Guild Wars 2: The One Thread

[Edge-]

Q3 2021 highest reported earnings for gw2 since q3 2018. And AFAIK that does not yet include expansion pre orders.

Looks like reinvesting into gw2 was a good call Anet, game is doing great right now.

Ye, pre-orders will be realized revenue when the expansion releases. This seems to be covering the start of the free LS updates and some of the 50% off expansion bundles that they'd been doing for the past few months. Seems like those were successful efforts, which is great.

Outside of my general "meh" about EoD, honestly it seems like post-layoffs and with the return of Colin and the other guy, Anet is starting to build a bit of momentum again. I hope they can keep it up and actually stick with a company/game identify now, which is something they've long, long struggled with.

[qwerty123456]

Lets be honest all that extra money was from the magical girl stuff.

[Lotus Victoria]

Damn, I gotta be honest. Anet's trailer/hype department is just f'in terrible. Judging only by what they've shown so far, I'm still not sold on End of Dragons. The new areas look so...Empty!

At least their trailers are in-engine and not some fancy cinematic, but still, I'm quite bummed out. I'll probably end up skipping this one, at least during launch. >

[Edge-]

Anet's trailer/hype department is just f'in terrible.

It's improved since the original live-action launch trailer, but their marketing arm continues to be by far the weakest part of the company. At least we haven't had any more cringy co-promotions. They absolutely CAN make great trailers, but for some reason they just don't do that as a rule.

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Aight, I'm more interested in the turtles now. You raise them from a wee baby? Rad. Jump jets? Pretty fuckin cool. Momentum buildup a la beetle? Coolio. Was kinda worried about how they'd implement this, but it's sounding good.

This is gonna be the whole playerbase come EoD for a bit -

[PACOX]

I was happy when all we knew about the turn that it had a gunner seat.

Anet really loves flexing with its mounts.

[ryanmahaffe]

yeah the siege turtle at a glance is underwhelming when you think of it as "new mount"

But nah, it's an entire feature basically, with its own progression of raising it up, taking care of it, and eventually riding it into battle with your co pilot.
Super excited to get it!

[Edge-]

https://en-forum.guildwars2.com/topi...ation-updates/

Big changes coming to pretty much all the new elites specs for the coming beta. Honestly, a lot more expansive than I thought since they're straight up altering or adding new mechanics rather than just tweaking numbers and adding on boons or something. I don't know what to make of it all since I haven't been following, but I dig the way they did this by addressing specific feedback with short answers before detailing the specifics.

Apparently guardians now bring everything since WB gets alacrity, which is making some folks salty (and it's for the selfish dps spec), but its damage still sucks. I didn't get a chance to play it last beta but I'm looking forward to giving it a spin in the upcoming one.

I'm feeling a bit more excited for the expansion since seeing the turtle video and now seeing them being pretty responsive to feedback from the betas.

[Tyris Flare]

That is more specific feedback than the wow devs have given to stuff in forever heh

[PACOX]

The changes are on par with their process. Gamers always forget/get jumpy.

The first iterations were just making sure the mechanics they were going for even worked. Some didn't. Now can start playing with numbers, smoothing out the rough spots, making sure the specs work with core mechanics.

The next time we'll see the specs is probably launch (after beta 4). Which gives them the two - three months they usually take when doing a balance patch. I would bet a lot of the previous specs will see adjustments too. There's some hints in their dev streams and some of the design patterns (one example is all support skills have been capped at 5 players vs old skills capped at 10)

Turtle is looking great.

[Svifnymr]

https://en-forum.guildwars2.com/topi...ation-updates/

Big changes coming to pretty much all the new elites specs for the coming beta. Honestly, a lot more expansive than I thought since they're straight up altering or adding new mechanics rather than just tweaking numbers and adding on boons or something. I don't know what to make of it all since I haven't been following, but I dig the way they did this by addressing specific feedback with short answers before detailing the specifics.

It sort of fits into what I mentioned with the first beta, that a lot of the new stuff was just repurposed old stuff. It seems like they're still tinkering with it on a decent sized scale, and the beta is a good testing experience for them. Should end up with a better product I hope. As I mentioned I already pre-bought it since I generally like GW2's gameplay and just need more places to run around in and do things that don't feel too grindy. Hopefullu Turtle's progression is more natural feeling rather than "read a guide and do the grind" stuff.

[Tyris Flare]

Am I wrong or does it seem like the good builds are insanely melee heavy? Just looking through the meta guides and there seems to be so few actual ranged specs, even the ones with a ranged weapon have to swap to melee constantly.

