basics & essentials · 2019. 1. 3. · warhammer online: basics and essentials the interface now...

PRIMA Official Game GuideMike Searle

The Prima Games logo is a registered trademark of Random House, Inc., registered in the United States and other countries. Primagames.com is a registered trademark of Random House, Inc., registered in the United States. Prima Games is a division of Random House, Inc.© 2008 Games Workshop Limited. All Rights Reserved. Games Workshop, Warhammer, Warhammer Online, Age of Reckoning, and all associated marks, names, races, race insignia, characters, vehicles, locations,

units, illustrations and images from the Warhammer world are either ®, ™ and/or © Games Workshop Ltd 2000-2008. EA, the EA logo, Mythic Entertainment, Mythic Enter-tainment Logo, Public Quest and Realm vs. Realm are trademarks or registered trademarks of Electronic Arts Inc. in the U.S. and/or other countries. All Rights Reserved. All other trademarks are the property of their respective owners.No part of this book may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, or by any information storage or retrieval system without written permission from Electronic Arts Inc.Product Manager: Jason WigleAssociate Product Manager: Sean ScheubleCopyeditor: Asha JohnsonDesign: Calibre GrafixLayout: James KnightMap Design: In Color DesignManufacturing: Suzanne GoodwinPlease be advised that the ESRB Ratings icons, “EC,” “E,” “E10+,” “T,” “M,” “AO,” and “RP” are trademarks owned by the Entertainment Software Association, and may only be used with their permission and authority. For information regarding whether a product has been rated by the ESRB, please visit www.esrb.org. For permission to use the Ratings icons, please contact the ESA at esrblicenseinfo.com.Important:Prima Games has made every effort to determine that the information contained in this book is accurate. However, the publisher makes no warranty, either expressed or implied, as to the accuracy, effectiveness, or completeness of the material in this book; nor does the publisher assume liability for damages, either incidental or consequential, that may result from using the information in this book. The publisher cannot provide any additional information or support regarding gameplay, hints and strategies, or problems with hardware or software. Such questions should be directed to the support numbers provided by the game and/or device manufacturers as set forth in their documentation. Some game tricks require precise timing and may require repeated attempts before the desired result is achieved.ISBN: 978-0-7615-6199-6

Mike SearleMike Searle remembers playing the simple yet addictive Missile Command, and the days of Atari Adventure, where your square hero could end up in a hollow dragon stomach. His desire to play computer games into the wee hours of the morning really took hold when his parents made him play outside, instead of on the console, so the first chance he got, he bought a PC to play the Ultima series, Doom, and countless others. Mike started working with Prima Games in 2002 and has written more than 30 strategy guides, including Lord of the Rings Online: Shadows of Angmar, Jurassic Park: Operation Genesis, Dark Messiah: Might and Magic, Pirates of the Burning Sea, and several guides in the Tom Clancy’s Ghost Recon and Splinter Cell series. He can’t wait for thought technology, so game controls can catch up with his brain and stop all that needless in-game dying. At least, that’s what he keeps telling himself about his FPS kill ratio.

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ContentsCrafting..............................................................19

Apothecary ............................................................................................... 19Talisman Making ..................................................................................... 19Butchering.................................................................................................20Cultivating ...............................................................................................20Salvaging ...................................................................................................20Scavenging ................................................................................................20

Guilds............................................................... 21

Lairs.and.Dungeons............................................... 21Lairs............................................................................................................ 21Dungeons ...................................................................................................22Challenges and Rewards .........................................................................22

Dwarfs.Quickstart.Guide.........................................23Choose a Career ......................................................................................23Your First 5 Steps ...................................................................................23

empire.Quickstart.Guide........................................ 25Choose a Career ......................................................................................25Your First 5 Steps ...................................................................................25

High.elves.Quickstart.Guide......................................27Choose a Career ......................................................................................27Your First 5 Steps ...................................................................................27

Greenskins.Quickstart.Guide....................................29Choose a Career ......................................................................................29Your First 5 Steps ...................................................................................29

Chaos.Quickstart.Guide........................................... 31Choose a Career ...................................................................................... 31Your First 5 Steps ................................................................................... 31

Dark.elves.Quickstart.Guide.....................................33Choose a Career ......................................................................................33Your First 5 Steps ...................................................................................33

the.Interface....................................................... 3Hotkey Bar .................................................................................................4Tactics Bar...................................................................................................4Morale Bar ..................................................................................................4Chat/Combat Window… ........................................................................4Character Bar .............................................................................................5Party Bar .....................................................................................................5Experience Bar ...........................................................................................5Menu Icons .................................................................................................5Influence Tracker .......................................................................................5Realm Control Bar ...................................................................................5Mini-Map ....................................................................................................5Customizing Your Interface .................................................................. 6Macros ........................................................................................................ 6Key Mapping ..............................................................................................7

Day-to-Day.survival............................................... .7Rank Progression ......................................................................................7Tome of Knowledge .................................................................................8NPCs ...........................................................................................................8Quest Tracker and Map ...........................................................................8The Map ......................................................................................................8Flight Masters ...........................................................................................9Mounts ........................................................................................................9Mobs ............................................................................................................9Bank ..............................................................................................................9Auction House ......................................................................................... 10Grinding .................................................................................................... 10Farming ..................................................................................................... 10Chatting ................................................................................................... .10

skills.and.Abilities................................................... 11

Basic.Combat....................................................... 12

Questing............................................................ 14

What.Is.RvR?....................................................... 15Meet Scratch ........................................................................................... .15Scratch’s First Scenario ......................................................................... 16Renown Gear ............................................................................................ 17Zone Control ........................................................................................... 17Battlefields ............................................................................................... 17Capital Cities .......................................................................................... .18

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WARHAMMER ONLINE STARTER GUIDE

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You are born into a world of conflict and glory. Will you choose the side of Order and battle alongside Dwarfs, High Elves, and the men of the Empire, or will you join the side of Destruction and team with greenskins, Dark Elves, and the Forces of Chaos? Whether spellcaster or swordsman, every player needs to learn the basic essentials to maximize their experience in Warhammer Online.

Look no further, because this e-guide has everything a beginner needs to know: navigating the interface, day-to-day survival tips, a rundown on skills and abilities, RvR tactics, quickstart guides for each race, and more. Spend a few minutes here and you’ll save hours and hours avoiding the pitfalls of your new online home.

Warhammer Online: Basics and essentials

the interface

Now that you’ve been through the character creation process, it’s time to learn all about the UI (user interface), mini-map, and menu bars on your screen. This section will explain the hotkeys, menus, macros, and keys to get you going in the Warhammer Online realm. You can access many different panels and options with your mouse or keyboard. Don’t succumb to despair from the vast number of choices. Here’s a breakdown of the UI so you can use it most effectively.

The default interface

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The Interface


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Right-click on one of your Chat or Combat tabs under “Command list” then “Commands” to see a listing of available slash commands you can use in-game. What are slash commands? For example, if you were going “away from keyboard” you could type /afk, or to assist a fellow player you could select /assist. You can also use slash commands to trigger emotes, such as /wave or /bye.

1. hotkey BarThe hotkeys at the bottom

of your screen are the most important part of your interface. You

begin with a single Hotkey bar, though you can easily change it to two (stacked on top of each other, as shown here). After you create a character, your starter skills appear in these bars. Each career has different starter skills, though the Sprint skill (that of a running man) appears regardless of race or class. It’s a great burst of speed for escaping fights you can’t win.Notice the number or symbol attached to each key. This is known as a hotkey number. This allows you to use the corresponding number on your keyboard to use the ability instead of having to click the ability with your mouse. Once you start getting multiple bars and skills on your Hotkey bar, keyboard shortcuts will make you more effective in combat and more reactive in big battles than you would be using single mouse clicks.Obviously the two Hotkey bars can’t use the same keyboard shortcuts, so you can pick the Alt or Ctrl key with a number for additional shortcuts. Simply click and drag the ability from your Abilities window (the “V” key) to your Hotkey bar to add icons to the bar. Shift + right mouse click erases an icon from your Hotkey bar.On the right side end of each Hotkey bar, up-and-down arrows allow you to change the Hotkey bar to a different page. If it’s on “1” that means it’s showing the icons you set on your first default bar. Changing the page changes the icons to another corresponding page. You can have up to 10 bar pages.

