Considering buying GW?

Sorry to bother you all, I just want to ask whether my playstyle is suitable for this game, or whether we'd all be happier if I went elsewhere-

I know if I posted this on the WoW forums from which I herald I'd get flamed to Tibet and back, I hope you folk are a bit more helpful ><

So I used to play everquest, then Dark Ages of Camelot, then picked up World of Warcraft, but I'm now really upset with the direction WoW is heading. Specifically, I am hardcore into PvP, and I was ranked in the top ten each week back before battlegrounds, when everybody earned their honor in open world combat. The battlegrounds were great when they first came out, and you never knew who was going to win the game until you played it.

Now, as it stands, I haven't been surprised with who won a battleground in weeks, because my horde pugs always roll the alliance pugs and my horde pugs always lose to the alliance ventrilo/teamspeak guid groups. The gear disparity between those in organized guilds and those not is becoming outlandish, and I really can't stand that Blizzard has pretty much stated the only way to get top quality gear is to join a serious guild and do the 40 man raids. (I have half blues half PvP epics myself, but nothing like the full tier 2 epic teams that I hit over half the time)

I enjoy 5 man groups, and I enjoy solo content, I love open world PvP, and I love challenging battleground-style PvP, but I can't stand PvP in world of warcraft any more. Gear and guild mean more than every other factor combined. I'll stop carrying on about my WoW woes and simply ask:

Is this a game that rewards skill more than it rewards belonging to an uber guild?

I really love belonging to a very small friendly guild, and the mentality of those in the top guilds really bothers me. Few on my server doubt that I play as much as the more hardcore players, with nearly 70 days /played in the past 13 months, it's not a question of not wanting to put the time in. I don't think I'm casual in the sense that I don't play as much as the next person, but I am casual in the sense that I refuse to have to start raiding with an elitist guild in order to stand a chance in PvP.

My real question is, does gear determine everything in this game, or does individual skill? Do elitist guilds dominate or can pickup groups stand a chance? Is there ever 1 on 1 or very small scale combat?

Sorry for taking so long, I'm just desperate to find an MMORPG type game that rewards one's skill more than it rewards one's connections in belonging to the most serious guilds.

(and just in case people are thinking this is just a case of sour grapes, I've actually been invited to a couple of the high-end guilds, but too many of the people in there are just real jerks to non-guildies, and I had to decline)

Thanks for all your help!

Drep, 60 Rogue (Rank 10 now)

sorry. didnt read your whole post.

but if you look for pvp, then you will love gw. since there are many skilled pvp persons out there. also in gw you have nearly unlimited combinations to build a charakter with skills.

GW is a lot of PvP yes. But its all team based. And without a good friendslist or guild, its almost impossible to find a good team. By reading your post, I'd guess this isn't the game for you.

Heh, yah it was pretty long. Basically I want a PvP game that rewards skill more than it rewards heavily investing time in an organized guild in order to farm up the best equipment through PvE.

I don't mind belonging to a casual guild, like I am in WoW, but as such I simply cannot compete in the battlegrounds with the organized ventrilo tier 2 top geared groups that dominate. I actually have more time /played than most of the players in there, but I've spent that time in world PvP and pickup groups, refining my player vs player skills, but all the skill in the world doesn't overcome the advantages that PvE success bring to PvP matches. Even in 1v1 I can hold my own against the best geared players, but my teammates can't, and so it's a case where you have to join an elitist guild that does PvE raid content religiously in order to ALSO have any fun in the battlegrounds, the only place PvP takes place on my server nowadays.

Is gear that big a factor in this game? Can a player from a small guild compete and have fun, if he's willing to put the time in?

"Sorry to bother you all, I just want to ask whether my playstyle is suitable for this game, or whether we'd all be happier if I went elsewhere-"

No problem

"I know if I posted this on the WoW forums from which I herald I'd get flamed to Tibet and back, I hope you folk are a bit more helpful ><"

Of course.

