So, how am I doing? - Guild Wars Forums

MirandaKali · Jun 21, 2007, 03:22 PM // 15:22

So I just started playing GW about a month ago. I just hit the big 2-0 (level) in the middle of the Maguma jungle and I'm wondering...How's my character comming along? As there are only 20 "levels", I can't figure out if I'm about where I should be.
I read an article here that said you should be around level 10 by the time you reach Kryta...I was around 13-14. I don't know if I'm just taking more time to hang out and kill things, or if my character is just "slow".
One thing that concerns me is that I know I'm using an unconventional build. Taby's a Mes with Ranger as a secondary. I've read a few articles that say it's probably not the best choice, but hey...it's been working so far.
I usually start off the combat for the group by hitting the Healers or Mages with Power Spike, if they're snuggled in with group I'll hit them with Chaos Storm as well and start with the Ignite Arrows. I'll throw Conjure Phantasm at any fighters that menace me if my familiar (pet) has'nt knocked them on their arse yet. I'm left with Ether Feast if things get too hairy and Point Blank Shot for persnickity foes.
Of course, the formula does'nt always work, and sometimes I get my butt handed to me...but that happens to everyone from time to time. It's a combo that seems to provide for quick removal of the most dangerous targets...leaving the rest as cleanup. The biggset problem so far have been situations where there are muliple healers or bosses. So far I've died 111 times.
So, ideas, anyone....input?

Syntropic The Red · Jun 21, 2007, 04:25 PM // 16:25

1 thing I have learned from playing is that others might speculate your build is not that good, but if you use it right it can work. I think all builds in the game are possible, they just might not be the norm, or the easiest to use. The other thing about Guild Wars is that it is built for a group to go out and kill enemies, using everyones strength to combat the foe(s). Now there are parts of the game that you can solo thru, and usually it works fine, but for me high lvl mesmers totally destroy my build if there are other enemies in the area. I dont know a whole lot about the mesmer build, but I know its great if used correctly.

BTW the highest lvl is 20, you gain skill points after that. Dont worry if it took you a while to get to somewhere, this game is all about exploring and having fun, imo.

Miha The Warrior · Jun 21, 2007, 04:31 PM // 16:31

add me in game ign(in game name): vexy powa . dont have enough space on forum:P

cambylobacter · Jun 21, 2007, 04:37 PM // 16:37

Hello there, and sounds like you are having a good time. In Prophecies a normal duration to get to level 20 would probably around 30 hours, and you would expect to get there somewhere in the Crystal Desert (at an average). You are a good few areas before this which would indicate you are taking your time to explore and do things at a leisurely pace.

As for the Mesmer Ranger combination, it wouldn't be considered optimal but isn't by any means "bad" per se. The most obvious reasons why it would not be considered ideal are the fact that Rangers don't benefit from the Mesmer primary, and the fact you are holding a bow is limiting the bonuses applicable to your spells that you would get if you held spellcaster items (more energy and casting times for example).

Chaos Storm used to be popular, then AoE damage was nerfed somewhat and so it fell from favour and now in normal mode it is probably acceptable again.

I think the danger is you become average at what you do instead of excelling in any area. The most obvious example of poor character builds are things like Warrior Elementalists who use Meteor shower and the like, thinking they are like a better armoured elementalist. You need to be clear in your head about what you want to do, and then focus on doing it well. If you want to be a Ranger secondary you need to give serious consideration as to whether you hold a bow or hold a staff/wand combo. By holding a staff you could be looking at 20 more energy, more relevant staff prefix mods and improved spell casting times. You could focus more on being a solid Mesmer and then use your Ranger secondary just to bring along a Pet and a rez for some company. Being a Mesmer Primary with a bow... well somehow it feels like you are doing the job of 2 characters averagely when you could be doing the job of 1 character well.

Don't forget also that as you progress you will be meeting other players and getting improved NPC hero/henchmen options so you personally don't have to think you have to do everything yourself, and indeed you shouldn't. You are a Mesmer first and foremost, so start learning the profession. Start making builds for dealing with Monks, dealing with Warriors, dealing with groups, dealing with casters who are interruptible, consider shutting down two mobs at once, try energy denialing a mob, try skill stealing, and start exploring the wealth of options available as a Mesmer.

