Thread: Levelling Flow

  1. #1

    Levelling Flow

    Hey Guys,

    I started my second crack at GW2 the other day. I decided to try a guardian and really give this game a better shot that I did the first time (I only got to level 21 or 22 on a warrior previously).

    I seem to have run into the same issue that put me off last time... Level deficiency relative to content.

    I am only level 4 so far, but I am already having to start doing hearts etc that says its for level 5 and 6. On my warrior last time i ending up doing level 22 stuff when I was 18 etc and it wasn't pretty sometimes haha
    I even ground out 3 levels on mobs in queensdale before moving to the next zone last time cause I had fallen behind somehow.

    I've checked the maps and there doesn't appear to be any hearts or anything I miss and I always do map completion before moving on.

    1. Is this just how the game is?
    2. Am I missing some major part of each zone that's not getting my to the suggested levels?
    3. Unlike other MMO's, is crafting/PVP/WvW etc required in order to level?
    4. Is grinding mobs expected?

    Other MMO's I have max toons in (WoW, RIFT, SWTOR) I always seem to end up with 1 or 2 levels breathing room by the time I finish a zone. Perhaps those MMO's are too easy in a questing sense? I really don't know.


    Sorry for the long post, hope someone can point me in the right direction.

    Cheers!

  2. #2
    Yeah it's kinda dumb for the first ~20 levels you just run out of hearts in your zone.
    What I usually do is:

    1. work on my personal story -- gives loads of XP
    2. find another zone with similar lvl req

    But it actually gets better after a while.

    Keep in mind that GW2 heavily encourages exploration and also levelling is a big part of the game, not something you would want to 'rush'.

  3. #3
    The leveling process in GW2 involves the whole game and not just "questing". Now whether you agree that it should be that way or not that is what the developers said it was designed for. What does that mean? That means in addition to the hearts you will need to do your personal story, gathering and crafting, exploration, traveling to other race starting areas, and even some wvw pvp if you want to. If you do all of those I guarantee you'll be fine level wise, heck I'm always over the appropriate level in the areas.

    Again, I repeat this because there will be others saying it shouldn't be so, the game is designed for all parts and not just leveling in a certain area.

  4. #4
    It's a mostly non linear game. The heart events are 'in-between' content. The thrust and purpose of GW2 is built around Dynamic Events. Hearts are not Dynamic Events. Players are suppose to have the impetuous to simply wander the world. Not have an overly directed course.

    You are playing incorrectly for all intents and purposes.


    1. Is this just how the game is?
    A. Yes, it's non linear to a large degree. Wander. The game rewards better the higher level content you can tackle. It's a skill based game.

    2. Am I missing some major part of each zone that's not getting my to the suggested levels?
    A. Explore, hop to other zones. You are not meant to be overly directed in the level scheme.

    3. Unlike other MMO's, is crafting/PVP/WvW etc required in order to level?
    A. No. But its a good source of XP.

    4. Is grinding mobs expected?
    A. No. It's actually counter productive. Mobs that are killed repeatedly lose the bonus XP. Wanderlust is the major hook of gameplay.
    Last edited by Fencers; 2012-12-19 at 09:47 PM.

  5. #5
    Scarab Lord Karizee's Avatar
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    Think of hearts like bread crumb quests. They lead you into an area but it's the Dynamic Events where you will get most of your xp throughout the game.

    There are only 300 hearts in the game but there are over 1500 dynamic events. Look for NPC's that are asking for help or want to speak with you. Or even listen for a minute to a conversation between NPCs, it often unfolds into a dynamic event.

    Also gathering gives a good bit of xp while exploring around.
    Valar morghulis

  6. #6
    Thanks for the replies guys, I actually didn't realise there was that many dynamic events, I hadn't come across as many of them as I probably should have by now.

    I guess I'll be paying more attention to NPC's from now on.

    Also thanks for the tip of checking out other race starting zones, that thought hadn't even crossed my mind hehe

    I'm excited to go have another go tonight now

  7. #7
    Scarab Lord Karizee's Avatar
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    Haha yeah, the game actually was originally designed without any hearts whatsoever. People were too lost though, it was too much of departure from standard MMOs so they added them to give people hints as to where the dynamic events are.
    Valar morghulis

  8. #8
    Quote Originally Posted by Frelaziram View Post
    Thanks for the replies guys, I actually didn't realise there was that many dynamic events, I hadn't come across as many of them as I probably should have by now.

