New Husband-Wife duo with questions - Guild Wars Forums

RegnorVex · Sep 17, 2011, 02:12 AM // 02:12

Hi all,

My wife and I have been reading about GW2 and are very excited about it. We are total noobs to the GW world and decided to give GW1 a try. We bought the trilogy from Steam and have just created our accounts and downloading now.

To be honest, we're not very interested in henchmen, we like playing alone and are not big on pet management. Typically in MMO's my wife plays a tank and I heal. I realize that GW2 is doing away with the holy trinity and I'm excited about that, and not quite sure how GW1 works.

That said, what do you folks recommend as starting characters? We would like to be able to handle as much content as possible as a duo. My general leaning would be a Mesmer to my wife's Warrior, but I think she may also like a Ranger. I'm concerned that if I play a squishie and she plays a ranged DPS that we won't have enough tanking or healing to survive and will have to bring along henchmen. Is that true? What if she plays a Warrior and I play a Monk, would that materially change our ability to duo without henchmen? Or do we need to just get used to the idea of using henchmen to round out our efforts?

I've read a lot of threads and recommendations and have decided to start in Prophecies and I would look forward to any other recommendations from anyone.

Many thanks, and it's great to see such a vibrant and active community after all these years. I'm quite impressed.

Kamara · Sep 17, 2011, 02:32 AM // 02:32

You're pretty much going to have to travel with the maximum group size in any area, which will mean henchmen for now, and later on, heroes (basically henchmen whose skills and weapons you can customise). For the most part, you don't need to micromanage anything, just let them do their thing while you do yours. (Existing Guilds are also an option if you want other human company, but as you said you like to play just the two of you, I wont put too much blah blah into this. I totally understand the small group mindset!)

It doesn't really matter much what classes you play, as your team is rounded out with the henches (or heroes later on). So just play whatever you think sounds fun! Chances are, over the months / years you spend in GW, you'll play just about every class. They're all pretty awesome! So don't fret too much on character choice right now.

The game is balanced for the maximum team size in an area, you may be able to manage the two of you in the 4-man areas if you pull carefully, and put a bit of strategy into things, but once you hit the 6 man and 8 man areas, you're definitely going to want to max out your party and with a variety of classes and roles in those team lineups. You don't really need to worry about team builds at this stage. Just toss in a healer henchman, fill up the rest of your party and go blast monsters. It is definitely different from other MMOs out there, but GW's all about being unique

Hope you have fun in GW

**Marty Silverblade** · Sep 17, 2011, 02:33 AM // 02:33

Quite frankly, not filling out your team is foolish. GW is a team game and relies on synergy between characters and the skills they bring. All you're going to achieve by running as a duo will be making life much harder for yourself, slowing yourselves down, and inevitably becoming frustrated. At the beginning you're only meant to have small teams so you'll be fine but when you get to areas meant for 6-8 people you're not going to have much choice except henchmen (or other people, but that's not likely). That's not to say it's impossible, but for two people who know nothing about the game I'd predict a ton of trouble/restarting/etc.

That said, Warrior is a solid choice. They synergise with pretty much everything and you're going to need something with good armor to prevent you from getting killed really quickly. The other character will likely need to be some kind of support caster like a Monk (which is really your best option for healing/protection). If you don't want to be a Monk, you'll almost definitely need to have a Monk secondary for heals. As I said earlier, it's going to be tough. Why is it that you don't want to use henchies, anyway?

EDIT/PS: If you do plan to use henchies after all, the professions you pick won't really matter. You'll be able to succeed regardless of your choices. The above advice about Warrior synergy is still very true though, and I'd definitely recommend it if someone wants to play one.

Star_Jewel · Sep 17, 2011, 02:49 AM // 02:49

Wow, another pair that wants to forgo heroes/henchmen.

As has been said, 90% of the game will be very frustrating with a limited party and no additional players or AI support.

I think a lot of people who come to GW from other MMOs don't quite grasp exactly how limiting 8 skills on a skillbar can be. If you think about your heroes as an extension of yourself, bringing extra skills that you, yourself, cannot, it makes a lot more sense to bring them. Working out the synergies can actually be kind of fun.

