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Table of Contents
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I. Introduction
II. Version History
III. The Basics of Guild Wars
N1. Hero (H)
N2. Skills & Attributes
N3. Combat
N4. Partying and Quests
N5. Gear & Items
N6. Saving GP
N7. Observer Mode (B) & FAQ About Observer Mode
N8. PvE Builds
X1. Dragon Slasher
X2. Minion Master
X3. Fire Nuker
X4. Heal Monk
X5. Spiteful Necro
X6. B/P Ranger
X7. Protection Monk
N9. Heroes
IV. Crossing Into New Territory
H1. Welcome to Cantha!
H2. Cantha FAQ Section
H3. Welcome to Elona!
H4. Elona FAQ Section
V. Choosing the Class that is Best For You
C1. Ranger
C2. Monk
C3. Warrior
C4. Mesmer
C5. Necromancer
C6. Elementalist
C7. Assassin
C8. Ritualist
C9. Dervish
C10. Paragon
VI. Introduction to PvP
P1. Great Temple of Balthazar
Z1. Isle of the Nameless
Z2. Zaishen Challenge
Z3. Zaishen Elite
P2. Learning Your Role
L1. Warrior
L2. Mesmer
L3. Elementalist
L4. Monk
L5. Necromancer
L6. Ranger
L7. Ritualist
L8. Assassin
L9. Paragon
L10. Dervish
P3. Better Builds: CA/Single Player Builds
A1. Melandru's Warrior
A2. True Warrior's Bane
A3. WoH Monk
A4. Shattered Necromancer
A5. Battle Rager
A6. KD Warrior
A7. Toucher
A8. Illusionary Weapon Master
A9. Misty Eyes
A10. Monk's Nightmare
A11. Slice Slice Dead
VII. Terminology
VIII. Emote List
IX. Guild Creation & Conscription
X. FAQ
Q1. General Game Related Questions
Q2. Guild Related Questions
Q3. Miscellaneous Questions
Q4. Chapter II Questions
Q5. Chapter III Questions
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I. Introduction
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Hello! Chances are you are reading this because you have just gotten into
Guild Wars and want to know the basics of it before you dive right into it. If
that is the case then welcome to the wonderful world of Guild Wars! If you are
a seasoned veteran, then remember to bear with all the Newbies you will see in-
game. You were one at one point as well! When I first started this guide, I
did it out of a love for Guild Wars and the community. To the casual player
this may sound a little weird, but having followed Guild Wars since July 2004
and having played every single beta yet, I felt like it was time to start
giving something back to the community.
I used to think that anyone who did a guide for Gamefaqs was a loser with too
much free time on their hands, but this is not the case. Some people are just
compelled to write this kind of thing. This guide combined 3 things that I
really like; Writing, Helping out, and playing Guild Wars.
Having said that, I hope you enjoy and find my guide to be useful.
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II. Version History
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Version 0.5- Finished up the majority of the guide
Version 1.0- Finished the original guide for GWU
Version 2.0- Added several new parts to the guide and fixed it up for posting
at Gamefaqs
Version 2.3- Redid some parts due to changes in retail, added an FAQ section as
well as a few new explanations on the guide itself. So stop e-mailing me about
the Dye Traders
Version 2.6- Added more to FAQ section, added a Terminology section, explained
Bork! Bork! Bork!
Version 2.8- Added emote list, added to FAQ section, added Guild Creation
section. Also added a section or two here and there and revised spelling.
Version 3.0- A few minor tweaks and content additions here and there, guide is
probably done unless a new feature is added in the future to GW(Update, okay so
I lied
).
Version 3.1- Updated contact information, added a few new questions to FAQ
section.
Version 3.4- Gave the entire guide a facelift and categorized the information
section.
Version 3.6- Observer mode, detailed class choosing information, and a few
other tweaks here and there.
Version 4.0- Probably last update before Factions hits, added info on
Ritualist, Assassin, added to FAQ section, and an entire section devoted to
PvP. Possibly my biggest update yet.
Version 4.1- Added Cantha Info
Version 4.2- Elona and various large updates
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III. The Basics of Guild Wars
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Before you can run head-first into Guild Wars, there are some basic subjects
that you need to understand first.
---------------------------------
N1. Hero (H)
---------------------------------
Hero (H) refers to the Hero menu, opened by pressing the H key by default.
This is where you will be doing all your attribute tweaking and stat tracking
from.
+Experience Points- Experience Points (Or XP for short) are gained through
killing monsters and the completion of quests. The higher the level of the
monster is, the bigger the XP reward is for killing it. You will notice a bar
in this screen as well as a bar on the interface itself that says your level
and has a bar below it. As you gain XP this bar will slowly fill up. You can
check the bar in your Attribute Table to see exactly how much more XP you have
to go before you level up. Currently the maximum level you can obtain is level
20.
+Fame & Ranks-This is related strictly to PvP. By winning matches in the
"Heroes Ascent" you gain points of Fame. After getting a certain number of
Fame points your Rank will increase by one and you will be given an emote that
you can use to show off your accomplishment.
+Faction Points- Faction is gained from kills/victories in PvP/GvG. With
faction you are able to unlock upgrades/skills/runes for use in PvP only
characters. You do NOT get these items directly; you only unlock them for the
account itself. Different amounts are gained based on the PvP areas you fight
in.
Titles- Titles are gained through various actions, such as exploring a certain
percentage of Tyria or by spending a certain number of minutes Drunk. Most do
nothing as far as affecting combat, but the Lightbringer title grants you
damage reduction and damage boosts vs. Abaddon's minions.
---------------------------------
N2. Skills & Attributes.
---------------------------------
+Skill Points-Skill Points are another essential part of Guild Wars. Through
gaining levels you also gain Skill Points. You can also obtain them by
completing some quests and you will get one per mission you complete in
addition to getting more by gaining "Ranks" from having Fame. Every time you
purchase a skill from a "Skill Trainer" one point is deducted from your total.
Even after you achieve level 20 you can still get more skill points by filling
up your XP bar. Granted, you will not get extra attribute points for this but
you will get one skill point for it. The amount of GP a skill costs is
increased per skill you purchase.
+Skills-Skills are a defining part of your character. Some skills enhance your
attack; Judge's Insight gives your attacks a 20% armor penetration. Other
skills like the Elementalists Flare attack deals fire damage to a target.
Every time you obtain a new skill, the skill is "Unlocked" for your account.
Meaning that any PvP character you make will have immediate access to this
skill. Most skills cost a portion of your mana to cast, but some use
adrenaline instead. Let's take a look at a skill called "Smite".
http://i3.photobucket.com/albums/y55/xS ... /smite.jpg
The 10 with the blue circle next to it represents the mana consumed by casting
Smite. The 1 with the clock next to it represents the cast time for the spell,
for this one it takes 1 second to cast it. Lastly, the 10 with the curled
arrow represents the recharge time for the spell, for Smite it takes 10 seconds
before the spell is usable again. Adrenaline skills are a bit different
however. Adrenaline is how a Warrior charges up many of their skills for use.