[Cattleya]

Am I wrong or does it seem like the good builds are insanely melee heavy? Just looking through the meta guides and there seems to be so few actual ranged specs, even the ones with a ranged weapon have to swap to melee constantly.

It's because ranged weapons generally have inherently less damage capability, to make up for the fact they don't have to be in melee range where it's more dangerous.

However, this range advantage doesn't matter in the meta for raids/fractals/dungeons because the meta is "everybody form up in one condensed blob on the boss' ass for heals/buffs", so everyone's in melee range anyway. Therefore melee weapons are the meta.

[PACOX]

Melee is really strong in instanced PVE (fractals, raids, strikes) because of the way support works in the game. You want everyone in the area to maximize boon coverage, targeted AOEs are also easier to dodge if you can bait it to a known spot. If everyone in the same spot, you know where the AOE is going.

Ranged builds gain more utility in PVP, WvW, and of course open world where a lot things are 'viable'. PVP and WvW have backliner/nuking builds that are primarily ranged. Support is considered 'mid-ranged' in a lot of cases. And of course your tanks and bruisers are in melee.

[ryanmahaffe]

Was in a Gw2 stream and heard a funny fake "conspiracy" Colin and Grouch both left Arenanet and went to Amazon game studios, and came back to Arenanet earlier this year, and now gw2 has all these great changes coming as well as an awesome looking expansion pack. So basically they went to sabotage New World and then returned to gw2 to reap the rewards!

Joke obviously but I thought it sounded funny.

Besides that, I find my excitement for EoD increasing more and more, the changes coming to the specs seem mostly great. might have to do HP trains on all the classes soon to get all the new specs early on. The next WvW beta is coming relatively soon as well

As some of us say in gw2, 2022 is the YEAR OF GUILD WARS 2.

[Bugg]

Hello,
Could someone direct me to an objective tutorial or video about this game? I am looking to clarify / i am curious about the following:
1). I am a casual and i mostly play solo ( east EU times + not much free time = hard or impossible to find IG friends. How suited is the GW2 MMO for one like me?
2). Classes. I enjoy magic; at what classes should I look first? If i play solo, i need one that it self sufficient, right?
3). No clear or not at all tank-heal-dps roles. How does this work? Sounds... Very strange.
4). B2p. No pay--to-win, right? I saw skins mainly but also some.. tools? And other... Trinkets.

Thank you.

[Val the Moofia Boss]

1). I am a casual and i mostly play solo ( east EU times + not much free time = hard or impossible to find IG friends. How suited is the GW2 MMO for one like me?

First thing you need to do is to do the first mission of the Path of Fire expansion ASAP. This will get you the Raptor mount, giving you a huge increase in mobility. This is mandatory. Everyone else in the game has one. If you don't have one, you're going to have a really bad time chasing after groups at they rush off to the next event and finish it before you even arrive. After you get the raptor, it is then strongly suggested that you do the first mission of the HoT expansion in order to unlock gliding, as this also greatly increases your mobility and survivability.

You can do the story solo. You can do a lot of the hearts and the events out in the world by yourself. For big meta events in the expansion maps, you need many other people to do it. You don't need to be grouped with them, but there just needs to be a lot of people in a lot of places in order to complete the meta event. Unfortunately, there are now many maps with meta events, so the playerbase is spread out over them quite thinly. Furthermore, most people have done the old meta events already, so you might see some dead maps.

You need to group up with other people to do fractals (aka dungeons) and raids, but they're not the main content of the game.

You can solo queue for PvP (small battleground matches or giant zerg rush battlefields), you don't have to talk to anyone.

2). Classes. I enjoy magic; at what classes should I look first?

GW2 has the base class (ie, Ranger), which has a lot of flexibility. For example, the Ranger can shoot with a bow, or dual wield shortswords/axes/horns, or can wield a greatsword. And has a pet. You can build your talent tree to focus on any of those things (or a combination). The expansions had Elite Specializations, which are different class fantasies. The HoT expansion added the Druid elite spec to the Ranger class, so if you pick that then you wield a staff, blink around as a wisp, entangle enemies in roots, shoot laser beams from your staff that can also heal people, etc.

The magic base classes are Elementalist, Mesmer, and Necromancer. Revenant may or may not count in your view as it mainly uses a combination of melee weapons to attack, while also channeling the spirits of dead historical figures.