Starlet · Sep 17, 2011, 02:56 AM // 02:56

Another Husband/Wife combo here. I dragged my hubby here from wow.

ok, first off: Do away with your MMO mindset it will do you no good here.

Second: pick a character that sounds fun to you! or try out a few before picking. no matter what you pick your heros/Henchmen will fill out the rest.

Third: You will need heros/henchmen. As a general rule we get ourselves and 3 heros each and each of us takes a healer and a melee character and a whatever.

Fourth: Since your both new, thats about it for now! Have fun playing and you will learn all the other more complex parts of the game. Remember you can change your secondary class at will later in the game and leave your MMO thinking at the door!

Side note: When I first started I picked a meser as I loved her armor and almost 6 years later I still love her!

RegnorVex · Sep 17, 2011, 03:09 AM // 03:09

Ok, I hear you folks, loud and clear. ;-)

You're right, I still have the MMO mindset, it's hard to lose after playing virtually every MMO since UO beta. But at the core we are gamers. We are patient and we are adaptable, and if this game is designed to be played with henchmen, we'll learn how to use them. I'm encouraged by the comment about little micromanagement, that's nice to know. But I'm also intrigued by the discussions about skill synergies and working tactically with henchmen.

When I say we are noobs to GW, I mean it. I had no idea there was an 8 skill limit or even that there were skills. Everything is brand new to us, so we'll figure it all out and have a good time doing it. Thanks for the advice, and see you in the game. Download is complete!

Star_Jewel · Sep 17, 2011, 03:28 AM // 03:28

The nice part about starting in Prophecies is that there are no henchmen available in the starter area, and party size is limited to 2 -- perfect for you and your wife to ease into the game mechanics, learn tactics & techniques, and enjoy the relative ease of the game the way you prefer, without having to worry about AI.

After that, when you reach the story shift and the real game begins, you'll want to learn how to use the henchmen that are available to you. By the time you hit Lion's Arch and can jump to other campaigns to recruit heroes, I'm sure you'll be quite sick of the henchies and will welcome the opportunity to learn how to outfit, skill, and command your heroes.

Welcome to GW. Hope you two have fun!

FengShuiDove · Sep 17, 2011, 03:31 AM // 03:31

Luckily, you've got some character slots to play with also. I too play GW with my wife, and it's a really fun time.

First, it's much less about the professions you pick. Both of you should pick something that sounds fun to you. From what you're describing, it doesn't sound like there's a lot of overlap between your preferences. I'd say two of anything is bad, but no combination other than that is bad. Every profession brings something to the table. You seem like you're an investigative type, so check out the wiki and read up on professions.

Or just give it a try

. As has been said, the game is designed around a full party, but the AI won't get in your way too much. Make sure you have a Monk in the 4 man areas of Prophecies (you'll find out how "great" Alesia is

), *maybe* both Monks when you get to the 6 man areas (players do far more DPS than AI, so you should almost always bring the damage/support/hybrids), and definitely a couple of support characters when you get into 8 man regions. But beyond that, play around and see what suits you! Good luck!

**cosyfiep** · Sep 17, 2011, 04:03 AM // 04:03

the good thing about this game is you get a bunch of character slots--so you can try different characters and figure out which you enjoy playing the most (my hubby got my hooked on this game as well--)
Prophecies starting area you wont have to worry about heroes/henchmen since the party size is only 2 (worked great for us--didnt want to leave), however; when you do venture into the real world (post searing)...you will appreciate the henchmen to round out your party (and fill in the areas you are lacking).

play around, if you dont like a character--make a different one, no one says you can only play one. (and by playing other characters you will learn how they work which is helpful when you come across them ingame).

welcome to guildwars--have fun playing!!

wilebill · Sep 17, 2011, 11:01 AM // 11:01

Henchmen, and henchwomen, are wonderful. I become very fond of them.

It would be pleasant to know what skills they use. You can look up hench names here. http://www.guildwiki.org/Main_Page Also this unofficial wiki has a good section for new players, Game Basics in the right hand column.

