Thinking about starting Guildwars

[Alex_P]

Or a beginner's resource (The who,what,where,when and why of the game, Social hints are nice. with WoW There's looting rules in group, What are common rules in guild wars? ect.)
Any real advice on classes or end game would be nice too.

The major resources are:
The official wiki [http://wiki.guildwars.com/wiki/Main_Page].
The unofficial wiki [http://guildwars.wikia.com/wiki/Main_Page] (this one was first but it has kinda been overshadowed by the official one).
A build wiki [http://pvx.wikia.com/wiki/Main_Page].
A major fansite with forums &c. [http://www.guildwarsguru.com/]
If you do PvP, you'll want to look at the major PvP guilds' sites. They tend to have guides better than the ones posted on the general resource sites.

The main thing to watch out for is that Guild Wars is a game nearing its sunset. You'll still find lots of players but it won't be like the first few months after the release of a campaign. Right now the game concentrates players into a particular activity by having a "quest of the day" kind of thing that gives you a bonus for doing that particular thing.

You'll have a choice of which of the three main campaigns to start in. The "Prophecies" campaign offers the gentlest start (and more room to experiment) but the other two do a better job of teaching you gameplay techniques. I'd say just pick campaigns based on which one looks cooler. The game's generally non-grindy enough that you can feasibly maintain several characters simultaneously while still playing at a "casual" pace, too. Once you get to the point that lets you travel between campaigns, it's generally a good idea to do so to diversify your character's skills a bit.

Don't get too distracted by farming and prestige knick-knacks while you're starting out. You can make quite a lot of money just doing the game missions in order.

-- Alex

 

[hydroblitz]

im thinking about this, downloading the trial now. i just quit WoW because of grinding. is that a problem in gw?

 

[Alex_P]

Okay, What's the "PvP" one for? is it worth getting?

The PvP version is a stripped-down thing for people who don't want to do PvE play at all. Don't get it. If I recall correctly, it's a bit overpriced compared to the cost of the actual game (which is something like $50 for a "trilogy" DVD right now).

The game's original design was to have PvE characters kinda "graduate" to PvP combat. Eventually the devs realized that lots of PvE players didn't want to do PvP and lots of PvP players didn't want to bother leveling characters, so they:
1. Added more "end-game" content for PvE play.
2. Created the option of starting a "PvP character" -- a toon that you don't have to build up but can only use for PvP.
The skills and equipment your PvE characters acquire is also unlocked for your PvP characters. PvP characters can also unlock stuff with points you get for PvPing; I like Guild Wars' PvP but I think it gets way too repetitive if you are relying on PvP to pay for all the unlocks.

-- Alex

 

[Alex_P]

im thinking about this, downloading the trial now. i just quit WoW because of grinding. is that a problem in gw?

Well, the grinding is exists but it's optional.

The game was supposed to be grind-free. It's generally designed so that you can go through the whole game by playing the missions in order without repeating content just to farm equipment or XP.

The game had some gold sinks built in, though, in the form of "prestige" skins for weapons and armor. These definitely reward "grinding". The thing is, a character who with the regular very-affordable level 20 armor will have the same stats as a character with really flashy Obsidian armor. So, it's just a bragging-rights thing. (I find that you get noticed more if you mix-and-match your own style rather than just buying the priciest gear and dying it black, anyway.)

Popular demand has also led to the introduction of "titles". Getting those is rather grindsome. But they're mostly just, y'know, for vanity. (Some of them have vaguely beneficial special effects in PvE, though.)

So, you can play Guild Wars without grinding. If you're a completionist who just can't resist getting the shiniest gear and filling up every little achievement bar, you're going to find yourself doing a lot of grinding.

...

(EDIT)
A few years ago, I did the Deep practically every day for several months. Just, like, over and over. I wasn't doing it for loot, really, just for fun. Mostly because it was something that was regarded as very hard at the time (before the advent of very powerful "PvE skills" and the widespread adoption of certain strategies that we had a small hand in refining) and I and my buddies were damn good at doing it. It was the same place with the same monsters every night, but, well, it was fun somehow; like we were doing a well-choreographed dance.

I don't feel that way about any other "dungeon" and I refuse to grind them, but we definitely had a special relationship with the Deep.

-- Alex

 

[Theon Tonarim]

Man, you'll wish you joined the game about three years ago. Before titles and crazy grind and reputation and hero skills... and tonics and etc. If you do get into it, start with Prophecies. Best PvE I've ever seen. You'll want Factions+Nightfall for the PvP skills and extra classes+heroes. Eye of The North for supah-grind (Yes, optional, but if you want the good shit you're gonna grind) and looking at some nice statues of yourself.
If you get into the PvP crowd, you won't be disappointed. Shit's fun man.
Just don't overdo it like me and wind up bored out of your skull with the game. Hard Mode my ass.

I miss the old days.