Curse

Jenox · Mar 26, 2007, 04:20 AM // 04:20

I find that this game lacks serious support for questions and customer assistance. I bought the game via online and received no game-manual with it nor could I find one to download at www.GuildWars.com, which to say the least is very upsetting. As I have a ton of questions on the PvP system and the like.

First and for most. I have made a PvP only character, I've played more then enough MMORPGs to get the gist of how it works and what not, so I decided to try out the PvP-Only Character. Only, after much troubleshooting and figuring out most things on my own, I simply can not figure out hwo to upgrade my armor and weapons. Skills, insignias and the like are easy to get, which I don't have a problem with. However, how the heck am I supposed to take on superior foes with inferior gear and weapons?

I see a lot of characters boasting flashy, nice, obviously powerful gear and weapons, yet, I have no way to access it because for 1. I can't leave the damned island and 2. I have no way of knowing how to acquire new items.

So, how do I get new items, such as gear and weapons??? If GW expects it's online customers to just know everything, then this game will RAPIDLY lose my support for a serious lack of Customer Support. /endrant

EDIT: On a side note I have made PvE Characters but I don't feel like leveling all the way to lvl20 when it gives me the option to jump straight to lvl20 and start experiencing PvP. Besides, I hate PvE anyways, one of the primary reasons I switched from WoW to GW.

Riotgear · Mar 26, 2007, 04:34 AM // 04:34

The armor you make with a PvP character is already maxed-out. The armor you see other players wearing provide no benefits over insignia-modded PvP gear other than looking prettier. With some extremely minor exceptions (such as a few weapons with odd damage types), everything you can get in PvE, you can create statistically-identical stuff with the PvP equipment system.

For example:
http://gw.gamewikis.org/wiki/Victo%27s_Maul

To create the equivilent to that, create a PvP Hammer with a "Strength and Honor" inscription, a Furious Hammer Haft, and a Hammer Grip of Fortitude.

All armor can be replicated using insignias. Anything you can't create, like weapon mods (which are locked by default), use Balthazar faction to unlock at a Priest of Balthazar, or acquire it in PvE to unlock it automatically. If you want easy Balthazar faction, do Random Arenas.

Jenox · Mar 26, 2007, 04:42 AM // 04:42

Quote:

Originally Posted by Riotgear

The armor you make with a PvP character is already maxed-out. The armor you see other players wearing provide no benefits over insignia-modded PvP gear other than looking prettier. With some extremely minor exceptions (such as a few weapons with odd damage types), everything you can get in PvE, you can create statistically-identical stuff with the PvP equipment system.

For example:
http://gw.gamewikis.org/wiki/Victo%27s_Maul

To create the equivilent to that, create a PvP Hammer with a "Strength and Honor" inscription, a Furious Hammer Haft, and a Hammer Grip of Fortitude.

All armor can be replicated using insignias.

Ah ok. Thank you for the replies. So the gear I get with PvP Equipment is already top of the line? Well, that's one thing i enjoy about this game, IMMENSE CLASS BALANCE!

I'm new to the build structure as well as design, I liek to play the Warrior class as that's what I'm most familiar with when it comes to RPGs. Could you direct me to a guide or possibly explain a good PvP build that allows me to deal static-DPS? Burst is fine too, but consistency is generally what i prefer.

Clinically Proven · Mar 26, 2007, 04:44 AM // 04:44

All PvP equipment uses a small selection of generic skins, all those flashy looking items you are seeing will be PvE skins. That being said pretty much everything is creatable in the PvP inventory screen, assuming you have the unlocks.

For PvP equipment, press 'I" for inventory and then click the equipment button at the top of the pop-up inventory screen or press "J". Assuming you haven't remapped the keys.

PvP character creation reference is here: http://gw.gamewikis.org/wiki/PvP_character_creation

Everything you ever wanted to know about guild wars can usually be found on http://gw.gamewikis.org/wiki/Main_Page

Div · Mar 26, 2007, 04:53 AM // 04:53

Also, you can unlock additional insignias, runes, upgrades, skills, etc. by visiting the priest of balthazar after you have acquired a certain amount of faction.

Jenox · Mar 26, 2007, 05:01 AM // 05:01

Sweet. Thanks. All the info is really helping. Although, I would have liked to have an online game manual downloadable but eh, beggers can't be choosers. Anywho, thanks a ton guys. Much appreciated.

