Is there any grouping at all on GW2?

[Televators]

Hey folks, I've been playing GW2 for a couple of weeks and enjoying it quite a bit, but so far, it's reminding me a lot of Star Wars in that I feel like I'm playing a single player game surrounded by other people playing a single player game. There doesn't seem to be any grouping/instances/pvp to be found (I'm still low level, so that could obviously change once I hit higher levels). I'm up to 20 with my highest and while the community doesn't seem rude, no one seems to know anything about the game or they're unwilling to take the time to answer, so I'm heading over here.

I've read the GW2 Wiki and to the best of my knowledge, all I can tell is there is some kind of instancing available around level 30, but no clue how to access it or anything else. I remember grouping constantly in the original GW and I just figured it would be to same, but hasn't been at all, so far.

Is there a way to participate in PvP/Instances at lower levels or does it not really start until higher levels?

[Deleted]

You can do the PvP at any level and kind of feel involved in WvW particularly, get a lot of community there. As for instances, you'll get in-game mail telling you where to go once you're high enough level. It is pretty lonely until you unlock them.

[Televators]

You can do the PvP at any level and kind of feel involved in WvW particularly, get a lot of community there. As for instances, you'll get in-game mail telling you where to go once you're high enough level. It is pretty lonely until you unlock them.

I see. How do I participate in WvW?

[Deleted]

I see. How do I participate in WvW?

I think the hotkey is B, but I haven't played for a while. It's the two swords icon on the screen if that doesn't work.

[lawow74]

You can jump into sPvP(travel to the Heart of the Mists)and compete equally with anyone from the start, as in sPvP you'll be lvl 80 with all skills and traits open and able to select whatever max-level equipment you want. In WvW/EOTM, you'll be uplevelled to 80 but your skills and traits and whatnot will still only be at your true level, so you won't be as effective as a true lvl 80, but you can still contribute.

[Fencers]

Dungeons, SPVP and Guild Missions require grouping. Everything else is laissez faire in terms of grouping.

There were some limited duration mini games that also required grouping. But they are not really around anymore or are at best, seasonal.


My sister once said of GW2 during it's early release similar to this: "I feel like we are just soloing next to each other. Other people just happen to be around."

I feel that's pretty accurate.

[Karizee]

I think the hotkey is B, but I haven't played for a while. It's the two swords icon on the screen if that doesn't work.

No. It's the Castle icon. The crossed swords icon is for sPvP.

OP, you seem a bit lost, I recommend joining a guild.

For Pve most open world content does not require coordinated groups. Where you will find it is in Guild Missions (must be in a guild), Dungeons (the LFG is the 2nd tab under your contacts list), a couple world bosses like Triple Trouble and Tequatl, and to a certain extent high tier events in Dry Top.

For sPvP hit the crossed sword icon to go to the PvP lobby where you can do Hotjoin (completely random), Solo Q (like a random battleground with MMR) and Team Q which is coordinated teams.

WvW offers the largest scale coordinated groups, this is GW2's version of raiding atm. On the highest level your server becomes a meta guild with guild leaders coordinating on and across maps. You can hit the Castle icon or walk through the portals in Lion's Arch to get there. I recommend starting with Eternal Battlegrounds, there you will start to learn about the maps and how to play them. Join your server's teamspeak to learn more about how the strategies and tactics are being carried out. If you find you're getting destroyed in EBG, you can go to Edge of the Mists to learn a bit more on how to handle yourself but it is more of a zergy, karma train affair there.

[Valeron]

My sister once said of GW2 during it's early release similar to this: "I feel like we are just soloing next to each other. Other people just happen to be around."

I feel that's pretty accurate.

maybe but I quite like this design in the open world, the informal grouping

[Vizardlorde]

You can do the PvP at any level and kind of feel involved in WvW particularly, get a lot of community there. As for instances, you'll get in-game mail telling you where to go once you're high enough level. It is pretty lonely until you unlock them.

This information is wrong as of the september feature patch. you must be level 18 to access WvW and lvl 20 for sPvP. Once you hit level 30 you can go to plains of Ashford and do Ascalonian Catacombs story mode ( there is no real level requirement on the dungeon but mobs will obliterate you if the level difference is large enough.

maybe but I quite like this design in the open world, the informal grouping

This.
There is no kill stealing or node stealing or any of the drama that party oriented mmo's create with selfish tagging and non instanced nodes.

[Valeron]

This information is wrong as of the september feature patch. you must be level 18 to access WvW and lvl 20 for sPvP.

that's actually false. can access them at any time but on your first character the notification and icon for wvw and spvp won't be visible until those levels you mentioned

[Televators]

Thanks for the input. To be clear, I love the collaborative nature of open world questing on GW2. It's really nice knowing I can help someone with a quest and they won't get pissed off and not having to group to do it is really nice. I just know that I'll get bored very quick with playing alone. I need some challenging group content. I tried to LFG tool, but there's literally no explanation on screen beyond the name of the group. I don't know what levels are required, where it's at, if I'm needed, can I travel there instantly? Do I have to run somewhere? etc.

