Semi-new player... looking for class advice - Page 2 - Guild Wars Forums

Amy Awien · Apr 05, 2011, 06:32 AM // 06:32

Quote:

Originally Posted by Kelthien

... Mesmer was always my first pick, though Necromancers and Elementalists are looking appealing these days as well. ...

I took a mesmer through Prophecies and even before the update she really tore through PvE. I did have a main to provide weapons and a tome and a lot of skills unlocked (and thus available at the trainers). Also look at your secondary.

Every starting class will have a disadvantage. But if you need skills you can unlock them through PvP or Zaishen challenges.

Play the character class you like. Necro's and Mesmers are strong and stay strong, ele's could use a buff but are fine, Rits are overpowered.

wilebill · Apr 05, 2011, 06:47 AM // 06:47

I've got a full up Mesmer, started in Prophecies long long go; all Mesmer skills in the game. Works in PvE, although hard mode requires using effects rather than direct damage which tends to not do much. These days I use Mesmer mostly in PvP, when I happen to do PvP that is.

Elementalist is also a good caster choice for just playing through the game. Going through Prophecies, Ele/Mo can help you keep hench monk Alesia alive which is important, she not being the sharpest tool in the shed.

That being said, my primary is a Ranger with Warrior close second. Paragons are good, but not until fully leveled and with the right skills; including Save Yourselves which is a Factions skill that really needs 5 or more in Kurzick or Luxon faction track and is thus a pain.

Assassin, versatile fun character. Once fully leveled and with a variety of faction and PvE only skills can be run in caster mode as well.

TBH, only two classes I don't have are necro and ritualist.

cataphract · Apr 05, 2011, 08:24 AM // 08:24

Quote:

Originally Posted by Kelthien

From what I've been reading:

Elementalists are fun in normal mode, but weak in HM and therefor not a great choice.

Do not believe everything you read.

akelarumi · Apr 05, 2011, 09:02 AM // 09:02

Ritualist is the best if you want to play with heroes and/or henchmen and for farming. When looking to play with other people the problem is there are a lot of them and you need several builds cause you can't bring double spirits.

Monk is the best if you want to play with other people. Every group needs a good healer and there is a shortage of them. But keep in mind that most of the game you are looking at a few red bars instead of the game itself.

Mesmer is a very nice caster class. You are welcome in most groups. You can play a lot of different styles. Deals some nice damage if you want but you can also concentrate on having a supporting role by shutting down the enemy's groups.

Ele and Necro are bout the same when it comes to possibility's. Average scores for finding pick up groups and for going out with hero's and henchmen. both can do loads of damage. The difference in atmosphere is like day and night. Necro's are more versatile in playstyle due to the minion master way. But Ele's are better at solo farming. In my opinion it comes all down to taste though when choosing between those two.

Paragons and Rangers are considered a bit of odd classes and doesn't count as real casters. Paragon's are more limited on builds due to the nature of the class and due to the fact it only can get skills in Nightfall and EOTN. But it has much more armor. Rangers have a good self support and you can pick from a lot more skills. But there are not a lot really powerfull builds around.

All classes are very capable of finishing all campaigns in normal mode in almost every order (though ritualists and paragon's are limited on skills in some campaigns, so you might wanna play the "home" campaigns first to unlock the best skills before leaving to e.g. prophecy's). All classes are very capable on finishing in hard mode as well. But keep in mind that in hard mode you need some skills of your own.

Urcscumug · Apr 05, 2011, 02:29 PM // 14:29

Quote:

Originally Posted by gremlin

With Factions and Nightfall its common to be lvl 20 before leaving the start areas and once you get a couple of heroes to the same level the path is pretty smooth.

Dunno about Nightfall but in Factions you shouldn't be 20 before you leave Shing Jea. If you do all the quests (including those for all secondary professions) you get something like 17-18. If you just follow the main storyline it's 13-14.

I guess you can get 20 on Shing Jea Island if you farm Haijuu Lagoon but I don't really see what the point is, since in Kaineng Center you get like a dozen quests right off the bat, each paying 3k of XP.

Quote:

Originally Posted by gremlin

One option open to you with prophesies is to stay in presearing till lvl 20 then most of the trip to lions arch and beyond will be a breeze even without players.

For me, breeze = incredibly boring. I just don't see the fun if there's no challenge involved.

I don't think enough people nowadays appreciate the thought that's been put into Prophecies. Every single step, every quest, every zone, is meant to teach you something.

If you stick to Pre until you're 20 and then skip most of the trip to Lion's Arch then you'll be massively underprepared for the rest of the game. You can still "beat" the game thanks to gimmicks like heroes but what you're actually doing is cheating yourself out of all the fun, IMHO. And I should know what I'm talking about, having played through lots of games in "god mode" and regretting it later.

Bottom line, just take these pieces of advice that advocate "making things easier" with a grain of salt. Give the game designers some credit, they didn't make a game that's impossible to play.

cataphract · Apr 05, 2011, 03:01 PM // 15:01

Quote:

Originally Posted by Urcscumug

I don't think enough people nowadays appreciate the thought that's been put into Prophecies. Every single step, every quest, every zone, is meant to teach you something.

