Getting Started

No Subscription
This is referred to as a Free-To-Play or Hybrid-Free To Play model (hybrid because you need to purchase the game upfront, therefore it's not technically free). There is no monthly subscription, however there are perks you can buy in-game for real world currency, such as temporary experience boosts, or for-show only gear (that has no stats).
 * It is worth noting that the Gems purchased using real money to buy these perks can also be exchanged for in-game currency. As such, it IS possible to guy in-game currency with real money.  It is also possible to do the reverse.  Therefore, without spending any real money, you can buy these perks.  The exchange rate to do this fluxuates based on the market; if more people exchange gems for gold, the amount of gold per gem goes down.

Skills/Abilities
You only ever have access to 10 different skills (keys 1-0). The skills placed in these slots can be changed out of battle, but only the 10 selected can be used at a time, and a skill cannot be switched out if it is on cooldown.

Weapon Skills
Slots 1 through 5 are determined by your equipped weapon(s). Main-hand weapons determine skills 1-3, offhand 4-5, and two-handed weapons determine all 1-5. These skills given by a weapon are profession-specific, and are unlocked by killing enemy NPCs with that weapon equipped.

Slot Skills
Skills 6-0 are called "Slot skills", and can be replaced with any skills you've learned for that slot type.

You can learn or unlock additional slot skills by "buying" them with skill points, which you earn at every level after 5 (1 per level), or by completing skill challenges that are found scattered around the world.

Healing Skill
Slot 6 is always a healing skill. These skills will always have an active "on use" healing effect that can be used on either yourself or a friendly target.

Your character will start with 1, and can learn 2 or 3 more depending on your race. These skills usually cost 1 or 3 skills points to unlock.

Utility Skills
Slots 7-9 are your utility skills. These skills range in effect from dealing direct damage, to providing an aura (friendly buff), to placing a debuff on an enemy. You will unlock access to these utility skills as you level, with the last one opening up at level 20.

Utility skills are available in 3 "tiers".
 * The first tier is available immediately, and skills in this tier cost 1 skill point each.
 * Tier 2 is available after 5 skills have been purchased from tier 1, and these skills cost 3 skill points each
 * Tier 3 is available after 5 skills have been purchased from tier 2, and these skills cost 6 points each

Elite Skill
Slot 0 is an "elite" skill. This skill is another utility skill (and are available with effects of the same range), but a much stronger one. This slot is unlocked at level 30.

Elite skills are available in 2 "tiers".
 * Tier 1 is available immediately, and skills in this tier cost 10 skill points each
 * Tier 2 is available after 3 skills have been purchased from Tier 1, and these skills cost 30 points each

No "Holy Trinity".

 * All classes have a dedicated healing spell available to them
 * Healing IS NOT effective enough to counter incoming damage
 * Because of this, a "Tank" class that just stands in the enemy's way and absorbs damage is not a viable option. Neither is a dedicated healer that does nothing but heal party members.
 * All classes:
 * will be doing damage and/or CCing enemies
 * will have the ability to give a minor health boost to players who are in trouble (although some class/trait combinations more than others)
 * can resurrect a fallen ally (including in the middle of battle).
 * will need to evade incoming attacks effective to avoid taking damage (although some class/trait combinations can withstand more damage than others)

Active Combat
Because tanks and healers don't exist, a different damage mitigation technique needs to be used. This involves a lot of "Kiting" (running around doing damage to enemies while they chase you) while using different crowd control techniques (like cripple, which reduces the enemy's run speed by 66%). Along with Kiting, a new mechanic has been added to the game: active dodging. This uses an endurance bar that, at 100%, allows 2 dodges and slowly refills over time. A well-timed dodge will completely evade ALL damage from a single attack. Effective use of dodging will keep you (and your party) alive longer, especially since at later levels even tank-type builds (with large amounts of toughness, vitality and armor) will still die in under 10 hits.

No mounts
Waypoints exist at various points of all maps allowing for instant travel (for a cost) to any waypoint you've discovered along your travels.