    I guess I'll be paying more attention to NPC's from now on.

    Also thanks for the tip of checking out other race starting zones, that thought hadn't even crossed my mind hehe

    I'm excited to go have another go tonight now
    You also get XP for everything, so don't skip vista's, or skill points or just finding that last area of a zone even if it has no heart there. Bonus for clearing a zone (including the cities).

    And yeah, gathering is good xp and crafting is ALSO good xp. Even if you don't craft and just sell off the mats, I'd make sure to gather.

  9. #9
    I think that completing map should give you enough xp if you are not rushing/avoiding mobs. You can use food to get some extra xp or you can go to other maps working towards 100% completion as you level up. Also crafting ... lots of free xp there.

    My part in this story has been decided. And I will play it well.

  10. #10
    There are multiple zones for the various level ranges. If you start to see you're a bit low for hearts on a part of the map, click pvp Go to the Mists--and take the portal out to Lion's Arch. From there grab any of the gates to the other starting zone areas. If you skip your personal story quests, you'll need to do that or extra dynamic events. Going to multiple zones at low levels is actually useful, because you can unlock more skill point challenges than you otherwise would--allowing you to access tier 2 and 3 utility skills much earlier. Also, try to always keep a sigil of bloodlust (for 25x5 power) for all of your weapons.

  11. #11
    Mechagnome BEYR's Avatar
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    Wow was a bit like that during vanilla. You would have to travel for sometimes hours (class quests were a bitch) to do one or two quests. Alliance warlocks were especially screwed, having to sneak through Horde territory at low level, sans mount, for demon quests. The warrior weapon quest would put you up against elites 10 levels higher than you. This was all designed to make people group up or level in certain areas. In reality it just made you get a friend/guildie with a 60 toon to walk you through it.

  12. #12
    Unlike vanilla Wow, traveling to other zones, takes very little time.

  13. #13
    Quote Originally Posted by Frelaziram View Post
    I've checked the maps and there doesn't appear to be any hearts or anything I miss and I always do map completion before moving on.

    1. Is this just how the game is?
    2. Am I missing some major part of each zone that's not getting my to the suggested levels?
    What you're missing is the other zones of similar level. You're thinking that the 15-25 zone should level you 10 levels after you "finish" that zone but that doesn't happen. However, there are several 15-25 zones in the game and you're free to go do them any way you like. For example, on my human Guardian I followed my personal storyline from Queensdale to Kessex Hills, a 15-25 area in which I didn't reach 25. So I just went east to Brisban Wildlands, another level 15-25 area that my personal storyline skipped entirely, and got some levels before moving on.

    Note that experience scales in this game and you can go back to a lower level area and still gain experience relatively fast. You can be level 70 and do the level 1-15 area quests on some other race's starting area and you'll still be gaining good experience. None of the areas are limited in any way, you can go do the quests in any area you want to. I haven't tried it but you can probably go do the quests in a level 80 area at level 2, well, at least the quests where you don't have to kill anything...

    3. Unlike other MMO's, is crafting/PVP/WvW etc required in order to level?
    No. I did not craft or PvP on my Guardian and I ended up with about 33 % world completion. If you finish all the questing maps you'll have enough experience to be level 80 three times over.

    4. Is grinding mobs expected?
    Grinding mobs is usually absolutely terrible experience in this game. You'll actually level faster if you ignore the mobs as much as you can and just run around doing hearts, events and map completions...

    By the way, the Guardian becomes a real beast later on if you use a powerful build and you won't have any real issues fighting higher level monsters. You only notice that the mobs are 5 levels higher than you when you notice it takes a bit more for them to die.

  14. #14
    Herald of the Titans Achaman's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by nevermore View Post
    Yeah it's kinda dumb for the first ~20 levels you just run out of hearts in your zone.
    What I usually do is:

    1. work on my personal story -- gives loads of XP
    2. find another zone with similar lvl req

    But it actually gets better after a while.