QFT

Prophecies has the best learning curve of all campaigns. And it was much more fun to play.

Kelthien · Apr 05, 2011, 03:38 PM // 15:38

Wow!!! I totally went to bed and came back this morning with a bunch of responses. For a game this old, I have to give major thanks to the community for being so active!

It seems like skill unlocking is my main gripe... maybe I'll take the time to see where some skill trainers are and if I can pick any up that might alleviate the boredom of spamming my wand and Empathy on my Mesmer. At first glance, much of the skills in the common PvX mesmer builds aren't in Prophecies (at least not early on), and basing a character around skills I won't see for a looong time is just asking for trouble... like when I tried to make an air elementalist.

Necro might be a better bet, since I think most of all the skills I need for an effective build are within the first couple hours of the game.

Re: Elementalists - I haven't heard much to the contrary, but pretty much everything I've read (or heard from actual living people) is that their damage is reduced in hard mode pretty significantly, where Mesmer, Rit, and Necro skills are much less affected.

Quaker · Apr 05, 2011, 06:50 PM // 18:50

Quote:

Originally Posted by Kelthien

Re: Elementalists - I haven't heard much to the contrary, but pretty much everything I've read (or heard from actual living people) is that their damage is reduced in hard mode pretty significantly, where Mesmer, Rit, and Necro skills are much less affected.

Depends a lot upon what sort of Ele you are, and what you take to be meant by "pretty significantly". Some people will say that a skill that does 2 less damage than another is "significantly" less, but is it really?

Kelthien · Apr 05, 2011, 07:59 PM // 19:59

Quote:

Originally Posted by Quaker

Depends a lot upon what sort of Ele you are, and what you take to be meant by "pretty significantly". Some people will say that a skill that does 2 less damage than another is "significantly" less, but is it really?

That's totally true, and I don't really have numbers for it. :-/ It seemed like it was enough to be "inconvenient". It's one of those lame things where you spend 50+ hours working towards some sort of end-game, only to find out that the toolset you have isn't and will never be equipped to handle that end game. :-/

Generally people just seem to say "It's slow enough and there are other professions that play similarly but don't have these issues, if you're not super passionate about being an elementalist, the grass is definitely greener on the other side"

The Orlando · Apr 05, 2011, 08:17 PM // 20:17

I personally find Necromancer and Ritualist the best classes, but it comes down to personal preference, every class has its ups and downs.

*Darcy* · Apr 05, 2011, 08:26 PM // 20:26

If you want to know more about your professions, then check out the subforums in our Campfire section. Each subforum has a basics thread stickied at the top. These threads discuss the better skills, secondaries, and some give single campaign builds that will help you through to the end.

DoopDoop · Apr 05, 2011, 08:51 PM // 20:51

I must urge you to choose the path of the Warrior. Only then can you truly face evil head on and look straight into its terrible abyss, and summon your relentless courage to spit back at its face! Die screaming in Frenzy my friend! Die and die again! For death is glorious.

gremlin · Apr 05, 2011, 11:33 PM // 23:33

Quote:

Originally Posted by Urcscumug

Dunno about Nightfall but in Factions you shouldn't be 20 before you leave Shing Jea. If you do all the quests (including those for all secondary professions) you get something like 17-18. If you just follow the main storyline it's 13-14.

I guess you can get 20 on Shing Jea Island if you farm Haijuu Lagoon but I don't really see what the point is, since in Kaineng Center you get like a dozen quests right off the bat, each paying 3k of XP.

For me, breeze = incredibly boring. I just don't see the fun if there's no challenge involved.

I don't think enough people nowadays appreciate the thought that's been put into Prophecies. Every single step, every quest, every zone, is meant to teach you something.

If you stick to Pre until you're 20 and then skip most of the trip to Lion's Arch then you'll be massively underprepared for the rest of the game. You can still "beat" the game thanks to gimmicks like heroes but what you're actually doing is cheating yourself out of all the fun, IMHO. And I should know what I'm talking about, having played through lots of games in "god mode" and regretting it later.

Bottom line, just take these pieces of advice that advocate "making things easier" with a grain of salt. Give the game designers some credit, they didn't make a game that's impossible to play.

I agree to both your points however players are in short supply since the advent of the ldoa and survivor changes the 7 heroes and the HOM.
If your don't happen to be on at the right time you will have a frustrating experience trying to get other players to join with.

I would advise anyone who has nightfall or factions to begin there rather than prophesies.
If you have no choice about starting in prophesies then yes its possible to play the entire game with henchmen but if you are worried about managing with those limitations then stay in presearing for a while.
Sure the run to Lions arch may well be boring but there is plenty of lvl 20 content remaining to still enjoy the game.

And if your eventual intent is to fill the Hom then remaining to lvl 20 is sensible since its the only way to get that title.
Consider also presearing is crowded right now with people going for ldoa which means many of those entering post searing will also be lvl 20.

