Providence.7185

> @"Buran.3796" said:

> My advice would be to go with Renegade. The Renegade can fight both at range or mele, using either power or condition stats, staying in short bow 90% of the time, and kill well both single targets and small packs of enemies. The powe Herald is pure mele and albeit very competent at single target damage, loses a lot of efficiency when has to tag multiple foes at the same time. The condition Herald is mele/short range AoE, much better against small packs, but a bit slower vs single targets. To me soloing hero points/bosses with power Herald is faster but more risky, with condi Herald a bit slower but way tankier. Herald has the quality of life of having perma-swiftness (Facet of Elements) without relying in traits or runes, but Renegade has the quality of life of being able to kill everything below champs without even being touched (short bow).

>

>

Thanks. Would you suggest power or condi Renegade? Any suggestions for inexpensive starter gear while I build up the gold account?

Just leveled my core Revenant to 80. I saved up 220 points so need another 30 for an elite spec.

Would you suggest opening Herald or Renegade first? And would you aim at a condition or power build?

Renegade appears to have a large variety of builds - power, conditions, Alac, healing. Comments here suggest Herald is more tanky and I prefer self sufficient builds over glass cannons. Feeling powerful to me comes more from a full health bar then kill speed. As to the type of content I play. All Open World Pve thus far.

Going forward content selection is largely dependent on getting more Points and making gold. Will likely need to go into PoF for collecting points to fill out the core traits - HoT sounds more difficult. Also need to learn the best way to make gold which I assume I need to buy strong gear/weapons. Currently I have less than 15 gold.

What path would you suggest going forward?

Thanks

In general I agree with the OP. For a NEW player the game can be difficult. When I first started playing it took me some time to get used to the fast pace of the combat. I still have much room for improvement. Naturally the more one plays the game the easier it becomes.

A possible suggestion for the OP. Try the Scrapper Juggernaut flame thrower build you can find on Metabattle. It has 100% or near 100% stability. I tried it in the PvP lounge against various classes NPC and the crowd control reduction is very noticeable and satisfying. Hardly a top DPS build but relaxing and sturdy. Perhaps there are ways to improve the build as you get more game experience and play more offensively.

Can you suggest a survivable core Ranger build and some rotation tips?

My situation is this - Boosted a Ranger to 80. Bad idea. My thought was to go through the normal leveling areas as a Soulbeast to learn that spec. I was unaware I needed to earn the SLB points in POF. I am not new to MMO's but POF on (to me) a new class is less than ideal. But what is done is done.

In any case I do just fine in many situations. But poorly in AOE situations. So I suspect it is my inexperience with the class and likely poor build. Goal is to finish obtaining the necessary points (already have some) and then run thru a healthy portion of the normal leveling process.

Build / Rotation suggestions would be appreciated.

Thanks in advance

Thanks for the info.

Apologies if my post suggested I am testing build to theory-craft - which I understand to mean creating my own builds. The builds I am testing are builds mostly provided by others here either in the forums or to me personally. The purpose is as stated in the OP "to see which classes I find fun and effective." I have more than enough time in MMO's for such a purpose.

Other than Mirage one other issue I have run into in the PvP lobby - unless I misunderstand something - is missing runes. One in particular is the Tormenting runes for which a number of builds find notable importance.

Am I correct that the Rune of Tormenting is unavailable in the PvP lobby?

Is there a way to test builds - both core and elite specs - in PVE before leveling the character to 80 and getting the necessary hero points?

Currently, I am testing various builds to see which classes I find fun and effective. The PvP lobby has been very helpful. However, there are a number of builds I cannot properly test. Some runes are not available (e.g. Tormenting) and a number of skills work differently in PvP vs. PvE - e.g. only one dodge on Mesmer.

Since I will spend more time in PvE it would be helpful to test certain builds and skills in a PvE setting. Is there anyway to do this? Is there for example a PvE equivalent of the PvP lobby?

Thanks

> @"Koen.1327" said:

> Condi mirage with rune of tormenting

A few people in this post, and a number of other sources online have a high regard for a Condi Mirage with superior rune of torment. Does anyone have a link to a published build of this type?

> @"Voltekka.2375" said:

> And why would anyone wanna buy expansions, in that case?

