Guild Wars, Should I Buy?

[WindowsVistaGeek19]

I'm considering buying Guild Wars, but is it worth it? I have a few questions:

How is PvP?
Is there a decent mage class?
Is there a decent community?
And is it easy for a newer player to get involved in?

[Who_Flung_Poo?]

Well, I can't really say much for PvP as I don't go beyond Random Arena and Alliance Battles (which in itself is just a 12v12 random arena).

As for mage class that would be the Elementalist, who can change roles depending on what element you go into. Early in the PvP metagame Air spiking was a popular build. Air is primarily used for high single target damage as well as blind botting. Fire is mainly used for PvE as it has the most AoE damage spells, though it has been used for pressure builds with fire. Earth has many defensive wards for anti-melee as well as extra armor. Water magic is currently the main use for GvG for snaring enemy runners, as well as running them selfs.

As for the community. Well, it's like many other online communities. It has it's share of asshats and jerks, but it also has it's fair share of helpful people.

As for new player getting involved. If you can get yourself into a good guild they can really help you get used to the game. And if you want to get into high end PvP you will definitely need a guild as if you try to join a random group, many will not take players without a certain rank.

[Mikouen]

One of the better things of Guild Wars, is that it's pretty much based more on time than skill. What skills you choose, what equipment you use to complement them, and how you lay out your stats, are more important than how long you've spent levelling up. That does mean that the campaigns can be more difficult later on, since you can't just grind up to out-level and out-stat your enemies, but it does mean PvP is more balanced and the game is based a lot more around teamwork.

It's very easy to get into the game, but to be honest, since it's so different from most MMOs, it won't be for everyone. Grab a free trial if you can, the next time ArenaNet are offering one. Or maybe you'll get lucky, and someone with unused trial keys will let you use them. Who knows?

[WindowsVistaGeek19]

Or maybe you'll get lucky, and someone with unused trial keys will let you use them. Who knows?

Any volunteers?

As for mage class that would be the Elementalist, who can change roles depending on what element you go into. Early in the PvP metagame Air spiking was a popular build. Air is primarily used for high single target damage as well as blind botting. Fire is mainly used for PvE as it has the most AoE damage spells, though it has been used for pressure builds with fire. Earth has many defensive wards for anti-melee as well as extra armor. Water magic is currently the main use for GvG for snaring enemy runners, as well as running them selfs.

Does lightning fit anywhere into that? And does the game include spells like healing and the likes?

[Who_Flung_Poo?]

Air magic is Lightning. And the healing class is the monk, which confuses some as in many games the monk is a melee fighter.

As for a trial key, I'll try to find one of mine that I just left lying around.

[WindowsVistaGeek19]

As for a trial key, I'll try to find one of mine that I just left lying around.

Thanks if you can, but if you can't, don't sweat it.

As for lightning, that's a relief.

I was reading more about the game, and secondary professions. Could you make a monk your secondary profession in order to access those spells?

[Who_Flung_Poo?]

It is a very common thing to do. Especially among elementalists. E/Mo dual smiters was a common build back in the day, and after that, the elementalists would put a few points into protection prayers to use Aegis (50% block chance against melee and arrows). But a recent change made it less popular.

You'll also see Mesmer/Elementalists, who use the Mesmers primary attribute, fast casting, in order to cast elementalist spells quickly.

As for the key, sorry. I finally found my little booklet and it just happens to be missing the full access trial key.

[WindowsVistaGeek19]

It is a very common thing to do. Especially among elementalists. E/Mo dual smiters was a common build back in the day, and after that, the elementalists would put a few points into protection prayers to use Aegis (50% block chance against melee and arrows). But a recent change made it less popular.

You'll also see Mesmer/Elementalists, who use the Mesmers primary attribute, fast casting, in order to cast elementalist spells quickly.

As for the key, sorry. I finally found my little booklet and it just happens to be missing the full access trial key.

Okay, thanks for the info. As for the key, it's np.

As for the game, I see there are some different versions. There's Guild Wars, which comes with the prophecy campaign, Nightfall, with its campaign, and Factions, with its campaign. Am I correct in saying that all of these are stand-alone games? And if I buy one, can I buy another to get access to the campaign from it and the professions? During installation, will it just "plug in" to the existing install?

And if you buy Nightfall and/or Factions, do you get access to the additional professions in PvP/PvE?

And lastly, if I were to only buy one (Factions, Nightfall or the Original) which would be best for the single player experience? And is PvE and PvP the same for all 3 aside from the professions available?

Lastly, can you take your campaign character and use it in PvP/PvE? Will it have all the access to everything a PvP/PvE character would?

[Who_Flung_Poo?]

Each campaign is completely stand alone, you do not need to own any of the others in order to play them with the exception of GWEN, in which case you only need to own 1 of the campains.

Prophesies you will have access to the the core classes. Factions you will be able to make an Assassin as well as a Ritualist. Nightfall you will be able to use the Paragon and the Dervish classes. The biggest advantage from owning all of the campaigns is that you will have every skill at your disposal as well as the classes.

For single player Prophesies has the slowest learning curve as it is the first game and you progress fairly slowly, but it has one of the best stories of the 3. Nightfall has much more lvl 20 content and more ways to complete the campaign.The main thing also going for Nightfall is the Hero system which can make the game much easier to go through by yourself.

I didn't really care for Factions due to the environments in it. It's pace is very quick, but you can't explore at all due to every gate will be locked until you have progressed to a certain point in the story.

Connecting each campaign as you buy them is very simple. If you buy the boxed versions you simply add in the cd key into your account. And if you buy them over the online store they are automatically added to the account that purchased them.

You can take your PvE characters into PvP. Infact that is how it was originally intended to be with Prophesies. With the slow story teaching you the games mechanics, and you acquiring skills as you go, and finally entering PvP once you have completed the campaign.

[Darth Taxi]

1.PvP is ok...sometimes if you know how...
2.YEEEES, there is decent "mage class"
3.Depends...
4.Everything is easy...if you know how
Advice: Wait for GW2