Then ultimately you will be able to join groups and excel at being a Mesmer, and demonstrate the strength of the class. The Mesmer has enough utility in it's own lines to be able to deal with a variety of situations and diluting it by taking on too much from the Ranger lines will do nothing to strengthen you in a group situation.

Now whilst you are a level 20 character in the Krytan Jungles you aren't seeing the extent of the challenge that awaits you but I kid you not that with the range of challenges that lie ahead for you, you will need a robust knowledge of your profession. If you must play as a Ranger secondary I would recommend that you focus only on levelling a pet to 20 for a bit of a companion and don't get too involved in the Ranger skills - they aren't especially synergistic with the Mesmer. Then in groups with strangers you can focus on being a Mes, and then if you're hanging out with friends you can dig out your faithful pet.

If however you are attached to having a pet, I highly recommend you make a Ranger as well - Rangers are fine, potent and popular.

Lastly, later in the game you will get the opportunity to get more secondary professions. You can only ever be one at a time, but you can switch between them so you can play different builds for different occassions.

I personally highly recommend you explore the Mesmer Necromancer combination (especially if you like PvP.) Mesmer Monk and Mesmer Elementalist are also popular combinations.

Good luck!

HawkofStorms · Jun 21, 2007, 04:46 PM // 16:46

I hit level 20 in the jungle too.
You'll soon find though that the game gets tougher when you reach the crytsal desert (the area after the jungle). I do not suggest you get runs.
You'll soon face some really tough foes and you'll figure out that you will have to change your skills to deal with them accordingly.

Level 20 is really the start of the game. You will no longer be able to beat foes just because you are a higher level then them. You'll instead have to adapt to fight and win.

Coridan · Jun 21, 2007, 04:47 PM // 16:47

Grats on making lvl 20...I thik i was in the same area when i hit lvl 20....i did all quests etc before moving on... I agree with cambylobacter ...in as much that you really need to be looking at what a mesmer can do...your build is probably fine and if it works well with you then i am all for it...but in that later stages of the games when you start dealing with lvl 22 and above mobs things get to be a bit stickier....as far as dying 11 times...i think that is a pretty low death rate for hitting lvl 20 on your first character...good job... Hit me up in game sometime and we can party

IGN Coridan A

MirandaKali · Jun 21, 2007, 05:03 PM // 17:03

Thanks for the input! I see what you mean about doing one thing well. I guess being a Jane of all trades myself, I have a tendency to make my characters too multifaceted. I think I'll take your advice and drop all most of the Ranger skills and work on a shut-down profile. (My newfound friends in Cantha did present a bit of a problem...I'll see if such a build is more effective against them).

Kook~NBK~ · Jun 21, 2007, 06:09 PM // 18:09

Congrats on hitting the big 2-0! You're a bit ahead of most people being 20 in the jungle, but whoever told you you should be only about level 10 when you hit Kryta was a bit off. 12 - 14 is about right for setting foot in Kryta your first time through.

Check out the "Campfire" section of these forums to get some build ideas. There are several pretty good ones and the comments that the build posters give will help you understand how your profession's skills work and how best to apply them.

I Might Avenge U · Jun 21, 2007, 11:07 PM // 23:07

Lol, if anything being level two is more beneficial rather than negative.. As a 20 you get accepted into more parties, know your character more, and start to use skills more efficiently (most attribute points possible).

Congrats, and don't worry about deaths, as on your 1st play-through you should worry more about enjoying the game

bart · Jun 22, 2007, 01:50 AM // 01:50

don't worry about these things. have fun exploring, killing and dying. worry about builds and all the other stuff when you're done having fun and want to get into serius PvP/farming.

Buzzer · Jun 22, 2007, 07:22 AM // 07:22

If youre going along fine, then keep at it: you will discover things for yourself.

Though I will guarantee you will do better if you focus on 3-5 attributes rather than your 6-7.

Div · Jun 22, 2007, 07:36 AM // 07:36

Keep playing with your build and finding what's effective by yourself. It's often a lot more fun to learn it yourself than reading up on some guide and copying it. At this point in the game, especially if you're playing with friends or henchmen, it doesn't really matter what your build is as long as you can adapt to the situation. The only time character skill choice become more apparent is when you head into the endgame areas where monsters are a lot tougher, and obviously in Hard Mode or when running/farming/PvPing.

