Class to recommend?

[michelada.2947]

i'm not saying never get a thief , just avoid it as your first class

[Khaos.6810]

I appreciate everyone's input as it's very helpful! I'm liking the Elementalist **_profession_** (class :p ) but will always take advice into account! Keep em coming, thanks again!

[Cifrer.6013]

If you're liking elementalist and have PoF I highly recommend getting the weaver elite spec when you can. Personally I hated core elementalist but I find I enjoy weaver quite a bit.

[Ashnod.4365]

> @"michelada.2947" said:

> i'm not saying never get a thief , just avoid it as your first class

No worries I am just voicing how I experienced Thief as my first class (profession) and how I disagree with some of your points I mean with (slightly less) than 1 year of play time (days of account age) I am quite sure I have not experienced everything there is to experience as Thief (though I did run trough HoT without too much trouble). And yes I agree as your first class and being (slightly) dependent on RNG (for gear drops) you are gonna scold because you need too learn to NOT pull everything too you else your dead (which happened a lot to my thief until learning AI/monster rotations or whatever you name it).

[SlippyCheeze.5483]

> @"Cifrer.6013" said:

> If you're liking elementalist and have PoF I highly recommend getting the weaver elite spec when you can. Personally I hated core elementalist but I find I enjoy weaver quite a bit.

 

Diverging from the OPs direct question, but, could you explain why? I'm, uh, in perhaps half the same boat as you. Which is to say, I have not yet tried weaver, but I'm curious to learn if it may make me happier overall. :)

[Cifrer.6013]

The weaver spec allowing me to be able to use multiple elements at the same time and the way in which it swaps through them makes the combat feel smoother and more fluid to me for the elementalist. I also happen to be enjoying sword dagger for weapons with it. I had previously tried playing a d/d elementalist, and although it was okish, I just couldn't get into it and really enjoy it.

 

Having mained an engineer for most of my play time, the elementalist felt constrained in its play style to me. It's also super squishy. The weaver feels to me like it reduces those constraints and is a bit more durable than core ele.

[alcopaul.2156]

Spellbreaker/Scourge/Druid

[Khaos.6810]

What profession/class is the druid?

[SlippyCheeze.5483]

> @"Khaos.6810" said:

> What profession/class is the druid?

 

It's the Heart of Thorns elite spec for the Ranger.

[Fargas.6251]

 

 

> @"michelada.2947" said:

> My bad let me explain my point why thief is a bad choice for your first class:

>

> - Sustain is low compared to other classes, you will notice this on expansions pve where the mobs are harder to kill and deal a lot of damage

> - Hard to play/ High skillfloor.

> - There are some mechanics like fields and finishers that you need to learn little by little , thief uses lot of those mechanics.

> - One trick pony , so it becomes really repetitive in general

> - One of the most boring and useless class mechanics of all classes for pve

> - Not enough range options , P/P is ok for pve but is boring just to spam 3 , Short bow is a low damage weapon and you get rifle with pof but rifle is a single target weapon so not good enouhg for pve.

>

> I guess that is enough, avoid thief as your "first class" you can give a try on your second character anyways

 

People told me to avoid Mesmer as my first class. I’m so glad I ignored them.

The thing is, if they roll a Necro, Ranger, Warrior because “easy”, and they really don’t enjoy it, there is a risk that they will think the game is too easy and just put it down.

I played Necro as my second attempt at 80, 1st was elementalist.

The difficulty of the elementalist was refreshing, I just didn’t care for the piano play that she demanded. The Necro, which went further, actually dumbed me down to the point that I had lost my dodging prowess gained from the Ele.

I made the mistake of trying to push through, and burnt myself out at around level 40 and put the game down for a few years.

I came back to find the leveling system gutted, but I tried the Mesmer anyhow, and I fell in love with the class.

She took me to 80. I did eventually use the HoTs boost on the Necro, and am satisfied with reaper gameplay, but shoving easy down someone’ throat isn’t always what they want to enjoy a game.

The Dark Souls series of games is popular for a reason.

 

 

[Blood Red Arachnid.2493]

IMO the first class you chose should be based on how driven you are to play the game. If you're not afraid of difficulty and really want to learn it, you're better off picking one of the more difficult classes. Mesmer, Engineer, and Elementalist are the hard ones, but by playing one of these classes you'll develop a good understanding of how everything in the game works.

 

My first class was the Engineer, arguably the hardest class in the game to start on. At launch, nobody even really knew how to play the engineer, let alone do it well. But, after going through all of the skills, learning how combo fields and defiance worked, learning what did damage, I became this mysterious powerhouse to my teammates. The wide array of skills meant that, as an engineer, the solution to any problem that the game threw at me was within my toolbox.

 

Elementalists are similar. Not as flexible, but Eles possess much greater force on the field. Mesmers don't have a wide toolbox, but they have some fairly unique tricks for dealing with enemies.

