A few questions from a beginner.. - Guild Wars Forums

oldweasel · Dec 01, 2006, 03:40 AM // 03:40

I decided to take the plunge and have a go at Prophecies (currently trial, thinking I'll get the GOTY edition and my local store soon).

Have a few questions about getting started:

1) Currently playing a W/Mo, but thinking of starting over now that I'm feeling more comfortable with my knowledge. Thinking of going axe for the AoE, but wondering really how ofter AoE is used in combat - is it an asset or hindrance?

2) At this point should I try to find a guild? I know from playing many years of EQ, EQ2, WoW, EVE, etc that the right guild to start can really make a difference, but don't know the best way to go about finding a beginner-friendly guild. Almost scared to look, as most guilds in the lowbie section spend most of their time in political flamewar chat <shudder>

3) Any otehr advice for someone starting? I always feel overwhelmed at first, hoping someone here can point me in the right direction. Been looking at the GWwiki page also, it's a big help!

Thanks in advance!

Series · Dec 01, 2006, 03:44 AM // 03:44

1) You can change your secondary later... and you can go axe any time you want, just adjust the attributes... and AOE is used often in PvE especially.

2) I'd say no.

3) Just take it one step at a time. Play through the game and have fun- you'll do fine.

Mr Jazzy · Dec 01, 2006, 04:14 AM // 04:14

To answer the AoE question, many use it in guild battles as a backup for VoD, to kill all the NPCs. You can also use AoE in pvp like AB, since the shrine npcs are prime targets. However, RA and other types may not fare well with AoE, since people are constantly moving and adjusting. (No one's likely to dance in a meteor shower)

Daemon Dremora · Dec 01, 2006, 04:33 AM // 04:33

First of all, welcome to the GW universe.

1.) when i played through prophecies the first time, axe warriors were very popular and still are. aoe is used a lot in pve. so you really can't go wrong there.

2.) with all the guilds in this game, it makes it really hard to find a good one that is worth being with and is also friendly to beginners. i often like to help new players, so i guess finding a guild that will help shouldnt be too hard.

3.) and the most important advice anyone can give you is to just have fun. if you are not having fun then this game will start to fill more like a chore than an online community.

Kook~NBK~ · Dec 01, 2006, 05:01 AM // 05:01

1. Nothing wrong with testing out other professions. They've all got something that they excel in. You can also get a good idea of what their capabilities are and how they work within a team. AoE can be a pain, as it'll cause enemies to scatter. I've got an Axe Warrior and it's not a problem as there isn't a lot of AoE damage they do. AI's don't normally run from a one hit AoE like Cyclone Axe.

2. Shop around for a guild. One of the best ways to find a good one is to find a friendly, respectable, and helpful player(s) first and see about joining his/her/ their guild.

3. DO NOT SELL DYES BEFORE YOU GO TO THE ACADAMY!!! Have fun, get to around level 8 before going to the acadamy. Take every quest you can and enjoy the scenery. Use collectors to your advantage. Money is tight for new players and you can pick up some pretty decent things very cheaply with them.

RPGmaniac · Dec 01, 2006, 06:41 AM // 06:41

adding on to the advice the people above me said, be careful about buying skills from the skill trainers until you're sure that you can't get that skill from a quest first, because it costs money and a skill point to buy a skill, and you want to spend them wisely (you can look on wiki to find out which skills are availible as a quest reward, type in warrior prophecies skills and select the second option, it shows you every skill that a warrior gets in prophecies and whether you can get it as a quest reward or not). also, save up your money. what i did when i went through prophecies with 3 characters was buy armor at post-searing ascalon and didn't get any more until you get to droknar's forge, which is pretty far in the game but you don't need the armor between those places. you will need a lot of materials and each piece of armor costs 1.5k each at droknars.

also with aoe monsters will not run from skills like cyclone axe that only hit them once, but skills like firestorm which are dot (damage over time) aoes will cause the monsters to run if they are under 50% HP.

Toutatis · Dec 01, 2006, 08:52 AM // 08:52

Welcome to the world of GW!

When it comes to choosing a guild, you don't have to if you don't want to. And there is also the option of starting a guild up yourself, so you can make the rules of how your guild operates and how you will interact with other guilds (that's what I did). Setting up your own guild isn't that expensive, although the costs of adding a cape and guild hall can be tricky if you're trying to find everything by yourself. If you have real life friends who also play, maybe you could join together and split the expenses?

Also, if you find yourself needing a hand in PvE, don't be afraid to ask for help on here. There are plenty of more experienced players around here, and we'd be happy to help you out where we can.

Earth · Dec 01, 2006, 09:25 AM // 09:25

1) AoE is usefull in combat, you can deal damage to multiple enemies, and with a condition added to it, such as Cyclone Axe + Attach Poison, you can deal a good amount of damage, plus damage over time from poison.

2) If you find a helpful guild, yes it is a good idea. You can whisper me ingame if you want, just add me to your friends list to see which char i'm on: Retarded Was Rurik.