TIP

TIP

Some careers also have special abilit ie s that bu ild up power . These special abilit ie s , such as the Br ight Wizard’s Combust ion or Sorceres s’s Dark Magic, can be found on a power meter above your Hotkey bar . Watch it bu ild and take advantage when it h its max imum strength.

2. tactics BarIn the bottom left corner, a small bar with a number of slots holds your Tactics. You don’t receive your first Tactic until Rank 8; however, when you’re ready, different ranked Tactics fit in certain slots. There is also a Tactic slot specific to Tome Tactics and one for Guild Tactics that you have to unlock before you can use them.The number 1 next to the slots shows that it’s the first Tactic set. Click the number next to the Tactic bar list to select another set (you can program in up to eight sets), and you can then save different Tactics for different situations. For example, if you have two Tactics—one for, say, Realm vs. Realm (RvR) play and another for soloing monsters—save one Tactic in a set and put the other one in Tactic Set 2 for the appropriate time. Once in combat you cannot change Tactics in the sets, so be sure you have the correct Tactics set ready to go before you enter your next battle.

3. morale BarThe Morale bar is at the bottom right side of your UI. You gain Morale abilities as you rank up, and Morale abilities are powered by the time you spend in combat. The more time you spend in combat, the higher your Morale bar rises, opening more and more powerful Morale abilities. When a Morale ability starts glowing, it’s active and ready to use. Remember that once you stop fighting, your Morale slowly drains and you will have to enter combat to start gaining more Morale. As you gain ranks, you have access to many Morale choices in four different Morale ability ranks.

4. chat/combat WindowYou can move the Chat window around on your screen by clicking and dragging. This allows you to stretch or shrink it. If you wish to change your font size or the combat text, simply right-click the tab and adjust it to your specifications. You can also change the color of the text that you see when someone talks to you or sends a private message, plus many other options.Your Combat bar displays statistics such as damage dealt or received. All friendly damage or healing is also displayed here. Take a look at the different options under the setup area in your Combat tab for more options.

Want to go back to someth ing you ’ve already typed or even a command you have typed in the past without hav ing to re-do it? Simply hold Sh ift+Up arrow to get your last command or words to appear aga in.

Chat Window and Command List


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5. character BarThe top left bar shows your character’s face and corresponding health and action points. If you have a pet, its Health bar appears under yours so you can easily see it. Under your Character bar you also see any buffs or abilities that stay active on your character; hover the mouse cursor over the buffs to see what effect they have on you. You can right-click on your portrait to flag yourself as RvR, which will let opposing faction players engage you in PvP combat outside of a Realm Battle area.

6. Party BarUnder your Character bar is the icon for joining open parties. This enables you to enter a public quest area and join a group without first asking for an invite. This holds true as well for RvR flag areas and groups in the area. This makes it easy to get in a party and join the fray while everyone may be busy in the midst of battle.Once in a party, your party members’ Health bars appear under your own character portrait. You can also see any pets underneath them in smaller Health bars, so you can assist or heal a group members’ pet if need be. You can also see all of the buffs affecting your party under their various bars.

complete there. Above the mini-map is the name of the zone or outpost you are in. Hit the plus or minus symbols on the right side to zoom in or out.

7. experience BarAs you quest or kill monsters, you gain experience and the bar fills up orange. When it fills up and reaches the far right side, you gain a rank. To see how much experience you need till your next rank, simply hover your mouse over the bar. This bar can not be changed as it only shows your experience to the next rank.

8. menu iconsYour eight main menu icons appear at the top of the screen. If you want to access your abilities, backpack, character panel, Tome of Knowledge, menu options, customize UI, guild options, or help, just click on the appropriate icon.

9. influence trackerThis section keeps track of your influence in each chapter of your race’s main storyline. You gain influence from participating in the various public quests in the local area. There are three checkpoints for each Influence bar; gain enough influence to pass a checkpoint and you win an influence reward from the local rally master.

10. realm control BarThe top right bar is the control that the two opposing factions have on the world. Both the Empire (blue) and Chaos (red) are represented in the bar; when one side goes past the other side’s arrow they gain control over the zone. It’s a good indicator for you to get out and help your side gain more influence in the world by capturing battlefield objectives

and keeps and completing quests, both normal and public, which will help your side gain more momentum.

11. mini-mapThe mini-map is at the top right side of your UI, just below the

Realm Control bar. The arrow in the middle of the circle represents you, and the terrain around you

reveals as you move in a particular direction. Various symbols represent key NPCs (non-player characters). Green stands for

new quests, yellow are unfulfilled quests, and orange are completed

quests.A red circled area on your

mini-map or main map indicates that you have a quest in the area. If you mouse over the spot, it will tell you which quest you need to

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customizing Your interfaceThe setup you see is the default for your UI. If you want, you can move the objects around, such as your Group window, Character window, Hotkey bar, or mini-map. Go into Options (the “ESC” key) to “Customize Interface” and hit the bottom left button called “Layout Editor.” Once enabled, click the middle button labeled “Start Editing.” All the UI bars and windows have a green area associated with them and their labeled function. Click and drag the window to wherever you would like it to move and you have a new setup. Once you have finished, click “Exit.” If you need to reset things later, go back into the Editor and restore the defaults. This will put everything back to the way it was before you switched things around.

Customize Interface Window

macrosMacros are the ability to perform a number of functions or key presses with the click of a button. An example of a macro is creating a function that will target a party member, cast a heal spell, and then re-target the enemy again. You can use macros to cast multiple spells or buffs in a single press rather than having to individually click them. Hit ESC to bring up the main menu page, then click the Macros button to bring up the Macro window. From here you can create new macros in-game. Notice what looks like a Hotkey bar in the Macro window. If you click on an area that doesn’t have an icon set, you get the option to assign the macro an icon; there are many to choose, from ones that look like spells to bags. After you set an icon, you can then name the macro. If this is a macro that you plan to use as an assist feature, then name it something like “Assist.” Below the name is the box where you type in slash commands so that the macro functions properly. In this case the command line would be /assist. Click to save your macro and it will be set. Now you can drag the macro icon right onto your Hotkey bar and assist a friend. There are many commands, so be sure to check the command list for all your options.

Macro Window


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Key mappingKey mappings are shortcuts you assign to specific keyboard keys to give you quicker control over actions. Many of these shortcuts are already mapped to keyboard keys (such as “M” for the map function), though you may want to change them to other keys to suit your play style. Access the main menu by hitting ESC and access “Key Mapping” for a list of default keys already set up for use in WAR. To change your key mappings, choose your action and select a new key that isn’t in use. You cannot set two options to the same key press, so designate the action you use most to the most comfortable key press. You can always revert to the default settings if you want to return to the original state. It may be handy to print out your key mappings as an action cheatsheet as you play.

daY-tO-daY survivalOnce you know your interface inside and out, it’s time to adventure in the land. As you might have guessed, it’s a little dangerous out there, with wolves baying on the outskirts of town and greater monsters lurking in the darkness beyond. Here are some important facets of the game that everyone should know before they begin questing.

Key Mapping WindowTIP

When key mapping, try to bind abilit ie s that you use commonly or that are instant abilit ie s . Bind them around your movement keys on the keyboard. The goal here i s to have qu ick and easy acces s to your abilit ie s . You should be able to move with a couple of f ingers , act ivate abilit ie s with another f inger , and pan the camera and target with the mouse—all s imultaneously! With some practice and sk ill you can even run away from an enemy, jump in the a ir , spin to face them, act ivate an ability, and complete your spin to land back in the direct ion you were or iginally running, without mis s ing a step. .

rank ProgressionThere are two ranks you progress through. The first is your normal rank, which levels up through experience, and the second is your Renown rank, which ranks up through Renown. Both ranks start at 1, and progress upward from there. There are 40 normal ranks and 80 Renown ranks. Progressing through both requires you kill mobs (computer-controlled enemies) and other players. You can also gain experience from doing quests.Progressing through your regular ranks gains you new abilities, Tactics, Morale abilities, and Mastery points. As you go higher up in ranks, new abilities are gained more slowly, while Mastery points are gained more quickly. From ranks 11 to 21 you gain five Mastery points, and then you gain a Mastery point every level from then on. You will also gain new Tactic slots at 20, 30, and 40, as well as a new bag at each of those levels.

