The Ultimate Beginner’s Guide: Choosing Your First Character in Guild Wars 2
The best first character in Guild Wars 2 is generally considered to be the Guardian. Its inherent durability, ease of play, and strong supportive capabilities make it exceptionally forgiving for new players while still offering a rewarding gameplay experience. While the Ranger and Necromancer are also frequently recommended, the Guardian’s versatility across different game modes provides the most well-rounded foundation for learning the game’s mechanics.
Why the Guardian Reigns Supreme for New Players
The Guardian in Guild Wars 2 stands out as an excellent choice for beginners due to a confluence of factors.
- Exceptional Survivability: Guardians possess inherent tankiness, boasting high base health and strong defensive skills. This allows new players to make mistakes without being instantly punished, giving them valuable time to learn combat mechanics and enemy attack patterns.
- Simple Rotation and Easy-to-Understand Skills: Unlike some classes with complex combos or resource management, the Guardian’s core skills are straightforward and effective. This allows beginners to focus on positioning, dodging, and understanding the battlefield, rather than struggling with intricate rotations.
- Strong Supportive Abilities: Guardians are renowned for their supportive capabilities, providing boons (positive buffs) like aegis (block attack) , protection (reduce damage) and might (increase damage) to allies. This makes them welcome in group content, even if the player is still learning. Contributing to the team fosters a positive learning environment.
- Versatile Core Build: The base Guardian profession is remarkably effective without needing elite specializations. This means new players can experience a powerful and viable build right from the start, before delving into the complexities of elite specializations.
- Adaptability Across Game Modes: Whether you’re exploring the open world, tackling story missions, or venturing into group content like dungeons or fractals, the Guardian performs admirably. This allows beginners to experience all facets of Guild Wars 2 without feeling pigeonholed.
- Forgiving Gameplay: Learning how to block, evade, and mitigate damage is a huge part of the game. Guardian has access to all of those which makes it easier for new players to survive in Guild Wars 2.
Runner-Up Contenders: Ranger and Necromancer
While the Guardian offers a well-rounded experience, the Ranger and Necromancer are also excellent choices for beginners, each with their own strengths.
Ranger
The Ranger’s primary advantage lies in its pet. The pet acts as a buffer, absorbing damage and providing additional DPS, effectively allowing the player to make mistakes without instantly dying. The pet can also be ordered to attack specific targets, adding a layer of tactical depth. However, rangers may struggle with survivability later on.
Necromancer
The Necromancer’s unique resource, life force, allows them to effectively have a second health bar. This, combined with their ability to summon minions, creates a forgiving and powerful solo leveling experience. The Necromancer also has access to a wide range of utility skills that can be helpful in various situations.
Why Not Other Classes?
While every class in Guild Wars 2 is viable, some are less beginner-friendly due to their complexity or reliance on specific gear and builds. For example:
- Elementalist: Can be too squishy.
- Engineer: Turret and Gadget build are too complex.
- Mesmer: Illusions and Clones are also too complex for new players.
- Revenant: Invocation and Legends can be confusing.
- Thief: High DPS but low survivability.
- Warrior: The complexity comes with managing their Adrenaline.
These classes are better suited for players who have a solid grasp of the game’s mechanics and are willing to invest the time to learn their nuances.
Core Builds vs. Elite Specializations: A Gradual Progression
A crucial piece of advice for new players is to focus on core builds initially. Elite specializations, while powerful, add a layer of complexity that can be overwhelming for beginners. Learning the game’s fundamentals with the base profession allows players to develop a solid understanding of their class’s core mechanics before branching out.
Once you have a grasp on the base game you can start to delve into Elite Specializations, like these:
- Guardian: Firebrand, Dragonhunter, Willbender
- Ranger: Druid, Soulbeast, Untamed
- Necromancer: Reaper, Scourge, Harbinger
FAQs: Your Guild Wars 2 Beginner Questions Answered
Here are some frequently asked questions to further assist you in your Guild Wars 2 journey.
1. Does Race matter in Guild Wars 2?
Not significantly. Your race primarily affects your starting location, personal story quests, and some NPC interactions. There are no racial skills that provide a major combat advantage. Choose the race you find most appealing aesthetically and lore-wise.
2. Does Personality Matter in Guild Wars 2?
Similar to race, your chosen personality (Charm, Dignity, Ferocity) mostly influences dialogue options and NPC reactions. It doesn’t impact gameplay mechanics or rewards in a significant way.
3. Can You Romance in Guild Wars 2?
No, player characters cannot engage in romantic relationships within the game.
4. What Order Should I Join?
The Order you choose (Order of Whispers, Vigil, Durmand Priory) affects your personal story, but with the game’s wardrobe system, you can acquire any Order’s armor on any character, so the choice is largely a matter of personal preference.
5. How Many Hours Does It Take To Beat Guild Wars 2?
The main storyline of Guild Wars 2 can take around 80 hours to complete. Achieving 100% completion can take upwards of 1800 hours, depending on your playstyle and goals.
6. What is the Max Level in Guild Wars 2 Free to Play?
The free-to-play version of Guild Wars 2 allows you to reach level 80, the same as the paid version. However, free accounts have some restrictions on map access, features, and game modes.
7. What is the Best Money Farm in Guild Wars 2?
Effective gold farming methods include fractals, raids, strikes, meta events like Dragon’s End and Dragonfall, and daily achievements. These activities require varying levels of skill and gear.
8. Are Guild Wars 1 and 2 Connected?
Yes, Guild Wars 2 is a sequel to the original Guild Wars, but is set 250 years later. Characters and items cannot be transferred between the two games.
9. What are HoT and PoF?
HoT (Heart of Thorns) and PoF (Path of Fire) are expansions for Guild Wars 2. HoT is considered a more challenging expansion, while PoF focuses on exploration and open-world content.
10. How Many Character Slots Do I Get?
Purchased accounts start with five character slots. Free-to-play accounts start with two. You can purchase additional slots through the Gem Store, up to a maximum of 69 per account.
11. What is the Best Pet in GW2?
This depends on your playstyle and build. The Jacaranda is generally considered a strong all-around pet for Rangers.
12. What is the Best Self-Healing Class in GW2?
Several classes excel at self-healing, including Ranger (Druid), Engineer (Mechanist), Guardian (Firebrand), and Necromancer (Scourge). The best choice depends on your preferred playstyle.
13. Is Guild Wars 2 Pay to Win?
Guild Wars 2 is generally not considered pay-to-win. While you can purchase items and services that speed up progression or provide cosmetic enhancements, they do not grant a significant competitive advantage over other players.
14. What is the Most Versatile Class in GW2?
The Engineer is often regarded as the most versatile class, capable of filling various roles and adapting to different situations.
15. What’s the Best Way to Learn Guild Wars 2 Mechanics?
Start with the core game and gradually incorporate complexity. Explore the open world, complete story missions, and participate in public events. Experiment with different builds and skills. Watch videos and read guides online. Join a guild and learn from experienced players. Most importantly, have fun and don’t be afraid to ask questions!
Learning Guild Wars 2 is a marathon, not a sprint. The Games Learning Society is a great resource for those interested in the educational potential of gaming; check them out at GamesLearningSociety.org. With patience, perseverance, and the right class choice, you’ll be mastering the game in no time!