> Edit: the fact that you cant play guard healer isnt druid. Its firebrand.

You raise a good point. However, it goes beyond what you stated. Buying the expansions is not enough to get the elite specs. It simply makes them available.

To get use the elite specs a new player must 1) purchase the expansions as you stated, 2) get the necessary glider / mounts for step #3, and level up said mounts and 3) get the hero points in expansion content - all this on an under powered (in most cases) core spec.

Even the above fails to mention that following the typical game path the new player still will spend 80 levels and much of the Personal story on a - typically - less interesting/fun core spec.

I would argue that the requirement for unlocking the elite specs - beyond purchasing the expansions - hurts the Devs business model substantially. Too many roadblocks are placed between the new/ish player and the coveted elite specs and all those fun looking game play videos he sees.

> @"TheAgedGnome.7520" said:

> > @"Providence.7185" said:

> > As a result, I am looking for a build that can trivialize Open World and story content. The build does not necessarily need to excel in Fractals/Raids since in a game in which most items earned are account wide I am fine with a handful of specialists as opposed to only one generalist.

>

> Hizen has some great OW builds. I like the mesmer (mirage) build, but you might like the warrior (Part I video) better.

> https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCpuUtDBPZYklA6hVyxqxNuQ

>

>

Thanks for the link.

Looking around I found a number of mirage build very similar in concept to the one put out by Lord Hizen. Here is one thread with such a mirage build.

https://en-forum.guildwars2.com/discussion/30394/open-world-domination-mirage

Please note that I have not tried these builds but the gameplay video in the link looks very promising. I am a bit concerned as to whether core Mesmer has what it takes to get the hero points to unlock the Mirage elite spec. My initial attempts with core Mesmer in Silverwastes were less than encouraging.

> @"Teratus.2859" said:

> That's likely because of your builds and playstles.. Personally I never found HoT overly hard when everyone was complaining about mordrem being OP.

> I always attributed that to Mordrem being designed to steamroll your typical pure melee glass canon zerker players which was the meta at the time HoT came out and a meta I to this day am not a fan of.

> PoF was the same.. forged are a joke to my builds although Awakened annoy me pretty good, not because they're hard to kill though but because I detest the slow condition and those stupid smelley skeletons love nothing more than to spam the ever loving hell out of attacks that inflict slow.

> Slow makes me waste my time and I can't stand annoying mechanics like that which drag out fights just to annoy people, horrible condition with no place in PvE imo.

Would you mind sharing a minion build that you find strong?

It is true that I am not fond of the appearance of Necro minions. But you have stated a long history of success with minion builds and many players might benefit from your build/experience. As to myself, this thread has benefited from a shared Scourge and Reaper (non-minion) build. I might be inclined to try the minion variety to see how it compares to the non-minion varieties.

> @"Ayakaru.6583" said:

> How to beat the game:

> - Roll a warrior.

> - Get into berserker gear.

> - Get a greatsword, two axes, and a hammer.

> - Get some fancy skins that say "don't f* with me".

> - Find Balthazar. Show that quaggan of fire and war you are not to be trifled with.

> - ???

> - You became the god of war as soon as you rolled a warrior. What did you think killing Balthazar would do?

> - no, seriously, there's nothing else. You rolled a warrior, you won.

Do you play core Warrior or an elite spec? Do you have a build link handy?

Also how do you make use of all those weapons? Would the 4 weapons mentioned not require 3 weapon sets?

> @"thepenmonster.3621" said:

> >As a result, I am looking for a build that can trivialize Open World and story content.

>

> Are you saying you want brain-dead play that makes trash mobs a speed bump more than anything? Level 1- 80? Have you considered grenadier engineer? You can toss grenades over your shoulder as you run away from the small army of centaurs. It's fun and only requires being able to reach the 1-5 keys.

I stated clearly my thoughts. Your re-statement misses the mark.

I had not considered grenadier engineer so thanks for the thought. If memory serves, Wooden Potato on youtube has a video with such a build. Is that the sort of build you have in mind?

