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The original was posted on /r/guildwars2 by /u/serialbam on 2025-07-24 19:13:12+00:00.
Hey, im new and kind of overwhelmed by all the core classes and the elite specs that i've seen on youtube.
Is there a class that isn't too complex, has decent apm and is similiar to one of the playstyles mentioned above?
I only have the base game, but i don't mind getting a expansion after i invested enough time. If there are youtube videos that are targeted for melee players(and newbies), i wouldn't mind checking them out as well.
Thanks for reading!
EDIT: Wow, I didn't expect this. Im overwhelmed by the sheer quantity of indepth answers and generally, the willingness to help someone new. What a great community.
So, what i liked in FFXIV (with Dragoon Shadowbringer/Endwalker era) was primarily the general thematic of big armor, big weapon and the jumping around. Mechanically, i liked having some linear rotation with filling the bar and then entering a "burst mode", where you spammed your most important attacks. Besides that long and linear rotation, i liked the (ffxiv specific mechanic) of weaving in ogcds like the forementioned jumps.
For retribution Paladin in wow, it was the hybrid playstyle of being able to dispel and buff/protect, coupled in with a basic rotation of building holy power and spending it, especially when popping my burst. I loved the spammy feel it gave. Purely from aesthetics, i enjoyed the fantasy of bein a holy knight/warrior. Thats why i choose Dragoon in FFXIV for example. I find Warriors with a interesting twist (dragonic powers or holy powers as example) interesting, since i like to immerse myself in the world.
I read some of the comments and it seems that Guardian (with willbender or dragonhunter) or revenant (vindicator) could fit thematically. Reaper looked interesting as well (since i played some of it in FFXIV).
Im open minded regarding Guild Wars 2 combat style, so its not a necessity that they replicate in any form those examples that i mentioned here. But i needed to give me some framework from where to start, so i dont procrastinate trying out this fascinate looking game.