With a little exper ience, you can power up to a Rank 10 Br ight Wizard too.

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Renown ranks are a bit different. You gain only three siege abilities through leveling up, one at 10, one at 30 and one at 40. You also gain one Rank 4 Morale ability

at Renown Rank 55. You also gain five extra Mastery points through Renown; you gain one at 40, 50, 60, 70, and then a point

for each path at 80. The main reason to rank up your Renown is to gain Renown points and spend them at Renown Trainers. You can buy bonuses to your stats here and also a few Renown Tactics.

NPC stands for non-player character. It’s any person you can talk to in the environment who isn’t hostile to you and isn’t controlled by another player. Many will either offer a service (selling equipment, training new skills) or offer a quest. They can be found all over the world, though mostly in cities and towns.

tome of Knowledge

The Tome of Knowledge

Think of the Tome of Knowledge as an accumulation of your experiences. It logs your story as you proceed through the game, chronicles all the important people you meet, notes the first time you encounter each monster, and more. It truly is the wealth of your adventures in WAR. Don’t forget that the Tome holds all your quest information. At any time, you can look up the full quest history and reread your objectives to make sure you have everything straight. Even more tantalizing, the Tome of Knowledge unlocks secret achievements for accom-plishing various tasks around the land. For example, you may earn an achievement for dying 10 times or looting a mountain’s worth of treasure.

nPcs

A fr iendly NPC

Quest tracker and map

The Quest Tracker di splays on the r ight s ide of your interface.

Your Quest Tracker is on the right side of your screen. You can track up to 10 quests at once. You control which quests are displayed on the Quest tab in the Tome of Knowledge. The tracker displays the name of the quest, the objectives, and how far you have progressed in meeting the objectives. Once you have completed the objective, that objective turns orange. The symbol next to the quest name tells you what type of quest it is. If it’s just a yellow dot then it’s a normal quest. An RvR symbol means it’s an RvR quest. A skull means it’s an epic quest, which you will probably need a few people for, and footprints means it’s a travel quest, and you will have to travel to a different zone to complete it.

the map

A map of Altdorf

You pull up your map with the “M” key, or by clicking on the globe above and to the right of the mini-map. The map is going to be used for so many things, but the most useful aspect is the quest markers. Each quest has a red area on the map telling you where to go to complete the quest. Mouse over the red area to display the quest’s name and objectives.


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The map also shows you points of interest and nearby NPCs. A money bag represents merchants, a cross represents healers, a square represents mailboxes, and circles indicate quest givers. If the circle is green, they have a quest to give; if it’s yellow, they are waiting for you to finish it; and if it’s orange that means the quest is done and can be turned in. You can also see who controls a keep and the objectives around the keep on the map. Blue means Order controls it, while red means Destruction.

flight masters

A Flight Master

The key to getting around the world quickly are the Flight Masters. The first three tiers of locations each have one Flight Master, and most zones in the last tier have Flight Masters of their own. Each capital city also has one. Flight masters are located in the warcamps on the edge of the RvR zones. There is a small fee each time you use a Flight Master, but it is much faster than trying to run everywhere you need to go, and they are the only way to get from one race’s land to another.

mounts

The Mount Vendor in AltdorfOnce you hit Rank 20, your life gets much easier, as you can now buy a mount! With a mount you can’t use any spells or abilities, but you travel 50 percent faster, which makes getting around much easier. You buy them in the capital cities, right across from the Flight Master in the Inevitable city, and to the very south by the Guild Registrar in Altdorf.

mobs

A Hata Fyr i mob attacks.

Mobs are the monsters and people you fight to complete quests and gain experience. If they have a red name over their head then they are hostile and will attack you if you get close enough. The small circle above and to the left of their portrait shows their rank. The lower the rank, the closer you can get without causing “aggro.” The term “aggro” means that you have approached too closely to a hostile creature and aggravated them. This puts you into combat and the mob will attack.There are three types of mobs: normal, champion, and hero. Champion and hero mobs have their type by their portrait, which you can see when you mouse over the mob. Normal mobs are just that, normal. You should be able to kill them with little to no problem, provided you are about the same rank and aren’t already hurt. Champions have more health and do more damage. You may be able to kill one three to five ranks below you if you are willing to use potions, but be ready to run away if the fight takes a turn for the worse. Having two or three people helping you out for a champion mob is probably a good idea. Hero mobs have even more health and do even more damage. They are generally boss mobs, keep lords, and other powerful beings like that. You need at least a full party, and probably a larger warband, to kill them.

Bank

A Banker

The bank, or the vault, is where you store your stuff that you aren’t using at the moment. The banks are located in the capital cities. In Altdorf it is to the east by the auction house, and one is in the middle

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of the Inevitable City. Store crafting materials and gear you can’t use quite yet, or stuff you are waiting to sell on the auction house.

auction house

The Auctioneer

The auction house is where you can sell your crafted goods or items you pick up that you don’t want. Auctioneers are all over the cities, so it shouldn’t be too hard to find one. You can set the length of the auction, the starting price, and the buyout price. Once the item sells, you will get the money in your mailbox.

Grinding

Killing wolves i s easy exper ience, but not too thr illing.

Grinding is something you shouldn’t have to do too much in this game, thanks to its great scenario and RvR system. Grinding is the act of killing many many mobs—usually slightly lower rank so you don’t need to rest or heal—to gain experience and level up. You basically camp out an area killing all the mobs as they spawn, over and over, not doing any quests. While this is a very easy way of leveling and requires very little thought and effort, it does take much longer than questing, and is very boring.

farming

Silver and craft ing mater ials are the most common items to farm from lower-rank mobs.

Farming is very similar to grinding, though instead of trying to gain experience you are trying to get gold and items. You will probably do this more often than grinding, because you will always need gold and crafting materials. Generally you find a place that has mobs that drop the type of item you are looking for (or that drop anything of high value) and kill them over and over until you either get enough materials, get the item or items you want, or enough gold.

chatting

The Fr iends Li st tab under the Social window

Chatting is essential in any MMO, as you will be playing with other people quite often. To say something, hit enter and start typing. If you haven’t added any / command, then you will be talking in /say chat. This goes out to anyone in your immediate area. There are many other channels too: Use /1 for region chat, which goes out to everyone in the same region as you; /g allows you to talk in your guild; /p lets you talk to your party members; use /wb to communicate with your warband; and /sc goes to everyone in your scenario.The open party system is amazing for finding a group to do difficult and public quests. By default, people’s parties are set to be open when they make them. You can change that in the Options tab in the Social menu, if you want them to be closed. You can change a party from open to closed by right clicking on your portrait if you are the party leader.Open parties are essentially parties that anyone can join, without being invited. Find them by clicking on the open parties button directly below your portrait. It is a small circle with two small heads in it.


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This shows you the open parties in your area, who is leading them, how many people are in their party, how far away it is (in minutes), and where it is located. From there you can pick the one you want, hit the join button, and you are in the party. It’s that easy.You can also set up a friends list to increase your interactions. Find it in your Social window, found above the Chat window (the button is a picture of three heads). In there you can go to the Friends tab, and from there add people you like and want to keep track of. You can also add friends by using the command /friendadd . The friends list tells you which of your friends are online, what rank and career they are, and where they are in the world.

sKills and aBilities

After you create your character and get into WAR, you’ll be confronted with some basic skills and abilities that are unique to your character’s career. This section explains how they work and the many variables that are available.