Each time they hit someone they gain a hit of adrenaline in their adrenaline
charger. When this charger reaches the amount necessary to use an Adrenaline
Skill, the skill is then usable. Skills are obtained by purchasing them from
Skill Trainers, obtaining them by completing a quest, and by using Signets of
Capture on bosses. There are also skills that are called "Elite" because they
are extremely potent skills. You may carry only one Elite skill into any given
battle and they are obtained exclusively through Signet of Captures.
+Skill Trainers-Skill trainers are the people who will teach you some of your
skills. The majority of your skills, however, will come from Quests you obtain
from NPC's. For one skill point and some GP (GP amount based on the number of
skills you have purchased) you may purchase a skill from the Trainer. Many of
the Official Guild Wars fan sites have lists of where the Skill Trainers are
and what skills each one offers.
+Attributes- To open your attribute table, press K (Assigned by default). Here
you will notice a listing of the available attributes. These attributes will
vary based on what character class you chose for a primary. For example, a
Ranger will have listed Wilderness Survival, Expertise, Marksmanship, and Beast
Mastery. It will also tell you how many points are needed to raise the skill
to the next level. Each attributes max is level 12 unless you obtain skill
runes to raise it further. Each class also has an attribute that is available
to only the Primary class. To gain attribute points to raise these skills you
must gain experience points and levels.
---------------------------------
N3. Combat
---------------------------------
+Basic Combat-To begin combat, you must first go to either an explorable area,
a mission, or a PvP area. Before you can stand a chance at winning, you must
first have a weapon equipped. To begin attacking, simply click on the desired
target and your character will run to them to attack. If you are using a
ranged weapon, then your character will get within the minimum distance
required to attack and will then do so. Use skills to inflict greater damage
on your enemy and to heal yourself if it becomes necessary. Many of these
require mana, so keep an eye on your mana bar as you attack. If you find
yourself losing the battle, then you can attempt to run away. Most enemies
will chase you for quite a long distance before disengaging. Your HP will
slowly regenerate so long as you do not get hit but so will your targets, your
mana will regenerate regardless of your total HP. Some skills will hinder your
ability to regenerate mana for a short time such as Panic and Ether Lord should
they be casted on you. If your party dies in a mission then it is game over,
if you die in an explorable area then you will be taken to the nearest
Resurrection Shrine and resurrected with a "Death Penalty". For each time you
die, you will suffer a temporary loss of -15% health and mana. You can slowly
work this penalty off by killing monsters or gaining morale boosts which will
give you a +2% or by leaving the area entirely and warping back to a town or
outpost. Gaining morale boosts when you do not have a DP to work off will give
you a bonus to your life and mana up to +10%. If you get down to a -60% DP
then you will not auto revive and must be revived directly by a teammate. Note
that this applies to PvP only.
+Target Calling/Following the Target-Sometimes when you are playing you may
notice a message pop up from another player that says, "I'm attacking X target!
Press T to attack my target!" This is referred to as a Target Call. To target
call, hold control and double click the target of your choice. People Target
Call in order to focus attacks on one central target and thus kill them
extremely quickly, usually they designate a person to carry out this job; they
are most often referred to as a "Target Caller". In PvE, it is always a good
idea to first target the monk type healer, whether it is a Charr Shaman or a
White Mantle Abbot, a mob without a healer is as good as dead. Following the
Target Call greatly increases your chance of survival by quickly eliminating
key targets.
---------------------------------
N4. Partying and Quests
---------------------------------
+Forming a Party-When you are forming a party to head out on a mission or
quest, you should form a balanced party. You want to have a balanced party to
ensure that you survive the mission to completion. In Old Ascalon it isn't
really anything you need to consider since you form parties of 2 people and the
monsters are pretty easy. Later on though, you should put some thought into
the process. Ideally a four person party consists of a tank, a nuker, and at
least one healer. The fourth slot you may do with as you please. A six person
team should be constructed similarly but you may want to have 2 healers as
opposed to just one and an extra tank with you. An 8 person team is ideally 2
Healing Monks, a Protection Monk, 1-2 Tanks, A Nuker, an Anti-Caster, and
whatever else you want. Making an unbalanced party is a recipe for disaster in
most cases.
+Missions & Quests-Missions are the meat of the game; they are what advances
the main story and introduces you to new areas and towns. Missions only occur
in areas that have missions, such as The Wilds or Fort Ranik. Before heading
out on a mission you should gather yourself a party. This party should have AT
LEAST one primary healer, a tank, a caster (Preferably an Elementalist nuker),
and then whatever you want for the rest of the slots. Quests work much
differently then missions do. To get a quest, simply look for a NPC with an
exclamation mark over their head. Talk to them and they will explain their
dilemma to you and should you choose to, you can accept the quest that they
want you to go on. Keep track of this quest by going to your quest log (L) and
select it as your active quest. An arrow will appear on the compass that will
tell you what direction you need to go in to complete the quest and will also
appear on the main map (M).
+Talk to People!-Before you head out of town, take a moment to talk to the
NPC's. Some of them offer tidbits of information on the storyline; others will
offer you a quest to play through. Either way, it never hurts to talk to
people and you can only gain from doing so.
---------------------------------
N5. Gear & Items
---------------------------------
+Inventory- To fight you need weapons of course. To equip one press I, that
will get you to the inventory. There you can see your backpack space, your
character view and your equipped items. You can drag equip-able items to/from
the backpack space, and later on, you will be able to buy bags and a belt pouch
witch will grant you more inventory space, and they'll work like the backpack.
There are also runes for purchase later on that will double the space of a bag
when used on it. You also have 4 quick item setups configurable. By default the
first is selected, but you can change with F1-F4 keys by default, and you can
set all of them up. You can also use them to configure two weapon sets (like
sword and shield for warriors) or 4 two handed weapons (like bows).
+Item selling / trading / modifying NPC's-There are some NPC's in the Guild
Wars world who you can talk with in order to get some items you will need in
your adventures.
* Collector
- You can find collectors throughout the World. They will offer you a
selection of items if you bring them what they ask for. You will know an item
is for a collector if it is not a weapon and does not mention craft material in
the description.
* Crafter
- The crafter is one of the most visited NPC's of Guild Wars. They can
craft you important items if you get the needed raw materials and their payment
for them. This way you can get hold of new armor and rare raw materials.
* Dye Trader
- Sells Dye and buys Dye.
* Outfitter
- He is also a very important NPC. He sells you starter weapons, dye
removers, salvage and identify kits (read about them later), Rune's of Holding,
and Bags. You can mostly sell your loot to him too.
* Weapon smith
- These guys can create new weaponry and foci (Plural of focus). In
addition to this they can customize your weapons for 20% bonus damage, but keep
in made that customized weapons can be used only by the character they are
customized to.