Pressing F10 while in game will link to a huge set of help files on almost everything! So there is no shortage of information.

gremlin · Sep 17, 2011, 11:30 AM // 11:30

Quote:

Originally Posted by RegnorVex

Hi all,

My wife and I have been reading about GW2 and are very excited about it. We are total noobs to the GW world and decided to give GW1 a try. We bought the trilogy from Steam and have just created our accounts and downloading now.

To be honest, we're not very interested in henchmen, we like playing alone and are not big on pet management. Typically in MMO's my wife plays a tank and I heal. I realize that GW2 is doing away with the holy trinity and I'm excited about that, and not quite sure how GW1 works.

That said, what do you folks recommend as starting characters? We would like to be able to handle as much content as possible as a duo. My general leaning would be a Mesmer to my wife's Warrior, but I think she may also like a Ranger. I'm concerned that if I play a squishie and she plays a ranged DPS that we won't have enough tanking or healing to survive and will have to bring along henchmen. Is that true? What if she plays a Warrior and I play a Monk, would that materially change our ability to duo without henchmen? Or do we need to just get used to the idea of using henchmen to round out our efforts?

I've read a lot of threads and recommendations and have decided to start in Prophecies and I would look forward to any other recommendations from anyone.

Many thanks, and it's great to see such a vibrant and active community after all these years. I'm quite impressed.

If you run as a ranged character ranger, Paragon or similar and a spell caster "squishy" as you put it you could do worse than make the squishy a Necro or Ritualist.

Being overrun by a mob is a possibility if you play as a duo with no backup henchies or heroes.
A Necro can keep a small army of undead running they will tend to keep the bad guys occupied.
The Ritualist can summon offensive and defensive spirits again these provide a block on pursuing enemies and allows you to back out of range or just flee.

Part of the game now are summoning stones, you can obtain a fire imp as part of this game upgrade http://wiki.guildwars.com/wiki/Igneous_Summoning_Stone
This gives you a fire imp that can be summoned as many times as you wish until you reach lvl 20 very helpful in the beginning, when you are getting used to the game.
Other summoning stones can be created in the game from crafters or at festivals http://wiki.guildwars.com/wiki/Summoning_stone
These are single use stones so have to keep buying creating new ones after you reach lvl 20.
You can only use one per party but again they provide good backup when your against the odds.

Get stuck ask more questions its how we all learn.
Look forward to seeing you in the game and in GW2

RedDog91 · Sep 17, 2011, 12:27 PM // 12:27

Quote:

Originally Posted by RegnorVex

But at the core we are gamers. We are patient and we are adaptable

The second sentence off-sets the first

But anyway, about the 8 skill thing, what separates GW from most MMOs is that GW limits your skill list a lot more than other games do (a lot don't really limit at all). You have to take time to unlock skills and then decide which fit best together. It wouldn't be good to load up a bar with 7 attack skills and then add a skill that when activated disables all attack skills.

Also, in case you're in the mindset of "I need epic gear to be good" that some MMOs put you in, I'll end that mindset now. There is a max stat for each weapon type (sword, axe, bow, etc.) and armor, and getting an item with max stats is very easy. GW is not about who has the best gear, its about who has the best skills. Sure, in PvP there are some weapon mods or armor upgrades that can make a slight difference that turns into a slightly bigger difference as the match goes on, but a lot of times those effects are there to either enhance their skills or slightly decrease the effectiveness of yours (such as a weapon mod that reduces deep wound duration by 33% and you have a skill that inflicts deep wound for 10 seconds, now its only 7). Being prepared for such situations will make them play out a lot easier.

Shana Something · Sep 17, 2011, 01:20 PM // 13:20

Quote:

Originally Posted by RedDog91

GW is ... about who has the best skills.

I might would amend this slightly. GW is also about how well you use the skills you have. You could load up your bar with 8 of the "best" meta skills out there and still have your lunch handed to you (pardon the mix up of aphorisms).

Learning how skills work together... this "synergy" of which we speak... takes time, but it's fun getting there.

RegnorVex · Sep 17, 2011, 02:19 PM // 14:19

We started last night and got through most of the initial learning curve, we're having a blast. She is playing a ranger. I started with a mesmer and then created a monk, I think that's where we'll wind up.

