Help a noob and future noobs.

Didn't really know where to post this so here it goes. I recently just started playing GW:Prophecies, and to be honest was a bit overwhelmed with everything going on. I wanted to ask some of the GW vets out there, basic information that would be useful to GW noobs such as myself.

For instance, things to avoid doing (I wasted a silver bar, buying useless materials, things to make use of (The "I'm attacking X" command) and how to use them (I personally don't know how to do it but saw alot of people using the aforementioned command.), and other information you learned over the course of playing the game.

Any information, tidbits, hints, suggestions, and even stories would be greatly appreciated. I'm sure any incoming Factions players, who've never played Prophecies would also appreciate such information.

EDIT: Also I'm sorry if there was something like this before. If it has to be closed or whatnot, then something that can point to a general thing like this would be appreciated.

Thanks all.

Well some of the basics are:

Most materials can be salvaged from the loot dropped by monsters. Double click a salvage kit and click on the item you want to salvage. Once you do this enough times, you will have an idea as to which item usually gives which material. Similarly you can salvage runes from monster armors and then apply to your armors.

To call out a target, control + left mouse + space (I think). To call out what you are using in terms of skills/armor etc, ctrl + left click on the weapons icons on the bottom right of the default screen. When using a skill, ctrl + click on it.

This is simple but in the beginning, I didnt know it press R to continue running instead of keeping the forward key pressed all the time. F1-F4 to swap weapons/shields depeding on which sets you have defined.

Get a storage account from the Xunlai agents in post searing. Get 2 bags from the merchant to increase your storage. Buy runes of holding and apply to the bags to double the usable slots in them i.e. 5 to 10.

Hope this helps

I'd also recommend checking out the stickie on this forum.

Here it is -> http://www.guildwarsguru.com/forum/s...d.php?t=107306

Mass ammounts of basic information there, all in link form.

But, I would like to go into depth on the "Calling Targets" part, as that's pretty important later on.

To call a target (I'm attacking X!), all you need to do is Ctrl + Click or Ctrl + Spacebar while targeting the enemy. This will tell everyone who you are attacking. After that, others can chose to quickly target the same Called Target by pressing T, then Space to attack it. Henchmen will automatically attack a Called Target.

You can also do this by holding Ctrl while using a skill on an enemy (I'm using Such and Such on X!). Same as above, but you use a skill to attack instead of your basic attack. You can also use this to let your team mates know that you're using a certain skill (like Resurrect) and what to expect from that.

You can also use Shift + Ctrl + Click/Spacebar to call a target without attacking it (I'm targeting X!). This way, you won't actually attack the target, and you can use this to prepare tactics, or so that you don't alert your opponent to a called target in PvP. Henchmen, however, will automatically attack with a Called Target in this manner, so don't use it if you have henchmen and don't want to attack right away.

These methods will increase the awareness of your group, and can help them better respond to enemies.

I read through sticky before but was confused given, that nubs like me don't know exactly what we're looking for. Maybe I missed something, while trying to get to the meat of the action, but most of the sticky-ed faq was all about stuff I didn't get to yet. (For example: Fissure of Woe? What?(if that is part of the story don't tell me)) Like I wished somebody would have told me to hold onto my silver dye for later, instead of wasting it on 12AL armor for my ranger.

But thanks for the additional info about the "I'm attacking X" command. Things like that would be really good to know. I'm OCD like that, I want to know everything and anything before I do anything so I don't miss out.

3 pieces of advise from me:

1. Play through the game with your character doing all missions and quests (learn by experience)
2. Join a friendly helpful PVE guild
3. Read these forums

advice from me:

learn the "max" stuff ie 15^50, 20% enchantments, +5 energy staff head etc... so you dont sell something and get ripped off

there is too much info for just one post, just read through the stickies and keep asking questions, because here, everyone is willing to help

I will post one website that has a lot of information, basic or otherwise. It really helped me in my noob stages:

http://gw.gamewikis.org/wiki/Main_Page

If you are still in pre-searing pay special attention to:

http://gw.gamewikis.org/wiki/Pre-Searing_guide

I never play the game without atleast one Guildwiki window open in background.

these might help

http://www.guildwarsguru.com/content...-10-id1195.php

http://www.guildwarsguru.com/content...lon-id1264.php

Also, try reading the manual...I know its seems odd, but it usually helps.

But doesn't the manual still talk about attribute refund points? :O A lot has changed since the game came out.

keep this link in your favs so you dont sell anything that might be worth a few qold, and to stop traders ripping you off.

Mod Price Guide
http://www.guildwarsguru.com/forum/s...ad.php?t=44867

This happens a lot to new players and unfortunately its sad. If you find an item or want to buy an item, ask around for its value before you sell or buy to make sure that you arent getting ripped off.

another piece of advice is to be patient and watch whats going on around you. learn your environment while playing. this can help you with your character position and wont cause you to "overaggro" other monsters and such that you dont want to be fighting yet.