Yol · Jun 22, 2007, 09:17 AM // 09:17

You're doing absolutely fine!....and well done for not skipping maguuma jungle. Too many low level characters get runs from LA to sanctum cay, missing most of Kryta, all of maguuma, and all the xp that goes with it....then they complain because they aren't high enough level to get into teams at sanctum for the mission.

Toutatis · Jun 22, 2007, 12:49 PM // 12:49

It sounds like you're doing just great so far! One of the really great things about playing as a Mesmer is that no matter where you go, you will always have the character skills to adapt to the monsters you're going up against and fill a wide range of different roles (though not necessarily all at once) within your party.

And although you've hit level 20, your character can still develop. Not only will you keep gaining new skills, but you will also keep earning skill points with experience. And later on, you will come across two quests that grant you a total of 30 extra attribute points, for a final powerup before going into the most difficult parts of the game.

lennymon · Jun 22, 2007, 03:04 PM // 15:04

Ranger *can* be a viable secondary for mesmer, it just isn't done a whole lot. Consider serpent's quickness in wilderness for making your truly evil mesmer stuff recharge faster, storm chaser for energy management (if you aren't getting hit, you probably don't need more energy

) and pets are good blockers. If you like your pet, one or two beast mastery attacks couldn't hurt either and certainly would not detract from your mesmerizing. In particular look at the pet skills that do something vs an opponent who is running and be ready to use them when chaos storm makes them scatter.

TheRaven · Jun 22, 2007, 07:30 PM // 19:30

Well, I've never played a mesmer primary so I won't comment on your build. I have no idea if it's good or trash. If it works well for you, keep it until it starts to not work well. You are still in the mid-level sections of the game. Once you hit the more difficult areas you may want to make changes.

Don't worry about where you are in the game when you hit 20. It's different for each person. It all depends on how many quests you did and whether or not you took your time exploring each area you encountered in detail or just flew past on the primary quest track.

I've heard that in order to play a Mesmer well, you need to understand how all the other professions work and know how to counter them. Therefore it's a difficult first character.

Just because you're Level 20 doesn't mean you're done with the character. There are many steps to "completing" a character. Here's my list of steps that make a complete character.
- Hit Level 20
- Max your attribute points. Each campaign has 2 quests that will give you an additional 15 pts.
- Acquire a Level 20 pet evolved to your wishes. (If applicable)
- Learn all the skills. (yeah, some are useless so you won't want ALL skills, but you should be able to create any practical bar that someone asks you to run.)
- Max Armor along with any Runes you need. It doesn't have to be expensive armor as long as you are happy with your selection.
- Max any titles you are interested in. I'd recommend maxing all titles that have tangible benefits before considering a character complete. Stuff like the Lucky track and Wisdom track affect your gameplay. Vanity only titles like Protector or Drunkard aren't needed, so it's a personal choice whether or not you want them.
- Acquire your "perfect" weapon. Determine which weapon will best enhance your skills and go get it.
- If you own Nightfall, acquire all the heroes and repeat each of these steps with them. Your heroes should be capable of running any bar you want to put on them and have the appropiate runes and weapons for the bar.

So, is all of the above necessary? Nope! You don't have to have all that in order to have a great character, but it is why when folks say "Hey! I reached Level 20. My character is the most perfectly awesome bestest ever! I'm done!" we call them noobs.

Jun 21, 2007, 03:22 PM // 15:22	#1
MirandaKali Academy Page Join Date: May 2007 Location: Eastish US Guild: Special Hell Profession: Me/R	So, how am I doing? So I just started playing GW about a month ago. I just hit the big 2-0 (level) in the middle of the Maguma jungle and I'm wondering...How's my character comming along? As there are only 20 "levels", I can't figure out if I'm about where I should be. I read an article here that said you should be around level 10 by the time you reach Kryta...I was around 13-14. I don't know if I'm just taking more time to hang out and kill things, or if my character is just "slow". One thing that concerns me is that I know I'm using an unconventional build. Taby's a Mes with Ranger as a secondary. I've read a few articles that say it's probably not the best choice, but hey...it's been working so far. I usually start off the combat for the group by hitting the Healers or Mages with Power Spike, if they're snuggled in with group I'll hit them with Chaos Storm as well and start with the Ignite Arrows. I'll throw Conjure Phantasm at any fighters that menace me if my familiar (pet) has'nt knocked them on their arse yet. I'm left with Ether Feast if things get too hairy and Point Blank Shot for persnickity foes. Of course, the formula does'nt always work, and sometimes I get my butt handed to me...but that happens to everyone from time to time. It's a combo that seems to provide for quick removal of the most dangerous targets...leaving the rest as cleanup. The biggset problem so far have been situations where there are muliple healers or bosses. So far I've died 111 times. So, ideas, anyone....input?

