Really n00b questions about aquiring skills - Guild Wars Forums

FlareStorm · Jun 23, 2008, 11:57 AM // 11:57

I've just really gotten into GW the last few months, went through Prophecies mostly on my own, got some help with PuGs and some friends I know who play it when I could. So I got Nightfall and am going through that with a new character.

I've browsed these boards and pvxwiki.com Everyone has all these great builds. And with my newly acquired heroes, great builds that make them work together with each other.

Problem is, I don't have half of those skills in these builds. I'll get a code for a build and be missing 2-3 skills, which makes the build useless.

So my question is, how did you guys get all these skills opened up? Is it just that you have way more time with the game? Buy the unlock packs? Spend hours unlocking?

Kattar · Jun 23, 2008, 12:02 PM // 12:02

Well, you have to realize that most of the people (the regulars anyway) here have been playing the game for a good long time, so they have most things, if not all, unlocked. And if they don't have something unlocked, it's only a matter of buying it with Bath faction, capping it, or running to a skill trainer.

Same goes for people that write builds. They usually already have the skills, and if not, it's a simple matter to get them.

Don't worry unnecessarily about not being able to run a particular build yet. Play with what you have and find something that works. There is no one specific build (if someone mentions ursan, I'm going to scream) that's necessary to finish PvE. You can do it with any number of things.

Welcome to GW, by the way.

Felixious · Jun 23, 2008, 12:05 PM // 12:05

I have a friend who bought me all of the unlock packs. Cause y'know, he wubs me. But yeah, i guess you could decide on 4 hero builds you really want, and then either buy the skills from a trainer, or do some zaishen balth faction farm (BFF! xD), it'l easily net you enough to unlock the skills you need.

NOTE; the FF thing in zaishen caps out at 2k faction/day, so when you're done with that, do some RA/TA for easy points.

FlareStorm · Jun 23, 2008, 12:12 PM // 12:12

Yes that's what I thought Katsumi, i was just worried I was missing something.

Felixious, I'm not into farming really at all. I'd like to get past RA and move on, but I'm just not good enough I guess.

Kattar · Jun 23, 2008, 12:16 PM // 12:16

No, you're not missing anything. Playing through PvE is the way most people get things unlocked. Most.

You just need more time in game. Don't worry about being "not good enough." Most of it is experience which usually only comes with time.

TheRaven · Jun 23, 2008, 12:21 PM // 12:21

You mentioned NF and Prophecies. Do you own Factions and EotN? If not then those missing skills may be skills that you can only get in those areas. You can look up the skill on wiki to see where it's cappable/buyable.

BTW, I like your avatar. I actually remember playing that game.

FlareStorm · Jun 23, 2008, 12:28 PM // 12:28

Quote:

Originally Posted by TheRaven

Do you own Factions and EotN?

Nah, I got Proph, finished the campaign, then got NF and am doing that with a new char. When I'm done with that i'll get Factions and figure out what to do with EoTN (decision based on info on this site, thanks!)

I use the wiki a lot, I've capped a bunch. It becomes a whole bookworking thing with two characters. Unlocked but not usable without 1k...

You experienced people, do you have ALL the skills?

Kattar · Jun 23, 2008, 12:58 PM // 12:58

I don't know if I'd say I was experienced, but no, I don't. I've been playing for about two years. If there's something I need I go get it, otherwise, I don't have it.

But I don't really PvP, so that's mostly the reason for that.

A Leprechaun · Jun 23, 2008, 01:11 PM // 13:11

I have been playing for 31-32 months and have just seemed to have unlocked most of the skills, no real specific effort (exept for elites which I have been capping) it has just happened.

~A Leprechaun~

Etta · Jun 23, 2008, 01:13 PM // 13:13

Even after 3 years, I still don't have all of the skills unlock (I hardy even play anymore). Most of those missing skills are from RT and Mesmer class, as I don't really play them.

Apart from paying 1k for skills in pve, which is rip off (imo). You can use balthazar point you earn from any pvp fight to unlock skills, this is great for heroes. Unfortunately you still need to pay 1k to use them in pve but only for your character, heroes can use any skills that you unlocked in your account.