Riotgear · Mar 26, 2007, 05:07 AM // 05:07

Quote:

Originally Posted by Jenox

Could you direct me to a guide or possibly explain a good PvP build that allows me to deal static-DPS? Burst is fine too, but consistency is generally what i prefer.

http://gw.gamewikis.org/wiki/Category:Tested_PvP_builds

There are some good starting points. An important thing to remember is that many of the builds, particularly HA and GvG builds, are geared towards teams with monk support, and as such, don't tend to have much survivability of their own. Unlike WoW, every class in GW has some way of healing themself to varying degrees, but many of the caster builds listed there (ESPECIALLY mesmer builds) are light on them and depend on someone else healing them.

I'm not sure I can provide much good advice for starting. Warriors are one of the more difficult classes to play well, and it's probably a good idea to play them for a bit in PvE so you can get used to them, as well as reading the various guides around the forums.

Moriz's Tips for Tards guide has some useful tactics, though you need to take them with a grain of salt if you're just starting, as most of it applies to organized play where enemies will have monk support, you will as well, and your teammates won't suck. Don't count on any of those three in the Random Arenas.

http://www.guildwarsguru.com/forum/s...php?t=10115806

Some of the notes are quite important though: Charge all of your attack skills and unload them at once, often times it's best to beat on something just to charge up, then switch to a more-vulnerable target and then hit them with a nasty attack chain before they can react. Doing so is much more effective than just attacking them and using attack skills as they become available.

If you really want to get a feel for the maps and mechanics, I'd recommend:

http://gw.gamewikis.org/wiki/Build:R...g_Arrow_Ranger

That's a good, fairly easy-to-play build with decent defense, good for learning the game's mechanics. It's generally best to stick with cookie-cutter builds and variants of them until you understand the game's mechanics well enough (as well as understand the things you need to prepare for) to put together something of your own.

Also, go to the Isle of the Nameless, which is through a gateway on the Temple of Balthazar, it'll give you a good rundown of the game's most important mechanics.

Finally, you said you were looking for a build with good, steady DPS. Without the support of a team that can coordinate spikes of their own, you're almost always better off getting a build that can kill things quickly. A good example of this would be the classic sword chain:

[skill]Sever Artery[/skill][skill]Gash[/skill][skill]Final Thrust[/skill]

When all three are charged, you can unload them all on a single target, using Final Thrust once their health hits 50%. Gash removes around 100HP from the bottom of their health bar (as in, they will actually lose that health, but gain it back if the Deep Wound condition is removed or expires) in addition to the damage it causes, Final Thrust often does upwards of 120 damage by itself, and combined with a few autoattacks, you can take someone down with just that.

Now, after that, you are going to be burned out and need to get your adrenaline back. There are combinations that produce much higher sustained damage, but people will react and heal themselves in the meantime. The less time you give them to recover, the more likely you are to score a kill.

Hope that helps.

Medion · Mar 26, 2007, 07:44 AM // 07:44

Quote:

I find that this game lacks serious support for questions and customer assistance. I bought the game via online and received no game-manual with it nor could I find one to download at www.GuildWars.com, which to say the least is very upsetting. As I have a ton of questions on the PvP system and the like.

http://www.guildwars.com/gameplay/manuals.php

I think that's what you were looking for..

Anyway, besides all the things other people have said, another good way to learn is to press 'B' and go observe a few games by topguilds.

Enjoy your PvP

Hauki · Mar 26, 2007, 08:08 AM // 08:08

GuildWiki is a terrible site for builds, seriously.
The official PvP articles, etc. are equally terrible. However, I'll second the "Hit 'B' and observe high-ranked GvG" bit. Try to see how they use skills, item swaps, positioning, etc.

Riotgear · Mar 26, 2007, 08:55 AM // 08:55

Quote:

Originally Posted by Hauki

GuildWiki is a terrible site for builds, seriously.
The official PvP articles, etc. are equally terrible. However, I'll second the "Hit 'B' and observe high-ranked GvG" bit. Try to see how they use skills, item swaps, positioning, etc.

Realize you're talking to a beginner here. Watching GvG without being reasonably familiar with the game is completely pointless, because you can't really tell what's going on. Item swaps are not something to worry about until at you're at least good enough to play TA. GuildWiki has a bunch of crap, but provides some reasonably-effective starting points which are significantly better that what someone could cobble together without knowing what makes a skill useful.

The official PvP articles are admittedly terrible though.

DreamWind · Mar 26, 2007, 09:11 AM // 09:11

Quote:

Originally Posted by Jenox

On a side note I have made PvE Characters but I don't feel like leveling all the way to lvl20 when it gives me the option to jump straight to lvl20 and start experiencing PvP. Besides, I hate PvE anyways, one of the primary reasons I switched from WoW to GW.

This is oddly the only refreshing noobie I've ever heard in Guild Wars.