Look at this page to see what the elite specs are and see if any appeal to you.

If i play solo, i need one that it self sufficient, right?

All classes have solo builds.

3). No clear or not at all tank-heal-dps roles. How does this work? Sounds... Very strange.

Every class has damage mitigation and self healing. For solo content like the story, you can just dodge most damage and heal through the rest. For group content, everyone lays down healing AoEs and stands in it. The HoT expansion brought raids, and a dedicated healing spec with the Druid, so the Druid saw some use as a dedicated healer early on, but nowadays no one really does that.

4). B2p. No pay--to-win, right? I saw skins mainly but also some.. tools? And other... Trinkets.

You need to pay for extra inventory and bank space. You accumulate a lot of items in this game very quickly and there are many, many items you do not want to throw away.

The unbreakable gathering tools are worthwhile IF you plan to get really hardcore into GW2 and you're going to do crafting. If not then don't bother.

You need to buy the last episode of season 4, Dragonfall, so you can get the Dragon mount, but you should generally do the story in order (start at HoT. Skip the vanilla story and season 2).

[Lex Icon]

1.yeesh! don't do what Val said. that's just some speed running mindset nonsense. and not for your average casual player.

as for magic classes that fits your wants the Necromancer is probably a favorite among new players.

[Selah]

Damn, I gotta be honest. Anet's trailer/hype department is just f'in terrible. Judging only by what they've shown so far, I'm still not sold on End of Dragons. The new areas look so...Empty!

At least their trailers are in-engine and not some fancy cinematic, but still, I'm quite bummed out. I'll probably end up skipping this one, at least during launch. >

Honestly, I'm okay with a low PR kinda launch. I'd much prefer that over hearing how amazing and fantastic everything will be and then get to actual launch day and it's nothing like they said *cough cough*

That said, I wish we had more communication for sure. Information limited at best.

[PACOX]

Hello,
Could someone direct me to an objective tutorial or video about this game? I am looking to clarify / i am curious about the following:
1). I am a casual and i mostly play solo ( east EU times + not much free time = hard or impossible to find IG friends. How suited is the GW2 MMO for one like me?
2). Classes. I enjoy magic; at what classes should I look first? If i play solo, i need one that it self sufficient, right?
3). No clear or not at all tank-heal-dps roles. How does this work? Sounds... Very strange.
4). B2p. No pay--to-win, right? I saw skins mainly but also some.. tools? And other... Trinkets.

Thank you.

Look up Mukluk or MightyTeapot on YouTube for good beginner videos

1. Easy to play solo. The game promotes cooperation with others but also designed that cooperation doesn't mean you have to group with or know other people.

2. A side note, technically alk claasws (except engineer i think) are 'magic' users in lore. The light armor claases are your traditional magic users though with Guardian and Rev filling the 'heavy mage' archetype. Necro is death magic. Mesmer is illusions. Elementalist is elemental (pleaae donr assume its a ranged wizard. They are moew shamans if you play WoW). All classes can solo and hild their own.

3. Active mitigation is king. The game does have healers Its noy without tank mechanics in late game. But tgink of the trinity as damage/control/support. And less as having statof roles but a mix of the 3. You need CC, you meed mitigation (could be mobility, dodges, blocls), you need support (light hrals and boons/cleanses).

4. The game is B2P. Core game is free. The 2 expansiojs out now are now bundled together (and 50% off as of this post), the upcoking xpac is paid in between xpacs are 'living world episodes) that are content patches which advance the story in between the story of the xpacs They typically add maps, items, masteries (horizontal progression in GW2), and story Living World episodes are free until a new one is released, then they can be bought for in game gold or MTX. Unfortunately you just missed out on Anet giving away all the living world stuff for free.
The stuff ib the cash shop are cosmetic (dont lisren to people saying cosmetics are only put in the shot, huge lie. Not even all the 'best' stuff is in the shop) or quality of lie stuff (storage expansion, permanent salvage kits, gathering tools) stuff that means uou have to visit vendors/trading post less but nithing that is actually needed or gives you power. Everything on the cash shop can (and some should) ve purchased with gold by converting gold to gems (the casg shop currency).

[Theangryone]

Are you talking about the live previews? They have expressly stated there are things in the maps they are not showing us to avoid spoilers.

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1.yeesh! don't do what Val said. that's just some speed running mindset nonsense. and not for your average casual player.

as for magic classes that fits your wants the Necromancer is probably a favorite among new players.

If you are new, for the love of god choose anything but Elementalist