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Dungeon Briefing

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Dungeon Briefing  Empty Dungeon Briefing

Post by Aerofighter Mon Jun 03, 2013 8:11 am

If you just have experience with normal-PvE enemies your first experience in dungeons can be extremely devastating. Goal of this guide is to give you as smooth crashing as possible.
First of all, read the wiki-page for dungeons and fractals!
Dungeon-specific guides you can check here.
Please ask if you have any questions/concerns. It's quite hard for me to know how new players see dungeons.


Prepare your character

Level up

If you are playing your first character I seriously suggest reaching level 80 first. This gives you time to learn the game. You get downscaled in lower level dungeons but additional traits and access to rare/exotic gear make a difference. Also being a level 80 helps finding a group easier.

Gear up

Get best gear you can afford from Trading Post (or craft). Compare different options and pick suitable one for your budget (like level 80 rare, level 78 exotic or level 80 exotic).
At first glance amount of different options may seem devastating (image of different options by Gorani). Try think what stats you want to focus on to narrow choices down (do you need more health/armor? do you focus on raw damage/condition damage?).
If you are completely clueless and have no idea what you are doing I suggest getting level 80 rares with Knight-prefix (toughness, power, precision) with orbs of choice.

Also it is good to carry different weapons with you. This gives variety and allows you to experiment if you run into problems (like some situations greatly benefit from anti-projectile skills). Most importantly have at least one ranged and one melee weapon because there are some situations which greatly favor other one.

Build up

Your build is also important. Try focus on party-wide skills, damage and active defenses (evades, block). Scroll down for more detail about game mechanics.

Buff up

You can use food consumables and "other" consumables (potions, oils, sharpening stones) simultaneously.
Get best food and "other" consumables you can afford from Trading Post. Simple stat-buff or life-steal on critical are good options for food. Get different potions against different enemies but don't forget stone/oil for other situations.
PvE consumables can not be bought from Trading Post. Instead there are NPC's scattered all over the world. (Dulfy has useful guide) Quite many won't work on dungeons!


Prepare yourself

If you going to join random team you really should read text guides and/or watch videos before-hand. You want as smooth run as possible because most teams disperse after few failures (or simply kick you). Also you can't rely them to guide you properly (or at all).
This site has text guides but feel free to use your favorite search engine to look up for other sources (videos).
If you are going with friends it can be extremely fun to figure stuff by yourselves.


Finding a group

Where to get people

Finding a group can be extremely easy or hard. You have 3 different ways to get party members. Most importantly use your contacts and try get guildies and friends to join you!
If you can't fill your group your best bet is to post on lfg-site (http://gw2lfg.com/). If even this fails your only option is to start spamming "lfg" in Lions Arch or in dungeon entrance.

Joining existing parties

If you want to join an existing party you need to be aware of its requirements. Parties can be looking only level 80 characters, only character with exotic/ascended clear, only players with previous experience or specific classes. If you don't meet their requirements your options are talking your way in or lying. If you lack gear, level or class you can try make it up with your experience. If you lack experience you can try make it up with gear and willingness to listen. "Experienced" people aren't usually that good so if you have read guides/watched videos you can quite easily claim that you are "pro".


On the run

Calling targets

Calling targets is a powerful tool because it allows your party kill an enemy faster which reduces enemy pressure (and ensures progress). Often teams don't use because it's not needed. However if your party has issues you should start calling targets. Sometimes 2-3 people call targets which confuses everyone so decide dedicated caller if needed.

Skipping

If you are in a random group you will very likely heard word "skip" (or just see people running past enemies). People do this because running is often easier and faster while killing has poor rewards. This is often very chaotic and you can expect zero support from your party (if you get downed no one comes for you). So be ready to equip different weapons/utilities on fly if party suddenly starts running.
If you want to skip you should discuss it with your party before running in to make sure everyone is ready. When you get more experienced you should try to make sure that everyone makes it. If one guy dies and resurrects at a waypoint, ask if he needs help. Waiting for one guy to make it can take much longer than if you had killed the enemies.

Exploiting

Exploiting bosses is currently very popular. You may notice people jumping to weird places while bosses just helplessly stand still. This can put you in extremely tricky situation if you want to do it normally. If your actions make it harder for your party you risk getting kicked. If possible you should try to learn these encounters normally (usually faster).

Pulling

Pulling has two possible meanings. You can pull entire groups to choke-points for better area-damage. However more often it's used to split enemy groups so you don't have to face so many enemies at same time. Enemies often have different leash-ranges/areas (when they start running back). Hit one enemy from max range, run back and hope that only few of them follow/remain!

Reviving

When people get downed it should be your top priority to get them up. Whether you try to revive or rally them is situational. If there are any low targets you should try to kill them, otherwise try to revive. If you get downed try to tag low health targets for quick rally!
If you get defeated you can't resurrect at a waypoint while any party-members are in combat. Most of the time you should wait for resurrection. If you are in a bad spot (like middle of enemies) you may have to go back to a waypoint.
In Fractals there are no waypoints. Instead there are automatically updated checkpoints. If whole party dies you can resurrect at latest checkpoint.