There're some alternative way of getting skills in NF though...as I remember, it's been a long time lol. Going up in sunspear rank can net you handful of skills, lucky drop such as tomes both elite and normal are great as well. I'm sure there're more but I forgot.

malko050987 · Jun 23, 2008, 01:43 PM // 13:43

If you have the skill unlocked, you can use a tome to learn it on your other character. Tomes are generally cheaper than the skill from the Trainer, and you can use them to learn any unlocked skill on your account.

MagmaRed · Jun 23, 2008, 02:11 PM // 14:11

To help put it into perspective, consider me

I have played for 36 months (oldest character is 35 months old).
I have every skill in the game unlocked.
I have 1 of every class in the game.
All of my characters have every skill for their primary class unlocked, 3 have ever skill for a secondary class as well.
I play daily, averaging about 4 hours a day.
Estimate of my total hours played is 7000 over that 3 years.

I have had all skill unlocked for about 8 months, so you could say it took me approximately 28 months to get everything unlocked. Never paid much attention to when I got the last set of Paragon skills (last class to complete), but I worked at getting all skills for each character. This allowed me to make any build I wanted on my hereos, and allowed me to change secondary on a character, and have an easy way to get skills for a new build. Since I have all skills unlocked, if I want to make my Rt/N into a Rt/Mo and use Remove Hex, all I have to do is pay the 500g to change secondary, and 1k to buy the skill at any skill trainer.

Although it isn't needed, having everything unlocked is very nice. If there are builds you want to run, but don't have those skills unlocked yet, work at getting those skills first, and get the other stuff later. As mentioned, you can unlock ANY skill (except elites) with Balthazar Faction and then buy that skill at a trainer. You can unlock elites with faction, but you can only use them on a PvP character. If the skills you want for a hero build are for a class other than your characters, I'd suggest using the Balthazar Faction method. If, however, it is a skill for a class one of your characters uses, I'd work on getting that skill for that character. Except skills that can only be bought in late game areas, it usually isn't hard to find them. The ones like the skill trainer in Gate of Torment sells may be needed, so it is either wait until you get there, or use Balthazar Faction to unlock it, and buy it early.

Traveller · Jun 23, 2008, 02:57 PM // 14:57

I've been playing for 3 years, but I don't have ALL skills unlocked (except for my main character, with whom I'm planning to). I tend to buy only skills I plan to use and there are quite a lot of skills I just can't fit into my builds.

**cosyfiep** · Jun 23, 2008, 03:29 PM // 15:29

it depends on your personal goals.
I have had the game for almost 3 years...I made my first 4 characters pretty quickly (hey I like to make characters)....and with prophecies so many of the skills were given in skill quests it was pretty easy to get a bunch (and when the game came out the costs were less--)...so it wasnt so hard to get all the skills for all 4 of my characters both primary and secondary. (and amongst the 4 of them that covered all but warrior for unlocking skills)....factions came out and I started a rit and the other 4 ventured over to cantha and got all of their skills...same thing when nightfall came out...during the months inbetween I spent time capping elites and getting the plat for the skills for each characters primary and secondary (with the exception of assassin---still dont have those skills...have one character working on that as a secondary but dont see it happening any time soon).

Currently I have 8 characters that have all of almost all of their primary and secondary skills (I dont change secondaries....very old school of me)....and a few others that are missing an elite or some set of skills (like my inspiration mesmer doesnt have most of the domination skills--she doesnt use them so why pay 1plat for them)...though with nightfall's hero skill points I have been able to unlock the few dervish skills I havent gotten far enough to get to. (which is the only other skill set I am short on)....

so check out wiki and see which campaign the skills you are missing are from, and which skill trainers have them----and if its a core or prophecy skill check to see if you can get it for FREE with a quest (a great way for even foreign characters who have one of the core professions to get a few extra skills).

Quaker · Jun 23, 2008, 03:31 PM // 15:31

Similar to Magma, I have played for 37 months (6,700 hrs). My oldest character (my Ranger) is 36 months old. Only the Ranger has every primary skill though (and every elite - Legendary Skill Hunter).

