Guild Wars 2: 5 Best Tips for Beginners

If you’re thinking about starting your Guild Wars 2 journey and are worried about the years of practice other players must have stacked up, don’t. With Guild Wars 2 tips for beginners we’re here to make your transition into the world of Tyria as smooth as possible, so you can compete with other players like it’s not at all your first rodeo. 

Before we get started, did you know Guild Wars 2 was first released in 2012? Guild Wars 2’s gameplay is so good that it still attracts over 300,000 daily active players today. Part of that hype is that Guild Wars 2 is always updated every now and then, with the newest End of Dragons expansion in 2022 definitely attracting some more newbies. With that said, it’s clear Guild Wars 2 is no old geezer. So, if you’re thinking of testing the waters for yourself, here are Guild Wars 2's best tips for beginners to give you a head start.

5. Level Up, But Not Always

The downside to a game that has been around since 2012 is that there is such overwhelming content that it’s easy to want to give up. For instance, there are over 80 levels in Guild Wars 2. Each level leads up to the end of the main storyline. After every few levels, you are rewarded with neat little perks that enhance your gaming experience. And therein lies the key to leveling up. 

However, it’s meant to be a fun experience. So, try not to overly focus on clearing the levels. Take each step at a time. Breathe in the environment and get a good feel for the class you’re playing. You can even leave the solo campaign and show off your skills in PvP (player versus player) or WvW (world versus world) modes. This is actually a great opportunity to really soak in the game because you don’t have the pressure of leveling up.

As early as level 1, you can jump into PvP or WvW mode to compete against other players. Though note that you’ll adjust to level 80 and be given the appropriate gear for that level too. And once you leave PvP, you go back to where you left off. Back to leveling up. So, it can also be a way to take a breather every now and then.

4. Wiki How?

In case you start to second guess yourself, you can always use the Guild Wars 2 wiki feature to get the information you need. Simply type “/wiki” into the chat and the game will pull up the game’s wiki page full of up-to-date information. Essentially, you have all the information at your fingertips. So, if you didn’t already know, now you do.

3. Explore, Explore, Explore

The world of Tyria is such a vibrant-looking open place that it’s hard to imagine not wanting to explore it. In fact, exploring Tyria is among the main gameplay elements that reward your efforts with several perks and experience points. You can visit points of interest, waypoints, vistas, renowned hearts, and more locations around the map. If you complete exploring all these points, you get the “map completed” status.

Additionally, if you want to level up, exploring has to be part of your forte. This adds a spice of fun to it in case going through the story quests starts to feel like a chore. So, you’re free to finish the quests, but you also need to explore the world of Tyria and do a couple of world events to reach level 80. Once you do, you can enjoy additional perks like riding mounts, gliding, and more.

2. Gather and Craft Your Way Through

Guild Wars 2 offers axes, pickaxes, and sickles, which you can buy from a common vendor once you reach level 10. But don’t underestimate the value of these tools. You can use them to gather various resources like wood, ores, and special plants. So, if you’re the person who feels fighting has more value, perhaps consider gathering and crafting too. Gathering valuable items will come in handy in certain quests. Otherwise, you may have to purchase these items. Of course, it’s not an easy thing to do. There are times when your tools will age or break. So, you’ll need to replace them. Or, you may consider getting an infinite tool when it shows up in the Gem store.

To gather items, look out for gathering nodes on your compass. You should see these nodes as you explore the land. Then, interact with a node to gather useful items. Once you’ve gathered raw materials, it’s time to craft them into valuable items. This often comes in higher levels where you can craft some rare and unique items. So, you may need to have a little patience. Plus, every effort you put into gathering and crafting each day pays off in the form of increasing the types of items you can make. Like you can only make Ascended armor once you reach level 500 as a tailor. But other items won’t take as long.

1. Free Account? Yes, Please!

Did you know you can play Guild Wars 2 for free? That’s right. All 80 levels of the Guild Wars 2 base game are free to download and play. The only thing with a price tag is the three Heart of Thorns, Path of Fire, and End of Dragons expansions, as well as the Living World season between each expansion. 

So, if you want to play the casual 80 levels of the base game or the PvP and WvW modes, you can do so at no charge. However, if you want to expand to more stuff like the expansions, the new PvE maps, more characters, and some cosmetic items, then you’ll need to pay a one-time fee. 

So, what’s your take? Do you agree with our Guild Wars 2 tips for beginners? Are there more tips we should know about? Let us know down in the comments or over on our socials here.