In video games, specifically open-world games, quests or in-game missions are not linear. You can literally wander around for hours upon hours without making even a minute of progress in the storyline. For example, in Red Dead Redemption 2, after the snow part of the game, you could wander around, getting into conflicts with NPCs or doing side quests. Still, if you don’t know which quest to do, you will not make any real progress in the game.
That’s the beauty of open-world games—you can explore freely and enjoy different situations. But if there’s a story that is the intended experience for the game, then you should follow it. In this guide, we are going to provide a proper beginner’s guide for Guild Wars 2. After reading, you’ll know how a beginner should approach the game, thrive without unnecessary grinding, and make meaningful progress.
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Things You Should Know
Creating Your Character
Character progression in Guild Wars 2 is in-depth, so let’s break it down for beginners.
Races (Choose one):
- Human
- Norn
- Asura
- Charr
- Sylvari
Pick the race you like; their lore and visuals differ, but their impact on gameplay is negligible. There’s no wrong choice.
Professions / Classes (Choose one):
- Warrior
- Guardian
- Revenant
- Engineer
- Ranger
- Thief
- Elementalist
- Mesmer
- Necromancer
For beginners, we recommend Guardian, Ranger, or Warrior due to their low learning curve. As you level up, you can unlock core specializations to customize your class for damage, support, or defense.
Combat Basics
Combat is a major part of the game. Understanding a few fundamentals will help you survive and succeed.
Dodges: Use dodges to either escape enemy attacks or close in for melee hits.
Don’t Stand Still: Moving while attacking makes you less predictable and reduces damage taken.
Skill Priorities: Focus on skills with keywords like breaks, stuns, or shatter. These will help counter enemy attacks.
Boss Mechanics: Watch boss animations. Glowing arms, pauses, or roars indicate a heavy attack. Either dodge or step back to avoid damage.
Exploration and Quests
Exploration is crucial to success in Guild Wars 2.
- Quests: Yellow hearts on the map are optional tasks. Focus on orange events for main XP and rewards.
- Waypoints: Blue diamonds on the map act as fast travel points—collect them all for efficient exploration.
Quick Reference Table: Beginner Essentials
| Category | Tips / Details |
|---|---|
| Character Race | Human, Norn, Asura, Charr, Sylvari; no wrong choice |
| Class Recommendation | Guardian, Ranger, Warrior for beginners |
| Combat | Dodge, move while attacking, watch enemy animations |
| Skill Focus | Skills with stuns, breaks, shatter |
| Quests | Follow orange events for story, yellow hearts are optional |
| Exploration | Grab waypoints for fast travel |
| Progression Tip | Specializations enhance damage, support, or defense as you level up |
FAQs
Q1: Which race should I choose as a beginner?
A: Any race works. Choose based on your preferred lore or visuals; they have minimal gameplay impact.
Q2: Which class is best for new players?
A: Guardian, Ranger, or Warrior are the easiest to start with. Other classes may require more advanced mechanics.
Q3: How do I progress efficiently in quests?
A: Focus on orange events and main story quests for XP and rewards. Optional yellow heart tasks can be done later.