The abilit ie s of a new Warr ior Pr ie st

The most common type of skill in WAR is a basic action. Most of these actions require a set number of action points or career-based points (Ironbreaker’s Grudge, for example) before you can use them. Each action also has a minimum and maximum range. In most melee careers (tanks, melee healers, melee damage dealers) you cannot use actions unless you are within a few feet of your opponent. But ranged career characters (ranged healers, ranged damage dealers, etc.) can be as far as 100 feet from the opponent and still use the action. Other actions are centered on the caster and affect everyone within a set radius from the caster, and some actions don’t even have a range and are just self-cast. Actions are learned from a class trainer or through Mastery points and are stored under the Abilities tab (default hotkey “V”). To use an action you can either click on the icon on your action bar or press the corresponding hotkey for that slot.The many different types of actions fall into six major categories: Buff, Debuff, Direct Damage, Area-of-Effect Damage, Healing, and Summoning.

Buff actions temporarily enhance characters in a variety of ways. Some buffs can only be used on any friendly player; some are group specific, while others can only be used on your own character. Generally, buffs last approximately an hour, but some can last longer or just for a few seconds.On the opposite side of the spectrum you have debuffs. These can only be used on enemies and instead of enhancing, they weaken. Debuffs have very short durations, usually lasting less than a minute, and are more potent than their buff cousins.Next up is the most common action type in WAR, the direct-damage actions. Use these actions to annihilate your enemies. Direct-damage actions come in two different variations: ones that do all their damage up front, and ones that do damage over time. Direct-damage actions are meant for a single target and are unmatched in that role. On the other hand, when you have multiple enemies, area-of-effect damage actions are the way to go. These are specifically meant for when you get swarmed by a group and should really only be used in those specific situations.

The White Lion career i s a pet clas s.

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Every career has the four actions previously mentioned; the other two are specific to certain class types. Only healing careers (melee healer, ranged healer) have healing

actions. These actions will either restore health or heal an ailment on a friendly player or themselves. A player who can use

these types of spells is required in most group situations, whether they are in player vs. player fights or regular groups. Because healing is so important, only a handful of careers can do it.The other career-specific action is summoning. These actions are used for summoning a “pet” to aid the caster. Some of these “pets” are stationary, while others follow the caster around until they die. As with healing, only a few classes can summon creatures because those classes are built around the mechanic of having a “pet.”Actions are not your full repertoire of skills. Morale abilities work similarly to regular actions; however, they do not use action points. These are learned either from a Career Trainer or through Mastery points. As you fight enemies, your Morale meter fills up, and every quarter of the meter gives you access to a Morale ability. When you use a Morale ability, it completely empties the Morale meter and it starts to fill up from the beginning. The first quarter gives you access to a first-level Morale ability—the weakest type. If you choose not to use the first-level ability, your Morale meter will keep filling until it reaches the next quarter, and can use second-level Morale ability. These abilities are stronger than the first-level ones and are usually worth waiting for. If you decide to not use the second-level ability, you can access the third-level Morale abilities. Once you fill up your meter three quarters of the way, you can use these immensely strong abilities. And if you really want some power, wait a little longer and get a fourth-level Morale ability. These are the cream of the crop and can sway a fight dramatically in your favor. The only downside to all Morale abilities is their long cooldown timers. After using a Morale ability it cannot be used for a minute, so most of the time it’s a one-use-per-fight ability.You also have Tactics. Tactics are passive abilities that enhance your abilities (similar to buffs), except that Tactics don’t expire. There are three different categories of Tactics: Career, RvR, and Tome Tactics.Career Tactics are either learned from a Career Trainer or through Mastery points. At Rank 1 you have no Career Tactic slots, but every 10 ranks (10, 20, 30, 40) you get access to an additional Tactic slot, eventually ending up with four slots. These Tactics relate to your career specifically and will generally enhance you skills and actions. These are your primary type of Tactics and you always have these, even if you do not unlock any Tome Tactics or do any RvR.The second type of Tactics is RvR (Realm versus Realm) Tactics. These are earned through Renown points and are specialized for RvR combat. They can be anything from increasing damage you deal to a specific race or healing the user any time they kill an enemy player. You start off with one RvR Tactic slot at Rank 1 and when you reach rank 20 you receive another one (two total).The third and final type of Tactics are Tome Tactics. These are earned through getting a certain number of Tome unlocks in a section of the bestiary and then visiting the library in your faction’s capital city. These Tactics are very specific to what type of creature they affect as they are unlocked through that specific type of creature. You have access to one Tome Tactics slot at Rank 1 and that number will not change as you rank up.

Basic cOmBatThe core of WAR is combat. This section will help you understand the basics of it. The first important aspect about combat is moving around the world. Movement can be controlled in three different ways: WASD, arrow keys, and mouse. The WASD method involves using the W, A, S, and D keys to control which way you move. The W key controls your movement forward. Pressing this key once will move your character a step forward and holding it down will make your character run until you release the key. The S key controls your character’s movement backward. Holding the S key backs your character up until the key is released. The A key turns your character counterclockwise. As with the W and S keys, pressing the key once moves your character slightly, and holding it down turns your character until you release the key. The D key is the opposite of the A key, turning you clockwise. When you are turning you can also move forward or backward and vice versa. This method of moving is very good if you use the number keys for actions or if you click to use them. This movement method is extremely similar to a first-person shooter style setup with left hand on WASD and right hand on the mouse.

TIPRemember to switch your Tactics before each major encounter . When you leave combat you can change a Tactic to better reflect the upcoming challenge, helping you eas ily adapt to any s ituation.

You have several methods of forward movement.

Using the arrow keys for movement is similar to the WASD method in that each arrow controls a different type of movement, but the hand setup is drastically different. Using the arrow keys, the up arrow controls the same movement as the W key, the down arrow mirrors the S key, and the left and right arrow keys mimic A and D keys respec-tively. The positioning for this method involves your right hand on the arrow keys and your left hand on the left side of the keyboard. This positioning lets your right hand control movement while your left hand controls your hotkeys for actions. The mouse is generally not used in combat for this type of positioning.


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The final way of controlling movement involves using just your mouse. This is the hardest method to get used to but many argue that it’s the most effective method. Holding down the left and right mouse buttons controls forward movement and moving the mouse in the corresponding direction controls turning. The proper positioning for this method is placing your right hand on the mouse and your left hand on the keyboard for easy access to your hotkeys. Terrain has a large impact on where you can move. If you try to climb a hill with too big of a slope you will be unable to climb it. On the opposite spectrum if you try to climb down a very steep slope you will fall and take damage or die. Water also has a large effect on movement. When you enter water you will be slowed down significantly, making you more vulnerable to ranged attacks from enemies. Even with its disadvantages, water can be used a shortcut to a destination or a good alternate route to avoid enemies if you aren’t in a fighting mood.

Witch Elf, the DPSer

Each career falls into one of these categories: DPS, Healer, or Tank. The first category, DPS (damage per second), is divided into two sub-categories: Ranged and Melee. There are 10 DPS careers in WAR: six ranged and four melee. Ranged DPS careers do more damage than any other class and, as a result, will die very quickly when their ranged advantage is lost. So, ideally a ranged DPS career should stay in the back of a battle and let the tanks and melee DPS protect them. Ranged DPS is strong against tanks and melee healers, weak against melee DPS, and equal with other ranged classes. The ranged DPS classes include: Engineer, Bright Wizard, Sorcerer/Sorceress, Shadow Warrior, Squig Herder, and Magus. All of these classes have various methods of staying out of range from their opponents, from root spells to snares to pets.On the other hand, a melee DPS career is more durable than ranged DPS but has little or no ranged capabilities. Melee careers are the frontline warriors that try to let the tanks take the hits while they kill off enemies. These classes are strong against ranged careers, weak against tanks and melee healers, and equal with melee DPS. The melee DPS careers include: Witch Elf, Marauder, Witch Hunter, and White Lion. Opposite of the ranged DPS careers, these classes have many methods to keep an opponent within range of the DPSer.