Jun 21, 2007, 06:09 PM // 18:09	#8
Kook~NBK~ Grotto Attendant Join Date: Mar 2005 Location: A little chalet outside Drok's Guild: Natural Born Killaz	Congrats on hitting the big 2-0! You're a bit ahead of most people being 20 in the jungle, but whoever told you you should be only about level 10 when you hit Kryta was a bit off. 12 - 14 is about right for setting foot in Kryta your first time through. Check out the "Campfire" section of these forums to get some build ideas. There are several pretty good ones and the comments that the build posters give will help you understand how your profession's skills work and how best to apply them. Last edited by Kook~NBK~; Jun 21, 2007 at 06:16 PM // 18:16..

Jun 21, 2007, 04:25 PM // 16:25	#2
Syntropic The Red Ascalonian Squire Join Date: Jun 2007 Profession: W/Mo	1 thing I have learned from playing is that others might speculate your build is not that good, but if you use it right it can work. I think all builds in the game are possible, they just might not be the norm, or the easiest to use. The other thing about Guild Wars is that it is built for a group to go out and kill enemies, using everyones strength to combat the foe(s). Now there are parts of the game that you can solo thru, and usually it works fine, but for me high lvl mesmers totally destroy my build if there are other enemies in the area. I dont know a whole lot about the mesmer build, but I know its great if used correctly. BTW the highest lvl is 20, you gain skill points after that. Dont worry if it took you a while to get to somewhere, this game is all about exploring and having fun, imo.

Jun 21, 2007, 04:31 PM // 16:31	#3
Miha The Warrior Ascalonian Squire Join Date: Sep 2006 Profession: E/Me	add me in game ign(in game name): vexy powa . dont have enough space on forum:P

Jun 21, 2007, 04:37 PM // 16:37	#4
cambylobacter Ascalonian Squire Join Date: Jun 2006 Guild: GS Profession: Me/N	Hello there, and sounds like you are having a good time. In Prophecies a normal duration to get to level 20 would probably around 30 hours, and you would expect to get there somewhere in the Crystal Desert (at an average). You are a good few areas before this which would indicate you are taking your time to explore and do things at a leisurely pace. As for the Mesmer Ranger combination, it wouldn't be considered optimal but isn't by any means "bad" per se. The most obvious reasons why it would not be considered ideal are the fact that Rangers don't benefit from the Mesmer primary, and the fact you are holding a bow is limiting the bonuses applicable to your spells that you would get if you held spellcaster items (more energy and casting times for example). Chaos Storm used to be popular, then AoE damage was nerfed somewhat and so it fell from favour and now in normal mode it is probably acceptable again. I think the danger is you become average at what you do instead of excelling in any area. The most obvious example of poor character builds are things like Warrior Elementalists who use Meteor shower and the like, thinking they are like a better armoured elementalist. You need to be clear in your head about what you want to do, and then focus on doing it well. If you want to be a Ranger secondary you need to give serious consideration as to whether you hold a bow or hold a staff/wand combo. By holding a staff you could be looking at 20 more energy, more relevant staff prefix mods and improved spell casting times. You could focus more on being a solid Mesmer and then use your Ranger secondary just to bring along a Pet and a rez for some company. Being a Mesmer Primary with a bow... well somehow it feels like you are doing the job of 2 characters averagely when you could be doing the job of 1 character well. Don't forget also that as you progress you will be meeting other players and getting improved NPC hero/henchmen options so you personally don't have to think you have to do everything yourself, and indeed you shouldn't. You are a Mesmer first and foremost, so start learning the profession. Start making builds for dealing with Monks, dealing with Warriors, dealing with groups, dealing with casters who are interruptible, consider shutting down two mobs at once, try energy denialing a mob, try skill stealing, and start exploring the wealth of options available as a Mesmer. Then ultimately you will be able to join groups and excel at being a Mesmer, and demonstrate the strength of the class. The Mesmer has enough utility in it's own lines to be able to deal with a variety of situations and diluting it by taking on too much from the Ranger lines will do nothing to strengthen you in a group situation. Now whilst you are a level 20 character in the Krytan Jungles you aren't seeing the extent of the challenge that awaits you but I kid you not that with the range of challenges that lie ahead for you, you will need a robust knowledge of your profession. If you must play as a Ranger secondary I would recommend that you focus only on levelling a pet to 20 for a bit of a companion and don't get too involved in the Ranger skills - they aren't especially synergistic with the Mesmer. Then in groups with strangers you can focus on being a Mes, and then if you're hanging out with friends you can dig out your faithful pet. If however you are attached to having a pet, I highly recommend you make a Ranger as well - Rangers are fine, potent and popular. Lastly, later in the game you will get the opportunity to get more secondary professions. You can only ever be one at a time, but you can switch between them so you can play different builds for different occassions. I personally highly recommend you explore the Mesmer Necromancer combination (especially if you like PvP.) Mesmer Monk and Mesmer Elementalist are also popular combinations. Good luck!