Wiping

Eventually you will face the inevitable and see your whole party eating dirt on floor. Many groups tend to just mindlessly retry and retry until they get frustrated (and quit). You should try to analyze what went wrong. Talk with your party, use combat log and just generally try to figure out what got you killed. If you think there's a issue inform your team (be polite, generally people don't like being told that they suck) and try to work on it.


Game mechanics
The way game and dungeons are built favor some mechanics. It is important to know which mechanics to focus if you want to be effective. If you lack basic knowledge (what Conditions or Boons check out wiki for relevant articles.

Damage versus Defense

Most important thing to realize is that higher damage also means better survivability. Faster you kill enemies, less time they have to hurt you. However, it's not that simple. You need to have enough defense to survive, if you die all the time you are not dealing any damage. Also if your party-mates deal low damage fights may last longer than expected!
But it's good to keep in mind that higher damage means faster clear times which means higher reward/time.
Point is, build as offensively as you can, keep just enough defense to survive (needed defense gets lower and lower when you get better). If you find surviving easy get more damage and vice versa (optimal if you have two armor-sets). Dungeons have been soloed on glass-cannon (minimal defense) builds so it is definitely possible.

Raw damage versus Condition damage

Raw damage is easier, has less risks and often even better than Conditions. First of all, raw damage has no caps, if enemy hits Condition-cap you aren't dealing any more damage. Also Conditions won't work against Structures and some enemies have immunities/dispels. Finally raw damage benefits from more sources (more stats, Vulnerability).
Condition-build works and can deal major damage but you need to be aware of its limitations.

Anti-projectile skills

These are one of the strongest type of skills in the game (against ranged enemies). Enemies are dumb which means one skill can negate lots of damage (or even deal it back in case of Reflection).
If your class has access to AoE anti-projectile skills remember to use them in right spots (Reflections can deal 100k++ damage in some cases).

Avoiding damage versus healing

Generally monsters hit hard in dungeons. This means avoiding damage (evades, blocks, anti-projectile, control) is much more effective than passive tanking/healing (Regeneration, Protection, Toughness, heals).
If you have issues with surviving try get access to Vigor, blocks, etc. Bunker-builds work poorly and just slowdown the group.
It's also good to realize that blocks and evades have a difference. Some attacks can't be blocked (also some attacks can't be evaded either). Single-blocks are weak when damage comes in multiple (small) packets like ticking AoEs, evading avoids all.

Unshakable & Defiant (on bosses)

Most bosses have Unshakable. This means Blind only works 10% of time, Weakness/Vulnerability expire twice as fast and interrupting grants Defiant-stacks. Defiant-stacks prevent interrupts. You need to burn down stacks by wasting interrupts. Once stacks are down boss can again be interrupted once.
Obviously this severely hurts Blind- and control-skills. Interrupting is still useful (self-heals, extreme attacks) but it requires good coordination. Also you may have to consider whether Weakness/Vulnerability are worth of it (mainly utilities).

Summons, minions and pets

While these are great to soak up damage you need to be aware of their biggest issue. There are many cases when you want to avoid enemy attention when sneaking through (skipping) or trying fight a small part of a big group. Artificial intelligence tends to rush in and aggro everything from left to right.
Rangers can't get rid of their pet so they need to be extra aware and control it accordingly.

Aerofighter

Join date : 2013-05-12

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Dungeon Briefing  Empty Re: Dungeon Briefing

Post by Aerofighter Mon Jun 03, 2013 8:13 am

What's above is an article I found on how to be sure you are ready to do dungeons. I will also post guides on here a week prior to make sure everyone gets the need to know down prior to doing any dungeon.

Aerofighter

Join date : 2013-05-12

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Dungeon Briefing  Empty HELP FROM A GUILDIE

Post by The Unbunny Mon Jun 03, 2013 6:28 pm

As noted above, many times getting Exotic gear at your level with the stats you want for the build you worked out can be tough to do. I Have a max level Tailor and Leather worker for armor and will build those armors to suit if you provide the material.

I also have an Artificer and a Huntsman at max level and will build those weapons to suit if you provide materials.

Proper accessories built to suit your build, I have a max level jeweler and need only the materials to craft with.

As noted above, many consumables will not work in dungeons. ALL cook-crafted materials are universal, they work anywhere. I have a max level cook and will make any dish you want, if (wait for it) you provide the materials.

Those of you who need heavy armor or melee weapons, I'm working on it. I can't help you yet; I need about 20,000,000gp of materials to level up those two professions. Ok, I exaggerated, but I do need a lot more material than I have. When I get those maxed, the same offer will extend there too.
The Unbunny
The Unbunny
Duke of Oh Look I Agroed
Duke of Oh Look I Agroed

Join date : 2012-01-04
Location : Minneapolis, MN

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