3) Don't be afraid to ask questions, either here on ingame, you'll see alot of people ingame calling you noob then, but there usually are a few people around that want to help you.

*Darcy* · Dec 01, 2006, 10:22 AM // 10:22

Guilds are as varied as the players who run them. One source is a thread on this site at

http://www.guildwarsguru.com/forum/s...php?t=10021765

In-game recruiting is usually done by start-ups, guilds looking for faction-farmers or new member fulfilling their recruiting quota.

A good guild will want to get to know you first. They will invite you to quest with different members and then vote on whether to issue an invitation. Size is no indication of quality.

MegaMouse · Dec 01, 2006, 02:48 PM // 14:48

Darcy's advice on guilds is spot on. I am currently in Section Five and we have been around since August of 2005. We used to mass spam for members but now we just invite those that either ask and we have played with or we have in the past and still do send an invite put of the blue. My advice is to not join any guild until you have at least gotten to Yak's Bend. By then you have met (hopefully) a few good players that you like to play with. Find out from them if their guild is recruiting and ask for an invite. Thats the best method because you already know a couple members of a guild which can make fitting in easier.

Play Fair Have Fun

mega Mouse

erick5876 · Dec 01, 2006, 03:21 PM // 15:21

Welcome to GW!

1. I am a very big fan of Axe wars, myself. I think they are a lot of fun to play, and can be especially helpful in PvE. You might check the Building a Better Warrior and The Art of Tanking guides found here. Also, here is the build I used all through Prophecies, and it always worked beautifully:
http://www.guildwarsguru.com/forum/s...22#post1549369

2. Darcy was deffinately right. I found my guild through the forums here. I also agree with MegaMouse. Pugging through the early parts of Proph aren't too hard. Also, I'd wait to join a guild until you have purchased the game.

3. Keep reading here and the wiki. You can find pretty much anything you need at one of the two sites. Also, watch out for scammers

Dec 01, 2006, 03:40 AM // 03:40	#1
oldweasel Pre-Searing Cadet Join Date: Nov 2006	A few questions from a beginner.. I decided to take the plunge and have a go at Prophecies (currently trial, thinking I'll get the GOTY edition and my local store soon). Have a few questions about getting started: 1) Currently playing a W/Mo, but thinking of starting over now that I'm feeling more comfortable with my knowledge. Thinking of going axe for the AoE, but wondering really how ofter AoE is used in combat - is it an asset or hindrance? 2) At this point should I try to find a guild? I know from playing many years of EQ, EQ2, WoW, EVE, etc that the right guild to start can really make a difference, but don't know the best way to go about finding a beginner-friendly guild. Almost scared to look, as most guilds in the lowbie section spend most of their time in political flamewar chat <shudder> 3) Any otehr advice for someone starting? I always feel overwhelmed at first, hoping someone here can point me in the right direction. Been looking at the GWwiki page also, it's a big help! Thanks in advance!

Dec 01, 2006, 03:44 AM // 03:44	#2
Series Banned Join Date: Aug 2006	1) You can change your secondary later... and you can go axe any time you want, just adjust the attributes... and AOE is used often in PvE especially. 2) I'd say no. 3) Just take it one step at a time. Play through the game and have fun- you'll do fine.

Dec 01, 2006, 04:14 AM // 04:14	#3
Mr Jazzy Krytan Explorer Join Date: May 2005 Location: Cali Guild: Mending For The [win] Profession: W/A	To answer the AoE question, many use it in guild battles as a backup for VoD, to kill all the NPCs. You can also use AoE in pvp like AB, since the shrine npcs are prime targets. However, RA and other types may not fare well with AoE, since people are constantly moving and adjusting. (No one's likely to dance in a meteor shower)

Dec 01, 2006, 04:33 AM // 04:33	#4
Daemon Dremora Lion's Arch Merchant Join Date: Jul 2005 Location: Millington, TN Guild: Seele Erntemaschine {Nein}	First of all, welcome to the GW universe. 1.) when i played through prophecies the first time, axe warriors were very popular and still are. aoe is used a lot in pve. so you really can't go wrong there. 2.) with all the guilds in this game, it makes it really hard to find a good one that is worth being with and is also friendly to beginners. i often like to help new players, so i guess finding a guild that will help shouldnt be too hard. 3.) and the most important advice anyone can give you is to just have fun. if you are not having fun then this game will start to fill more like a chore than an online community.

Dec 01, 2006, 05:01 AM // 05:01	#5
Kook~NBK~ Grotto Attendant Join Date: Mar 2005 Location: A little chalet outside Drok's Guild: Natural Born Killaz	1. Nothing wrong with testing out other professions. They've all got something that they excel in. You can also get a good idea of what their capabilities are and how they work within a team. AoE can be a pain, as it'll cause enemies to scatter. I've got an Axe Warrior and it's not a problem as there isn't a lot of AoE damage they do. AI's don't normally run from a one hit AoE like Cyclone Axe. 2. Shop around for a guild. One of the best ways to find a good one is to find a friendly, respectable, and helpful player(s) first and see about joining his/her/ their guild. 3. DO NOT SELL DYES BEFORE YOU GO TO THE ACADAMY!!! Have fun, get to around level 8 before going to the acadamy. Take every quest you can and enjoy the scenery. Use collectors to your advantage. Money is tight for new players and you can pick up some pretty decent things very cheaply with them.