Jun 21, 2007, 04:46 PM // 16:46	#5
HawkofStorms Hall Hero Join Date: Aug 2005 Profession: E/	I hit level 20 in the jungle too. You'll soon find though that the game gets tougher when you reach the crytsal desert (the area after the jungle). I do not suggest you get runs. You'll soon face some really tough foes and you'll figure out that you will have to change your skills to deal with them accordingly. Level 20 is really the start of the game. You will no longer be able to beat foes just because you are a higher level then them. You'll instead have to adapt to fight and win.

Jun 21, 2007, 04:47 PM // 16:47	#6
Coridan Forge Runner Join Date: Jun 2006 Location: US Guild: Old Married Gamers {OMG} Profession: W/	Grats on making lvl 20...I thik i was in the same area when i hit lvl 20....i did all quests etc before moving on... I agree with cambylobacter ...in as much that you really need to be looking at what a mesmer can do...your build is probably fine and if it works well with you then i am all for it...but in that later stages of the games when you start dealing with lvl 22 and above mobs things get to be a bit stickier....as far as dying 11 times...i think that is a pretty low death rate for hitting lvl 20 on your first character...good job... Hit me up in game sometime and we can party IGN Coridan A

Jun 21, 2007, 05:03 PM // 17:03	#7
MirandaKali Academy Page Join Date: May 2007 Location: Eastish US Guild: Special Hell Profession: Me/R	Thanks for the input! I see what you mean about doing one thing well. I guess being a Jane of all trades myself, I have a tendency to make my characters too multifaceted. I think I'll take your advice and drop all most of the Ranger skills and work on a shut-down profile. (My newfound friends in Cantha did present a bit of a problem...I'll see if such a build is more effective against them).

Jun 21, 2007, 11:07 PM // 23:07	#9
I Might Avenge U Jungle Guide Join Date: Dec 2005 Location: California Profession: R/	Lol, if anything being level two is more beneficial rather than negative.. As a 20 you get accepted into more parties, know your character more, and start to use skills more efficiently (most attribute points possible). Congrats, and don't worry about deaths, as on your 1st play-through you should worry more about enjoying the game

Jun 22, 2007, 01:50 AM // 01:50	#10
bart Desert Nomad Join Date: Aug 2005	don't worry about these things. have fun exploring, killing and dying. worry about builds and all the other stuff when you're done having fun and want to get into serius PvP/farming.

Jun 22, 2007, 07:22 AM // 07:22	#11
Buzzer Wilds Pathfinder Join Date: Nov 2005 Location: Australia	If youre going along fine, then keep at it: you will discover things for yourself. Though I will guarantee you will do better if you focus on 3-5 attributes rather than your 6-7.

