Part 3

Learn how armor protects different body parts in Guild Wars 2, understand armor levels (AL) and their impact on damage, and master essential game terminology for a smoother playthrough.

Hey there! So, we've covered the basics, and now it's time to get into some of the nitty-gritty details that'll make you a much tougher adventurer in Guild Wars 2. This section is all about understanding how your armor works, how much punishment you can take, and getting familiar with some of the lingo you'll hear around the game. Think of it like learning the best way to gear up and speak the language!

Armor Basics: What Gets Hit and How Much?

First off, your armor isn't just a single piece; it covers specific parts of your body: your hands, legs, and feet. You can also equip a shield, which adds its protection to all those areas. The key thing to remember is that armor ONLY protects the part of the body it logically covers. So, you'll want to make sure you're always fully armored up to minimize the damage you take. Some areas are just naturally hit more often than others, and some attacks are more likely to hit specific spots.

• Head: This area takes about 12.5% of all physical attacks. Fun fact: if an enemy is higher up than you, they have an easier time landing a headshot, which can be a critical hit! Headgear often doesn't have the same special armor bonuses as other pieces, so you might take more damage here.
• Chest: This is your biggest target, taking a whopping 37.5% of all physical attacks. It also takes the brunt of direct damage spells – those nasty ones that hit instantly without a projectile animation, like Inferno or Deathly Swarm.
• Hands: These take about 12.5% of physical attacks.
• Legs: A bit more vulnerable than your chest, legs take 25% of physical attacks.
• Feet: Similar to your hands, feet take about 12.5% of physical attacks.

Understanding Armor Level (AL) and Damage Reduction

Beyond just *where* you get hit, the amount of protection your armor offers is crucial. This is measured by your Armor Level (AL). At AL 60, you're taking the 'real' damage of an attack. Anything less than AL 60 means you'll take more damage, and anything more means you'll take less. This can make a HUGE difference!

Here's a look at how your AL affects the damage you take, shown as a percentage of that 'real' damage:

As you can see, even a difference of ten AL can significantly reduce the damage you receive. Keep in mind that different professions have different armor caps:

• Monk, Mesmer, and Elementalist armor cap out at 60 AL.
• Necromancers cap at 70 AL.
• Rangers cap at 75 AL (though sometimes it feels like 70!).
• Warriors have the highest cap at 85 AL.

Plus, shields can add up to 16 defense. So, without using any skills, you can reach a maximum defense of 101 AL. With skills, you can push that number way past 200, though it's a bit unclear if there's a point where defense stops giving you any extra benefit.

Essential Guild Wars 2 Terminology

You'll hear a lot of terms thrown around in Guild Wars 2, especially when you start grouping up. Knowing these will help you understand what's going on much faster:

• Aggro: This refers to the 'aggravation range' – that smaller circle on your compass. If enemies enter it, they'll usually attack you.
• AL: Armor Level, as we just discussed.
• AoE: Area of Effect. Usually refers to skills that hit a large area, common for Elementalists.
• Body Blocking: Literally standing in front of an enemy to prevent them from reaching someone else, often to draw their aggro.
• DoT: Damage over Time. Skills that tick away at an enemy's health, often used by Mesmers and Necromancers (like Conjure Phantasm).
• Ecto: Short for Glob of Ectoplasm, a crafting material.
• Farm: Repeatedly killing the same monsters to gather items, money, or experience.
• FoW: Fissure of Woe, an area accessed from the Balthazar Statue in the Temple of the Ages.
• HoH: Hall of Heroes, a place you reach after winning consecutive battles in the Tomb of Primeval Kings. Winning here can get you a Celestial Sigil.
• LFG/LFP: Looking for Group / Looking for Party. You'll see these a lot when people are trying to form a team.
• Nerf: When a game update makes a skill or build less powerful.
• Nuker: A player who can deal a massive amount of damage, often to multiple targets. Usually an Elementalist, but others can do it too.
• PUG: Pick Up Group. A group formed from random players. It's often advised to avoid these if possible, as they can sometimes be chaotic.
• PvE: Player vs Environment/Enemy. This covers all the cooperative areas of the game.
• PvP: Player vs Player.
• Runner: Someone who helps other players travel between towns, often for a fee.
• Shard: Refers to an Obsidian Shard, another crafting material.
• Shutdown: A player (usually a Mesmer or Necromancer) who specializes in stopping enemies from casting their spells.
• Sigil: Specifically, a Celestial Sigil, needed to buy a guild hall.
• Spike[r]: A player focused on dealing huge, rapid damage to a single target, hoping to overwhelm their healing.
• Tank: A player who absorbs a lot of damage, typically a Warrior or sometimes a Ranger.
• ToA: Temple of the Ages. A key location for accessing special areas like the Underworld.
• UW: Underworld, an area accessed from the Grenth Statue in the Temple of the Ages.
• WTB/WTS/WTT: Want to buy / Want to sell / Want to trade. Standard trading abbreviations.
• Zone: When a player enters a new area, which pulls the whole party along. Often used as a warning to grab items before moving on.

Understanding these terms and how armor works will give you a solid foundation as you continue your journey in Guild Wars 2. Keep this info handy, and you'll be navigating the game like a pro in no time!