One thing to keep in mind is that Builds can often be thought of as either a "starting point" or a "reference point". Most of the time, the people who came up with the builds, used what they thought were the best skills available at the time to accomplish what they wanted to do. Often times though, the skills can be replaced with an alternative, or a slightly lesser version.
In any case, it's a good idea to try to understand the "method" behind any build. It's a lot easier to utilize a build if you understand how it works. You also have a lot better chance of being able to make a workable version of it using the skills you have, if you understand how the build works and what's important. (Many times, the author of a build will also supply a number of alternate choices for spells, but not always.)

As a basic example, say a build includes Healing Touch. The HT is probably there to provide a "self-heal", so, instead of running around trying to get HT, you could use whatever healing spell you have (to a possibly lesser effect).
Or say a basic Barrage ranger build - you may not have gotten Barrage yet (an elite capture), but you may be able to get Volley instead. (Just an example folks.

)

FlareStorm · Jun 23, 2008, 09:01 PM // 21:01

Wow, Quaker and MagmaRed...thats kinda what I was looking for. You oldbies and how long it took you to do all skills.

I'm playing as a completist, I just finished getting all Ranger Prophecies skills and it took forever (except for one, but thats not my fault and I'll get it any day now)

Jun 23, 2008, 11:57 AM // 11:57	#1
FlareStorm Academy Page Join Date: Jun 2008 Profession: R/	Really n00b questions about aquiring skills I've just really gotten into GW the last few months, went through Prophecies mostly on my own, got some help with PuGs and some friends I know who play it when I could. So I got Nightfall and am going through that with a new character. I've browsed these boards and pvxwiki.com Everyone has all these great builds. And with my newly acquired heroes, great builds that make them work together with each other. Problem is, I don't have half of those skills in these builds. I'll get a code for a build and be missing 2-3 skills, which makes the build useless. So my question is, how did you guys get all these skills opened up? Is it just that you have way more time with the game? Buy the unlock packs? Spend hours unlocking?

Jun 23, 2008, 12:02 PM // 12:02	#2
Kattar EXCESSIVE FLUTTERCUSSING Join Date: Mar 2007 Guild: SMS (lolgw2placeholder) Profession: Me/	Well, you have to realize that most of the people (the regulars anyway) here have been playing the game for a good long time, so they have most things, if not all, unlocked. And if they don't have something unlocked, it's only a matter of buying it with Bath faction, capping it, or running to a skill trainer. Same goes for people that write builds. They usually already have the skills, and if not, it's a simple matter to get them. Don't worry unnecessarily about not being able to run a particular build yet. Play with what you have and find something that works. There is no one specific build (if someone mentions ursan, I'm going to scream) that's necessary to finish PvE. You can do it with any number of things. Welcome to GW, by the way. Last edited by Kattar; Jun 23, 2008 at 12:05 PM // 12:05..

Jun 23, 2008, 03:29 PM // 15:29	#14
cosyfiep are we there yet? Join Date: Dec 2005 Location: in a land far far away Guild: guild? I am supposed to have a guild? Profession: Rt/	it depends on your personal goals. I have had the game for almost 3 years...I made my first 4 characters pretty quickly (hey I like to make characters)....and with prophecies so many of the skills were given in skill quests it was pretty easy to get a bunch (and when the game came out the costs were less--)...so it wasnt so hard to get all the skills for all 4 of my characters both primary and secondary. (and amongst the 4 of them that covered all but warrior for unlocking skills)....factions came out and I started a rit and the other 4 ventured over to cantha and got all of their skills...same thing when nightfall came out...during the months inbetween I spent time capping elites and getting the plat for the skills for each characters primary and secondary (with the exception of assassin---still dont have those skills...have one character working on that as a secondary but dont see it happening any time soon). Currently I have 8 characters that have all of almost all of their primary and secondary skills (I dont change secondaries....very old school of me)....and a few others that are missing an elite or some set of skills (like my inspiration mesmer doesnt have most of the domination skills--she doesnt use them so why pay 1plat for them)...though with nightfall's hero skill points I have been able to unlock the few dervish skills I havent gotten far enough to get to. (which is the only other skill set I am short on).... so check out wiki and see which campaign the skills you are missing are from, and which skill trainers have them----and if its a core or prophecy skill check to see if you can get it for FREE with a quest (a great way for even foreign characters who have one of the core professions to get a few extra skills). __________________ where is the 'all you can eat' cookie bar?

