Earl's newbie questions

I just got this game for Christmas and I'm thrilled as it's the best RP game I've played since Neverwinter. I have a few questions I was wondering if somebody could help me with.

I see crafting material all over the place. What do I do with it? Can I use crafting material to upgrade my sword, bow, armor, etc? If so, how?

My next question is somewhat like my first. I see players running around with awesome outfits, capes, etc. I got to level 6 last night and I'm still wearing the cheesy outfit I had in level 1. Where are all these people getting these cool outfits and capes? Can they be made from crafting material, do they just find them or is it a guild thing?

To anybody who answers any of these for me, you have my gratitude.

Crafting materials can be made to forge armor and weapons. The capes you see come from guilds. The capes cost 2 platinum to make. There are armor crafters across Tyria that offer armor for certain crafting materials + a sum of gold. Check each outpost and city for an armor crafter.

Glad u enjoy the game earl...X already explained ur question to u, i just giving u soem insight...dont worry so much about ur appearance or ur performance from the beginning...so long as u have a basic ur fine, the worrying about how do i look or do i have the best weapon in the game comes when ur lv 20 thats when the frustrating side of GW rears its ugly head...

Til then, enjoy the game and have fun

*edit* tell us what profession you are and we'll tell you what materials you need to get and which are crap to you, so you can save and make a little extra cash

In answer to both of your questions - you use crafting materials at the armor/weapons crafter to create your character's armor, or some specific customized weapons. You cannot 'find' useable armor in GW (though sometimes you'll find creature 'armor', the only thing you can do is salvage it.) Instead, armor must be crafted and will be customized for you.

In pre-searing (the happy green place where the game starts), you can get a new suit of armor from the collectors by finding them various items that drop from monsters. Exactly which collector gives which armor varies on class, so look around and talk to them. It should also be noted that pre-searing gear isn't very good.

In post-searing, you must take crafting materials and gold to the armor crafter in order to get your gear made.

As far as a cape, the only way to get a cape is to join a guild that has one, or make your own. A cape for your guild costs 2000 gold but can be customized in a variety of ways - capes can also be toggled off and on through the interface in your inventory.

Hope this helps!

http://www.guildwiki.org/wiki/Main_Page


ps

I will buy your black dye for 6 gold.

I have a necro/warrior but I'm thinking of making new characters just to try each profession and find out which one I like the best. As for the dye, I wish in the future they'd at least let us buy dye at the market. But with the frustration I've already seen online, I suppose that's a given. Thanks everyone for your help/advice.

you can buy all the dye you want at the dye trader.

but, he's postsear --- you're probably pre.

Just wanted to tell you that if you join a guild who has capes you get one free. From everyone's posts it kind of sounded like you had to pay even if you join a guild.

And welcome to GW, I hope you like it as much as we do.

I do hope u were joiking about the 6 gold, when it's worth over 6000gold.

Also as Aeris said...joina guild and get the cape...no need to drop 2 plat.

If you're pre-sear, At level 6-7 It's time to go post at this point you should have done all the questing you can and are ready for the leap.

Maybe I missed it, but aside from buying armor...which I do suggest. If coin is an issue you can get collectors throughout the game by trading certain items. This is a nice option for anyone who is cash strapped.
Weapons can also be bought or rahter traded from collectors. Some of these are actually very good and some of my favorite weapons.
Welcome to Guild Wars ....have fun!