arch Merchant

Join Date: Nov 2009

NH, USA

Eternally Hollow [EmpT]

W/P

20 May 2011 at 00:34 - 8

Quote:

Originally Posted by Urcscumug View Post

INTRODUCTION:

As written elsewhere, I'm a ferm believer in.. firm* You're welcome. I believe everyone should read the professions and choose what suits their personality best for their first char. Then you should most certainly play through everything ONCE (not on every character) and keep on your volume for the first play through. Watch the cutscenes too. You cannot really enjoy the game if the only thing you know about it is what route to run in a SC and where to find a runner.

Kojima

Krytan Explorer

Join Date: Sep 2010

Home

En Caligne Veritas [DARK]

R/Rt

20 May 2011 at 10:23 - 9

This is actually good for beginners. They can read about the professions and decide for themselves what suits them best.

But I also agree that there is no need to play through all to know GW. But then again, no one actually play through all the characters, I am sure. Most of the time we make the classes, play them through here and there and already decide which profession we like best.

Urcscumug

Krytan Explorer

Join Date: Jan 2011

UNO

20 May 2011 at 11:08 - 10

First of all, I fully agree with playing the game for fun and with trying to experience everything fully at least once (the story, the cutscenes, the lore, the side stories etc.)

And I thank everybody who's commented so far, they're great comments, far better than I had any right to expect.

Keep em coming.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Pugs Not Drugs

I really don't think its neccesary to play from pre to LA 6 times to get the hang of GW.

Depends what you mean by "the hang of GW". If you mean getting a handle of the general workings of the game, I agree.

If you mean getting to know the other professions... you know how it is. Like Kojima says, most people never do it. But I think you have to walk those miles in their shoes to "get" what makes them tick.

Think of what you get in return. You'd be able to actually make your own decent bars without begging from others and without going to PvX, for one. And each profession teaches some unique things you don't get from others, but which enrich your understanding of the whole game.

When I first got on a monk (and when I got Ogden), after only having played warrior and ele, I would fill the bar with healing skills. I thought I was being clever if I just slapped on all kinds of healing: small heal, big heal, huge heal, hp regen, party heal, and a hard res. That should deal with all kinds of damage, right? What could possibly go wrong. Protection? Hex and cond removal? Bonds? Energy management? Buffs on the warrior? Looking at something other than the party bars? Nope. Let's just say that my approach had changed somewhat in the time it took me to get to LA on that monk.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Spiritz

The post title is misleading - your only covering prophs and not every player has prophs or all campaigns etc.Would be better if the missing campaigns ( for the begginer parts ) were added and the 4 other professions. The title is a bit pompous, but I explained my reasonsing for choosing Prophecies. I honestly don't think the starter areas in either Factions or Nightfall carry a candle to the smooth learning curve, depth and variety of Prophecies pre-LA. (Although they have their nice touches.)

But I welcome anybody to come up with a list of what each non-core profession teaches that is unique to it, and in what order should a beginner attempt to try them on.

Quote: Originally Posted by Spiritz

I always thought to master a profession you have to go to all extremes[...] There's nothing fundamentally different about regions and mobs before and after LA. PvE is PvE everywhere (that is to say, the AI and the game principles are the same). It's just a matter of scale, and your character scales too, in attribute points, hp, skills, armor and the bars of the henchies/mobs. Flame Temple Corridor to a lvl 8 newb freshly arrived to Ascalon is just as challenging as Kessex Peak to a lvl 20 fresh to LA.

I'm of the opinion that someone who took 3+ different professions to LA on foot with henchies is perhaps more of a "master" than someone who got on one warrior plus heroes and finished Prophecies. Their understanding of the profession mechanics might be on par, or it may be luck, or brute-forcing the AI limitations. But at the end of the day one person has a decent understanding of 3+ professions which they can apply anywhere in PvE (and even PvP to some extent), and the other only has one.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Denim

What beginner's need is the How-To Profession forum sticky. And what this person could use.. ..a gameplan to unlock ALL game skills. You touch on a sensitive subject. I think newbs should get more love here on the forum. As in, a section that contained three zones, one for each starter area in each campaign, and had discussions limited to working with the available resources (H/h and skills), and only about the quests and missions in those areas.

The thing is, if you're a newb and you want to discuss what's a good mesmer bar for Old Ascalon after just arriving from Pre, you need a place to do it and not have people who "beat" the game look at you like at something the cat threw up.

Denim

Ascalonian Squire

Join Date: Feb 2011

20 May 2011 at 12:30 - 11

Quote:

Originally Posted by Urcscumug

...The thing is, if you're a newb and you want to discuss what's a good mesmer bar for Old Ascalon after just arriving from Pre, you need a place to do it and not have people who "beat" the game look at you like at something the cat threw up.

There are multiple ways to learn. Hear, See, & Say. Or, as they say on This Old House Watch 1, Do 1, Teach 1.

Everything seems to be evolving towards freedom & I agree. Let the player decide How to progress. Just provide a 'learning' background like guilds, this forum, & gwpvx (with ALL pages using flyway skills descriptions, pls!).