I just want to add one observation: I am absolutely blown away at the community here. This game is how old? 6, 7 years? And the starting area is crowded with new players. I post one message and get 12 replies almost instantly. What a breath of fresh air!

I am beginning to see why there is so much interest in GW2 and why this game has sustained so much popularity in a crowded genre.

Thanks everyone, and see you in game!

Regnor & Kesha Vex

gremlin · Sep 17, 2011, 03:44 PM // 15:44

You will of course get to pick a secondary class and I wanted to say try them all out before picking on to use for the long term.

Later in the game you can change secondary class and should you later change back any skills you learned will be available for use again.

The GW developers intended you to be able to change your secondary class almost at will.

Anyway sounds like your having fun which is great.

Mechanko1 · Sep 17, 2011, 07:29 PM // 19:29

Finding a guild is a great thing to do as well (: General pve guild

Star_Jewel · Sep 17, 2011, 11:38 PM // 23:38

Quote:

Originally Posted by RegnorVex

I just want to add one observation: I am absolutely blown away at the community here. This game is how old? 6, 7 years? And the starting area is crowded with new players. I post one message and get 12 replies almost instantly. What a breath of fresh air!

They made a good choice making the game buy-to-play and free forever thereafter. There's no subscription to uphold and thus people can come and go as they please. Fosters people wanting to stay.

We have seen a surge in new and returning players getting ready for GW2 thanks to the Hall of Monuments and its calculator.

The Prophecies starter area has always had a decent population because 1.) people are always starting new characters, 2.) a lot of people like the environment and the socialization in that exclusive community, and 3.) you can earn a unique title by reaching level 20 in that starter area.

It's especially busy these days because they recently added quests there which make it easier to accomplish that goal.

RegnorVex · Sep 18, 2011, 03:10 PM // 15:10

After rolling and re-rolling 3 or 4 times we finally settled on a pair of characters that we like. It might sound like a crazy and redundant combination of skills, but we went with what we actually found enjoyable. She is playing a Warrior/Monk (Summer Wrath) and I'm playing a Monk/Elementalist (Winter Omen).

Questions, questions:

1) After just coming out of Age of Conan where we had tiger mounts (fastest mounts in the game), we are finding the movement speed excruciatingly slow. We are patient people and enjoy smelling the roses, but given how much overland traversal of the same ground occurs over and over again, let's be honest, it gets old. I haven't seen any evidence of mounts or Spirit of the Wolf type buffs, are those things we can expect to see later in the game?

2) The game seems heavy on multiple mob pulls and active pathers with large aggro radius. I had this idea that Mesmer would be a shorthand way of saying "mesmerize", which is the prototypical CC skill from the earliest MMO's (i.e., "mezzing"). But looking over Mesmer's skills, they seem more like a focus on debuffs and interrupts. Did I just overlook something in their skill list or is there some other profession that gets classic CC skills?

3) How do we acquire better gear in this game? I can see that managing the available skills is what this game is about and it may be less loot-centric than others, but does that mean that gear is irrelevant and that the main incentive for play is further story development? I know this is a tired old question from a deeply instilled MMO mindset, sorry ;-), but what is the "endgame" like once everyone hits level cap?

Thanks!

Winter Omen & Summer Wrath

shillo · Sep 18, 2011, 03:38 PM // 15:38

1) No mounts, although there is mount-like mechanics in some areas of EoTN and Nightfall. All classes except Monks and Ritualists get personal speed buffs (you can get it from secondary class for your Mo/E). Group-wide speed buff is available to Warrior (as elite, NOT recommended), and Paragon ("Fall Back!"). You can get "Fall Back!" on a secondary Paragon, both player or hero, and you can change your secondary class later in the game.

