Curse

cce · Mar 08, 2005, 10:21 PM // 22:21

Don't buy skills from the traders just because you can. Each skill
costs money, and the more you buy, the more expensive they get.
So, it's best to only buy the skills that you want. A correlary is to
only buy the 'minimum necessary' skills in a given line if you intend
to change to another line later. For example, if there arn't enough
'Earth' skills, and eventually you want to be an Earth Elementalist,
don't go buying up every Fire skill... it will make buying Earth skills
later far more costly.

Weezer_Blue · Mar 08, 2005, 10:46 PM // 22:46

very informative to any new player. and pretty useful to me too (i hadn't seened much of pre-seared ascalon... i was too busy GvGing)

BlackArrow · Mar 09, 2005, 01:15 AM // 01:15

Quote:

Originally Posted by Ensign

faster (do you move on in the academy even if you lose the arena match? Can't say I have any experience with that...)

I think you do move on (I won my only match so this is second hand info). I brother lost his match and still moved on to the PvE protion of the Academy.

Harley · Mar 09, 2005, 05:00 PM // 17:00

Seems to me that in Olde Ascalon the goal should be to get as many skills as possible. Regardless of whether the Rez skill is usefull, it sure is easy to get...so you should get it. I was collecting as many skills as possible since they were free.

So my question is... Did anyone get more than 6 primary and 4 secondary skills plus the Rez. that was the point were I entered the academy but was still unsure of whether I left something behind.

Harley

Twin Raven · Mar 10, 2005, 08:42 PM // 20:42

Ah, like so many others, I would have greatly benifitted from this "overview" prior to my first BWE last month. My first BWE this past February was great, but had I had even half of the info, I might not have found myself a Level 6 Ranger with no skills or secondary profession in seared Ascelon, wondering what to do with 26 load stones and trading my dye for planks to have a customized bow built that I ended up throwing away after five minutes of play. Ok, It wasn't THAT pathetic...but I was level 6, no skills until I finally outted myself as a noob and asked where to find a trainer...With only a week away (give or take) from the next, I plan on starting with a slightly different strategy thanks to you, Shrapnel Magnet. Now, if I could only get someone to teach me those illigal ninja moves that the government controls, then I'd have skills...oddly enough, I am pretty good with a bow staff....

Cpt Teancum · Mar 11, 2005, 02:45 AM // 02:45

Thanks to Shrapnel_Magnet (and other contributors) for the good read. I've played in two BWEs and the WPE as well, and still found some great information. Especially about the PvP Arena in Ascalon. I'm almost embarrased to admit that I haven't ever gone there, just stuck with my PvE play for all the events so far. I think it is partly because I wasn't sure what was going on in there, and partly because I hate losing (which I'm sure is inevitable the first time I go in...).

I'll throw in my two Gold Pieces as well on the Res Sig--found it quite useful for bringing a monk back (especially when we were close to the end of a mission and I didn't want to do the whole thing over again, which happened once when I had already rezzed the monk once, but I digress). Ensign brings up a good point, the monk shouldn't be dying in the first place. But remember that we're still in "noob" territory, and a good monk is hard to find anywhere in the game (unless you're running with guild mates). With so few good skills on hand at this stage of the game, grab it! It only takes thirty seconds anyway, so just do it (a noob monk will thank you for it later).

Ciao,
CT

Fayte · Mar 20, 2005, 02:43 PM // 14:43

I was just looking at this site because I am going to pre-order GW this afternoon, and came across this.

You've done an excellent job, I loved reading it and have printed it for when I get started in the game.

Thanks a lot!

Alexiel · Apr 02, 2005, 02:28 PM // 14:28

I have now played two BWE's starting in Pre-Searing Ascalon more than twice and your guide still taught me a couple of things. Thank you, it was informative but not overwritten or dull.

I enjoyed the line about laughing at me if I had a crappy cape.

Assuming it's not altered, I'll certainly be keeping in mind the salvage kit suggestion. That will help save me some gold. I got through salvage kits like nothing else.

As for the semi-Monk bashing earlier in this thread and Resurrection Signet, it's not a skill I've ever been keen to have (but I am usually a Monk of some sort), I have to defend us/them especially in Borlis Pass Mission (the latest mission I've ever reached). The plethora ranger creatures really make staying alive as a monk a hazard. It was almost as though it was PvP and the PvE creatures had learned the "KILL THE MONK!!" mentality (a strategy of which I cannot deny the logic but still resent.

) and a resurrection signet would have been helpful for one of the two remaining members of our party. I am unclear as to whether they used a signet or were a Monk secondary (both front-line fighters).

The signet certainly has its place and while I see both sides, I'd say it's a personal choice.

Ristaron · Apr 03, 2005, 02:02 AM // 02:02

Quote:

Originally Posted by Sausaletus Rex

The obvious question is what were your Monks doing getting killed in the first place? PvE isn't PvP they shouldn't - outside of low-levels where, as Ensign says, they should grab a sword/axe+shield and bang away like everyone else - be up in the front lines so they can take a pounding. If they're a dedicated healer they should be hanging back, letting their tanks and other party members screen them from damage and they should be ready to retreat at the first sign of trouble. As you say, it's not necessarily winning the battle, it's surviving the mission, so your characters with rezzes should be panicky little guys who'll bug out then return to revive everyone else when the danger's passed. You can work off the DP as you go along, the important thing is to be able to go along. If you're in a party where your Monk or healer with that effective, more than one use rez, catches a case of the deads, you're doing something wrong.

Maybe you haven't noticed, or my group is just special. But whenever we would engage a group of enemies in PvE, our healer would get targetted by several creatures right off the bat.