"So I used to play everquest, then Dark Ages of Camelot, then picked up World of Warcraft, but I'm now really upset with the direction WoW is heading. Specifically, I am hardcore into PvP, and I was ranked in the top ten each week back before battlegrounds, when everybody earned their honor in open world combat. The battlegrounds were great when they first came out, and you never knew who was going to win the game until you played it."

I've never played in World of Warcraft, but if you are hardcore into PvP, then maybe...yeah. GW does do it for you. Maybe, gotta read the rest of your post.

"Now, as it stands, I haven't been surprised with who won a battleground in weeks, because my horde pugs always roll the alliance pugs and my horde pugs always lose to the alliance ventrilo/teamspeak guid groups. The gear disparity between those in organized guilds and those not is becoming outlandish, and I really can't stand that Blizzard has pretty much stated the only way to get top quality gear is to join a serious guild and do the 40 man raids. (I have half blues half PvP epics myself, but nothing like the full tier 2 epic teams that I hit over half the time)"

Well, GW is about weapons, but more about how you play with them instead of how 1337 your weapon is. For example, I have a build that really needs on the Zealous Bow String, but if you're talking about the higher level guilds have the best armor in the world, and then owns the whole game, then GW is for you. Still gotta read the rest of the post.

"I enjoy 5 man groups, and I enjoy solo content, I love open world PvP, and I love challenging battleground-style PvP, but I can't stand PvP in world of warcraft any more. Gear and guild mean more than every other factor combined. I'll stop carrying on about my WoW woes and simply ask:"

Gear and Guild doesn't mean much in GW...unless you're in the top guild, and that's not really your Guild, that's your skill and your teammates, along with how good you communicate...

"Is this a game that rewards skill more than it rewards belonging to an uber guild?"

Definitely. Well, almost. Usually, the better Guilds have better skilled people, but if you're really good, you will stand out.

"I really love belonging to a very small friendly guild, and the mentality of those in the top guilds really bothers me. Few on my server doubt that I play as much as the more hardcore players, with nearly 70 days /played in the past 13 months, it's not a question of not wanting to put the time in. I don't think I'm casual in the sense that I don't play as much as the next person, but I am casual in the sense that I refuse to have to start raiding with an elitist guild in order to stand a chance in PvP."

You can go to Arenas and do "casual" PvP there. Somebody else fill this part in.

"My real question is, does gear determine everything in this game, or does individual skill? Do elitist guilds dominate or can pickup groups stand a chance? Is there ever 1 on 1 or very small scale combat?"

Well, pickup groups can stand a chance, as long as you play well. Usually the elite play better, but then it's "they play better", not "they are 1337 and therefore will own everything".

Your second question: No, not at the moment. Maybe in Chapter 2.

"Sorry for taking so long, I'm just desperate to find an MMORPG type game that rewards one's skill more than it rewards one's connections in belonging to the most serious guilds."

It does reward skill and creativity, since this game is all about that. But if you're skilled and creative, chances are you're in the top guilds already.

"(and just in case people are thinking this is just a case of sour grapes, I've actually been invited to a couple of the high-end guilds, but too many of the people in there are just real jerks to non-guildies, and I had to decline)"

I never thought it was sour grapes...

Just to say, in GW, get a Guild where the members are actually nice to each other...

to sum up some facts so you can decide for yourself :

GW has 4 different forms of PvP :

the competition arena's : 4vs4 gameplay, just press the start button and you'll be assigned a random group. This is pretty much the lowest form of pvp, and you have to be lucky to get in a decent group to get some consecutive wins.

the team arena's : 4vs4 gameplay, pretty much the organised version of the competition arena's, assemble your own team ande fight other 4-man teams on the arena map's throughout the world.

note : both competition and team arena's use the same small competition maps

Tomb of the primeval kings : 8vs8 tournament. Every win will get you closer to the Hall of Heroes, the end-map of this tournament. maps and playstyles differ, from regular elimination to altar holding, or relic runs.

