'Guild Wars 2' 2022: 4 Things New Players Should Know Before Starting

First-time players of "Guild Wars 2" may realize that the game isn't like most traditional MMOs in the market.

Anyone can hop into Tyria and start discovering how the game works on their own, but for those who want to know more about "Guild Wars 2" before even creating their character, here are four important things to know.

Level Progression

Instead of taking quests from NPCs, players earn XP mostly by doing activities across the world.

The heart icons on the world map indicate an area where players can complete objectives that will ultimately reward them with a nice chunk of experience points. Additionally, exploring other areas represented by other icons will always give XP when players visit them.

To earn the most XP per map, visit every point of interest and complete every heart. This will also lead to an important achievement later that's required for legendary weapon crafting.

Class Builds and Party Roles

Unlike other MMOs, each class in "Guild Wars 2" is flexible and can be specialized into fulfilling different roles depending on their passive abilities. A Warrior, for example, can be a ranged marksman, a melee brawler, or offensive support if the right passives are equipped.

However, some classes are better for certain roles than others, so don't be disheartened when someone else deals more DPS or has better team utility.

Guild Benefits

Joining a guild lets players access a Guild Hall situated somewhere on the map, which usually acts as a convenient fast-travel location for unexplored areas. There are other benefits as well, like guild-wide item sharing, guild buffs, free resources and access to guild gear.

Players can join up to five guilds at a time. This is great for having a private guild with friends while also joining one that's publicly available.

Combat Skills

Skills are divided into Weapon Skills and Class Abilities. Players can freely swap their unlocked Class Abilities, but Weapon Skills are strictly tied to whatever they have equipped.

Every weapon has different skills, and they typically fulfill different roles. Also, Weapon Skills change depending on each class. For example, a Warrior's greatsword moveset is different from a Necromancer's.

Most classes can swap between two equipped weapons while in combat, leading to interesting combos and skill rotations.