GUILD WARS 2 OVERVIEW
Quests
Quests in guild wars 2 come in the form of dynamic events, heart quests,
personal story quests, and living world quests. The first two types you
encounter far more often.
Dynamic Events
These events generally occur at random and provide substantial
experience upon completion. They are marked by an orange circle on the
map. These events are proximity based in that your progress towards
completing an event only receives credit when you are within range. The
events are often multi-step and can have different outcomes based on
success or failure. Any player can join in and contribute regardless of
whether or not they are in a party with other players.
Heart Quests
These quests are static and are always located in the same place on
the map, marked by a small golden heart icon. These quests yield very large
amounts of experience and cannot be redone once completed unless you
create a new character. Unlike dynamic events, these count towards
completion of a zone, many areas have a dozen or so of these particular
quests but are not mandatory to complete.
Personal Story
The personal story is a choice based and primarily single player
experience, though others can assist you at times if desired. The story
eventually branches into different paths, though there are no wrong choices.
Roughly every ten levels you unlock a new chapter; the story finishes at the
level cap of eighty. It is shown via a green star-like marker on your screen
Living World
Certain updates are called living world wherein the entire game
world is effected in some way as a result. These major objectives encompass
story, player interaction, interesting mechanics, and unique items. How often
this can be experienced depends upon their release schedule set by the
developers. It is important to log on during a living world event release as it
is then unlocked for you to experience on your own time. Otherwise the
content will be locked to you if you miss the live update timeframe. Living
world is considered level eighty content, so do not rush to do it.
Combat
Guild wars 2s combat is a fast paced and highly reactive affair. Skillful play
and awareness of your class matters more than the gear youve equipped;
do commit to practice.
Combat Basics
Dodging and movement are key to not being frustrated. Double
tapping a movement key allows for dodging at the cost of endurance. Each
class can dodge meaning that you must learn which powerful attacks to
dodge so that you may spare yourself a death. A player can move as they
are using skills. This mobility is crucial to how skills function as poor
positioning can reduce your combat effectiveness. Upon your health reaching
zero, you do not immediately die and can resurrect. This all veers away from
traditional MMORPG standards, so do be mindful.
Skills
Each class has a set of skills determined by the weapon you have
equipped. Weapon skills are on the left side of your skill bar whereas healing,
utility, and elite skills are on the right side. These skills unlock at certain level
intervals. Each class has their own self-healing skill, thus prioritizing selfsufficiency is very helpful. Utility skills are selected from a list and can be
changed out of combat at any time; never stick with the exact same utility
setup. Elites should be used with care or else their impact will be wasted.
Combo effects
Combo effects come in many varieties, though they can be applied to
any situation. Certain skills may have blast finisher listed under them,
while others may have combo field noted under them. Using a blast
finisher inside of a combo field produces an effect that depends upon the
type of combo field.
Example A: a player uses the dragons tooth skill (a blast finisher) inside of
a skill called ring of fire (a FIRE combo field). As a result of the combo, the
player gains might which allows for you to do more damage
Example B: a player uses a blast finisher within a WATER field, the combo
result is a burst of healing.
Alongside of blast finishers, there are also whirl, projectile and leap
finishers, each still used within a combo field, but blast finishers are usually
far more important and have a stronger effect.
Conditions and boons
Conditions can either hurt you or your enemy. Some skills apply
various conditions that can greatly help you in battle. Cripple slows your or
an enemy down when applied or vulnerability reduces defense. These are
marked by small red icons near the health bar. Try to use skills that remove
conditions from yourself to stay alive longer.
Boons directly benefit you or your enemy. When applied they can do a
range of things from increasing your speed to augmenting your defenses.
Swiftness can grant a speed boost or Might will increase your power and
damage dealt. All boons are marked by yellow icons near the health bar.
PVE
While the open world provides a great deal of worthwhile content,
challenging group content consists of dungeons, fractals and raids. These
make up the more traditional end game of guild wars 2 from a PvE
standpoint.
Dungeons and Fractals
These group content types are five man objectives that involve
maneuvering dangerous maps with various bosses to be found. Dungeons
have more story bound to them and are longer ventures; fractals are smaller,
more focused tasks that are much easier to partake in. Fractals are generally
more rewarding and can become very difficult.
Raids
The greatest PvE challenge in the game, raids offer ten man objectives
that have greater intensity than either dungeons or fractals. These allow for
you to work towards a very long term goal while also emphasizing group
communication. Do not attempt these without understanding the entire
game as a whole. Tough bosses and mechanics demand good timing and
awareness, but unlike other MMORPGs, raiding here is markedly streamlined
and NOT needed for the sake of your character gaining the best equipment,
thus, consider it optional.
PVP
Players have a choice of either small scale or large scale pvp. Small scale
structured pvp (sPvP) and large scale world versus world (WvW) allow for you
to quickly partake in whatever level of player to player chaos you are
inclined to.
Structured PvP
You and a small team are pitted against another small team for control
of a map. Team strategy is more important in this game mode and is viewed
as being competitive. Do what you can to help your team more than yourself.
World vs. World
An entire server battles against another server for dominance. This is
the most chaotic mode involving a clash of dozens of players. This mode can
provide experience to level up with instead of exploring the world outside of
pvp. World vs. world maps are separate from the rest of the game world, and
whether you fight a single player or a group, be prepared to be swarmed at a
moments notice.
The World itself
The world is open and always lively, do not be afraid to venture beyond
comfort to seek new locales.
Zones
The zones contain many things, from events, to quests, to vistas, and
points of interest. Simply exploring grants experience, so do not assume
curiosity in that regard is a waste; wander and learn. Each zone can be
completed by finishing all activities within the zone. You are rewarded for
completing any zone and completing every zone is beneficial eventually.
Waypoints
Travel is quick and easy in Tyria, within the map are diamond shaped
blue icons that allow warping at any point in time. Warp often to never miss
any events but dont forget to slow down now and again beforehand. Travel
revolves around waypoints meaning that you shouldnt feel poorly for
constantly using them
Hidden Locations
There are many hidden pieces of content within the world. Mini
dungeons with a touch of lore, challenges that grant skill points, paths that
may not be so obvious. One may even start a dynamic event chain if they
are thorough in their explorative efforts.
THE GOAL?
One may ask, just what is the overall goal of this game?
The answer is, whatever you want! Guild Wars 2 is open
ended enough to provide you, the player, with a fluid
gaming experience that accommodates for a variety of
interests, from exploration to downing a boss. Set a goal
and achieve it, you are not forced to do what you dont
want to do! Now go explore and experience, new Tyrian,
as I hear there is a dragon afoot.
