How to Rune and Gear Your Paragon at Level 20 in Guild Wars

Character Introduction

Ranging in diversity from stunningly breathtaking to brutally horrific fighting Guild Wars MMORPG is top notch in the gaming world. Offering both worlds of PvE and PvP Guild Wars aims to always have new places to explore and fight in. When a Paragon reaches level 20 it is time to start developing it into the most powerful healing, fighting, or buffing character it can be. Upon reaching level 20 a Guild Wars Paragon will decide which path to take in the game and then get armor and runes accordingly. The Paragon is both a melee fighter and someone who will provide party buffs to protect and enhance skills.

The Paragon likes to help keep their Guild Wars party safe from harm and help them do additional damage with each strike. A

Paragon utilizes a spear to fight with that they throw at their opponents while protecting themselves with a large shield. Paragons use energy to cast skills, fight opponents, and buff party members. Paragons are really good in PvE and PvP worlds alike.

A Paragon is typically a protector that offers Guild Wars party buffs and healing. This character class also has their own resurrections skill; Signet of Return. Paragons can provide individual player heals or group heals similar to the Guild Wars Monk. A newer character class, the Paragon, has features that other Guild Wars characters do not have. The “wings” and fighting graphics are phenomenal to view with Paragons.

Armor Selection

A Paragon has many different armor types that have been customized just for their character class. Every level 20 Paragon needs to obtain “maxed” armor since it provides the most protection for the character. Maxed armor for a Paragon is 80.

Here is a list of the different maxed armor types and where to obtain each:

• Obsidian Armor: The Fissure of Woe
• Asuran Elite: Rata Sum
• Deldrimor Elite: Central Transfer Chamber
• Monument Elite: Eye of the North Outpost
• Norn Elite: Gunnar’s Hold
• Ancient Elite: Bone Palace
• Sunspear Elite: Command Post
• Primeval Elite: Throne of Secrets
• Vabbian Elite: The Kodash Bazaar
• Canthan Elite: Divine Path
• Kurzick Elite: Vasburg Armory
• Luxon Elite: Leviathan Pits
• Judge Elite: Granite Citadel
• Saintly Elite: Marhan’s Grotto
• Woven Elite: Granite Citadel
• Flowing Elite: Granite Citadel
• Labyrinthine Elite: Marhan’s Grotto

Armor Selection (cont.)

• Tyrian Standard: Droknar’s Forge, Wajjun Bazaar, and Boreal Station
• Istani Standard: Consulate Docks or Command Post
• Sunspear Standard: Consulate Docks or Command Post
• Canthan Standard: Kaineng Center
• Kurzick Standard: House zu Heltzer
• Luxon Standard: Cavalon
• Shing Jea Standard: Kaineng Center
• Ascalon Standard: Kaineng Center
• Krytan Standard: Bukdek Byway
• Censor Standard: Droknar’s Forge
• Dragon Standard: Droknar’s Forge
• Sacred Standard: Droknar’s Forge
• Star Standard: Droknar’s Forge
• Woven Standard: Droknar’s Forge

The only difference between elite and standard armor is the way it looks and the price. Standard armor is considerably cheaper than elite armor.

Rune Selection

Runes are items that upgrade armor in Guild Wars. Insignias work with runes by adding modifiers. Each armor piece can have 1 insignia and 1 rune attached to it; head, chest, hands, legs, feet. This will allow for up to 5 runes and up to 5 insignias for each complete armor set. You can remove and change runes on a character’s armor but it is very expensive to do so.

Runes can be obtained from Rune Merchants, loot from drops, or salvages from armor pieces. Some runes are stackable and others are not, however, if two of the same runes are applied the negative benefits will occur but not the positive. So if the runes are giving a +3 buff and -75 health and there are two on instead of getting +6 buff the player receives -125 health and +3 buff.

Paragon Runes and Insignias

Insignia

• Centurion’s Insignia

Minor

• Minor Leadership
• Minor Motivation
• Minor Command
• Minor Spear Mastery

Major

• Major Leadership
• Major Motivation
• Major Command
• Major Spear Mastery

Superior

• Superior Leadership
• Superior Motivation
• Superior Command
• Superior Spear Mastery

Attributes and Builds

The Paragon’s attributes and Guild Wars build will be focused on their core profession skills along with any second profession that is active. The maximum Paragon attribute level, assuming the character has maxed runes, weapons, and armor, can be; Leadership 20 PvE and 16 PvP, Motivation, Command, and Spear Mastery 21 PvE and 17 PvP.

A character’s build and attributes should be similar in nature to ensure the best possible game play as well as the strongest character possible. Builds should focus on 2-3 attributes instead of 4 or 5. When you do this your Guild Wars character is maximizing their potential by putting all their attribute points in one place, as a substitute to placing them in random spots. If a Paragon has skills in their skill bar that are placed in Spear Mastery then the attributes should be in Spear Mastery as well. The special attribute for the Paragon is Leadership.

Attributes and Builds (cont.)

The basic Paragon attributes explained:

• Leadership – Special attribute; every 2 Leadership attribute points allows the character to gain energy when enchantments affect other players.
• Spear Mastery – Increases the success rate of critical hits and damage with a spear.
• Command – Each Command attribute point offers increased effectiveness to specific defensive and offensive enchantments.
• Motivation – Each Motivation attribute point increases the efficiency of party conditioning.

Paragon builds can be categorized by their elite skill on the character’s skill bar or attribute type. Every Paragon needs to have 1 elite skill in their skill bar that is from their specializing attribute talent tree.

Second Professions and Elite Skills

Paragons that gain level 20 status will want to obtain each and every second profession in the game. Obtaining different second professions in Guild Wars lets players have access to additional skills and buffs they would not normally have. There are 9 different second classes available to the Paragon; Ranger, Dervish, Assassin, Ritualist, Monk, Warrior, Necromancer, Mesmer, and Elementalist.

Elite skills are available from a multitude of zones in the Guild Wars games. Elite skills can be captured from a boss if the player has a Signet of Capture equipped in their skill bar. Signet of Captures are available from Rune Traders in Guild Wars towns and outposts. Every build needs at least one elite skill that corresponds with attributes and weapon points.

Combining Attributes, Builds, Runes, and Armor: Explained

The Paragon needs to combine insignias, weapons, armor, runes, builds, and second professions to make the most powerful character possible. A Paragon who specializes in Spear Mastery will want to set their gear up in the following way:

• Obtain a spear Req. 9-12 Spear Mastery with stats in Leadership or Spear Mastery
• Maxed armor, with headgear for Spear Mastery
• Insignias and Runes for Leadership and Spear Mastery
• Attributes set in Leadership and Spear Mastery
• Build and skills that reflect Leadership and Spear Mastery
• Spear Mastery or Leadership elite skill

Furthermore, if a Paragon wishes to change builds they would want to correlate their skills and attributes and follow the same concept explained above. Armor, attributes, skills, runes, insignias, and weapons all need to have similar traits to enhance each other. Try not to mix up skills and attributes. While it is possible to do this it does not make for a good character build.