[Karizee]

Ok, for the LFG there are a number of categories.

1. Living World: this is level 80 only content. When you reach 80 you'll receive an ingame mail and map notifiers telling you where to go.

2. Dungeons: this is level 30-80 content. You won't see these yet since you are only level 20. As you reach each level required to enter a dungeon again you'll receive an ingame mail showing you where to go.

3. Fractals of the Mists: these can be done at any level but are considered difficult for underlevel players. I'm not even sure if it shows to brand new players now - anyone? Anyway, the "scales" refer to how far you've progressed in Fractals. You can do Scale 1-10, but agony kicks in at level 11. You should not do this yet since you cannot get agony resist gear until you are 80 and if you try to join these dungeons now, you will most likely get kicked without a word.

4. Personal Story: you should have received or completed your personal story missions up to level 20 by now. Players will post there if they need help with their story, you generally only see the Zhaitan story there. This is a level 80 dungeon so not for you yet

5. PvP + WvW: no one uses these, we meet up in the mists.

As you level the game will notify you where to go. As you play through you'll get familiar with the events and where things are located. It can be confusing at first, that's why I recommend joining a guild


EDIT - remember you can always ask in party chat when you join a group "This is my first time, where do I go?" or something to that effect. We mostly don't bite, just don't try to join on groups labeled "speed run" or "level 80 EXP only" until you are ready for it.

[Fencers]

maybe but I quite like this design in the open world, the informal grouping

Well, there is really no grouping for the most part in PVE content. Formal or otherwise. Informal grouping is very rare- it's happened like once or twice in all the time I played GW2.

You literally just happen to be doing the same things as other people around an area. Joining a group in the open world is rare and not required for the majority of PVE content.

[Vizardlorde]

that's actually false. can access them at any time but on your first character the notification and icon for wvw and spvp won't be visible until those levels you mentioned

WvW can be accessed through the LA portals the B interface was disabled in a postfeature-pack fix, I confirmed with a couple of new players who joined my guild. ANd dont bother testing it on your own account, once you unlock it with one character it unlocks for all.

- - - Updated - - -

Well, there is really no grouping for the most part in PVE content. Formal or otherwise. Informal grouping is very rare- it's happened like once or twice in all the time I played GW2.

You literally just happen to be doing the same things as other people around an area. Joining a group in the open world is rare and not required for the majority of PVE content.

It's a new thing Ive noticed for event farming. Ive heard something along the lines that it increases your chances for drops, some say through a magicfind boost others say that the damage requirement to tag a mob in a group is lower.

[Svifnymr]

It's a new thing Ive noticed for event farming. Ive heard something along the lines that it increases your chances for drops, some say through a magicfind boost others say that the damage requirement to tag a mob in a group is lower.

Happens a lot in some of the "large mobs" events in like, Orr. You want to tag as much as possible for loot, so the group works better.

Also, while yeah I don't group a lot in GW2, I never did in WoW or TOR either. In such games, it's always been more common in my experience for folks to just move away from each other, rather than group up to help each other.

[Televators]

Ok, for the LFG there are a number of categories.

1. Living World: this is level 80 only content. When you reach 80 you'll receive an ingame mail and map notifiers telling you where to go.

2. Dungeons: this is level 30-80 content. You won't see these yet since you are only level 20. As you reach each level required to enter a dungeon again you'll receive an ingame mail showing you where to go.

3. Fractals of the Mists: these can be done at any level but are considered difficult for underlevel players. I'm not even sure if it shows to brand new players now - anyone? Anyway, the "scales" refer to how far you've progressed in Fractals. You can do Scale 1-10, but agony kicks in at level 11. You should not do this yet since you cannot get agony resist gear until you are 80 and if you try to join these dungeons now, you will most likely get kicked without a word.

4. Personal Story: you should have received or completed your personal story missions up to level 20 by now. Players will post there if they need help with their story, you generally only see the Zhaitan story there. This is a level 80 dungeon so not for you yet

5. PvP + WvW: no one uses these, we meet up in the mists.

As you level the game will notify you where to go. As you play through you'll get familiar with the events and where things are located. It can be confusing at first, that's why I recommend joining a guild


EDIT - remember you can always ask in party chat when you join a group "This is my first time, where do I go?" or something to that effect. We mostly don't bite, just don't try to join on groups labeled "speed run" or "level 80 EXP only" until you are ready for it.

Thanks for the great writeup. I've joined a couple of different guilds and when I asked the same questions I asked here, most people seemed wholly confused, like I was playing a different game. Guess I've just had bad luck so far!

[zed zebes]

You don't need to be in a party to be playing with others. That's just some weird hangup MMO players have developed. You don't open a submenu and ask to party to talk to other people at a social gathering, do you? Treat GW2 the same way. The way MMOs do it has always been a bit unnatural.

Your abilities that benefit others will always benefit allies around you. They don't need to be in your party to get your boons or your area heals or your reflect protection. If you want to play with someone then just follow them. Say hello. Etc.

GW2 is one of the least isolated MMOs out there. It's always a unified experience.