Jun 23, 2008, 03:31 PM // 15:31	#15
Quaker Hell's Protector Join Date: Aug 2005 Location: Canada Guild: Brothers Disgruntled	Similar to Magma, I have played for 37 months (6,700 hrs). My oldest character (my Ranger) is 36 months old. Only the Ranger has every primary skill though (and every elite - Legendary Skill Hunter). One thing to keep in mind is that Builds can often be thought of as either a "starting point" or a "reference point". Most of the time, the people who came up with the builds, used what they thought were the best skills available at the time to accomplish what they wanted to do. Often times though, the skills can be replaced with an alternative, or a slightly lesser version. In any case, it's a good idea to try to understand the "method" behind any build. It's a lot easier to utilize a build if you understand how it works. You also have a lot better chance of being able to make a workable version of it using the skills you have, if you understand how the build works and what's important. (Many times, the author of a build will also supply a number of alternate choices for spells, but not always.) As a basic example, say a build includes Healing Touch. The HT is probably there to provide a "self-heal", so, instead of running around trying to get HT, you could use whatever healing spell you have (to a possibly lesser effect). Or say a basic Barrage ranger build - you may not have gotten Barrage yet (an elite capture), but you may be able to get Volley instead. (Just an example folks. ) Last edited by Quaker; Jun 23, 2008 at 03:35 PM // 15:35..

Jun 23, 2008, 12:05 PM // 12:05	#3
Felixious Frost Gate Guardian Join Date: Mar 2008 Location: Sweden Profession: W/	I have a friend who bought me all of the unlock packs. Cause y'know, he wubs me. But yeah, i guess you could decide on 4 hero builds you really want, and then either buy the skills from a trainer, or do some zaishen balth faction farm (BFF! xD), it'l easily net you enough to unlock the skills you need. NOTE; the FF thing in zaishen caps out at 2k faction/day, so when you're done with that, do some RA/TA for easy points.

Jun 23, 2008, 12:12 PM // 12:12	#4
FlareStorm Academy Page Join Date: Jun 2008 Profession: R/	Yes that's what I thought Katsumi, i was just worried I was missing something. Felixious, I'm not into farming really at all. I'd like to get past RA and move on, but I'm just not good enough I guess.

Jun 23, 2008, 12:16 PM // 12:16	#5
Kattar EXCESSIVE FLUTTERCUSSING Join Date: Mar 2007 Guild: SMS (lolgw2placeholder) Profession: Me/	No, you're not missing anything. Playing through PvE is the way most people get things unlocked. Most. You just need more time in game. Don't worry about being "not good enough." Most of it is experience which usually only comes with time.

Jun 23, 2008, 12:21 PM // 12:21	#6
TheRaven Desert Nomad Join Date: Sep 2006 Location: Virginia Guild: Spirit of Elisha Profession: W/	You mentioned NF and Prophecies. Do you own Factions and EotN? If not then those missing skills may be skills that you can only get in those areas. You can look up the skill on wiki to see where it's cappable/buyable. BTW, I like your avatar. I actually remember playing that game.

Jun 23, 2008, 12:58 PM // 12:58	#8
Kattar EXCESSIVE FLUTTERCUSSING Join Date: Mar 2007 Guild: SMS (lolgw2placeholder) Profession: Me/	I don't know if I'd say I was experienced, but no, I don't. I've been playing for about two years. If there's something I need I go get it, otherwise, I don't have it. But I don't really PvP, so that's mostly the reason for that.