Watch other players also. if youre having trouble doing something and you see someone playing a class similar to yours, ask for some help. believe it or not there are friendly people in all games that will be willing to help you understand your character class better.

Also something you can do, just ask the question in game. Granted you will get a few jerk responses and a few real responses, so take each answer with a grain, maybe more like a rock, of salt. You will find most player standing around doing nothing will help out, some may even join you as a guide.

My monk will often help out the new guys.

You are not wasting that silver dye. you will find more as you go along. Lots more. In all colors.

Things that I think are helpful:

When you enter a city, immediately go to one of the last districts of the town. fewer people will be filling the chat with sales pitches.

Ask for help in towns that are not missions: Mission towns are obsessed only with mission chat for the most part.

Use your map for quick travel anytime you can.

It's normally easier to do the mission than take the nearby overland route. and you get 1,000 xp for doing it.

Just ask the question instead of asking, "Can someone answer a question?"

Never ask anything In beacon's perch it only exists to match up runners and people that want to give away money.

If it seems too cheap, you are getting scammed.

Find something you can do easy that nets a lot of one item, exploit it for your early money. Pre-searing favorites are selling the items you trade for armor. Post searing, it's runs to nearby spots and charr hides near piken square. Later on, it's griffon hunting and FOW. If you can do this and sell to merchants, even better. Little less money but less hassle.

Lion's Arch is where all the haters tend to congregate. The people in tere tend to be quickest to insult you.

Always ask, someone may be available.

Do find a helpful guild. if they let you in and don't help, quit and find another one.

Learn to use your friends list. and thank the people wo help you. Check in as you get strong ad ask if they need your help or want to join up with you again.

i usually state the following after helping someone w/ an item or quest or question.

"return the favor some day"

I think (hope) this helps remind the person that he/she was helped in a nice way so that they should do the same to the next person asking

Well ok heres some stuff from a "GW Vet." i guess...:

-When i first started i did buy any armor other than ascalon, and saved my money LIKE A MAD MAN.
-Dont pay anyone to run you anywhere untill you have a couple of lvl 20 characters and money to spare.
-The "commands" that you speak of are used by holdin ctrl then clicking on things on your GW screen. Ex. holdin ctrl and clicking your experience bar will tell you how far you are to the next level.
-Getting a max weapon isnt importand at first, just play the game through with a weapon your comfortable with and find out skills by playing through the story mode
-People will call you noobs if your new but ignore them. They are just ignorant people that dont want to help anyone.
-Do quests, they help you get experience and play your skill bar more, once you are experienced and know your build (skill bar) then you can skip quests and go strait to missions.
-Play presearing (ascalon when its green) to its fullest, you learn so much here on how the proffesion works and how to play it. It can save you a lot of time and money when you figure out your lvl 20 with awsome armor "just isnt that fun to play".
-I cant stress enough, SAVE SAVE SAVE, when i first played i saved like crazy and only bought armor later in the game. More money = more options later in the game, remember that.

Well this is all i can think of right now
Hope this helped, if you need further help my Ign (in game name) is Phrophesy Of Sin.

~Captain CCC

Hmmmmm.
Often times I give random people fairly decent items. For instance, a few days ago, I gave away a gold earth staff to a person who had just started the game. I've also given away a fairly decent bow, and even a green.

Why?
I could have gotten gold form it.
But I figured, hell. I don't need it.

There are few other things, collectors are your friends. My warrior is outfitted exclisively from drops and collectors, the desert on all have max damage weapons just as good as the "uber" greens. Guildwiki wilk will even tell you how to duplicate a green with a collector, and significantly cheaper mods.

Advice:

Money:
-Lion's Arch and beyond: Salvage EVERYTHING that isn't relatively good, white armors, blue/white weapons, maybe even purple/gold if thy have garbage mods.

-Learn the better farming spots for your class.

-READ the forums, look for up and coming news and play the market. For instance, Factions is coming, prices on basic materials is theorized to go up, everyone's stockpiled. In 6 months when you're better off, there's another release coming, read the market, learn what will be needed in that release, join the frenzy.

-Get a basic grasp for what stuff is worth, rarely back down from prices, and try not to overinflate the value of your item, act like you know what you're doing and most rip artists will back off.

Combat:
-Speak to your team, don't be scared to ask what you need to bring, or what works. Make sure your team knows what they're doing or you'll waste 15-60 minutes.

-If you're in a cookie-cutter build area, ask around what the required builds are for you class BEFORE you get into a group. Intense farmers won't be interested in telling you what to do in the middle of a run.

-Warriors, for all their generic stigma ARE the aggro controlers, let them do their jobs, don't run ahead of them.

-Monks, for all their general stigma are neither invincible, nor GOD. Protect them if you can, and do not let them push you around. There's always another monk hiding somewhere who isn't stuck up.