+Salvage Kits- With salvage kits, you can get raw materials from an item. Raw
materials you get depend on what the item was made of. For example you can get
steel from swords, or wood from bows. There are two types of Salvage Kits. ,
the normal and the expert ones. With expert salvage kits, you can get rare
crafting materials and runes out of salvaged items. Salvaging is a good idea if
you get salvage items (You can only salvage and sell them) or if you want to
get rid of an older customized item of yours, as the trader usually doesn't
give you much of anything.
+Identify Kits- With these you can identify unique and rare items and runes.
That way you unlock the item in your PvP character generator, so you will be
able to use with any PvP character you create. You will also get more money for
it if you sell it to an NPC (not recommended).
+Dyes- With dyes you can color your Armor. This is purely graphical and is only
for fun and individuality. You can also mix dyes to get new colors from them.
---------------------------------
N6. Saving GP
---------------------------------
If you are just starting out, Gold will be something that is most likely going
to be difficult to come by. So listed below are some quick tips to conserving
your hard earned gold pieces...
1. Do not buy from players. Do not buy green items. Until you get further
into the game and get a decent GP flow, you are only going to get ripped off
buying from other people. And when you do go to buy, research the item first
and see about how much it goes for.
2. Do not sell your Black Dye in Pre Searing. Black Dye is the most sought
after dye, and is generally worth 7-8k from the Dye Trader.
3. Exchange items with the collectors whenever possible. For more information
on collectors and what they posses, please see hahnsoo's excellent guide to
Collector Items, located just below mine in the FAQ Index.
4. Be wise about selling. If you find something you think might be worth
something, ask around and find out.
5. Use the right salvage kit. For example, Bow's will ALWAYS yield wood when
you salvage them with a Normal or Expert Salvage Kit. If it is magic it may
have a bow grip or a string. But if you only want the Common Materials, use
the standard Salvage Kit.
6. Don't buy what you don't need.
7. Sometimes being unable to kill monsters does not mean you need to go out and
buy a new weapon, often it is that you have a messy skill bar or Attribute
layout. Also remember that you can customize a weapon for a 20% damage boost.
---------------------------------
N7. Observer Mode (B) & FAQ About Observer Mode
---------------------------------
Added December 21st, Observer Mode allows anyone inside of a town, outpost, or
Guild Hall (Basically anywhere but a combat zone) to view matches going on in
Tombs or a RATED GvG. The catch? The only matches that show up are the ones
involving a guild ranked 100 or better. Even if in a tombs match you don't see
a guild that is 100, it is often not on the cover (What you see when you press
B and is listed as "Others." An example would be "Unnatural Signet's team vs.
Others"). Each shown match is delayed 15 minutes to prevent cheating. You can
chat with others watching the matches, but sadly a lot of it is just random
chatter, people recruiting for guilds, and people trying to sell items... There
are also the people who talk like they know what is going on but really haven't
even the most remote clue as to what is up. And of course trash talk a top
ranked guild for getting beaten by a lower ranked one, even though the trash
talkers guild has probably never GvG'd or is sadly ranked.
*Ahem*, but enough of my ramblings. There are a lot of questions that are
asked in Observer Mode, and it's the same old questions over and over again.
So I will attempt to answer these questions as best as I can.
Q: Is Observer Mode live?
A: Observer Mode works on a 5 minute delay, so what you see happened
approximately 5 minutes ago.
Q: How long do the matches last?
A: Depends on who is playing really. Some last but five minutes, others can go
on for an hour or more. We once got owned by iQ in 4 minutes flat...
Q: Why are there so many of X?
A: Either the guild doesn't know what it is doing, or it is part of a build as
to why they have so many of a certain class.
Q: How do I exit?
A: Press B again.
Q: Is the Hall of Heroes match really called the Hall of Heroes?
A: Yes.
Q: Can I record this somehow?
A: Unless you have a third party program such as Fraps or Gamecam, no you
cannot.
Q: Will other things be shown using Observer Mode?
A: Yes, often competitions are broadcasted.
Q: Can they see what I'm typing?
A: No, unless of course the match is over by the time it becomes observable and
the combatants are in the channel also watching.
Q: LIKE ZOMGBBQ THAT TEAM GOT OWNEDD!!!1111ONE
A: Cool.
---------------------------------
N8. PvE Builds
---------------------------------
Please note that I do little to no PvE on a regular basis, and these builds are
the absolute most BASIC builds when it comes to PvE. I've also tried to pick
and use skills that most likely will not be adjusted or nerfed any time soon.
--------------------------
X1. Dragon Slasher
--------------------------
W/X Pure Damage, no defense bar
16 Swordsmanship
13 Strength
Dragon Slash
Sever Artery
Gash
Sun and Moon Slash
Protector's Strike
Tiger's Stance
Endure Pain/Lion's Might
Resurrection Signet/Rebirth
--------------------------
X2. Minion Master
--------------------------
N/Mo
16 Death Magic
10-11 Soul Reaping
9-10 or so Healing Prayers (OPTIONAL)
Animate Flesh Golem
Blood of the Master
Verata's Sacrifice
Heal Area/Feast for the Dead/Taste of Death
(Whatever you want)
Death Nova
Animate Bone Fiend/Vampiric Horror/Shambling Horror
Resurrection Signet/Rebirth
--------------------------
X3. Fire Nuker
--------------------------
E/Mo
16 Fire Magic
13 Energy Storage
Fire Attunement
Elemental Attunement/Other Fire Elite/Glyph of Energy/Searing Flames
Fireball
Rodgorts Invocation
Meteor Shower
Incendiary Bonds/Glowing Gaze (If you are using a skill that causes
Burning)
Immolate/Other Fire Skil
Resurrection Signet/Rebirth
Note: If you take Searing Flames, drop Immolate for Glowing Gaze. I
also listed Searing Flames as the last elite choice due to the fact
that it may very well be nerfed very soon.
--------------------------
X4. Heal Monk
--------------------------
Mo/Me
15-16 Healing Prayers
10 or so Divine
rest in Inspiration Magic
Word of Healing/Healing Light/Glimmer of Light
Orison of Healing
Heal Other
Healing Seed
Mend Condition (Remove if a Protection Monk in your party has this)
Optional
Inspired Hex
Rebirth
NOTE: While I am against having a Res on the Monks, PvErs will get cry
a lot if you don't bring it.
--------------------------
X5. Spiteful Necro
--------------------------
N/Me
16 Curses
13 Soul Reaping (Unless you want Inspiration energy Management, in
which case this should become 9-10 so)
Spiteful Spirit
Reckless Haste
Price of Failure
Spinal Shivers/Shivers of Dread
Desecrate Enchantments
(Whatever You Want)
(Whatever You Want)
Resurrection Signet
NOTE: Some take Arcane Echo to get two copies of Spiteful Spirit.
--------------------------
X6. B/P Ranger
--------------------------
R/Mo
16 Marksmanship
11-13 Expertise
Rest in Beast Mastery
Barrage
Savage Shot
(Spirit)
Charm Animal
Comfort Animal
Whirling Defense
Throw Dirt/(Skill of your choice)
Rebirth
Some may want to pack attack skills on the pets, but keep in mind the pets are
generally used just to hold aggro or be killed to use as minions.