Dec 01, 2006, 06:41 AM // 06:41	#6
RPGmaniac Desert Nomad Join Date: Aug 2005	adding on to the advice the people above me said, be careful about buying skills from the skill trainers until you're sure that you can't get that skill from a quest first, because it costs money and a skill point to buy a skill, and you want to spend them wisely (you can look on wiki to find out which skills are availible as a quest reward, type in warrior prophecies skills and select the second option, it shows you every skill that a warrior gets in prophecies and whether you can get it as a quest reward or not). also, save up your money. what i did when i went through prophecies with 3 characters was buy armor at post-searing ascalon and didn't get any more until you get to droknar's forge, which is pretty far in the game but you don't need the armor between those places. you will need a lot of materials and each piece of armor costs 1.5k each at droknars. also with aoe monsters will not run from skills like cyclone axe that only hit them once, but skills like firestorm which are dot (damage over time) aoes will cause the monsters to run if they are under 50% HP.

Dec 01, 2006, 08:52 AM // 08:52	#7
Toutatis Walking Wiki Join Date: Nov 2006 Location: Isle of Medication Guild: Visitors from Aranna [VFA] Profession: Me/E	Welcome to the world of GW! When it comes to choosing a guild, you don't have to if you don't want to. And there is also the option of starting a guild up yourself, so you can make the rules of how your guild operates and how you will interact with other guilds (that's what I did). Setting up your own guild isn't that expensive, although the costs of adding a cape and guild hall can be tricky if you're trying to find everything by yourself. If you have real life friends who also play, maybe you could join together and split the expenses? Also, if you find yourself needing a hand in PvE, don't be afraid to ask for help on here. There are plenty of more experienced players around here, and we'd be happy to help you out where we can.

Dec 01, 2006, 09:25 AM // 09:25	#8
Earth Always Outnumbered Join Date: Jul 2006	1) AoE is usefull in combat, you can deal damage to multiple enemies, and with a condition added to it, such as Cyclone Axe + Attach Poison, you can deal a good amount of damage, plus damage over time from poison. 2) If you find a helpful guild, yes it is a good idea. You can whisper me ingame if you want, just add me to your friends list to see which char i'm on: Retarded Was Rurik. 3) Don't be afraid to ask questions, either here on ingame, you'll see alot of people ingame calling you noob then, but there usually are a few people around that want to help you.

Dec 01, 2006, 10:22 AM // 10:22	#9
Darcy Never Too Old Join Date: Jul 2006 Location: Rhode Island where there are no GW contests Guild: Order of First Profession: W/R	Guilds are as varied as the players who run them. One source is a thread on this site at http://www.guildwarsguru.com/forum/s...php?t=10021765 In-game recruiting is usually done by start-ups, guilds looking for faction-farmers or new member fulfilling their recruiting quota. A good guild will want to get to know you first. They will invite you to quest with different members and then vote on whether to issue an invitation. Size is no indication of quality.

Dec 01, 2006, 02:48 PM // 14:48	#10
MegaMouse Wilds Pathfinder Join Date: Jan 2006 Location: south mississippi Guild: Warriors Of Melos WOM Profession: E/N	Darcy's advice on guilds is spot on. I am currently in Section Five and we have been around since August of 2005. We used to mass spam for members but now we just invite those that either ask and we have played with or we have in the past and still do send an invite put of the blue. My advice is to not join any guild until you have at least gotten to Yak's Bend. By then you have met (hopefully) a few good players that you like to play with. Find out from them if their guild is recruiting and ask for an invite. Thats the best method because you already know a couple members of a guild which can make fitting in easier. Play Fair Have Fun mega Mouse

Dec 01, 2006, 03:21 PM // 15:21	#11
erick5876 Frost Gate Guardian Join Date: May 2006 Location: TN Guild: Heroes ETC Profession: D/A	Welcome to GW! 1. I am a very big fan of Axe wars, myself. I think they are a lot of fun to play, and can be especially helpful in PvE. You might check the Building a Better Warrior and The Art of Tanking guides found here. Also, here is the build I used all through Prophecies, and it always worked beautifully: http://www.guildwarsguru.com/forum/s...22#post1549369 2. Darcy was deffinately right. I found my guild through the forums here. I also agree with MegaMouse. Pugging through the early parts of Proph aren't too hard. Also, I'd wait to join a guild until you have purchased the game. 3. Keep reading here and the wiki. You can find pretty much anything you need at one of the two sites. Also, watch out for scammers