Guild Wars 2?

Shellfishguy · 2013-08-27T07:49:47.000Z

Doesn’t sound like bad advice, which I shall try for sure! I find myself buying a piece of karma gear from a heart I just finished then getting a just as good or better drop 5 mins later. I guess I’m still used to WoW and EQ where upgrades can be few and far between. Plus I’m still wrapping my head around the fact that greens are better than blues here lol.

One of the other things that I really like in GW2, is that I don’t even notice that I’m leveling. In WoW I’m ending zones as soon as I outlevel them and moving on. Here I’m just running around and trying to do and see it all and don’t even notice that I’ve leveled up until I see that I have a new trait point waiting for me. It just feels a lot more natural than seeing the mobs go grey and knowing that I can’t get anything out of the area anymore.

Mysterio · 2013-08-27T08:02:04.000Z

mouselock:

I’d heartily suggest you consider one of the gamepad keyboard thingies (e.g. Logitech G13, Belkin/Razor Nostromo). Each one has some type of joystick/thumbpad plus a number of definable keys so that you can arrange all the keys to your liking for ease of use. I, personally, have the G13 (after being a Nostromo person for quite a while) and like it somewhat better than the nostromo. When I had the nostromo I would tend to map abilities to key rows and modifiers to the D-Pad to access my abilities, and use the mouse for movement. As I needed to transition to more keyboard oriented movement, I also switched to the G13 (which, last time I looked, had more keys) and kept the WASD mapping in the middle of the pad, and then mapped abilities around it.

There was a bit of a (re) learning curve, but I couldn’t (literally could not) play any MMO or hotbar based game long term without one of these gamepads. I played enough EQ without one to know that combos of skill mapping and modifiers was causing RSI problems with my wrist.

Even with keyboard remapping I find that I need the modifier keys (alt/shift/ctrl) to get the level of control I want in most game with multiple sets of commands (i.e. not D3 type 6 hotkeys is all you get games), and I could never count on the games to allow me to arbitrarily remap modifier keys. (I think this may be a hardware failure in chording for regular keyboards which the electronics must be built to specifically get around.)

Thanks for the details. I’d been considering the Logitech G13, but I have no keyboard shelf space (it’s already too crowded for a Filco keyboard and Logitech G500). Since I’m not allowed to remove the keyboard shelf, the only spot for it is on the desk located at a level about 3" above the shelf and 4" in front of the keyboard, which would be an awkward setup. Gaming was so much easier when it was just me and my PC (not RC)!

Gedd · 2013-08-27T08:51:02.000Z

I’m sure I can find some build tips on the GW2 boards, but I thought I would ask here first. My wife’s elementalist just hit 80. Is anyone running a decent build with a focus on survivability? She’s (unintentionally) tried playing the glass cannon at lower levels and gets extremely frustrated by being downed too often. I’d rather see her at least start out with doing decent damage, but being able to take some hits as well.

Gear-wise I was going to go for Knight’s Masquerade pieces as it seems the general advice is that Knight’s is really good for survivability, but if there are other opinions feel free to voice them.

On a sidenote, ugh, does that Masquerade set look ugly (and yes, I know it’s a taste thing and I’m sure some people love it). I’m assuming she can transmute it with stones (never done it before, but seem to recall getting something that does that as a reward for something).

Wolff · 2013-08-27T09:02:41.000Z

Most elementalist builds get their survivability from active play (combos, kiting etc). Scepter/dagger is the current hotness. Fresh air builds are also very cool. Traiting for survivability and splashing lightning hammer for dps also works.

Does she solo a lot or group. Are the groups pugs or hc friends or friendly friends.

If it is just friendly group stuff staff support is pretty easy.

Gedd · 2013-08-27T09:07:52.000Z

We always play together as a duo or with a set group of 5, so friendly friends. We are definitely not hardcore GW2 players.

Fishbreath · 2013-08-27T09:11:52.000Z

Gedd:

I’m sure I can find some build tips on the GW2 boards, but I thought I would ask here first. My wife’s elementalist just hit 80. Is anyone running a decent build with a focus on survivability? She’s (unintentionally) tried playing the glass cannon at lower levels and gets extremely frustrated by being downed too often. I’d rather see her at least start out with doing decent damage, but being able to take some hits as well.

Gear-wise I was going to go for Knight’s Masquerade pieces as it seems the general advice is that Knight’s is really good for survivability, but if there are other opinions feel free to voice them.

On a sidenote, ugh, does that Masquerade set look ugly (and yes, I know it’s a taste thing and I’m sure some people love it). I’m assuming she can transmute it with stones (never done it before, but seem to recall getting something that does that as a reward for something).

(elementalist main here) As Wolff said, elementalists are big on active survivability and, to a smaller degree, gear-based survivability. Since I’m too lazy to keep a glass cannon set for PvE and a proper balanced set for WvW, I use the WvW setup (mostly berserker trinkets, mostly power-vitality-toughness gear) for everything, and it’s worked alright so far.