Anyway the Suggestions are offered make of them what you will

Sierraa · Apr 06, 2011, 05:17 AM // 05:17

Pretty much answered. Good luck! :]

/closed

Apr 05, 2011, 08:51 PM // 20:51	#32
DoopDoop Ascalonian Squire Join Date: Apr 2011	I must urge you to choose the path of the Warrior. Only then can you truly face evil head on and look straight into its terrible abyss, and summon your relentless courage to spit back at its face! Die screaming in Frenzy my friend! Die and die again! For death is glorious. Last edited by cosyfiep; Apr 05, 2011 at 09:05 PM // 21:05.. Reason: signatures ARE NOT ALLOWED--unless you are a paying member--mod edit

Apr 05, 2011, 06:47 AM // 06:47	#22
wilebill Desert Nomad Join Date: Dec 2005 Location: Mt Vernon, Ohio Guild: Band of the Hawk Profession: W/Mo	I've got a full up Mesmer, started in Prophecies long long go; all Mesmer skills in the game. Works in PvE, although hard mode requires using effects rather than direct damage which tends to not do much. These days I use Mesmer mostly in PvP, when I happen to do PvP that is. Elementalist is also a good caster choice for just playing through the game. Going through Prophecies, Ele/Mo can help you keep hench monk Alesia alive which is important, she not being the sharpest tool in the shed. That being said, my primary is a Ranger with Warrior close second. Paragons are good, but not until fully leveled and with the right skills; including Save Yourselves which is a Factions skill that really needs 5 or more in Kurzick or Luxon faction track and is thus a pain. Assassin, versatile fun character. Once fully leveled and with a variety of faction and PvE only skills can be run in caster mode as well. TBH, only two classes I don't have are necro and ritualist.

Apr 05, 2011, 09:02 AM // 09:02	#24
akelarumi Wilds Pathfinder Join Date: Nov 2009 Profession: E/	Ritualist is the best if you want to play with heroes and/or henchmen and for farming. When looking to play with other people the problem is there are a lot of them and you need several builds cause you can't bring double spirits. Monk is the best if you want to play with other people. Every group needs a good healer and there is a shortage of them. But keep in mind that most of the game you are looking at a few red bars instead of the game itself. Mesmer is a very nice caster class. You are welcome in most groups. You can play a lot of different styles. Deals some nice damage if you want but you can also concentrate on having a supporting role by shutting down the enemy's groups. Ele and Necro are bout the same when it comes to possibility's. Average scores for finding pick up groups and for going out with hero's and henchmen. both can do loads of damage. The difference in atmosphere is like day and night. Necro's are more versatile in playstyle due to the minion master way. But Ele's are better at solo farming. In my opinion it comes all down to taste though when choosing between those two. Paragons and Rangers are considered a bit of odd classes and doesn't count as real casters. Paragon's are more limited on builds due to the nature of the class and due to the fact it only can get skills in Nightfall and EOTN. But it has much more armor. Rangers have a good self support and you can pick from a lot more skills. But there are not a lot really powerfull builds around. All classes are very capable of finishing all campaigns in normal mode in almost every order (though ritualists and paragon's are limited on skills in some campaigns, so you might wanna play the "home" campaigns first to unlock the best skills before leaving to e.g. prophecy's). All classes are very capable on finishing in hard mode as well. But keep in mind that in hard mode you need some skills of your own.

Apr 05, 2011, 03:38 PM // 15:38	#27
Kelthien Ascalonian Squire Join Date: Mar 2011 Profession: Me/	Wow!!! I totally went to bed and came back this morning with a bunch of responses. For a game this old, I have to give major thanks to the community for being so active! It seems like skill unlocking is my main gripe... maybe I'll take the time to see where some skill trainers are and if I can pick any up that might alleviate the boredom of spamming my wand and Empathy on my Mesmer. At first glance, much of the skills in the common PvX mesmer builds aren't in Prophecies (at least not early on), and basing a character around skills I won't see for a looong time is just asking for trouble... like when I tried to make an air elementalist. Necro might be a better bet, since I think most of all the skills I need for an effective build are within the first couple hours of the game. Re: Elementalists - I haven't heard much to the contrary, but pretty much everything I've read (or heard from actual living people) is that their damage is reduced in hard mode pretty significantly, where Mesmer, Rit, and Necro skills are much less affected.

Apr 05, 2011, 08:17 PM // 20:17	#30
The Orlando Ascalonian Squire Join Date: Sep 2010 Guild: The Sangheili Profession: Rt/A	I personally find Necromancer and Ritualist the best classes, but it comes down to personal preference, every class has its ups and downs.

Apr 05, 2011, 08:26 PM // 20:26	#31
Darcy Never Too Old Join Date: Jul 2006 Location: Rhode Island where there are no GW contests Guild: Order of First Profession: W/R	If you want to know more about your professions, then check out the subforums in our Campfire section. Each subforum has a basics thread stickied at the top. These threads discuss the better skills, secondaries, and some give single campaign builds that will help you through to the end.

Apr 06, 2011, 05:17 AM // 05:17	#34
Sierraa Supastar~ ??? Join Date: May 2006 Location: USA [GMT -7] Guild: Sierraas Asian Harem [love] Profession: Me/	Pretty much answered. Good luck! :] /closed