And in PvE the resurrection signet was God. At least, with my party. But half the time I was travelling with my friend who was a monk/elementalist (myself a warrior/elementalist). And generally we could handle everything.
With missions, though, we usually rolled for a henchman, or we convinced our friend (a level 17 Ranger/Mesmer) to join us - which he did gladly several times.
And still, the Ressurection signet was great, as our token monk would still get killed, even though he could defend himself most of the time.

Great guide, Shrapnel, I wish I had read it before the last beta (my first one). lol. Oh well, I'm making a new character to help a few more of my friends who are starting. Yes, this one-beta person is now acting as a guide. Scary eh?

Vex · Apr 04, 2005, 12:06 AM // 00:06

Thanks for the help everyone. I will keep all this in mind when I start out. I preorderd yesterday with another friend of mine soon Im sure all my friends will be playing, hehe we stick together. Anyways Thanks for the Advice.

grimmolly · Apr 04, 2005, 09:04 AM // 09:04

My noob lvl 6 (10 by the end) team made it all the way from ascalon to lion's arch on foot in about six hours with only the four of us with a ele/monk healing and I had res signet. I probably used the thing at least six times and we only had two team wipes in spite of having only four of us. Being the hardiest warrior (one with two self-heals), it came in very handy and it was a wonderful experience. I know some uber-gamers would've given up on the team quickly, but that's because when all factors come into play they don't appreciate a fun challenge, but would rather have victory come because of technicality and twinking. I quickly ditch such whiners as they both ruin gameplay and ninja loot. I'm sorry, Ensign, but optimizing teams ad nauseam is only for PvP.

Zeppelin · Apr 21, 2005, 07:44 AM // 07:44

Quote:

Originally Posted by Ensign

I disagree with the 'Each and every character profession/class is good.' line. If you choose 'Necromancer' at the character creation screen, you have failed, and your character is crippled for life.

Hmm. I do not like to hear this. What I do not like even more, is that nobody commented on it, almost as if it was accepted as fact...

I only made it to level 9 with my N/Me, but I was doing great up until that point. I like the Necro's spell choices, and I was able to do alot better with him than I could with my R/Mo. Are you honestly saying that at level 20 Necros are useless? I thought this game was about using different strategies with different characters, and find it hard to believe that a successful Necro is impossible to build. At least I hope so, because Necros are probably my favorite class so far. Not that I don't believe you, but was just wondering if you're talking about end-game or what the reasoning is that "you have failed" if you pick a necro.

BTW, definitely a nice beginners guide.

EDIT: Oh man...what did I get myself into. I've read a few other posts now, and I feel a serious onslaught coming from Ensign/many other people...Ok, I see all the reasons...But, what about Blood Spells? They seem to do good damage, give you a constant source of life, constantly drain life from enemies. Is there no place for a "skilled"(makes the best use of skills possible) Blood Necro?

Jak o · Apr 21, 2005, 11:46 AM // 11:46

Not to try to open the discussion that should be kept i other threads *hint*, but yes many people don't think necro'es are worth anything in pvp. This is of course a too strong statement, they don't have a spot as a primary character in every build, but that doesn't mean they have their own importent role. Pretty much every balanced build (meaning not one trick builds) in alpha include atleast a secondary necro if not a primary necro, they are mainly used for their curses, but blood also comes into the picture sometimes. This is in guilds that fight in the top 10 of the ladder so far, in competition on the lower part of the ladder the exact build you use is not near as importent.

If you think about pve, necro'es that use minions are actually pretty good characters. If you are only interested in pve there is no problems at all, in pvp you will not be the most wanted character outthere, but there are still room for you.

Auntie I · Apr 21, 2005, 12:09 PM // 12:09

I think that they've fixed the Salvage Kit bug. This last BWE I noticed that everytime you used the kit it's value dropped by 2g. So a salvage kit with 1 use left is worth 2g. Sorry guys, you'll have to get your gold the hard way.

OOPS! I forgot to add: Nice beginners Guide!

Century · Apr 21, 2005, 12:56 PM // 12:56

Thanx for the 'Road to Level 10' Guide. It was well written, humorous and informative.
I only got to play about 3 hours in the final beta weekend, so while not new to mmorpgs, I am very new to GWs. Now I have a better grasp of what to expect on the 27th and maybe now my learning curve wont be so rough.
thx again.

tektonik · Apr 21, 2005, 02:24 PM // 14:24

Quote:

Originally Posted by Zeppelin

Hmm. I do not like to hear this. What I do not like even more, is that nobody commented on it, almost as if it was accepted as fact...

I only made it to level 9 with my N/Me, but I was doing great up until that point.

In PvE the only harder combo might be Mes/Nec. Why? Too many of your skills are situationals and if you are a DoT/life stealer you lose a lot of effectiveness at level 20.

Defafnyr · May 03, 2005, 03:16 PM // 15:16

Not good to hear that primary necro's are useless. I've been building a necro with elementalist second to combine curses with firepower. I like pyromancy, what can I say.

...And why didn't I go elemental primary and necro second instead? Character vanity. You want chicks to play online, ya gotta play up to their avatar-vanity. I just plain do NOT like the enchantress looks and prefer the necro look. Neither class get's tanking armor so it shouldn't make much difference there.

Deagol · May 03, 2005, 04:48 PM // 16:48

Necro primary is not useless, even if it isn't the strongest choice in PvP it can still be fun to play. Especially in PvE.

Crito · May 03, 2005, 06:03 PM // 18:03

Ensign, You mentioned rings and neckles's in your posts(all on this topic)

What? Are there still rings and such? I could just be low lvl(12) but the only place ive seen those is in the Old BWEs could you explain?

CM

FolkLore · May 05, 2005, 02:09 PM // 14:09

Thanks for the guide. It proved useful.