--------------------------
X7. Protection Monk
--------------------------
Mo/Me
13 Protection
10 Healing Prayers
10 Divine Favor
9 Inspiration Magic
Life Sheath
Reversal of Fortune
Gift of Health
Protective Spirit
Shield of Absorption
Dismiss Condition
Power Drain
Rebirth
NOTE: At the time of this writing, the skill update is coming. If Shield of
Absorption is made into a crappy skill, it can be replaced with either
Shielding Hands or Inspired Hex/Holy Veil.
---------------------------------
N9. Heroes
---------------------------------
With the addition of Nightfall, Heroes were added to the game. Heroes are like
henchman, except that you can customize them as you would your own character.
You can give them runes, change their gear, and change their skills. You can
also move them about in any way you desire, making them very flexible. It is
also worth noting that only 3 can be used at a time, so you would have to still
take four henchmen with you in an 8 man area.
Heroes are not without flaws, however. They tend to ball up severely, and
must often be flagged in order to keep them from getting literally blown
up because they stand practically on top of one another.
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IV. Crossing Into Cantha
------------------------------------------------------
With the release of Guild Wars: Factions, the land of Cantha became accessable
to those who purchased GW:F. The land of Cantha offers new armor, weapons, two
new classes, new character models, monster battles, and MORE. Before stepping
into too much, you should know how to get to Cantha.
To Get To Cantha If Your Character Is TYRIAN
Go to Lion's Arch, and speak to Firstwatch Sergio. He will give you a quick
quest which will take you to Cantha.
To Get To Tyria If Your Character Is CANTHAN
Go to Kaineng Center, and speak to Guardsman Chienpo. He will give you a quick
quest which will take you to Tyria.
If you decide to make a Faction's Roleplaying Character, then you will
automatically start out in Cantha
---------------------------------
H1. Welcome to Cantha!
---------------------------------
With the addition of Cantha, a whole new story is ready for your playing.
Armor has been changed quite a bit, now you can get any skin armor with any
mods you want on it. So you can get that Kurzick 15k with Sentinals stats if
you desire.
Also coming to the table is loads of new quests, gear, and the "Factions Line".
Battles won and lost in Alliance Battles determines which side, the Kurzicks or
the Luxons, controls the most land.
---------------------------------
H2. Cantha FAQ Section
---------------------------------
Q: How can I get to Vizunah Square Foreign/Local Quarter?
A: Vizunah Square is a two team mission, two teams of 8 (Hopefully) work
together to accomplish the mission. If the character you are playing is from
Tyria, you will end up in Vizunah Square FOREIGN Quarters and you will be
tasked with keeping Mhenlo alive and reaching Master Togo at the start of the
mission. If you are playing as a character created in Cantha, you will end up
in Vizunah Square LOCAL Quarter.
Q: Where do I get green items from?
A: Most bosses in the game have potential to drop green items, for more
information on Green Item's go to
http://gw.gamewikis.org/wiki/Main_Page
And check out their EXCELLENT listing of Green Items.
Q: What should I make in Cantha first?
A: If you don't have one, make a Monk. As a Monk you will never be hard
pressed to find a group.
Q: What do I do now?
A: Any quest that is listed as Primary is considered part of the main story and
it is these and only these quests that will advance the game for you. After
every mission there is generally some NPC in the area that will offer you a new
Primary Quest.
---------------------------------
H3. Welcome to Elona!
---------------------------------
Elona brought the most radical and dynamic changes to the game when it was
added. Introducing Heroes (Explained in a previous section), insignias (Allows
you to fully customize your armor), Inscriptions (Fully allows you to change
mods on any inscriptable weapon and shield), and an all new and extremely
challenging elite mission. The campaign as a whole is also much longer than
Factions, and is much more in depth storyline wise. You can get to Elona
through Lion's Arch by going to the NPC past the stairs going to storage, and
in Cantha by talking to the NPC near the exit to the docks from which foreign
characters enter.
---------------------------------
H4. Elona FAQ Section
---------------------------------
Q: How do I get heroes?
A: Heroes will be given to you through quests as you play through the story.
Q: I've come to a branch in the story, which should I take? Is there a right
or wrong choice?
A: There is never a wrong choice, and ultimately it makes little difference as
to which mission you choose.
Q: Where can I get high end armor?
A: Complete the quest line: "Building the Base" in the Sunspear Sanctuary to
access 15k Sunspear, reach the Kodash Baazar for 5k Gem armor, reach the Bone
Palace for 10k Armor, and complete the game for 15k Armor.
Q: Wait so there is armor at the end of the game?
A: Yes, like in Cantha, upon completing the game you can craft 15k armor. You
are also give a "Book of Secrets" with which you can trade for an item of your
choice from the traders there. So make sure you take all the materials needed
to craft the armor when you go.
------------------------------------------------------
V. Choosing the Class that is Best for You
------------------------------------------------------
The descriptions of the classes are that of the Guild Wars team, and are posted
because they do a much more eloquent job of describing them than I could.
Everything besides the introductory paragraph of each class is my work,
however.
---------------------------------
C1. Ranger
---------------------------------
Rangers are unique in their ability to succeed with the help of, or even in
spite of, their environment. Nature rituals allow them to manipulate the
environment to hinder their enemies, or borrow the very power of creation to
heal and aid their allies. They favor long-range combat, the bow being their
weapon of choice, and can be especially effective from elevated locations such
as bridges and cliffs. They are the only profession with the ability to charm
animals, which then accompany them on their travels and assist them in battle,
gaining experience and levels over time. Rangers are also blessed with survival
skills that help keep them alive.
Expertise: Points in Expertise decrease the energy cost of all skills.
Wilderness Survival: Improves damage of the linked attribute skills.
Marksmanship: Improves the damage of linked attribute skills and makes your
bows deal more damage.
Beast Mastery: Improves damage of the linked attribute skill and strengthens
your animal companion.
Commonly asked question: How much energy does X cost at X Expertise?
Made this in my free time back in beta, should still be the same.
Expertise Amount 5EC 10EC 15EC 25EC
0 5 10 15 25
1 5 10 14 24
2 5 9 14 23
3 4 9 13 22
4 4 8 13 21
5 4 8 12 20
6 4 8 11 19
7 4 7 11 18
8 3 7 10 17
9 3 6 9 16
10 3 6 9 15
11 3 6 8 14
12 3 6 8 13
13 2 5 7 12
14 2 5 7 11
15 2 4 6 10
16 2 4 6 9
Find an error? E-mail me.
Secondary Options
R/Mo: You can pack a hard Res (A Hard Res is something like Restore Life or
Resurrect, not a Resurrection Signet)and Mend Touch,
R/N: You can make use of some Blood spells for added damage, and you can
utilize them for added Damage Over Time. Only thing I would honestly use is
Plague Touch, to keep yourself condition free and to hurt the enemy.
