Bear's Guild Wars 2 Introduction Guide

by **Bear** Mon Sep 19, 2016 7:35 pm

Bear's Guild Wars 2 Introduction Guide

Table of Contents

Feel free to search for items listed below!

1. A vision into the future

1.1 Creating an Account and Downloading Client
1.2 Character Creation
1.3 Tutorial Mission

2. Was it all a dream?

2.1 Introduction to Player vs Environment
2.1.1 Profession Builds
2.1.2 World Completion
2.1.2.1 Dungeons
2.1.2.2 Fractals of the Mists
2.1.3 Dynamic Events
2.1.4 The Black Lion Trading Market
2.2 Introduction to Player vs Player
2.2.1 Intro to structured PVP (sPVP)
2.2.2 Intro to World vs World (WvW)
2.2.2.1 Intro to Mist War
2.2.2.2 Intro to Edge of the Mists
2.2.2.3 Intro to Rules of Engagement
2.3 Introduction to Guilds

3. Personal Story

3.1 My Personal Legend
3.2 Living Story Seasons
3.3 Leveling 1-80 Tips and Tricks

4. Additional Notes

1. A vision into the future

1.1 Creating an Account and Downloading Client

Before we can begin on this journey, you will need to go to https://account.arena.net/register and sign-up or login (top-right). Once you get your email verified, you will need to download the client. The digital client replaces the physical CD so the only thing you are ever required once (no sub fee) to buy to obtain the current game content is the serial key that either you obtained digitally or with a standard game case.

There are 3 types of account types: Free to Play, Core Gw2 Account and Heart of Thorns Account. Visit this website for more in-depth information on how they are laid out: https://help.guildwars2.com/entries/95982157-Account-types-Free-Core-HoT

Once you finish downloading the game, install it and then make 2 shortcuts on your Windows desktop. Mac only needs 1 shortcut. Rename one of the shortcuts to "Gw2 Repair" and then go to properties and add " -image" to the end of the line. It should look like this:
("C:\Program Files (x86)\Guild Wars 2\Gw2.exe" -image)

Adding -image to the line forces the client to patch faster. Click on the shortcut and it will launch the client and start patching! The download rate will be determined based on your internet speed and internet service provider. It should not take any longer than 30 minutes to one hour. When done hit play.

1.2 Character Creation

When you first start the game, it will open in full-screen mode. You can tweak this to a window with the clog-shaped settings icon top left screen of your character-select screen. Click on a character slot and either double click or at the bottom right corner select "create." This will open the character creation screen. There are 5 playable races to choose from known as Asurans (intelligent tiny life), Humans, Charr (cat like), Norn (giants), and Sylvari (plant life creatures). For the purpose of this guide, you will start as an Asuran.

When you clicked on your race, there will be 9 playable professions your character can choose up to be. They are as follows:
Light armor
Elementors
Mesmer
Necromancers

Medium Armor
Engineers
Ranger
Thief

Heavy Armor
Warrior
Guardian
Revenant (Heart of Thorns exclusive)

Once you are done selecting your profession you will be required to setup your character's background information. This is totally personal and will slightly affect your first portion of the "My Personal Legend" story completion.

When you finish your customization and background information you will need to create a name for your character. Please keep it appropriate to avoid being banned or kicked from any guild since most of you reading this guide are most likely joining Aspiring Brotherhood [PACT] & friendly community guilds on Fort Aspenwood!

1.3 Tutorial Mission

Once you begin you will see a cinematic based on the unique background choices that defined your character. Since you started with Asuran race, you will start at a story-instanced map of Metrica Province (one of the Asuran territories). In the demo-tutorial you will learn what explorer (scout) npc's are; what waypoints are; what the mission quest objective marker (green upper right) looks like; what non player characters (green), party members (blue), guild members (yellow), and enemy players (red) look like and you will face your first map challenge boss (mini boss) or not if someone already cleared it in order to progress out of the tutorial and into your new adventure!

by **Bear** Tue Sep 20, 2016 9:51 pm

2. Was it all a dream?

2.1 Introduction to Player vs Environment

Exiting out of the tutorial lands you right into Metrica Province where you can interact with the real game world. Was everything you just did a dream? Yes and no. It was an introduction of what is to come. Player vs Environment is the general game style that pits you against the computer. Whether that is doing personal story, npc quests, dungeons, or anything that doesn't involve pvp, your largest chunk of game time will be in the world.

You can access your hero panel by either pressing default H or by looking for the icon top left of your screen. The hero panel allows you to customize your character's equipment, aesthetic options, skills and builds, crafting, check where you are in your personal story, achievements (including daily quests that help you level super fast!) and masteries which are special passive bonuses for your character exclusive to Heart of Thorns!

2.1.1 Profession Builds

Each profession by now has thousands of awesome different setup builds that you can use for your character. A build is simply a term used for the special setup you have for your profession. Each build consists of 3 specializations that are unlockable throughout leveling up and through the purchase of passive skills that can only be obtained by discovering hero skills and completing their challenges.