[Pifil.5193]

> @"SlippyCheeze.5483" said:

> > @"sorudo.9054" said:

> > > @"SlippyCheeze.5483" said:

> > > > @"sorudo.9054" said:

> > > > you could try leatherwork........or do you mean **_profession_**?

> > >

> > > This pedantry is neither productive, nor helpful.

> >

> > it is, it's called profession, not class.

> > the sooner they learn that the better for all.

>

> Why?

 

Because every time someone makes that mistake people _die!_

 

Oh wait, it is just pointless pedantry, never mind.

 

Especially pointless as they're called crafting disciplines and not crafting classes.

[starlinvf.1358]

> @"Fargas.6251" said:

>

>

> > @"michelada.2947" said:

> > My bad let me explain my point why thief is a bad choice for your first class:

> >

> > - Sustain is low compared to other classes, you will notice this on expansions pve where the mobs are harder to kill and deal a lot of damage

> > - Hard to play/ High skillfloor.

> > - There are some mechanics like fields and finishers that you need to learn little by little , thief uses lot of those mechanics.

> > - One trick pony , so it becomes really repetitive in general

> > - One of the most boring and useless class mechanics of all classes for pve

> > - Not enough range options , P/P is ok for pve but is boring just to spam 3 , Short bow is a low damage weapon and you get rifle with pof but rifle is a single target weapon so not good enouhg for pve.

> >

> > I guess that is enough, avoid thief as your "first class" you can give a try on your second character anyways

>

> People told me to avoid Mesmer as my first class. I’m so glad I ignored them.

> The thing is, if they roll a Necro, Ranger, Warrior because “easy”, and they really don’t enjoy it, there is a risk that they will think the game is too easy and just put it down.

> I played Necro as my second attempt at 80, 1st was elementalist.

> The difficulty of the elementalist was refreshing, I just didn’t care for the piano play that she demanded. The Necro, which went further, actually dumbed me down to the point that I had lost my dodging prowess gained from the Ele.

> I made the mistake of trying to push through, and burnt myself out at around level 40 and put the game down for a few years.

> I came back to find the leveling system gutted, but I tried the Mesmer anyhow, and I fell in love with the class.

> She took me to 80. I did eventually use the HoTs boost on the Necro, and am satisfied with reaper gameplay, but shoving easy down someone’ throat isn’t always what they want to enjoy a game.

> The Dark Souls series of games is popular for a reason.

>

>

 

But that notion is also counter intuitive for the vast majority of players. Players who need a more natural feeling growth curve, and not just a high skill cap or skill floor. You have to understand yourself in the context of the game first.... and a lot of times thats impossible to convey in a new game, with no frame of reference to work with. Conceptual differences are also a factor, because what we assume is face value in game mechanics usually isn't. Fast classes are highly reactive, and reactive is very commonly confused as being "skillful" in modern games. Sustain classes think long game, and reward planning and control of the field, rather then simply reacting to it. But what would you consider more skillful? A player that can react to any situation, or a player who can steer you into a corner with your own behaviors?

 

The real problem is exploration is key to any good game. Class exploration by far being the most significant for RPGish type games , but often the most difficult to craft when your player base doesn't even understand what they want. Overwatch actually solved this problem with pitch perfect themeing of characters, allowing players to explore other classes simply by fighting against them. GW2 is trying to capture that with Especs, but also wants to keep the flexibility of their existing system..... the results are going to be hit and miss no matter how hard they try.

[Khaos.6810]

Well I boosted an Elementalist and am currently leveling a warrior, but I wish I had done the opposite; boost X profession and level the elementalist. The mount is soooo handy for quests / travel in general but I don't want to level an elementalist with another 80 ele - do you guys think ArenaNet would let me switch it? Probably not but worth the ask.

 

edit: I'd like to play the elementalist as my first character but also level to 80 instead of start off at 80.

[SilverFalco.2314]

> @"SlippyCheeze.5483" said:

> > @"Khaos.6810" said:

> > What profession/class is the druid?

>

> It's the Heart of Thorns elite spec for the Ranger.

 

If you get 500 hero points can you switch between soul beast and druid?

[CJH.2879]

As you are a new player I'd highly recommend warrior in PVE, its one of the easiest classes to level & survives extremely well on pretty much any PVE map. plus you get the best of both worlds, melee & range (longbow)<< with the weapon swaps... is surprisingly still my favorite class to this day.... ranger & necro are also good, but if you want some versatility (with good defence/offence & aoe at range then yes warrior won't let you down).

[Julischka Bean.7491]

Necromancer and Ranger are good for learning as they have minion/pets to help you. Warrior is good, but remember to slot a condi cleanse.

 

As far as using your second boost...I, personally, would use it for mesmer.

 

Below level 80, mesmer is a pretty difficult critter.

 

Boost it, grab all the weapons that mesmer can use, then take it into open world and experiment. See what you like best. Once you have formed your own opinion, then go online and look for builds. Having had experience, the builds will make sense to you.

 

Have fun :)

Lisa.