Curse

jewel · Dec 04, 2011, 12:31 AM // 00:31

whuddup fellow pvpers.

I'm actually brand new to this game. I bought the Trilogy and EofN exp... I'm actually just trying to hop right into the pvp scene... im wondering which packs i have to buy to get everything up to date... as far as skills, elite skills attributes... im pretty much looking into only doing RA JQ/FA and GvG... also... i only have 8 characters availble to select from, shouldnt there be 10?

I'm sorry if there is a post already covering this topic. i looked through the forums and i didnt find much. if there is, please redirect me. if not, please help a homie out. thanks.

oh yea, also looking for a guild to show me the ropes? will join any willing to teach. thanks. =D

ErrantVenture · Dec 04, 2011, 01:12 AM // 01:12

You only have 8 char slots if you buy the whole trilogy.
Really you should have all skills unlocked for PvP, but you don't necessarily have to buy the pvp unlock packs since you can use balth faction to unlock skills.
Really there's not one PvP pack that's more important than any of the others since there's vital skills in every campaign.

Shayne Hawke · Dec 04, 2011, 03:15 AM // 03:15

Assuming your intention is to buy your way to a complete unlock with real cash, you will need to buy all of the skill packs listed here to have all of the skills unlocked. Additionally, you may want to buy the PvP Item Unlock Pack, as weapon and armor upgrades can also be important in PvP.

If your intention is to jump quickly into competitive PvP, you will probably want to do the above. If you'd like to take it a little more slowly, you would be okay with just playing RA, earning yourself some faction, and unlocking skills as you go. You may want to look at the PvX wiki in order to get an idea of some builds that work in PvP in each arena. Use that as a guide to what skills or equipment you want to unlock first.

Concerning your character slots, you get four slots for the first campaign that you install. Further added campaigns expand your slots by two each. The expansion does not count as a campaign and thus does not increase your slot count.

Ariena Najea · Dec 04, 2011, 03:33 AM // 03:33

What they said.

In general, the most used skills are Core, then Prophecies, then EoTN, then Nightfall, and Factions last. Remember that you only need a handful of skills to get started on any particular build, and you can use the faction you get from matches to unlock more.

ruk1a · Dec 04, 2011, 10:34 AM // 10:34

In case he meant 8 classes not slots... Factions and Nightfall have their own new classes attached to that campaign. Prophecies has Warrior Ranger Monk Necro Mesmer and Elementalist. Factions has Assassin and Ritualist, Nightfall has Paragon and Dervish.

To play any of the classes that aren't from prophecies just select that campaign when you are creating a character. There are 10 all together. Just trying to cover all possibilities welcome to GW.

I never understood why there wasn't 2 free slots given so one could create every character but you can buy 2 additional slots from their store to add to your account.

Pvp characters can be deleted and recreated within minutes with same gear etc. so those 2 extra slots aren't really needed terribly.

*lemming* · Dec 04, 2011, 07:19 PM // 19:19

If you're not averse to a bit of grinding, playing Random Arenas on RA quest day gives 3000 Balthazar faction per win. It's a reasonably quick way of unlocking all the skills and items for a couple of bars.

If you can find a guild to GvG with, the GvG zquest is 9000 faction at a time.

Reverend Dr · Dec 04, 2011, 08:23 PM // 20:23

Don't buy the unlocks packs with real money. If you are playing PvP regularly, then you'll have more than enough balth faction to unlock what you need.

Likewise if you are playing PvE regularly then you'll still be able to unlock what you need.

Coast · Dec 04, 2011, 08:47 PM // 20:47

Also identify a few green+gold items: it will unlock stuff for pvp too
ps: green must be purple

Ariena Najea · Dec 04, 2011, 09:11 PM // 21:11

Quote:

Originally Posted by Coast

Also identify a few green+gold items: it will unlock stuff for pvp too

You can also sell the Zaishen Strongboxes and Zaishen Coins you get (turn them into Silver, sell for 1.6k/each) and buy cheap PvE weapons in order to save faction for skills rather than equipment, although getting armor insignia and runes is crucial. Alternatively, you can sell these and buy Flames of Balthazar which give 1k Balthazar faction when used. These generally go for 2.5k-3k each, or you can buy Golden Flames for 6-7k each that are worth 3k faction.

ErrantVenture · Dec 04, 2011, 10:40 PM // 22:40

Quote:

Originally Posted by lemming

If you're not averse to a bit of grinding, playing Random Arenas on RA quest day gives 3000 Balthazar faction per win. It's a reasonably quick way of unlocking all the skills and items for a couple of bars.

If you can find a guild to GvG with, the GvG zquest is 9000 faction at a time.

Think you need three wins to update RA quest, not 1.

Ariena Najea · Dec 05, 2011, 12:44 AM // 00:44

Quote:

Originally Posted by ErrantVenture

Think you need three wins to update RA quest, not 1.

This, but the wins do not need to be consecutive so it doesn't take very long.

Blackbirdx61 · Feb 15, 2012, 04:05 PM // 16:05

Quote:

Originally Posted by Shayne Hawke

If your intention is to jump quickly into competitive PvP, you will probably want to do the above. If you'd like to take it a little more slowly, you would be okay with just playing RA, earning yourself some faction, and unlocking skills as you go. You may want to look at the PvX wiki in order to get an idea of some builds that work in PvP in each arena. Use that as a guide to what skills or equipment you want to unlock first.

I was doing just that Yesterday, trying to build up a little faction to by skills for my new Merc Necro... My apologies to those who found themselves on my teams. Akkk. And honestly the 'Skills' available to that brand new PvP Toon I could play forever and never win a single round. Seems utterly pointless.

