Advice for a newbie.

[WhiteStorn]

Greetings!
So I started playing this game alongside my friend. I'm Magus and hes a Chosen, we just reached rank 10 both in career and renown, and so far it's fun! However we both are newbies and we feel like theres still alot of knit knacks that we don't know about the game and it's mechanics. We never played the game when it was alive, sadly.

-)How important is renown? Should we be focusing on leveling in pvp instead in pve?
-)What exacly is the fastest way of leveling? I heard people suggesting scenarios, but I'm not sure which ones to pick since we are still lvl 10.
-)How important is the crafting system?
-)Best way to get good gear?
-)Any other stuff I should know in general about this game? What to do and what to avoid? (Vague question I know)

I appreciate the people who take their time to help us out with these questions
Thank you ^^

[Artwork]

1) Welcome to the game
2) Renown (RR) is very important. Characters of each class all have the same skills, but are customizable in only three ways (non-cosmetic.) Renown is one of those ways, and if you are high level but with low renown, you will suffer noticeably against the other people you'll be playing against. This can be offset by experienced players through gear (and potions and talismans), and through experience, but if you are just starting out you'll have neither, so don't be in a hurry to level your experience without keeping your Renown around the same rank.
3) The crafting system is important, but not critical. You can play the entire game successfully and never craft a single thing, but it'll be expensive, or you'll end up doing without goodies that other players will have. As a new player, I'd highly recommend you start with Cultivation/Apothecary. Easy professions, they don't require a lot of investment, they can be done while playing in RvR, and will provide you almost half of the stuff you'll need as you play the game.
4) Some (most?) of the best gear in the game is available through currency that you can only get from participating in PvP. Either in RvR (one type of currency), or Scenarios (a separate type.) There are PvE exceptions, but they require a lot of grinding, and a knowledge of where and what to grind.
5) As a newer player, the only thing I'd avoid would be power-leveling. You won't learn your character well, you won't learn the game well, and you'll get massacred at higher levels by people who already know both. Have fun, take it slowly and enjoy the journey. Ask questions as you have them (the game does have a learning curve), and again - welcome

[AxelF]

1) Renown is very important - try and keep it above your career level while you're levelling up -the BIS gear obtained from RvR/scenarios has minimum renown restrictions as well as minimum rank. You'll also get some BIS gear from bags that drop in open RvR following a zone lock, and you're ineligible to obtain the best loot until you're rank 40 renown rank 41. You also get renown points to spend on things like crit chance and extra defence, as well as a bonus mastery point to spend at rr 40, 50, 60 and 70. How high a rr you have when you ding lvl 40 has become something of an epeen event, but as long as you're at least 41 when you hit 40 you won't miss out on any lot gear from bags you might get in RvR.

2) Fastest is probably grinding mobs you need to kill for quests in your own race zones, so Chaos for you, as you get extra xp in those instances. That has the downside of no rr points though. I'd say queue for scenarios at all time if you enjoy them and then mix in some open RvR. Go nuts in PvE if your rr is high enough and you want to grab a few levels quickly. Make the most of your time at level 14/15 in T1 RvR/scens though as you'll be very effective v lower level chars.

3) it's a good way to avoid shelling out gold, I'd probably recommend cultivating and apoth as your first char as they're very easy to level and provide a constant source of income. You can then buy talismans from the AH if you really want, but don't spend a lot until lvl 40 as you'll quickly want to upgrade your levelling gear. Get miracle grow remix addon for cultivating.

4) Best way to get good gear is pretty much through RvR or scenarios for the tokens that drop, redeemable in the Undercroft in Inevitable City. You can buy gear sets at various levels as you level up that will pretty much do you until you get high enough rank/rr for the next set, or get better stuff drop. You can also buy weapons and other armour from the vendors next to the guys that sell these sets.

5) Best thing to learn the game is pretty much PvP - you'll learn your class and what the Order classes can and can't do. There are some great addons that will make your life much easier, like Buffhead, do a quick forum search for essential addons or best addons or similar. Have a read through the class sections of the forum too. Enjoy it though, it's a great game! Try and avoid the forums for a day or two after patch day too..!

[Richardwarhawk]

I think the best thing for you both to do at this moment, is to find a good guild with active veterans of the server who will be willing to show you guys the works.

[Mystry]

-)How important is renown? Should we be focusing on leveling in pvp instead in pve?
-)What exacly is the fastest way of leveling? I heard people suggesting scenarios, but I'm not sure which ones to pick since we are still lvl 10.
-)How important is the crafting system?
-)Best way to get good gear?
-)Any other stuff I should know in general about this game? What to do and what to avoid? (Vague question I know)

I appreciate the people who take their time to help us out with these questions
Thank you ^^

1. Renown is extremely important. It's basically your true level; level through pvp to keep it high. You will need it high to equip gear later.

2. There honestly is no fastest way of leveling anymore. Power leveling methods have been consistently removed for a long time; your fastest way is probably simple grind at mobs your level. But that leaves your renown rank in the dust, so don't do that. Level through scenarios and open rvr warband stuff.

3. Crafting is INCREDIBLY important. If you want to be competitive at all, you NEED good talismans and a constant 2 pot buff (armor + your main stat of choice usually). For a new player, it's probably best to go apothecary and butchering. Butchering gives access to materials to make armor pots which is the number one greatest survivability increase you'll ever get. It also gives access to many, though not all, other potions, such as strength or willpower. The downside is that you have to actually farm mobs to butcher them. Cultivation is entirely passive and basically prints materials over time; but you can't get armor mats using cultivation so I don't use it. Apothecary, in case it isn't obvious, makes potions. You'll be using these things constantly so its best to have a character that can make them otherwise it turns into a massive gold sink.

4. Best way to get good gear depends on your class and what you want to do. For most people, the open rvr sets are the 'best'. You get those with medallions from open rvr lake activity. If you're a stubborn meta-breaker like me who insists on playing DPS healers among other things, though, your best gear will be from emblems you get from scenarios. In general, the 'main spec' of a class is gotten through open rvr and the 'off spec' from scenarios. This is organized according to archetype, so if you play a tank archetype, doing open rvr will get you medallions that you can use to buy tank gear. Scenario emblems will give you offensive dps focused gear.

5. Avoid playing Witch Elf or Witch Hunter if it's your first time. These classes really need a lot of attention and good gear and knowledgeable play to do well, for a variety of reasons that I won't get into here. If you're a tank archetype, remember to use your guard even if you aren't a defensive tank. Unless there are no healers on your team, that is. In that case, you're screwed either way.

Also there is a pug scenario that rotates regularly. Only solo players can que for this scenario, so premade groups won't show up in it. Use this if you don't have a group and don't feel like being stomped into the dirt by the melee train over and over again and losing 500 - 0.

All I can think of at the moment.

[Miszczu5647]

Remember that when you hit lvl 16 you are out of t1. T2-T4 zones are merged - all players play togehter in pvp.
When under lvl 32 you arecan bolstered to lvl 48 (stats). On 32-39 you are bolstered to 40 lvl. It is crucial to have gear equal to your real lvl. And with talisman sloted. This way you will gain as mucha as possible from bolstering. I saw lvl 26 slayer who solo obliterated lvl 40/rr80 choppa. He new how to use bolster to his advantage. Learn it also or you will have hard time above lvl 16.

[WhiteStorn]

Thanks for all the detailed replies guys
I will follow them.

[Akilinus]

What RichardWarhawk said. I would not be playing this game if I did not have a like minded group to play with.