Balthazar faction points - Guild Wars Forums

Usurp · Feb 25, 2008, 07:58 PM // 19:58

Any suggestions for how to use my Balthazar faction points?

Kattar · Feb 25, 2008, 08:00 PM // 20:00

Z-keys or skill unlocks.

Depends on whether you PvP a lot or just have some left over from the AB weekend. If you don't PvP much I would probably use them on Z-keys, just for the chance of maybe getting something good to drop. Or you could just get the keys and sell them.

And, if you haven't noticed, I hang around the Q&A forum a lot. Hope that doesn't bother you too much.

Usurp · Feb 25, 2008, 08:04 PM // 20:04

Quote:

Originally Posted by Katsumi

Z-keys or skill unlocks.

Depends on whether you PvP a lot or just have some left over from the AB weekend. If you don't PvP much I would probably use them on Z-keys, just for the chance of maybe getting something good to drop. Or you could just get the keys and sell them.

And, if you haven't noticed, I hang around the Q&A forum a lot. Hope that doesn't bother you too much.

Hey...as long as you are helpful...I welcome any response. Thank you.

pipo · Feb 25, 2008, 09:09 PM // 21:09

if you're looking for some money , change the points for Zaishen keys. they sell for about 2-3 K and cost 5000 balthazar factions. if you need skills or something just unlock the skills which cost 1000 per skill and elites 3000 per skill

hope this helps

quickmonty · Feb 25, 2008, 09:12 PM // 21:12

Unlocking skills is good for PvP and heroes. Otherwise go with the Z-keys.

ender6 · Feb 25, 2008, 09:29 PM // 21:29

Quote:

Originally Posted by quickmonty

Unlocking skills is good for PvP and heroes. Otherwise go with the Z-keys.

In addition:

If you want certain elite skillsfor PvE chars but don't feel like capping them you can unlock them uising your Balz faction and then unlock them on that particular char using an Elite tome.

HawkofStorms · Feb 25, 2008, 09:57 PM // 21:57

Quote:

Originally Posted by quickmonty

Unlocking skills is good for PvP and heroes. Otherwise go with the Z-keys.

I agree. Definately unlock skills if you are new. If you have heroes but don't have a lot of skills for them, they aren't that helpful. Any skill you unlock with the Priest of Bathazar can be used by your heroes.
I suggest you unlock stuff for professions you don't play/ever plan on playing (ie, if you don't ever want to play a profession where you heal stuff, get monk skills so your monk heroes will be better).

Usurp · Feb 25, 2008, 10:01 PM // 22:01

Quote:

Originally Posted by HawkofStorms

I agree. Definately unlock skills if you are new. If you have heroes but don't have a lot of skills for them, they aren't that helpful. Any skill you unlock with the Priest of Bathazar can be used by your heroes.
I suggest you unlock stuff for professions you don't play/ever plan on playing (ie, if you don't ever want to play a profession where you heal stuff, get monk skills so your monk heroes will be better).

Shouldn't I unlock at least a few elite skills for my personal character?

quickmonty · Feb 25, 2008, 10:07 PM // 22:07

Quote:

Originally Posted by Usurp

Shouldn't I unlock at least a few elite skills for my personal character?

You could unlock them, but you still can't use them (for PvE). You could buy elite tomes that would allow you to 'learn' elites that you have unlocked, but that could get expensive or take a lot of time farming the tomes.

In my opinion, a much better way of learning elites is to just use signet of capture and go out and kill the boss that has the elite(s) you want.

Note: Unlocking a skill and learning a skill are two different things. You must learn it to use it. Heroes and PvP characters, however, can use unlocked skills

Usurp · Feb 25, 2008, 10:15 PM // 22:15

Quote:

Originally Posted by quickmonty

You could unlock them, but you still can't use them (for PvE). You could buy elite tomes that would allow you to 'learn' elites that you have unlocked, but that could get expensive or take a lot of time farming the tomes.

In my opinion, a much better way of learning elites is to just use signet of capture and go out and kill the boss that has the elite(s) you want.