R/E: Conjure <Element>, + Barrage or other attacks = Good damage.
R/W: Not the best choice for PvE in my opinion, unless you plan on actually
using the /W to attack with (Axe, Hammer, Sword) I wouldn't go /W. However, if
you are confident in yourself and plan to only use your primary, this is also a
VERY good choice. Because you are in the back with your Bow, Frenzy makes for
an excellent attack speed booster, and it is very safe if you make proper use
of it but make sure your bar supports DPS.
R/Me: Stacking DoT is very easy to do here, so you can get some decent damage
going fairly easily. Pretty decent choice.
What I recommend: R/Mo or R/N or R/E.
What I went with in PvE: R/Mo.
---------------------------------
C2. Monk
---------------------------------
Monks employ a direct conduit to the gods, and the answers to their prayers
come in the form of healing and protection for their allies and damage to their
enemies. Combined with any other profession, Monks can alternate between
supporting their party and dealing damage to opponents. Monks enjoy Divine
Favor, which provides extra healing power, while their healing and Protection
Prayers help to keep their allies strong and healthy. Smiting Prayers, on the
other hand, call down divine anger on enemies, exacting holy damage that
ignores armor, though damage-dealing is not the Monk's specialty. What Monks
lack in firepower they make up for with their unparalleled gift for keeping
their allies alive.
Divine Favor: Improves spells in attribute line, any MONK spell you cast on an
ally gets a bonus in healing based on amount of DF. The amount is 3 per point
in Divine Favor.
Healing Prayers: Improves spells in attribute line healing wise.
Protection Prayers: Improves spells in attribute line.
Smiting Prayers: Improves damage of the spells and duration on some.
Because Monks are almost always not doing damage, I will focus on keeping
yourself alive and your party here with the secondary options.
Secondary Options
Mo/Me- Very good energy management options here. Channeling is a great skill
for energy management once you get it. Only thing is that it forces you to get
a little close to the enemy, which can kill you.
Mo/N- Offering of Blood is your best option here, but you won't get it for a
very long time.
Mo/R- Melandru's Resilience is the only energy gainer here, but is risky due to
needing Hexes/Conditions to operate.
Mo/W- Bonneti's Defense is too situational and your only option.
Mo/E- Unless you are using a lot of Heal Party or Aegis, the glyphs won't do
much good for you.
Mo/A- There are a few defensive skills that may interest you.
Mo/P- No reason.
Mo/Rt- See above.
Mo/D- See above, above.
What I recommend: Mo/N or Mo/Me.
What I went with: Mo/Me generally.
---------------------------------
C3. Warrior
---------------------------------
Warriors rely on stout hearts, brute strength, and melee weapons to subdue
their enemies and protect their allies. They generally disdain long-range
warfare, preferring instead to charge directly into the fray swinging their
weapon of choice. They can take a beating unlike anyone else. Warriors are
equally comfortable wielding axe, hammer, or sword, though many choose to
master one weapon over all others. Many Warrior skills require adrenaline,
which builds up during combat to enable those skills, and usually results in
major damage. Defensive tactics help the Warrior to avoid damage and protect
allies, but Strength is the Warrior's biggest asset, allowing this hero to do
more damage with every attack.
Strength- Improves the skills in the attribute line, adds 1% bonus armor
penetration to attacks.
Swordsmanship- Improves damage of the skills in the attribute line.
Hammer Mastery- Improves damage of the skills in the attribute line.
Axe Master- Improves damage of the skills in the attribute line.
Tactics- Improves the skills in the attribute line.
Secondary Options
W/Mo- The "Paladin". You WILL get hated on at some point in your trek through
the game. W/Mo is generally associated with Newbies. W/Mo is the standard
solo character besides invinci monks. You can do good damage, keep yourself
alive, and solo parts of the game no problem here.
W/Me- Not a viable PvE option.
W/N- Okay PvE option, though all I see worthwhile is again Plague Touch.
W/E- Good option if you use hammers. Earth line is what your interest will be
in if you swing a hammer. You could also choose an Element and use a Conjure
out of one of them, just make sure you have a matching weapon hilt (Icy, Fiery,
and Shocking).
W/R- IWAY... I mean, this option is fairly decent. You can Apply Poison to your
weapons and attack for a bonus Damage Over Time effective, or you can get
Tiger's Fury out of the Beast Mastery line and use that for an attack speed
boost.
W/P- Signet of Aggression can be nice but to be honest its unnecessary in PvE.
W/Rt- Not much reason to be /Rt.
W/D- Rending Touch in PvP
What I recommend: W/Mo or W/R or W/E
What I went with: W/Mo up until I could change my secondary, then I unlocked
all the secondaries and I just switch between them as I feel like. I have a
weapon/skills for each type of weapon.
---------------------------------
C4. Mesmer
---------------------------------
Mesmers are masters of illusion and control, subverting the enemy's Energy for
their own use, and that of their allies. Combined with any other profession,
their skills provide excellent support, turning enemies' powers against them
and changing the very fabric of reality to hinder foes and help allies. Mesmers
have the ability to cast spells quickly, which can make all the difference in
the heat of battle. Their powers of domination allow them to take control of
enemy skills and Energy. Their unique illusionary talents can slow or even halt
enemy movement and skill casting, or cause imaginary illnesses that drain
Health and Energy from foes while healing and energizing allies. While Mesmers
are not known for brute strength, their ability to confuse, distract, and drain
the enemy's resources more than compensates.
Fast Casting- Improves casting speed of all SPELLS. I really don't know the
exact numbers here, but I generally have 8 Fast Casting+1 from a minor rune or
so.
Domination Magic- Improves damage of the skills in the attribute line and
duration of some skills.
Illusion Magic- Improves damage of the skills in the attribute line and
duration of some skills.
Inspiration Magic- Improves damage of the skills in the attribute line and
duration of some skills.
Secondary Options
Me/Mo- Unless you plan on using some smiting from the /Mo (Only thing I'd
really use would be Scourge Healing) or want to heal for some reason, I
wouldn't go /Mo.
Me/W- Not a good choice for PvE in most cases.
Me/N- You can get some good hex synergy going later in the game, and can backup
your party with some Blood Skills. An okay choice.
Me/E- Not a good choice for PvE, you just don't have a good enough energy pool
like the Elementalist primary.
Me/R- Worst choice.
What I recommend: Really when I had a PvE Mesmer, I never used my secondary.
So I'd say just go Me/N, or if you want to unlock skills for PvP, choose the
secondary that you will never have as a Primary.
What I went with: Me/N, just because I needed unlocks.