A list of common builds for non-HoT:

Spoiler:

2.1.2 World Completion

Free players will not be able to access the world completion percentile on their map until level 10. World completion helps gain travel across the land. It also is a substantial way of gaining levels while doing heart quests, dungeons and other eventful adventures in the land of Tyria!

You can cross-reference non-expansion maps using this wonderful website with waypoints (WP), points of interests (poi), Vistas and Hero Skill points discovered here: http://gw2cartographers.com/

2.1.2.1 Dungeons

https://wiki.guildwars2.com/wiki/Dungeon
Dungeons are optional party-based PvE instances, each with their own story. There are currently nine dungeons. All dungeons except Fractals of the Mists and the special event dungeons have two modes: a story mode, which focuses on the story of the Destiny's Edge group, and an explorable mode, a more difficult mode which requires more co-ordination to play through and is unlocked after completing story mode. Each mode allows for groups of up to five players; content does not scale depending on the number of players in the party so the difficulty remains constant. The actions of the team and random dynamic events influence what happens during a dungeon play-through.

A waypoint can be found outside the start of each dungeon in the persistent world, as well as a NPC giving basic information. To help navigate the dungeon, waypoints are in place inside the dungeon entrance should the party be defeated or all party members out of combat, with new waypoints opening upon the completion of major objectives. Additionally, dungeons retain a basic level of persistence during the instance: creatures do not respawn, and characters may join or rejoin a party in progress within a dungeon.

Players will be notified via mail by their "Herald" as they reach the suggested level for each dungeon, as well as another notification about the dungeon's explorable mode once they complete the dungeon's story mode.

Spoiler:

2.1.3 Dynamic Events: https://wiki.guildwars2.com/wiki/Dynamic_event

2.1.4 The Black Lion Trading Market: https://wiki.guildwars2.com/wiki/Black_Lion_Trading_Company

2.2 Introduction to Player vs Player

2.2.1 Intro to structured PVP (sPVP): https://wiki.guildwars2.com/wiki/Structured_PvP

2.2.2 Intro to World vs World (WvW): https://wiki.guildwars2.com/wiki/World_versus_World

2.2.2.1 Intro to Rules of Engagement:

https://toygamers.forumotion.com/t310-perks-of-a-commander
https://toygamers.forumotion.com/t320-world-vs-world-a-player-s-journey

2.3 Introduction to Guilds: https://wiki.guildwars2.com/wiki/Guild

Combo Finishers

by **Bear** Tue Sep 20, 2016 10:21 pm

3. Personal Story

3.1 My Personal Legend

https://wiki.guildwars2.com/wiki/Personal_story

3.2 Living Story Seasons:

https://www.guildwars2.com/en/the-game/releases/january-21-2014/
https://wiki.guildwars2.com/wiki/Living_World

3.3 Leveling 1-80 Tips and Tricks

I. Craft artifice, cooking and jewelry first. Find mats (ingredients) in the player world doing anything or buy through the trading post to craft them in towns or in the guild hall!
II. Complete World Exploration
III. Engage in Dynamic Events
IV. Farm for Tomes of Knowledge in Player vs Player instances
V. Complete your personal story
VI. Party up and challenge dungeons and raids!

4. Additional Notes

Guide completed 09-20-2016 10:29PM CT

by Sponsored content

Bear's Guild Wars 2 Introduction Guide

Bear's Guild Wars 2 Introduction Guide

Chapter 2: Was it all a dream?

End of Tutorial: Personal Story and Additional Notes

Re: Bear's Guild Wars 2 Introduction Guide

Ascalonian Catacombs	Path 1 - Hodgins	50	80
	Path 2 - Detha	50	80
	Path 3 - Tzark	50	80
Caudecus's Manor	Path 1 - Asura	35	80
	Path 2 - Seraph	35	80
	Path 3 - Butler	35	80
Twilight Arbor	Path 1 - Leurent (Up)	35	80
	Path 2 - Fyonna (Forward/Up) no longer available	1	80
	Path 3 - Vevina (Forward)	35	80
	Path 4 - Aetherpath	66	80
Sorrow's Embrace	Path 1 - Fergg	35	80
	Path 2 - Rasolov	35	80
	Path 3 - Koptev	35	80
Citadel of Flame	Path 1 - Ferrah	35	80
	Path 2 - Magg	35	80
	Path 3 - Rhiannon	35	80
Honor of the Waves	Path 1 - Butcher	35	80
	Path 2 - Plunderer	35	80
	Path 3 - Zealot	35	80
Crucible of Eternity	Path 1 - Submarine	35	80
	Path 2 - Teleporter	35	80
	Path 3 - Front door	35	80
The Ruined City of Arah	Path 1 - Jotun	1	80
	Path 2 - Mursaat	1 5	80
	Path 3 - Forgotten	1 55	80
	Path 4 - Seer	1	80