Btw: I think arrogance is another way of saying.."I can't be bothered" or maybe "Leave me alone"

Good Luck

LifeInfusion

Grotto Attendant

Join Date: May 2005

in the midline

E/Mo

20 May 2011 at 13:33 - 12

What the ele teaches you: to read the forums before picking your profession

I still recommend necros first for those that don't want to frontline (Ritualists too). Necros have barbs and minions very early on.

Mesmers are more elite skill reliant (AP sin spam, Clumsiness/Ineptitude spam, Keystone, FD, PI, etc) and reactive stuff (Empathy, Backfire) isn't all that impressive in normal mode. See http://www.gwpvx.com/Special:PrefixIndex/Build:Me/

Playing monk is a lost cause with the 7 hero update. Mo/W and dump points in tactics for shield to PvP with. It works especially well if you UA (Unyielding Aura) or Healing Burst since you can easily do
* 12+1+1 DF, 8+1 heal, 8+1 prot, 7 tac for UA bar with gift + dismiss
* 12+1+1 Heal, 9+1 DF, 6+1 prot, 7 tac (or 6 tac and 7+1 prot) with Healing Burst
...if you find a 5/13 shield like I did you can play around with the attributes more or just deal with 0 tac (you still get 8 armor).UA (Unyielding Aura) is hands down the best bar for reliable party heals outside of Avatar of Dwayna at the moment. With Divine Healing and Heaven's Delight on 12 recharge you have 6 recharge between the two of them and possibly 3 if your equipment's halves skill recharge kicks in.Chapter
As far as which chapter to start I still think Nightfall is the most polished experience in terms of explaining things. Factions is a day or two rush to 20 if you play it quick. Prophecies takes about two weeks of casual play just to reach 20 whereas you can get to 20 in a week in Nightfall without a sweat. Nightfall also gives you a minor vigor rune among other things.

The thing about Prophecies is the last attribute point quests are at the endgame which I do not like at all. Having to beat 85% of the game to get to Southern Shiverpeaks the normal way is going to be tiring for most people. Not to mention some people forgo the attribute points because they don't know about the quest in Crystal Desert either, meaning they are permanently handicapped. Prophecies does a lot of hand-holding as far as missions but not with respect to attribute point quests.

I made a guide starting in NF a while ago that might need updating: http://wiki.guildwars.com/wiki/User:...beginner_guide

Positioning
Frontline: Dervish, Assassin, Warrior
Midline: Mesmer, Necro, Ritualist, Paragon, Ranger
Backline: Monk, Ritualist w/ restoration magic
Playing front/mid/backline is different. However, heros don't play frontline well so you get used to them mingling.

Playing professions
Playing a profession is a lot different than having one as a hero. Hero AI is limited, so mesmer bars need to be simplified and you can't run bars on them which require paying attention to skill descriptions (energy intense bars like Assassin's Promise). You can get away with Mo/W on a hero only if you put 5 energy stuff with >4 recharge on their bars. If you put 1 recharge Healing Whisper then they will spam it and you need to dump points in inspiration magic for energy management like Power drain and Leech signet.

Urcscumug

Krytan Explorer

Join Date: Jan 2011

UNO

20 May 2011 at 14:59 - 13

@LifeInfusion, way to ignore all the notes I made. Please, re-read the ones in the 1st post. You're posting excellent advice... but not for beginners.

You mention 7 hero teams, elite skills that need to be capped around campaign endings, rushing to level 20 in a couple hours, attribute point quests... that's not relevant to the complete newb.

Try to put yourself in their shoes. Say you deal with a complete greenhorn fresh out of Pre. You tel them "get Barbs and minions".

For starters, to get Barbs you have to reach LA anyway. And assuming you get it, it's indirect + conditional damage that takes some training to use properly. Which the greenhorn doesn't have, because they've been hopping PUGs to get to LA and haven't learned much on the way.

As for minions... you know what a newb thinks of them? First it's like "wow, zombies, cool!" Then reality kicks in. You can only have a couple of them at a time, they're weak, they die fast, you gotta keep raising another one and it turns into a chore. Plus they're so damn stupid, they run around like idiots and aggro 3 mobs at once in completely opposite directions. So the newb pretty soon goes "screw this", and they go fill their bar with Dark Pact, Deathly Swarm, Life Siphon and Putrid Explosion, because they do simple things that work (and explosions are cool).

A lot of the things in GW need a special set of mind, training, finesse. But the mindset of the beginner is rough, they tend to rush in and need simple concepts. That's why I recommend starting with Warrior or Ele, that's why I recommend building up slowly to more complex professions.

SheilaWhiteclaw

Academy Page

Join Date: Apr 2011

Bucharest, Romania

Cursed Swords Of Blood N Steel [BS]

R/Rt

20 May 2011 at 18:20 - 14

great begginer guide! this can be helpfull for those who can't decide on the proffesion they wanna use. so great job!

byteme!

Forge Runner

Join Date: Jan 2006

On Earth

W/P

21 May 2011 at 04:13 - 15

Quote:

Originally Posted by LifeInfusion View Post

What the ele teaches you: to read the forums before picking your profession