Xenex Xclame · Mar 26, 2007, 11:21 AM // 11:21

Quote:

Originally Posted by Hauki

GuildWiki is a terrible site for builds, seriously.
The official PvP articles, etc. are equally terrible. However, I'll second the "Hit 'B' and observe high-ranked GvG" bit. Try to see how they use skills, item swaps, positioning, etc.

First you say wiki is bad places for wiki, then you tell him to go watch and learn from observer?
Your suggestion is as bad as telling him to go to wiki ( not saying any of them are bad)
Wiki is not a bad place for builds since it has builds that are used by people and tested by a few and those same builds that they use on observer you get on wiki, the thing is that most of the time the builds on their are outdated.By the time they get on wiki they are not played by the one on observer anymore.

moriz · Mar 26, 2007, 12:09 PM // 12:09

just to clarify: guildwiki is excellent for general game info, such as mission walkthroughs, basic battle mechanics, equipment, skills, etc. it is actually quite horrible for pvp builds. pve and pvp are quite different in this game, so something that works in pve probably won't work nearly as well in pvp (for example, stance/riposte tanks).

if you need any assistance, feel free to add my ign, Alias Moriz, to your friends list. i'm not exactly the best warrior player in the game, but i can give you a few pointers.

Thomas.knbk · Mar 26, 2007, 01:24 PM // 13:24

GuildWiki's build section has improved a lot lately. Most of the builds in the GvG and the HA section are fairly decent. Most I would even call good.

Hauki · Mar 26, 2007, 03:41 PM // 15:41

I frequently use GuildWiki for general game information. I was referring specifically to the build section, which may have improved, but on the whole is still pretty RED ENGINE GORED ENGINE GORED ENGINE GORED ENGINE GOing bad. Plus, if you're relatively new to the game, it's going to be a lot more difficult to sort through the trash that gets posted in there to find the actually decent builds. Hitting B and watching guilds like EW, MH, QQ, vD, dV, iQ & their numerous smurfs, etc. ought to be far more enlightening, regardless of whether or not you're actually understanding the positioning choices & other less obvious decisions being made.

TheOneMephisto · Mar 26, 2007, 08:39 PM // 20:39

Quote:

Originally Posted by Hauki

Hitting B and watching guilds like EW, MH, QQ, vD, dV, iQ & their numerous smurfs, etc.

I don't understand this sentence, since obviously all of those guilds are already iQ smurfs, why do you separate them from "iQ and their numerous smurfs?" Are you iQ?

Vermilion · Mar 26, 2007, 08:55 PM // 20:55

I just hope people new to the game don't try observer mode and see guilds like Wash Machine (top10?) playing and think that SB/RI with 1000 spirits is pro. -.-

Hauki · Mar 26, 2007, 09:11 PM // 21:11

Quote:

Originally Posted by TheOneMephisto

I don't understand this sentence, since obviously all of those guilds are already iQ smurfs, why do you separate them from "iQ and their numerous smurfs?" Are you iQ?

Shit, you've uncovered us again.

assassin of the god · Mar 27, 2007, 03:18 AM // 03:18

http://www.teamquitter.com/phpBB2/index.php

http://www.team-iq.net/forums/

http://www.guild-hall.net/forum/forumdisplay.php?f=2

..I hope you love reading alot of forums...and I would suggest starting with team-iq.net because they have alot of informative articles, while the other 2 require alot more game experanice to learn much from.

samcobra · Mar 27, 2007, 04:44 AM // 04:44

Well, besides looking at other people's advice, you should also get familiar with a certain class and all its skills. Then, when using a posted build or taking on an opponent with a certain build, make note (if he's good of course, noobs are not worth learning from) of what skills he has and if there are any possible combinations that these skills lend themselves to. Also, try to critically analyze WHY you are doing anything at any time. Are you a caster sitting and casting underneath a ranger in plain view? Why? The ranger has line of sight and elevation, which gives him increased damage. Plus, he can interrupt your spells. Instead, hide behind an obstacle. Or, if you're playing a warrior, why are you going after your target? Sometimes, its best not to go after a monk, especially in RA, and go after another softie (low armor target-usually caster type) that is more threatening to your team. If you want to learn how to play a little more self-sufficiently, I highly suggest alliance battles. Once you are in an aligned guild, go to your guild hall and talk to the appropriate NPC. In alliance battle, you have a great place to test out split-team builds and self-sustainable builds. Just remember, there is no place for res in AB and don't listen to what other people say. The unfortunate truth is, the majority of ABers are PvE noobs who don't know the first thing about PVP. Anyway, with enough time and a bit of luck, you should get the hang of PvP pretty fast and hopefully enjoy the exiting mechanics this game has to offer. Good luck and have fun!