---------------------------------
C5. Necromancer
---------------------------------
Necromancers are masters of the dark arts, calling on the spirits of the dead,
and even death itself, to overpower enemies and assist allies. In sacrificing
Health and taking curses and diseases upon themselves, they can deal large
amounts of damage to those foolish enough to oppose them. Dead and dying
enemies become unwilling allies in their hands. Necromancers have the singular
ability to absorb Energy from an enemy's death, and can raise a fighting force
from the corpses of their foes. Curses, which often cost the Necromancer
dearly, exact an even greater toll from enemies, who find that their
Enchantments and healing skills are rendered useless. Due to the sacrificial
nature of their methods, Necromancers must practice patience and self-
discipline to survive.
Soul Reaping- For each person who dies in the area, you will receive 1 energy.
Blood Magic- Improves damage of the skills in the attribute line and duration
of some skills.
Death Magic- Improves damage of the skills in the attribute line and duration
of some skills and improves minions.
Curses- Improves damage of the skills in the attribute line and duration of
some skills.
Secondary Options
N/Mo- If you want to be a Minion Master, this is probably the best way to go.
If you don't want to be a Minion Master, I would pass up this choice.
N/E- Like the Me/E, you lack a strong enough energy pool to make effective use
of this secondary.
N/Me- Very good choice here. The hexes from both sides synergize together
very, very, very well.
N/W- Bad choice, Necromancer lacks strong armor to keep him alive when he is in
the thick of it all.
N/R- If you wanted a pet for support of your Minions, go with this option.
Otherwise, the skills are mostly useless for what you will be doing.
What I Recommend: N/Me, if you want to be a Minion Master go N/Mo.
What I went with: I've never had a PvE Necromancer, though I would go with N/Me
if I did.
---------------------------------
C6. Elementalist
---------------------------------
Elementalists summon the powers of earth, air, fire, and water and command them
at will. They can inflict more damage in a single strike than any other
profession. Earth Magic summons quakes and eruptions, encases enemies in stone,
or protects allies. Air Magic harnesses the power of tempests to strike foes
down with lightning or enable allies to run like the wind. Fire Magic manifests
flames, fireballs, molten lava, and even meteors to burn enemies to a crisp.
Water Magic conjures mist and ice to slow enemy movement and attacks, blur
vision, protect allies against magic, and inflict cold damage on enemies.
Elementalists have access to Energy regenerating skills, and when chosen as a
primary character, they can increase their maximum Energy over time. The wise
Elementalist avoids becoming surrounded, but keeps a local area-of-effect spell
on hand just in case.
Energy Storage- For each point in energy storage, you get 3 bonus energy.
Fire Magic- Improves damage of the skills in the attribute line and duration of
some skills.
Water Magic- Improves damage of the skills in the attribute line and duration
of some skills.
Earth Magic- Improves damage of the skills in the attribute line and duration
of some skills.
Air Magic- Improves damage of the skills in the attribute line and duration of
some skills.
Secondary Options
E/Mo- Unless you want to Heal (E/Mo's make okay healers), don't go with this
option.
E/Me- Very good choice here. What you want are the skills you get further into
the game, such as Arcane Echo.
E/N- Okay choice, you can keep conditions off with Plague Touch or heal
yourself a little.
E/W- Bad choice, not quite as bad if you use Earth Magic with armor skills from
that side.
E/R- No reason to go this way except for unlocks.
What I recommend: E/Mo or E/Me or E/N.
What I went with: E/R, purely for unlocks. At the time I had no desire for a
PvE Ranger.
---------------------------------
C7. Assassin
---------------------------------
Assassins are an interesting class. For one, they have the ability to dual
wield. While the damage on the two weapons is a bit lower then anything else,
they still can put out amazing damage. Assassin skills work differently then
most others, working in combo chains. You must first use a Lead Attack,
followed by a Dual Attack, and finally a Off-hand Attack. If you try to use
one before the other, they will miss. Assassins also gain energy per critical
hit, allowing them to keep up their chains painlessly. If one attack from your
combo is blocked or misses, then the entire chain is ruined.
Critical Strikes- For each level of Critical Strikes you have, you gain
an additional 1% chance to critical hit. You will receive 2 energy per
critical hit.
Dagger Mastery- Dagger Mastery increases the damage you do with daggers
and your chance to inflict a critical hit when using a dagger. Skills
linked to Dagger Mastery also become stronger..
Deadly Arts- Improves damage of related skills.
Shadow Arts- Improves damage of related skills.
Secondary Options (To be filled out)
A/Me- I see zero reason for this secondary.
A/R- Same as above.
A/W- Not a bad choice, you can utilize tactics as a means of staying alive a
little longer.
A/Ri- Weapon skills are an option here, but certainly not the best option.
A/N- Plague Touch? That's about it.
A/E- Conjure <Element> would be a fairly decent damage booster.
A/Mo- I don't see a reason for this secondary.
What I recommend: A/W, A/E, A/N
What I went with: Haven't made one yet, and I honestly don't plan to make one.
The majority of guild went /Ri for unlocks or /W.
---------------------------------
C8. Ritualist
---------------------------------
Relying mostly on Spirits, the Ritualist is going to be a ground-breaking
class. They can also double as Monks, casting spells that benefit allies in
the area or make them harder to kill. They even have buff's that can be casted
on allies to increase their damage potential.
Channeling Magic: Improves damage/duration of related skills.
Communing: Improves damage/duration of related skills.
Restoration Magic: Improves damage/duration of related skills.
Spawning Power: For each point in Spawning Power, your conjured Spirits
get a 4% bonus to their HP. Also improves damage/duration of related
skills.
Secondary Options
Ri/N- Could use some of the curses I guess, not a great choice in my opinion.
Ri/W- Bad choice.
Ri/R- Not too bad of a choice, you can use spirits from both sides in
conjunction with one another.
Ri/Me- Mantra of Resolve for-the-win.
Ri/E- No reason to go /E
R/Mo- You can use the healing from the /Mo as well
What I recommend: Though the class isn't even out, and I barely played it
during the first preview event, I can already tell that Ri/Me will probably be
the best choice. With the extremely long cast times of all the sprits, Mantra
of Resolve would be VERY useful in keeping your Rituals from being interrupted.
What I went with: If I decide to make a Ritualist, I will definitely go Ri/Me
---------------------------------
C9. Dervish
---------------------------------
"A Scythe wielding Holy Warrior", they Dervish attacks with a Scythe and can
utilize many useful enchantments and "God Forms" to become a powerful attacker.
Mysticism (Primary Attribute): Whenever an Enchantment ends, you gain 1
Health for each rank of Mysticism and 1 Energy for every 3 ranks of
Mysticism.
Scythe Mastery: Scythe Mastery increases the damage you do with scythes
and your chance to inflict a critical hit when using a scythe. Many
skills, especially scythe attack skills, become more effective with
higher Scythe Mastery.
Wind Prayers: No inherent effect. Many Dervish Spells, especially those
dealing with movement or cold damage, become more effective with higher
Wind Prayers.
Earth Prayers: No inherent effect. Many Dervish Spells, especially
those dealing with defense or Earth damage, become more effective with
higher Earth Prayers.
D/Mo- Can heal others and function as a monk like this. A good choice.
D/W- Several good options for offense here.
What I recommend: D/W.