2) CC is balanced for PvP, it's short-duration, short-recharge and conditional (i.e. no way to completely prevent enemy from doing anything; KD is closest but knocked-down foes can still use stances, and it only lasts for 3 seconds). Typical options for AoE CC are mass-cripple and blind with Ranger traps, AoE knockdown from Warrior, AoE hex-based slowdown from Water elementalist, AoE interrupt over VERY large area from Mesmers and AoE Daze+mass condition spread using Fevered Dreams. Necros and Mesmers also have good skills for spreading already applied conditions to groups of enemies. Also lots of single-target shutdown skills available to just about any class.

3) Max level and armour are readily available. However, most of the game's storyline takes place in level-20 areas, so obtaining a max character still leaves you very far from finding out the resolution of the game's plot. Also, monsters keep getting harder, they're level 28 in end-game areas (in normal mode). Getting through the storyline unlocks Hard Mode, with tougher everything. There is also PvP, which you can try anytime. Progression is, as you've noticed, centred on acquiring skills. It takes about 1,000,000 gold to unlock all skills on the account. Basically the game is geared toward overcoming challenge and difficulty curve, not so much toward direct rewards.

RegnorVex · Sep 18, 2011, 06:30 PM // 18:30

Excellent reply, thank you shillo. Great info.

1) I'm in need of more bag space, but not crazy about spending 100g on vendor bags. Any quests available for bags (post searing)?

2) What does it mean when we enter towns and players have little blue icons over their heads with +4, etc.?

3) We have the whole trilogy and EoTN. Should we just continue on in a linear fashion with Prophecies or is it possible to weave in and out of the other campaigns, or other areas besides Old Ascalon, how does that work? It would be nice to have a little variety of scenery and mobs.

4) I've seen in other threads the comment that the game really begins at 20, and that this can be done in a few hours. Are they kidding? I understand that Prophecies is somewhat slower than Nightfall or Factions, but ... That much?

Thanks,

Sep 17, 2011, 02:12 AM // 02:12	#1
RegnorVex Ascalonian Squire Join Date: Sep 2011	New Husband-Wife duo with questions Hi all, My wife and I have been reading about GW2 and are very excited about it. We are total noobs to the GW world and decided to give GW1 a try. We bought the trilogy from Steam and have just created our accounts and downloading now. To be honest, we're not very interested in henchmen, we like playing alone and are not big on pet management. Typically in MMO's my wife plays a tank and I heal. I realize that GW2 is doing away with the holy trinity and I'm excited about that, and not quite sure how GW1 works. That said, what do you folks recommend as starting characters? We would like to be able to handle as much content as possible as a duo. My general leaning would be a Mesmer to my wife's Warrior, but I think she may also like a Ranger. I'm concerned that if I play a squishie and she plays a ranged DPS that we won't have enough tanking or healing to survive and will have to bring along henchmen. Is that true? What if she plays a Warrior and I play a Monk, would that materially change our ability to duo without henchmen? Or do we need to just get used to the idea of using henchmen to round out our efforts? I've read a lot of threads and recommendations and have decided to start in Prophecies and I would look forward to any other recommendations from anyone. Many thanks, and it's great to see such a vibrant and active community after all these years. I'm quite impressed.

Sep 17, 2011, 02:33 AM // 02:33	#3
Marty Silverblade Administrator Join Date: Jun 2006	Quite frankly, not filling out your team is foolish. GW is a team game and relies on synergy between characters and the skills they bring. All you're going to achieve by running as a duo will be making life much harder for yourself, slowing yourselves down, and inevitably becoming frustrated. At the beginning you're only meant to have small teams so you'll be fine but when you get to areas meant for 6-8 people you're not going to have much choice except henchmen (or other people, but that's not likely). That's not to say it's impossible, but for two people who know nothing about the game I'd predict a ton of trouble/restarting/etc. That said, Warrior is a solid choice. They synergise with pretty much everything and you're going to need something with good armor to prevent you from getting killed really quickly. The other character will likely need to be some kind of support caster like a Monk (which is really your best option for healing/protection). If you don't want to be a Monk, you'll almost definitely need to have a Monk secondary for heals. As I said earlier, it's going to be tough. Why is it that you don't want to use henchies, anyway? EDIT/PS: If you do plan to use henchies after all, the professions you pick won't really matter. You'll be able to succeed regardless of your choices. The above advice about Warrior synergy is still very true though, and I'd definitely recommend it if someone wants to play one. __________________ Last edited by Marty Silverblade; Sep 17, 2011 at 03:37 AM // 03:37..