Note: Unlocking a skill and learning a skill are two different things. You must learn it to use it. Heroes and PvP characters, however, can use unlocked skills

Doesn't my PvE character become a PvP character once I reach 20? And...at that point can I use the unlocked skills?

Wirt · Feb 25, 2008, 10:29 PM // 22:29

Your character doesnt automatically become PvP lvl 20 char. You can take your PvE character and use him in the PvP arenas. If the elite skill is unlocked doesnt mean you can use that skill in PvE, that individual character still needs to learn it.

In regards to using a PvE character with unlocked, but unlearned, elite skills in PvP arenas, I'm not positive, but I dont think you can. That PvE character needs to go capture or use a tome for it. Not positive about this statement.

UnKn0wN415 · Feb 25, 2008, 10:34 PM // 22:34

I say unlock some skills, it will benefit you in both PvE/PvP...

MoriaOrc · Feb 25, 2008, 10:48 PM // 22:48

Hope this helps,

"Learning" a skill is something you do with a character. There are five ways I can think of to learn a skill (thought I might have missed one):

Buying it (from a skill trainer)
Using a hero skill point at a hero skill trainer (Nightfall and Eye of the North only)
Capturing it from a dead boss with a Signet of Capture (these are bought from skill trainers later in the game, this is the only way to acquire elites you have not unlocked)
As a quest reward (in the tutorial areas, and throughout Prophecies)
Using a tome (requires unlocking the skill first, can be used to learn elites)

In all these cases, you have to do the action required with the character that will learn the skill. Only PvE characters need to learn skills, as PvP characters always have access to all unlocked skills.

"Unlocking" a skill is an account-wide change. You can unlock skills two (okay, technically three) ways

Learning them through any of the above means (except a tome) with a PvE character
Spending 1000 faction (3000 for elites) at a Priest of Balthazaar
Skill unlock packs are also sold in the in-game store.

A skill unlock means that any PvP character you make will have access to that skill, as well as all heroes across all characters. You will also be able to use a tome to learn that skill with any character for free (unless you buy the tome from another player).

A few extra notes:
Unlocking a skill with faction points while using a PvE character will not cause the PvE character to learn the skill.
Tomes drop in Hard Mode, which becomes available after you complete a campaign (questions about hard mode are for another thread).

Father of The Son of God · Feb 26, 2008, 12:00 AM // 00:00

I've used Balthy's faction (me and him are close like that) to unlock normal skills, because I saw some skills I really wanted for myself. As explained above, to use unlocked skills for yourself, you will need a tome for that profession's skill.

Some tomes go real cheap (warrior, ranger, assassin) like 300 gold. Whereas gaining skills from the trainer costs 1k gold (once you've gained so many). So you can save up to 700gold per 1000 Balth faction.

Compare with Zaishen key, which you can sell for 3k (cost 5000 Balth faction), or use yourself to try to get a nice item drop.

Personally I didn't care for the items cause I've already got "good enough" equipment. Nevertheless, I have been buying Zaishen keys because there's no skills I wanted right now.

RPGmaniac · Feb 26, 2008, 12:03 AM // 00:03

Quote:

Originally Posted by Wirt

In regards to using a PvE character with unlocked, but unlearned, elite skills in PvP arenas, I'm not positive, but I dont think you can. That PvE character needs to go capture or use a tome for it. Not positive about this statement.

100% true

do i have 12 characters now?

Feb 25, 2008, 07:58 PM // 19:58	#1
Usurp Frost Gate Guardian Join Date: Feb 2008 Location: The burbs of Atlanta	Balthazar faction points Any suggestions for how to use my Balthazar faction points?

