Help me play Rift!

[Faithbreaker]

Well it's midnight here in D.C. and after staring at my WoW, SWoTR, DayZ and Steam accounts I've decided it's time for something new. So here I am downloading Rift and wondering what excitement awaits me. BUT I have a few questions first.

1. I have always played a tank or healer. Will I be handicapping myself if I level as a tank or healer?

1b. How involved is it to switch specs? I believe I read somewhere you could just switch not sure if that was true or not.

2. How difficult is it to get into dungeons WHILE LEVELING?

3. I enjoyed the DEs in GW2 how similar are rifts(is this the right name?) to dynamic events?

Also if you would like to add anything else a new person to the game should know I would appreciate it. Thanks very much for any info you can give me.

[thurizas]

Well it's midnight here in D.C. and after staring at my WoW, SWoTR, DayZ and Steam accounts I've decided it's time for something new. So here I am downloading Rift and wondering what excitement awaits me. BUT I have a few questions first.

1. I have always played a tank or healer. Will I be handicapping myself if I level as a tank or healer?

1b. How involved is it to switch specs? I believe I read somewhere you could just switch not sure if that was true or not.

2. How difficult is it to get into dungeons WHILE LEVELING?

3. I enjoyed the DEs in GW2 how similar are rifts(is this the right name?) to dynamic events?

Also if you would like to add anything else a new person to the game should know I would appreciate it. Thanks very much for any info you can give me.

1. Probably not. However, with the number of 'specs' that you can have (currently 6) and the ease that you can switch between them, there is no reason not to have a tank spec, a leveling spec and whatever else you are interested in. I will point out that the first few are relatively cheap, but by the time you are going for your four or fifth slots they get pricy.

1b. Switching specs in Rift is as easy as it is in WoW. Pick the spec, hit the activate button and wait out the 10sec (I think) cast time.

2. As DPS, especially leveling the queue time can be long 30+ mins, but then there is enough to do (quests, instant adventures, zone events, rift) while you wait. From what I've heard the queue for healers and tanks is significantly shorter.

3. From the little I played GW2, both rifts and zone events are fairly similar to GW2 dynamic events. Rifts, for the most part, then to me shorter and located in single place. Zone Events take longer, might cover the entire zone and have multiple objectives (for example close 10 rifts, defeat 40 invasions and then defeat a boss)

My suggestions would be;

(1) Take your time and enjoy the game. Notice the little things in the world and try to do the store quests, they really do server to explain what is going on.
(2) There are four calling (Warrior, Cleric, Rogue and Mage), and each calling has nine souls; a spec consists of three souls. Take some time and play with different specs (or purposes). Three of the classes can tank (Warrior, Cleric and Rogue); and three classes can heal (Mage, Rogue -- although some may consider rogue healing a support healer and not a main healer --and Cleric).
(3) Don't be afraid to ask questions, in general the community is friendly and helpful.


Hope this helps.

[Antipathy]

Thurizas pretty much covered most of what you asked. I would add that you possibly check out:

http://www.mmo-champion.com/threads/...-Guide-to-Rift

It explains quite a few things that can be helpful to a new player.