Sep 17, 2011, 03:09 AM // 03:09	#6
RegnorVex Ascalonian Squire Join Date: Sep 2011	Ok, I hear you folks, loud and clear. ;-) You're right, I still have the MMO mindset, it's hard to lose after playing virtually every MMO since UO beta. But at the core we are gamers. We are patient and we are adaptable, and if this game is designed to be played with henchmen, we'll learn how to use them. I'm encouraged by the comment about little micromanagement, that's nice to know. But I'm also intrigued by the discussions about skill synergies and working tactically with henchmen. When I say we are noobs to GW, I mean it. I had no idea there was an 8 skill limit or even that there were skills. Everything is brand new to us, so we'll figure it all out and have a good time doing it. Thanks for the advice, and see you in the game. Download is complete! Last edited by RegnorVex; Sep 17, 2011 at 02:20 PM // 14:20..

Sep 17, 2011, 04:03 AM // 04:03	#9
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/	the good thing about this game is you get a bunch of character slots--so you can try different characters and figure out which you enjoy playing the most (my hubby got my hooked on this game as well--) Prophecies starting area you wont have to worry about heroes/henchmen since the party size is only 2 (worked great for us--didnt want to leave), however; when you do venture into the real world (post searing)...you will appreciate the henchmen to round out your party (and fill in the areas you are lacking). play around, if you dont like a character--make a different one, no one says you can only play one. (and by playing other characters you will learn how they work which is helpful when you come across them ingame). welcome to guildwars--have fun playing!! __________________ where is the 'all you can eat' cookie bar?

Sep 18, 2011, 06:30 PM // 18:30	#20
RegnorVex Ascalonian Squire Join Date: Sep 2011	Excellent reply, thank you shillo. Great info. 1) I'm in need of more bag space, but not crazy about spending 100g on vendor bags. Any quests available for bags (post searing)? 2) What does it mean when we enter towns and players have little blue icons over their heads with +4, etc.? 3) We have the whole trilogy and EoTN. Should we just continue on in a linear fashion with Prophecies or is it possible to weave in and out of the other campaigns, or other areas besides Old Ascalon, how does that work? It would be nice to have a little variety of scenery and mobs. 4) I've seen in other threads the comment that the game really begins at 20, and that this can be done in a few hours. Are they kidding? I understand that Prophecies is somewhat slower than Nightfall or Factions, but ... That much? Thanks, Last edited by RegnorVex; Sep 18, 2011 at 06:59 PM // 18:59.. Reason: More questions!

Sep 17, 2011, 02:32 AM // 02:32	#2
Kamara Krytan Explorer Join Date: Jul 2006 Location: Ponie Hill, Lion's Arch International Guild: Blinkie Kaulitz Armie Profession: E/	You're pretty much going to have to travel with the maximum group size in any area, which will mean henchmen for now, and later on, heroes (basically henchmen whose skills and weapons you can customise). For the most part, you don't need to micromanage anything, just let them do their thing while you do yours. (Existing Guilds are also an option if you want other human company, but as you said you like to play just the two of you, I wont put too much blah blah into this. I totally understand the small group mindset!) It doesn't really matter much what classes you play, as your team is rounded out with the henches (or heroes later on). So just play whatever you think sounds fun! Chances are, over the months / years you spend in GW, you'll play just about every class. They're all pretty awesome! So don't fret too much on character choice right now. The game is balanced for the maximum team size in an area, you may be able to manage the two of you in the 4-man areas if you pull carefully, and put a bit of strategy into things, but once you hit the 6 man and 8 man areas, you're definitely going to want to max out your party and with a variety of classes and roles in those team lineups. You don't really need to worry about team builds at this stage. Just toss in a healer henchman, fill up the rest of your party and go blast monsters. It is definitely different from other MMOs out there, but GW's all about being unique Hope you have fun in GW

Sep 17, 2011, 02:49 AM // 02:49	#4
Star_Jewel Jungle Guide Join Date: Mar 2010 Location: Denizen of Tyria since Feb. 2009	Wow, another pair that wants to forgo heroes/henchmen. As has been said, 90% of the game will be very frustrating with a limited party and no additional players or AI support. I think a lot of people who come to GW from other MMOs don't quite grasp exactly how limiting 8 skills on a skillbar can be. If you think about your heroes as an extension of yourself, bringing extra skills that you, yourself, cannot, it makes a lot more sense to bring them. Working out the synergies can actually be kind of fun.