-Mesmers, these players are "usually" 2nd or 3rd chars, players weilding them generally know what their doing, and appreciate it if you don't bother them about their builds. Mesmers are specialists of causing havoc, this lends them to having many, many varying, but successful builds.

-Necros, not much to say about necros, what you see is what you get.

-Rangers, someone else will have to comment on them, I don't have a ranger.

-Assassins, we have yet to see the full potential of this class, but it's safe to say, they will be useful, but only if they don't play as a Warrior.

-Ritualists, again, no comment, never played one.

-Elementalists, your Spikers (Air Magic), Nukers (Fire Magic), Wardens (Earth Magic), and the under-used Aquamancers (Water Magic). Still recovering from brutal beatings by the nerf (downgrade of skills) bat this class tends to be build intensive, revolving around one Magic style per build, on occasion you'll find dual-magic Eles.

Terminology/Build References:
-Stance Tank: A Warrior that generally uses multiple stances to stay alive.

-55 "Class": A player who has created a class that has 55 hit points and uses a special build to farm very difficult areas. See forum for Details.

-MM: A Minion Master, a necromancer who specializes in raising vast armies of undead and keeping them alive.

-SS: A Necromancer who runs a build revolving around the skill "Spiteful Spirt"

-Bonder: A special monk whos build revolves around the skill "Protective Bond"

-Runner: Someone who takes you where you want to go for a price. Please don't use these services till you have at least 2 characters that completed the game. Or even better, never use them.

-Tombs: A PvE dungeon type area located in a former PvP area of the same name.

-FoW: Fissure of Woe, another dungeon style area, a of the 55ers.

-UW: Underworld, another home of the 55ers, even more difficult them FoW.

-ToA: Temple of Ages, starting point of both FoW and UW.

-LA: Lion's Arch, a city about 1/3 the way through the story, trading hub for weapons/runes.

-HoD: Henge of Denravi, City located 1/2 way through the story, special crafted items.

-Crystal Desert: This area is far more difficult then previous areas including the test of Ascension, basically, a big noob filter. City is Amnoon Oasis.

-Drok's: Droknar's Forge, final major town, best armor, trading hub for everything, but mainly materials/weapons and powerleveling, for those who got run there.

-Infusion: A special attribute applied to armor to fight the special enemy of that area. If I told you any more then that it'd be a spoiler.

-THK: Thunderhead Keep, a difficult mission for the unpracticed player, noob filter.

-15^50: Common short hand that represents the modification of a weapon doing +15% dmg while health is above 50%.

-10/10 Sundering: Common shorthand for the maximum value of the sundering mod. +10% armor penetration/10% of the time.

-Zealous/Vamp. 1:1-1:4: Short hand for Zealous (energy) and Vampiric (health) mods. the first number is the amount of denegeration to that "bar", the second value is the number of points you gain from an attack.

Example: 1:3 Vamp: You have -1 degeneration to your health, but steal 3 health every attack.

That's all I can do at the moment, my update is about to finish, will edit and add more later.

Find a guild and listen to people. I have a great PVE guild. We have guild funds and a storage account for new people and new chars that are coming up. Our experienced guildies give things to our lesser experienced guildlies also. I ve given away more Velium and Parchment (high priced materials) than I ve sold. Good PVE and farming guilds will give alot of stuff to each other forsake of group bonding and limited storage space.

Thanks everyone for the tips!

Any other information is always welcome hehe.

I've used many of your links to help me in game, and I ended up helping a bunch of other people at the same time.

Question: If someone offers to join a guild, should I just rush in and join it? Or is there a way that I can see how things are like within the guild before joining up?

if you happen to be playing on europe, help yourself to adding me in your friend list

as for guilds, I never was in one that was nice, so Im running in an empty guild (so that noone invites me )
i dont feel guilds are that important for pve, you cant find a uber-leet helpful guild (or at least I cant). your best bet is to get lots of people on your friendlist

Sorry but that just made me giggle. Correct term is 'Hydromancer'

10 points for effort though

Ok, back on topic - Great run through of the basics, I have linked a few of my friends who are new players to this. Good job Ken Dei.

You should always ask about the guild and the group's overall intentions and activities.

1) How big is the guild with how many members? (For all you know you could be joining a guild with just one or two people and its been like that for months)
2) How many people are normally active at one time? (Why be in a guild when no one is around)
3) What does the guild generally do, PvE, PvP, and/or GvG?
4) Are there set Guild activities? (Example: Do they have a monthly or weekley set day and time to do strictly GvG and etc)
5) Are there any Guild imposed restrictions or requirements? If so, what are they?

Being in a guild that is active with lots of helpful and fun people can make this game great so be considerate of what guild you join and don't just rush in. Also, when doing cooperative missions, learn to make friends and buff up your friends list too just as fb2000 had mention.