Creating Your Character
Character creation is done in 6 steps:
 * 1) Pick your Race
 * 2) Pick your gender
 * 3) Pick your Profession
 * 4) Customize your physical appearance
 * 5) Select your biography
 * 6) One profession-specific question (no impact on personal story)
 * 7) One personality-related question (no impact on personal story)
 * 8) Three race-specific background questions
 * 9) Name your Character

Races
There are 5 races to choose from. Selecting a race will determine what your starting city is, certain personal story choices when creating your character, and give you a few (4 or 5) different slot skills.

The races are:
 * Asura - A diminutive people that originally lived underground. They are an intelligent race that are always inventing and consider the other races their mental inferiors.
 * Charr - The Charr are a savage people that are raised as soldiers from birth. They have renounced all gods and view the world with a cynical eye.
 * Human - Humans used to be the dominant race, but have been decimated leaving Kryta as the only remaining human kingdom.
 * Norn - The Norn are a hearty people, very large in stature. They tend to be hunters and warriors and live in the cold northern Shiverpeak Mountains.
 * Sylvari - The Sylvari are a young, curious race having awakened little more than 20 years ago. They are spawned by the Pale Tree and live by a code of ethics known as "Ventari's Teachings"

Professions
There are 8 professions (classes) to choose from. There is no race-profession restrictions, so any race can be any profession.

The professions are broken up into 3 categories: Scholar, Adventurer and Soldier. The main difference between these categories is the armor they wear; Scholars wear light armour, Adventurers wear medium armour, and Soldiers wear heavy armour.

The Professions are:
 * Elementalist (Scholar) - The elementalist is a magic user that can call upon the 4 elements at will to hurl at enemies or heal allies
 * Engineer (Adventurer) - Engineers are technological and alchemical masterminds. They employ turrets, grenades, elixirs, a variety of other impressive devices, and concoctions to overcome their enemies
 * Guardian (Soldier) - Guardians specialize in protective and defensive magic. A deep sense of loyalty to their allies fuels their passion and power
 * Mesmer (Scholar) - Mesmers weave mental magic that confounds, controls, or evokes emotion in their enemies. With a wave of the hand, they can shatter their own illusions to produce even greater special effects
 * Necromancer (Scholar) - Necromancers summon the dead to fight for them, channel blood energy and rend their enemies' souls. Necromancers draw on life force and use it to strengthen or heal themselves and others
 * Ranger (Adventurer) - Rangers rely on a keen eye, a steady hand, and the power of nature to slay their targets. Their loyal pets, which rangers tame and train, distract enemies while the rangers strike safely from a distance
 * Thief (Adventurer) - Thieves utilize surprise and shadow to get close to their enemies, and they're deadly in one-on-one combat. They have an affinity for setting traps and going where they were never meant to go
 * Warrior (Soldier) - Warriors  rely on speed, strength, toughness, and heavy armor to survive. They're versatile in combat and benefit from offensive and defensive abilities. Warriors inspire allies and demoralize enemies

Crafting
The selection of crafting skills in GW2 is similar to those found in other MMOs: There are no gathering skills, as everyone can gather every material. There are 3 different resources you can gather that require 3 different gathering tools, and your character has an equipment slot for each one. The level of resource you can gather is dependent on the level of tool equipped. For example, a copper pick axe will mine from a copper ore vein just fine, but when used on an iron ore vein it will produce a trash item as it's not strong enough. An iron pick axe, though, will mine from both copper and iron ore veins just fine.
 * Armorsmith - make heavy armor, runes, and boxes (inventory container)
 * Artificer - make magical weapons, sigils, and potions
 * Chef - Make food and dyes
 * Huntsman - Make wooden weapons, firearms, and sigils
 * Jeweler - Make jewelery
 * Leatherworker - Makes medium armor, runes and bags
 * Tailor - Makes light armor, runes and bags
 * Weaponsmith - Makes metal weapons and sigils