    Keep in mind that GW2 heavily encourages exploration and also levelling is a big part of the game, not something you would want to 'rush'.
    back when i was leveling my ele the personal story was a damn nightmare to solo so for most of it i tried to get someone to help me which was usually someone a few levels higher than me i still havnt finished it as all thats left is in orr and trying to get around there alone is freakin horrible.

    after only one character and getting the world exploration achie having to do it all over again is just painfull finding each vista and poi and the events got boring really quick you quite easily run out of "hearts" to do before you start doing them a few levels higher than you or you go do some wvw and catch up only to get underleveled again.

    what doesnt help is alot of the events are massive or take ages so having other people around would speed it up but chances are the zone your in is completly empty making you either solo and die alot or change server just so you can level a new alt and moving from zone to zone can be both time consuming and expensive...

    personally i like the game it sjust making a new character is just so damn painfull everytime i try a new class i get somewhat depressed thinking about all the events and vistas and PoI's ill have to find before i feel i can leave the zone i swear getting to 80 more than once just seems like a chore rather than a new fun experience


    oh and i rarely bother with crafting on a new game as its usually more hassle than its worth early on and usually wait till im at levle cap to go back and powerlevel it without the issues of mobs owning you but since everything is your level it just makes it so much more annoying
    Last edited by Achaman; 2012-12-21 at 06:51 AM.

  15. #15
    Quote Originally Posted by Achaman View Post
    back when i was leveling my ele the personal story was a damn nightmare to solo so for most of it i tried to get someone to help me which was usually someone a few levels higher than me i still havnt finished it as all thats left is in orr and trying to get around there alone is freakin horrible.
    This is probably more of an issue with ele. My Guardian was running around pulling multiple mobs with zero issues in the level 80 zone in Orr a few levels before I actually hit 80. Now at level 80 with a few exotics I faceroll pull 5 mobs at a time and they pretty much die to a full set of Greatsword skills and I can solo many of the event champions if I really want to.

    personally i like the game it sjust making a new character is just so damn painfull everytime i try a new class i get somewhat depressed thinking about all the events and vistas and PoI's ill have to find before i feel i can leave the zone i swear getting to 80 more than once just seems like a chore rather than a new fun experience
    You don't have to do world completion for a second time...

    oh and i rarely bother with crafting on a new game as its usually more hassle than its worth early on and usually wait till im at levle cap to go back and powerlevel it without the issues of mobs owning you but since everything is your level it just makes it so much more annoying
    In this game it's worth doing the professions as you level since the experience from them is worth like 10 levels if you do all the discovering. Actually, that's pretty much all the professions are useful for... powerleveling them at max level is just a waste of money with no benefit.

    Some of them are really easy to level too (Artificier, Jewelry, the armor/weapon professions not so much).

  16. #16
    The xp from gathering and crafting is massive. On top of that consumables give extra xp on kills. If you combine crafting, map completion and the daily quest ... it really should be enough even without going to other race zones. And yeah ... ele is so squishy at low levels it's painful. I didn't expect that when I tried it.

    My part in this story has been decided. And I will play it well.

  17. #17
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    The simplest and faster way to level is to : do dynamic events, do hearts, dungeons and to be even fastest group with a couple of people. It will all go a lot smoother.

  18. #18
    The Lightbringer Kerath's Avatar
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    Personally, I found on most of my characters that the levelling flow went quite well with doing hearts, jumping into most dynamic events I happened across, keeping up to date with my personal story and crafting a bit in between. I was usually a level or two ahead of the recommended levels for the particular areas I was in. Only on 1 character I felt like I was slipping behind early on - I think I got unlucky with dynamic events - so just trotted off to another zone for a bit. Problem solved.
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  19. #19
    Herald of the Titans Vintersol's Avatar
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    I leveled my ranger through jumping on each zone with similar level.

    All 1 - 15 then
    All 15 - 25 then
    All above in order

    I was level 80 before i reached the 50 - 60 Zones easily... works very well. I think also it's intended by design to get the players around the world.
    Last edited by Vintersol; 2012-12-21 at 11:03 AM.

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