Guild versus Guild : the real "Guild Wars". Fight other guilds to earn your place on the Guild Ladder.


now, GW is about skill, not equipment. It's all about balance : a pvp-only character is standard equipped with the best armor in the game, and can chose from different maxed out weapons. Winning in pvp will get you "faction", used to unlock new skills, new upgrades and new runes. It doesn't take long at all to get a good character ready and compete at the same level, gearwise.

however, if you're playing against an experienced group in Tombs, you of course, have a bigger chance to lose, simply because teamwork does give you an edge. Those can be guildgroups, or mixed (couple of friends playing together).

if you consider playing pvp in guildwars, over time, you'll most likely find it needed to join a good guild. But, pugs have won, and held, Hall of Heroes, so nothing is impossible in GW

Thanks for the speedy replies. I have a lot to think about. I still don't know whether GW is the game for me, but your forum kicks the WoW forums' arse.

I just want to note that, as far as PVP goes, Guild Wars is not AT ALL gear-based, which is one of my favorite things about it. Everything is based on skills and teamwork.

Equipment is very important, but it's very easy to get the (near) perfect items in a short time, so that probabl won't be the problem. Though, you won't win very much Hall of Heroes (this is the PvP arena that you'll have to play in to get rank, which isn't worth anything in Guild Wars) without a good Guild, since most non-Guild groups are simply to unorganized and just do everything indivuadualy, and then they'll see what happens. Though, you could also play Competition Arenas, like I do. I don't like guilds that are PvP based either, so I just play Competition Arenas.
Competition Arenas (or Random Arenas) is a place where you join a random team with random people, and you'll fight against the same teams, so you don't have to worry about to much organizing etc. Since you won't have time for anything like that anyway.

This is probably pretty obvious, but the FREE play is nice, too.

If you have $40, why not try out GW and see for yourself?

I'm betting you'll at least get $40 of entertainment from it...

Yes, I've easily gotten my 6 cents an hour's worth. That really puts it in perspective...

It sounds like you probably wouldn't hate it, I'd guess that you'll like it, but it's inexpensive anyways - if you play for 100 hours and decide you are done with it you'll still have only spent 40 cents an hour, which is pretty reasonable entertainment.

i didnt read your whole post, or most of anybody elses posts for that matter. the main point of questing is to prepare for PVP. While you will get most of the money you need while progressing to max lvl (if you aren't too spendy that is) only a little farming is necessary.

the main point in GW is about skills. you can only have 8 at a time and having skills that work well together is key to success.

having the best items does help, but its not a make or break, especially since there is a lot of factors to take into play. As it is im cutting corners by gettin a major rune of absorption instead of superior and getting a dune lizard instead of a spider from UW. But i dont care about winning hall of heroes either...I think the PVP is just plain fun

I dont like wasting my time farming. I heard you can buy gold with real money, anyone know if this is true??

If you like PVP then this game is for you

Over 6 months, I have about 600 hours of play time.

I have ascended with every profession except mesmer AT LEAST once (necro 3 times, monk 2 times... very picky about name and appearance).

I have about 300 plat in total currently, I have pretty much all the final gear for my necro and warrior (number of perfect or near perfect weapons for each char, 15k armor sets, multiple armor sets, etc). I have bought extra skills for different secondaries for each of those characters.

I started solo farming YESTERDAY (literally). I've been on 5-man Sorrow's Furnace runs quite a bit which is tons of fun and where I made most my gold.

I've spent probably around 400k in weapons, armor, material, etc.

I would say there is no reason for anyone not to be able to get uber gear.

If you're not like me and will be pvp'ing mostly, you'll have access to high end stuff right away. You'll be able to unlock mods along the way as you gain fame or play the pve side and unlock through there.

No matter what, you won't find the same imbalances here that are in WoW as far as gear is concerned. The shit you see selling for 100k+ per item do the SAME DAMAGE as the easily obtainable collector's items. It's just about rarity which makes them expensive. They aren't exactly better.

alot of people complain about the PvE on gw but i personally like it. i do some pvp as well and they are both very enjoyable. gw has different lvl pvp arenas for different lvl players so the gear gets better as the player lvl and arena lvl rise up. this is a nice feature for sure. but yeah it sounds like you would get alot of enjoyment out of gw.