Scepter/dagger is a good weapons set for damage and control. Focus offhand has more defensive skills (two projectile reflects, one invulnerability, one hurt-things-hitting-you), while dagger offhand has more control (two knockdowns) and mobility (Ride the Lightning). Survivability specs tend to go deep into Water, using the regeneration-on-cantrip trait, the heal-allies-on-attunement bonus, and the grandmaster trait which cures a condition whenever you apply regeneration, and/or deep into Arcana for Evasive Arcana (effects on dodge; includes a heal/cleanse in Water attunement) and Renewing Stamina (for near-perma-vigor if you have a decent crit chance).

Edit: staff is light on things to do if there’s something trying to gnaw your face off, but it’s very effective with allies. I duoed my elementalist to 80 with a necromancer friend, and with him tanking and me throwing AoE damage and healing, we frequently took on five or eight normal mobs, a few veterans, or a champion plus occasional adds. I run scepter/dagger most of the time now, but I still keep a staff in my inventory for the utility.

Wolff · 2013-08-27T09:13:30.000Z

A build that focuses on fury/might stacking for the group might be fun for her to try and master. I think scepter/dagger works the best for that but you may want to google up some options and check the build lists in the official forums.

Fishbreath · 2013-08-27T09:16:03.000Z

Wolff:

A build that focuses on fury/might stacking for the group might be fun for her to try and master. I think scepter/dagger works the best for that but you may want to google up some options and check the build lists in the official forums.

Fury stacking is harder, I think, but I regularly get to 18-20 stacks of might if I’m actually thinking of my combos when I’m soloing.

Dragon’s Tooth, dagger #4 for combo field, phoenix into combo field.
Attune to earth, dodge into combo field (evasive arcana in earth is a blast finisher), dagger #4 and #5.

Boon duration is nice, but you get a whole mess of that from going deep into Arcana anyway.

Telefrog · 2013-08-27T10:59:58.000Z

Oh, Hell yes!

Gedd · 2013-08-27T11:17:37.000Z

What’s awesome isn’t that they’re bringing back Super Fun Box…which they could’ve done pretty easily to much rejoicing…but they’re actually adding to it as well.

Thanks for the tips Wolff and Fishbreath. I’ll look over what you put up so far (and anything additional you or someone else might post).

In addition to Elementalist build tips, does anyone have a favorite light armor set look they like? Preferably not something expensive to acquire as it would just be used for transmuting on to the Masquerade set.

El_Chaco · 2013-08-27T12:09:40.000Z

I like the Masquerade set, it looks all Mardi Gras…

Does this help? http://www.gw2armorgallery.com/

Fishbreath · 2013-08-27T12:16:25.000Z

I’m using a few stately pieces on my asura. I like the aesthetic.

Gedd · 2013-08-27T12:57:28.000Z

El Chaco:

Does this help? http://www.gw2armorgallery.com/

Very useful. Thanks.

gurugeorge · 2013-08-27T14:19:13.000Z

So glad they’re bringing back the super adventure box, totally missed it first time around, and recently I saw a player with one of the minis from it, which I now MUST HAVE, so I’m hoping it’s going to be in again: a little boxy bee dog thing that’s made of 100% pure awesomium.

Shellfishguy · 2013-08-27T14:34:54.000Z

So is the super adventure box stuff for all levels or just max level?

WarpRattler · 2013-08-27T15:02:49.000Z

It’s for everyone, and it’s a special instance in that you don’t get access to your normal skills or anything while doing it.

rhinohelix · 2013-08-27T16:23:34.000Z

I may be the only person on the planet who doesn’t like the current constant content churn. I always feel like I am missing something, and yet I can’t seem to find space to catch up on what is going. Longer running events and a full-fledged boxed expansion would be my preference. I understand they need to do what’s best for the game, though, and if it brings in the people and cash, I won’t complain too loudly.

MrPerson · 2013-08-27T16:37:58.000Z

I would have preferred that they reduced the rate of content churn and instead devoted more resources to core gameplay and feature improvements, but since I have no further interest in playing the game my opinion isn’t particularly relevant ;)

malkav11 · 2013-08-27T16:57:25.000Z

rhinohelix:

I may be the only person on the planet who doesn’t like the current constant content churn. I always feel like I am missing something, and yet I can’t seem to find space to catch up on what is going. Longer running events and a full-fledged boxed expansion would be my preference. I understand they need to do what’s best for the game, though, and if it brings in the people and cash, I won’t complain too loudly.

You’re not the only one, but I was complaining about it a lot more loudly when I was still only dipping into the game a couple times a month, versus my current several times a week.

Derbain · 2013-08-27T18:08:05.000Z

I don’t mind the content churn. It’s fun to have something to look forward to, though I’ll have to admit to not being overwhelmed by the return of Super Adventure Box so soon. I’m more interested to see what all is involved in the new crafting tier. I suspect there will be a heavy time gated component. Hopefully it won’t be too egregious. I’d like to be able to equip more than one of my characters with ascended weapons.