Pre-Searing Question

I see all these posts about pre and post-searing but im lost. Im about to hit level 4 but I dont understand my purpose here. Is it for me to get to know the game or is there something here I need to get that I cant get in post searing? Will I hurt myself leaving? I dont wanna miss out on a skill or something I will need down the road.


Thanks guys,

Pre-searing is all about being introduced to the game. Generally, I would advise going to post-searing around level 6-7. Pick up as many skills as you can (including the Resurrection Signet), and that of your secondary profession (you get to choose your secondary profession in pre-searing. IIRC, GuildWarsGuru offers a great pre-searing guide, be sure to check that out. Also, pick up a belt pouch.

OK I'm going to try and not spoil it for you. You are in Pre-searing Ascalon, when you enter the academy you will progress through a PvP battle and a small quest and then there is a cut scene explaining the Searing. The game will continue in Post Searing Ascalon.
There are at least 2 trainers for each profession. Most actually have 3. (Mesmer and Elementalist only have 2) Find all of your trainers (ask the previous one he'll direct you) and get all your skills. Make sure you get a belt pouch. That should be the essentials. It is recommended that you do as many quests as you can and level up before moving on. Makes it easier afterwards.

Pre-searing is kinda a training ground. You get your set of basic skills, you get your salvage items for your armor when you get to post. I left pre when I was a 6 or so, I got a majority of the quests done etc..and got all the skills I could in pre. I salvaged items for better armor, (in beta I was taught a lesson on this) and left pre. In beta I was like woot he wants me in the academy, I went over at a 4 and got my arse handed to me. Sold everything, didnt have squat for armor, and died...alot. When I started my Char over, I made sure I went to the collectors and got better armor, got all my skills and made darn sure I had some crafting material. With those few tips, you should be ok..

Ok, so I need

A pouch? (just 1?)
The Res Signet I hear is a must ot get otherwise its costs a point and gold?
and get some materials?

Hows that happen?

Just follow the quests and do as many as you can find, and all of it is revealed through the experience of the game itself. If a person has an exclamation point over their head, talk to them. Check you Log book (L key) to see what quests you've gained, and then click on the quest name for a little green arrow in the compass to show up and point you in the right direction.

At merchants one can by a salvage kit (40g) and an identification kit (100g), and it's a good idea to have one of each with you while questing. This let's you identify unique items and salvage them for crafting materials, which you'll take with you into post-searing Ascalon. If an item says "Highly Salvageable" then it will yield many materials. If you know that you need lots of wood for a good bow or staff later on, then try to salvage as many wood items as you can, as materials cost more in post-searing. Clothes and armor need cloth, hides, linen, etc. Metal weapons need iron, bows and staves need wood, magic items need the enchanted dust or whatever it's called, and so on.

Anything you carry into post-searing that you don't end up needing, you can either sell to another player who does, or get rid of them at an appropriate NPC outfitter character.

If one follows through all the quests and takes their time, they'll be between lvl 6 and 9 when going through the Academy and be well prepared for the next stage of the game. Don't worry, you can't mess up...

Oh, and a little tip...

Save your money. Don't sell or use dyes (unless you just really want a blue jacket or something). Trade items instead of buying or selling them. Take as much with you into post-searing as you can afford to carry. Everything is more valuable over there. Any pre-searing armor or weapons are insignificant compared to what's available later, and in pre-searing you always find what you need to progress forward with relative ease.

Thank you for the great info, Akshara. So all the +3 energy items, the 3-5 blunt weapons (fire wands, etc), the red iris flowers, etc, I should not just be selling to merchants? They might be good for something later?

Iris flowers - sell
Axes/Hammer/Swords can be salvaged into iron (Occasionally one will salvage into something else but not very often) or sold. Iron is a crafting material that you may need Post Searing (depends on your class - look up the armor guide for craft materials for you type of armor)
Bows salvage into wood planks - I'd keep these they have a couple of uses post searing and can always be sold later if you don't need them.
Most items can be salvaged into a common crafting material. Most players recommend stocking up before you go into the Academy. The value/usefulness increases afterward.

hes right on everything but the iris flowers, give them all to gwen and she will give u ain item called the tapestry shred, which can supossedly be used later on n the game to reach an uber area, or so ive heard. but the only place to get it in pre sear. *edit* it takes more than one flower, maybe like 8+, it also speeds along the process if u do her flute quest, buy her a new one and spend the 200 gold on her litle red cloak

See it as tutorial if you may. All the monster there are easy, and it doesnt require that much team work like a normal RPG, they dont want to rush anyone into working in teams, it takes time for many people to get use to invite teams. its also there to let you get use to the controls and your skills. And most importantly, at least I think, is to let you see the world before the searing.

the uber area is a new one to me

i would discount it as it would make a lot of people mad for no reason and if it were available it would have been oficially reported by now

and if it hasnt been reported officially it is a rumor

edit
guide to presear askalon

http://www.guildwarsguru.com/content...lon-id1264.php

I am still wondering the purpose of Gwen. I can still see her broken flute in the ruins of ashfort. She just mysteriously disappeared. Why would they want us to spend 200g (quite alot to newbies in post) for no reason? perheps its just a trick or a joke. Or there could be a deeper purposew behind Gwen.

i never spent the money on the cloak, and i dont think you have to. i gave her the borken flute and 2 or 3 flowers and she gave me the tapestry. from what other people say, all it takes are the flowers and flute. one time i saw her mom sarah by the thing you go to when you die, the one by ashford abbey. i wanted to take that shred and gwen and see if sarah would then have a quest for me, but she wasnt there anymore.

It should also be noted that if one gives Gwen enough red iris flowers and at least the flute, she not only gives the Tapestry Shred, but will heal for +20 as she follows (listen for when she plays the flute). There were actually a couple of times when I was soloing and got overwhelmed that she saved my character.

Still not sure what that Tapestry Shred is for though...

Regarding Salvaging...

Anything that says "highly salvageable" or is a salvage item in the description (like Grawl armor, etc), go ahead and use the salvage kit on them. Sometimes an unidentified item will turn into a highly salvageable one after using the identification kit on it.

However, there's some debate as to whether it's worth breaking down every single item into crafting materials, or simply selling those off. The salvage kit costs 40g, and gives ten uses... that's 4g each use. If the crafting items gained through salvaging are worth only 3g or less, then it's more cost effective to just sell those items off before salvaging them. But sometimes the crafting items are worth more than what was salvaged...

So it's kind of finding a balance there. Some like to salvage everything for materials and take them into post-searing. Some, like myself, only do the highly salvageable and salvage-specific items, then sell off the rest for gold. Others dont salvage anything, and take the gold through selling only.

Fwiw, I followed the second option on my last character. He's in post-searing now, and has more crafting materials then he knows what to do with.

Great, go on a trading binge! Would expect you'll make up more than enough gold to balance up those 4g per salvage for 3g sell price items post-sear.

Adding to an already large wealth of advice, make sure you do every available quest before the one that says "you won't be coming back so settle your business first"

Before leaving pre-seared, make sure that you have all your skills for your primary and secondary profession, and that you got the tapestry shred from Gwen (by giving her flowers and buying her a new flute). And get a belt pouch while you're there.