Warr ior Pr ie st, the healer

The second category, the healer, is a key support role in any group. Your job as a healer is to keep everyone and yourself alive. There are two different types of healers: melee and ranged, as with DPS. But, the number of careers that can heal is nowhere near the number of DPS careers in WAR. There are six classes that can heal: two melee and four ranged. Unlike other MMOs, there are no careers strictly devoted to healing, and all careers that can heal use damage actions to increase their healing power or just to heal.Melee healers are unique in the sense that they do damage to heal and they are not defensively as weak as melee DPS. Melee healers are endurance fighters; they will never do more damage than a conventional melee class but they can last a lot longer. Melee healers are strong against melee DPS, weak against ranged careers, and can stand toe to toe with tanks and other melee healers. The two melee healer careers are Order’s Warrior Priest and Destruction’s Disciple of Khaine.Ranged healers are similar to ranged DPS, except they have a less firepower and they can heal. Ranged healers are slightly different from their melee cousins in the sense that they are not required to do damage to heal. However, some career’s special abilities make those career’s healing actions enhance their DPS actions and vice versa. For a ranged healer to be successful, they need to stay as far away from the enemies as possible and avoid getting hit. A ranged healer that can do this is one of the most effective members of a group. Careers that are ranged healers include the Archmage, Rune Priest, Zealot, and Shaman. Ranged healers are strong against tanks and melee healers, weak against melee DPS, and equal with other ranged classes.

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Ironbreaker, the tank

The third and final category is the tank. As the name implies, a tank’s job is to draw fire and take as much damage as possible to protect everyone else. This job is executed right at the front lines of a battle and generally never shifts from that location. Tanks have abilities that force enemies to attack them for a short time and various slowing actions to keep them in place. Tanks are strong against melee DPS, weak against ranged classes, and equal with other tanks and melee healers. Tank careers include the Ironbreaker, Swordmaster, Chosen, and Black Orc.Each action available in your repertoire has a cast time. Knowing the cast time for each of your actions is essential in combat. This helps determine which action to use depending on the situation. Some actions’ cast times are too long to use while fighting, and some are so short you have to be careful to avoid using up all of your action points. Most of the time, when you are casting an action you cannot move. But, there are many exceptions to this, mainly within melee careers.

QuestinG

A quest giver

Quests are a core component of WAR, and understanding how each type works is essential to survive. There are three main types of quests in WAR: personal quests, public quests, and RvR quests. First, you need to understand the tier system. There are four zone tiers in WAR, conveniently numbered 1 through 4. They give you a good idea of the appropriate RvR rank range for each area. If you are too high level for the tier you are in, you will be turned into a chicken inside any RvR area, making you extremely vulnerable to any attack. On a PvE server (player vs. environment server, or non Open-RvR server) anyone over the max rank will be turned into a chicken in the RvR area. In a Open-RvR server anyone 10 levels above the max rank will also be turned into a chicken. The second consideration for quests is deter-mining if you are ready for the next area or not. Along with a general rank limit to each tier there is also a minimum level in each tier; if you are below it, you will die to almost everything in the zone.

Tier RanksTier 1: Ranks 1-11

Tier 2: Ranks 12-21Tier 3: Ranks 22-31Tier 4: Ranks 32-40

Personal quests are the most common type of quest you will encounter in WAR. These are received from NPCs and most involve either gathering items, killing enemy NPCs, or discovering an area. A NPC who can give you a quest has a green book above his head. Right-click on the NPC and then click on the quest in the dialog box. Once you get the quest, a red outlined area will appear on your map to show you where you have to go to do the quest. Once the quest is done, look at your map again and head over to the new red outlined area to turn it in for your reward. Quests always reward experience points and some will reward money, potions, or even equipment for your character. Public quests are large-scale adventures that require a group of people to complete. Public quests (PQs) are not received from an NPC like personal quests. To participate in a PQ, you have to travel to an area where one occurs. Public quests are not marked on your map, so it is up to you to discover where they are, though many quests will certainly point you in the right direction. When you arrive at a location for one

of these, the quest may already be in progress because of other

players who have already started the quest. If you

want to start anew you must either fail or complete the quest and wait for it to reset afterward. Generally, a PQ is divided into three stages: the first can be soloed,

the second requires teamwork with others, and

the third requires a strong party to succeed.


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The current quest log for the Caledor zone

When you complete the public quest, the people who participated are ranked in order of performance. If you place higher in performance, you get a bonus to your roll to determine who gets the best loot at the end. Completing tasks in PQs gives you influence points for the chapter it relates to. There are three different rewards per chapter that you can earn for gaining a certain amount of influence. The first reward is usually a potion, the second is a weak item, and the final reward is a very powerful item. These premium rewards make doing PQs a very worthwhile activity. The final type of quests are RvR quests, and these are pretty self-explanatory; they are all RvR related. Every single one of these quests will either be inside a scenario or in a RvR area in a zone. These quests can involve anything from participating in the zone’s scenario to scouting field objectives. These quests are a very good form of supple-mentary experience when completing RvR content and are almost always received inside a warcamp.

What is rvr?So you’ve rolled your first character, you’ve maybe done a quest or two, and you’re wondering: What is this RvR I’ve heard of? Where can I find it? How does it affect my character? Great questions!

RvR involves combat aga inst other human players.

RvR is an abbreviation for Realm versus Realm, or siege warfare between the forces of Order and Destruction. It’s an evolved form of simple PvP (Player versus Player) combat. In Warhammer Online the concept has been expanded in many ways, to include not only the siege of keeps, but also scenarios, battlefield objectives, zone control, incidental skirmishes, city sieges, and much more. Confused yet?To help illustrate all of the above, let’s roll a toon (“roll” equals create; a “toon” is MMO-speak for a character). For amusement’s sake, let’s support our Destruction brethren and roll a Squig Herder. We’ll call him Scratch, spawn him in Mount Bloodhorn, the Orc and Goblin starting area, and see what’s going down in those parts.

meet scratch

A Rank 1 Squ ig Herder

Scratch comes into WAR at Career Rank 1; he’s also born at Renown Rank 0. Career ranks are increased by gaining regular experience through questing, Tome unlocks, even killing other players. Killing enemy players also gains Renown, which is the RvR equivalent of Career experience. Renown is not only gained by killing

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other players, which Scratch is just dying to do, but also by completing scenarios, capturing and holding battlefield objectives, claiming keeps, and more.

scratch’s first scenarioScenarios are smaller RvR areas away from the main action. They are controlled, meaning that each side can only have a certain number of players in any scenario, generally making scenarios a bit more fair than simple skirmish ganking (“ganking” equals getting smacked down by an unfair number of unfairly geared and high-ranked players). In the early ranks, commonly referred to as Tier 1 (basically levels 1 to 11 or so), there are three scenarios, one for each racial pairing (Empire vs. Chaos, High Elves vs. Dark Elves, Dwarfs vs. greenskins). The Empire vs. Chaos scenario is called Nordenwatch, the High Elf/Dark Elf scenario is Khaine’s Embrace, and the Dwarf/greenskin scenario is called the Gates of Ekrund. You should jump into scenarios as soon as you have the opportunity. Even if you are lower ranked, these early scenarios automatically bolster you up to Rank 8, so you have no worries about being too weak to compete.

Look for battlef ield object ives in RvR areas.

But how do you get into these scenarios? Simple! Your mini-map, located in the top right corner of your interface, comes equipped with a handy scenario lobby. It’s the small, round icon along the top left edge of the mini-map. Click on it. From the scenario lobby you can join any of the three Tier 1 scenarios, joining them solo, or even queuing up an entire party at once. You choose which scenario to join by clicking on the arrows to the left and right of the scenario name at the top of the pane, or you can queue up for all three scenarios at once by clicking on the “Join All” button. When enough players have amassed on both sides, another window appears, asking if you would like to join the scenario for, let’s say, Nordenwatch (which seems to be quite popular). You can choose to join right now, or wait a minute, or say no and try again later when you’re less busy. Here’s a small taste of what each of these beginning scenarios has to offer:

nordenwatch—empire vs. chaos

Nordenwatch scenar io

In this small, focused scenario, players battle over the control of three objectives: the Barracks, near the Chaos starting area on the beach; the Lighthouse, on the cliffs near the Order starting area; and the Fortress, situated between the two starting areas. Players gain points by controlling any (or all) of the three points, and by killing players on the opposing team. The first to 500 points wins, or the side with the highest score when the time limit of 15 minutes is reached.