Sep 17, 2011, 02:56 AM // 02:56	#5
Starlet Ascalonian Squire Join Date: Oct 2006 Location: The Underworld Profession: Rt/	Another Husband/Wife combo here. I dragged my hubby here from wow. ok, first off: Do away with your MMO mindset it will do you no good here. Second: pick a character that sounds fun to you! or try out a few before picking. no matter what you pick your heros/Henchmen will fill out the rest. Third: You will need heros/henchmen. As a general rule we get ourselves and 3 heros each and each of us takes a healer and a melee character and a whatever. Fourth: Since your both new, thats about it for now! Have fun playing and you will learn all the other more complex parts of the game. Remember you can change your secondary class at will later in the game and leave your MMO thinking at the door! Side note: When I first started I picked a meser as I loved her armor and almost 6 years later I still love her!

Sep 17, 2011, 03:28 AM // 03:28	#7
Star_Jewel Jungle Guide Join Date: Mar 2010 Location: Denizen of Tyria since Feb. 2009	The nice part about starting in Prophecies is that there are no henchmen available in the starter area, and party size is limited to 2 -- perfect for you and your wife to ease into the game mechanics, learn tactics & techniques, and enjoy the relative ease of the game the way you prefer, without having to worry about AI. After that, when you reach the story shift and the real game begins, you'll want to learn how to use the henchmen that are available to you. By the time you hit Lion's Arch and can jump to other campaigns to recruit heroes, I'm sure you'll be quite sick of the henchies and will welcome the opportunity to learn how to outfit, skill, and command your heroes. Welcome to GW. Hope you two have fun!

Sep 17, 2011, 03:31 AM // 03:31	#8
FengShuiDove Forge Runner Join Date: Sep 2007 Guild: Trinity of the Ascended [ToA] Profession: A/	Luckily, you've got some character slots to play with also. I too play GW with my wife, and it's a really fun time. First, it's much less about the professions you pick. Both of you should pick something that sounds fun to you. From what you're describing, it doesn't sound like there's a lot of overlap between your preferences. I'd say two of anything is bad, but no combination other than that is bad. Every profession brings something to the table. You seem like you're an investigative type, so check out the wiki and read up on professions. Or just give it a try . As has been said, the game is designed around a full party, but the AI won't get in your way too much. Make sure you have a Monk in the 4 man areas of Prophecies (you'll find out how "great" Alesia is ), maybe both Monks when you get to the 6 man areas (players do far more DPS than AI, so you should almost always bring the damage/support/hybrids), and definitely a couple of support characters when you get into 8 man regions. But beyond that, play around and see what suits you! Good luck!

Sep 17, 2011, 11:01 AM // 11:01	#10
wilebill Desert Nomad Join Date: Dec 2005 Location: Mt Vernon, Ohio Guild: Band of the Hawk Profession: W/Mo	Henchmen, and henchwomen, are wonderful. I become very fond of them. It would be pleasant to know what skills they use. You can look up hench names here. http://www.guildwiki.org/Main_Page Also this unofficial wiki has a good section for new players, Game Basics in the right hand column. Pressing F10 while in game will link to a huge set of help files on almost everything! So there is no shortage of information.

