A few missed basics....

I've been playing a little over the last couple of weeks (when I've not been busy with work, but I'm still n00bish in regards to a few things:

When folks mention "Capturing" a skill using a sigil of Capture on a Boss what is it and how does it work. Also, how do I know if a mob is a boss, is there some snazzy portrait or something?

Hall of Monuments: How does it work exactly? What I mean to say is, is there something that I have to do like if I unlock Mox which I get a point for is there something I have to interact with that gives me the point?

Runs for my gear: At level 11 is it a big deal getting the Runes fully on my toon? I've not invested in any yet and have done alright (I think), but I'm thinking that life may be a bit easier if my toon's potential was unlocked.

Any answers to any of the above would be appreciated.

A boss will have a glow about them; yellow-warrior, light green-ranger, monk blue,necro-dark green, mesmer-magentta, ele-red, assassin-lavender, rit-cyan, paragon-pale yellow, derv-grey. They will also generally have a specific a name. Most bosses have a unique elite skill the can only be capture after they are dead and you use a special signet of capture when you are next to them. The game gives you 2. You can only capture skills from you primary and secondary professions.

The HoM is simply a record of you ingame achievements, such as completing a campaign, it is part of the Eye of the North expansion. You just get there and click on the sign in front of a monument when you have something to add, the title one you can add anytime the other 4 you will need to add a tapestry first, but you will get all four as rewards. You get MOX for having all 3 campaigns and reaching level 10. You get him outside Kamadan, Keining City and Lion's Arch. Since he has no upgraded armor skins, he can immediately be added to you HoM.

At level 10 you don't want to add to many runes and insignias, because you are going to likely upgrade your armor and will lose a few when salvaging them. I usually put a minor on the headpiece that matches the primary skill attribute I plan on working with, a major vigor and the occasional insignia until I get the max armor I am going to use for the rest of the game. Then you can look at the plus and minuses for the different level of runes and see what combination works for you. Remember although the pluses of the same attribute runes don't stack the health loss does. You probably wont want to add more than 1 superior skill rune or 2 major skill runes. To be honest most skill peak at level 15 anyway so a major rune will probably be enough. You can also look at the cost, major rune are almost always the cheapest. for instance on my mesmer I use a major domination rune and a major fast cast rune, because the damage difference between level 15 and 16 is negligible and a minor fast cast rune is just too much.

For bosses You should also be aware that almost all bosses have a name, ie. "Chumab the Prideful" instead of just "Heket Warrior" ANd they have this colored aura according to their professions.
Most bosses above except for the ones in low level areas have an elite skill that you can acquire using the capture signet after killing the boss. There is no other way to acquire these elite skills unless you buy skill unlock packs or have them already unlocked on your account. The capture signets can be acquired from skill trainers, and also 2 from quest rewards.

Bosses: Just one thing to add to above. The skill "capture signet" can be obtained only from skilltrainers in area's where bosses are that has elite skills.

HoM: as above, only one thing to add as well. The first tapestry is awarded almost at arrival. It functions as a wallcloth or curtain behind one of the four monuments. the monument where you can put MoX in the one called fellowship. I would recommend to use that first tepastry on that monument.

Runes: I never put runes on anything that isn't max level armor. The benefits at that lvl in the game are very low. When you get your max level armor you can start with runes.

Awesome!
Thank you so much, guys. That's filled a lot of blanks in :-)

A few tips if I may...

If you press F10 in game it will bring up a list.

from there you can do many things while still in game.

E.G You can scroll down the list of whats in your log and click it then brings up the quest map and shows you the route to take .

This can be the same for a Boss you are looking for to cap a skill just enter its name and walla it does the same as above.

it has many functions so, after you have seen what you want to see just leave then click the icon on bottom toolbar and you are back to the game.

So if your strange to the area just minimise the page you are on and you can look at the map to see exactly where you are ect.

Another is when you are in town and you do not know where a certain NPC is just hold down the left alt key and it lets you scan the town for the guy.

Thanks for that, I didn't know any of that :-)

You also can visit wiki when not ingame (same site as F10)... its an important source of information.

Another great site for when you need help on making skill-builds: pvxwiki

Thanks GodH, that's one site that I'm definetly gonna look at

Fixed. Ahh. That's better.

If you truly want to learn the game, it's best to avoid PvX wiki.
PvX is tends to teach a poor closed mind-set to players, and is more appropriate for players who aren't really interested in learning the game, and just want to c-space their way to HoM achievements.

Once you've learnt much of the core elements of the game, by all means then look at it and use it as a limited resource; But don't live by it or get yourself in that mindset were you won't try to use anything but what's on PvX. You'll limit your potential as a player if you do.

A few useful articles to read:
Guide to PvE
Tactics PvP (check the links at bottom of page, and the "See Also" section).
Even if you don't plan to play much PvP, the tactics can often still be relevant to certain circumstances in PvE.