Khaine’s embrace—high elves vs. dark elves

Kha ine’s Embrace scenar io

This is an interesting scenario. There are two altars to battle over: Death’s Charge and Dance of Swords, situated on opposite sides

of a large mountain with two paths between them. Once a side owns both altars, Khaine gets a little mad and nukes the areas

surrounding the altars. This nets a healthy handful of points for the side that set off Khaine’s Wrath by capturing both points. Like most scenarios, kills also net points, up to a maximum of 500 for the win, or until the time limit of 15 minutes is reached.


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Gates of ekrund—dwarfs vs. Greenskins

Gates of Ekrund scenar io

Scratch feels right at home at the Gates of Ekrund. This scenario is a cramped, head-on conflict atop the gates themselves, with two control points on opposite ends of the gate (the Ammunitions Cache, near the Destruction spawn point, and the Supply Room near the Order starting area) and a single objective situated in the center (the Gate Switch). Again, it’s the first to 500 points or the highest score at 15 minutes that takes the win.Early on, be sure to grab the repeatable RvR quest for your local scenario. You might even want to travel to the zone whose scenario seems to pop up the most and pick up that repeatable quest for extra experience. You don’t have to win to complete the quest, just enter the fray and finish a scenario. The quests are worth valuable experience, and you can repeat them as often as you like.

renown Gear

You can ga in better gear by accumulating Renown.

Once you start accumulating Renown and advancing through Renown ranks, much as you would advance through Career ranks for regular questing (and RvR!), you’ll likely find yourself wondering: What is this Renown for anyway?The most immediate and obvious answer is gear! Run down to the nearest Renown Gear Merchant, situated in nearly every quest hub across the land, in keeps and such as well, and snag a snazzy new set of leggings, or a new bow. Renown ranks are required for each item, and as you advance,

bigger and better gear becomes available. From weapons to armor to accessories, it’s good to keep your toon geared up and ready for the next fray.

Zone control

Each object ive you capture contr i butes toward your s ide’s zone control.

Scratch has now participated in a few scenarios; he’s, let’s say, Rank 7 or so, and he’s curious: Why am I doing this? Am I helping my gits to achieve their goals of complete and total Dwarf ruination?Nearly everything you do gains victory points for your chosen side, be it quests, killing other players, gaining and controlling objectives, or winning scenarios. These victory points affect control of the zone you are in, as well as successive zones in a trickle-down fashion. In order for the war effort to fully succeed, it’s important that all players in every tier and zone do their best to gain victory points and further their faction toward the ultimate goal: sacking the opposing side’s city.Zone control, locally, gives bonuses to Renown and influence, and even offers discounts from merchants. To see what your current bonuses are, hover the cursor over the Zone Control bar in the top right corner of the interface, above the mini-map. It has a blue bar on the left, showing the number of Order victory points, and the Destruction bar on the right, in red. Hovering over the bar brings up a large tooltip with information on how you are influencing the local zone control, and also listing the number and amount of bonuses available to your faction. Pretty cool, eh? All of those Dwarfs Scratch shot down at the Gates of Ekrund weren’t just isolated, senseless murders. All along he was contributing to the war effort! (Not that there’s anything wrong with senseless murdering of Dwarfs, mind you…)

BattlefieldsGetting back to Scratch again, let’s say he’s been really busy in Norsca, questing, hitting up public quests, frequenting the scenarios, and generally improving his Career and Renown ranks. He’s now a good solid Rank 10. It’s off to the Tier 1 Battlefield!Battlefields are often referred to as open-field RvR. They are not small, instanced areas like scenarios; indeed, they are much larger, part of the world map itself, and are the culmination of each tier. As players progress through the four tiers, toward the ultimate goal of Tier 4 RvR and the sacking of the enemy’s city, each battlefield introduces more complexity to the RvR itself.

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Siege weapons are a part of h igher-t ier battlef ield s.

For instance, Tier 1 is mainly just battlefield objectives, areas that are flagged for capture. If your side captures them, guards are spawned and players are granted buffs such as Defensive Boon (which increases your Armor statistic as well as increasing your resists), Healing Boon, or Artisan’s Gift. So, in addition to the pride that comes with completely owning a battlefield, there are also buffs that encourage players to hold on to them.As the tiers progress, keeps and more are introduced, gradually acclimating players to the increasing complexity and teamwork needed to successfully siege and eventually sack the opposing city. Siege weapons become available, such as rams and boiling oil, and siege pads are introduced—obvious positions upon the landscape and the keeps themselves, upon which the siege equipment must be placed. Strategy and tactics become much more important. This isn’t just an incidental skirmish between vagabonds in Norsca; this is true RvR warfare, but the successive battlegrounds do a great job of slowly increasing the difficulty, and the fun, of the battle-fields.Positioned near all of the battlefields are warcamps, which house troops and merchants of specific races, and offer many quests besides. It is here that players will find their first Renown Trainer. As players gain Renown ranks, not only can they purchase more and better weapons and armor, they can also train at the Renown Trainer into active and

passive abilities that increase their effectiveness (both on the battlefield and off), buffs that increase important statistics such as Intelligence or Ballistics, or Morale abilities specific to each race. For instance, some abilities lower the Morale of other enemy players in the vicinity when a certain racial enemy is slain. There is a plethora of Renown abilities to choose from, split into three tiers, and building a nasty warfighter is important to making the best of your toon.

capital citiesWithin each warcamp, at each tier, is a Flight Master. Flight Masters allow players to fly to other Flight Masters in other allied warcamps. They also allow flight to the capital cities. The two capital cities in the game so far are Altdorf, the capital of the Empire, and the Chaos city, appropriately titled the Inevitable City.

Altdorf, the stronghold of Order, i s the ult imate goal for Destruct ion players.

Cities in Warhammer Online are a different beast than most cities in other MMOs. On top of the usual services,

like banking, auction houses, training, merchants, and more, capital cities also offer quests within

their walls. Cities grow, very slowly, through five ranks, based on quests inside of the

city as well as Tier 4 tasks outside of the city. As the city progresses and grows, more services and quests are offered, and eventually a dungeon opens beneath the city. Unfortunately, if the enemy succeeds in getting within the city walls—or even worse, if you lose your king—cities can also lose rank.

So, in a nutshell, that’s a very basic beginner’s guide to RvR. There is much

more under the hood, complexity and nuance compounded by constantly changing

conditions and force composition, depending on the time and place, and ultimately the amount

of skill. But, it’s enough for now to arm yourself with basic knowledge in order to put one foot in front of

the other, and make tracks toward the enemy’s city.


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craftinGCrafting produces items that are useful as ingredients that can be sold or used in other crafting projects, or, even better, crafting creates potions and elixirs through Apothecary and special artifacts through Talisman Making that characters can use to enhance their gear. Four gathering skills—Butchering, Cultivating, Salvaging, and Scavenging—generate the resources you need to create items with crafting’s two main skills, Apothecary and Talisman Making.

Apothecary i s one of the ma in craft ing sk ills.

All crafting and gathering trades are taught during Chapter 2 of all races. Once you get out of the starting area, find the Crafting Trainers you want and then make a trip back to where you were and start raising your skills on the easier mobs you’ve already fought. Once you’ve gained a few levels, you can move up and start leveling your crafting skills at the same time as your character’s experience.

apothecary

An Apothecary

Apothecaries create potions, lotions, dyes, and concoctions of many different types and effects. Different types include restoration, accuracy, Strength, Intelligence, and protection. A few things to consider when starting out as an Apothecary is that all deter-minates (or basic recipes) are inherently unstable. To actually succeed in creating a new potion you must find a stabilizing ingredient. Early on, you can do this with Cloudy Water, which can be either purchased or salvaged. Whichever way you choose to progress in your trade skill is up to you, but gathering the material will always be the cheapest route. In addition to stabilizing your concoctions, you can also enhance them to last longer with items such as Callous Gobswort.Experimentation is the key to Apothecary, so don’t be afraid to use more expensive vials and rare plants on your way to becoming an expert. You only lose your container when you fail to create something, but it’s easy to replace anyway.

talisman making

Look for the craft ing areas in the terr itory between start ing zone and warcamp.