Jun 23, 2008, 01:11 PM // 13:11	#9
A Leprechaun Desert Nomad Join Date: Feb 2006 Profession: W/	I have been playing for 31-32 months and have just seemed to have unlocked most of the skills, no real specific effort (exept for elites which I have been capping) it has just happened. ~A Leprechaun~

Jun 23, 2008, 01:13 PM // 13:13	#10
Etta Forge Runner Join Date: Jun 2006 Location: Mancland, British Empire	Even after 3 years, I still don't have all of the skills unlock (I hardy even play anymore). Most of those missing skills are from RT and Mesmer class, as I don't really play them. Apart from paying 1k for skills in pve, which is rip off (imo). You can use balthazar point you earn from any pvp fight to unlock skills, this is great for heroes. Unfortunately you still need to pay 1k to use them in pve but only for your character, heroes can use any skills that you unlocked in your account. There're some alternative way of getting skills in NF though...as I remember, it's been a long time lol. Going up in sunspear rank can net you handful of skills, lucky drop such as tomes both elite and normal are great as well. I'm sure there're more but I forgot.

Jun 23, 2008, 01:43 PM // 13:43	#11
malko050987 Wilds Pathfinder Join Date: Jan 2007 Location: Arad, Romania Guild: The Arctic Marauders [TAM] - now recruiting! Profession: R/	If you have the skill unlocked, you can use a tome to learn it on your other character. Tomes are generally cheaper than the skill from the Trainer, and you can use them to learn any unlocked skill on your account.

Jun 23, 2008, 02:11 PM // 14:11	#12
MagmaRed Furnace Stoker Join Date: Mar 2007 Guild: Our Crabs Know True [LOVE] Profession: R/	To help put it into perspective, consider me I have played for 36 months (oldest character is 35 months old). I have every skill in the game unlocked. I have 1 of every class in the game. All of my characters have every skill for their primary class unlocked, 3 have ever skill for a secondary class as well. I play daily, averaging about 4 hours a day. Estimate of my total hours played is 7000 over that 3 years. I have had all skill unlocked for about 8 months, so you could say it took me approximately 28 months to get everything unlocked. Never paid much attention to when I got the last set of Paragon skills (last class to complete), but I worked at getting all skills for each character. This allowed me to make any build I wanted on my hereos, and allowed me to change secondary on a character, and have an easy way to get skills for a new build. Since I have all skills unlocked, if I want to make my Rt/N into a Rt/Mo and use Remove Hex, all I have to do is pay the 500g to change secondary, and 1k to buy the skill at any skill trainer. Although it isn't needed, having everything unlocked is very nice. If there are builds you want to run, but don't have those skills unlocked yet, work at getting those skills first, and get the other stuff later. As mentioned, you can unlock ANY skill (except elites) with Balthazar Faction and then buy that skill at a trainer. You can unlock elites with faction, but you can only use them on a PvP character. If the skills you want for a hero build are for a class other than your characters, I'd suggest using the Balthazar Faction method. If, however, it is a skill for a class one of your characters uses, I'd work on getting that skill for that character. Except skills that can only be bought in late game areas, it usually isn't hard to find them. The ones like the skill trainer in Gate of Torment sells may be needed, so it is either wait until you get there, or use Balthazar Faction to unlock it, and buy it early.

Jun 23, 2008, 02:57 PM // 14:57	#13
Traveller Wilds Pathfinder Join Date: Jul 2005 Location: Finland Guild: League of Extraordinary Explorers [LOST] (my one man guild) Profession: Me/	I've been playing for 3 years, but I don't have ALL skills unlocked (except for my main character, with whom I'm planning to). I tend to buy only skills I plan to use and there are quite a lot of skills I just can't fit into my builds.

Jun 23, 2008, 09:01 PM // 21:01	#16
FlareStorm Academy Page Join Date: Jun 2008 Profession: R/	Wow, Quaker and MagmaRed...thats kinda what I was looking for. You oldbies and how long it took you to do all skills. I'm playing as a completist, I just finished getting all Ranger Prophecies skills and it took forever (except for one, but thats not my fault and I'll get it any day now)