Anyhow when I play chess I have a 1700 rating and I am paired with more or less 1700 players so I'm not wasting the time of a 2000 Rated buzzsaw or presenting an unbeatable wall to a 1500 rated player.

There seems to be nothing like an ELO here; no way for new players to access competitive arena's and nor Arena’s for 2000+ players to challenge each other; seems everyone is thrown in the same mix, presenting an uncrackable nut to anyone who has not already spent years studying this part of the game. If I'm wrong about that please enlighten me.

BTW; On the off chance Any Dev's are interested look at the system in Chessmaster, its very simple I don’t believe you would need a huge patch to implement something like a PvP ELO system either for GW or GW2. Please at least for GW2.

Missing HB · Feb 15, 2012, 05:45 PM // 17:45

Quote:

Originally Posted by Blackbirdx61

There seems to be nothing like an ELO here; no way for new players to access competitive arena's and nor Arena’s for 2000+ players to challenge each other; seems everyone is thrown in the same mix, presenting an uncrackable nut to anyone who has not already spent years studying this part of the game. If I'm wrong about that please enlighten me.

That format existed but was deleted. However, although it's a bit off topic, i do agree having a form of personal ranking, like in every game that has any competitivity, would be great and could be a way to promote activity in PvP.

Blackbirdx61 · Feb 15, 2012, 06:33 PM // 18:33

Thanks for the Thumbs up, and I have to agree, deleting it could only hurt bringing new players into PvP; IMHO. Thanks BB.

floor · Feb 16, 2012, 11:25 AM // 11:25

Quote:

Originally Posted by Blackbirdx61

There seems to be nothing like an ELO here; no way for new players to access competitive arena's and nor Arena’s for 2000+ players to challenge each other; seems everyone is thrown in the same mix, presenting an uncrackable nut to anyone who has not already spent years studying this part of the game. If I'm wrong about that please enlighten me.

The deal is that if you play by yourself and dont necessarily make a conscious effort to improve, you can play this game for years and still be completely useless.

To PvP effectively is almost like school, you do need to read the "textbooks", in the form of PvP profession specific guides (located over at teamquitter forum), as well as getting a good player to basically teach you the game. By doing this you can be largely proficient within a couple of months, assuming you play regularly.

Guild wars is a great example of "perfect practise makes perfect". Most people just pick up bad habits and spend years 'doing it wrong' so to speak.

Blackbirdx61 · Feb 16, 2012, 10:41 PM // 22:41

Thanks for the Advise, really.

I do get that; Chess is very like that You study, you play, you study some more, you play some more. But the ELO ratings allow you to keep competative in the enviroment.

While a 1500 Player will likely Learn playing a 1700 Player; he wont learn as much playing a 2000 (believe me I've done it) because the 2000 rated players play is too deep for him to really grok. There is an element of Diminshing returns when playing people so much better than you, and a break point where it hurts your play, because you go in knowing your going to loose; and so cant possibly bring your A game. I dont see any reason why this should be different.

Anyhow I was just expressing my disappontment to find there is no rating/ranking system; and I'm very suprised they dropped an existing one, it might spike matches short term, but I cant believe its good long term; but with GW2 6 months away, maybe they dont much care about that anymore.

Oh nuff said by me, I think for the time being I will spare myself, and those I would get tossed in with, the pain of fighting with my hand tied behind their backs. Later. BB.

floor · Feb 17, 2012, 08:25 AM // 08:25

GvG does have a tiered ladder system essentially (i dont recall them ever dropping another one, except for the hero battle 1v1 ladder, which was removed when the format was removed 2 years ago), with guilds winning/losing rating for each match played. Gaining more/less rating depending on the standing of their opponent. The system is based upon that used in chess, as far as i'm aware.

The problem is that the system requires enough teams playing for their to be teams competing throughout the different levels of the ladder, unfortunately this is not the case as the game is somewhat "dead" in this respect. It is worth noting that there are still enough teams playing to get matches in the european hour though, and it is possible albeit considerably more of a ball ache if ur american as this timezone is even more vacant of players than the european region.

Since there is a significantly reduced number of teams, to get a match at all is seen as a good thing, rather than getting a match vs an evenly rated guild being the priority. Its literally a case now of assuming that your opponent will be at least competent, so match them, or go home. There is no facility anymore for new players to learn, you're forced to jump in at the deep end, then sink or swim immediately. Which is one reason why its so critically important to have at least a solid idea of what it is you are supposed to be doing before you begin.

Blackbirdx61 · Feb 17, 2012, 10:06 AM // 10:06

Thanks much for all the time and advise, U've been a big help BB.

Star_Jewel · Feb 22, 2012, 01:38 AM // 01:38

Quote:

Originally Posted by Blackbirdx61

I was doing just that Yesterday, trying to build up a little faction to by skills for my new Merc Necro... My apologies to those who found themselves on my teams.

If you don't really care about and/or are not good at "serious" PvP and are just trying to build up some Balthazar Faction for PvE purposes, you're much better off in Zaishen Elite (where you fight NPCs) or Jade Quarry. In JQ, you're only 1/8 of a team and there's a lot more going on so mistakes don't matter as much. In RA, as 1/4 of the team, there's a lot more pressure on you to pull your weight.

superraptors · Feb 22, 2012, 07:31 AM // 07:31

dont purchase any just play your way through campaigns and grind the rest of your skills through RA, honestly it shouldn't take more than a month to get uax if you are active and dedicated, you will feel much more satisfied.