Talisman Makers design different types of talismans and jewelry that enhance your character. The different combi-nations and creations you can make will be determined by both your skill and the ingredients that you use.Certain equipment pieces can accept talismans, which grant the gear a buff that usually increases your stats to some degree. Talisman Makers get most of their ingredients from Salvagers.

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ButcheringButchers excel at cutting

off all that excess material from different types of animals when

they die. Humanoids have no excess material on their hides when they die, so trying to butcher them won’t get you anything. Stick to butchering the animals and you’ll do fine. Butchers are similar to Scavengers except what they get is all natural materials. These materials can also be used by Apoth-ecaries, Talisman Makers, and Culti-vators, so having this gathering skill can help to progress those crafting skills. Selling or using what you butcher is a good way to progress your own character. Determining what level of creatures you can butcher will help you to find the right areas, but a general rule is to butcher everything you can while you level your character.

cultivatingInstead of picking up their materials off dead things, Cultivators grow what they make. This gathering skill is not fast and requires time and patience to really progress in it. You start the process with a simple seed; how you treat that seed and how you nurture that seed will determine your chances of producing a full harvestable plant. Cultivating primarily supports the Apothecary skill, so always consider growing those plants that will help you progress in your craft as well.

A Butcher

Bas ic Cultivat ing

In Cultivating, you start by planting your seed in soil. The seed can be many different types as can the soil. The quality of the soil will determine the likelihood that your plant will make it to the final phases of the process. After germinating your seeds in soil, you can add special watering cans to help the process as well. This is the seedling phase where you are trying to nurture your immature seedling to grow into a flower. Once you reach the flowering stage, you can also add special nutrients to better enhance the last and final stage of the process. Scavengers and Butchers can help you by selling or lending you the items need to enhance your plant’s growth. Scavengers often find the soils and waters, and Butchers will find the nutrients needed, so having a friend with those gathering skills helps a lot. Starting out it might be easier to just buy what you need from a NPC merchant who sells the seeds you need to get your own skill up to where you can start really producing the goods. Cultivators will have more plots open up at skill levels 50, 100, and 150 that enable them to grow even more plants at one time.

salvaging

Salvaging fuels Tali sman Making, wh ich can improve your toon’s gear.

With Salvaging, you can gather either mundane materials or magical materials. You can salvage broken items in the game to raw materials, then feed them to a Talisman Maker to create superior artifacts. Where Scavenging and Butchering deal with corpses and Cultivating relies on plants, Salvaging concentrates on physical items.

scavengingPicking clean every last bit of loot off of corpses is what Scavengers excel at. Only humanoids leave items behind when they die. Animals and the like have no pockets, so you won’t find anything on those types of corpses. Scavengers find many different useful items that can be used in a variety of different ways. You might kill the same mob over and over again and get different items scavenged every time. These items are used normally by Apothecaries, Talisman Makers, or even Culti-vators. If you’ve chosen one of these crafts yourself, this will help you progress in that crafting skill without having to always buy from NPCs or fellow players. You can also choose to sell any scavenged materials to other players. To scavenge corpses, simply loot all normal items first and then use your gathering skill on it to see what else you can get. You can also scavenge other players’ dead mobs provided they’ve already looted all the normal items off it.


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WARHAMMER ONLINE STARTER GUIDEFor crafting skills, expect to experiment a lot. Even using the same ingredients often nets you different results. Using rare components will get you the best results, so experiment a lot and don’t worry about not succeeding because you don’t lose most of the ingredients anyway. For gathering skills, time and patience is always the best bet. If you level your character quickly, you may have to stay around in your area and kill a little longer to get your gathering skills up to where you want them. Once you progress with these skills, either sell the results or use them for your own purposes. Guilds will have many crafters looking to buy gathered materials, so making profit from your hard work is always a good way to spend your time.

during the guild formation process. In addition to these rules, the leader must pay the guild creation cost of 50 silver. Guild Registrars can be found in both capital cities: Altdorf and the Inevitable City.

lairs and dunGeOns

Lairs and dungeons in WAR are meant to complement the quests and realm PvP by giving the character yet another option while progressing. Some lairs are soloable or can be beaten with smaller groups, while dungeons generally require a full party.

A Scavenger

GuildsGuilds in Warhammer Online serve a few different purposes. First is the age-old purpose of allowing a group of players with similar interests to share in the WAR experience. It gives these players a sense of camaraderie and also provides an easier means of communication between all the different players. The guild chat channel allows anyone in the guild to talk and hear what the others have to say. Where Warhammer Online differs on guilds is that it allows the guild to grow and progress as the players grow and progress. As players gain experience and Renown, so does the guild, and, similar to the players, all guilds go from Rank 1 to Rank 40. At each new rank come new rewards, so it benefits everyone in the guild to gain levels because it also opens up new rewards for the guild.

As you reach higher levels, the rewards become greater and greater. Each guild will want to progress as fast as possible to reach Rank 40 quickly, but some good rewards at the lower levels are worth mentioning. The Guild vault is gained at Rank 4, which is a very important resource to allow sharing of items and trade skill reagents between guild members. Approximately every 10 levels after that all the way to 33, the vault gets larger. Guild auctions are allowed at Rank 8, and at Rank 14 a guild can claim a keep for their own.There are other things to look forward to if you join a competent guild. Once your guild unlocks its standard, you’ll have a

chance to create heraldry that is unique to your specific guild. Having all your guild mates wearing the same colors and design really sets you apart in a world of thousands. Once your guild reaches a high enough level, they get the upgraded guild store, which holds many new and rare crafting materials. Also, at higher ranks, guilds are granted some cost reduction on siege equipment.To form a guild, you have to be the leader of a full party of six and everyone must be in range of the Guild Registrar. No one in the party may already belong to a guild, and the party membership may not change

The Gu ild Regi strar notice

lairs

A la ir entrance

Lairs are a lot less time-intensive than dungeons are and usually involve a group going inside and killing a rare mob for the loot. Now these mobs aren’t pushovers, but they usually take only a standard group make-up (tank, healer, DPS). While the strategies generally require a standard tank and DPS type of fight, there are a few spread around that have surprises up their sleeves. Most are open caves hidden around the map and are accessed by small jump puzzles or are just out of the way and well hidden. Occasionally you’ll run into one that requires you to solve a more involved type of puzzle, but none require more than 10-30 minutes of work from a full group to solve.

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dungeons

A denizen of Bast ion Sta ir

Dungeons, on the other hand, are more extensive and require a group to invest more time to fully get through them. Not unlike dungeons in other games, WAR builds dungeons in a progression style, meaning that as you get farther inside, the dungeon content progressively gets harder. As long as you have a full group that does well together and performs their individual tasks the way they should, then dungeons should also pose no problem. The biggest thing is the time required to finish a dungeon; it is going to be greater than that of a lair, so ensure that everyone has the time to finish it. Swapping out people through a half-completed dungeon is always harder than starting one anew.Lairs and dungeons are found in almost every zone. Some are hidden very well, in high mountains or half sunk in an ocean beach; you never know where one will turn up, so keep your eyes open. You’ll begin seeing them once you get out of the starter zones, and you should mark their locations as you quest around.

challenges and rewards

A battle in Sigmar’s Crypts

Some lairs and dungeons have rare mobs that do more than just hit back. These rare boss mobs might have special bleed attacks or knockbacks that make the fights more strategic, but a well-prepared group should be able to adapt to any situation. These boss and dungeon mobs usually have a lot more hit points, and the fights go longer and require more attention than for a normal mob.The reason to challenge these dungeons and lairs is, of course, to get the loot that drops in them and to experience all that WAR has to offer. Loot is what gives your character that small advantage either in PvE or PvP. Usually the drops off of the mobs in these zones are a lot better than what you’d receive doing quests at the same level, so gather a group and plunge into the depths on your next foray.


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dWarfs QuicKstart Guidechoose a career

You may be looking to start a brand-new character, or perhaps you want to begin an alternate toon on the side of Order. Here’s a brief rundown on each of the three Dwarf classes and why you may want to jump into their boots.

engineerThe “Ranged Damage Dealer and

Pet Controller” CareerThe Dwarfs first discovered the secrets of black powder, and no one can rival them when it comes to putting it to good use. Armed with guns, grenades, and gadgets,

the Engineers often prepare traps and ambushes throughout the battlefield before the fight begins, and then quickly dispatch any surviving enemies from a safe distance.