--------------------------------
C10. Paragon
---------------------------------
The "Guardian Angels of the Elonian People", Paragons attack with their Spears
and offer a great deal of party support in the form of added defense and added
offense.
Leadership (Primary Attribute): You gain 1 Energy for each ally
affected by one of your Shouts or Chants (maximum 1 Energy for every 3
ranks).
Spear Mastery: Spear Mastery increases the damage you do with spears
and your chance to inflict a critical hit when using a spear. Many
skills, especially spear attack skills, become more effective with
higher Spear Mastery.
Command: No inherent effect. Many Paragon skills, especially those that
protect your allies or increase your tactical position on the
battlefield, become more effective with higher Command.
Motivation: No inherent effect. Many Paragon skills, especially those
related to Energy management or that inspire your allies, become more
effective with higher Motivation.
P/W- Warrior shouts work very well with the Paragon, an excellent
choice and really the only truly good one.
P/Me- Pack an interrupt like Power Spike or Power Return, thats
about it really.
------------------------------------------------------
V. Introduction to PvP
------------------------------------------------------
Ah yes, PvP. Player vs. Player combat is quite possibly the highlight of Guild
Wars. By not going into PvP you will miss out on a good portion of the game
and a good amount of fun and glory. PvP is not an easy thing to get in to, and
finding a decent group for Heroes' Ascent when you are just starting out is
very difficult. I can remember when I first got into Tomb of the Primeval
Kings (The old HA), finding a group was insanely difficult and I was a pretty
bad player for the most part.
But perseverance paid off and I eventually
found a good Dual E/Mo smite group that I played with fairly often and
eventually managed to get enough fame for Rank 3 out of it. One thing leads to
another, and now I'm up to having 2,301 fame (Rank 7) and have won and held
Hall of Heroe's many a time. But doing this is no easy feat, and learning how
to respond to various situations is difficult as well. But do not fear, I will
do my best to facilitate your transition into PvP and make you a better player.
------------------------------------------------------
P1. Great Temple of Balthazar
------------------------------------------------------
The Great Temple of Balthazar are a sort of PvP Training area, they exist to
get the total newbie to PvP more prepared for what real PvP is. Know that no
matter how many of the Zaishen Challenges you do; there is no way to prepare
for PvP but to actually play real 4v4 or 8v8 PvP. The Isle of the Nameless is
your PvP Bootcamp, all the basics of PvP are covered including AoE splash
damage, Conditions, Enchantments, Bodyblocking, Catapults, and Flag Stands.
--------------------------
Z1. Isle of the Nameless
--------------------------
Player vs. Player (PvP) is any form of combat done versus other human players.
Random Arena's, Team Arena's, Heroes' Ascent, and Guild vs. Guild (GvG) are all
forms of PvP combat. The Isle of the Nameless covers many of the basics of
Guild Wars PvP Combat. I would recommend that you defiantly check out all the
different parts of the island and familiarize yourself with the concepts
presented to you. If you ever wanted to know how much damage a certain spell
or weapon did to a target with a certain armor level, try bashing the dummies
around. They all have different levels of armor and will give you an idea of
how much damage you would do to an appropriately armored target.
When you are ready to move on, speak to the Master of Paths (Near the entrance
to the temple). You will be taken into some practice PvP scenarios. Upon
successfully completing them, you will find yourself in the...
--------------------------
Z2. Zaishen Challenge
--------------------------
The Zaishen Challenges present you against some basic things that players will
find themselves against in real combat. Each represents something that is or
has been very popular or is a common build to encounter in PvP. While the
number of Illusionary Weaponry Mesmers in 8v8 are very few, the number in 4v4
Combat are somewhat common. Play through the various levels and learn how to
fight various opponents. In ZC you choose all your opponents and the level you
face them on. Each map has its own advantages/disadvantages to it.
--------------------------
Z3. Zaishen Elite
--------------------------
Zaishen Elite is almost the exact same as Zaishen Challenge, except that your
opponents/stages are chosen at total random and slowly become more difficult.
More enemies are also added as you progress.
------------------------------------------------------
P2. Learning Your Role
------------------------------------------------------
The following sections will cover some of the basics of each class, and will
offer tips on how to play them more effectively. While reading about how to do
something helps you become better, the only true way to learn is to practice
your class and learn how to handle yourself in various situations.
--------------------------
L1. Warrior
--------------------------
You are the one that gets up close and in the enemy's faces. You bring the
battle to them, attacking like a shark with ADD. You are most likely the
target caller, though whether or not your small party listens to you is a
different story entirely. While attacking is important, watching your
positioning and where everyone is at key. Don't get led away from the group,
and watch for Trappers and where they lay their traps. You need to be smart
about your attacking, it is almost always best to get all your skills fully
charged and then unload on a single target as opposed to just using them as
they come up ready to go. Bodyblocking is also key, learn to bodyblock
opponents and keep them from escaping your weapon of death.
--------------------------
L2. Mesmer
--------------------------
If you are a good Mesmer, you will be hated. A Mesmer must be
extremely aware of his surroundings, and depending on what Magic's you
are using you need to have good twitch reflexes. Knowing what the
enemy is using is key. Is that a Protection Monk? A Healer? What
about that Elementalist? Fire Elementalist? Water Elementalist?
Proper skill chaining is also key. If a Monk has Shame on him, and he
is not casting, he is shut down. If he has a Backfire on himself, he
has a deterrent to casting (150 damage anyone?). If you can interrupt
everything the guy is casting, he is losing energy, the skill (Till it
recharges), and is most likely getting frustrated. Being a good Mesmer
is as much about timing as it is having the proper set of skills to
make sure the job gets done quickly, effectively, and efficiently.
--------------------------
L3. Elementalist
--------------------------
BOOM HEADSHOT! You bring the big guns to the battle, whether you be
Air, Fire, Earth, or a Water Elementalist. You bring pain and death
wherever you go to. Remember to bring your proper Attunement, and if
you are casting a good number of energy intensive skills, you may
consider bringing Elemental Attunement for more energy back per cast.
There is also Glyph of Energy, which makes the next spell cost less and
ignores Exhaustion. But when is it best to use Glyph of Energy and
when is it best to use Elemental Attunement you ask?
Glyph of Energy is best saved for high cost spells, especially ones
that cause Exhaustion such as Meteor Shower, Earthquake, and Deep
Freeze. Elemental Attunement is best used if you need to do rapid
casts, such as a combo of Lightning Orb-Lightning Strike-Enervating
Charge, where you are casting many spells over a short amount of time.
You have in you the ability to kill, but most likely you will assist in
the kill. Just be smart about your skill order. For example, how
about an Incendiary Bonds-Meteor-Fireball combo? Bonds will go off as
they are on the ground, Fireball will hit them as they rise and try to
run. This also gives your Warrior or Ranger the opportunity to swoop
in and deal some damage. Is a Warrior harassing your Monks and using
Frenzy? Throw a Lightning Orb his way and hit him for 240 damage.