Jun 22, 2007, 07:36 AM // 07:36	#12
Div I like yumy food! Join Date: Jan 2006 Location: Where I can eat yumy food Guild: Dead Alley [dR] Profession: Mo/R	Keep playing with your build and finding what's effective by yourself. It's often a lot more fun to learn it yourself than reading up on some guide and copying it. At this point in the game, especially if you're playing with friends or henchmen, it doesn't really matter what your build is as long as you can adapt to the situation. The only time character skill choice become more apparent is when you head into the endgame areas where monsters are a lot tougher, and obviously in Hard Mode or when running/farming/PvPing.

Jun 22, 2007, 09:17 AM // 09:17	#13
Yol Wilds Pathfinder Join Date: Feb 2007 Guild: GameAmp Guides [AMP] Profession: E/	You're doing absolutely fine!....and well done for not skipping maguuma jungle. Too many low level characters get runs from LA to sanctum cay, missing most of Kryta, all of maguuma, and all the xp that goes with it....then they complain because they aren't high enough level to get into teams at sanctum for the mission.

Jun 22, 2007, 12:49 PM // 12:49	#14
Toutatis Walking Wiki Join Date: Nov 2006 Location: Isle of Medication Guild: Visitors from Aranna [VFA] Profession: Me/E	It sounds like you're doing just great so far! One of the really great things about playing as a Mesmer is that no matter where you go, you will always have the character skills to adapt to the monsters you're going up against and fill a wide range of different roles (though not necessarily all at once) within your party. And although you've hit level 20, your character can still develop. Not only will you keep gaining new skills, but you will also keep earning skill points with experience. And later on, you will come across two quests that grant you a total of 30 extra attribute points, for a final powerup before going into the most difficult parts of the game.

Jun 22, 2007, 03:04 PM // 15:04	#15
lennymon Forge Runner Join Date: Nov 2005 Location: Seattle Guild: Odin's Hammer [OH] - Servant's of Fortuna [SoF] Profession: R/	Ranger can be a viable secondary for mesmer, it just isn't done a whole lot. Consider serpent's quickness in wilderness for making your truly evil mesmer stuff recharge faster, storm chaser for energy management (if you aren't getting hit, you probably don't need more energy ) and pets are good blockers. If you like your pet, one or two beast mastery attacks couldn't hurt either and certainly would not detract from your mesmerizing. In particular look at the pet skills that do something vs an opponent who is running and be ready to use them when chaos storm makes them scatter.

Jun 22, 2007, 07:30 PM // 19:30	#16
TheRaven Desert Nomad Join Date: Sep 2006 Location: Virginia Guild: Spirit of Elisha Profession: W/	Well, I've never played a mesmer primary so I won't comment on your build. I have no idea if it's good or trash. If it works well for you, keep it until it starts to not work well. You are still in the mid-level sections of the game. Once you hit the more difficult areas you may want to make changes. Don't worry about where you are in the game when you hit 20. It's different for each person. It all depends on how many quests you did and whether or not you took your time exploring each area you encountered in detail or just flew past on the primary quest track. I've heard that in order to play a Mesmer well, you need to understand how all the other professions work and know how to counter them. Therefore it's a difficult first character. Just because you're Level 20 doesn't mean you're done with the character. There are many steps to "completing" a character. Here's my list of steps that make a complete character. - Hit Level 20 - Max your attribute points. Each campaign has 2 quests that will give you an additional 15 pts. - Acquire a Level 20 pet evolved to your wishes. (If applicable) - Learn all the skills. (yeah, some are useless so you won't want ALL skills, but you should be able to create any practical bar that someone asks you to run.) - Max Armor along with any Runes you need. It doesn't have to be expensive armor as long as you are happy with your selection. - Max any titles you are interested in. I'd recommend maxing all titles that have tangible benefits before considering a character complete. Stuff like the Lucky track and Wisdom track affect your gameplay. Vanity only titles like Protector or Drunkard aren't needed, so it's a personal choice whether or not you want them. - Acquire your "perfect" weapon. Determine which weapon will best enhance your skills and go get it. - If you own Nightfall, acquire all the heroes and repeat each of these steps with them. Your heroes should be capable of running any bar you want to put on them and have the appropiate runes and weapons for the bar. So, is all of the above necessary? Nope! You don't have to have all that in order to have a great character, but it is why when folks say "Hey! I reached Level 20. My character is the most perfectly awesome bestest ever! I'm done!" we call them noobs.