Your first 5 stepsThere are a million possible paths of discovery when you first log in to your starting zone. These five steps (shown on the following map) will help you conquer that first zone with maximum gain and minimum pain.

1. starting area: mordrin’s anvilDwarfs begin in Mordrin’s Anvil with many options for advancement. You can gather several quests right away from Tharik Redaxe and Snorri Oathbrew, or you can head into Goldbrow’s Lament next door to battle ravenous squigs. When you’re ready to exit the first area, travel northwest to the Barren Reach, deal with the goblin diggers and cave trolls, then burst outside onto Ancestor’s Watch. To reach the Ekrund mainland, you must battle through any goblin in your path on your way to the Bitterstone Bridge. Use the Bitterstone warriors as support, especially the threesome in the corner of the large open plaza.

2. first PQ: Battle of BitterstoneOn the far side of the Bitterstone Bridge, you’ll reach your first public quest, the Battle of Bitterstone. Fight the orcs here to gain influence and visit the Rally Master, Rordin Ironmane, behind the Dwarf battlement once you have enough influence to earn all three rewards. Don’t forget to set your rally point to Rordin; that way, should you die in the area, you won’t restart on Ancestor’s Watch and have to battle through all those goblins again.

3. chapter 2: redhammer BreweryLeave the Battle of Bitterstone through the tunnel on the eastern side of the cliff face and pass under the mountain to Chapter 2 on the other side, the Redhammer Brewery. Gather all your quests in the area, and study your two crafting skills from the trainers around the outside of the pub. Stock up on influence from any of the three PQs in the immediate area: Durak’s Gate, Engine Number Nine, and Murgluk’s Gits.

4. first Warcamp: Grudgekeg’s GuardFollow the railroad tracks northeast to reach the area below Grudgekeg’s Guard. The valley that leads to your first warcamp is full of goblin foes, so make sure you’re at least Rank 4 or 5 and take it slowly to avoid getting overrun. Hike up the path to the top of the mountain to find the warcamp, and stock up on all the RvR-related quests before seeking more head-thumping.

5. renown action: ekrund rvrOnce you have all your warcamp quests, venture north into the RvR area. There are two objectives on adjacent plateaus: the Cannon Battery closest to the warcamp and the Stonemine Tower on the far side. Simply scouting these areas completes some of your RvR quests, and you’ll want to seize them if they’ve fallen into enemy hands. Train your RvR skills here until you’ve completed all Ekrund quests; then, and only then, you’re ready to leave the zone and enter Mount Bloodhorn.

ironbreakerThe “Tank” CareerWhen most people describe someone as “stubborn,” they’re probably talking about a Dwarf, but when a Dwarf describes someone as “stubborn as a bloody mountain,” they’re probably talking about an Ironbreaker. Clad in their legendary armor, they are the vanguard of any Dwarf army, leading and protecting their kin and allies on the field of battle.

rune PriestThe “Healer” CareerDwarf runes bind and hold magic, solidifying and stabilizing the power through the knowledge and craftsmanship practiced by Rune Priests through the centuries. A skilled Rune Priest can tap into this rune-etched power to call forth all manner of spectacular effects, from restoring life to his allies to calling down wrath and doom upon his foes.

Dwarfs Quickstart Guide


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Chapter Unlock (Destruction)4 – Greenskin Chapter 4

Chapter Unlock (Order)1 – Dwarf Chapter 12 – Dwarf Chapter 2

Major Landmarks1 – Norri’s Tunnel2 – Durak’s Gate3 – Durak’s Mine4 – Crawla Cave5 – Goldfist’s Tomb6 – Wolf Den7 – Broketoof Camp8 – Njorinsson’s Tomb9 – Redhammer Tunnel10 – Burguz’s Boyz11 – Ancestor’s Watch12 – Pick & Goggles13 – Stonemane’s Junction

Public Quests (Destruction)1 – Goldfist Hole Recovery 2 – Raider’s Haven 3 – Broketoof Camp

Public Quests (Order)1 – Battle of Bitterstone 2 – Durak’s Gate 3 – Engine Number Nine 4 – Murgluk’s Gits

Battle Objectives1 – Stonemine Tower2 – Cannon Battery

Lairs1 – Bandit Queen

Flight Master

Warcamps: 1 – Grudgekeg’s Guard RvR Area (Outlined)

LEGEND

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emPire QuicKstart Guidechoose a career

You may be looking to start a brand-new character, or perhaps you want to begin an alternate toon on the side of Order. Here’s a brief rundown on each of the three Empire classes and why you may want to serve the Emperor Karl Franz.

Bright WizardThe “Ranged Damage Dealer” CareerMaster of the Lore of Fire, the Bright Wizard is the most destructive battle wizard in all of the Empire. The Bright Wizard can incinerate anything, ranging from individual soldiers to an entire hillside. However, destructive fire is not the only trick in their arsenal. Bright Wizards can also manipulate the wind of Aqshy to cause a variety of debilitating effects, ranging from thick banks of choking smoke, to withering heat that saps the strength and endurance from even the staunchest warrior. Some Bright Wizards have even been known to dabble in the healing arts; however cauterizing a wound with white-hot fire is never a soldier’s first choice.

Your first 5 stepsThere are a million possible paths of discovery when you first log in to your starting zone. These five steps (shown on the following map) will help you conquer that first zone with maximum gain and minimum pain.

1. starting area: GrimmenhagenYou begin your Empire career in the small village of Grimmenhagen. Seek out as many quest givers as you can, starting with Viktor Riese whom you spawn right next to. Don’t forget to check inside the nearby inn for more quests, and the Griffon Sergeant outside the inn gives you the “Guns of Nordenwatch” quest, a repeatable scenario quest worth a fair amount of experience just for participating in the scenarios. Before you leave the village, visit Eldred Krebs, Grimmenhagen’s Rally Master, to set your rally point. Now, once an hour, you can quickly zip back to Grimmenhagen to turn in quests and collect rewards.

2. first PQ: raven host vanguardYou may want to do some of your early quests first, but before you travel too far from Grimmenhagen, you should participate in your first public quest, Raven Host Vanguard. Run the PQ several times, until you’ve gained enough influence to earn all three Chapter 1 rewards from Rally Master Eldred Krebs. You can solo the first stage of the PQ, killing 25 Raven Host Marauders, but you’ll need a party’s help to team up with Father Sigwald for stages two and three.

3. crafting area: Grey lady coaching innAfter you’ve completed all the quests around Grimmenhagen, which will probably take you up to Rank 3 or 4, run north up Harvester’s Road to the Grey Lady Coaching Inn. Here you’ll find more quests and your first crafting vendors. Two merchants also provide crafting materials for your early endeavors.

4. more PQ experience: northwest regionNorthwest of the Grey Lady, you can find three more Chapter 2 PQs: the Burning Windmill, the Ruins of Schloss von Ruben, and the Norse Are Coming! Earn your next set of influence rewards on whichever PQ looks the most promising (or perhaps, a combination of them all). If you choose the Norse Are Coming!, just watch that you don’t stray too far to the east accomplishing your task—the RvR perimeter starts a stone’s throw from the Norse camp.

5. first Warcamp: arnholdt’s companyFinally, proceed to your first warcamp at the meeting of Breuer’s Regiment and Arnholdt’s Company. This area also opens up Chapter 3 for you. Here you’ll gather more quests, and take your turn at your first RvR missions within the town of New Emskrank. Completing these tasks should train you in the art of RvR combat and put you at around Rank 10. Once you’ve conquered all your Chapter 3 quests and earned your influence rewards (nearby Pillager’s Approach is a convenient PQ), head northeast up the road to your second game zone, Norsca.

Warrior PriestThe “Melee Healer” Career

The Warrior Priests worship Sigmar, the now-deified warrior who united the tribes of man and formed the Empire long ago. In honor of their legendary patron, the Warrior Priests seek

to follow in Sigma

basics & essentials · 2019. 1. 3. · warhammer online: basics and essentials the interface now...

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