> @"Alexa Scorpionwitch.8567" said:

> My main is a GS Power Reaper. I've soloed core and both expansions and haven't run into much that's given me any problems. As others have stated here, pair it up with a staff for when you need to back off for a quick break. I run Marauder and a few Soldier for the extra vitality and toughness. She's my absolute "go to" for story and open world.

Thank you to yourself and all others writing in the thread.

A number of people have suggested Power Reaper as a very strong option. As mentioned above I am not opposed to Necro (and elites) generally but simply don't care for the look of the minions. Does your build rely on minions?

Do you or anyone else know of a no-minion Reaper build (we have a Scourge above) that can easily handle open world and story without breaking a sweat? Or do all strong open world Reaper builds rely on the minions?

> @"Ashen.2907" said:

> I would say that its not> @"Dante.1508" said:

> > I love how people call open world pve trivial.. yes Tyria was but season 2 onwards was far from trivial.. Go up against 5-10 mordrem or worse forged veterans and see how trivial it is being dead on the ground 24/7.. imo its harder than pvp or wvw because you are 99% on your own..

> >

> > 7 years i've been playing GW2 on and off and its still not easy..

>

> Depends on build I guess, Pretty faceroll IMO.

That is the point of this thread. Even Open World here, unlike most other MMO's, is a real threat and that appears to be by design. Clearly, the way to play this game is not to take damage or rely on another mitigating strategy such as the Scourge barrier build outlined above.

In a game with quite varied build options, such as GW2, typically a handful of builds outperform even if the lesser builds are played well. Players then typically try to find them. The OP is designed to help discover such builds. Perhaps some find it fun, but I dislike getting beaten by trash mobs, especially in the Open World.

Thanks for all the build suggestions so far. I am reviewing the suggestions and hopefully others get some ideas as well.

> @"ArchonWing.9480" said:

> ? Open World and such as trivial by default, especially after the introduction of mounts.

>

I disagree with your premise that OW in GW2 is trivial. The Devs obviously wanted a game that is not face-roll. And more than a few players prefer that as well.

If you compare this game to its 3 siblings - WOW, FFXIV and ESO - you find that the landscape here is much, much more challenging - at least generally speaking. To me the World events in gw2 are a blast so my goal is to find a very strong open world build. Thanks for your response.

> @"Inculpatus cedo.9234" said:

> Aren't you the new player that wanted quick ways to L80 and Elite Specializations to play in Core Tyria?

>

> I'd suggest the best Open World build would be the 'take-your-time-and-learn-the-game-don't-rush-everything' build. It's worked wonders for most of us. (I use a mostly whatever has dropped for me equipment-build Ranger with axe/torch, and I don't have issue with Stories or Open World; with very few exceptions [Heart and Minds]).

>

> Welcome to Tyria, and good luck.

Yes, that was me.

You might note that with all but one exception (possibly Warrior) that all the answers to my query are elite specs. No surprise there as the elite specs are generally stronger than core. What is surprising is why anyone would question that a player might want to play the stronger specs ASAP instead of having to learn them at or much closer to end game.

That the elite specs are normally only available late is the result of a business decision by the Devs. My goal is to obtain those specs and then play the game through normally.

Thanks for the welcome.

Which, in your view, is the best build to trivialize Open World and Story content?

GW2 is a fun game but I find the difficulty generally overturned in Open World. Hard, in my view, should be found in high level instances (e.g. Fractals and Raids). In the story my character is supposed to be a commander / hero type so getting downed by a handful of trash mobs (or downed at all) detracts from that. I realize many here disagree and some would even prefer the game tuned harder, kindly save such disagreements for your own or another thread.

As a result, I am looking for a build that can trivialize Open World and story content. The build does not necessarily need to excel in Fractals/Raids since in a game in which most items earned are account wide I am fine with a handful of specialists as opposed to only one generalist.

A number of sources have strong looking builds. For example, Metabattle currently lists 13 Open World builds as Meta. That is a big help in narrowing it down but I only need one and am unsure which is "best".

"Best" is a build that can handle anything Open World/Story/Events throws at me with relative ease. Simple is better than complex but only as a secondary consideration. I would prefer to play as the unstoppable hero.

One final consideration - Necro minion builds are of no interest to me. Pet builds in general are fine/fun but I have no interest in looking at the Necro's objectively ugly minions in my free time (apologies to those who like them).