Feb 25, 2008, 10:48 PM // 22:48	#13
MoriaOrc Lion's Arch Merchant Join Date: Feb 2007	Hope this helps, "Learning" a skill is something you do with a character. There are five ways I can think of to learn a skill (thought I might have missed one): Buying it (from a skill trainer) Using a hero skill point at a hero skill trainer (Nightfall and Eye of the North only) Capturing it from a dead boss with a Signet of Capture (these are bought from skill trainers later in the game, this is the only way to acquire elites you have not unlocked) As a quest reward (in the tutorial areas, and throughout Prophecies) Using a tome (requires unlocking the skill first, can be used to learn elites) In all these cases, you have to do the action required with the character that will learn the skill. Only PvE characters need to learn skills, as PvP characters always have access to all unlocked skills. "Unlocking" a skill is an account-wide change. You can unlock skills two (okay, technically three) ways Learning them through any of the above means (except a tome) with a PvE character Spending 1000 faction (3000 for elites) at a Priest of Balthazaar Skill unlock packs are also sold in the in-game store. A skill unlock means that any PvP character you make will have access to that skill, as well as all heroes across all characters. You will also be able to use a tome to learn that skill with any character for free (unless you buy the tome from another player). A few extra notes: Unlocking a skill with faction points while using a PvE character will not cause the PvE character to learn the skill. Tomes drop in Hard Mode, which becomes available after you complete a campaign (questions about hard mode are for another thread).

Feb 25, 2008, 08:00 PM // 20:00	#2
Kattar EXCESSIVE FLUTTERCUSSING Join Date: Mar 2007 Guild: SMS (lolgw2placeholder) Profession: Me/	Z-keys or skill unlocks. Depends on whether you PvP a lot or just have some left over from the AB weekend. If you don't PvP much I would probably use them on Z-keys, just for the chance of maybe getting something good to drop. Or you could just get the keys and sell them. And, if you haven't noticed, I hang around the Q&A forum a lot. Hope that doesn't bother you too much.

Feb 25, 2008, 09:09 PM // 21:09	#4
pipo Frost Gate Guardian Join Date: Feb 2008 Guild: the fire figters Profession: P/	if you're looking for some money , change the points for Zaishen keys. they sell for about 2-3 K and cost 5000 balthazar factions. if you need skills or something just unlock the skills which cost 1000 per skill and elites 3000 per skill hope this helps

Feb 25, 2008, 09:12 PM // 21:12	#5
quickmonty Ancient Windbreaker Join Date: May 2005	Unlocking skills is good for PvP and heroes. Otherwise go with the Z-keys.

Feb 25, 2008, 10:29 PM // 22:29	#11
Wirt Lion's Arch Merchant Join Date: Nov 2007 Guild: Conscripts of Ascalon Profession: W/	Your character doesnt automatically become PvP lvl 20 char. You can take your PvE character and use him in the PvP arenas. If the elite skill is unlocked doesnt mean you can use that skill in PvE, that individual character still needs to learn it. In regards to using a PvE character with unlocked, but unlearned, elite skills in PvP arenas, I'm not positive, but I dont think you can. That PvE character needs to go capture or use a tome for it. Not positive about this statement.

Feb 25, 2008, 10:34 PM // 22:34	#12
UnKn0wN415 Frost Gate Guardian Join Date: Oct 2007 Location: Bay Area Guild: Looking 4 PvP Guild! Profession: R/	I say unlock some skills, it will benefit you in both PvE/PvP...

Feb 26, 2008, 12:00 AM // 00:00	#14
Father of The Son of God Academy Page Join Date: Apr 2007 Location: B(r, sun) where r > 0	I've used Balthy's faction (me and him are close like that) to unlock normal skills, because I saw some skills I really wanted for myself. As explained above, to use unlocked skills for yourself, you will need a tome for that profession's skill. Some tomes go real cheap (warrior, ranger, assassin) like 300 gold. Whereas gaining skills from the trainer costs 1k gold (once you've gained so many). So you can save up to 700gold per 1000 Balth faction. Compare with Zaishen key, which you can sell for 3k (cost 5000 Balth faction), or use yourself to try to get a nice item drop. Personally I didn't care for the items cause I've already got "good enough" equipment. Nevertheless, I have been buying Zaishen keys because there's no skills I wanted right now.