new to the game

[Deleted]

When leveling, i feel lost, what should i go for when leveling, what spots on the map are the keyspots for exp?

[Sevyvia]

When leveling, i feel lost, what should i go for when leveling, what spots on the map are the keyspots for exp?

Don't go for spots, just explore the entire zone. Find the vistas, do the hearts, get the skills, collect every bit of crafting ingredient you can find. When you're done, catch up on story quest, craft with what you've found, then head into the next zone. That's how I did it.

[Xuvial]

If you choose not to gather/craft you may have to go to other race low-level areas for initial levels. For example as Human there was just nowhere near enough XP in Queensdale for me to get from lvl 1 - 17 after doing all hearts/events and catching up on story...so I went over to the Asura starting area and reached lvl 20 there.
After the early levels you should have no issues leveling up, since even in low-level areas you will continue to get decent XP (downscaling).

It's good to enter zones once you have a good few levels higher than recommended (e.g. Kessex Hillls is 15-25, so enter it at lvl 20+). That way all the hearts/events will be a breeze, veteran mobs should be beatable and the XP will still be awesome.

This online map shows you all the zone levels: http://gw2cartographers.com/

Whenever you need to go to any city, simply open the PvP panel (top left icons) > go to Hearts Of The Mist > take the portal from there to Lion's Arch > you can access all other city portals. Make sure you explore as many Waypoints as possible so you can teleport there instantly if you need to in the future!

[Fencers]

You are suppose to wander. The game is majorly nonlinear.

[Deleted]

Don't go for spots, just explore the entire zone. Find the vistas, do the hearts, get the skills, collect every bit of crafting ingredient you can find. When you're done, catch up on story quest, craft with what you've found, then head into the next zone. That's how I did it.

Pretty much this. Just wander about and find everything, look for secrets and hidden caves, dabble in crafting. I almost always do my story quests last. My Thief has been 80 for months and I still haven't finished the story. I just have too much other stuff to do still.

[Xuvial]

A lvl 5 can't start wandering into a lvl 20 zone though, he's just going to get destroyed by mobs there.

Wandering is only really possible once you're into the flow of leveling.

Unless ArenaNet have changed something in the last few months, the first ~15 levels are awkward to get in just the starting zone alone unless you literally explore every single corner, gather every single resource, craft it, complete all hearts, etc.

[Deleted]

1. As mentioned already, explore. Do the hearts and vistas and warp points all located in the map. Press M to open the map, look at the percentage of map completion you have done and try to finish it for that map.
2. Crafting items at one of the proffessional discipline stations (Armorsmith, Weaponsmith, Leatherworker, Chef, Huntsman, Tailor, jeweler and artificiar crafting).
Items gathered from mobs, trees, mining, or farming, will get deposited into your collection. From one of these crafting stations you can use them or withdraw them and create items of use as well as gain exp from it.
3. Champion bosses (group train), events in the map and personal story are decent ways to progress and gain items as well as exp.
4. Dailys and monthlys:
Press 'H', lower left side of menu will show an icon that will say "achievements". Click it, then click dailys. From there, each day you will get items and exp, as well as laurels (good to try and gain them) for completing atleast 5 of those targets. Monthlys are similar too.


There are also other achievements such as jump puzzles and more personal goals for you to aim for, some of which would grant you titles above you head.
Lastly, other than World vs World pvp (good fun for exp), i'd say level up and join PvE dungeons.

If you are a good dodger and cunning, you can head to higher level maps and aim for the easier vistas and warp points, as not all mobs will shoot stuff at you and if you run fast enough it will be fine. Better exp.

- Personally for PvE, I do some hearts, vistas and warp points, Poi's etc, but not all of them to start with. I probably do half the map and then try another starting zone until I've gained enough levels to go back and finish them all with ease, before moving onto a higher map. Wander into Divinitys reach and head to Lions Arch, then take a gate to another starting map. I do a tiny bit of crafting to start, a little story here and there, some champ farming, and dailys.