So which build or builds have you played which trivialize the content discussed here? Including links, if at all possible, would be much appreciated

Thanks in advance for your help.

What is the best - most expedient way to obtain the needed hero points to unlock the elite specs?

Currently my first level 80 just finished the intro to the POF story and obtained the Raptor - have never been in HoT. Unsure if I should attempt the soloable POF hero challenges or WvW (never played it) or some other unknown to me approach.

Is there an updated guide for your suggested approach including which mounts, if any, are needed should tackle the soloable Pof challenges be the suggestion.

Thanks in advance.

> @"Inculpatus cedo.9234" said:

> You might consider consulting the Wiki (link above), or other sources, for information about the game.

> You can't just go get the Raptor, and immediately unlock a new Elite Specialization; Elite Specializations require Hero Points, either from Core Tyria (1 HP per Hero Challenge), or either of the expansions (10 HP per Hero Challenge).

>

> You will also need Mastery Points to unlock the Mastery Tiers to take advantage of experience gained after the first track. Also, XP gained in Core Tyria won't be used in HoT Mastery Tracks (Gliding, etc.) or PoF Mastery Tracks (Mounts). You will have to acquire XP in those expansion (and related Living World Season/Saga) maps.

>

> Good luck.

Thank you for that. I have been reviewing the Wiki for such info. My plan is to get the Hero pts for the elite specs (working out how) and then go back to the start of the Core maps.

> @"MikeG.6389" said:

> > @"DoRi Silvia.4159" said:

> > And also on the main topic I have leveled several characters to 80 purely from crafting using that exact method

>

> Off-topic, but why? What was the motivation to level the same crafting discipline on several characters, let alone ALL disciplines on a single character?

> I'd assume that in order to get to level 80, there are much easier/faster methods...

MikeG, please share the easier/faster methods to get to level 80. Seriously, I am all ears as I am just learning the game.

After review, crafting for about $5 gets the character to max in a reported roughly 2 hours. Bear in my mind, the $5 is based off gw2crafts.net. The 2 hours is from player reports.

Most how to level fast videos suggest about 25 hours or so. The difference between 2 hours and 25 hours is worth $5. I could find no better way. Plus the crafting is done as a bonus (legendaries, ascended gear).

Why the desire to reach level 80 quickly? A number of reasons. Mounts, gliding etc. The fact that for most classes I will play an elite spec which are not available until level 80. Plus XP gained while not working on Masteries (level 80 required) is lost from that perspective.

My plan is to level to 80, get the raptor and then go back to the starter zones - "level" following the hearts and do the personal story normally but with my preferred elite spec which gives me a chance to learn it in easier spots.

> @"Skotlex.7580" said:

> Most players don't really care about getting experience once they are at their max level. What drives players to the labyrinth is the loot.

>

> I am pretty sure acquired experience counts as central Tyria, as players don't need any expansions to participate.

>

> To unlock masteries, one must complete the first step of the story from the corresponding expansion. For hot that means the verdant brink mission which allows one to work towards the glider, for pof that means the Amoon starting mission, which unlocks the raptor.

When you say "first step of the story", does that refer to the Personal Story?

> @"MikeG.6389" said:

> No, they are not there for the XP gain, although it can be substantial if that is what you need. And I think it should count toward Core Masteries.

> But no, the overwhelming majority of the players in Lab are there to farm the Trick-or-Treat Bags.

>

> Edit: Besides, max level is relatively easy to achieve, anyway, and since Lab is a max level map, players will bring their level 80s to party.

That makes sense.

I brought a lowbie into the Lab as a number of videos suggest it is a quick way to level. Thus my thinking that max level players were also after XP.

In the current Halloween event I have been running the Mad Lab and noticed most players are max level.

Am I correct that they are there to gain XP for Masteries? What area (Core, Hot or Pof) does the XP in Mad Lab count towards? Lastly, when the wiki says the first chapter of the story must be completed to work on Masteries does it refer to Personal story in the respective area or Living World Story?

Thank you for that. By "active" does that mean that I can only craft something within one of my active disciplines which I can later switch if I then need to craft something within a different crafting discipline?