--------------------------
L4. Monk
--------------------------
Supporting your party is your focus unless you are smiting, in which
case you can ignore a lot of what I'm about to say. Keep your eyes on
the Health Bars, and make sure they don't turn gray. Keeping yourself
alive is also a priority; if you die there will most likely be a mass
domino effect on your party. If it comes down to saving yourself or
someone else, save yourself. If a party member runs off half way
across the map, don't abandon your party to go heal him. If Warriors
bear down on your, kite them. Kiting is executed simply by running
from them. No not half way across the map! Simply run from them.
Essentially keep making loops. A Warrior is only effective if he can
hit his target. If he can only hit you a few times every 10 seconds,
he is ineffective. As a Healer you are at your core just a watcher of
health. A Protection Monk, however, is a different story. Protection
Monks (Prot Monk, Protty) generally do not heal damage; rather, they
focus on minimizing or negating damage. Eviscerate is a strong skill
indeed, but not if it only hits for 10 damage due to Reversal of
Fortune. Punishing Shot hurts bad and is annoying, but if it gets
blocked it's harmless. Air Magic hurting bad? Getting tired of
getting hit for 150 per Orb? Let Protective Spirit bring that damage
down to about 40. Remember...
+Be aware of enemy offense
+Be aware of the hexes present
+Be aware of interrupts present
+Be aware of number of Warrior's present
+Be aware of your energy
+Be aware of your party members and their positioning
--------------------------
L5. Necromancer
--------------------------
So much versatility and chances for pain. Whether your specialty be
Blood, Death, or Curses Magic the Necromancer is loaded with potential
Hexes. Blood has excellent offensive power, and a lot of it can even
restore a portion of your health. Curses are available to assist in
making kills and providing pressure on the enemy players. Death has
pretty good damage and you can raise Minion's in this line. As a
Necromancer, you should be aware of what the enemy team has
offensve/defense wise and be able to hinder the appropriate targets.
Spiteful Spirit is a great skill, but on a Mesmer it loses much of its
possible effectiveness. Try throwing it on a Warrior, where his
constant attacking will trigger it numerous times. Learn to prioritize
targets, be smart about your hexes by always covering your important
ones with another hex (Usually Parasitic Bond), and you will be one
step closer to becoming a better Necromancer.
--------------------------
L6. Ranger
--------------------------
Jack of all trades, master of none. That is the way of the Ranger. With your
arrows you can inflict great damage upon your targets, and with Degeneration
skills you can increase the damage potential upon your foes. Interrupts are
also very potent, knocking out a Healing Monk's Orison for 24 seconds with your
Distracting Shot cripples their skillbar partially and makes them less
effective for the duration. Trapping is also effective, luring a dumb Warrior
into a patch of traps hurts them greatly. Monks can also utilize the traps
defensively, trap around or near a Monk and if he needs to get an enemy off
himself he can simply run through them. This was the first class I ever played
in Guild Wars, and to this day it remains my all time favorite.
--------------------------
L7. Ritualist
--------------------------
Somewhat of a strange class, you can have very different roles here. Much like
a Monk, the Ritualist features some high damage skills and a whole lot of
healing and defensive ones. The Primary Attribute will increase the health of
your spirits, Channeling Magic will give you damage, Restoration is exactly how
it sounds, it is healing and support skills. Communing will allow you to
summon supportive and offensive spirits to aid your party and attack and damage
the enemy parties. Overall it requires little skill to run most Ritualist
builds, aside from learning where to position yourself in relation to the enemy
and knowing the range of your spirits.
--------------------------
L8. Assassin
--------------------------
A truly fun class to play, Assassins specialize in dealing quick bursts of
damage and then escaping back to safety. A good Assassin will need to quickly
learn how to get in and out of unfavorable situations and how to make the best
of these situations when encountered. Analyze each and every situation and
figure out the best route in, and also keep in mind the best path out if you
need to make a hasty retreat. To be truly useful, your team must also be able
to and vocal enough to communicate enemy positions and tell you if the enemy
team is responding to your presence, such as if you are in the enemy base
killing NPC's.
--------------------------
L9. Paragon
--------------------------
The button mash class. Damage from Spears are extremely powerful, not to
mention the shear amount of support that they can offer and the damage buffs
they can give a party. Skills such as "Go for the Eyes!" and Crippling Anthem
are extremely potent in PvP, and skills such as "Incoming!" can stop an entire
enemy spike when used properly.
--------------------------
L10. Dervish
--------------------------
Extreme damage and the Avatars make the Dervish a very formidable foe. Scythe
attacks can easily hit for 110+ damage, add to this some of the abilities of
the various Avatars (Grenths removes enchantments, Melandru cannot take
conditions) and you have ridiculously high damage output. While they aren't
quite as good at spiking as Warriors and don't split off as well (In my
opinion), they are still a great force to be reckoned with. If you can play a
Warrior with some proficiency, you will have no trouble with the Dervish.
--------------------------
S0. Build Format and Disclaimer (Yes that is a Zero)
--------------------------
The following is the format I will be using for the builds, because the
Premades do not include runes in the Premades Selection window. They
also do not include upgrade components as well.
Noob Slasher W/R
Difficulty: x/5
General Effectiveness: PWN.
"For Great Noobdom!"
Desperation Spam*
Signet of WTB/Conjure Chuck Norris
Animate Ecto/Rage Quit
Forget Spirits
Bad Attitude/Coreaann Hax
Execute Pet
Resurrection Signet
Swordsmanship: 10+1(H)
Tactics: 5,+3(R)
Beast Mastery: 9
Suggested Gear Setup
15^50% Sword
Tactics shield with -2 Reduction to physical while in a stance
H=Head Piece
R=Rune Choice
*=Elite Skill
Comments: This build is the best build ever; you will win Halls A LOT
if you run this! Add in two Necro's for even more fun and 5 other Noob
Slashers for more total pwnage!
I will not always include the Suggested Gear Setup, only if the build
is one in which it would be beneficial to use a certain setup.
DISCLAIMER: You are in no way guaranteed great success with any of
these builds. Legions of enemy teams will not always fall below your
mighty wrath as you cut a path through each and every last one of them.
Being a competent player, and being given a competent build, are two
completely separate things. The opinions that follow are mine and do
not represent the feeling or thoughts of Arena Net, NCSoft, or any of
its subsidiaries. The opinions are that of a long time player of the
game, and of someone who probably plays more then he should.
------------------------------------------------------
P3. Better Builds: CA/Single Player Builds
------------------------------------------------------
Builds best used in CA and somewhat TA, while some can be applied to 8v8
combat, they would not be nearly as effective as other builds.
--------------------------
A1. Melandru's Warrior
--------------------------
Melandru's Warrior R/N
Difficulty: 2/5
General Effectiveness: It's fun and a good diversion from your typical
Savage Shot
Dual Shot
Distracting Shot
Melandru's Arrows*
Troll Unguent
Throw Dirt
Plague Touch
Resurr
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