Sep 17, 2011, 02:19 PM // 14:19	#14
RegnorVex Ascalonian Squire Join Date: Sep 2011	We started last night and got through most of the initial learning curve, we're having a blast. She is playing a ranger. I started with a mesmer and then created a monk, I think that's where we'll wind up. I just want to add one observation: I am absolutely blown away at the community here. This game is how old? 6, 7 years? And the starting area is crowded with new players. I post one message and get 12 replies almost instantly. What a breath of fresh air! I am beginning to see why there is so much interest in GW2 and why this game has sustained so much popularity in a crowded genre. Thanks everyone, and see you in game! Regnor & Kesha Vex

Sep 17, 2011, 03:44 PM // 15:44	#15
gremlin Furnace Stoker Join Date: Oct 2006 Guild: GWAR Profession: Me/Mo	You will of course get to pick a secondary class and I wanted to say try them all out before picking on to use for the long term. Later in the game you can change secondary class and should you later change back any skills you learned will be available for use again. The GW developers intended you to be able to change your secondary class almost at will. Anyway sounds like your having fun which is great.

Sep 17, 2011, 07:29 PM // 19:29	#16
Mechanko1 Academy Page Join Date: Mar 2011 Profession: Rt/	Finding a guild is a great thing to do as well (: General pve guild

Sep 18, 2011, 03:10 PM // 15:10	#18
RegnorVex Ascalonian Squire Join Date: Sep 2011	After rolling and re-rolling 3 or 4 times we finally settled on a pair of characters that we like. It might sound like a crazy and redundant combination of skills, but we went with what we actually found enjoyable. She is playing a Warrior/Monk (Summer Wrath) and I'm playing a Monk/Elementalist (Winter Omen). Questions, questions: 1) After just coming out of Age of Conan where we had tiger mounts (fastest mounts in the game), we are finding the movement speed excruciatingly slow. We are patient people and enjoy smelling the roses, but given how much overland traversal of the same ground occurs over and over again, let's be honest, it gets old. I haven't seen any evidence of mounts or Spirit of the Wolf type buffs, are those things we can expect to see later in the game? 2) The game seems heavy on multiple mob pulls and active pathers with large aggro radius. I had this idea that Mesmer would be a shorthand way of saying "mesmerize", which is the prototypical CC skill from the earliest MMO's (i.e., "mezzing"). But looking over Mesmer's skills, they seem more like a focus on debuffs and interrupts. Did I just overlook something in their skill list or is there some other profession that gets classic CC skills? 3) How do we acquire better gear in this game? I can see that managing the available skills is what this game is about and it may be less loot-centric than others, but does that mean that gear is irrelevant and that the main incentive for play is further story development? I know this is a tired old question from a deeply instilled MMO mindset, sorry ;-), but what is the "endgame" like once everyone hits level cap? Thanks! Winter Omen & Summer Wrath

Sep 18, 2011, 03:38 PM // 15:38	#19
shillo Academy Page Join Date: Sep 2006	1) No mounts, although there is mount-like mechanics in some areas of EoTN and Nightfall. All classes except Monks and Ritualists get personal speed buffs (you can get it from secondary class for your Mo/E). Group-wide speed buff is available to Warrior (as elite, NOT recommended), and Paragon ("Fall Back!"). You can get "Fall Back!" on a secondary Paragon, both player or hero, and you can change your secondary class later in the game. 2) CC is balanced for PvP, it's short-duration, short-recharge and conditional (i.e. no way to completely prevent enemy from doing anything; KD is closest but knocked-down foes can still use stances, and it only lasts for 3 seconds). Typical options for AoE CC are mass-cripple and blind with Ranger traps, AoE knockdown from Warrior, AoE hex-based slowdown from Water elementalist, AoE interrupt over VERY large area from Mesmers and AoE Daze+mass condition spread using Fevered Dreams. Necros and Mesmers also have good skills for spreading already applied conditions to groups of enemies. Also lots of single-target shutdown skills available to just about any class. 3) Max level and armour are readily available. However, most of the game's storyline takes place in level-20 areas, so obtaining a max character still leaves you very far from finding out the resolution of the game's plot. Also, monsters keep getting harder, they're level 28 in end-game areas (in normal mode). Getting through the storyline unlocks Hard Mode, with tougher everything. There is also PvP, which you can try anytime. Progression is, as you've noticed, centred on acquiring skills. It takes about 1,000,000 gold to unlock all skills on the account. Basically the game is geared toward overcoming challenge and difficulty curve, not so much toward direct rewards.