New Player Inquiries

I started playing a few days ago and have enjoyed it so far. Bothered by my ineptitude, I've been scouring resources looking for some basic introductions to the metagame and more advanced play; unfortunately almost everything I see falls into one of three undesirable categories:

1) Extremely basic
2) Gratuitously opinionated
3) Aimed at veterans

I suppose I'm sort of overwhelmed at the gap between learning to play and putting together an endgame strat. Most of the advanced stuff I look at touts itself as being beginner-friendly and then begins hurling around acronyms and discussing strategies that only apply in the endgame. I'm not bothered as much by the acronyms, which I accept I'll learn after some time, as by the fact that I won't even be able to use any of this advice until weeks from now when I have max gear and enough skills to make a real build.

Until then, I'd like to know if anyone can provide some resources for beginning players that go a little further than just explaining game mechanics or defining basic terminology. Anything that I can actually use as I progress through the game is greatly appreciated. I recognize this information is likely very profession-specific, so I'll explain where I'm at briefly below.

Currently Mo/Me, just completed all the quests/missions in the Ascalon area. Some threads I've read claim monks are more or less obsolete in the endgame because of certain skills held by other classes; if anyone could clarify if I will actually have a use for as long as I play this character I'd appreciate knowing so I won't waste my time just to switch later. My build is pretty awful at the moment as I have very few worthwhile skills, and I'm sure attempting to support the atrocious henchman AI is very different from backing competent players. I'm also aware now that many monks go Mo/E for GoLE, so if that's extremely important I'd like to know so I can restart before I spend too much time.

Anything you're willing to share is greatly appreciated. Thanks!

At the point you are in the game, you are still (theoretically) basically acquiring skills, experience, and equipment. You are a long way from worrying about the "end game", whatever exactly you mean by that. Don't be concerned about your "build".
The game is quite easy at this point so that you can afford to experiment with things. Just be sure to go with a full group - humans and/or henchmen. And, although you may think you've covered a lot of territory, you are still only a short way into the game. There is a lot more to go.

Also, at this point in the game, you can basically not worry about your secondary (Me) too much. You would be better off to concentrate your attributes and skills in the Monk lines and only use a bit of Mesmer if you want.

You are a Mo/Me, which is used a lot in the later stages of the game as a RoJ Monk (Ray of Judgment). Until you get the skills to be a real RoJ monk you can concentrate on being a "smiting" monk - using Smiting Prayers skills to do damage (and perhaps, Archane Echo from Mesmer). In that case, most of your skills and attributes can go into Smiting Prayers and Mesmer lines. (Healing, Protection, and Divine Favor are not needed for a smiting monk.)
Btw, if you mainly go solo with Henchmen, it is easier to do that as a smiting monk and leave the healing to a henchman. The henchmen will attack what you attack a tend to follow you - it is easier to direct things as an attacking smiting monk, than as a healer which tries to stay out of harms way and doesn't attack.

But, since it is easy to save and load Templates, you can also put together a healing (or heal/prot) build using Healing Prayers (or HP plus Protection Prayers) and Divine Favor. Healing monks are always in demand by PUGs (Pick Up Groups - random humans).

Btw, as far as acronyms are concerned, there is a thread in these forums which explains most of them. And let me introduce you to your friends, the wikis:
http://guildwars.wikia.com/wiki/Main_Page
http://wiki.guildwars.com/wiki/Main_Page

Well, you forgot
"4) Posted by a complete moron."
There's a LOT of dross on the forums.

Anywho, there is something to gain from the end-game-oriented posts even if you're not anywhere near the end-game. The mechanics are uniform throughout the game, and what makes something a good idea in end-game areas usually makes it a good idea throughout. Instead of looking at specific skill or tactics suggestions, look for the underlying insights into the game mechanics (ex: "armor-ignoring damage dominates armor-respecting damage as monster armor increases," "leveraged damage is much more effective than non-leveraged damage," "monster AI always falls for tricks X, Y, and Z," etc.)

The first thing I would advise is ignore people like Chthon. There is a reason he has the title "Furnace Stoker" 'nuf said.

Getting back to your questions. Quaker has laid it down for you. At the point in the game where you are your best bet is to take your time, do each quest, experament with different builds. As you progress through the game aquire as many of the skills as you can from quests, save your money and materials as you will need it for better armor. Use the best weapons you can get your hands on, try not to buy weapons as there are a lot of people out there that will over charge you what amounts to a basic weapon. If you are a member of a guild, put your guild members to work, ask them questions and for help when you need or want it (that is what a guild is for) but try not to abuse your guild members by asking for everthing or anything to be done by them. At your level of play, almost anytime they come to help you it will be like them doing it for you. It can't be helped. If your guild is putting pressure on you to get to "the end game" time to find a new guild. If you need a few thousand gold or a dozen iron ingots, go farm it. In the end that will save you a lot of hurt feelings and build respect from the guild members that know you don't beg. If you are one of the ones that ask guild members for materials and gold, you may get what you have asked for but you are also less likely to get help when you really need it.

In the end, Guild Wars is a game, enjoy yourself and have fun. Feel free to PM me in game if you would like help or just have a question.

For the guild: if there is no prohibition to buy/sell in guild/alliance, use it. Pple there won't try to scam you and are more likely to offer to sell for a lower price. Just don't beg - nor for items, nor for help with quest/mission (well, untill you are really desperate) and absolutly, never, for beg for gold.

my advice is to play the game how you feel, the gap is still there between the main game and end-game/elite areas unless you're already within the PvE/PvP meta.
sorry this isn't verfy helpful ^^; but make sure you enjoy the game without feeling like you have to follow the meta

GW is not a gear or grind based game, getting to level 20 and getting max gear does not take a long time. And you can pick up skills any time you want from a skill trainer, Prophecies also has the advantage of giving you skills in quests in addition to that. If you wish to find out where to unlock a skill, or to view a list of skills then http://guildwars.wikia.com/wiki/Main_Page is a good place. Guildwiki is probably the best GW resource on the internet, and is definitely worth flicking through if you are new.

Monks are most definitely not obsolete in endgame play. As Quaker said, the RoJ monks are fairly popular. Monks also have one of the strongest farming builds available at this time, 600/smite. Monks are often taken as bonders or healers in tank n' spank style builds.

GoLE is a great skill, but at your current stage in the game it isn't really needed. There are a few mesmer skills in the inspiration line than can offer similiar energy returns. Later on in the game, you have the opportunity to change your secondary profession, so don't bother restarting because you think you chose the "wrong one".